House Postil 2.part
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Part 2 - House Postil
Complete Writings,
edited by
Dr. Joh. Georg Walch.
Thirteenth volume.
Second part.
The house postils according to Georg Rörer.
New revised stereotype edition.
St. Louis, Mo.
CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE.
Dr. Martin Luther's
House Postils.
According to Georg Rörer
Newly published by the Ministry of the German Evangelical Lutheran Synod
of Missouri, Ohio and Other States.
2nd ed.
St. Louis, Mo.
CONCORDIA PUBLISHING HOUSE.
Preface.
About the origin of Rörer's Postille, the necessary information has been given in the preface to the first part of this volume.
The present edition, like the Erlangen edition, is based on the first printing of 1559, which was only procured after Rörer's death. It is entitled: "Hauspostille über die Sonntags- und der fürnehmsten Feste Evangelien, durch das ganze Jahr, von D. Martin Luther selig gepredigt, aus M. Georg Rörers bligen geschriebenen Büchern, wie er die von Jahr zu Jahr aus seinem des Doctors Mund aufgefaßt und zusammengebracht, treulich ohne alle Aenderung, Abbruch oder Zusatz, auf neu zugerichtet und in Druck gegeben. 2 Petri 1. Printed at Jena, by Christian Rödinger's heirs. Anno 1559."
Concerning the index relating to the entire thirteenth volume, please refer to the note on the register of the
Church Postils in the preface to the twelfth volume.
We add to the renewed publication of the Hauspostille a note from the Centifolium Lutheranum by J. A. Fabricius at 300 of the Hamburg edition of 1728): "Anno 1532 D. Martinus preached at home to his children and servants every Sunday, probably for half a year, but he did not preach in church. Then D. Jonas asked him why he did this, perhaps he saw that the common people and rabble thus despised God's word. Martin replied that he was doing it for the sake of his office and for the sake of his conscience, as a householder who is obligated to do so: "Nevertheless, I know and see well," he said, "that it is as little respected here in the house as it is in the church. Table Talks p. 2476." Would that our Christian houses would not be guilty of contempt for the Word of God and the teachings and sermons of Luther!
St. Louis, Pentecost 1884.
The Editors.
Table of contents
Winter part.
Advent
Column
On the first Sunday of Advent. (First sermon.) Matth. 21, 1-9 1344
On the first Sunday of Advent. (Second sermon.) Matth. 21, 1-9 1352
On the First Sunday of Advent. (Third sermon.) Matth. 21,1-9 1360
On the Second Sunday of Advent. (First sermon.) Luc. 21, 25-36 1366
On the Second Sunday of Advent. (Second sermon.) Luc. 21, 25-36 1374
On the Second Sunday of Advent. (Third sermon.) Luc. 21, 25-36 1384
On the third Sunday of Advent. (First sermon.) Matth. 11, 2-10 1392
On the third Sunday of Advent. (Second sermon.) Matth. 11, 2-10 1404
On the fourth Sunday of Advent. (First sermon.) Joh. 1, 19-28 1412
On the fourth Sunday of Advent. (Second sermon.) Joh. 1, 19-28 1422
On the fourth Sunday of Advent. (Third sermon.) Joh. 1, 19-28 1430
Christmas
On the holy day of Christ. (First sermon:) Of the history of how Christ was born in Bethlehem. Luc. 2, 1-14 1438
On the holy day of Christ. (Second sermon:) What the angels preach and proclaim to the shepherds about this story 2c. Luc. 2, 1-14 1450
On the Holy Day of Christ. (Third sermon:) Of the angels' song of praise. Luc. 2, 1-14 1464
Three sermons from the birth of Christ:
On the Holy Day of Christ. (First sermon:) On the history of the birth > of our Lord Jesus Christ. Matth. 1, 18-25. Luc. 2, 1-14. 1478
On the holy day of Christ. (Second sermon:)
Of the holy angels sermon and their song 1484 > > On the second day of Christ. About the example of the virgins of Mary > and the shepherds. Luc. 2, 15-20 1490
On the Sunday after Christ Day. (First sermon.) Luc. 2, 33-40 1500
On the Sunday after Christ Day. (Second sermon.) Luc. 2, 33-40 1514
On the new year's day. (First sermon:) On circumcision. Luc. 2, 21 1528
On the new year's day. (Second sermon:) Of the name JEsu. Luc. 2, 21 1540
Epiphany
On the day of Epiphany. (First sermon:) From the Historia. Matth. 2, 1-12 1550
Column
On the Day of Epiphany. (Second sermon.) Micah 5:1. 1564 On the Day of Epiphany. (Third sermon:) From the
Baptism of Christ. Matth. 3, 13-17 1574
On the first Sunday after Epiphany. Luc. 2, 41-52 1584
On the second Sunday after Epiphany. Jn. 2, 1-11 1594
On the third Sunday after Epiphany. Matth. 8, 1-13 1604
On the fourth Sunday after Epiphany. Matth. 8, 23-27 1616
On the fifth Sunday after Epiphany. Matth. 13, 24-30 1630
On the Sunday of Septuagint. Matth. 20, 1-16... 1646
On the Sunday of Sexagesimä. Luc. 8, 4-15 1652
On the day of the Purification of Mary. Luc. 2, 22-32. 1662
On the Sunday of Estomihi. Luc. 18, 31-43 1672
On the Sunday of Invocavit. Matth. 4, 1-11 1682
On the Sunday of Reminiscere. Matth. 15, 21-28.... 1692
On Sunday Oculi. Luc. 11, 14-28 1702
On the Sunday of Lent. (First sermon.) Joh. 6,
1-15 1718
On the Sunday of Lent. (Second sermon.) Joh. 6, 1-15 1726
On the Sunday of Judica. (First sermon.) Joh. 8, 46-59 1730
On the Sunday of Judica. (Second sermon.) Joh. 8, 46-59 1738
On Palm Day. Joh. 12, 12-19 1744
Passion or Historia of the Suffering and Death of JEsu
Christ our Savior.
The first sermon. About the history in the garden. Matth. 26, 36-56; > Marc. 14, 32-52; Luc. 22, 39-54 1750 > > The other sermon. Of the history that happened in the house of Caiphas > the high priest. Matth. 26, 57-75; Marc. 14, 53-72; Luc. 22, 54-62 > 1768 > > The third sermon. Of the history that happened before the governor > Pontio Pilato. Matth. 27; Marc. 15; Luc. 23;
Joh. 18. 19 1786
The fourth sermon. About the history of what Christ suffered and said > on the cross, and about the right hand of the thief. Luc. 23, 32-43. > 1804 > > The fifth sermon. About the history of how Christ was buried. Joh. 19, > 31-42; Matth. 27, 62-66; Isa. 52, 13. to 53, 12. 1822
VIII Table of contents IX
Column
Green Thursday. About the Lord's Supper. Luc. 22, 7-20. 1840
On Char Friday. Of the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ in general. Joh. 19, 13-30 1856
Summer part.
Easter
On Easter Eve. From the article of our Christian faith: I believe in Jesus Christ 2c., descended into hell; on the third day risen again from the dead 1866
On the Holy Day of Easter. Of the History and Fruit of the Resurrection of Christ. Marc. 16, 1-8.... 1882
Easter Monday. Luc. 24, 13-35 1896
On Easter Tuesday. Luc. 24, 36-47 1912
On Easter Wednesday. From the Most Reverend Sacrament.
1 Cor. II, 23-26 1922
On the first Sunday after Easter, Quasimodogeniti. (First sermon.) Joh. 20, 19-31 1938
On the first Sunday after Easter, Quasimodogeniti. (Second sermon.) Joh. 20, 19-31 1944
On the second Sunday after Easter, Misericordias Domini. (First sermon.) Joh. 10, 12-16. 1958
On the second Sunday after Easter, Misericordias Domini. (Second sermon.) Joh. 10, 12-16. 1966
On the third Sunday after Easter, Jubilate. Joh.
16, 16-23 1972
On the fourth Sunday after Easter, Cantate. Joh.
16, 5-15 1984
On the fifth Sunday after Easter, Rogate. Joh.
16, 23-30 1994
On the day of the Ascension of Christ. (First sermon:) Of the history and fruit of the Ascension.
Apost. 1, 1-11. Ps. 68, 19 2002
On the day of Christ's ascension. (Second sermon.) Marc. 16, 14-20 2020
On the Sunday after the Ascension of Christ, Exaudi.
John 15:26-16:4.... 2038
On the Holy Day of Pentecost. (First sermon:) Of the feast of Pentecost and the sermon of the Holy Spirit.
Apost. 2, 1-13 2046
On the holy day of Pentecost. (Second sermon:) From the sermon of Peter. Apost. 2, 14-36 2062
On the Holy Day of Pentecost. (Third sermon.) Joh. 14, 23-31 2074
On Pentecost Mount. (First sermon.) Joh. 3, 16-21 2084
On Pentecost Mount. (Second sermon.) Joh. 3, 16-21 2094
Trinity
On the Sunday of Trinity. (First sermon.) Joh.
3, 1-15 2108
On the Sunday of Trinity. (Second sermon.) Joh. 3, 1-15 2120
On the first Sunday after Trinity. Luc. 16, 19-31 2126
On the second Sunday after Trinity. Luc. 14, 16-24 2146
On the third Sunday after Trinity. Luc. 15, 1-10. 2158
On the fourth Sunday after Trinity. (First sermon.) Luc. 6, 36-42 2166
On the fourth Sunday after Trinity. (Second sermon.) Luc. 6, 36-42 2178
Column
On the fourth Sunday after Trinity. (Third sermon.) Luc. 6, 36-42 2186
On the fifth Sunday after Trinity. (First sermon.) Luc. 5,1-11 2194
On the fifth Sunday after Trinity. (Second sermon.) Luc. 5, 1-11 2208
On the fifth Sunday after Trinity. (Third sermon.) Luc. 5, 1-11 2214
On the sixth Sunday after Trinity. (First sermon.) Match. 5, 20-26 2224
On the sixth Sunday after Trinity. (Second sermon.) Match. 5, 20-26 2234
On the seventh Sunday after Trinity. Marc. 8, 1-9 2242
On the eighth Sunday after Trinity. (First sermon.) Match. 7, 15-23 2250
On the eighth Sunday after Trinity. (Second sermon.) Match. 7, 15-23 2258
On the ninth Sunday after Trinity. (First sermon.) Luc. 16, 1-9 2266
On the ninth Sunday after Trinity. (Second sermon.) Luc. 16, 1-9 2276
On the tenth Sunday after Trinity. (First sermon.) Luc. 19, 41-48 2282
On the tenth Sunday after Trinity. (Second sermon.) Luc. 19, 41-48 2294
On the eleventh Sunday after Trinity. (First sermon.) Luc. 18, 9-14 2298
On the eleventh Sunday after Trinity. (Second sermon.) Luc. 18, 9-14 2306
On the twelfth Sunday after Trinity. Marc. 7, 31-37 2316
On the thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. (First sermon.) Luc. 10, 23-37 2322
On the thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. (Second sermon.) Luc. 10, 23-37 2334
On the fourteenth Sunday after Trinity. Luc. 17, 11-19 2344
On the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. (First sermon.) Match. 6, 24-34 2354
On the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. (Second sermon.) Match. 6, 24-34 2364
On the sixteenth Sunday after Trinity. (First sermon.) Luc. 7, 11-17 2372
On the sixteenth Sunday after Trinity. (Second sermon.) Luc. 7, 11-17 2380
On the seventeenth Sunday after Trinity. (First sermon.) Luc. 14, 1-11 2386
On the seventeenth Sunday after Trinity. (Second sermon.) Luc. 14, 1-11 2394
On the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. (First sermon.) Match. 22, 34-46 2402
On the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. (Second sermon.) Match. 22, 34-46 2414
On the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. (Third Sermon.) Match. 22, 34-46 2422
On the nineteenth Sunday after Trinity. Matth. 9, 1-8 2432
On the twentieth Sunday after Trinity. (First sermon.) Matth. 22, 1-14 2444
On the twentieth Sunday after Trinity. (Second sermon.) Match. 22, 1-14. 2454
On the twentieth Sunday after Trinity. (Third sermon.) Matth. 22, 1-14 2462
X Table of contents XI
On the twenty-first Sunday after Trinity.
(First sermon.) Joh. 4, 47-54 2474
On the twenty-first Sunday after Trinity.
(Second sermon.) Joh. 4, 47-54 2480
On the twenty-second Sunday after Trinity.
Match. 18, 21-35 2490
On the twenty-third Sunday after Trinity.
(First sermon.) Match. 22, 15-22 2506
On the twenty-third Sunday after Trinity.
(Second sermon.) Match. 22, 15-22 2518
On the twenty-third Sunday after Trinity.
(Third sermon.) Matth. 22, 15-22 2532
On the twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity.
(First sermon). Marc. 5, 21-43 2540
On the twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity.
(Second sermon.) Marc. 5, 21-43 2550
On the twenty-fifth Sunday after Trinity.
Matth. 24, 15-18 2558
On the twenty-sixth Sunday after Trinity.
Matth. 25, 31-46 2576
Fixed part.
On the holy day of Christ. Of the infant Jesus
and its six names. Isa. 9, 1-7.
The first sermon 2584
The second sermon 2596
The third sermon 2606
The fourth sermon 2614
The fifth sermon 2624
Column
Of the Innocent Infants. Matth. 2, 13-23. 2636 On the History of the Conversion of St. Paul.
Apost. 7:57-8:3; 9:1-6; 26:16-18;
9, 7-17.; 22, 14-16.; 9, 18-25 2646
On the day of the Purification of Mary. Luc. 2, 22-32. 2656 On the Day of the Annunciation. (First sermon.)
Luc. 1, 26-38 2668
On the day of the Annunciation. (Second sermon.)
Luc. 1, 26-38 2678
On the Day of the Holy Trinity. Luc. 9,28-36. 2684 On the Day of St. John the Baptist. (First sermon:) From conception, birth and pre-birth
sermon of John the Baptist. Luc. 1, 5-80.... 2696
On the day of St. John the Baptist. (Second Pre
sermon:) Of the feast, office and sermon of St. John.
Luc. 1, 5-80 2712
On the day of St. John the Baptist. (Third sermon:) On the beheading of John. Marc.
6, 17-29 2716
On the day of the Visitation of Mary. (First sermon.)
Luc. 1, 39-56 2732
On the Day of the Visitation of Mary. (Second sermon.)
Luc. 1, 39-56 2750
On the day of Mary Magdalene. Luc. 7, 36-50 2758
St. Michael's Day. (First sermon:) From the
Angels. Matth. 18, 1-10 2768
St. Michael's Day. (Second sermon.) Matth.
18, 1-10 2782
A common form, as for the conclusion of the sermon
The people are to be reminded to pray in common 2786
Dr. Martin Luther's Home Postil.
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 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.
1.Sermon
First sermon.*)
This gospel has two parts. The first is of the Lord's entry into Jerusalem. The other piece is that the Lord, as St. Lucas writes, when he comes near, looks at the city of Jerusalem and weeps over it. We must first speak of the first part.
2 You have often heard that a Christian is called, not because he is born of father and mother, nor because he is called John, Peter, Paul, but because Christ has written his name on his forehead, even on his heart. For by baptism we die, and there it is said unto us, Thou man, which hast hitherto been an Adam's child, hast been called Hans, Peter, Paul; thou shalt no more be called a man only, but shalt be called a Christian also. A man is called one who is born of flesh and blood; but a Christian is called one who has been baptized and baptized with Christ.
*) Held by Luther in the house, 1532.
stu's blood washed from sins in baptism: he shall bear the name and be called Christian or a Christian. So that if anyone should ask you and say, "What is your new name, Christian or Christian? Are you otherwise called Hans, Peter, Paul?" you might answer and say, "Yes, I was called Hans, Peter, Paul 2c. by my Father; but I am and am called a Christian because I was baptized and washed in Christ's blood. From the man Christ I am called a Christian. He is called Christ, I am called a Christian, not from my holy life, but because I put on Christ in baptism, and his name is written on my forehead, yes, pressed into my heart.
3rd Now this is the purpose of this gospel, that we should receive the King, from whom we are called Christians. For when it comes to dying, John, Peter, Paul die; but a
1346 L.4, 2-4. On the first Sunday of Advent. W.-xin, 3-s. 1347
Christian does not die. I see that John, Peter, Paul are buried; but a Christian does not die, is not buried, but lives. Therefore if I die as Peter, Paul, there lies not. But because I am a Christian, Peter, Paul shall again come forth from the grave. For Christ, from whom I have taken the name, says Himself that we must come out of the grave again as Christians, so that we may learn to believe what we have through this King, namely, salvation from sins, death and hell. And this is also what the prophet Zechariah, whom the evangelist introduces here, says: "Behold, your King," who wants to save and protect you, "comes to you meekly, piously and helpfully." He is full of righteousness, and comes to you to make you devout; he is full of life, and comes to you to give life. This is called Christ, and therefore we are called Christians.
This is the high sermon that we should gladly hear and thank God for, so that when we die we can have certain comfort and say: I Hans, Paul, Peter lie here and am sick; but because I am a Christian, I want to die to Christ, from whom I take the name, and remain where he is. Thus Hans, Paul, Peter does not go to hell, nor does he remain in death, but goes into Christ's bosom and lives.
(5) This is a different sermon from the one that teaches about good works. True, Hans, Paul, Peter must and should do good works: but this sermon goes higher. If you Hans, Nickel, Paul, Peter are pious and do good works, then you must have something more, namely, that you are a Christian, and say from the heart, "I believe in Jesus Christ; the same King comes to me with all meekness and grace, and delivers me from sins, death, the devil and hell; in him I was baptized, in him I believe, with him I remain, and so I die. This is how one escapes death and this life, and comes to eternal life.
This is the first piece that the prophet Zechariah and the evangelist proclaim from the prophet: >,Tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your King is coming to you, merciful, just and a helper", he will make you pious
and make them righteous. It follows that this king does not come to judge people and cast them into hell. Moses comes to accuse and to judge, Joh. 5, 45. The devil also comes to accuse, to judge and to kill. Judges, kings, emperors come to judge and kill. For this is the office of the temporal authorities, commanded by God. But this king does not come to judge, but to help, to redeem from sins, to forgive and to pardon. Thus we are to learn to recognize him, and to such a king we are called. May God grant that we may receive him and abide with him, amen.
The other piece is that St. Lucas says that Christ wept over the city of Jerusalem. The people who precede and follow him cry out to him, saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David"; praise God, the king is present, there is now no need. But he, the LORD, lifts up and looks at the city and cries. "Ah, if thou knewest," saith he, "thou wouldest also consider in this thy time what is for thy peace." He weeps over those who do not heed such preaching. He should have been angry and struck them with thunder and lightning; he would have done the same if he had wanted to judge them according to their merit. But he weeps because they are so stubborn and will not accept the time of their visitation, saying, "They will storm you, Jerusalem, young and old, strangle everything and drag you.
008 This he saith before Jerusalem with a sorrowful heart, and putteth the cause thereof, saying, This shall be done unto thee, because thou knewest not the time wherein thou wast visited. As if to say, "I come to seek you out with mercy, to bring you help and comfort, to bring you salvation from sin and death, and eternal life. I do this out of pure goodness and mercy, if it were not obligatory nor due. And you, on the other hand, should be so full of devils that you not only do not want to accept such goodness and mercy offered to you by me, but also mock me for it? This will be smelled in you honestly.
(9) So the gospel is preached this day, and it is abundantly heard that Christ is such a king as this gospel makes him out to be.
1348 k. 4, L-6. On the first Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 5-8. 1349
lium. But citizens, peasants and those of the nobility trample their pastors and preachers underfoot; the princes and great lords of this world persecute the gospel. What will become of them? Christ graciously seeks them out, brings the fair to their door; so they beat him to death. How could a man be more foolish than to bring silver and gold before his house, and say, All this shall be thine; open thine hand and thy bosom, and take it; and he leadeth, and gathereth all things together, and smote him to death that setteth before him the silver and the gold? All who see this would say, "This man is possessed," and this would be the truth. But here is not a sack full of florins, but another treasure, namely, if thou canst no longer live, and now shalt die, Christ will forestall thee, and bring thee such help that thou shalt have eternal life: and yet, offering thee such treasure, he is cast away from thee, and despised. This is what he laments here.
Therefore, let us be careful. This king's entrance and future are rich in grace, and the gift he brings is comforting. But when he is despised and persecuted, and one does not want to believe, he weeps. So I have often said: A plague must pass over Germany, the princes and lords owe our Lord God a foolishness, there will be such bloodshed that no one will know where he is at home. Then this king will say to you, "I came to your house and offered you eternal life, but you went away and got drunk, did what you wanted, and persecuted my gospel. So now also have this misfortune to reward you.
011 And so it was at Jerusalem. When Christ was come thither, and said, Daughter, open the door; here cometh thy king, what did she do? The bride went and hanged her king on the gallows. Then he did the same to her, so that now it is not known where Jerusalem has remained. Now fifteen hundred years have passed, and there has not been a Jew in Jerusalem; but they are scattered, here one, there ten; they are scattered through the whole world; and where they are, they are sitting on the hill, and must wait that they may see the kingdom.
They are so poor that they are not safe anywhere. They are so poor that they are not safe anywhere. All in all, they are such poor people that they are not safe anywhere. They would have liked to go back to the Jewish land and rebuild their city, but they could not. The reason was that the daughter would not listen at that time; therefore the king will not listen to her again.
012 Wherefore, little children, young and old, small and great, let it not enter into your mind to think, saying, I can hear the gospel all the days of my life, I will learn it yet: but take your time, because the Lord is near, as the prophet saith, Isa. 55:6, Seek the Lord, because he is to be found; call upon him, because he is near. If we let him shut the door, it will come to nothing; but he will cry out again and make us knock in vain, as he answered the foolish virgins who came when the door was shut, saying, "Lord, Lord, open to us," and said, "Verily I say unto you, I know not yours." Matth. 25, 11. f. So we also: if we are careful, there will not be a single preacher who will be able to teach a single gospel correctly. Just as in the priesthood, when I was a monk, I did not hear a single one who could have told me who Christ was, what the Ten Commandments, Our Father and faith were; item from where I am a Christian, what the sacrament is, what the chastisement is, what the episcopal office is, what the marriage state is, what other states are. None of these things could have been said to give comfort. Now that all this is preached righteously and clearly, one does not know how to despise it enough. In former times, one could build monasteries and churches, even with all too superfluous expenses; now one cannot build a hole in the roof for a priest so that he could lie dry, I will remain silent of the great contempt. That would also be worthy of tears, that one should see such contempt.
13 Therefore I say, Beware; you are young, it may happen that you will experience, see and learn the future calamity over Germany. For there will be a weather
1350L . 6-8. first Sunday of Advent. W. xm, 8-n. 1351
come over Germany, and will not remain outside. God could not have given it to the city of Jerusalem, where so many holy people lived and were buried, David and all the prophets, yes, where God Himself dwelt. Jerusalem was his little castle and chamber, of which he himself says: "Here I dwell, my heaven is here"; and yet, for the sake of sin, which means not respecting the time of the visitation, God punished and devastated this city so horribly. Therefore, I do not so much respect the stinginess of the peasants, and the fornication and immorality that is now rampant everywhere, as I do the contempt of the Gospel. Avarice, fornication and immorality are great, terrible sins, and our Lord God also punishes them with pestilence and dear time; but nevertheless, the land and the people remain standing. But this sin is not adultery nor fornication; indeed, it is not a human sin, but a devilish sin, that the great grace of God's fatherly visitation should be so despised, ridiculed and mocked.
(14) So this punishment, first among the Jews after Christ's ascension, then also among the Gentiles, who had come to the fellowship of the gospel and Christ's kingdom, and yet shamefully despised the time of the gracious visitation, as the Jews had done before, after the apostles' time, took away everything that was spiritual, all the offices in the church, so that not a single doctor and teacher remained who could righteously interpret and interpret some of the Ten Commandments. The Turk does the other, turns the cities upside down, cuts and beaks men, women and children to death, so that neither young nor old remains. These are God's punishments for the devilish sin of not recognizing the time of the visitation. It is indeed a great sin that peasants, citizens, nobles and everyone are so stingy; but that they so despise God's word about this sin, that will break their necks. Beware of this. If our Lord God will let us fall, let us not fall into this eternal sin of the devil. For
Our Lord God Himself wept over this sin. The Jewish people would not have been harmed by all their sins, if only this abominable sin, contempt of visitation, had not been added to them. For Christ, their King, came to help them. But if one does not want to be pious and despises God's word, there is no counsel. Therefore, beware, be pleased with God's word, listen to it, read it, speak gladly of it, and you will do God the highest service and you the best benefit. If the world despises it, do not be angry; one day it will know and feel what it has done.
15 Lot the righteous was in Sodom, what happened? Those in Sodom not only did not want to hear the righteous Lot, but also wanted to push him out of the city. Our Lord God had given them their sin, so he preached to them that he would be merciful to them and that they should turn to him; but they would not listen, but despised and laughed at him. Then he also rained hellish fire on them and turned their cities back. For this was their sin, that they were not only shamefully wicked, but also would not suffer the word of God. The first world mocked Noah, who by God's command built the ark a hundred years at the time of the flood. They vexed the preacher of righteousness. But when the ark was built, God sent among them, not pestilence, nor the flood, nor the sword, but the waters of the flood, which destroyed them all, even as he destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah utterly, so that they could not have kept one dog. So in the destruction of the city of Jerusalem not a Jew was left. And so it will be with us when we fall into this sin. Our Lord God can create angels for Lot and Abraham to save them, prepare an ark for Noah to be preserved in, command the apostles to flee from Jerusalem; so He can also preserve and save us, but Germany will have to suffer. If the Turk will not do it, the last day will. For the shameful contempt of the Gospel will not go unpunished against the Germans.
16 So this gospel has two parts.
1352 L. 4,8-10. On the first Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 11-13. 1353
The first, that Christ is a helper to that life. The other is not to despise God's word. Christ laments for the city of Jerusalem, as if to say, "Jerusalem will be destroyed, and the Jews will be scattered throughout the world. They do not want the time of visitation, they do not ask for it, no matter how sweetly they are preached to. Well, he who is not to be advised cannot be helped. He who is not only weak, but also wants to trample underfoot those who lead and guide him, who will help him? It is too much that we are sinners, and on top of that we want to strangle the one who wants to make us blessed and carry us. This is not a human sin, but a devilish sin; and such people are possessed with many shocks of devils. For to slay him that cometh to make him blessed, let no man do it, but the wicked devil, and they that are full of devils. If my son wanted to strike me dead and strangle me,
If I were to help him, I would have to say he was mad and foolish.
(17) Therefore our Lord God will keep his word, that and no other; if not, it shall not remain unspotted. We have enough examples of this, the flood, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, the city of Jerusalem. Before the last day, new errors will come, so that, as Christ says, even the elect will be deceived into error wherever possible. May God protect us and give us His grace, so that we may be the few who gladly accept Christ and sing: Hosanna, praise be to God, that we have this King and are Christians and are called so; and that we know why and from where we are called so, namely, from this King Christ, that we are baptized in His name and washed in His blood. Now, let us sing Hosanna, and ask God to keep us in it, Amen.
2.Sermon
On the first Sunday of Advent.
Second sermon.*)
(1) The Jews had many beautiful and glorious promises of the future Messiah or Christ their King, how he would come and establish an everlasting kingdom and deliver his people from all evil and help them forever. As can be seen in all the sermons of the prophets, they speak gloriously of the future kingdom of Christ. The Jews had such glorious promises.
But there were false preachers and carnal teachers who led the people to this opinion, as if Christ should come with worldly splendor and ride in, as worldly kings usually do, since everything happens in the most splendid and delicious way. From such false preachers, the people grasped the fleshly
*) Held by Luther in the house, 1533.
They thought that they would all become princes. As they still think today, when their Messiah comes, they will be lords of all the world and the Gentiles will be their servants. They are still looking for such a Messiah or Christ, but they do not desire the Messiah, that is, the Lord Christ, anywhere, that he should redeem them from sins and eternal death.
3 So that the Jews might be warned and not 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 worldly armor; but as a poor beggar to Jerusalem, as to the capital of the land of Judah, wherein was the temple and worship, on a
1354 L.4, 10-12. On the first Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 13-16. 1355
And the asses were torn down; as the history of the present gospel shows, that it was so done. Lest the Jews should excuse themselves, saying, If we had known that our Messiah should be so poor a king, we would have received him: for the prophet had made this clear to them long before. So the story also happened publicly in broad daylight, that Christ rode along as a beggar on a borrowed donkey, which had neither saddle nor other equipment, so that the disciples still had to put their coats and clothes on the donkey, so that the poor king could help himself. For this reason the Jews can hardly excuse themselves. For here is bright, clear prophecy: When Christ rides into Jerusalem, he will not come on high horses, with armor, spears, swords and guns, as worldly kings usually do, which all belong to murder and 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 a golden crane, or on garments of great riches, or on a great horse. For Christ will come miserable, with a meek and afflicted heart, and will be seen on an ass. This will be all his splendor and glory, which he will bring before the world in his riding into Jerusalem.
4 This is also evident from the outward manner in which Christ, in his entry into Jerusalem, comes riding on an ass, not secretly but publicly, in broad daylight, and yet many people go with him, though he rides in like a beggar; as the evangelist says, that the people went forward and followed him, crying out to him as the true Son of David, and wishing him happiness and salvation in his kingdom. They marveled at his preaching and saw that the donkey would not save them, but they heard his preaching about the right way to be saved. All this was said to the Jews, that the prophet
prophesies long before what manner Christ will come, viz: Not with worldly splendor, but poor and on an ass; and that the Lord, according to the prophet's prophecy, rides into Jerusalem on an ass, all this, I say, happened as a warning to the Jews, so that they should not be offended at the poor appearance of their King, and drop the delusion that they thought Messiah, their King, would come with worldly splendor; but should instead think that their Messiah and King would come poor and miserable, and appear as the very least.
5 But, says the prophet Zechariah, this poor and mendicant king will have another power than all the emperors and kings who ever came on earth have had; they will be as great and powerful lords as they have always been able to be. The same power is that he is called Justus and Salvator. Not a rich, splendid, glorious king in the sight of the world; but "a righteous man and a savior," that is, who shall bring righteousness and blessedness with him, and shall attack sin and death; he shall be called an enemy of sin and a strangler of death, who shall save from sins and eternal death all those who believe in him and receive him as their king, and shall not let the poor, borrowed ass offend them. Those who do this will be forgiven of sin and will not be harmed by death; they will have eternal life and will not die. And though they die and be buried in the flesh, yet shall it not be death, but only sleep, and shall be called so. 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. As if to say: This king shall be and be called a sin-eater and a death-devourer, who shall blot out sin, break the teeth of death, rend the belly of the devil, and deliver those who believe in him from sin and death, and bring them among the angels, where there is eternal life and blessedness.
- the other kings he leaves their splendor, castles, houses, money and goods, lets them eat, drink, dress, build more deliciously than other people; but this art they do not know,
1356 L. 4, 12-14. On the first Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 16-18. 1357
which the poor mendicant Christ can. For neither emperor, nor king, nor pope, with all their power, can help from the slightest sin, nor with their money and goods heal the slightest disease; I am silent that they should save from eternal death, eternal damnation and hell. But this King Christ, who is righteous and a Savior, though he rides along poor and miserable on an ass, helps not only against one sin, but against all my sin; and not only against my sin, but also against the sin of the whole world. He comes to take away not only my sickness, but also my death; and not only my death, but also the death of the whole world.
007 These things, saith the prophet, tell the daughter of Zion; open your mouth, and cry out, that the daughter of Zion and Jerusalem be not offended at his miserable future, but shut your eyes, and open your ears, and hear that which is said unto her, Thou daughter of Zion, rejoice greatly; and thou daughter of Jerusalem, exult; for thy King cometh unto thee." But do not look at him with your eyes, but put your eyes in your ears. Your king has no great stallion, no spurs, no saddle, but is poor and rides on an ass. Yet he is such a king, who takes away sin from you, who saves you from death and hell, who gives you eternal holiness and righteousness, eternal blessedness and eternal life. Therefore do not be offended that he rides in so miserably and then dies shamefully on the cross. For he does all these things, that he may save thee as a Saviour, that he may sanctify thee from sins, and save thee from death.
If you do not want to grasp these things with your ears, but see them with your eyes and touch them with your hands, you will miss this king and be lost. For with this king it is far different than with other kings. What they do, they do with outward splendor, and everything has a great, brave appearance and glorious appearance. All this is not found in Christ. His office and work is to save from sins and death, to make righteous and alive. He has put such help into baptism and sacrament, and has put it into the Word and into
the sermon. Now baptism seems to us to be nothing but bad water, like other water; and the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ seems to be bad bread and wine, like other bread and wine; and the sermon is the breath of a man. But we must not follow the eyes, but hear what this King teaches us in his word and sacraments. He says thus: "For this reason I have shed my blood, that I might save you from sins, and deliver you from death, and bring you into heaven; and for this purpose I give you baptism, wherein I grant you remission of sins; and I preach to you without ceasing of this treasure by the word of God, and assure you of this treasure by the sacrament of my body and blood, that you may not doubt it. But now it is true, it seems small and insignificant, that through the water bath, word and sacrament such shall 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 it: but the prophet says it and the work afterwards testifies to it. Therefore it must be badly grasped with the ears and believed with the heart; with the eyes one will not be able to see it.
009 Therefore saith the evangelist, as reported, Tell the daughter of Zion. And the prophet saith, Zion, rejoice, be glad, dance, and leap, for thy King cometh unto thee. What kind of king? A holy, righteous King, and a Savior and Helper, who will be your Sanctifier and your Savior. He brings you his holiness and righteousness, which he wants to give you, so that you will be free from sin, righteous and blessed before God. He also comes to you as a savior or helper, so that he gives you his life and delivers you from eternal death through his death. Therefore do not be offended by his poor form, but thank him for it and be comforted. For all things are done for thy sake, and for thy good: he will therefore save thee from thy sins and death, and will make thee righteous and blessed.
(10) Now this is our King, the dear Lord Jesus Christ, and this is His kingdom.
1358 L. 4, 14-16. On the first Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 18-21. 1359
and office. He does not deal with thalers and crowns and castles and great kingdoms; but if we must go away and die, and can no longer keep this life here; this is his office and work, that we, being redeemed by his suffering and death, may know where we are to abide, and may say, I am sanctified by the righteousness of my King, the Lord Jesus Christ; who therefore came wretched and poor, and for this cause was crucified, that he might sanctify me, and drown in me my sin and death. Whoever believes this, as he hears it and as it is preached in the Gospel, has it. For this holy baptism was instituted by Christ, that by it he might put on thee his righteousness; as if he should say, My holiness shall be thy holiness, and my innocency shall be thine innocency. You have great sins, but in baptism I give you my righteousness; I put off your death and put on you my life. This is actually Christ's regiment. For all his office and work is this, that he daily put off our sin and death, and put on his holiness and life.
(11) This sermon should be heard with great joy and accepted with heartfelt thanksgiving, and one should improve and become pious from it. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and the world only becomes worse, more nefarious, and more wicked the longer this teaching lasts; and yet it is not the fault of the teaching, but of the people. This is the vexatious devil and death. Now the people are possessed with seven devils, as they were possessed with one devil before. The devil is now driving heaps into the people, so that now under the bright light of the gospel they are more stingy, more cunning, more mischievous, more ruthless, more lewd, more insolent and more angry than before under the papacy. What makes it? It is not the doctrine that makes it so, but that people do not accept this preaching with joy and thanksgiving, but rather everyone throws it to the wind, cares more about money and goods than about the blessed treasure that our Lord Christ brings to us. Because of this, our Lord God punishes them again and says: "May you not give me thanks that through the suffering and death of my only begotten Son, I have put an end to sin?
and take death away from you? Well then, I will create sin and death enough for you, because you want it so that you will become seven times worse. And where before only one devil possessed you and rode you, now seven worse devils shall ride you. Such things are seen in peasants, citizens, nobility and all classes, from the highest to the lowest, how shamefully and disorderly they lead a life of avarice, drinking, eating, fornication and all kinds of shame and vice.
(12) For this reason I urge you to listen to such preaching with joy and love, and to accept it with all gratitude, and to ask our Lord God from the bottom of your hearts to give you strong faith so that you may keep this teaching; then the fruit will surely follow, that you will become more humble, obedient, kind, chaste and pious from day to day. For this doctrine is of a kind and nature to make godly, chaste, obedient, pious people. But those who do not accept it with love and desire become seven times worse than they were before they came to this teaching, as the examples everywhere testify. Therefore beware, for when the hour comes, as it surely will not, and the unthankful are visited and punished, then they will receive what they now deserve. God will find them well.
(13) Therefore learn this gospel well, for it is truly told us. Because this king came to the Jews in poverty, they were displeased with him and would not accept him. Zechariah the prophet had told them beforehand and warned them not to look at a worldly king who would set up a kingdom of the flesh, but to learn that in their Messiah and king they would have a Savior who would deliver them from sin and death. But it did not help, they would not listen. Therefore see to it that you do not become like the Jews and that the same punishment comes upon you. Give thanks to God and accept this king with willingness and joy, otherwise you will have to accept the wretched devil with weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth. May God mercifully protect us from this, amen.
1360 L.4, 16.17. On the first Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 24-26. 1361
3.Sermon
On the first Sunday of Advent.
Third sermon.*)
(1) This gospel of the first Sunday of Advent is also read on Palm Sunday, and after that it is also read in summer on the tenth Sunday after the Holy Trinity, how the Lord Christ wept over the city of Jerusalem; so that this gospel is read three times a year, how the Lord Jesus rode into Jerusalem. There is much good to be learned from it, but the main part is the saying that the evangelist introduces from Zechariah: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, and rejoice, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, your King is coming to you, a righteous man and a helper" 2c.
(2) This was said long before by Zechariah the prophet, that the Jews would judge what kind of Lord their Messiah and King would be, so that they would not let him pass by. For the Jews thought that he should be a worldly lord over the whole world, and when he came, he would ride in like the king of Babylon, like the great Alexander, or like the Roman emperor Julius. Because of this error, the prophet faithfully warned them, and he showed them their Messiah, what kind of king he would be, so that they should not lack him, nor let him pass by, because they did not understand the sayings and testimonies of Christ in the other prophets.
(3) Therefore this saying of the prophet has two parts. First, he exhorts us to accept this King who is coming to us, and at the same time indicates what this King will bring to us. Secondly, he warns and prepares us against the scandal of the poor, contemptible figure of Christ, and prophesies that he will come poor and riding on an ass.
- the first piece is that the prophet
*) Held by Luther in the house, 1534.
says: "Rejoice greatly, you daughter of Zion, and you daughter of Jerusalem, rejoice", dance and jump; for I bring you good, joyful news: "Behold, your King is coming to you", that he may help you, that he may be a righteous King and Savior to you. The Jews understood these words of the prophet much differently, namely: "When our Messiah and King comes, he will help us to our old righteousness, because the Gentiles have stolen our goods to themselves and have seized our kingdom. Therefore, when our King comes, he will redeem us from the servitude and bondage of the Gentiles, and make us free and great lords. Thus the Jews understood these words and still understand them today.
5 So that the prophet might tear these carnal thoughts of the worldly kingdom of their Messiah out of the minds and hearts of the Jews, he speaks in the most obvious and clear way, and then goes on to say, "He comes poor, riding on an ass," as if to say, "According to outward appearance, this king is a beggar; he has no hat to put on, no shoes to put on, and the ass on which he rides is not his own. The Jews might have said, "How can this be? If this king has nothing of his own, if he is the poorest beggar in the world, how can he be king of the whole world? Therefore the prophet answers and says: This king will bring justice and salvation. He rides on an ass like a poor, miserable man, having neither spurs nor saddle; yet he is rich, so that he comes righteous and a helper.
(6) Now if the Jews had rightly considered and understood this saying of Zechariah the prophet, they could not have erred nor failed. For to be a worldly king, to have cities, land, people, goods, gold, and riches, as the Jews have of their Messiah.
1362 L. 4, 17-19. On the first Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 26-29. 1363
and still dream today, that is not being poor. Now the text here is clear: "Behold, your king comes to you poor"; that is so much: He does not come with a traveling witness, has neither land nor people nor wealth; therefore this king cannot be a worldly king or lord. Now if the Jews had heeded this, and had rightly considered these words of the prophet, it would have been impossible for them to have lacked the Messiah.
(7) But it happened to the Jews, as it happens to all the idiots. They take a saying from the holy scriptures and interpret it according to their own will and discretion, for their own benefit and advantage, and thus lack the right understanding of the holy scriptures. So did the Jews; they read in the prophet, "Behold, thy king cometh to help thee." Then they thought from that hour: If he is a king, then he will truly ride along gloriously and lead a great pomp, as the worldly kings use to do. Therefore it is not the fault of the Lord Christ that he was not accepted by the Jews. For he had long before indicated to them by the prophet that he would come in such a poor form. But the Jews persisted in their carnal thoughts, and let Christ pass by; as they laugh at us to this day, that we accept the poor King, who has not an ass of his own, nor even a pair of shoes. Therefore the Jews are not excused; for the text in the prophet clearly says: Behold, your king comes to your salvation, though he is poor and rides on an ass.
(8) Therefore, as the prophet pictures Christ, so shall we understand him, that he should come as a Savior and Redeemer, and for our good and salvation. For because he was promised to Adam and to all the fathers, he comes to us for comfort and salvation. Therefore he also has these two titles, that he is called a righteous man and a savior, that is, that he is our righteousness-master and salvation-maker, who will justify us from sins and make us blessed, save us from death, and give us eternal life. This title belongs to this King Christ alone. If our Lord God were to punish us with the severity, we would have to be in
die and be condemned for our sins. But this King Christ comes to us a righteous one, he takes away sin and gives eternal righteousness. This is the true color of the Lord Christ, and so he is pictured by the prophet, that he is righteous, and shall save us from sins: as also the prophet Jeremiah saith, Cap. 23, 6. "This shall be his name, that they shall call him: Lord, who is our righteousness," that is, our Lord, who is to make us righteous.
009 If any man say, Wherewith doth this king justify? Moses gave the Ten Commandments, and no better commandments can be given; the same commandments, if they are kept, make one righteous. What need is there of this king to make one righteous? Answer: It is true that Moses gave the Ten Commandments, which are the very best commandments that can be given; but with them he could not make righteous or godly. He showed us righteousness, but he could not give us righteousness, and we could not keep or fulfill the Ten Commandments. And as Moses leads us to the Ten Commandments, so our reason leads us to the law of nature, which teaches us, Thou shalt not harm or hurt anyone 2c. But this does not make us righteous before God. But that we are righteous and are called righteous, we have through the death and bloodshed of the Lord Christ, who gives us the Holy Spirit, that we may believe and firmly grasp the saying, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." Thus we are justified.
(10) The other title is that this King comes as a Savior and Helper, which means that just as Christ redeems us from sins and makes us righteous and holy, so he will also redeem us from death and give us eternal life. Moses was not able to give us this either. He does say: If you keep God's commandments, you will live; if you do not keep God's commandments, you will die and be condemned. But this is and means only shown life, and not given. Therefore saith the prophet, Rejoice, O daughter of Zion; thy King cometh unto thee, a Helper: behold, thou shalt receive him with all joy.
1364 L.4, 19-21. On the first Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 29-32. 1365
accept. For he does not show you righteousness with his finger alone, as Moses does; but gives you righteousness, that you may be righteous through him and in him. Neither doth he shew thee life afar off, as Moses did; but delivereth thee from death, giveth thee the Holy Ghost, that thou mayest believe it, and giveth thee life eternal. Therefore, through Christ alone we are justified, holy and eternally saved.
(11) No king in this world can give such goods. Christ alone is such a king, who brings salvation from sins and saves from death; he reigns with righteousness and with salvation. And such redemption from sins and salvation from death he offers us through his gospel, saying, "He who believes in me is righteous and has eternal life. Therefore the prophet here warns the Jews, as if to say: When your Messiah and King comes and rides in miserably, do not turn away from him, but receive him with joy. Take care not to let him pass by, even though he will ride in miserably; if you let him pass by, the fault is not his but yours, for he had proclaimed beforehand that he would come in such a miserable form, and that you should not be offended at his lowly appearance.
The other piece is about the trouble. The king will come, righteous and a helper, and will perform great miraculous signs. But this is the wretched devil, that the people will be angry with him. O, say the Jews, what sort of a fellow is he? Shall he help us who cannot help himself? Whoever gives him a morsel of bread, he has nothing of his own; he needs help himself, and wants to help others and be their king? This is what the prophet says beforehand, so that no one will be offended by it: He will come in such a pitiful way that everyone will be offended by him, as it is also written in Isa. 53, yes, he will also be crucified; therefore believe these words and do not be offended.
(13) But it did not help. The Jews let this saying go, and still think today that their Messiah should come with great splendor, bringing gold and riches and killing all the Gentiles.
Because they have the thoughts, they do not accept this poor king and do not ask anything about the prophet's opinion. They should let go of such carnal thoughts of the worldly kingdom, for the goods this king brings are spiritual and heavenly goods; but nothing comes of it, the Jews stick to their carnal opinion.
(14) This is not only the case with the Jews, who will not accept Christ, but also now with us; for the rich and powerful laugh at us with our gospel and sacraments. O a foolish thing is it, they say, that I should be baptized, and have water poured on my head, and be sanctified thereby; and a poor priest, who has scarcely a skirt to put on, should pronounce forgiveness of sins upon me, and absolve me; item, if I take the sacrament in the bread and wine, shall I be blessed thereby. For this reason they also despise Christ's preachers. For it is Christ's nature to be despised because of his poverty. Therefore, as soon as one becomes a preacher, he is despised more than any servant, however small and contemptible he may be. There is no rank in the world so low and despised as the preacher's rank. This is not our fault, the preacher's fault, but the fault of the Lord Christ, who is so despised everywhere in the world. That is why even the nobles and the rich say: Why should I believe the loose parson, the beggar? Why does not our Lord God send us counts and great lords to preach to us? We would believe them. But as Christ's preacher is despised, so is his baptism and the sacrament of the altar; there is hardly a peasant who thinks anything of it; I will keep silent about the burghers and the nobility. When, under the papacy, people could be fooled with indulgences, pilgrimages, etc., they thought a lot of it. But now people speak: Ha, you can't preach more than about Christ and faith, I'm already tired of it, I've heard it more before.
(15) So all the world is offended at Christ and at his gospel and sacraments,
1366 L. 4, 21-W. On the second Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 32.33. 1367
As St. Paul said before, that Christ is abominable, and that his gospel is a shameful, accursed word in the sight of the world; as the worldly wise and prudent call it nothing else but the doctrine of devils. For as the entry of Christ into Jerusalem was contemptible, so his doctrine and works are also contemptible. For he wants to be a beggar; therefore the rich and learned trample him underfoot, and the strong and healthy do not accept him either. But one should not despise Christ in this way, for he is our savior and wants to give us eternal life. Even though he is ridden in wretchedly, it does no harm. He has no need of armor or brawn for his sermon, but says badly: "Whoever believes in me has eternal life.
(16) Now this gospel understands these two things. First, that we accept this King, for he is sent to help us. Therefore, whoever has a troubled conscience, let him hear the word of this king.
ges. Secondly, that we may beware of offending, saying, Though this king be despised, it shall not hurt: but I will receive him as a precious stone: for it is written, Blessed is he that is not offended in him; and he that endureth to the end shall be saved. If we do not accept him now, we have as little excuse as the Jews. Therefore let us not say, If our prince accept the doctrine of the gospel, let us also accept it. We have been told before that just as this King Christ rode into Jerusalem despised, so his teaching will also be despised at all times. But when he comes in his glory, he will again despise his despisers. Then fools will be poor and meager who are now wise and rich. May our dear Lord and King Jesus Christ grant us his grace and spirit, so that we may gladly accept him, believe his gospel and be saved through him, amen.
2.Sunday; Luc. 21, 25-36
On the second Sunday of Advent.
That we may render unto our Lord God his due service, hearing and learning his good word, as he hath commanded and enjoined us, that we may know what he will do unto us, and what we shall expect of him, lest we be as swine that know not any thing: let us hear the gospel of this day. For he has given his
Do not let the word be preached to the stones. Neither do they preach how we may live here, for this is taught elsewhere; but how we shall be saved. So today's gospel is about the last future of the Lord, how it will be when the world will come to an end, and it reads thus:
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 of waters 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 one
*) Held by Luther at his home, December 8, 1532.
1368 L.4, 23-25. On the second Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 33-37. 1369
Likewise, look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they now bud, you see it in them, and realize that summer is near. 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.Sermon
First sermon.*)
In this gospel the Lord proclaims his future on the last day, which will take place with great splendor and majesty. On the last Sunday you heard about his riding into Jerusalem on a donkey without any splendor. He did not have a place of his own, not even a foot wide; he was also crucified afterwards. This is a poor, miserable future, in which he comes, not as a Lord, but as a servant, who wanted to serve, and so serve that he dies for us; as he himself says Matth. 20, 28: "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life for the redemption of many. Summa, in his first coming he did the greatest service that no angel or creature can do, that he prepared and made ready the kingdom of his faithful and elect. But when the number of the elect is full, he will come, not as a servant, but as a Lord, and will come to destroy us from the earth, worms, death, and stench.
2 The Lord proclaims these things in this gospel, warning his Christians to beware of security, lest the day of his coming should suddenly overtake them; comforting them also not to be afraid of the signs that will come before the last day, but rather to rejoice that their redemption is at hand.
First of all, the Lord warns that we Christians should not set the date of our life here on earth, but know that our Lord and Savior will come from heaven, and so we should be ready to expect all the hours of His future; so that we should be only halfway and with the left hand in this life, and with the right hand and with the whole heart we should be in expectation of that day when our Lord will come in the world.
of such splendid majesty and magnificence that no man can talk out of it.
(4) This is the warning and exhortation of this gospel, that we take heed: for there is no abiding here; lest we do as the wicked do, saying, O who knoweth when the last day shall come? We are not to be like such secure and godless people, who weigh down their hearts with eating and drinking and worrying about food. For it shall come to pass before the last day, that every man shall build, and have a marriage, and eat, and drink, and be sure; and therewith shall they burden their hearts, as if there were nothing else to do, but this. Those who do these things will be suddenly overtaken by the last day, and Christ will come in a moment; and when they are most secure, beating the drum, leaping and dancing, they will lie there unawares and burn forever.
5 The Lord says this beforehand and wants people to follow it. Those who despise it will suddenly come to three. If they build the most, and let themselves be free, and eat, and drink, and live in all safety, there shall be brimstone and fire above and below. Just as it happened in Sodom. They ate, drank, danced, rejoiced, and would not have wished a penny for the pious Lot, as our citizens, farmers, and nobles do today. Then Lot said unto them, God shall destroy you with fire: but they laughed at him, and said: What sayest thou of this, dear Lasse? What happened? Early in the morning, when the sun went out, the sky became black, and there was a great storm, so that it went up and down; and from that time they were in hell. It is the same today. When our citizens, peasants, and nobles hear of Judgment Day, they say, "Oh, how I have time to eat and drink and count my money until Judgment Day!
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kärsie. But when they will count thalers at the best and be wanton, and one will say to them: Beware, the last day will come, and they will laugh at it, and say: Ei, how are you a fool, do you think that the last day will come? 2c.: then shall the latter day come in and burst, as the lightning, which is in a moment in the morning and in the evening. Then what are the Jáchymovs, houses, chains and the emblazonment?
006 Therefore saith Christ, Ye, my beloved disciples and Christians, turn not aside unto the ungodly and secure company, but beware. You will see before your eyes that they will weigh down their hearts and mock you for it. But beware; for the latter day shall come quickly, like lightning, that they shall not be able to escape. As a little mouse is caught in a hui, so calamity will quickly overtake them.
7 We should take this warning of the Lord Christ to heart and remember it well. For we cannot prevent it; we must hear and see that everyone is so wanton. But let us hear what Christ says and expect his future, and not see what the wicked and the secure do in the world. For the Lord Christ faithfully warns us to expect his glorious future, when this will happen: the wicked will sink into the abyss of hell, and we, on the other hand, will be delivered from the earth and from all the miseries we have on earth.
8 This is one thing we are to learn today, that we prepare ourselves for the Lord's future. As we also confess in faith that our Lord Jesus Christ will come to judge the living and the dead. For what is recently said in our faith, this gospel says abundantly and superfluously, and reports how it will be in the world before the future of the Lord, namely: Christ will be despised and the preachers of the gospel will be considered fools. The ungodly and crude crowd, on the other hand, will live and be stingy, as if there were nothing else to do on earth but this. Not that it is evil or forbidden that
They will feed themselves, but they will weigh down their hearts with it. If they weighed down their hands alone, there would be no need, for work must be done. But to weigh down their hearts is evil and forbidden; it is to put all their confidence in how they will become great and rich; they ask nothing of Christ, and laugh at God's word and the last day. That is, to weigh down the heart: to deal with the temporal in such a way that the heart cannot judge itself in Christ's word; just as in our time merchants, citizens and farmers only think how they will become rich, besides which they do not give a damn about God's word.
(9) Thus shall it be, saith Christ, when the last day is at the door. All the world will be safe. Be not deceived, follow them not, do not as they do, cleave unto me; neither be afraid, lift up your head, and see, if I come down from heaven, and find you so: there shall be no trouble with you, for I will come to deliver you. But those who are heavy-hearted and do not ask about the last day will suddenly be dead; when this one jumps and dances with the matzo, he will suddenly be lying there; and when that one counts the Joachimsthalers, he will suddenly be lying there with money, sack and all. That's how it will be at that time, that's how it will be found.
Therefore it is a good sign in our time that the last day is not far away. For the world is now very well prepared for it, and will do even better. Everything is rising now, there is no measure of glory; so the certainty is so great among the common multitude that they laugh at the preachers. But such certainty will become even greater. They will surely become so that they will not want to hear a sermon, but will throw the book away and say, "You are a fool, will you ask much about the sermon? There are already many such among the citizens and peasants. Whoever then lives will understand these words well.
(11) Therefore Christ saith unto his disciples and Christians, Beware lest I find you among this rude company. If
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they will speak: It is not yet necessary; at the same moment they shall lie there. So it was, when Lot admonished his oaths or his daughters, that he was laughed at. For they said, "Oh, this city has stood for such a long time; it will stand for some time yet. But the next day, before they arose, they were dead and swimming in the fire. That is what the world wants. Christ is well excused, he has faithfully warned the world and is still preaching to the people today, but it does not help. They should be frightened and think: The man who lets us preach such things will not lie to us. But they continue in their security and say: Meanwhile I will drink my beer. Well, says Christ, it serves you right, you did not want to listen, I warned you: therefore I will also strike you suddenly. Then they will have to say that it has served them right; now they do not ask anything about it. But the Lord says, "The day will come like lightning, and we will follow it.
012 So shall it be before the last day, that men may learn it, and not be offended that it is so; but say, Christ hath declared it before, that the world shall be so fierce, rude, and covetous. 2c. Well, so be it, and there will be more. So it was in Sodom in the days of Lot, and in all the world in the days of Noah. It is all said for our comfort, warning and teaching, that we may conclude what it means. The raw multitude knows not what it is; but we shall know it, and beware lest we also fall into the multitude. We must eat and drink, but in such a way that our hearts are not weighed down, but rather that we hang on to the future of the Lord, knowing that in the future there will be a resurrection of the dead and eternal life. If I make sure of this, I sleep, wake up, study, eat or drink at once, and if the last day comes when it wants to, it cannot come to me suddenly.
- yes, we desire that he come for the sake of sin; for God's name is not sanctified in this life, but rather blasphemed, his kingdom is prevented, his will is not done on earth, that is, the day of his coming.
Our bread is taken away from us, our guilt increases, and temptation does not cease. Therefore we ask: Heavenly Father, come your kingdom, deliver us from evil. Help, help, God, strike down and put an end to it. So if we let ourselves be warned, watch and pray, one can be sure that the last day will not frighten him. But they must be afraid, and it is their own fault, because they do not want to wait for the future; therefore the last day must come suddenly to them, not because of the Lord Christ, who warns them sufficiently, but because of their fault that they do not want to be warned.
14 Secondly, the Lord comforts us and exhorts us to rejoice when we see the eclipses of the sun and moon and comets, and that all creatures are changed and are no longer in their usual state. When ye shall see, saith he, the sun and moon turn their eyes, it is time for the creatures to die. Just as a man who is now living with half darkness and his eyes are turned back is near the end and death, so also when the world turns back its eyes and things change, know that the end of the world is here; lift up your heads and do not be afraid, for your redemption is near.
(15) These words should be written in the heart with letters of gold, because they comfort all those who believe in eternal life. When ye shall see, saith Christ, that the world is cracked, hideous to look upon, then be not dismayed, ye that are my disciples and Christians, but let them be dismayed whom it concerneth. But the secure, rough farmers and citizens do not ask anything about it, and even if there were three eclipses in one day, they would still lie in the alehouse and get drunk. Therefore Christ saith, When ye see heaven and earth falling, and the people wicked, and all things going against the stream, then be glad, and take heart. On whom? On you? No, but upon me, for I will come. It will be a little terrible. For if I should strangle the world, it must see sourly and turn its eyes. But I am there, do not be frightened, you shall be saved.
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will come. Let us believe that our Lord Jesus Christ will surely come and that we will have eternal life. But when this day and hour will come, we do not really know; but yet we can know it, as the Lord says: "When this begins to happen, know that it is not far off"; therefore we are warned for all days and hours.
(16) He giveth a likeness of the fig tree and other trees, not a terrible, hideous likeness of fire, but a beautiful, comforting, lovely likeness of the trees. "When the trees now bud," he says, "you see it in them, and realize that summer is now near"; so also you, when the sun becomes dark, say, "The trees bud"; and when the sea and the waves roar, say, "This is a beautiful blossom on the trees". For what purpose? That we may be eternally saved. The world shall see such signs as these in
sun, moon, water, earth, for spears and halberds; but you, my disciples and Christians, should consider them as a beautiful flower. Therefore be glad, for the kingdom of God comes to you, that you may believe, that you may be baptized, that you may suffer, that you may call and ask.
(17) We are to learn both these things to strengthen our faith, and to warn and comfort us. When we see the manifold troubles in the world, we are not to turn to them, but beware of all who go about like sticks and blocks, and pay no attention to all these things. To them God's wrath will come suddenly, but we must rejoice and wait for the Lord, who will come in the clouds with His angels and will save us from all our troubles. This is what Christ preached to us today, which is why we celebrate this day. May God give us His grace, that we may grasp and keep it, amen.
2.Sermon
On the second Sunday of Advent.
Second sermon.*)
This gospel has two parts. The first is about the signs that will take place before the last day. The other is an admonition and comfort that we should not be afraid of it.
(2) First, this is the way our Lord God has always kept from 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, to bring its people out and make a new nation out of them, all kinds of glorious signs, both evil and good, went beforehand. Evil, as when he punished the Egyptians with frogs, locusts, hail, boils, and the like, until he finally strangled all the first birth in one night,
*) Held by Luther in the house, 15833.
and drowned the rest of the people in the Red Sea. Good, as that he did great miracles with the Jews, led them dry through the Red Sea, drowned their enemies in it, and gave them bread from heaven, and the like. This was an indication that God wanted to start something new with this people, and to establish a new regime and a new being. The same thing happened when he wanted to overthrow the unbelieving and hardened Jews and establish the new kingdom of Christ, and when Christ hung on the cross, the graves were opened and the dead came out and went into the city of Jerusalem. Also, a great and unusual darkness came over the whole land, and the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. All these things were the beginning of a new being and a new world.
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a downfall of the old, as it is also found in the work that Judaism has fallen and Christ has established a new kingdom.
The Jews knew this well and had 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 beginning of Christ's unique and eternal kingdom.
4 The Lord answers them about the destruction of Jerusalem: "When they see an army encamped around Jerusalem, they will know that the end of the Jewish priesthood and kingdom is not far away; therefore he gives them this advice: they should then leave the country and flee to the mountains, because Judaism will be disturbed and there will be no mercy.
(5) So he teaches them also of the last day, saying, When ye shall see signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars, and in the sea, and in the waters, and in men, and in heaven; when these things come to pass (for we must not tarry so long as they think all is finished, saying that they have seen such signs before); then, saith he, be ye valiant, and do not jest with such signs, for they are certain signs that the last day is now at the door.
(6) Now here is the question, what signs will they be? Item, whether they will all happen before the last day? But one must not ask about such things. For the Lord Himself describes the place where these signs will be seen, namely, in heaven, water, earth, and man, and says, "When these things begin to take place, they will be seen. Therefore I believe that some, but perhaps not most of the signs will happen afterwards, just when the last day will break. Therefore let us be satisfied with the Lord's teaching where we shall see and wait for such signs; and when we see some of them, let us look to that future, and not wait until they are all done, lest we be overhasty.
(7) There are two signs in the sun and the moon: first, that they give off their light, and second, that they give off their light.
lose. If this is not strange, but natural (because one can actually calculate it from art and know beforehand, before it happens), it is nevertheless a sign; as it is clear in Matthew. But besides this, such signs can also happen at the sun, which cannot be known beforehand, but fall suddenly against all mathematics, like the darkness at the time when Christ hung on 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, or in the first quarter of the moon, it is not natural. Now the eclipse happened at the time of Christ's suffering on the cross in the full moon. Therefore, such an eclipse was a particularly great miracle. Even if we have not seen such a thing, it can happen very soon.
(8) We have also seen many other strange things these twenty years ago, all of which are unusual and strange. For example, that a rainbow should go around the sun, that the sun should divide itself equally and that many suns should be seen, item, that recently three comets have been seen within two years, and that at other places earthquakes have often occurred. *So it is not unbelievable that there is something like this in the background, which we have not seen before. Therefore we have enough warning in the sun, that we are not safe, but should wait for the blessed future of our Lord Christ.
(9) 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 naturally to die, first becomes ill, catches a fever, pestilence, or some other disease, all of which are signs that he is to perish; so also the world will be sick in a moment, the heavens will cry out, the waters, the earth, and men will act as if they were sick, will writhe and be in a bad way before it even goes down.
- the sign to the people I hold completely that we have experienced it. Because to
*) In the year of the Lord 1531 and 1532 and 1533.
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The wretched pope helped them a lot with his teachings, laws and commandments, so that the pious hearts were highly frightened, because they were commanded to pray, fast, hear mass, walk, and preached how it was a great mortal sin not to pray, fast, hear mass, and the like. In such terror, no one knew what to do, because the true consolation, forgiveness of sins through Christ, had disappeared. The wretched people ran to St. Jacob's and toiled with agony, fasting and other works, so that I believe there will be no greater misery on earth. I have seen many of them myself who could not bear such heartache and terror and therefore fell into despair from great fear and terror, so that they were terrified of the terrible and horrible judgment of God.
(11) For the pope and his sermons had caused us to fear Christ to death and to think of him as a harsh judge. 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. So did another, for no one knew otherwise. Then we said: The judge is coming, the judge is coming; I have been a bad boy; help, dear Virgin Mary, otherwise there is neither comfort, nor help, nor counsel for my poor soul. So the words went, and the people did not know how to do their thing. For they had lost Christ, the right and only Savior. Therefore I think that most of this sign is over. Just as I consider that most of the other signs in the sky have also come to pass. But although there are still some more behind, it can happen every day that they also come. Therefore we should not refrain from preparing ourselves for this day, as the Lord will teach hereafter.
At the end of this piece the Lord remembers another sign and says: "The people will pine away for fear and for waiting for the things that are to come on earth. Here he is speaking of another fear, which is
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 hearts that accept the warning with the signs. The godless and unbelieving go along freely and safely, despising all warnings and signs, making believe that many such signs have happened before, and yet the last day has remained outside. But the pious perceive such signs, are terrified and afraid. Such people have always been, and still are, beside the sure multitude; therefore we should not put off the last day because of this sign, but expect it daily.
(13) The other thing is that the Lord comforts his Christians who are afraid of the things that are coming on earth, that they should not be frightened or afraid, but rather rejoice. This is also a very necessary admonition. For thus it comes to pass that those who should fear do not fear, and again those who should rejoice do not rejoice but are terrified. But we in the papacy have understood nothing of this: although it has been read and preached from year to year, it has not been understood that the pious Christ promises us so kindly.
14 "Then when these things are done," says Christ, "they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds with power and great glory. There will be a different splendor than where emperors and kings ride in. For the whole air will be full of angels and saints, shining brighter than the sun, and Christ will be in the midst of them, and they will float with Christ in the air. Every saint, that is, every Christian, will judge the damned who stand with the devil down on earth, trembling and shaking. In the clouds nothing else will be seen but the vain heads of the saints and the elect, but on earth nothing else will be seen but the vain heads of the damned. For the damned will stand on earth, but the saints and the elect will sit in the clouds. I hope we will
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sit there also, if we believe otherwise in the holy man whose name is Jesus Christ.
- "But when," says Christ, "these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up your heads," that is, do not be dismayed at the signs, but lift up your heads cheerfully, saying, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." For they that have believed on me, and suffered for my sake, and died believing on me, have nothing to fear. Let them be afraid who have not believed. But be not dismayed, for it must be so. If the world is to break, it must crack first, otherwise such a large building cannot collapse, everything must stir and weave. Just like a sick person, when death stretches him, he writhes and writhes, his eyes turn, his mouth curls, his face pales and he becomes completely shapeless. The world will do the same.
16 Therefore I say unto you, Be not dismayed at this, but 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, are damned. To you who believe comes your blessedness. The day brings both: to those who believe and have been righteous, it brings heaven; but to the others, it brings hell and eternal damnation.
17 The Lord speaks these things to the pious. They will also be terrified when the sun and moon turn their eyes and the sky is filled with fire. For the saints are not so strong; even St. Peter and St. Paul would be terrified if they were alive. But be of good cheer, says the Lord; it will be a horrible and terrible sight, but it is not for you, but for the devil and the unbelievers. Blessedness and joyful salvation are coming to you, because you have longed and prayed so long for my kingdom to come to you, that you may be completely cleansed from all sins and delivered from all evil. What you have asked for so long with all your heart, that shall come to you.
18Therefore, the last day may well be called a day of condemnation, and
of salvation, 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 leave the pope and his cardinals and bishops, the red spirits, the wicked of the nobility, wicked citizens and peasants there, who are now doing all they can, persecuting the gospel and causing all misery and misfortune; they will have to pay. We, however, 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.
(19) Therefore, though the creature be disguised, and the sun and the moon be black and dark, and look upon you abominably, be not dismayed, crawl not to angles, but stand up boldly, fight against your temptation; remember that ye have need of my salvation, and that ye desire me, and have often wanted me. Now if I am to come to you and save you, I must first attack those who hold you captive, or you will not be released. If someone is imprisoned in a tower, he cannot be saved unless the tower is either blown up or opened. So you will not be saved unless the world comes to an end.
020 Therefore, when these things come to pass, turn not away. The rod is bound, but it is not for you, but for those who have cried out. Therefore accept this future as the future of your salvation. For I do not come to cast you into hell, but to save you from the shameful, sick, corrupt and murderous life of this world, 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.
21 To such consolation now also serves the beautiful similitude with the trees. In spring," he says, "when winter shall cease, and the whole earth shall be new; when the cold shall depart, and the heat come, and the barren trees shall shoot forth, and be green: tell me, how does such a thing begin?
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on? Isn't it true that the trees bud first, and then they sprout? So everyone says that winter is over and now the beautiful summer is coming.
(22) Let this parable be your doctor, and the trees your textbook, from which ye shall learn how ye shall wait for the latter day. For as summer cometh quickly, when the trees are sapient, and gathereth leaves: so, when the earth shall tremble, and the heavens shall shake, and the sun and moon shall look sad and sour, fear not, but say, These are the sap and the leaves, whereon the everlasting heavenly summer shall come, and the worldly winter shall pass away. It is an abominable, unfruitful life here on earth, where everything spoils as in winter; this shall come to an end, and the fresh, fruitful summer and eternal life shall come.
(23) The Lord Christ speaks very clearly: "When you see all these things, know that the kingdom of God is near. He does not say, "When you see these things coming, you should know that the hellish kingdom of the devil is coming," but that the kingdom of God is near. He says this to indicate that the devil's kingdom is to be destroyed. For we live here among ungodly, wicked, false, miserly people, who blaspheme and profane the gospel, and desire to do all kinds of evil. This we must see and hear, and expect daily trouble. From this, says Christ, I will deliver you through my future, so that you may no longer see or hear of such willfulness. For as it happened to the righteous Lot, who dwelt with innocent eyes and ears in Sodom, in the midst of the wicked men, who hurt him with all their lewdness, and tormented his righteous soul; as St. Peter 2 Peter 2:7 says, that he saw and heard sins which were not fit to be spoken. When the sins became overripe and God could no longer pause, two angels came and led the righteous Lot out of the city. There was a terrible sight: the sky turned black, thundered and flashed, the clouds were broken, sulfur and fire rained down, and the earth opened up and sank everything. There Lot is without doubt he
He was terrified and thought: "It will hit you as hard as the city. But that was the consolation, that he knew that such a terrible sight was not meant for him, but for the sodomites, who were bad, desperate boys, did not believe and did not want to improve. 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 the fire was like a beautiful tree that sprouts and now begins to green. For he felt God's help and gracious salvation against the wicked.
The same will happen to us on the last day (if we live to see it). It will be terrible to see when heaven and earth start to fire, and we go there in an instant and are transformed. That is horrible. But Christ says not to follow the sight, but to hear it as it is interpreted, namely, that it is a beautiful blossom, a fine, juicy branch. Therefore let the ear be attentive, and hear as it is interpreted, and not as it may be seen. It is true, there is no human heart that is not frightened by it. But you must set your heart on the word, and strengthen yourself against all reason, and say: Do not be frightened, the signs are all beautiful blossoms, which indicate that my Redeemer and salvation are near. So welcome God, my dear Lord and Savior, and come, as I have often asked, that your kingdom may come to me. Whoever can receive the Lord Christ in this way will in a moment enter into the glory of the sun, where he will also shine like the beautiful, bright sun.
(25) In this way our dear Lord Christ teaches us to know the last day correctly, so that we know what we have in him and for what we should hope and wait for his future. The pope preaches about Christ, that he is a strict judge, against whom one must send oneself with good works, item, call upon the saints and enjoy their intercession, if one does not want to be condemned otherwise. They were silent about Christ being our Redeemer; instead, he was painted everywhere in the papacy as coming to judgment, holding a sword and a rod in his mouth, both of which signify wrath, so that he will punish the world.
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Johannem and Mariam were also painted standing by Christ to indicate that one should seek and hope for the intercession of them and other saints. And the good Father Bernard also wrote that if the mother Mary showed her breasts to her son, he could not deny her anything. These are certain indications 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 wants to come, not to judge and condemn us, but to redeem and help us, and he
fill what we have asked him and bring his kingdom to us. To the wicked and unbelievers he will come as a judge, and punish them as his and the Christians' enemies, on whom they have laid all plagues. But to the faithful and Christians he will come as a redeemer. We should firmly believe this and look forward to his future, and see to it that when he comes, as St. Peter says, we will be found in faith and good life and undefiled before him and blameless in peace. To this end, may God grant us His grace, amen, amen.
3.Sermon
On the second Sunday of Advent.
Third sermon.*)
In this gospel the Lord preaches about the future of the last judgment and warns and teaches his own how they should conduct themselves. He does not preach this sermon to the ungodly and unbelievers, but only to his disciples and Christians. And he divides this sermon into two parts. The first part is a prophecy, in which he proclaims how things will be when the last day comes. The other part is an exhortation to pray and to be steadfast at all times, so that one may be worthy to escape all these things that are about to happen and to stand before the Son of Man.
- the wicked do not ask about the last day, if it were now on their heels. Such stupefaction and impious leprosy is in the world that a man is not afraid of death, even though he knows that he must die. Now every man's death, as St. Augustine says, is his last day. Therefore it is a terrible thing that a man should be so sure, and fear neither death nor the last day; as St. Augustine also says: Read all
*) Held by Luther in the house, 1534.
books, there is no more horrible and gruesome image on earth than death, which one knows for certain that one must die, and yet lives in such a state and nature in which he would not like to die. An accidental death is not terrible compared to such a death. It is certainly terrible if one breaks his neck, drowns in the water, or otherwise perishes accidentally and gradually. But it is much more terrible when someone knows that he will be eternally lost, and yet nothing changes. So death is not terrible to him who is not afraid of death and knows nothing about death; just as young children and believers are not afraid of death and know nothing about death. But this is a terrible death, which one has before him and must go in; as the godless and unbelievers have death before them, and know that they must go in.
(3) Although death and the last judgment, which follows death and is certain and only for the wicked, are terrible, yet, just as the wicked do not respect death, which they must wait for all hours, so they also in all certainty despise the last judgment. But this same certainty is
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The greater and more serious it is that they do this in eternal death, and live without all care and fear, not stopping from their drinking, eating, stinging and other sins and vices, until the last day overtakes them, and they go to hell with body and soul and are eternally lost. That is why it is now a terrible thing in the world that drinking, eating, scratching and other vices are so rampant that no one can control them. One dreads that one should live among the people. Some think of improving themselves, but slowly; some, however, do not think of improving themselves at all.
(4) Therefore Christ alone preaches to his Christians and believers here, comforting them that they should not be dismayed by whatever death they perish. For they have a gracious God who gave his dear Son for them, why should they fear? Now if you believe in Christ, and immediately your neck falls in two, or you drown in the water, or you perish in some other way, or the last day takes you away, it does you no harm; for you have a gracious God and a faithful Savior, why would you fear, because God is your friend and Christ died for you? This gospel is preached to such people who have surrendered to die, but it is not preached to the wicked. For though they grasp the signs with their hands, yet they ask nothing of them. Therefore let them go to the gallows. But let us be found among the multitude that believe in God, and fear him, not as a judge, but as a father. For it is enough for the wicked to fear him as a judge.
5 Christ says that this is how it will be before the last day. The wager will become wrinkled and even hideous and terrible. The eye of the wager is the sun. Just as a man wrinkles and decays when he is about to die, his eyes begin to crack, his mouth begins to turn pale: so also when the world is about to break up and come to an end, the sun will become dark, and earthquakes will occur, and people will be afraid. Summa, Him
mel and earth will stand as if they wanted to die. But do not be afraid, although the sea will roar and the waves will come crashing down on you.
(6) But these signs, of which the Lord saith here, shall not endure for ever. For the sun shall shine, and the earth shall bring forth grass and corn until the latter day: as it is written in Genesis 8:22: "As long as the earth standeth, seed and harvest, frost and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall not cease." I say this because some have dreamed and pretended that the earth would not bear grain or fruit for a year before the last day comes, and that women would not bear children for seven years. These and the like are human thoughts and dreams without, even against, the holy scriptures. For the Holy Scriptures, as Christ also does in this Gospel, teach that when people will be at their happiest and most secure and of the best things, our Lord God will throw in the Day of Judgment and overtake them in a moment; then he will find one building, another free, the third eating and drinking, and all bet living in joy and all pleasure. But before the day of the Lord come, the sun shall be darkened for a day or two, as the sun is now darkened sometimes; and the sea shall roar for a week, or two, or three, as is now often done, and is still done; and yet such roaring shall not endure for ever. The people will be afraid, as we have seen so far.
007 When ye therefore shall see these things come to pass (saith Christ to his Christians, for the wicked understand not these things), be not dismayed, but look up with joy, and lift up your heads: for it is meet for you that your redemption draweth nigh. For soon after this the day of the Lord will come. The Lord will appear in the clouds with thousands of angels, and you will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. The wicked will whimper on the earth, and cry out over their necks, and condemn themselves for not having known God, but for not having known Him.
1388 n. 4, 42-44. on the second Sunday of Advent. W. xin, 63-n. 1389
who have despised his word. Then the game will be reversed. Those who were rich, powerful, happy and prosperous here on earth in this life will then be sad and damned. And again the pious and godly, who are oppressed and miserable here on earth, will then reign. Therefore, let those who are now collecting money, scratching and scraping, who do not believe in the gospel at all, who do not want to hear about death, be sad; they want to live well here for a hundred years and leave the kingdom of heaven to our Lord God. But you are happy and of good cheer, for the day of your salvation is near.
(8) Our Lord Christ was pleased to put these sweet and lovely words into the hearts of the disciples and His Christians, so that they would not be frightened by the signs, but would remember that these are for the evil-doers and not for the Christians. And that I also say of us: We have seen many signs in the next twenty years. I once saw four days in a row of such roaring and raging that the Elbe could not flow before it. Item, earthquakes have often happened, and seven years ago in the Netherlands in many places land and people sank and drowned. The sun has often gone dark. In the papacy I have seen many of them who were so afraid that they trembled and shook, so that they could not stay anywhere. We Christians write down such signs and notice them, but the wicked despise them.
(9) The likeness of the trees, which Christ gives to his disciples and Christians, that he may the better imagine comfort to them, is sweet. Our Lord God has written the last day not only in the books, but also in the trees, so that when we look at the trees in springtime, we may always remember this parable and the day of the Lord. The leaves on the trees do not indicate the winter, that it should freeze, snow and become cold, but indicate the joyful time, namely, spring and summer. So you also, says Christ, when you see these signs, you should certainly believe that the time of your salvation is at hand, when you will be able to
from all misfortune and from this pit of misery. So Christ teaches us here that we should learn to look at the signs righteously, and know that when the signs appear, our Lord God will take us out of the weather and out of this pit of misery, and put us into such a life, where there will be neither misery nor sorrow. The wicked do not look at the signs in this way, but the Christians follow the teaching of Christ their Lord and look at the signs as a certain indication of their salvation.
(10) Now follows the warning and exhortation that Christians should be courageous and pray. Christ says that before the last day the wager will eat and drink, and for the sake of food will be dreadfully worried, scratching and scratching, as we now see before our eyes. There is a common German saying: The longer, the worse, the older, the worse. The old people collect money and must not touch it, if they do not know whether they will survive today, let alone tomorrow. So, says Christ, when the world grows old, it will also scratch and scrape, and, as he says elsewhere, it will build, plant, free and let itself be free, just as in the time of Noah before the Flood. God had the world warned by Noah, and the Flood proclaimed a hundred and twenty years before; but what did the dear beautiful world do? They let themselves be preached against as against a wall, ate, drank, and let themselves be free, until the day Noah entered the ark. And so it was. When they were least aware of it, the flood overtook them and took them all away. At this time of ours there is also such a handling, worrying, eating, drinking, that it is beyond all measure; there is no more faithfulness, no more faith in the people on earth.
(11) Therefore Christ warns and admonishes his disciples and Christians, saying, "Take heed, little children, that your hearts be not troubled with eating and drinking, and with cares of food. For when the race shall be at its height, piercing and scratching, it shall be a sure sign that the day of my last coming is not far off, and then shall it be this day.
1390 L. 4, 44-46. on the second Sunday of Advent. W.xm,-66-69. 1391
Day quickly and in a Hui raid. One day he will find money to count, the next he will drink and revel, the third he will dance and jump. Just as a snare quickly overtakes the little birds, before they realize it, they are caught and seasoned: so also this day will come quickly and unawares upon all who dwell on the earth. Therefore, beware of eating and drinking and worrying about food.
- Would anyone like to say, "Should one not eat and drink? Shall one not feed himself? Should one not work and worry? Answer: Yes, one must eat and drink; so food and work are not forbidden, but stinginess is forbidden. Christ allows his disciples and all Christians to feed themselves, to cultivate the field and to work. For he knows well that his Christians, because they are in the world, need and must have food, drink, clothing, and sustenance. But worry and stinginess he forbids. We see now in the world that everything wants to rise high, which is a sure sign that the last day is not far away.
Therefore, says Christ, when you see such signs, and in addition such horrible security of the world, drinking, eating, scratching, you should remember that your redemption is at hand. Do not be sad, because the wrath goes over the world, which will be dead in a moment on that day with its children. But you, my disciples and Christians, says Christ, are not in the world, but are only guests and strangers in it, and the world is only your night's lodging. Be ye therefore always valiant, and forget not the Father of ours; but
pray that God's kingdom may come to you, as I have taught you.
14 Now Christ does not speak here of natural sleep or wakefulness, that the body should always be awake and sleep neither day nor night, which is impossible; but he speaks of spiritual wakefulness, that our soul and spirit should always be awake, and that we should pray diligently and remember the last day. If we will do this, that day will not quickly overtake us as it will the wicked. Just as St. Paul in 1 Thess. 5 makes a distinction between the children of darkness and the children of light, and says in verses 2-5: "The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they shall say, It is peace, it hath no speed; then destruction shall quickly overtake them, as the sorrow of a woman with child, and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should seize you as a thief. You are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night, nor of darkness."
(15) Christ therefore wills that we be faithful, and keep ourselves in the fear of God, and in a good conscience, and pray, that we may escape all temptation and sorrow, and stand worthy before the Son of man. St. Peter also teaches this, and exhorts 2 Peter 3, and says v. 11, 12: "If then all these things shall pass away, how then shall ye be skillful in holy walk and godly conduct, waiting and hastening unto the future of the day of the Lord." May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ grant this to us all, Amen.
1392 L. 4, 46.47. On the third Sunday of Advent. W. xm. 69-72. 1393
3.Sunday; Matth. 11, 2-10
On the third Sunday of Advent.
First sermon.*)
That we may perform the service of our Lord God also on this holy Sunday, as he would have us serve him, and has thus called the service, "Sanctify the feast day," that is,
Hear the word of Christ: for all things that are sanctified must be sanctified by the word. For the word alone is holy: therefore let us preach, speak, and hear the holy word. Thus reads today's Gospel:
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? Yes, I tell you, he 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.
1.Sermon
In this gospel our dear Lord Jesus Christ preaches and teaches us two things. The first, that we should keep his word precious, valuable, and holy, for it is very much needed, as we shall hear hereafter. The other, that he shows the abominable vice of ingratitude of those who hear such a word, and see the miraculous signs, and yet despise it, and believe it not; which is exceedingly terrible.
(2) Now the first thing, that men should diligently hear the word of Christ preached unto them, is signified by this, that John, while he was already in prison, as soon as he heard that Christ began to do miraculous works, sent his disciples unto him with such a command, that they should ask him, whether he was the man that should come? That is, whether he was the Christ of whom Moses and the prophets had prophesied and preached so much in the Old Testament, and afterwards in the New Testament so much.
*) Held by Luther in the house, 1532.
should be preached much? Summa, they should ask if 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 that, Moses' doctrine and worship should cease, and the Jews should listen to him (Christ), what he would preach, who would also establish a new doctrine and worship, not only among the Jews, but also among the Gentiles in the whole world.
The Jews knew these things well, for they had been clearly prophesied beforehand. Therefore, because soon after John was imprisoned, it began to happen, and the Lord Christ was preaching about eternal life and the kingdom of God and performing miracles, John wanted to direct his disciples to him; therefore he sent them to Christ, not only to hear the testimony of the prophets, but also to hear the sermon with their ears and to see the miracles with their eyes, of which the prophets had prophesied so long before, and from this sermon and the miracles to be performed.
1394 L. 4, 47-49. on the third Sunday of Advent. W. xm, 72-74. 1395
He is the man and the right preacher for whom the whole world has been waiting and waiting for.
004 Therefore this sending with the disciples is nothing else, but as if John said thus, Go ye, and learn which is the true doctor and preacher: for I know it well that he is the true Christ, but the people believe it not. Therefore go ye now unto him, and hear of him yourselves, that ye may turn away from me and from all Judaism, and cleave unto this man, in whom is all that pertaineth to your salvation and the salvation of the whole world. This is the final opinion of this message of John to Christ, that his disciples hear and see 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 ask him if he is, but answers only with the works, saying, "You see, hear, and grasp that I am he. For just as Isaiah and other prophets prophesied that Christ would make the lame straight and the blind see, 2c. so now you see it before your eyes, needing neither instruction nor answer, if you will but be right.
(6) Now this is a strange and peculiar sermon, in which all that is to be preached of Christ, and what his kingdom is, and what his word is, is very fine. His kingdom is such a kingdom, where the blind, the lame, the lepers, the deaf, dead people, and especially the poor sinners and everything that is miserable, poor and nothing, belong and find comfort and help. We should diligently remember this sermon about Christ and his kingdom and let it ring among us forever, 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, who could have
The Lord is the One who points out and comforts the sorrowful, miserable, and anxious consciences, and makes the frightened hearts, drowned in gloom and sorrow, cheerful and in good spirits.
7 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. There then arises a lamentation; they that feel their sin, and would gladly be rid of it, let it sour them, and live by the law, but cannot be satisfied, nor obtain a merry heart and conscience thereby. As the saints in the Old Testament complain, when they are tired of Moses' regiment and have a heartfelt longing for the kingdom of grace promised in Christ. As Psalm 14:7: "Oh that help would come to Israel from Zion, and that the Lord would 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 have mercy upon her. "2c. Again, the hypocrites think that if they outwardly keep the law, fast, and do not commit adultery, they do not need the gospel or Christ; they think that there is no need, that God must take them to heaven because of their fasting, praying, and almsgiving. These are the right, full spirits, who have no need of our Lord God and His grace.
Now it is true, Moses' sermon must be preached and the 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 wish that you would be merciful and gracious to me, otherwise I will despair even with all my good works.
(9) There is an example of this in Vitis (the Lives of the Fathers): > One stood
1396 L.4, 4s-si. On the third Sunday of Advent. W. xni, 74-77. 1397
three days in one 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 comfort him, saying: Why is he afraid of death, when he has lived a strict life and kept God's commandments diligently? But he said: I tell you, I am very afraid; I have, as you say, diligently kept God's commandments; but because I know that God's judgments are different from the judgments of men, I cannot be rid of such fear. This one, however, has come so far that he has seen, when the traits come before God and His judgment, that God's judgment is so sharp, serious and severe that our holiness and good works cannot hold the sting, nor can we stand with it.
(10) For this reason one should preach the law and practice good works without ceasing; but when it comes to dying, one must say, like this father, "Oh God, who will help now? This is also one of the miserable ones, since here it is written of, but he does not know what he should hold on to. For this he lacks, since the Lord says here of: "To the poor the gospel is preached." He sees and has nothing more than the law; this leaves him stuck in an evil conscience, fear and distress, and cannot comfort him.
- but 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 commanded to offer and promise grace to the poor, that is, to the miserable, afflicted hearts, that he would set his purity, which is divine and eternal, for you, to make you content with God, to wash away and forgive your sin. 2c. This grace he offers you through his word; therefore do not doubt how you hear, if you only believe it, it will surely be granted to you.
(12) The gospel, then, is a gracious, blessed doctrine, a pleasant tale, and a comforting message. As if a rich man said to a poor beggar, "Tomorrow you will have a hundred thousand guilders," that would be a gospel to him, a joyful message.
A message that he would like to hear and be glad about. 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 trapped under the law, to eternal life and righteousness?
This, Christ says here, is my kingdom, far different from the kingdom of the world. There it is done in such a way that one helps the strongest, and as the proverb says: He who is able to help the other, puts him in the sack. That rules by the sharpness of the sword, beats and knocks down everywhere, can and should not suffer any vice and vice. It must have executioner, rod, sword, water, fire, so that it can punish everywhere.
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, raising the dead is a great miraculous work, but this miraculous work is much greater and more glorious, and yet does not have the prestige, namely: that our Lord God has appointed such a king, who is a king over sinners and preaches the gospel to them. Moses and the Law do not preach about such a king and gospel. For there it is said: Whoever is a sinner belongs to the kingdom of the devil and of death. This reads as if our Lord God were 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, where he sets father, mother, emperor, judge, executioner and commands them the regiment.
15 But his true kingdom is when he himself reigns: when he may not set down father, mother, authorities, and masters, but when he himself is and preaches the gospel to the poor. Therefore learn, when it comes to thee, that thy piety shall not avail
1398 L. 4, 5I-S3. On the third Sunday of Advent. W.xin, 77-80. 1399
you may say: I have done what I could, served my father, my lord, faithfully, desecrated no one, not offended, taught my house, children and servants faithfully and, as far as I could, governed well, not lived to harm my neighbor, not stolen, not broken marriage. 2c. But where now? That will not help now. For a human heart cannot leave it, it must be frightened when it finds nothing that can stand before our Lord God and His judgment. Then it is necessary that you speak: I have heard that the King, my dear Lord Jesus Christ, has six miraculous signs, which no one can imitate. One of these is that the gospel is preached to the poor, and for this purpose he is ordained by God to comfort the troubled hearts. For this reason I do not despair or despair, but 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," a tongue that is taught by God. That is, God has put His word on my tongue, that I may know how to speak to the weary in due 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 made king, that he should evangelize, that is, comfort and strengthen the poor, stupid, afflicted hearts; therefore his kingdom is also and is called 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 that through his suffering we have been redeemed from eternal death. This is his kingdom and ministry, that he should preach the gospel to the poor, and that is where he wants to go; for he cannot come to the great, high saints, who do not want to be sinners, and who do not want to hear the gospel.
They do not need the gospel; they persecute and reproach heresy, saying that they forbid good works and preach against Moses and the law.
The other part of this gospel is that the Lord continues, "Blessed is he who does not take offense at me. Yes, indeed, blessed! For in this king and his preaching, which every man ought to rejoice in, the whole world is vexed. As we see in the history 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 is always reversing it and making it wrong. They say that the devil leads away the heretic, for he preaches and teaches that our Lord God should cast the pious and righteous into hell and raise sinners 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 listen to Christ, accept his word and enter his kingdom, you would learn that the gospel does not forbid good works, but teaches and exhorts that one should do good works, that one should earnestly take care that one does not do anything against God's word and conscience; it allows worldly authorities to remain, emperors, kings, lets the executioner use sword, rod and other things that belong to discipline. It says: The authorities, princes and lords should punish evil, one should not steal 2c. Why then do you take offense at the holy gospel, blaspheming it as if it taught that one should do no good? The gospel neither rejects nor forbids good works. But it forbids this, that when this life is ended, and we are to go into another life, and there is neither counsel nor help against it, that we should not then rely or trust in our life and good works, but look to the Lord Christ for help.
1400 L. 4, 53-55. on the third Sunday of Advent. W. xin. so-W. 1401
and with firm trust in his work and merit we rely that through him we shall find grace and eternal bliss in that life.
For this very reason God has given us such a body with so many 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 these things he also gave his word, the Ten Commandments, that we should judge all our works according to them, and not do anything contrary to his glory 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.
20 Therefore, if you have lived well, it is right and good to thank God for it, but do not rely on it when you die, as if God were to give you heaven for it; but keep yourself here with this King, our Lord Christ Jesus, who, as the evangelist says here, is to lead the ministry of giving sight to the blind, walking to the lame, 2c. and preaching the gospel to the poor, that is, comforting the wretched and anxious hearts. For he is not set by his Father to convict us of our sins, nor to break our hearts, but to counsel the poor in conscience, to lift them up, to comfort them, and to help them for ever.
(21) Those who do not recognize 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 still do today, he will control 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.
- Secondly, the world is also angry with Christ because he is so poor and so
is miserable. Item, that 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 temptation and tribulation. The world is especially hostile to this, shying away from it, and just as can be seen when we confess the gospel and have to dare or suffer something for its sake, that many fall with heaps, like the worm-eaten fruit in summer.
23 Thirdly, it is also a grievance, when we turn more to our heart and conscience, as we feel, than to the gospel of Christ. And that I confess of myself, this is my vexation, that my doings and actions trouble and distress me more than the grace of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, proclaimed in the gospel, comforts me. Such an affliction is not so common as the first two; for the true Christians alone are afflicted with it, as I myself also have to bite at it. And it is exceedingly grievous; and if it were without the Holy Ghost's help and succor, none of us could stand in such affliction.
24 This is what Christ says: "Blessed is he who does not take offense at me. For with this he prophesies at the same time that the people will take offense at this preaching of the gospel, and will despise and persecute it. Soon after this he speaks more clearly and plainly, reproaching the cities and saying, "Woe to you, Chorazin; woe to you, Bethsaida; woe to you, Capernaum. "2c. And laments the Jews, saying, "To whom shall I liken this generation? It is like the little children who sit in the marketplace and cry out against their fellows, saying: We whistled to you, and you would not dance; we mourned to you, and you would not weep. "2c. John was a sharp, strict preacher, ate only wild honey and locusts, drank nothing but water, led a very hard life; but what did it help? You Jews blamed him all the same and said: He has the devil, wants to despise us. I eat and drink, and am most kind to the people; so I must be to you a glutton and a winebibber, and a publican and a sinner. Can
1402 L. 4, 55-57. On the third Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 83-85. 1403
So no one can get along with the poisonous snakes, the hypocrites and saints of works, do as you like. If one lives freely, it is not right. 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 anger, contempt, and persecution must be suffered. For if at that time the Lord Christ himself preached and thundered 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, nothing helped; but the word was nevertheless despised, and he, the dear Lord Christ, was crucified over 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 good is it now? what do we want to complain much about it? 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 preached the word, but also performed great miraculous signs, which we do not do, but only preach the mere angry word.
26 Therefore we must be accustomed to it 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 the word of God, they are healed, comforted and strengthened, and are safe against all such ailments. But those who do not know it, puff themselves up for the sake of their good works, become proud and fall from this word to their own righteousness, and consider it an annoying and rebellious doctrine: that is to say, they are offended and angry. There are many of these in the world, and, as I said, they are the ones who are considered the greatest saints and the wisest people in the world.
Therefore Christ says: "We whistled at you, but you scoff" 2c. So it still works today. If you preach the gospel, it does not help; if you preach the law, it does not help. If you whistle, they will not dance; if you lament, they will not weep. The poor world can neither be made happy nor sad. They are a people who neither understand the gospel nor the law, nor do they want to. They cannot be made sinners, nor can they be comforted against sin; they cannot be made blind, nor can they be made to see, as the example of our adversaries, the papists, is before our eyes.
(27) Now this is the other thing, that the gospel is a sermon which is so miserably despised, and that we should not turn aside from it, that pope, bishops, monks, and priests, citizens and peasants, ask nothing after the gospel. 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 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. Therefore say, "Well, dear Lord Christ, if these things have happened to you, since you have come with such excellent miraculous works, I may well keep silent and not complain, even if I am despised, laughed at and persecuted for the sake of the gospel.
(28) So in today's gospel we have two excellent and high doctrines. First, that Christ is a King of grace and of all comfort, who will speak kindly to the poor afflicted consciences through his gospel, comforting them against sin and helping 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 eternal kingdom is his right kingdom, which comes to us through the word, and in it we join ourselves in the word, and when we are to die, say with certain confidence: I believe in Jesus Christ, who is able and willing to save me from death, who gives sight to the blind, cleanses the lepers, and gives life to the dead. At
1404 L.4, 57-59. On the third Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 85-89. 1405
I will go away and be blessed. - Secondly, that though all the world be offended, vexed, and fallen in Christ and in his gospel, we turn not to such vexation and falling; but this King without vexation, and without vexation, and without vexation, and without vexation, and without vexation, and without vexation, and without vexation.
accept him, hold fast to his word, and be saved through him, as he says, "Blessed is he who does not take offense at me." May our dear Lord Jesus Christ grant us this, amen.
2.Sermon
On the third Sunday of Advent.
Second sermon.*)
In this gospel our dear Lord Jesus Christ admonishes us to hold his holy gospel in high esteem and to beware of trouble. But since you have heard of it at another time, let us now take the passage before us and act on it, where Christ praises and extols the holy man John the Baptist, and says to the Jews, "Why did you go out into the wilderness to see? Did you go out to see a reed that the wind weaves to and fro? Or what did you go out to see? Did you want to see a man in soft clothes? Behold, they that wear soft garments are in the houses of kings. Or what went ye out to see? Did you want to see a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, he also is more than a prophet." As if the Lord wanted to say: You Jews looked at John the Baptist like a cow looks at a new gate. He has come to you, but you do not ask much who he is. Ye take him for a reed, or for a man clothed in soft raiment, or for a prophet: but I say unto you, he is neither reed, nor man clothed in soft raiment, nor even a prophet: but he is the angel, of whom it is written, that he should go before the LORD, and prepare his way.
2 The Lord Christ did not preach this sermon for the sake of John the Baptist, because John the Baptist is not helped by such preaching. He did not preach it either.
*) Held by Luther in the house, 1533.
than for his own sake, for he has no need of such preaching anywhere: but he did it for the sake of the Jewish people, that the people might know John the Baptist aright, and know what his office was. The Lord sets three things for which the Jews recognized John the Baptist, and none of which was John the Baptist.
3 First, the Jews regarded John the Baptist as a reed that the wind weaves to and fro, that is, they considered him to be such a preacher who spoke or kept silent according to the favor of men, or who preached about unstable, impermanent, temporal, perishable and fleeting goods. But Christ says: John the Baptist is not a reed. You Jews let this be said to you: do not regard John the Baptist as such a preacher who staggered, or who denied his word and preaching, as you would have him do; or even who preached about temporal, transitory goods. You stand on temporal, fleeting goods, waiting for a kingdom that is temporal; but nothing comes of it. What John preached of the kingdom of heaven, not of the kingdom of earth, let it remain so; death and the devil shall not compass it. John's preaching of the kingdom of heaven stands like a wall, will not waver as you waver. You are such preachers who take a handful of barley and morsels of bread (as the prophet Ezekiel prophesied of you and yours, Cap. 13:19) and preach lies to the people who love to hear lies. You take a hundred guilders, and pre-
1406 L. 4, 5'>-6t. On the third Sunday of Advent. W. xin, 89-91. 1407
digt, what the people like to hear. These are reed preachers, who do not risk their lives, honor, favor, but are guided by the people. But this is not true that one wants to preach when it goes well, and then keep quiet when it goes badly. John the Baptist is a different preacher, who goes through, speaks and is silent not according to the people's favor, but may put life on it.
4 Secondly, the Jews regarded John the Baptist as a man in soft clothes. But Christ says: John the Baptist is not a man in soft clothes. John is not clothed softly, gently, and tenderly; but his clothing is rough and sharp, he wears a camel's skin, goes barefoot and bareheaded, that is his clothing and adornment.
5 This is spoken for the sake of the people who would gladly attack John's preaching and the gospel, since it is soft, and accept it in the place where it serves them. Just as our peasants need Christian liberty to give them temporal goods. But again, if they should give a penny to their pastor, or do the least thing for the sake of the gospel, the devil cannot take them away. And all the world is now of this mind: if the gospel were preached in such a way that they might use it for their profit and advantage, it would be a fine gospel. But if one should take off the old skin, and crucify and kill the old Adam, and for the sake of the gospel put himself in danger of life and limb, it is an unholy preaching, of which no one has much desire. This is why Christ says, "John the Baptist is a rough man, wearing hard clothes and a hard coat; that is, John's sermon and gospel is not a soft, tender sermon, to be abused for the pleasure of the flesh and all kinds of goodwill, as the world is wont to do; but it is a serious, sharp sermon, about which one should suffer and not seek pleasure. If we have food and drink, we may use it as long as God gives and grants it to us. But if such things are lacking, that one should therefore leave the gospel, that shall not be.
- thirdly, the Jews saw Johannem
the Baptist for a prophet. But Christ says: John the Baptist is more, greater and higher than a prophet. A prophet is much lower than John the Baptist. For prophets are called those who have the Holy! Spirit, and proclaim that Christ is future and will come first. Summa, prophets are those who prophesy what is to come. John the Baptist is not among those who prophesy of things to come; but this is his name and office, that he should show Messiah present. Therefore you Jews should no longer wait for Christ to come, but Christ has already come and is present. Therefore you should not consider John the Baptist a prophet, but recognize him as the angel who goes before the Lord to prepare the way for him. Therefore, if you want to see and recognize the rough man John the Baptist in the camel's skin, know that he is called an angel of the Lord, and that his office and work is to go before the Lord and prepare the way for him. And when you see this angel, know that the Lord himself is surely present.
This was a very necessary sermon for the Jews, in which they had power, because it was based on the fact that the Jews would either be lost if they lacked this angel, John the Baptist, or they would be saved if they would accept this angel. The point was that the old kingdom, established and ordered by God through Moses, with its rights, priesthood and ceremonies, was to cease, and the new kingdom to come, of which the prophets had prophesied long before, was to begin; and the king of such a kingdom was now present and at hand, who had already begun to establish such a kingdom. Therefore it was necessary for the Jews to recognize this king and to be taught that the old kingdom should cease and the new kingdom begin; and for this John the Baptist was sent to teach and instruct the Jewish people; as he himself says, John 1:31: "That he (Messiah) might be revealed in Israel, therefore I am come to baptize with water."
8 Therefore the Lord Christ will say, Ye Jews take heed, and have good
1408 L. 4, "1-63. On the third Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 91-94. 1409
Take heed that ye regard John the Baptist aright. For John will teach you rightly; his preaching goes hard before the King and Messiah who is to come. You know that Messiah is coming, and you wait for him daily. I warn you faithfully and tell you, go to John, there you will hear the man who prepares the way for Messiah. Let John tell you who the Messiah and Christ are, and you will not err or fail.
(9) The pious Jews accepted such a warning, and listened to John the Baptist, and greatly marveled at his preaching (that he said, "Behold, this is the Lamb of God who bears the sin of the world"; the Messiah is present and standing among you), and rejoiced with all their hearts that God's promises, promised to the fathers and proclaimed by the prophets, had been fulfilled. But the others threw everything to the winds, both the warning of the Lord Christ and the testimony of John the Baptist. Christ warned all the people faithfully, and John testified constantly about Christ, saying: You have the Lord and Messiah present, he is present; this is he of whom I said to you, "After me comes a man who was before me, for he was before me"; the Messiah is already here, he was before me and will soon follow me; before I cease to preach and before I am dead, he will appear and preach. Thus John testifies. But the unbelievers and stiff-necked despised it and said: Has the devil brought the fool here? He wants to convince us of things we cannot believe.
(10) Therefore, with these words the Lord Christ wants to admonish the Jewish people to bind themselves firmly to the mouth of John. For when they asked, "Has the Messiah come?" John answered, "Yes, he has come. You shall have him, you shall soon see him appear and preach, he is already here. When the Jews heard this, they should have said, "Come, let us see who he is. And if they had done so, they would certainly have met the Messiah and could not have missed him. For Christ stood up, and began to preach the gospel of the kingdom, and to preach the gospel of the kingdom.
great miraculous signs. And John had testified of Christ before. But because the Jews did not want to believe, it is no one's fault but their own that they missed the Messiah, they have been warned enough.
11 John testified and said, "He has come in the midst of you," he walks, stands and walks among you as another man, he appears and preaches as I appeared and preached before him. I have now directed my ministry, and now direct you to him who comes after me, who appears and preaches after me; I am the forerunner who prepares the way, he is the HEART.
(12) The Jews should have believed this testimony of John, and should have prepared the way for Christ, opened the door and everything, and given him room. As in the court, before the prince is seen, a boy goes before him; and when he is seen, all turn away. It should have been the same here. When the Jews saw John the Baptist, they should have turned out of the way and followed, saying, "Lord, here is the temple, the priesthood and the kingdom; do with them as you will; we are ready to follow you. But they let John testify, let the Lord himself appear, preach and perform miraculous signs, and despised everything, and even beat the Lord to death. Some who clung to him were saved; others who despised and persecuted him were condemned, and not only condemned, but also destroyed and fled away, and the Gentiles came in the place of the Jews.
13 Because we Gentiles have come in the place of the Jews, John the Baptist also testifies and preaches among us, as he testified and preached before among the Jews. For we have John the Baptist's word and spirit, and we pastors and preachers are in our time what John the Baptist was in his time. We let John the Baptist's finger point and his voice sound: "Behold, this is the Lamb of God, who bears the sin of the world"; we preach John the Baptist's sermon, point to Christ and say: "This is the true, unique Savior, whom you should worship and cling to. Such preaching must remain until the last day; whether or not it is
1410 L. 4, 63-"5. On the third Sunday of Advent. W.xiii, 94-97. 1411
does not remain in all places at all times and at the same time, nevertheless it must remain. So it is the same sermon and the same finger that John pointed to Christ, the Lamb of God.
Now it depends on whether we are as pious as the Jews and accept John's sermon and follow his finger. If we accept his preaching and follow his finger, we will not lack the Lord. For John's preaching and his finger point to none other than the Lord. If we do not accept this sermon and let this finger pass by, then Christ the Lord will also pass by, as he passed by the Jews. For the mobs will come, and the pure word will be lost again, and then Christ the Lord will be sought and not found. There will be no other finger pointing to Christ, and no other preaching of eternal life, than John's finger and preaching. If we miss the finger and the sermon, it is over. This is what happened to the Jews and the Turks; it will also happen to us if we are not careful. There will be preachers and teachers hereafter, when we lay down our head, but wicked and seducing preachers and teachers. Jews and Turks are looking for Christ the Lord now, but they will not find him. For he has put his trust in the preaching and fingers of this angel, John the Baptist. He that believeth this preaching, and followeth this finger, meeteth the Lord, and is saved: but he holdeth fast to it, and continueth in it.
15 We now also have this sermon and fingers. Christ the Lord is with us and among us; let us see that we hold fast to him. If we hold fast to him, he will take us into his kingdom, and we will abide with him forever. But what shall I say? what shall I lament? Peasants, burghers, nobles persecute this preaching and teaching, and our own people are indolent; if they could have the gospel with one finger, they would not do it. But when John is over with his preaching and finger, and war comes, they will not want to suffer preaching. For in war all fornication goes, and
of the gospel is silenced. And if then the gospel is not annulled and taken away by war, murder and death, it will be annulled and taken away completely by lies and false teaching. Now we would have peace and space to hear and follow. Who would be wise here, and cling with firm faith and trust to the man whom John shows with fingers! But if we let John's sermon and fingers pass by, then Christ the Lord will also pass by, and the punishment will come, and then murder will reign in the body and lies in the soul.
16 This is what Christ says to the Jews: You consider John the Baptist a reed, a man in soft clothes, or, if it comes to it, a prophet. But he is not a reed, nor is he a man in soft clothing, nor is he a prophet. I will illustrate him to you much better: he is the angel of the Lord, who goes before the Lord. Just as the forerunner who goes before the prince says, "Give way, give place"; so John the Baptist is the forerunner who goes before the promised king and Messiah, saying, "Look up, I point to one with fingers, let him be your king; if you do this, you have God, life, heaven and everything. If you do not, you are lost. Accept this testimony and preaching of John the Baptist, to whom John points with his finger, this is the true Messiah and Savior.
So Christ warns and admonishes the Jewish people. But what did it help? They thought John the Baptist was a great man, and John testified of Christ; yet they did not respect such testimony, and let the true Messiah pass by. But they also paid dearly, and must pay dearly enough even today. God forbid that we lose John's sermon and fingers because of our great ingratitude and contempt for the dear Gospel. If we come to the point of losing John's sermon and fingers, may we then also accept what we have earned. God protect us!
- summa, one should have respect for
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John's finger, accept his word and preaching because you have it. For it is said, as the prophet Isaiah says in chapter 55, v. 6: "Seek the Lord, because he is to be found"; and Cap. 49, 8. "I have heard thee in the gracious time, and have helped thee in the day of salvation." Now is the time of grace, now is the day of salvation, help and assistance, 2 Cor. 6:2. Now the Lord is near, he can be found; if we miss the time, we have waited too long, as happened to us in the Pabst. I will set myself as an example. I have toiled in the monastery, and the others with me, but I could not find the door to heaven, and if I had died, I would have gone to hell. We sought the Lord, but what was lacking? We lacked, as the prophet says, "Seek the Lord, because he is to be found; call upon him, because he is near." When the Lord is past and gone, then no amount of calling or crying will help. It is a great treasure to have Christ in our midst, and to have John's preaching and fingers pointing to Christ. Therefore we should be
be warned, and see to it that we keep the treasure. It is not a joke: once the treasure is gone, it cannot be found afterwards.
019 This is it then, that Christ saith, John the Baptist, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my angel before thee, which shall prepare thy way before thee." When Christ the Lord comes, all regiments shall stand still, cease, and say, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." We will gladly serve this King with our goods, power and all that we have. John the Baptist takes the place, that is his office and word, that they receive Christ the Lord and let him be king. If I am to give up my spirit and be at ease, this angel, John the Baptist, must go before me, and with his preaching and his fingers show me Christ, so that I will not lack him. May our dear God and Father keep us by this angel's testimony and finger, and grant us His grace that we may follow such testimony and finger, and come to Christ and be saved through Him, amen.
4.Sunday; John 1:19-28
On the fourth Sunday of Advent.
First sermon.*)
You know that on the holy day or holiday one should serve God, that is, hear His holy word, which is the greatest and highest service of God in this world. Therefore
Let us do the same and listen to what our dear Lord Jesus Christ preaches to us on this Sunday. Thus writes St. John in the first chapter.
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 that preacheth in the wilderness, saying, Direct the way of the LORD, as Isaias the prophet hath said. And
*) Held by Luther in the house, 1532.
1414 L. 4, 66-68. on the fourth Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 99-102. 1415
which were sent, which 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.
1.Sermon
(1) This is one of the true high gospels, of the highest article of our faith, which teacheth not of the ten commandments, what we ought to do, or of good works, as is done in some other gospels; but of Christ, who he is, and what he hath done. The most important and necessary part of this gospel is that the evangelist says: John the Baptist was a witness and gave testimony about Christ. On the word "testimony" it is written. With us Germans the word "Zeugniss" is not clear; but "Zeugniss" means a sermon or speech about Christ. So the evangelist wants to teach that everything is to be done for the sake of hearing the preaching of John the Baptist, that his testimony is present and that his preaching of Christ remains in the church. That is why he praises John the Baptist so highly, because he stood so firm and did not want to change his testimony, but left it on the one person, who is called Christ.
002 And the Jews sent unto him the chief council, priests and Levites, from Jerusalem, saying, Is he Christ, Elias, or a prophet? But John persevereth, saying, He is none. Then they say to him, "What are you? What sayest thou of thyself?" He saith, "I am a voice crying in the wilderness"; I am a voice crying and shouting, "Direct ye the way of the LORD"; that is I. There you have what I am, I am a witness and preacher of the man who is called Christ; I am not the man himself, I do not want to be Christ, nor Elijah, nor a prophet; I am satisfied with the honor that I am a voice and preacher of the man. The man you are looking for is not far away, who is Christ and the prophet proclaimed in Moses, Deut. 18:18, and is the right man. But if you want to know who he is, hear me: I go before him and prepare the way for him, and he follows me.
follow the foot. If you hear my sermon, you will meet him; if you do not hear my sermon, you will miss him.
003 Then the messengers were proud and wroth, because they rejected John, saying, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not Christ, nor Elias, nor a prophet? Who commanded thee to set up such a new way? You open people's mouths with this new way of being, and do what we do not do. John, however, does not fear such pride and anger, but remains on his witness, saying, "I baptize with water; but he has come in the midst of you, whom you do not know: he it is who will come after me, who was before me, that I am not worthy to untie his shoe laces." He half mocks them by answering so joyfully, saying, "My baptism is only a testimony; I preach and baptize to bring you to the man. The man is in your country, and is now thirty years old; he will soon follow me, and has been before me. And this same man is so great that I am not worthy to undo his laces, much less to be the man himself. I am content and glad that I am worthy of the office, that I am his voice and preacher, that I tell the people about the man.
Here you see a fine, beautiful, glorious example, so that John pushes and drives back all those who want to rule the Christian church, as the pope, monks and others have done and still do, who want to be Christ himself. John the Baptist is higher and holier than all the popes, yet he says to the Jews: "I do not know how to help you or advise you, nor do I know how to help myself, but I know and know one who can help me and you. I am not worthy to do him the least service. Let us all go to the man. I baptize and preach about the man: this is the man, he is
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in the midst of you; cling to him, and I will do likewise. So John the Baptist directs the whole world away from him to the man who is called Christ, saying, "It is written in the prophet Isaiah that one shall cry out in the wilderness, 'Direct the way of the Lord.'" That is me. I am one of the foremost preachers; I am not to be the Lord, but the voice before the Lord. I am the preacher who leads this sermon: Make way, the Lord is coming, make the Lord's paths straight, remove from the way stones, wood and all obstacles, make way, here comes the Lord. I am such a preacher, I am not the Lord himself, but I teach that the Lord is coming.
(5) Let this testimony of John the Baptist be well remembered, that we may learn to distinguish these two sermons (the sermon on faith and the sermon on good works), and know how to put each sermon in its proper place where it belongs. If one is to preach and speak of eternal life, good works are not valid everywhere, but it must be done by the man of whom John testifies that he is not worthy to untie his shoe laces. Here in this life one must and should preach of good works and hearing; for there one must eat and drink, be chaste and do good works. But in the life to come, good works will cease, and there one should pay attention to this sermon, which says that the Lord has come, whom John showed with his fingers. Let the doctrine remain pure, that they preach and teach that whoever believes in the man to whom John points with his testimony shall be saved.
(6) So we also call and cry out in our wilderness, we must not stop calling, but always and without ceasing point people to Christ. For the devil does not want to suffer this testimony of Christ; he opposes it with all his might and does not stop until he pushes it down and puts a damper on it. We humans are weak and perverse for this purpose, and can cling to all saints rather than to Christ. In the papacy they preached about the service of the dear saints, that one should rely on their merit. And I myself have also believed and believed in this way.
sermon. St. Anne was my idol, and St. Thomas my apostle, so I built on them firmly. The others ran to St. Jacob, and had the strong faith and the firm trust that if they did so, they would obtain everything they desired and hoped for. St. Barbara and St. Christopher were called against the quick and sudden death, and there was no doubt about it. Man is so inclined by nature to fall away from this testimony of John the Baptist.
(7) Therefore it is necessary that we always keep and bear this testimony of John of Christ. For it takes effort and work to keep the word and testimony, so that one can say in death: I should and must die; but I have a Savior, of whom John the Baptist bears witness; on him I rely, and on no other creature, either in heaven or on earth. But that one could die so happily on the man to whom alone John the Baptist points, as on St. Barbara, letter of indulgence, Rome journey 2c., that is not the case. Item, that one could build so strongly on holy baptism as on monasticism, monastic life 2c., that is lost. That is what I say, that we men can believe everything else more easily and put our trust and heart in it, without trusting only in the man Christ, who alone is everything, and in whom and through whom we have everything. Money and goods are perishable things; nevertheless, one can trust that for the sake of money and goods one will murder, steal and rob, and risk life and limb: one will be happy when one has it, and sad when one does not have it. But on John the Baptist's testimony and sermon one can neither do nor dare anything. Is this not a wicked, perverse way?
The priests and Levites hear John, who testifies and preaches to them about Christ, saying, "The Lord is present. The hearing is with them. But they stand and look at John as a heifer looks at a new gate, asking him, "Are you Christ, Elijah, or a prophet? Just as if they had never heard a word from John. So they stand, and with hearing ears they hear not. How is that? They have other thoughts, ge-
1418 L. 4,70-72. On the Fourth Sunday of Advent. W. xm, 104-107. 1419
They think of such a Christ, who rides on a great horse in a golden piece and establishes a physical kingdom on earth. Therefore their heart is hardened. If such a Christ, Elijah and prophet would come, who would rhyme with their thoughts, they would accept him. Because they are so stubborn in their thoughts, they do not hear John's testimony and word, but as soon as they hear of Christ, they immediately look to see if he is coming in the gate riding on a beautiful stallion and in a golden piece with great military power.
9 So it is still the case today when one preaches and teaches that for that life one must know the doctrine of Christ, and of the article: I believe in Jesus Christ 2c. No pope nor monk understands this, even if they hear it with their ears. A Carthusian quickly says: "My order will do it, that I may be saved. A barefoot man likewise: For the sake of my gray cap, God will give me heaven. Everyone sees through a painted glass. This is how it is in the world: one can rely on all other things, with food, drink, and charity one can make one's heart happy, yes, with a drink of Malvasia; but with St. John's testimony and sermon one cannot make it happy. Is this not a great plague? A monk makes himself and his conscience happy when he says: I have kept my order, poverty, chastity, obedience, as I have vowed. A Mass priest makes his conscience happy with a Mass, with his prayer of the seven times. But when they hear John the Baptist's testimony: Jesus Christ baptized with the Holy Spirit, shed his blood on the cross for the forgiveness of sins, they all sleep and snore. Shouldn't this go through body and life, that we humans set our heart on all creatures, without John's testimony and sermon alone we cannot set it.
10 Therefore John the Evangelist complains in his Gospel that John the Baptist's testimony of Christ is preached and taught, but the world does not accept it; indeed, even those who hear it, and ought to have joy, hope and comfort from it, gape at something else and leave this testimony.
drive. That's how it goes in the world. If a farmer has a hat full of thalers, they make him so proud that he does not know whether he should walk on his head or on his feet. But if you tell him about Christ, he says, "What is that? Let death, thunder and lightning strike the world, that one should snore to this testimony of John the Baptist! Peasants, burghers, nobility, lords, servants, all tired of hearing and learning, say: What testimony! What Gospel! What Christ! If we had Joachimsthalers and beautiful women!
(11) This is also seen here among the learned people: they look at John the Baptist, whether he is Christ, Elijah, or a prophet; for they would like to have Christ, Elijah, prophets, as they wish. Yes, our Lord God has a desire for that; behind him, I mean. It says: Dear man, you should accept Christ as God sends him, not as you want him to be. I would also like to make a Christ for myself, as it seems good to me, to fast for three days, or to do something else, and then say: This pleases God well, and through it I will be saved. But Christ does not want that. So the Jews wait for Christ to come as a worldly king with many horses, chariots and horsemen, and wait for Eliam to come with a fiery chariot, and the prophets to come with many and great miraculous signs. No, not so. God sends John with the testimony and with the teaching, saying: "If you have John with his testimony, you will have Christ at the door; therefore accept John with his testimony. But the Jews would not do this; yea, they mocked John with his baptism, therefore they also mocked Christ himself.
(12) So it is with the testimony of John even today: his word and his preaching are despised. We preach: The Lord is here, accept him; but there is no rejection of Christ and his gospel. That is why our Lord God sends so many mobs to the despisers of his gospel that they lose Christ. This is how it will be in the world: if our citizens, peasants, and nobility have enough thalers, they will be repulsed by it.
1420 L. 4,72-74. on the fourth Sunday of Advent. W. xm, 107-n>9. 1421
Preachers will come to help them deny Christ. John the Baptist shakes the Jews away from him like lice and says: "I am not Christ, I am not Elijah, nor a prophet. But these despisers, if they will not accept John with his testimony, nor believe our preaching, will be overcome by other preachers, who will say, "I am." So Zwingel and others have done more. This is how it goes, and cannot go any other way when the Word is gone. We preach now, but you do not hear; when it is gone, it is gone.
For this reason, it is important to learn from the example of John the Baptist to receive this testimony of Christ. For as soon as this testimony and doctrine is gone, they begin to preach works of men, monasticism, and false holiness, and to make a nose at people with outward show; and then all right comfort ceases, and the right way to salvation is missed. For if John is silent with his testimony, heaven is closed and people must go to hell. Just as the monks must finally despair of all their good works, vowed poverty, chastity, obedience, mass, fasting and prayer, because they knew nothing of this testimony. For there is no other way to heaven and blessedness than this testimony of John of Christ.
14 Thus this gospel deals with the high article of Christ, that we should accept him, kiss him, embrace him, cleave to him, not be torn from him, nor let him be taken from us. This is the main part of Christianity.
The first part is the doctrine, and on it is the foundation of our salvation. When one has the main part, then the good works follow, that one should be pious, obedient to one's parents, subject to the authorities, and serve one's neighbor in one's position. If one thus distinguishes, and lets each teaching go in its place and circle, then it is right. The Ten Commandments teach what is good in this life, but only the testimony of John should be used to speak of that life. There it is said, "I am not worthy to loose his shoe laces." Item: "This is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and with fire"; that is, Christ, who came in the midst of you, will enlighten and set on fire your hearts with the Holy Spirit, die for you, and give you eternal life. To this life belong the Ten Commandments, but to eternal life belongs the gospel and this testimony of John about Christ.
(15) This is why John stood so firmly and confessed and did not deny. God grant that we also stand firm and do not change such testimony, neither in preaching nor in hearing. It is also very necessary. For by nature we are inclined to fall easily on other things. All that is in the world is a vain temptation and hindrance to this testimony of John. Money, goods, wife, children, false holiness are all obstacles that hold us back or even lead us away from this testimony. Therefore I also urge you to watch and not let the teaching be taken away from you. Eat and drink as you will, but do not let this teaching be taken from you. May God graciously preserve us in this, amen.
1422 L.4,74-76. On the fourth Sunday of Advent. W. xm, ros-113. 1423
2.Sermon
On the fourth Sunday of Advent.
Second sermon.*)
1 This gospel is almost the same as the gospel of eight days ago, without different words and persons; otherwise it teaches the same thing, namely, that all power lies in not lacking this person, who is called Christ, but accepting him, not letting him pass by, nor looking at another.
For thus it is decreed by God that in this man all things shall be complete; whoever meets him shall find salvation from sins, death and hell. The man is whole; he is the way, the truth and the life; through him alone have all the patriarchs, prophets and apostles been saved from the beginning of the world. John the Baptist knows this very well; therefore he directs the people to this man so that they do not miss such a treasure.
3 And our Lord God sent John the Baptist with his testimony for this purpose. For he sees well that we men choose many ways to be saved: one runs into a monastery and becomes a monk, another fasts, the third sleeps on the ground; and in sum, each seeks his own special way and his own path to heaven. Therefore God says: I will not have it so, but I give you my word about my Son Jesus Christ, who shall be called the right way to heaven: whoever lacks this Son of mine has lacked the way to heaven, even if he fasts to death and prays like a fool; but whoever meets this Son of mine finds forgiveness of sins and eternal blessedness, and neither devil nor death shall hinder him.
4 All the patriarchs and prophets followed this way and were saved through Christ. And if any man by a holy life and good works could have
*) Held by Luther in the house, 1533.
To get to heaven, it should be the patriarchs, prophets, John the Baptist and the apostles, who have done and suffered so much. But they all despair of their own holiness and rely firmly on the seed of the woman to crush the head of the serpent.
5 But the Jews of Christ's day would not follow this way, thinking: What should this servant be? We must fast, see sourly, give alms; this will be the best and next way to heaven; what should this poor wretch and beggar help us?
6 Now then, you have heard what this beggar has helped. For this reason God ordained that John, like a trumpet before the prince, should go before the Lord Christ and be the trumpet, and that when he hears it, he should open his eyes and look at the one who comes closest after him, and he should be the right man.
007 Therefore when the Jews sent their messengers to him, and asked him: Whether he is Christ, Elijah, or a prophet? he answers: I am not. And when they ask: What art thou then? What sayest thou of thyself? saith he, I will tell you, I am a voice crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord: that is, I am a trumpeter before the prince. When I preach, listen diligently, for he will come quickly after me who was before me, and baptize you with the Holy Spirit, as I baptize with water as a servant.
(8) This is my office, for which I am sent, that I may sound with my trumpet, and that ye may know that the right man is there. I am a calling voice, a preacher to whom you should listen. Now the next one who comes after me is the one. Thus the prophet Isaiah prophesied: "There is a voice of a
1424 L. 4, 76-78. On the Fourth Sunday of Advent. W. xm, 113-ns. 1425
Preacher in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord." I am the same preacher, that is my office, to announce to you: Look up, the Lord is coming. He is in your midst, but you do not know him. But I preach for this reason, that you may know and accept him. The next preacher who rises after me will surely be the one. I preach and conduct my ministry, he does not yet preach. He exists, but he has not yet begun to preach. But soon after me he will begin and be heard. See then that you do not fail him, but 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 appointed twelve apostles and two and seventy disciples and sent them out to preach; soon after John's baptism he sent out the sermon: "Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand"; that is, Christ is present and is the very one of whom John testifies. This is what happened according to the word of John. The voice in the wilderness is heard, and soon the Lord follows. So John proclaimed and said: "After me he will come, he who takes up the preaching ministry after me, he is the one, hang on to him. But he adds, "He was before me." This would have been a blasphemous word before the Jews, if they had understood it at that time. For John was older than Christ by a great half year; yet John says that Christ was before him. But with these words he wanted to touch the divine glory of the person. For before Christ became man, he was in heaven. So he also speaks afterwards of the glory of the person: "I am not worthy to undo the laces of his shoes. But the Jews at that time did not understand this.
010 Then the Jews should have fallen down and thought: What kind of man or person is this, before whom John humbles himself so deeply and says: He is not worthy to serve him in the least? Dear John, who are you that you should not be worthy? I am the same," he says, "whoever I want, I am against this man.
Man nothing. So he throws away all his glory and says that he would be satisfied with that, if he could only enjoy this man so far that he should wipe his shoes.
(11) Lest the Jews think that he humbled himself too much, because he had baptized and was a special preacher, he taught them well because of this baptism, saying, "I have a sign with me like the other prophets: Jeremiah wore a wooden yoke, Jer. 27:2; Isaiah went barefoot and naked when he prophesied to the Egyptians and the Moors how they would be plundered and stripped by the enemies, Isa. 20:2. And God has always given new signs to new preachers. So, says John, I also preach a new sermon and new signs. I preach to you that you should prepare the way for the Lord, that you should wash and bathe yourselves. *But these things I should not preach, if the way were first prepared. Because ye also shall wash, it is a sign that ye are unclean and filthy. This washing and bathing I do; but he that cometh after me shall prepare for you another and better bath, and baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
12 Therefore all things are directed, that they should not let this man pass by, but remember John's preaching, saying, Behold, John hath told us of one that shall appear after him; he shall surely be he that is seen now so mightily with preaching and signs.
13 But what happened? They heard John, but did not believe his testimony. They saw Christ, mighty in deeds and words, but did not accept him. And over this they went, and cut off John's head, and crucified Christ. They were such pious people, who not only despised God's word, but also killed the dear prophets and then crucified the Lord of all prophets.
14 Today it is just like this. For Christ must be crucified, not only in His own person, but also in His
*Zwahen or zwagen - to wash the body or body parts. D. Red.
1426 L. 4, 78-80. on the fourth Sunday of Advent. W. xm, ns-119. 1427
members. We would like to point everyone to the right path of salvation with John, saying that outside of Christ there is no forgiveness of sins, nor eternal life. But what happens? The more faithfully we point people to the right Christ from our own works, as from a false ground, the more vehemently our opponents heresy and condemn us. Whom they seize over it, with him soon into the water, fire 2c. With the rest of us, the pope would not tarry long if he had us. I, Doctor Martinus, am already banished and condemned to death.
(15) Why are they so hostile to us and do not like us at all? For no other reason than that we preach with John that the pope should humble himself before Christ with his priests and monks, and that with all their worship and good works they should not esteem themselves worthy to wipe his shoes, just as John did, who was more holy than they are, and yet says, "I will not regard my holiness as anything, if I could only come to the grace of wiping or removing his shoes, that would be enough for me. We would like to instill such humility in everyone through the gospel, and for this reason we exhort everyone according to our ministry, saying: "Be pious and holy as you wish, yet you are not yet as holy as John; fast and pray as long and as much as you wish, we did not promise you this, but add this: throw such your holiness at Christ's feet, confess that you will not go to heaven with it; and say: I will gladly be the least with all my holiness, consider all my good works and honorable life as a shoestring against the high, pure, perfect and great righteousness, which our dear Lord Christ has earned for us by his suffering and death.
16 We preach this, that they should let the Lord Christ alone be holy. But popes, bishops, monks and priests do not want to do this, but are always shouting, like mad people: "Faith does not do it alone, but good works also do something. So they will not let the holiness of Christ be their treasure, like John. He throws away all his holiness from
and does not want to let it count as much as an old rag, as one (with leave) wipes out shitty shoes with it. He freely confesses that the holiness he has is not worth as much as a rag. Much less will he respect that she should blow his nose, comb his hair, clothe him, bring him food 2c. John does such things; but the pope with his work saints do not do such things, and can in no way suffer that their holiness should be called old rags. They may think once or twice whether the Lord Christ is worthy that they should give him such their own righteousness and holiness as an alms, offer it up.
(17) The Jews heard the humility of John, how he ascribed all things to Christ, and testified of him; but they not only despised it, but also persecuted John for it. So it goes today; as it went to John, so it goes to all who preach such his testimony. But as such persecution and contempt has befallen the Jews, so, God willing, shall it befall our despisers, persecutors and blasphemers.
18 Therefore we should diligently note the example of John's humility. The holy man John, as Christ himself testifies, has no equal among all those born of women, is far, far above all the priests and monks who have ever been; yet he lowers himself so low and humbles himself, and says: He is not worthy, with all his holiness, to be an old rag or huddle to wipe the shoes. This means that we have been given an example to follow.
(19) We shall do good works, and be exceedingly diligent in them: for so hath God commanded and commanded in the Ten Commandments. But when it comes to this man, whose name is Christ, humble yourself with John and throw everything you have ever done that is good before this man's feet, and only confess freely from your heart that it is not worth wiping Christ's shoes with.
- in the sight of men it is a fine, clean, beautiful cloth, that thou be not an adulterer, nor a thief, nor a murderer; that thou give alms
1428 L. 4,80-82. on the fourth Sunday of Advent. W. xm, 119-122. 1429
You are diligent in your work. Such things may be praised in the world and among men, and may be counted as garments, silk, and precious things. But when it comes before our Lord GOD and his judgment, say, "In your sight, O Lord, the best of my garments, the most precious of mine, is worse than any rag. Therefore do not judge me according to my works, I will gladly let them be your old rags and huddles, and if God only wanted me to be worthy of it, I would gladly be satisfied with it.
21 St. Paul does the same in Phil. 3:5 ff. "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 this be something strange, when someone can boast like this in front of people. Nevertheless, he says, I consider all this holiness now, for Christ's sake, 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 of 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 count all my righteousness as dirt. Here Paul does it even more crudely than John: the latter calls his good works a shoelace, but Paul calls it dung and dirt. That is unkind enough to speak of our holy life.
(22) We are to let ourselves be especially commanded to set such examples, and 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 treated like a mischievous man, a pious woman as well as a whore. But if it is to come to that and eternal life, then learn to speak: I hold to the man Christ and to his holiness, which he promises and gives me in baptism, word and sacrament. In this I will let myself be found as a poor little worm. So that a distinction may be made between the outward life
and our holiness and between eternal life and holiness that is before God.
(23) The heathen 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, and all our deeds and sufferings remain behind. For by this we do not attain forgiveness of sins and righteousness before God. 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 let him give me his righteousness. So then I go to heaven by this man's righteousness, when by my righteousness I should go to hell.
It follows that we must freely conclude that monks and priests, monasteries and the like, all belong to the devil in hell. For they do not see with their good works that they owe obedience to God, lead an honest life here on earth, and are not annoying anyone, but that they intend to become blessed there. That is why they sell their good works to other people. That is denying and mocking Christ. We are to beware of such abominations, and learn here how we may meet such seducers, that we may say unto them, Thou poor man, wilt thou save me with thy works and holiness? John the Baptist, Paul, Peter, who are much holier than you, could not do this, otherwise they themselves would not have preached so little about their holiness.
(25) If they, the papists, had used the monasteries for penitentiaries, to raise children, and to let young people study the Scriptures, it would have been a fine thing. But they didn't do that, but instead they kept the people with their monastic life.
1430 L.4, W-84. On the fourth Sunday of Advent. W. xm, 122-124. 1431
The flame and the fire are pointing to heaven, even as the flame and the fire are pointing to the window. Therefore, if the monastic life is such that one does not need outward life and good works for respectability here on earth, but wants to go to heaven with them, one should not leave one stone upon another.
(26) In summary, then, learn from today's gospel that we are to live chastely and honorably among and with the people, to be diligent and diligent in good works. For God demands such obedience from us in His law, and wants it from us. And where we do not obey, he will strike us with rods, 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, "I am lost to you, O Lord, because of my holiness and my works; therefore I desire to be an old rag at the feet of my Lord Christ. For I am not worthy of anything else for my life, except that he should cast me into hell. But because he came to redeem me from sins and death and to sanctify me, I desire his eternal holiness. This is how we enter into eternal life.
27 Neither the pope nor the bishops want to hear such things, for they see that foundations
and monasteries, mass and all their false services would not stand for long. That is why they are so stubborn about it, some for the sake of their belly, others and the lesser part because they hope to be saved by it. John did not do this, neither did Paul; they did not want to keep their righteousness and holiness. So should all Christians do, saying with Paul: My holiness is a stinking filth and dirt; 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 with their masses, vows, fasts, prayers; they beat us to death over it, that we do not keep it with them, and point the people to another and better way. Well, it is a breeding of vipers, where nothing good can ever grow out of it. They will find what they are looking for. Let us look to the mouth and finger of John, for he is our witness and guide, that we may not fail to see our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and that we may not fail to see him, because John still today so diligently, faithfully, and abundantly guides and instructs us that we may be saved. May our dear Lord God and Father grant us this through His Son Jesus Christ, Amen.
3.Sermon
On the fourth Sunday of Advent.
Third Sermon.
001 This is what John the Baptist preached today, answering the priests and Levites who were sent to him by the Jews from Jerusalem. The controversy has arisen over Christ, for all is to be done about the man who is called Christ. The prophets had prophesied and declared that Christ would come and be king over the whole world. There was no doubt about it, for it was written in all the Scriptures.
proclaimed by all the prophets. But because Christ would not come with great splendor and outward appearance, it was feared that the Jews would err and miss him. For they had dreamed and thought that Christ would come as a king in the flesh, in a piece of gold, with weapons in the flesh and many thousands of horsemen. But there he came on an ass, without all worldly splendor and ornament, without money.
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and shoe, and the donkey on which he rode was not his, but rented. All in all, he did not have a penny in his pocket, even though he was a king.
2 Therefore John the Baptist was greatly concerned that the Jews would not have their Messiah and King; therefore he had to make a great noise, preaching in the wilderness and baptizing, saying, "Look, your Christ is here; be wise and take care that you do not lose him; do not look at him when he comes with thousands of horses. With such preaching and baptism he opens the eyes of the Jews, so that they say: Who is he that preacheth and baptizeth in the wilderness, and we at Jerusalem know nothing of it? So John makes a clamor with his preaching and baptizing, so that everyone thinks he is a prophet. For even Herod and the scribes considered John the Baptist to be an excellent man.
3 For this reason this sending to John was done. The Jews let him ask, so that they do not err or miss. But they do not ask what he preaches and teaches; they only ask about his person, power, authority and reputation. They were much too proud to ask about his teaching or to address him themselves. But that they might not lose the people's approval, they said, "Let us send some to him, and send priests and Levites to ask him whether he is the Christ, or Elijah, or a prophet.
004 Then John answering saith, Ye Jews ought not to follow me: but I exhort you to follow Christ, which is now present among you, and not to neglect him, neither to suffer him to pass by. For this cause I begin to preach and to baptize in the wilderness, and to make a noise, that all men may come and see and ask what I preach and teach, and why I baptize, and so be brought to Christ by my preaching and baptizing, and believe on him, and not despise him: this is my office. And this is the cause why I preach and baptize, and make such a noise in the Jewish country, namely, that they all believe in him through me. It is useful and good for you to know what I preach, namely, about Christ,
so that you may be warned and know that this one, whom I proclaim to you, is the true Messiah who is to redeem you.
5th Now this is that John excuses himself, saying, I am not Christ, I am not Elijah, I am not a prophet, that is, that he should turn the Jews away from himself to Christ; and it was highly necessary that John should have made such a clamor in the Jewish country. For otherwise the Jews would have provided for Messiah and let him pass by. That is why our Lord God gave John the Baptist such an outwardly strict life, so that the Jews would consider him a holy man and come to him and ask him what he meant by his preaching and baptizing, and he would answer them and say, "Therefore I baptize with water, so that you may know that Messiah has come. Therefore you Jews must wait for him no longer, for he is already present, he has been born and is now thirty years old, he is already preaching and performing miraculous signs. I have therefore gone before to tell you that he is come. To whom I now point with my fingers, he is the true Messiah and Lamb of God, who bears the sin of the world.
(6) Therefore John the Baptist came too well to the Jews, so that they did not let Christ pass by and miss him. Now if the Jews had been pious, they would have perceived this and said: This is truly a great, holy man, what is he doing in the wilderness with preaching and baptizing? He says that Messiah is present, that he has already appeared, and that soon after him he will carry out his ministry, preach and do miracles. We must truly notice what kind of man this is, of whom such a great, holy man, John the Baptist, testifies and points fingers at him. John will truly not admonish us in vain nor in vain that we should adhere to him. This is what the Jews should have said. For John the Baptist admonished them faithfully, saying, "On whom the people will cling, who will appear and preach after me, he will be Christ. I go before him; but ye ought to know that, because I teach and baptize still, and am yet in the ministry, he cometh; and therefore I am
1434 L. 4, 86-88. on the fourth Sunday of Advent. W. XIII, 127-130. 1435
I am here to proclaim these things to you. There are both, time, person, witness, place and everything that rhymes with the holy scripture that prophesies of Christ. The time is, according to the word of the prophet Isaiah, that I should make my voice heard in the wilderness, saying, Messiah is already come; when I shall cease to preach, then shall he begin. The witness is I, John the Baptist himself; for I bear witness to the Messiah, saying: He is already there. The place where he is to be found is that I say, He is come in the midst of you, to whom I am not sufficient to loose his shoe-straps; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. He is in this land who will do better than I; look to him and do not let him pass by. There is faithful warning.
7 The Jews have John the Baptist ask: Are you Christ? Are you Elijah? Are you a prophet? If you are not, why do you make such a noise in the Jewish country with your preaching and baptism? John answered them and said, "Listen to me and follow me, and I will point you to the right man; you must not say afterwards, 'We did not know. For thus it pleased God that I should go before with a pomp and a clamor, and show you the man with my fingers, lest ye should make any excuse, or say: We did not know that he was the Messiah, because he came in so poorly and in a small form; if we had known that he was the Messiah, we would have accepted him with joy. Therefore take heed, I have warned you against such things, and have pointed fingers at the man, lest ye should excuse yourselves.
(8) So John faithfully warned the Jews, but the Jews despised John's warning and let Christ go. John painted Christ, so that the Jews could not have missed him, and said. He that standeth in the midst of you, and shall appear and preach after me, the same is Christ. But the Jews did not ask for witnesses, person, time or place, and let Christ pass by. They have seen Christ personally
They heard him preach and perform miraculous signs, but they did not see him with eyes to see, and they did not hear him with ears to hear. They did not take his words and preaching to heart, and they crucified their own Messiah for all the good he did them. That is why the Romans destroyed them to the ground and destroyed them.
(9) God the Lord has inflicted this punishment on the Jewish people as an example to us, so that we will not do as they have done. They have missed their Messiah, hoping and waiting for him for more than fifteen hundred years; but their hoping and waiting is in vain, and they are despised by all the nations of the earth, having neither kingdom nor land where they can dwell forever. They would gladly have him come, and even if he should come in the form of a poor beggar, they would gladly have him come. It has also often happened that some lousy beggars have arisen and pretended to be Messiahs, and have thus deceived the Jews. Because the Jews allowed themselves to be persuaded and believed it to be true, they attached themselves to them and caused a riot, and they were also killed with great vengeance. This day also they open all the windows when it thunders, because they think he will come in thunder. But they have despised it at the right time; therefore they may now also have the damage. Now they would gladly receive him with all their hearts, but he will not come; he will come in his glory at the last day to judge the living and the dead.
(10) All these things happened to the Jews as an example, but they are presented to us as an example, lest we also let Christ pass by and miss Him as the Jews missed Him. He does not come to us personally or bodily, but he does come to us and is with us spiritually and very powerfully. To the Jews also he came in the flesh; but to us he comes in the Word. But as the Jews at that time held themselves against Christ, so we hold ourselves against him in our time. All the world
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now despises his word and gospel. The wise and mighty of this world say: O what should we believe the beggars who preach now? If great bishops and princes preached, we would accept it. But because they are poor, lowly, despised people who preach, how can we believe them and accept their word? In the same way the Jews opposed John the Baptist, who was the forerunner of the Lord Christ. O, they said, John comes out of the cave like a tramp, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Who is he that we should believe his preaching? If the high priest of Jerusalem stood up and preached this, we would believe. Just as Christ in his person was despised by the Jewish people in those days, along with all his preachers, John the Baptist, Simeon and Hannah, 2c.; so in his teaching he is despised by all the world in the present time, along with all pure, faithful teachers and preachers. In his time they did not accept him because he was so lowly and evil; in the present time his gospel is despised because it is a word of the cross.
(11) They say of the Poles that they believe what their king believes, and think that they have spoken very wisely. Such people will also go to heaven when their king arrives. Christ is indeed the true Lord of heaven, saying, "Where I am, there shall my servant be also." But in the same heaven, where Christ and his servants are, such despisers must not comfort themselves that they will enter.
012 Therefore let no man err, nor be moved, concerning the faith of the prince, or king, or even of the pope. No one will stand trial for you, but you will have to give an account of your faith for yourself. If then you believe as your prince, king, or even the pope believes, you will also have to hear that Christ will say this to you: Because thou hast believed as thy prince, king, pope believes, and hast served them, go also and let thy prince, king, pope reward thee. If you had believed in me and served me, I also would have rewarded you. But if you believe in Christ
stum believe, be baptized in him, and serve God in your office and profession as much as you can and are able, Christ will reward you, and thus say to you: Because thou hast believed in me, and served me, and hast not been deceived nor put off by me, though thou hast heard that my gospel is condemned of all the world, and hast been called and reproached for heresy and the doctrine of devils; I will honor thee again, both here and there, that it may be honored: thou shalt be holy, my angels shall bear thee up in their hands, and thou shalt have eternal life.
(13) Therefore we should not be concerned whether the world at this time considers us heretics and persecutes us, but should see what we will receive in heaven for such shame and persecution. As Christ teaches, Matt. 5:11, 12: "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile and persecute you for my sake, and shall say all manner of evil against you, lying in it. Be glad and of good cheer, for you will be well rewarded in heaven."
The dear Lord Christ comes to Jerusalem riding on a donkey, his kitchen is not ordered, whether he was already a king. He may have been hungry, but he had to leave the royal city again without eating; Martha and Mary in Bethany fed him. Such things happened to him in the royal city of Jerusalem and by his own people. He has not had food. He hoped that they would invite him as a guest, but since no one would invite him, he went to Bethany to Martha and Mary, who gave him food, as St. Marcus writes.
(15) As Christ was despised by his own people, so it is this day. How, they say, is this the gospel which these poor beggars preach? If emperors, kings, princes, popes, bishops preached it, it would have the reputation of being the gospel. But now our Lord God will not allow the Gospel to be when and how they want, but when and how He wants. Christ does not want to wait until Herod and Caiphas come and introduce Him into the
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I will be King and Lord, and will ride in when and how I will; my gospel shall go when and how I will, and I will ask no man for it. He that believeth, let him believe, and be saved; and he that believeth not, let him be damned.
16 It is the same at the present time. Because everyone is offended and angry with the word of the cross and its preachers, Christ is despised throughout the world. But these things do not move us, for we must do as the pious and godly people of Christ's day did; they did not take offense at Christ's person, but received him with joy, singing with a loud voice, "Blessed is he who comes, a king in the name of the Lord! Peace be in heaven, and glory in the highest!" Neither did they turn back from the fact that the Pharisees among the people became furiously angry and forbade them not to sing or praise God. Likewise also the children received him, believed in him and praised God, and asked neither Herodem nor Caipham beforehand.
(17) So do we now, and so shall we do. If now H. G. and B. of M. *) do not want to accept the gospel, let them, what is it to us? We are excused. Christ is the true King and Lord, let him be as poor as he is here on earth,
*) Duke George and Bishop of Mainz. D. Red.
But in heaven he has kept a prepared and well-stocked table. If we suffer hunger, thirst, shame and persecution here for his sake, he will say to us there: Because ye have known me to be your King and Lord, though I was so poor that I had not when I laid down my head; even so now again shall ye see my, yea, your eternal, unspeakable treasure and riches. Ye shall have such a table, where there shall be no lack for ever: ye shall never hunger nor thirst: if ye have fasted for my sake, ye shall eat for it now, and never hunger. Therefore hold fast and do not let this vexation of mine tear you away, that my word is called heresy in the world, and that you must suffer persecution for my word's sake. I have prepared a table for you, where you shall feast on your sorrow.
18 Thus John the Baptist paints Christ in this gospel, and takes no counsel over it. From this we are to learn that we believe in Christ, and not first of all gape at the emperor, kings, princes, pope, bishops, prelates, how and what they believe. For each one will have to answer for himself. Therefore, everyone should look at and notice what Christ preaches and teaches in his Gospel, not what emperors, kings, princes, popes, bishops believe and are commanded to believe. May our dear Lord Jesus Christ help us to grasp and keep it, amen.
Christmas
Christmas Day; Luc. 2, 1-14
On Christmas Day.
1.Three sermons
1.Sermon; The Historia
First sermon,*)
Luc. 2:1-14.
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a commandment from the emperor Augustus, that all the world should be treasured. 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.
*) Held by Luther in the afternoon in 1532 in the parish church.
1440 D. t, S2.S3. Am heiligen Christtage. . W. XIII, 204-207. 1441
with Mary, his trusted wife, who was with child. And when they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to 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.
From the Historia, how Christ was born in Bethlehem.
This is the history of this feast and of the birth of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, which is now to be preached. And it is very well arranged that the Historia is celebrated in this way in the Christian church, especially because great power lies in the Historia and the foundation of our Christian faith is written on it; so that the young people who grow up and the common man may learn this Historia well and keep it in memory and know how to establish their Christian faith. And this is the power and might of our Lord God, that he has preserved the text against the great wrath and fury of the devil: that in the ghastly darkness of the world and of the papacy, the young people and the common man may nevertheless know something to say about Christ's birth, suffering, death and resurrection, as far as the Historia and history are concerned.
(2) In this gospel there are two parts: the first is the history of how it happened today that our dear Lord Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem; the other part is the angel's sermon about the use and power of history, how we should make use of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. The history is to be taught to the young people and common men, so that they learn the article, where we in the Christian faith confess and pray: "I believe in Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary. According to history, we should also show the benefits diligently, so that we may get the right juice and taste from it.
3 St. Lucas describes the history in such a way that he certainly indicates at what time, in what year, in what place and in what form and manner Christ was born, namely:
in Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, at the time when the Roman Empire was at its best and the most noble emperor reigned, and when the first treasury went out over the whole land. The emperor sent out the commandment to treasure all the world, and took from every head something for treasure. At such a command Joseph and Mary also set out in obedience to the emperor to be treasured, and for this reason they came from Galilee to Bethlehem in the land of Judah. Then the time came for Mary to give birth, and she also gave birth to her Son, the Savior of all the world, since they were in a foreign land and in a foreign city, since they had neither house nor yard, and since the city was so full that they had no room at all in the inn.
(4) This is the history recently described, from which it is to be seen and learned that the Lord, immediately after his birth on earth, begins to distinguish his kingdom from the kingdom of the world. He does not present himself otherwise than as if he did not know the world and its kingdom; and again the world also presents itself as if it did not know this king and his kingdom. But Christ does not take away the Roman emperor Augusto's power and rule, but lets him write out the commandment and treasures all the people, yes, that is more, his parents, Mary and Joseph, also give their treasures. The emperor does in his kingdom as he wants, orders his kingdom, as best he can, by reason, wisdom, lawyers, law and order. Christ lets all this happen, but he wants his kingdom to be different from the emperor's kingdom. For this reason, he acts as if the emperor's kingdom and the kingdom of the world are none of his business, and
1442 L. 4, W-95. Am heiligen Christtage. W. xm, 207-209. 1443
In turn, the far and the emperor also act as if this king and his kingdom were none of their business.
5 He is born in Bethlehem, in the very city where his fatherland is, and in which city he is to be the future king, as the prophet Micah says: "Out of Bethlehem shall go forth the duke who shall be ruler over God's people"; but he is a stranger in his own fatherland. Another, namely the emperor Augustus, is king there and has the power and the regiment; Christ finds honest room in the stable and in the manger; for he is born in a foreign place, since he has no house, and in addition in the hard winter and at night, since he is both, for the sake of the place and the time, abandoned by everyone, and has nothing that would be of any use to him in such a case. It is a miserable situation, and the world is worse and more unkind to this king than lions and bears. It does not do him so much friendship and service that it gives him a chamber or heats up a room, but pushes him behind into the stable with the cattle. There the noble Son and great King is born in great poverty, wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. These are signs and testimonies enough that the world does not look at this king, but despises him; so this king also presents himself with this figure of his birth, that he does not respect the world, but that he wants to start another being and kingdom; nevertheless he wants to be in the world.
Now there is great skill in distinguishing these two kingdoms, for there are very few who can do it right. It is common that the secular lords want to rule the church, and the clergy want to rule the town hall. Under the papacy it was called well governed, and is still called well governed, if one mixes the two together. But in truth it is very badly governed. When the bishops were still pious, they kept the difference pure, waited for the church and let the emperor rule. But afterwards their descendants mixed with each other, took up the sword and became secular lords. Today it is the same: the nobles and the squires
the consciences want to rule and command in the church. But when the clergy get back on their feet, they will again take the sword from the seculars, as happened under the papacy.
(7) Nevertheless, Christ is born in Bethlehem and has a natural mother, has a manger and swaddling clothes, needs the world, although he is born under the emperor Augustus and the emperor Augustus has the power and the rule in Bethlehem. So there is no Christian on earth who does not need this world. Therefore Christ and the emperor's kingdom are to be distinguished: Christ's kingdom is and should be, in short, a spiritual kingdom, and yet this same spiritual kingdom is in the midst of the world's kingdom, and Christ and his Christians need the world, as St. Paul teaches, 1 Tim. 6; the emperor's kingdom is a worldly kingdom, who judges and settles worldly matters, pronounces justice, gets, wields the sword 2c. Christ has nothing to do with such worldly matters, but his kingdom and office is to save souls from sin and death, and to help where the world cannot help.
008 Therefore he holds himself against the world, as if he knew not the world; and the world again holds itself against him, as if it knew not him. It would have been right for the citizens of Jerusalem to have crawled out on their knees to Bethlehem and received their king; or at least for the mayor of Bethlehem to have gone into the stable, received this king and offered him service and support. But no one comes, neither from Jerusalem nor from Bethlehem, no one respects this king, they push him behind the stable; and again he presents himself not at all as a king and lord, but as the poorest beggar who ever came on earth, to show that he is not a worldly king nor has a kingdom in the flesh, but that his kingdom belongs to another world and life.
(9) Therefore, whoever wishes to be a preacher and teacher, even a common Christian, let him direct all his actions to serve that life, knowing that causa finalis, that is, the final request of the spiritual government and kingdom of heaven, in which Christ is King and Lord,
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How one should live there in that world. How one should live here in this world, that one commands the emperor, who has and holds worldly peace, orderly and controlled regiment, judges and kills the evildoers, teaches in his empire how one should establish marriage, raise children, build, plant, divide goods 2c. But Christ has and gives eternal peace, eternal life and eternal bliss.
(10) It is true that Christians eat and drink in the world and have need of this life on earth, just as their King Christ also ate and drank in the world and had need of this life. But Christians do all these things as pilgrims and strangers and as guests in the inn, just as Christ also did. In the inn it is so: The host takes care where he takes food, drink, bread, meat, wine, beer; the guest does not take care. The guest does not teach the innkeeper how to keep house, he does not say: "Dear innkeeper, when you buy food, do so and so; but he says: "Dear innkeeper, have you no bread and meat? carry me, let me eat, I am ready. So, too, Christ did not come to earth to interfere with the Emperor Augustus and teach him how to rule. But nevertheless he needs the worldly regiment and the manger, until he completes his office, for which he was sent. So St. Paul teaches, 1 Cor. 7, speaking verses 29-31: "Further, this is the opinion of them that have wives, that they are as though they had none; and that weep, as though they meant none; and that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and that buy, as though they possessed none; and that have need of this world, that they abuse it not: for the things of this world perish." This much is said: The Christian's final request is not to be on earth, to be free and to be free, to eat, drink, clothe, rejoice, buy and sell (although the need of the body takes an hour or two, like a guest), but another, which remains when all this ceases.
11 This difference should be well remembered: Finis politiae est pax mundi; finis ecclesiae est pax aeterna: The temporal regiment's final request is temporal peace; the Christian peace is temporal peace.
The final request is not peace and shelter on earth, beautiful houses, wealth, power and honor, but eternal peace. The emperor does not see to it that I die blessedly and live forever, nor can he help me against death, but he himself must also die, and when I die, he must follow me afterwards; death comes upon him as well as upon the poorest beggar. The emperor's regiment serves this temporal, transitory life; but when this temporal life ceases, the Christian church's regiment is rightly concerned. That she may proclaim to the sorrowful, anxious consciences the treasure acquired by Christ and commanded to the church by Christ, namely, forgiveness of sins and eternal peace: this is to be the goal and end to which the Christian regiment is to aim and reach.
The pope abolished this difference and in his decree made Christ's kingdom a worldly regiment. But Christ did not come to abolish the old, worldly regime, but to establish a new, spiritual regime. He did not take anything away from the worldly regime, but gave what was due to it. He needs this world, but he does not rule this world in a worldly way, like a king in the flesh. He takes a morsel of bread from the world, but he does not teach how to acquire the bread, but lets the emperor teach it. And this is the first part of this gospel.
The other part of this gospel is the angels' sermon, which is also the main saying of this gospel, and clearly shows that Christ's kingdom is much different from the kingdom of the world. For if our dear Lord Christ had wanted to be a worldly king, the chief priests of Jerusalem, Annas and Caiphas, or other great men of Bethlehem, would have come and preached of his birth, singing, "Glory to God in the highest." But now the heavenly spirits and holy angels of God, the very princes where such a kingdom belongs, come to his birth. And these same princes of heaven do not turn their eyes to the world, but look upon this King who is born in the stable and lies in the manger. Thereby they indicate that this king has such a kingdom, in which neither the emperor Augustus, nor the king
1446 L. 4.97-9S. On the holy day of Christ'e. W. xin, 212-214. 1447
Herod has to rule, but over it God Himself is King and Lord, and in it are vain angels and holy men.
Soon, through the future of the angels, this history of the birth of the Lord Christ is opened and brought to light, and Christ's kingdom is separated and distinguished from the worldly government, and it is shown that it is a heavenly, eternal kingdom, although it already begins to reign here on earth. If you now ask what kind of king Christ is, you will see here that he is a king of heaven and of the dear angels; and yet this heavenly king lies in the manger, but he does not rule the manger, but is a sojourner on earth, and has another and higher thing to rule, of which the angel preaches, as we will hear hereafter.
(15) It is also shown here who are those who belong to this kingdom, namely, those who are sorrowful of heart and broken of mind. Those who strive for the worldly kingdom, power and sovereignty, do not belong to this kingdom. True, a Christian may and can be a worldly ruler, governing country and people; but he does this out of obedience to God and out of Christian love, that he may follow his calling and serve the world with his rule, yet he keeps himself like a servant in the house and a guest in the inn; as David says, even though he is already a king, Ps. 39:13: "I am both your pilgrim and your citizen, like all my fathers." But those who seek and wrestle after the power and dominion of this world do not belong here in this kingdom. Here belong the poor and miserable people; for them this King came on earth; therefore his kingdom is a kingdom for the frightened, afflicted, miserable people.
(16) For this reason the angels come with great splendor and splendid clarity, and the shepherds are terrified, so that it may be revealed that miserable, sorrowful people who do not seek great riches, power and majesty come to this kingdom alone. They have need of the riches of this world, of power and dominion, if it falls to them; just as their King Christ has need of swaddling clothes, milk, a manger: but they do not seek and struggle there.
but look to that eternal kingdom in which eternal peace and eternal life will be distributed. That is why the text says, "The shepherds were greatly afraid." For the angels came to them with brightness and great light, so that the light shone in the dark night as though the heavens were fire, and the shepherds thought it was lightning. This indicates that this king is born to those who are in fear and trembling, and that they alone belong to his kingdom. To them also preach as the angel preaches to the poor terrified shepherds, "Behold, I proclaim great joy to you."
What is this joy? Listen to what the angel says. "Behold," he says, "I proclaim to you great joy, which shall be to all the people." As if to say, "This joy will be offered to all the people, but only those who have a troubled conscience and a sorrowful heart are capable of this joy. These are the ones who belong to me and to my preaching, to whom I want to proclaim something good. Is it not a great wonder that this joy should be nearest where there is the greatest unrest of conscience? Where one is in fear and trembling, there such glorious, lovely, sweet joy should come, so that a human heart can hardly grasp and accept it. To the shepherds comes such a beautiful light and splendor, before which all the darkness of the world must give way; yet they are frightened by it and are very afraid. Should one then be frightened by joy, and be afraid of such a beautiful light? Well, it is written that the shepherds were afraid of the glory of the Lord that shone around them. And so it shall be, and no other way.
- But mark this very well, and grasp it firmly and surely, that the angel says: Christ, born in Bethlehem, is not terrible sadness, but great, comforting joy, which a frightened heart can desire and wish for. The world is joyful and of good cheer when it has money and goods, power and honor. But a miserable, sorrowful heart desires nothing but peace and comfort, that it may know whether it has a gracious God. And this joy, of which a sorrowful heart desires peace and
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Peace is so great that all the joy of the world stinks in comparison. Therefore, preach to the poor consciences as the angel preaches here: Listen to me, all you who are wretched and sorrowful of heart, I bring you glad tidings. Do not think that Christ is angry with you. For this is not why he came to earth and became man, that he might cast you into hell, much less why he was crucified and died for you; but this is why he came, that you might have great joy in him. Summa, there is no sourness in him.
This is the correct definition and alteration. If you want to define Christ correctly and actually describe who and what he is, notice how the angel defines and describes him here, namely, that he is and is called: "Great joy. Who could learn this definition and grasp it with certainty? For there lies power. A human heart cannot decide for itself that Christ is called by his right name: "Great Joy". I have especially learned the harm of this in the priesthood, since I was taught no other way than that Christ is a strict judge who will judge me according to my merits and works. Therefore I am accustomed to always remember how I have done many good works, so that I may propitiate Christ the judge. But this does not mean "great joy" and "the Savior is born to you today," but preaching the hellish fire. I am lacking in that I cannot call Christ in my heart by his right name, as the angel calls him here: "Great joy", as he is also certainly great, sweet, lovely joy.
(20) But this sermon, as I have said, is addressed only to the wretched and terrified consciences, who should learn this definition and not imagine Christ in any other way than pure joy. For it follows that those who are to set this definition, that Christ is great joy, make themselves vain terrors out of it. And again, to whom this definition does not belong, they point it out to themselves for carnal security. Those who are not concerned, have soon learned it; again, those who should grasp it, cannot grasp it. Now they should grasp it nevertheless, and also belongs to them alone.
Therefore, those who can make this definition in such a way that they do not paint Christ in their hearts other than pure joy, these are the right true disciples. When they hear that the first world is destroyed with the flood, that Sodom and Gomorrah are turned back with brimstone and fire, and what are more such terrible examples of divine wrath and judgment, they say: Let all these things go their way; but I see who Christ is, and believe that his right name is called Great Joy.
(21) But the devil does not like to let us come to that, but he always wants the works to be included, and he blows into the poor, afflicted consciences the most terrible histories and examples of divine wrath and judgment, and he tortures and frightens them, so that they melt with terror.
- Therefore let this be learned, that Christ and all other works may be separated from one another; that in the fear and anguish of conscience one may no longer think of them, nor long trouble and torture oneself with them, how God is angry and has cruelly punished for and on behalf of the world of the wicked; but speak thus: It is true that God has destroyed the world with the flood, reduced the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes with brimstone and fire, smitten the king of Assyria and his army to death before Jerusalem in one night; but all these things I command the ungodly world, the Papists, the Turks, false Christians and stiff-necked sinners, but something else now belongs to me. I am in fear and trembling; therefore I shall remember that Christ is called by no other name than the one the angel describes here, namely: "Great joy". Here I see another image before me, namely, that a virgin sits in the dark stable at Bethlehem, who has in her womb a friendly, blessed child, whose name is called: "Great Joy".
23 The angel was pleased to teach us this in this sermon, so that all sorrowful hearts and troubled consciences might learn to recognize and grasp Christ in his true image. Where Christ sees sourly, he drowns the world with the flood, and strikes down kings and tyrants; but here he sees not sourly, but kindly and sweetly,
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and is called: "Great joy". Too good for whom? To all sorrowful hearts. This is the golden text that we should remember, so that we may know how to comfort ourselves with it in sadness and temptation.
24 But what is the name of the great joy? This is indicated by the angel when he continues: "The Savior is born to you, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. The word "Christ the Lord" is terrible to us. This is what makes Pabst's theology and our stupid nature that we always think that Master Hans is with us with the gallows, rope and sword. But it is a comforting word, especially because it says: "Savior", that is, a helper who gives happiness and salvation. Those who are without fear and temptation have no need of this Savior; but the poor sinners who are in fear and distress have need of him: no one else can help them, but this Savior alone, Christ the Lord, born today in Bethlehem.
(25) Therefore let the angel's preaching be true, and do not make him a liar. For he gives Christ the proper names that are his alone. He is and is called the only Savior. For also
on the last day, when he will come to judge the living and the dead, he will first be the right helper, and prove us the right sleeve, deliver us from the devil, death, the pope, proud scoundrels, wicked peasants and citizens, and from this shameful life. If he did not come on the last day, he would not be a true savior. But now he will come at the last day, that he may show himself a true Savior: not that he may judge those who delight in him, but that he may judge and punish the pope, cardinals, bishops, and the ungodly world who blaspheme and persecute him. He will come to deal justly with those who have torn up his inheritance. This is first the devil, then the tyrants of this world, evil peasants, burghers, nobility, who plague us.
26 Therefore, let Christ be where he wills, in the manger or at the right hand of God, called Lord or Judge, as we confess of him in faith, he is always a Savior. For all that he has done and will do is for us, and is for our salvation. May God give us His grace to grasp and keep these things, amen.
2.Sermon; The angels preach
On Christmas Day.
Second sermon.*)
What the angels preach and proclaim to the shepherds from this story re.
Your beloved 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 the angel of the Lord came down from heaven with a great and glorious light, and soon many thousands of angels were found, who were giving light to the two or three shepherds who were standing nearby on the ground.
*) Held in the afternoon in the parish church, 1534.
were in the field at their hurdles, preached and sang of such birth. The angels' sermon is thus:
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 have this as a sign: You will find the child wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.
1452 L.4, 163-105. On the holy day of Christ. W. xm, 147-i5o. 1453
This is the first sermon of this newborn child, our Lord Jesus, which was brought from heaven to us on earth by the angels. Even though we preach this sermon every year, there is no harm in renewing it forever. For though we preach and hear it every year, yea, even every day, yet shall we not learn it here on earth until the latter day.
But this preaching of angels was very necessary. For if Christ had already been born a hundred times, and had not been preached and revealed to us, it would still have been in vain. For what is it that one has a treasure, and yet does not know that he has it? Just as it happens when a man sometimes has treasure in his house or cellar, and he thinks that there is money buried there, but because he does not know for certain where the treasure is to be found, he has neither pleasure nor joy in it. This is the case in all worldly things, that a hidden treasure is a useless treasure; as the saying goes: Ignoti nulla cupido: What one does not know, that does not concern him; there is neither air nor displeasure, but is as if it had never been or as if it should never become anything. Much more is such in spiritual things. If the dear angels had not preached about this holy, joyful birth 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 glad of it. Cause, as I said, what one does not know, that does not love him.
(4) Therefore this is the right and noblest part of today's gospel, that the angel with his preaching reveals this birth, and shows us this treasure, lest we should go and have the treasure, and yet not know how to enjoy it, and neither rejoice nor be comforted in it. And speaks thus:
Fear not: Behold, I proclaim unto you great joy.
(5) These words are very well spoken. For he who speaks such words is the angel of the Lord. The shepherds are above the great bright light,
When the angels of the Lord appeared to them and the clarity of the Lord shone around them, as if at an unusual thing, they were very frightened. For when in a moment there was such light and fire in the dark night, it was as if heaven and earth had fallen into one heap. The shepherds were not used to such glorious preaching and light, and were therefore terrified and afraid. The angel sees this and therefore speaks to them kindly: "Do not be afraid"; as if he wanted to say: "You have no reason to be afraid; but the fact that you are afraid is a sure sign that you do not yet know anything about the noble, precious treasure that God has now given you; otherwise you would not be afraid, yes, you would rejoice with all your heart and be of good cheer. But that is why I have come, that I should proclaim this treasure to you. Listen to me therefore: I proclaim to you joy, and great joy, against all your sadness, fear and dread.
(6) He saith not evil, I declare unto you great works and wondrous signs; but, I declare unto you great joy. For no one can rejoice in a thing of which he does not know. But if it is announced to him, and he knows it, and yet does not rejoice, he is a fool; as the world is full of such fools, to whom God's heavenly and eternal goods are proclaimed, and yet they do not rejoice in them, though they already know it. So the angel does not call the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ a miracle, but a joy; for his main purpose is that he would like to preach such a sermon, which would not be in vain, but would accomplish what it is supposed to do, namely, that we would rejoice in the birth of our Savior. And call it not a bad joy, but a great joy. I proclaim to you such a miracle of God, and preach to you of such a birth, he says, which shall give you great joy.
(7) This is why he does it: because the devil, through sin, has thrown us humans very low and has caused a terrible misery that is innumerable, if we wanted to look at it properly and think about it. First-
1454 L.4, 105-M7. On the holy day of Christ. W. XIII, ISO-153. 1455
He has led us into original sin and brought death upon us; after that not only death follows sin, but also all kinds of misfortune; as we experience daily that in the world there is all murder, lying, deception, stealing, robbery and other disgrace, vice and plagues, so that no one is safe for a moment, neither of body nor of goods, which all float and weave in Fahr. Above such misfortunes there is a greater one, as it is written in the Gospel that the devil leads into people, possesses them, makes them mad and foolish, so that for the sake of sin the human race is nothing but a stinking, shameful, secret chamber of all devils. He has made us humans so shameful through sin that we could not have been more shamefully destroyed. For there lies eternal death and God's wrath on our necks, after which we are never safe and are tormented in body and soul here on earth. Let this be a terrible, miserable and horrible devil's kingdom.
- Nevertheless, if we consider it rightly and weigh both against each other, such sorrow and heartache, which we have from the devil, is by no means to be compared to the glory and this excellent treasure and joy that the Savior is born to us, who is Christ the Lord. And the angel would like to use this sermon to turn our eyes and hearts away from all such sorrow and heartache of the devil toward this little child, and thinks that he would then have accomplished a work of a great preacher, if he could bring us to the point that we no longer regard the sorrow and heartache, which the devil has brought upon us, as even greater than the blessedness and joy, which we have from this newborn little child. And it is certainly true that if it should be or could be, that this happy image would go right into a man's heart, then this damage of all would be small, which we have from the devil, although it is a great and eternal damage.
(9) He who wants to overcome the devil with his poison and heartache and be safe from him must do it alone with this sweet sight and sweet consolation, since the angel preaches of it here and says: "To you is the
Savior born." If this look falls right and with seriousness into the heart, then one has already won. For then man remembers thus: The devil has put me and all men into sin, defiled and strangled, made them full of poison, thrown them into God's wrath and eternal judgment. But I will not be so frightened or dismayed by this that I would despair. For this loss is not so great; the treasure God has given me is much greater, and the loss brought upon us by the devil cannot compare with the glory given to us through Christ. For it is unspeakable that God does not possess the human race, as the devil is wont to possess men; but He Himself becomes true man. The devil cannot come so close to a human being that he himself becomes a human being. For even if he possesses a man, he remains a man, the devil a devil, and they are two different persons and natures. On the other hand, the Son of God has taken on human nature, so that I can say with truth: This man is and is called truly God; and again: God is and is called truly man in One Person.
Therefore, God has come much closer to us and has entered much deeper into our despised and afflicted nature than the devil can enter. He may possess and torment a man, but he cannot become a personal man, just as a man cannot become a personal devil. The natures remain always separated, not only according to the nature, but also in the person. But such is one here, the Son of God is our flesh and blood, born of Mary of virgins, true, natural man, like me and you, except that he was conceived without male seed by the Holy Spirit, and did not take the poison of the devil, sin and death with him, but has an entirely pure, innocent flesh and blood. Except for this part, that our flesh and blood is unclean and sinful, he is a man like me and you, who must eat, drink, sleep, put out, be weary, rest, dwell, as other men must do by nature.
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As St. Paul says: Habitu inventus ut homo: He is invented like a man; that whoever has heard or seen him must 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. Now I am speaking only of the glory that we are to rejoice in, and not yet of the fruit of which one preaches when one preaches of His suffering and resurrection. Now we speak only of the glory, so that God has honored our nature in such a way that, after all the dishonor and disgrace that the devil has put on us through sin, we have come to the glory that God has come so close to us, and Himself has become a personal man, just as I and you are, except that He is without all sin. With this unspeakable glory he has graced the whole human race. This is what the angel wanted to make people believe when he said, "I proclaim great joy to you, which will be for all the people."
- the dear angels are joyful and of good cheer at the birth of this Savior, burning and leaping for joy, pleased with us men and getting along. That is why this angel preaches so joyfully, saying, "I proclaim great joy to you, which shall be to all people." He would like no one among us to be excluded from this joy, but that all men should embrace it, and that it should go to the heart of all, as it goes to the heart of the angels, that Christ the Lord is born, and 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) And if we human beings had nothing more to say about the newborn child than that human nature has come to glory, that God, who created us, is our cousin, our closest friend, and our flesh and blood (I will now keep silent about His suffering and resurrection): would it not be a miracle, if we believed it from the heart, that we human beings would become so fond of one another that one would devour the other for love, as they say. If the honor
would go right to the heart, and we would be able to say with firm faith: God became man; would it not be a miracle that we would never be hostile to any man, and one would leave life and limb for the other. The reason is this: Who would want to be hostile or do evil to the image that has body and soul, like my God and yours? Now, for the sake of this honor, so that God has praised and honored human nature above all angels, should we not also love all people and do all good to them?
The angels are much more glorious creatures by nature than we humans; God did not consider that, God did not become an angel, nor an angel God. In addition, the angels are also innocent and holy spirits, who have not fallen, like the other angels and like us poor humans, and are also immortal. There it can be seen as if it would have been more appropriate for the divine nature that God should have become an angel. Thus he leads to, accepts the lowly, poor human nature, which is in sin, in the devil's realm and under the power of death, which the devil torments and disgraces to the innermost, and which is subject to all driving. That is to say, ever sunk low. Therefore, this one piece alone should soften us, so that there would be love, friendship and service among us, for the sake of this one man Christ Jesus.
15 Some of the fathers, and especially Bernard, have considered the matter and said that the devil, when he saw in heaven that the Son of God was to become man, for such a cause did he envy men and hate God that he did not want to become an angel rather than a man; he therefore fell down out of envy and hope. This may be a pious thought or true, but the dear fathers wanted to show the great joy and honor and the exuberant good that happened to us in that God did not take the angels, but Abraham's seed, our flesh and blood, which was corrupted by the devil and poisoned by sin and death.
How wretched these people must be who know nothing of such honor! The
1458 L. 4, 109-111. Am heiligen Christtage. W. XIII, 156-158. 1459
But they are much more wretched who hear the angels, apostles or others preach that God has so graciously visited human nature, taken it upon Himself, honored it, set it so high that even the angelic nature is not so highly honored, and in sum has made it the Lord over all creatures: and yet they have no taste, comfort or joy from it. Yes, they must certainly be wretched people who neither feel nor sense such things.
(17) If my father becomes a great lord and rich, how glad I shall be! When one of many brothers is exalted, how happy the other brothers will be! How can they console themselves so highly! How glad Israel is when he hears that Joseph has become ruler in Egypt! Such 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 my 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 glad and friendly and fill them with joy, so that no angry thought would ever come into it. Item, who would have well grasped the image in his heart that God's Son has become man, he should 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 same as I am, is also a man, has flesh and blood as I have; how then can he mean evil to himself, that is, to us who are his flesh and blood? That is why I do not worry whether the devil is already tormenting me. 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 this would have to
We would disappear in a single glance if we remembered this one man, who is God, and who so honored poor human nature that he became man.
Nineteenth But are not these wretched 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, build beautiful houses, and live in great splendor? There is certainly the wretched devil who blinds the hearts, so that they cannot see a glimpse of such joy. For where there is avarice, grudging, envying and hating, there is a sure sign that this look does not shine in the heart, and this angel's sermon has gone out.
(20) Now, as I have said, I am not yet speaking of the fruit and power, that is, of our redemption, but only of the birth of Christ in Himself, that He so highly honored our nature and took our flesh and blood to Himself. This alone was to be an oven that melted us into One Heart, and made One Cake of us, that is, created such a fervor among us men that we loved one another with all our hearts. But when we hear of this sermon, it is soon out of the other ear. And as we enter the church, so we go out again and become nothing else. But if we took this image into our eyes and heart, we would become a gentle, kind person, who would say: "Why would I want to harm nature, because my God and Lord honored it so highly and became man himself? But the devil does not allow such things to be preached, or even if they are preached, they are still taken away from the heart. The fanatics and the spirits of the mob talk about it out of their reason and spoil this joy for themselves with their disputes and clever thoughts. Thus the devil always keeps his rule in the world, and prevents the light from rising, or even from going out again soon.
(21) Now this is a thing that should move us to great joy and blessed hope, that we are so honored above all creatures, even above the angels, that we can now boast with truth: My flesh, my blood, is seated at the right hand of God, ruling all things mightily and having all things in his hand. Such
1460 4, H1-1I3. On the holy day of Christ. W. xni, 158-162. 1461
No creature has honor, not even an angel, but my flesh and blood have it. Why then would I not love my neighbor and do him every good? But there, as I said, the wretched devil has his ghost, and spoils this joy for us with other worries, so that we do not include this image in our hearts, as we should. Now if we had no more than this honor, we should leap and dance for joy.
22 But what will become of it, that this joy is not only great because we are honored above all angels, but also because the "Savior" has been born to us? This is quite emphatic. For it goes far beyond natural honor and joy that he, the man Jesus, also wants to be our Savior. This is the first and greatest reason why we should rejoice. Therefore, they are wretched people who neither hear nor know about it. But, as was said 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 can conceive that the Savior is born to us and is our Savior? Such treasure is not only for the mother, the virgin Mary, because of her motherhood, that she alone should have honor from it, but for all of us. "Unto you," says the angel, "is born the Savior, who is Christ the Lord."
23 The angel spoke to the shepherds, who were Jews and knew well the word "Savior" in their language, that it means a Lord and King. But most of the Jews were mistaken in thinking that Christ would be a Lord and King 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 prisoners of the devil in sin and death until now, and has the devil plagued you with water, fire, pestilence, sword, and who can tell all misfortune? There you poor people lie under his tyranny. The soul he seduces with countless idolatries and lies, so that
Many more idolatries are in the soul than Frenchmen in the body. Thus the poor, meager, weak body also has no rest before him. When he has plagued soul and body in this way, eternal death is still behind him. These are the devil's arrows and weapons. Now therefore, saith the angel, ye that are bound in soul and body under such a hopeless, hurtful, evil, poisonous spirit, which is the prince and God of the world, the Saviour is born unto you.
The little word "you" should make us happy. 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 it now? Shall we continue to doubt the grace of God and say: St. Peter and St. Paul may rejoice in the Savior, but I am not allowed to do so, I am a poor sinner, this noble, precious treasure does not concern me? Dear, if you want to say so, it does not belong to me; I also want to say, to whom does it belong? did 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 a man.
- well, who are you? who am i? aren't we all human? Yes. Who then shall take care of this child, but men? The angels do not need him, the devils do not want him. But we need him, and for our sake he became man. Therefore it behooves us men to accept him with joy, as the angel says here: "To you the Savior is born. 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 should be so joyful about it, desiring and preaching that we men also should be joyful, and accept such grace with thanksgiving? Therefore we should write the word "you" with fiery letters in our hearts, and accept the birth of this Savior with joy.
- The angel speaks with excellent heated words and says: "To you the Savior is born. As if to say: I do not speak to stone and wood, but to you men.
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The Savior is born to you shepherds and men on earth. We angels are not allowed to accept this birth; so this birth is not meant for the mother of her motherhood, but for the poor, corrupt and lost people, who are trapped under the devil and are the devil's scorn and mockery. Should we not then accept with thanksgiving this Savior who has been born to us? For in him we have not only the natural and bodily glory, that he has taken our flesh and blood unto himself, but also the spiritual treasure, which is far greater than the natural glory, namely, that he is our spiritual and eternal Savior. Whoever really felt and believed this would know what real joy would be, and would not be able to live long with great joy.
But it is impossible for us to fully grasp or learn this sermon here on earth. For this life is too narrow, and our heart is too small, and cannot comprehend nor grasp this great joy. If it were possible for a heart to take it in properly, it would have to burst with joy and die. Just as one reads in the histories that some died from great terror and sadness, some also from great joy. So this joy is so great that if it were to fall right into a human heart, body and soul would have to fall apart and the human being would not be able to live.
(28) Although we cannot fully comprehend or understand this joy, we should at least learn the fruit from it, that we may become fine, friendly people, and never be hostile to our neighbor, even doing good to our enemies, for the sake of the image that God Himself became man. But there you can see how weakly we are progressing, even as far as the fruit that is to come from it is concerned, let alone that this joy should really enter our hearts and that we should fully understand it. Most people follow the old Adam, envy, hatred and other shameful vices. This is a sure sign that we do not believe such preaching at all, or even very weakly, otherwise the fruit would follow most willingly, even if we could not fully understand it.
(29) But the stronger the faith, the more joyful man becomes from the knowledge of this abundant grace. It is impossible that a human heart should not rejoice when it believes that we have such a Savior who delivers us from sins, death and all misfortune. A man must rejoice when he comes upon a physician who helps him from fever, pestilence, and the French. Thank you," he says, "dear doctor; I will never forget your good deed. For it goes to his heart and he feels the benefit in his body. He should rejoice much more if he believed with all his heart that the Savior, who is Christ the Lord, has been born to him, through whom he has certain assurance against sin and eternal death. Most of the people, however, seek another joy, that they may have peace, rest, pleasure, 2c. here, and yet they are not sure of anything for a moment. This is a sign that we hear this joyful sermon as if we were asleep and snore to it. The dear angels preach and sing to us, but we sleep and remain hopeless people, who have the treasure before our eyes and ears and yet do not respect it.
(30) He who is so skilled that he hears these things and does not feel joy from them may well consider himself a wretched man. What can make a heart joyful if it does not want to rejoice in what the angel says here: "The Savior is born to you"? Whoever does not want to improve himself with this sermon and become more cheerful, so that he praises and thanks God; whoever does not want to taste this malmsey and this fire does not want to warm his heart, so that he becomes friendlier and more blissful toward his neighbor: the judge and executioner may make him more cheerful, otherwise he cannot be helped. For since this fire does not set him on fire and this sweet malmsey does not make him drunk, that Christ has become our brother, yes, our flesh and blood, is a sure sign that he is an unholy, accursed man. Therefore, learn to regard it as an evil sign, where you find yourself so cold and frozen, and pray to God from the bottom of your heart for His grace, that He may change and help your heart through His Holy Spirit.
- after that the angel strikes such further
1464 k. 4, 115-117. On the holy day of Christ. W. XIII, 168-171. 1465
and says what kind of Savior this is, namely, "Christ the Lord. It is a short sermon, but he pulls the whole holy scripture together into one bag. Whoever would have to cross out all these things, would have to have more time and bring the testimonies of the prophets about this born child. The Savior, says the angel, who was born to you, is "Christ the Lord"; that is to say, it is the Savior of whom the fathers and the prophets prophesied and whom they all desired to see with all their hearts. They have heard that he should come once, but they have not experienced his future. The same Savior, Christ and Lord is now born.
32 Christ himself speaks to the Jews, John 8:56: "Abraham, your father, was glad that he should see my day, and he saw it and rejoiced. What would Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the fathers and prophets have done if they had seen Christ born? They prophesied of him with longing, and greatly rejoiced in his future; they melted with joy, as we freeze with ingratitude and contempt.
The same Christ and Lord is now born," says the angel to the shepherds. He shall make all things right, righteousness, everlasting
Life and blessedness, which is lost through sin, give and give again, and make heaven and earth new and one over it. The Lord and highest regent in eternity is born. Be confident and undaunted, defy and dare freshly and joyfully in him; for in him you have not Joshua or David, but such a Saviour, who is Christ and the true Lord: Who will not cast you into hell, but will pluck you out of it; will not judge you nor condemn you for sin, but will forgive you sin; will not be angry with you, but will smile kindly upon you; he is your brother and cousin, and also your Savior, King, and Lord; he dies for you, delivering you from sin, death, and the devil. Whoever believes in him and rejoices in his birth is blessed; whoever will not rejoice in his birth nor thank God for it is of the devil.
This is what has been said recently about this angel's sermon. Each one should examine himself to see whether he takes heartfelt pleasure in it and whether he loves his neighbor. If he has no joy in it at all, then he knows that he is an unholy and cursed man. But if he rejoices in it and loves his neighbor, he gives thanks to God and asks that he may increase in it more and more and become more complete, amen.
3.Sermon; The angels' song of praise
On Christmas Day.
Third sermon.*)
Of the angels' song of praise.
- we have heard the dear angels preach how they have summarized and summarized in short words all that is written in the holy Scriptures, so that one may learn to look upon the newborn child for the
*) Held in the afternoon of the day St. Stephen 1633 in the parish church.
Savior, who is Christ the Lord. They, the dear angels, want to know nothing more than about this Savior, Christ and Lord. All wisdom in heaven and earth shall come to an end and be on this child forever. There one shall meet and find God and nowhere else.
- so that we can now move on and
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In order to complete the story of this day, let us take before us and act on the angels' song of praise, which one might reasonably call the true Sanctus with the golden notebook. For just as the sermon is called a sermon of angels, because it was not sung by a man, but by an angel from heaven; so this hymn is called the hymn of angels, because it was not sung by men, but by angels and heavenly hosts. The same hymn is thus:
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and goodwill toward men.
3 It is brief and is called, as I said, the angels' song, because the angels themselves sang it, not only on earth but also in heaven. But they were human words, otherwise the shepherds would not have understood any of it. They make three voices or three laws (verses). The first law is: Glory to God; the other: Peace on earth; the third: Let there be joy or gladness among the people. These are three pieces, which are to be regarded probably small after the words, but it will remain probably an angelic song. We humans talk about it, but we do not achieve it. For we do not have the mirror which they have and in which they always see, namely, the face of the Father in heaven. Therefore we do not understand it as well as they do. We may sing after them with croaking pipes and hoarse voices, but we will not equal them. They sing so that it resounds in heaven and earth. The first law is therefore:
Glory to God in the highest.
(4) Because this Savior, who is Christ the Lord, has now been born and is lying in the manger, we angels wish and prophesy, and so it will come about that God will have His glory in the highest. For we must understand this song not only to teach what is to be done, but also to indicate how things will now proceed because this Savior has been born, namely, that God will be given his praise and glory. As if the dear angels were to say: "This is how it should go and this is how it will go: because this child is born in
God is honored and praised; all that the prophets proclaimed now comes to pass; it was far different before this child was born. 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, to be considered and honored as God before men, then it must be through this little child alone. For there alone can we learn and know that God is a gracious, merciful, kind God, because He did not spare His only begotten Son, but let Him become 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.
(5) Such fruit, the angels sing, will follow, and will now begin, that God may be honored in the highest: not with outward works, which cannot ascend to heaven; but with the heart, which lifts itself up from the earth to the highest to such a gracious God and Father with thanksgiving and heartfelt confidence, and soars above. In the past, in all the world, God was dishonored, desecrated and blasphemed. The holy fathers who were on earth, who knew Christ in the spirit, honored and praised God with us in Christ; but the men who were on earth, who passed away without and apart from Christ, honored and blasphemed God in their best deeds and works. But now, through this child, preached in all the world, God's praise and glory will come to pass.
Thus, through this angelic song, all that is apart from and without Christ is condemned as blasphemy, idolatry and abomination before God. If God is to be honored, it must be done through and in this little child, who is Christ the Lord. Apart from Him, God is not found and honored, but is abhorred and profaned to the highest degree. This means that everything that may be called God's service and honor in the wide world has been purified. A living, holy, and good to God
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Pleasing sacrifice and reasonable worship should be called Christ and in Christ, or there should be no worship. God has put all his glory in this little child; where he is not honored in this little child, there is no glory of God.
(7) Therefore all the world, even God's own people, the Jews, were full of idolatry, for one went there and another there, worshipping as many mountains and trees as they had in the land, which were pleasant and beautiful, as is seen in the prophets, and as we have also done in the papacy. 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 alone. This is the greatest dishonor and blasphemy that God faces in the world, which comes from not knowing Christ. Let it cease henceforth, as the angels sing (Praise God!), so that people will no longer honor the devil or themselves, but God on high.
(8) After this is another dishonor, which is grosser, honoring the great god Mammon, that is, money and goods and the like. The world is also full of such gross idolatry. For there kings, princes, citizens and peasants go along with the coarse block, the shameful Mammon, the miserable helper in need, in whom they are interested in everything. Thus, God is blasphemed and dishonored everywhere, both with subtle idolatry, since the hypocrites and great saints (as with the Jews were the Pharisees and Sadducees and with us are the Carthusians and monks) worship their own righteousness and holiness; and with gross idolatry, since nobles and ignobles, citizens and peasants despise God and adhere to mammon. This is what goes on throughout the world, that people do not honor God, do not ask about Him, do not call upon Him, do not thank Him.
9 But now, the dear angels sing, it will be different, because God will establish His glory in the world through the newborn child, so that he will be considered the true God. For many people will no longer be judged according to their holiness or righteousness.
They will neither look at father nor mother, neither money nor property; whether they have been in bondage to mammon before, nevertheless they will accept this one Savior, cling to him alone with all their heart and for his sake put all they have into it and say: Christ is my Savior, with him I will abide, as God wills. Then it will come about that God, after whom nothing was asked before, will come to his glory, and people will come to the knowledge of God, will honor, praise, extol and thank God rightly. This is what we wish and prophesy.
So "honor" means nothing else than that one recognizes, praises, glorifies and gives thanks to God. And Adam lost this honor through sin in paradise. Because this cursed way is naturally attached to all of us, that everyone would like to have honor. What do the pope and bishops lack now, because they do not want to have erred nor done wrong, and do not want to give God the honor? And how can such great lords, who sit in such high honor and power, do such a thing? There is no citizen anywhere who does not like to be honored; indeed, there is no peasant who can play the bagpipe and likes to be praised. If this happens in such small things, which are called dung and dirt, that one wants honor and glory from them, how much more does it happen with those who deal with great things, as there is violence, wisdom, justice, holiness, good works, civic respectability? The devil will hardly allow such people to give God his glory, for they intend to keep it for themselves.
(11) The human race has been poisoned with this cursed ambition, since the devil made Adam and Eve in paradise want to be like God; it is still with us. If a peasant has money, a scholar has art, a nobleman has wealth, a prince has power, a woman has a beautiful veil, a maid has a beautiful belt or skirt, they want to be praised for it. Before that, God cannot come to his glory.
(12) But this child Jesus, the angels sing, will bring about the glory of God. For all who accept it and believe in it will know God rightly, and
1470 L. 4, 121-123. Am heiligen Christtage. W. xm, iss-iW. 1471
say: I am nothing, my righteousness, holiness, wisdom, art, wealth, power are all nothing; but the child Jesus is everything. So God comes to his glory, that he alone may be our strength, defiance, joy, our florin and thaler, and that with all our heart we may place all confidence, comfort, defiance and joy in him alone.
(13) This is what God means when I say to Mammon, "You are a great God, whom all the world honors and serves; but I know nothing to comfort me, except that as long as I live and have you, I will eat of you, clothe myself with your necessities, and feed and clothe others who do not have you. If I have this from you as long as I live, then go. So to the art: I am learned, God has given me a fine mind, which I will use for the honor of my God and for the good of my neighbor; then up and there. But my consolation, defiance and joy shall not be my money, not my art, but the dear child who lies in the womb of the virgin, my Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God.
(14) Thus God comes to His glory, majesty and divinity, to say: Dear Lord God, what we have and need is all yours; we have not made it, we have not received it from ourselves or of ourselves, but you have given it to us, it is your gift and bounty. But this is especially your own work and mercy, that we have escaped from the devil, have become free from sins and have been set free. Therefore, the honor of it belongs to you alone, and not to me. With such incense God wants to be praised by us, and this is his glory in the highest, that we give it to him completely, throw all glory away from us and bring it home to him with thanksgiving, both of the least gifts and of the most.
(15) This is a quiet or law of this song, in which the dear angels summarize all that we are and have, and take away from us riches, power, honor, but especially spiritual gifts and the service of God, which is called righteousness, holiness, wisdom, good works; and tell us that we should not be here.
They will not keep them, but throw them out and give glory to God alone. This will now be done, they sing, through this little child.
The world turns back such a song, as you can see. For because men neither recognize nor respect this child, it rages and rages all against each other, wants everything up and seeks all money, property, honor, power 2c. The peasant wants to be a citizen, the citizen a nobleman, the nobleman an earl, the earl a prince, the prince an emperor, and the emperor God. 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: Glory and praise be on earth to the red florins, the white Joachimsthalers, my power, favor, art, gracious princes and good friends. Now, sing confidently, dear fellows; but what does it matter if it becomes a donkey song, which rises high and is sung out badly and becomes an Ika? For such is the glory sung to men and mammon on earth, yes, to the sorrowful devil in hell below, and not to God on high. Follows the other silence or law, and thus reads:
Peace on earth.
(17) This must be understood like the first, that they wish it so, and prophesy that it will continue so with those who know and have received this child, that it will go well and there will be happiness and salvation on earth. For what is there where Christ is not? What is the world apart from Christ, but a sorrowful hell and the devil's kingdom, where there is nothing but ignorance and contempt for God, lying, deceiving, avarice, eating, drinking, harlots, knaves, adultery, beating, murdering? For so it goes in the world, as they say, there is no more faith nor fidelity among the people: where one says black, there one must understand white, who wants to come otherwise undeceived and unlied by the people. There is neither love nor faithfulness; one may not trust neighbor, brother, son, daughter, or wife who lies on one's side. Truly, this is a beautiful, praiseworthy life, since no one is safe from the other, and must worry about friends as much as about enemies. Enemies,
1472 L. 4, 123-1W. On the holy day of Christ. W. xin, 185-187. 1473
and sometimes more. So the devil rules and leads the world.
But those who believe in this child will not only give glory to God in everything, but will also be gods among themselves, that is, fine, friendly, peaceful people toward others. Where there will be Christians who recognize and accept this child, there will be a peaceful regime and a friendly nature among the people, so that no one will wish evil on the other. If anyone should wish for a Christian regime, he should wish that people would live in such a way that there would be no need for a judge or an executioner, but that everyone would do good voluntarily and from the heart. There, all happiness would be, and there would be peace and tranquility. That is why the dear angels sing here and wish, yes, promise and comfort, that the devil's tyranny will come to an end and that Christians will lead a peaceful, quiet life among themselves, gladly helping and advising each other, that quarrels and disagreements will cease, and that they will live with each other in all friendliness and gladly do each other's best.
19 This will follow when God has his glory and is recognized as the Lord, from whom we have everything. For out of such knowledge shall come kindness; neither shall hate the other, nor envy the other; neither shall steal from the other, nor do evil to the other; neither shall pass over the other; but each shall think himself less, and the other greater, saying, Dear brother, thou art greater than I; pray God for me. Then there will be peace in abundance and all happiness. But if I want to be above you and you above me, and each one wants to do what annoys the other, what happiness and peace there is, Master Hans proves with the sword.
20 The angels sing that those who believe in this child will live in peace and be kind to one another, so that they will not offend one another, but will gladly do what pleases one another and avoid what displeases them. But those who do not, do not hear the dear angels singing, but hear the wolf, the devil howling; he sings to them: Eat here, drink there; steal here, commit adultery there; hate here, murder there 2c. This is the devil's song from hell.
21 But it shall not be so among the Christians; there it shall be as the dear angels prophesy and sing here. They understand our Lord God's service in the kingdom of heaven very well. First, that we should leave the glory to God in heaven and praise and glorify Him alone. Secondly, that we should live on earth as brothers and sisters among ourselves and not follow the devil's harmful suggestions and tyrannical ways. This is what the dear angels would like to see happen everywhere in the world. But they have sharp, bright eyes and see that most of them do not want to get involved with the child Jesus. The glory in the highest and the peace on earth do not want to go completely, roundly and totally with the children of men; there remain evil princes, disobedient priests, rude farmers and citizens, unruly children, unfaithful servants; and summa, earth remains earth, world remains world, without only where the little child Jesus by his power and spirit brings glory to God in the highest and peace on earth. Therefore the angels set the third law thus:
And a pleasure to the people.
The angels sang about two things that the child Jesus will do, namely, that God will have glory in the highest and that the people on earth will live peacefully and kindly among themselves. Follows the third piece, that the people will put up with and have patience, if it happens differently, than the angels have sung now. For where one preaches that God is honored and people are to become devout, tyranny and persecution immediately follow. For many are found who do not respect the gospel and do not accept this Son, even persecuting him. As it happens in our time: the more we preach, call, shout, admonish, ask and plead, the more our bishops, princes, peasants and citizens shall stop blaspheming God and rumbling on earth, the angrier they become. Then the angels feign that it will be a grievous and difficult thing for a man to look upon and suffer such things. For it is true that where God did not strengthen them greatly, it is no wonder that pious hearts would be melted with sadness, since they would have
1474 s. 4, i2s-i27. Am heiligen Christtage. W. xm, i87. i88. 1475
We have seen that the Jews crucified Christ, the Son of God, and martyred the apostles; just as it would be no wonder that we would die of sadness to see not only the pope and his household, but also our own, trample the gospel underfoot in this way.
For this reason, the dear angels wish that God may give the faithful and the pious a joyful and glad heart, so that they may bear it and overcome it with patience; at the same time, they comfort and strengthen the Christians, so that they may hold their souls with patience and be of good cheer. As if they should say: You, who want to be Christians, give glory to God, be friendly and kind to the people; what others, bishops, kings, princes, nobles, peasants and citizens, do that blasphemes God and causes all discord on earth, let it go. Remember that Christ is your Savior; he will teach you by his Word and Spirit to understand and accept God's glory and service, to reject false worship, to be kind to people, and to tolerate the wicked. Therefore, even though many people remain wicked and idolatrous, nevertheless accept and be patient. And even though you may be harmed, persecuted, imprisoned, burned, killed and blasphemed for this faith and confession, do not be impatient or angry about it, but take pleasure in it and do not let any sorrow, suffering or persecution, no matter how hard and great it may be, hinder or spoil your joy and delight in the newborn child.
(24) Such a heart do the dear angels desire of all the faithful, that they may be so minded, saying, Let that go which will not abide; and he that will not follow, let him abide behind. But he that followeth, let him sing with us, and we with him, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace." He who will not follow nor sing with us, let him not; let us not worry ourselves to death for this sake, but let us sing the third part of the angelic hymn of praise, "Pleasing to men," that is, to be of good cheer and good courage, saying, To me without hurt go; to sorrow go; to melancholy go;
World, we will not let our joy be taken away for your sake, but nevertheless sing with the faithful and godly: "Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth."
(25) So the dear angels have put the whole service into this hymn: they give glory to God, peace to the earth, goodwill to men, that they may be of good cheer when things do not go as they should. Let this be a short, yet quite fine angelic and heavenly song. They do not sing of outward ceremonies, as if the child Jesus cared how the temple at Jerusalem was built and how the Levitical sacrifices were performed, but that God might have his glory in heaven, peace on earth, and good will toward men. As if to say: If you want to serve God righteously, see that God has His glory from you and that you are kind to one another on earth and, when things go badly, have patience with a cheerful heart in good hope. When you have attained this, then do what you will, walk in red or blue robes, be man or woman, servant or maidservant, and just as each one is created and called by God is just one. With this, they have purely stripped away all outward splendor and ceremonies, and go to the core in a quite angelic way.
(26) Therefore, whoever could recognize Christ as the only Savior, and through him and in him honor God in the highest, would be a right, fine priest, even if he did not wear a cap, plate, chasuble or surplice. After that, whoever could keep peace on earth would be a fine, desirable man, citizen and neighbor. What is it then, that many laws and ways are sought here and there, to do this and that, because here everything is short and fine? If you have Christ, know him, and honor God through him and in him, and are peaceful and friendly to people, then you have the right, proper way, and it does no harm to be a prince, lord, lady, servant or maid. Then the third thing shall follow: if it will not go away with the people, and we cannot bring it where we would like it, that we stra-
1476 L. 4, 127-129. Am heiligen Christtage. W.xiii, i88. 1477
warn, admonish, entreat and plead. If they accept it, well and good; if they do not accept it, I say, "Go away, you gentle world; I will not grieve myself to death over it. If you noblemen, scoundrels, wicked citizens and peasants trample the gospel underfoot, I must let it happen; I will see whether you will deceive our Lord God with your shameful ingratitude. But I will stay with those who honor God in heaven and live peacefully on earth.
From this we see the hearts of the dear angels, how they are minded. This church, where we preach, pray, sing, praise and thank God, is now full of angels; they sing with us and we with them. For such a service, where one preaches about Christ, pleases them from the heart. Then they also have a good heart toward us, and special joy when we live peacefully and kindly among ourselves, item, when we are in good spirits and cheerful, even though things do not go as they should, and we also have to suffer persecution for the sake of right worship and our peaceful life. Such is the desire of their hearts. For we are their brothers and sisters, redeemed and called to the kingdom of heaven through Christ; therefore they sing with us and are pleased when we sing with them, but especially when we conduct ourselves as this little song teaches.
28 This is how the dear angels are to be recognized, contrary to the theology of Dionysius, which he wrote about the angels de substantiis separatis. He speculates about things he has not seen. But Christ teaches thus, "When the heart is full, the mouth overflows." If a man is to be recognized, he must be recognized by his
ner speech, by the eyes you can not recognize him. Therefore I do not ask whether I do not see the angels by the nose and eyes, if I only have their words and hear how they speak. For just as one can otherwise soon sense whether a man is wise and understanding or a fool, for his speech shows what kind of heart and soul he has, so here too, if one wants to think and write about the angels, one does not have to flutter up above the clouds with one's thoughts and speculate what they are doing up in heaven, but one must hear how they speak and sing. There you will find what is in their heart.
Therefore, as the dear angels sing about the birth of the infant Jesus here, so are all their thoughts about this infant, about God's glory, about peace on earth, about patience and suffering of Christians. Their heart and mind are understood. Therefore we should comfort ourselves and rejoice, first and foremost, in the newborn Child, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is our only Savior; then in all His heavenly host, so that the dear angels may also be kind to us, so that we may thank our dear Lord God for such a blessing, and not be afraid of the dear angels, as if they were our masters and executioners, but know that they are our kind neighbors and fellow citizens.
(30) But, as I said, the angels alone sing how it is with those who receive this child. But how it is in hell and in death is not written here. For there will be another song and other singers.
1478L . 4.129.130. On the holy day of Christ. W. xm, 134.13s. 1479
2.Three Sermons
Three sermons from the birth of Christ.
On Christmas Day.
1.Sermon; The history
First sermon.*)
The history of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(1) On this feast of the birth of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, we are to preach and learn what great good God has shown us in that the Son of God has become man. Therefore, let us now hear what the holy evangelists write about it: first, how the angel of the Lord told Joseph in the
After that, Joseph and Mary travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem, and Mary gives birth to her first son in a stable among the cattle, because they have no room in the inn.
Matth. 1, 18-25. Luc. 2, 1-14.
The birth of Christ was thus accomplished. When Mary, his mother, had trusted Joseph before he took her home, she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her husband, was pious and did not want to rebuke her, but he intended to leave her secretly. And as he thought thus, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mariam thy wife: for that which is born in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now these things came to pass, that it might be fulfilled which the Lord spake by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which is interpreted, God with us. When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself, and did not know her until she gave birth to their first son, and called his name Jesus.
And it came to pass in those days, that there went forth a commandment from the emperor Augustus, that all the world should be treasured. 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 trusted wife, which was with child. And when they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she bare her firstborn 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.
*) Held in the house, 1534.
1480 L. 4, 130-132. Am heiligen Christtage. W. xm, 140-14-2. 1481
This is the history and story in which we hear how our dear Lord Jesus Christ was born. Young people should remember this story first and form it in their hearts, so that they may never forget it, but learn to thank and praise our Lord God for such a great blessing that we poor, miserable, even damned people have come to such great honors today, that 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 this world like us, without any sin. Therefore we may boast that God has become our brother, even our flesh and blood.
This great honor was bestowed neither on angels nor on devils, but on us humans. The angels are indeed more glorious creatures than we humans, but God has honored us humans more and higher and has drawn closer to us than to the angels, because he did not become an angel, but a man.
4 If we humans could consider such things and believe them from the heart, then such unspeakable grace and good deeds of our dear Lord God should certainly give us great joy and drive us to thank God for them from the heart, to love Him and to gladly do His will and be pious.
5 In the papacy, a story has been told that the devil came at one time to a church for mass, and when the words were sung in the Patre or Symbolo: Et homo factus est, that is, God's Son became man, and the people stood and did not kneel down, he hit one on the mouth, scolded him and said: 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.
6 It may be or not. If it is a poem, then it is written by a man who has had a high spirit and the great honor of being a poet.
well understood, which has happened to us in that the Son of God has become man: not like Adam nor Eve (for the former was made of earth, the latter of man's rib), but he is even closer to us, since he was born of the flesh and blood of the Virgin Mary as his natural mother, as other men are born; without her, the Virgin, having been alone and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and he, the Son of God, having been conceived without sin by the Holy Spirit. Apart from this, he is like us, the son of a true, natural woman.
7 Adam and Eve were not born, but created; God made Adam from the earth, but 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 such honor highly, and especially a young man should soon form in his heart from youth this great, excellent honor, that the Son of God became flesh, and that there is no difference at all between his flesh and ours, but that his flesh is without sin. For He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and God filled the Virgin Mary's flesh, body and soul with the Holy Spirit, so that she was without all sin, that she conceived and bore the Lord Jesus. Apart from this, everything was natural in him, as in other people, that he ate, drank, slept, watched, was happy, sad, hungered, thirsted, froze, like other people. Such and such natural affectus, except sin, 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, stood, walked, was merry and sad, felt frost and heat 2c.
(8) That is, to humble himself deeply and let himself down; for he might well have become a man, as he is now in heaven, having flesh and blood like us, but not doing what we do. He could have done this from the beginning. But he did not want to do it, so that he could show what love he has for us.
1482 n- 4-132-134. Am heiligen Christtage. W. xm, 142-145. 1483
that we may rejoice, comfort and glory in this, that we have a brother in heaven, whom we may, yea, ought to accept; and cursed is the man that receiveth not himself, and taketh not this joy into his heart.
(9) For this reason 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 as I am. 2c. Why he became like this, and what he wanted to accomplish by it, namely, that he redeemed us from sin and eternal death, I do not yet say; but now I speak only of the honor of the whole human race, of which we should boast with truth and rejoice that the Son of God became man. All people can boast of such honor. The Christians, however, have a higher one after that, that they should enjoy such birth also in eternity. On earth, all people have the honor that God's Son became their flesh and blood. But the spiritual and eternal fruit of this birth is for Christians alone. This is the first thing we should remember about this story.
(10) Secondly, one should also learn here this excellent, high example. Because Christ, the Son of God, humbled himself in such a way that he turned all his glory to poor flesh, and the divine majesty, before which the angels tremble, lowered himself in such a way, and walks along like a poor beggar; up in heaven the angels worship him, down here on earth he serves us and lies down in our mud, - because now, I say, the Son of God has done this, we should also learn to be humble for his praise and honor, and take up our cross according to his word, suffer all kinds of tribulations, and thus 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 especially was it miserable and poor, as said, when he came on earth and was born: 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
my cousin, yes, also my brother, the king of heaven and earth and of all creatures within, so miserably lies down: pfu your times, why am I so proud? why do I want to be so glorious and suffer nothing at all? If the king of honors suffers so much for my sake, who am I? Is it not true that I am a poor sinner and not worthy to lie on a heel? yet I lie there on a soft bed, while my Lord lies on the hard straw and in the manger.
(11) 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 young lords, go out freely and suffer nothing? The house and the inn are full of guests, who sit upstairs, have room and chamber, maintenance and care; but the young virgin and Joseph are driven into the stable behind the cattle; there she gives birth to the noble Son and Lord of all the world. This birth is so miserable. We should take this to heart and say: Because the Lord is born too good for us in such misery and poverty, and dies for us on the cross 2c., it would rhyme very badly if we lazy wretches wanted to sit in good peace and quiet forever. For the disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above the lord. But this we do not do, but we are stubborn, balky people, always wanting to be proud and to be high, even though we see our Lord lying in such great humility for our sake. But what we will gain with our pride, we may smear our shoes with.
(12) 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 is above all angels; blessed is the creature that is called man. 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 observe the example of Christ, which he demonstrated in his first future on earth and suffered for our sake, so that we may also do something and
1484 L.4, 134.13S. On the holy day of Christ. W. XIII, 145.218-221. 1485
learn to suffer. The Lord of lords becomes a servant of all servants. We should follow this example and learn from our dear cousin and brother, helping and serving other people gladly, even if it makes us sour and
we also have to suffer something over it. We should remember these two things, the history and the example. May God help us to do this with His Holy Spirit through our dear Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
On Christmas Day.
2.Sermon; The angels' sermon
Second sermon.*)
Of the holy angels' sermon and their song.
Yesterday we heard the history and story of this feast, 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 a great, glorious blessing and grace, which He has shown us through such a birth of His Son.
After the story we will also hear from the dear angels, how they preach and sing about such a birth. For as soon as Mary gave birth to her son in a stable in Bethlehem, a heavenly announcement was made in the air by the angel of the Lord, who appeared with great clarity to the shepherds in the field and announced to them that Christ the Lord had been born in the city of David and was lying in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes. Now this is also something new, that our dear Lord God reveals the birth of His Son to the poor shepherds. He leaves the great lords of Jerusalem sitting, and thus sends a glorious message down from heaven to the poor beggars, the shepherds, in the field. The same angel does the same honor to the shepherds that their Lord Christ Himself did to all of us. He humbles himself according to the example of his Lord Christ,
*) Held on St. Stephen's Day, December 26, 1534, in the house.
and is not ashamed, nor is he disdained to preach to shepherds and poor beggars; he does not look on how glorious he is, but lowers himself and does this beautiful preaching, which still remains and will remain among Christians until the end of the world.
These must be fine spirits, since there is no hope inside. For as an angel humbles himself and preaches to the shepherds, so does the whole multitude of the heavenly host, as will follow: they sing at the same time about the birth of Christ and make the shepherds listen. But what is the Roman emperor with all his glory against an angel? Therefore all great lords, all scholars and all saints, who are still far from being as great, learned and holy as the dear angels, should take note of this example and learn from it that they did not exalt themselves in their art, wisdom, holiness and other gifts and did not despise others for it. For if the gifts were to be turned to hope, the dear angels would have reason enough to have done so, and to have despised the poor shepherds. But they do not. Let the shepherds be as lowly, poor and miserable as they wish, yet the angels do not hold themselves so holy and high that they should not be heartily willing and glad to proclaim such a message to them.
- everything here is according to the nature of the kingdom of Christ, which is far different from the other kingdoms.
1486 L. 4, 135-138. Am heiligen Christtage. W. xm, 221-224. 1487
The kingdom is not like the kingdom of the world. For here it is not a matter of riding high and ruling, but of being brought low and serving others; as Christ says, Matth. 20, 25-28: "The worldly rulers rule, and the overlords have authority. It shall not be so among you: but if any man will be mighty among you, let him be your servant; and whosoever will be chief, let him be your servant. Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life for a redemption of many." Therefore, just as the Lord himself humbles himself and serves all of us, so also his servants, the angels, humble themselves and do not spurn the gray skirts of the poor shepherds.
(5) We should also do this and in all humility gladly use our gifts for the comfort and help of others and not despise anyone, for it is a good example that just as the Lord is a faithful Savior and serves us all, so also his servants, the angels, are faithful, loving spirits and serve us willingly and gladly. The shepherds of that time must have been devout, God-fearing people who desired this Savior with all their hearts, because they came to hear the angels of the Lord preach. Today the people, and especially the rude people, are worth nothing else than to hear the devil himself. Now this is the highest sermon that the angel preaches to the shepherds, and it reads thus:
Do not be afraid. Behold, I proclaim great joy to you, 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 this is the sign that you will find the child wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.
(6) Every man, if he would, could grasp this sermon and learn it by heart, so that he might know the history of how it happened and what the angel of the Lord preached: On the night that Christ was born in Bethlehem, there was light, and a glorious sermon was preached by the angel of the Lord, and after that a beautiful hymn was sung by the multitude of the heavenly host. The sermon
was therefore: "Do not be afraid" 2c. This could be grasped and kept by anyone who wanted to apply so much diligence to honor God and to make ourselves blessed.
The angel includes the whole gospel in this sermon, and says that joy is to be given to us men through this Savior, born in the stable by the manger, who is to save us from sins, death and the devil, and is Christ the Lord Himself; and this was done in Bethlehem. These are not the words of men, nor does such preaching grow in the heart of man, for even the wisest men on earth know nothing of it: 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 the angel himself. For the shepherds did not see the angels either (for they do not let themselves be seen), they only saw the light and the brightness. But they heard the words, which you still hear today. For in these words, as I read from the book in the sermon, the heavenly and angelic sermon is composed, if only we would open our eyes and ears and hear and hear such things.
(8) Well then, one must and shall keep it, if one wants to be saved otherwise. This was the first sermon about the birth of Jesus Christ, which came down from heaven and will continue until the last day, that this child, born of a virgin in Bethlehem, is the Savior, Christ and Lord, who will save us from sins and death and comfort us forever.
After the angel's sermon, the whole multitude of the heavenly host sings a hymn of praise. A good sermon should be followed by a joyful song. So the dear angels are happy about the birth of this Savior of all the world, and also sing a joyful song to the glorious sermon, which reads thus:
Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth and goodwill toward men.
- they divide their song into three voices or laws, and make a third; thus
1488 L. 4, i38-i4o. On the holy day of Christ. W. xm, 224,225,187-E. 1489
That they set the three, God, earth, men, and ascribe to each of the three his own: To God the glory, to earth the peace, to men the pleasure. Wohlgefallen is spoken un-German; it is called eudokia, that is, joy and pleasure. So the first silence reads:
Glory to God in the highest.
The dear angels wish God honor, that is, they sing and wish that God be recognized in the newborn child, and that He be thanked for the great, infinite blessing, that out of pure grace and mercy He sent His dear Son, and let Him become man, so that He might redeem the human race. As if they wanted to say: God has sent His Son, thanks be to Him and praise be to Him forever. For such grace and good deeds we angels want to praise and glorify God, and all the people should follow our example and also praise and glorify Him. The other quiet one:
Peace on earth.
(12) They also desire that there be peace on earth, and that Christ's kingdom come on earth, which is a kingdom of peace. The kingdom of the world is stealing, robbing, murdering, killing, warring and bloodshed. All in all, on earth there is unrest; there one harms the other, no one is faithful to the other, they beat each other over the head. That is the nature on earth. Therefore the dear angels wish us a peaceful life, that we Christians may be kind to one another, that one may show love, faithfulness and service to the other, and that one may bear the other's infirmities, that no one may be at odds with the other, but that one may help and advise the other. That God would give such things on earth, the dear angels sing, wish and ask, so that the people do not create mobs or sects, but what one wants, the other also wants, so that it is friendly and peaceful on earth. This is the other silence. Follows the third:
A pleasure to the people.
013 As if to say, We would like it to be so, that all the world may know God.
honored in high places and would be satisfied with each other. But it cannot be like this everywhere. For many do not respect the gospel, nor do they accept this Son, but persecute both the gospel and the Son. May God therefore grant to other godly people a joyful and glad heart, so that they may say, "I have a Savior, who is Christ the Lord; if people mourn me and persecute me because of this Savior, it will be good for me, and I will have joy and gladness even in suffering. Such a heart do the dear angels desire for us Christians, that we may have pleasure in unpleasure, and sing when the devil is angry; that we may be hopeful and proud in Christ, and in him defy all adversity; and if the devil does us harm, that we may mock him for it, and say, Devil, canst thou nothing but touch my body, life, goods, etc.? If you can't do anything but harm my body, life, property, etc., you might as well leave it alone, because you can't harm me; I have an eternal Savior who will delight me in all bodily harm for eternity. 2c.
14 This is the third silence, that one should have a cheerful, joyful, defiant courage against all suffering that can befall him, that one should say to the devil: You shall not make it so evil that you 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 misfortune, and only confidently says to the devil: Be as evil and poisonous as you can, I will not let my joy, dear devil, be bitter nor spoiled for the sake of your anger; Christ gives me more joy and comfort than you sorrow. Such a heart the dear angels grant and wish us with their song.
(15) If you turn this song around, as unfortunately happens in the world, you will find the devil's song, cursing and blaspheming God on high, committing murder, and keeping house so that no man can have a happy sight or eat a happy morsel with peace. There help the wicked spirits, who are the devil's mouth, defile and blaspheme God in heaven with their false doctrine.
- after that, that princes and lords at
1490 4-140.141. On the second day of Christ. W. XIII, 189-192. 1491
We have to be on each other's heels, we have to do all the unfaithfulness and discord, we have to say the best things under our noses and prove the worst things. That's how I like it, sings the devil. That means honor in hell for the devil, strife on earth and a stupid, despondent heart for the people. How many are found to whom God gives everything enough, but they do not rejoice and have no happy hour; even if they have cellars, chambers, tables full, they still go, hang their heads, all they have is sadness, they can have no pleasure in any thing. That is the devil's song and wish, he does not grant us humans any pleasure that we may have in God's gifts.
On the other hand, the dear angels sing and wish us a courageous heart that can defy and throb in all kinds of misfortune and temptation. That is how they would like it to be.
(17) Let this be said of the song of the holy angels, that ye may understand it aright. Such things are not found written in any other books, not even in a single letter. For this song did not grow on earth, nor was it made, but came down from heaven through the angels. May our dear Lord God help us with His Holy Spirit to keep it and do it, through Jesus Christ, His Son, our Lord, amen.
3.Sermon; The example of Mary and the shephards
*On the second day of Christ. )
From the example of the virgins of Mary and the shepherds.
We want to act out the Gospel of the shepherds to the full. Yesterday we heard how God made His angels, the dear princes, become preachers, and sent so many glorious, beautiful, heavenly spirits,
that they should preach to two or three shepherds and poor beggars about the child JEsu and sing a beautiful song. The same song is now followed in the Historia:
Luc. 2, 13-20.
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 young 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.
First, the shepherds show that the angels' preaching and singing were not in vain. For they do not let their flocks be so dear to them; they set out and want to see the little child, whom the angels themselves call a Lord. This is the fruit that follows from the angels' preaching.
*) Held in the house on St. John's Day, December 27, 1534.
The other fruit is that the shepherds also become preachers and tell everyone what they have heard about this child. They go and preach in the inn and elsewhere what they have heard and seen. We should follow this example, seek Christ in the Word, believe in Him and confess Him publicly before everyone.
- on the other hand, you can see how the people
1492 L. 4, 141-143. On the second day of Christ. W. XIII, 192-195. 1493
to the newborn babe. For the evangelist says: "All who saw him were amazed at what the shepherds had said to them. They all marvel, but very few believe. For most of them it was such a miracle that did not last long. For this is seen in experience, that God has such people under his command, he does them good or bad, he prods them or gives them good words, and it is soon forgotten. It is a shameful thing for a man's heart that it so soon forgets a thing and drives our Lord God always, that he always has to perform new miraculous signs and punishments, otherwise we should be brave and remember his good deeds, otherwise it will soon be forgotten. So this is also to be understood here, that the evangelist says, all, before whom it came, marveled at the speech. It was said of this story about a quarter of a year ago that a child was born in Bethlehem, when the angels preached of 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 it, and after that, for more than thirty years, when the Lord appeared, preached and performed miraculous signs, it was completely silent, and no one knew anything more about the fact that such a child had ever been born in Bethlehem.
4 And we are no more pious. For there is hardly anyone among a hundred, yes, I would have said a thousand people, who still remembers the misery and wretchedness they suffered in the papacy fifteen years ago, when the poor consciences were crowded in all places and could find no thorough consolation anywhere. All the toil, labor, expense and hardship, which was innumerable, has been forgotten and concealed. 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. While they were in Egypt, there was no end to their wailing, crying and weeping. But what happened after that, when God had brought them out of Egypt by His strong hand? They were barely three
After they had been in the desert for a few days, they had already forgotten everything and wished to be back in Egypt. Such an unholy thing is the heart of man, which so soon grows tired and weary of a thing, and so easily forgets the great plague and torment. Not to mention that it should remember the good deed, which happens even less; as the saying goes: Nihil citius senescit, quam gratia: Good deed is soon forgotten. If God is very angry, punishes with pestilence and all kinds of illness, lets this or that plague come upon us, it is just as if one were to write with a pen in the water or in the air. Because it hurts and lies on the skin, it hurts; but as soon as it is over, it is immediately forgotten, as if it had never hit us. So the evangelist also says here: "The people are amazed; but it lasts, as I said, a dance at the high mass. But here we find some pious disciples and children who are not so forgetful and careless as the world is; for the evangelist says:
But Mary kept all these words and moved them in her heart.
Thirdly, in Mary we have an example of those who hear and keep the Word of God. "Mary," says the evangelist, "kept all these words, and moved them in her heart." That is, she diligently pursued it, just as those who firmly hold God's word, seek it 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 the nefarious spirits, who hear it with one ear and let it out to the other, preach to them as long as they want, they keep it as long as a stroke is to be seen in the 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: What does it mean? It is exceedingly great that I should be the mother of the child, with whom the heavenly angels are, preaching and singing about him: Let him be the Savior of the world, Christ the Lord. With such thoughts it went so deeply into her heart-
1494 L. 4, 143-145. On the second day of Christ. W. xm, 195-108. 1495
Although the whole world would have been against it and said that this child was not the Savior of the world, no one would have been able to take it away from her or talk her out of it; she would have firmly maintained that her son was the Son of God and the Savior and Lord of the whole world.
(7) We should follow the example of the holy mother of the Lord (for this is why it is prescribed for us) and also 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 seal upon thy heart, and as a seal upon thine arm." There he wants his word not only to float on our tongue, like a foam on the water, or slobber in the mouth, which one sprays 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 inside, and a natural thing, which cannot be scraped out. Such a heart was 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 seal and mark, and do not allow the word to be taken away from them, for the spirits of the mob or the devil himself will rise up in a moment. 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. Now follows further:
The shepherds returned, praising and glorifying God for all that they had heard and seen, as had been said to them.
(8) Fourth, after the shepherds have seen the infant Jesus and have shouted about him everywhere, so that the whole city of Bethlehem knows to tell about it, they go back to their flocks and praise God, singing and saying: Praise be to God, who has revealed to us the newborn child and has found him; as they had heard and learned from the angels, who sang: "Glory to God in the highest" 2c.
- this is also a fine, good 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, like the mad monks and nuns into the monasteries; but stick to their profession and thus serve their neighbor. For the right faith does not make such people who leave the outward life and start a new one, as the mad monks thought that one should become blessed in this way, if one only presented oneself outwardly differently from other people. They did not eat meat (for eating meat was a mean thing), but ate fish; they did not watch and sleep like other people, they chose and kept certain days, so that they only had something special in front of other people. And yet all their doing was only an outward thing, which stood in food, drink, time, days, persons 2c. So they were spiritual, and thought that the Christian state stood in such outward things. But they were spiritual from the devil, who is also a spirit; as St. Paul calls such devilish spirituality a spirituality of angels, Col. 2, 18.
(10) But Christ does not come to change outward things, or to disturb his creature and make it different. Therefore, one should clothe the body according to need and as is customary, give it food and use it for work. This is God's creature and order, so he lets it stay. He did not come to change anything about it. We can do this for ourselves, if we need other clothing and food, which is a bad, small change, since we do not need the Lord Christ, not to mention that such a change would be praised for worship and spirituality, since a cow and a sow can also make such a change.
(11) Now this is the true change for which Christ came, that a man might be changed inwardly in his heart. Just as I now have a different heart, courage and mind than I had before in the ministry: before the dear gospel came to light, I thought that God would not take care of me; nor did I think that I would serve God if I remained in my profession and carried out my ministry; in sum, I did not know how to serve God.
1496 L. 4, 145-147. On the second day of Christ. W. xin. 193-201. 1497
I did not know how to overcome sin and death, how to go to heaven and how to be eternally blessed. I thought that I would have to accomplish this with my works, and for this reason I became a monk and became sour with blood. But salvation is not found in caps, clothes, not eating meat, fasting and the like; death cannot be strangled with them, nor can sin be eradicated, but both sin and death remain under a gray or black cap as well as under a red or blue skirt. But it is because of this that the heart is enlightened and, as reported above, receives a new seal, 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, so that through him I may overcome sin and death and have eternal life.
This is now the right change. For my heart did not know or believe this before. But now it knows and believes, and for this reason it has a new and entirely different mind than before. This is what our dear Lord Christ does, so that the heart and soul get a new and different mind, will, desire and love, so that where before a man stood by money and goods, now, after he has come to the knowledge of Christ, he puts away not only money and goods, but also body and life, before he would leave Christ and his word. Before, his heart would not have wanted to lose a penny for the sake of faith; now he would not let himself be deprived of Christ, even if it cost a thousand worlds.
(13) Many before that time thought, 'If I am to be saved, I must put on a monk's or nun's cap. Now, if they were to put it on you, you would sooner come to 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 bishops, yes, to the devil himself: Kiss me on the hand; why should I not eat it, or fear sinning for it? This is called an inward change and change of heart, since the heart gains a different mind and will from God's Word than before, and
remains in his profession and outward nature as before, as we also see in the shepherds.
(14) 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 searched for the child. When they have found him, preached about him and thanked God for such grace and revelation, they return to their flock, wearing the same robe and staff as before, remaining shepherds and changing nothing in their outward conduct. This is called Christian teaching and living. For Christ did 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, food or anything else, but will float in the air like the angels and shine like the beautiful stars. Then the outward appearance will also become different; then we will not eat, not rest, not sleep, not wear a skirt 2c. But before that day all outward creatures shall remain as God has ordained them, and no change shall take place.
(15) According to these things every man shall judge himself in his estate and profession, and shall live chastely, righteously, and godly, knowing that such an outward character shall not hinder the Christian faith. Christ also does not ask whether you are a man or a woman, an emperor or a stableman, a mayor or a henchman; he leaves all this alone and says: "You shall be obedient to God in this status and life and not turn away from it.
(16) 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 only serve God in a contemplative life of fasting and prayer. No. 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 man remains man, woman remains woman, emperor remains emperor, citizen remains citizen.
1498 L. 4, 147-149. On the second day of Christ. W. xm, 201-203. 1499
And let every man in his profession know God, and praise him: and he shall serve him aright. For he hath no need of thy hair shirt, nor of thy fasting, nor of thy bonnet; but that thou mayest be obedient in thy station and profession, and praise his Son: so servest thou him aright.
(17) So also we see in the prophets that our Lord God is angry where the heart remains unchanged, and yet people consider themselves pious for the sake of their outward works and worship. Why do you trouble me with your sacrifice? says Isaiah 1, Jeremiah 7 and Psalm 50: "Go, eat your own flesh, and have an evil year for it; if I need it, I will get it sooner than you offer it to me; yet have I not commanded you. But this have I commanded you, that ye should obey my voice, and praise me, and give me thanks. I have given you sheep, cows and oxen to eat, and you will court me with them as if I had to beg them from you. That the prophets are also concerned that the heart be changed and that we be right-minded toward God above all things. God is willing to put up with this, and does not desire any change; we do what each person's profession requires. This is why the shepherds should go and do their work cheerfully, with joy and gratitude, just as they did before, without praising and glorifying God in the process.
18 Thus, in Vitis Patrum (Lives of the Fathers), Paphnutio was described. He thought he was a great saint, and when he wanted to know to which saint he could be compared, he was told that he was like a piper who whistled for the peasants to dance. As soon as he went, he asked the piper: "Dear, what good have you done? The piper answers: I have done nothing, except that I have whistled the peasant to the dance, and once I was present when my companions wanted to ravish a maiden,
I defended him and saved him. Another time he asked again, "Who is he like? He was answered: Two wives. He also asked them, like the piper, "What are their good deeds? Then they answered: We know of no special holy life; we have our house and children, and we wait for them as much as we can, and we keep ourselves so that we two have never quarrelled nor quarreled. Then the old man went and said: "Now I see that one should not despise any class, however small it may be. One can serve God and be pious anywhere, and God will be pleased with anyone who only fears Him and does right, no matter what his station.
(19) These things of the old father, the piper, and two wives, I respect, were not done so, but were written for a good example, that all the world might be warned to beware of monasticism. For the fact that you are a Christian and pleasing to God does not depend on the outward life, but on the left teat and on your heart, so that you know that Jesus is the right Savior and comfort yourself, thanking and praising God for it. Then God will put up with the other outward life or state. Therefore, we must learn and diligently observe that we do not tear the Christian faith from the Word, nor put godliness into a gray cap, or into such a garment as the eleventh has feathers. Just as the preachers' monks have turned their clothes inside out, not otherwise than as one does on Shrovetide. Such is against the current and thorough opinion of the Christian faith: it wants to have the heart. It should be done by heart, as God has demanded and is customary for everyone. This shall remain until that life, when the body shall also become beautiful and pure. In this life we may wear the unclean skin, but there we will become completely pure. May Christ our Savior help us, amen.
1500 L.4, 149-1S1. On the Sunday after Christ Day. W. xm, 230-234. 1501
Sunday after Christmas Day; Luc. 2, 33-44
On the Sunday after Christmas Day.
1.Sermon
First sermon.*)
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 that shall be confuted (and a sword shall pierce through thy 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 had lived seven years with her husband, after her virginity, and was now a widow of four and fourscore 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 taught again in Galilee, in the city of Nazareth. But the child grew and became strong in spirit, full of wisdom, and God's grace was with him.
This history took place when the infant Jesus was six weeks old and was carried into the temple according to the way of the law, to be presented to the Lord, as the firstborn infants were used to be, and to be redeemed with a sacrifice, that is, with a local florin (quarter florin) and a pair of turtledoves 2c. As your love will listen to the feast of the sacrifice of the baby in the temple.
(2) Then old Simeon, prompted by the Holy Spirit, came into the temple, took the infant Jesus in his arms and preached about him. He had received an answer from the Holy Spirit that he should not see death, because he had seen the Christ of the Lord before. The same answer is fulfilled at that time. For Simeon sees the Christ of the Lord, and sings of him that he shall be the Savior and light, which shall not only shine in Judaism, as in a lantern, but shall also be a public light to all the Gentiles. But of the song of old Simeon we shall hear in his time.
3 The same song is followed by today's Gospel. Simeon sings that the child is a savior, whom God has prepared before all peoples, and a light that will illuminate all the nations.
*) Held publicly, 1531.
shall illuminate the Gentiles. The child, he says, shall not be a small, secret light, as before God shone with his light only in the Jewish people; but a great, public light, which shall shine as the bright sun in the whole world. Mary and Joseph marveled at such singing and glorious testimony, which Simeon gave to the child. And this is why the evangelist says: "His father and mother marveled at what was said of him.
(4) That the evangelist calls Joseph the father of the Lord Christ, he does not mean that he was his true, natural father; but as other men looked upon this child, and as other men called Joseph, so he speaks of him. For above he has made a mighty enough reproach, saying that he was conceived of the Holy Ghost, and born of the virgin Mary. The holy scripture has the way that it sometimes speaks of a thing as other people speak of it. So the evangelist also speaks here as other people spoke of it and as Moses used to speak. The Virgin Mary also speaks in this way, as we will hear hereafter: "Your Father and I have sought you with sorrows." It was a secret work of God that the Virgin Mary was with child, which Joseph himself had to believe after the angel in the
1502 L. 4, 151-153 On the Sunday after Christ Day. W. XIII, 234-236. 1503
The dream had revealed this to him. Otherwise he did not know, just as we do not know, but must believe it, because the Scriptures teach and the Christian faith testifies that God's mother is a virgin. This should be noted, so that no one is offended by the fact that Lucas here freely says that his father was surprised; but know that this is said according to the common speech of the people. He speaks as Moses used to speak, who also calls the stepfather father, and as other people have spoken of this child.
(5) Now this Gospel has been set apart for this Sunday, because it says here, Joseph and Mary marveled at what was said of the young child. This has been interpreted from the teachings of Origen that it refers to the angel's speech to the shepherds, which we heard about during the feast. But it is said on the speech of the old Simeonis. The old father Simeon comes along and can hardly see the way in front of him for half an age; nevertheless he sees so clearly that he recognizes this child and praises that he is the savior and light of all the world. All emperors, kings and princes, he says, are darkness, but this child is the light of all the world. All the world is in death and condemnation, but through this little child the world will be saved. Summa, this child is the one of whom all the prophets prophesied. The words are briefly written by the evangelist, but Simeon undoubtedly finely deleted them. This was such a sermon, says the evangelist, that his father and mother marveled at it. For they had not heard this part, that he should be the light of the Gentiles, from the angel himself as clearly as Simeon speaks it. The others, who had heard it in the temple, would have despised it as a fool's speech, and thought that Simeon was drunk, or that old age was making him mad, and therefore he was speaking as a mad old man. How could this little child be the savior and light of the whole world, who is poor and has nothing but little wind, and his mother has hardly a penny in her purse? So the other people will have despised the speech of old Simeonis and thrown it to the winds. But Mary and Joseph were astonished.
Mary has heard much about this child, both before, when the angel brought her the message that she should give birth to God's son, and afterwards, when the shepherds tell her what they have heard from the angels. Nevertheless, she also had to wonder about this speech of Simeoni. She thought: "The angels said that this child would save his people from their sins; but Simeon made it greater and said that this child would not only be a savior prepared for all nations, but also a light to enlighten the Gentiles. They marvel at this.
(7) What shall we say to this? Did his parents also sin and do wrong, that they marveled? For it would seem that wonder is a sign of unbelief. Answer: No. For the fact that they marvel is a sign and indication of great, mighty faith and high understanding. Thus it is written of Abraham, Gen. 17:15 ff: "God said to him, 'You shall no longer call your wife Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. For I will bless her, and of her I will give thee a son." When Abraham hears this, he falls on his face and laughs, saying in his heart, "Shall a child be born to me a hundred years old, and Sarah ninety years old?" Although both he and his wife had grown old, and Sarah would be barren, yet it pleases him so well what God says to him that he believes firmly and surely, and through such faith becomes righteous before God; as the Scriptures testify: "Abraham believed God, and this was counted to him for righteousness," Gen. 15, 6; as St. Paul refers to this, Rom. 4, 3, and praises such faith of Abraham, saying: "Abraham did not doubt the promise of God through unbelief, but grew strong in faith and gave glory to God, and knew in all certainty that what God promises, he can also do."
(8) Therefore, just as Abraham, out of a righteous and strong faith, laughed with joy, so Mary and Joseph marveled, not out of unbelief, but out of a mighty faith and a high understanding. For this is the
1504 L. 4, 153-155. on the sunday after christmas. W. XIII, 23K-23S. 1505
The more firmly a man believes a thing, the more he marvels at it and becomes happy about it; but where he does not believe, he does not accept it and has neither joy nor desire for it. As if this were certain in my heart and I believed without any doubt that the infant Jesus, born of the virgin Mary, is my closest friend, my brother, yes, my flesh and blood, and his righteousness is my righteousness, his life is my life, as we have heard these days about the birth of Christ - if I believed this, I say, from the bottom of my heart, I would be so amazed and happy about it that I could not rejoice and be amazed enough, nor think enough about this infant.
9 With these words, St. Lucas praises both the mother's and the father's faith, that the mother was happy and of good cheer and could not have wondered enough that this child should be a light to enlighten the Gentiles, while all other kings and princes are a noisy dark night, even stuck in sins and death, silent that they should help others out of it; and she should be the mother of this excellent son.
(10) We should also have such astonishment at the gospel that we would be hopeful and joyful and boast about it: 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 gave me a whole skirt or a village, such a thing would make me so happy that I could not marvel enough at it. But what is it against this? Yes, even if I had the crown of the Turkish emperor, it is nothing against the fact that I am baptized into the inheritance of our Lord Jesus Christ, and he will say to me on the last day, and now already says to me: You are my dear brother; everything that is mine is yours, you shall live with me forever.
(11) But where can you find one who believes it and takes it to heart? We can all say we believe it, but that we do not believe it, we are soon to be convicted of that; for it follows
No joy, no wonder, no change in us. If this is called faith, then it is truly a cold and half-dead faith, otherwise we would not be frightened or angry, but would be happy and hopeful. For a Christian is a cheerful, hopeful, blessed man, who asks neither for the devil nor for all misfortune. For he knows that through Christ he is master over all these things.
(12) Therefore, in this amazement, the Virgin Mary will undoubtedly have had a particularly good and holy pride and hope, which was not in her, but in God's grace and mercy and in the infant Jesus; as Lucas finely indicates with these words: "She was amazed"; not because she was a mother of the child (although the same also belonged to her joy), but of that which was spoken of him. As all Christians do: they do not look at what they are and what they are able to do, but at what has been given to them; for this reason they do not boast about themselves, but about Him who has given and bestowed everything on them by grace.
(13) We preach this every day, and many of us, unfortunately, think that they can do it all too well. But God willing, we learned it with all our hearts and certainly believed it to be true, that through Christ we are made lords over all things. Everyone can well think of St. Petro and Paul that they share in the inheritance of Christ and live with him for eternity. But that I believe this about myself and you about yourself as strongly as we should believe, is lacking, because we do not yet see, feel or sense it in ourselves. So we think: St. Peter, Paul is a lord and prince over heaven and earth. But whether I am also a lord and prince over heaven and earth, I do not know. But what does it mean to believe? Because I do not believe of myself that I have become a lord and prince over heaven and earth through Christ, I certainly do not believe this about St. Peter and Paul. Item, because I do not believe that the heavenly inheritance was given to me through Christ, I also do not believe that Christ became man and was born to me and that I was baptized into Christ.
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(14) Therefore Lucas the evangelist spoke of the faith of the father and mother in a faraway way, saying that they marveled at it. For where there is righteous faith, the fruit follows, that one marvels and rejoices at the great grace and blessing that has come to us through this little child. But where this fruit does not follow and the heart does not marvel or rejoice, there is either no faith at all or not as strong faith as it should be. For if there were such faith, which would certainly believe that we poor sinners are placed in eternal life and righteousness, this should be felt with the least bit, so that the heart would be glad and courageous, so that we would not be so despondent in temptation and persecution, but would defy both the devil and the world and say: "Let sin, death, the devil, the world, the pope, the emperor, however wicked and angry they may be, what do I ask of them? If the pope and emperor take my life, they will have to suffer much more and have lost more than I have. They take from me the shell and the husk, but they cannot take from me the core and treasure, that through Christ I am freed from sins and have escaped eternal death and the wrath of God. If only this little child remains to me, then the other things that I cannot keep are gone. For a Christian is not set on this temporal and perishable life, as the world is set on it; but on the life to come, which is eternal.
(15) Therefore we should be amazed at what we hear about Christ and be confident and undaunted. But that we are still so frightened and afraid is a sign that we do not believe firmly enough that through Christ eternal life and the kingdom of heaven have been acquired and given to us. Well then, he who can, can; he who cannot, let him learn. There will be some who will marvel and rejoice at the abundant good acquired and given to us through Christ. To them this sermon is an eternal food, which they can never be satisfied with; as St. Peter says, that even the angels delight to look upon it. But a discontented, lazy spirit asks nothing of it, but turns to the fleshly
Consolation. If he has his god Mammon, wine, grain, food and drink, he thinks he has everything. Now let us also look at the prophecy of Simeoni.
And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this one is set for a fall and rising of many in Israel.
16 This is also a strange blessing. After old Simeon had said that this child would become a mighty and excellent man, a savior prepared for the salvation of all Christendom, and a light of blessed radiance to the Gentiles, at which high words Joseph and Mary marveled, he now goes on to say: This child will also be a fall and rise of many in Israel. That is, many, not only from the Gentiles, but also from the people of Israel, will be offended and angry at the Lord Christ, so that they will run and fall because of him; in turn, many will also be reformed and rise because of him. Now this is the title of the child of our dear Lord Christ, and this is how it shall be with him, and this is how he shall be kept in the world, so that many shall come to grief at him and fall, but many also shall keep him and rise up in him.
Therefore, whoever wants to be a Christian must act accordingly. For here one has no power to force anyone to believe. God has commanded the princes, mayors and executioners to compel; they shall compel in their regiment and drive by force all those who do not want to abstain from stealing, murdering, lying, deceiving and other vices. But here in the kingdom of Christ it is not so. If you want to believe, all right; if you don't want to believe, you can leave it; you will not be driven or forced with your hair. But another will come afterward who will force you in his time, so that you will no longer be able to resist.
18 "Yes," they say, "if I have so much time left, give me the shirt to go with the skirt. Well, that is decided: If you want to be a Christian and be saved, you must accept this king, who (as Simeon says here) is an angry king in the world, and over whom a great crowd, both among the Gentiles and in Israel, will be angry.
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But let no one doubt it, for there will always be those who will accept it and to whom it will not be annoying but rather beneficial.
19 This is a very necessary lesson, that we should not only consider Christ to be an offense to the Jews and a foolishness to the Greeks (1 Cor. 1:23), but also that he is a resurrection of many in Israel. We must not suppose that the great multitude will fall from him and most shamefully abuse his gospel; as we now see before our eyes that peasants and citizens unfortunately improve themselves on the Lord Christ in such a way that they do as they please. In the world it will never be any different: where this king is with his word and kingdom, most of the people will be angry and fall. You must get used 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 on 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.
(20) The first part especially is a grievous image, that Simeon saith the young child Jesus is set for the fall of many in Israel. The pope, and all that is great and high in the world, blasphemes our gospel, calls it heresy, and opposes it vehemently: not that they are offended at it, for they know very well that it is the truth; but that they rage and fight against it out of pure malice and courage to preserve their position and splendor; they do not ask much about Christ and his word, for the belly is their god. Therefore we will not count them here among the multitude that rebels.
(21) But they are the ones who are angry, who fight against it out of ignorance, that is, who become angry and displeased when they hear that this child alone is the Savior and light of the world. For they will not accept that our works and everything a man does to praise and honor God should be nothing. Shall all those be damned," they say, "who have lived for hundreds of years according to the old doctrine and faith? Do you think that God will keep the church so long?
I don't believe that anymore. That is the right main annoyance, since Simeon says here about.
(22) When thou seest it thus going, then say, It goeth aright, as it ought. For it is written that the babe born of the Virgin Mary, who shall be the Savior of all the world and the light of all the Gentiles, is set for a fall, not to those who know nothing of God, but to "many in Israel," that is, to those who are God's people, who have His word 2c. It is precisely to them that this child is set as a stumbling block, over which the worldly wise, the prudent and the saints run and fall and break their necks. For they cannot bear that their wisdom, their own righteousness and holiness should be nothing. Therefore, if they do not want to accept the infant Jesus, we must let him go, close our eyes and ears, and stand as if we did not see this case. For this child shall have the title that his gospel is called heresy, and this is one of his hopes, that many shall offend and be offended at him.
(23) The Jews also were exceedingly vexed, when Christ preached unto them, saying, Joh 8:24, 31 ff: "Ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins"; item: "If ye continue in my sayings, ye are my true disciples, and shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. As if to say, "If you are to live, you must have life through me and in me. Then they thought: What does the fool say? We have the prophets and Moses; we know what is right and what God wants from us, and this servant and fool wants to punish us all in such excellent ceremonies and ways, appointed by God Himself? It is vain heresy with his preaching and teaching. They went there, crushed their heads against Christ and fell.
(24) So now the Carthusians and monks (I am speaking of the best, for the majority of them, as I have said, are belly servants), call our teaching a devil's lie and heresy, say: I have prayed and fasted in my order for thirty years and let it go so sour, and the monks have not yet been able to understand it.
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Lutheran heretics may now say that all this is nothing? Well then, if fasting and praying do not please God, let us eat, drink, fornicate, and thus please God and enter the Kingdom of Heaven. These also take offense at the infant Jesus and fall down, so that they never get up again.
(25) If then thou wilt be a Christian, send thyself into it, and only be sure that thy Lord Christ, thou, thy doctrine, and all thy works shall not please the world. For here thou hearest that thy Lord Christ himself is a stumbling block and a rock of offence to those who are God's people, and that all who want to be great, mighty, wise and holy fret, stumble and fall over it. If you want to be taken for a fool, heretic and deceiver by them and their followers - for nothing else will come of it - then accept this Lord and King and be a Christian; if not, then you may be idle and still go to the devil; then the world will praise and honor you. So that whoever wants to be a Christian and live eternally after this life, must be an offence in this world with his Lord Christ and a fall to others, and be considered a devil's child, a heretic, a deceiver and a fool. This is the first image.
The other part is again a beautiful, comforting image, that Simeon says 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, rise up to him and, if need be, lay down their life and limb for his sake. They fall from their worldly nature, their own wisdom, power, righteousness and holiness. For they know that they cannot help themselves by their wisdom, works and merit. But if they are to be helped, he alone must do it, of whom it is written that he is the Savior and Light of the world. For this reason Christ is a desired man for them, and they are raised up in him and are saved through him.
(27) Now this child has two images: an angry image and a beautiful, comforting image. To some it is a fall, like a stick put in the way, over which they fall; to some it is a rising, like a rock on the
Ways to lean on and align with. The proud, hopeful and wise saints run headlong against him, recoil, blaspheme and curse him. But the fools, fools and poor sinners stand up against him and believe in him. What lies rises in him; what stands falls in him; what is lost and corrupt becomes blessed through him; what is foolish becomes wise; what is sinful becomes righteous and holy. Take comfort in this, for this child will not go out in any other way.
For many years I have worked diligently on this block, thinking about how I could preach about the Lord Christ in such a way that everyone would like it, and neither the pope nor the emperor nor the princes nor anyone would be offended by it. But it will not and does not do so. Therefore we may get used to it and learn here how to answer those who say that in the papacy everything was quiet and no heresy or dissension was heard; but after this doctrine arose, all misfortune was found, so that little or no good came of it. You may answer such blasphemers 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 that there will be mobs, sects, and all kinds of misfortune. But nevertheless the doctrine 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 will be redeemed and comforted by him.
(29) Such things the clever and the blasphemers will not look at, but only look at the fall and the trouble, which is not a happy look, but cannot be avoided, not because of the doctrine, which is pure, right and good, but because of men, who do not send themselves right into it and do not want to follow it. But consider the matter rightly, and freely admit: Is it not true? it would have been much better in the papacy that the falling away and trouble had gone, as now; for that it was all so quiet, and the devil ruled in all places with idolatry and false doctrine, and to hell with heaps.
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has driven. For who would not rather suffer temporal harm than eternal harm? As it was an unspeakable, even eternal pity that there was no real preaching, knowledge of God, nor worship to be found in the papacy.
(30) We have heard many times over the years that this has been discussed at many kingdom meetings, and that we would have liked to have everything settled and agreed upon, and to have preached in such a way that everyone would be pleased and no one would be offended. But it is certain that if you take away the trouble and the fall, Christ is already lost. For where a man comes into the world and lets himself be seen, there soon arises a tumult and a fall. Yes, say the pope, the bishops and the wise and mighty men of this world, we do not want to suffer this. Well then, if thou art wicked, resist it. Christ came to the Jews, did not ask them beforehand whether he should come or not, and caused a tumult in their land, and they could not prevent it. Now he has come to us through his gospel, without our knowledge and will, and is also causing a great commotion. If thou art wicked, ward it off; or if thou art wise, counsel the matter. There are many who dare to help the cause by human wisdom, but I will watch them. If they will end it, put an end to all division and strife, and make peace and unity, as they pretend, I will scratch out this text. Christ himself says, Matt. 10:34: "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." Therefore it will remain as Simeon says here: Many in Israel will fall in him; again many will also rise in him and be saved. Those who try to counsel this matter with human wisdom will not achieve anything else, except that they will not only fall and never get up, but will also have to fail. For they want to make Christ different than God the Father has ordered and placed him.
31 But where there is disagreement or other misfortune
The blame for this does not lie with the doctrine, but with the people who misuse the doctrine and the wise men who want to master and rule over Christ. If a stone or block is placed by the way, so that one should lean against it and stand up in case of need, what does the stone or block care that most of the people who are so foolish and foolish do not want to hold on to such a stone or block, but run against it with their heads and bump against it? This is not the fault of the stone, but of such foolish, blind people who do not walk right. So, too, what is the cornerstone Christ and his gospel doing that the great multitude is offended by it, falls and even shatters on it? but it was placed there by God, as it is written in Isa. 28:16, that they should believe in him and not be put to shame.
(32) Therefore let not the gospel be thought to be such a doctrine, which causeth nothing but strife, dissension, and all manner of mischief in the world, as the pope and bishops reproach it; as though they were altogether pure, had never muddied waters, nor given occasion to all manner of punishment and calamity by 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 the great multitude oppose this doctrine and will not let it have its own way; some also fall with their wisdom and will not let Christ be a case, but preach him in such a way that no one is offended by him: what wonder is it that God does not do with them in all ways as they would like?
This is the teaching of today's Gospel, from which we should especially note what Simeon prophesies about Christ, namely, that many in Israel will be offended and offended by him, but many will also be improved and raised up by him; so that we will not only not be offended by him, but also be prepared against the cry of murder, since all the aversions of the world will be laid on the dear Gospel through no fault of his. To this end, may God grant us His grace through Christ our Savior, amen.
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2.Sermon
On the Sunday after Christmas Day.
Second sermon.*)
This gospel begins happily with the old, pious, holy man Simeon, who wishes with great joy that he might die. There is a great rich spirit in him, as Lucas testifies: that he recognizes and holds the child, which he carries in his arms, not only for his Savior, but also for the Savior of the whole world and the light of all the Gentiles; and through such recognition he becomes so full of joy that he is willing to depart from this life, and says: "Lord, now you let your servant go in peace," or, as we would say: HER, now will I die cheerfully. This is a great, mighty change and courage, that the man now prefers death to life. He does not wish to live longer; indeed, he thinks that if he should live longer, he would have a hard, miserable life. Therefore he says: "My heart's joy is that I will die soon. This, I say, is a great and excellent heart and a mighty spirit, which thinks that death is better than life, and calls his death and departure from this world a journey into peace and good days. Such is not the work of man, but of the Holy Spirit.
- joyful is the beginning of this blessing; but behold, how sour goes out this blessing! Simeon is joyful, and does not wish to live any longer, nor even for a moment. For he knows that his blessedness will soon begin, as soon as he has died. But to the child and the mother Mary he gives a wondrous blessing, saying, "Behold, this one is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel," 2c. "And a sword shall pierce through thy soul." Does this mean fine sweetly blessed? Simeon has make good. He departs, saying, With peace and gladness I go. But the mother and
*) Held publicly, 1535.
the child he leaves behind, they shall eat the sour: the child shall be a fall of many in Israel, and a sign that is contradicted; the mother's soul shall be pierced with a sword.
(3) But it is not prescribed that this blessing should be for the infant Jesus and the mother Mary alone, for they had no need of it: but it is written for our learning, that we may be instructed thereby, and know what the world is, and may also judge ourselves according to it. As Simeon himself says, "That the thoughts of many hearts may be made manifest." As if to say, That the child should be set for the fall of many in Israel, and that a sword should pierce the soul of the mother: This shall be done, that the thoughts of the heart, which were otherwise hid, might be made manifest, and that it might be known what was in them.
4 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, revealed it and brought it to light. For before this time, before the gospel arose, there were many excellent, fine people in the papacy, who kept themselves respectable and chaste, fine, benevolent people, since one could have sworn that they were pious, faithful hearts. Likewise, among the papists one still finds wise, prudent, sensible, and in all kinds of arts excellent people. So that the world, when it is at its best, shines most beautifully because of its art, wisdom, discipline and respectability. These are all fine, wise, honorable, disciplined, and sensible people, as long as the gospel is not there; but when the gospel comes, they are such people, to whom, as Simeon says, the infant Jesus is set for a fall.
- after that, in the spiritual regime, first of all the devil himself comes and disguises himself to the
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Angel of light. For there he sets up so many beautiful appearances, spiritual orders and ranks, which shine so brightly that the whole world is blinded by them, and whoever sees such spiritual beings must smack his lips with devotion and say: Oh, these are beautiful services, these are devout, holy people, and fine, humble fathers. That all reason is caught up in such beautiful appearances, both in worldly virtues and spiritual being, that where it would have remained so and should remain so, they would all have gone to the devil, in the beautiful appearance of great honors and holiness. Solomon speaks rightly, Ecclesiastes 8:14: "It is a vanity that is done on earth. There are the righteous, and it is as if they had the works of the wicked; and there are the wicked, and it is as if they had the works of the righteous. I said, this is also vain." This means: The ungodly lead an ungodly life, yet their name and reputation is glorious in the eyes of the world, and they receive thanks and rewards as if they were the best and holiest people on earth. This is the way of the world, reason cannot judge otherwise.
- But when the gospel comes, and the preaching of the infant Jesus is preached, it is found that those whom all the world before thought to be living saints are the greatest sinners, the wise the greatest fools, the sensible the most foolish and foolish, the quiet and gentle hearts the most bloodthirsty murderers, and certainly the gospel has no worse enemies than what are highly understanding, reasonable, wise, virtuous, holy people in the sight of the world, be they woman or man, peasant or commoner, noble or base. Yes, the more highly they are adorned with such virtues, the more bitter enemies they are and the more vehemently they rage against the gospel. So also in the spiritual state: the more a monk is devoted to his rule and order, the more he has prayed, the more strictly he has fasted; the more angry and furious he becomes when the gospel comes up.
(7) This is what Solomon says: "The world walks in the most beautiful honors in both the spiritual and the temporal regiments. In the worldly regime, where it is best, there is a vain virtuous life and glorious deeds; in the spiritual, there is a vain great exercise, prayer,
Fasting, and the like, so that everyone thinks they are all angels and children of God: the clergy before great holiness, the worldly before great wisdom and virtue. Who could believe that under such appearances such poisonous hearts would be hidden? There is no book of law and no art in the wide world that could teach, even see or judge such things, except this sermon of Simeoni about Christ and the holy gospel, which stings 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 the same fine, pious people and glittering beautiful saints, so that they burst out and let it be seen before all the world that they are basically murderers, liars and poisonous bad boys.
- There is many a fine prince who is highly gifted with reason, wisdom and understanding, and adorned with an honorable life, desires from the heart to preside over his people rightly, is not stingy, not a taciturn, 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 open people's mouths with it. But let the gospel come, and you will find that there is nothing but hypocrisy with such pious gentlemen; prove it also by the fact that an atrocious murderer, who sheds much innocent blood, goes about with evil practices, and falls from one sin into another over the gospel, and tries everything that he can hinder or curb; that one must say: Who would have thought that such great sin should be under such a beautiful, holy life? No one stings nor breaks up such filth and unkindness, but the holy gospel, that such poison comes to light.
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(9) There are also many excellent people among the nobility, and likewise among the citizens, of whom no one could have thought that such an ungodly nature, contempt for God and persecution of His word, should be hidden. But no one brings it out of them, so that it comes to light and is revealed, except the gospel of Christ. When this is preached in public, it breaks out, so that whoever sees it must be astonished and say: "Well, I would never have believed that such devilish, murderous poison should be in such pious, wise and holy people. I would have thought that if anyone would accept the gospel, it would certainly be those who have the name of being spiritual and holy. But now it turns out that the gospel has no fiercer or more ferocious enemies than the pope with his clergy, cardinals, bishops, high schools, doctors, monks, priests, who should promote it with all diligence.
(10) This is what Simeon means here, when he says to Mary: "The little child whose mother you are will make such a noise in the world, will make the people obvious who everyone, and they themselves, thought were living saints. Then the thoughts of the hearts will be revealed, so that one can say: 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 a hostile, vengeful envy, hatred, horrible blasphemy and contempt of God, idolatry, murder, etc., that it is impossible to tell everything, that it is not possible to tell everything; he cannot hear God's word and the truth, nor suffer 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. Thus, says Simeon, this child will reveal the hearts, so that it will come to light what the people are.
(11) Neither would I have thought, when the dear gospel came, that the world should be so wicked; indeed, I think that everyone should have leaped for joy when they heard that they had been saved from the abomination of the priesthood, the miserable urge and compulsion of the
I thought that the bishops and high schools should accept it with all their hearts, especially the bishops and high schools. And especially, I thought, the bishops and high schools should accept it with heart. But what happened? For the sake of such preaching they trample us underfoot, and no one is more hostile to us than the clergy and high schools. If I had known this before, when I began to preach and write, I would not have opened my mouth or moved a pen, but said: "Dear nobles, if you do not want to suffer the truth, then go to the devil, which you are. But God has done well that he did not let me know this before. For in his secret counsel he said, "Preach on, and in the meantime hold fast to the opinion that these are pious, devout, holy people; but in his time I will reveal the thoughts of their hearts.
(12) Therefore, from the gospel we are to know the devil and his members well, 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 believed this before, nor would I have looked for it in any man's heart, that such great contempt for God and his word should be in it. But now the gospel has come, which opens the hearts and shows that they despise and persecute God's word and its preacher; so that the beautiful angels become vain devils. Now I see that the pope, bishops, princes, nobles, citizens and peasants are full of devils, because they not only do not accept the blessed teaching, but also 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 with his word is a revealer of the thoughts of many hearts, so that one becomes aware of what is in the people, namely, that beautiful, fine, reasonable, honest people are possessed with the devil, and in them is the greatest, most poisonous fury and rage against the gospel and its ministers.
But why does he reveal it? To us
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Instruction; then also for consolation. For instruction: that we should not be frightened when we see such excellent, wise, fine, honest, holy people become such devils, that we must marvel and say: This is such a fine prince, such a fine citizen, such a pious 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 and tells you the cause, saying, "Before, the thoughts of the heart were hidden; but now he who is called the Revealer of hearts is coming, and he is revealing the thoughts of men, which neither they nor others have seen before; and they must come to light and be revealed, so that afterwards it must be said: Was this before such a gentle, kind man, and is now such a devil.
It is true that before this same gentle, kind man was already such an evil devil in his heart, because he was thought to be pious; but he was too beautifully adorned and his heart and thoughts were not so in the day. But now, because the gospel shines under his eyes, one sees what was in him, that it was all lies, deceit and murder ever with him.
(15) All that the world does, from the highest lord down to the lowest servant, is all hypocrisy; and the more reasonable, honorable, pious and holy they seem, the more shameful hypocrites they are. The world does not see and understand this. But when the child Jesus comes with his gospel, he reveals that they are full of poison and blasphemy. So they have been all along, when they seemed to be great saints, adorned with virtue, respectability and righteousness; but they have kept and kept under the left teat. Our Lord God has closed a window with his gospel, as Simeon says here, so that it can be seen, and they can no longer hide it.
16 Secondly, such a revelation of the heart is also a comfort to us, because the world does not want to tolerate God's word, nor does it want to suffer, and yet it keeps up such a holy appearance that we are not frightened by it, but rather conclude that it is all beautiful,
holy appearances, wisdom and righteousness are nothing but hypocrisy, and vain sin and condemnation before God. The world of the wicked thinks that they want to go to heaven; as St. Paul Apost. 26, 5, says of the Pharisees that they are the strictest sect, and work diligently day and night with worship, so that they may come to the promise of eternal life; they strive for it and hope to become eternally blessed. Our monks and hypocrites do the same today, thinking that they will be saved by their fasting, praying, and so on. Whoever sees this, and does not know or understand this prophecy of the old Simeonis, considers such people to be holy, and thus thinks: If anyone is blessed, then those will be blessed who have the appearance of great holiness.
17 Then Simeon comforts and warns us, saying, Beware of hypocrites, and be of good cheer. No matter how much they fast, pray, and chastise themselves, the devil is buried under such glittering holiness; he drives them so that, even though they have been hidden for a while, they finally break out, blaspheme God, reject His word, and trample underfoot His servants, steal, and rob. 2c. In sum, they are in the most terrible sin and wickedness to the highest. Therefore, all that they do, even if it is glittering and shining, is still false and vain hypocrisy of the devil.
(18) What is it now but stolen and robbed, that the tyrants and hypocrites of this day drive out of house and home many poor people who hold to the preaching of the gospel and to the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, and take from them their goods and their bodies? Yes, they say, we do not do this for ourselves, but must do it for the sake of God and in the name of the Church. Adorn yourself as you wish, but it is still a theft and robbery of life and goods from poor people. So these hypocrites rob the poor people, and yet they do not want to be called peelers, thieves and robbers, but noble princes, respectable noblemen, honest citizens and pious honest men, and yet they are peelers, thieves and robbers in their skin. Well, here it is written that it will be so;
1522 L.4, 171-173. On the Sunday after Christ Day. W. xm, 264-267. 1523
And just as it is written here, so it is today. Before the gospel they did not do this, they did not offend anyone, did not chase anyone away, did not steal anyone's goods, did not shed anyone's blood, but were pious, virtuous, holy people; But now that the gospel has come, it has been found that these same pious, holy people have fallen and contradicted one another, and have begun to rage, to persecute, to rob, and to murder; and yet they do not want to be robbers, murderers, and scoundrels, but godly, honorable, upright princes, noblemen, citizens 2c.
(19) This revelation of hearts is also a comfort to us, so that we may know that everything that is not Christ and in Christ is false and hypocritical, whether it is a Christian, a noble, honorable, virtuous prince, nobleman, man or woman. For what does it help that a Carthusian suffers much, a nobleman, a pious citizen, gives much alms, a virgin is chaste, and yet blasphemes and persecutes God in that he is hostile to the Gospel and cannot stand it? What does it help that a prince gives so many goods to the monks in the monastery, builds and endows churches, chapels and altars, and nevertheless remains God's enemy and a murderer of Christians? What good is it that they think they are going to heaven, and yet they are blasphemers and murderers, and do against all God's commandments?
(20) But this sin and wickedness is not revealed anywhere else except through the gospel, as has been said. Before the gospel, people did not do this, but now that the gospel has come, there is hatred, envy and persecution against God and his word. It may have been in them before, but they were able to hide themselves. Their heart was also thieving, murderous and bloodthirsty before, but it was hidden; but now it bursts out, and they do what they did not do before; and yet they say that they are not thieves, robbers and murderers, but pious people who do no harm to anyone. This alone rises above the infant JEsu, who is set as a sign of falling and contradicting. Such a thing must be accustomed and let go; for it is prophesied here of Simeon, that it shall so go.
Therefore let us be instructed and confident. Therefore we should be instructed and confident that we can conclude against all appearances and say: Everything that is in the world apart from Christ, be it so high and delicious, even if it appears to be angelic, as it always wants to be, and is called holiness, honorable life, virtue, discipline, honor, etc., it is nothing more than a cover of shame, under which the highest wickedness, even the devil himself, is hidden.
- It is not evil in itself that there is wisdom, discipline, honor and honorable life in the world. 2c. But if one wants to draw such things before God, it becomes a cover of shame, so that the abominable sin is covered, which is called blaspheming God and persecuting His word. It is not evil to be sensible, wise and virtuous; for these are fine jewels and gifts of God. But this is the devil, that they misuse such glorious gifts of God, such beautiful virtue, respectability and chaste life as a cover of shame, and under the same pretense blaspheme and persecute God.
(22) It is quite a fine jewel and special adornment around a chaste virgin. But if the same chaste virgin wanted to go and murder her father and mother, then the beautiful virtue and chastity would only be the cover of a great villainess, murderer of father and mother. So these also seem to be pious and holy, and yet under such appearances they are so wicked that it is beyond all measure, so that nothing on earth can expose and reveal such wickedness, but only the gospel of the infant Jesus; as Simeon says here: O Mary, your Son will make all the world and the best, most pious people into nothing but knaves, scoundrels and murderers, who now go in, that they may be worshipped for wisdom and holiness. He will so pierce them with the preaching of his gospel that they will break out and prove themselves to be God's and the right Christians' worst enemies, so that they will say: Fie on you, little cat, how you have such a smooth bellow and sharp claws; you do as cats do, licking in front and scratching behind.
(23) So we are to learn here that the world, being the best, most pious and holy, is the devil himself in the flesh, and that such thieves, robbers and murderers are twice as bad.
1524 L. 4, 173-175. On the Sunday after Christ Day. W. xm, 267-269. 1525
are worse than otherwise murderers and evil people. Where a murderer has murdered one in the street, that is a horrible, horrible thing; but it is nothing against murder, if pabst, bishops, princes 2c. murderers become over the Gospel, engage in all kinds of practices and tyranny, whether they want to curb it. For there it is for the whole world, a whole country, city 2c. So also, where a thief alienates three hundred guilders from someone, that is certainly a great theft. But what is it against theft, if a great thief drives away many poor people from wife, child, house and farm for the sake of the Gospel, and is nevertheless called "Most Venerable in God Father", "Most Reverend Prince", "Most Pious Lord"? That therefore the pagan Cato said right: Big thieves hang the little thieves. Such thieves and murderers keep the pretense that they are pious until Christ reveals them through His Gospel and shows that they are enemies of God and murderers of Christians. Even though they were such before the gospel, it was covered up and hidden. But the gospel reveals them, and gives the name to the world, that they are God's enemies and murderers of Christians; and all men who are not Christians are blasphemers, murderers, thieves and scoundrels in the sight of God, even though before the world they seem to be the most pious, mild, virtuous and holy people.
(24) They do not like to be called evil. But we do not call them evil according to their worldly nature, but before God: before Him they cannot excuse themselves, but must suffer. For the gospel reveals their wickedness, and testifies that everything that is worldly is contrary to God and man. If a man's heart is so wicked against God, against His word and work, do not doubt that he will soon become a wicked man against men. If the heart is full of murder, then the tongue and fist will also soon become a murderer, if only it can have time and space for it. But the fact that Faust does not yet murder is not a lack of good will, but of time and space; otherwise Faust would not celebrate for long.
25 So the world has acted with the holy prophets, apostles, martyrs, yes.
with Christ himself. Because the world is not good in kind, it is not of kind. Therefore we should get to know it, that it is full of bad boys, enemies of God, thieves, murderers, yes, full of devils. This is how Simeon depicted it here, that it is full of deceit, blasphemy, enmity and hatred, favorable to people, murderous, seeking only its own. This is the world; and where they have time, space and opportunity, they go out, and also become by heart before men, as they are inwardly minded in their hearts. Wherever you see or hear something brave and honest in the world, say: If Christ is there, it is good; if Christ is not there, it is surely the devil, be it cap, rope, shirt, virtue, respectability 2c. In the sight of the world let it be piety, holiness 2c.; but in the sight of God everything is an abomination where Christ is not.
- Simeon also adds, "And a sword shall pierce through your soul." He says this to the mother Mary. For she had to see and experience all this, therefore Simeon speaks this also to the mother alone. But it is not a bodily torture that Simeon speaks of here, that it will happen to the mother Mary; but that happened to her, which St. Peter says of St. Lot, 2 Petr. 2, 7. f.: "The shameful people did him all harm with their lewd conduct; for while he was righteous and dwelt among them, so that he had to see and hear, they tormented the righteous soul from day to day with their unrighteous works." This is the sword that pierced Mary's heart, that her heart was wounded because all her life she had to see, hear and experience all the wickedness of the Jews, that God's own people were aroused against Christ, the Savior of the world. Before Christ appeared and preached, they were all pious people and holy fathers, especially the Pharisees, scribes and high priests; but when Christ appeared with his sermon, the thoughts of their hearts were revealed that under such beautiful holiness were hidden the greatest scoundrels and evil-doers, who denied, betrayed and crucified their own Messiah and King, the Son of God Himself. This is their life and limb
1526 L.4, 17S-177. on Sunday after Christ DayW . XIII, 26S-272. 1527
and has grieved her heart that she had to see and experience such things.
(27) As it was with the mother Mary, so it is with all Christendom, and with all Christians at all times, when the light of the gospel shines. The world is such a mischievous, wicked species that it pretends to be pious and beautiful, and yet under the pretense and cover of piety it commits vain murder, theft and all kinds of wickedness, which is revealed through the gospel. This is painful for the saints of God and Christians, it is their torture and anguish that they have to see such wickedness of the world. The sword does not pass badly through their hands and feet, nor does it cut them badly in the body; but it penetrates their soul. For the sorrow of the heart is above all sorrow, and the sorrow of the soul is above all sorrow. When the foot suffers, it is not necessary for the hand to suffer at the same time, although the hand, as a member of the same body, suffers with the foot. But when the soul suffers and the heart is sad, the whole body and all the members of the body suffer at the same time. That is why Simeon says that a sword will pierce through a mother's soul, and St. Peter says that righteous Lot suffered so much that his heart was tormented day and night.
(28) The whole world makes it so that it must hurt the Mother Mary, that is, the holy Christian Church. It is not good that the world lives in such a way that Christians have to groan about it; for it is certainly a sign of a great wrath of God that will soon burn. But the world does not let this happen, it stirs up the heartfelt groaning of pious hearts. St. Paul says, Eph. 4, 30: "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, that you may be sealed for the day of redemption." It is a tender, joyful thing, he says, about the Holy Spirit; he is your sure pledge that you may have eternal life. Therefore spare him, make him not grieved. How does this happen? When does the Holy Spirit become grieved? Then he is grieved when Christian, pious hearts are grieved when they see that their hearts are about to be broken. When this happens, there is certainly a wrath of God that is out of proportion. This is how it always happens in the world that a sword
The Christians are tormented, crucified and martyred, they are afraid and suffer. They preach, sing, say, admonish, punish, pray, ask, plead, and do what they can; yet they do nothing; they must suffer that their hearts are greatly grieved. But if this happens in the world, a great punishment will surely follow. One should leave the mother Mary and the Christian church satisfied, so that the sword does not penetrate their heart; but there is no end. Simeon said that it must happen in such a way that many a pious solder is made to sigh. And so the Christian church has had to sigh at all times. But what good has followed, the world has experienced with its damage.
(29) I have often said, and still say, that the nobles, as well as the burghers and peasants, do not do well by forcing upon their pastors, preachers, and other pious Christians many a heavy sigh that passes through their hearts and grieves them greatly. It is not good that the Holy Spirit should be so grieved, and that such heartfelt groaning of Christian hearts should be aroused; nor will anything good follow, as will be well known. The epistle to the Hebrews, Cap. 13, 17, says to the audience: "Make your teachers, then, who watch over your souls, do their office with gladness, and not with sighing; for that is not good for you." And the example of Lot is a strong, powerful testimony: the Sodomites afflicted him so that a sword pierced his heart, but what happened? As soon as Lot went out of Sodom, it rained brimstone and fire, and Sodom was turned upside down and sunk deep into the earth. Now what shall I say of our Sodom? She not only does wrong, and sins wantonly and wantonly against all the commandments of God; but also grieves the Holy Spirit that a sword pierces the heart of the Mother Mary, that is, of dear Christianity. God will not remain silent forever.
(30) Now we have heard from this gospel of two things which we ought to know. First, that which is not Christ is the devil, and yet adorns itself with the appearance and cover of godliness.
1528 L. 4, 177-179. On the new year's day. W. xm, 272-276. 15Zg
Secondly, that one should not grieve the Holy Spirit, lest a sword pierce the heart of the Mother Mary, that is, so that devout Christians are not grieved for our sake. It must happen that a sword
Simeon prophesied that it would enter a mother's heart, but blessed are those who do not cause it to happen. Again, blessed are they that cause it to come to pass. And that is enough of this gospel for this time.
New year's Day; Luc. 2,21
On the new year's day.
1.Sermon; From circumcision
First sermon.*)
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.
From circumcision.
This is a short gospel, therefore we will also preach short sermons about it. This day is called the new year's day, according to the Romans. We Christians begin our new year's day on the holy day of Christ, as the year shows that it is written: In the year after Christ's birth 2c. But the Romans begin the year on Calendis Januarii, that is, on the first day of January. The same way has remained with us Germans, because we are under the Roman Empire; as we have then much else from the Romans, as, the whole art of jurisprudence, item, a large piece of the Pabstthum, item, the Horologium, or the pointer, item, the names of the days in the week: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday 2c. The same new day of the year and other things we have from the Romans, we now leave aside.
002 Now because the feast of the circumcision of Christ was set on this day, it is expedient that we should preach of it this day. There are two circumcisions: an old circumcision of the Jews, and a new circumcision of our Lord Jesus Christ; they are far different. For although both circumcisions
*) Held in the parish church in the morning, 1531.
The circumcision of Christ and the circumcision of the Jews are so different, as far as heaven and earth are from each other. Cause, the persons are completely unequal and different. The person who is circumcised on this day surpasses all the others. For those who are circumcised in Judaism are as the earth; but this person, who is circumcised today, shines like the heavens, indeed, is above all the heavens.
- The circumcision of the Jews has its origin in the Scriptures, as can be seen in the first book of Mosiah, Cap. 17, 10. ff. It also has its definite time, how long it should last, namely, until this child, who is circumcised today. It first began with Abraham. God commanded him that he and all his household should be circumcised, and that whatever children were born of Abraham's seed from then on should all be circumcised on the eighth day after birth. God made such a covenant with Abraham that everything that was male and had the sign of circumcision on its body would be in the assembly where God was; God would be their God and take care of them as His people.
1530 L. 4, 179-181. On the new year's day. W. XIII, 276-279. 1531
Now it was not without the counsel of God that not only Abraham and his blood friends, but also all his household servants who were male, Abraham's seed or Gentiles, had to be circumcised, so that the Jews could not boast that they alone were God's people, and that the promise made to Abraham belonged to them alone. For as soon as the covenant with Abraham is established, it is included that Abraham's servants, both those who were born at home and those who were bought from all kinds of foreigners who were Gentiles, would also be counted in the number and multitude of the people and the children of God, since Abraham's blood children and body heirs belong to them; indeed, they are added to them sooner than Isaac, to whom the promise is made, is born. As soon as the covenant is established, Ishmael, born of the maidservant, and the purchased servants with their children, are circumcised. The right heir of Abraha, namely Isaac, comes over thirteen years later. Therefore the Jews must not boast so highly.
(5) Of this circumcision we have nothing today but the mere interpretation and example of faith. Just as other histories that have passed and been accomplished serve only to teach us the examples of faith. We must not do the same works that the circumcised Jews did, but we must have the same obedience and faith that Abraham had. So we preach of circumcision, not that we should be circumcised, but that in circumcision we should learn to be obedient to God, as Abraham was obedient. For because the Savior is born, who is Christ the Lord, as the angel announced to the shepherds, circumcision has now ceased. 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." Christ has lifted up this command and commanded that we be baptized and believe, if we want to become God's children and be saved.
- but the example we have from the old
God lets us see here how foolishly he attacks his cause, since he wants to help people, if one wants to judge according to reason; raise such a covenant that one could not conceive it more foolishly. Among the proud Gentiles it was the most ridiculous and foolish thing that ever happened on earth, that God, the eternal wisdom, should lay such a ridiculous commandment upon men (since we do not like to speak of it, indeed, we do not like to think of it), that a child of eight days, and especially Abraham, who was now ninety-nine years old, should be circumcised in that place, and afterwards all who wanted to join Judaism had to be circumcised. This was a very annoying thing among the Gentiles, hence the mocking, derisive names that the Gentiles gave to the Jews, called Recutitos, Apellas, and the like, only that they mocked them with it.
This is an example that God makes the world a fool. Everything that he prescribes shall not please the world, and again what the world prescribes does not please God either. This is how it is with all laws and commandments of God, that reason is offended and annoyed by them, as St. Paul says, 1 Cor. 1, 21: "Because the world through its wisdom did not recognize God in His wisdom, it pleased God through foolish preaching to save those who believe in it.
(8) What is more foolish, if reason should judge, which is also less rhyming with it, than that in the Lord's Supper, under the bread and wine, Christ's true body and blood should be eaten and drunk for the remission of sins? What good is a morsel of bread, says reason, or a drink of wine? Wait until you go to heaven with it. But if reason is to judge in the matters of God, Abraham also might have said to God, "Have you no other sign of the covenant between me and you than this foolish work of circumcision? But the Scripture says thus, Rom. 4:11: "Abraham received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness of faith."
9 It is the same with holy baptism. That a child who is baptized according to Christ's command is
1532 4, 181-183. On the new year's day. W. xm, 279-282. 1533
If a man is immersed in water, or water is poured on him, he is to be washed of sins and moved from the devil's kingdom into God's kingdom; then reason speaks blasphemously: How can water cleanse a man of sins? Yes, if sin were a black or red stain on the body, it would be believable; but because sin is in the heart, marrow and legs, the water will slowly come in and wash it away. So Abraham, too, could have said, when he received the command to be circumcised, "Dear man, what good is it for salvation to cut off such a little skin from the body on the eighth day after birth? Reason can neither say nor think otherwise, if it wants to be the wisest.
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 left such a command out of sight and listened to the devil, why God should have forbidden such things, she went away and fell into the terrible disobedience that 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. When God says or does something, you shall shut your mouth and fall on your knees, ask nothing else and say nothing else, but do what he tells you to do, listen to what he tells you to do, and let yourself like what he does. For God has decreed that all men are fools, blind, lying, wicked and so utterly depraved that they cannot see their own ruin; as Jeremiah says, Cap. 17, 9: "Man's heart is so hopeless and treacherous, who can fathom it?" Be silent, then, that they should or could understand God's word and work. Since we are of such a naughty nature, we should lay down our wisdom and believe his words straightforwardly. As in the Lord's Supper, when Christ says: "This is my body, which is given for you; this is my blood, which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins; we are to believe the words immediately. So whoever needs the Lord's Supper, and believes Christ's words, has,
as they are, namely, forgiveness of sins, and will be saved. He who does not do this, but says, "Why should I be a fool? God must act according to my wisdom and do as it pleases me: he is lost.
- So the old circumcision is an example of a fine faith, that Abraham and his servants were not astonished about such a command, but followed it straight away; 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 will have a different understanding, that it should be interpreted from the flesh to the spirit (just as our enthusiasts do); but have thus thought: God commands us a work, which seems foolish before our eyes; but if we want to be wise, we must become fools and let God's word be the eternal truth. From this you can understand how fine a bishop and preacher Abraham will have been, and how many servants he will have had from his own house and from the nearest Gentiles, who believed with him in God, who gave them such a foolish covenant. And let this be said of the old circumcision, which is an example of a fine faith in Abraham and his servants, from which we are to learn that we also do such things, not letting our wisdom and reason be deceived by the word of God.
(13) We must also speak of the new circumcision. The old circumcision was not to last longer than the law, that is, until Christ. This is clearly indicated by the fact that infants were not to be circumcised until the eighth day. For in the law there is a succession, as the third commandment teaches: Six days thou shalt work; on the seventh day is the Sabbath, and thou shalt feast and keep silence. After the Sabbath is the eighth day, when a new week begins, there is another and new circumcision, of which this gospel saith, that the young child Jesus was circumcised the eighth day.
14 This is a different circumcision than the old circumcision of the Jews. For with this circumcision our dear Lord Jesus Christ began to lead his ministry.
1534 L.4, 183-185. On the new year's day. W. xni, W2-W4. 1535
and to fulfill what the angel and Simeon preached about him, namely that he should be the Savior, who is Christ the Lord, and the true light, not only for the Jews in the narrow corner of the Jewish land, but also for the Gentiles in the whole world. He begins the ministry with this first work, that he is circumcised on the eighth day according to the law. For herewith he reaches into the law and annuls with his circumcision not only the old circumcision, but also the whole law. Circumcision, just like the law, was given to those who were conceived and born in sins and were guilty of eternal death because of their sins. Now neither law nor circumcision had anything to command Christ. For he was without all sin and a master of the law. The servants, that is, the people who were conceived and born in sins, belonged under the law of circumcision. But Christ was a Lord of the law and without all sin. Therefore the law had no right to him. But because he is circumcised as another sinful child, in the same way the law takes hold of him, and Christ in turn takes hold of the law and takes away its power. He could have reached into the mouth of the law by divine power and authority, as the lord of the law, and no one could have interfered with him, but with love and humility he wanted to make it good for us, so that we would accept it and be comforted by it.
(15) For his own person he had no need of circumcision, any more than for his own person he had need of obedience to his mother, or of dying on the cross. For his own person he would have had the right and justification not to be subject to the law. But he does it for our sake. For we need such a man, who would be without sin and fulfill the law for us and thus appease the wrath of God, or else must remain under the curse of the law forever. For this reason He put Himself under the law, and with His service and work He gained our freedom from the law; as St. Paul says, Gal. 4:4, 5: "When the time was fulfilled, God sent His Son, born of a woman, and put Him under the law,
That he might redeem them which were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children." That he put himself under the law he did not do for his own sake, for he had all the righteousness and holiness required by the law, even without that obedience which he rendered to the law. But he hath put himself under the law for our sakes, and such victory and right as he hath obtained in the law he giveth us, saying, Whosoever believeth on me, neither circumcision nor law shall bind him: for I was not guilty of keeping it, yet I put myself under the law, and kept it: and for this cause both circumcision and law are become debtors unto me, because they trespassed against me their Lord. Therefore whosoever shall cleave unto me with a right faith, both circumcision and law will I help him, that it shall not condemn him.
16 Therefore notice this difference, for all things are involved. Abraham comes under circumcision as a sinner; but the infant Jesus comes under circumcision not as a sinner, but innocent, and as the Lord of the law, who takes away the law's right and authority, even tears up the law, so that those who believe in him can no longer be condemned or caught.
(17) Therefore the feast of the circumcision of Christ is a rich sermon, of which there are hours enough to say that Christ, circumcised on the eighth day, put himself under the law, that he might redeem us, who were under the law, from the law. But because he redeemed us from the law, it follows that he also redeemed us from sin and death. For where there is redemption from the law, there is also redemption from sin and death, as St. Paul teaches, 1 Cor. 15.
- That it was necessary for us to be redeemed from the law is taught by St. Paul, Gal. 3, 13: "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law when he became a curse for us. But that circumcision does not make you blessed, he teaches, Gal. 5, 2. f.: "Where you are circumcised, Christ is of no use to you. But I testify to every one that is circumcised, that he is yet under obligation to do the whole law." And Gal. 6:13: "Those who are circumcised,
1536 n 4, 18S-W7. On the new year's day. W. xm, 284-287. 1537
do not keep the law. These are proud sayings, especially the last: "Those who are circumcised do not keep the law; they have been circumcised according to the flesh, but they do not keep the law. What else is this said, for by circumcision no one fulfills the law? The false apostles urged people to be circumcised and wanted to help people to salvation by keeping the law, which is impossible. For even if one is circumcised and talks a lot about keeping the law, God's commandment is still there, saying: "You shall love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your mind"; item: "You shall not let yourself be lusted after. Give me a person who has kept it or can keep it. Take the pope with his cardinals, bishops, monks, nuns, virgins; they say: They love God with all their heart, they are obedient to God with all their heart, they have no evil desire. But what does God say? O shameful hypocrite and false saint! You say you love me, but saying and doing are far apart. I do not ask for your saying, I want to have the doing.
19 What then is it that people are driven to the law as necessary for salvation, because the teaching of the law comes no higher, nor can it come any higher, than that it casts a curse on us? as St. Paul shows in Gal. 3:10 from the fifth book of Moses, Cap. 27, 26, where it says: "Cursed be every man that continueth not in all things which are written in this book of the law, that he should do them"; concluding therefore that all those who do the works of the law are under the curse. 21: "If there were a law that could give life, then righteousness would truly come from the law"; that is, if there were a law that could give life, then righteousness would first have to come from the law. For where life is to be, there must first be righteousness. But righteousness does not come from the law, for the Scriptures have decreed it all under sin. Therefore the law is not given, that it may
If the law does not make me alive, it cannot give life. If righteousness came from the law and the Scriptures did not resolve me under sin, I would just as soon say: I have kept the law and will be saved by my works, as the Pope and his followers say, who now curse and condemn me and my teachings. But no one keeps the law, as Christ also says to the Jews, John 7:19; indeed, as St. Paul says in Romans 4:15: "The law only causes wrath," shows us sin and condemns us; and 2 Corinthians 3:6, 7: "The law kills, the office of the law is an office of death and condemnation.
(20) Therefore there must be a higher and better preaching than the preaching of the law, which cannot do more than command, "Thou shalt love God with all thy heart, and thy neighbor as thyself," for we have kept none of these. Item: "You shall honor your father and mother." But where is such a child on earth who keeps this commandment with all his heart? An obedient child is not beaten with a rod. Since every father must discipline his child with a rod, as the Scriptures testify and say, it is a sign that there is no child on earth who keeps the fourth commandment. Now if you do not bring the teaching higher than the law, then we are all lost. If I had been given a law to keep, I would have said to Christ, "I have no need of you, for righteousness comes to me from the law. But there is still a long way to go. And even if we did the works commanded by the law, we could not stand before God with them.
(21) Therefore there must come a higher and better preaching than the law, namely, as this gospel reports, that Christ, the Son of God, allowed himself to be circumcised like other sinners, and yet was not guilty of it. Therefore, because the law transgressed against him, it lost all its right against him; and this victory he gives us, saying, "Since all you men cannot keep the law, much less be saved by it, for your sakes I have been pleased to give myself to you.
1538 L.4, 187-189. On the new year's day. W. xm, 237-239. 1539
under the law and redeemed you from the curse of the law.
(22) All those who are under the law do not know how they are with God. Let a man do what he will, but he must always say: I do not know if it pleases God. For the law cannot satisfy the heart. Indeed, the law has a disgusting effect, because to satisfy the conscience, namely, it reveals sin and kills. Therefore David prays, Ps. 143, 2.: "Do not go into judgment with your servant, for before you no living man is righteous"; and Ps. 130, 3.: "If you will, O Lord, impute sin, O Lord, who will stand?" No one can say, "Lord, I am well with you because I have done this and that work;" but everyone must be anxious and fearful. Because the law holds us captive and is our master, and we are its servants, it does not give us joy or a good conscience, but always hinders the joy of the heart. Therefore we must have something higher, greater and better to satisfy us. Now this is the gospel of Christ, who gave himself under the law to redeem us.
(23) The same gospel teaches us that because neither Jews nor Gentiles keep the law, though the Jews are circumcised, Gal. 6:13, and therefore all men are servants and captives of the law, Christ comes and says, "Dear people, I will submit to the law for your sake and be circumcised, so that I may gain a cause against the law and be able to say to it: Hear, law, I owe thee nothing, yet thou assailest me innocent; I am thy lord, yet thou makest me a servant, and takest away my innocence and right; well then, thou must serve me again, be my servant and prisoner; I will also take away thy right which thou hast to all men. But because I have no need of my right for myself, but have another right, that the law hath trespassed against me; the same my right, that I owe nothing to the law, I give to all them that believe on me.
(24) Therefore, those who believe in Christ will not be punished by the law of snowmaking.
They are not condemned by any law, but have Christ, who is the Lord of the law, who clothes and adorns them in his works and in his fulfillment of the law. By this the conscience is made right, as St. Paul says, Rom. 5, 1: "Now that we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ"; item, by this the law is fulfilled in us, Rom. 8, 3. 4."That which was impossible for the law (because it was weakened by the flesh) God did, and sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, condemning sin in the flesh through sin; that the righteousness required by the law might be fulfilled in us, who now walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
(25) Therefore, when the devil afflicts me and troubles my conscience and terrifies me with the greatness of my sin, I say, "My circumcision, my keeping of the law, and my diligence and obedience to God do nothing for me. But my Lord Christ's righteousness and innocence do. In spite of the law, that it may rebuke him, because the Father himself has said from heaven, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." In my piety and righteousness I completely despise. But I do not despair of my Lord Christ's righteousness, for he bears a testimony from the Father down from heaven. If I do this, I build on a certain foundation and am not put to shame.
(26) When I am thus clothed and adorned in Christ's fulfillment and righteousness, I come to love God and my neighbor; and where I still lack and lack, I have a precious shield in Christ, who overshadows me with his fulfillment and sustains me in grace. Earlier I thought I had to keep the law, but now I know that it is impossible for me to keep it. Therefore I hold fast to him who has kept it so purely that not a letter nor a tittle is missing on it, that it is not all done and kept. Because I have him, I do now what is to be done, love God and my neighbor; even if I fall and fail at times, it still harms me.
1540 - L. 4, 189-wi. On the new year's day. W. xm, 239-292. 1541
not if I only believe in Christ. Demi under the umbrella, which is Christ, I am covered. So I am pure and innocent, like the sun. But all for the sake of Christ, in whom I believe. Because I am found in Him, I speak cheerfully to the circumcision and to all the law: I am free from you through Christ, I must not give account to you; for Christ, who is Lord of the law, stands for me. Since I still live in the flesh and blood, I say with Paul, Rom. 7:23: "I see another law in my members, which is contrary to the law in my mind, and takes me captive to the law of sin, which is in my members." But according to the inward man and faith I do it not. When the flesh is angry or commits other sins, faith is lifted up and will not have it.
27 Thus Christian righteousness becomes whole and remains pure, so that I recognize myself as a poor sinner who can never do enough for the law. But for this reason I do not despair. For here I see that my Lord Christ took care of me and gave himself up for me under the law and did enough for the law. Then it follows that my heart must say: Listen, you must be obedient. For if God, my Lord, has done so much for me out of pure mercy and has given me his dear Son, should I not love him again with all my heart and be diligent to do what he has asked of me?
want to have me? Thus man becomes airy and friendly towards God and his neighbor, and thus follows after righteousness, so that he is clothed in and through Christ, the right fulfillment of the law, which is not forced but willing. Even though this fulfillment of the flesh is not yet complete but imperfect, the remaining sin in the flesh is swallowed up in Christ, who redeemed us from the law according to conscience.
28 And because I believe in Christ, I may be circumcised with the Jews, or remain uncircumcised with the Gentiles, but with a free heart, for the service and pleasure of others, as St. Paul circumcised Timothy. But that I should rely on circumcision I will leave; neither will I be compelled to be circumcised, as Titus was not compelled to be circumcised, though he was a Greek, Gal. 2:3. And as I do with circumcision, so do I with all the laws: because I am a Christian, and have him that is the Lord of the law, I keep no law compelled. Sayest thou: Yes, thou art condemned; I say, No; for I hold to him who has fulfilled the law wholly and perfectly, and know that it is the will of God: He that believeth on him entereth into the commonwealth with him, and hath the fulfillment of the law, and walketh not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. May the dear Lord Christ grant us this, amen.
2.Sermon; Jesu name
On the new year's day.
Second sermon.*)
From the name Jesu.
- your love has heard today the first part of the Gospel, namely, of the new circumcision of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which he has circumcised the old circumcision and all the gifts of the new circumcision.
*) Held in the parish church, afternoon, 1531.
has taken away the laws, so that they cannot condemn us. Therefore we also keep and celebrate this feast, so that we recognize such benefits and give thanks to the infant Jesus, who redeemed us from the curse of the law, because he became a curse for us.
1542 "L. 4,i9i-is3. On the new year's day. W. xin, M-M. 1543
2nd Now follows the other part, concerning the name of Jesus, which the evangelist has described with special diligence: that the child Jesus was not only circumcised on the eighth day, but also received his name in the circumcision, which name was not laid on him by men, but was ordained and set by God. For he was brought down from heaven, and announced by an angel, when he preached unto the virgin Mary, saying, Thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bear a Son, and shalt be called Jesus." Therefore the evangelist says that the child was thus named before he was conceived in the womb.
(3) There is much to preach about the name, whoever can, but we will speak about it as much as God will give grace. The child is called and shall be called JEsus. But "JEsus" means in German, a Savior. Mary gave birth to a son, who is called "Savior". That would be his right name in German. Some German it: ein Seligmacher; but it is not good German. Heiland is right, good German. But why this child has this name, the angel Gabriel indicates when he speaks to Joseph, Matth. 1, 21: "You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. That is why he is called Jesus, a Savior, so that he can help people in all their needs, here and there, outwardly and inwardly, temporally and eternally. As we use the word "Messiah", a king or anointed one; so we use the word "JEsus", a savior. We are to believe that he is our Savior, who helps us from the power of the devil.
Let us learn this name diligently, and let us know that this child alone is called Jesus, no one else, and let us well understand the interpretation that the angel Gabriel gives, that he is such Jesus and Savior, who makes his people blessed from their sins, who does not help them out of small troubles and loose temptations here on earth, as when one hears an evil word from his neighbor, or a cow dies. God has commanded the world to make such minor mistakes, which emperors, kings and authorities, who can help the country and its people, have fathered.
The rulers and mothers, who preside over their children, have masters and wives who can advise their servants, have physicians who advise and help with bodily diseases. Especially the rulers are healers, they are also called healers in the Scriptures, as in the book of Judges. But they are poor, little healers compared to this Savior, who alone has divine power and authority, that he is and is called such a Savior, who makes his people blessed from their sins.
(5) Whoever then takes this infant and lets him be his Jesus or Savior, let him be regarded as a Savior and Helper, not especially for this life, which he has commanded others (as has now been said), but for eternal life, that he may help from sins and what follows from sin, as death, the devil, hell. Against these enemies he is called a savior. For where sin is gone, death and the devil must also be gone. Now if you want to believe in this Savior, decide for yourself whether you also believe that there is another life after this life. If you do not believe that there will be another life in the future, you have enough salvation in the emperor, in your authorities, in your father and mother, who will help you with your body, money and possessions. But if you believe that after this life there will be another life, then you need this Savior and his help; he will help you from greater misfortune, from which neither emperor, father, mother nor anyone else can help. It is true that if emperor, father and mother and other people do not want to or cannot help, then the Lord Jesus will be there and will also help his own in bodily needs.
(6) But his special and chief office is not to save in time, but this is his chief office, to save from sin and eternal death. There also lies power. Therefore it depends on whether you also believe that after this life there is another life. Whoever does not believe this, cannot really recognize this Savior. And if you believe, in which pope, cardinals and bishops are, that after this life there is no other life, then I would not give a penny for your God; then do what you desire. For if no
1544 L. 4, 193-195. On the new year's day. G. xm, 295-298. 1545
If God is, then there is neither devil nor hell; and if a man dies, it is the same as if a tree falls, or if a cow dies, it is all over. So let us be of good cheer, eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall be dead, as St. Paul says, 1 Cor. 15:32.
(7) Therefore, whoever wants to know this child correctly should pay attention to the angel's words and diligently consider in what kind of evil this child is a savior. If you believe in another life after this life, you need this Savior; but if you have the Epicurean faith, which is now very common in all the world, then do what you desire. And indeed the same have best in the world who do not believe that there is a God, as I said about the pope and Romanists. For they do what they desire. And even I, if I "believed that there was no God, would want to rob, steal, lie, deceive, fornicate and cheat as much as another; if I were dead, I would be dead. For no one needs God for this temporal life; one lives as long as one can, after which everything is over. But where there is to be a God, as he truly is, there must be something more than this temporal life alone. The Ten Commandments should be enough of a testimony to this, if we had nothing more of God's word. Because God gives us His word, and speaks to us in His word, and teaches us what He wants from us, it is a sign that we humans must have something more than this temporal life. But where God does not speak to people, and people in turn do not accept Him, there is no other way than that they either become Epicureans and sows, or that everyone makes up a new faith for himself.
We have God's word and do not believe, as the pope, bishops, princes, nobility, burghers, ballers and almost the whole world now believes, who, asking nothing about eternal life, think only of this temporal life, collect money, seek honor and power, live in the rush 2c.; but we wait for another life after this miserable life; therefore we also rejoice that we have this little child as Savior. However, he
It seems as if we do not have him as our God in this life, for he leaves us in all kinds of physical distress, does not defend us against the evil men who persecute and torment us, but allows them to work their will and have all the fullness here on earth. Therefore, it seems that he is not a God of this temporal life. But he has promised us that we shall have something better than this temporal life. But Popes, Cardinals, Bishops, Epicureans, and Jews, who hold that there is no God and that there is no other life but this temporal life, know and believe nothing of this anywhere. Otherwise, if they knew and believed it, they would act differently and not live so securely. And it is a wonder that among the Romans, when the Roman Empire was at its highest, a virgin or wife could remain unabused. For their belief was (which was the highest punishment): Today lived, tomorrow died, then everything is over. When it comes to that, then it happens that everyone seeks his neighbor's property, wife 2c., and only does what he desires. But we have God's word, in which He says to us, Matthew at the last v. 20: "I am with you always, even to the end of the world. He also wants to rule us on earth, give us food, drink, clothing and whatever we need: nevertheless he wants us to suffer all kinds of hardships on earth; as he himself says, John 16:33: "In the world you are afraid. But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Now therefore let every man diligently learn that this little child is called Jesus, a Savior, and mark the interpretation of what kind of Savior he is, viz: When one is in trouble, there is no money, father and mother leave us, good friends fall away, and in addition the time and hour comes that one feels the burden of sins, the conscience is frightened and trembles, the devil brings forth his fiery arrows, and in sum, there is no human help nor counsel: in such trouble this little child is a savior who can and will help.
(9) Outside this hour, when one has a bag full of florins and does not feel sin and death, one does not much desire this Savior, nor does one need his help. For he is not called a guilder-savior.
1546 L. 4, 195-197. On the new year's day. W. XIII, 298-301. 1547
country, but a Savior who makes his people blessed from sins and saves them from death. Money can help you buy bread, beer, wine and clothes, but it cannot save you from sins and death. It is the same with other temporal gifts: reason, wisdom, art, power, friendship and all that is on earth can help in the things for which they are ordered and created; a mother can take care of her children with food, drink and other things, a doctor can take care of a sick person, a lawyer can help a lost cause: But when this temporal life is to come to an end and one is to die, when the conscience cannot deny one's 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. Even if every corner of the house were full of gold, all is lost. If all emperors, kings, princes, fathers, mothers, physicians, lawyers, wise men and pundits stood and wanted to help, they could not help; but this child is called and is only Jesus, a Savior who can and will help all who recognize such distress and seek help from him.
(10) Furthermore, all power rests on you to have good regard for it and to let this child be your only Savior against all theologians who pervert this name and raise up their own false saviors apart from and against this true only Savior. The Augustinian, Barefoot, and Preacher monks have appropriated this name to themselves and want to be saviors against sin and against death.
(11) Take heed therefore, and see that thou keep this little child's name pure. For it is decreed that against sin and death there shall be no other Savior, neither shall any other be able to save, either in heaven or on earth, whether it be the pope, or good works, or angels, or any creature, but this only begotten child of the Virgin Mary, which is called Jesus. Good works should be done, but good works are not Jesus, do not make blessed, do not save from death. But this child makes blessed and saves from death. Therefore it is not called Franciscus, not Domi.
nicus, not Carthusian Order, not Mass, vigils, indulgences, not good works, alms, fasting, praying, but Jesus.
(12) Whoever, then, in the midst of sins and the anguish of death, could say with firm faith: The child, the son of the Virgin Mary, is called Jesus, who makes me blessed from my sins, on him I rely and on no one else, neither in heaven nor on earth: he would certainly be blessed. After the words one has learned it soon, but that one believes it from the heart and truly, without all doubt, then it wants with us nowhere afterwards. Therefore, it should be well remembered. If any evil befalls you on earth, you can get rid of it through proper human help, which is good. But if thou art at death's door, and shalt die, forgive thyself all; look only to this Savior, and say, I know yet a physician, a lawyer, an emperor, a king, a theologian, even the infant Jesus, who is able and willing to save me from eternal death.
(13) And though they have long desired to change the manner of baptizing the child, or to change his name, or to give him another name, yet it is not expedient or convenient. His name is Jesus, that he may save his people from their sins. This has been decided and this is how it shall remain. He is not called Jesus to give you enough money and to make you a great lord on earth. For what belongs to the preservation of this bodily life has already been provided, given and commanded, Genesis 1:28, where God says: "Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. For this reason he is called Jesus, that he may be a Savior in the sight of God against sin, death, the devil and hell, and that he may help us when no one else can help us, and when we must leave everything we have on earth and go to another life.
This interpretation of the name Jesus was not invented by man, but brought down from heaven by God through the angel Gabriel. And this child alone shall bear this name, and thereby eradicate it,
1548 L. 4, 197-199. On the new year's day. W. xm, 301-303. 1549
Reject and throw away everything that is supposed to be a savior and helper before God. Everything, therefore, that people undertake outside of Christ to serve and help for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life is hereby rejected and condemned. Therefore, everyone should see to it that he neither gives nor allows this name to be given to anyone else, no matter who and how great he may be. I know this art very little, and the world knows it much less; for the several parts speak thus: My good works shall help me, so that I will propitiate God, that he may be gracious to me. What is this said differently, because my good works shall be and be called my JEsus, shall accomplish that which is due to JEsu? The pope and his preachers teach thus: Faith alone does not do it; if you want to be saved, you must do good works and enjoy them. This is also said: Good works are and are also called Jesus. If thou wilt have it so, go thy way: for thou shalt find and know what Jesus will do for thee. So it is said: What I think and imagine, that shall not be called JEsus; the child alone shall be called so. The pope, cardinals, bishops, wise men and clever people of this world think that what they think and imagine should be called Jesus. But they are far from it. And indeed I myself would like to go into account with my God at times and say: Lord God, I have preached so and so, I have done this and that, therefore you will let me enjoy it. If I continue in this way and follow my thoughts, I will finally reach the point where my preaching, teaching and doing will be my Jesus. God protect me from this. But what does this text say? It says thus: The true, true Jesus does not suffer this; he wants his name to remain entirely and solely with him, so that if we want to be helped against sin, death, the devil and hell, we may despair of all our and other saints' works and help, and with firm faith hold on to him alone, who alone bears the name and is called Jesus, he also should be left alone. The pope, the emperor, the Turks, the monks are angry about this, and they dare to take away the child's name. But in spite of it,
that they end it. They should leave the child his name and have no thanks for it. The enthusiasts, Anabaptists, sacrament abusers also have evil in mind. But they should leave it alone, if only we could believe. Let the papists throb against this name, defy it, strive against it, exalt and praise good works, and say: "It is not long before the papacy will be re-established. Well, if they will do as they boast, I will erase this text with the blackest ink I have. But before they look around, let them know what they are doing.
15 For St. Lucas says: "The name of the child was called Jesus, not only in circumcision, but also by the angel before he was conceived in his mother's womb. Therefore, my dear nobles, take the child's name from him, whom neither his parents nor any man on earth chose for him, but whom the angel brought down from heaven, saying, "The child alone shall be Jesus and Savior, and no one else; so you may try it and see how you will succeed. But if you make the angel Gabriel a liar, there will be much to it. It will happen that both, papists and all others, who want to take the child's name, will keep nothing, neither name, nor head, nor stocking (trunk). For they do too much, they have to confess their error themselves, and still want to force us to deny this Savior. This will put an end to the game.
16 But the child shall keep his name. For God has named him so himself. If Pabst and his followers are angry because of this, then I say: "Proceed nicely, dear Pabst, and nevertheless make it so that you do not push the child down from the right hand of the almighty Father, but let him sit there. If you do not want to recognize this child for your Savior with us, then you may still be angry, start a war and let the guns go off. But we take comfort in the fact that this name was not given to the child by men, but God has named him so.
(17) Whoever takes this child for his Savior does the greatest and highest honor to God,
1550 s. 4, 199-201. On the day of Epiphany. W. xm, 303-307. 1551
As Christ Himself says, John 5:23: "That they all honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which sent him." If you consider the Son to be your Savior, God the Father is favorable to you and there is no wrath with Him. If God is pleased with you, what harm is it to you if the whole world is angry with you? But if you do not consider the Son to be your Savior, but seek other helpers, or think that your sins are greater than this little child can redeem you from them, you do God the greatest and highest dishonor and are most uncertain of your salvation. For God has nowhere said that your good works shall be your salvation. But if you believe in the Son, you have caught God in his promise. For He has named His Son to be the Savior of all the world.
- now this is the name of jesus which is given to the
The name of the child was given first by the angel before his conception, then also by the mother in his circumcision on the eighth day. Such a name serves, as we have heard, that whoever believes that there is another life after this life, knows where he should find eternal life, namely in the infant Jesus alone, who is therefore called Jesus, that is, Savior, so that he helps to eternal life, where no creature can help.
(19) And so we have heard from today's Gospel, first, that the child was circumcised on the eighth day and put under the law, so that he might redeem all who believe in him from the curse of the law; and second, that the child is called Jesus, because he is a Savior who is to help against sin and evil consciences, against death and all misfortunes that result from sin. To this end, may God grant us His grace, amen.
Epiphany
The Epiphany day (Gospel + Epistel)
On the day of Epiphany.
1.Sermon; Matth. 2, 1-12
First sermon.*)
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.
*) Held in the parish church, 1532, morning.
1552n . 4, 201-203. On the day of Epiphany. W. xni, 308. 1553
From the Historia.
- There are many things to be preached on this feast, namely, the history of the wise men, item, of the baptism of Christ, item, of the first miraculous sign that Christ did at the wedding in Cana in Galilee. Therefore, today's feast is also called the feast of the revelation of Christ. For thus it is said that these three revelations took place in one day, though not in one year. The first, that the Lord Christ revealed himself to the wise men in the east by the star; the second, that the Godhead revealed itself at the Jordan, when Christ was baptized by John; and the third, that Christ revealed his glory at Cana in Galilee, when he turned water into wine at the wedding. Whether or not these revelations occurred in a single day, for the sake of the times, they are very good stories and glorious revelations, well worth preaching about and learning about.
(2) First of all, let us consider this gospel, which contains the glorious history and revelation that took place to the wise men of Arabia, or the east country. By the same history the Lord made known and confirmed his future, not only among the Jews, but also among the Gentiles, that everyone might know that he was present, and that no one might excuse himself, nor say that he had kept himself secret, that no one had known of him.
(3) But this history was especially written for the testimony of the Jews, that they might not be excused, nor say that they had not known. Because it was decided that he should come, not as a worldly king with great splendor, but miserable and poor, as the prophet Zechariah prophesied of him, and he was also born on earth, that he found no room in the inn, was laid in the manger 2c., his future was especially vexatious, at which the Jews were especially offended, and even today they still are.
*) The §§ 1-8 read with Walch so completely differently that an exact indication of the Columnenzahl is impossible.
D. Red.
The day of his death. For this reason his future and birth were so strongly put into words and preaching that the Jews could not say, "How were we to recognize and accept him, because he was so miserable? but would have to confess and say, "It is true that he came from bad and miserable, but he is preached and proclaimed gloriously.
The Jews should have believed this glorious testimony. For both time and place were proclaimed long before in the prophets, and everything rhymed with the matter. The angels testify of him in the field in the air, the shepherds in Bethlehem, Simeon and Hannah in the temple in Jerusalem. Everything is proclaimed in the most glorious way, so that the Jews should know about it. But especially the testimony of the Gentiles is glorious and powerful. For the wise men come from a far country to Jerusalem, the royal capital, and make the cry of the newborn king so famous that Herod is frightened and all Jerusalem is agitated. The king asked them where Christ was to be born, and they answered him from the Scriptures, indicating the city where he was to be born. So that they were convinced first by the Scriptures, then by themselves, and finally by the wise men, that they had known of such a birth.
(5) For us Gentiles, such an example of the wise men serves us well. For this is why it was done and prescribed that we should learn from it, so that it cannot be otherwise: if we want to come to this child and find him, we must believe the word, stay with the word and not let ourselves be turned away from it. Where we let the word go, the trouble is already there. For the child is too small and wretched to be seen that it is impossible not to start with reason without the word. Reason and worldly wisdom cannot grasp it in the heart nor believe that this child, which finds no room where it can be born, is a king and so great a king and lord, who is the Savior of all the world. Therefore, by the word
1554 L. 4, 203-2vs. On the day of Epiphany. W. xm, 308-312. 1555
preached and written in the Word, it shall come into our hearts that we may believe it. And as his birth is poor and miserable, so his whole life is nothing but poverty, beggary, suffering, misery, shame and disgrace. Whoever then loses the word and looks at him badly with bodily eyes, as he lies there in the manger in the stable 2c., has already lost him.
(6) But this happens especially when the devil strikes and makes a false Christ for us, so that we fall into thoughts and paint Christ as he pleases us. As our enthusiasts and papists do, they abandon the Word and therefore cannot grasp or accept Him as He is before their eyes, but make of Him a judge and a stickmaster. They do not like the fact that he alone is to be the Savior. Therefore they add their own works and devotions, which they intend to enjoy beside the Savior Christ. They call upon the Virgin Mary to show her breasts to their son and to reconcile him; they think that such invocation and intercession should also be a savior for them. But it is nothing but a lie; for where one drops the word and gropes after Christ apart from the word, one is lacking and takes hold of the devil. He makes such a noise in front of people's eyes that they think it is the real Christ, and yet it is the wretched devil.
(7) We have experienced this in the papacy, when we were drowned in such thoughts and taught and lived like this: Whoever wants to stand before Christ must enjoy the intercession of the saints. I myself trusted more in the goodness and intercession of the Virgin Mary than in the grace and intercession of Christ. We looked at him, as the painters paint him, on a rainbow as a judge. As he was painted by heart, so he was painted by heart in our hearts. So we were deceived and misled, had fallen away from the faith and fled from Christ, in whom we should have refuge. We only heard the mere history of him, that he had come, but why and for what purpose he had come was completely silent. This is what happens when one does not stick to the word. Dar
he devil is particularly interested in how he can tear us away from the word and lead us to his own thoughts apart from the word. For then he knows that he has won and we have lost. So the wise men come first and seek Christ in Jerusalem. They have this from divine revelation, that the King of the Jews is born. Then their reason leads them to Jerusalem, because they think, "The King of the Jews is not to be found anywhere except in Jerusalem in a magnificent castle and a golden chamber, where he sits on a royal throne and where many men in armor have been appointed to wait for him. For how would reason think otherwise of a king? But such thoughts, because they are without word, do not rightly grasp Christ. Therefore the wise men are lacking in their thoughts and do not find this child in Jerusalem, since it was the holy city, God's temple and dwelling place. But if they are to find it, they must follow the word, which is the right star and the beautiful sun that points to Christ.
Since Christ cannot be found at Jerusalem, where his seat was, without his word, we should in short stick to the word and reject all thoughts. Our enthusiasts leave word, baptism, and sacrament, climb up above the clouds, and seek him in heaven; but they miss him. It is true that heaven is his temple and dwelling place, as the prophet Isaiah says in Cap. 66, 1; but you will not find him in heaven, for it is decreed that you shall know nothing of God and Christ except in the Word. If thou abide in the word, thou shalt find God and Christ, and shalt be victorious; if thou abide not in the word, thou shalt lack God and Christ, and shalt be lost.
(9) This is what I would like to firmly imagine for myself and others; for all the devil's mischievousness lies in tearing us away from the word; if it is not in the outward preaching that one does not want to hear the word, it is in the heart that one does not cling to the word. I cannot get our enthusiasts to see God's word in the sacrament, as well as in father, mother, rulers, authorities, etc., but they judge badly according to what they see, as a cow looks at a new gate. What is va-
1556 L. 4, 205-207. On the day of Epiphany. W. XIII, 312-314. 1557
Mother, prince, they say, better than I? Item, the Lord's supper, they say, is bread and wine; for they have badly formed the work without word in their eyes. Therefore they go on, saying: What good would bread and wine do? And if it were Christ's flesh, yet flesh is of no use. So they go on, and take the husk only, but leave the kernel, the word, behind. But as it was with the Jews, who saw the miraculous signs of Christ, and heard his preaching; but because they hearkened not unto the word, none helped them: so it is with our revelers, that they keep the husk, and lose the kernel.
(10) It is true that if you look at father, mother, lords, wives, rulers, authorities, as they have blood and flesh, there is no difference between them and other people; likewise, if you judge the Lord's Supper without a word, reason finds no more than bread and wine: but, dear friend, you must pay attention to the word here and believe it. This tells you thus: "You shall honor your father and mother"; "You servants, be obedient to your physical masters in all things", Col. 3, 22; "Be subject to all human order for the sake of the Lord, whether to the king, as the ruler, or to the captains, as the messengers from him", 1 Petr. 2:13, 14. Item, of the Lord's Supper the Word tells you thus, "Eat, this is my body given for you; drink, this cup is the New Testament in my blood shed for you for the remission of sins." Sayest thou: Meat is of no use; I say, Hear the word, and believe the same, and it shall be profitable unto thee: for the words which Christ speaketh are spirit, and are life. All the work that Christ does is put into the word, and in the word and through the word he wants to give us everything, and without the word he wants to give us nothing.
(11) The highest and best art that can be done is to hold fast to the Word and not to think of divine things in any other way than as the Word tells us. Therefore, one should be accustomed to know nothing of God and Christ without and apart from the Word. But if one has the word, then one should firmly
If you stand on it and say, "Make Christ your judge or your cane-master, as you will," his word is, "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." I stand by that word. So we should not want to know anything about Christ, how he leads his kingdom in secret 2c.; but only keep to the word, how he acts with us in the preaching of his gospel, in baptism, absolution and his Lord's Supper. But where the word is abandoned, and speculation is done without and apart from the word, reason is very uncertain and slippery.
(12) So the wise men are lacking in their thoughts; they think of Christ thus: If he is the king of the Jews, he will have the royal city and castle; therefore they go straight to Jerusalem; but when they come there, all their thoughts are void. What do they do here? Then they come to the Scripture; for the Jews say thus: The king of the Jews shall not be born in the royal city of Jerusalem, but in Bethlehem of Judah, as it is written in the prophet Micah. The word is the right star that truly shows them Christ. Without and apart from this word they would not have found the King Christ.
013 Now Bethlehem, to reckon it, was a cowshed against Jerusalem; for Jerusalem was the capital of the land of Judah, Bethlehem was a little place. But so it was promised that Christ should come from the tribe of David. But now the people of Israel were so divided by the prison that no tribe had its own place as before. Before the prison, the tribes were finely divided and separated, each to its own place; but after the prison, this distinction was abolished, and all the people were one cake. Therefore the tribe of David was hard to meet. Mary and Joseph were of the tribe of David, but they dwelt at Nazareth in Asher and Naphtali, and yet belonged to Judah; and so all the people were blended together. Therefore, by the prophecy of the prophets, God had made it so certain that although the people were divided and the tribes were mixed together, here one part of Judah, there the other, yet nothing would be found.
1558 L. 4, 207-209. On the day of Epiphany. W. XIII, 314-317. 1559
Christ was to come from David's fatherland, where David was born and lived, from the lineage of Judah and from the city of Bethlehem, as the prophet Micah says here.
(14) All these things were made for the comfort of the Jews, because the families and tribes were blended together, and now the time was present for Christ to be born. Behold, what an uproar there is! The Jews know the lineage, the tribe, the place, the city, and show it to King Herod; yet they do not believe. For if they had believed, they would have gone to Bethlehem. But the wise men and strangers from the east believed, and believed so firmly that they also went from the royal city of Jerusalem to the poor city of Bethlehem. They would have said: This is a ridiculous thing; if we do not find the King of the Jews in Jerusalem in the temple, in the house of his God, we will certainly not look for him in the village of Bethlehem. Where else should we look for him, but where his God dwells, who sent him? Now they point us away from Jerusalem, from the temple, from God's dwelling place, to the dirty town of Bethlehem. If the king presents himself in this way, he will be hard to find; if he is not found in his kingdom and in his God, he will not be found anywhere else. So they would have said. But they keep the word of the prophet, "Out of Bethlehem shall come the duke." With the Jews this was an annoying thing, just as if the prophet was greater than the temple at Jerusalem, that he was allowed to say, "At Bethlehem the duke shall be born;" so the prophet must be the greatest heretic with them. When the king of the Jews comes, they thought, he will not leave the temple and worship and will be born elsewhere than in this place. But the temple and God's dwelling place shall not do it, says the prophet, but Bethlehem shall give the duke.
15Therefore the wise have a good and beautiful faith, that they may overcome great and mighty vexation, and not be offended, because the king of the Jews hath forsaken his temple and his worship, and chosen the
The village of Bethlehem, where the peasants lived, was opposed to the citizens and scholars of Jerusalem. What will they have said about this? No doubt they had strange thoughts. We are looking for the king of the Jews, so we are directed away from the temple to the cowshed. Do they take us for fools who have no sense? No doubt they have had such thoughts according to the flesh: but faith puts aside all such thoughts, and they turn not aside from them, though Christ is not to be found in the temple with all the Jewish priesthood, nor in the royal palace with the temporal power; but they follow the word without fear, and go to Bethlehem.
16 We have also done and had to do this. All the world looked for the Christian church in the Concilio, in the pope and his followers. But the Christian church is found in the Concilio and the pope, just as the wise men find Christ in Jerusalem. You say: If the pope has the Scriptures, the office and the power, how can he be lacking? Answer: Was not the temple and God Himself also at Jerusalem? and yet it is missing. That is why we are concerned with the council, the pope and the bishops, as the wise men are concerned here with the chief priests and scribes at Jerusalem.
(17) It is a great thing that they come to Jerusalem, where both kingdom and priesthood are, even where God's dwelling place is, and yet shall not find Christ there. God does this because he wants to hold us to his word alone; so that we learn to despise the great cry, "Church, church! Fathers, fathers! The church cannot err, the church cannot err! Well then, if the church cannot err, then I and you can err, and come where God is, and yet not find God there. Therefore, the Church, the Fathers, the Temple, the priesthood, Jerusalem, God's people and all things should be learned out of sight, and only hear what God tells us in His Word.
(18) Therefore the wise keep the word which they have heard from the prophet. The same word is their light and guide, so that they may cover all distractions. This is a great, abundant grace
1560 n. 4, A9-21I. On the day of Epiphany. W. xin, 317-322. 1561
God, that the Gentiles, who have neither temple nor priesthood, neither circumcision nor law, but are without law and worship, and are strangers to the testaments of the promise, should fall so hard upon the word of the prophet that they should not be troubled by any other thoughts, but should stick straight to the word and follow it. Again, it is a great punishment that the Jews, who had the law, the service, the promise, and from whom Christ came according to the flesh, are so hardened that they do not believe the word, even though they proclaim it to others.
19 After the wise men heard the word of the prophet, God also gave them a sign from heaven that the star would return as soon as they got outside Jerusalem and shine before them as far as Bethlehem, in front of the door where the baby was. They were in need of such a sign. For when they came to the village of Bethlehem, seeking the king, they found Mariam and Joseph beggars, and the child lying in a manger, and there was misery, poverty, and beggary.
020 And they might have said, Is this the king of the Jews? how is it that they stand against him? Are the people here vain stones and blocks, that no one gives him a drink of water in his own land? Why then do we believe in him, because his own people show him no honor? Who knows if what is said about him is true! If it were true, the high priest would come from Jerusalem and receive him! But the pious people do not let themselves be deceived, they hold fast to what they have heard from the prophet Micah and have seen in the star.
21 This is a strong faith, that the wise men only look into the mouth of the prophet Micah, cling to his word so firmly, and let everything else go. I myself, if I had been there, would have stuck to the temple and said: Here dwells God, therefore, if the child is to be found in one place in the whole world, it will be found here, where the whole priesthood and the service of God is. But this king had something else in mind, he thought of the whole priesthood,
Kingdom and worship, and here begins this with the deed. For the Jews built on their kingdom, priesthood, relied on the temple, that they had Moses, law, priests, Levites, and were God's people. God did not like that and intended to tear Moses away with the temple, kingdom and priesthood in one heap. Summa Summarum, nothing should help, neither temple nor priesthood, but only Christ alone.
(22) If God has done this to His kingdom and priesthood, which He has ordered, established and instituted, and has torn away everything pure, He will much less respect the pope, the bishops, monks and priests with their caps and plates, which are not ordered nor instituted by Him, but are devised and invented by men. They do not want GOD; so also GOD says to them: If thou wilt not that I should make thee blessed by grace, neither shall thy invented spirituality of thine own choosing make thee blessed; if thou wilt not me, neither will I have thee, nor all that thou art and hast; if I have not regarded my own people with Moses and all their holiness, much less will I regard thee. Therefore it must come to pass with us that we cling to Christ alone and cast away all offenses, even though the pope, the Turk and we ourselves believe otherwise, that a Christian nevertheless remains firm with Christ and his word and does not let either spiritual or worldly things offend him.
(23) This is the reason why he was not found in Jerusalem but in Bethlehem. Bethlehem was scarcely half a roof above Jerusalem, yet God would not look upon Jerusalem, nor let the duke of His people be born of her; that He might destroy the false confidence of the saints, and make us believe that true holiness was neither in the temple nor in worship, but in Himself. Let this be said of the Historia; let us now take before us the prophecy of the prophet Micah:
And thou, Bethlehem of 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,
** 1562 4, 211-213. On the day of Epiphany. W. xm, 322-325. 1563**
(24) This is the joyful text, which not only testifies of Christ's coming, but also teaches us what we should look upon him for and consider him, and what a king and lord he is. He shall be a Lord over God's people, says the prophet, and yet shall be born in Bethlehem and be the most despised man on earth. This is contrary to one another, and it is very repugnant, that a poor beggar, born in a small, poor place, should be a duke and lord over the people of Israel. Before the world it is like this: whoever is to be a king and lord must have money, goods, land, people and authority. But here it is like this: Bethlehem is small and poor, and yet from Bethlehem comes a great, mighty king and lord.
(25) From this it follows that the Lord's rule is not to be understood as tyrannical, that he, like a tyrant, wants to afflict and force the people. For this is why the prophet paints most beautifully and says: "Bethlehem, you who are small". As if to say, "Do not be afraid of this king as of a tyrant. For there is neither power nor splendor, neither money nor goods, neither sword nor gun, neither horse nor traveling stuff to be afraid of; but only poverty, lowliness, gentleness and humility, so that one may see how this king and his kingdom are not terrible at all; for who would be afraid of a child, and a poor beggar at that? One is justifiably afraid of great power, and especially God's power in his majesty is not well tolerated and deceptive. But here is neither majesty nor power, but poverty. Nevertheless, this poor child is a master.
(26) Therefore, if he is a duke and lord, yet born poor and miserable in the poor little village of Bethlehem, what can his glory be but that he is poor in the sight of the world, but rich in spirit and all spiritual goods? In the sight of the world he should be nothing; he should not tyrannize or use force, but be a poor, loving and kind child. But in spirit and spiritual being he shall be a rich king and lord, whom every man may enjoy. What will his riches be? Not other than sin, death, and righteousness,
Truth, life and everything is at his feet.
- this is the dominion of this child, and in such a case his people shall enjoy his. He will not help you physically, as far as your salvation and his honor are concerned, because he himself is miserable and poor. For this reason, no one should think that he wants to become a Christian so that he can have money and goods. This may be expected of the pope and his like, who makes his creatures lords over great goods and divides the lands to them, as Daniel prophesied. But this child's dominion is to be felt and enjoyed only in that he delivers you from sins and adorns you with righteousness before God, saves you from death and gives you eternal life.
28 For in the spiritual realm there is also a lord, the devil, who is a king and lord of sin and death, and makes foolish, despondent and terrified. That is his spiritual kingdom. On the other hand, this child is also a spiritual king, who drives out the devil, delivers you from sin and death, and sets you free from the devil's kingdom, so that you may become righteous, alive, happy and blessed. This is his dominion. For since he has no dominion on earth, and yet is to be a Lord, he must have another dominion, namely, that in his kingdom he makes righteous, godly, happy and blessed before God, whereas the devil in his kingdom casts you under sin, so that you must be and remain eternally dead and lost.
29 Now this King and Lord, Christ, cannot reign in such a way as to cast people under sin and drive them to death and damnation. For the same kingdom of sins and death already has its master, the wretched devil. Again, this king cannot rule in a worldly way, because he is supposed to be poor and miserable. From this it follows that this King Christ must not be a worldly lord, nor spiritually evil, but a spiritual, kind and gracious lord, and his kingdom must not be a worldly kingdom, nor a spiritually tyrannical kingdom, like the devil's, but a gracious and blessed kingdom.
30 Such a Lord is he. Not a lord of sin, death, hellish fire, but a lord of the...
1564 L. 4, 213.214. On the day of Epiphany. W. XIII, 325-327. 1565
a Lord of righteousness, life, heaven and blessedness. For for this I must have a Lord who will restore me to lost and damned man, deliver me from sins, death and the devil, and bring me to heaven and eternal life. Now faith is necessary that you diligently keep God's word; as it is reported in the beginning that the wise men have firmly grasped this saying of the prophet Micah. But he who will forsake the word and follow his own thoughts will soon lose Christ, and will have to take him not for a kind and gracious Lord, but for a judge, and flee from him as from the devil. For this is the devil's kingdom, that he should model Christ differently to people, frighten them, and finally plunge them into hell through sin.
This text indicates that Christ, born in Bethlehem, is a benevolent Lord who will help all who believe in him against sin, death, the devil and hell, and finally redeem them from the last judgment. For even on the last day he will not come to condemn his own, but to deliver them from all evil, as St. Paul teaches in 2 Thess. 1:7. Much could be said about how the poor, miserable child is such a great Lord against the great dominion and power of the devil. But it is too much for this time, so let us save it until after noon. May God, together with the wise men, graciously lead us by the star of His holy Word to His Son Christ JEsu, and keep us from all offence forever, Amen.
2.Sermon; Micah 5, 1
On the day of Epiphany.
Second sermon.*)
Micah 5:1.
And thou Bethlehem Ephrathah, which art little among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall come unto me he that is Lord in Israel, which goeth forth from the beginning and from everlasting.
Your beloved has heard today from the saying of the prophet Micah about the infant Jesus, how he was to be born in Bethlehem, and how his kingdom was to be different from the kingdom of the world and the devil's kingdom, namely, a divine and friendly kingdom, full of goodness, grace and mercy, because he was to be a Lord over God's people. This is the sermon we always preach, that Christ's kingdom and dominion is over God's people, not over the world and the devil's people.
(2) Now the scribes alone gave the text to Herod the king, by whom they were asked and to whom they had to answer.
*) Held publicly in the parish church, 1532, afternoon.
and Herod does not ask any further. For his concern is to remain king in the land of the Jews and to cut off this newborn king of the Jews, just as he had the innocent infants in Bethlehem killed for the sake of the cause. Therefore the scribes let it remain that they alone answer the Herod to the question that the king of the Jews will be born in Bethlehem; thinking thus: If we should let ourselves in further, then he would have all our heads cut off; we want to present to him the word of the prophet; if he wants to be angry because of that, then we have not said that, but the prophet Micah has said it. They may not preach of the newborn king of the Jews out of their heads before Herod; therefore they put on the Scriptures alone, and let the king he-
1566 . L- 4> 214-217. On the day of Epiphany. W. xm, 327-329. 1567
rodes and the prophets together indicate that it is thus written in the prophet. For it came to pass at that time that Herod had subdued the Jewish people and kingdom by great power, that the Jades were not afraid. Therefore they took the scripture out of the prophet and nothing else, and so they let their king and duke perish.
(3) But the prophet goes on to say what kind of king or duke this little child will be, saying, "The duke who is to go out from Bethlehem will be a ruler over my people Israel. This is speaking of the nature and character of Christ's kingdom, as we have heard, that he is a king over God's people, and his kingdom is a kingdom of grace. But that he goes on to say, "Which has been from the beginning and from everlasting," this is spoken of his person, what kind of person this king will lead. He shall be king and lord over God's people, and shall go out from Bethlehem; but nevertheless his going forth was before the days, that is, before the days of the whole world were, he went forth from everlasting.
(4) The scribes did not tell Herod the king, nor did they themselves understand or believe it. 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 certain indication that he must be a man. But that it is further written: "His origin is from the beginning and before the days are", this is not to be understood so well. For so much is said that he is also eternal God, who did not first begin to be something at Bethlehem, but has been from eternity.
005 He shall be a lord, and shall come forth out of Bethlehem; which cannot be otherwise than that this duke should be a true man. For Bethlehem is a city, a worldly, outward thing, seen with the eyes of the flesh, and dwelt there in the flesh. Since this duke is to go out to Bethlehem, he must be born there in the flesh, as a man is born in a city. If he is born in Bethlehem, he is a natural, true man. Item, if he is to be a lord
If he is to be over the people of Israel, he must be a human king and lord, having flesh and blood, body and soul, like another human being, otherwise he could not be lord over the people of Israel. Further the prophet speaks: "His exit is before the days of the whole world have been", that is, his exit is from eternity. This king is not only born when he goes out from Bethlehem: he goes out from there, is born there, that is one exit; but besides this exit he has another exit, which is called: from the beginning and from eternity, before time, before the days are called. If one gives him the exit from Bethlehem, then one must also give him the exit from the beginning and from eternity.
(6) For the prophet is to be left with his words. First he says: Ex te egredietur: "Out of you shall go 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: Where are you from? From Wittenberg, Leipzig, that is: I was born in Wittenberg, Leipzig. So here also: The duke shall go out to Bethlehem, that is, shall be born in Bethlehem. Then he continues: Cujus egressus ab antiquis diebus: "His origin is from eternity", before time, day and hour have been; that is: He who is to be born in Bethlehem is also born from eternity.
(7) Now if you want to know where this child is from, listen to Micah the prophet, who says he is from Bethlehem. Where else is he from? From Bethlehem alone? No; but he was born before the day, before the world, before heaven and earth, before the sun and moon were created. This cannot be told in words. From Bethlehem he comes through his mother; but he is from eternity, before time, before day and night, time and hour could be counted. Herod and the Jews did not understand this, nor were they worthy of it; they clung only to the text of the bodily birth, of the other they knew nothing; as should happen to such fools.
8 Now this is the King and Lord over God's people, our Lord Jesus Christ, the
1568 n. 4, 2i7-2is. On the day of Epiphany. W. xm, 329-332. 1569
was born in Bethlehem in the days of Herod the king, a true man, born of a natural mother, but without male seed, conceived by the Holy Spirit; and this same true man is called Egressus ab antiquis diebus: He who came forth before the world, and was born before the days of the world. Thus he shall be known to be truly man, born in time in Bethlehem, and also truly God, born before time for ever.
(9) The world is mad and foolish about this, for it cannot rhyme these two births together, that this child came forth or was born in Bethlehem, having been made man in the flesh from the Virgin Mary, and yet he also came forth or was born before the world, when there was no woman, no marriage state, no sun or moon. From whom then may he have been born, if he was born before the world? From no one, but from God. Therefore he must be eternal God. For before the world there was nothing but God. If the world believed that God created heaven and earth, it would have to conclude so: If this one came forth or was born before the world, then he must have come forth or been born from God and be God himself. For before the world there is nothing but God. For all creatures are created or made by God. But God is not created, but the Creator Himself. Apart from God and the creature there is nothing.
(10) This is the King who does it all. For if Christ alone were a mere man, he would have helped us nothing, and the devil would have devoured us all. For death would have choked him as well as all other men. Nor would it have helped that he was born of a virgin. For it is far more wonderful that God made 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 it is so, that the virgin does not bear a son alone, but such a son, who was born before the world and is now
is born again into 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 exit or birth. For if this were not so, and he had had his exit only in Bethlehem, 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 pass with shame in this child, the Lord Jesus. Because he was God, the Godhead could not die, nor be condemned by the devil.
011 But because he came forth in the days of Bethlehem, and was born into the world as another child, he had to die; and because he was sent for this purpose, he had to become a sinner for us and be condemned. That is why the devil and death catch themselves. They lay hold of him, and look no further than the way out of Bethlehem; and by the same way out this little child is killed. 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 the devil, 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; that therefore he is such a person, who is true God and true man at the same time, but 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, like another man, gained weight in her body; but besides this he was also born of the eternal Father before the world in eternity: that therefore these two natures, divine and human, inseparably united in One Person, are One Christ, .who is true God and true man; the same who came forth or was born in Bethlehem, the same also came forth or was born in eternity; whom Mary calls her Son, the same is the Son of the eternal Father; the virgins' mother, the Son of the eternal Father, the Son of the eternal Father.
1570 L. 4.219-221. On the day of Epiphany. W. xin, 332-M. 1571
rien Son, born in time, and the eternal Father's Son is one only Son, not two sons, one only Person, not two Persons, one only Christ, God or man, not two Christs.
013 These things the chief priests did not tell Herod; neither, as I have said, was he worthy, the tyrant, to know or understand. And they themselves did not understand. But our greatest comfort and defiance is that we have such a King and Lord, who is not only true man, but also true God, Creator and Lord of all creatures, to whom neither sin, nor death, nor the devil can do any harm.
(14) He that will go rightly, and not come to this person, let him first take his first departure at Bethlehem, and after that the other departure from eternity. 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, although this eternal birth happened first before the world, and that bodily birth afterwards in the world. Thus I have often said and still say: Whoever wants to know God and speculate about God without danger, let him look into the manger, lift it up and first learn to recognize the Son of the Virgin Mary, born in Bethlehem; then he will learn finely from this infant, as the text itself indicates, who the Son of the Virgin Mary is, namely, a King and Lord forever. This will then not be terrible, but most lovely and comforting.
- Solomon says, Prov. 25, 27: Qui scrutator est majestatis, opprimetur a gloria: "Whoever investigates heavy things, it becomes too heavy for him." He who wants to start at the first and investigate: How God governs the world? how he has provided for this one and not for that one? why he has not ruined man's case, because he knew all things? - Whoever wants to start with such questions to recognize God (as reason is cheeky and likes to get pregnant with such thoughts), will actually break his neck; just as the evil spirit Lucifer also wanted to be on top and nowhere, and about that he did such a horrible fall. One
should not lift on the roof before laying the foundation.
(16) If thou wilt go safely, and know God aright, stand thou down, as the prophet does here, that thou know not first the going forth before the time and before the world, but know first the going forth at Bethlehem; as Christ himself also teacheth, John 14:6, 7: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you knew me, you would know my Father"; item, v. 9, 10: "Philip, he who sees me sees the Father. Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me?" Whoever does not start there, but immediately wants to go up, search the Godhead, and speculate how God rules, how he is a strict king, how he punishes and chokes: he will be overtaken by glory, as Solomon says, and it will serve him right.
(17) Therefore this is the right art: Whoever wants to know this child properly, that he may first go to Bethlehem, that is, that he may see how this child was born of the virgin Mary, a true man, my flesh, blood and bone, yet without sin, and what office he is to lead and perform in the world, namely, that he, as Micah says, is to be a duke who is to redeem his people from sins and eternal death. When these things have been well learned, and the infant in the manger has been found, seen and understood, it will be evident that the same Son of Mary is also the Son of God, born of the Father before time in eternity. He has two origins or births, and yet is one person, so that if you take hold of this man, Christ, you have taken hold of God; if you touch him, you have touched God; if you believe in him, you believe in God; if you worship him, you worship God; if you blaspheme him, you blaspheme God. That is why the evangelist held this saying of the prophet in high esteem; and indeed among the Jews also it was held in great honor, without their understanding of it in the flesh and seeing it only in Bethlehem.
18 Further, it is written here about the great Junkers, how shamefully they have used these delicious, apt.
1572 4, 221-223. On the day of Epiphany. W. xm, 336-339. 1573
These are the words of the Holy Spirit. The proud, hopeful chief priests and scribes despise this little child, the wicked Herod persecutes him. This is the art of our Lord God, who can put such a good text in front of the people, even in their mouths, that they talk, sing and say about it, and yet they shall not understand a word of it. This is how it is today: emperors, kings, princes, nobles, citizens, peasants think they know the gospel of the covenants *), but they know hellish fire! For the chief priests and scribes know this text very well, they talk about it, and Herod understands it, as it is preached to him, and sends the wise men to Bethlehem according to this text, and, what is more, says to them: "Search diligently for the little child; and if you find him, tell me again, so that I also come and worship him. Ah, you pious little herb, how devout you are! But what does it help the wretched, wretched people that they have the word and know it, and yet do not understand a word of it?
(19) It is a strange thing that our Lord God should give His word to men, and yet they neither smell it nor taste it. I praise Him for this, that He may do it. The reason is this: they are proud, that they despise God's word, even though they already have it. I have said it many times, and I still say it: I wish I could no longer preach. For those to whom we preach and who now have the gospel, do us the greatest harm. They have the rule, the power, the money and the goods, and they vex everyone, but especially us who preach the gospel. Well then, if thou vex us, we say unto thee again, Thou shalt not receive any of the gospel, though we preach it unto thee, though thou hear it, though thou see it, though thou grasp it; as Christ saith, Luc. 8:10, "that they see it not, though they see it, and understand it not, though they hear it"; and as the scribes and Herod have the prophet, "Out of Bethlehem shall go forth the duke." These words they know; but what they know, yet they know not.
*0 from the frets Wohl --- ausbündig, ausnehmend, ausgezeichnet wohl. D. Red.
20 Thus shall our Lord God deal with the shameful, ungrateful people, with the despisers and persecutors of his word, that they hear it and yet do not hear it, preach it themselves and yet understand nothing of it. If our citizens and peasants understood the gospel, I would never preach it again, because they abuse it so shamefully. But now I preach to myself and to my own who need it. The others get the bare shells, but they must be deprived of the core. They may hear ringing, but they do not hear beating. Our Lord God is such a preacher, who delivers his sermon in such a way that all the world hears it, and yet no one understands it except the godly. Just as these chief priests, scribes and Herod have the prophet in their mouths and ears, but understand as much of it as a cow.
21 Therefore, let no one think: I have the gospel, I cannot lack it. Well then, I will know whether thou hast the gospel aright or not. If thou believest the gospel with all thine heart, and art made better by it, thou hast it: but if thou be proud and despise it, thou hast it not, but hearest it, as Herod did, and speakest of it, as the chief priests and scribes did. The wise hear rightly and understand; but Herod remains a villain, and the chief priests and scribes remain husks.
(22) This is a strange kingdom, that Christ has such disciples. Some hear his word, and understand; but some hear, and understand not. And this is our defiance, that the world, the pope, the bishops, the wise men, the pundits, 2c. are far superior to us in money, goods, power, wisdom, honor, and all that is in the world; but in this they are far inferior to us: let them neither smell nor taste our treasure, the dear gospel, and let them hear it most diligently, read it, study it, even speak and teach it. As their lives sufficiently show, they have ears with the hardened Jews, and yet do not hear, and are blind with eyes to see.
- May God, with the wise, by His grace, make us hear and understand His dear gospel, and keep us from hardening and blindness forever, amen.
1574 L. 4, 22:;. 224. on the day of Epiphany. W. xm, 339-341. 1575
3.Sermon; Matth. 3, 13-17
On the day of Epiphany.
Third 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 be baptized of thee, and thou comest unto me? And Jesus answered and said unto him, Let it be so now: so it is meet for 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.
The highest and greatest miracle to be preached at this feast is that Christ was baptized by John in the Jordan. But you young people should also learn today that we should thank God for this grace, that Christ, born in Bethlehem, has also revealed himself to the Gentiles.
The Gentiles did not belong to the Jewish people, but were strangers. Nevertheless, God began to draw to Himself this people who were not His people, namely, the Gentiles, so that they would not despair of our Lord God, as if they did not belong to Him. To such enticing also belongs this, that Christ reveals his birth to the Gentiles, so that the Gentiles have to comfort themselves that Christ belongs to them and that they should accept him as well as the Jews, even though they are not his people like the Jews.
For these wise men were Gentiles who had no priests like the Jews, no worship, no word of God, were uncircumcised, without temples, without churches, without prophets; yet, regardless of all this, they come to the light, the Lord Christ, as strangers, blind and undeserving, and receive him, fall on their knees, worship him, and give him gifts. He also accepts them, and is pleased with their worship and gifts.
*) Held in the house, 1534.
(4) These things are written for our comfort, that we should thank God that we Gentiles are not so much rejected by the Son of God as accepted as Jews, and that God has established such a kingdom on earth through Christ, in which we are dealt with not according to merit but according to grace.
(5) But the highest, noblest, and most comforting thing to be preached at this feast is the revelation that took place at the Jordan concerning the baptism of Christ. And I would that this day should be called the baptismal day of our Lord Christ, or the feast when the Lord was baptized and manifested at 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, arose from Galilee and came to John at the Jordan, that he let himself go, like other sinners who confessed their sin and sought forgiveness for it. John is appalled at this and considers himself unworthy to baptize him. "I need," he says, "to be baptized by you, and you come to me?" But Jesus says, "Be thou satisfied: so must it be, that all righteousness may be fulfilled"; that is, so that poor sinners may come to righteousness and be saved.
1576 L. 4, 224-226. On the day of Epiphany. W. XIII, 341-344. 1577
you must let me go. For I became a sinner for the sake of all sinners, so I must do what God has commanded sinners to do, so that they may be justified through me.
(7) This was done for our comfort and as an example, that the Son of God, who had no sin, was baptized and did what he did not have to do. When will we get to the point where we do something that we are not obligated to do, because we are such bad boys and do not do what we are obligated to do? Christ, the Son of God, is more holy than baptism itself: nevertheless, he allows himself to be baptized and has instituted and instituted holy baptism, and has further commanded that such baptism remain henceforth in Christendom, and that all who wish to be saved should also be baptized.
(8) Therefore, that must be accursed people in the abyss of hell, who either despise baptism or mock at it. The devil has defiled and blinded them, so that they do not have enough ears and eyes to hear and see what is happening. Why would you not want to be baptized or have your children baptized? If the Son of God lets himself be baptized, how can you be so hopeful, even so blind and foolish, that you despise holy baptism? Shouldn't you give baptism all the credit, even if it would otherwise be of no use, just because you hear that the Son of God himself was baptized, that you were baptized in his honor, even though baptism would otherwise be of no use to you?
9 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. Heaven opens up, which was closed before, and now becomes a gate and window over the baptism of Christ, so that one can see into it, and henceforth there is no longer any difference between God and us, since God Himself lets Himself down to the Jordan. The Father lets Himself be heard in the voice, the Son sanctifies the baptism with His body, the Holy Spirit descends in the form of the dove. Now is this not a great revelation and a great
wiss great sign that God loved baptism and could not stay from it?
Therefore, this day is called Epiphany, the feast of the revelation that God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit reveal themselves in this way. The Holy Spirit comes in a blissful form, like an innocent baby-dove. Now a baby-dove has a friendly heart among all other birds, since there is no anger or gall at all. Therefore the Holy Spirit manifests himself in the most friendly form in the most blissful way, as a sign that he is not angry with us, but wants to help us through Christ to become pious and blessed.
(11) The Son, who has no need of it on account of His person, is here in person, is baptized, and reveals Himself not only to us as an example, but also as a grace, so that we may enjoy such baptism and believe that we have a gracious God through it, if we follow such an example and are also baptized according to Christ's command.
The Father makes himself heard with the voice: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. This is a new voice, the like of which no one has ever heard from heaven before. It is no wonder that heaven and earth tremble at the voice when God speaks. I would fall on my face when I heard God's voice. But this is a different voice than the one at Mount Sina, where God also speaks from heaven. There he lets himself be heard with such a terrible voice that the earth trembles before it and the mountains shake and the people worry about dying from fear. But here there is only kindness, grace and mercy.
13 As if God wanted to say: You people, turn your eyes and ears here and notice with diligence. Here you have a man who has been baptized. Do you want to know who he is? He is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased and well pleased. You must not be afraid of him. For there he stands naked, like another man, wielding neither sword nor worldly power. You must not be afraid of me either. For I do not come now with thunder and lightning, with guns and trumpets, as at Mount Sina, but with a friendly image and a blessed countenance.
1578 L. 4, 226-228. On the day of Epiphany. W. XIII, 344-347. 1579
14 What is unkind here? The Son of God, who is without sin and completely innocent, stands in the Jordan and is baptized, doing more than he is obligated to do. The Holy Spirit comes upon him in a friendly form, like a dove, so that John sees him with his eyes. The Father speaks to us in the most friendly way and tells us how he is not sending us a prophet, an apostle, or an angel, but his only begotten Son, in whom he is well pleased.
(15) I mean that we are commanded to look to the Son, because God Himself has not been displeased to proclaim to all of us, saying, "Listen to all that is human; this is My beloved Son, in whom I delight and delight. If you want to have a gracious father in me, you can do it easily. Only hold on to my Son, to whom I cannot be hostile, then you, where you obey his voice, will also be dear to me for his sake. Therefore listen to him and do what he tells you.
(16) 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. And the Son presents himself as a poor, meager sinner and is baptized by Johanne at the Jordan.
(17) So today the whole Godhead, God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, has revealed Himself in the most gracious and kindly way, according to the distinction of the persons in three different forms, so that everyone may know how to recognize God and what he should believe about Him, and especially how he should relate to Christ, namely, whoever relates to Him, accepts His word, and is comforted by His works, so that God cannot be hostile to such a person, nor would He want to be. For it says here: whatever the Son says, says or does, it is all pleasing to the Father.
(18) O how blessed we would be if we could only do this, and heartily cleave to the Son!
wanted to hold. Again, they are wicked and accursed people 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 that Christ is not the only one whom the Father loves, that he also loves monks, priests, masses, 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.
Therefore learn, dear children, because you can learn and hear this voice. A few years ago we knew nothing about it, when 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 they preach, praise God, this unspeakable grace of God, and the only thing missing is that they hear and learn it. Since nothing helps the world, which remains ungrateful and blind, 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 here, be glad, and accept the Son with heart, who stands here in the Jordan and is baptized as a sinner? on whom the Holy Spirit sits in the form of a dove? since the voice of the Father is as near as can be to the wall? There will undoubtedly also have been countless holy angels. For where the Father, Son and Holy Spirit reveal themselves in this way, there must also be the whole heavenly host and everything. Apart from that, there will be nothing more.
21 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. For 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. And it is a great wonder that this glorious revelation has just happened over the
1580 L. 4, 228-230. On the day of Epiphany. W. XIII, 347-350. 1581
Baptism of Christ at the Jordan. If God had wanted, such a revelation would have happened in the desert or in the temple in Jerusalem. But at baptism it was meant to teach us that we should hold baptism in high esteem, and that because we are baptized we should not look at ourselves or judge ourselves in any other way than as made, even newly created, saints.
(22) The blasphemous Anabaptists and the spirits of the rotten ones say today that baptism is only bad water. The devil take such blasphemers! A dog, a sow, a cow shall judge thus, which has nothing but the taste of water. But a Christian should not judge by taste, but by the word. For there is not only water, but also God's word and power. As can be seen here at the baptism of Christ, God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit and all the holy angels. Therefore, it is not bad water, but such water as God's Son bathes in, the Holy Spirit hovers over, and God the Father preaches over. That baptism is not bad water, but water rich in grace, consecrated and sanctified by God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This is also testified by the words that Christ commanded to baptize in this way, saying, "Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." Water without these words is bad water; but when these words, "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," are added to the water, it is not bad water, but a baptism.
23 Therefore, even today, when I am baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, there is the Son sanctifying with His body, the Holy Spirit sanctifying with His presence, and God the Father sanctifying with His voice. Therefore, it cannot be said that water alone is bad, since the whole Godhead is present. For this reason 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. They come from themselves and are at such work, otherwise baptism would slowly accomplish what it is supposed to accomplish.
- Who then will despise the Word of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit? Who will call the baptism of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit 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 claret or something else. Why do we want to separate the word from the water and say that it is bad water? As if God's word, even God Himself, were not with and in such water. Not so; for God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are in and with such water, just as there at the Jordan, when Christ stood in the water, the Holy Spirit hovered over it and God the Father preached there.
Therefore, baptism is such a water that takes away sin, death and all misfortune, and helps us to heaven and eternal life. Such a delicious sugar water, aromaticum and apothecary has become of it, since God has incorporated Himself. But God is a God of life and can make alive. Because he is in this water, this must be the right aqua vitae, which drives away death and hell and makes alive eternally.
(26) 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 Apost. 2, 38, in the name of JEsu, 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. Whoever therefore confesses Christ with his heart will not prove his word false, 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.
27 We should learn these things, and we should learn the
*) Cyprianus ad Jubaiannm: Jesu Christi mentionem facit Petrus, non quasi Pater omitteretur, sed ut Patri quoque Filius adjungeretur etc. (Cyprianus to Jubajanus: Peter names JEsum Christum, not as if the Father would be excluded, but that the Son would also be joined to the Father 2c.).
1582 8.4, 230-232. ' On the Day of Epiphany. W. XIII, 350-353. 1583
We must not separate the word of holy baptism or the water for baptism, but confess and say that it was ordained by God for this purpose, that it should cleanse us from sins and help us from eternal death for the sake of our Lord Christ through the Holy Spirit. For what else would God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit want to do with it? Therefore, if anyone is in sin, let him be baptized, and sin shall be blotted out; if anyone is in death, let him be baptized, and death shall be swallowed up; for baptism has divine power to wash away sin and to blot out death.
028 Whereupon we are baptized; but though we have fallen into sin, and have done wrong, yet the baptism, and that which is promised unto us therein, shall stand fast and sure. But return, and persevere not in sins. For this is not the case, if you desire forgiveness of sins, that you persist in sins and will not depart from them; but repent and say in right faith: God hath put me into the baptism of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; unto whom I return, trusting that my sins are taken away from me, not for mine own sake, nor for any man's, nor for any creature's, but for the man of Christ's sake, who commanded it, and appointed it, and was baptized himself a sinner.
Thus, this revelation far surpasses the one when the star appeared to the wise men. In the papacy, the lesser one is considered the greatest and is celebrated over eight days. But this festival should have the name of
of baptism, and the day when Christ was baptized: then we would have cause to preach of baptism against the seditionists and against the devil, who likes to make us see all other things without our true treasure, which he would like to take out of our eyes and hands, as he did in the papacy, when little or nothing was preached of such a revelation at the Jordan.
(30) Therefore learn and diligently observe how this day God has revealed Himself with a beautiful preaching of His Son, that whatever He does to us, and we to Him, all these things shall be pleasing to Him. For he who follows the Son and keeps his word shall also be the dear child. The Son revealed Himself in His tender humanity when He allowed Himself to be baptized by Johanne. The Holy Spirit revealed Himself in the form of the dove. Thus our Lord God has poured out Himself with all kindness and grace; especially the Father lets Himself be heard in the most friendly way and says: "Here you do not have an angel, prophet or apostle, but My Son and Myself. How could God reveal Himself more highly? For if he preaches himself, he can have no greater servant to preach. How could we serve him better than to hear his Son, our Savior, and to keep to what he preaches and tells us? He who does not believe these things for his salvation is not worthy to hear, but shall hear the devil and his apostles to his eternal destruction. May God grant us His grace, that we may thank Him for it and ask Him to preserve us and make us blessed, amen.
1584 2.4, 232.233. On the first Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 3S3-3S5. 1585
1.Sunday after Epiphany; Luc. 2, 41-52
*On the first Sunday after Epiphany. )
So that we may also show our dear Lord His service on this Sunday, you shall hear His holy word.
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 returned home, 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, and sought him among their friends and acquaintance. 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, Son, why hast thou done this unto us? Behold, thy father and I have sought thee with sorrows. And he said unto them: Why have ye 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.
This is a high gospel, if one wants to interpret it highly and sharply, and say that the Virgin Mary lost her Son, and how it happens when one loses the infant Jesus from his heart. But let us save such interpretation for another time, and now take before us that which is lightest and easiest, and most useful to the common man.
(2) Your beloved has heard that the feast of the wise men is called the feast of the revelation of Christ, which is celebrated for this reason, just as this revelation took place so that the newborn child would not remain secret, but would be revealed; otherwise it would have been of no use if we had not known about it. For this reason, other gospels are preached about these days, in which it is seen how Christ revealed himself; as when the star appears to the wise men in the east, and when he is baptized by John at the Jordan, and afterward is seen with the first miracle at the wedding in Cana, that he is such a Lord, who is mighty in all things, and has all things in his power.
*) Held in the house, 1534.
power. For this reason, the Fathers compiled the Gospels for this time, in which the revelations are described, so that the Lord Jesus would not only be known among the people, but also be regarded and praised as the one who is more than any other man, namely, a Lord born to such dominion, who can and is able to do everything, and we would recognize him as our Savior, and in all distress and concern 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 that he is not a common but a special child, because he secretly withdraws from his parents and steps out of obedience, which all children otherwise owe to their parents by God's command. The evangelist says that this is what 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 with them, he stayed behind them in Jerusalem. That provided the parents, may perhaps be used that he went before more with their relatives.
1586 L. 4, 233-235. On the first Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 355-358. 1587
is. For Christ did not live like a fiend in his youth, he did not lead a special life, but behaved like other children; at times he also played with his companions, without, as the text reports, becoming more pious, yes, even without sin, and before other children he increased in grace and wisdom. This makes his mother Mary and Joseph think that he is among the companions, and so they leave him there. But in the evening, when they came to the first inn in Jerusalem, they looked around to see where the child was. When they looked for him among the friends and acquaintances and did not find him, they were very frightened. For the child was specially commanded to the mother. So Joseph also had a strong command that he should take care of him. But Mary alone was the mother. Therefore it was a great fright and special heartache to her that she should not find it. There will not have been much sleeping, eating, resting before weeping; but they ran back the same night a mile or four ways; but the child was lost.
4 Now therefore count what their heart hath said unto them. For the first day the child is lost before they know it; the second day they search for it and do not find it; the third day they find it at first. Therefore they will not have slept much during the three nights and will have thought many things; and especially she, the mother, will have thought: God has taken his son from you again, 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 guardian, because you have been so indolent and have not waited for the only child, who is God's son and is commanded and trusted to you by God.
(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 for an example, out of good will and not out of duty. For he was not only his mother's son, but also her God and Lord. Therefore, he does not present himself as a son to his mother, just as he did to his mother.
we will also hear today about 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 stands up and 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," he says, "that you have sought me? Do you not know that I must be in that which is my Father's?" As if to say, I am your Son, but I am more the Son of that Father who 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 must also be wrong for the pain and sorrow they have had. Do you not know, he says, that I am over you, the Son of God in heaven? Remind them therefore what the angels, the shepherds, the arch-father Simeon, and others have preached of him; as if to say, Have ye forgotten all these things? You should know, if I have already stayed away, that I nevertheless do not disobey you, but owe more obedience to God, my Father in heaven.
(7) All this, as I have said, has been done too well for us to instruct our faith, so that we may learn to know Christ correctly, that he is more than a man, that is, he is also truly God. For this reason he withdraws from the obedience of his parents, remains at Jerusalem, and therefore wants to be unpunished by his parents, so that he may make himself known to us with such a revelation and instruct our faith, so that we may know what to think of him. On the other hand, with this revelation he also wanted to give us an example and teach us that we should be more obedient to God than to men, even if it is our parents themselves. For this is the fruit of our corrupt nature
1588 4.235-237. On the first Sunday after Epiphany. W. xm, 358-360. 1589
one, namely, our ignorance and great blindness, which is always inclined to serve men rather than God. Therefore we should learn from this example of our dear Lord Jesus Christ: when it comes to the point that we have to disobey either God or our parents and overlords, that we say with Christ: "I must be in that which is my Father's in heaven"; outside of this case I will gladly and heartily be obedient to father and mother, emperor, king, lord and women in the house. But here in this case it means: Dear father, dear mother, I have another father, I shall look to him more than to you. Mary and Joseph had forgotten this, so he had to remind them of it and teach them.
(8) Now this is also written for our sake; for the bad manner, as I have said, we have by nature, when we are to serve God and render his obedience to him, that we excuse ourselves with the world and say: I must not; for God has commanded me to be obedient to my authorities; as now the persecutors of the Gospel do, having learned from us that we are guilty of being obedient to the authorities, and he who is obedient to the authorities is obedient to God. They praise this obedience highly. Then the subjects go to and leave the obedience, which they owe to God, pending, 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 our authorities. There is father and mother, there is my prince, who does not want it, therefore I may not do it. Thank you, dear nobles.
(9) But who is your authority? It is my sovereign, my father and mother. Right. But what is the right authority? Have you no other authority besides your sovereign, father and mother on earth? What do you take him for, who says in the first commandment: "I, the Lord, your God"? Should it not be so here, when he says: This pleases me, I will have it so; that you, regardless of your ruler, 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 justly. When the command is given, then one should also do what father and mother, emperor and king want, so that one does not put the cart before the horses.
(10) This is why our dear Lord Jesus Christ reveals Himself in this gospel, not only for our faith and comfort that He is our Lord God and Savior, but also as an example that in matters concerning God we should not look to anyone, be it father, mother, ruler, or whatever you want to call it. For there is another Lord and higher authority, which is called: I am your God. You shall obey him and do what he tells you to do, and serve him before all. When this obedience is directed, then do according to it what your father and mother, your ruler and authorities want you to do; but that they do not hinder you in this higher obedience, which, as I said, must be directed before 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 child, who thus reveals himself that he is something more than other people, so that he takes himself off without permission from the obedience of his mother, and does not go after her, but she has to go after him, to confirm what 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) So this revelation rhymes well with the other revelations. 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 kept 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 God's law and word, listening to them at first as they interpreted the Scriptures, and asking them their
1590 L. 4, 237-239. on the first Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 360-363. 1591
The scribes were punished for their false teaching and interpretation, as a young boy should be punished. As if to set 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 strike with the hand to kill, he came out and said, "Truly, striking to death is not only with the fist, but also with the heart, with the eyes and with the tongue, when one is angry with one's neighbor, looks at him sourly, speaks evil of him, curses him. For the fifth commandment is to have a kind heart toward one's neighbor.
14 In this way he listened to them and asked them questions, as a young child would ask. In this way he let himself be noticed and revealed that the teachers were surprised and thought: Where does the boy get such thoughts? For when he heard something wrong from them, when they were wrong, he punished them with childish punishment.
15 And this is that he says, "I must be in that which is my Father's." What is the Father's? God's word, law and command. But just as he asked them about God's law, so he will undoubtedly have asked them about God's promises, what they think of the Messiah, where he will come from and what his ministry will be. And in all this he will have spoken with special humility, discipline and shame, and will have presented himself as if he had learned from his mother, so that everyone would have thought: The boy has the Holy Spirit, he will become a miracle man. For it is customary at this time of year for young people to show that they can sense what is to become of them and how they are to 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 that he went down with them to Nazareth and was their subject. So this child, who for the sake of his father in heaven withdrew from his mother, would have liked to see the word pure,
now again becomes obedient to the mother and to Joseph, whether he was not guilty. As St. 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 esteemed, that the child Jesus did in the house all that he was commanded, and gathered the shavings, and fetched the water, and the meat, and other things, and let nothing be disturbed.
(18) This example should be diligently observed by the youth, that the Lord, who is the God of us all, did such things in his childhood, and did not neglect what his mother commanded him, even though they were small, little, and unsightly works; so that they may also do such things, and learn such obedience and humility; for such things are pleasing to God, and, as the fourth commandment states, he wants all children to be obedient and willing to their parents.
19 I still remember that in the past there was a question in the monasteries among the young monks, what Christ had done in his childhood; as the monks have written their own book, de infantia Salvatoris (about the childhood of the Savior), since there are many clumsy fools inside. There is also a fable about a bishop: he should also have desired to know such things; he dreamt that he saw a carpenter hewing a piece of wood and a little child with him, carrying shavings, until finally a virgin in a blue skirt came with a pan, and called both the man and the little boy to eat. Then in a dream he saw himself secretly creeping towards the house and standing behind the door, so that he could see what they were eating. As the virgin pours the porridge on a bowl and has a small bowl next to it, in which she prepares something special for the child, the child lifts it up and says, "Yes, mother, what should that man behind the door eat? The bishop is said to have been frightened and awakened by such a word. They have fantasized such a ridiculous thing.
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020 But if you really want to know what Christ did in his youth, listen to the evangelist here when 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 a story about the little child Jesus and yet does not obey his parents or his masters in such a way, even lives in shameful disobedience. The common thoughts and speeches go like this, that everyone says: If I knew what the child Jesus had done, I would also do it. For if the monks say, Franciscus did this, dressed like this, watched like this, I will also do like this; here they say much more, If I knew what Christ had done, I would also do like this; but who can know what Christ has done? Such things may be thought and said, and may be used as an excuse: but it is evident and evident in the day, what Christ did; for here it is written, "He was subject unto his parents." With such words the evangelist describes 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, made fire, kept the house, and such like things, which they called him, as another child. This is what the dear little Jesus did. When his mother said, "Son, run and get me a candelabra full of water, fetch me some kofent, *) fetch me wood, straw, 2c.," he ran and fetched it.
22 Since it is well known what Jesus has done, all children should be so pious and say: Oh, I am not worthy to come to glory, and to be like the child Jesus, in that I do as he, my Lord Christ, did. If he has picked up shavings, perhaps also the
*Kofent or convent beer, the weak or half, after beer, actually for the monastery brothers, in contrast to the Pater or Herrenbier for the Fathers; then in general: beer. D. Red.
He drove out cattle, gave him food, and did other things that his parents told him to do, and did nothing else special: ei, what fine children we would be if we followed his example, and also did what our parents told us to do, it would also be as bad and low as it could be.
(23) Therefore, do not write great books about what the child Jesus has done. One should only pay attention to what father and mother need in the house, and what they use to tell the children: Come here, do this, run away, do that. For here it is clear that he did not run into a monastery and become a monk, but went with them to Nazareth, remained among the people, and there waited for obedience to his father and mother, and, like another child, allowed himself to be drawn; he did not step out of the commandments.
(24) The crude and fanciful monks write that the infant Jesus made new birds, deer and other animals in his youth, and they write about him such works that do not serve obedience nor do they belong to the fourth commandment. But father and mother will not have told him to make new little birds, because filial obedience requires other works that belong to stewardship and which, as we see, almost no one wants to do. Of such works the evangelist reports, which belong to the house and to the fourth commandment, and thereby the childlike obedience to the parents is proven.
(25) Let us diligently observe these things, that we may not only know what the child Jesus did in his youth, and follow his example, but also believe without a doubt that these works, which are called the obedience of parents, were sanctified and given through the child Jesus. Because he has sanctified such works with his person, we should shut our mouths, so that we could also come to this. But the world does not allow itself to be told. That is why we have left such works and obedience standing and have run away in the name of all the devils to the monasteries, to St. James and elsewhere. Everybody thought he wanted to do it better and more delicious than the dear little child Jesus. Have not
1594 D. 4, 241-243. On the second Sunday after Epiphany. W. xm, 365-368. 1595
We have seen that 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, gathered shavings, built fires, fetched water, and did such other household work that we are not worthy to imitate him.
Therefore, we should study this history diligently and consider ourselves blessed when we walk in such obedience and works, since we see that Christ Himself did not allow such works to be neglected. 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 run away to a monastery, but remained at home, serving Joseph and his mother, as an example to us, so that
We will learn how these are all precious, noble, holy works, which Christ, our dear Lord, himself has done.
(27) That therefore this is the sum of the holy gospel: First, that Christ is not only the Son of Mary, but also her God and Lord, yea, a Lord over all, and is found in that which is his Father. After that, even though he is already Lord over all things, nevertheless, as an example to us, he lets himself down, is obedient to father and mother, so that we may follow him in life and works and learn both, first of all to obey God, then also to faithfully obey father, 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 God help us to do this through Christ our Lord, amen.
2.Sunday after Epiphany; John 2, 1-11
On the second Sunday after Epiphany.*)
We should serve our Lord God every holy day, listen to him and learn what he preaches to us about Christ. Therefore, let us read the gospel we are to hear today.
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. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the Jews' cleansing; 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 he, as John himself reports,
*) Held in house, 1S33.
to reveal his glory to his disciples, so that they might know him by this 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.
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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.
(2) For this reason, this miraculous work is primarily intended to help us learn to recognize our dear Lord Christ, and to run to him with certain confidence, seeking help and grace from him, wherever we have need or neediness; this will certainly happen to us in due time. This is the most important part of today's gospel.
(3) Since such comfort and teaching are found in all the miraculous works of Christ, let us now speak especially of the miraculous signs the Lord performs at the wedding, so that the doctrine of marriage may remain among Christians. For there is much in it.
The Lord performs his first miraculous sign at a wedding in the poor little town of Cana, when he is thirty years old and has already been baptized by Johanne, and has now begun to be a pastor and preacher. According to Pabst's holiness and wisdom, it would have pleased the Lord Christ greatly if he had done this before. But now he does it afterward, since he has entered the spiritual office, has been baptized, and has been anointed and called by the Holy Spirit to be a preacher. According to this holy calling, order and command of the Holy Spirit, that he should preach and do miracles, he goes to the wedding.
This is a deliciously useful example against all heresies, cults and sects, not only against those who were before us, some of whom are now dead and gone, but also against those who are to come, who have had and still have no other, even greater holiness than to leave the married state and other civil beings and run away into the desert and wasteland. All heretics have been against the marriage state and have sought and started something new and special.
6 In particular, under the papacy, the married state was greatly despised, and only virginity and chastity were praised. If you want to be in a holy state and serve God, it has been said, leave the world, enter a monastery and become a monk.
For this meant leaving the world with them, that one has better and calmer days than in the married state. Truly, they were not foolish, but wise people who first pretended such things; for they did not want to quarrel, scold and beat their wives, children, servants, maids and evil neighbors, but lived in peace. After that, the monks went and called their life a holy and perfect life. But in truth it has been a lazy, quiet, peaceful, good, sweet and epicurean life, as common speech has also sufficiently proven: My son, become a monk or a priest, they have good days. They have also had enough of everything, have left the poor people in the world, who have had to sour their food, and have nevertheless had to take 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 desert or run into the monastery, why did Christ go to the wedding? Is it so evil to live in the world and become married, why does Christ honor the married state with his presence and with such a glorious miracle?
8 Now it would have had its opinion if such monastic or hermit life had been set for two or three weeks, for a year or two. But that one not only flees marriage, but also swears it away for eternity, that is, despises and honors the marital state to the highest degree, and instead of it seeks not a holy state, but rest, quiet life and joy 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 this, in particular, the Lord has commanded us as a holy life and blessed estate, so that we do not despise the married state, but honor it, and
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consider him great, as God's creature and order, 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 crowd did. For a householder who rules his house in the fear of God, who leads his children and his servants to the fear and knowledge of God, to discipline and respectability, is in a blessed, good and holy state. So a woman who takes care of her children with food, drink. Mops, bathes, she may not ask for a more holy, godly state. Servants and maidservants in the house also: if they do what master and wife call them, they serve God, and if they believe in Christ, it pleases God much better if they only sweep the room or wipe the shoes, than all monks pray, fast, say mass, and what more they praise 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 only apply to the wedding, but to the whole household. This is what God wants honored, as the fourth commandment, which is the highest in the other tablet, shows.
(12) If then thou art a father and a mother, abide in that estate, and learn that God is pleased with the things which thou oughtest to do by reason of that estate. If you are a servant or a maid, learn that God is pleased with your status. For God Himself blessed and honored the married state, invited it to the wedding and honored the wedding with His presence and first miraculous work when He was already a preacher. He could 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.
(13) But he, as the highest bishop, since he had special command, does not err in this, does not despise the marriage, which is the beginning of stewardship;
but honor, praise and glorify the works of such a position, so that everyone may be willing to do so and say: "Because God has placed and ordered me in such a way that I, as a maid, as a servant, as a child, as a husband, as a housemother, should serve the married state and the household, I will gladly do so and serve my God in such a position with joy. For I see that the high preacher, my Lord and God, Christ Jesus, gives himself here and comes to this state not only for honor, but also for help and preservation.
- This doctrine and example was necessary against the heretics and the priests, and is still necessary today against the red spirits, 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 the neighbors are angry and one must quarrel with them, now one has another accident with wife and children; in addition there is much toil, work and worry; now one must obey and serve the mayor, now the prince: how can one, with so much unrest, of which there is neither measure nor end in married life, remember God and serve God? Therefore, I do not want to be married or keep house, but I want to run away to a monastery, where I am relieved of all such unrest 2c. So we went in the name of the devil, one to this order, the other to another order and state.
(15) Therefore let this doctrine and example be well remembered, that, when such foolish spirits come again, we may be warned and prepared, and know that the marriage state and the domestic government are pledged and confirmed by Christ. 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, let them keep house, and let the servants serve, and also helped himself so that the wedding would be performed all the more honestly. With such a beautiful example, he wanted to teach us that it should also please him where one faithfully helps and serves the household. Even if there is a lack, do not be alarmed; only see that you have Christ with you and are not ungodly.
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He will make wine of water, and bless thy estate, that thou shalt have enough; and at length whatsoever is needed shall be found, though it lack and stumble a while: help and comfort shall be found in his season.
This can also be seen in experience. If husband and wife live together in a fine Christian way, our Lord God feeds them so abundantly that they get more than they think or should have believed. And I believe that no craftsman who is otherwise diligently dedicated to his work and who is God-fearing would be able to get so much money in one heap from a table, as much as he can earn in a whole year, if he dared to keep it. But God's blessing goes secretly, so that today one looses two pennies, tomorrow again two pennies, and helps oneself in such a way that one must feel God's blessing in such quiet housekeeping. So that even today our dear Lord Christ turns water into wine in my house and yours (if we are only godly and pious and let him take care of it). Item, he makes that one piece of bread must become ten, and one skirt last as long as otherwise 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.
17 The evangelist reports in particular how Jesus' mother was also there. She may have been the bride's mother at the wedding. It was a Matthes wedding, where nothing was lacking except bread and wine. But she is mother, cares and takes care of the thing, as if she is particularly concerned, because she sees lack. Now think: If God did not like the marriage state, should not Jesus have said to her: Mother, you are too glorious and great, you alone among all women are a virgin and a mother of the Son of God; for this reason you alone should wait on the church and the service: then you go here to this work, how to perform the wedding well, how to make the people
and give them direction? And it is true, it is ridiculous that the holy mother should give herself to the 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. This is what the devil does, so that no one wants to learn, believe or believe it to be true that our Lord God is served when one serves faithfully and diligently in the home. Otherwise, servant and maidservant, child and servants would be happy and cheerful in all their work, and would make a paradise out of their domestic service, saying: "I will gladly do what I am supposed to do, please my lord and my wife, and let them do what they want; even if I am sometimes scolded, what is the harm? because I truly know that my position is a service and pleasing life to our Lord God. For my Savior, 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 *) and servants. Most of them are stubborn and harder than steel; even if they hear this story, they still do not want to consider it, nor let themselves be moved to have it in the house, so that they can serve our Lord God in the best way, more than any nun or monk in the monastery, no matter how sour it might be for them. But because no one takes it to heart nor believes, everything happens with unwillingness and reluctance, and it is not possible that happiness and salvation can be with such unwilling servants.
019 For should not a godly and pious maid of 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 is
*) Husbandry - servants, servants.
1602 L. 4, 249-Wi. On the second Sunday after Epiphany. W. xm, 376-378. 1603
I have just been at the service of the dear virgin Mary at the wedding; she also made herself busy and saw to it that everything was done well 2c. And though it is a small work that I do in the house, and has no reputation, yet I do it in honor of God, who has commanded and wills that I should do such obedience and diligence, and knows where I will please the descendant. Let the world respect such obedience for what it will, but let those who want to be Christians consider it great and a right worship and perform it with all their will. Thus a maidservant or servant in the house could take pleasure in his position and work and please God, saying: "I thank you, Lord, that you have placed me in this position and service, knowing that I please you and 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, that I should honor my father and mother, serve my master and wife with all diligence and fidelity, and help to keep the house; for this reason I will comply with it with joy and love.
(20) Whoever so engaged in the matter would have great joy and pleasure in his position and service, 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 would also be pleased with it and would in turn reward such faithfulness and willing service abundantly and gladly. For faithful, pious servants are held in high esteem everywhere.
But there is no end to it. It will not follow, everyone considers it rather a service of God, if one goes into a monastery, than that one serves masters and wives diligently for housekeeping. Because the fourth commandment has been so trampled underfoot, and the marriage state and the house rule so despised, it has come about through God's righteous judgment, and our Lord God has done right in that he has allowed such despisers of his state and order to become monks and nuns, and to get into such a state, since they have toiled themselves and have done God the highest disobedience and disservice. For
Because he did not tell them to do this, nor did he command them, they did not serve him but the devil.
(22) Therefore let us learn this example well, that everyone 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 sustain all kings and princes, not only because kings and princes come from the married state, but also because, if there were not married couples, they would have neither people nor interest. For the steward, the father of the house, the mother of the house must acquire it, from which all estates in the world, from the highest to the least, are preserved. That is why our Lord God has made marriage the fountainhead of all physical goods on earth; as it is written, "Eve is the mother of all living.
(23) Let this be known, and be willing and obedient to it, that this estate may also be honored and promoted by us, that every 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, did 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 for it, why should I, poor maggot, be ashamed of such housework? For what am I trash compared to the pure Virgin Mary?
(24) In particular, if a husband and wife are devout and God-fearing, they should take comfort in the fact that God will not abandon them, but will gladly add to them with His blessings, and turn away all deficiencies, as He does here. For there is no other way out, husbands and wives must have plenty of 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 is what you are to learn today, so that you may know why these things are preached to you, namely, that you should remain all the more willing in the work of stewardship, and not let yourselves be deceived, whether they would come back and say, "Stewardship, being married, is a worldly thing.
1604 2.4, 251.252. On the third Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 378.37g. 3S2-3S4. 1605
thing; whoever wants to serve God must attack himself in another way, so that it hurts him.
(25) As the Anabaptists, the blind people, also do, saying that it is not necessary to stay with wife and child, and praising such running away for a great cross and holiness, which is painful. But it's all just a matter of running away with the peelers. Cause, that does not hurt, what one takes on himself and interprets. That hurts much more, which one must suffer from wife and child, neighbors; therefore one is also afraid that one should be caught more than with twenty ropes. The naughty boys get rid of such ropes and live according to their own will. But that does not mean hurting oneself. But it is a woe that one must be bound by God's command to his wife, his princes, his descendants, and his children.
The Lord has his hands full on all sides, proving Christian love and patience. For a man must hear, see, and suffer that he would rather be forgiven, and yet he must remain and not run away, but say: I will gladly do it all and suffer it all, for I know that God wants to be with me in this stewardship of 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 He proves here at this wedding that He wants to do it gladly and with pleasure.
(26) Learn these things from today's gospel and call upon God for His grace, so that we may keep them and thus go about our business in a Christian manner, amen.
3.Sunday after Epiphany; Matth. 8, 1-13
*On the third Sunday after Epiphany. )
We want to hear today's Gospel in praise of our dear Lord God. Gospel.
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 this gospel there are two miracles: the first is of a leper whom the Lord cleanses from leprosy; the other is of a man who is a leper.
*) Held in the house, 1533.
of a centurion whose sick servant the Lord makes well.
(2) But the highest and noblest part that is in it is that our dear Lord Jesus Christ so highly praises and glorifies the chief of all things.
1606 L. 4, 252-254. on the third Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 394-397. 1607
He says that he did not find such faith in Israel. For it is a great wonder that the Gentile, who did not have such a promise as the Jews had, should have such great and excellent faith that he surpasses all Israel. The Lord accepts such faith, and does what he desires, saying to the centurion, "Go thy way, and it shall be done unto thee according as thou hast believed.
(3) Then we see what is the best and most pleasing service to God, namely, that we can do nothing better for our Lord God than to trust and believe in Him from the heart. Our Lord God does not want to ask for beautiful temples, glittering, seeming works; but for the inward service of the heart He asks, namely, for faith; as the prophet Jeremiah Cap. 5, 3. says: "Lord, Your eyes look after faith." Therefore we should know that if we serve God with the same service of the heart, with faith, we are His servants, priests, children and heirs, and shall sit in heaven.
It is a beautiful sermon that the Lord Christ singles out the centurion and elevates him higher than all the people of Israel. He leaves out Hannam, Caipham and all the priests, Pharisees and scholars of Christ, and makes of the Gentile centurion such a saint, whom he sets as an example to all the Jews. As if someone in our time would say: I have found a Turk who has such a beautiful faith that neither pope nor bishops, neither ecclesiastics nor seculars, neither scholars nor unscholars have such faith. So it is also said of Christ, when he says, "I have not found such faith in Israel." The Jews were citizens, had the adoption and the glory, had the covenant and the law, had the worship and the promise, Christ came from them according to the flesh, Rom. 9:5; they heard Christ preached daily, and saw his miraculous works; yet they did not believe in him. On the other hand, the centurion was a sojourner and a stranger, apart from the citizenship of Israel, alien from the testaments of the promise, Eph. 2:12, summa, was a Gentile: and the same
A Gentile without circumcision and all the Law comes to him and clings to the Lord Christ with such trust and faith that he obtains from Him more than he could have wished or desired.
5 Now the evangelist reports that the centurion demonstrated two special things in his faith. First, there is a great and deep humility in his faith, so that he says, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you under my roof. As if he should say, O Lord, what wilt thou do with me? I am evil, thou art holy; I am a sinner, thou art righteous. I have heard that you do great miracles in Israel, that you heal the sick, and I would gladly have helped my sick servant; but I consider myself unworthy that you should enter my house.
6 Secondly, his faith is especially illuminated by the fact that he recognizes that Christ is the true God and ascribes such power and authority to him that he can heal his servant even in his absence. He not only confesses that he is not worthy for Christ to enter his house, but also that there is no need for such an effort at all; for Christ can accomplish with a word what he has asked him to do, even if he is not personally present. For he has heard that the Lord has raised the dead before, and from the same cry he has taken such faith that he considers it unnecessary for Christ to come to his servant in person. If he speaks only one word, his servant will be healed. And he is so sure of this that he sets his own example, saying, "I am a man, and subject to the authorities, and have under me soldiers; yet if I say to one, Go, he goes; and to another, Come, he comes: Come hither, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it." I am a man, he says, and a submissive man. I am not a high authority who has supreme power, but a subject of the authorities: nevertheless I can create and do what I want with a word. If then my word is so powerful, much more is your word powerful; for you are not an inferior man, but the Lord and God of all creatures, and such is your power and authority.
1608 L. 4, 254-256. on the third Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 397-399. 1609
Power with great signs and wonders everywhere.
7 This means not only believing, but also preaching and teaching about faith and its nature and manner in the best and most glorious way. For the right way of faith is to trust in the word as the only treasure and consolation, and not to doubt that what the word promises will be yes and amen; just as the centurion rests on the word without any wavering and is satisfied with the word. Therefore he also says to JEsu, "Speak but one word, and my servant shall be healed." As if he should say: If I have only the word, then I have everything, and my servant lacks nothing more, but will be fresh and healthy.
(8) Now this is such great, excellent faith, and such beautiful, deep humility in the centurion, that Christ himself marvels at it, and goes out with a glad heart, saying, "Verily I say unto you, I have not found such faith in Israel. I tell you, many will come from the morning and evening" 2c. Will therefore say: The Jews do not want to believe, but the Gentiles begin to believe. What does it matter, the game will be turned around? The Jews, who are the children of the kingdom and have the promise, will be rejected because of their unbelief; and the Gentiles, who do not have the promise, will be accepted into the kingdom of heaven because they believe.
(9) The Lord is pleased with the centurion's beautiful humility and fine faith, so that he is ready to do anything the centurion asks. "Go," he says, "and let it be done to you as you have believed. The centurion is not allowed to ask anything else, nor to indicate what kind of sickness the servant has; but the Lord loves the man so much that it is all yes before he asks. This beautiful faith pleases him, even though the centurion is a heathen and unworthy: not that he delights in unworthiness, but in the recognition of unworthiness, that the centurion feels and confesses his unworthiness. Such humility and faith makes the Lord not only heal the servant, but also begin to praise and extol the centurion's faith.
(10) This is a piece in this gospel, prescribed for our learning and provocation, that we may learn to believe, and think ourselves unworthy, and yet be bold and say: If I am not worthy, then I take it unworthily; if I have not earned it, as I know not how to boast of any merit, then I take it as a gift. This then is right faith and right humility, that one fears because of unworthiness, and yet does not despair; as the 147th Psalm says, v. 11: "The Lord is pleased with those who fear him, who wait for his goodness." You should learn this today, it is a glorious piece, it is too high for the home sermon, belongs to the pulpit further to strike out.
(11) The Lord cleanses the leper of his leprosy and makes him go to the priest. He does not do this to the centurion's servant or to other sick people whom he heals, as he does here to the leper. The reason why he does this is indicated by himself, when he says, "Go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded for a testimony against them. As if to say, "They have a testimony, I will not take it from them. They have a law and a right to visit the lepers and to offer gifts for them; I will not take the same law and right away from them. He does not say to the centurion, "Go and be circumcised and become a Jew"; much less does he say, "Leave your office, go to a monastery and become a monk"; he does not demand that the servant no longer be a servant, but lets the centurion remain a centurion and the servant a servant.
With this, he shows that his kingdom does not destroy the worldly kingdom and the outward statuses on earth. All ranks, which are ordered and commanded by God, are good, and in order to become a Christian, one does not need an external rank. It is not necessary for husband and wife to run away from each other and enter a monastery, so that they may become Christians and serve God; but can be Christians in their state and married life and serve God, yes, be better Christians and serve God more than if they abandoned their state and ran away from each other. The pope has put all the other
1610 4, 286-258. on the third Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 399-462. 1611
He has called his state and that of his monks and priests spiritual. This has been a dangerous snare to all the world, and yet it is false and untruthful. This is that the Lord lets the law and right of the Jews stand and remain here, and if they had accepted him, he would have let the whole Jerusalem with Moses, temple, kingdom and priesthood stand and remain; although they were bad boys, nevertheless he would have let them remain.
013 And that he should destroy Jerusalem, and the temple, and the service, and the kingdom, is because they would not receive him. For this is what he did: if they would not let him stay, he tore them apart. He wanted to leave the temple to the Jews, but the people should recognize him and serve him. But since they would not do this, he had everything torn into one heap. Just as a great king and lord storms a city, not thinking that he will tear it apart, devastate it and destroy it, but that it will surrender, become subject to him and pay him interest, and give him the service that it gave to his adversary and enemy before; but if the city does not surrender, but wants to tear the king apart, he tears it apart: so Christ, with his gospel, did not want to tear apart the Jews' regiment, marital life and external status; but spoke to them alone: You shall receive me as Lord, serve me, and I will leave you. But they would not accept him as Lord, nor serve him. He faithfully warned them, exhorted them, pleaded with them, and said: I would not have you sit down against me; I will let you remain; let me also remain, and be your lord. But they would not, saying, "We would not that this should reign over us." Yes, they went to and wanted to tear him apart. But what happened? They crucified him, but he still remained before them and tore them apart.
14 This is what happened to the Roman Empire. Christ came to them, desiring them to accept his gospel and serve him with right fear, knowledge and faith, so he would let their kingdom and obedience remain; he would not take away the Roman emperor's rule, but taught.
He should give to Caesar what is Caesar's, Matth. 22, 21; yes, when he stood before the governor Pilato, he gave the secular power its honor, Joh. 18: but the Roman Emperor set himself with his empire against Christ, persecuted the gospel, and had a Christian crucified here, executed there with the sword, and wanted to tear Christ apart with his own; therefore he perished with his regiment and empire, so that Rome now lies two rooms deep in the earth.
15 In short, we must accept Christ and his gospel above all things. If we do this, the other will remain with us; and if we lose it, we will still find it. But if we do not accept Christ and his gospel, but persecute them, we shall not long retain the other. Therefore, if the need arises that I should either deny Christ or leave my wife and child, it should be said: If I can keep Christ and still be left with my wife and child, it is good; but if I cannot keep my wife and child, my dominion, my authority, and my life, I will leave my wife and child, my dominion, my authority, my body and my life, before I deny Christ.
- Today we offer to the pope and his people that we will let them stay, that we will do them no harm, but let them have power, glory and honor, without only that they should not be lords in the church, but accept Christ and let him be lord in his church alone; or if they do not want to accept him for themselves, that they should not forbid us and the others who want to accept him, much less force anyone to idolatry and blasphemy, nor kill anyone for it: But this the pope will not do with his shamed multitude, but will cast Christ from the throne, and set himself in his place, choking and killing them that receive Christ. Fire, he says, and burn the heretics, and curse their Christ 2c. For this reason Christ again says to them, "My nobles, popes, bishops and lords, you have evil intentions and want to remove me from the throne and sit in my place.
1612 L. 4, 258-260. on the third Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 402-405. 1613
not be, but so it shall be: I will remain seated on my chair, and the pope, bishops, prelates, princes, lords, and all the evil men who want to overthrow me from my chair will soon lie in a heap.
- summa, Christ will let everyone remain; only he who served the devil before shall serve him henceforth. He that doeth this shall not only abide, but also be built, Jer. 31:28: "As I have watched over them to pluck up, to pull down, to break down, to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them to build and to plant, saith the LORD." Whoever does not do this shall be destroyed. For God cannot and will not leave unpunished those who do not want to have Him as their Lord, but serve the devil; as Moses testifies, Deut. 18:12: "Whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord, and because of such abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you."
But the world cannot and will not have Christ as its Lord, nor serve Him. That is why the land and the people are destroyed and devastated. If our city would not have for its Lord the one who saved it, would it not do wrong if the same Lord and Savior destroyed it and destroyed it to the ground, saying to it, "Will you do this? will you not only forget all the good things you have done, but also drive me out of the country for the goodness I have done in saving you, and serve another Lord? Well, let it come upon thee, because thou art so unfaithful. So also those who reject Christ their Savior are not wronged when they are punished and devastated.
19 This is what the Lord means here, when he directs the leper to the priest, that the Christian faith is not to be understood in the way that the spirits of the mob understand it, who go and immediately throw everything into a heap; or also in the way that the papists understand it, who have distinguished the spiritual state from the worldly state only according to the outward life: but that it is to be known that a Christian and believer alone gets another Lord. Otherwise, as far as the outward life is concerned, he remains as he was before. As St. Paul also says, Gal. 3, 28: "Here is neither Jew nor Greek, here
There is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. It is not true that one should change the outward life for the sake of the Christian faith, but the outward life should remain. If you are called to be a husband, wife, servant, maid, 2c., then remain with God in that in which you are called, as St. Paul teaches, 1 Cor. 7:20 ff. Therefore we should learn to distinguish between the Christian state and the outward life, so that we may know what the Christian state is, namely, to recognize Christ as the only true Lord who has redeemed us and whom we owe to serve.
(20) The pope and his mob did not understand this, nor did they want to understand it; but they mixed and blended the Christian state and the external life, and made no distinction between the spiritual and the secular. The bishops and clergy have become temporal lords, ruling over land and people; but no less have they called their dominion, possessions and goods spiritual goods; for spiritual goods are only such goods as cannot be seen with the bodily eyes, nor felt with the hands, as the forgiveness of sins, the righteousness that is valid before God, eternal life and blessedness. For these goods can neither be seen nor touched; faith alone must grasp and grasp them in the Word.
(21) It is great blindness not to be able to distinguish a Christian life from other outward, worldly lives. Therefore, as I have said, we should learn this well, so that we may distinguish rightly and say: A Christian life is that we accept the invisible Christ, and believe that he is our only Lord and Savior, who has redeemed us from sins, death, the devil and hell. Afterwards, when we have thus recognized him as our Lord, that we also serve him with our whole life, and pay interest to him as our Lord, and say: Lord, before I was under the devil's power and service, and I abused your gifts, which I also had in part, most shamefully under the devil; but now I have learned and know that you alone are the Lord.
1614 L. 4, 260-263. on the third Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 405-407. 1615
you are my God and Lord. I believe in you, therefore I will also serve you in this faith, believe with all my heart that you are my Lord and Savior, and be obedient to you in my position and do what is pleasing to you. This is the proper distinction between the Christian life and the outward life. But both are to be and remain subject to Christ, although a Christian is subject to worldly authority according to the body; for we should rather forsake life and limb, goods and honor, and all that we have, before we forsake Christ.
(22) This is what the Lord means when he says to the leper, "Go and show yourself to the priest. In addition to the fact that he has revealed his glory and these miraculous signs, he wants to include these things here, so that he will not be considered or accused with truth, as if he were teaching or stirring up rebellion against the Jews' rule and priesthood. As if he wanted to say: The law and right of the Jews, given to them by Moses, shall be pleasing to me and nothing shall hinder me, if they only consider me their Lord; if they let themselves be circumcised, see the leprosy according to the law of Most, offer gifts and do other works of the law, all this shall be pleasing to me, only that they let me remain their Lord. But if they will not let me be their Lord, their friendship shall be ended.
23 We also see this everywhere in the Gospel writers, that Christ did not challenge the law of the Jews, when they let him teach freely and do miracles, and they accepted him. But when they would not accept him, and blasphemed his doctrine and miracles, and with their law took occasion to reprove and punish him, he passed through as through a spider's web, and would not be bound by any law, saying, "The Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath." This day also he does so, saying, "All things shall be evil and right, except that the world receive me as Lord. But if they will not accept me, then we will fight. My Father will not suffer me to be despised or rejected. If they despise and reject me, my Father will not suffer the
The world into one heap. So teaches the other Psalm, v. 8 ff: "Cry out from me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the end of the world for your possession. Thou shalt smite them with an iron scepter; as pots shalt thou break them. Now therefore, ye kings, be instructed; and be ye chastened, ye judges of the earth. Serve your Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, that he be not angry, and ye perish in the way" 2c. As if he wanted to say: The world should have good days, body, life and everything from the Lord Christ; only that it recognizes him for its Lord, accepts him and serves him. If it does not do this, its judgment is already pronounced.
(24) Now if we would learn and do these things, we would please God and be saved. But those who do not do this are the world. Yea, saith the world, if I should receive Christ as my Lord, and serve him, all things would be broken up, and all things would go to pieces. Well, says God to the world, it shall come to pass as you say, all things shall fall to pieces: not through the fault of my word, but through the fault of your stubbornness, that you will not accept my word, nor have my Son for your Lord. So the Jews said, "If we let this one go, the Romans will come and take our land and people." I mean, the Romans came right upon them, and the Jews prophesied to themselves that not one stone was left upon another. And the Romans also said afterward, Because these two beggars Peter and Paul are come hither, it is finished with us Romans. I mean, they were rightly finished, and they were prophets over their own necks. Our adversaries now also speak thus: If we accepted the Lutheran gospel and believed in their Christ, then our whole regime, country and people would have to perish. They speak such things freely in public, and yet they know well that they are not true; for our gospel would let them remain if they themselves wanted to. But because they will not, let it happen to them that they fear. Let us leave Christ and them together and see who will be stronger.
- to the centurion Christ does not say,
1616 4, 2<n. M4. On the fourth Sunday after Epiphany. W. xni, 4v7-4w. 1617
that he should go to the priest, does not cast him under the law of the Jews, but lets him remain a centurion under the pagan authorities. Now the office of the centurion was an office of murder: nevertheless Christ leaves him the sword, lets him serve to the blood after the conversion, does not forbid him that he cuts, stabs and murders in the war and in his office; but confirms the centurion with such: Miraculous work, that he healeth his servant with a word. Just as he does not take away the law and justice of the Jews, so he does not take away the status and office of the Gentiles, nor does he take away the status and office of the men of war: not that he likes everything the Gentiles or men of war do, but that he lets the status and office remain. For these two must be well distinguished, office and abuse of office; as John the Baptist also teaches, when he speaks to the men of war, Luke 3:14: "Do neither violence nor wrong to any man, and be content with your station."
26 Therefore the ministry and work of the Lord Christ is passing away, and for this reason he has come,
that he may remove the devil's kingdom from us, that the people who served the devil before may serve him now. Thus we also teach: Whoever served the devil under the papacy with idolatry, masses, vows, etc., let him now leave these things and serve God, and believe in Christ, that through Him alone, without merit of works, he may be justified and saved before God. If this stands and remains firm, we are well satisfied. If someone is not satisfied with one plate, let him make two, for God does not ask much. But without and apart from Christ, relying on caps and plates, God does not like that, for then He will smash everything into one heap. Therefore Christ says: I will take nothing from you, you take nothing from me; so you remain what you are, and I what I am. If thou shalt die after this, thou knowest whither thou shalt go. Summa, Christ only wants to tear apart the devil's kingdom, otherwise he does not want to take anything from us. May God grant us His grace that we may grasp and keep these things. Therefore we will call upon him and pray.
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 to do, for nothing is said here about our works, but about what to believe and how to comfort oneself in distress and adversity. Therefore it is one of the gospels which teaches us of the high article, viz.
*) Held in the church, 1531.
The faith, which we always practice and boast of as the main part of Christian doctrine, is the simple art that everyone thinks he can do, and yet no one can do it without the true Christians and high saints.
2 We will divide it thus: first, we will speak of the cross and suffering, as is the case with those who preach about Christ and faith; second, we will speak of faith and its nature.
1618 L. 4, 2<-, 4-266. On the fourth Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 4IV-4I3. 1619
The third is about the Lord Christ and his person, and the fourth is about the fruit and benefit that comes after the challenge and from faith. 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 about the cross, how Christ and his disciples are. When the Lord enters the ship with his disciples, it is still quiet, there is no storm, but the sun is shining, and the sea is also gentle and friendly to look at. But as soon as Christ sits in the ship with his disciples, and they are cast off from the land and come into the sea, the sky becomes dark, and such a great tempest arises that the little ship is covered with waves, as if it were about to sink. The other ships are not so soon attacked by the wind, but the ship in which Christ and his disciples are sitting has to endure.
4 We should take note of this history, so that we know how it is when the doctrine of faith comes on the scene, and immediately make a proverb out of it, saying: "When Christ comes into the ship, it will not remain quiet for long, there will be weather and tempests, the sun will no longer shine, and the sea will rage and rage. Christ himself says, Luc. 11, 21. 22. that the strong-armed man has his palace in peace and quiet until a stronger one comes; then the strife begins and there is fighting and strife. This is also seen everywhere in the history of the Gospels. When all is quiet before, as soon as Christ lets himself be heard with a sermon and seen with a miracle, then it burns in all gazes, then the devil becomes really angry, and stirs up and incites against him the bad boys, Pharisees, scribes, high priests, who want him badly dead. Christ Himself said long before, Matth. 10, 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 mother.
against their brothers-in-law. And a man's enemies will be his own household.
(5) All these things serve together, that if thou wilt be a Christian, and follow this Lord, and enter into the ship with him, thou send thine heart thither, and hold thy soul with patience. For as soon as thou goest to this Lord, and comest into the ship with him, the wind, and the tempest, and the trouble, shall surely come. Thus Jesus exhorts Sirach Cap. 2. to all believers and says v. 1. 2.: "My son, if you want to be God's servant, send yourself to the temptation. Hold fast and suffer thyself." As if to say: If you do not want to be God's servant, always go, the devil will leave you satisfied. But again, if you desire to serve God and to be a Christian, give yourself willingly and forgive yourself of good days, persecution will not remain outside. Take courage; though the waves beat upon the ship, and the sea be mad and foolish, and roar; yet fear not, but think thus: For the world's favor I have not begun, for their disfavor and wrath will I not forbear. This is what the evangelist wants to teach us by saying that the tempest arose first when Christ entered the ship and came into the sea from the land, so that we may make a proverb out of it and say: "If you want to be a Christian, you must wait for the wind and the sea to cause a tempest; if you want to preach and confess Christ and the faith, it will be desolate in the world.
(6) Afterward this also serves that we may know how to answer the poisonous, useless blasphemers, who can do no more than blaspheme and speak the gospel: Before this doctrine arose, it was quiet and all was well, and it was cheap; now it is very shameful, there is so much misfortune that no one can tell, mobs, war, riots, troubled times, Turks and all kinds of misery. To stop such shameful blasphemers, who attribute all misfortune to the Gospel, you shall speak: Dear one, have you never heard in the Gospel, as soon as Christ comes into the ship and on the sea, that a tumult arises?
1620 L. 4, 266-268. on the fourth Sunday after Epiphany. W. xm, 413-416. 1621
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 forgiveness of sins and be saved, they do not want to see.
(8) And this is not new. For the unthankful, stubborn, unruly and vexed people, the Jews and their captains, did likewise in the wilderness, murmuring against God and Moses, and saying: Why did you bring us out of Egypt? We must die of hunger here in the desert. While they were in Egypt, their sons were thrown into the water, and one of them was put to work for two men. Then they cried out to God to help them from the misery, they wanted to be the most pious children. But what happened? When God delivered them from such misery and they came into the desert, everything was forgotten: what and how much they had had to work and suffer in Egypt, that King Pharaoh had killed their children, that the men had been beaten by their wives; only they remembered the flesh pots and the bread in Egypt, picked out the good things they had had in Egypt, and forgot the misery they had suffered, and desired again in Egypt. Even though they had the man and the bread of heaven in the wilderness, it was nothing to the people compared to the flesh pots; they could make all kinds of food out of the man, soup, porridge, etc., but it was no use, they saw that there were no flesh pots in the wilderness, nor did pomegranates and figs grow there, as in Egypt. Therefore they murmured, and said unto Moses and Aaron, Ye have brought us out of Egypt, not in the name of God, but in the name of all the devils. So they blasphemed, although God gave them angel bread and sent them food in abundance. To keep silent and not to throw in the towel soon is God's patience and longsuffering, no human being would be able to do such a thing.
to suffer the displeasure of beings. In our time, too, there are many unholy mouths that are capable of this art: everything that happens in the world that is evil, theurung, war and other misfortunes, must have been caused by the gospel; they finely believe out of the pontifical what they have had that is good, but what they have suffered in addition, they can keep silent.
9 If one had asked such blasphemous tongues twenty years ago whether they would rather have a year of theuration, or suffer the confession of the ears, the torture of the conscience, for and for (I will now remain silent about the other innumerable drudgeries and plagues that the monks and priests then inflicted on the people), they would have answered without a doubt: We would gladly suffer a year of theurung, so that we could get rid of the heavy, unmistakable torture and endless drudgery. For there would have been the hope that what one year does not grow, the other year would give; but that torture and drudgery went on for and on, and from day to day increased the longer, the more. We have so purely forgotten such and other misfortunes; we look only at the bodily welfare, which we may have had, but at the spiritual misery and murder of souls, which has been in the Pabst's regiment, we do not see that we have not only been deprived of money and goods in such peace, but also of body and soul through false doctrine and idolatry, and yet have not been able to overcome the external accident. For before that time the Elbe also went out; so before that, too, the great time, pestilence, war and other plagues struck. Now all misfortunes, if any, are blamed on the Gospel.
(10) Thus the devil blinds the hearts of men, so that they do not recognize the precious treasure and the great benefits of the gospel, all the good things that have happened to them through the gospel, namely, that they have been delivered from sin and death, from the devil and hell, from the tyranny and power of the pope, which they blaspheme most horribly, blaming the gospel for causing all misfortune, just as the Jews did in the wilderness. But what punishment will follow such blasphemy? Verily, it will be
1622 L. 4, 268-270. on the fourth Sunday after Epiphany. W. xm, 416-419. 1623
finally come upon them, which they fear. They say, "Since this gospel came, it has never been well in the land. Well, as they say, so shall it be done unto them. For the manner of the gospel is, that when it is preached, and it is despised, all mischief cometh afterward.
(11) Not that this is the fault of the gospel, but of the ungrateful people who despise the gospel and deserve such punishment by their ingratitude and contempt. For though the gospel be not, yet all manner of mischief is everywhere in the world. The Romans have to suffer war and all kinds of misfortune before the gospel came to them. After that, when the gospel came to them and they despised and persecuted it, the punishments became more severe. When Christ preached the gospel in the land of Judaea, and wrought great and many miraculous signs, the chief priests and Pharisees said, "What shall we do? this man wrought many signs; let him therefore, and they shall all believe on him: then come the Romans, and take away our land and our people." But what they feared they met with; as they had said, so the Romans came and utterly desolated them. Such a reward belongs to the despisers and persecutors of the gospel, that it may be done to them as they said.
(12) Nevertheless, God saves His faithful from calamity, however much and great it may be. At the time Jerusalem was destroyed, God preserved His apostles and believers, even though all the people perished and were destroyed with priesthood and kingdom. God can and will do the same in our time, save His own and punish the ungodly, ungrateful world. The first part of this gospel is that if you want to be a Christian and have the gospel, you must go into the storm, because it will not remain outside.
The other piece is about the right kind of faith, when it stands in its right work and struggle. It is a small thing to behold when one hears the word "faith"; just as our adversaries, the papists, laugh and mock at us when they hear us preach about faith. O, they say, what is faith? But against this hold
they said a lot about free will. But I would have wished them to have been in the ship with the disciples and to have tried what free will could do in such anxieties and distresses.
The apostles have learned finely here, and free will has passed shamefully here. Let their faith have been 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 desire his help.
(15) Therefore, if those who have faith, however weak and small it may be, cannot stand in adversity, and if the apostles cannot stand when the trains come, what then can your free will and human reason do? I also confess and say that you have a free will to milk the cows and build a house, but no further. If dll sit in safety and freedom, are without danger and are in no need, you may well think that dll have a free will that is capable of something. But when there is need, there is neither food nor drink, there is neither stock nor money: where is your free will here? It loses itself and cannot stand when it comes to the meeting. But faith stands and seeks Christ. Therefore faith is much different from free will; indeed, free will is nothing and faith is everything; free will is a powerless thing, but faith is. This is finely seen here in the disciples who are in danger. There is comfort, joy and everything gone. This means in good German: Man is not able to do anything, but the power is of God. What now the disciples have failed, each one will also experience in his own time. Try it, if you are bold, and lead it out with your free will, when pestilence, war, theure time comes. At the time of pestilence you cannot start anything because of fear, then you think: Oh Lord God! If I were here or there; could you
1624 12.4, 270-273. on the fourth Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 419-423. 1625
If you wished to go a hundred miles away, you would not have lacked the will. In dear time you remember: Where shall I take food? These are the great deeds that our free will does, that it does not comfort the heart, but makes it more and more despondent, that it is afraid even of a rustling leaf.
(16) But faith, on the other hand, is the Lady Domina and Empress; even though it is small and weak, it still stands and does not allow itself to be frightened to death; it has great things ahead of it, as can be seen here in the disciples. Waves, wind, and sea all drift together toward death; the little ship is covered with waves. Who should not be pale in such distress and deadly ride? But faith, no matter how weak it is, still holds like a wall and stands like little David against Goliath, that is, against sin, death and all danger; but especially it fights like a knight if it is a strong, perfect faith; a weak faith also fights well, but is not so bold. The disciples in the ship have a weak faith; nevertheless, they seek help where it is to be sought, namely, from the Lord Christ, wake Him up, cry out to Him: "Oh, Lord, help us, we are perishing!"
17 The Lord calls them of little faith, confessing that they have faith, but it is a small and weak faith. For if they had had no faith at all, they would not have awakened Christ in the emergency. But that they awaken him is a part of faith. For no one can call upon God, especially in trouble, unless he has faith. Even though there is only a spark of faith in the disciples, it still shines forth and takes hold of the person who can command even death. For they cry, "Lord, help!" These are the words of faith. If their faith had been strong, they would not have been afraid of the wind and the sea, but would have thought, "We will be safe from the wind and the sea, just as Jonah was preserved in the midst of the sea, even in the belly of the Welsh. For we have the Lord of the sea with us, and even if we did not have him with us, we would still find a vault in the midst of the sea, where we could sit dry, and
not drown. For this our Lord is able to help us and save us, not only above the sea, but also in and under the sea.
18 Therefore, it is a great grace of God, even if we have weak faith, that we are not among the multitude of those who despair of God's help. Free will looks only at the present, but faith looks at the future. He has before him the contradiction of all comfort, salvation and joy, sees the teeth of death and the jaws of hell: nevertheless, he braces himself and holds on to the comfort that he can still be helped, just as here the disciples hold on to the help and comfort of the Lord. Both are together, the perimus and domine, adjuva! "We perish," and, "Lord, help!" But the "Lord, help!" finally wins and keeps the victory.
This is the art of faith, which everyone thinks he can do very well. But whoever can do it and has experienced it, everything becomes too narrow for him in times of need. Again, those who think they have a strong faith are bold, brave, proud spirits, as long as the sea is calm and the weather is fine; but when it rains mud and goes badly with them, courage, comfort and everything fall away, and they want to despair badly. That is the glorious free will.
The third part is about the person of the Lord Christ. This history describes Christ as having slept in the ship. It was a proper, natural, strong sleep; for the Lord worked and preached so much during the day, and prayed and watched so much at night, that he also became tired, and sometimes slept during the day when other people were watching.
21 For Christ is not to be regarded as having had good days on earth. And if it were all written, we would read many a strong challenge that he suffered from the devil. 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 seem to despair." Therefore, he was seldom cheerful, always walking in great trials and heavy thoughts, as the one full of sorrow and sadness.
1626 L. 4, 273-275. On the fourth Sunday after Epiphany. . W. XIII, 423-426. 1627
He has been a sleepless man, many a night without sleep, and seldom laughed; as the same psalm indicates, v. 4: "My soul is full of sorrow, and my life is near hell. And yet, though such sleep is right and natural, yet it must have served for the faith of his disciples, to exercise the same, and to amend it, as all his works do.
22 This still happens today, that the Lord stands against his Christians as if he did not see us and did not know about our temptation, and did not ask anything about it, even as if he had ignored us; as he does here in the ship: lying and sleeping, he does not care about anything else, neither for his disciples nor for the ship. But he is still in the ship, even though he is asleep; even though it seems before reason that Christ does not see or hear the storm, the wind and the sea, he still sees and hears. Therefore we should make a common saying out of it: Christ is still in the ship, even though he sleeps.
23 These are the temptations that always strike us, that our dear Lord Christ lets the waves fall over the little ship, that is, he lets the devil and the world rage against the Christians, so that one must fear that it will completely sink to the bottom. This past year, at the Imperial Diet in Augsburg, we also learned something of this, since the emperor, the pope, the bishops and the princes sat down against us. We had no other courage than that of the disciples in the ship. Then reason said: Where now? What are we against so many mighty monarchs and princes? For human reason with its free will cannot do otherwise. And even at this very hour Pabst and his followers are trying to overturn the little ship. We feel their waves, anger and power, and the devil also strikes. Then our worldly wise men speak: What shall we do now? We sit in the ship and see nothing before us but certain death. In addition, the Lord sits still and does not let us know that he wants to help us.
024 But then we must take courage, and think that it is not yet necessary: for he also, the Lord, is with us in the ship. Whether he is already asleep, that is, pretending not to see us.
Let us make ourselves believe that he is the Lord over the emperor, the Turk, the pope, the devil, the pestilence, and all calamities, and that he is able to ward them all off.
(25) So shall we also do in private trials, in our own journeys and temptations, which are peculiar to each one. For every one that is a Christian findeth in himself that the devil smiteth against him, as the waves smote the ship. When such temptations come, and the devil reproaches you for your sins, and frightens you with the wrath of God, and threatens you with eternal damnation, do not despair, but firmly believe that Christ is with you in the ship, who, even though he is asleep, will surely hear and save you if you cry out to him and call upon him. If he does not help soon, when the calamity comes, it does no harm; only hold fast and do not waver, but believe assuredly that Christ is with you in the ship. For he helps in his time; meanwhile you must hold out and let the devil drink, so that you may know the power of faith, how it fights and resists, and also that you may see what free will is capable of when Christ withdraws his hand and does not help. This means that faith is exercised and strengthened when one stands firm in the face of adversity and waits for it to come, and dares to trust in Christ cheerfully and confidently, no matter how great the adversity may be.
In addition to this beautiful and comforting teaching, the person of the Lord Christ is also described here. First, the text says that Christ slept in the ship. With such sleep the Lord did not pretend, but slept of the right, natural sleep. Now the natural sleep is a certain indication of a right, natural person. Since the gospel says that Christ slept in the ship, it wants to present Christ to us as a right, natural man, who has body and soul, and therefore needs eating, drinking, sleeping, 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 true man.
- but that he had the sea and the wind
1628 k. 4, 275-277. on the fourth Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 426-4IN. 1629
and the sea and the wind are obedient to him, he proves his omnipotent deity that he is a lord over wind and sea. For to be able to calm the sea with a word and to cause the wind to cease is not the work of a man; it requires divine power to ward off the impetuosity of the sea with a word. Therefore Christ is not only natural man, but also true God. That he sleeps is a sure testimony that he is truly man and the natural son of the virgin Mary; but that he simultaneously watches and looks and threatens the sea is a sure testimony that he is truly God and God's natural son.
Thus the Scriptures speak of Christ, that though he is truly God and man, yet he is one person. For the two natures, divinity and humanity, are thus united in Christ, that he is one person. The clever ones speak of this person only according to the human nature and not according to the divine nature. This is very dangerous. But the holy Scriptures and St. Paul do not speak in this way, but testify powerfully that Christ is one person, and yet that same one person is both truly God and man. We are to take note of this. For there is no other article that sustains us in all our needs, bodily and spiritual, than this, that Christ is true God and man, the only Savior of the human race, promised to the fathers, Genesis 3:12, 22, and sent to the world.
(29) We must have temptation, but happiness and salvation must also be with us. For this person, Christ, true God and man, helps all those who believe in him and call upon him in all trials and tribulations. All believers have this comfort, protection and protection; whether they have to suffer and dare much over it is not the point. The wicked also have their adversaries and enemies, whether they are better off in the world than the faithful. Why then would we not have patience in our tribulations and sufferings? Although our afflictions are greater than the afflictions of the wicked, we also have greater gifts and goods than they.
The devil is not as hard on them as he is on us Christians. But what is more to him? They have an evil conscience and must finally await eternal damnation.
(30) The fourth part is about the fruit that comes from faith, namely, that others also perceive such miracles, are converted, marvel, and say, "What kind of a man is this, that the wind and the sea obey him? Until now, they may have considered him a bad carpenter, Joseph's son and a bad man, and not have known or believed that one should seek and find help from him in deathly distress. But now they get to know him, that he is the highest and best helper in an emergency, since no one else can help.
31 Thus it is that the greater the challenge, the greater the fruit it bears. That is why temptations are very useful and necessary for Christians. And that we should set an example: After the next Diet of Augsburg, if God wills, it will also happen that the fruit of faith and the power of our prayer will come and make us joyful; so that we will give thanks to God, God will again honor our teaching, His Gospel, for the shameful blasphemy and bitter hatred and envy of our adversaries; The truth that we have publicly confessed and testified to will come to light; and what I have suffered for it, as well as what each one has suffered for himself, none will come to pass without fruit. Therefore, we should not be frightened if it looks as if it is all going to fall in one heap.
32 This gospel, then, is a good and beautiful gospel for those who earnestly desire to be Christians, from which we are to learn when the storm comes, that Christ will not only be there to help us out, but that great benefit and glorious fruit will also follow from it, that we should not desire it, for we have tried it and have learned strength and virtue through our own experience of the word and faith. As the 50th Psalm says, v. 15: "Call upon me in trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." And the 91st Psalm v. 15: "He calls upon me, and I will save him.
1630 L. 4, 277,278. on the fifth Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 4^1.440-445. 1631
I am with him in trouble; I will pluck him out, and make him to glory." If thou wilt be a Christian, thou must enter into trouble; but if thou call upon Christ in trouble, he will hear thee, and pluck thee out with fruit and great glory; and thou shalt have enough here for thy need, and hereafter eternal life. But it does the
Woe to the old Adam from the heart, he does not like to go out to sea in the wind and waves, he would rather stay outside. But it can't be helped, we have to get into trouble first, then comes salvation and praise.
- May our dear Father in heaven grant these things to us all for Christ's sake through his Holy Spirit, amen.
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 then 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 also pluck up the wheat. Let both grow together until the harvest; and in time of harvest 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.
In this likeness our dear Lord Jesus Christ warns us that we should not be offended or angry when we see and experience that the dear gospel is so, that weeds are sown among the good seeds, that is, that evil and good, false Christians and righteous Christians are mixed together. But he speaks especially of those who want to be bishops and teachers in the church, and yet are the tares and Christ's enemies, who would gladly suppress Christ and his gospel. As if the Lord wanted to say: He who has the gospel, let him prepare himself and send his heart to patience. For beside the true and pure doctrine of the gospel, there will arise many heresies, heresies, and heresies. Let him take heed lest he offend himself.
- It is a common saying: Where God builds a church, the devil builds one.
*Held on December 9, 1528 in the parish church, when Luther explained some chapters of the Evangelist Matthew.
Kretschmar next to it. And once upon a time, a fable was told: Since God made man out of the earthen lump, and blew the living breath into his nose, so that man became a living soul, the devil wanted to imitate God in this way, and also took an earthen lump and wanted to make man out of it, but a toad came out of it. With this one wanted to indicate that the devil is always our Lord God's monkey, always presents himself in divine form, and leads the appearance, as if he were God.
(3) This can be seen today, how the devil praises God's word through his swarm spirits and mobs, and pours out his poison under the appearance and name of God's word, and deceives all the world. Item, how he enters in gray skirts, poses devoutly and looks sour, so that one would think that there is a spirit, and yet it is a devil's deception and lie under such glittering humility and spirituality. And what is the whole Pabst
1632 L. 4, 278-280. on the fifth Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 445-447. 1633
What else is the devil hiding underneath, other than vain beauty and glittering holiness? The devil always wants to imitate God. When he sees that God is speaking, he cannot stand it. If he cannot resist, nor forcefully hinder God's word, he opposes it with a beautiful appearance, takes the very same words that God uses, and twists them so that he sells his lie and poison underneath.
This annoys many people, and also deceives those who have and know God's word. As we are now preaching the freedom of consciences, the devil comes by his mobs, Anabaptists, sacrament-obsessives and rebellious spirits, and speaks the same word, but in the wrong way. For the freedom that God has given to the poor consciences, who are imprisoned under the law's accusations and curse, for comfort, he points to the freedom of the flesh, and sets up vain, disorderly beings, so that they want to be free of all things and lord it over all authorities, and rule over all. Thus the devil adorns himself under the pretense of the gospel and Christian liberty, and yet he knocks both gospel and Christian liberty to the ground. Since we preach: Faith alone makes blessed, he takes the same word and also converts it, falsely interprets it against holy baptism, and thus strengthens the Anabaptists. Because faith alone makes blessed, he says, baptism does not; therefore baptism is bad water and does not help the soul. Just under the appearance that the devil pretends to preach faith, he destroys faith. This is the devil's art.
5 When such devil-mouths appear among the Christians, who pervert and misinterpret everything, and create sects and factions, this is so great an offense that all the world is offended, and turns away eyes, ears and heart from the gospel. For what has reason, is prudent and wise, speaks from the beginning: Who would accept the teaching, because the teachers themselves are divided among themselves? This has such an excellent appearance, which no human reason can overcome. Even among us, when we are weak and not well equipped with God's word,
the devil can put on such an appearance that it is beyond all measure. Thus, God's word teaches: One should believe in the one Christ; among Christians there should be one faith, one heart, one mind and one courage. No reason can punish or reprove this teaching. But when reason sees that this man boasts that he is a Christian, and yet lives as an un-Christian; that man boasts that he has the right faith, and yet teaches against the right Christian faith, and so on, as the aversions are innumerable: then it cannot fail that reason must take offense at it, even though it cannot punish the doctrine itself.
- Especially because the word teaches that Christians are to be one, and yet there is greater disunity, discord, and division among those who call themselves Christians than under the papacy; because the word teaches that Christians are not to condemn one another, and yet those who bear the name and are called Christians condemn one another more than under the papacy: Here reason concludes and says, "The doctrine is of the devil, and is therefore so beautifully conceived that only such misery and distress would be caused in the world. In spite of reason and all the wisdom of this world, that it should leap over such distress; for it cannot conclude otherwise than thus: If the doctrine were thus found in the work, it would be the right doctrine; but since the contradiction is found in the work, how then can it be the right doctrine? For this reason also our adversaries persist in their own righteousness, and more and more despise, hate, and curse the doctrine of faith which we preach. For the mobs frighten them away from the gospel, and strengthen them in their hypocrisy, so that they become harder and harder.
(7) Therefore our mobs do more harm to ourselves and to others, and do more harm to our gospel, than do the tyrants and persecutors of the gospel. For the tyrants would finally have to be ashamed, would grow weary, and would stop persecuting if there were unity among ourselves. But because there is disunity, discord and division among us, even those who cause such division all want to be good.
1634 D. 4, 280-282. on the fifth Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 447-450. 1635
If we are Christians and evangelicals, the tyrants think that they have every right to persecute and kill us. For this reason, our mobs and fanatics do nothing but strengthen our enemies and tyrants. This is what Judas the betrayer did to Christ and his disciples: when he separated himself from Christ and joined the Pharisees and chief priests, they became defiant. This is how it is with us today.
(8) Now this parable goes on to warn that one should beware and not attribute such offenses to the Word and the Christian church, but to the enemy, the devil, who sows the tares among the good wheat through his apostles. For it says here that the tares are sown by the enemy, not in a special place in the field, but among the wheat. Therefore be thou prudent, be thou careful, and say not, There are tares in the field, therefore the field is good for nothing; or, There are many tares among the wheat in the field, therefore there is neither corn nor wheat: no; but say, The devil soweth his tares nowhere rather than among the wheat; and he casteth his plagues nowhere rather than among the true Christians. We must not hope or wait for this, that just as the teaching of the gospel is good and unanimous, so all the people who hear it will also be good and unanimous; but it will remain so, that you will find many of them among the wheat, who are not wheat, but tares.
(9) I would that the wheat were in a clean place, and that there were no weeds mixed in, as the servants of the householder would have it. But it is not possible. Where there is wheat, there are also tares. Where there are Christians, there are also red spirits, false teachers and false Christians. We must not look far for them, I mean, we have enough of them next to us on all sides. Here in Wittemberg, praise God, there is now a small patch of pure wheat, even though we are not entirely without weeds; but all around us everything is full of weeds, almost in all places, with the exception of a few. Whoever wants to be a Christian must suffer that those who call themselves Christians are his worst enemies,
and that false teachers and false Christians will be among the righteous teachers and Christians.
(10) For the human body is such that it cannot be completely pure and clean. Our body must be such that not everything is pure flesh, blood and bone; but there must also be something unclean in the body, which the body does not keep with itself, but throws out from itself. The mouth has saliva, the belly is full of dung, filth, eyes, ears, nose have their abundance 2c. It will not suffer you, when you see a young child, to say: This is not a human being, but filth. As soon as the child's mother would hear that, she would say: Thou wretch, what a great fool and Thor art thou? Do you look no further than the filth? Do you not see that the child has a healthy body, a fine neck, beautiful eyes, and all the limbs of a naturally healthy person?
(11) Just as it is the case with the human body that it cannot be completely pure in this life, so it is also the case with Christianity, which is a spiritual body, that it cannot be without filth and impurity here on earth. If our natural body should not throw out dung, sweat, saliva and filth, it would have to languish. And it is far better that it should expel such filth from itself, cast it out and purify itself, than that all flesh and blood should become vain filth, if the body should keep everything with itself. So also, if the Christian church here on earth should be completely pure and without weeds, and if there should not go out from it any rottenness, sects and antichrists, it would not be a good sign. For it would be a certain indication that it would not be a right spiritual body, that is, the right church, just as it could not be a right natural human body in this life, which would be without tares; or that the church would have become vain taints, as is a corrupt body that no longer produces.
(12) Let this likeness be well known, and let the Christian church be rightly discerned, that we be not offended when we see the tares growing up in heaps among the wheat. For where Christ casts the wheat seed, there the devil casts the tares.
1636 L.4, 282-284. On the fifth Sunday after Epiphany. W. XIII, 450-453. 1637
miserable weeds in between. Christ does not sow the tares and the blight, but sows fine wheat; but the devil sows the tares. Therefore do not blame Christ or the wheat, or say, "The seed of the wheat has borne the tares and the weeds," but say, "The devil also wants to be in the heap where the Christians are pure. Where the pure wheat is, there also will he have his rank, his hazel, and his tares.
(13) Look at Christianity at its best, in the time of the apostles. When Paul preached in Corinth, Christ sowed through him beautiful, glorious wheat. But how did it go? Read the same epistle and you will find how he himself complains about the weeds. As soon as he gave his back, the false apostles, awakened by the devil, came and sowed their seed among the wheat and spoiled everything. After the time of the apostles, when the bishops ruled, things were even worse: there were few righteous bishops and teachers, such as Cyprian, Hilarius, Athanasius and others, through whom Christ sowed good seed; but the devil had many thousands of false bishops, Arians and other heretics, through whom he sowed vain tares. One might as well have said (as the blind, hardened heathen undoubtedly did), "There is all discord and division, how can it be true doctrine? Should they be Christians, since there is so much trouble and since things are so bad? I would rather remain a heathen than become a Christian, and keep company with those who preach fine things about Christian unity, but prove nothing less than Christian unity and love among themselves.
(14) The devil has a special desire for this, and he works day and night to bring it about. And this is his best argument today, so that he strengthens himself and challenges our doctrine and makes it hateful to everyone, so that he reproaches us: "From the Lutheran doctrine come so many pagans, how can it be the right doctrine?
We do not want to see them. Therefore we should know how to answer and say, "Have you not read in the gospel that wheat and tares grow together in the same field, not each separately, but both mixed together, and that the tares want to sell themselves for the good wheat? They want to be among the Christians, and yet they are not Christians. Let this be said at the outset; let us now take the text in hand, and act upon it word by word.
The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.
15 The good seed are the good devout Christians. For this is how the Lord Himself interprets it, saying, "The good seed are the children of the kingdom.
But while the people slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away.
(16) These are the children of wickedness, which are found among the children of the kingdom and true Christians; as St. Paul also saith, 1 Cor. 11:19, "There must be brethren among you." For thoughts should be put out of the heart, since many think that all people who hear the gospel should be as pure as the teaching of the gospel is pure. For many find who hear and accept the gospel, and yet are and remain unclean.
17 Note that the enemy sows the weeds at night, because people are asleep, and when he has sown them, he turns around early in the morning and pretends not to know about them. Sleep is when people are safe, or even when Christians are already busy preaching and are least concerned about it. So, we preach today with all seriousness and diligence, but we cannot see nor know whether those who hear us accept our gospel or not. This is hidden from us. When I see that they hear or read it, I think they accept it, and yet they can deceive me with such an appearance. Therefore I am a sleeper in my heart toward him that heareth the gospel. Just as people sleep, and cannot prevent the enemy from coming to them.
1638 L. 4, 284-286. on the fifth Sunday after Epiphany. W. .XIU, 453-455. 1639
as the night sows tares in the field, so I also sleep. That is, when I have preached, I cannot and shall not judge whether he that heareth my sermon is a righteous disciple and disciple, or not. But if those go out from us who were not of us, as St. John says, then they have outhosted us, and then we see the evil first of all. About such companions Christ complains very much, Ps. 55, 13. ff.: "If my enemy would desecrate me, I would suffer it; and if my hater would poke me, I would hide myself from him. But you are my companion, my keeper, and my kinsman, who have been kind to one another among us. We walked in the house of God in heaps"; and Ps. 41, 10.: "Even my friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, tramples me under foot"; item v. 7.: "They come to look, and yet do not mean it from the heart, but seek something that they may blaspheme, and go and bear it."
This day we also have to lament over such people. For those who present themselves as faithful brothers cause us the greatest heartache. When we are happy, and in good hope, as if all were pure and quiet, these same false brethren and bands rise up against us. Our heart cannot discern their mischievous heart; the devil sows them among our multitude before we know it, who can guard against them?
But as the herb grew and bore fruit, so did the tares.
19 The herb grows first, followed by the flower and the grain. By the leaves you can tell whether it is wheat or tares; after that comes the fruit. So also the false preachers are felt by the leaf, that is, by their preaching; after that also the fruits come, and further reveal the tree. Because they still hear the word and do not preach themselves, they are not known. But as soon as they appear and preach themselves, it is found that our doctrine is nothing, but their doctrine alone is valid. Then they begin to preach against us, and we against them, until at last the fruit also breaks forth and the tares continue to be known.
- but the field should not be
Nor do they despise it, even though weeds grow among the wheat; nor do they mind that the wheat leaf and the leaf of the field are seen at the same time in the same field. If there were only weeds and no wheat in the field, then the field would be despised. But because not only weeds, but also beautiful wheat grows out of it, it should not be despised. The Pabst's sermon is to be rejected, for there grows a vain tares, there one sees a vain leaf, and no wheat. But let not the preaching of the gospel be rejected: for there groweth goodly wheat, though the tares also run with it. Therefore a Christian should love the field for the sake of the wheat, and not despise it for the sake of the tares. For the sake of a pious man, seven husks must often be spared. When the tares are sown, they cannot be seen as soon as they are sown, for the enemy goes away and wipes his mouth as if he had never been there; but when the weeds grow, they are seen.
Then the servants came to the father of the house and said: Lord, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where then did he get the weeds? He said to them: This hath the enemy done. 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 also pluck up the wheat. Let both grow together until the harvest.
(21) Where I know a Christian, I would rather tolerate a whole nation that are not Christians, than cut off a Christian with the unbelievers. But what is this that the Lord says here, "Let both grow together"? Should the weeds not be rooted out at all? This is a necessary lesson for us preachers, for I would also like to be the servant of one who helps to root out the tares. But it cannot and should not be. Should we do nothing and let the weeds grow unhindered? Our papists have become wise for once, hold this text up to us, and say: We here at Wittemberg have done wrong, that we have
1640 2.4, 286-289. On the fifth Sunday after Epiphany. W. xm, 455-458. 1641
have put down the angle mass; we should let masses and monasteries stay. But they do not look at the text correctly. For the Lord does not say that one should not fight against the weeds, but says that one should not root them out. Then they continue the text, and because many monasteries have been destroyed by the peasants' rebellion, due to God's wrath, they want to prove from this that the destroyed monasteries should be rebuilt.
22 These are desperate boys. They themselves confess that their clergy, priesthood and monasticism are evil; and yet they not only want it undestroyed, but also to have it built up and erected as if it were a deliciously good thing. For that they say, Let our profaneness and monasticism grow, because Christ hath commanded that the tares should grow; whereby they confess that they are tares, and yet hold them to be wheat, because they have planted and built them. Now Christ does not say that one should sow or build the tares, but says that the tares are sown by the enemy because people are asleep. It does not follow that one with eyes to see should allow the tares to be sown, if one can well prevent them. But if it is sown and grows among the wheat, both should be allowed to grow together. The papists catch the word "let it grow" and do not see, yes, do not want to see that it says: "Let both grow. They want us to leave our own alone, but to do away with our own. The word "both" should mean as much to them as the word "ours. For they point to theirs alone, and say: Let ours grow, or let it remain. If this were true, the Jews also might have said to the apostles: Put away your gospel, and let our Judaism alone remain. The Gentiles could have done the same.
23 Secondly, Christ says about growing and not about sowing, planting or planting. He says, "Let both grow together," and does not say, "Let both sow or plant together. The tares are not to be sown, planted, or set; but if they are sown, planted, or set in our sleep, and grow among the wheat, they are not to be weeded out, but are to be planted with the
Let wheat grow. That is why the papists do violence to this text twice. First, from the word that Christ says, "Let both grow with one another," they make, "Let one, that is, ours alone grow. Secondly, that Christ says: "Let us grow", they make: "Let us sow or plant".
The opinion of the Lord Christ is this: He wants to show that his kingdom is and should be different from the kingdom of the world. Christ's kingdom does nothing with fist and sword. God has commanded the worldly kingdom to use the sword and to exterminate evil, to punish adulterers, thieves, murderers and death-rowers. But in Christ's kingdom there is neither sword nor fist law. We preachers and Christians have to war and contend with the Word alone. As the prophet Isaiah Cap. 2, v. 3, 4: "From Zion shall go forth the law, and from Jerusalem the word of the Lord: and he shall judge the nations, and punish many people. Then shall they beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. For no nation shall lift up a sword against another, neither shall they learn war any more." And Christ, John 18:36: "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"; item v. 37: "I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth." Therefore the Lord wants to say this much here: Christians should not exterminate heretics, nor fight with the sword against the mobs, as the pope does. He exterminates, executes, drowns, burns, strangles and kills what is against him, and his princes do the same. Thomas Muenzer was also of this kind; he took up the sword and violently drove out the parable of the mustard seed, which, as Christ says, is the smallest of all seeds; but when it grows, it is the largest of the cabbages, and becomes a tree, so that birds dwell under its branches. He interpreted this to mean that the gospel had to be spread by force. But this similitude of the tares, which are to be left to grow among the wheat until the harvest, he did not consider.
1642 k. 4, 289-291. on the fifth Sunday after Epiphany. W. xm, 458-46l. 1643
(25) It has a great prestige and seems as if it has a just cause that heretics and fanciers should be exterminated with the sword. In the face of such prestige and appearance, Christ says, "Let both grow together until the harvest. As if he wanted to say: "Let it go, you are not to judge with the sword; just go on with the word, and preach confidently against the heretics and the mobs. If you cannot ward off the tares with the word, but they are sown because you are asleep, then let them grow together with the wheat until the harvest. Then someone will be found who will root it out. St. Paul also teaches thus, Titus 3:10: "Avoid a heretical man, when he is once and again admonished." He does not say to kill a heretical man; but says to admonish him once or twice. But if he will not be admonished, he is to be shunned as one who is perverse and has condemned himself.
26 Therefore this likeness is set before us for our consolation, that we may know that we sin not in this, if we let live the rioters and seditionists. For the fact that the Lord says here, "Let both grow together," refers to the sword, that Christians should not take up the sword, nor root out the weeds with the sword.
The pope blames us as if we were rebels. But he does us wrong. For rebels are those who take up the sword and use their fists, which they are not commanded to do. Now we do not take up the sword, nor do we need the fist, but we war only with the word; therefore we are not rebels. But the pope and his bishops are rebels. They boast that they are the church, and yet they wield the sword, choke and kill with the sword. By the same fruits they are known, which spirit children they are. Muenzer wanted to be of our part, and yet he belonged closer to the pope than to us, even though he already boasted of the gospel. We, however, preach that the secular sword should be left alone and that the secular authorities, to whom God has commanded the sword, should be honored; we do not wield the sword as the pope does. To the pope
As a bishop is commanded to avoid the people with the word of God, he goes and grabs your sword, takes the sword out of the emperor's hand and strikes him on the head with it, and yet he wants to be the ruler over Christendom. With this he sufficiently shows that he and his bishops are the real bloodhounds and rebels in the world.
28 Christ well saw that the bishops would try to counsel the matter with the sword. Therefore he faithfully warned against it, both in this parable and elsewhere. But it has helped little. For it is very unprofitable to sow good seed, and suffer the tares to grow among the wheat; to preach the gospel pure and clear, and see all manner of pests and sects springing up, and yet not to throw in the towel, but to fight against it with the word alone; for everyone would gladly, like these servants, weed out the tares. But Christ says, No, "let both grow together until the harvest." As if to say, "If you cannot win the mobs with your mouth or convert them with the word, you must leave them unrooted with the sword.
029 And what is the cause that one should not take up the sword? "Lest, when ye sow the tares, ye also pluck up the wheat," saith Christ. This is what is said: If I wanted to fight the mobs with the sword, or gather an army against the pope to root out the pabacy, what would I do? I would kill many of those who are still to be converted among the pope and the hawkmongers, and thus harm the wheat. Therefore Christ will not suffer that one should bend a hair of the pope or of the hordes for the sake of the elect. In our time, many are being killed, since it is possible and believable that some of them, whether Anabaptists or enthusiasts, would have come back. If I did as Muenzer did, I would undoubtedly find many in one of their cities who should still have learned to recognize Christ. I would forestall them and prevent this.
30 Therefore Christ gives this likeness,
1644 k. 4, 29I-2V. On the fifth Sunday after Epiphany. W. xm, 461-463. 1645
to prevent this, saying, "I tell you beforehand, you will have tares among the wheat, and rottenness and sects among the true Christians. But how shall ye do to him? "Let both grow together until the harvest." It will be found in its time. So that this parable goes especially against the rebels, as against the pope and coiner, who take up the sword, which they are not commanded to do.
(31) But this may be done: if there be two preaching in one place, a prince or city may have understanding, and not suffer two preaching in one country or city, to prevent dissension and sedition. Interrogate both parts, and judge the matter according to a certain rule, namely, according to the Scriptures and the Word of God. Whichever part teaches rightly according to the Scriptures and the Word of God, let that part remain. But whichever part teaches wrongly against the Scriptures and the Word of God, to that part give leave. But do not exterminate.
And in the time of harvest 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 barns.
32 "Let both grow together," says Christ, "that I may keep my wheat, that it be not plucked up with me, nor spoiled. I will decree that the reapers shall gather the tares in their season, that they may be thrown into the fire. Then you hear that the weeds are already condemned and condemned to the fire. Why do you want to put a heretic through much torture? Do you not hear that he is already condemned to his punishment? Who are you to seize and punish one who has already fallen under the punishment of a mightier lord? What will I do to a thief who has already been sentenced to the gallows? If the thief is condemned to death and is standing there bound, and someone comes and wants to beat the thief to death with a neck iron or girdles, would he not be worthy to have his head cut off, as one who is at the court?
would have committed sacrilege, since he has no command? This is what our bishops and princes are doing today, killing the heretics. God has already appointed His angels to be the executioners of heretics in His time. So these nobles go on, pretending that they want to serve God, and punish those whom God has reserved for Himself to punish. Truly, if anyone would not otherwise fall away from the pope, he should fall away from him for the sake of blood, so that the pope and his people may be incriminated and God may take hold of his judgment and sentence. They are bloodhounds and want to do God a service by killing people and shedding blood.
But Christ speaks here: My servants will gather the tares at harvest time and bind them in bundles. Just as a husbandman gathers the tares and makes bundles of them, and when he does so, they go to the fire: so also, God's angels will separate the tares from the wheat and bind them in bundles, that is, they will condemn the wicked to eternal death and fire, so that they burn in it forever. You heretic murderer should pray for the poor people, so that they will convert and not be judged and condemned in this way; then you will go and condemn them before the time.
34 This is the other reason why Christ does not want the weeds to be rooted out with the sword, because they are already condemned to the fire; as St. Paul also says, Titus 3:11, "A heretic man is corrupt and has condemned himself. This is more to be lamented and pitied than to put a heretic to death. The godly, pious preachers and Christians do this. The godless and hypocrites can do no more than strangle and kill, as the pope, coiner, and the red spirit do.
35 In this parable Christ teaches that in His kingdom here on earth there will also be tares, heretics, and swarms among the wheat, apostles, and Christians, and how we should behave toward them. May God give us His grace and Spirit that we may be the good wheat and do God's will always, amen.
1646 8.4, 203.294. On Sunday Septuagesimä. W. XIII, 463-466. 1647
Septuagesima
Septuagint; Matth. 20, 1-16
*On the Sunday of Septuagint. )
Matt 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. And he said unto 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 in about 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, even 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.
This is a sharp gospel, from which the young people and bad people cannot learn much. Nevertheless, because it was written for today's Sunday, we will go through it and say something about it.
(2) There is a parable of a householder who goes out early in the morning and appoints laborers to his vineyard who work twelve hours. Then he orders others who work nine hours, then others who work only six and three hours, and finally those who work only one hour. But in the evening he gives a penny to the last as well as to the first. The work is very unequal, and yet the wages are the same. For the father of the house has promised the workers nothing that he will give them, except the first. But he divides it equally, giving no more to those who have worked twelve hours and no less to those who have worked only one hour, but giving to one as to the other. This is this equality. And if such a thing is useless in the eyes of the world, it would not be right. There it has
*) Held in the house, 1534.
His measure and rule: He who works much is paid much, and 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 The reason the Lord uses this similitude is to separate his kingdom from the kingdom of the world and to teach us that things are much different in his kingdom than they are in the world. In the kingdom of the world things cannot be equal, because the people are unequal. There one should give more to the one who has worked much than to the one who has worked little (although it sometimes happens that more is given to the one who works little, yet it happens in a different way and opinion, et alio respectu; for what one gives to one, the other does not have to demand). Item, the master of the house shall have more goods than his servant, and yet the servant must work more than the master. Such inequality must be and remain in the kingdom of the world. But in Christ's kingdom, all inequalities are to be
1648 L. 4, 294-296. On Sunday Septuagesimä. W. XIII, 466-469 1649
equality is abolished, and all shall be equal, one as the other, and one shall have and be worth as much as the other.
4 They shall be unequal by heart, for in outward, worldly life the inequality shall and must remain, just as the estates are unequal. A peasant leads a different life and status than a citizen; a prince a different status than a nobleman. All are unequal and must remain unequal; but in the kingdom of Christ, be they king, prince, lord, servant, wife, maidservant, or whatever they may be called, they are all equal. For no one has a different baptism, gospel, faith, sacrament, Christ and God than the other. They all go to the sermon at the same time, and a servant, citizen and peasant hears the very word that the lord, prince, nobleman hears. The baptism that I have, a poor little girl receives just as well as I; the faith that St. Peter, St. Paul have, the Magdalene and the thief on the cross also have, I and you, if we are Christians, also have it. So the same God and Christ that John the Baptist has, all sinners have when they convert. Everything is the same, even though one is higher and the other lower because of his status, office or gifts, yet it does not hinder, but everything is the same here.
(5) We are to learn these things diligently, that we may be able to distinguish Christ's kingdom from the kingdom of the world. It is especially a comforting gospel for Christians that we are all so completely equal in Christ. Before 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; he has ordered the classes in this way and created them differently. Whoever wanted to create equality, so that the servant should count as much as his lord, the maid as much as her wife, a peasant as much as a prince, would create a very praiseworthy regime, as has been seen in the rebellious peasants. Now that things are as unequal in the world as they ever can be, we should take comfort in the fact, no matter how high or low we are, that we all have one Christ, one baptism, one gospel,
One Spirit; that no man hath no better gospel, no better baptism, no other Christ, but the least handmaid and the least servant. For though another has more money, goods, and other things than you, yet he has not another or better God, nor another or better Christ, nor heaven, but are all alike.
(6) This is to be learned and diligently remembered, so that each one in his own 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 for me eternal life, which the emperor has. Such great goods, which we have through our Lord Jesus, should make us hopeful that we will learn to despise worldly goods, riches and 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 to heaven, where he sits at the right hand of God, so that he may also help us from sin, death and all misfortune.
(7) Whosoever therefore hath these things, and knoweth that we are all equal in Christ, goeth forth to his work with joy, and is not troubled, though he be here on earth this short time in a lower estate than another. For there shall be inequality in the outward life, and one shall have much and the other little, one shall be master and the other servant. A Christian does not allow himself to be challenged, but says: In the name of God! On earth it shall not be otherwise. Even though I have a more difficult position than the lord and lady of 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 and lady, and in the meantime comfort myself that I know that neither emperor nor king, neither pope nor bishop have another Christ or more of Christ than I do. Yes, the pope does not yet have what I have; for I, with Christ's blood, who am at the right hand of God, have not yet been made a priest.
1650 L. 4, 296-298. On Sunday Septuagesimä. W. XIII, 469-471. 1651
I am washed from sins, whom the pope denies.
(8) Let this be our defiance and consolation, that we know there is no inequality in the kingdom of Christ; let us therefore go willingly in such Christian hope, and do what we ought. In this way each one could be joyful in his position and devout. For everything must go off with joy when a Christian can say from the heart: Why should I murmur on account of my position? For my station is a good and delicious station, though it be lowly and laborious. If it is not a princely estate, it is still a Christian estate; what more do I want or desire?
(9) This is not done by the first laborers, who grumble and look askance because they do not receive more than others. Neither do our monks and nuns and the clergy: 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 their increase, and to give them a greater and better Christ. For they have taught that if a priest stands over the altar and says mass, he does such a work that he can share it with others and also help them to heaven, as if he were better and had a better standing in the kingdom of Christ and more in heaven 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. Furthermore, they have 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 ones here grumble and want to have more than the others; they finely count out to our Lord God how long they have worked and how sour it has become for them. But what does he say to this? Because of the outward life," he says, "you are unequal; one may be better and work more than the other. But no one has a better gospel, baptism and Christ than the other.
(10) For monks and nuns to boast that husbands and wives have the common gospel and commandment, but they have the high gospel and commandment.
Gospel, and hold more than Christians are commanded to hold in common: this is not true, but altogether contrary to the gospel. For they would make an inequality out of the gospel, when Christ makes all things equal, and teaches especially in the present gospel that in his kingdom one is to be counted as much as another. In itself it is not evil, nor does anyone prevent or forbid a virgin to remain who has the 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, is unjust and evil. And the same is the offence and the vexation, when the pope offends and accuses us of forbidding good works. But he does us violence and lies to us. For we do not forbid good works, but this we say: 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.
11 After this we say: If thou hast such equality in Christ, then, whether thou be a schoolmaster, or a preacher, or a lord, or a lady, or a manservant, or a maidservant, work and do in thy station what thou owest to do. There remain unequal, as the estates are unequal, and the profession is unequal. But in Christ we are not to be unequal, but equal. The world is offended by this. And the Jews in particular want to be mad and maddened when they hear that we Gentiles are to be blessed who are not circumcised and do not keep the Sabbath and other burdens of the law, as they who bear such burdens with great difficulty that they sweat over them. As the Lord in the parable finely puts it, saying, The first thought they would receive more, and therefore murmured, when every man received his penny, even as they that had wrought but one hour. This is the trouble that the Jews had and still have today. They carried the burden of the law, so that it was almost impossible to tell everything. Therefore they thought, "We Jews are circumcised and bear the burden of the law; the Gentiles are not circumcised and bear the burden of the law.
1652 2.4, 298-300. On the Sunday of Sexagesimä. W. xm, 471-476. 1653
nor the burden of the law, and yet shall be like us, who have done much good under the law. No, not so; but if God gives this to the Gentiles, he shall give us Jews more cheaply.
(12) But Christ will not suffer inequality at all. "Friend," saith he, "I do thee no wrong; take that which is thine, and go thy way"; that is: Ye have already received your reward, the land of Canaan: but now will I set up another and new kingdom, and there shall all things be equal within. For the property is mine, so I may do with it what I will; you must not teach me how to 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 has to answer for it and say, "You have taken away your penny; the property is mine, not yours. What is it to you, then, how I deal with what is mine? The pope and his crowd do the same, do not want to be like us in the kingdom of Christ, but want to be and have something special, and rather delay eternal life.
(13) Therefore, this difference between the worldly life and the heavenly 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 shall 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.
(14) If then we have these things, we should thank God for such gifts, and rightly recognize and praise them, saying, "Look at me for what you will; consider me for how little you will; yet I have as much as all the emperors and kings, even as all the saints and angels in heaven. By what? Through Christ. Therefore I will go and be a householder, a housemother, a servant, or a maidservant, and with gladness, courage, pleasure, and love do all that my position requires, since I have such great treasure in my Lord Christ.
(15) This then is the lesson of this present gospel, that here on earth we are unequal, even as persons and offices are diverse and unequal. A prince is a different person and has a different office than a preacher; a maid is a different person and has a different office than her wife; a schoolmaster is a different person and has a different office than a mayor. Therefore they should not or cannot lead the same way or being. Such inequality must remain on earth. But there in the kingdom of Christ it is said: I will give to one as much as to the other. Cause: The kingdom of heaven, the redemption from death and sins, no one has earned from me, therefore I owe it to no one, but give it by grace to whom I will. We should beware of such things, so that we do not grumble, but thank God for them and draw such consolation from all the driving, toil and work that we carry in the outward inequality, so that it will all become gentle and easy for us. May our dear Lord Jesus Christ help us all to do this, amen.
Sexagesima; Luc. 8, 4-13
*On Sexagesimä Sunday. )
Luc. 8, 4-13.
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 a good land, and it went up.
*) Held in the house, 1534.
1654 L. 4, 300.301. On Sunday Sexagesimä. W. XIII, 476-481. 1655
and bore fruit a hundredfold. When he had said this, he cried out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear. And his disciples asked him, saying, What is this likeness? 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 they that are by the way are they which hear it: afterward cometh the devil, and taketh away the word from their hearts, lest they should 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 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 are 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 how our dear Lord Christ makes four kinds of disciples, who all hear the pure word of God, and yet the fourth and last alone keep it and bring forth fruit, which is to be diligently pointed out to the people today in the gospel, so that each one may look around and diligently investigate among which multitude he is, and thus learn to send himself, so that he may one day also come to those who are a good nation and with whom the word brings forth fruit.
2 The first, says the Lord, are the seed that falls by the wayside. It does not come to fruition, for it is either trodden down or eaten up by the birds. The others, when they hear it, and begin not only to speak of it, but also to believe, grow fine, as the grain that falls on the stony field or rock. But as soon as a hot summer day comes, it begins to dry up, for it has neither root nor sap. So these people are delicious at first, but when persecution and temptation come and they have to suffer over it, they fall before the right fruit of faith follows through patience. The third are the most recognizable here: these are the Christians, like the grain among thorns, which, although it grows up, nevertheless cannot come to fruit and must suffocate, because the thorns overgrow it. But the fourth are the pious disciples, where the word falls into a good heart, and abides therein until it brings forth fruit through patience. These are holy people who suffer for the sake of the word, practice obedience to God and love for their neighbor, are patient, and bear fruit some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. 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 disciples hear the word without profit or fruit; but especially the first are the most grievous, "who 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 judged nor judged that hearts should be possessed with the devil, who hear the word and yet pay no attention to it, forget it and never think about it. It seems to us that there is no danger in hearing God's word and yet not keeping it, and that those who do so are bad, careless people, and that it is natural for them to 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, but are the devil's own; he is mighty over them, reaching into their hearts and taking the word out of them. Therefore other bad habits must follow, that they are disobedient, unfaithful, self-willed, selfish, proud, unforgiving, stingy, who like everyone to serve them, but they in turn serve no one. For where the word abides in the heart and they hear it diligently, it would make fine, obedient, faithful, willing, servant, humble, mild hearts.
(6) These are the first and the worst, and such naughtiness is very grievous to the Lord,
1656 L. 4, 301-304. On Sunday Sexagesimä. W. xm, 481-483. 1657
also reproves no bunch so much as this one. 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 it an easy pity that they let the sermon go in at one ear and out at the other. But if you want to know what an easy pity it is, listen to what Christ says, who actually knows better than all the world; who says that the devil does this.
- Therefore, if you see such a man, or if you yourself are such a man, who lets himself speak and preach as into a log (as our miserly citizens and peasants do, and especially as our opponents, the papists, do, what one preaches to them, sings and says, is as if one strikes into water): Think no other, for the devil is seated in their hearts, who does not let come into their hearts what they hear that is good, but eats it up from the beginning, so that they do not believe and become blessed. For if the devil were not there, or if such a thing were a natural, innate forgetfulness, as one man is always more learned than another, then there would still be the desire that a man would think: Oh God, that I can remember nothing at all! Give me also your grace and open my heart, so that I may pay attention to it and keep what I hear in the preaching of your word. 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, and think 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 think only no one else.
(8) This is the greatest multitude that heareth the word, and regardeth it not. Everything that is said to them from God's word, they take in one ear and leave out the other. Then the devil comes and tears the word out of their hearts. This judgment that Christ passes on them, namely, that he gives this first group to the devil, is to be diligently remembered, so that one may beware of it.
The other two groups are not so evil, but they are weak, they lift up a little and notice something, and they put up with it. Therefore the Lord does not give them over to the devil as much as the first, although the fruit does not yet follow with them. Now the other group are those who do not persevere in persecution, nor do they remain constant; but like the worm-eaten fruit on the tree, it remains hanging because it is still, but as soon as a wind comes, it falls off in heaps: so are these also. "For a time," says the Lord, "they believe," but as soon as the cross comes, they are frightened and will not suffer. The fruit of eternal life must remain outside, along with other good fruits that come from the word and faith.
(10) The third group are those who, because of avarice, worry and lust for this life, have no regard for the word. For he who is occupied with temporal cares, frets and scratches, 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 word is choked in him like grain among thorns. Work should be done, and each one should be most diligent in his work. This is not forbidden, but commanded. But to scratch and scrape and to think only of temporal things, of thalers and florins, are the thorns that choke the word of God in the heart, so that it cannot grow and bear fruit. Because one does not think about it and lets oneself be more concerned about other things.
(11) With these three heaps the word is in vain and in vain. This is not a small pity, but a great and terrible pity, which a human heart cannot sufficiently consider.
(12) Therefore the Lord (as St. Matthew writes) diligently exhorts us all, saying, "Take heed therefore how ye hearken. For he that hath, to him shall be given; but he that hath not, from him shall be taken away, even that he thinketh he hath." With such words he sufficiently indicates that he is not speaking of bad things, but of God's word; which those who have it in their hearts will be saved, those who do not have it will be condemned. Therefore one should watch, and with
1658L . 4 , 304-306. On Sunday Sexagesimä. W. XIII, 483-486. 1659
God's word not joking, as with a bad thing. For it is not a joke, you must not think that you want to go like this for a while, worrying and scratching, and say: Ho, I will learn and believe God's word well, when I once become more idle and have first gathered what is necessary for me. Watch and do not deceive yourself.
(13) Let us therefore be diligent that we may be found among the little fourth company, praying 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 like the pope's saints, who wear caps and plates, say mass, fast, have special clothes and the like; but who hear the word of God, which the pope and his saints, as you can see, are the worst enemies and fiercest persecutors. But they that hear the word bring forth fruit a hundredfold, that is, much and innumerable; or, as Matthew divides it, some bring forth fruit a hundredfold, and some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold. That is, one bears more fruit than the other. For as the outward offices are unequal, so also the fruits are unequal. A preacher serves the church more than a craftsman who 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 takes the word of God seriously. Such a heart must be there above all things, lest the devil come and snatch away the word from us. Secondly, the heart must be sure and steadfast, not soft or cowardly, so as to be tempted 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 nor suffer it. He is an intemperate lord who
and does not allow them to celebrate; as we see in the papists and experience even more every day. Thirdly, it must also be purified and swept so that there are no thorns in it; that is, we must not let ourselves love good, money, honor and pleasure more than the word of God and future life, nor be more concerned with other worldly matters than with the word of God; as Christ says: "Seek first the kingdom of God."
(16) Where the heart is thus attentive, certain of the matter, constant and swept clean, this is a fine, pure heart, where fruit will surely follow, but still in patience. For without crosses and temptations, without adversity and trials, there is no escape; as St. Paul says in 2 Tim. 3:12: "All who would live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution." Let us then prepare ourselves, and, as Christ says, take hold of our souls with patience, not forgetting to pray. For it is not lacking, as we ourselves must confess, that unfortunately we have trouble everywhere and do not want to leave anywhere, and it is natural 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 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 avarice, greed, fornication and other things did not overtake them and keep them from the Word.
(17) It is therefore necessary that we have good regard for such defects and infirmities of our nature, that we do not continue in security, but ask God for His Holy Spirit (as we have a clear, comforting promise, Luke 11:13)."The Father will give His Holy Spirit to those who ask Him"), that He may pluck out 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 obedience to 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 spread throughout the world.
1660 L. 4, 306-308. On Sunday Sexagesimä. W. XIII, 486-489. 1661
that it may produce and work in us such fruit as will remain forever.
18 This likeness also serves us so that we may not be surprised, even though the word does not bear fruit everywhere. For here we hear that the Lord himself divides it thus and makes four heaps, since only the one and the smallest is righteous. The other three great heaps are of no use at all; let them go, and do not be angry when you see that there are more who despise the word than who accept it. The nature and manner of the gospel is that where it is preached, there are three kinds of lost disciples, and the fourth part is first of all good and pious. And yet it is not the fault of the word, nor of him who leads or preaches it; as yet the blind papists are always crying out like mad, furious people; making believe that they can defile our gospel with nothing else higher nor uglier, than by bringing out the aversions which the devil has aroused since the gospel was preached.
019 But if it be so, say unto me, When Christ himself preached with John and his apostles, were there not also great perturbations, and the greatest sins committed? When John the Baptist arose and preached, every man 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 Herod the king, who, as the Gospel writers testify, heard him much and gladly, not only brought no fruit, but at last even had him strangled. Yes, they heard Christ, the Son of God, themselves, saw him raise the dead and perform great miracles; nevertheless, they crucified him. That is to say, they were wronged by the gospel. Why don't you also say: "John, Christ, the apostles did not have the right gospel or were not right preachers, otherwise the people should not have been so evil and changed from the right teaching? But they must keep their mouths shut, otherwise one would feel by their judgment that they are enemies and blasphemers of Christ, even against Christ. But they let themselves think that they have better reason to reproach us and our teachings.
20 Well, we want to do it with our teaching.
and do not say now what we consider them to be and why we do not want to be aborted by them. Just look at the words of our dear Lord Jesus, who says that 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. Who then can deny that the world does not remain evil, although the word and the preaching are righteous and good and fruitful in themselves?
(21) Now I have said that we will not speak of our doctrine, for which we hold it. But this the papists must confess, and have no thanks for, that though the preaching be right, and the preacher pious, yet the world abideth evil, and maketh no improvement in 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 (John and the apostles are silent), that he cannot make anyone believe and accept the word. The most part 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 also happens to John the Baptist, the apostles and us today? Therefore, if one wants to punish the doctrine and say that it is unrighteous, one should also say that the seed is not righteous that falls on the path, rocks and among the thorns. 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 very nature cannot bear anything but fruit. But if it does not bear fruit everywhere, do not blame God and His word, but blame the land, which is not good, and therefore such seed must perish in it and remain without fruit.
23 Therefore let not the papists punish our doctrine, nor call it unjust, because much offence is found in it; but let them punish themselves and all other people.
1662 8.4, 308.309. On the day of the Purification of Mary. W. XIII, 489-492. 1663
who do not have a fine, pure heart. For the fault is not of the word, but of the heart; they are unclean and unfit, either despising the word, or falling away from it in time of temptation, or choking under the cares, riches, and pleasures of this life.
(24) Now let everyone learn here that the gospel will never be otherwise than the Lord indicates by this similitude, namely, that some improve and become more devout, but there are always three times as many who are offended. Therefore, not only are there many outward sins and offences, but also, as the Lord says here, such naughtiness is punished with blindness, so that the lost disciples of the gospel do not see with their seeing eyes,
what they hear, nor can they understand it.
25 Finally, notice that the Lord, in concluding this parable, cries out and says, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear," as if to say, "Hear the word of God because you have it; the time is coming when you would gladly hear it if you could have it. Therefore hear it diligently, because you have it. For whoever despises it, the darkness takes hold of him; as the Lord John 12:35 also says, "Walk while you have the light, so that the darknesses do not overtake you." May our dear Lord Jesus Christ grant us his grace, that we may diligently hear his dear word, and keep it in a fine and good heart, and bring forth fruit in patience, amen.
March 24; 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.
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 purification, for Moses also calls it that. Now this was not a natural law, therefore the Gentiles did not keep it, but God took His people and gave them such a commandment that they had to keep it,
*) Held in the house, 1534.
That every mother, when she had given birth, after six weeks, if it was a baby, or after twelve weeks, if it was a girl, had to go to the temple and present herself with a sacrifice.
2 The pope has also given such a commandment to our childbed worshippers, that after the childbed they must be blessed in front of the church, as if they were unclean, and otherwise must not go into the church or among the people. But this is wrong; for the impurity which the law imposes on the child-bed-women is not a right.
1664 D- 4, 309-311. on the day of the purification of Mary. W. XIII. 492-^95. 1665
The uncleanness that was assigned to them is not a natural uncleanness, but an imposed uncleanness, which is not valid apart from the law, and for this reason it is not to be imposed on anyone.
(3) After this also it was commanded in the law, that the first son after six weeks should be presented unto the LORD, and given for his own. For thus it is written in Moses, Ex. 34, 19. *): "Every male that first breaks his mother shall be called sanctified unto the LORD." The first must always be sacrificed in the temple and given to our Lord God, not only the people, but also the cattle, cows, oxen, sheep 2c. All this 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, priest and father of the house, king and pope 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 befriended the people and gave the parents this freedom, so that they could redeem the child for half a florin, or a quarter of a florin, and a lamb of a year, or a pair of turtledoves, according to whether one was poor or rich. So they took their son back, and he was still called the son of our Lord God.
It seems as if the Virgin Mary was poor and did not have any special property, because she only brings the begging sacrifice that poor people used to bring, 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.
005 This was the law of Mosi concerning the firstborn sons, that the parents came into the temple unto the priest, and said: Dear priest, the son is born to me first, but he is not my son, but the son of our Lord God; so I bring my sacrifice and offering for him. The Turk also does this, taking from each parent the tenth son who is the most skilled and raising them up for himself; that is why he has so many good soldiers.
*) Original: "Levit. 12."
(6) But our Lord God was more lenient with the Jews and took the first birth to Himself or let it go, but nevertheless called it His own for testimony and remembrance, so that they knew they had such a God who had redeemed them from Egypt and had slain all the firstborn in all of Egypt in one night. As a sign of this redemption, he ordered the firstborn male to be sacrificed and presented in the temple among men and cattle. This has now been abolished and does not bind us Christians any more than other ceremonies and laws given to the Jews alone.
(7) Now here is nothing special for us to learn, without seeing how Christ gave himself under the law, when he was not guilty. Your love heard of this at the feast of the circumcision of Christ, which we should take comfort in. For this reason we want to draw such obedience down, so that just as it serves us there for faith, it may also serve us here for outward life and good works. For here the obedience of the infant Jesus and his mother is praised and held up to us as a shame to punish ourselves with it, since God cannot bring it about with us that we do only half of what we are obliged to do in case of loss of our blessedness and forfeiture of eternal damnation and hellish fire.
- such our 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 and a beggar, nevertheless humbles himself and does what Moses, his servant, called other children to do, who were unclean and sinners. The Virgin Mary did the same. 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 of Mary his mother, which cause us to sin and to be ashamed, are also written and preached for this reason, that we should beware of them.
1666 L. 4, 311-313. on the day of the purification of Mary. W. XIII, 495-498. 1667
We should be ashamed that for the sake of the Lord, since we have everything from him, we do not do what we are obligated to do, since he does it for our sake, since his servant is called Moses and he is not obligated to do it by law. Whoever would have the color to turn red here 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 condemns our disobedience so highly with his own example that he could not be more shamefully defiled. For that he throws himself down so low and makes such a superfluous obedience, with the same he mocks and disgraces us, who are not obedient to the Lord, who can cast us into hell or give us heaven.
010 Therefore let all men be ashamed in their hearts, saying, I poor sack of maggots, 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; yet he does what he is not obliged to do. Again, I do not do that which I owe and am bound to do in 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, 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 should be 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, as if God did not respect them, they alone being the dear children. As the examples are clearly evident, in which one can see that the firstborn have generally done the worst and behaved most shamefully. For they have been deceived by hope, and have thought: I am the sanctuary of our Lord God, you are not; so they despised the others.
And if it were still, we would also become proud drops for the sake of such fame, as may be felt in the monks. If they could lead the fame and say: I am the holy child of our Lord God, there is his word and order, how do you think they would boast, because the lousy cap makes them so hopeful?
(12) Now this hopefulness has dealt a blow to the firstborn, so that they have fallen, like Lucifer, the first and highest angel. Cain was the first son, and there was a wonderful thing about him, so that Eve named him as if he were the right man to crush the serpent's head, and as soon as he was born, she painted a sacred shield or crown over his head, and called him the man of the Lord. But as the first angel Lucifer became a devil, so Cain became an arch-villain.
13 Ishmael was also Abraham's firstborn son, but he was so proud that he could not stand his brother Isaac in the house and thought he had the dominion. Therefore the scripture says, Gen. 21, 9: Ishmael was a scoffer. Thus, the firstborn have commonly gone in the court, as if they alone were the sanctuary of our Lord God, and no one else. That is why God had to overthrow them. Esau also thought that he could not fail to be the chief, and could not lose his firstborn; but our Lord God did otherwise. For when he thought that he was the firstborn, that he should be hopeful, that he should oppress and despise his brother, God said, "Do you think that you should be proud because you are the firstborn? The firstborn have done such arrogance through and through.
The Jews also do this: they would be the first child in God's kingdom and in Christianity, and we Gentiles would be the other child. The first were the apostles, who were Jews, but the other Jews wanted to be proud; therefore our Lord God said, "No, you shall not be; for this is why I did not sanctify you as a people to me, that you should be proud and despise others, but that you should be proud and despise others.
1668 2.4, 313-315. On the day of the Purification of Mary. W. xm, 498-501. 1669
you should thank me the more and be the more obedient. Because you do not want to do this, control yourselves and let the Gentiles come to me; they shall have the preference, and you shall go behind, yes, you shall even be excluded.
(15) So did David, when his sons began to joke and quarrel. Ammon, the firstborn, overpowered his sister Tamar and weakened her, and then he was strangled by his brother Absalom, 2 Sam. 13. When David saw the distress, he took away the rights of all the eldest sons and made Solomon, the youngest son, king. For our Lord God would have it so, since otherwise he could not control the court.
016 And the same was the case with David himself. David had seven brothers. And when the LORD sent Samuel the prophet to anoint the son of Jesse king in Saul's stead, the eldest came forth first, a proud wretch; as it is seen, he accosted poor David shamefully in the camp, as if he were his servant, saying, Why stayedest thou not at home with the sheep? But our Lord God said to Samuel, Anoint me the youngest to be king over my people. All the brothers were summoned and passed by. But what did our Lord God do? He rejected all the seven brothers, the firstborn and the others.
(17) Why does God do this? They were all older than David. 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 have set him high, yet may he cast him down, and set him lower. Therefore, since 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, as a right, and to despise and insist on others for it, they had to go to the devil, regardless of their first birth.
Abyss of hell; as the 113th Psalm, v. 5. 6. 7. also says: "Who is like the Lord our God, who has set himself so high, and looks upon the lowly in heaven and earth; who lifts up the lowly from the dust, and exalts the poor from the mire?" And the Virgin Mary in her song, "He pusheth down the mighty from their seats, and exalteth the lowly."
18 Now this is the art and work of our Lord God, that he overthrows the proud 2c. For he cannot and will not suffer pride or defiance, nor does he give his gifts so that we should respect them as if we had them from ourselves; for this reason he often pulls out a despised lousy boy, and on the other hand throws a king from the throne, into prison, death and all misfortune. This is the game of our Lord God.
19 Let this be said as an example. The firstborn was highly honored among the Jews; 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 behind the curse that he should have neither kingdom nor priesthood, both of which were due to him by birth. Abraham, as it is considered, was also the youngest son, but God gave him the right that was bestowed on the eldest and firstborn.
(20) That it is therefore a common example that the first sons are seldom well-born; this has made 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. With this they boasted and made our Lord God so angry,*) that he threw them down.
(21) Therefore let no man exalt himself to any grace or gift. If anyone has art or any other advantage, let him not exalt himself above another who has not; but let him use them in honor of God and for the benefit of his neighbor.
*) moody -- moody, grumpy, peevish. D. Red.
1670 8.4, 318-317. On the day of the Purification of Mary. W. xm, 501-503. 1671
Benefit. If one is beautiful, pious, holy, rich, do not be proud against his neighbor who is shapeless, a sinner and poor. For God proved it enough in the first and highest patriarchs that he does not want to suffer our pride; they are almost all misguided, the firstborn. John the Baptist is well-deserved, but he is almost alone. Christ must have been well-done, for there was no sin in him.
(22) The other firstborns, in common, have all abused such glory, have fallen away because of pride and arrogance, until finally all Judaism has fallen away and we have come in their place. For Christianity is now our Lord God's own and His firstborn: not because of outward power and splendor, as the Pope boasts that he is the supreme bishop, and yet (if you will pardon the expression) he is dirt; but because of the Word and the holy sacraments. For although we are unequal among ourselves 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, having 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 are 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.
If God had done something special, baptized me and you specially, given me and you a special word and a special sacrament, we would have gone to the devil because of hope. But because God does not make anything special for any of us, we must all say and confess: We have one kind of baptism, one kind of mother, the
Christian church, one faith, word, and sacrament, none can despise the other; you must let me be a firstborn son as well as you, and I you as well as me; thus all are at the same time, one as well as the other, kings and priests, but only in the spiritual regiment. For in the outward being a difference must remain.
24 But that the pope makes himself better than others according to the spiritual rule, he has no command, therefore no one has called him but the wretched devil. For among true Christians it must and should be that none is better than the other. Cause, no one has a better baptism than the other. For the fact that one must have preachers, pastors and other church servants: these are only offices that make no one a child of God. But baptism and the word and faith in the word must do it, so that we become God's children 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. The world does not want to believe this, and even today abuses even the poor, small gifts for the sake of hope. For this reason, God throws them down one by one, so that they tumble down like Lucifer and his angels from heaven.
26 Let this be said of today's Gospel, as far as the story of the sacrifice in the temple is concerned. Let us pray to God for His grace to protect us from all hope and, through His Holy Spirit, to awaken our hearts to right and earnest obedience and graciously keep them therein until the end, amen.
1672 L. 4, 317.318. On Sunday Estomihi. W. XIII, 524-527. 1673
Quinquagesima; Luc. 18, 31-43
*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. And they that went before him beset 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.
(1) In today's Gospel there are two pieces. The first is the prophecy or prophecy in which the Lord announces his future suffering to his twelve apostles alone. And these are the words which the angels on the day of Easter 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 rise again the third day." For the Lord Jesus is now on his way from Galilee to Jerusalem, where he stayed and was crucified. The other part is the miracle of the blind man.
The first part is that the Lord takes the twelve and says: "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things are finished which were written by the prophets concerning the Son of man; for he shall be delivered to the Gentiles. 2c. This is what he preached while he was still in Galilee, before he came to Jerusalem. But the evangelist says three times that the disciples did not understand this prophecy. For they thought that he spoke with strange and perverse words, which had a peculiar understanding.
*) Held in the house, 1534.
They did not understand that he would suffer at Jerusalem; it was as if they heard a strange, unknown language, since they could not understand a word. Therefore the evangelist does not repeat so often in vain, saying, "They heard none of these things, and the speech was hid from them, neither did they know what was spoken." The reason was this: Their hearts were in such a state that they thought that the man Jesus Christ performs so many miraculous signs, raises the dead, gives sight to the blind 2c. that we must see and grasp that God is with him. Therefore, in time he must become a great lord, greater than Joseph in Egypt or Daniel in the land of Babylon. 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 will actually have a different interpretation. This was the idea of the apostles.
(3) This shows that all God's words and works are of this kind: if they are spoken of before they happen, they cannot be understood. But when they are done, then they are understood and seen. So
1674 u. 4, 318-S21. On the Sunday of Estomihi. W. xm, 527-52S. 1675
Says St. John, Cap. 2, 22, that when Jesus had risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said these things, and believed the Scriptures and the words that he had spoken. Therefore, to God's word by natural and divine right belongs faith. For the Word of God speaks and cannot speak otherwise than of things which reason neither understands nor can comprehend. Therefore one should believe it, and when one has believed it, then one should also experience that it is true and understand it correctly.
- as that I give an example: God's word teaches us about the resurrection of the dead. Reason does not understand such things. Therefore it is seen that worldly people mock us and take us for fools, that we believe it and let ourselves be persuaded that there is a resurrection of the dead and a life after this life. Thus, that God became man and was born of a virgin into the world is not compatible with reason, which says no to it. Therefore, it must be believed until we get 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 receive forgiveness of sins, God's grace and mercy, without any merit, through the water bath of baptism and through absolution, is also very lying before reason. It thus says: "Christians are foolish and foolish who believe such things; if God is to be reconciled, something higher and better must be done, namely, good works that make us angry and hurt us. As we have the example of the Pope before our eyes, who points people to his own merit through his preaching.
(5) Reason will not accept that it should believe that through baptism and faith in Christ alone all that belongs to salvation should be established; reason considers this to be a lie. For it does not know what faith is; it considers it a small thing: faith in Christ. So the word also seems to be a small thing, and he who leads and preaches it is also a poor, frail man and sinner. Now that one should stake and dare to stake his life and limb for eternity on faith and the word, both of which seem to be little things, is beyond reason.
ridiculous. Therefore, even if God's word is recited to the people in German, reason does not accept it, it does not believe it, it says it is not true; and therefore the dear gospel must have and keep the name before the world that it is heresy and the doctrine of the devil, since people are seduced with it and taught that they should do no good. Reason cannot judge otherwise.
(6) Therefore, we should only learn to believe simply and say: If it is God's word, then I have no doubt about it; even if I do not yet see, grasp or feel that it is so, I still hear that God says it. He is so great and powerful that He can make it true that I will grasp and understand it in His time or ever in that life, yes, see and grasp it, even if I do not understand it now.
(7) So it is also seen in examples. Before David attacks Goliath, he believes he will strike and slay him, for he has God's word; as he says to Saul, "The Lord who delivered me from the lion and the bear will also deliver me from this Philistine"; item: "This Philistine, the uncircumcised, shall be like the lion and the bear, for he has defiled the testimony of the living God", 1 Sam. 17, 37. 36. 17:37, 36. This is so firmly seated in his heart that, although there is no comparison of his strength with the strength of the Philistine, yet he joyfully comes before the Philistine and says, "This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will smite you and take your head from you." V.46. Everyone heard these words from the mouth of David, but they were considered a lie and a mockery. And is true, if it had been David's word alone and not God's, it would have been nothing. But it is God's word, and David believes it before he hears it. And though Goliath is angry and curses David, saying, "Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with a rod?" 2c. Nevertheless it comes to pass, and David is saved. Reason did not see it that David should strike down such a great, strong giant with a sling and a stone. But David believed and did it. And when he had done so, it could be seen, even grasped, that it was true and not a lie.
1676 L. 4, 321-323. On Sunday Estomihi. W. XIII, 529-532. 1677
8 But before, when only the word was there that David said, "The Lord will deliver you into my hands today," it was the greatest lie, yes, an impossible thing. For reason makes its calculation thus: David is a boy, in addition a shepherd, who was in no war, completely bare comes along with a stick and a sling. But the giant comes armed with his armor and large spear. Is not this a likeness of armor and armor that is ridiculous to behold, that David, the little young archer, should do such a thing, that no man in the whole camp should be subject to it? Therefore Eliab his greatest brother is enraged against him, saying, "Why did you come down? I know well thy presumption, and the wickedness of thine heart: for thou art come down to see the battle." And king Saul saith also unto him, Thou canst not go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art a boy, but this man is a man of war from his youth." David himself did not see it, nor did he feel that God would punish the blasphemy against his enemy and help him. Nevertheless, David did so, because he believed the word.
9 Thus it goes through and through. God's word and work are always considered impossible before they happen. But when it has come to pass and is done, it is seen that it is exceedingly easy and small. But before it comes to pass, it is not to be known or understood, but to be believed. For how sin is washed away through baptism, and we shall rise from the dead on the last day, this the insane 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 the running water; as the pope did to St. John Hus at Costnitz. So reason thinks: Where will our Lord God take the body again? But God has said that He wants to awaken and bring forth our bodies again. It is His word, therefore it is not only unbelievable to reason, but also impossible to see. But do you believe
it, so it shall come true. For he is the man who is all-powerful and can make all things out of nothing.
(10) What were we a hundred, even sixty years ago? Just as little as 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 already 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, Pope Clement, Cardinal V. M. and others, who want to measure our Lord God's word and work according to their reason, are exceedingly annoying fools. For they conclude: "Because I cannot bring a dead man to life, God cannot bring a dead man to life. They reckon God's word and work according to their sense and ability. If this were true, that God's word and work could be measured according to our reason, then our Lord God could have kept his mouth shut. But because he speaks, it is a sign that our reason does not know or understand everything, and that God's word is above and against all reason, as can be seen in experience.
This is God's way. I proclaim to you 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 do not know anything about friendship.
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 absolved me from my sins by His word. Therefore I firmly believe, even though I do not see or feel it, that God has absolved me from my sins.
1678 2.4, 323-325. On Sunday Estomihi. W. XIII, 532-535. 1679
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; though I neither see nor feel them, yet I have no doubt at all. If the Pope does not believe it, it does not matter, I will believe it, because God will not lie to me in His word.
(14) The disciples here could not do this art, or they would not have argued or wondered about it for a long time; they would have decided and said, "Just as he speaks, so will it be done; for the man cannot lie, let it be done when or how he wills. But the blind man, whom the evangelist tells us about, can do this very well. His eyes are so blind that he does not see a speck (not the slightest thing) with them. But as soon as he hears the word, "Behold," he believes; therefore it happens to him as he believes. Such a word, when it is still alone, speaks of a thing that does not exist, because the eyes of the blind man are still closed; but soon after the word, because he believes, the work follows, just as he believed that he could also grasp and feel. So the disciples also should have done: though they could not see as it was possible, yet they should have believed, because they had his word. For nothing belongs to the word but faith. But what happens? Christ tells them what will happen to him at Jerusalem, but they do not understand; therefore they do not believe it to be true. They do not think the Lord is a liar, but they think his words have a different meaning.
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, and no pope knows what faith and Christ are. 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 waver, even if it does not feel or see anything about it. And this is the kind of faith and heart that God's word always wants. If we now
If we have firmly believed, and God reveals it and brings it to light that the experience is found, then we will say: O good to me that I have believed. But Pope Clement, Cardinal V. M., Erasmus and others who did not believe will see, wonder and say: Who would have thought of this? Zetermordio, that we have not believed! So in the end they will have to believe. But it will be lost, and nothing will help them: it has lasted too long.
(16) This is the lesson, that we should not be offended at the word of God, even if it is miraculous, false, and impossible, but should stand firm on it: If God has spoken it, then it must be done. So that one does not ask whether it is possible, but only looks at whether God has spoken it. For if God has spoken it, he is so powerful and true that he can do it. Therefore one should believe it. But he who will not believe it blasphemes God to the highest degree. Therefore, let us do this honor to our Lord GOD, and keep the first commandment, so that we do not doubt that GOD will make it sound as false as it always can, what GOD says, so that it will surely come true. Where God's word is, be it in baptism, absolution, in the sacrament, in the preaching of the Gospel, God Himself speaks to us. In absolution he himself absolves us from sins, in the sacrament or communion Christ himself feeds us with his body and blood. Thus we have God's word in the church, yes, in the house; when the priest in the church, the Father in the house talks to us, God Himself talks to us. Let us therefore see to it that we take it for God's word and accept it.
The other piece in today's Gospel is about the blind man. There the evangelist teaches us the proper art of begging, that one should learn to lewdly beg before God, be impudent and always stop. For he who is stupid soon lets himself be rejected and is not fit for begging. Just as I, when I was a young student, once begged for the New Year. I came with my journeyman in front of a house and sang for a bratwurst. Then the landlord came running out with a shout and said: Where are you boys? and brought two sausages. But I and my companion ran
1680 8.4, 325-327. On Sunday Estomihi. W. xm, 535-538. 1681
and thought he wanted to beat us, until the host called after us and told us to get the sausages 2c. Such are no good for begging. You have to take off your cap of shame and think that our Lord God wants us to be horny and to stop. For it is his pleasure and honor that he wants to give much, and it pleases him well that one thinks much good of him. Therefore one should do it as brazenly 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 here and there, both in body and soul, and therefore need your help and comfort. Item, I must have this and that, therefore I ask that you give it to me.
The monks and the beggars in the streets and alleys know this art well. But people don't like it, they get tired of horny and reject such beggars with bad words. But our Lord God likes such lechers, who stop confidently and do not want to be turned away, as we see here in this blind man, who would have liked to have healthy eyes. Therefore, when he hears the great hustle and bustle passing by, he first asks what is going on. When he hears of Jesus, he begins to cry out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! Those who go ahead threaten him to be silent. But he does not turn back, even 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 pleads does right, and our Lord God is pleased with him. For he is not so disgusting as we humans. We can be made weary, unenthusiastic and unwilling with lust; but it is a great honor to him that he should be thought a merciful Lord, and not be desisted from, but say, "O Lord, it is your honor and your service, by which you are glorified and honored, that I have been praised by you.
beg. Therefore, O Lord, see not that I am unworthy, but that I am in need of thy help. For that I, an unworthy man and a poor sinner, ask of thee, it is in thy honor; so also I am not in need of thy help, and thou canst and wilt give to them that ask thee.
20 Such unashamed prayer, which persists and cannot be deterred, pleases God well, as we see here in the blind man: as soon as he begins to ask, the Lord quickly calls him to Him, 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 whatever you want, and I will give it to you. The blind man does not tarry long and says, "I ask that I may see." Then the Lord answers, "Yes, you shall see." This is an impudent request, but it is very graciously answered. This is what we should learn to do for the blind man, so we should also go out with our prayer and present our need to Christ, and certainly believe 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 not obtain anything. But no Christian should do such a thing; but as soon as the need comes, he runs into the church or chamber, and falls on his knees, saying, "Lord, here I come; I must have this and that, though I am unworthy. But look at my need and my misery, 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 in praying, because God does not grow weary in giving. The more you persevere in prayer, the more God likes it; he will not let you tire of your prayer, yes, your prayer would be so strong and earnest, he should hear you the same hour and give you what you desire, which he would not otherwise do and would take a long time. But he hurries and gives it for the sake of it.
1682 L. 4, 327.328. On the Sunday of Invocavit. W. XIII, 538-540. 1683
for the sake of prayer. As I hope that the last day will not remain long outside, but will come sooner than we can think through the anxious groaning of the Christians. Thus the Lord, Luc. 18, 1. ff., gives a similitude of the widow, who would not let up, when the judge, who asked neither for God nor for man, said: "I can no longer suffer that the widow deceives me so; I will help her, so that I may get away from her and henceforth be overtaken by the constant running. "But should not God," says Christ, "also save his elect who call to him day and night, and should have patience over them? I tell you, he will save them in a little while." As if he wanted to say: Prayer makes God haste, otherwise he would not be so hastened.
(22) Therefore prayer serves that one may obtain a thing the sooner, which otherwise would be delayed longer. So that this example serves that we should be impudent beggars and learn to be horny, and not let ourselves be weary.
but say, "Lord, it is true that I am a poor, unworthy sinner, and I know it well, but nevertheless I must have this and that. I have a wife and child, and have not that I may feed them; Lord, give me! Item, I am sad, I need your comfort; Lord, you comfort! For here it is not a matter of dispute whether I am pious; a few things are enough, that I am needy, and thou wilt gladly give me that which is profitable for my 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 gracious 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 of Lent; Matth. 4, 1-11
*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 led him up into a very high mountain, and shewed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. And said unto him, All these 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 in three ways after his baptism, after he had been in the wilderness forty days and forty nights, and after he had been in the desert forty days and forty nights.
*) Held in the house, 1534.
had eaten nothing; or, as Lucas speaks of it, these three temptations lasted the whole forty days, that he had dealt with one some many days, and perhaps not according to the order as Matthew here relates.
1684 L. 4, 328-330. On Sunday Invocavit. W. xm, 540-543. 1685
Now this is a broad gospel, especially if one wants to apply it to the whole of Christendom, which, like Christ, is also tempted by famine and persecution, by heresy and finally by the kingdom of the world, as the histories finely show whoever pays attention to it. But we do not want to go so far this time, but stick to the common doctrine. And first of all you should notice the example of our dear Lord Christ and learn from it that every Christian, as soon as he is baptized, is placed here in the army against the evil devil, and through baptism he is charged with the devil, who persecutes him because he lives. If then the poisonous enemy cannot by his temptation bring the Christians to fall 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 on such a journey, for the enemy does not cease, but always persists, trying to snatch us away from Christ and baptism by famine or persecution, by worldly honor and wealth, or by heresy and misinterpretation of Scripture, so that we may fall either into despair or presumption. If this does not help, he strikes us to death and strangles us. Therefore we should learn the example of Christ with diligence, so that we may also meet such an enemy as Christ met him, that he may have to desist from us. But this happens only through right 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 the sermon and the Word of God, learn it diligently and practice it, and also always be in God's ears with earnest prayer that He may bring His kingdom to us and not lead us into temptation, but graciously protect us from all evil.
5 Now the evangelist says that the Lord Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, because he had no lord over him to command him, so he had to be led by the Spirit into the wilderness.
Holy Spirit and call him into the wilderness. This is what the evangelist especially wanted to tell us, that we should beware of our own devotion, since Christ himself did not go into the wilderness and wrestle with the devil there out of his own devotion or authority, as many do and undertake many things without God's word and Spirit. But it shall by no means be. Let no one begin anything, nor run to serve God, unless he knows that God has commanded him to do so, either through His word or through 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, not only does not serve God, but also does something against God's obedience.
(6) Therefore this example of Christ is good for us to consider, that he did not go into the wilderness of his own accord, but was commanded by the Holy Spirit; that we also may do such things, and not do anything of our own devotion, but may boast and say in all that we do, that it is done in obedience to the command 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 command concerning the commonwealth and works of love. For this is already commanded in the Ten Commandments. Our Lord God commands each one to hear God's word, to love God, to pray and to call upon God. If one does this, it is right; for God has commanded it in the first, second and third commandments. Item, God means to be obedient to father and mother, not to kill, not to commit fornication, but to become married. All these things are God's creatures and commandments, therefore one must not ask the Holy Spirit to call me or you specially to the office of father and mother, to the marriage state 2c.; for such a command is there beforehand. But to start something special, to run into a monastery and 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.
1686 L. 4, 330-332. On the Sunday of Invocavit. W. XIII, 543-546. 1687
8 Now let us also consider the temptations one by one. The first is that the devil says to the Lord Jesus, seeing that he hungers: "If thou be the Son of God, let these stones be made bread. This does not seem to be such a hard challenge, for we think, "What harm would it have done Christ? He could easily have made stones into bread; he has 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 perform a miracle, but, as can be clearly seen 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 you to die of hunger and does not want to grant you a piece of bread. Therefore the Lord answers: "Devil, not so! "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. So this is the devil's suggestion: 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, just be confident, be stingy, and be generous with the world's goods; it does 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 be stingy, thinking that God will not be angry because it is only a matter of daily bread and nourishment. 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 wanted to say: You cannot sin nor do wrong. As one sees everywhere in the world, that no one has a conscience about it, that he asks little for the word, and asks only for bread, or
Food. That is why this temptation is still going on in the world, that the devil makes light of the word and drives people not to seek the word as much as the bread.
(10) Then one must learn and resist such temptations, saying, "Devil, you would gladly take me from the word; no, you shall not succeed. For before I would lack the word of God, I would rather lack bread and die of hunger. For it is 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 to let us people think such thoughts, so he always gets in the way with the temptation and works so that we only look at the fullness of our stomachs and despise God's word, and think: There is no need, God is my Father, should He not grant me bread and food?
(11) Now if any man will 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 cometh from heaven, is the word of God; and the other and inferior is the temporal bread, which groweth out of the earth. If I have the first and best bread from heaven and do not let myself be brought by it, then this temporal bread should not be lacking nor remain outside, but rather the stones should become bread. But the others, who, overcome by the devil, leave the heavenly bread and take only the temporal: when they have filled their belly, they lie down after it and die; they cannot even eat the good here, but must leave it behind and die there eternally hungry. But it shall not be so. Therefore, even if the devil looks at you through persecution, lack, hunger and sorrow, suffer and fast with Christ, because the Spirit drives 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 at the end.
(12) This is the first part of the first temptation, that one should learn to esteem the word of God as eternal life. For there is such bread and meat, he that eateth thereof, that is, he that believeth the word hath eternal life.
1688 2.4, 332-335. On the Sunday of Invocavit. W. XIII, 546-549. 1689
Life. As Christ also says to the Jews, John 6:27: "Work out meat, not which is perishable, but which endureth unto life eternal, which the Son of man shall give unto you." 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.
This is a severe and spiritual challenge to faith: since faith is challenged on the other side with the grace of God, just as it is challenged above with sin and the wrath of God. For if the devil cannot make us despair of God, he tries on the other hand to make us presumptuous, hopeful and too bold, so that we should rely on our own righteousness. As if the devil wanted to say to Christ: "If you want to argue with me on the basis of 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!
Here Christ must be understood and seen as a man who has hidden the divinity in his humanity. Just as on the cross he presents himself as a pure, honest man, lamenting and crying for help and salvation, as the devil has made him full of sadness; so here he also presents himself as a pure, honest man. Therefore, the devil thinks he wants to make him tempt God with an unnecessary miraculous sign; therefore, he introduces the 91st Psalm, v. 11, as a testimony, but leaves out the most necessary part: in viis tuis: The Lord will keep you "in all your ways. With such a saying, the prankster wants to tear out of Christ's eyes what he was commanded to do, and make him
in a way that he was not commanded to do. For Christ is now as a man in the wilderness, not that he should do miracles, but that he should suffer. Thus the devil wants to lead him out of the way that God has ordained him, namely, that he should be a suffering man, 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, because of which it is not right for me to go down. Because I can go down the stairs without going, it would be wrong for me to go down and fall without need and command from God.
(17) This is also a necessary and useful doctrine, that it is called tempting God, where someone wants to leave the ordinary command and do something new and special without God's word, as monks and nuns do; they go to it out of their own devotion, take on a special life, and then put the Scriptures on it and say: Christ has commanded it, saying: "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 leaves out and is silent about it.
18 The Anabaptists also do a great deal of writing about how no creature should be trusted or relied upon. Then they say: Baptism is also a creature, for it is nothing but water; therefore one should not trust or 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, as it is in John 3:5: "Unless one is born again through water and the Spirit, he will not see the kingdom of heaven," then it would be wrong to seek God's grace in baptism or water. But there God's word stands firm, Marc. 16, 16: "He who believes...
1690 L.4, 335-337. On Sunday Invocavit. W. xm, 549-552. 1691
who prays and is baptized will be saved. For faith and baptism, word and water must be together. The blind people do not want to see this.
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. Thus, when a child walks in his filial obedience, father and mother, servants and maidens walk in their office and profession: if accident befalls them, God will save and help through His angels. But if they go out of their way, the angels shall not be there, for 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 ways, for that is still tempting God.
020 Now this is a temptation which no man understandeth, except he have tried it. For as the first leads to despair, so this leads to presumption, and to such works as truly have not God's word and command. A Christian should take the middle road, so that he neither despairs nor is presumptuous, for both are contrary to God's word; but remain simple in the word, in right trust and faith, and the dear angels will be with him, and not otherwise.
The third challenge is traditio humana, *) which is very gross, that the devil, by honor and force, subjects us to idolatry against God's word. It helps a great deal that the outward, human holiness has such a great appearance before reason, and shines far more beautifully than all obedience to the Word of God. Our Lord God and right doctrine do not make a shining saint; but the devil and human doctrine make vain shining saints. Whether a person goes to the sermon a hundred times, hears God's word, obeys his father and mother, and does what God has commanded him to do, this does not make him as respectable as if he goes and puts on a gray skirt, does not keep himself like other people, does not eat any
*traditio humana ---- human tradition or tradition; human doctrine. D. Red.
Meat 2c. Summa, human righteousness makes such an appearance that emperors and kings bow down to it.
(22) With such his own devotion and self-invented spirituality the pope arose, that he and his company did not want to do what other people do, because it would be too small. That Joseph is obedient to his father Jacob does not appear; for other pious children do the same, therefore it is a common work. But it has a special standing when one runs into a monastery, becomes a monk or nun and our Lord God's own servant, as they praise, 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 about it, as everyone knows well. This is what Christ calls a grave and diabolical temptation, and paints before us what such traditiones humanae and human doctrines are, namely, the doctrines of the devil, and says that those serve the devil and worship him who handle with unbidden holiness. "Lift yourself away, Satan!" he says, for you are not to be served, but GOD alone. If one does not serve God alone, one certainly serves the devil.
But what does serving God mean? To serve God is to 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 or a wife, do not offend your servants with words or works, but do what is required for the office and keep them in the fear of God. This is then serving God and His word, and not the person. For there is his word that commands and wants such things. Now call it what you will in the sight of the world, serving 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.
- That the pope does not respect this command and makes a special holiness out of it, where one puts on a gray cap, eats neither butter nor meat, but oil and herring during fasting, know that this is a pure devil's work.
1692 L. 4, 337.338. On Sunday Reminiscere. W. XIII, 552.553. 1693
They think they want to serve God, and yet everything is served by the devil, because God's command and word is not there; therefore, 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 our Lord God says: "Whom you serve, reward you also. What devil has called you? I command thee, father and mother, to serve thy authorities and thy neighbor; and thou sufferest this to be done, and doest that which I have not commanded. Am I supposed to put up with that? No, it will not end there.
(25) Thus the pope and his company are pure idolaters and servants of the devil with all their being and life. For he asks nothing of God's word, yes, he condemns and persecutes the word, and directs all his specter to lead away from pure faith in Christ. He pretends to great holiness under the appearance of outward worship, which he has done with caps and plates, with fasting, eating fish, saying mass, and the like; but basically it is the devil's doctrine. But if you ask what the cause is, why the pope
with his own hold so stiffly to such doctrines of the devil? This gospel reports. The devil has shown and promised them the kingdom of the world. This makes him mock our preaching and worship; for we are beggars in it, 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 has so powerfully occupied them with this temptation, and driven them to the point that they have abandoned God's word and have raised up and introduced self-invented holiness. Yet God has preserved some under such devilish specter. But we should meet the devil in the eye and say to him, as Christ says: "Devil, get thee away from me, for it is written: You shall worship God your Lord and serve Him alone," that is, look only to God's word and follow it, and do no worship outside of it. We must await such challenges of all three because we are alive. For this reason, we must equip ourselves well with God's word, so that we can protect ourselves with it and endure it. Our dear Lord Christ, who overcame these temptations too well for us, give us also strength, so that we may overcome through him and be saved, auras.
*On the Sunday Reminiscere. )
Matth. 15, 21-28.
And JEsus departed 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 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.
*) Held in the house, 1534.
1694 8.4, 338-340. On Sunday Reminiscere. W. XIII, 554-557. 1695
1 This is a high gospel. However, it was placed on this Sunday, just like others, because it also says about exorcism; thus they wanted to indicate that one should become pious, confess and go to the sacrament out of obedience to the pope. But it is a bad, and right papal piety, which lets itself be saved for a whole year until this time, and is performed with miserable fasting and unwilling confession, since mau has no command of it, and forced sacrament-going, without all desire of the heart.
Therefore we must first know that this gospel does not speak of such child's play and trifling, but it is a high and difficult teaching of the right fight and fear of death in faith before God, from which we are to learn this: that no thing should deter us from calling and praying to God, even if He Himself says no to it, as one experiences in mortal distress; there the devil pushes and pushes everywhere with thoughts, that our Lord God cannot be looked at differently, as if He did not want us. The situation is terrible, because the thick black clouds dim and cover the bright sun; there is distress above all distress.
3 Such a struggle is presented to us here in the woman, since not only the person, but all other circumstances are so evil that they could not be more evil. First of all, she is a Gentile woman, which is the first circumstantia (circumstance) that makes the matter difficult, that she is not a child of Abraha nor of Abraham's seed, therefore has no right to ask anything here, because she is a stranger. The same should have pushed her in front of the head in such a way that she should have said: What shall I ask? It is lost. Cause, I am a stranger and in addition a Gentile woman, 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 give up prayer. For it is no joke when the conscience stands there and says: Oh, you are not one of them 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 enough.
sam to such high work that you should come before God and ask Him for something. With such thoughts, the devil can bring us to despair, because it is a very big push.
(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 cancels out the fact that she is a Gentile and he is a Jew. Another person without faith would not stand this, but would have thought: You are of the devil, it is in vain that you pray; let his people ask, it will not do with you. So he would never have asked. 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.
This is a hard and evil temptation, when the devil stirs up in the heart and says: "Why do you want to pray so long, you are mine; lift up for it and curse God, it is just as much, you will 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, whether the evil enemy would reproach us, saying, Thou art not a Christian, it doth not do with thy praying. No, by all means, do not turn to it, but say thus: Be I who I will, I ask nothing of it. For though I be a sinner and wicked, yet know I that therefore my Lord Christ is not a sinner nor wicked, but abideth righteous and gracious. The more sinful and wicked I am, the more I will cry out to him and cry out to him, and turn to nothing else. For now I have no time to argue whether I am chosen or not, but I feel that I need help, so come and seek it in all humility.
- that is called following this example correctly, if you do not forget the thoughts that are
1696 2.4, 340- 342. On Sunday Reminiscere. W. XIII, 557-560. 1697
If you want to hinder prayer, overcome it with firm faith and say: "The Canaanite woman was not chosen either, because she was a Gentile: if she has asked and has not been hindered in prayer, then I will also pray; for I need help and must have this and that. Where else would I take or seek it, but from God in heaven through His Son and my Savior Christ Jesus? This is a battle piece and a very great miracle in the heathen lady.
9 Now the text says that she cries out, "O Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me," and laments her distress, "My daughter is tormented by the devil. Christ hears such cries, but he does not answer her a word. This is the other shock, that Christ faces her just as she was. She is a pagan who does not belong to the inheritance and should not 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 a tower, yes, 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, listens soon, and helps gladly? But as I see and experience, he hears when he wants and not when we need it. But the poor woman is not yet frightened. But what else does she encounter?
(10) Third, the disciples are tired of crying out and are, in their mind, more pious than Christ himself, because they think that he is too hard and unkind, and therefore they go away and pray for the woman, "Oh, Lord, give and help her! This is a delicious example that one should not let go in prayer.
Taulerus writes an example that one should desist. But it is wrong to preach in this way. For we ourselves are all too familiar with the practice of refraining. So this example also shows sufficiently that one should by no means desist, but 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, so I need advice and help.
to have. Such distress is so hard for the woman in her heart that she drowns all these hard blows and blows she encounters.
- There is the third challenge or thrust, that Christ says, "I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel," and strikes the disciples also on the head, and will not hear either the woman or them that pray for them.
13 Then she should have thought: This must be a hard man, who also does not want to hear other people, who ask from himself and uninvited. And is the truth. 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 the disciples' intercession do not help, she also enters the house, as Marcus says. This may well be called 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) Nevertheless 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 words to me, I would have run away in disgust, thinking, "What you are doing is in vain; there is nothing to be gained. For it is also the hardest blow that the Lord thus throws her to the feet; do not let it remain that she is not a child or a heathen, but call her also a dog. This is worse than if he had badly called her a heathen; indeed, it is just as much as if he had said, "You are the devil, however you walk and stand; just troll away, you have no business here. That means highly tempted. So if he said to me, how should he frighten me! Yes, if St. Peter or St. Paul, or any other great, excellent man said such a word to me, I would be scared to death. What should it
1698 L. 4, 342-344. On Sunday Reminiscere. W. XIII, 560-562. 1699
but now that Christ himself says it to this female?
(16) Therefore this is a great and excellent example, by which it is seen what a mighty, powerful and strong thing faith is. It seizes Christ in his words when he is most angry, and turns a harsh word into a comforting inversion, as we see here. You say, she says, I am a dog. I let it happen, want to be a dog gladly; so hold me also now, like a dog. So catch him with his own word, and Christ also likes to be caught like that. Well then, says she, because I am a dog, I desire no more than a dog's right. I am not a child, nor of Abraham's seed; but thou art a rich lord, and holdest a glorious table. Give your children the bread, set them at the table; I do not desire such things; only let me, like a dog under the table, gather up the crumbs, and let me have that which the children do not need, nor enjoy without that; I will be satisfied with the same. Thus she catches the Lord Christ with his own words and wins not only the right of the dogs, but also the right of the children. For where is he going, dear Jesus? He has caught himself, he must now leave. But if only he could, he would gladly let himself be caught like this.
(17) Now this is the true masterpiece, a peculiar and strange example, which is therefore prescribed for us, that we should learn it, and not let ourselves be rejected by the man, God granting that he may stand against us as he pleases, calling us dogs or heathens. As this woman says: Dogs must have masters and crumbs, so also the Gentiles must 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 thine heart, let it be done unto thee according to thy faith. This is a strange judgment to me. The other Jews are soon annoyed with me and recoil after a word, even though I speak such salutary doctrine to them. But you hold fast to the hope that I will help you and will not let go of me.
19 Here you can see why the Lord is so
and refused to hear her, 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 an heir nor a child, how they should believe in Christ and put all their trust in him. For Christ wants to have such things, and pleases him so well that he can no longer hide his goodness and kindness, and says: "Go, be it done to you, as you wish"; thus he not only gives her the right of the dog and does not only make her daughter healthy, but offers to give what she desires and wants to have, 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 holding us up for a long time, so that we should not let up, but firmly believe that he will finally say yes to it; and whether he does not say it out loud or publicly, that he still says it secretly in our hearts until the time comes that we experience it and see it, as long as we are not lazy in praying and stopping. As can be seen in other examples. Joseph cried out and held fast with prayer for twelve years or even longer, God wanted to help him. But the longer he prayed, the worse he became. Christ himself cried out and called for help and salvation at the time of his suffering, but God was distant; as the 22nd Psalm v. 2. 3. says: "I cry, but my help is far away. My God, I call by day, but you do not answer." So it is still today with the Christians. When they have cried out and cried to God for a long time, they feel no improvement, but the longer they cry out, the worse they get, just like Joseph. If God had heard Joseph soon and delivered him 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 Egypt and the greatest man among all his brothers, and through him God accomplished much good in the world and church government.
1700 L. 4, 344-346. On Sunday Reminiscere. W. XIII, 562-565. 1701
and pretends not to know ours, and makes us suffer so miserably, as if > we had not known > > we have no God. But it will not always remain so, God will reward us > well. Therefore let us have no doubt, we have the word of consent in > heaven, which is certainly in the heart of the Lord Christ and God his > Father, and will be revealed in his time. He may build four or five > iron walls in front of it, and the devil shoots a vain no to it. But > learn to say: I hold the yes, that God will be gracious to his church > and save all who cry out to him for help. The yes is in his heart, > according to Christ's promise, John 14:13: "Whatever you ask the > Father in my name, that I will do." Therefore I will not dispute > whether I am chosen or a Gentile and unworthy, but I insist that the > word of consent be there. > > (25) So this history is a particularly beautiful example of right > faith, that it must be practiced, and yet finally overcome and attain > everything. Therefore we should not despise the word so much, but hold > fast to it and have no doubt that our prayer is heard, even though God > has tarried for some time. How this woman cries and screams, and will > not let the Lord Christ himself take the word out of her heart that he > is kind and will help. > > 26) May our dear Lord God help us to come after this, and to rely on > His word and promise with all our heart, and through Christ, with the > help of the Holy Spirit, to be eternally saved, amen. > > God still wants to do this with us. If he has long denied us our > request and 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, John > 16:23: "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, that shall he > give you." Because the word is true, it will certainly happen. > > 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 we > have asked to give. As it happened 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 he does so, as when you fall into water > or are at war, there is no need to wait long when the distress is so > near and great. He does the same in high and severe spiritual trials. > But where endurance and delay can be endured, we should learn that he > is pleased to forgive us, too well. But still, as the prophet Habakkuk > says Cap. 2, 3: "If the promise be consumed, wait for it; it will > surely come, and will not be left out. > > (24) So now he also departs and lets the pope and the Turks rage > against us. We cry out and do miserably, but he hears us.
1702 L. 4, 346.347. On the Sunday of Oculi. W. XIII, 565-568. 1703
*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 away his armor, 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 placed at this time in the same way as the gospel of eight days ago, that through repentance, penance and confession one should amend oneself and cast out the devil. 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 happened at that time, but will remain until the end of the world, and as long as his kingdom remains on earth.
002 And therefore it is prescribed and preached unto us, that we should learn these things, and be comforted concerning them. For we are to know that this work, that the Lord casts out devils, does not cease, but continues in Christendom forever until the last day. Where Christ is, this miraculous work happens, that the mute speaks, the blind sees and the deaf hears. Christ came and began such work in the flesh.
*Held publicly in the castle church before the Elector, 1534.
But Christianity practices this work spiritually forever and ever until the end of the world. For this work Christ has left behind His instruments, holy baptism, the reverend sacrament, the word and absolution and other things that belong to the ministry of preaching, so that one should destroy the devil's kingdom with it, catch his people from him and drive him out of the people 2c. For thus it is written Isa. 55:11: Verbum meum non redibit vacuum.... ("My word shall not return to me void.") Just as the rain that falls on a barren land does not go away without fruit, it greens afterwards and everything comes to life; so surely God's word 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) If this does not appear before the world, and is not seen with the eyes of the flesh, as it was when it came bodily from Christ, there is no power in it. For the world is not worthy without this, that it is one spark.
1704 L. 4, 347-349. On Sunday Oculi. W. xm, 568-575. 1705
The Lord will not let her know the miraculous signs and works of God, but she will be blind, mad and deaf, defile, revile and blaspheme, as we see her doing to the Lord Christ here. But we Christians, who have and accept the word, should see and know it and comfort ourselves with all our hearts that God has left us the power here on earth, that we can, yes, should and must cast out devils without ceasing, spiritually and physically.
(4) For every child that is born is born into the devil's kingdom, where he reigns as a lord of death and exercises all tyranny over sins. But carry it here to blessed baptism according to Christ's command, and speak over it the words that Christ commanded: so the child will be born again into the kingdom of God, and the devil must depart and go out. For God's grace is promised to the child through Christ, since he is baptized into the death of Christ. So a poor, sorrowful conscience, which the devil has overtaken with a grievous fall and otherwise afflicted with temptation, comes to me, laments its distress, and desires comfort and instruction. Then I have orders and every Christian that I should comfort 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 comfort that God will be merciful to you and forgive your sin, our dear Lord Jesus has ordained his supper for certain comfort, so that, because his body and blood are given to you for 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.
So this work must go on for and for in Christianity, that the devil is cast out by God's finger. Christ started it, as St. Peter says, Apost. 10, 38, that he went about and did the following
He did good and healed all who were overcome by the devil, because God was with him. Christianity continues until the end of the world, doing more and greater works than Christ did; as he himself says John 14:12: "Truly, truly, I say to 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."
- cause, the Christian church pushes its ministry much further than Christ. He preached only in the small corner of the Jewish land, cast out devils and converted few people, as he preached only in the fourth year. On the other hand, the Christian Church is scattered throughout the world and, 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, casting him out today in one place and tomorrow in another.
7 Such things hurt the devil very much, therefore they do not go without persecution. Christ cast out the devil until the devil threw him out of the country and hung him on the cross. So it is with Christianity to the end. We punish the devil in his error and ungodly nature, cast him out and save ourselves and other people by the word from error, false delusion and ungodly thoughts, so that this work also continues with us without interruption, until the devil once throws us out of the country, if our Lord God decrees it to him, as he has already strangled many of our people and driven them out of the country.
008 But he shall burn himself upon us, as he burned himself upon Christ. For when the devil threw him out of the country, he came after him and threw both head and limbs, that is, the devil and the godless Jews, out of the country again, so that they are still destroyed in all the world to this day and no longer come into their own country. It has happened to them as the Lord told them before, Matth. 22, 7.: "The king was angry and sent out his armies and killed these murderers and set their city on fire." Now if the devil also throws us out of the country, we will again
1706 8.4, 349-351. On Sunday Oculi. W. XIII, 575-577. 1707
cast out of heaven and earth on the last day.
(9) Therefore we should consider the Word of God glorious and great, as a divine power by which the devil is cast out. For not only in the places where we preach must the devil give way to the word; but also in the ministry, where the devil himself reigns, he must depart through holy baptism, if the same is done according to God's order. For such grace we should thank God from the bottom of our hearts that our dear Lord Christ has left this power behind, so that we can cast out such a great Lord and powerful spirit. He also honestly moves that he must go out against his thanks and will, but nevertheless he must depart. We do not attack him with any other force than by opening our mouths and preaching and teaching God's word; the devil must give way to this same word, especially if we believe the word, just as Christianity believes the word; otherwise it is not Christianity. The word is spoken in faith and spirit, and it works such wonders.
(10) Therefore, we should not speak of the Word of God and the holy sacraments in a contemptuous or disgraceful manner. It is true that the word that is preached is a bodily word, and the persons who preach the word are bodily men. But when such a word is preached according to the command of Christ and is grasped with faith, there is such power behind the word that the devil must flee from it. Thus God has put His almighty power into such a small instrument and 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 soon snatch us away in a moment. But what does our Lord God do? He only lights a spark against such a hopeful, powerful spirit, that is, he puts his word into the mouth of the poor little straw; this same word is a heavenly fire, which, where it shines, burns the devil so that he does not know where to stay.
(11) That is, an almighty power, as St. Paul calls the gospel a power of God that saves.
all who believe in it, that is, such a power and strength, which is called God's strength, and is so powerful that it brings man from sin to righteousness, from death to life, from hell to heaven, from the devil's kingdom to God's kingdom, and makes him eternally blessed. Let this be to me a wonderful, almighty power, that the word in the poor straw is so mighty and powerful that it drives out the devil and helps the man who believes in the word from sin and death to righteousness and eternal life.
(12) We Christians should learn this and thank God for it, and regard His word and holy sacraments as glorious and great, even as our highest treasure. But the unbelievers and papists do not know this, nor are they 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 Cap. 6, 9: "Hear, and not understand; see, and not perceive": so these also should hear and grasp the word, and yet not understand its power, for they are not worthy of it.
But we should thank, praise and glorify God for the fact that we recognize and experience such wonderful, glorious majesty and power of the Word: although we are poor beggars and sinners, but they are rich and holy; yet we have everything and see the power of the Word, which they neither have nor see; as St. Paul says in 2 Cor. 6:10: "As the poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet having everything. But it is not our power, but God's, by which we cast out the devil. He also confidently resists and casts us out again, so that we may well cast each other out. But in the end he will be cast out in such a way that he will no longer be able to cast us out.
14 So the word still goes on in Christendom, which is to cast out devils, to make the blind see, the dumb speak, and the deaf hear; and it goes on with as great power as it did when Christ was present; yea, it goes on with greater power, though it be not bodily, yet it is done.
1708 2.4, 351-353. On Sunday Oculi. W. XIII, 577-580. 1709
Spiritually. For it is far greater and more to cast the devil out of the soul and heart than to cast him out of the body, for he is much more firmly established in the soul and heart than in the body. Therefore, if he is to be torn out of the soul and heart, greater strength and power are required. Now the devil must come out of there, where he is most firmly seated; and such casting out is done, as I said, by such a small thing, namely, by the word, absolution, baptism, the reverend sacrament. Christ has given us such power, and may he also give us grace to recognize such benefits, and to be glad and thankful for them.
15 Further follows in the gospel, what the pious, the virgin world, says about it, when she sees and hears this work. For here there are three kinds of disciples about the work, since the devil is cast out and the mute speaks. The first ones marvel at such work of Christ and thank God for it without a doubt. These are the pious and the small group, whose eyes are opened and see the glory and power of the divine work. Before them it is such a glorious, great thing that they cannot wonder enough how it is possible that the word of Christ should convert so many people and cast out the devil with power. God's word and work is so wonderful to them that they cannot get enough of hearing, seeing and marveling at it. To them it is given that they may hear the secret of the kingdom of heaven, that is, that they may know what the word, absolution, sacrament and key can do. To the others it is not given, but with seeing eyes they do not see, and with hearing ears they do not hear; for their heart is hardened, that they do not understand. But these recognize it, thank God for it and marvel at such great divine power; as it is truly a great power of God that the dumb, deaf and (as St. Matthew writes) blind man is healed by the word alone, that he speaks, hears and sees like another man, and becomes finely calm and reasonable, who before was furious and impetuous.
The other group of disciples are the right-wing pious, who, as I said, have this desire.
Not only do they not see or hear the work, but they also blaspheme. How great a difference there is between this great multitude and that small group! For they marvel at the work of Christ, consider it a great and excellent thing, and thank God from the bottom of their hearts. But these are so blind, obstinate, mad and foolish that they cannot see anything good in such a great miraculous work, indeed, they do the opposite. When they should be astonished at the work, they go to it, blaspheme it, and ascribe it to the devil. This is such great blindness, obduracy and rashness that no man can attain it by words.
(17) If only they would say this: Well, he casts out devils, therefore perhaps God is in him! They do not do this, but go out boldly in all certainty and say without any wavering that it is against God, the devil is in him; everything he does is pure deception, ghosts, fools' work and jugglery, as magicians conjure and jugglers juggle. They have sharp eyes and a high intellect, they cannot be lacking. So God's word and work, which one sees, grasps and gropes, must be blasphemed by these sharp-eyed and highly intelligent people.
Moreover, they are so strong and holy that they give the devil a very contemptible name, calling him "Zebub", that is, in German, a bumblebee or big fly, and the chief of the devils they call "Beelzebub", that is, a fly man or fly king. They think they are such great saints and full of the Holy Spirit that they call the devil, yes, even the chief of the devils, not a strong, powerful spirit, as the Scriptures call him, but a powerless fly. Just as our larvae, bishops, princes, tyrants, and also our red spirits do not give a damn about the devil, they are much too high seated for him, and consider him to be a dull fly, which they soon kill, if they only plunge the knife or scribble with the pen. So these saints are also sure, strong and far superior to the devil that they consider him a fainting gnat and a dull fly. Therefore, this work of Christ is to them a work of a fly or a bumblebee; could they do it more bitterly and disgracefully?
1710 k. 4, 353-355. On Sunday Oculi. W. XIII, 580-583. 1711
If they were to communicate and make out more freely, they would do the same.
- These are pious children; they cannot resist the public truth, for the light is too bright and shines in their eyes; yet they knowingly blaspheme our Lord Christ's work, so that they also call their Lord the devil, who rules them and drives them to such blasphemy, a powerless bumblebee; Not seeing that they themselves are possessed with a thousand devils, since they are full of envy and blasphemy, murderers, liars, deceivers, and do the devil's highest will, yet boasting of great holiness, they go about as if the devil were of no concern to them.
20 This is also the way it is done today. The dear gospel is preached, praise be to God, purely and loudly, in all discipline and silence. We can certainly take comfort in the fact that some pious people accept such preaching with heart, become happy about it, understand the power of the word, marvel at it, and thank God for it from the bottom of their hearts. Again, the pope and his followers confess that it is God's word, but blaspheme it, calling it heresy and doctrine of the devil. So great wickedness, hardening and blasphemy is in them that it would be no wonder that before such sin the sun would lose its glow and light, the sky would turn black and the earth would swallow up such blasphemers. And yet they are so sure, careless and without any concern, as if they were sitting in the lap of our Lord God, will keep silent, that they are afraid of the devil, as I and other Christians are.
(21) We Christians know the power and authority of the devil. For we have learned by experience that he can turn and overthrow even a holy man who has a strong faith in a moment; and a pious husband who lives chastely in his married state, he can deceive him into becoming an adulterer tomorrow; yes, he can drive back the most beautiful works of God (where it is imposed on him). Therefore, he is not a bumblebee, but a strong, powerful spirit that attacks us everywhere, as we see and experience, and to which we are far too weak with all our wisdom and strength. For this reason, where he once seizes someone and leads him into error, heresy
When he leads a man into fornication or adultery, unbelief and anger, he holds on so strongly that you cannot get rid of him. So when he throws a man into fornication or adultery, into avarice, anger, hatred, envy, arrogance or other vices, I mean, he holds fast. He lets one flutter up like a bird, but soon he presses him down again, so that he cannot escape from him. Such a mighty lord, prince and god of the world is the devil, who can choke people, lead them into sin, put them into despair, heartache, fear, sorrow, grief and all kinds of misery, where God does not intervene.
Therefore we Christians are not so sure and do not despise the devil as the works saints do; we do not call him a bumblebee, but a mighty lord, prince and God of the world, who can do more than all the princes of the earth, indeed, against whom all the kings and lords of the earth are mere bumblebees and dull flies with all their power and authority.
But our nobles, the pope and his crowd, consider him to be Beelzebub, that is, the king of flies, whom they have recently eaten in the mustard. They are just as blind and obdurate as these Pharisees, who, although they are not possessed bodily, like the poor man here, are nevertheless seven times more violently and dangerously possessed spiritually, because they not only do not recognize God's word and work, but also blaspheme and profane so horribly and terribly, and are so sure of it, as if they were doing well.
(24) Now this is written for our comfort, if we want to cast out the devil and preach God's word, that we also wait for what is written here, that some are surprised, but others blaspheme and rebuke it as false and seductive. For they hold that their doctrine is much better than our gospel; their doctrine leads people to God, but our gospel only draws people away from God. This shall not vex us nor make us weary. It is true, it is very painful that the pope, bishops and their crowd blaspheme our gospel so shamefully that they could not blaspheme it more shamefully, and are so sure of it that they are no more afraid of the devil than of a bumblebee. We have to see and hear this, and it is especially rotten.
1712 L. 4, 355-357. On Sunday Oculi. W. XIII, 583-586. 1713
But it happened to Christ, our Lord and Head, himself in the great miraculous work, when he cast out devils by the finger of God. They blasphemed that the least bumblebee could do it as well and better than Christ.
(25) The third disciples are also very devout, desiring a sign from heaven. They see the miracle, but they do not consider it a sign. For they say: It is a sign that he casts out devils, but it is a small sign; it is a sign on earth, if he would give us a sign from heaven, we would believe. That he casts out devils, that is nothing. But if he made a new sun, new moon, new stars or the like in the sky, that would be something. These are the wise doctors who want to teach our Lord God what signs he should do. They would like him to become their jester, to put on a fool's cap and play before them with miraculous signs, as they wished; just as if our Lord God had nothing else to do, but to atone for their presumption. Just as Herod also considered him a juggler and hoped that he would see a sign from him.
This day thou shalt find such disciples also in the world, and many of them, and most of all among the great merchants; only have good regard for them. For what is the common talk nowadays among worldly wise, powerful people, 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 think of it if the pope, the bishop, the emperor, the king, the princes and the great lords preached or accepted it." These also show our Lord God how he should become wise, the pious man, and attack the matter more wisely, and send them such preachers whom they like, and who preach to them what they like to hear. Yes, you shall be ordered to do so, dear nobles!
27 And in fact with us, who pretend to be good evangelicals, it almost goes like this. For our Scharrhansen at court and Stadtschlingel in cities start, want to paint their preachers, what and how they should preach. They have learned finely,
One should honor the authorities. They turn this around to mean that they should not be punished, but left to do as they please. But where a preacher, according to his office, punishes the vices which are so publicly practiced that the persons must be known, whether they are nevertheless not named: then the clamor goes up with heaps, that it amounts to sedition and is not to be suffered by the authorities; one could well preach the gospel otherwise, so that one does not so publicly disgrace and revile the people. So the authorities must be called disgraced and reviled if one speaks the truth. But how do you feel about these 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 the land, the people and the church, but also over the word and the church. These may be pious children, where God should have pleasure.
28 And what do our squires in the villages do, let alone this one? They do not do much better, they want to force the village priests to preach what they like to hear, or they want to draw the blade. Then I say: "Dear Squire, you come here yourself and preach; believe me, if it didn't cost more, I would so gladly run from the preaching chair and preach to you no more than you would like. Let me see, try it and preach; we know the art as well as you do, that we say to you: Do you hear it, Squire? You preach hard against me, that should not be. Yes, dear, it would be fine that you want to be lords over Christ's word and church. You should be ordered to do so.
(29) It is not the opinion to say that worldly authorities should be honored, that they should not speak evil of them, as if therefore worldly authorities should be above God and his word; but they should also be under God and his word, recognize and honor God and his servants together with him, as God's word teaches, as their subjects; they should let the gospel take its course and obey it. If they do not, but want to be tyrants and bloodhounds, we preachers should open our mouths honestly and tell them so. If they do not want to hear it, then we have to do it.
1714 L. 4, 357-359. On Sunday Oculi. W. XIII, 586-589. 1715
If they want to put down the gospel and make the preaching stand desolate, they may answer for it. Secular authorities should thank God from the bottom of their hearts for the preaching of the gospel. For through it they have regained their honor, because now they know what authority is and how to honor it, of which no one under the papacy knew anything. So they go on and want to trample the gospel underfoot, for which they should thank God, and weigh down the consciences of the preachers, that they should preach what they like to hear.
(30) A heavy burden was laid upon us preachers beforehand, that we should conduct our ministry in such a way that we should give an answer and an account of it on the last day. Why then, for your sake, would we complain more and preach to you as you would have us do? If the word is not ours, we are not here because of you, as if you had appointed us and we had to preach what you would like. If thou wilt therefore be angry, and draw thy blade, let him ask me in the latter day why I have feared thy blade more than his wrath. Therefore I will make thee a sign from heaven, as thou desirest, and preach unto thee that which thou desirest to hear. Yes, hellish fire! These are the third disciples, who want to do with God's word as they please, just as our nobles say to us today: You shall preach as I will. Then we say: We will not and cannot do this. If you do not want to hear it, do not go out in God's name to the hole that the stonecutter has made and let others hear. But we will wash your fur; if you are displeased, let the devil strike. Now these things are prescribed for our consolation, that we turn not aside from them, but know that it is the right gospel, when we see that three kinds of disciples are found.
(31) The first praise it, and are pleased and astonished at it. The others are public enemies, blaspheme and desecrate it. The third would like God to do it according to their head and not according to His pleasure. The gospel has such disciples for and for in the world. The first hear
and love it. The others persecute it from the outside. The third trample it underfoot on the inside.
- we do not have to turn to it, God grant, they accept it, blaspheme it or trample it underfoot. If we preachers say what is to be said, we have saved our souls. He who will not follow, let him go until he comes to know whom he has despised, violated and blasphemed.
The Lord answers the blasphemers first. The others, who want to teach him and perform miraculous signs, he lets go until his time. And yet he is so pious that he deals with the poisonous mouths, even though it is in vain.
Because they said that he casts out devils by Beelzebub, so that they gave him an evil name and shouted before all the people, as if his preaching were the doctrine of devils, he does not want to keep quiet about it, but defends himself against such blasphemers; as we will also hear about a fortnight from the Gospel of John 8, that he answers for himself and says, v. 49: "I have no devil" 2c.
35 Therefore we also must suffer that we are blasphemed, persecuted, driven out, murdered, thrashed, and defied. But to let ourselves be blasphemed and persecuted in silence, and to confess that the doctrine of the blasphemers and persecutors is right, but that our doctrine is the doctrine of the devil: this we must not do, but freely confess the truth publicly for the sake of others; as we have always shown our adversaries the reason and cause, and sufficiently proved that our doctrine is not of the devil, and so we have done. But that we should force them to believe us, that we cannot do, nor are we commanded to do. For we are only watchmen, as the prophet Ezekiel, Cap. 3, 17. ff., who are to warn the wicked to turn from his wicked ways. If the wicked repent, well, we have won him; if he does not repent, the wicked shall die for his sin, but we have saved our souls.
36 Therefore the Lord defends his doctrine with reasonable causes, saying, "You say that I cast out devils by Beelzebub.
1716 8.4, 359-361. On Sunday Oculi. W. xin, 5W-592. 1717
How can you talk so inconsistently? Go into your reason and calculate for yourselves, even worldly. Have you ever seen a kingdom at odds with itself? If in a council there is one mayor against another, in a city three mayors, and yet none is one with the other, if in a principality three regents are against each other: do you not see how bad things are there? If one devil casts out another, it follows that the devils are at odds, and so 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 the husband carries out in front and the wife carries out behind, and, as they say, he breaks jars and she breaks pots, the household will not last long, and they will not accumulate much money together. For experience teaches that disunity tears up and devastates land and people, household and everything. Therefore the Pharisees and scribes speak here against their own reason, like mad, insane people. Just as today our opponents, the papists, also speak as foolish, delusional people, who not only have no Christian understanding, but also no human reason and no common sense, which a child of seven years has.
(38) Christ himself confesses that the devil is a king and has a kingdom, and a very large kingdom, which is finely divided, so that whoever angers one devil angers them all; whoever attacks one attacks them all. He is not at odds with himself, otherwise, if they did not hold together so firmly in the courts of bishops and princes, we would have more people converted and deprived of the pope. But one devil stands by another, and his kingdom is mightier and firmer than all the kingdoms of the world. And you attack such a kingdom when you are baptized, hear the Word, receive the Sacrament.
(39) But as the devil's kingdom is united and diligently holds itself together, so Christ's kingdom is also united and holds itself together. When the devil attacks a Christian, he attacks Christ Himself, and that is what he does.
whole heavenly host; as he himself says to Saul, who persecuted the Christians, Apost. 9, 4. 5. "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" "LORD, who art thou?" "I am JEsus, whom thou persecutest." Two strong ones meet, Christ and the devil, and each has a firm, lasting kingdom. Whoever touches a devil touches Beelzebub, the chief of devils, and all devils with him. Again, whoever touches a Christian touches Christ at the right hand of God, and all the angels with him. We should take comfort in this and learn that it is not a joke to be a Christian, since we have such a great kingdom against us and would have to be in danger at all times if God did not stop us with His grace.
(40) Someone might ask: How is it that desperate bad boys, jugglers, sorcerers and exorcists often cast out the devil? God does not do that, but the devil. I myself have seen one that was full of devils, but the priest who summoned him was so sure that he put a finger in the mouth of the possessed person and said: Defiance, bite! How can it be otherwise than that one devil casts out another? Answer: St. Paul says, 2 Thess. 2, 9, that the devil will do signs in the last times, but they will be false signs. Therefore the casting out of devils is not like the casting out of Christ, but false. For though the devil casts out, he does it not for the sake of the gospel, that he may promote it, but that he may strengthen men in idolatry and lead them away from the faith, that they may even fall away from Christ. The devil has possessed them both, the poor man and the devil's banner, and may well be that the poor man is more pious and holy than the devil's banner, who casts out the devil, although God has thus punished the poor man to chastise the flesh. That a devil casts out, he does for the service of another devil, so that error, idolatry and other abominations are strengthened in the hearts of the people. Thus one has St. Ciliax (Cyriacus). St. Anstet and other saints were used to bring the possessed and to cast out the devil. But he did not go out for this reason, as he did not have a lodge
1718 L. 4, 361-363. On Sunday Lätare. W. xm, 592-S95. 1719
He could not sit any longer and had to leave, but he did it willingly and gladly to strengthen his idolatry. Item, he sometimes acted as if he was very afraid of a consecrated light, consecrated salt, water and other things, when his only concern was to strengthen such superstition in the people, so that they would come the less to the right faith and trust in God's word and grace. That it was, as Paul calls it, mendacia signa, false, false miraculous signs and only ghosts.
If you want to recognize and distinguish the true signs, where Christ and his apostles cast out the devil through the word, from the false, lying signs, then look at the final opinion, why the devil casts out and how he stands to do so. If it is a serious casting out, that the devil should go out for the testimony of the divine word, for the honor and strength of the Christian faith, he will resist and not like to go out. Let the pope come with a cross, consecrated water, salt, and other things, and let the devotees come with all their art: let them leave the devil there without being driven out; he will not retreat, he must do it. For he cannot suffer God's word to be testified, the truth to be known and the Christian faith to be strengthened.
42: But where the devil makes use of himself and
If he wants to strengthen his lies so that the ungrateful world, which does not want to call upon Christ, should call upon the saints and fall deeper into superstition, he may well have a bad boy cast out. He can make blind and see again, deaf and hear again, lame and straight again. For it is not for this reason that Christ and his gospel are praised and the truth is made straight. The reason is not that Christ and his gospel are praised and the truth is recognized, but that his error is confirmed, that the monastic life, the intercession of the saints, pilgrimages, vigils, mass offerings and other things should be considered a holy thing. That is why he is so willing to do it. In sum, the devil never disagrees with himself, for if his error is to persist, it can be driven out. But it is a mirror fencing played under the little hat to deceive and seduce the world. But when he is driven out so that God's finger may be seen and the kingdom of heaven may be near, then he is averse and resists as long as he can, as Christ says in the parable of the strong-armed man.
43 Therefore, let us thank God for this grace, that He sent His Son to us to cast out the devil 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.
First sermon.*)
John 6:1-15.
After this Jesus went over the sea to 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 was about to do). Philip answered him, Two hundred pennies worth of bread is not enough among them.
*0 Held in house, 1532.
1720 L. 4, 363-365. On the Sunday of Lätare. W. XIII, 595-597. 1721
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.
This miracle, when our dear Lord Jesus Christ fed five thousand men in the wilderness with five barley loaves and two fishes, is prescribed for us to preach, hear, grasp and learn in Christianity from time to time. The reason why it is prescribed is that we should trust God to feed us. For there is no thing in the world that hinders faith so much as mammon or wealth on the one hand and poverty on the other. He who is rich and has something, throws God's word to the wind and runs over it with his feet; as the Gospel reports about those who are invited to the great supper and cannot come before their fields, oxen, and wives, Luc. 14. He who is poor does everything that pleases the devil and the world, so that he may take advantage of poverty. This is not right anywhere, neither to the right nor to the left. The rich despise God's word, think they do not need God and his word. The poor speak: How can I accept the word, be obedient to it and follow it? I am poor, I must have to eat and to drink; who wants something from the people, he must talk well and do what they want, even if he does not want gladly. There are whores, boys and godless people, who do everything that people want. So that riches on the right and poverty on the left always hinder God's word and faith.
- Against these two things, which on both sides prevent things from going right, the Lord preaches here and makes a middle course, namely, neither to be too rich nor too poor, but to learn to trust God that he will feed us, and to be content with what
God gives you daily. If thou art not rich, yet shalt thou not be in want nor in need. God will provide as much food for you as a king has to eat, who has no more than a Christian. For what can a king do more, even though he has a great kingdom, than to eat, drink, clothe himself, have a warm room and bed? He will not drink up all the wine that grows in the land alone, nor consume all the money alone. When he dies, he brings nothing more of it than that he has eaten and drunk of it. Every Christian should also have this: even though he does not have as much as a king, yet he needs as much as a king and brings in as much as a king.
For this reason our dear Lord Christ wants to preach so much to his disciples and Christians with this miraculous work and say: You must not worry, nor strive for great things, what you need shall be given to you. Only believe that your heavenly Father will feed you. And so that you may believe, see what I set before you here. I am also poor and have nothing. There are two and seventy disciples, and twelve apostles, and have no more food than five loaves and two fishes, and no more money than two hundred pennies. Above these there are now with me five thousand men, and a great company of wives and children, all desirous of eating. Now behold, though I am already poor, having only five loaves of bread and two fishes, and there is no bread here in the wilderness to buy more, yet I am so anxious that I should feed them all, and so feed them that there shall be four times as much left over as there is now. This is what the Lord wants to preach to us.
- the only thing to be done is that
1722 12.4, 365-367. On the Sunday of Lätare. W. XIII, 597-600. 1723
one learns and grasps such things. For in poverty and want people begin to argue with themselves, saying: I have only one, two, five or ten florins, only one barrel of beer, so many bushels of grain; when that is all, it is over, there is no more. When such thoughts occur, one should think of this miracle and say: What is more to him? If I have much or little, I will believe that God will feed me and do what is pleasing to Him, and let Him take care where I take more. For I have heard the gospel preached, that with five loaves and two fishes Christ fed five thousand men in the wilderness. Why then would I doubt or care?
(5) Therefore we need this history to exercise and strengthen our faith. For this is not the reason why it is prescribed to be read alone (the devil is able to do this), but that it may remind and awaken us, so that we may believe and say: What Christ did in the wilderness at that time, he can and will still do: if I only trust in him, I shall have food; if it is not superfluous, it shall be for our need.
(6) Therefore, whatever the poor have, be it ever so little, it is good for them, tastes good to them, and often better than to a rich man who has superfluities. A prince and a great lord shall hardly find a piece of meat among ten dishes that tastes as good to him as a poor man's dear dry bread and kofent.*) There is vain disgust and unwillingness; here is vain pleasure. The rich man fills only the eyes with it and not the belly; the poor man fills the belly, becomes full and strong from it. Therefore it is better to have little, and enjoy it with pleasure and joy, so that it tastes good; than to have much, and look at it with disgust and disgust, and not be able to enjoy it. For it is said, as St. Paul says, 1 Tim. 6:17: "God gives abundantly to enjoy all things." God must give the enjoyment so that it tastes good. If God does not give the enjoyment, it does not help whether one already has much. As can be seen in kings, princes, great lords and rich people,
*) S. Note, Columne 1592. D. Red.
who are full of everything, and cannot have the enjoyment, it does not taste good to them.
Therefore Christ wants to provoke us to faith with this miraculous work, so that we should trust in him. As if he wanted to say: I will feed you well, only believe. If ye will do this, I will provide that out of two fishes shall grow three thousand in my hands, and out of one loaf shall be a thousand. And this I prove every year for and for. In winter the trees stand bare, there is neither fruit nor leaf; but as soon as summer comes, out of the trees come so many leaves, cherries, spilling (spindle plum), apples, pears 2c. There is no dough, no glue, no wood, since one could carve them out, but only vain dry shoots. So also the grain in the field comes from the earth, that one gathers it in heaps. So who clothes the trees with leaves and fruit? Who makes the grain grow in heaps? Does not he who feeds five thousand men with two fish and five loaves?
008 But here saith reason, Yea, that with the trees, and the fields, and other things, is done every year; therefore it is not strange, neither is it a miracle: but this, that with two fishes and five loaves five thousand men were fed, was done once; therefore it is strange, and it is a miracle. Answer: The devil thanks you. What is the fault that this is strange and a miracle to you, and that from a single grain countless grow, is not strange and a miracle to you? This is not the fault of God or His works, but it is the fault of your unbelief that you are so blind and stubborn and cannot recognize God's miracles. And the same unbelief makes that not only you are so blind, but also that we all pass by like blocks and stones; otherwise we would have to learn forever and comfort ourselves daily with God's miraculous works.
9 But Christians are to recognize God's miraculous works and learn to trust God in them. For why would you despair? The cherry tree does not despair, even if it stands bare in winter, without leaves and fruit! It has the word that God has spoken: On the summer strike out and blossom;
1724 2.4, 367-369. On Sunday Lätare. W. xm, 600-602. 1725
That's what he's waiting for. When summer comes, it will sprout and blossom. So also the field does not despair, even if it is already frozen in winter and covered with snow, so that no grass can be seen on it. Such are vain miraculous signs, in which we should learn to believe, so that we do not despair of God. Even if it is miserable at times, there is no harm in it; we shall have our need if we trust in God.
(10) And what more shall we have? If we have so much that we do not freeze to death or die of hunger, we have enough. For if we have our necessities, both our heart and body remain light, merry, and in good spirits. Again, if we have superfluity, our heart and body are weighed down with care and stinginess. Therefore we should be content when God satisfies us (as the 145th Psalm v. 16. says) with pleasure, that is, that we have enough and are satisfied. If wealth falls to us, we have all the more worry, trouble and discontent. As we see in kings, princes and great lords: they have all the more trouble, and must give more answer and account at the last judgment, the emperor more than a prince, a prince more than a count, a count more than a nobleman, a nobleman more than a peasant, a mayor more than a commoner. Therefore we should be content, and not become impatient nor angry with God, even if we are not rich. If we were rich, we would become more angry and sin more.
11 Therefore this miracle is prescribed for our comfort, that we may cleave unto it, saying, I believe, and know of a surety, that I shall have enough, though it be poor. For the Lord has here only two fish and five barley loaves, and yet he feeds five thousand men with them, without wife or child, that they may all be filled. And what he does here, he proves every year and every day in trees, fields, meadows, waters and all creatures, that they give out apples, pears, grain, barley, grass, fish, and what we need for the necessities of life and limb. He does all this so that we may believe that he will feed us. He wants to give us enough to eat, and should
like a fish to ten thousand, and a loaf to a hundred thousand. Therefore we shall be fearless in poverty, and wait for his goodness. If anyone dies of hunger, it is the fault of his unbelief. But he that believeth, the whole world should rather die of hunger, than that such a man should die of hunger.
The other part of this gospel is that our dear Lord Christ is called to gather the remaining fragments so that nothing will perish. This is also a necessary teaching. For this is how it is: when God gives little, people want to despair and worry that they will die of hunger; when he gives in full, they become reckless and despise God's blessing. As happens in the court of the lords, where the rest is wasted and squandered uselessly and shamefully. As little, then, does our Lord God want the worrying and the worrying, so little does He want the squandering; but He wants people to take the middle road, to trust Him, and to keep the rest to themselves. If a thing is cheap, they say, you should pick it up.
(13) This is to be understood not only of bread, but also of all other gifts of God, whether bodily or spiritual. Today, God's word is going forth and all the arts are flourishing. But how one gives thanks to God for it and picks it up is seen before one's eyes. Everyone despises both the word of God and the good arts, and walks over them with his feet. But he who would be wise should gather them up and keep them, because he has them, so that he might find them when he needs them. For God does not want to create new bread all the time, if the rest is left to perish; but He wants us to take up what He has created and given.
14 There is a common saying in the home: He who keeps when he has, finds when he needs; item: Pick it up, it will take place. For it is a disgraceful thing in the house government to have a full brother who chases everything through and keeps nothing to counsel, and to have a wife who is not domestic. There it goes, as that man said to his wife: "Beware, Else, that we don't get rich. In other reigns, it is also done in this way. It
1726 L. 4, 36". 370 On the Sunday of Lätare. W. XIH, 602-60S. 1727
is especially a hostile thing in the church for a lazy preacher, and for a full, weary man who is weary of hearing God's word; and in the school it is a vexatious thing for an ill-advised pupil who forgets more than he learns.
At this time all the arts are abundantly fed, if only one had baskets in which to store them. Likewise the holy scripture lies everywhere like lumps, which the dogs almost cannot eat. Young people, see that you are baskets and gather it up. For the time will come when one would like to have a single sheet of it, since one now has a whole pamphlet full; and after this time will come such a temptation that one would like to have a few sermons, since one now has a hundred sermons; as happened to me under the papacy, when I would have gladly gone to Rome for a righteous sermon, and yet could not find it.
When our Lord God gives, he gives abundantly, so that it is overflowing. Again, when he takes away, he takes away so completely that not a grain remains. Among the pontiffs, there was not one who knew grammaticam, dialecticam, rhetoricam (grammar, dialectic, rhetoric). It was the same with the Gospel: no doctor of the Holy Scriptures could be found who knew what was law and what was Gospel. Now it is superfluous, and it can be heard and read everywhere; but
no one respects it. When our Lord God will pick up again, then there will be nothing left. Moses writes that God threatened the Jewish people that he would make their heaven like iron and their earth like ore, Deut. 26, 19. And when such punishment came upon the people, they died like flies. So it was under the papacy: since God had abolished His gospel, no one could understand anything of the holy Scriptures; the Scriptures had become so closed and iron that no one could understand them.
(17) Therefore it is said, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing perish. A good householder should gather up and take counsel, that nothing perish. In the worldly government a good ruler should not waste anything; as Joseph in Egypt poured out the seven rich years, that he might have the seven good years. So also in school a diligent pupil should learn, because the art goes after bread. In the church one should hear and learn the gospel, because the light shines, Joh. 12, 35. Summa, one needs time before it goes away. When the time is over, see how you can get back what you missed. If God has once given bread, then think and keep it in counsel. He does not always want to give new bread, but wants you to pick up what is left. But if thou wilt be a sow, and despise and waste the bread that is present, thou shalt also be in want when the time cometh that thou needest it.
On Sunday Lätare.
Second sermon.*)
- this is one of the gospels, where our dear Lord Christ teaches his Christians how to trust him, so that he will not let them die of hunger, but by his blessing will give them everything they need.
*) Held in the house, 1533.
to provide enough of what they need. For this reason, such a sermon is not worth hearing, much less believing, by coarse, stingy people, peasants and citizens who can do nothing but think of their own benefit. For they do hear.
1728 L. 4, 370-373. On the Sunday of Lätare. W. XIII, K05-E. 1729
How the Lord has done a great miraculous work here through his blessing. But they do not want to let it come to that, that he may also do it with them. For this reason, they are so eager and act as if Christ could not or would not do such miracles with them, but would have to take care of and provide for himself, otherwise they would be missed. Christ has nothing to do with such people.
(2) But he teaches those who keep his word how to trust in him. He does not speak much, but promises by work and by deed that he will provide food, so that we will not doubt or think how to feed ourselves, but put our heart and trust in him. Such faith will not make us lack nor suffer want. For he is here with his disciples and with the people who hear him, bringing such wealth to them that he feeds them all. Although there are not more than five barley loaves and two fish, yet he blesses them so that five thousand men, without wife and child, eat of them and are filled, and there remains far more than there was at the beginning. When he begins to feed them, there is barely half a basket of bread, but when they have eaten and are full, there is enough to fill twelve baskets.
(3) That is, preached with the work and with the deed, and said this much: We should trust God, be pious, follow the word of God diligently, and believe it; so God will see to it that we get food and find nourishment. These people, even though they are not all devout, but because there are some right, devout hearts among them, who think more about how they can get to the Word than about eating, find their food without all their worries. For the Lord cares for them, and provides for them without their thoughts, that they may eat. With this the Lord wants to say this much: 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 that, let me take care of the rest. If you are not rich, if you do not have many thousand guilders, I will provide enough bread for you.
fen. For gold, silver, money, stones you can never eat, it must be bread that grows from the earth. And even if you do not get the bread from the earth, because you have neither house nor farm, field nor garden, believe and follow me, you shall have bread enough. For no one is ever abandoned.
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 fears God and faithfully serves her master and wife, 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 trust Him, do not respect His word, and are otherwise unfaithful and industrious, must remain poor beggars, and even though they die of hunger, it hardly serves them right.
(5) Therefore a wicked man who does not study diligently, or is otherwise wicked, wilful and unfaithful, let him know that our Lord God will send him away, let him go to war, let him be stabbed or shot, or let him become an executioner or some other unworthy person. So a servant, a maidservant, who does not fear God, does not keep himself chaste, is not obedient, or otherwise serves unfaithfully and diligently, he becomes a bad boy and she a loose whore, and serves them right and is vainly deserved reward. Why are they not pious, listen to God's word, believe in Christ and be obedient? If they did, 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 say: If you are godly and pious, if my word is dear to you, then I will give you food, you shall not be burdened, I will certainly make something out of you. But if thou wilt not be righteous, despise my word, or otherwise do wrong, and thou wilt
1730 L.4, 373. 374. On the Sunday of Judica. W. XIII, 608,609. 618-620. 1731
If you remain a beggar, so be it; the debt is no one's but your own. Or if thou be rich, thou shalt go to the devil in hell, and thy goods shall not help thee. So that it shall be decreed: He who despises the word of God and will not do what God says, God will not do what he would like and needs.
7 The Lord will teach us this here, when he feeds with five loaves and two fishes five thousand men who have gone into the wilderness after him, with their wives and children, of whom there may have been five thousand; all of them have enough, and there is still much left over. The
does not mean to preach with words, as he does in Matt. 6, where he says, v. 33: "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, you just watch, be pious, keep to God's word and follow him; then let me take care where you find food. This is the doctrine of faith that is presented to us in today's miraculous work. May God grant His grace that we may become more and more devout day by day, and may experience such blessings, both in food and in all other needs, through Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.
On Sunday Judica.
First sermon.*)
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 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 know we that thou holdest the devil. Abraham died, and the prophets, and thou sayest, If a man keep my word, he shall not taste death for ever. Are you more than our father Abraham, who 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. Then they picked up stones to throw at him. But JEsus hid himself, and went out into the temple, passing through the midst of them.
(1) This is a beautiful, rich gospel, of which there is much to preach, but it is too much in one mouthful. Therefore, we will take only the main part of it, namely, that Christ says that one should gladly hear God's word.
*) Held in the house, 1533.
He who hears it is from God; he who does not hear it is not from God.
Now these words are spoken so simple that no one thinks that they have such great things in them. But whoever looks at them rightly, chews his cud, ponders and thinks about them diligently, which is: "from God" and "not from God".
1732 ' 8.4, 374-376. On the Sunday of Judica. W. XIII, 626-623. 1733
who will have to confess that it is a great and excellent thing that Christ is talking about here. For it is true and certain that one cannot judge a man more harshly, nor attack him more violently, than if one says 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 the plague and this terrible lament that the Lord here speaks to the Jews with short, simple words: "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 found everywhere that those who do not want to hear God's word follow the devil until he finally possesses them and they become more and more angry. Just as we can see in today's Gospel. First, the Jews are angry when Christ begins to preach; then they rebuke him, calling him a Samaritan and saying that he has the devil. By then they have jumped four or five miles deeper into hell than before. After that they become still more senseless, and say, "What dost thou make of thyself?" In sum, the longer they go on, the angrier they get, until at last they resort to action and become murderers, picking up stones and wanting to throw him to death. They fall into such horrible sin out of contempt for the Word that they blaspheme God and His Word, and finally become mad and foolish.
(4) There you can see what it means to be not of God but of the devil, namely, not to hear God's word, but to blaspheme and desecrate it, to curse against God, and finally to do so with their fists and become murderers. The reason why children are so disobedient and wilful against their parents nowadays is that they do not hear God's word, or, even if they do hear it, they do not learn or remember it. Once 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 finally put them to death. Even if they do not beat them with their hands or strangle them, they still wish that they were dead, or lead such a shameful life that the parents have to worry about it to death.
5 So it is quite possible. Whoever does not hear God's word or does not want to keep it, becomes a liar, blasphemer and persecutor; just as we see in the papists that they become more and more foolish the longer they go on, and do not stop their blaspheming and persecuting until they add to it with their fist, take up the sword and become murderers.
Now this is the most serious thing. In other sins, when one does wrong, he can be made to recognize his sin and desist from it. But with sin, when one does not hear God's word, blasphemes it, and wants the preachers dead, it is impossible that one can mean people. For they cover themselves with a beautiful cloak and make themselves believe that they are doing right and that God is served by it; whereas in other sins a man must be ashamed and confess that he has done wrong.
Therefore, it is the wretched devil himself who despises God's word. For it will not fail that they will finally throw stones at Christ, yes, even hang him on the cross, and still consider this to be right, defend it and want to go unpunished in this greatest injustice. Be careful not to fall into this trap.
(8) Therefore it is a hard and sincere word that the Lord says here to the Jews, "You do not hear the word of God, therefore you are not of God. For whoever is not of God is of the devil; if he is of the devil, he has his French, pestilence and all hellish plagues in heaps; more misfortune cannot be wished for him. Therefore, nothing more terrible can be said of one than when one says to him: You do not hear God's word, therefore you are not of God.
009 If thou exhort such a man long, he will only be more and more furious, saying, Why do I ask for the sermon? But if you want to stop and say, "It is no good; you must take a different stand if you want to be saved," he will lead you out with clumsy words: Let me be satisfied in a thousand devils' names, and will strike with fists.
10 Therefore, whoever does not hear the word of God is not of God, but is already the child of the devil.
1734 L. 4, 376-378. On the Sunday of Judica. W. XIII, 623-626. 1735
The Jews do here and say: "Do we not say right that you are a Samaritan and have the devil? This is the worst devil, who still wants to be a god and holy. Such are the despisers of the word, that they will not be wrong, nor be told.
(11) This is one thing, that whoever 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 created those who do not hear God's word, and gave them mouth, eyes, ears, reason and other things. No, all these things are God's creatures and gifts. Therefore, one must distinguish the essence and the custom. The essence of the tongue, eyes, ears, reason 2c. is from God; but the use of such tongue, eyes, ears, reason is from the devil, if one uses them for the devil's service. A man who lies and deceives has a good tongue from God, but the use of the tongue is from the devil. So, if the eyes like to see lewd things, the eyes are from God, but the abuse is from 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) To be of God, on the other hand, is to use the ears to hear preaching, to be punished when they are wrong, and to pray, preach, instruct, comfort, rebuke and punish with the tongue. Such ears and tongues are of God and good, not only in nature but also in custom, for they walk in a divine custom. Thus, when the heart thinks about discipline and how to benefit one's neighbor and not be angry, such a heart is from God. So the creatures, eyes, ears, mouth, heart, are called "of God" because they are guided by God's word and do not like to do, see, hear, speak, think what is against God. If it sometimes happens that they do so, and the tongue curses when it should pray, and the heart is angry when it should be kind, such things are wrong; but if we repent and pray to God, we are wrong.
To know that we have done wrong and to ask for mercy is to stumble or even to fall, but it is not to have the devil or to be of the devil. For we go back again and have the resolution that we will do it no more.
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: What do I ask for it? So does an unruly son, when he is punished by his mother, he opens his mouth and goes away, saying, "What do I care? That is to be of the devil: Not respecting God's word and wanting to be unpunished. Such people must become more and more angry, because the devil does not let them rest. 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. Thus the despisers of the word become blasphemers of God, seducers and murderers of men. The real color of the devil is not to hear God's work, but to blaspheme, revile, curse, harm one's neighbor and murder. He who despises and blasphemes God's word and murders his neighbor is the devil's child. By such color one knows the devil and his children; for he is a murderer and liar, despising God and his word.
- Here the Lord warns his Christians against such sin, as he threatens the Jews, as if to say: "Those who want to be my disciples, fear and learn to beware of such sin, so that they do not also despise God's word, but gladly hear it, keep it, and live their lives according to it, so they can know for sure that they are of God and God's children.
The others are the children of the devil, because they do not want to hear the word, they have lost life and righteousness, and to speak with leave, they are in the devil's ass, and they do not help, whether they already want to cover such sin with that, that they are powerful, great and rich. The pope is in such sin up to his ears with all his followers. For he does not want to suffer God's word, persecutes and murders Christians over it. This is the real color of the devil.
1736 12.4, 378-380. On Sunday Judica. W. XIII, 626-628. 1737
16 Again, God's attribute is to make righteous and to make alive. For what is God? He is not a murderer, but a creator, since all life flows from Him. The devil has never created a man or made him alive, but creating and making alive are God's actual works. As God is a living God and has life in Himself, so also those who are of Him and hear His word shall have life. As Christ 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 it mean to keep Christ's word? Nothing else, but to believe what he promises us about the forgiveness of sins and eternal life in the Gospel, that it is true, and to hold fast to this faith and hope and not fall away from it. Whoever does this, says Christ, has eternal life, must not fear sin, death, hell and the last judgment, for there is all grace and mercy. Death may fall upon him and choke him, but the heart shall not feel it. If a man dies in the word of God, he does not die as horribly and terribly as those who die in the name of the devil and without the word of God. These die in all displeasure, struggling, thrashing about, roaring like lions; for they do not want to die and yet they must die, for they cannot escape death. 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 fear 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 fall asleep gently as in a little resting bed on a cushion. As is often seen in the poor people whom the executioner strangles, that they go to death with joy; a thief,
He who goes to the gallows with joy has no miserable nature. But he who feels death, he pretends to be nonsensical, like Clemens, who was madly possessed. *)
(19) Therefore, dear children, think what advantage you have if you listen to God's word gladly and diligently. The first is that you know 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 from it all. Since, on the other hand, the world becomes fainthearted and impatient 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 go to ruin. But how can they endure all this and be patient? By nothing else than by clinging to the 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. Where the heart is so minded, all kinds of temptation and adversity pass over, like the clouds in the sky above us or the birds in the air, which tease us a little and then leave us unsworn.
(21) Let this be our comfort, that we may feel the power of the word here in life, and especially when the last hour comes, that then death may be as a sleep. 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 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, which neither despair nor become impatient in anguish, but let it all pass, comforting themselves alone,
*) Marginal gloss: "Clemens, hanged at Wittenberg."
1738 2.4, 380-382. On Sunday Judica. W. xm, 628-634. 1739
that they have a gracious Father through Christ in heaven. 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 such medicine to us, carries it to us at home and at court, we despise it. Then we receive our deserved reward for not being of God, and fall from one sin to another, becoming worse every day, as we have sufficiently shown above. When the last hour of need comes, we know neither consolation nor counsel; as it is said of the bishop of Trier that when he was about to die, he raged like an ox in the slaughter. For he had despised God's word, blasphemed and persecuted. Who can comfort such? There is no help nor counsel.
24 So this is the main lesson from the
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, death, the devil, and hell; though death devours us, we shall not feel its sharp teeth; for the word of Christ is our armor, by which we shall have a sure life, and a smooth and quiet death, and eternal life.
(25) Again, you cannot wish or curse crude, godless people who despise God's word, because they already have it on their hands, namely, that they are not of God, nor are they God's children. They have more of this than one can curse them. Just like a wicked child who despises God's commandment and is not obedient to his father and mother: what more trouble can one wish for him than that he already has on his neck, namely, that he is a child of the devil 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 child. For then I am the child of the murderer and liar, who deceives me and leads me to eternal death. Beware of him, little children, and learn, yes learn. It is a rich gospel.
On Sunday Judica.
Second sermon.*)
This is a very rich and long gospel, so that we cannot interpret it in such a short time according to need and dignity; therefore, as much as our Lord God grants grace, we will do it recently.
(2) First, our dear Lord Christ says to the Jews, "You cannot punish me for doctrine or for life. "If therefore I tell you the truth, why?
*) Held in the house, 1534.
do you not believe me?" And makes a syllogism: "He who is of God hears God's word; you Jews do not hear God's word; therefore you are not of God," but of the devil, from whom you will also receive your deserved reward, namely, death and hell.
3 This is a terrible judgment on the despisers of the word, of which everyone should be appalled, and beware of such sin. But what does it help? The contempt
1740 L. 4, 382-384. On Sunday Judica. W. XIII, 634-636. 1741
of the word is so rampant everywhere that there is no more wicked sin in the world than this one. Today, no one despises God's word, whether noble or base, spiritual or secular; peasants and citizens do not want to hear it, and run around like wild animals. We preach to them as best we can, but they will not listen. Therefore they are of the devil, who will reward them as he rewarded the Jews and other despisers.
4th But hear how the Jews answer the Lord Christ to such a judgment: "Do we not say rightly," they say, "that you are a Samaritan and have the devil? As if to say, Thou art a knave in skin; thou art a heathen, and teachest not rightly; thou art a deceiver and an apostle of devils. This is what our little townsmen and peasants are doing to us today: when we punish them for their abominable contempt of the Word, they begin to blaspheme and say: You boys should preach the gospel, so you want to scold us; you do not teach like Christ apostles, but like the devil himself. This we must hear. But why should we complain so much? If such things have happened to Christ himself from his own people, as he long complains in this gospel, that they blaspheme him, when he alone preaches to God for honor and praise, and to the people for correction, we shall have it no better.
(5) The other thing is, that the Lord saith, Verily, verily, I say unto you, If any man keep my word, he shall never see death. Not only do we have the honor that those who hear the word of God are of God and the children of God, while those who do not hear the word of God are of the devil and the children of the devil, but we also have the benefit and piety that whoever hears and keeps the word of God will not see death forever, that is, he will never die nor go to hell, nor will he see bodily death, since he sees no sin but only grace and righteousness. Of course, we tend to be frightened when the sight of death comes. But if we keep Christ's word, that is, believe and do not doubt, we shall not see death, that is, we shall not feel or know it.
but to pass away as in a sleep and to live forever.
The rhyme of the wicked is: I live and do not know how long, I must die and do not know when, I go from then, do not know where; I am surprised that I am happy. They are the ones who see, feel and experience death, because they do not believe the word of Christ. Therefore, they must fear and be terrified of death, yet they cannot escape it, but must remain in eternal death, because they do not have the powerful, almighty remedy, God's word, which makes eternal life out of death, yes, even here in this time eternal life begins. The rhyme of Christians and believers is: I live as long as God wills; I die when and as God wills; I go, and know for certain where; I wonder that I am sad. They are the ones who neither see nor feel death. Even if they are a little afraid of death (for they too, like all Adam's children, must die and suffer death), nevertheless they shall not be eternally dead nor experience the sting of death in their hearts, but shall fall asleep without fear and sorrow.
7 St. Paul says Rom. 1, 16: "The gospel of Christ is the power of God, which saves everyone who believes in it. This is just what Christ says here, "He that keepeth my word," that is, firmly believes, "is blessed, and shall not see death, but life everlasting." Such a great, mighty thing is the power of the word of Christ, that where it is accepted in the heart with firm faith, blessedness is already there and begun, and death with sin, devil and hell is already overcome and swallowed up in Christ's resurrection and victory.
(8) Therefore, whoever hears God's word has both honor and benefit from it: honor, that he is called and is God's child; benefit, that the word makes him blessed, if he believes in it. Even though he must be sick, and be a little challenged by the devil, and die in the flesh when the hour comes, soon after he will blow out his soul as if he were asleep, and go into Christ's bosom, and the angels will wait for him, and carry him on their hands, so that he will not strike his foot against a stone, as the 91st Psalm says, v. 12.
9 Again, he who does not have God's word,
1742 L.4, 384-386. On Sunday Judica. W. XIII, 636-639. 1743
not hearing, nor believing, must have both shame and harm: Shame, that he is called and is of the devil and the devil's child; harm, that he must despair in his sins and say, O where shall I go now? I must die. He sees and feels death forever. This is the other part of this gospel, from which we are to learn that we hold God's word in great honor and affection, as the one treasure that takes away death with sin, the devil and hell, so that it shall be seen no more.
010 The third part is, that the Lord saith, Abraham your father was glad that he should see my day; and he saw it, and rejoiced. And soon after, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." There Christ Himself confesses that He is true, eternal God. For no man, however holy, may say and boast of himself that which Christ says of himself here: "Before Abraham was, I am." He does not say, Before Abraham was, I was; but says, "Before Abraham was, I am." For this belongs to God alone, that he is not created nor made like Abraham and other creatures. God is called and is not created nor made, but I am, that is, a being that has neither end nor beginning. For God is from the beginning, and His essence has no end, but abides forever.
(11) This grievously vexed the Jews, that Christ said he was God. They take it for blasphemy, and say: This is the wicked devil, that this man, born of man, should say that he is God; and they are so indignant about it that they want to take stones and throw him to death.
(12) But it is very comforting to us, and a certain proof of our faith, that we confess that Christ is the natural and eternal Son of God. And this is the reason that Christ's word is so powerful that it makes us blessed.
all who believe in it. Because he is the true, eternal God, he can also give life and blessedness to all those who keep his word.
13 Here it is also to be noted that the Lord says: "Abraham saw my day and rejoiced. This is to say that Abraham knew that I, the eternal, almighty God, was to become man. And in such knowledge and faith in my word he became blessed and did not see death. If he had not kept my word, he would also have remained in eternal death. But he has seen my day and has rejoiced.
014 Then the Jews were angry, and said: How can this be? If you are not so old, how can you have seen Abraham, who was two thousand years before you? For they saw and felt his human nature, that he was not yet fifty years old, and had not been before Abraham. But his divine nature, which he had before Abraham was born, before all creatures and before the whole world, they did not see and did not feel; therefore, they could not comprehend that man should be God, as no human reason can comprehend such a thing.
15 These are the three pieces in this Gospel recently indicated. The first, that we should gladly hear and learn God's word. If we do, we shall be the children of God; if we do not, we shall be the children of the devil. The other, of the power and profit of the word, namely, that it makes all who believe it blessed, that they shall not see death forever. The third, that Christ is true, eternal God, who has such power that through His word we may live forever and not die. May our dear God and Father grant us His grace, that we may firmly believe His word through His Holy Spirit, and thereby be eternally saved, for the sake of His dear Son Jesus Christ, amen.
1744 L.4, 386. 387. On Palm Day. W. XIII, 639-642. 1745
*On Palm Day. )
John 12:12-19.
The next day, when many people had come to the feast and heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, they took palm branches and went out to meet him, crying out, "Hosanna, praise be to him who comes in the name of the Lord, a king of Israel. And Jesus overtook an ass, and rode thereon: as it is written, Fear not, O daughter of Zion: behold, thy King cometh riding upon an ass's colt. But these things his disciples did not understand before: but when Jesus was glorified, they remembered that these things were written of him, and that they had done them unto him. And the people that were with him, when he called Lazarum out of the grave, and raised him from the dead, glorified the deed. Therefore the people also went out to meet him, when they heard that he had done this sign. And the Pharisees said one to another, Ye see that ye do nothing: behold, all the world followeth after him.
This day is called Palm Day, on which day our dear Lord Jesus Christ rode into Jerusalem, and fulfilled the scripture of the prophets, which was prophesied of him, that he should ride into Jerusalem upon an ass; as the prophet Zechariah proclaimed, and the evangelists Matthew and John bear such testimony of the prophet. Christians should learn and keep this history. In the old days, they used to play at school, riding on a donkey and shooting palms. This was done for the sake of the young people, so that they would fast and keep the history all the better. After that the pope brought such children's game to the church. That is why this day was called Palm Day.
002 Now this day ought to be called the day of Christ's entry. For he went from Galilee and Capernaum through all the country to Jerusalem, and on that day he rode into Jerusalem on an ass. For he came to Jerusalem on the feast of Easter, to take his kingdom there, as kings and princes ride in, so that the land may owe them and swear to them.
3 Because Christ's kingdom is a spiritual and poor kingdom, the prophecy of Zechariah had to precede and announce to the people that their king would ride in: not splendid and glorious, as worldly kings are wont to do, but meek and humble.
*) Held in the house, 1534.
wretched; lest the Jews, who despised this king, should excuse themselves, saying, We Jews did not know that this was our king. For how should we have accepted him, because he is not mounted, as a worldly king is wont to ride, but is mounted on an ass, poor and miserable? Therefore the prophet says beforehand, and the entry takes place in the same form as it was announced and depicted by the prophet beforehand, so that the Jews would have no excuse. For this purpose his disciples call him a king publicly. And even though he has nothing of his own, they scatter palm branches on the way and spread their clothes under him; thus he is honored as a king. But most of all he is honored by the people going out to meet him and singing of him, "Hosanna, praise be to him who comes in the name of the Lord, a king of Israel." This is the honor and homage done to this king by his disciples and by the people.
(4) These things, I say, were proclaimed and commanded long before by Zechariah the prophet, lest the Jews should gaze upon great worldly power, bodily splendor, and glory, as they gaze upon them this day, thinking that their Messiah and King will ride into Jerusalem with worldly splendor, as the Babylonian king rides into Babylon, or the Roman emperor into Rome. Therefore he says, "Fear not, O daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming to you, gentle-
1746 8.4, 387-389. Am Pülmtagk. W. XIII, 642-644. 1747
bravely, riding on a donkey's colt." As if to say, "Daughter of Zion, hear and know diligently that the coming of the Messiah will be like this: your king will ride in on an ass; though he be poor, yet he will sing of himself and be honored as a king. Therefore take heed diligently that you do not miss him, but accept him for your king. He will ride in poor, weeping for the city of Jerusalem, because it will not accept him, and because it will be so wicked, because it despised its king, and did not recognize the time in which it is afflicted.
5 Therefore the Jews have no excuse why they did not accept him. For though they may say: We did not know that this was our king, for there was no royal form in him, so that we could have known him, but he rode poorly on an elephant; but he would answer them, "Look at Zechariah the prophet, who told you long before how your king would ride in. Now because all things were foretold you by the prophet, and I have fulfilled the writing of the prophet, and ye have not hearkened unto the prophet, nor unto me your king, ye have no excuse.
(6) But these things are prescribed for us, and preached to us from year to year, that we may learn to separate the kingdom of Christ from the kingdom of the world, and the King Christ from other worldly kings. This King Christ comes to the daughter of Zion poor and riding on an ass. For he does not reign in his kingdom in such a way that one could gather money and goods under him, wage war, become rich and mighty on earth, which the worldly kings teach and do. For they must see to it that they preserve peace in their land, so that their subjects may live in peace and unity and wait for their food. Christ does not reject or condemn such things, for he also eats and drinks as a sojourner in this world; but in his kingdom, in which he is king and lord, he does not teach us how to plow, sow, reap, keep house, collect money, wage war, and govern the land and the people, but commands the worldly kings and lords to do so.
7 So this king is different from the worldly kings, that the worldly kings and lords deal with it, and teach how one should rule house and court, land and people, gain money and goods, become rich and mighty, here temporally on earth. But this King Christ deals with it and teaches how we shall inherit the kingdom of heaven, become eternally rich and blessed, that we may come to a different and better life, since we may no longer (as we have to do here on earth to preserve the body) eat, drink, work; since our bodies will be much prettier and more beautiful than the dear sun; since one will no longer be sad, nor weak, nor sick, but eternally happy, healthy, strong and fresh.
- for Christ in his kingdom teaches us by his word that we are poor, lost sinners, condemned to death, and subject to the devil; but that by his death and blood he has redeemed us from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil, that we through faith in him might be justified and saved. This is another doctrine, wisdom and art, than of the reasoners, lawyers and wise men of the earth, how we should live here, govern house and farm, gather goods, protect land and people 2c. For if we live, govern and collect goods here for the same length of time, we must finally leave it all behind.
9th Now this is the reason why Christ rode into Jerusalem without worldly splendor, on an ass and poor: that he not only wanted to fulfill the scriptures of the prophets, but also to indicate the nature and quality of his kingdom; so that we do not think that he came to earth for this purpose, that we should become rich from him here on earth, gather treasures, but that we know that he came for this purpose, that we might be redeemed from sin, death and the devil, and that he might make us rich in that life. Summa, this is why he is here, this is why he came to earth, and this is the nature, power and fruit of his kingdom: that we may come out of this miserable, mortal and stinking life into that blessed, clear and eternal life.
(10) Such a king was also promised to Jerusalem by God through the prophets. For
1748 L. 4, 389-391. Am Palmtage. W. xm, 644-647. 1749
Whereas he should have been a worldly king and ruled in a worldly way, he should not have been specially promised by God. But because he is specially promised by God, he cannot be a worldly king, nor rule in a worldly way. David and other kings ruled in a worldly way, had land and people, gathered treasures 2c. But this king is the true king, promised by God; he has a spiritual, eternal kingdom, which he rules with his own power and authority, mightily through his word and the Holy Spirit.
(11) But the Jews did not like this king, though he came to them already, as the prophet Zechariah says, righteous and a helper, bringing to them eternal, heavenly goods; yet because he came poor, riding on an ass, they did not respect him. Therefore they missed him, and are still waiting today for another, worldly king, who rides in on a handsome comrade, *) sits in a golden saddle, has a golden piece on, and in sum, since everything is most glorious and splendid. But they wait in vain and in vain. For such a king is not promised to them. Therefore, such a king will not come to them.
The pope does not like this king either, and blasphemes his gospel. For he boasts that he is Christ's governor on earth, and yet he holds himself as a mere worldly lord and king, collecting treasures 2c. But the treasures that Christ brings, which moth and rust cannot eat and thieves cannot dig up or steal, because they are heavenly treasures, he does not respect.
(13) But let us Christians learn to know this King aright, and put all our comfort and hope in that life, when we shall be eternally blessed, without all sin and infirmity. For this cause Christ came, was crucified, died, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and entered into his kingdom, that he might overcome sin, death, and the devil for our good, and by his blood and the Holy Spirit purge out all filthiness and take it away from us, that all who believe in him might be saved.
*) Genet, a type of Spanish horse. D. Red.
believe, be justified and saved, and through this temporal death enter his eternal heavenly kingdom.
(14) Thus we are to receive this King Christ, that we may know him to be righteous and a helper, and enjoy him by the power of the word, of the sacraments, and of faith unto that life. For a Christian is not baptized to store up treasures and become rich here on earth, for he can store up treasures and become rich without the gospel and without baptism; but for this reason he is baptized, that through Christ he may obtain eternal life. Therefore we also need the gospel and baptism for eternal life. I am baptized and a Christian for this reason, that I may inherit and obtain Christ's kingdom. But if I have goods, I shall use them for the necessities of life; but with them I shall not lift myself up to heaven.
(15) Therefore Christ's kingdom is to be distinguished from the kingdom of the world, as he himself sufficiently demonstrated this distinction with his entry into Jerusalem. He rode in on a donkey without a saddle; he has no donkey of his own, but the donkey on which he rides in is borrowed; he also sits badly on the donkey as he walks and stands, barefoot, without boots and spurs 2c. According to reason everything goes foolishly; and yet this mendicant king, who rides in on an ass, is the king of Israel, promised by God and proclaimed by the prophets; as the disciples also sing: "Hosanna", that is. Happiness to this king, to his new kingdom) "Praise be to him who comes in the name of the LORD, a king of Israel." From this it is clear and evident that Christ did not enter Jerusalem with worldly splendor, which is needed by worldly kings who gather treasures and goods here on earth. Therefore he is not a worldly king, neither hath he such a kingdom as maketh rich upon the earth: but is an everlasting king, and hath an everlasting kingdom, wherein there is no need of gold nor silver, neither is there any lack for ever.
- But the world despises this king and his kingdom with its eternal goods to the highest degree, and only takes care of the temporal goods, such as power, honor and wealth.
1750 L. 4, 391-393. Of history in the garden. W. XIII, 647,764-767. 1751
on earth. But we Christians should work here on earth and need the goods of this world for our necessities, and yet have thoughts of that life. For we must finally leave it and the goods of this worldly kingdom behind us; therefore we should think where we want to stay there, namely, with the eternal King Christ. For if we receive him here, that is, if we believe in him and are obedient to his gospel, he will receive us there again and say to us: "Come here, you blessed ones.
of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."
(17) This is what our dear Lord Jesus Christ wanted to show us with his entry into Jerusalem, so that we may learn to know him rightly, and that with our left hand alone we are here on earth in the kingdom of the world, but with our right hand we are there in that life, just as we were baptized into the life to come. God grant us His grace that we may receive and accept this King with joy, and abide with Him forever, Amen.
Passion or Historia of the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ, our Savior.
The first sermon.*)
Of the history in the garden, Matth. 26; Marc. 14; Luc. 22; Joh. 18.
Because the time is coming when it is especially customary to preach and contemplate the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ, let us leave our usual sermons for the time being, and give room to the time, and direct our sermons to tell the story of the suffering of Christ. For although we should not forget the suffering and death of our Savior for a moment, as is only right, but always remember it and thank him for such great love and good deeds, it is nevertheless fine, useful and good that a certain amount of time be set aside in the year to preach the history of Christ's suffering publicly, so that the young people who are growing up and the simple-minded people do not forget such history, but keep it in fresh memory forever.
- throughout the year preach more of
*) Held by Luther on Sunday Judica 1534 in the parish church.
the fruit and power of Christ's suffering, how to believe in him and how to be justified and saved before God through faith in him, and to fight with the same article against all false teachers, yes, against the devil himself, who would like to overthrow and tear away this article and faith from us. Now, however, it is right to deal with history and history at this time, as it has happened. For on this history stands the foundation of our salvation, on which we build and defy, even against the gates of hell; as Saint Paul says in 1 Cor. 15:3, 4: The gospel which he first gave to the Corinthians, and which he himself also received, and which they also received and accepted, is "that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.
3 Therefore this history should not be forgotten among us Christians, so that
1752 L. 4, 393-395. Of history in the garden. W. xm, 767-776. 1753
.we are not like the Jews, who forgot about Mosiah and all the miracles and benefits that God had shown them, so that even the Book of the Law was lost among them for a long time, and it happened to us in the papacy, where the suffering of the Lord was preached in such a way that more was said about the suffering of the dear saints and especially of the virgins Mary than about the suffering of Christ.
4 Let us now take the history of the passion of Christ and divide it into several sermons, because it is long and the text is much. If one wants to divide the history of the passion or suffering of Christ in the shortest and most correct way, it has six parts. The first is the Lord's Supper. The other is the story in the garden. The third is the history of Caiaphas' house. The fourth of the history before Pilate. The fifth of the history of the cross. The sixth of the tomb of the Lord. This is the whole Passio in brief.
- For this time, however, we will leave the first part, and save the Lord's Supper until its time, namely, on Green Thursday, when it is especially customary to preach about it, and now divide the history of the Passion into five parts: First, how Christ fared in the garden; second, what he encountered in the house of Caiphas the high priest, where he was led bound; third, what happened to him before Pontio Pilato, the governor; fourth, what happened to him on the cross; fifth and last, we will speak of the Lord's tomb; and thus recently divide the whole history into these five parts, and speak of each part in turn, as much as God gives grace, for our and your benefit and comfort.
(6) But above all things let it be diligently observed, which is also the most important thing that ought not to be passed over nor left behind in the preaching of the passion, namely, the cause and final opinion of the passion of Christ, that we may have and keep a pure, subtle, and clear distinction between this passion of our Lord Jesus Christ and the passion of others. For where the devil does not challenge history, nor does he lead people to it
He takes away the power and fruit of the story, so that even though they hear and know the story, they understand nothing about it, nor do they have any comfort from it.
(7) Therefore, be careful to distinguish between the sufferings of the Lord and the sufferings of others. For the devil and his disciples also suffer, and so do the pious and the blessed. The dear saints, prophets, apostles and martyrs suffered in their time; and the pious Christians still suffer today, wherever they are scattered in the world. The devil with his angels, apostles, disciples and disciples suffers the hellish fire, but does not become any the better nor holier from it. The dear saints have suffered, and in part still suffer in the world all kinds of persecution and torture, both from the devil and the evil world. But no suffering has this cause and final opinion, which the suffering of the Lord Christ has.
8 For this reason, a distinction should be made: A Christian and a saint, even though he suffers much, suffers only in the sight of the world, and for this reason he honors, praises and glorifies God with his suffering; as it is written in the last chapter of the Gospel of John, where Christ speaks to Petro, v. 18, 19: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, 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 whither thou wilt not. But this he said," says the evangelist, "to indicate with what death he would praise God." It says: "All the sufferings of the saints (including that of John the Baptist and the virgin Mary) have this cause and final opinion, that God is honored and praised through their suffering. "But Christ was to die for the people, and not for the people alone, but that He might gather together the children of God who were scattered", Joh. 11, 51. 52.
(9) The sufferings of the saints may well be preached, but care should be taken that they are not at all different from the sufferings of Christ. In former times in the papacy, the sufferings of the Lord were preached in this way.
1754 L. 4, 395-397. Of history in the garden. W. XIII, 770-772. 1755
The only thing that was shown was how to follow his example. After that, the time was spent on the pains and sufferings of Mary, and on compassion, lamenting Christ and his mother, and looking only at how to make it miserable, and how to move the people to compassion and weeping; and whoever was able to do this, was considered the best preacher of the Passion. But we preach the suffering of the Lord as the Scriptures teach us. In all parts of this passion of Christ we add something special, which the holy scripture adds. And thus we say: "It is true that Christ's suffering is in the obedience and will of His heavenly Father; as Saint Paul says in Phil. 2, 8: "He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. He praised and thanked God with his suffering, as other saints praise and thank God with their suffering. But above all this, there is a special reason why Christ suffered, which reason alone this suffering has above all saints, namely, that through his suffering he should redeem the whole world, unlock heaven, shut hell, and acquire eternal life.
(10) This cause and final opinion is not to be given or attributed to any other suffering than the suffering of Christ alone. Christ suffered in praise and honor of God, doing him a pleasing service with his suffering; but to me and to you and to all of us he suffered for redemption and salvation, so that we might be delivered from the power of sins and death, and heaven might be opened to us. I shall not ascribe this honor to any other suffering, no matter which saint wants it; nor shall I ascribe it to the compassion of the virgins Mary. Through the sufferings of the saints I do not obtain God's grace and forgiveness of my sin, not even of the least of sins. It is true that the blood of the dear saints is holy, but I do not become holy by it. And even though I shed my blood, as the dear saints did, I do not redeem my sin with it, nor do I become blessed by it. I do well with my death, when I die for God's sake, a pleasing sacrifice to God.
and pleasant service; but by it neither I nor others will be blessed.
(11) Therefore, the barefoot monks, in particular, were shameful people who, in the name of all the devils, comforted the poor sinners and evildoers who were led out so that they might be taken away, saying: "Dear man, now you will die an ignominious death; but do not doubt that God will put this ignominious death, which you are about to suffer, for all your sin. When they came to other dying people before the deathbed, they said: "Dear son, make your soul's utensils, consecrate so many vigils and masses, give so much to the monastery, remember to keep your poor soul, call upon the saints to make you share in their merit, so that you may be saved. This is preached not of Christ's death, but of our death, as if we should or could be saved by it, and had no need of the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus anywhere. *
(12) If they had wanted to lead the poor people rightly, they should have instructed the evildoers thus, saying: "Dear man, you are guilty of death: first, before God, because you were conceived and born in sins, and are a sinful man, like all Adam's children, on whom sin and death are grounded, Rom. 5; then you are also guilty of death before the world, because you have committed this evil deed. Therefore, see to it that you accept the death you deserve with patience and do enough for God and the world. For the judgment and punishment that now comes upon your body is also God's judgment and punishment: but with your death you do not blot out your sin; for how should the sword that you have deserved, Rad 2c. blot out sin? but your death is for others as an example and for correction. But if you want to be saved, call on God's Lamb, who bears the sin of the world. Thus they should have instructed the sinners, showing them that their suffering belonged to them, so that it might be enough for the world, before which they were guilty of death, that they were sinners before God and worthy of eternal death.
But if anyone suffers as a Christian,
1756 4.397-399. Of history in the garden. W. XIII, 772-773. 1757
He shall say, I will suffer this to praise and honor our Lord GOD. For I am not only guilty of this suffering, but also of death before God; my skin, hair and whole body is guilty. Therefore I will accept and endure it in God's obedience and will, be it tribulation, or fear, or persecution, or hunger, or nakedness, or peril, or sword. And will suffer in such faith that God may be praised and glorified thereby. Only Christians believe such things. An un-Christian and a pagan does not believe this.
14 These are other causae et fines, causes and ends of suffering in the world, namely, that by such suffering one may do enough in the sight of the world, as is the suffering of evildoers; or that by it one may honor and glorify God, as is the suffering of saints and Christians: but causae et finis, cause and end of the suffering of Christ is called: suffered for us. This honor, as has been said, is not to be given to any other suffering. One should not say, as has been impudently preached in the papacy: O holy Virgin Mary, you have suffered more than you were guilty of. Let the rest of your suffering and merit come to my aid and comfort. Nor should one say: O Saint John, and O you holy martyrs, let me share your sufferings; but especially you holy Mother of God, show your breasts to your Son JEsu, and obtain mercy for me from him. The pope has established and confirmed such blasphemy; this was his treasure chest over all the saints' merit, into which he, as he impudently boasts, could reach with his keys and give out to other people from the same treasure for money.
15 We have had such horrible, terrible sermons under the papacy. The suffering of Christ was also preached, but it was not distinguished at all from the suffering of the other saints, that is, the suffering of Christ was not treated in such a way that it was indicated how we should be served by it and how we should enjoy it. On the contrary, the contradiction was made, and people were shown how they should make themselves partakers of the sufferings of the saints. Whether it has already been preached that Christ has suffered
The fruit and benefit of such suffering has not only been concealed, but also perverted.
16 Therefore, one should distinguish diligently. All other afflictions have their own syllogism, causes and ends, to which they are directed. Christ's suffering also has its own particular causam et finem, cause and final opinion, to which it is directed. Of the Virgin Mary and of other saints I say thus: Sancta Maria, sancte Johannes, etc.. You have suffered much, but your suffering does not help me to be saved by it. You have suffered for your own person, and have done your part, and have praised God with your suffering; but my Lord Christ's suffering is a peculiar and special suffering, on which I can and ought to rely in the contest of sins and death. So that all our trust and all our heart may hang on the one suffering of Christ JEsu alone, in which alone stands our salvation, for and above the suffering of all others.
17 Let this be diligently remembered, and preached from year to year, and repeated continually, that it may be well formed in the hearts of men, that they may have not only the history and story, and know how Christ suffered; but also why he suffered, and what was the cause and final opinion of his suffering and death. If I do not know why Isaiah, John the Baptist and other prophets and saints suffered, there is no point. If I know, it is good; if I do not know, I am not condemned. But it depends on me to know what, how and why, and especially why, Christ suffered. If I do not know, I am damned and lost.
18 Why then did Christ suffer? Ask the prophets and apostles. Isaiah 53:5: "He is wounded for our iniquity, and bruised for our sin. The punishment is upon him, that we might have peace; and by his wounds we are healed." 1 Pet 1:18, 19: "Know that it is not with corruptible silver or gold that you have been redeemed from your vain walk after the manner of a father, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of an innocent man.
1758 8.4, 399-402. Of history in the garden. W. XIII, 775-777. 1759
and unblemished Lamb." 1 Petr. 2, 21: "Christ suffered for us/ Item v. 24: "He Himself sacrificed our sin in His body on the wood, that we might be freed from sin and live unto righteousness, by whose wounds you were healed." And 1 John 2:1, 2: "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 whole world." You have the cause and final opinion of the suffering and death of our dear Lord Jesus.
Christ's fine and clear indication; there stay with it and do not let yourself turn away from it.
(19) Therefore, since the suffering of the Lord is to be preached in such a way as not to forget why Christ suffered, and thus to make a pure and correct distinction between the suffering of Christ and the suffering of other saints, let us also do our part, and now begin the Passion at the play in the garden, and tell the story, so that the young people may grasp and retain it. Thus writes St. Matthew, and indeed all four evangelists:
Matth. 26, 36-56. Marc. 14, 32-52. Luc. 22, 39-54.
Then came Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and said unto his disciples, Sit ye here, till I go and pray. And he 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. Yet 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.
And the second time he went and prayed, saying, My Father, is it not possible that this cup should pass from me, and I drink it, and thy will be done? And he came, and found them asleep, and their eyes were full of sleep. And he left them, and went again, and prayed the third time, saying 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. Arise, let us go; behold, he is here that betrayeth me.
An angel appeared to him from heaven and strengthened him, and he struggled with death and prayed more fervently. His sweat became like drops of blood that fell to the ground.
And while he yet spake, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great company 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 whom I shall seize. 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 him.
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 to a murderer, with swords and with staves, to see me. I sat daily with you, and taught in the temple, and ye took me not. But all these things came to pass, that the scripture of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples left him and fled.
20 This is the first part of the Passion, in which it is shown how Christ fared in the garden; from it we will take two pieces for this time. First, hear your love here from the words of the Lord Christ,
as the evangelist Matthew describes, that his suffering had its own and special cause, which the cause of the other saints' suffering did not have. For since Peter wants to defend him with the sword, that he had been
1760 L. 4, 402-404. Of history in the garden. W. XIII, 777-780. 1761
The Lord forbids him and says to him, "Put your sword in its 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?" One angel would have been enough to protect Christ from the Jews. Now Christ says he could have more than twelve legions of angels; that is, more than seventy thousand angels. One angel would have been enough to defend Christ, even against the whole world. But Christ says, as St. Lucas writes: "Let them be so far off. Or as Saint Matthew writes: "Peter, put your sword in its place. How would the Scripture be fulfilled?" As if he wanted to say, "If I did not suffer, the Scripture would not be fulfilled. Now the scripture must ever be fulfilled: therefore it must be so. Now this is the reason why Christ suffers, namely, not because he had to suffer as forced, or that God could not have found another way to deliver his praise and glory; but so that God would be found true and keep his word, which he had spoken through his prophets.
(21) The evangelist has indicated this for the sake of the wise men and great masters, who ask God about all His works: Why are you doing this? For there is no more wretched disciple, that I speak thus, in heaven and earth, and under the earth in hell, than our Lord God. For not only does the devil want to be God's master, but also all the world is so clever that it presumes to teach God how to rule the world. Could God, says Master Wing, invent no other way to redeem the human race than this, that His Son must suffer such an ignominious death? Why does God give His son into the hands of His enemies? Could he have sent an angel to strike the whole world, let alone this crowd of Jews? Yes, indeed, he could have done so; for he is almighty, so he also knows everything; he is also prudent, wise and kind enough, does not need your prudence anywhere, how he wants to do it: but here
is not a question of being able, but of wanting.
Our enthusiasts are also very clever in mastering God. Why does Christ, they say, take bread and wine for communion? Why does he take water for baptism to wash people from sins? Why does he not create all men righteous and without sin, as he created the first man Adam? Is his power and authority not greater than this? So the devil is always in the world, but especially in the enthusiasts, that they want to lead God to school and teach him what he should do.
(23) Therefore the evangelists say that Christ suffered so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. God wanted to do it the way it pleased him. He could and would have done it differently, but he would not. And how would God want a foolish man to teach and govern him in the first place? Yes, says the wise reason, if I were God, I would show my goodness and mercy to the world in such and such a way. This is the greatest plague in the world, that the children of men regard our Lord God as a fool, that God, who is supremely almighty, wise and kind, should act so foolishly and not do otherwise, that His Son should be born of a woman, be crucified and die.
(24) Well, the world cannot help but consider everything that God speaks and does to be pure foolishness. But what righteous Christians are, to them God's word is a serious matter, they believe God, their Lord, without any pretense, and hold that greater power of God is shown in what seems to the world to be weakness and foolishness, than we can understand and comprehend. The unbelievers and unbelievers speak: It is foolish thing; in the same way as our bishops and our worldly wise men now say of what God does: It is foolish and is foolish; if I were God, I would do it this way and that way. But if you want to be a Christian, beware of such cleverness, and say: Let him be clever in God's matters who does not want to leave it; but I want to stay with the small group of righteous Christians who say: I could also be clever:
1762 2.4, 404-406. Of history in the garden. W. xm, 780-783. 1763
But before God, who is almighty and knows how to do everything well, I will not be clever, but will badly believe his word and follow it, and command him how to do it, as he knows better than I do.
025 This is Christ saying, "It must be so, that the scripture may be fulfilled. As if he wanted to say: I could have started it differently. But ask no further questions, but believe the Scriptures. If thou wilt not believe the scripture, nor follow it, let it be. So we also say to our fellow clergymen: We do not teach any new doctrine or preach any other faith than that which is found in the Scriptures. And if we have taught and preached according to the Scriptures, then we have done our part, and let others be wise here; but we remain with the small group that believes and follows the Scriptures.
With twelve legions of angels the Lord could have killed not only all the Jews, but also the whole world, even a hundred thousand worlds. But he must suffer so that the Scriptures may be fulfilled. Therefore he does not suffer out of necessity or compulsion, but that the Scriptures may be fulfilled and that God may be found true in his Word. Reason says: "Is God so weak that he allows himself to be crucified? Why does he present himself in this way? But Christ says: "Go on, and be wise; I could have done it differently; I have angels enough for this, and one angel is stronger and more null than ten Turkish emperors. But it shall be with kindness, not with swords; as the Scripture saith, Isa. 2:3, 4; Micah 4:2, 3: "Out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD out of Jerusalem. He will judge the nations and punish many peoples. And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. For no nation shall lift up a sword against another, neither shall they learn war any more." That is one.
27 Secondly, the evangelists very diligently describe Christ's death throes in the garden, as being of great concern. After the Lord's Supper, Christ went out, as St. John writes, over the brook Kidron,
into a garden, which lay hard by the Oelberg, by a yard or outwork, where the Jews had their sheep inside. St. Lucas writes that the Lord went out according to his custom to the Mount of Olives. This is to be understood as follows: when the Lord had preached and conducted his ministry in the city of Jerusalem, he went out to the Mount of Olives and camped there in the garden on the grass and under the trees until morning. And in the morning he went again into the city, and did his office again. Judas the betrayer knew this very well.
028 And it came to pass, when the Lord also went out at that time according to his custom, and came into the garden, that there was a new and different thing with him. He divides and separates his disciples from one another, taking Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him. And to the other disciples he saith, Sit ye down here; I must go and pray. And having gone there, he falls down on his face and prays, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not as I will, but as thou wilt." Now this is a new and special prayer. Before that he often prayed. But he did not separate his disciples before as he separates them now. He takes three disciples to himself, Peter, the great Jacob and John. The other disciples, however, he leaves sitting here. These three will have been his special disciples, to whom he will have spoken in his fear and distress.
Our dear Lord Christ presents Himself for our sake as a poor, sinful man, and the divine nature abstains here, and Christ does not flow here full of comfort and security, as before. There the tempter, the devil, is given room to come closer to him and attack him harder than ever before. Therefore he speaks here as a man who is in battle and wrestling with death, seeking comfort from his disciples, to whom he had been comforting before. He trembled and shook, and his heart was full of sorrow. For he despaired of his life and felt death, and saw that he was now to die. The same he laments to his
1764 ".4, 406-408. Of history in the garden. W. XIII, 783-78S. 1765
disciples. The great anguish and distress breaks out that he has refuge in his disciples, who are lesser than himself.
The suffering of our dear Lord Jesus Christ in the garden cannot be explained with the tongues of men, but surpasses all human reason and thoughts, especially in the case of this great, high person. If it had been another person, and the devil had been so hard on him, he would have strangled him in an instant, especially in this life, when body and soul are still together. In the next life the damned will be even more bitter; yet they will not die, but will have to remain in such torment forever. Therefore we cannot understand, nor can we conceive, much less explain, what kind of anguish this was that Christ encountered in the garden.
- He himself says, "My soul is troubled even unto death." There you hear his words, which he speaks in this fear. So I want to say: I am in such great fear, I am so frightened, grieved and despondent, just as if my soul should now go out. If a pure man should feel this fear for a moment, he would not be able to live, but would have to die from that moment on. Our Lord God has given the devil the fine, tender little lamb here in the jaws. That is why he will have gnashed his teeth over it and thought that he wanted to devour it. But he had to leave it unswallowed. Christ laments this here, saying: "My soul is sorrowful unto death. As if he wanted to say: "There is no more life here, there is no salvation, I must die.
(32) Why art thou, O Lord Christ, so afflicted and dismayed? Did you not say that you could ask your Father to send you more than twelve legions of angels, but that the Scriptures must be fulfilled? If you fear death so much and are so terrified of it, what will we poor, miserable people and sinners do when we are led to the gallows or to the fire, or when pestilence and other diseases strike us in the face? Then we will despair, because you tremble and hesitate before death. And it is true, in the eyes of the world it is ridiculous and mocking that
Christ, who is a Lord of death, so shall fall down, and lament, "My soul is sorrowful unto death."
(33) But it was for our sake that the man became more sorrowful than any man on earth, nor was any man more afraid of death than this man. When men are imprisoned in the dungeon for a time, and it is said to them: Send thyself, thou must die, there is no other way out of it; then the same man begins to press and fear, writhes a day, three or four, and the same terror becomes much more sour to him than when the executioner comes upon him and judges him. For this is true death, when a man bites and eats himself in prison, and the devil gives him such thoughts: You must serve, you are mine. Then the man becomes quite different, speaks differently, presents himself differently, and all in all, this is a different disease than pestilence or the French; for it is the real fear of death and the struggle for death, before which one does not feel the bodily disease and the bodily death.
(34) And so it is with all of us humans that the struggle before death is the highest and more difficult than death itself. If the devil wins, it is done. A man who stands in such a battle, the face becomes pointed, pale and white, the eyes become deep and dark, the ears cold 2c. But all this is nothing compared to this fight of our Lord Christ in the garden. That is why St. Lucas says: "He wrestled with death and prayed more fervently. But his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground." Christ came further than we do; he came into such heat and fire that he had to let bloody sweat fall over it.
(35) Of the battle, as I said, we know nothing. For it was greater in Christ than it can be in all of us. The reason is this: Christ should have been the greatest martyr among all the martyrs on earth. Above this, his nature was also finely pure and healthy. We human beings, conceived and born in sins, have an impure, hard and leprous flesh that does not feel soon. The fresher, healthier the man, and the finer the skin and the purer the blood, the sooner it feels and
1766 L- 4, 4V8-4IV. Of the history in the garden. W. xni, 78.5-787. 1767
feels what happens to it. The more unclean the skin and the more unclean the blood, the less it feels and senses, as we learn from leprous people. Since Christ's body, flesh, and blood are fresh, healthy, pure, and without sin, but our body, flesh, and blood are leprous, impure, and full of sin, therefore, when we hear of death and feel the terror of death, we hardly feel it in two degrees, since Christ felt it in ten degrees. Since he is the greatest martyr, and should feel the greatest suffering and terror, and the greatest bitterness of death, and in addition his nature is pure and clean, he has felt the fear of death better and more than all of us.
(36) Therefore no saint was said to be so afraid that he sweated bloody sweat, as the evangelists write of Christ. We can see that a frightened man, especially one who struggles with death, cannot cry; he neither sees nor hears well, his tongue becomes as dry as a bark and his eyes as dry as a stone. All the moisture, sap and blood that he has in his whole body goes to his heart. But in Christ the terror and fear is much greater. For there one sees that in the heart nature is so overwhelmed that it has driven the blood, which in terror comes to the heart, out of the heart again, so also that drops of blood have flowed from his whole body, as St. Lucas writes. Therefore, it must have been such sadness, fear and distress, which no human heart can reach with thoughts. In great sadness, we humans come to the point that our tongues become dry, our ears deaf, our hands insensitive, and not a drop of blood can be felt in our entire body. This is what happens to us human beings. But with Christ it has come to the point that the blood again flows from the heart out of the body.
body has come out. This is contrary to all human understanding.
Our dear Lord Christ wanted to suffer such fear in honor of His heavenly Father and for the benefit of us men, so that we might have a master over fear when our faces become pointed, our eyes black and dark, our tongues unable to speak and our heads unable to think: that we might then hold on to this man who overcame this terror and was drowned in Himself. Wherefore also our fear cannot be so great as it was in this heart; for Christ overcame the greatest fear in his innocent heart, and in his pure, fine blood quenched and subdued the devil's bitter fury and poisonous fiery darts, that we might take comfort in his victory. The devil will have shot his fiery arrows into him and pressed them into his heart, saying: You are in God's disgrace 2c. And the same arrows he has quenched in his innocent heart, tender body and pure blood, and put them in so deep that they have become blunt, that they have no more power against us. The suffering of other saints cannot do this, for in their blood the devil's arrows are not dulled nor made powerless, but in Christ's blood alone.
Now this is the fight of our dear Savior Jesus Christ in the garden, which fight should have preceded his death, and he should have felt that he should die. And the devil stirred him up, and frightened his heart with the thought: You have to serve 2c. And the pure nature was terrified of it. For the purer his nature has been, the greater the pain has been, that we might have the consolation of it, as I said, and give him thanks for this great, infinite love and goodness from our hearts forever, amen.
17ß8 L. 4, 410-412. of the history in Caiphas' house. W. xm, 788-791. 1769
The other sermon.*)
The story of what happened in the house of Caiphas the high priest, Matth. 26; Marc. 14; Luc. 22; Joh. 18.
(1) Next your love heard the one part of the passion and history of the passion of Christ, which took place in the garden, when he came for our sakes into great and grievous anguish and distress of death, that he shed bloody sweat upon it, so mildly that the blood flowed down from his body to the earth. And Judas the betrayer brought with him the band of Pilate the governor and the chief priests, who seized him, took him captive and led him to Caiphas the high priest. This, as your love has heard, was done for our sake, and our dear Lord Jesus Christ took upon himself such unspeakable distress and anguish of heart, not for his own sake, but for ours; for no one forced him to do it, neither angels nor devils, since he himself says that he could have twelve legions of angels. But he served us with it, and wanted to overcome such fear and torture for our good; just as he also overcame death and hell for our good, and did everything.
- and this is the highest piece of suffering
Christ, which is a spiritual suffering and far surpasses the bodily suffering. Scourging, cutting off the head, crucifixion is all a bodily suffering and a temporal and bodily death, that is, a death of the five senses. But spiritual suffering, when the soul and heart suffer, is far more severe than bodily death. That is why Christ, through fear in the devil's garden, took upon himself poison and bitterness, and our Lord God's severe wrath and judgment, and drank them up pure, so that we might not suffer such things, or, if we must suffer them, that we might endure and overcome them in him and through him. We should take comfort in this and know that when we are seized with terror, trembling and spiritual suffering, we have been baptized into the man who has overcome all these things for our good. We are to believe this firmly and have no doubt about it. Now follows the other part of the Passion, how the Lord fared in the house of the high priest Caiphä. Thus the holy evangelists write:
Matth. 26, 57-75. Marc. 14, 53-72. Luc. 22, 54-62.
And they that had laid hold on Jesus brought 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 went in, and sat with the servants, that he might see whither it went out.
And the chief priests, and the elders, and all the council, sought false testimonies against Jesus, that they might kill him; and found none. And though many false witnesses came, 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.
But the high priest asked JEsum about his disciples and about his teaching. JEsus answered him: I have spoken freely in public before the world. 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 do you ask me this? Ask those who have heard what I have said to them. And as he spake these things, the servant gave JEsu a blow on the cheek to one of them that sat by, saying, Thus shalt thou give unto the high priest?
*) Held March 25, 1534 in the parish church.
1770 8.4, 412-414. of the history in Caiphas' house. W. XIII, 791-7S3. 1771
answer? Jesus answered, If I have spoken evil, prove that it is wrong; but if I have spoken right, why smitest thou me?
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? JEsus said: You say. But I say unto you, that 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 rent his clothes, and said, He hath blasphemed God: what need we any further testimony? Behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy, what think ye? They answered and said: He is guilty of death.
Then they spat in his face, and smote him with their fists: and some smote him in the face, saying: Tell us, O Christ, who is it that smote thee?
And Peter sat without in the palace, and a maid came unto him, saying, And thou also art 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 them, for thy speech betrayeth thee. Then he began to curse himself and 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, weeping bitterly.
This history happened in the house of the high priest Caiphä. St. John writes: The servants of the Jews received Jesus, bound him, and led him first to Annas. This happened in such an order: As soon as the Lord was seized and caught in the garden, he was led straight out of the garden to the house of the high priest Caiphas. But because John Annas, who was Caiphas' brother-in-law, lived on the way, so that they had to pass in front of John's house before they came to Caiphas' house, they led Jesus on the way to John's house and thus courted the old high priest and brought him there first, so that he would see him bound and captured first. Nothing happened to the Lord in Hannah's house, but in Caiphas' house false witnesses were brought against him, and he was accused and interrogated.
004 And nothing more was done in Annas' house, except that the servants would have courted the old priest with the prisoner JESUS, saying, Behold, we bring him bound and bound, whom ye have pursued so long. And Annas did no more than say: Right then, right then, bring him always to the house of Caipheh, the right high priest, who is high priest this year. For all the chief priests, and elders, and councillors, which are
who governed not only the city of Jerusalem but also all the land, were gathered together in the house of Caiaphas, who was the lord and, in this sense, the god of all the people. Therefore they had decreed and commanded it: As soon as Jesus was taken, the servants were to lead him into Caiaphas' house. According to this order he was brought straight to Caiaphas' house, but the servants did this honor to the old high priest Annas and courted him, as it is said. I say this so that the history may be understood and it may be known how the suffering of the Lord took place.
005 Now the things that were done in the house of Caiaphas are clearly and diligently described by the holy evangelists; namely, that the chief priests presented Jesus bound before all the council, and questioned and examined him; and secondly, that Peter denied the Lord there three times; and thirdly, when they had questioned and heard him, and the Lord had answered, they reviled him, reviled him, blasphemed him, mocked him, and spit upon him all night until the morning. All these things happened in the house of the right Lord at Jerusalem, and of all the people of the land.
First of all, St. Matthew and St. Mark write that the chief priests and the scribes and the elders and all the council were together in Caiaphas' house. The high priests and the scribes were such
1772 ". 4, 414-416. of the history in Caiphas' house. W. XIII, 793-796. 1773
People who hold the whole spiritual regiment under themselves; like in the papacy are the cardinals and bishops, and their doctores and scholars. The elders and the council had the worldly regiment under them. Therefore Jesus was bound and presented as a prisoner before the chief priests and the council of Jerusalem, that is, before the ecclesiastical and secular regiment; as if now the pope with his cardinals and bishops, and the emperor and king with the princes of the empire condemned someone; for on these two authorities the whole regiment of Jerusalem was placed. And soon in the beginning of Judaism the regiment was thus ordered. Aaron was high priest, and the tribe of Levi was the priestly tribe. The tribe of Judah was the royal tribe. Therefore there are both kinds of authorities with the best, highest, most learned people in the whole country, and they pronounce judgment, counsel and decide against Christ.
(7) This is a terrible thing to hear, and yet it must be remembered that these two orders and classes, the priestly tribe and the royal tribe, are here together against Christ. The fathers and ancestors of the high priests were Moses, Aaron, Levi, and these were their children and descendants. And the children of such high patriarchs shall come to pass, and betray Christ, and condemn him to death? The fathers of the councilors were Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, and these were their children and descendants; and shall such high men fall to betray and sell their God, who was promised to them? Would it not be a miracle if God were so angry with both kinds of authorities that He would no longer give either priests or secular authorities; for if these two estates persecute Christ, who will protect Him on earth?
This is how it goes. Christ is betrayed, sold and condemned to death, not by bad, lowly people, but by spiritual and worldly power, in addition, of his own people, which he himself ordered and so strictly set, so that also the whole country had to bow to it. And everything that they decided, ordered and set, that was decided, ordered and set; as with us
has been the Concilium and the Empire. What the pope decided with the concilium and the emperor with the empire, that was decided. These two authorities, who are the highest on earth next to God, do this; for in Judaism, next to God, there was no one except the high priest and the council at Jerusalem. What the high priest of Jerusalem taught, one had either to keep or die. What the king or the council commanded, one could not refrain from doing. Who then was to be always in charge of such authority as Moses had put in charge and had earnestly commanded the people to be obedient to them?
(9) Well, they had the power; what they did was done, and no one was allowed to speak against it. When the people saw that someone was condemned to death by the spiritual and temporal authorities, they had to remain silent. In their hearts they might secretly think, "This person is being wronged," but no one was allowed to contradict them publicly. Because they now sat in such majesty, they abused their power honestly. For by this power they slew all the prophets, even Christ himself, the Lord of all prophets. For Moses had said, What the high priest and king of Jerusalem saith and commandeth, that keep: so they thought that they were there to choke and kill all that offended them.
(10) Therefore Christ was killed, not by rebellion, nor by seditionists, nor by those who have no authority; but by those who have authority. Just as it is still the case today, everything that happens to harm Christianity happens to it by proper authority. As we must confess and say of our persecutors, that they are princes, bishops, rulers, who have authority, also from God, both as far as the worldly rule is concerned, and also as far as the authority is concerned, which they could have in the church according to God's word, if they wanted to use it rightly. Those who are in proper authority are now persecuting the gospel.
II There is something special about Christ. He is killed by those who not only sit in proper power, but also have the power to kill His
1774 L. 4, 416-418. of the history in Caiphas' house. W. xm, 796-798. 1775
The Roman emperor and the princes of the empire, even though they are already ordained by God, are not named in the Holy Scriptures as Moses, Aaron, Levi, Judah. The Roman emperor and the princes of the empire, although they are already ordained by God, are not named in the Holy Scriptures as Moses, Aaron, Levi, Judah; nor are they brought out of Egypt through the Red Sea with such miraculous signs and confirmed. These have no more than the authority that is from God, God grant, the rule be what it will. But those were specially named in the Scriptures and confirmed with miraculous signs.
(12) Now we see what we should think of the spiritual and temporal state, and also of ourselves, who are preachers, princes and authorities, namely, that we are the ones who persecute God and crucify Christ, who has given us such authority. It would not be surprising, I say, if God had long since become hostile to all kings, princes and those in authority, as well as to all bishops and church rulers, and had said: "I will no longer suffer authority and rulers, but will destroy them to the ground. For if emperors and princes had no power, they would have to refrain from persecuting the gospel so much.
(13) But he set the Jews as an example to all the world, that he might be justly angry with his enemies and persecutors of his gospel; and that he might know by the example of the Jews that he would finally pay all those who sit in authority and abuse such authority, who set themselves against him and persecute his gospel. He has taken both spiritual and temporal power from the Jews. The priesthood of Aaron is so purely gone with them that not even a stone of the temple would be left. In the same way, the Judahite government is so purely gone that not one stone of it is left. There they lie, and now have neither kingdom nor priesthood, and go scattered and astray throughout the world. For God had therefore made them kings and priests, and given them full power, that they should serve him with such power. But because they abused their power and slew the prophets and his Son, he had to humiliate them.
and put down their power, so that they could no longer kill the prophets and crucify God's Son. This is the reason that they are sitting on the hill and have to wait every hour to be cast out. They stormed against God and would not let him stay; God would have let them stay. But because they would not let God stay, they had to go over it to the ground.
God will do the same to the pope, cardinals, bishops, emperors, kings and princes who now persecute his gospel. They have power (I am not speaking of the power that the pope assumes without and against God's word; but of the power that emperors, kings and princes have in the temporal government, and of the power that the pope as a bishop together with other bishops could have in the church, according to God's word, if they wanted to use it rightly): but with it they should serve God; but they take the power and serve the devil with it, and have now learned that they are to be taken for those who have power over everything, and call us rebels. They are the right Annas and Caiphas. But when the hour comes that he will put them down, so that they can no longer touch Christians, as he put down the Jews, so that they must henceforth leave Christ uncrucified, then they will know what they have done. The saying must and shall remain true, as it is written in Psalm 110:1: "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool"; and 1 Cor. 15:25O: "He must reign, until he put all his enemies under his feet." He saith not, I will set thine enemies at thy head: but: I will set them for thy footstool. The Jews are made a footstool; emperors, kings, princes, who persecute the gospel, will not escape it. They have their authority from God, but he who has put them in such authority can also put them out; he who has thus exalted them can also humble and degrade them again.
15 So then our dear Lord Jesus Christ suffered, not secretly, nor from
1776 L. 4, 418-421. of the history in Caiphas' house. W. XIII, 798-801. 1777
those who have no authority, but publicly and by those who sit in public authority, as with us the emperor and pope may be: so that we may not be offended when we see that both authorities, spiritual and temporal, pope and emperor, are against God. Christ's suffering means, as we confess and say in the Christian faith: "I believe in Jesus Christ, suffered under Pontius Pilate. Thus it has happened at all times and still happens today that Christians and true martyrs are killed by ordinary authorities, both spiritual and secular. The authorities should protect and shield Christ and those who belong to Christ, as David and other pious kings have done; but the contradiction always happens that they persecute God's word the most and plague the Christians from whom they should have comfort.
(16) Therefore, when we see that this is happening today, and that Popes, emperors, and rulers are doing the same, we should remember that this is not something new this year, but has always happened in this way. No prophet has been assassinated, but all have been assassinated by those who sat in right and proper authority. And this continues to this day; all the blood that is shed for Christ's sake is shed by those who are kings, princes, judges, councilors 2c. in the temporal government, and bishops, preachers 2c. in the spiritual government. They shall do it and be murderers and betrayers of our Lord Christ, as the history of the Passion teaches us and the examples of the holy martyrs testify. The other murderers on the road and in the woods are assassins, and such murder is an assassination, not a prophetic death. A prophetic death is one that is done by proper authority, since people must keep quiet about it and say: "This was done by the pope, our bishop, prince, king and emperor.
(17) It should be well known that Christ is condemned and killed by the chief rulers, who are appointed by God and sit in public authority and have full power. God had ordered the chief priests, elders and council of Jerusalem to keep His law. But they did not obey it, but disobeyed it.
needed their power against God. Thus, God gave authority to the pope, emperor, kings, and princes to serve Him with such authority: to the pope, to bind and loose sins, as a bishop; to the emperor, kings, and princes, to govern land and people, to punish evildoers, and to keep peace on earth, as secular authorities. Such power, given to them by God, they should judge according to God's word. But what happens? God speaks to them: You emperor have the sword, go to and hang the thieves on the gallows, cut off the heads of the murderers 2c.; you pope, as a bishop, have the keys of the kingdom of heaven, throw into hell the stiff-necked sinners, lift into heaven the penitent, according to my word and command: but they ask nothing according to God's word. What we make and set, they say, that shall stand; that and no other.
(18) But what will happen when the game is turned around? Then God will also do what will displease them and leave what they desire; just as now they do what will displease God and leave what he wants. A person should be terrified that he should be a preacher, bishop, prince, and ruler in the world, and in return wish to be a servant and handmaid. For there one is in such office, in which God is often blasphemed and persecuted. It is the wicked devil that the two offices, which are so great and so highly praised, should be so perverted as to deceive men with false doctrine, and to shed innocent blood with the sword, yea, to crucify Christ himself; without it being yet a peculiar thing with Christ, that he should be condemned to death and crucified, not only by them that have power, but also by them that are his own blood friends.
19 Secondly, the evangelists write how the chief priests, elders, and all the council questioned Christ when they had him before them. The tyrants were glad to have him before them and thought, "Here we have him; now what shall we do to him if we kill him? Before that, they did not think whether they had a cause worthy of death, but only worked to catch him.
1778 8.4, 421-423. of the history in Caiphas' house. W. XIII, 801-803. 1779
They have not. But now that they have caught him and bound him, they know of no good cause against him. They search and ponder, and seek here and there all kinds of false testimonies against him, but they do not know how to attack him, so that they find a cause against him that is sufficient.
The one false testimony against him, as St. Matthew writes, is that two false witnesses come forward and say: He preached publicly that he could tear down the temple of God and build it in three days. This is a thing that sounds particularly evil. For how the Lord spoke such things, and how he meant them, is found in the Gospel of John, Cap. 2, 19. ff. He did not speak of the temple of God in Jerusalem, but of the temple of his body, as John the Evangelist would have it understood in the same place. Nor did he say that he would break down the temple, but that they, the Jews, would break down this temple (pointing to his body), but that he would raise it up on the third day. St. Marcus writes that they testified against him, saying: We have heard that he said, "I will break down the temple made with hands, and in three days will build another not made with hands," but their testimony did not agree.
(21) Before the same testimony of the breaking of the temple, they also brought forth other false testimonies against him, as St. Matthew writes, which are not written by the evangelist, nor expressed by name. For the same testimonies also did not want to sound. Afterwards, when they accuse him before the governor Pilato, they again bring other complaints, and say, as St. Lucas writes: "This one we find turning away the people, and forbidding to give the bosom to Caesar" 2c. This was a shameful, impudent lie; for what he answered the Pharisees to this question: whether one should give interest to Caesar or not, writes St. Matthew Cap. 22, 21. We will hear of the same accusation later when we come to Pilate.
022 Now we hear how the chief priests, and the elders, and the council themselves, are divided among themselves in the house of Caiaphas, and cannot agree what cause they will plead before the governors of Geticht. For the Romans had deprived the Jews of the court of the neck. It was very bad for them that they could not kill anyone unless Pilate allowed it. If they had still had the blood judgment, they would soon have become one with Jesus and killed him as they themselves would have wanted. But since they no longer have the judgment of the neck, they go to the council and say one to the other: If this Jesus has sinned against us as he wills, Pilate asks neither our accusation nor our verdict, but we say that this Jesus has committed murder or blasphemy or some other act against Caesar. Therefore we must be careful that the guilt we want to bring against him is crimen laesae majestatis, a guilt against imperial majesty and crown, that is, such guilt and deed that the emperor also punishes with death in the city of Rome. They look for such guilt in him, but they do not find it.
- If they had immediately accused him, "He said, 'I will destroy the temple of God,'" Pilate would have answered: O, who is this? Did he say he wanted to break the temple? What is this? For though it was a great sin among the Jews to break up the temple, and a greater sin than it might be with the pope to break up churches and monasteries; but a greater and more grievous sin to rebuild the temple without orders, since even King David could not be permitted to build the temple: yet it was considered no vice by the governor, and the governor would no doubt have said to them: Where do you come with this accusation? The temple is still standing and unbroken. If they had then also accused him at once: He said that he was God, or: He dares to be God, it would not have sounded. For Pilate might have answered, as a wise Gentile: "Why do you turn away from his sayings? Another fool may say what he wants, but it does not happen so soon;
1780 8.4, 423-125. of the history in Caiphas' house. W. XIII, 803-806. 1781
you are greater fools to bring up such a thing. Or he might have answered thus: If he is God, let him take care of him; what is it to you? Therefore the chief priests and the council here confess themselves, and feel it very well in their hearts, that they have not sufficient cause for Jesus.
(24) This shows that Christ suffers innocently. Just as he is weak in the garden voluntarily and gladly for our sake, when he could have been strong; as he himself says, "I could ask my Father to send me more than twelve legions of angels"; and proves his strength sufficiently, since, as St. John writes, he throws the Jews back with one word, so that they fall to the ground: so here he is voluntarily a sinner for our sake, even though he is righteous and without all sin. He allows himself to be accused as a blasphemer and rebel, yet he is innocent; he is condemned to death as a blasphemer, rebel and murderer, yet his accusers feel in their hearts that he is not such. He is judged and dies as a blasphemer, rebel and murderer, yet his accusers and everyone know the contradiction of him, that he has done good, made all kinds of sick people well. He raised the dead, 2c. but he was the Lamb of God who bore the sin of the world.
25 St. John writes here a special piece, which also happened in Caiaphas' house, in the interrogation and questioning, namely, that the high priest asked Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching, and Jesus answered him: "I have always taught in the synagogue and in the temple, where it is customary to read, teach and preach; therefore ask those who have heard what I have said to them. The high priest asks JEsum, that he may catch him in his words; but JEsus directs him to his disciples and hearers. Such an answer displeases the high priest's servant, who, wanting to court his master, gives JEsu a blow on the cheek, saying, "Shall you answer the high priest thus?" Why do you not say: O dear Lord High Priest, I have unfortunately acted badly and done wrong, I ask for mercy. But with such questioning and beating neither the high priests nor the
The servant of the high priest proves something to Jesus; as he himself says to the servant of the high priest, "If I have spoken evil, prove it to be wrong; but if I have spoken right, why dost thou smite me?"
26 All these things are therefore prescribed, that we may see that our dear Lord Jesus Christ died innocent, not only concerning his person, which is without all sin, but also concerning his adversaries, who can find nothing in him to stand before the Gentile Pilate. It is not, as that servant says, what they pretend.
27 Finally, since there is no matter or blasphemy against Caesar in him, they continue to search to see if they can find fault, and the high priest stands up, as Matthew and Marcus write, and says to him, "Do you answer nothing to what these testify against you, saying: Thou hast said that thou wouldest pull down the temple of God, and build it again? And when JEsus is silent, the high priest is more angry, and says, "I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God." Behold, how is it that the devil can so well call the Lord God, speak of Him, and use His name so well? "I adjure thee," saith he, "by Him who alone is the true GOD, that thou tell us whether thou be Christ." They knowingly sin, and are not excused.
28 Jesus says to them: "You say", or, as St. Lucas writes: "You say, because I am". Because the high priest summons him by the name of God his Father, he now answers, since he was silent before. With this he gives us a lesson that when we are asked on an oath or by the name of GOD, we should come out and confess the truth, whatever it may be. And he goes on to say: "I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven. As if to say, "You will see and know that I am the Son of God, and the Lord who will judge you and the whole world in all glory. That is,
1782 L. 4, 425-427. of the history in Caiphas' house. W. HII. 806-809. 1783
I mean, he apologized honestly and said freely: I am not only innocent, and not a murderer, traitor and blasphemer of imperial majesty, but also so powerful that I will sit at the right hand of power and judge the circle of the earth.
029 When the chief priests and the council hear this, they are angry and furious, and say: This is too defiant and too hopeful an answer; now we have won; away with him and beaten to death! Just as if we were speaking to our adversaries: Now ye will not hear the truth; but in that day ye shall hear it, when we shall judge you. Then they would also cry out with great wrath and fury, Shall the pope, bishops, emperors, kings 2c. be answered thus? The high priest rends his garments before great and excellent holiness. How great honor and love the holy man has for our Lord God! He cannot bear to be deprived of his honor. "What do we need," he says, "further testimony?" As if to say, "Are we not fools, that we should long bear witness against him of others?" you hear that he freely confesses that he is a blasphemer and guilty of death, for there is no greater witness than his own confession. Since he himself confesses that he is the Son of God, and thus that he wants to sit at the right hand of power, that is, that he wants to be like God and sit on the throne where God sits, he testifies of himself that he is guilty of death. Therefore we need no further testimony, because we have heard his blasphemy ourselves. What do you think? Now he must die.
30 Nevertheless, they do not remain thorough on this accusation. For before the governor Pilato they accuse him not as a blasphemer, but as a rebel and blasphemer of the emperor, who turns away the people, and forbids to give the womb to the emperor, and wants to be king and emperor himself. Whether they then repeat this accusation (as St. John writes) and say, "We have a law, and according to the law he shall die, for he has made himself the son of God"; but because this is not sufficient cause, and the governor of the
When the people of the city, who were in the midst of the war, were anxious to see Jesus released, they dropped this accusation, and sought out the first accusation again, and sharpened it more than before, saying to the governor, "If you release this man, you are not the emperor's friend; for he who makes himself a king is against Caesar."
This is the interrogation and the accusation that took place in the house of Caiphas the high priest. And all these things are prescribed for our learning, that we may know that for our sakes Christ humbled himself so low as to be accused, condemned, and put to death as the greatest of evildoers, though he be altogether innocent; so also that his adversaries themselves must confess secretly, as they well feel in their hearts that there is no guilt of death in him. The causes which they afterwards put forward before Pilate are not written here; nor was he asked about them in Caiaphas' house; but we shall hear about them afterwards, when we come to the third part of the Passion. But because the same two causes have the emphasis, they went into a chapter together, consulted, and said: We want to speak before the governor, that he is a rebel and a blasphemer of the imperial majesty. They did not discuss this with Jesus himself in Caiphas' house, but among themselves they consulted, decided and said: We want to accuse him before the governor, that he has stirred up sedition in the country and made himself king. For to stir up sedition and to make himself king were things of death, which Pilate could not suffer, nor should he.
But if it should have been, these two things would not have helped before the governor. For Pilate knew very well that Jesus was neither a rebel nor contrary to Caesar. For when he asked him, John 18, whether he was king of the Jews, Jesus answered and confessed: He is a king, but not against Caesar, for his kingdom is not of this world. He was a king, and born to be a witness of the truth. Nevertheless, it had to be that he died for these two reasons, as the title implies, even though the same title is false, and was invented for the Lord.
1784 2.4, 427.428. Of the history in Caiphas' house. W. XIII, 809-811. 1785
For he is not a king against Caesar, nor is he a rebel who turns away the people. Therefore it is a rebellious title to count against the Jews alone. For Jesus was crucified by them as a rebel and murderer, and as a blasphemer of imperial majesty, who had refrained from causing sedition in the land and making himself king. Pilate knows well that Jesus is not such; nevertheless he falls and has the innocent crucified. The chief priests and elders invented these two deadly charges against him, and these causes prevailed. For sedition is more than murder, and blasphemy against the imperial majesty, since one does not want the emperor to be emperor, is guilty of death.
Thirdly, the evangelists Matthew, Marcus and Lucas write how they spat and blasphemed the Lord in the high priest's house. Who can explain all these blasphemies? Such spitting and blaspheming will have lasted all night until morning. The evangelists touch on it a little, and write that they covered his face and struck him in the face with their fists, asking him, "Tell us, Christ, who is it that struck you?"
- as I have testified above, so I testify again: just as Christ for our sake willingly and gladly became weak, allowed himself to be caught and bound, so also for our sake he willingly and gladly becomes a sinner, allows himself to be accused, mocked, spit upon, condemned, condemned and killed as an evildoer, even though he is not guilty of death.
is. We are to take note of this, so that we do not interpret the suffering of the Lord Christ as reason and the Jews interpret it, who say: If he had been mighty, why did he not multiply? If he had been righteous and without sin, why did he allow himself to be condemned to death? But we say: He has proved enough that he voluntarily and gladly became weak and a sinner for our sake; otherwise he could well have been strong, and have resisted all prisons, judgments and condemnations and death.
Reason and the Jews reproach us Christians for worshipping a God who was a rebel and blasphemer. On the other hand, we Christians boast that Christ, true God and man, suffered willingly and gladly. He did not need his power, and his adversaries could not convince him. He did this for our sake, so that he might stop the power that sin, death and the devil have over us. We would have to go to death, fear and hell because of our sin. But Christ takes our place and leads us innocently into death, fear and hell, so that we may be led out through him and in him. By his wrongful and innocent death he helps us out of the right, guilty death, that is, out of sin, so that we have earned death and hell. Now if we hold on to him with firm faith, we will come out. The Jews, who scoff at us because of the great wisdom of their reason, will also find out where they are going. We will speak of the fall of Peter at another time.
1786 L.4, 429.430. Of the history before Pontio Pilato. W. XIII, 811-814. 1787
The third sermon.*)
Of the history that took place before the governor Pontio Pilato. Matth. 27; Marc. 15; Luc. 23; Joh. 18. 19.
(1) We have now heard two parts of the Passion: first, how the Lord fared in the garden, when he suffered for us the great anguish and distress, sweating blood; by which he overcame in his own body and in his holy flesh and blood the same high, infernal battle; that we Christians may not be afraid of it, but hold fast to him who overcame such a battle too well for us, and gave us his conquest.
002 Secondly, we have also heard that the Lord was led away captive as a mocking bird to Annas; but there nothing was accomplished, but from that time he was led on to Caiphas the high priest, and in that company he was interrogated by the chief priests, elders, and the whole council. False witnesses came forward, and yet they could not bring anything against him that would be true and would be a substantial cause before the Gentile Pilate. Peter not only fled from his Lord, but also denied him three times, which case alone requires special preaching. For it is a very rich consolation for all poor sinners that the great man and apostle makes such a fall, and yet obtains grace and forgiveness. But this is usually preached often during the year; now we want to
Preach the Passion briefly, so that it will be all the easier to grasp and remember.
3 Now follows the third part of the Passion: how the Lord fared before Pilate the governor. In the house of the high priest Caiphä it became apparent, even before the consciences of the witnesses themselves, that the Lord was innocent, since their testimonies did not agree until the high priest asked him if he was Christ, the Son of God? But here before Pilate his innocence is also revealed before all the people, and his adversaries and accusers are disgraced, not only secretly in their council and before themselves among themselves, but also publicly before the Roman court. For the judgment of blood, as said above, was taken from the Jews, and Pilate, the governor, was put there by the Romans for the sake of the whole country. So the Lord stood before the spiritual and temporal authorities and made a glorious confession before the chief priests and before Pilate the governor, so that not only his own people, the Jews, but also the whole Roman Empire, might be witnesses of his innocent death, and so that everyone might see that he suffered innocently and that his suffering was the more highly esteemed in all the world. - This is how the holy evangelists write about this third part:
Matth. 27, 1-10.
In the morning all the chief priests and the elders of the people held a council against Jesus to put him to death. They bound him, led him away and handed him over 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.
*) Held on the Sunday of Palmarum, that is, March 29, 1534, in the parish church.
1788 n. 4, 430-432. From the history before Pontio Pilato. W. xm, 814-817. 1789
But the chief priests took the pieces of silver and said: 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: wherefore the same field is called the field of blood unto 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.
The evangelist Matthew indicates two things here. The first is that the chief priests and elders of the people held a council against Jesus and delivered him to Pilate the governor. The other is the outcome of the betrayal of Judah.
5th First, that he writes that all the chief priests and elders of the people held counsel against Jesus, that they should put him to death. This is the counsel that they held among themselves, apart from and besides the testimony of the witnesses. It was a secret, hidden council, that they crawled together and said, "We will declare and betray him in such and such a way to the governor Pilato. Because it is a secret council, the evangelist did not want to report it in this place. But afterwards this advice is found in the indictment before the governor. They accuse him and rebuke him as a murderer and heretic. But here they go to Rath, and decide how they will accuse him, and say: We will accuse him before the governor as a rebel and murderer; if that does not help, we will say that he is a blasphemer and seducer of the people. Here they hold the council secretly, but afterwards the same council comes forth and breaks out.
(6) And here again we see that everything that happens to Christ happens through the two ordinary powers, through spiritual and temporal authority, as it is written: ut eripias animam meam a judicibus (that you may save my soul from the judges). So Christians are not to suffer from murderers, but from emperors, kings, princes, bishops, that is, from those who have both kinds of authority, and yet in such a way that it may be revealed to the world that these do wrong and those suffer wrong; just as Christ suffers from both kinds of authority, but in such a way that his innocence may come to light, and their wickedness may be revealed that they do him wrong. The chief priests
have already condemned him to death; now Pilate comes along, and condemns him also: and yet both high priest and Pilate are right, proper authorities, having the rule.
After that, the evangelist writes what Judas' end was. But I will leave Judas now, because it would be too long. When the betrayer Judas sees that the Lord is bound with a chain and that he is handed over by the chief priests to Pilate, the governor (for just as the pope does not burn anyone with fire or kill Christians, as he writes in his spiritual law, but commands the emperor to do so: so the chief priests do not kill JEsum, but hand him over to Pilato) - when Judas now sees JEsum bound with a chain and led before Pilatum, he despairs and kills himself. Before he was safe, but now his hour has come. But hear how the chief priests comfort him. When he comes and brings back the thirty pieces of silver, saying, "I have done evil in betraying innocent blood," they say, "What is it to us? Then see thou." This is evil comforted. Judah is an example to be taken against the traitors and evil-doers, who do not kill Christ, but help him to be killed.
Matth. 27, 11.
But Jesus stood before the governor.
(8) The judge's house must have been such a house, which had an oriel, which stood out before the other chambers of the house; in the same oriel the governor and judge sat on a chair, and the guilty man stood before him, so that all the people, who stood outside in the street, could well have seen it; for the court proceeded magnificently.
1790 L. 4, 433-435. Of the history before Pontio Pilato. W. XIII, 817-819. 1791
John 18:28-32.
And they went not into the judgment house, lest they should be defiled, and eat the passover. Then Pilate went out to them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man? They answered and said unto him, If this man were not an offender, we would not have delivered him unto thee. Then said Pilate unto them, Take him therefore, and judge him according to your law. Then said the Jews unto him, We may kill no man. That the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.
(9) When the chief priests and elders have brought Jesus before the judgment seat, first of all this is their counsel, that they will thus accuse him, saying: This man has been interrogated by God's people and condemned to death; we deliver him up to you, Pilate, and request that you judge him as one guilty of death. For they think that Pilate will not ask any more questions, but will leave it at that, since they are not the tail but the head of all the people of Israel. So they think that Pilate should go straight away and say yes and amen to all their undertakings.
(10) This is what St. John says, that they came rolling along, thinking that Pilate should run with him to the cross from that moment on. But when Pilate came out to them and said, "What accusation do you bring against this man?" they answered proudly, "If this man were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered him up to you. For this was their first counsel, that they would not report their accusation, but that Pilate should thus put him to death, that he had not heard him before.
(11) It is written in the Passion how Christians fare in the world. For as Christ, the head, fared in the world, so fare Christians at all times. The chief priests and elders wanted Pilate to consider their majesty and authority, both spiritual and temporal, and not to think otherwise of them, because they were the most noble of the people according to the law of God, so they could not err or fail.
But our Lord God wanted this to come to light and not to happen under the cover. Therefore he also gave the neck judgment at Jerusalem to the Gentiles, so that it would come to light, because the Gentiles were naturally hostile to the Jews, and again the Jews to the Gentiles.
012 Pilate therefore saith, Take him therefore, and judge him according to your law." As if to say, If I am to punish him, I must interrogate him beforehand. But if you know that he is guilty and want to punish him, why do you come to me? They would have gladly marauded in the dark and murdered him. But he was to be judged publicly: therefore God had also taken the judgment of blood from the Jews and given it to the Romans. Now it was Roman law, and is still Roman law today, that no one should be put to death without a hearing; just as Festus answered the chief priests and elders of the Jews, who asked him to have Paul judged, "It is not the way of the Romans that a man should be put to death before the accused has his accusers present and has room to answer the charge. Apost. 25, 16. So it is also with us that no one is to be executed on the charge of a man. And God had also forbidden the Jews to do so in the Law, Deut. 35, 30:
Ad unius testimonium nullus condemnabitur: "A witness shall not answer concerning a soul unto death." But the chief priests and elders knowingly did not want to know this. Therefore the innocence of the Lord must be revealed to them for sins and for shame, even before the Gentiles.
Luc. 23, 2.
And they began to accuse him, saying: This one we find turning away the people, and forbidding to give the bosom to Caesar, saying that he is Christ a king.
013 Then they begin to accuse him; and this is the other piece of their counsel. The first counsel failed them, therefore now they try the other counsel. For, as I have said, so they had determined and spoken: If Pilate will not follow, and
1792 L. 4, 4:;s-437. Of the history before Pontio Pilato. W. xm, 819-822. 1793
not let him be judged without interrogation, let us make our accusation thus, saying, We accuse this man as an evil-doer, who seduces the people, and forbids the womb to be given to Caesar, and has said that he is a king. There are two causes: St. Lucas sums them up; but St. John has finely divided them. He is a rebel and a villain, they say; he turns the people away, and has forbidden to give the womb to Caesar, and wants to be Caesar himself. Therefore he is guilty of death. They decided on this council, not publicly in front of everyone, but secretly, for example in a small room.
These are grave grievances. He who is a rebel is not only a man's murderer and assassin, but the murderer of a whole country and kingdom. For he who would take foreign power and destroy the kingdom murders and beheads many. This is what Christ must suffer, to be accused of being a rebel and a murderer.
Joh. 18, 33.
Then Pilate went into the judgment house again, and called JEsu, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?
Pilate has heard the plaintiffs. Now he asks the defendant what he has to say. For it is said: Audiatur altera pars: One should also hear the other part. Is it true, he says, that you want to be a rebel and king of the Jews? No evangelist has described in so many words what Jesus answered before Pilate than the evangelist John. It is no wonder that the evangelists do not describe all of them in the same way and in the same words, because no history is so certain that it is not told and described differently by another. Especially St. John describes the answer of the Lord to the question: "Is he the king of the Jews? For this was the main complaint, for which Christ also suffered and was crucified. So the chief priests and elders think that even if all the other complaints are lacking, this complaint will still break through, that he has caused a riot and forbidden to give the bosom to Caesar. That is why St. John also described it diligently.
John 18:34, 35.
Jesus answered, "Do you say this about yourself, or did others say it to you about me? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Your people and the chief priests have delivered you to me; what have you done?
(16) They talk sharply with one another, the Lord Jesus and Pilate the governor. The Lord saith, Pilate, thou art a wise man; thou shouldest see who I am. As if to say, If thou sayest these things of thyself, thou speakest against thyself: for thou knowest better. But if others have told thee of me, ask those who have told thee of me, and let them prove it.
(17) Pilate answered as a proud Roman, saying, "Why do I ask about your law and your religion? Your people and the chief priests have delivered you to me; now if there is anything behind that we Romans do not understand, tell it. Then Christ makes a long sermon, saying:
Joh. 18, 36.
Jesus answered, "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.
(18) This is a right answer to such a charge and question. It is true, saith he, I confess it; for I have preached that I am a king, and that I have a kingdom; but with a difference. But this is how it stands: The kingdom of which I preached and in which I am king is not a worldly kingdom. I have done no harm to Caesar; neither have I done harm to you, governor, in your office; but I have taught that what is Caesar's is to be given to Caesar. Therefore my kingdom does not concern the Roman emperor at all. This is the Lord's responsibility and excuse before Pilato, the governor.
019 And he saith again, Take hold of it, and I will prove unto thee by deed that 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. So he wants to say:
1794 2.4, 437-439. From the history before Pontio Pilato. W. XIII, 822-824. 1795
If my kingdom were a worldly kingdom, I would have come to the city with a large group of armed people and struck many dead. But none of this is done by me; here no one draws a sword, no one is put to death. A king does not take a kingdom if no one fights for him, as I do. Since no one fights for me, and my disciples and servants flee from me and leave me, you not only know from my responsibility, but you also see and experience that I am not a worldly king, nor is my kingdom of this world. Thus the Lord excuses himself against the Jews on account of the accusation, and publicly disgraces his accusers before the governor and makes them public liars.
Joh. 18, 37.
Pilate said to him, "Are you still a king?
020 Because thou art not a worldly king, and thy kingdom is not of this world, and yet thou professest to be a king, and to have a kingdom, I ask thee: What kind of king are you, and what kind of kingdom do you have?
Joh. 18, 37.
Jesus answered: "You say that I am a king. I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. He who is of the truth hears my voice.
Do you want to know what kind of king I am and what kind of kingdom I have? I will tell thee, My kingdom is called, and is, a kingdom of truth, which dealeth not with lies, nor with falsehood, nor with vanity; but is an everlasting, an everlasting kingdom, wherein are constant, everlasting, true goods. And I am a king of truth; I was born to it, and this is my office, therefore I came into the world, that I should preach the truth, and that the world should receive the truth. These things I preach to all men, kings, emperors, citizens, peasants, high and low. And so Christ has nevertheless preached a beautiful, glorious preaching.
In this sermon he makes a clear distinction between his kingdom and the kingdom of the world.
22 When Pilate hears that Jesus is not a worldly king and that his kingdom is not of this world, but that he is a king of truth, and that by his teaching and preaching he rather promotes and helps the emperor to his kingdom than hinders it, he answers and says:
Joh. 18, 38.
What is truth?
23 As if to say, O poor Jesus, you are like a poor king. If thou art a king of truth, thou art a bad king: for he that wouldest be rich and high must not begin with God and honor, neither must he go forth with truth. If thou goest forth with truth, thou goest forth; thou deceivest me not at all with thy kingdom. If you do not wear armor and do not let your servants fight for you, you will not harm the emperor and me, whether God wills it or not. For he has thought that Christ's kingdom is a kingdom that is played like a comedy or other game.
(24) With the word of Pilati, that he says: "What is truth? our time is finely painted. For now it is also possible to say: What is truth? What is faithfulness and faith more in the world? What is honesty? Give me the shirt to the skirt. Whoever wants to deal with truth is already lost. But he who wants to get ahead must lie, deceive, dissemble, betray.
025 And the other counsel of the chief priests and elders, which they had determined against Jehovah, is found wanting, and perverted. Just as they did not succeed in their demand that Pilate execute Jesus without interrogation, so they also failed to accuse him of being an insurrectionist. And here again the holy people are publicly disgraced.
Joh. 18, 38.
And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and saith unto them: I find no fault in him.
** **1796 12.4, 439-441. of the history before pontio pilato. W. XIII, 825-827. 1797
026 Thus he saith, Ye chief priests and elders have accused this Jesus of being a rebel and a murderer: but I hear out of his mouth that he is not a temporal king, but a king of truth, and that he suffereth Caesar to remain. So you also see that he is alone and did not come with an entourage, but kept himself as a beggar and a poor preacher.
- When the chief priests and elders hear this, they go astray. For it will have struck them hard before the heads, that the Gentile judge calls them, so high people and regents of God, publicly as liars. They say, This man is a rebel and a murderer; Pilate saith, I find no cause in this man: what is this but as if he saith, Ye lie as husks and villains?
Luc. 23, 5-7.
But they stopped and said: He has stirred up the people by teaching to and fro throughout all the land of Judah, beginning in Galilee and ending here. And when Pilate heard Galilee, he asked if he were of Galilee. And when he heard that he was under Herod's authority, he sent him to Herod, who was also at Jerusalem in those days.
(28) Pilate would gladly be rid of the Jews and of JEsu the prisoner. When he hears Galilee, he thinks: Herod is lord and king in Galilee, to him I will send the chief priests and the Jews with the prisoner. The Romans did not like it when a judge ruled falsely, and when they found out, he had to take the blame. Therefore Pilate would have liked to be rid of this trade. And because he now hears that Jesus is accused as if he wanted to be a king and a rebel, he sends him to Herod. The Jews do not like to go to Herod, but they have to.
Luc. 23, 8-12.
But when Herod saw JEsum, he was very glad, for he would have liked to see him long ago; for he had heard much about him, and hoped that he would see a sign from him; and he asked him
many things. 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 back to Pilate. That day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for before they had been enemies.
- Herod is glad that JEsus is brought to him; for he thinks that JEsus must be afraid of him and pretend to him. The Jews cry out against him, accusing him and saying: This is a rebel and a murderer, he has wanted to be king in the country where you are Herod's king; therefore see that he is punished. Herod knew very well that this was a lie, for people were looking at it and had a high regard for rebels. Pilate and the other governors before him had also killed many rebels. If Jesus had been a rebel, Herod and Pilate would not have allowed him to remain in the country so long.
030 And again Jesus was found innocent before Herod the king. But Herod, in honor of the Jews and the governor Pilato, reviled him, and the court mocked him, saying, "Is this the prophet who performed such great signs and wonders among the people? And Herodem is grieved that Jesus will not do a sign before him; he is therefore angry with himself, and thinks, How can he be thought to be so? Should he not be glad to worship me and serve me? If he thinks me a fool, I will think him a fool again; and send him again to Pilato.
31 Thus the Jews lost again before Herod the king. The two rulers, King Herod and Pilate the governor, both testify that Christ is innocent and that the Jews are liars. For Christ died in such a way that he could not be condemned by public truth, but that the sun, moon and stars testified to his innocence.
032 And when they come again to Pilate, he said, How shall I get rid of these men? Herod will not judge him; what shall I do to him? Therefore says the evangelist:
1798 L.4, 441-143. Of the history before Pontio Pilato. W. XIII, 827-830. 1799
Luc. 23, 13-17.
And Pilate called together the chief priests, and the rulers, and the people, and said unto them: Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that turneth the people away: and, behold, I have questioned him before you, and find none in the man of the things whereof ye accuse him; neither Herod; for I sent you unto him, and, behold, there is nothing brought upon him worthy of death. Therefore I will chastise him and let him go. For he had to release one to them according to the custom of the feast.
Herod and Pilate both confessed the Lord's innocence. So God has decreed this very day that those who have authority should confess that the Christians have been wronged. But after Pilate has done nothing with Herod, he takes two ways to set JEsum free. The first way is that he says to the people: "You have a custom that I release a prisoner to you at the feast, whom you want. Now I have a prisoner, named Barabbas, who is a select rebel and murderer (for he had committed murder in the riot, and was, as St. Matthew says, especially notorious), the same, or JEsum, whom they call Christ, I will release to you. Pilate was a wise man, and thought thus: They will not ask for Barabbam, but for JEsum, whom Herod the king and I, and they also, in their conscience, pronounce innocent. Therefore he says: I will give you none other but Barabbam, the very worst of all the captives whom I have now. Enough has been done by a pagan. I could, he says, propose a lesser rogue to you, but I will not do it. Take either Barabbam or Jesus. Pilate would have sworn to it, and would have thought that the heavens should fall in sooner than that they should ask for Barabbas.
Luc. 23, 18-23.
Then the whole company cried out, saying, Away with this man, and deliver us Barabbam. He had been thrown into prison because of a riot that had taken place in the city and because of a murder. Then Pilate cried out again
to them, and would have let JEsum go. But they cried out and said: Crucify, 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 chastise him, and let him go. But they lay before him with a great cry, and demanded that he should be crucified. And their cry and the cry of the chief priests increased.
(34) Is it not a terrible thing to hear of the holy people, that they all cry out: Not JEsum, but Barabbam? It is as if they were saying, "Let go of the desperate wicked man you have in prison, even if he is the devil himself. This sin is brought to their attention by St. Peter when he preaches to them, Apost. 3, v. 13, 14, 15: "The God of our fathers glorified his child Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied before Pilate, when he judged to let him go; but you denied the holy and righteous, and asked that the murderer might be given to you; but you killed the Prince of life. Today it is the same: let a man be as wicked and as evil as he will, but if he hold not the truth, he is the friend of the world. Our time is finely painted there.
Luc. 23, 24. 25.
Pilate, however, judged that their request was granted, and released the one who had been thrown into prison for sedition and murder, the one they asked for.
35 Pilate had to do this, even though he did not like it, because he had promised the Jews, but he did not promise that they would ask for Barabbam. Because they asked for Barabbam and denied Jesus, he had to keep his promise and release the archmonger who deserved death. This is called a Christian suffering, so it should go for Christ and his gospel on earth, that also stone and wood of the Lord Christ and his gospel testify innocence.
Joh. 19, 1.
Then Pilate took JEsum and scourged him.
Because Herod does not want to help, nor Barabbas, Pilate thinks, "What do I do?
1800 8.4, 443-446. don of history before pontio pilato. W. xm, 830-833. 1801
well? Shall I crucify him? No, I will try another way; I will give him a city shilling and have him chastised, so that their poisonous anger will be quenched and I can let him go. Pilate thought, "Even though the chief priests and the Jews are still so angry and poisonous, when they see that I have so well crushed him, they will be satisfied; and he handed him over to the soldiers in the hall. There they stripped him naked and scourged him horribly; for where such boys are allowed a hand's breadth, they take a cubit's length.
Joh. 19, 2. 3.
And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns, and put it upon his head, and put a purple robe upon him, and said, Hail, king of the Jews; and they smote his cheeks.
(37) This is what the soldiers do for themselves, without the governor's command; they put on Jesus a purple robe, put a crown of thorns on his head, put a reed in his hand, bend their knees, and greet him mockingly and derisively: "Hail, King of the Jews," you have a crown on your head, and a scepter in your hand, and a royal robe; now where are your people?
Joh. 19, 4. 5.
Then Pilate went out again, and said unto them, Behold, I bring him forth unto you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. So Jesus came out wearing a crown of thorns and a purple robe. And he saith unto them, Behold, what a man!
Pilate thinks that he now has it certain that the Jews will let JEsum go, because he has let him be beaten so badly. For he himself is in awe and horror of him, for he was so horribly maltreated. The evangelist John describes especially this exit of Jesus from the room where he was scourged, and indicates that he had seen miserable and wretched. How then it is to be thought that the Lord must have seen miserable out of all measure, because also the Gentiles lament his pilatum; wherefore he also
says, "Behold, what a man!" As if he wanted to say: I mean, you should now be satiated, because he is so miserably battered.
Joh. 19, 6.
When the chief priests and the servants saw him, they cried out and said: Crucify, crucify! Pilate said to them: Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.
039 The chief priests and the Jews turn not aside, though Jesus is miserably stricken, and cries to Pilate the Gentile, saying, Crucify him.
40 Pilate cries out again, "Crucify him; I cannot crucify him because I find no fault in him. As if he wanted to say: You are scoundrels and evil-doers.
Joh. 19, 7.
The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by the law he shall die; for he made himself the Son of GOD.
(41) Then they thrust him with the last piece, and this is the other charge, that they accuse him of being a blasphemer. The first accusation was that he was a murderer. The other accusation is that they say: What shall they long accuse and reproach him for? He is a heretic and blasphemer; he has blasphemed God in his preaching, saying, He is God, and has deceived the people.
These are two virtues of the devil: lying and murder. Christ must bear them innocently; and the innocent Christians must also bear them. The right blasphemers, deceivers and murderers are called holy, righteous and pious honors and servants of God, righteous, faithful teachers and leaders who show people the way to heaven. Again, the right honors and servants of God and the righteous teachers and leaders must be scolded as blasphemers of God and seducers of the people. With appearances one seduces the world.
John 19:8-11.
When Pilate heard the word, he was even more afraid, and he went back into the judgment hall.
1802 ". 4, 446-448. from the history before Pontio Pilato. W. xm, "5. 1803
House, and saith unto JEsu, Whence art thou? But JEsus gave him no answer. Then said Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? Jesus answered, 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.
Pilate is even more afraid, because he thinks that Jesus is one of the old gods of the Gentiles. But since he boasts of his power, Jesus gives him a good, sharp sermon. And because Pilate hears that this accusation of the Jews is also a lie and no good at all, he tries to find a way to release Jesus.
Joh. 19, 12.
From that time Pilate sought how he might let him go. And the Jews cried out, saying: If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend; for he who makes himself king is against Caesar.
044 Then they return to the first complaint, repeat it, and sharpen it, saying thus, Thou, Pilate, wilt not hear nor suppose that this man is an insurrectionist. But know this: If you release this one, we will accuse you before the emperor for defending him who is publicly against the emperor.
John 19:13-16.
When Pilate heard the word, he brought Jesus out and sat on the judgment seat in the place called High Pavement, which in Hebrew is Gabbatha. Now it was the preparation day in the paschal days about the sixth hour. And he saith unto the Jews, Behold, this is the king. And they cried, Away, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your king? The chief priests answer: We have no king but Caesar. Then he delivered him up to be crucified.
45 When Pilate hears that the Jews will accuse him before Caesar, and that Caesar will be angry with him because he has not done his work properly, he goes to him and says, "I will not be accused of anything.
Jesus answered them that he would be crucified. If he had acted with the Jews alone, he would not have been won over. But when he hears that all the people threaten to write to Caesar and accuse him, he falls from the testimony he gave to Jesus before and mixes his blood with the innocent blood of Jesus.
46 Last of all, he gives a testimony about and against the Jews, sends for water, as Matthew writes, washes his hands before the people, and says, "I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man, you see. As if to say, "If anything comes of this, either before Caesar or elsewhere, I will be absolved and will take all the blame away from you. And the Jews are defiant, and answer, His blood be upon us, and upon our children."
Therefore Pilate pronounces the sentence thus: I Pilate, in place of the Roman emperor, condemn this Jesus to the death of the cross because he wanted to be king of the Jews. The Jews received this sentence from Pilate with their great and unceasing cries.
48 Now this is the history of what happened before Pilate the governor. First, that the chief priests and rulers of the people demanded of Pilate that he have the imprisoned JEsum judged without interrogation. Secondly, that they accuse him of being a rebel and a murderer, and yet cannot stand with such an accusation. Third, that Jesus is sent to King Herod. Fourth, that the rebel and murderer Barabbas be released, and the innocent Jesus be delivered to be crucified. Fifth, that Jesus was scourged and miserably beaten, and yet the poisonous Jews were not satisfied. Sixth, that he is accused as a blasphemer, and yet the Jews drop this charge, and bring up the first charge again, and sharpen it with the emperor's name and majesty.
So Christ must die as a heretic and blasphemer, and as a murderer and wicked man, as they sing about him hanging on the cross, as follows: "If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross.
1804 2.4, 448-450. Von der Historie am Kreuz. W. XIII, 835-838. 1805
let us believe him. He has trusted in God, who now deliver him, let him be longed for; for he has said, "I am the Son of God. The most important reason why Christ must die is that they blame him for being a rebel and against the emperor.
50 Today we are in the same way. If the pope, bishops and poisonous papists cannot come to us, they say we are rebels. First they call us heretics; if that does not help, they say: We are disobedient to the emperor; the disobedience of the
But the obedient must be punished. So we too must bear the two virtues of the devil, lying and murder, just as Christ, our head, bore them. This is how it has been and will be until the end: the devil with his members, deceivers, liars and murderers has the title and name that he is a right leader, true teacher and helper to life; but Christ, who is true and a giver of life, must die with his members as a murderer, rebel and heretic.
The fourth sermon.*)
From history, what Christ suffered and spoke on the cross, and from the thief to the right hand.
We have heard the history of the Passion or Passion of Christ according to the text except for the part when Christ was hanged on the cross.
will be. But so that we have the history of Christ's suffering in its entirety, let us read what St. Lucas writes about the Lord's cross.
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 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, 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.
In this fourth part of the Passion or Passion of Christ on the Cross, I have chosen to speak primarily of the words that the Lord spoke on the Cross.
*) Held on Char Friday, April 2, 1534, in the parish church.
For we are not to look at this man's passion and suffering alone, but also at the words he speaks; by which words he also explains his suffering, what it creates and accomplishes.
- above all, as we heard in the first sermon of the Passion, must-.
1806 L. 4, 480-482. Of the history on the cross. W. XIII, 838-841 1807
We distinguish the sufferings of our Lord Christ from all other holy sufferings, 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 and fruit that follow from such suffering. For no man's suffering, nor angel's, nor any creature's, has brought about, nor can bring about, the suffering of this man. For he suffers not for himself, but for us, that we through it might be delivered and set free from sin and death.
(3) For the sake of the person, this suffering is exceedingly great and unspeakable. For one drop of Christ's blood is more than heaven and earth. There is a great difference when a king is smitten and when a peasant is smitten. If the person is great, then the sin against the same person is also great. We will leave this aside, and now say only that this suffering is great for the fruit and benefit, namely, that through this suffering all creatures are changed, and heaven is made new, and all things are made new. We will see this in the words that Christ spoke on the cross, which words every Christian should know or ever learn.
The first word that Jesus spoke on the cross is that he prays for those who crucified him, saying: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. These words are briefly put, but very comforting. The Lord may have added more words, but they are not written. But these are written for our comfort.
(5) Since our dear Lord Jesus Christ is lifted up into the air and hangs on the cross, separated from the earth, and no longer has anything of his own on earth, he is in his right, proper, priestly office, and accomplishes his work, for which he came on earth: not only with his suffering, that he offers himself, but also with prayer. For both are priestly works: sacrifice and prayer.
- the cause of his suffering and priestly sacrifice is, as he himself speaks in the Evan
Gospel John 7:19: "I sanctify myself for them, that they also may be sanctified in the truth. And Cap. 10, 15.: "I lay down my life for the sheep." It says that his suffering should be called suffering for us, not for himself. This he holds here, as a faithful shepherd, priest and bishop of our souls, and directs his work and sacrifice, so that the whole world may become new.
(7) But what priestly adornment, or garment, or altar, does this priest Jesus Christ have, when he sacrifices himself for us? His adornment is not a golden, silken garment, pearls or precious stones, as the bishops of the pope adorn themselves, or as the high priest in the Old Testament had his special priestly adornment and was resplendent in it; but he hangs on the cross naked and bare, full of wounds, and has not, so to speak, a thread on his body. Instead of the purple robe, he has red blood, his body is full of wounds and welts, and swollen; instead of the priestly hat, he wears a crown of thorns full of blood.
This is the priestly adornment of this high priest. -For he is "a priest forever, after the manner of Melchizedek," as the 110th Psalm v. 4. says. This high priest is both priest and sacrifice; for he offers his body and life on the cross. It may seem unpriestly that he hangs on the cross, naked and bare, bloody and swollen, and has a crown of thorns cut through his head; but he is the true priest and bishop who sacrifices himself, and burns his own body in great love for the redemption of the whole world. The ancient priesthood had great splendor; when Aaron and his descendants sacrificed rams, oxen, cows and calves, it had a prestige and went on with singing and sounding. But there seems to be nothing splendid about this high priest.
The altar of this high priest is the cross and gallows. For as we now look upon the public judgment and the tabernacle, so shall we also look upon the cross whereon Christ hangs. Now it is called the holy cross, because Christ has made it so honest: but at that time it was no different, because the Jews hanged him on the light gallows, or set him on the stone of the tabernacle. On the
1808 2.4, 482-484. Von der Historie am Kreuz. W. XIII, 841-843. 1809
same altar, this high priest performs his sacrifice.
(10) This is a shameful, abominable and unusual altar. There the Jews said: Whoever comes on the altar, he is vermaledeiet and cursed. Moses himself said: "Cursed is everyone who hangs on the wood", Deut. 21, 23. The oxen, cows and calves that were sacrificed in the temple were led to the holy, consecrated altar with votive offerings and incense, and great honor was shown to them. But Christ, who is the right high priest and the right sacrifice, and who consecrates and sanctifies everything, is led to the public court to a dishonest, unconsecrated, even cursed altar, and is killed as an evildoer. We all hold that no place is so unpleasant as the cross or gallows; as the common evil wish and curse testifies: Go to the gallows, that the ravens may eat you. The same shameful, unpleasant place, and the cross, the most shameful wood that can be called on earth, is the altar of our high priest and bishop. There he is sacrificed as the most accursed man that ever came on earth.
(11) For this purpose this high priest is killed, not like the other thieves who are judged at his side. For here is all poison and devil in the people who crucify him. With the other two thieves they have compassion. But this one must be crucified in the midst of the other thieves, as the worst thief, and no one has compassion on him, but makes it so poisonous that it could not be more poisonous. All that he speaks will be most wickedly corrupted. The wine, which is given to the wicked, so that they become brave, they spoil with vinegar, gall and myrrh, so that nothing good happens to poor Jesus in his suffering. When he prays and cries, "Eli, Eli, lama asabthani," they mock him and say, "He calls to Elijah; stop, let us see if Elijah will come and help him." They do not do the same to the other two shepherds. But this one must suffer.
- so it should happen to this priest with his sacrifice, that such great poison is poured out on him that no one can talk it out.
No thief and murderer dies so shamefully and ignominiously as this Jesus. He must go to the place of the skull, where the grave of all thieves, scoundrels and murderers is. His head is not only pierced with a crown of thorns, but he is also spit upon, disgraced and despised. One reads in no history that ever a man would have been judged by public court so mercilessly as this one. One is not in the habit of mocking an offender when he is being judged; just as it is not the way today to mock the condemned people who are being executed. There is no one who rejoices at their death; but everyone gladly gives muscatels, refreshment, speaks kindly to them, and helps in whatever way he can. But with this high priest it is different, he must be the most shameful thief and rogue who ever was.
(13) Therefore he is such a low and contemptible high priest in the sight of the world, having such a blasphemous and dishonest altar, and being such a sacrifice that men are afraid of him; as the prophet Isaiah says, Cap. 53:2, 3: "We saw him, but there was no form to please us; he was the most despised and worthless, full of pain and sickness. He was so despised that they hid his face from him; therefore we esteemed him nothing." When he was brought before the prisoners, he was treated abominably, both before the high priest Caipha and before the governor Pilato. Since he was nailed to the cross, they poured out on him all envy and poison, and were not satisfied with any spitting, mockery and blasphemy. All the floods should go over him, and he should be thus inflicted, as never an evildoer, and arrange his sacrifice in the most shameful place.
14 Thus we have this high priest Jesus Christ with his altar and sacrifice, most ignominiously prepared by the Jews and the men of war. Yet all our sins lie on his shoulder; as the prophet Isaiah also clearly testifies in the same place, Cap. 53:4, 5, when he says: "Truly he bore our sickness and took upon himself our pain; we took him for one who was afflicted and smitten and martyred by God. But he is for our iniquity
1810 8.4, 454-456. Von der Historie am Kreuz. W. XIII, 843-846. 1811
wounded for the sake of our sin and crushed for the sake of our sin. The punishment is upon him, that we might have peace; and by his wounds we are healed." And Cap. 9:6, "His dominion is upon his shoulder." There lie I and thou and all men, from the first man Adam unto the end of the world. For our sake he was judged in such a shameful place and died such an ignominious death that even the stones and creatures cry out over it, since men have no compassion on him.
15 In this priestly office and work, when he offers his body on the cross, he also comes with priestly prayer. For a priest, in addition to the sacrifice, should also offer his prayer to God. To such prayer he takes these words: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do"; prays, then, and offers himself to his heavenly Father. The epistle to the Hebrews in chapter 5, v. 7, says that Christ, in the day of his flesh, offered up prayer and supplication with strong cries and tears to Him who was able to save him from death, and was also heard, because he honored God.
(16) This is our consolation (as it is also preached to us that we should take comfort in this), that this high priest has prayed for me and for you and for all of us, that is, for his crucifiers. For just as he suffers for us all, he also worships for us all. So also his crucifiers are not only the Jews and Gentiles, who at that time laid their hands on him and crucified him, but also we and the whole world. For it is the sins of all of us that crucified him, wounded him and crowned him with thorns. Those crucifiers were only servants and slaves of our sins. If your sins and mine had not put Christ on the cross, they would have had to leave him satisfied. Since Christ is the true priest and the little lamb of God, who paid for the sins and death of the whole world with his sacrifice, the Jews and the Gentiles have power over him. Therefore this prayer goes over the whole world. When Christ prays for those who crucify Him, He also prays for us and for all men whom we have brought to Himself with our sins.
his cross and death; and beseeches not to condemn us, but to make us blessed.
(17) For this reason we are not to regard the gallows and the public judgment and cross on which Christ suffered as anything other than an altar, where Christ offered up his body and life for our sins and prayed in the midst of the suffering, so that he might thereby prove his priestly office and bring us to grace, and we might be freed from sin and eternal death. For he that taketh away sin taketh away death also. Cause: "Death is the wages of sins", as St. Paul teaches, Rom. 6, 23. Therefore, where sin is gone, death has no more power. But where death is gone, hell and the devil are also gone, and instead there is eternal righteousness, life and blessedness. Because Christ has taken away sin through his sacrifice and prayer on the cross, neither death nor the devil nor hell has any cause for us.
(18) Christ accomplished all this on the cross, not by our works and merit, but by his body and blood, when he became a curse for us and died on the cross for our sins, and finally interceded for sinners. This should be our joy and comfort, and for this we should thank Christ from the bottom of our hearts and preach about it with all diligence.
19 In the papacy they also preached this. But regardless of the fact that the words are so clear and the story so clear, that Christ sacrificed himself on the cross and prayed for us, they went on and taught another way to salvation, imagining to the people with many words that we ourselves should be priests, should sacrifice ourselves, and pay God with our own works and acquire eternal life. And still today the Pope and his followers condemn our doctrine, that we teach that we are saved only through Christ's body and blood, sacrificed on the cross. But is this not a terrible wrath, blindness and punishment that has fallen upon this people, that they themselves preach the Passion yearly everywhere, that Christ sacrificed Himself for us on the cross, and yet rage against us, curse our doctrine as heresy and condemn it?
1812 4, 456-^88. Von der Historie am Kreuz. W. XIII, 846-849. 1813
who teach such doctrines and reject people from such certain, eternal consolation? This means (as Isaiah threatens the despisers of God's word) to be blind with seeing eyes and not to hear with open ears, and to have an obdurate, incomprehensible heart. For how else could it be possible that they should be so staarblind? They themselves teach and confess that Christ sacrificed himself for us; yet they persecute and shed the blood of those who preach and believe this. They let the high priest Christ shine as the dear, beautiful sun, that he sacrificed himself for our sins on the cross; and nevertheless they go and put a monk's cap on a dying man, give him paternoster stones in his hand, and say that he should put his comfort on his own works, on indulgences, on a lousy cap, on masses 2c.; and thus they mislead the people miserably. The light shines in their eyes, they see it, but they do not understand it.
20 It is clear and evident that Christ, our only high priest, brings to us his wounds and tears, saying, "Father, here I am, a mediator between you and men. I am a man and have brothers who are in sins and in danger of death and hell. But I die for them, I sacrifice myself for them, be merciful to them 2c. Our adversaries themselves hear and see such things, yes, they confess and preach them; nevertheless, let them still cry and rave against them, and condemn us as heretics. Well then, it is God's wrath, so may God graciously protect us from it. But if He ever wants us to fall, let us fall into such sin as we feel and confess, and not into that which is contrary to grace, and which adorns itself and is praised for righteousness and holiness.
021 Therefore let us open our hearts, and behold our high priest Christ in his right adornment. If you take your ears and eyes to counsel, and look at him from the outside, how shameful, miserable and wretched he hangs on the cross, you will find no adornment in him, as in Aaron. But if you take the word of God into your counsel and look into the heart of Christ, you will find an ornament filled with all virtues.
and such treasure, for which you will never be able to thank him enough.
(22) For first of all, he is adorned with great, excellent, heartfelt obedience to his Father, so that he allows himself to be spit upon, scourged, bruised, and so shamefully executed for his will and honor. What a glorious ornament this is, we cannot see in this life; nevertheless, we can see so much from God's word that all the rubies, precious stones, pearls, all the garnets and pieces of gold are nothing compared to it.
The other ornament is his great love for us, that his whole heart is set on helping us. He is not concerned about our suffering, indeed, he does not even think about it; our cause and our need are so dear to him. He first prays for us: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do"; then he prays for himself: "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" item: "Father, I commend my spirit into thy hands". Who, after all, can utter such love and adornment? His heart is so full of fire, more than all the world can understand or grasp. In his greatest suffering, torture and shame, he stands as if he sees or feels nothing; but thinks, sees and cares only for your and my misery, distress and heartache.
(24) Is not this great, earnest, burning love? If someone were to look so kindly on his enemies that he thought to help them with his harm, shame, scorn and ridicule, and in the midst of suffering cared for nothing else but that his enemies might be helped, then anyone who has reason would have to confess and say: There is greater love than if a father and mother ran through a fire or struck themselves on a knife to save the children. For there is the fatherly and motherly heart, which makes them not feel their misfortune and pain. But he takes care of his enemies so warmly that he does not think of his own need, but only sees to it that they are helped. In the same way our dear Lord Christ's heart burns, so that he tears through suffering, blood, spears, shame, burdens, wounds, as through a fire, and in all his love and mercy, he saves us for ourselves.
1814 L. 4, 458-460. . Of the history of the cross. W. XIII, 849-851. 1815
and says to his Father, "I am here for their sake; Father, forgive them, for for their sake I am suffering all this.
(25) Now this is the right adornment, since our high and eternal priest is adorned with it. This adornment must be seen and recognized with spiritual eyes. One does not see such adornment by heart, but Christ seems to be an avenger, a prankster, and an evil-doer above all evil-doers. But inwardly he is seen, and his words testify that in his heart there is much more beautiful adornment than the sun and all the adornment on earth. For there is first of all hearty and willing obedience to his Father; then to us love, mercy, patience, gentleness, and all the virtues in one heap. This is another colorful garment and priestly adornment than that of the priest Aaronis. And such I have wanted to show, for transfiguration, why Christ suffered.
(26) Therefore, in all matters of suffering, we should pay special attention to this article and firmly grasp it, and not allow it to be taken away from us. For this is the main thing, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, sacrificed Himself for us on the gallows of the holy cross, and that nothing was so dear to His heart as our grief and misery. For I and you, and all of us, are in his wounds and thorns and spittle, because in those same wounds and thorns and spittle he snatches and grasps at us, that he may save us.
(27) We need this article not only to comfort us, but also to strengthen us against the poison of the devil, which he pours into people through the pope and others, to bring them to heaven through their own righteousness, merit and works. But if we could have accomplished this with our works, what could Christ, the Son of God, have suffered, and let it become so sour? But now he stands here and prays to his Father, saying: "I, the high priest, offer my sacrifice, my body and blood, in all obedience and patience, asking you to be merciful to poor sinners, to forgive their sin, to be their father also, and to look upon my person and sacrifice. Therefore this is a prayer, not only spoken with the mouth, but also
For it has accomplished what it desired; it has blotted out our sin and reconciled us to God, if we believe otherwise.
(28) Now this is proof enough that we can do nothing of the kind by our works, for it is not so easy to obtain forgiveness of sins as the papists and teachers of works think. The works that the pope has commanded are difficult, but they are not impossible. It is soon done that one puts on a cap, watches a lot, fasts, sings; all this can still be done. But this is not the end of it. If one is to receive forgiveness of sins, there must be something far greater than my own works and yours; God will be slow to hear me even for my fasting, watching, praying: but this is what Isaiah says: "He was wounded for our iniquity, he was crushed for our sin; he bore the sickness of us all.
Now the papists themselves must confess that the suffering and death of the Lord Christ is far different from my prayer, my good works, my suffering, my almsgiving, my fasting. Whoever wants to lead such a fight against sin, death and the devil, will certainly achieve nothing. It takes another man, other works and merits to do enough for sin and to bear God's wrath. He who wants to exalt his own merit and works and use them against sin blasphemes Christ's death, sacrifice and prayer, because he thinks as much of his sacrifice and prayer as he does of Christ's sacrifice and prayer. One should diligently guard against such abominations.
030 Now the Lord prayeth not evil in the multitude; but setteth a difference of them for whom he prayeth, saying, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Many have sorrowed hard why the Lord spoke thus; but the simple opinion is that he means to indicate two kinds of sins. Some sins are confessed to be sins; some sins are not confessed to be sins. Some people know that they do wrong, and yet they do it without confessing it.
1816 8.4, 460-462. Von der Historie am Kreuz. W. XIII, 8SI-884. 1817
all timidity, out of pure hatred and malice against the recognized divine truth. This is called sinning against the Holy Spirit, since one stands up and persists that it is right. Such people sin knowingly and out of malice, persist in such a knowingly sin, do not desist from it, do not ask forgiveness for it. So do our junk lords, the papists: they know well that our doctrine is right, that Christ commanded the Sacrament to be received in full, did not forbid marriage, did not command anything about the Sacrifice of the Mass; item, that Christ died for our sins 2c.: nevertheless, they condemn us as heretics for the sake of such things, and punish their subjects, where they know that they need our doctrine and the Sacrament as Christ instituted it. These do not sin ignorantly, but against the Holy Spirit. Whether our Lord God can convert one or more from such sin, if he wills: nevertheless such sin is of a kind and nature that it cannot be forgiven; for it goes directly against grace and forgiveness of sins; since forgiveness of sins wants both, that one confesses the wrong and lets go of it, and that one asks for forgiveness.
The others are sinners who sin ignorantly. This is what you are to understand: David knows well that he has done wrong and sinned against God by taking Uriah's wife and having him slain; but evil desire and the devil drive and chase him so violently that he falls into such sin before he has thought through what he is doing. But afterwards he confesses, is sorry, wishes he had not done it, and desires mercy. We all carry such sins around our necks that we are easily and unawares carried away and fall, sometimes hurried by the devil and our flesh, sometimes out of fear like Peter, sometimes out of carelessness and foolishness that we do not understand, sometimes out of security and presumption. Such sins Christ swallowed up on the cross and prayed for. For they are sins that do not fight against grace. Such a sinner does not say, "I have done right," but is naked, bare, and lets himself be seen, confesses his sin, and asks for forgiveness. So you see,
that many a poor thief, many a murderer, many a harlot, and other wicked people come to mercy; for they do not defend their sin, but confess that they have done wrong, and ask forgiveness.
(32) Let it now be discerned and said: All sins have the sacrifice and prayer of Christ between them and God, for which reason God will not impute them, provided that they are confessed and that one adheres to this high priest with his sacrifice and prayer on the cross. Those sins, however, which fight against grace and do not want to be sin, such as the blasphemy of the left-handed executioner and the high priests, do not belong here under the prayer of Christ. There is a great difference between sin that is known to be sin and sin that is not known to be sin. The sin that is recognized as sin, whether it be unbelief, or weakness of faith, or other shortcomings, are all sins in vain; God will not reject me for such sin, but will forgive me if I confess that it is sin, ask for mercy, and cleave to Christ. But the sins which are not acknowledged to be sins, but are denied, are unpardonable sins; for they do not want to be sins, and fight against grace.
Our papists and their followers knowingly and willingly do not want to do otherwise, nor do they want to recognize it as sin, nor do they desire Christ's sacrifice for sins; they 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; they should take comfort in this sacrifice and prayer, and know that their sins are forgiven.
(34) 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 his sacrifice's sake, who will not impute their sin to them but will graciously forgive it.
35 The other word of JEsu on the cross is that he says to the right-hand thief, "Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise." The left hand thief blasphemes
1818 ".4, 462-464.' Von der Historie am Kreuz. W. XIII, 854-Ä6. , 1819
JEsum and says: "If you are Christ, help yourself and us". But the right thief punishes him and says: "Are you not afraid of God, since you are in the same condemnation? 2c.; and turning to JEsu, he says, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." Then Christ tells him about the kingdom of heaven, saying, "Today you will be with me in paradise." This is a beautiful, excellent story, the like of which cannot be found anywhere.
For first of all, this is a great miraculous sign and very comforting, that this right-handed thief, who is rightly and justly condemned to death, both temporally and eternally, just like the left-handed thief, and has no good works, and has cause to fear God because of his sins, nevertheless takes courage and has confidence in Christ that he will take him into his kingdom.
37 Secondly, it is also a great wonder that this avenger and murderer does not turn back to the great offense of seeing Jesus condemned to death, blasphemed and desecrated by both spiritual and temporal governments. For then the rulers mock him, saying, "He has helped others, let him help himself; he is Christ, the chosen of God." The soldiers also mocked him, bringing him vinegar, saying, "If you are the king of the Jews, help yourself." For there was inscribed over his head, "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." The left thief also blasphemes him, saying, "If thou art Christ, help thyself and us." In sum, everyone is angry with him and does not think anything of him, even the disciples themselves; although they may have stood around the cross in part, they no longer have any hope. But this thief on the right hand does not take offense at him, so that he also punishes the left thief for his blasphemy. It is indeed a great, great annoyance for the whole world that Christ dies such an ignominious death; nevertheless, this thief pulls through and has such great faith that he may call Christ, who hangs next to him on the cross, a Lord and King. Who has ever heard this? He gives the whole world the lie, and does not look at what other people think or say about him, and calls him, as a
eternal king. The others consider him to be a godless and foolish man, but he calls him a Lord and says that he has a kingdom and desires, when he will be in the same kingdom, that he will remember him. Now it was about that time that no one could reach the evening with his life. Therefore he believes that Christ is the Lord of another and eternal life. This is a great, excellent faith and a glorious confession, since otherwise all the world despairs of Christ and thinks nothing of him.
This is how Christianity is to be preserved; this is God's work, since all the world is falling away, Jews and pagans are crucifying and blaspheming Christ, and the disciples are forsaking Him, so God calls this thief. Thus He still wants to preserve His Christian Church today: even if all fall away from Christ, emperors, kings, popes, bishops, the most powerful and learned on earth, God still wants to keep a small group that shall have His Spirit and confess Him before the world. Therefore, this is a comforting image and example to all of Christendom that God does not want the faith in Christ and the confession to perish. If the disciples, along with others who are related to the Lord Christ, do not confess or believe, but rather deny Him out of fear, become angry with Him and run away, then an evil-doer or murderer must come forth, confess this Christ, preach about Him, and teach other people what to think of Him and what to take comfort in Him. For our Lord God will not leave Christ without people who confess him, even if it is only a thief on the gallows or a murderer on the wheel.
39 Therefore this is a comforting history, from which we are to learn what Christ has for people who belong to his kingdom, who find their way to him and to whom he wants to prove all grace, namely: who are sinners and confess their sin and ask for grace from the heart; these shall find grace and forgiveness. For just as he asked before, so he proves by deed that he is there for this reason, and wants to forgive sins of those who recognize their sin and desire forgiveness and believe: as soon as this thief admits guilt and calls on Christ, he is from that time on.
1820 4- 464-466. Of the history on the cross. W. xm, 856-859. 1821
and is the first fruit that follows the Lord's prayer on the cross.
(40) Why does Christ not first take Peter or another saint? Why does he let the first fruit of his prayer be that he redeems and saves a scoundrel and murderer from sins and eternal death by his blood and wounds? Answer: He wanted to show that his kingdom does not pass over the saints, but over sinners; for the comfort of all poor sinners, so that they may believe and not doubt that Christ did not die for the righteous, but for the unrighteous and sinners; as he himself says, Matth. 9, 13: "I have come to call sinners to repentance, and not the righteous. Therefore he that thinketh to die a holy man, and without all sin, shall enter into heaven, when fire shall break out at the window, and devils shall dance. For he who does not want to be a sinner has no need of the Lord Christ or of his suffering, for he did not die for his own sake but for the sake of sinners.
41 For this reason, this history should be taken as an example, since Christ proves by deed what he sought and obtained by his suffering, since he makes a murderer on the gallows into a saint, who does not remain in sin, but becomes an eternal saint. For Christ did not die for sinners in such a way that they remain and continue in sins, but that he redeems them from sins, and that they convert, become pious and holy; as is seen here in the case of the thief. From the same Christ makes a
eternal saint (because he does not remain an avenger and murderer, but converts), and from the gallows and death, which the avenger, as he himself confesses, deserves, Christ makes a service to God, so that he no longer suffers as a murderer, but as a Christian and a true saint. For he dies in confession and faith in Christ, is heartily sorry for his sin, and has the resolution, where God would leave him longer on this earth, that he will no longer sin in this way. Through such faith he obtains the happy verdict that he is not only clean from sins, but also eternally blessed and declared an heir to paradise.
(42) We have now seen the fruit of Christ's suffering, first in the word of his prayer, and then also in the word of his work and deed, that he promises paradise to the right hand of the thief who calls upon him. We should follow this example, and not think as crude, godless people do, who say: I will sin, that Christ may deliver me, and prove his mercy upon me. No, not at all. For our flesh is not only full of sickness and filth before, but also full of sins. Since we are now deep enough in sins and death before, it is unnecessary for us to continue sinning; but we should seek how we may crawl out, how we may be reconciled to God, and sweep out sin more and more by God's grace. Let this be said of the two words of Christ on the cross. May God grant us His grace, so that we may grasp and keep it, amen.
1822 L. 4, 466-468. Of the history of how Christ was buried. W. XIII, 859-861. 1823
The fifth sermon.*)
The history of how Christ was buried, John 19; Matthew 27.
We have heard the passion and history of Christ's suffering, except for the last part, how he was laid in the tomb and buried in the grave.
ret. The holy evangelists John and Matthew write about the same piece:
John 19:31-42; Matthew 27:62-66.
The Jews, because it was the preparation day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for the Sabbath of that day was great), asked Pilate to break their bones and take them away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other that was crucified 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 hath seen it hath borne witness, and his testimony is true; and he knoweth that he saith 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.
Then Pilate asked Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, that he might remove the body of Jesus. And Pilate permitted it. Nicodemus also came, who had come to Jesus by night, and brought myrrh and aloes among them for a hundred pounds. Then they took JEsu's body and bound it in linen cloths with specimens, as the Jews are accustomed to bury. Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein no man was ever laid: and there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews' day of preparation, seeing the sepulchre was near.
The next day, after the preparation day, 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 sepulchre be kept until the third day, lest his disciples come and steal him away, and say unto the people that he is risen from the dead, and that the last deception be worse than the first. Pilate said to them: There ye have the keepers, go and keep as ye know. So they went, and covered the sepulcher with guardians, and sealed the stone.
(1) There are two parts: first, that the Jews ask Pilate to remove the body of Jesus and the thief from the crosses; and second, that they ask Pilate to command that the tomb of Jesus be kept until the third day.
(2) First, the reason why the Jews took away the body is twofold. Although the evangelist John sums up everything and says: "They have
*) Held on the afternoon of the Saturday before Easter 1531, in public assembly.
for the sake of the Sabbath, which was glorious and great, but the reason was twofold. First, Moses had commanded that if a man was hanged and hanged on a wood, his body should not be left on the wood overnight, but buried that day before the sun went down. If the body of a hanged man were to remain on the cross overnight, the land would be polluted and sinful, for such a man was cursed by God. Therefore, as the Jews did before, when they presented Jesus to the court, they worked to bring him to the cross.
1824 L. 4, 468-470, On the history of how Christ was buried. W. XIII, 861-864. 1825
the death on the cross, which was a cursed death: so they also ask here that he, together with the other murderers, as a cursed one of God, be taken down from the cross and the earth not be polluted because of him. With this, the Jews intend to have a secure protection and shield, and to shut up all people, because they get God's law on their side. Therefore they have no rest until he is crucified, crying out without ceasing, "Crucify, crucify!" For they think that if he is only brought to the cross, then God's law stands for us against all men's judgment, and testifies that a hanged man is cursed by God. But they did not think that God would make a hole through it and cause their thoughts to be missing; they did not think that God would raise up the avenger on the cross, who would publicly testify of Christ and confess that he was innocent, and that he was the Lord of life and the Savior of all the world; much less did they think that God would save his Son.
(3) After this there was also a serious and strict commandment given concerning the Sabbath, which was the greatest and highest feast of all feasts. There was no greater feast than the Sabbath; as Moses says, Deut. 23:3: "The seventh day is the holy great Sabbath, when ye come together." The other three feasts, the Feast of Unleavened Bread or Pascha, the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles were also great and glorious feasts; but yet the Sabbath was greater and more holy. The other feasts were commanded apart from the Ten Commandments, which Moses calls the Ten Words. But the Sabbath is included in the Ten Commandments; therefore it is called the great Sabbath.
4 Whether the Jews mean this, or whether they hurry like this for some other reason, I do not know. Perhaps they thought: He has not yet died, therefore his legs should be broken, so that he may be martyred again and again. Or if they did not seek this, perhaps they could not wait until he died, but hurried so that the body could be removed from the cross and he could be put to death without delay by the governor Pilato. They are not satisfied with the fact that he was taken to the
They ask that his legs be broken or pierced so that he may die soon or that his torture may become greater and more severe. They cannot even fulfill their fierce hatred of him, because they are not satisfied with the fact that he is not only condemned to death, but also that the judgment has already passed over him and he is nailed to the cross, and that he must wait every moment to give up his spirit. But how his body will be added and buried, they do not ask, they only see to it that he is dead; his body will be eaten by birds or wolves afterwards, they do not ask anything about that; if he only died and was taken down from the cross as a cursed man by God, they think they have won; how he will be buried, they do not care about that.
(5) Nor are they worthy to take his body down from the cross and bury it themselves, or to see to it that it is buried by others. Such honor and benefit shall not be done to them, as to those who have been handed over by God, that they would bury his body. The Holy Spirit has called other people to do this, namely, Joseph and Nicodemum; and these also become bold and courageous, so that they may dare to do it: Joseph, to ask Pilatum for the body of Jesus; Nicodemus, to help bury him. Now these are the other disciples, born of the Lord Christ's suffering: who before were fearful and terrified, now they are confident and courageous. For the sacrifice and prayer of Christ on the cross penetrates and bears fruit. The thief on the right hand is the first fruit of Christ's death; Joseph and Nicodemus are the other fruit; they follow the thief, become bold: Joseph goes to Pilato, asks that he may take down the body of JEsu; Nicodemus brings myrrh and aloes -one under the other at a hundred pounds. Before, they were secret disciples, for fear of the Jews; now they become public disciples and confessors.
(6) They were great and glorious men. Joseph was from Arimathea, a citizen and rich man, yes, an honorable councilor in Jerusalem. Nicodemus was a Pharisee.
1826 D. 4, 470-472. Von der Historie, wie Christus begraben sei. W. XIII, 864^-866. 1827
and chief among the Jews. In the loose crowd of chief priests, scribes, Pharisees, elders and the whole people, Christ nevertheless finds two honest men after his death, who are allowed to bury his body, which is most horribly prepared and hangs in all dishonor on the cross, in the most honest way, even though they are already in danger of life and limb, good and honor. Now they have more faith, strength and courage than before, when the Lord was still alive. This is the fruit and power of Christ's suffering and death.
The other part is that the Jews ask Pilate to keep the body of Jesus, now that it is buried, until the third day. Behold wonders, what a thing it is for the counsel of the wicked! How they rag, mend, and plaster themselves at all times! The chief priests, Pharisees and elders have now brought it to pass that Jesus was crucified, died and was taken down from the cross, as they desired, they have succeeded in what they wanted; nevertheless, they cannot now be satisfied, but become restless, and are afraid of the dead man, since he is now crucified, died and is buried. Before Pilato they pretend that his disciples would steal him and say that he is risen. But in their heart is the word of the Lord Jesus, which he said while he was still alive: I will rise again after three days, a sharp and piercing thorn, so that they will say, "How, if it were true? If he rose from the dead, how would we fare?
(8) Whosoever therefore shall be advised, let him be not sworn with the man whose name is Jesus Christ, and see how the Jews have fared with him, and let their example be a faithful warning unto them. They wanted to confuse themselves with him, so now he leaves them neither peace nor rest.
009 But this counsel is for the Jews. This counsel of the Jews serves to shame them, when they come after, and give money enough to the soldiers, and command them to say, "His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. For because Pilate keeps the tomb safe and hangs the seals on it, 'the Jews, through their
The disciples convinced and overcame their own guardians that they had not stolen him. But what does it help with the hopeless people? They are convicted by their own guardians, yes, by their own counsel, work and seal: yet they remain hard and obdurate, like an anvil. Let this be said of this fifth part of the Passion, how the Lord is buried.
(10) The greatest, most noble and best part of the Passion is to learn and know not only the history, but also the cause and fruit of Christ's suffering, why and for what purpose he suffered. The history should be well kept, so that it remains in the heart and is not forgotten. For in history there are many examples, indications, and testimonies by which pious hearts may be reminded that Christ suffered for us and for our sin, by which examples and testimonies our ancestors (as no doubt many of them have been saved) were preserved, that they heard and learned from the Passion that Christ died for our sin. But besides the history, the benefit of Christ's suffering should also be shown. But the benefit is written in our faith, when we confess and say: I believe in Jesus Christ, suffered, crucified, died and was buried 2c. Why was he crucified and died? So that by it you might have forgiveness of sins and be saved; as follows in the third article of faith: I believe forgiveness of sins, resurrection of the flesh, and life everlasting. For all these things have been accomplished through Christ's suffering and death. For the Holy Spirit works that one may know Christ, and through faith in him obtain forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. Therefore, the most important part of the Passion is to preach and learn why Christ suffered and died, namely, for our sins, so that he might redeem us from sins, death and hell.
But that we may know the more fully the power and fruit of the passion of Christ, and be strengthened therein, let us hear the text from the 53rd chapter of the prophet Isaiah, concerning the passion and resurrection of the Lord Christ.
** 1828** L.4, 472-475. Von der Historie, wie Christus begraben sei. W. xm, 867-869. 1829
Isa. 52, 13. to S3, 12.
Behold, my servant shall do wisely, and shall be exalted, and very highly exalted; that many shall be offended at thee, because his form is more ugly than other men's, and his countenance than the children of men. But so shall he sprinkle many nations, that even kings shall shut their mouths against him. For to whom nothing has been preached, they will see it with delight; and to those who have heard nothing, they will see it. But who will believe our preaching? and to whom will the arm of the Lord be revealed? For he shooteth up before him as rice, and as a root out of dry ground. He had no form nor beauty; we saw him, but there was no form to please us. 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 did not respect him. Indeed, He bore our sickness and took upon Himself our pain. But we took him for one who was afflicted and smitten and martyred by God. But he is wounded for our iniquity, and bruised for our sin. The punishment is upon him that we might have peace, and by his wounds we are healed. We all went astray like sheep, each looking to his own way; but the Lord cast all our sin upon him. When he was punished and martyred, he did not open his mouth, like a lamb being led to the slaughter, and like a sheep falling silent before its shearer, not opening its mouth. But he is taken out of fear and judgment; who will speak the length of his life? For he is taken out of the land of the living, being afflicted for the iniquity of my people. And he was buried like the wicked, and died like a rich man: though he did no man wrong, neither was there deceit in his mouth. But the Lord wanted to crush him with sickness. When he has given his life for a trespass offering, he shall have seed, and shall live for a long time; and the purpose of the Lord shall continue by his hand. Because his soul has labored, he shall see his delight, and have fullness. And by his knowledge he, my servant the righteous, shall justify many; for he beareth their sin. Therefore will I give him great multitude for a prey, and he shall have the strong for a prey; because he hath given his life unto death, and is counted like unto the transgressors, and hath borne the sin of many, and prayed for the transgressors.
(12) Then we hear how the prophet Isaiah prophesied long before about the suffering of the Lord Christ, and particularly clearly indicated that such suffering was ordained and directed to be a sacrifice, so that our sin might be paid for and the redemption of the human race purchased. And the prophet of the Lord described the suffering more clearly than the evangelists in the New Testament. In all the holy scriptures of the Old Testament, there is no place where the cause of Christ's suffering is described so clearly and so clearly as in this text. Summa, in the Old Testament, this chapter is the covenant, just as in the New Testament, the covenant is St. Paul's Epistles. Therefore, every householder should read it to his children so that they may learn it by heart, so that it may become known among the young people to strengthen and practice their faith.
Behold, my servant shall rule wisely, and shall be exalted and very high. That many shall be angry with thee, because his coun
His appearance is uglier than other people's, and his reputation than the children of men.
(13) Christ will be a great, glorious, excellent king, but he will be such a man that many will be offended and angry with him. He will be a glorious king, and yet a displeasing king, for his gift will have no reputation. The prophet puts both at the same time: a great king he will be, and yet so ugly to look at that no one will grant him the eyes. With this, the prophet wants to warn both Jews and everyone against the ugly appearance of Christ, and thus say: "See to it that you do not become angry with this king. For he will hang miserably on the cross, die an ignominious death, and take on a very evil appearance. Therefore beware and be warned.
But so shall he sprinkle many nations, that even kings shall shut their mouths against him.
14 "Sprinkle" here means to preach, as Moses also needs the word thus, Deut. 5.
1830 8.4, 475-477. Of the history of how Christ was buried. W. XIII, 869-872. 1831
32:2: "Let my doctrine drop as the rain, and my speech flow as the dew; as the rain upon the grass, and as the drops upon the herb." As the rain and the dew sprinkle drops on the grass and the herb, so also the word sprinkles drops on the people. Therefore the prophet wants to say: Even though this King Christ will have such a shameful and annoying form, he will still sprinkle many Gentiles, that is, his annoying form will be preached throughout the whole world. He will be preached among the Gentiles that he is so ugly and ugly in appearance, and so miserably crucified, and that his people have been disgracefully offended and vexed by him. Kings also shall hold their peace, and cast their wisdom under this king's feet; this king that is to be crucified shall come up so high that kings shall be glad to hear his wisdom.
For those to whom nothing has been proclaimed will see it with pleasure, and those who have not heard of it will notice it.
15 Because the Jews are offended at this king, the Gentiles will be called; they will accept him.
But who believes our sermon? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
How wonderful this sermon will be! Few people will believe it. The Jewish people will not, but will be angry. For they think that the promised Messiah will be a worldly king. But because they do not find a worldly kingdom in this king, they do not want to believe that he is the promised Messiah. But this king will be exalted and his kingdom will sprinkle the Gentiles. For by the word he will reign, and not otherwise. Then it will be revealed to the Gentiles that he is the arm of the Lord; they will understand how strong he is, that is, that he destroys death, overcomes the devil and takes him captive. The Jews say: He died, how could he help others? but the Gentiles will know and believe that he is the only Savior and Helper against sin, death and the devil.
For he springs up before him like a rice, and like a root out of dry ground.
(17) Therefore it grows, and its kingdom comes up like a fine branch, and becomes a great tree; but before God. It had no rich soil and no moisture, yet it shoots up. The gospel and kingdom of Christ grows in the midst of fear and distress. Like a dry, thirsty land, where nothing can grow, so the Christian people are despised and limp before the world; yet it shoots up, but before God. Christ is both, in his person and in his kingdom, so made up that he has no standing before the world. The gospel is blasphemed, that it has no glory, but goes in plainly, and suffers persecution; yet it goes on. So now all the world looks at us as if we would be nothing after three days; yet we remain and live.
He had no form nor beauty. We saw him, but there was no form to please us. 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 did not respect him.
018 Because this king goeth in so plainly, and suffereth persecution, therefore they desire his nothing everywhere, but flee from him, as from the devil. Then the Jews seek an evasion, saying, Let it be written in the holy scriptures of two Messiahs; of one that suffereth, and of one that suffereth not, but is glorious. And they do not draw this text of the prophet from a single person, but invent two Messiahs: one who came long ago as a beggar, and the other who is said to be a glorious king, whom they are still waiting for today. But the words are too bright and clear, and the Jews will be violently reproached with this text. For here both miserable form and glory are clearly indicated, and yet both are from one person.
19 The Jews cannot rhyme the two together, the wretched form and glory. Therefore they leave the wretched Messiah and beggar, and cling to the one who is
1832 2.4, 477-479. Of the history of how Christ was buried. -IS. xm, 872-875. 1833
shall be a mighty, glorious king. But they are convicted and convinced. For the words are clear that both the despised and the glorious Messiah and King are one person. The prophet clearly says that the Messiah and King will be the most despised and unworthy, and yet also glorious. This is not speaking of two Messiahs, two persons, two kings; but of One Messiah and King and of One Person. The Messiah will be despised, so that people will turn their mouths and say, "I don't like the King." This is how it is with the Gospel now, it can neither be heard nor seen nor suffered: yet the prophet says that he will be glorious, even though he is already despised. Devils, the world, death cling to him; yet they cannot hinder his kingdom.
Truly, he bore our sickness and took upon himself our pain.
20 Thus the prophet describes this king as a suffering person. But what is the cause of his suffering? Why will he suffer? That is why he will suffer, "He bore our sickness." This is a clear, powerful text. This king's suffering is our pain and sickness. That which we should have borne for ever, that he bears; the pains which we have deserved, that we should die for ever, hunger, thirst, suffer 2c., all this is upon him. His suffering is for me and for you and for all of us, because it has happened too well for us.
But we took him for the one who would be afflicted by God, and beaten and martyred. But he is wounded for our iniquity, and bruised for our sin.
(21) This is true. For, as we have heard, Moses himself says: "Cursed be every man that hangeth on the wood. Therefore was he reproached as a damned and accursed man. He cannot help himself; how then can he help others? But they did not look at him with right eyes. For he bears our sorrows. Outwardly he seems to be cursed, but in spirit he bears my pain and yours and all ours.
carries. The prophet repeats the reason why Christ suffered, saying: "That he was afflicted and beaten as if he had been rejected by God, this happened for our sins. We are to remember this diligently. But alas, that we in the papacy have so obscured the suffering of Christ: what the prophet Isaiah and the apostle Paul wrote, all this has been forgotten among us; and we have been led away from the suffering of Christ into our own works. Therefore let us write these words of the prophet in our hearts, saying, "He is wounded for our iniquity, and bruised for our sin."
The punishment is upon him that we might have peace, and by his wounds we are healed.
He is punished; we have peace. I and you and all of us have angered God; he must atone for this, so that we, redeemed from sins, may come to peace. He must suffer; we go out free. And our unholy drips and coarse bacchants, the indulgence merchants, pretended that the pabst's indulgence delivered us from all chastisement and punishment, and instructed us to believe that our soul would have to suffer in purgatory, when it was already departed with grace and love (as they spoke of it). But the prophet says: "The punishment is on him", so that we may be well and have good days. This great love and mercy should not be so shamefully forgotten. The great harm that the devil brought us in paradise has been healed by his wounds.
We all went astray like sheep, each looking to his own way. But the Lord cast all our sins upon him.
(23) None of us walked in the right way, but we all went astray like sheep. There was no way against sin, no salvation, no salvation; but we all went astray. The right way to salvation is through Christ's punishment and suffering; that our sin is upon him and he is punished for our sin. Whoever lacks this way and does not seek peace in Christ is going astray. Set these words against the pope and all works saints.
1834 8.4 , 479-481. Of the history of how Christ was buried. W. XIII, 875-877. 1835
It is a wonder that one has been so blind and has not looked at this text, even though it has been sung almost every day in the responsories. Although the papists still sing it today, they do not look at it properly. The prophet clearly says that the Lord did not cast on him one man's sin, but all men's sin. You cannot help yourself from the smallest sin. But if you want to be helped, you must have this man's wounds before you. It was very bad that one did not see this in the terrible darkness of the papacy. But it is much worse that now, in the bright light, they do not want to see it either.
When he was punished and martyred, he did not open his mouth, like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that falls silent before its shearer and does not open its mouth.
24 Then the prophet shows how Christ suffered, namely, so patiently that he did not say a word against it. St. Peter, 1 Peter 2:23, interprets this as follows: "Who did not reproach when he was reproached, nor grieve when he suffered, but brought it home to him who judges aright. There the apostle indicates what it means not to open one's mouth. Not that Christ did not speak in his suffering (for the history of the Passion testifies that he prayed to his heavenly Father on the cross, and spoke to the mother Mary and to the disciple John), but that he did not scold, curse, or threaten, nor did he say, "Wait, you desperate Jews, you will be paid. He did not seek vengeance, he did not say, "Father, punish them again who crucify me, mock me and spit on me;" but he suffered like a sheep that does not cry out against its slaughterer. A pig and other animals cry out, but a sheep cries out and does not curse with the slaughterer and shearer. Christ's suffering is a great, great and grievous suffering, so that he would have had cause to scold and threaten, but he did not scold or threaten. It would have been worth it if he had scolded those who scolded him. But here are vain
Words of patience, mercy, kindness, love and gentleness; there is no sign of anger, impatience or vengefulness. He suffered for our sake with all his heart, wished no harm to anyone, and took no revenge because of it. This is what the prophet says: "He did not open his mouth.
However, he is taken out of fear and judgment.
He will die, and yet he will live. He is raptured from life, when people feared, judged, condemned and blasphemed him, and put him into another life. Even though he has already died and been buried, he has not remained in the earth, in the grave, in fear, judgment, death and blasphemy; all these things have not been able to keep him. He is gone, and shall be praised above all judgments. He is taken out of fear, out of miserable, blasphemous judgment, trial and death, and has come to live and be in all honor. For the Holy Spirit will transfigure him in all the world through the word of the Gospel. And this has happened abundantly, until he also came to us in these last times.
Who wants to talk out of his life long
(26) Now the prophet has said that Christ died, yet he lives. Now someone would ask and say: How long shall he live? So the prophet says: He will live so long that no one will be able to excuse the length of his life, that is, he has eternal life. He says both about Christ: that he dies, and yet has eternal life. So the apostles teach that the holy Scriptures testify that Christ should die and rise again from the dead; as St. Paul says, 1 Cor. 15:3, 4: "I gave you first of all, which I also received, that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures." So the prophet also says here: Messiah shall die, and yet shall live such a life as cannot be spoken of; that is, his life shall be eternal.
1836 L. 4, 481-483. On the history of how Christ was buried. W. XIII, 877-880. 1837
For he is taken away from the land of the living, being afflicted for the iniquity of my people.
27 This is spoken after the manner of the Hebrew language. "Life" in Hebrew means to have good courage. Therefore when the prophet says, He is cut off from the land of the living, he means, He is no longer with the people who have good courage and good days, but he is in another land and life. And this happened just at the time when he was punished for the iniquity of my people. When he is punished for the iniquity of my people, shortly after that he shall be taken away out of the land of the living. The prophet Isaiah wants to wedge the cause of Christ's suffering into our hearts, which is why he repeats so often: "At the time when he is punished for the iniquity of my people, he shall depart from this life.
And he was buried like the wicked, and died like a rich man; though he wronged no man, neither was deceit in his mouth.
028 This much is said, He is judged and slain as an ungodly man. For the Hebrew language calls a rich man an ungodly man. The epitaph and epitaph of the rich is, as Christ says, Matth. 19, 23: "A rich man will hardly enter the kingdom of heaven"; for the rich place their confidence and comfort in riches, and are commonly godless people. David, though already a king in Judah, is not rich; as the 132nd Psalm testifies, v. 1: "Remember, O Lord, David, and all his afflictions." The people, who have so much suffering and affliction, are not rich. Our Elector Duke John, even though he is already a prince in the empire, is still not a rich man. But H. G. and M. J. and B. V. M. are rich.
(29) Therefore, in the Scriptures, rich man is called an ungodly man, one who forsakes his riches. And so the prophet means to say that Christ died as one worthy of death and destruction, even though he was not an ungodly man. In his
In all his life there is no evil thing, and in all his preaching there is no false word; but in his doctrine there is all truth, and in his life there is all innocence and holiness. For he died not for his own sake, neither did he forfeit death; but is innocent and righteous in all his preaching and works.
But the Lord wanted to smite him with sickness.
(30) That he was thus crushed was God the Father's gracious and good will. He was not guilty, nor did he deserve it. But so it pleased God, who wanted such an innocent death and cross of His Son, so that our sins might be blotted out and we might be saved. So also Christ says, praying in the garden, "Not my will, but thine be done." The law of God, the judge Pilate had no right to him; but it was the will of the Lord.
If he has given his life for a guilt offering, he will have seed and live to a length.
So far the prophet has indicated the cause of Christ's suffering, namely, that he suffered for us and for our sins. Now he also indicates the power and fruit of such suffering, so that many will accept the same suffering, enjoy it, be glad that Christ suffered for them, and thank him for it from the heart throughout the whole world. "Trespass offering" means a sacrifice to pay the debt. "Seed" means heirs and children. So now the prophet wants to say: Christ will pay our debt with his suffering and death, and thereby get much seed. Although he will have neither wife nor household, he will have children in abundance. He also says in Cap. 9, 6: Messiah will be called "Everlasting Father". If he is to always be and remain a father, he must also always have enough heirs and children.
But lest the Jews should say: Our Messiah has no wife, how can he have children?" the prophet adds, "Messiah will have many children when he lives his life.
1838 8.4, 483-485. Of the history of how Christ was buried. W. XIII, 880-882. 1839
He has given himself as a guilt offering. The fact that he has children is because he gives himself as a guilt offering. He lives, and his children shall live with him. He begets children through baptism and the gospel. We and all believers are his seed and children, born through Word and Sacrament. We do not deserve to be his seed and children of God, but he has earned and deserved it by taking our guilt upon himself and bearing it.
And the LORD's nobility will go away by his hand.
What God Almighty has in mind will be accomplished through this King. That God wants to help the world from sins, death and hell by his hand, that shall be well done. Although emperor, king, Turk, pope, world, devil, death and hell will oppose it, they shall not prevent it. God will give it into his hand, will also lead it out by his hand, not by the emperor's hand and sword, nor by the pope's work and holiness. Christ, the Son of God, shall do it. For he alone died for us, he alone bore our sin.
Dam that his soul has worked, he will see his pleasure and have the fullness.
I will repay him," says God, "for letting himself become angry. Because he has suffered so, he shall see his pleasure after his death; I will raise him from the dead, and make him full of joy, and give him abundance forever.
And by his knowledge he, my servant the righteous, will make many righteous.
(35) This text is the main part of this chapter, therefore it should be diligently noted, especially against the pope and all teachers of works. For it clearly shows how one should take hold of the salvation acquired through Christ. We humans are all sinners and lost. If we are to be justified and saved, it must be through Christ. But since we are justified and saved through Christ alone
he must be more than a pure human being. For human hands and power cannot make anyone righteous and blessed; God must do it Himself. Since the prophet testifies of Christ that he will justify all who believe in him, he confesses that Christ is not only truly man, but also truly God.
(36) He says that Christ will make many righteous "through his knowledge," not through their works, strength, wisdom and holiness, but through his being known by them. It says that our righteousness lies solely in knowing Christ, that is, in recognizing that He died for our sins and that the punishment of God was laid upon Him. We should firmly believe this and not despair in our sins. If we take comfort in his suffering and death, and believe that he, the righteous and innocent, paid for our sin, we will know him rightly. This is a strong thunderclap against the righteousness of works; there all monasticism, monastic life and human holiness has fallen down. But here we must use the art that is called: bene definire et dividere: to speak and divide rightly. To know Christ is not my cap, plate, mass, pilgrimage, work, merit 2c.; but to hear what the prophets' Scripture says about Christ, and to accept and take comfort in it. For the pope and the devil also hears these things, but he does not accept them. But if I know and accept it, it will help me against sin and death.
37 The prophet says that Christ will give his word, knowledge and the Holy Spirit, who will write these things in our hearts, so that they will be the truth. The right-handed thief was very capable of such knowledge, as we heard in the Passion. For he could do nothing more than recognize in his heart that Christ is Lord over death and life, call Him Lord of death and life, and say, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." So shall I, and thou, and every man, do, and know what Christ's suffering is worth, and shall abide in it.
1840 485-487. Green Thursday. W. XIII, 882-885. 690,691. 1841
For he bears their sin.
(38) By what does he make them righteous? He makes them righteous by taking their sin upon himself. So St. John the Baptist also says of him, "Behold, this is the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. Those who believe that he bears their sins know him well. Christian righteousness is not my work, merit, or obedience to the law; but that I hear of Christ who bore my sin, and firmly believe this.
Therefore I will give him great multitude for a prey, and he shall have the strong for a prey.
- I will give him many nations, says God. Many mighty, wise and strong shall be robbed of the devil through him. And the devil shall not resist me.
Because he has given his life to death and is counted equal to the transgressors,
and he has borne many sins, and prayed for the transgressors.
(40) We have heard about this in the history of the Passion of the Cross, how Christ was crucified between two murderers and prayed for the poor sinners on the Cross. Because he did this, says God, he is to be Lord over all. Now it says both that Christ died and that he is still Lord. If he is to die, he must be a true, natural man. But if he is to bring the people to his knowledge, and have great multitudes for a prey, and the strong for a prey, he must be truly God. But the prophet cannot speak enough of this; therefore he repeats so often: Christ died for us, bore our sin, and was shamefully killed as the worst of evildoers. Because he has done this, says God, I will make him great. So we have recently passed over this chapter, which Christians should read often and remember diligently.
*Green Thursday. )
Of the Lord's Supper.
Today, as you know, the institution of the holy sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ is celebrated. For even though this sacrament is preached daily among Christians, it is still proper,
That some special days were taken to remember its origin and beginning. Therefore we will now also speak of it, as the text gives it and God gives grace. Thus writes the evangelist Lucas:
Luk 22:7-20.
Now the day of sweet bread came, on which the paschal lamb had to be sacrificed. And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go, prepare us the passover, that we may eat it. And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare it? And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, a man shall meet you bearing a pitcher of water: follow him into the house where he entereth in, and say unto the master of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the inn wherein I may eat the passover with my disciples? And he will show you a great paved hall; there prepare it. And they went, and found as he had said unto them, and prepared the passover. And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with
*) Held on the day of the institution of the Lord's Supper, April 2, 1534, in the parish church.
1842 8.4, 487-489. On Green Thursday. W. xm, 691-698. -. 1843
him. And he said to them: I was heartily desirous to eat this passover with you before I suffer: for I say unto you, that I will eat no more thereof, till it be fulfilled in the kingdom of GOD. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take the same, and divide it among you: for I say unto you: I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes. And he took the bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave it unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. The same also took the cup after supper, saying, This is the cup, the new testament in my blood, which is poured out for you.
- this is a part which took place in the Lord's supper; which part is to be distinguished from the sacrament of his body and blood. For in this piece nothing is said about the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, but about the eating of the paschal lamb, which Moses commanded in the Old Testament. It is written in the Law, Exodus 12, that on the fourteenth day of the first month in the afternoon, that is, between five and six o'clock in the evening, the Jews were to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread, that is, the Paschal Feast, for seven days, and to put away all leavened bread and leavened bread from all their houses, and to eat nothing but sweet unleavened bread for the seven days, and on the first day of the same Paschal Feast they were to eat the Paschal Lamb.
The same Jewish paschal feast is approaching this evening, according to our reckoning, and Christ is keeping the same feast here with his disciples, saying: "I have heartily desired to eat this paschal lamb with you before I suffer; for I say unto you, that I will eat no more of it henceforth, till it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. So he wants to say: I had a great desire and longing to eat this paschal lamb with you. For it is to be the last Easter that I will keep with you. For with these Easters the Russian and Jewish old Paschal lamb, priesthood, kingdom and service shall cease, and new Easters shall begin in my kingdom of the New Testament. Therefore I will also now lastly eat the paschal lamb with you, so that I may give it the last (farewell) and make its end.
(3) The ancient paschal lamb of Moses the Jews were to eat: they were to be girded about their loins, and have their shoes on their feet, and staves in their hands.
They had to eat it, as those who hurry away and are ready to run away. It was the Lord's Passover, so they all had to be shod, girded and equipped as pilgrims who are about to leave. Just as a messenger stands before the table and eats in haste, and drinks a drink to refresh himself, and goes away: so also the Jews had to eat their paschal lamb. So Christ also stood, or, as the evangelists say, sat, and had his shoes on his feet and his staff in his hand, likewise also his disciples, and ate in haste, as if they now wanted to eat.
4 Our dear Lord Christ kept such a meal of the old paschal lamb with his disciples, so that it would be a last, not only of his person, as he now wanted to forgive himself of this life on earth, where one eats and drinks with the other, but also of the whole law of Moses. The Jews had to keep their Easter in order to praise and glorify God's grace and mercy, that God had redeemed them from Egypt and established both kingdom and priesthood for them, and had accepted them as a people of property. This benefit, shown to them by God, should be commemorated during the Easter feast, and they should thank God for it. Christ abolishes all this here, that one should no longer preach about the redemption from Egypt, nor should one cultivate this Jewish kingdom and priesthood any longer; but all this should now be gone and obsolete, even though it had already been ordered by God through Moses.
And he took the cup, and gave thanks, saying, Take the same, and divide it among you. For I say unto you: I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.
1844 8.4, 489-491. On Green Thursday. W. xm, 693-697. 1845
5 This is not the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, but it is a last drink to the paschal lamb. As if the Lord wanted to say: This shall be the drink of John. Now I drink it with you, as it was ordained by Moses, but henceforth no more. With this cup and drink I will give the old paschal lamb its valete, and henceforth there shall be new paschals and new paschal lambs in the New Testament.
(6) This is how Christ kept the old Easter with his disciples, and this should be noted so that it is properly distinguished from the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ. It is true that one also eats and drinks here, as in the sacrament. But here is bad bread and wine, so that Christ has given his last to the old Jewish paschal lamb, kingdom, priesthood, preaching and thanksgiving for the redemption from Egypt. But soon he begins and establishes a new paschal lamb, a new kingdom and priesthood, a new preaching and thanksgiving, as follows:
And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave it unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. The same also the cup, after supper, saying, This is the cup, the New Testament in my blood, which is poured out for you.
7 The Lord instituted the sacrament of his body and blood. And this text can be kept very well. For it is not long, and in addition it is finely bright and clear. Our dear Lord Christ did not want to burden us with many laws, as the Jewish people were burdened in the Old Testament. He takes no more than bread and wine, and speaks his word over them: "Take, eat, this is my body; drink, this is my blood," or, "this is the cup, the New Testament in my blood"; item: "this do in remembrance of me. Let us then open our eyes and sharpen our ears, and grasp these words firmly and surely.
- When the Lord gives the cup to his disciples and says, "Take this and divide it among yourselves," he does not say, "This is my blood," but says:
"This is the fruit of the vine, of which I shall drink no more henceforth." But here, when he takes the bread, he says, "This is my body"; and when he takes the cup, he says, "This is my blood," or "the New Testament in my blood." Therefore here remaineth not the same bread and wine: but the bread is his body, which he giveth to eat; and the wine is his blood, or the New Testament in his blood, which he giveth to drink. For thus the words are, "He took the bread," "He took the cup," and adds the words, "This is my body," "This is my blood," or, "This is the cup, the New Testament in my blood." These words make that the bread is his body and the wine his blood. Whoever eats this bread eats the true body of Christ; and whoever drinks from this cup drinks the true blood of Christ, whether he is worthy or unworthy.
(9) This is to be firmly believed. For the dear Christians should give glory to God and confess that what God says, He can also do; as St. Paul writes of Abraham that he did so, Rom. 4, 21. Whoever wants to be a Christian should not do as our enthusiasts and the spirits of the pagans do, who worry about how it can be that bread is Christ's body and wine Christ's blood. They want to measure and understand God with their reason; and because it does not rhyme with their reason, they think that God cannot do it either. But what is the point of worrying about it for so long? And even if one tears oneself apart, one will still not be able to comprehend our Lord God with human reason. For our Lord God is not such a God who can be measured, understood and grasped by human reason, and His works and words are also not such works and words that would be subject to human reason. It is said, as St. Paul says, Eph. 3:20: "God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or understand." What is it then that we torture ourselves to death over this, and subject ourselves to judge and set God's word and work in such a way that they should fit and rhyme with our reason? But so it shall be: Is it GOt-
1846L . 4, 491-4M. Green Thursday. W. XIII, 697-700. 1847
tes word, then God is almighty and true; what he says, that he can also do.
(10) Therefore let us stand fast by these bright and clear words, when our Lord Christ saith, Let the bread that is offered be his body, and the cup or wine that is offered be his blood, or the New Testament in his blood; and let us walk in simplicity, and believe without any doubt that it is so, as simple children do; and let us thank Christ for such grace, and be glad of it, and strengthen our hearts, and see why Christ hath done it, and not dispute and ask whether he can do it. They are forward hearts, which ask nothing why Christ has done it, but ask only whether he can do it.
No one can know how it happens that our eyes see. No one is able to find out with his reason how it happens when he falls asleep and wakes up again. When I open my eyes, I am about two miles away with my face. Item, a preacher's single voice fills many thousand ears and hearts. Such things I see and hear, and yet I cannot understand how it is done, though I am torn. If then we do not understand that in which we live and of which we have daily need, why do we want to be masters and judges in God's great works, which are hidden from us? Our tongues chatter in our mouths, and are stirred up, and out of them comes an intelligible language; so that no one can understand how it is done. Item, no one can tell how a little hair grows on the head. If then you cannot understand this, how it happens, which you still experience daily: Dear one, give Christ the glory that it is true that he says here, "This is my body," "This is my blood," even though you do not understand how it is possible.
(12) It is a very vexatious thing to try to make God's works rhyme with our reason. For if we cannot measure the creatures, nor comprehend the things wherein we live and soar daily, how shall we measure and comprehend those things which God alone shows in his word, and wherein we do not live and soar? Therefore, we should give glory to God, and let Him be almighty and
be truthful, and believe what he says, so that he can do it. That a cow eats hay and grass, you can judge, there dll have reason about; item, about gold, silver, stone, wood, grain 2c. What to make of it, you can judge and judge; there be as wise as you can. But what God does and creates, as the eyes see, the ears hear, and the tongue of man speaks: let all scholars, prudents, and wise men, with their highest reason and art, stand here, and let them debate, question, and inquire; yet no one will be able to tell you thoroughly how the least of what God does is done.
(13) Therefore, we should leave God's word and work undisputable and unquestioned, and ask only who spoke and did it: whether God spoke it or a man spoke it; whether it is God's work or a man's work. If it is God's word and work, close your eyes and do not question how it is, but believe that God is almighty and true in his words and works. I am to be baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and believe that through the same bath in the Word I am cleansed from all my sins, and I am not to dispute how it is. For there is God's word, command and promise: "Go and teach all the Gentiles, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved."
14 So Christ also says here in clear, plain words, "Take, eat, this is my body; drink, this is my blood, which do in remembrance of him." Therefore, in the Sacrament, under the bread and wine, His body and blood are truly and substantially presented and received. For it is his word, command and order. A man did not speak such things, but Christ Himself ordered, appointed, and commanded them. For as baptism is no man's word or work, but Christ's word and work; so also this sacrament is no man's word or work, but Christ's word and work alone. How this happens, we will not be able to explain with our reason.
1848 L. 4, tW-495. On green Thursday. W. xin, 700-703. 1849
founding. For since I do not know, nor can I know, how it is that I see, hear, speak, whether I already feel such things, much less will I know how it is that Christ thus distributes his body and blood in the sacrament.
(15) If any man then be not deceived, let him not turn to the quarrels of enthusiasts, nor to subtle, sharp, high questions; but look to the fruit, profit, and joy which he shall have of this sacrament. Christ has arranged and instituted it in the most easy and lovely way. Whether Christ stood or sat with his disciples is not important, but it is important to keep his word, institution, command and order.
(16) He does not take a hard work. For eating and drinking is the easiest work of all, since people like nothing better; indeed, the most cheerful work in the whole world is eating and drinking, as it is customary to say: Before eating there is no dancing; item: On a full belly stands a cheerful head. In sum, eating and drinking is a lovely, necessary work, which was soon learned and people were taught. Our dear Lord Christ takes this same sweet and necessary work and says: "I have prepared a happy, sweet and lovely meal, I will not put a hard, heavy work on you, I will not put on you that you put on a monk's cap, run to Jerusalem in armor, be circumcised, slaughter and sacrifice cattle, wash clothes, as was commanded in the law of must; but I will set up a supper: When ye come together in my name, and will preach and teach of me, take bread and wine, and speak these words of mine upon them; and my body and blood shall be there, true and substantial.
(17) Because our dear Lord Christ takes such a sweetly necessary work and prepares such a sweet, comforting meal, it is a wonder that people are so hard and difficult about it and shy away from the sacrament. If one preaches about the Sacrament, it is a burden to them; if one exhorts them to it, they consider it a greater burden. For they are concerned that they must become pious and forsake sin. In the papacy, it was no wonder that they shied away from it and were terrified.
because the people were so burdened. For this lovely, comforting sacrament has been spoiled with gall, vinegar and wormwood, and the joy we should have from the sacrament has been taken away. For thus we have been taught that we must be so pure that not even a speck of daily sin remains in us, and so holy that our Lord God could hardly look at us for great holiness. I could not see such things in myself, therefore I was afraid of the Sacrament. And such terror, which I learned in the priesthood and of which I am accustomed, still clings to me today, if I should come to it with joy.
(18) It is true that we must be pious and forsake sin. For if thou love sin more than the grace of God, thou shalt think more of it than of this. But let not men be put off from the Sacrament; for it is sweet and comforting meat. Christ did not institute such a supper, giving us poison and death. For since we were drowned and dead in sins before, there is no need for poison to be given to poison. Mark his words, and thou shalt hear that he saith, He gave his body for thee, and shed his blood for thee. He does not say that he gave his body for you and shed his blood for you, but for you, for your good, comfort and strength, for the salvation of your poor soul, so that you may become more and more hostile to sins and more and more a Christian; therefore Christ does not give you the sacrament of his body and blood to be your poison and death. As he baptizes thee, and puts thee into water, not that thou shouldest die and perish in the water; but that by that same blessed bath thou shouldest be delivered from sins, and born again, that thou shouldest be a new man, born in grace: so in this sacrament he giveth thee his body and blood to eat and to drink, not that he should strangle thee and kill thee, but that he should quicken thee and make thee alive.
(19) Therefore, learn with all diligence what is the use and end of this sacrament, and why Christ instituted it, namely, for me and for you and for all of us.
1850 L. 4, 495-497. On Green Thursday. W. xm, 703-705. 1851
When I feel my sin, I have been a bad boy and a disobedient child, the devil has caught me, I have not done what I should do; then I should come to this table, receive the sacrament, that I may be freed from my sins and be refreshed. To such people who feel their sin and would like to be rid of it, one should speak that they receive the Sacrament, and not regard it as a terrible judgment from which one should shrink, but as a sweet, comforting food for poor, afflicted souls. It may well be due to an old habit of the priesthood that we shy away from this sacrament; but Christians are to be taught that they may go with joy, certainty and confidence, and say: I am a poor sinner, I need help and comfort, I will go to the Lord's Supper, and feed myself with the body and blood of my dear Lord Jesus Christ. For he instituted this sacrament so that all hungry and thirsty souls might be fed and refreshed. He will not rebuke me, much less strangle me, if I come only in the name that I may be blessed, have help and comfort.
(20) And even if such a treasure and rich consolation were not there, which should make this Sacrament a joyful and happy meal for us, we should nevertheless go to the Sacrament, so that we might do a service to our Lord God, who has commanded and ordered us to do so. Many ancient teachers called it eucharistiam, a thanksgiving. In the papacy, it was called a sacrifice or office, which, if one wanted to interpret it correctly, is a service of God. When I preach God's word, I sacrifice; when you hear God's word with your heart, you sacrifice; when we pray, give, lend, help our neighbor, we sacrifice. So also, when I receive this Sacrament, I sacrifice, that is, I do God's will and service, I confess and thank God who has given us this Sacrament along with all the goods of the Kingdom of Heaven, as He commanded and commanded me.
(21) Therefore it may be called a sacrifice: not that the sacrament itself is a sacrifice, but that the receiving or the custom is a sacrifice.
of the Sacrament may be called a sacrifice: not a sacrifice for sin, but a sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise, that I may confess that Christ died for my sin. The pope has made the sacrament a sacrifice, and such a sacrifice so that the whole world may be reconciled to God: But neither the sacrament nor the custom of the sacrament is a work offering, so that God's grace and help might be earned and acquired; but the custom of the sacrament, or the memorial of Christ, as the Lord himself calls it, is a thank-offering, so that we may confess and give thanks to God that we are redeemed, justified, and saved by pure grace, through Christ's suffering, death, and shedding of blood. Just as the preaching of the Gospel is sacrificium, that is, a thank-offering, so that we may confess and thank God that we have the treasure of His word from Him: so also the receiving of the Sacrament is a thank-offering, so that whoever receives the Sacrament thereby indicates that he is grateful to Christ for His suffering and grace.
22 Therefore, if the great, rich consolation would not move us to receive the sacrament, we should nevertheless look to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ and use the sacrament often, so that he may be praised with such remembrance and receive thanks from us. JEsu Christ's glory and use the sacrament often, so that he may be praised, glorified and honored with such remembrance, and receive thanks from us. For just as Moses preserved among the Jewish people a memorial of the exodus and redemption from Egypt, so that when the Jews ate the paschal lamb, they had to praise, extol, and thank God for the good deed of redeeming them from Egypt, leading them through the Red Sea, and giving them the kingdom and priesthood; this was a joyful meal for them, and even today the Jews hold their peace, and eat the paschal lamb with joy, as if they were going to a merry dance: Thus Christ willed to preserve in his people of the New Testament a memorial of his suffering and death, so that when we receive the sacrament we should give thanks to him for the redemption, so that he has redeemed us, not from Egypt and the Red Sea, but from sins, death, the devil, hell, God's wrath and all misery. This shall not be a terror to us, but joy and gladness.
1852 2.4, 497-499. On Green Thursday. W. XIII, 705-708. 1853
to be, first of all, in the spirit, so that we may serve God and praise and thank Him for His grace and good deeds shown to us in Christ. Therefore, we should go to the sacrament willingly and joyfully, with all certainty, and say: I will also go to the right paschal lamb, and eat and drink the body and blood of my dear Lord Jesus Christ, keep his memory, and thank him for his redemption; so that I will not be found among the despisers and the ungrateful, who throw to the winds and forget such a precious redemption.
23 This is Christ saying, "Do these things in remembrance of me. With the word "my" he takes away the remembrance of the old paschal lamb, which was a remembrance of the redemption from Egypt and the promise of the kingdom and priesthood; in sum, it was a remembrance of an outward work, arranged so that the redemption would be preached to Egypt and the Jewish people would give thanks to God for such a benefit. And so I want to say: Just as the Jews in the Old Testament sacrificed the paschal lamb and ate unleavened bread, and remembered with such food and drink that God had brought them out of Egypt by great signs and wonders, out of the house of service, and had given them the land of Canaan, which they had not built, and houses full of all good things, which they had not hewn, and vineyards and oil mountains, which they had not planted: So when you perform my sacrament in the New Testament, remember me, that I died for you, gave my body for you to death and hell, and shed my blood for you, and thereby strangled death, sin, hell, God's wrath, for your good.
(24) This is another redemption, namely, a spiritual, eternal redemption, since we are not redeemed from a physical king, but from the devil, who is a king of sins and death. Christ redeemed us from the same Pharaoh, and through this redemption brings us not into a physical, but into an eternal kingdom and priesthood, where we are to be kings and priests forever. These are his deeds and his goods, which we do not obtain by our wisdom, holiness, strength, or by the power of our hands.
and powers, but which he has purchased for us through his body and blood, given and shed for us. And this he gives us in the sacrament, so that we may praise and glorify him for it.
(25) This then is our service in the New Testament, as the service of the Jews was in the Old Testament, that when we receive the Sacrament, we may proclaim and preach with heart and mouth that Christ has taken us poor sinners upon his shoulders, and blotted out our sins by the sacrifice of his body, and swallowed them up by his blood. So we should celebrate our Easter by praising and glorifying the man called Jesus Christ for his great, infinite redemption, and for the eternal kingdom and priesthood which he acquired and gave us through his body and blood. He alone has overcome sin and death, in himself, in his body and blood; and this he gives us, and as a certain sign, pledge and seal he gives us his body to eat and his blood to drink in the sacrament.
(26) O Lord God, what an abominable, terrible thing it was under the papacy, when this sacrament was so shamefully perverted; and what an abominable, terrible thing it will be again in the world, if we do not use this sacrament rightly and thank God for His unspeakable good deeds. In the papacy, nothing righteous was preached about either the sacrament or its rite. Of the Passion, one has honestly (barely) had the bare text, without all understanding. Of the Sacrament, then, it was taught: "You must take one form, or you are not obedient to the Mother, the Christian Church; item, you must have repentance and sorrow, prepare yourself worthily, and do a work of obedience. The joyful, comforting, and sweet meal that we should have had at the Sacrament and of faith was silenced, and thus the Sacrament became a mere work of man.
- Now you see that sacramental devotees and Anabaptists are springing up everywhere; these are especially weary and full spirits, who do not thank our Lord God for His grace and benefits, and indeed, do not thank our Lord God for His grace and benefits.
1854 L 4, 499-501. On Green Thursday. W. XIII, 708-711. 1855
Lord God must also be wrong and be punished by them; they turn back His word, do not use this sacrament with joy, do not praise and glorify God, but seek their own honor, praise and glory. Therefore, we should earnestly pray to God to bestow His grace upon us and to keep us in the right understanding of His Word and Sacraments, and especially of His Supper, so that we may receive it with joy and thank Christ for His goodness and love.
028 But shall any man say, Shall we preach and proclaim nothing else, but that Christ died for us? Is it not enough to preach this once? I have heard it many times, and now I know it well. Answer: The Jews did not have to commemorate the redemption from Egypt alone, but repeated the same commemoration forever. Why then would we Christians let ourselves be put off repeating the remembrance of our redemption, so that Christ has redeemed us from sins, death, the devil and hell, forever? If thou art such a man, saying, I heard it before, why should I hear it again? then is thy heart weary, full, and disgusted, and this meat is not to thy taste; as it was to the Jews in the wilderness, when they were weary of the bread of heaven. But if thou be a Christian, thou shalt not be weary, but shalt delight to hear these things often, and to speak of them continually.
I will say of myself: I am a doctor of the Holy Scriptures, yet the more I look at the infant faith, Our Father, Baptism and Sacrament, the more it tastes good to me. I could well say with the weary, satiated spirits: I know the faith, Our Father, the words of baptism and sacrament, Psalter 2c.But I experience it daily, and must confess that if I have already prayed the faith today, said the Lord's Prayer, looked at the words of baptism and the sacrament, and tomorrow do not repeat these things bit by bit, then my soul becomes cold and lazy; if I also do not say it the third day, then I become even colder and lazier, until I even come to despise. Seven years ago
I said that I did not want to go to the sacrament sooner, because I would be skilled; and I still had this from the priesthood. But when I realized that the devil wanted to stop me and finally take me away from the sacrament, I said: "Devil, I may be skillful or unskillful, but I am in need of the sacrament and cannot do without consolation; therefore I want to go and no longer forgive, and so I went, sometimes even without confession. Not that I have therefore thrown away confession altogether, despised or omitted absolution; but that I have sometimes gone without confession, only in defiance of the devil, who wanted to stop me, that I should not go to the sacrament sooner, because I would be completely and utterly skillful.
(30) Therefore it is not true when thou sayest, Thou mayest now, but thou mayest no more hear nor repeat it. If I leave the prayer a day, I lose a large part of the fire and faith. For as the prophet Isaiah, Cap. 55, testifies, v. 10, 11: "The word does not go forth without fruit; just as rain moistens the earth and makes it fertile, so God's word moistens, comforts and improves the soul of man. If you abandon God's word and prayer and think, "I will pray well," you lose strength and heat from your soul. Therefore, do not take God's word to mean that once you have heard it, that is enough. Without this, it happens that a person gets involved in other business and forgets the word. Therefore one should run to the word again daily. If you do not do this, see to it that you do not become too cold and too lazy, until you finally do not feel yourself anymore and do not come to the sacrament in a few years.
(31) Now we have heard that there are two causes that should provoke and drive us to the sacrament: first, our own benefit and need; for Christ has ordained and instituted the sacrament for our good, and for our comfort and joy. Secondly, we should be motivated by God's glory and service. If, for our own sake, we do not want to pray the Lord's Prayer, Faith 2c. and, for the sake of our blessedness, we do not want to pray the Sacrament, we should not pray it.
1856 8.4, 501-503. Am Charfreitag. W. xm, m. 712. 1857
But let us pray for God's sake and use the Sacrament, so that He may have His glory and service from us. I have said this as an admonition, so that we may have need of the glorious gifts and the great gift, because we have it, so that it may not be taken away from us; as has happened to the papists recently, and is happening daily to the evil spirits. When the treasure is gone one day, we will want to use it, but there will be no preaching.
There will be no more people who could teach us.
These two things happened this evening: the first, that Christ ate the paschal lamb with his disciples for the last of the Jewish paschal lamb, kingdom and priesthood; the second, that he instituted the sacrament of his body and blood; which we should use and remember often. For this, may the merciful God grant us His grace, Amen.
*Char Friday. )
Of the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ in general.
John 19:13-30.
When Pilate heard the word, he led JEsum out and sat down on the judgment seat in the place called High Pavement, which is called Gabbatha in the original language. Now it was the preparation day at Easter about the sixth hour. And he saith unto the Jews, Behold, this is your King. And they cried out, Away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered: We have no king but Caesar. Then he delivered him to them to be crucified. And they took JEsum, and led him away. And he carried his cross, and went out unto the place which is called the place of the skull, which is called Golgotha in the language of the Jews. There they crucified him, and with him two others on either side, and Jesus in the midst. Pilate wrote an inscription and put it on the cross, and it was written: JEsus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. This inscription was read by many Jews, because the place was near the city where JEsus was crucified. And it was written in the Ezraic, Greek, and Latin languages. Then said the chief priests of the Jews unto Pilato, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said: I am the king of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written, that have I written. And the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part, and the skirt also. But the skirt was unstitched, and was sewn from the top through and through. Then they said one to another, "Let us not divide it, but let us cast lots for it, so that the scripture may be fulfilled that says, "They have divided my garments among themselves and have cast lots for my skirt. This is what the soldiers did. 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. Then saith he 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.
*) Held in the house on Char Friday 1833.
1858 L. 4, 503-506. Am Charfreitag. W. XIII, 712-716. 1859
Today we celebrate the history of the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we confess and say in our faith: "I believe in Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, our Lord, who suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. For although Christians are to preach, remember and contemplate the passion and death of Christ daily and forever, and without which the history itself is long and cannot be acted upon according to need at one time, for which reason we also tend to divide it into more days and hours: Nevertheless this day is especially appointed for the preaching and meditation of the passion of Christ, because all that Christ suffered in the garden, in the house of Caiphas the high priest, before Pilate the governor, and in the court, and on the cross, happened on this day. Therefore, we will also speak of it now, as much as we have time and God grants grace.
The Jews spent a whole night and a whole day with the Lord JEsu, so that the Easter day would be kept well. God had commanded them through Moses to keep the Paschal feast on the fourteenth day of the first month in the evening, and they have kept it steadfastly. And Christ was crucified on the first day of Pascha; according to our reckoning it is Char Friday, but so that one begins to count on Green Thursday at evening, and counts the same following night to it. Yesterday night at eleven o'clock the Jews started the Passion with Jesus, and this lasted until today in the evening at three o'clock. Yesterday evening at about seven o'clock Jesus went out of the city of Jerusalem into the garden; there he wrestled with death, so that his sweat became like drops of blood that fell to the ground. Soon after, at nine o'clock, he was caught in the garden and led bound before the chief priests and elders of the people, and before all the council who were gathered together in Caiaphas' house. At eleven o'clock he was interrogated and accused by the false witnesses. At twelve o'clock he was mocked, scoffed at, blasphemed and reviled, and all that night until morning. In the morning he is brought before the court.
Pilate, the judge, testified to him three times that he was innocent and that he found no cause of death in him.
- First, when the Jews accused him of turning away the people and forbidding to give the womb to Caesar, and not wanting Caesar to be Caesar, but wanting to be King and Caesar himself, Pilate interrogated Jesus on the charge, and from his answer and confession heard that his kingdom was not of this world, and that he did no harm to Caesar in his kingdom: he said to the chief priests and to the people, "I find no cause in this man," and sent him to King Herod. This is the first excuse.
004 After this, when Jesus was sent again from Herod to Pilate, Pilate called together the chief priests, and the rulers, and the people, and said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, to turn away the people: and, behold, I have questioned him before you, and find none in the man of the things which ye accuse him of, neither Herod. For I sent you to him, and, behold, nothing has been brought upon him worthy of death." And he set before the people Barabbam the rebel and the murderer, and JEsum, and said, Which will ye that I should release unto you; Barabbam, or JEsum, which is called Christ? But the chief priests and the elders persuade the people that they should ask for Barabbas, and kill Jesus. This is the other testimony.
5th Thirdly, since this attack was not made, Pilate had Jesus scourged and wanted to release him. St. John writes that he had him miserably beaten, hewn and torn. For he thought that he would move the Jews so that they would be satisfied with the punishment; therefore he also brings him out, clothed in purple, crowned, cut and torn, and says to the Jews: "Behold, what a man! As if to say, What a man is this! Have I not let him be torn enough? This is the third excuse.
But this did not help either. Jesus had to leave. The Jews press on Pilatum even harder, saying, "Let go of this one, and he will go away.
1860 n. 4, 5W-508. Am Charfreitag. W. xm, 716-718. 1861
you are not the emperor's friend. So the action in the court was protracted, lasting from seven o'clock in the morning until almost ten o'clock. Then Jesus was crucified between eleven and twelve o'clock, at noon. When he was crucified, the sun lost its light, and the same darkness lasted until three o'clock in the afternoon. Before the darkness ended, Jesus passed away and hung on the cross for three hours. Then he was taken down from the cross and buried at five o'clock in the evening. All this happened this past night and day.
7 For thus the holy evangelists describe the history, and especially John the evangelist, who shows the time and hours, from which it may be reckoned that Jesus suffered all that night and all that day; he also says plainly that he suffered on the Jews' Easter day. For thus his words are, "It was the preparation day in the paschal days about the sixth hour." This was a suffering of eighteen hours and more. Three hours he stood on the cross, three hours in court, seven hours, that is, the whole night he was interrogated, mocked and scoffed at in Caiaphas' house. For two hours he wrestled with death in the garden, for about two hours he was caught and led out of the garden bound, first to Annas, then to the high priest Caiphas, without what he suffered in the Lord's Supper, since he was grieved in spirit, as St. John chapter 13 reports.
This is how our dear Lord Jesus Christ celebrated the Easter of the Jews. He heard God's word on Easter Day, kept still, and in his heavenly Father's obedience allowed the suffering to pass over him. In the Holy Scripture it was proclaimed that he should suffer and die, as St. Peter says, 1 Petr. 1, 11: "That the Spirit of Christ testified beforehand of the sufferings that are in Christ. Christ heard the same word and the same sermons on Easter Day. In the eighteen hours, or even in the four and twenty hours, he not only had to hear in his own ears, before the council of the chief priests and the court of the Jews, murder and clamor.
He cried out, "Crucify him, take him away, crucify him"; but also heard in his heart the testimonies of the holy scriptures that he should suffer and die. Then he thought all night and all day, as he fulfilled the testimonies of the prophets about him, so that I believe that the night's suffering became much more severe than the day's suffering.
(9) This is why the evangelists write everywhere in the history of Christ's suffering with these words: "These things came to pass, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. For all that Christ suffered came to pass by reason of the scriptures. Therefore the evangelists not only write how the suffering of the Lord took place, but also always repeat these words: "These things happened so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. As if they wanted to say to us: "Ask the prophets about it; they will tell you why Christ suffered. Great and heavy is his suffering, torture, and cross; but great also is his love, fervency, and heat, yes, the greatest grace toward us, that the pious Lord and Savior has fulfilled the holy Scriptures with his suffering and death for our sake.
10 Thus it is written, Genesis 3:15: "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." This saying Christ had to hear at the time of his suffering, it rang in his heart and preached to him. For he had now come to the hour that he should trample on the head of the serpent, not the one that creeps in the grass and eats frogs, but the old serpent, the devil. And this he should do, not with oxen's feet, nor with sword or gun, but with his body and life, that he may let the devil run over him, and pour out all his fury and wrath upon himself. With this he treads down and crushes the devil, so that we may have rest and peace before him.
(11) When the serpent's head is crushed and crushed, it is finished, it has its good night and its end. Because Christ has crushed the head of the old serpent, the devil, the devil has lost his spirit.
1862 2.4, 508-öio. on Char Friday. W. xm, 718-721. 1863
and power. The devil remains a devil with us and the world remains a world. But the devil's head has been crushed, and Christ has destroyed his kingdom of death, sin and hell and taken away his power.
(12) This saying, I say, Christ looked upon when he suffered, and said, This is the hour when I shall bruise the devil's head, and he shall bruise my heel. This I shall and will suffer. Today is my Easter day and right celebration. And there has been such great pain, suffering, anguish and sorrow that is unspeakable. It was a hard sermon that Christ listened all night and all day to the testimonies of his suffering in the holy scriptures. He endured this on the Jews' Easter Day, and thus celebrated the Easter Day in the right way, and destroyed the devil's kingdom through his suffering, so that he now has power over the devil. When he speaks a word, the devil is gone with his kingdom of death, sin and hell. And whoever believes in him must also be sure that sin, death, the devil and hell will not harm him.
13 Thus there are other sayings in the prophets, such as Ps. 16:2, 3: "I have said unto the Lord, Thou art the Lord, I must suffer for thy sake, for the saints which are upon the earth, and for the glorious, in whom I am well pleased. Then the prophet David speaks in the person of Christ, and says: Christ must suffer for the sake of the Lord, and yet do such suffering for the saints on earth and for the glorious ones, that is, for the elect and allies whom he chooses and in whom he delights. This saying was preached and sung to Christ on Easter Day, reminding him that he should suffer.
Psalm 22:2: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? I cry, but my help is far away"; and soon after v. 7: "I am a worm and not a man, a mockery of men and a scorn of the people"; and again v. 9: "He complains to the LORD, who will help him and save him, if he has a desire for him"; and again v. 17: "For dogs have surrounded me, and the wicked have gathered around me; they have made me a prey to them.
They dig through my hands and feet"; and again v. 19: "They divide my garments among themselves, and cast lots for my robe. This is also a prophecy of Christ's suffering, and clearly points to the torture on the cross, how his hands and feet are to be dug through and his limbs stretched so that they may be counted; item, how they will divide his garments among themselves. That is why the evangelists Matthew and John introduce this psalm, describing how the soldiers of the Lord divided the garments among themselves. The Lord himself uses the very words of this psalm when he cries out on the cross and says: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
- Psalm 69:22: "They give me gall to eat and vinegar to drink in my great thirst." There David also speaks in the person of Christ, and complains about his crucifiers and blasphemers, who give him gall and vinegar to drink. Therefore also St. John points to this Psalm, when he says: "When Jesus knew that all things had already been accomplished, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, he said, I thirst." With this he wanted to indicate that Christ had prophecy of his suffering in his heart at the cross of the prophets.
The whole 53rd chapter of the prophet Isaiah is a glorious prophecy of Christ and of his suffering and resurrection. And in the same chapter the Holy Spirit testified to the sufferings of Christ as brightly and clearly as they were written about by an apostle in the New Testament. And such prophecy is abundantly fulfilled through Christ. As the evangelist Marcus refers to the prophet in one piece, when he says: "And they crucified with him two murderers, one on his right hand, and the other on his left. Then was fulfilled the scripture which saith, He is numbered with the transgressors." And the Lord himself carries out this prophecy of his, and says to his disciples, Luke 22:37: "I say unto you, that it must yet be fulfilled concerning me, which is written, He is numbered with the transgressors. For what is written of me has an end."
1864 2.4, 510-512. Am Charfreitag. W. xm, 721-724. 1865
(17) Thus our dear Lord Jesus Christ celebrated Easter Day by hearing God's word about His suffering and fulfilling it in deed and deed. For he was such a preacher, who not only spoke the word of God, but also proved it with his work, as St. Lucas says of him, Acts 1:1. 1, 1: "JEsus began both to do and to teach." The prophets testified to this long before through the Holy Spirit, so that we may know that Christ did not die for his own sake, but for obedience to his heavenly Father and for our service and love.
(18) And this also is the chief and highest part of the passion, that it should be seen and remembered that Christ suffered for obedience to his heavenly Father, and for our service and profit, that the scripture might be fulfilled. It is well to consider what redemption is, so that Christ has redeemed us, namely, not from Egypt, nor temporally, but an eternal redemption from sin, death and hell. It is also important to consider what the payment is for our sin, namely that Christ did not give money or goods for us, but his body and life; as St. Paul often boasts that Christ gave himself for our sin, Gal. 1, 4, Eph. 5, 2, Titus 2, 14.Likewise, it is to be considered how great a torture Christ suffered for us, and how sour it became to Him that He was left in bloody sweat, crowned, mocked, scoffed at, scourged, nailed to the cross and stabbed for our sake. But this is the greatest and highest part that Christ had to suffer, so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled through him.
(19) Let this thing be diligently considered, that we may know not only the greatness of the redemption, of the payment, and of the suffering, but also that we may know the heart of the Lord Christ, and the kindness of his will toward us, how sincerely he meant us, and how great was the heart, love, and desire in him, that he gave himself for us. For this reason we should love both him who suffered such torture for us and the heavenly Father who imposed and commanded him to do so.
Such love should work in us the knowledge of his heart towards us, in which he takes such torture upon himself and suffers for us. And a human heart must be harder than a stone, yes, harder than iron and steel, which is neither softened nor moved by it.
- Nevertheless, the dear, tender world goes along and does not take such things to heart, is lazy, cold, ungrateful, and despises such great treasure. Therefore it happens that our Lord God gives it away again, so that it gets further and further away. And is our Lord God justified in saying to the ungrateful world: "If you do not like my great love, that I have visited you so fatherly and warmly, and have put my dearest son through such great torture for you, then I do not like you again. If you ask nothing of what I have done, I will ask nothing of you. If thou wilt not have my Son Jesus Christ, take Barabbam instead, yea, the devil himself. And give them also to the rascals and false teachers, to the Turk, to covetousness, to the hopefulness 2c.
21 And this is no wonder. Who can blame our Lord God for this? For because he gives you his Son, and he risks his body and blood on you, that he may save you from death and hell; and you not only do not respect this, but also want to throw him in the mouth for such grace and love, he does you justice by saying to you, "If you want this, you tender fruit, go away and go to the executioner. When you see how ungrateful people are and how they have no joy in Christ, it is no wonder that God becomes angry and lets the world go. For whoever cannot or will not receive love and friendship from Christ, let him always go to the devil and become a devil himself; who can hold the world?
22 Now the Passion is not preached to make us ungrateful, but that we may know the great love of the heavenly Father and of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, toward us men, and that we may love the Father and the Son again. For he that believeth with all his heart what Christ hath suffered for him shall not be an unthankful man.
1866 4- Sl2.513. 5, 1. On Easter Eve. W. XIII, 724,725,1076-1078. 1867
I will not be a prankster, but will love Christ with all my heart. If someone comes to my aid in distress of death, fire or water, and risks his life and limb for my sake, then I would have to be a rascal if I did not love him. If one loves the one who gives or advances so much for ten guilders, what should we not do here, since God's Son is given to us, who for our sake entered into sin, death and hell? Should we not do the same and say: "My Lord Jesus Christ suffered for me, therefore I will love him again and gladly preach his word, hear it, believe it, and follow it and be obedient to it? If we do not do this, we are a thousand times worse than those who are in the world. For they know nothing of this grace; but we know, and yet are ungrateful, and forget, and remember not, that through Christ we are redeemed from sin and death. He says to us, "Neither sin nor death shall hurt you, for I have purchased for you eternal redemption through my death. That one should despise this is very terrible.
(23) Therefore we should learn about the suffering of Christ, so that we know that it has happened too well for us, so that we do not regard such suffering as anything other than eternal salvation. His bloody sweat, his anguish at night and his crucifixion I should interpret and speak:
This is my help, my strength, my life, my joy. For all these things have come to pass, that we may have fruit and profit of them, and that we may believe that they have been well done for us, and that we may thank him with all our heart. Whoever does this and thus needs the suffering of Christ is a Christian.
(24) He has done us such good that we should never forget it, but always thank him for it and take comfort in it, saying, "His pain is my comfort, his wounds are my salvation, his punishment is my redemption, his death is my life. No one can sufficiently preach it, nor sufficiently marvel at the fact that such an exalted person came down from heaven, took our place, and suffered death for us. We have been graciously enough afflicted and bought at a high enough price. If a mischievous thing happens to us now, that we are tempted or otherwise afflicted, we may blame it on our ingratitude. It serves H.G. and M.J. and all the papists right that God gives them this way. For since they have put this rich and eternal consolation, love and help in the redoubt, and thus drive their will to courage, what should happen to them will happen to them, and thus they will go away. But we must hold fast to the faithful Savior and pious Head, Jesus Christ, crucified and dead for our sins. May the merciful God help us, amen.
*On Easter evening. )
From the article of our Christian faith: I believe in JEsum Christum 2c., descended to hell; on the third day risen again from the dead.
- on this paschal feast one celebrates the fine, comforting article of our christian faith of the descent and joyful ascent of the
*) Held publicly on the last of March 1532.
The first resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ; as this feast is also instituted, that this article may be preached, and be made known unto the people, and be well understood and kept. Therefore we now also want to take this
1868 L. 5, 1-3. On Easter eve. W. XIII, 1078-1081. 1869
Article remain and speak of it; as we then owe to praise and honor GOD, and to preach of His Word as long as we are.
(2) Thus we pray in the Christian faith, and thus the holy gospels, which are preached at this time, teach and testify that our Lord Jesus Christ died and was buried, that he descended into hell, and that he rose again from the dead on the third day. I will now take this same article before me, because I am weak and do not know how long I want to live, and there are so many of the red spirits and enthusiasts, so that I may leave my opinion and confession behind me, and pious hearts will know what I have thought of this article.
(3) There have been many, and there are still many, who have tried to understand this article by reason and the five senses, especially this part, how it happened that Christ, before he rose and went to heaven and was still in the grave, went down to hell. But the very best and surest thing is to stay with the words and with the simple childish mind, as the words read.
You see how the Lord's descent into hell is painted on the walls, namely that Christ has a choir cap or cloak on, and the angels go before him, but he has a flag in his hand and pushes against hell with it, and the devils resist; but at last he pushes open hell and casts out the devils: in the same way as one storms a bodily castle or house. In the same way, they played for the children in the Easter Vigil, and in the same way they sing on Easter Day: He who broke hell and overcame the wicked devil in it. What now is such a simple childish painting, play and song, that is right and pleases me well, that one thus presents, plays or sings to the simple and children, and with such simple pictures, paintings and songs one should let it remain.
(5) It is true that the Lord's descent into hell may be spoken of in two ways: first, in a bad and simple way, through childish words and images, which is also the best and safest, as I said; and secondly, it may be spoken of in a sharp way, like
it is in itself how it happened that Christ went down to hell, and yet his body lay in the grave until the third day.
(6) For some teachers have been highly concerned about it, and have subtly and sharply disputed how it was possible that Christ's body was in the grave and his soul had gone to hell. Some have said that he did not descend personally and presently, according to the soul, but only spiritually, according to his work, power and effect. But what is it, if one has been worrying about it for a long time and sharply disputes it? It cannot be attained nor fathomed by thought, as the teachers themselves have not understood, even though they have long fretted and vehemently argued about it. For that I should reason with my mouth and with my tongue, and understand with my reason how things are that are far above and beyond my reason, sense and understanding, I will well leave that alone. But that I should speak with my tongue, and understand with my heart, how the Lord fared, and how he was troubled in the garden, when drops of blood fell from his body to the earth, that I will well forbear, though I am already under it. In the same way, I will never be able to say in words, nor will I be able to say in thought, from what heart, love and fire came the prayer and supplication that Christ offered up on the cross with strong cries and tears. I must let this remain in word and faith; I will never achieve it with my words and thoughts.
(7) Therefore, just as I cannot fathom nor obtain these and other things, neither will I fathom nor obtain how Christ has gone to hell. The Christian faith testifies that he went to hell, and the Holy Scriptures establish this article with clear words, Ps. 16:10: "Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to perish"; and Eph. 4:9: "That he hath ascended, what is it but that he went down first into the lowest parts of the earth?" But how
1870 L.5, 3-s. On Easter Eve. W. xm, 1081-1083. 1871
You will not be able to fathom how it happened; and even if you were already ten times wiser than Solomon, you will still not attain it. Therefore my faithful advice is that you leave it at the simple words and childish pictures, and do not let the sharp minds, which think of it without a picture and want to fathom it with their clever reason, challenge you; but as this article is presented in the word and painted with pictures, that the angels go before, and Christ goes down with the flag, breaks the gates of hell and destroys it, so take it simple. For although it is simple and crude, and childish imagery, yet such words and imagery finely show us the power and benefit of this article, as we shall hear.
If it were up to Klügeln, I would want to be as clever as those who sneer at us and mockingly ask and say: How was it done? Was the flag made of paper or cloth? How did it happen that it did not burn in hell? What kind of gates, locks or bolts did hell have? Were they iron or wooden? So they sneer at us Christians and our Christian faith. I could also make allegorias and secret interpretations out of it, and say what flag and staff and cloth and hell gate and devil, so driven out, mean. But if I were to speak of this article in actual, sharp words, without a picture, you would not understand me, and I myself would not know what I was saying.
(9) Therefore, I will leave aside the cleverness and the high, sharp questions and allegorias, and I will speak of this article in a simple and childish way, as words and outward paintings and understandable, easy images give it. The infant Jesus is painted as stepping on a serpent. This is an outward painting and a crude picture, but it clearly shows the first promise of Christ, since God promises Adam and Eve and the human race that Christ, the seed of the woman, shall trample the serpent's head. Moses set up a bronze serpent in the wilderness, and whoever looks at it is healed from the fiery serpent's bite. This is also a crude image and likeness, but
See how sweetly and finely Christ was lifted up on the cross, as Christ Himself tells us, John 3:14. For just as the Jews who looked at the bronze serpent in the wilderness were healed from the fiery serpent's bite, so whoever looks at Christ lifted up on the cross, that is, believes in Him, is healed from the devil's bite and poison and has eternal life. But if I want to fathom these promises without a picture, to make them clearer and sharper, as they are in themselves, I will not be able to explain them, and you will not be able to understand them.
(10) For this reason, outward images, parables, and signs are good and useful to illustrate, grasp, and retain a thing. Yes, they also serve to ward off the devil with his fiery arrows, who wants to lead us away from the Word with high thoughts and subtle questions, and to keep us in the right understanding of the Word through such bright and light images, which any simple-minded person can easily grasp. As, in this article of Christ's descent to hell: when a child or simple-minded person sees painted on the wall Christ holding a flag, storming hell and casting out devils; or when he hears singing at Easter: He who broke hell, and overcame the sorrowful devil in it, so the Lord redeems Christianity 2c.: he thinks from that time on: If this is true, then Christ has overcome and bound the devil. This is right and Christian thinking, for it is also true. Even if it is not expressed with sharpness how it happened, it is still the truth.
(11) It is ridiculous that Christ should go down with the flag, and yet the flag should remain intact, when in the hellish heat the brass should melt, let alone a flag. But how to do it? Because this article is to be imagined by people who cannot grasp it in its sharpness, it must therefore be pictured, and roughly formed, saying: "That you may understand and grasp the Lord's descent into hell, notice it in the outward image; just as if a strong hero or ruffian were to come to a strong, strong castle with his army, panoply and stuff, and that-
1872 2.5, s-7. Easter Eve. W. XIII, M83-W86. 1873
If the devil wins it, and catches and binds the enemy in it, then it is understood that Christ has gone down to hell. Whoever hears this will easily understand that Christ, who went down to hell and bound the devil, has become Lord over the devil and hell.
(12) Therefore, when I say that Christ is Lord over the devil and over hell, and that the devil has no power or authority over him, and over those who belong to him, this is spoken without image or flowerwork. So if I can grasp it and believe it, then it is good. But if I paint it with flowers and images and make a flag so that Christ has opened hell, so that the children and the rude people, who otherwise cannot grasp it without an image, may also understand it, grasp it and believe it, then it is also good. As it can be grasped either by external images or without external images, so it is right and good; if only one does not become a heretic, and this article only remains firm, that our Lord Jesus Christ went down to hell, broke hell, overcame the devil, and redeemed those who were imprisoned by the devil.
I say this because I see and experience that the world now wants to be clever in the devil's name, and to master the articles of faith according to its own head, and to justify everything. As, in this article, it leads to and makes many useless, futile questions, whether the soul went down alone, or whether the divinity was with it; item, what he did there, and how the devils multiplied and how he overcame them. After this, when she has asked for a long time, she thinks thus: Christ died on the cross, his body is laid in the grave, his soul is in heaven with the Father to whom he commanded it; how then can it be possible that he went to hell? And so finally puts this article in doubt altogether.
(14) Therefore hold fast to your infant faith, which is this: I believe in Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, our Lord, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; that is, I believe in the whole man, that he is true God and true man, undivided, descending to hell: I believe in the whole man, that he is truly God and truly man, body and soul, undivided, descending to hell.
and broke the hell. The whole person, that is, Jesus Christ, true Son of God and true man, born of Mary, did it. The same God and man, in One Person, went to hell, but did not remain in it. His soul is not left in hell, as the 16th Psalm says about him. But where the soul is, there also belongs the body, according to the scriptural language, which calls the whole man soul.
(15) But how it came to pass, that the man lay in the grave, and yet went to hell, say, I know not, neither will I be able to conceive it, nor to reason it out. But I can roughly paint it for you and put it into a picture: He took the flag as a victorious hero, and ran with it against the gate of hell, and pushed it open, and rumbled among the devils, so that here one fell out of the window, there the other into the hole. Then comes a foolish man with his highly intelligent reason, smiles with scorn and says: "What are you pretending? Do you think that hell has a wooden gate? Then you say again: "Dear master Klügeln, I know that as well as you do; I could also, if it were necessary and useful, speak about it as sharply as you do; I know very well that no carpenter has made the gate of hell. For hell was before a carpenter came to earth. It has not wood, iron, bolts, nails 2c., as the castles and houses on earth have. The gate is not made of wood or iron, and the flag with which Christ opened the gate is not made of cloth.
(16) I would also like to transfigure and interpret all such images and figures finely, what flag, gate, bolt, staff 2c. means, and would not need a smart aleck to do so. But I will not do so, but stick to the simple, clear words and childish images that finely paint this article for me. For the devil would like to get me off track with high thoughts and sharp questions, and lead me from clear words and simple understanding to human wisdom. Therefore, it is better for me to remain a child here, who takes this picture and thinks that Christ has run up to hell, as one usually runs up to a gate. Such an image cannot be
1874 2.5,7-9. On Easter Eve. W. XIII, 1086-1089. 1875
but serves and helps me to grasp and retain this article all the more strongly; and yet the mind remains pure and unconverted, that Christ overcame the devil and hell, God granting that the gates, gate, flag, staff were wooden, or iron, or none at all. If we otherwise have to grasp all things that we do not know and do not know by means of pictures, even if they are not as true or in truth as the pictures paint them: why would we not grasp this article, which we also cannot understand or explain, by means of pictures, because the picture helps to preserve the right, pure understanding, namely, that Christ Himself personally destroyed hell and bound the devil? Christ has done this with his back, head, flag or staff, there is nothing to it: but it is that I know and believe that the gate has been opened, the devil bound and captured, hell broken and torn apart, so that neither hell nor the devil can take me captive or harm me and all who believe in him.
17 Christ touched it a little, Matt. 16, when he says, v. 18: "Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it"; and St. Peter, 2 Pet. 2, 4."The angels that have sinned, God hath cast into hell with chains of darkness, and delivered them to be kept for judgment"; and St. Jude, v. 6: "The angels that kept not their principality, but left their habitation, God hath kept for judgment of the great day, with everlasting bands of darkness." But what gates, eternal bands of darkness and chains of darkness are, remains hidden to the sharp mind. And even if I want to refrain from speaking sharply about it, I will still not understand it.
(18) Therefore I suffer this article to be prefigured by outward images and childish play, so that the simple may grasp it, and the wise and prudent may become fools about it. Turks, pagans, Jews consider us to be gross fools, as those who believe hell to be a wooden or
iron building, and have gate, locks, bolts, windows, made by carpenter or blacksmith. But we are not so crude, but say that this article should be painted with crude pictures and images, so that it may be understood by us, and we remain with the words and with pure Christian understanding.
(19) This is a part of this sermon, from the article that Christ descended into hell, that is, that he overcame the devil and broke hell, so that no Christian should be afraid and terrified of the devil from now on. He did this with the flag, that is, with the heel with which he crushed the head of the serpent. Of course, we will see this flag and heel on that day, even though we cannot understand it in this life, nor can we speak sharply of what it is. It was not a flag, as we make flags, of cloth or paper; but we let it remain a flag, that the main thing may be kept, that Christ hath broken hell, opened heaven, bound and taken the devil, and delivered the captives.
(20) The world with all its powers would not have been able to deliver anyone from the devil's bonds, nor to take away the torment and violence of hell for one sin, even though all the saints lead to hell for one man's sin; but all, especially as many as have ever come to earth, would have to remain in it forever, unless the holy, almighty Son of God had gone there with his own person, and had mightily won and destroyed it by his divine power. For no Carthusian cap, no barefoot rope, nor the holiness of all monks, nor the power and might of all the world can extinguish a speck of the infernal fire. But this is what happens when this man himself comes down with his banner, when all devils must run and flee from their death and poison, and the whole hell with its fire must go out before him, so that no Christian may be afraid of it, and even if he enters hell, he should not suffer the torment of hell; just as through Christ he does not taste death eternally, but passes through death and hell to eternal life.
1876 2.3,9-12. On Easter Eve. W. xm, 1089-1091. 1877
The other part of this sermon is that our Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day. A strong, firm faith belongs to this, which makes this article strong, firm and good. The words, Christ risen from the dead, are to be well remembered, and written with large letters, so that one letter may be as great as the tower, even as heaven and earth, that we may see, hear, think, and know nothing else but this article. For we do not speak and confess this article in prayer for the sole sake of it, as we otherwise tell a fable, a fairy tale, or a story; but that it may become strong, true, and living in our hearts. And this is what we call faith, when we imagine it in such a way that we put ourselves completely into it, just as if nothing else had been written, except: Christ is risen.
22 St. Paul is a right master to delete this article, Rom. 4, 25: "Christ was given for our sins and raised for our righteousness. Eph. 2:5, 6: "Being dead in sins, he hath quickened us together with Christ, and hath raised us up together with him, and hath seated us together with him in the heavenly estate in Christ Jesus." 1 Thess. 4:14: "If we believe that JEsus died and rose again, God will also bring with him those who have fallen asleep through JEsum."
(23) If then we believe these things, we shall live and die well; for Christ not only overcame death for his own sake, and rose from the dead; but you must be so attached to one another, that it may be true of us, and that we also may stand and be apprehended in the resurrection, and by and through the same must rise again, and live with him forever; that our resurrection and life have already begun in Christ, and as surely as if it had already happened, without being yet hidden and not made manifest. So keenly should we look at this article that all other sights are nothing in comparison, as if we saw nothing else in all heaven and earth. If you see a Christian dying and being buried, and nothing but a dead carcass is lying there, and both before your eyes and ears is a grave, a death song, a death word, yes, a death: yet you shall see such an image of death.
out of your eyes, and by faith you will see another image underneath for that image of death, as if you did not see a grave and the carcass of death, but life itself and a beautiful, joyful garden and paradise, in which there is no death, but new, living, joyful people.
(24) For if it be true that Christ is risen from the dead, we have already passed the best part of the resurrection, that the bodily resurrection of the flesh out of the grave (which is yet future) is to be reckoned small in comparison. For what are we and all the world compared to Christ, our Head? Hardly a droplet against the sea or a small stick against a great mountain. Since Christ, the head of Christianity, through whom it lives and has everything, and who is so great that he fills heaven and earth, and against him the sun, the moon and all creatures are nothing, rose from the grave, and thereby became a mighty Lord of all things, even of death and hell, we also, as his members, must be struck and touched by his resurrection, and become partakers of the very thing that he has accomplished, as having been done for our sake. For as he by his resurrection took all things with him, that both heaven and earth, sun and moon, and all creatures, should rise again and become new, so he will also take us with him. The same God who raised Christ from the dead will also make our mortal bodies alive, and with us all creatures that are now subject to vanity and anxiously long for our glory, shall also become free from the perishable nature and glorious. So that we already have more than half of our resurrection, because the head and heart are already above, and it is still a matter of the least that only the body is buried under the earth, so that it may also be renewed. For where the head remains, there the body must also go; as we see in all animals when they are born to this life.
(25) In addition to this, another half also happened, even far more than half; namely, that we are already spiritually resurrected through baptism in faith, that is, after the
1878 ".8, 12-14. On Easter Eve. W. XIII, 1091-1094. 1879
The best part of us, and therefore not only the very best has happened bodily, that our head has ascended from the grave to heaven, but also, according to the spiritual essence, our soul has taken its part and is with Christ in heaven, and only the shells and husks or broken pieces remain here, but for the sake of the main part they must also go there. For the shell and husk shall yet be resurrected, but the right piece and the core has already been resurrected.
(26) This is to be firmly believed, so that when we see a Christian sick, being raised, laid in the grave, or even when we ourselves are to die, we may put all this out of our sight, and pray the resurrection rightly, confessing and saying: The best part of the resurrection has already taken place; Christ, the head of all Christendom, has risen through death and from the dead. Moreover, the most noble part of me, my soul, is also through death, and with Christ in the heavenly being. What harm can the grave and death do me? Is this body, as St. Paul, 2 Cor. 5, 1, says, only a hut of the soul, as made of earth or clay, and an outdated garment, or an old, shabby, lousy fur. But because the soul by faith is already in the new, eternal, heavenly life, and cannot die nor be buried, we have no more to wait for, but that this poor tabernacle and the old garment may follow after, and become new, and perish no more, because the best part is above, and cannot leave us behind. If Christ, who is called Resurrexit, is gone from death and the grave, then he who says, Credo, and clings to him, must also go there. For he hath therefore gone before us, that we should follow after; and hath already begun this in us, that we should rise again daily in him through the word and baptism.
(27) Behold, we ought to be accustomed to such thoughts of faith against the outward, bodily sight of the flesh, which sets vain death before our eyes, and seeks to terrify us with such an image, and to cast doubt upon and destroy the article of the resurrection. For it is very disconcerting to leave reason to its own devices.
For a man can have nothing but vain thoughts of death, because he sees the body lying there, rotting and stinking miserably and horribly, so that no dead man's body stinks so disgracefully as a dead man's body, and no one on earth can suffer it. And there is no remedy that can help or ward it off, except to burn it or dig it under the ground as deep as one can. This moves St. Paul when he says, 1 Cor. 15, 42, 43: "It is sown corruptible, and will rise incorruptible. It is sown in dishonor, and shall rise in glory; it is sown in weakness, and shall rise in power." It is especially annoying how the Saxons say, "Do you think that one guy is in the other? I see that this one is dead and is buried two or three cubits deep in the earth, and stinks so disgracefully that no one can stay around him. Do you think that something should come of this guy?
No one can deny that it is a very poor thing around a dead man's corpse. But if it were a matter of reason, I could speak of it just as mockingly as you. You consider it great art, what reason judges of it. But if I wanted to judge by my eyes, I would bet on it, where it would come to the meeting, I would make it much worse and make this article much more miserable than you. If you see a dead body rotting, I see it too. If you see a human corpse torn apart and eaten by worms, fish, wolves or other animals, I see it too. But if I want to judge by reason, as I see and understand, I am lost.
29 But I have a higher understanding than eyes see and senses feel, which faith teaches me. For there is the text which says: Resurrexit: He is risen, he did not remain in the grave and in the earth, but rose from the dead; and not for himself, but for our sake, that his resurrection may be ours, and that we also may rise in him, and not remain in the grave and in death, but also keep with him bodily an eternal paschal day.
1880 2.5, 14-16. On Easter Eve. W. XIII, 1094-1697. 1881
- Behold, how does a husbandman who sows in the field, and casts the grain into the ground, that it must rot and perish, that it seems as if it were lost; yet he has no care for it, as if it were in vain; yea, he forgets where the grain remains, asks nothing how it is, whether the worms eat it, or else it perishes; But goes away with vain thoughts, that around Easter or Pentecost beautiful stalks will come out, and carry many more ears and grains than he has thrown there. If a young farmer, who had not seen a grain growing before, saw this, he would certainly say to him, "O father, what are you doing? How can you be so foolish as to throw the grain into the ground? It is lost, it will rot, and no one can benefit from it. Let it lie on the ground, that bread may be baked of it.
31 Thus, when our Lord God sows our bodies and buries them in the grave, our reason says, "Should it be true that God makes His Christians alive? He lets them be beheaded, crucified, burned, become powder and ashes, die and rot in the earth. But what does God say? Just as a father says to his son and young fool. The son thinks he is wise, and says: "Dear father, why are you so foolish as to spill the grain into the ground in such a useless way? But the father says: Dear son, close your eyes and let me deal with the grain, I will not spoil it. God also says, "Dear one, let me deal with my Christians, and do not let yourself be troubled, even if they are beheaded, burned or killed; let me take care of what will become of them.
(32) Yea, saith reason, there I see; when I go into the field in summer, the corn is fair and beautiful. Here, however, I see nothing but horrible sights: there one is taken by the head and strangled; here the other is buried in the ground and rots. Answer: If the grain was before your eyes as soon as it was sown in the ground, you would not need any experience and would not expect God's work every year. So too, if the body were to be resurrected from the dead as soon as it is
If you were to be buried in the earth, you would have no need of faith, and God would not have room to show His wisdom and power over our wisdom and understanding. But now faith confesses and says: I believe in Jesus Christ, risen from the dead. I believe in a resurrection of the flesh. And the holy scripture testifies, Psalm 34:20, 21: "The righteous must suffer many things; but the Lord shall save him out of them all. He preserves all his bones, so that not one of them is broken.
(33) If you see the body perishing, rotting, and being eaten by snakes and worms, you are lost. But if you look to God's word and keep the faith, you will be preserved. For as God's work year by year and experience testifies that the grain which the husbandman throws into the ground and lets rot, and which grows up in the summer, takes on a different form and bears much fruit: so faith and the Scriptures testify that our bodies, which God buries and lets rot in the winter, will come up again in His time, on the last day, much more beautiful than the sun.
(34) It is a strong temptation that we go so miserably; there one howls, weeps and laments; there one sees before one's eyes no life, but the vain form of death. In the face of such temptation, we must keep to God's word and faith, and in the face of death we must exhaust comforting and joyful thoughts of life, and think that the grave is not a grave, but a beautiful garden of spices, in which beautiful nails and roses have been planted, so that they will grow and blossom in the summer. For as the grave of the Lord Christ must be made clean, and not stink, but become lovely, glorious, and beautiful: so must the graves of Christians also be made clean, and not stink. These are the thoughts, art and wisdom of Christians.
35 Thus it is read of Saint Agatha: When she was led into the dungeon and to death, she said she was going to dance; and when she was tortured, she said, Behold, how woe is me, they whistle a round dance for me to dance. Behold, this holy virgin
1882 2.5,is.i7. On the holy day of Easter. W. xm, 1097-1099,1126,1127. 1883
has imagined the article of the resurrection of death much more firmly than any husbandman can imagine the experience that the grain, sown in winter, should grow and green in summer. If God would, I could only draw such hope from the resurrection of death, as a husbandman draws hope from a grain of wheat. And of St. Vincent and others one reads that they went to death with joy and laughter, and mocked their judges and executioners. When they threatened St. Vincent with sword, fire and death, he said: "O fools, do you think that I am afraid of this? It was ridiculous and mocking to him that they wanted to defy him; therefore he defied them and said, "The torture that you threaten me with is all joy to me in Christ. He had imagined the resurrection so firmly and had grasped it so surely that he only mocked the executioner.
36 Let us also learn this, that when the devil raises his spear against us and threatens us with death and hell, we may drive the article into our hearts and take comfort in it and brave it; that we may also answer him and say, "Devil, do you know nothing?
more than to threaten with death? Well then, I am not afraid of your threat; you sing me a pretty little song and lead me to dance, my grave is a merry garden. Because Christ, my. For since Christ, my head, in whom it all lies, has risen, lives and sits above, and I have been baptized in him, I already have far more than half gone, and only a small piece still remains, so that I must have the old skin completely peeled off, so that it also becomes new again. Because I already have the whole genetic material, the husks and shells must also certainly follow it.
So let us put away from our eyes the miserable sight of death, which terrifies human reason, and let us not look at the outward appearance, but at the Scriptures and at faith, since we learn that because Christ is risen and exalted above all heavens, and our soul is also risen with him, our body must also come forth again from death and the grave and shine as beautifully as the sun. For this, may God grant us His grace, so that we may grasp it and comfort ourselves and others with it, amen.
*On the holy day of Easter. )
Of the history and fruit of the resurrection of Christ.
Marc. 16, 1-8.
And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary Jacob, and Salome, bought specimens, that they might come and anoint him. And they came unto the sepulchre on a sabbath day very early, when the sun was risen. And they said one to another, Who shall roll us the stone from the door of the sepulchre? And they looked there, and perceived that the stone was rolled away; for it was very great. And they entered into the sepulchre, and saw a young man sitting on the right hand, clothed in a long white garment; and they arose. And he said unto them: Do not be dismayed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified one; he has risen and is not here. Behold the place where they laid him. But go and tell his disciples and Petro that he will go before you into Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you. And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for trembling and terror had come upon them; and they told no man; for they were afraid.
*) Publicly glattened on April 13, 1533.
1884 6-On the holy day of Easter. W. xm, 1128-1132. 1885
(1) To the merciful, eternal God, in praise and honor, let us now preach and hear about the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ; as it is appropriate that the article be preached and practiced at this feast, because the time brings it with it, and the Gospels, which are arranged for this feast, understand and comprehend the history of this article. It is also important that this article be preached and practiced primarily, since it contains our greatest and highest things, not only in this present life, but also in the life to come. To this end, this article should be practiced, not only because it is useful and good, but also so that God may be praised and honored with it, so that there may be someone on earth who hears it earnestly and gives thanks to our Lord Christ for His suffering and resurrection; for God likes it to be remembered and always preached.
(2) And it cannot be sufficiently preached and heard, for it cannot be sufficiently comprehended. We preach nothing new, but preach always and without ceasing about the man who is called Jesus Christ, true God and man, who died for our sins and was raised for our righteousness. But even though we are always preaching and practicing such things, we will never be able to grasp them sufficiently; we will still remain infants and young children, who are now learning to speak and can hardly speak half words, or even quarter words,
That is why we want to talk about it now, because our highest priority is on it. So also our greatest work is that we may preserve you in this article, and when we die, leave you this treasure. For it is unfortunately obvious that if we, who are now preaching, lay down our head, there will come red spirits and enthusiasts who will tear down, ruin and break what we have built. Thus one preaches and hears already under the Pabstthum nothing of it.
(4) So now everyone cuts because the harvest is here, and everyone buys because the fair is at the door, and grasp this article quite well, yet it cannot be grasped sufficiently. I must not boast that I have grasped it sufficiently, and so can that I should not learn more about it, whether or not I can.
I am already a doctor. To this end, it is important that this article be well collected, so that it is not forgotten; for this article must preserve us when death comes, indeed, this article preserves the Christian church.
(5) The apostles are diligent in describing the benefits and fruits of Christ's resurrection. But the evangelists, though they do not express the benefit as much as the apostles, yet they describe the history diligently. For the office of an evangelist is to describe the history, just as the office of an apostle is to interpret it, so that it may be known what fruit and benefit the history brings. We will take both pieces before us, and first speak of the history; then also show what the power and fruit of the history is.
(6) In the history of Christ's resurrection from the dead, it is necessary to open one's eyes and distinguish the resurrection of Christ from the resurrection of Lazarus and all men who have been from the beginning of the world and will be until the end. Lazarus was raised from the dead after lying in the grave for four days, and he and all men will rise again on the last day. But the same resurrection is nothing compared to the resurrection of Christ. For of the resurrection of Christ the Christian faith says thus: I believe in JEsum Christum 2c., on the third day risen from the dead. Of Lazaro and others the Christian faith does not say: I believe in Lazarum, risen from the dead. And the Scripture says, Apost. 2, 24: "It was impossible that he should be kept from death."
(7) And now I am not speaking of how the resurrection of Christ is far different from the other resurrection as far as the power and fruit of Christ's resurrection is concerned, but that it is also far different from the other resurrection according to history, just as Christ's suffering and death are also different. For here dies not Lazarus, not a prophet, not an apostle, not John the Baptist, but he of whom the Scriptures testify that he is truly God and man in one person, and without all sin, innocent, blameless, holy and pure, full of grace.
1886 ".5, 19-21. On the holy day of Easter. W. XIII, 1132-1134. 1887
and truth, also according to humanity, I am silent according to the divinity. Therefore, here is a wonderful resurrection. If you look at the person, there is also a great difference between the resurrection of Christ and Lazari. For in Christ you see the lovely and comforting struggle, which you do not see in other persons, how death and devils run to Christ, and try their luck and salvation in him, and still win nothing. Death and devils look at Christ like Lazarum, Jesaiam or another prophet, and think: We have eaten and devoured all those, as great and high they were; we also want to eat and devour this one, he shall hardly be a morning bite for us. But then death and the devil come in, for he falls upon such a man who could not die nor should die. He could not die for the sake of his divinity, for it is impossible for God to die. He should not have died because of his humanity, for he was such a man in whom there was no guilt and to whom death had no right.
(8) Death has a claim on all of us, including John the Baptist and all the saints, as St. Paul teaches in Romans 5:12: "Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death has come through to all men, because they have all sinned. But to Christ he has no claim. That is why he transgresses and departs from him. But death and the devil do not realize that he has such a person before him who cannot die and should not die. Therefore, death and the devil, who devours all the world, and Christ, whom he cannot devour, run together. Death and the devil come with all their power, and try their best: Christ takes neither sword, nor armor, nor guns, nor weapons, but keeps silent, and lets the devil run and thrust at him with sin and death, and does not lift a finger, but lets himself be blasted as he pleases; and with such silence he overcomes sin, death, the devil, and hell.
9 St. Paul speaks of this, Col. 2, 15: "Christ has stripped the principalities.
and the mighty, and made a show of them publicly, and made a triumph of them, by himself." By himself, he says, Christ overcame, plundered and robbed his enemies. He held up his humanity to death and the devil, and let him cut and stab at it, let himself be struck on the cross, and did not strike again, let himself be killed, and suffered this patiently. Since death and the devil did his best and killed Christ, he killed mankind. But the person lives, who is God and man at the same time, as our Christian faith testifies. Since the person is eternal and cannot die, mankind, even if it is already killed by death and the devil, must not remain in death, but live and reign eternally. Death and the devil only cut a wound to the person, but were not able to overpower him: he only hit mankind, but he could not hit the Godhead.
(10) Thus the history of the resurrection, of which the Easter feast reports and the holy evangelists write, happened in this person, who is both God and man, and who neither could nor should die. This person, God and man, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of virgins, who walked on earth and was found to be like another man, deceived the devil and death. For death had to be devoured. The devil has indeed invaded with terror, law and death; but because he has attacked the person whom he should not have attacked, death must lie down and the devil must fall under the feet of this person. The devil, together with death, has poured out all his venom and wrath, but he has not hit the right person, whom he could have overpowered. So far the devil and death have struck the right ones whom he could overpower and devour, because he was right with them, because they were sinners: but here he has not struck the right person, because he had no right with him, because he was righteous, innocent, pure, and without all sin, and eternal and immortal.
11 Christ tore the devil's belly and death's mouth apart, not only of-
1888 L.s.21-23. On the holy day of Easter. W. xm, 1134-1137. 1889
half that he should not have died, but also that he could not have died; and lost sin, death and the devil in that person; for they accused Christ as a sinner, and condemned him as an evildoer, and thought that he was a pure and righteous man. But he was both God and a righteous, innocent man. Therefore he suffered all these things, but after that he came forward and said: "Hear, sin, hear, death, hear, shameful devil, why do you accuse me? Why do you kill me? What right have you to me? Then sin, death and the devil must fall silent, and no guilt can be brought forward. Because sin, death and the devil have so offended Christ, he has become Lord over sin, death and the devil: not only that he is truly God, but also that he is innocent according to his humanity.
(12) So the person should be made great. But if the person is great, then the resurrection, which took place in this person, must also be great. Christ is truly God and truly man, truly God and the Son of the virgin, greater than heaven and earth. In addition, he is innocent and without sin, as the prophet Isaiah Cap. 53. says, v. 9: "He was buried like the ungodly, and died like a rich man; yet he did no wrong to anyone, nor was any deceit found in his mouth"; and the apostle Peter, 1 Pet. 2, 22: "He who did no sin, neither was any deceit found in his mouth." This is greater than all sin, and greater than all devils, including death. For Christ, true God and man, without all sin and guilt, weighs a thousand times more. So when a Christian grasps this greatness of the person, he also recognizes the greatness of the fruit. How small are sin, death and the devil compared to Christ? But if Christ is greater than heaven and earth, greater than sin, death and the devil, then everything he suffers and does must also be very great. His suffering must be great; his resurrection from the dead must also be great.
(13) And this is the high article which we preach always, and which ye diligently observe.
and keep it. For there are few who preach it rightly; fewer who learn and grasp it. There are also already the spirits of the wicked, and more will come, who are very clever and sharp in their arguments, and will disgrace this history, so that we will lose this person over it. They will preach Christ like another prophet, and deal in vain spirits, and say: Spirit, Spirit. Thus they will obscure this article, and make it so that we will despise this history, and with the history lose this high person; although this person is far different from all prophets, and this history is not a bad history of Dieterich of Bern, or of the Turk, how he defeated and overcame the king of Hungary; but a high, excellent history of the glorious victory of the Lord Christ against sin, death, devil and hell.
In the papacy they sang fine songs: He who broke hell, and overcame the sorrowful devil in it, so that the Lord redeemed Christendom 2c.; item: Christ rose from his torment all 2c. This is well sung from the heart; but there were no preachers who could have told us what it was. At Christmas one sang: Ein Kindelein so löbelich ist uns heute geboren. At Pentecost they sang: Now we ask the Holy Spirit 2c. The text of the Gospel, the Passion or History of the Passion of Christ, was read to the people. In the mass they sang the good song: Praise and glory be to God, who has fed us Himself 2c. But from all this, not a single letter nor a single tittle was understood, but one quickly fell on another thing, and forgot the beautiful words. Therefore it can easily happen again that the history is concealed, either by the spirits of the pagans, who pervert and obscure it, or by lazy preachers, who do not respect this article.
(15) If we preachers are lazy, you will not receive it. For you brew your own beer, and the righteous, pure doctrine gives you nothing to do. But I will have warned and admonished you faithfully, that you learn this article well and grasp it, whether Rotten-
1890 2.5, 24-26. On the holy day of Easter. W. xm, 1137-1139. 1891
I'm not sure how long I'll be here, but I'm sure I'll be here for a long time. I do not know how long I will be here. That is why I wanted to leave this article pure and unadulterated after me. Now you have the Gospel pure and fine, you have interpreted the Catechism, the Ten Commandments, the Faith, the Lord's Prayer, Baptism, the Blessed Sacrament, briefly and finely; take heed lest you be ungrateful, and red spirits and false teachers come and pervert everything. For I am greatly concerned that shameful ingratitude and contempt will snatch away the pure word. I am excused, for I have preached to you with all my diligence, to the best of my ability, exhorting you, asking and pleading with you that I may prosper in the sight of God.
16 This is the first part of this sermon, that our dear Lord Jesus Christ, as the true God, who is greater than all that is in heaven and earth, and as the most pure and innocent man, has torn death in two. Because death and the devil had nothing on him, he came out of the grave more beautiful than the sun. This is what you should know, that Christ, risen from the dead, is truly God and truly man in one person. And if you do not understand how it is that Christ is God and man, the person one and undivided, but the natures distinct; then put away the question and say: I believe that Jesus Christ, God and man, is one person, and the two natures, Godhead and mankind, are joined together. In this I remain. For in the Christian faith we confess that the Son of God and the Son of Mary are one Son, one Person, one Christ and Lord; not two Sons, not two Persons, nor two Christs and Lords: so that whoever touches and kills Christ the Man or the Son of Mary touches and kills the Son of God. For as my body and soul are two natures, and yet I am one person; so that whosoever shall bruise, cut, or kill my body, bruise, cut, or kill me, though he bruise not my soul, neither cut, neither kill it: so also
Christ is God and man, and he who strangles Mary's Son strangles God's Son; he who despises, blasphemes, defiles, crucifies Mary's Son despises, blasphemes, defiles, crucifies God's Son and God Himself. The Mother Mary suckled, fed, watered, cradled true God and man, although God did not need suckling, feeding, watering, cradling.
(17) The other part of this sermon is to draw the history to the power, fruit and benefit. Throughout the year you will hear how our Lord Jesus Christ, through his victory in himself, overcame and defeated sin, death and the devil; he strangled the devil in his own body, drowned death in his own blood, and eradicated sin in his torture and suffering. He accomplished these things alone and in himself, but he did not keep them for himself alone and for himself. For he, as the true, eternal God and Lord over all, did not need such victory for himself; much less did he need to become man; much less to suffer under Pontio Pilato. But that such a great, high person has accomplished such a thing, it is for me and for you and for all of us. And this is the power and fruit of the passion and resurrection of Christ.
(18) According to history we must know and believe that Christ is a high and excellent person, truly God and man, and that his suffering and death were great and high, and his resurrection from the dead glorious and victorious. But according to the power and fruit we must know and believe that his victory and triumph are distributed and given to all who believe in him; so that we not only believe that Christ died and rose from the dead in his person; but also that we accept the same suffering and resurrection as our given and bestowed treasure, and have right consolation from it; as we sing in the Easter hymn: Let us all rejoice, Christ will be our consolation. It applies to us, Christ wants to comfort us with his resurrection.
19These are well sung, and are very comforting, even spiritual words; for
1892 2.5, 26-28. On the holy day of Easter. W. xm, 1139-1142. 1893
They teach that the victory and glorious resurrection of this great and glorious person is given to all believers as a gift and as their own, so that I may have Christ's resurrection against mine, you against yours, and each against his death, which is greater than heaven and earth, and in which the whole world's sin and death is swallowed up. My holiness shall not do it, neither can it do it, nor deliver me from some sin, let alone from the burden of sin and death. But this is because this person, true God and man, has won an eternal, glorious victory over sin, death and the devil in and through himself; and this same victory shall be mine, if only I believe in him and recognize him as the person who has done this for me and for all believers.
020 If any man believe not these things, let him not: we preach for them that hear gladly, and have need thereof. These are they that are in anguish, terror, and trembling, saying, I must depart and die; item, I have sinned, I have neither rest nor peace. For when the devil attacks one, he makes heaven and earth close to him. Sometimes he also torments me in such a way that he makes such a sea and fire for me out of a vain sin that I do not know where to stay. He does this with sin. He does the same with death: he can make it so horrible, ghastly and terrible that one forgets God and his word. He is a thousand-fold favored one, he is a master of sins and of death; therefore he can also make sin and death so masterly. He has often made a small sin, even one that was not a sin in itself but was right and well done, so hard for me that I could not stay away from it. And he has often made such an image of death for me that I might have died of fright.
(21) Against such an enemy it is expedient and necessary that we prepare ourselves and make ready with a right understanding of the power and fruit of Christ's resurrection, that we may not remember that Christ rose from the dead for his own sake, and ascended into heaven, that he alone might live in all blessedness;
but that he shared his goods and his inheritance with us. For his own sake he did not come to earth, for his own sake he did not allow himself to be crucified, he had no need of this for himself; but he bore our sin, our death he bit out and devoured by his death, and the hell where we were to go he destroyed; as it is written in the prophet Hosea, chapter 13, v. 14: "I will deliver them from hell and save them from death. Death, I will be a poison unto thee; hell, I will be a pestilence unto thee." He speaks of our death, and of the hell that imprisoned us, and says that he will blot out the sin that is upon me and accuses me, and will bring to nothing the death and hell that devours and devours me.
(22) So shall we put this man, who is called Jesus Christ, almighty, eternal God, and innocent, righteous man, to sufferings, death and resurrection against our sin and death. The devil comes and says: "Behold, how great is your sin! Behold, how bitter and terrible is the death that you must suffer! Dear devil, do you not know how great is the suffering, death and resurrection of my Lord Jesus Christ? In him is eternal righteousness and life; in him is an almighty resurrection from the dead, which is not only greater than my sin, death and hell, but also greater than heaven and earth. My sin and death is a small thing, but my Lord Christ's death and resurrection is a great sea.
23 And these things are so true that the devil cannot deny them. Christ's resurrection and victory over sin, death and hell is greater than heaven and earth; you cannot make his resurrection and victory so great, it is much greater. For since his person is great, eternal, infinite and incomprehensible, his resurrection, victory and triumph are also great, eternal, infinite and incomprehensible. Therefore, even if there were a thousand hells and a hundred thousand deaths, they would still be but a speck and a drop compared to Christ's resurrection, victory and triumph. But Christ gives
1894 8.5, 28.29. On the holy day of Easter. W. xm, 1142-1145. 1895
His resurrection, victory and triumph to all who believe in him. Since we have been baptized into him and believe in him, it follows that even if I and you had a hundred thousand sins, deaths and hells, it would still be nothing. For Christ's resurrection, victory and triumph, given to me in baptism and in the Word through faith, and now mine, is much greater. If this is true, as it certainly is, let sin, death, the devil, hell, the world, the pope, the emperor, and all calamities murmur; what harm can they do us? This is the other part of this sermon, that we should not only consider the history that has taken place in Christ's person, which is great and glorious; but also that we should know and believe that all these things have happened for our good, and have been presented to us in the Word, and have been made our own through faith; as St. Paul says, 1 Cor. 15:57: "Thanks be to God, who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
(24) How many people are there now who rejoice in this victory with all their hearts? It is no lie what Christ has declared by his resurrection, but the truth, founded in the holy Scriptures, proclaimed by the prophets and testified by the apostles: but we have thick ears and heavy, slow hearts to grasp such things. If we knew it rightly, we would rejoice in it with all our hearts and go in leaps and bounds. But because we seek joy elsewhere, in Joachimsthaler, money, goods, splendor, pleasure, we do even as the pope and other unbelievers do: when some sin awakens and takes hold of them, that same sin is greater before theirs.
eyes than twenty of Christ. We are such great fools and disgraceful people that we destroy this greatest of treasures through our sorrowful unbelief. They preach it and sing it to us, but we do not want to hear it.
(25) Then let us see. Let him who despises this treasure despise it, but no one's loss will be greater than that of the one who despises it. Nevertheless, Christ will find people who will rejoice, marvel and thank him that he has done such a wonderful work by his resurrection from the dead. We should already be certain that through Christ's resurrection and victory we have been given such assurance that neither sin nor death shall terrify us. But if sin and death terrify us, then either we are wronged, because Christ has set us free, or we do not believe. For Christ, risen from all torment, who will be our consolation, is greater than our sin and death, yes, greater than heaven and earth. But what does our tender flesh do? Because this treasure is not Jehovah's gold coins, which can be seen, grasped and groped, but is preached and presented in the Word, we despise it. But I urge everyone to learn and grasp this article well. I speak as one who has experienced and tried it myself. Whoever is not well grounded and practiced in this article, and is attacked by the devil, will realize what a master the devil is. Our dear Lord Jesus Christ, who wants to be our comfort, grant us his grace and spirit, so that we may learn and keep it right, amen.
1896 L. 5, 29.30. On Easter Monday. W. xm, 1897
*Easter Monday. )
Luc. 24:13-35.
And, behold, two of them went that same day unto a place which was sixty leagues from Jerusalem, whose name is Emmaus. And they talked with one another of all these things. And it came to pass, as they thus spake and consulted one with another, Jesus drew nigh unto them, and walked with them. But their eyes were stopped, that they knew him not. And he said unto them: What are these sayings which ye do among yourselves in the way, and are grieved? Then answered one, named Cleophas, and said unto him, Art thou alone among the strangers at Jerusalem, who knowest not what is done in these days within? And he said unto them: Which? And they said unto him, That of JEsu of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people; as our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified. But we hoped that he would redeem Israel. And of all this this day is the third day that it hath come to pass. We were also frightened by some of our women, who were at the tomb early and did not find his body, but came and said they had seen the visions of angels, who said he was alive. And some of us went to the sepulcher, and found as the women said; but they found him not. And he said unto them, O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Did not Christ have to suffer these things and enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them all the scriptures which were spoken of him. And they came near to the place where they were going, and he stood as though he would go on. And they urged him, saying: Stay with us, for it will be evening, and the day has come. And he went in to abide with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave it unto them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he disappeared before them. And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, when he spake unto us in the way, when he opened unto us the scriptures? And they arose at that hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the ephah gathered together, and them that were with them saying: The Lord is risen indeed, and Simoni appeared. And they told them what had happened on the way, and how he was known of them when he broke bread.
This gospel teaches us how our dear Lord Jesus Christ revealed his resurrection from the dead. The evangelist Marcus writes that the Lord, having risen from the dead, appeared early on the first day of the Sabbath, that is, yesterday, to Mary Magdalene; and afterward he manifested himself in another form to these two disciples, as they walked together in the field. Such a story and revelations have happened among others and have been written for the true testimony and certain proof of our faith from the same article. You will hear about this at another time.
2 Now the main part of this gospel is about the preaching of Christ, which he did to the disciples from the Scriptures. For
*) Held in the parish church, 1534.
As these two disciples were talking about him on the way, and chatting with one another, he joined them on the way and gave them a beautiful long sermon, as the text says: "He began from Moses and all the prophets, and expounded to them all the scriptures which were spoken by him." This was such a glorious sermon that the disciples themselves confessed afterwards in the village or in the house that their hearts burned when he spoke to them on the way and opened the Scriptures to them.
Now I would like to know what Scriptures the Lord has brought forth from Moses and the prophets, so that they are inflamed, strengthened and convinced in the article that Christ had to suffer and enter into his glory, because so little, indeed, can be seen,
1898 ".5, 30-32. On Easter Monday. W. XIII, 1147-1150. 1899
There is nothing in Moses that says anything about it. For the Jews also trusted in Moses as to what God had spoken, and yet they could not find such things in Moses; indeed, they still read Moses today, and yet they cannot see such things in it, but see the contradiction. How can this be? Christ refers to Moses and all the prophets, and says that they testify of him; and the Jews have and read Moses and the prophets, and yet can see nothing of Christ in Moses and the prophets. How does this rhyme? Answer: These two disciples resolve it by saying, "Were not our hearts burning within us when he talked with us on the road, when he opened the Scriptures to us?" It is certain that Moses writes of Christ; but this is because those who read Moses also understand where Moses speaks of. For St. Paul, 2 Cor. 3, 14, says that to this day, when the Jews read Moses, the covering or cloth hangs before their eyes and hearts, so that they cannot see it. And Christ, Luke 8, says to his disciples, v. 10: "To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to others in parables, that they may not see it, though they see it already, nor understand it, though they hear it already."
4 Therefore the Scripture is such a book, which requires not only reading, but also the right interpreter and revealer, namely, the Holy Spirit. Where the Holy Spirit does not open the Scriptures, they remain misunderstood, even if they have already been read. Today it is still like this in the world. We have the teaching as clear as the apostles. We prove the articles of the pure doctrine from the Scriptures, so that our adversaries cannot misjudge it. But what is the use? No article of faith was preached by the apostles that was not challenged by the heretics. What wonder is it that the pure doctrine we preach is contested? Therefore, it is not the Scriptures, the reading or the preaching that is lacking, but the interpreter; as the common saying goes, "It all depends on a good interpreter.
(5) After this, right disciples also belong to the Scripture, who are glad to be taught and instructed. For Moses and the prophets are
Such teachers, who make fools of the wise and prudent and put out the eyes of reason, where they are to be understood and believed otherwise. Where this does not happen, one is offended and annoyed by it or contradicts it. Therefore it will not be otherwise: He who is to understand and grasp the Scriptures must become a fool. Whoever wants to be clever here, and measure it with reason, as it rhymes and is suitable, is lost with him, he remains an inept student.
(6) The Bible and the Scriptures are not such a book as flow from reason or from the wisdom of men. The jurists' and poets' arts come from reason, and may in turn be understood and comprehended by reason. But Moses' and the prophets' teachings do not come from reason and human wisdom. Therefore, whoever dares to understand Moses and the prophets with reason, and to measure and reckon the Scriptures according to the rhyme of reason, will get away with it. For even all heretics from the beginning arose from the fact that they thought that what they read in the Scriptures they would interpret as reason teaches. St. Paul, 1 Corinthians 1, v. 23, 24: "We preach Christ crucified, an offense to the Jews and a foolishness to the Greeks. But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, we preach Christ, divine power and divine wisdom." To the Jews," he says, "we preach vain tarnishing, which they take offense at and become mad and foolish about; they can neither hear nor see it. To the prudent Gentiles we preach vain foolishness, whereof they become fools, because it is contrary to their reason, which cannot endure it. But which are simple-minded sheep, among Jews and Gentiles, which say: God has spoken, therefore I believe it; they can grasp it and understand it.
- and Christ himself, Matth. 11, 25, gives thanks to his heavenly Father with a glad heart, that he has hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to babes, fools and children. I praise our Lord God for this, that he may do it. If he had not done it, I would ask him to do it yet. For one can not ask the wise people
1900 5> 32-34. Easter Monday. W. xni, 1150-1152. 1901
and do not instruct the high reason nor mean in divine things of baptism, of Christ, of faith, of salvation and eternal life. When reason hears about baptism: "He who believes and is baptized will be saved"; item, baptism is a bath of regeneration 2c., it immediately recoils and says: "Should you be born again and saved immediately if you let yourself be washed with a little water? Should rebirth be so easy? Dear, consider how sour it is for a woman before she gives birth to a child, and you should gain eternal life and victory over sin, death and the devil if you let yourself be washed with a little water? Well, what can you make of it? Water is water. So reason enters. Likewise, when it hears of Christ, that God became man, died, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God, reason says: "Should a virgin bear a child and yet remain a virgin? and should the same child be the Son of God and God from eternity? How does that rhyme? Item: Should a man rise from the dead and sit at the right hand of God? This is impossible. Therefore, it is our Lord God's good pleasure to put such things before the eyes of reason, whereupon it is offended and angry. And if reason does not become God-fearing, allows itself to be caught and believes badly, it becomes a fool and cannot understand anything.
- Behold, what kind of people does God take here, to whom He reveals the resurrection of His Son? He takes unwise women and poor fishermen. The women are real jackdaws, they make such food, they buy specie and precious ointments; and when they have bought them, they go there as in a sleep and dream, and do not signify what they do or what they undertake. When they come to the gate, they first say among themselves, "What are we doing? Do we not know that a great, heavy stone lies before the door of the sepulcher? If they had known beforehand in the city that the stone was lying on the tomb, sealed and guarded with guards, they would have
have not gone out. They are such foolish jackdaws that they dare to anoint the Lord in the tomb, since the guards are in front and the tomb is closed and sealed. Still these jackdaws and foolish women become the first to whom Christ reveals his resurrection, and whom he makes preachers and witnesses of it. And the disciples are poor fishermen; nor does Christ give them such understanding of the Scriptures as all the highly knowledgeable and learned chief priests and scribes do not have. So God wanted to reveal this supreme work, that he raised his Son from the dead, only to the unintelligent, foolish, simple-minded and fools.
(9) For so he does with his word and works, that he reveals it to babes. It is impossible to reveal to the wise and prudent. What did it help that God spoke and wrote everything in the clearest possible way? as all the articles are set forth clearly and brightly enough in Scripture. God created heaven and earth, and proved the article of creation in the best possible way, both by Scripture and by deed; nor have more than twenty, even thirty heretics been found who have disputed this article. What did it help that Christ himself preached clearly and publicly among his own people, confirmed his sermon with great and excellent miraculous signs, raised the dead? Nothing everywhere. For they went to him, and most shamefully perverted his words and works; as the Pharisees said: He casteth out devils by Beelzebub, the chief of the devils. Luke 11:15 Therefore God must go on to say, "Because they want to be wise and can do no more than blaspheme My words and works, My word also shall be hidden from them and not understood. I will write and preach my word clearly, but I will place everything in the revelation of the Holy Spirit for a few simple-minded people who do not dispute or quarrel, but believe badly. To the rest it shall be and remain a vain and palpable darkness. For it is of no avail: though I set it most clearly before their eyes, yet they can do no more than blaspheme and contradict. Therefore they shall teach Moses
1902 2.5, 35-37. On Easter Monday. W. xm, 1152-1155. 1903
and hear the prophets, and read for themselves, and yet understand nothing of it.
010 Even so Christ here openeth the eyes of the simple disciples, and openeth the scriptures unto them, that they look on Moses and the prophets with other eyes, and confess, saying, Behold, we have read and heard these things so long before, and have never understood them. But the highly knowledgeable Pharisees and scribes remain blind, even though they have read and heard Moses and the prophets, yet they understand nothing of it, run over the words, and do not know what it is.
(11) Moses is the first from whom the Lord begins to interpret the Scriptures that were spoken by him. He was well known to the prophets, for all the prophets spun their books and writings from Moses. And I, if I were so rich in spirit, would take Moses and make a whole New Testament out of it, where it was not already made. Peter and Paul write little of the stories and works of Christ, but the gospel of Christ they lead mightily. See what only Paul spins out of the history of Abraham's sons, Isaac and Ishmael, Gal. 4. What do Peter and Paul do in the histories of the apostles? since they take little sayings (as they are to be regarded) of the Old Testament before them, and make such mighty sermons out of them that one must marvel at it, and say: It is right; but I would not have seen this in Moses.
(12) What does Christ do when he shuts up the Sadducees (who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, and kept no scripture but that of Moses) and convinces them of the resurrection of the dead? Matth. 22. There he takes the most common word, which they had, and was known to all Jews and daily in custom, that God says: "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob" 2c. What does Christ conclude from this? The Sadducees do not believe that there is a spirit, angel, devil and eternal life; but Christ makes Moses, who was dark, blind and dumb to the Sadducees, manifest, seeing and speaking, and thus concludes: God is a God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
and Jacob's, says Moses, 2 Mos. 3, 6. and you Sadducees cannot deny it. If then you consider God to be a God of the dead, what kind of God is he? But if God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as Moses says, then Abraham, Isaac and Jacob must live. For if Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were not alive, how would God be their God, since He is not a God of the dead, but of the living. Therefore Abraham, Isaac and Jacob must live, even though they have died and been buried.
13 Thus Christ convinces the Sadducees of the resurrection of the dead. For what is said of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is to be understood also of David and all the holy fathers and prophets, who must also live as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob lived, since God is their God as well as Abraham's, Isaac's and Jacob's. God cannot be a God that is no more, but must be a God that is. Now if GOd is a GOd of Abraham and all believers, Abraham (who is now under the earth) and all believers must be before Him and live. Before our eyes they are dead, but before GOD they are alive. For God says, "This is my name forever, that I should be called by it for ever and ever, that I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all who believe. Who would have thought of glossing over the short, common words that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob must rise from the dead and not remain in death? and that the Sadducees should be convinced of the resurrection of the dead by these common words? which words they knew well, and yet did not think that a word could be found in all of Moses about the resurrection of the dead, let alone that these common words should give the same article so powerfully.
14 Therefore it is all in the revelation. These two disciples also read Moses before, but did not understand it. But when Christ comes and opens the Scriptures to them, they look into them with different eyes and understand what they did not understand before.
- But what will Christ have introduced in this sermon to the disciples from Moses? Without doubt the first promise
1904 2.5, 37-M. Easter Monday. W. xm, 1155-1158. 1905
of the grace which God gave to Adam and Eve after the fall, when he speaks to the serpent, Gen. 3:15: "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." These words the Jew, Turk and Gentile reads, but does not see or understand what is inside. But when the revelation of the Holy Spirit comes, they understand what is said.
16 In the Scriptures, the seed of man is called a child or fruit in the Hebrew way. The seed of the woman is called the natural fruit of the woman, or a child born of the woman. Serpent here means the devil, who through sin wrought death and eternal wrath of God in Adam and Eve. The head of the serpent is the devil's power, authority and kingdom, as, sin, death, hell, God's wrath and eternal damnation. So now this text says: A child born of a woman will take away the devil's power and authority, so that he will no longer be a mighty lord of sin and death, nor will he be able to keep man under sin, death, God's wrath and damnation. This is what the child born of a woman shall and will accomplish; he shall and will crush and destroy the devil's head, that is, his kingdom of sin, death and hell. But the serpent, the devil, will prick the child in the heel, that is, torture and kill, bodily.
(17) From this saying follows the whole New Testament of Christ. For first of all, it indicates that this seed must be a true, natural man. For if he were not a true, natural man, he could not be a woman's seed, that is, a natural woman's fruit and child.
- Secondly, this seed and serpent treading must be a holy, righteous man, conceived and born without all sin. For Moses names no man, but gives this seed or child to the woman alone. He saith not, The man's seed shall bruise the serpent's head: but saith, The woman's seed shall bruise the serpent's head. Now all the seed of man or children are otherwise ascribed to men in the Scriptures.
Therefore, because this seed and serpent is given to the woman alone, it must come from the woman alone, that is, be born of the virgin, without man's help and work. Otherwise, he could not be the seed of the woman, but Moses would have to call him the seed of the man, according to the custom of the Scriptures.
(19) Everything that is born of man and woman is sinful, under God's wrath and curse, condemned to death. For it is conceived and born in sins; as Scripture testifies, Ps. 51:7: "Behold, I am begotten of sinful seed, and my mother conceived me in sins." This flesh and blood is so thoroughly poisoned and corrupted with evil desire and disobedience against God that nothing pure nor holy can come or be born from it. Therefore no man can come from man and woman without sin, but all men born of father and mother are children of wrath by nature, as St. Paul Eph. 2:3 testifies. No one can work his way out of it. Therefore, for the conception and birth of the promised seed, which was to be the head of the serpent, our Lord God took only a woman, who becomes the mother of this child without a man, through the Holy Spirit, who works such conception and birth in her: That this seed, though it were a natural man, of our flesh and blood, yet should not be conceived and born in sins, as other Adam's children; but should be without all sin, to whom the devil had no right nor power, and could bruise the serpent's head.
20 Thirdly, this indicates that this seed must be the true, eternal God. For if he is to crush the serpent's head, that is, to be a lord over sin and death, to throw the devil under himself, to snatch us out of his power, to restore righteousness and life, then a divine, omnipotent power must be involved. For it is not a human power and strength, even if he were completely pure and holy in body and soul (as Adam was first created), to crush the serpent's head, to overcome sin, death and hell, and to be saved from the devil's power.
1906 8.s, 39-4i. Easter Monday. W. xm, 1138-1160. 1907
make. There must be a greater power and strength than human, yes, greater than angelic power. Therefore it follows that this seed must not only be the son of a woman, whom no man has touched, but also the eternal son of God. Who could have found that in this saying? No one. But because the revelation of the Holy Spirit and the light of the New Testament are added, Moses gives this fine.
(21) It also follows from this that if this seed is born of a woman, it is also mortal and, like the others, must also die in the flesh. And because he promised Adam and his descendants that a man would be born for their sake, and was sent by God to save them from their fall, he had to take our place and let himself be tortured and killed for us. But because he was to tread under the devil and overcome him, he did not have to remain in death, but rose from death and lived forever, and through his resurrection and life began to reign mightily, so that he might finally bring his own who believe in him out of and over sin, death and the devil to eternal righteousness and life.
(22) All these things our Lord Christ undoubtedly expounded to these two disciples out of a rich spirit, from this principal saying in Moses, as from the first promise made by Him, from which also flowed the others that followed, and from it powerfully proved His suffering and resurrection from the dead. These seem to be hard and dark words, which human reason, when it comes across them and hears them, mocks and laughs at. But when simple hearts come over it, to whom the Holy Spirit reveals it through his preaching, so that they believe in it from the heart, they give such strength and fire that they cling to it firmly, stay with it, and allow themselves to be tortured and choked over it.
- And from such preaching and revelation the dear apostles Peter, Paul and the others studied and learned in such a way that they made whole sermons, even a whole book and New Testament out of a single saying in Moses, which the whole world with all its reason, wisdom and art cannot understand. Thus speaks St. Peter,
1 Pet. 1, 10. 11.: "That the prophets, which prophesied of the grace to come, sought and searched after salvation, and searched what time and what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them pointed unto." Where is it written in Genesis about the Spirit of Christ? Or who told St. Peter that Christ was before all the prophets, together with the Holy Spirit, and that the Spirit of Christ prophesied of Christ in the prophets and through the prophets? Are these the words of a fisherman of Bethsaida, or of a highly knowledgeable scribe, or of a wise pagan? No, but they are words of revelation, by which the Holy Spirit, who prophesied of Christ before in the prophets, has stirred and enlightened Petro's heart, so that he understands the prophecies of the prophets, and can interpret and interpret them to others. Likewise, when he speaks, 1 Pet. 3, 21. 22.: "Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has ascended to the right hand of God in heaven, and angels and mighty men and powers are subject to him." Where did he get that from? Admittedly, he has it not from his own reason, but from the holy Scriptures of the Old Testament; but not without revelation of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, he concludes thus: If Christ has risen from the dead and has ascended to the right hand of God in heaven, he is certainly Lord over all angels. Every angel is so mighty that all the kings of the earth with all their power are but sticks compared to him. But Jesus Christ, the seed or fruit of the woman, is Lord over all angels, not only over the evil and damned, but also over the good and blessed. This is what St. Peter says in Revelation.
- but if Jesus Christ, the natural child of the woman, has ascended to the right hand of God in heaven, and has become Lord over all angels, then he must be like God, even God himself. For our Lord God sets no one beside Himself who is a creature and not like God; as it is written Isa. 42:8: "I the Lord, that is My name; and I will not give My glory to another, nor My honor to idols"; and Ps. 71:19: "God, who is like unto Thee?" and Ps. 86:8: "Lord, there is none like Thee.
1908 s, 4i-43. On Easter Monday. W. xni, iiso-nW. 1909
1er to the gods." Since Jesus Christ, the Son of Mary, sits next to God, he must be like God and be God himself. So I wanted to take Moses, the Psalter, Isaiah, and the Holy Spirit, which the apostles had, and make as good a New Testament as the apostles made. But because we do not have the Holy Spirit so richly, we must drink from their fountains.
(25) Therefore this was a beautiful and glorious sermon which our Lord Christ preached to the disciples, beginning with Moses and all the prophets, and expounding to them all the scriptures which were spoken by him: by which their hearts were rightly kindled and inflamed. For it will have been very merry and sweet to hear that he thus opened the Scriptures, which before were dark and shut unto them. As, the first promise of the woman's seed is dark and gloomy to human reason, and the words remain vain hard pebbles and sharp thorns, from which nothing can press it, but continues to be confused and angry in it. But when the revelation comes, the mind follows, as said, that the natural child of the woman or the virgins is true God and man, who overcame the devil in his own body, took away sin and death, and brought back righteousness and eternal life.
But such preaching is only for the foolish and simple. The wise and prudent do not belong to them, nor can they stand them; as is seen in the Pharisees and scribes, who most venomously pervert all the words of the Lord Christ, who also speaks as he pleases. If he performs miracles and signs, they say that he does it through Beelzebub, the chief of the devils, and that he is a sorcerer. This is why this sermon is given to the foolish women and jackdaws who have bought specie, go to anoint the Lord, and do not think that the tomb is sealed and guarded; and to the poor fishermen who do not want to be wise, like the Pharisees of the Jews or the philosophers of the Gentiles, but take their reason captive to the obedience of Christ, and say: This is what God has said, therefore I believe it.
Even though it seems foolish to reason, it pleases me and sets my heart on fire; therefore, I stay with it and leave life and limb above it.
(27) Let every man therefore see to it that he be a simple student of the Scriptures; for wise men do not enter therein, the Scriptures remain closed to them. St. Augustine complains that he first went into the Scriptures with free reason and studied them for nine whole years, wanting to understand the Scriptures with his reason; but the more he studied them, the less he understood them, until at last he learned to his detriment that one must put out the eyes of reason and say: What the Scriptures say, I leave unexamined with my reason, but believe them with a simple heart. If one does this, the Scripture becomes bright and clear, which was dark before. So also St. Gregory says (that I wonder how the man came to the good saying): Scriptura sancta est fluvius, in quo agnus pe- ditat, et elephas natat: The holy scripture is a water, in which an elephant swims and drowns, but a lamb goes through, as through a shallow brook. In sum, it does not do to read the Scriptures with reason. But when the revelation comes, as it happens here to the disciples, it does.
(28) Moses is the first, as I said, in whom the Lord begins to open the Scriptures to the disciples. He not only took the first promise of the woman's seed from Moses and interpreted it, but also undoubtedly took other main sayings with him. As when God promised Abraham with an oath and said, Gen. 12, 3. and 22, 18.: "Through your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed"; item, the saying Gen. 49, 10. 11. 12.: "The scepter of Judah shall not be taken away, nor a master from his feet, until the Shiloh" (that is, hero) "come. And to him the nations will cling. He will bind his fill to the vine, and his ass's son to the noble branches. He shall wash his robe in wine, and his mantle in the blood of the vine. His eyes shall be redder than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk." The words
1910 ".s, 43-45. On Easter Monday. W. xm, ii63-"65. 1911
are dark and closed, especially that which is written about the washing of the cloak, red eyes and white teeth. But when a preacher and interpreter comes upon them, as Christ did here, they become light and manifest.
29 He will have taken from the prophets the saying 2 Sam. 7:12, 13, 14, where Christ promised David: "When thy days are fulfilled, when thou shalt lie down with thy fathers, I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall come out of thy womb, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will confirm the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son"; and Ps. 132:11: "The LORD hath sworn a true oath unto David; from it he will not turn: I will set on thy throne the fruit of thy womb."
(30) These and other sayings our dear Lord Christ expounded to the disciples from Moses and the prophets, so that the Scriptures, which before were to them rock and darkness, became light and fire to their hearts. This shows that the understanding of the holy Scriptures includes the revelation that the Holy Spirit, as the right interpreter, transfigures the word by heart through oral preaching, and inwardly through illumination in the heart. To the Jews, the word preached by Christ was stone; but to the disciples and others who heard and received it with earnestness and simplicity of heart, it was light and fire, by which their hearts were awakened, kindled, comforted, and rejoiced.
(31) We should gladly learn, hear and act upon the Holy Scriptures and God's Word. For the Holy Spirit, who is powerful through the Word, gives understanding to this; as we see here in these disciples: they speak on the way from
of the Scriptures, and would gladly enter in, but cannot. Then the Lord joins them and gives them a glorious sermon, taking sayings from Moses, the prophets and the Psalter, and transfiguring them so that they understand the Scriptures. So shall it be with us, if we treat the Scriptures earnestly, that we shall find joy and gladness in our hearts, and know Christ aright, how he bare our sins, how we shall live with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob for ever: only that we also remain simple disciples and fools, as these disciples and women were.
For in this book, which is called the Holy Scriptures, there is no wise master or brawler. God has given other arts, grammaticam, dialecticam, rhetoricam, philosophiam, jurisprudence, medicine; there be wise, quarrel, inquire and ask what is right and wrong. But here in the Holy Scriptures and God's Word, let the quarreling and questioning cease, and say: God has spoken this, therefore I believe it. Here it is not a matter of disputing and questioning, how or what? but it is said: Be baptized, and believe in the Seed of the woman, JEsum Christum, true God and man, so that you may have forgiveness of sins and eternal life through His death and resurrection. Ask not, Why and how can this be? If thou dost, thy heart shall burn, and thou shalt have pleasure and joy. But if thou wilt quarrel and ask, How can these things be? then thou art already from the truth and right understanding of the Scriptures. These disciples do not quarrel and question, but bind themselves to the word of the Lord Christ, and hear what he says. Then the word also comes to them with all power, and their hearts are so enlightened that they have no doubt about it; they are merry, hot-tempered, and joyful, as if they had passed through a fire.
1912 8.8, 45.46. On Easter Tuesday. W. xm, 1165-1168. 1913
*On Easter Tuesday. )
Luk 24:36-47.
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.
1 This history also happened on Easter Day, just then, when the two disciples came back from Emmaus to Jerusalem and announced to the Jews what they had encountered and how the Lord had been recognized by them in the breaking of bread. And this is the history that will be preached on the next Sunday from John, without the same being reported from Thomas in particular, and the history that follows about eight days later also being appended. Now one could make many pieces out of this gospel, because it is a rich materia; but since we have done the article of 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 be seen; but confirms it with this, that he makes a distinction between the spirits and himself, and says to the disciples, "Why are ye afraid, and think so? "Behold my hands and my feet; I am myself; a spirit hath not flesh and legs, as ye see that I have."
*) Held in the house, 1533.
This is useful and necessary, so that we know that we are not alone, as if the devil were over a hundred miles away from us; he is everywhere around us and sometimes puts on a larva. As I myself have seen, he lets himself be seen as if he were a sow, a burning straw mop, and the like. This must be known, and it serves us so that no superstition is made of it and such spirits are taken for human souls, as has happened up to now and the papal mass has been greatly promoted and elevated by it. For everyone believed that if the devil could be seen and heard, they were human souls who desired to have mass said for them, so that they could be delivered from purgatory. All books are full of such stories. Unfortunately, we know only too much about the horrible errors and idolatry that followed from them.
(4) For with this one 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 were diminished and honored as the work of men, is easy to suppose. 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 had been
1914 L. 5, 46-48. On Easter Tuesday. W. XIII, 4168-1472. 1915
The devil was appointed to enjoy the dead and not the living. Such misery has arisen from this superstition, that where the devil has put on a larva, has let himself be seen now in one way, now in another place, everyone has believed that it is not the devil, but a human soul. Otherwise, if they had thought it was the devil, they would have believed him slowly, because they know that he is a murderer and a liar. For this reason Christ did not want to have his testimony even then, when he spoke the truth; as can be seen in Marci 1 and other places, when Christ forbids him to speak and does not want to have his testimony, even though he speaks the truth.
For this reason it is necessary that we know and believe that it is true that the devil sometimes lets himself be seen, now one way, now another. Just as the dear holy angels do. For we always walk and stand between angels and devils. The devils look on and seek how they may murder, drown, seduce and harm. But the good angels are around us, if we are pious and God-fearing, to protect and preserve us from harm. This should be known, so that we may learn to fear God and bless ourselves all the more diligently every day, and call upon God for protection against the evil spirits all the more earnestly, 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 does not remain in the school, where God's word is diligently practiced, he must troll himself. In the church he does not remain now; for thus Christ says, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there will I be in the midst of them." But where Christ is, there the Teusel will not be able to pile up for long. Therefore, one should hear God's word gladly, remember it often and much, and speak of it gladly. But where one tells lies, after-talks, lives in sins and an evil conscience, the devil comes,
But Christ and his angels depart from it. Therefore no one can deny that the devil does not let himself be seen, that he does not frighten or deceive people or harm them secretly. But if he does so, make the cross before you, call upon God and pray. Then let him scrape and rumble as long as he likes; you shall remain safe from him. Only say to him confidently under your eyes, "You are the devil and will remain the devil; but I am a Christian and have a stronger Lord over me than you are; therefore let me be satisfied.
(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 in it; if you now have a stronger profession than I and are master here, then stay there. But I know well that you are not master here. You belong in another place, namely, in the abyss of hell. So I fell asleep again and let him be angry, knowing well that he could do nothing to me. Now this is the first part that we cannot leave out, since the disciples and the Lord himself speak of spirits that are evil spirits and therefore appear to frighten people and make them fearful.
The other part is that Christ says he suffered and rose from the dead, and preached repentance and remission of sins in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. For this reason he died, he said, and rose from the dead, that a preaching might go forth in his name, not only at Jerusalem, but also among all nations.
(9) The preaching is to begin at Jerusalem, but it is not to remain at Jerusalem alone, but to go throughout the whole world. For he will fill the whole world with the preaching of his gospel. But what is to be preached? That he died and rose from the dead on the third day. This is the main article of Christian teaching. It says both what is to be preached and why Christ died and rose from the dead, namely that in his name
1916 8.5, 48-so. Easter Tuesday. W. xm, 1172-1174. 1917
Repentance and forgiveness of sins is proclaimed. He speaks clearly: In his name. For there is no repentance and no remission of sins in any other name than in the name of Christ alone. There is neither penance nor indulgence in St. Peter's, or in St. Paul's, much less in my name, that I would become a monk, do this or that work, earn forgiveness of sins with it; but it is said: In his name indulgence is to be preached, that he has earned through his suffering and resurrection, that whoever wants to have forgiveness of sins should believe that Christ suffered for him and rose again from the dead. This should be the right sermon.
(10) But that it may be known that such a sermon cannot be grasped and learned as soon as it is heard, therefore the evangelist diligently adds these words, saying, "He, the Lord Christ, opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures. This is part of it. Otherwise the people go in and out of the sermon like cows; there is no understanding, nor can there be any, unless Christ be there first and open the understanding.
(11) What then do repentance and remission of sins mean? Or what is the meaning of the Lord's summarizing repentance and remission of sins, and saying in plain words that they should be preached among all nations, and yet begin at Jerusalem? It is a vexatious sermon to begin preaching repentance in Jerusalem, where the great 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 What then is the cause of the Lord's preaching repentance in Jerusalem, where the most holy people were under the law, saying, Ye Levites and Jews, ye shall be the first, and repentance shall begin to be preached unto you? Answer: To preach repentance means nothing else than to rebuke people as sinners and tell them to mend their ways. In sum, to preach repentance is to reproach people for being in a damned state and nature, since it is impossible for them to be in a state of sin.
It is possible for them to be saved if they do not convert and change.
(13) Therefore, because Christ wants this preaching of repentance to go out to all nations, he does not want to excuse or exempt any man on earth, but wants them all to accuse themselves as sinners and give themselves up. Yes, because he wants such a sermon to be preached in Jerusalem, among the people of God and in the most holy place, he also reproaches as sinners those who think themselves holy, and wants the Pharisees also to be told that they should mend their ways; for they do worse than harlots and knaves, since they still consider themselves pious and holy, as if they did not need such a sermon of repentance.
14 Therefore the Lord Christ, with this command, condemns the whole world, and calls all men sinners, both Jews and Gentiles; and if we desire otherwise to be saved, he wills that every man fall on his knees, and lift up his hands, and say: Lord, I am a sinner; I am in need of correction. But I cannot. Therefore, Lord, have mercy on me and help me.
(15) He that doeth these things, and despiseth in all his life and doings, cometh to the other part, which is called, Forgiveness of sins. This is what the Lord wants us to preach, that the main thing is to recognize that we are sinners and then ask 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. This is the sum of the gospel, that it shows both: that all the world is under sin, and is justified and saved through Christ alone.
Reason has its own special judgment. One man makes himself believe that he is pious when he fasts and prays much; another that he gives much alms, and so on. But the gospel makes all men sinners and points them to Christ. As Christ also preaches, Marci 1:15: "Repent and believe in the gospel." This is where the strife arises. The pope does not want to suffer this sermon, because he does not want to be a sinner; neither does a monk in a monastery, and we ourselves
1918 L- s, so-52. On Easter Tuesday. W. xm, 1174-1177. 1919
We would also like to live in such a way that we could not be accused of anything. But there is no end to it. The scripture has decided everything under sin (Gal. 3, 22.).
(17) Now, what shall we do to him? Shall we despair because 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; I will live by the mere grace offered me in thy name. So do thou right, and thou shalt be saved. That is, to preach forgiveness of sins in the name of Christ, that all who accept the gospel and believe in Christ may have all their sins forgiven. Apart from Christ there is no forgiveness, but in Christ there is all forgiveness.
(18) Even if the pope's indulgence is brought to you, which he sells in the name and merit of the dead saints, it is still a lie and a fraud. For there it is written: Forgiveness of sins, says Christ, is to be preached in my name, that is, on my account, that I died for you and rose from the dead, and I have obtained and give you forgiveness of all your sins by my suffering, death and resurrection.
(19) This preaching is called heresy, and we are blasphemed; we forbid good works. But how shall we do it? We have not invented these words ourselves, nor have we made them, that repentance should be preached among all nations in the name of Jesus, but Christ has so ordained. But what need is there to preach repentance if we have and can do good works? The righteous do not need repentance preached to them, but sinners. But now such a command goes out over the whole world, that repentance should be preached in all the world, and should begin in the holy city, Jerusalem. It follows that in the whole world there is nothing but sinners and sin, and no good works, otherwise what need is there of 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 Christ to open our minds, so that we may say: Lord, have mercy on me! I know myself to be a poor sinner, but I take comfort in your grace, that you have commanded forgiveness of sins to be preached in your name. Whoever thus recognizes himself praises God and gives Him praise for being true in His Word, which accuses us all as sinners and exhorts us to repentance. On the other hand, he also praises God by believing in the name of Christ for the forgiveness of sins. On the other hand, the impenitent and unbelievers blaspheme God and will finally receive their punishment because of it.
This is how our life should be before God. Then you should also preach it to others, do good to others and help them gladly, be obedient and wait for each one's profession, and you will become a righteous saint who is holy before God through faith, and then, for the sake of life, also blameless before men. Otherwise, if the person is not first pure and holy through faith, what good does it do to do good works? or how can it be called good works if the source is evil and impure, where the works come from? For the person is still in unbelief, the heart first of all does not believe that God is true, who is called to preach repentance in all the world. And because it does not want to consider itself a sinner, it follows that it can neither accept nor take comfort in the forgiveness of sins.
(22) But those who recognize themselves as sinners and hope that God will forgive their sins through Christ are true Christians, with whom there is repentance and forgiveness of sins. Over such teachings we are called heretics and condemned. But we should thank God that we have come to grace, recognize ourselves as sinners, and can comfort ourselves with the grace of God, and then do righteous good works in such faith, which come from repentance and faith. For where such teaching and preaching is, there Christ also wants to be, there no devil shall come, there one shall no longer fear the devil, nor be afraid of him. For there is forgiveness of sins, and a joyful life,
1920 L. 5, 52-54. Äm Osterdienstage. W. xm, 1177-1179. 1921
Peaceful heart that gladly does everything it is supposed to do.
(23) But the rest, who believe not, do no good work. Even if the work itself is not evil, they do it without pleasure and joy. These are vexatious and unkind works, since God cannot have pleasure in them. Now the heart does not become joyful, because only through faith in Christ do we have forgiveness of sins by grace.
(24) Therefore a Christian is both a sinner and a saint. For in our own persons we are in sins, and in our own names we are sinners. But Christ brings us another name, which is called the forgiveness of sins, that for his sake our sins may be forgiven and given to us. So it is both true: sins are there, because the old Adam has not yet 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 them and feel them well; but there is Christ, who tells me to repent, that is, to confess myself as a sinner, to amend myself and believe in forgiveness of sins in his name.
(25) For repentance, though it must be, is not sufficient for the remission of sins; but it must come to faith in the name of Christ for the remission of sins. But where such faith is, God no longer sees sin. For you stand before God not in your own name, but in Christ's name, which adorns you with grace and righteousness, even though you are a poor sinner in your own eyes and before yourself, full of weakness and unbelief. This shall not scare thee to death, but say, O Lord, I am a poor sinner; but thou sayest it shall not so be with me. For thou hast ever commanded to preach also forgiveness of sins in thy name 2c.
(26) This is to be preached, for this is the right article that makes Christians. 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 by it, you will not go to heaven by it.
mel, you do not make yourself a gracious GOtt with it. For here it says: "In my name," says Christ, "repentance is to be preached," that people may be terrified, "and forgiveness of sins," that they may be comforted again. So that our Lord Christ alone may be the robe of grace which He Himself puts on us, so that God the Father may not regard us as sinners, but may accept us as righteous, holy, pious sinners and give us eternal life.
(27) This doctrine you know was not in the world before this time, before the gospel came. It was said that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in the name of Christ. But all life and teaching has gone against this; that whoever wanted to be saved should have accomplished 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 the name of Christ alone is to be used to preach forgiveness of sins; the name of a monk, the name of a nun, the name of the Virgin Mary shall not do.
28 Therefore we can see what poor people are still in the priesthood, and how miserably they are deceived. If 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 to flee from the devil and to force and drive people to the highest service of God. But whoever wants to obey the command of Christ, he hears here, forgiveness of sin 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. Why do you need their name for the forgiveness of sins?
(29) This seems to be an easy art, how to come to the forgiveness of sins. For one must not therefore carry stones, build churches, say mass; but only one should
1922 2.5, 54-56. On Easter Wednesday. W. XIII, "rs-iisi. 648-650. 1923
To hear the word of God, to give glory to God when He preaches repentance, that He is true and that we are poor sinners, and then to 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, sin cannot harm him. For forgiveness of sins is greater than all sin, it passes over all sin, and is mightier and stronger than all sin. Therefore sin cannot hurt him who is in Christ and has forgiveness of sins in the name of Christ. But what is forgiveness?
This is not earned, but given by grace. Therefore we are righteous, not as if we had no sin, but that we are held righteous before God by grace because of Christ. As we pray and confess in our faith, "I believe forgiveness of sins." For such grace we are to thank GOD that we have come to the kingdom of Christ, which is a kingdom of grace, wherein through the name of JEsu all sin is to be forgiven in the whole world. May God grant us His grace, that we may learn these things well and use them blessedly, amen.
*Easter Wednesday. )
Of the Most Reverend Sacrament.
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.
Since today in this church the reverend sacrament is to be administered and received, let us now take before us and act upon this text of St. Paul. Therein ye hear how our Lord Jesus Christ hath appointed this supper, that we should eat thereof until the last day, when he shall come again to judge the quick and the dead.
2 Although this supper is daily food, we should not grow weary of it, but always remain hungry and merry for it. For you see how warmly and kindly our dear Lord Christ means it, and it is certainly true,
*Held on Easter Wednesday in 1534 in the castle church in the presence of Johann Ernst, the younger prince, as he received Holy Communion with his court servants.
If we wanted to form in our hearts what kind of person has instituted and ordained such a supper, we would have to be ashamed in our hearts that we are so cold, lax and lazy about it.
3 In the days of old in the papacy we were deterred by the fact that Paul says: "He who receives it unworthily receives it for himself to be judged. For those who taught and interpreted this saying did not themselves understand what it meant to receive "unworthily". Hence the dishonor of the holy sacrament arose, that people were afraid of it as of a poison. It was therefore no longer called a food of comfort, but a terrible food. The false preachers have been guilty of this, and we have also deserved it with our ingratitude.
1924 2.5, 56-58. On Easter Wednesday. W. XIII, 650-653. 1925
God has justly punished us. For because Christ meant it so warmly, but 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 terror and weeping, and help into harm. Why have we so shamefully despised such great goods?
(4) The same thing is happening now with the sacramental revelers, who have made a dangerous noise in the church about the sacrament, and have directed people to it as if there were no more than bread and wine, so that they may deprive Christians of the comfort that our Lord Christ has given them in this sacrament. Therefore, beware of them, lest it happen to us as it did to the priesthood. Finally, the sacrament, the comforting food that everyone should love and desire, has been so obscured by the false preachers' teachings that it has been approached with trembling and fear, and everyone has feared it more than they have received comfort from it.
(5) For the sermon was this, that we should first confess our sins purely, and do enough for them. Then we were pointed to an impossible thing, that we should first be clean of all things. When we felt our impurity and unworthiness, we did not like to go, because we thought we were eating death. So it happened to me that, because I did not feel pure, I was afraid of the Sacrament, fearing that I would receive it unworthily.
The pope went on about this, made things worse, and commanded that people should go at least once a year, even though they were afraid of the sacrament. And whoever did not want to go once a year, he put under a ban. Isn't that a miserable abomination and a terrible communion, when people went unwillingly and still had to do it?
(7) Then think what delight you would have in such food and drink as was thrust into you against your will and poured into you by force. As if one wanted to pour wine over the thanks of a sick person who does not like to smell wine.
What joy or pleasure should he have in such a drink? Thus the reverend sacrament has also been unable 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 such 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 neither consolation nor joy could have come from it.
Thirdly, the pope has given the laity only one form (as it is called), contrary to the clear, expressed command of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, who has established and ordered his will in such a way that one should not only eat his body, but also drink his blood according to his command. The pope has trampled such a command underfoot, and condemns it still today as heresy, if one takes the Lord's Supper under both forms completely, as Christ, our dear Lord, has instituted and commanded. This has been even more serious, that one has had to take the Lord's Supper differently than Christ instituted and commanded it to be taken. Fourth, the pope continued with the Lord's will and made it a fair for the departed souls, so that few masses were held for their own devotion, but only for the sake of money and prebends. That means, I think, that this sacrament has ever been acted in an excessively cruel way. 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 mass for the souls had become everywhere.
(9) For this reason, I have wanted to remember it now, so that it may be seen how highly God has punished the ungrateful world, that he has seen to it that the pope has given it only one form (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 an abominable original.
1926 2.5, 58-60. On Easter Wednesday. W. XIII, 653-656. 1927
The people have to worry about the wrath and anger of God.
(10) After this, the pope made a plaster of the mass to be put over all kinds of misfortune and sickness. Therefore, for God's sake, let us see to it that we do not also become such despisers, but have pleasure and love for the Lord's Supper and receive it gladly, so that it may remain in a right mind and right custom.
(11) But is it not exceedingly kind that the Lord should pour out his heart so completely, and say to his disciples, "Take and eat, this is my body? Take and drink of it, all of you; this is my blood, the New Testament. Do this alone, that ye may remember me," and not forget me; and do it not once alone, but often, and until the last day? Would the dear Christ therefore gladly preserve his memory, knowledge, and faith by his supper and testament, that he should not be strangled in our hearts. Therefore institute this supper, that it may remain for ever and ever, and that his death, by which we are purged from sins and all manner of 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. For there are always other and young people growing up, who need not only to be taught the Word, so that they may learn to know Christ their Savior and also be saved, but that they may be kept in such outward worship, so that they may always have cause to praise their Savior and Redeemer Christ and to take comfort in him. Therefore, we should not grow weary of such remembrance. Where good friends come together, they can sit and chat with each other for a whole night and forget to sleep. Why then should one
To be weary of preaching and learning how 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 have no need of thy praise, I can well do without thee, nevertheless remain the Son of God, thou praisest me or not; I am neither better nor worse by thy praise; but also because we have need of this testament and supper, and it shall be to our good.
(14) For Christianity must remain united, having one mind, faith and doctrine. So that Christians may be of the same mind, they must not only come together in the sermon, so that they hear the same word and are thereby called to the same faith, and all at the same time hold to one head; but they must also come together at one table and eat and drink with one another. When they go to the sacrament, one sees who hears the gospel and believes; which cannot be seen so surely in the sermon, for there it may well happen that one hears me now who is nevertheless hostile to me from the heart.
(15) Therefore, though the gospel binds Christians together and makes them of one mind, yet the Lord's Supper does even more (though hypocrites are also found), that every Christian confess publicly and for himself what he believes. There the unequals separate, and those who are in the faith, in the same hope, mind and heart toward the Lord, come together. This is a very necessary thing in the church, so that they may be drawn together and not divided in the faith.
16 For this reason it was called in Latin communionem, a fellowship, and those who do not want to be like the other Christians in faith, doctrine and life, excorf- municatos, as those who are unequal in doctrine, words, mind and life, and therefore should not be tolerated among the group that is of one mind, lest they also separate and divide it. The holy sacrament serves to keep Christ's company together.
1928 8.5, 60-62. On Easter Wednesday. W. XIII, 656-659. 1929
(17) Therefore the ancient teachers had fine thoughts and said that Christ used bread and wine for his supper, that just as many grains each have their own body and form, and are ground together and become one bread, so every man is his own grain, that is, his own person and special creature; but because we are all made partakers of one bread in the sacrament, we are all one bread and body, and are called one cake, 1 Cor. 10:17. 10, 17. For there is one faith, one confession, one love, and one hope. So in wine there are many grapes, many little berries, each having its own body and form; but as soon as they are squeezed and become wine, there is no disparity in the wine, but it is one, fine, beautiful juice. Christians should be like this.
18 Thus the ancients interpreted it, and it is not wrong. For this is the purpose of the sacrament, that it may bind Christians together in one mind, doctrine, and faith, that each one may not be a peculiar grain of his own, and make his own doctrine and peculiar faith.
How 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 and another with false faith, with despair, with erroneous, false thoughts, that one does not believe correctly in the sacrament and other articles, and that he can cause a separation.
(20) Though it will not be otherwise, for there must be distresses, yet we must always prevent him from dividing us altogether. 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 stay with one another, so that as one is minded toward Christ in faith and hope, so may the other also be minded. But this can never be, unless there is equality in doctrine.
Thus our dear Lord Jesus Christ has so cordially instituted the Sacrament to preserve unity in doctrine, faith and life. Outwardly we cannot be the same,
for there are unequal estates. If they are to be managed properly, unequal works must follow. A peasant deals with different works than a prince; a woman in the house with different ones than a maid. Such difference must remain in the outward life. But in Christ there is neither man nor woman, neither prince nor peasant, but they are all called believers in Christ. For the very 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, they belong to One Heaven, and it matters not whether I am here, or another Christian is at Jerusalem, and we know not one another. For we have but One Head. There we hold on to all of us and hope to be saved by it. The devil does not stay outside and would like to tear such unity apart. For, as I said, he knows what harm it does him when Christians are united in doctrine and faith. Against this serves this sacrament, which was instituted by Christ to keep Christians together, so that no one knows anything without believing only in Jesus Christ crucified, nor otherwise than Christ teaches.
Then this sacrament is also necessary and beneficial for each person. For even if I were to grow weary of the sacrament, the harm is mine alone, and the longer I remain without it, the worse it is for me. For it is true that our Lord Christ does not need you to remember him for his person. But you need it, because if you do not want to think of Christ, then you must think of the devil, but there you will have no benefit, but only harm.
024 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 and lieth down with thee, preaching unto thee without ceasing,
1930 8.5, 62-64. On Easter Wednesday. W. XIII, 659-661. 1931
can masterfully persuade him to pull you down, so that the longer you grow colder and colder, and so sluggish and lazy that you finally forget the Lord Christ and his gospel and no longer ask anything about it. 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 might become great and rich before the world, so that today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow and all the days seem to you that you have no time, nor can you wait to go to the sacrament. So then, if you are cold and discontented today, you will be even colder tomorrow. That's what your preacher does, the old rogue, who pulls you away so 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 can you find a man who is weary of avarice and disgusted with it? Yes, from day to day, the longer, the more one becomes enamored, the more one becomes impetuous and more inclined to the shameful, cursed miserliness 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 drowned in sins.
(25) Then again, our dear Lord Christ would gladly have it that, just as your avarice tells you and preaches to you about money and goods, about power and honor, 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, would grow tired of this life here, and would say: Oh Lord, I see that I cannot stop sinning, I cannot grow weary of evil. Therefore I beseech thee, help me to become hostile to the world, and to gain pleasure and love for thee 2c. Such a reminder and heat is necessary for us daily against the harmful preacher, our old Adam, who is in our ears day and night.
26Therefore our dear Lord Jesus Christ instituted his supper, that we should remember thereby that there is something in the Lord's Supper.
that will follow after this life. Therefore he takes the bread and the cup, saying, "Eat, this is my body, which is given for you; drink, this is my blood, which is poured out for you for the remission of sins. Do this in remembrance of me." As if he wanted to say, "I am preparing a banquet for you here, where you will share in my heavenly goods, which are forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. And for this reason I prepare such a banquet, so that when you are assured by my will and faith in me of my body and blood, given and poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins, you will remember me again and never forget me. Therefore, if you daily remember money and goods, power and honor, joy and pleasure of this life by the suggestion of your old Adam, give me also one day in eight days, in four weeks 2c. that you 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 if blind people should dare to run through the middle of the Elbe or the Rhine, they would get a hundred guilders. We should spit on ourselves, we hopeless people, that we run and run like this for the sake of a little money. And here are not a hundred florins, which are soon consumed, but the body and blood of Christ Jesus, 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, 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 slothful for the eternal good, and prefers to take care of the temporal. This ingratitude and contempt is greater sin than anyone can think, for everyone throws it to the wind; otherwise we would be more diligent in keeping it, and
1932 2.5, 64-66. Easter Wednesday. W. xm, 664-666. 1933
We should not be so serious about money and property, which we are not sure of for a moment. But those who do, 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, when we go to the reverend sacrament and confess our faith among other Christians, that he is served in this way, so that the greatest benefit is ours. Therefore we should especially thank him and be comforted by the fact that we have such a gracious bishop and feeder in him, who not only sacrificed himself for us, but also feeds us with his body and blood, which was sacrificed for us; do not ask for anything more in return than that we should remember him, so that he may preserve us in the faith and Christianity for eternity.
(30) Whoever does not want to do this, let our Lord God give him a spirit of the mob, who will preach to him that in the Lord's Supper one receives no more than bread and wine. In the papacy, when the Lord Christ was not remembered at this supper, as he commanded, the sacrament was obscured, and its custom was lost, so that no one knew what the sacrament was and for what purpose it was to be received. For everyone thought that it was necessary to receive it in order to obey the Church. That was it, people fell into many idolatries and appeals to the saints. May God help us to be more devout and grateful, and to take the treasure in the Sacrament with true earnestness and faith, because it is offered to us. Where we despise it and let it pass, it is done.
The other piece in this text is about those who receive this sacrament unworthily. 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 were therefore punished by God in body and life.
32Therefore this distinction must be left, that some receive the sacrament worthy of eternal life, but some receive the sacrament worthy of eternal life.
unworthy to be judged, that God will punish them physically for it and, if they do not repent through repentance and faith, will condemn them eternally. Therefore, it is up to us to know what it means to receive the sacrament worthily or unworthily.
In the papacy, therefore, it was taught that no one should go to the sacrament unless he was well and truly pure. Such purity, however, was based on confession, repentance, fasting, prayer, almsgiving and similar works, which were called works of penance and which the monks praised, and everyone thought that they had done enough for the sins they had committed. But let such worthiness go and despair of it. For it is impossible for us to be completely pure or to come to purity for the sake of our works. So Christ himself did not give this supper to the disciples when they were completely clean, because he washed their feet afterwards, and clearly said that they needed to wash their feet. There he does not speak of the washing of water, but of the forgiveness of sins.
34 For this reason, we should learn diligently and keep in mind that those who confess that they are poor sinners, feel many temptations, curse at times, become impatient, do not always moderate their eating and drinking, and ask for mercy: "Help me, Lord, that I may improve and become godly. These are daily sins that cling to us because we live on earth, in one more than in another. Therefore, do not say that you do not want to go to the sacrament for the sake of such sins. For as long as you carry the old Adam by the neck, you will certainly encounter impatience, evil thoughts and other things that will challenge you and cause you to sin. If you do not want to receive the sacrament sooner, because you are freed from all sins, it must follow that you will never go to the sacrament.
- but those who receive the holy sacrament unworthily, who knowingly lie in sins, such as murderous hatred against their neighbor, murder, fornication, adultery.
1934 2.5, 66-68. On Easter Wednesday. W. XIII, 666-669. 1935
and other such public sins, and yet do not think to desist from them. For the sacrament was instituted by the Lord Christ, not that one should remain in sin, but that he should receive forgiveness of sins 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 remained in such a forwardness and hardened evil will.
(36) Before such an example some are sometimes astonished, because they are in hatred and enmity or in other sins, and therefore do not want to go to the sacrament. They sin in two ways: first, that they do not want to fall from wrath, nor to cease from sin; second, that they remain 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 was still a glimmer of sin or temptation, they should cry out to God and ask: O Lord, give me a peaceful, kind, gentle heart toward everyone, and cleanse me from all sins for Christ's sake; and so go cheerfully to the reverend Sacrament and do not be afraid of this saying of Paul. For it is not said of those who would gladly be rid of sins, but of those who are 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 without all repentance they also want to be praised as fine Christians.
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. It should not be that you deliberately sin, then go to the sacrament and pretend that you have not sinned; in this way you eat and drink the night meal unworthily, therefore God punishes you with sickness and other things.
(38) This is another sin, for if good hearts sometimes stumble and yet return, praying and wishing: 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 yourself here and seek comfort and help there. But he who will not confess sin, nor amend himself, does not belong here.
- 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 be afraid and are in the highest disgrace are the safest and do not fear their sins, but go through them like a can through a wooden wall, as can be seen in 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 intention of sinning. But what sins there are, 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.
40 Therefore St. Paul says: "Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of this bread and drink of this cup. Bread and drink of this cup." And "to test" means nothing else than to make sure that you are right, as you are right. If thou findest thyself hardened, that thou wilt not depart from sins, and careest nothing for them, thou hast cause that thou goest not thither: for thou art unworthy, and not a Christian. See
1936L . 8, 68-70. Easter Wednesday. W. xm, 669-671. 1937
But if thou hast sinned, and art sorry, and wouldst be glad to be rid of thy sins, and believest that God will forgive thee the same by grace, for the sake of his Son Christ Jesus, go and get absolution, and say, O Lord, I am a great sinner, come therefore now to thy supper, and will eat with thee. Doubt not, for he saith unto thee again, Welcome, good man; thou shalt be a dear and honored guest unto me; I will not smite thee before the head.
(41) Therefore let them fear who do not feel their sin, but continue in sins with an insolent and proud heart, without all repentance and correction. But the others, who feel their sin and repent, should not fear. For the sake of such sorrowful, anxious hearts, this table is prepared, that they may find comfort and refreshment there.
(42) 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: whoever persists in such sins and will not desist from them, that he should abstain from the Sacrament. For he only makes more of wrath, because he pretends to be a Christian with sacramental reception, and yet is not, as his life convinces him. But he who is in such sins, but ceases from them, and is reformed, and becomes more devout, shall also refrain from such sins.
He should not let himself be hindered, but reconcile with the church he had offended, ask for absolution and receive the reverend sacrament, and ask God that he may henceforth keep himself better.
(43) But whatever other daily afflictions we have, let them not hinder us, as the ancient teachers said. For we cannot get rid of them in this life. If we did not want to go to the sacrament sooner, because we are so pure, we would become cold and wean ourselves from it and never desire it again.
44 I know what it does when one abstains from the sacrament for a while. 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 less I liked it. Beware of this, and be accustomed to go to it often, especially when you are fit to do so, that is, when you find that your heart is heavy and dull for sins, so that you do not forget our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and remember his sacrifice and death. This is what the Lord kindly desires of us; so it is also our great need, and that of all Christendom, that we do not wean ourselves from our dear Lord and bishop and even get into the devil's butt.
May our dear Lord God and Father in heaven with His Holy Spirit help us through Christ, His Son and our Redeemer, that we may give Him heartfelt thanks for this Supper and use it worthily for our salvation, Amen.
** 1938** L.s, 70.71. On the first Sunday after Easter. W. XIII, 1203-1205. 1939
On the first Sunday after Easter, Quasimodogeniti.
First sermon.*)
John 20:19-31.
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 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. 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.
The first part of this history, that Christ appeared to his disciples, who were gathered together (except for Thomas) and had closed the doors for fear of the Jews, happened eight days ago, on the evening of Easter. The other part, that the Lord appeared again to the disciples, when Thomas was with them, happened eight days after Easter, as today. Both parts serve to reveal the resurrection of the Lord Christ from the dead, and the disciples, strengthened in the faith of his resurrection, not only become certain of this article for themselves, but also bear witness to it continually throughout the world.
(2) Besides such revelation, there are other teachings and examples in it, which are useful and comforting. First of all, it should be noted that the Lord does not wait for His disciples to follow Him, but goes after them through closed doors, greets them, and gives them a warm welcome.
*) Held in the house, 1534.
kindly, comforts and strengthens them in the faith of his resurrection. He could not do more kindly than to offer them peace, and to show his hands and side, so that they may be sure of his resurrection, and through such faith be comforted against all sadness, fear and terror. There is nothing unkind or terrible here. The greeting is sweet and lovely. For "peace" in Hebrew means all good, happiness and welfare. "Peace be with you," in German means as much as when we say: GOtt grant you a good day; GOtt grant that it may go well with you. So the appearance is also finely comforting, that he shows his hands and his side to the disciples, who had now despaired of him, and could not hope that he should live.
(3) With such an example Christ exemplifies his heart, who he is, and what kind of heart and will he bears toward us, for the consolation of all sorrowful, frightened, and fearful hearts, that they may have all goodness and kindness toward him. The disciples who loved him
1940 2.5,71-73. on the first sunday after easter. W. xin, 1205-1208. 1941
He comforts and strengthens those who have the Lord in their hearts and rejoice in His future (as the evangelist says: "The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord"). But the others who despise him, as the Jews, he punishes in his own time. Thus one should learn to recognize Christ, 'that he is friendly, inclined and comforting to all miserable people who are in distress and anguish and desire his comfort and help. And again, that he may be a strict judge over all those who despise him. So whoever recognizes him, recognizes him rightly.
(4) Therefore let us turn to Christ for all love, kindness, comfort, help, and succor, and call upon him in trouble of fire, in trouble of water, in death, and in all temptations. For he also is the one cornerstone to whom we must cleave in all our afflictions. If you fall into the fire or water, if you are in death, hold fast to him and say, "Lord, I know you will not leave me; you will help me.
5 This is the first part of this gospel, that Christ deals so kindly with his disciples, not reproaching them for their unbelief, sin, and weakness, but comforting and strengthening them, and helping them up. This has been done for our good and comfort. For since the devil continually attacks us, as St. Peter says in 1 Peter 5:8: "Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour," it is necessary for us to imagine such examples of Christ's kindness and love toward us, that we may know how to comfort and uphold ourselves against such an enemy.
6 Secondly, it is noted in history that Christ sends his disciples, just as he was sent by the Father. This is our great comfort and joy, that we hear Christ's word through the word and mouth of the apostles and those who came from them. It is a great and glorious thing that I and another preacher and minister of the word have the treasure that Christ gave to the apostles. But Christ gives power to the apostles to forgive and retain sins when and how often it is needed. If I or you are frightened and tempted by the sins of the apostles, then
I and you shall listen to the one who comes to comfort us with God's word and believe his words as if God himself were speaking to us. If you walk safely and sin stubbornly, and your pastor punishes you and keeps your sin until you repent, your sins will be kept for you by Christ Himself and by the Heavenly Father.
7 For this is the mission: "As the Father has sent me, even so I also send you. As I forgive the sins of poor sinners who repent, and retain the sins of hard-hearted and secure saints, Pharisees and scribes, who will not repent: so shall ye also forgive or retain the sins of others after me. This is the command that the preaching of Jesus Christ should remain, that all who believe in him should have forgiveness of sins, but those who do not believe should have their sins retained.
(8) This is a great and excellent thing, that the mouth of every righteous pastor and preacher is Christ's mouth, and his word and forgiveness is Christ's word and forgiveness. If you have sin and confess it, and believe in Christ, the pastor and preacher shall forgive you of that sin in Christ's stead, and you shall accept the words he says to you on God's account as if Christ himself had said them to you. Therefore, it is right to call the word of the pastor and preacher, which he preaches, the word of God. For the ministry is not of the pastor and preacher, but of God; and the word that he preaches is also not of the pastor and preacher, but of God.
9 Therefore, it is a terrible thing if someone does not want to hear God's word. For he will certainly have to hear the devil's word one day, otherwise he will not hear the devil's word. For who can explain or sufficiently express how great a grace and exceedingly excellent a thing it is that we can hear God's word, yes, God Himself, through our brother's mouth? Therefore, these are hopeless, even foolish people, who run to the oak tree, to St. Jacob's and to other pilgrimages, so that they can see the tomb and the
1942 8.5, 73-75. on the first Sunday after Easter. W. xm, 1208-1210. 1943
The saints, who may see the bones of this or that dear saint, leave such a great treasure and excellent sanctuary at home in their church.
(10) If one knew of a church in the world where one could hear God's voice, how would one run to it? And one would not be able to hear anything other than what one hears at home in the church from the pastor. David counts among other God's goods and gifts that he has received, this as the most distinguished good and highest treasure, that God has given him such a kingdom, in which God's word is taught; as he says, Psalm 60:8 and 108:8: "God speaks in His sanctuary, I am glad." We can also boast of this and say: God has given us the most precious jewel, His dear, holy Word.
Therefore, the holy Christian church is a beautiful and glorious thing, where one can hear what God speaks and what He wants from us, namely, that we should turn to repentance, be baptized in His name, and believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, and prove our faith with Christian fruits, be obedient to God, and serve our neighbor. Whoever touches a Christian and believer touches the apple of God's eye. Whoever believes and does this shall be God's house and dwelling place.
These things are preached and said to us every day. But we pass by and do not turn to it, and it is as if a cow were bleating at us. But we should thank our Lord God from the bottom of our hearts for this unspeakable gift, that God's word is preached to us daily. For the Word of God is the true sanctuary by which the Christian Church and all Christians and saints of God are sanctified. The sanctuary at Jerusalem, and wherever else it may be in the world, is nothing but dirt compared to this sanctuary. But we do not see such treasure, and are much coarser than Thomas, of whom we will soon say that we do not want to see the dear, precious treasure, God's Word, which makes everything holy. May our Lord God give us His grace that we may put away our hardness. He punishes and scolds us severely enough, and as He wills; but He only takes from us His
Do not let the sacred word be torn down among us, and do not let enthusiasts and the spirits of the wicked come in and take away our treasure.
The third piece is from Thomas. It seems that Thomas was a rough man. He is so unbelieving and hard that he will not believe Petro, nor the women, nor the other disciples, all who say to him, "We have seen the Lord"; but will see in his hands the nail marks, and put his fingers into the nail marks, and his hand into his side. So he thought, It must have been a ghost that the disciples and women saw, and they think they have seen the Lord. Therefore he would not believe that he saw the nail marks, but felt and touched them with his hand and with his fingers.
(14) The nail marks on the hands and feet of Christ are commonly said to be transparent. And many also sharply dispute whether Christ will come to judgment on the last day with the wounds that he had on the cross. I believe that the place on his hands and feet, where he is nailed, is marked, or that there are scars in that place. Thomas wanted to put his fingers into these scars and see them with his eyes. Therefore it seems that he was a rude and simple man who wants to be converted by the mark of the nails, which do not have special power to convert one. For if the body had been false, or a ghost, the scars on the body might also have been false.
(15) This is a great coarseness and stubborn hardness, that Thomas will not believe that he sees it with his eyes and feels it with his fists. Nevertheless Christ bears and tolerates such coarseness and hardness, and therefore does not reject him; he comes about eight days after the Easter day, when Thomas is gathered with the disciples, and shows him the same scars that he desires to see, and makes him put his fingers and hand into the nail marks and side, so that he may come out of unbelief to faith, and out of coarse ignorance to certain, clear knowledge and light; makes a special thing with him in the presence of the other disciples, does not allow himself to be left alone, and does not allow himself to be left alone.
1944 L.s, 75-77. on the first Sunday after Easter. W. xm, 1210-1213,1180-1182. 1945
see, but also grasp and feel, just in the nail marks and in his side, and says to him, "Do not be unbelieving, but believing."
16 These things are written for our sake, that we may learn how dear Christ is to us, and how kindly, fatherly, gentle and mild he deals and will deal with us. He deals harshly and uncleanly with the ungodly and unbelievers who think nothing of him. But he does not want to overthrow the weak believers, nor reject them, but tolerates their weakness, does not snap at them cruelly, but deals with them gently and cleanly. He proves this here with Thomae, who, even though he is coarse and simple-minded, is not unfaithful or malicious, but faithful and pious. So he thinks: I would gladly believe that Christ has risen from the dead, if only I could believe it. And he wishes with all his heart that it were true, but still he cannot believe it. Just as if I said, "I would like to see my father rise from the dead, but I cannot believe that it is possible. So Thomas still has the old faith in Jesus, who was crucified, but he cannot understand that he is supposed to have risen from the dead, and yet he would like with all his heart that it were true.
17 Christ faithfully seeks him, bears his hardness and helps him to believe. Such an example with St. Thomas, as I said, happened and was written too well for us. For as Saint Paul writes of himself, 1 Tim.
1, 16. that mercy befell him, that in him first of all Jesus Christ might show all patience, as an example to those who should believe in him to eternal life: so it may be said of Thoma that this patience befell him, that in him Jesus Christ might show all kindness and gentleness, as an example to all the weak and simple.
(18) So we see in this history, not only in the example with Thoma, but also in the example with the other disciples, how very devout a Lord we have in Christ, who does not deal harshly or cruelly with us, but seeks us out and comforts us, like lost and strayed sheep. He does not say to the disciples: You have forsaken me, have been offended at me, have run away from me, have denied me, therefore I do not like you; but he bears and tolerates their weakness, and does not let them repay him for the fact that they have sinned so grossly against him and are still sinning; which is truly much, that they not only fall away from him before his suffering, but also now after his resurrection are thus unbelieving. These things are prescribed for our good and comfort, that we may learn that, though unbelief be altogether against him, yet he will credit us with our grossness and hardness; yet so far that we sin not out of contempt, but out of weakness. And this is what has recently been said of this Gospel. May God grant us His grace, that we may grasp it and keep it, amen.
On the first Sunday after Easter, Quasimodogeniti.
Second sermon.*)
- you heard the first part of this gospel in the next sermon on Easter Tuesday, from the story that Christ was born on the
*Veit Dietrich gives the year as 1533. D. Red.
On the first day of Easter, after the two disciples come back from Emmaus to Jerusalem and announce to the others how they have seen the Lord, he appears to the disciples at the same time and shows them his hands and feet. The other part of the story, that Christ appears to the
1946 2.5,77-79. On the first Sunday after Easter. xin, iE-ii86. 1947
The miracle of St. Thomas, who was not with the disciples before, but is now with them, is revealed in particular, that he calls him to put his fingers and hand into his nail marks and side, happened today, eight days after Easter. Now St. John has the way before other evangelists, that he not only tells the history, but also adds the sermon of Christ and words, which are especially and most important. Thus he reports the words here, where nothing is found of them in other evangelists; how the Lord then, after wishing peace to his disciples and showing hands and feet, said: "As the Father has sent me, so I also send you." These same words are the main piece in this Gospel. The other piece is Thomas with his example. This time we have enough to deal with in the main part. For where history and words are together, we take the words for the main part. And this is a certain rule: Whoever wants to treat the Gospels rightly and well, must pay attention to the words, especially those spoken by Christ. The other evangelists describe only the history, but Saint John also writes the words of the Lord.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.
2 Christ commands his disciples to preach the gospel, and Christ's suffering and resurrection come into their proper use and practice. For if the passion and resurrection of Christ were to remain outside the ministry of preaching, in history alone, it would be in vain and of no use at all. In the papacy, the passion and resurrection of Christ has been preached to such an extent that it has been made into a lucid story of what Christ did, just as one hears and teaches the story of Dieterich of Bern or other histories, since one has nothing more to gain from them than knowledge and amusement and pleasure. But Christ's suffering and resurrection should be brought into its proper use and practice.
3 But this is the way the Lord preaches here, saying, "I send you as my Father sent me. As the Father sent Christ,
St. Isaiah teaches long before, Cap. 61, 1. f.: "The Spirit of the Lord is with me, therefore the Lord has 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." This is the command, since Christ is sent with. Now Christ says here: "As I am sent, so I send you." As if to say, What I have preached I command you to preach; my ministry I have accomplished; as I have preached, so preach ye. Just as I am sent to preach to the miserable, to comfort the prisoners, so I send you to the same word, gospel and teaching that I preached. So this command actually points to the teaching that Christ sends his disciples to lead the preaching ministry as he led before.
(4) And what manner of doctrine it is, saith Isaias in fine, glorious, clear words, that Christ is anointed and sent to comfort the affrighted, the foolish, the desponding heart. Whichever preaching is different is not the true preaching of Christ, and such preachers are not sent by Christ. Christ does not want new sermons to be preached apart from and against this sermon, as the papists and all the pagans do, who afflict the people with new false teachings. And this alone I want to point out, so that we may come to the following text.
And he breathed on his disciples, and said unto them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; but whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
(5) There you have the right spiritual government, which, as I have often said, should be as far removed from the temporal government as heaven and earth are from each other. Now those who are in this spiritual regime are true kings, true princes, true lords, and have the greatest and highest authority to rule. But here one has to pay attention to how this regiment is limited and how far this authority goes, namely, how the
1948 2.5,79-81. on the first sunday after easter. W. xin, 1186-iiW. 1949
The words are clear as far as the world is, and yet they have nothing to do with anything but sins. An apostle and bishop in the spiritual regime has nothing to do with money, property, house, court and temporal food; this is ordered to emperors, kings and temporal lords, that they order and create according to their temporal rights, as it is best for the common benefit and peace. But this spiritual regiment is based on sins alone. Where sin is concerned and turns, this government should also be concerned and turn, and not otherwise.
(6) For we must beware lest we mix and boil together, as the pope and his bishops have done, who have so abused the spiritual government that they have become temporal lords, and emperors and kings have bowed down to them. Christ did not command his disciples to do this, and did not send them out to the worldly government, but commanded them the ministry of preaching and the government over sins. So that Christ's own definition of regiment and mission is to preach the gospel and remit and retain sins; and the apostles' key and authority is that they first preach the gospel of Christ and bind and loose sins.
(7) In the papacy, binding has indeed been severely mangled; but just as teaching has been miserably perverted, so also binding has been miserably perverted, and led far away from where it belongs and is called binding. For the pope 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 has not. I, as a preacher and messenger of Christ, am not to teach you about housekeeping, agriculture, wifery, food and other things; for God has given you your reason for such things, and has appointed others to teach you about them, such as lawyers and other worldly people. But my command and rule is only about sin, that I teach you how you should have been eternally lost because of your sins, and Christ has paid for them and done enough, and how you can be freed from sins through faith in him.
But if you remain in sin and do not believe in Christ, you will be condemned and eternally lost.
(8) Therefore, the understanding of this doctrine is to know what sin really is: that sin is not money, nor goods, nor kingdom, nor temporal food, nor bread, nor wine, nor any other such thing; but it is a burden that weighs you down in your conscience before God, that has entrapped you, and condemns you to eternal death. For we are speaking here of true, right sins, which God considers sin, which God punishes with eternal death; not of invented sins, as the jugglers, pope and bishops deal with, that one does not fast or eat meat on a forbidden day, that a monk goes without a shepherd, a nun without a consecration (veil). These are new sins and new righteousness, and do not belong to Christ's regiment, they are papal sins, which are sins before the pope and his pallbearers, who have devised them. But before God they are not sins, nor do they condemn anyone, for God has not forbidden such sins anywhere. But here we are talking about sins, which are real and true sins, which were not conceived by man, but in which we were born and live and do daily against God; which are not against the law of the priest and the rule of the monks, but which are against God's commandment, and against which God's commandment testifies. Therefore, you should define and speak correctly here, and thus say: The apostles have authority, which is given to them by Christ, not over money, goods, kingdoms, but over the sins and consciences of men, over the power of the devil and the mouth of hell, so that they reach in with force, and either take away or forgive the sins. Christ puts his suffering and resurrection into the mouths of the apostles, and subjects to them all the power of the devil and hell, together with heaven and eternal life, so that they can pronounce a judgment on you that the devil himself must fear, and absolve you from all sins if you repent and believe in Christ; and also retain all your sins if you do not repent nor believe in Christ.
- now this is a force which is not
1950 2.5,81-83. on the first Sunday after Easter. W. xm, 1188-1191. 1951
is to be pronounced. What is the authority of all emperors and kings compared to this authority, that a poor man, an apostle, yes, every disciple of Christ may speak a judgment about the whole world, and with the word that he carries in his mouth, either unlock or close heaven? And such judgment as Peter, or any other disciple of Christ, speaks, shall be as mighty and certain as if Christ himself had spoken it; as his words here testify, "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you." I am not to think less of Peter's ministry, or of the pastor's ministry, than of Christ's ministry, if only Peter and the pastor have the same word that Christ has led.
(10) Now this is one thing, that sin is not to be called a worldly thing, but a fear and burden of the conscience; nor a fictitious sin, but such a sin as bewails us and makes us guilty before God. You shall not turn to the carnival and larval sins of the pope. For if you want to be absolved from the same foolish and lying sins, you must then also turn to the foolish and lying righteousness that cancels such foolish sins. Therefore, notice this definitio well: that sin means that which exposes God's law to us and thus accuses us. If it is not such a sin, then it is a fabricated and made-up papal sin, since God knows nothing about it.
(11) Thirdly, there is also conscientia peccati, a conscience of sin. For it is seen that many people lie in true, great, public sins, such as avarice, adultery, theft, usury, anger, envy, gluttony, blasphemy, and the like, and remain hardened in such sins. Even though they know that they commit adultery, covetousness, stealing, robbery, anger, envy, hatred, disrespecting God's word and preaching, they do not ask anything about it and always continue. There are real sins, but they do not want to be sins, they are not recognized and do not want to let go of them. Therefore, it does not help that they are real sins that God has forbidden; but, if they are to be forgiven, it must also come to pass that they are sins over which Christ has repented.
and has given them power to be forgiven. For to some sins belong the binding and the other power, since Christ says of them, "Whose soever ye retain, they are retained."
(12) Therefore, a certain distinction should be made here, and the true sins should be divided in such a way that some sins are sins both before us and before God; but some are sins only before God, not before us. For we do not want to recognize them, nor worry about them, nor ask for forgiveness. If then such sin is to be forgiven, you must sing with your heart the song that David sings, Psalm 51:5, 6: "I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me. Against thee only have I sinned, and done evil in thy sight." There both are together: that David sees that he has done wrong, and knows that it is evil in God's sight. As if he wanted to say: I recognize and feel sin, not only that I remember how I broke the marriage and murdered, but that I also see and feel the power of sin, what it can and can do. So also, if I am to be forgiven of sin, it must come alive in my heart, so that I feel it, and not only remember how I have sinned, but also feel how an evil devil and terrible burden it is for sin, which wants to accuse me before God and drag me down into hell and eternal death.
This is real sin, since Paul says of it, Rom. 7, 8. 9. 10: "Without the law sin was dead. But I lived without the law. But when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." 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. As long as sin sleeps and is dead, one does not ask how to repent and turn; but when the thunderclap, God's law, comes into the heart, the conscience stirs and reveals to you God's judgment that He wants to punish and condemn you because of sin; then sin comes to life, so that you see what a mighty thing it is about sin, that it takes away God from you, gives you over to the devil, and puts you into a state of death.
1952 L. s, 83-85. On the first Sunday after Easter. W. xin, um-ng4. 1953
into hell. No one can help, be it emperor or king.
14 Now this is the right sin, which is sin before God and me at the same time. As David says, "My sin is always before me. Against you alone have I sinned." When he sinned with Bethsheba, broke the marriage and killed Uriah, he went away, not caring much about it, because the sin was still asleep, even dead. But when Nathan came and smote him with thunder, saying, Thou art the man, sin began to live in David's heart: but Nathan comforted him, saying, Thou shalt not die."
(15) The apostles' rule 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 all the sins of the world are therefore 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 you promised by an angel from heaven.
(16) But such a command and power is not for the apostles and ministers of the church to hope for, nor for honor, nor for glory. For they have nothing of it, except that they should 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 that consolation. Therefore it is a great and glorious power that Christ gives to his disciples, that a poor man, who is himself a wretched sinner, should with one word drive out the enemy whom all the world with all its power cannot drive out.
(17) Christ here institutes the ministry by which all sins in the whole world shall be forgiven and blotted out, if they be true sins, and if they be known, and if they believe his words. For absolution cannot be given to those who commit foolish and imaginary sins, and to those whose sins are not yet alive in their hearts and of whom they have no respect.
- as it is written Gen. 4, 7: there
When Cain bowed his head before the altar and was angry with his brother Abel, so that God would look graciously upon Abel and his sacrifice, the father Adam preached to him, saying, "Is it not so? If thou art righteous, thou art acceptable; but if thou art not righteous, sin resteth at the door?" That is saying this much: you are standing there now and you are a sinner, but you do not feel it yet; sin is sleeping, but in a very restless place. Therefore, look at it; even though it is already at rest, it will come to an end one day, so watch out. And so it happened. Even though he did not want to feel the sin at first, he experienced afterwards how the sin rested at the door. I say this so that one may learn that if a person is to be forgiven of sin, he must come to the knowledge of sin.
(19) Those who do not take care of their sins have real sins, but not forgivable sins. Therefore their sins are kept and bound for them; for they do not desire to be forgiven, or they would refrain from them.
- Fourthly, it must also be said in what forgiveness of sins is presented to us, namely, in the Word, and with what it is to be grasped, namely, with faith. In the priesthood, they have preached and preached thus: Whoever desires forgiveness of sin should sit down and consider his sin, and out of such consideration make for himself repentance and sorrow. But this is a forced repentance, which does not do. For the sins repent you, that you should confess them. After that, forgiveness of sins was based on such repentance, and repentance was made into merit and worthiness; this was the devil's doing. Now it may have happened that such a way was taken from the example of the ancients, which the parishioners did not quite understand. For the ancients, just like us, did not want to absolve anyone, so that he would confess that he was a sinner and that it would be seen that he was sorry for his sin. This is right and should be so. But to say that such repentance and sorrow merit the forgiveness of sins is wrong and unjust. For repentance is not merit,
1954 L.s, 85^88. first Sunday after Easter. W. xm, ns^-E. 1955
but it is sin itself, and the realm of sins, power and authority in the heart, that one is terrified, and death wants to devour us. They called it a work and merit, and forgiveness of sins built upon it. But I call it sin itself.
21 For before such repentance comes, sins are not taken care of. For although sin exists, it is only a sleeping and dead sin, as Adam says of Cain; but when sin is felt in the heart and becomes alive in the conscience, and is no longer a sleeping sin, but attacks and terrifies the heart and conscience, repentance and sorrow follow. This is what I call sin itself, which cannot be a meritorious work, but living, powerful sin in its proper function, which makes the heart wriggle. But who can say that sin can deserve mercy?
(22) For this reason the people of the priesthood have been miserably deceived and deceived, that they have absolved them on such repentance as on merit and good works; but so you shall be taught that you base your absolution on God's promise. God does not forgive sin because you feel it and have remorse and sorrow over it, for that is sin itself, and cannot be merit: but because He forgives sin, that He is merciful, and has promised that He will forgive sin by grace, and that He lets His word be spoken over you: "Be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven you." The pope and his followers have made God's word and promise ineffective, so that they have soon learned, and forced the people to look at their repentance alone. As in all Pabst's bulls the words are: We, by great power, give grace and indulgence contritis et confessis to those who have repented and confessed 2c. Hans Fool, it takes more for sins to be forgiven than repentance and confession. God does not base forgiveness of sins on our repentance and sorrow, but on His word and promise. And through our repentance and merit we do not get rid of sins, but repentance leads us into despair and tears us away from faith, so that we fear God and flee from Him.
(23) This is not called merit, but awakening sin, making it greater and stronger, and doing what sin is supposed to do; so that the longer the sin, the more it becomes, and one sin is added to another. Just as when a thief has stolen and is hanged by the hangman, other sins are added to the stealing, so that one becomes hostile to the judgment and justice of the authorities and God Himself. St. Paul speaks of this in Romans 7 with a fine word, and says in v. 13: "Sin becomes exceedingly sinful through the commandment," that is, it then becomes a real sin. Now where sin has its effect, so that there is no rest or respite from it, they called it repentance and sorrow, even merit, and did not see that it was a token sin. For before it was a dead sin, but now from a living sin the world becomes full of sins.
- But where there is true repentance in the heart, then Christ comes and says, "You are full of sin, and the more you remember sin, the farther you go from me. Shall I forgive thee sin for this, that thou flee from me? Oh no! There must be repentance and sorrow, for otherwise you cannot become hostile to sin from the heart, nor will you ever desire from the heart that it should be forgiven you. But this is the right way, that thou find thyself where my word is, and hear the same, and receive it with faith, as it proclaimeth unto thee forgiveness of sins; and thereby thou shalt be delivered from sins. Apart from the word you will find neither comfort nor forgiveness of sins.
(25) So they did not preach in the priesthood, but directed the people to St. Jacob, to Rome and to other places, and then to their own repentance, satisfaction and good works. But they did not say the least thing about the word and command of Christ. But here it is: Forgiveness of sins stands on the word that Christ says: "Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them." Summa Summarum, forgiveness of sins is not to be sought anywhere but in the words of the Lord Christ; if you seek it elsewhere, you will not find it. If you seek it in your heart, in your repentance, in your good
1956 L. s, 88-so. The first Sunday after Easter. W. xm, 1197-1201. 1957
works, you must be condemned. What good has it been that we have toiled so hard with repentance, remorse and sorrow, atonement, fasting, singing, praying, watching, reading the Mass and other things, so that we might come to the forgiveness of sins, and in the meantime have forgotten the word of the Lord Christ? By our repentance and suffering, by our atonement and good works, we have wanted to accomplish what Christ commands his disciples to accomplish by preaching and speaking. Is it not a terrible pity that we have been taught in the ministry that we should obtain forgiveness of sins through our repentance (which is nothing but the real sin when it is strongest and most grievous)? If my works, my newness and confession can do it, what need is there of Christ's word? And what does Christ need to give the command here? So let us as well leave the power of the keys, and preach that we do not need such power; yes, let us as well 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 the Turk, for he has God's word, which the Turk does not have, and still misuses the name of Christ for such error.
(26) Therefore let us diligently note that Christ's forgiveness of sins here is in his word, and not in pilgrimage, masses, alms, or other good works, whichever they may be called. If anyone then desires forgiveness of sins, let him go to his parish priest or, if he cannot have the parish priest, to his nearest brother and Christian man, since he knows and finds God's word with him, there he shall certainly also find forgiveness of sins, if he only believes the word which the parish priest or brother speaks to him in the name of Christ. I do not always go by the word without a reason. For it is decided that we cannot overcome sin by any work, repentance, confession, atonement; but everything we can do, even if we torture ourselves to death, is in vain and in vain. This has been well experienced in the papacy. All that one has undertaken and done has been a vain toil and labor, and even if it has been in vain, it has been in vain.
some have despaired, some have hanged themselves; those who had a bad conscience were advised to go to Rome, to St. James or elsewhere, to run to a monastery 2c. But one had to confess that neither pilgrimage, nor garment, nor order, nor prayer, nor fasting, nor other works could remedy such suffering and satisfy his heart and conscience.
- what is the cause? Nothing else, because this is what is written here: The remission and retention of sins is in the Word alone. Whoever does not come to the Word, since forgiveness of sins is within, must come to the other Word, through which sins are retained. Christ has put both into the mouth of the apostles. Therefore there is no other way or means to the forgiveness of sins but the word. Do what you will, make it as sour as you like, but your conscience will answer and say, "Your sins are retained; for you do not come to the Word, but want to help yourself with your own works. Our Lord God has not put forgiveness of sins in any work that we do, be it hard clothing, hard ordinance, pilgrimage, repentance, confession, satisfaction, and the like; 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, for the 'need of all Christians, that they should thereby distribute forgiveness of sins, and preach it to all that desire it.
(28) If you want forgiveness of sins, you must get it in the Word from the mouth of an apostle, preacher or Christian. If you do not get it in the Word from the apostles, preachers or Christians, you will not get forgiveness of sins. A preacher who has the gospel of Christ can say, "I have been given authority by Christ to forgive and retain sins. If then thou wilt have forgiveness of sins, get it out of my mouth; but if thou wilt not get it out of my mouth, and wilt not believe my word, go and do the best works at once, and be put to death at once; yet thy sins are retained.
- therefore our dear lord jesus has
1958 L. 5,90.91. On the second Sunday after Easter. W. XIII, 1201-1203,1212. 1959
Christ tied the two pieces, remitting sin and keeping sin, hard together, and took them from the whole world out of all its works, be it repentance, sorrow, confession, satisfaction, orders, monastic caps, and the like, and put them into the word, and into the mouths of the apostles and their descendants: that whoever wants forgiveness of sins, he may get it there, or he may leave it; in monastic caps, monastic life, orders, pilgrimage 2c. he will not find it.
(30) To this belongs faith, which receives the word from the mouths of the apostles and preachers, and holds fast to the forgiveness obtained through Christ's suffering and resurrection, and presented and given in the Word. This is the reason for our doctrine, that we are justified and saved by faith alone in Christ.
(31) For the word of forgiveness of sins, which was purchased by Christ and put into the mouths of disciples, cannot be grasped with hands or works, whether it be fasting, prayer, almsgiving, or whatever works it may be. Faith alone can grasp such a word, and the heart alone is the right box into which it can be closed. That it is therefore pure and certain
is that we must be justified by faith alone.
32 The pope and his crowd do not know this; indeed, they are so stubborn that they do not want to know it. For this reason faith and word have remained one with the other; for they have based the forgiveness of sins on our work, and are still basing it on it today; just as if Christ's suffering and resurrection were only powerful when I made the beginning, and had repentance and sorrow. They have preached such shameful blasphemy. We should not forget this same abomination; for if we hold the teaching of the Pabst against the teaching of the Gospel, we can understand the teaching of the Gospel all the better. Our works do not belong to obtain forgiveness of sins, but the word and the apostle's mouth and the faith that grasps the same word belong to it. If you do not hear the apostle's mouth and the word, you are lost and condemned. But after that, if you have obtained forgiveness of sins in the word through faith, do good works, be godly and serve other people. May God grant us His grace through Christ to believe and experience these things, amen.
On the second Sunday after Easter, Misericordias Domini.
First sermon.*)
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.
*) Held in the house, 1533.
1960 8.5,si-s3. On the second Sunday after Easter. W. xm, 1221-1224. 1961
1 Our dear Lord Jesus Christ began this gospel soon after the beginning of this chapter, preaching about the nature and characteristics of sheep. For our Lord God created the sheep in such a way that among all the animals on earth there is no animal that has such sharp and certain ears as a little sheep, as experience shows. For if there were ten thousand of them together, it would flee and be afraid, but it would not be afraid of the voice of its shepherd, which it knows and follows, so surely and keenly does it know the voice of its shepherd. So, when a thousand sheep are together in a bunch, and the mothers are all bleating, each little lamb knows its mother's voice, and runs after her until it finds her. So actually and certainly it can hear, which I myself have often noticed and wondered about.
2 Christ looks at this kind and quality and says: "I also have such little animals. For I am a shepherd, and my sheep also are of this nature, that they know my voice very surely and truly. But where my voice is not, there no one brings them. Will therefore teach us: If we want to be his sheep, we must also have certain ears that separate the voice of Christ from all other voices, so that it is as bright, beautiful, sweet and friendly as it wants to be.
(3) Therefore, we are to learn here and be diligent not only to hear the word of God, but also to hear it in such a way that we may be sure of it, so that we do not listen to the devil's inducements, which he dares to put into our hearts all kinds of false doctrine and deception. For a little sheep has not only a quiet and sharp hearing, but also a different and sure hearing, that it knows its shepherd's voice before all others and follows the same; it does not hear a stranger's voice, nor does it accept the same voice. We should also be such sheep, and not only hear the voice of our shepherd Jesus Christ, but also adhere to and follow it. Christ's voice is to say to us, "You are a poor sinner, but I died for your sin.
you blessed. This we shall hear, and follow, saying, This is the voice of my shepherd. But when we hear of terror, sorrow, and fall into such thoughts or doctrine, that we should despair, fear Christ, and run away from him, then we should say: I do not hear the voice, for it is not the voice of my shepherd, but the voice of the wolf.
4 Thus our dear Lord Jesus Christ wanted to accustom us by this likeness of the shepherd and the sheep, that we not only hear the word of God, but also learn to hear it with certainty, so that we can distinguish it correctly and well from all other words. As if to say, "Those who hear and do the word of God know me and are my sheep; I love these sheep so much that I lay down my life for them and give them eternal life; I take away their sin and death, for they know me, and I also know and love them.
5 Secondly, this sermon is comforting and sweet, that the Lord calls himself a shepherd, and us, who have and hear his word, his sheep. For from this it follows that we are not so forsaken, nor shall we be, though we have many a temptation and affliction on earth. One lacks money and goods, another lacks health, another lacks something else. And it seems as if we are in the midst of wolves and have no shepherd. As Christ said to his disciples, Matth. 10, 16: "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. And we see it daily before our eyes that the Christian church and Christians are in no other situation than that of a little sheep which the wolf has caught by the pelt and wants to eat. It does not seem as if we have a shepherd who takes care of us, but it seems as if we are in the jaws of the wolf. It does not seem that Christ loves us so much, but we see and feel much differently, both in living and dying.
(6) But it must come to pass with us, that we seem to be forsaken, and to have no consolation; that we may hear the piping of this Shepherd, and learn to know him. But this is done by the voice, that he saith, I know mine own, and am
1962 L.s, 93-ss. On the second Sunday after Easter. W. xm, 1224-1227. 1963
known to mine own." He who is guided by the voice does not look at how the devil makes him poor and sick, nor at how he is persecuted and afflicted in the world; but looks at the voice, and hears how his shepherd Christ cries out to him: I am your shepherd, you are my dear sheep, for which I laid down my life; for you hear my voice, therefore you know me and I know you. So such knowledge is in the word and faith, as the Lord himself says: "I know them, even as my Father knows me, and I know the Father.
When Christ, the Son of God, walked on earth, it seemed as if he was given over to all devils and evil men, who also crucified him and did everything they could with him. God acted as if he had forgotten him, as if he did not know anything about him and did not know him; all in all, it seemed as if there was no God the Father at home. Nevertheless, the father knew him, as he says: "My father knows me, and I know the father. As if he wanted to say: Even if it could be seen as if the Father did not know me, nevertheless I had to pretend that he knew me, as he also knew me in truth, because he took me out of hell and saved me from death. So shall you also, my sheep, do, and be not deceived, though it seem as if I knew you not. For I know you, and will not leave you, my sheep.
Therefore, Christians on earth must remain covered with misfortune, heartache, sin, and all kinds of afflictions and offenses, so that it seems with them that there is no difference between a Christian and an ungodly person. 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 trials and temptations. But do not be deceived, but remember what your shepherd says: I know my sheep.
(9) Yea, saith the devil and reason, how can he know thee, seeing thou art in such a bad way? Then answer thou, I know that he knoweth me, and shall I believe in such faith.
I will not be prevented from dying and suffering all kinds of misfortune, for I know his voice and hear it, and I keep to it. For as a shepherd saith unto his sheep, Shepherd! So Christ also says to me, "I am your shepherd, I laid down my life for you and died for you. I hear this word and believe it. This is my sure and certain sign that he knows me and I know him. Whether I now feel differently, as Christ says here, does no harm, for all this is only a temporal challenge. On the other hand, the word of eternal life teaches me. Whether I feel death and must die like others who do not believe in Christ, what does it matter? But I have the voice of my shepherd, which promises me most kindly: "He that believeth in me shall never see death"; item: "I lay down my life for my sheep. Therefore I have no doubt that my faithful Shepherd, Jesus Christ, knows me.
(10) But such knowledge is hidden, that there may be room for faith. Otherwise, as soon as we were baptized pure and immortal, we would need neither word nor faith. But because the word is still alive, it must be believed and not experienced until that day when we no longer believe it, but will see and experience it in the work. So there is no doubt at all: when a person is baptized, he becomes so beautiful and bright before God as the dear sun, that no sin remains, but vain and eternal righteousness. For thus Christ himself says: Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved. But this cannot be seen outwardly. Nevertheless it is true, if one wants to judge according to 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 the blessed and eternal life to come, as we now hear and believe in the word. For just as the present life and that life are two different lives, so it is not possible to feel here in this life completely what one will feel and experience there.
(11) Therefore, it is a great art to know Christ.
1964 L. 5,95-N. On the second Sunday after Easter. W. xm, 1227-1229. 1965
You cannot learn this art on earth. So it is also a great art to know a Christian. For what man can say that he is in eternal life? Nevertheless, we must confess that it is also the truth that a child, who is still burdened with death, sin and all misfortune, since one does not see eternal life, soon 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, in which we already live (according to the word and faith), even though we do not yet see or feel it. Before the world it seems that we are sinners, but before God we are righteous; before the world it seems that we stink, but before God we are more beautiful and brighter than the sun.
012 To know a Christian aright is to judge him not by sight, but by hearing, and by the word. Like a little sheep, which have their life by hearing; if they hear not their shepherd's voice, they go among wolves. For without the voice of the shepherd it cannot be kept. If it hears the voice of the shepherd, it is safe and has no pain; but if it loses the voice of the shepherd, all joy and safety are gone, and it must fear and be afraid everywhere. It is the same with a Christian. If he loses the word, all comfort is 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 go in full hope, eat, drink, work, and do what he is commanded to do, and even suffer with joy what he is commanded to suffer. For
He hangs his ears on his shepherd's voice and mouth and gets used to judging not by what he sees and feels, but by what the voice says. This is what Christ says here: "I know my own and am known to my own, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for them.
(13) This we must learn, and so accustom our hearts, that we may not be offended at it, though Christians suffer and die as other men. For this is the right wisdom and noble art of Christians, that they may say, "For the sake of the outward life I see no difference between Christians and unbelievers; yes, Christians are generally worse off, and must suffer and endure evil 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. But the pagans, Turks and Jews do not hear this voice, nor do the hypocrites and false Christians, who want to earn heaven by their works; much less do the tyrants and the anti-christian and Epicurian crowd, the pope and his spiritless ones, hear it, but only the sheep of the Lord Christ. Otherwise, according to outward appearance and worldly nature, no difference will be found between a sheep and a goat, Christians and un-Christians.
- May the faithful and only Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, Jesus Christ, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, grant us grace to know Him well and to obey His voice, Amen.
1966 L. 6,97-99. on the second Sunday after Easter. W. xm, 1212-1216. 1967
On the second Sunday after Easter, Misericordias Domini.
Second sermon.*)
(1) This gospel, like other works of Christ, can be done in two ways: first by faith, then by love. According to faith it has the opinion that Christ is the only man and shepherd who dies for his sheep, and no one else. For for this work, that Christ dies for us, no man, no saint nor angel was able, that he could have finished the first man with his descendants, who was strangled by the devil through sin in paradise. That therefore this work is peculiar to this shepherd, which no one can do for him, just as other works which he has done for us cannot be done for him, so that our sin may be paid for.
(2) Therefore, just as no one can equal the suffering of Christ, so no one can speak the words that Christ speaks here, saying, "I am a good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." For with these words he draws all things to himself, and teaches us that we should believe that the sufferings of all the saints are nothing to be counted against his suffering. As if to say, "You had Moses and the prophets, who preached and taught what was right. But for the work, which is to die for the sheep, and to have the sheep for their own, they are hirelings, and cannot ride the sheep before the wolf. Moses, when he has preached and taught long, nevertheless death remains, and Moses flees. So even if the prophets and others have done their best, they are still not able to help a few sheep against the wolf, the devil and death. Who in such a journey
*) Held in the house, 1534.
And if he be not torn by the wolf, let him take heed that he rely not on the law, nor on good works. For the hireling fleeth, and the law departeth, and keepeth not: yea, that is more, it is yet well against you, and condemneth you. The good works also do not hold and disappear. I am and will be the only one who helps against the wolf, death and the devil. Therefore let all comfort fall on holy living, and learn that by a right faith you will find your way to him who says: "I am a good shepherd, and I lay down my life for the 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. For this reason we should look to him alone in such a journey and stick to him. This is a matter that must be taken by faith, and we can do nothing about it; but he, the good shepherd, our Lord Christ, has done and arranged everything, and commanded us to accept it and cling to it with firm faith.
(3) Secondly, this gospel may be treated according to the doctrine of love. It is of the opinion that all that our dear Shepherd Jesus Christ has done is also set forth for us as an example, as St. Peter teaches in today's epistle, 1 Peter 2, and says in vv. 24, 25: "Christ Himself sacrificed our sin in His body on the wood, that we might be freed from sin and live unto righteousness, by whose wounds you were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray. But ye are now converted unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls." This is the doctrine of faith, which he also applies to love, and says in v. 21: "Christ has suffered and made us a prelude to love.
1968 L. 5, W-101. on the second Sunday after Easter. W. xm, 1216-1218. 1969
image, that ye should follow his footsteps." Therefore as Christ died for us, that he might save us from sins and eternal death by his own work, without our doing: so shall we also make an example of his work, according to faith, that every one may say, My Shepherd Jesus Christ hath saved me from sins and death without any works of mine. I should not and cannot do anything about it, but only believe. Nevertheless, I should follow his example by faith, and serve my neighbor, no matter how bad it may be for me. So every Christian also becomes a good shepherd. According to the doctrine of faith, Christ our Lord alone is the only good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep; the others are all hirelings: but according to the doctrine of love, all preachers and Christians are also good shepherds. For even if they cannot save others from death and sins with their death (for this is the one and only work of the one true Shepherd Jesus Christ, as I said), they can still leave their lives over it, so that others may be lured to the Word and brought to the knowledge of Christ through such an example. For the world and the devil are enemies of the word, and especially the pope kills the ministers of the word, and uses all his power to suppress the word by force. There the pious shepherds have to suffer, and some of them have to give up their lives because of it.
4 Therefore devout, faithful preachers belong to this, because they believe that they are redeemed through the death of Christ, that they quickly follow the example of Christ, and also die for the sake of the sheep and leave their necks above the word. Such dying does not make the others blessed, for blessedness comes only through the death of Christ: but nevertheless it strengthens the others, and thus God is praised through our blood and death, and the neighbor is strengthened in faith by it, even though he is not thereby redeemed from death. For the same must have happened before through the blood and death of the one and right shepherd Jesus Christ, as is now often reported.
Here, then, are also found hirelings and wolves. Previously, in the doctrine of faith, wolf means the devil and death;
The hirelings are Moses, the law, the prophets and all men, be they ever so pious. For none of them can protect himself, I will keep silent others, from the wolf, the devil and sin. But here, in the doctrine of love, wolves are called the heretics, false teachers and tyrants who persecute and condemn the doctrine; hirelings are called the fickle preachers and Christians who give way and allow themselves to be frightened. But he who is a devout preacher and Christian is not 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 let his life and limb pass over. 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. He who wants to be a preacher, let him mean it with all his heart, that he seeks only God's glory and his neighbor's betterment. But if he does not seek God's glory alone and his neighbor's salvation, 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 shamefully and leave the sheep, or he will keep silent and let the sheep go without pasture, that is, without the word. These are hirelings who preach for their own benefit, are stingy and are not satisfied with the fact that God gives them their daily food as alms. For we preachers should have no more of our ministry than abundance. But those who want more are hirelings who do not respect the earth; whereas a pious preacher leaves everything above, even his life and limb.
(7) This is the other doctrine of the example, which applies not only to those in church offices, but to all Christians. For let them all confess, 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 reason laid down his life, though they must lay down theirs, yet they shall receive it again through him, and shall lose it no more for ever.
1970 L.s, 101-103. on the second Sunday after Easter. W. XIII, I2I8-1221,1229,1230. 1971
8 Now the Lord goes on and preaches a sermon about his sheep and distinguishes them from all others. He also wants to separate his doctrine from heresy and all other doctrine, and says:
I am a good shepherd, and know mine own, and am known to mine own. As my Father knows me, and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep.
009 As if to say, All things are for this cause, that if ye be my sheep, and know me your shepherd, and not others, ye shall have no need of me.
10 It says: Christ knows his sheep, and the sheep in turn know Christ. From this it follows that nothing else should be preached to the sheep of Christ in faith, except Christ alone, that he gave his life for the sheep, and the example and following of Christ in works of love. Therefore a good preacher should preach nothing else to the people, but Christ alone, so that he may be known for what he is and what he gives, so that no one may step out of his word, which he says, "I am a good shepherd, and I lay down my life for the sheep," and so that he alone may be considered by faith to be the only shepherd and bishop of our souls. This is to be preached to the people, so that they may know their shepherd. After this we should also set an example, so that, just as Christ did and suffered everything for our sake, we should also gladly do and suffer everything for the sake of the word. As he bore the cross, so we also should bear our cross. These two things are to be preached in Christianity. He then that heareth, understandeth, believeth, and followeth, is called Christ's sheep: who saith, I hear and know the voice of my Shepherd JEsu Christ, which is thus: I died for you, and by my blood and death I delivered you from the wolf: thus saith Christ, and I believe it, and know no other shepherd. After this I will go and do to my neighbor as Christ did to me, and if it is necessary, I will suffer for his sake; if I am beaten for it, I will remember that he also suffered for it.
is knocked over. I hear the voice and stick to it.
But if a wolf, a devil, and a false teacher comes and pretends: Not only do you believe in Christ and do righteous deeds in your profession and state, but you must run to St. James, become a monk 2c.Just as the Pope's sermon is absolutely not to keep the words of Christ: "I am a good shepherd, I lay down my life for the sheep" pure, but to instruct the people on sacrifices, alms, pilgrimages, monasticism and their own works, so that they are shepherds of their own and should protect themselves: Then the little sheep says: "I do not know this voice, but I hear a wolf, a devil and a false teacher, who wants to snatch me from my shepherd Jesus Christ and devour me. From him I flee, and his voice I hear not.
12 Therefore Christ says here: They shall hear my voice; and shortly before he says, "A stranger they follow not, but flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers." For it is impossible for a little sheep, once it has begun to believe and has earnestly heard and grasped the voice of its shepherd, to hear and accept the preaching that is contrary to the voice of Christ. It hears the imperial commandment, the king's commandment, the prince's commandment, the city's commandment, as only pertaining to this temporal life, but nevertheless it knows well that they do not serve salvation, for that is why one does not enter eternal life by obeying such outward commandments. But when a preacher comes, he does not bring the emperor's or the prince's commandment, but pretends to speak in God's name, and says, If thou wilt be saved, thou must do enough for thy sin, say mass, give alms, etc.; then the little sheep does not hear, but says, I know not thy voice; it is not the voice of the shepherd, but of a wolf; thus speaks the devil, not Christ.
013 This then is that Christ saith, "I know mine own, and am known of mine own." For they hear my voice so exactly and evenly that they do not follow a stranger. Just as the sheep, when the shepherd whistles, run with flocks, and the mother knows the lamb, and the lamb knows the mother.
1972 L.5, 103.104. On the third Sunday after Easter. W. XIII, 123V. 1231.1244. 1973
They also come to me and know me, and I know them. For the sheep have the sharpest and most certain hearing of all animals.
14 Therefore this is the summary, that we may learn how this whole parable of the shepherd and the sheep is directed to the gospel, to signify Christ and his kingdom, and first of all to show that it is all wholly in hearing. If a sheep hears the voice of its shepherd, it is saved; but if it hears a stranger, it does not follow, but goes astray until it finds the voice of its shepherd. All its kind and nature is to hear. So also, if we are to be and remain Christians, it must be by hearing the word and by faith. A sheep knows its shepherd's voice, and the shepherd knows his sheep. Whereby? that they hear his voice. So we know Christ by the voice of his gospel, and Christ knows us by the hearing that we hear his gospel, which proclaims to us that he died for our sin.
died. Thus the sheep of Christ are separated from all others. And where Christ's voice goes, there is the sheepfold of eternal life, where men are saved from sins and death. This is what should be preached and taught.
(15) Secondly, to flee and avoid all that is taught for salvation apart from Christ, and to know that he alone has done it, and no one else. Therefore Christ says: "I am a good shepherd and lay down my life for the sheep. As if he wanted to say: "Learn to know me first, then be pious, and die one for another: not for eternal life, for you already have that through me, but for my honor and that of my Father, and for the betterment of the holy Christian church. Remain with the confession, that is the voice. Whoever hears it gladly is my sheep; and whoever knows me in this way, I know him again and shall never be taken from me. God help us then, through Christ, our one shepherd, amen.
*On the third Sunday after Easter, Jubilate. )
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 also the high article, which we do daily, and which is called and is a Christian article,
*) Held publicly on the last day of April in the year 1531.
and only Christians make, maintain and practice, so that they grow and increase day by day. Summa, this article belongs only to the small group of those who are and want to be Christians.
1974 ".3, 104-106. on the third Sunday after Easter. W. xin, 1244-1248. 1975
2 The Lord divides this gospel into three parts. The first part are the words, that he saith, "Over a little thing ye shall not see me; but over a little thing ye shall see me, because I go unto the Father. The other part is the understanding and the opinion of the words, that the Lord afterwards gives the gloss on the words, and says: This is the interpretation and opinion of the words: "You will weep and wail, but the world will rejoice, but you will be sad; but your sadness shall become joy." This gloss is clearer than the text and words. Third, he sets the example of the woman who gives birth, where trouble is short and joy is long. Let us see these three pieces and talk a little about them.
The first part is finely composed and worded in such a way that it should remain all the better in the hearts and memories of the disciples. For the words, "Over a little thing, and ye shall not see me," 2c., have at once a different sound than other words have. Now such strange, hidden, and unusual sayings are most commonly thought of as peculiar marks and signs. That is why the Lord wanted to use such dark and hidden words, so that they would stick more firmly in the heart and be remembered better.
4 Now this is the text: The Lord will signify unto his disciples, that he shall die, and rise again from the dead. "Over a little," he says, that is, over two or three hours, "ye shall not see me," that is, I shall come out of your sight, die, and be buried; "but over a little ye shall see me," that is, I shall rise again from the dead, and be seen alive. These are strange, veiled words, to indicate that he would be with them two or three hours more, after which he would be killed and die; but on the third day he would rise again from the dead and be manifested alive. And after such death and resurrection he would go to the Father.
- these two pieces, dying, and, rising from the dead, the disciples can
in the text. Therefore they said one to another, "What is this that he says to us, 'Over a little one you will not see me,' but over a little one you will see me, and I will go to the Father? And they say again, "What is this that he saith, Over a little thing? We know not what he saith." Their thoughts are carnal and stand thus: Perhaps he will go into the chamber especially alone, or will wander into another city, and for a time not be seen. But after that he will come back and be seen again. But that he says he wants to go to his father, they understand from the way on the street, or from the path or bridge, where one goes up with feet. They cannot imagine that he will soon be snatched from them, caught, crucified and buried; much less can they believe that after suffering and dying he will come out of death and the grave again, rise from the dead, and show himself alive and manifest himself. They follow their reason, which cannot make anything else out of these words: "Over a little, and ye shall not see me," but that the Lord wants to hide and conceal himself for a time.
(6) So flesh and blood judge and judge from Christ's word, and flesh and blood do so in the saints. For the saints also, while they are in this life, have a great particle from the old Adam, and it is great art that they judge not the word according to human reason. The disciples are full of gifts and of the Holy Spirit; yet they speak carnally, according to their reason and the flesh. Yes, even after Christ's resurrection, when he is about to go to heaven, even though they have heard his sermon for forty days, and he has expounded the Scriptures to them and opened their understanding, they still have carnal thoughts about his kingdom, and say, Acts 1:6: "Will you be a man? 1:6, "Will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" So we do not do any better; I and you and all of us still have carnal thoughts, even though we have already been baptized and are called Christians.
7 Therefore, these are shameful deceivers, who insist on pope, emperor, concilia, fathers.
1976 8.3, io6-io8. On the third Sunday after Easter. W. xin, 1248-1250. 1977
Build and say: The Christian church cannot err; what the Christian church has set, that shall be kept. But say thou: Man cannot live without error. This is seen here in the apostles, who err and fail in the supreme article of the passion and resurrection of Christ; therefore I do not trust the fathers, the churches, unless they have God's word. For here one sees from the apostles that one should not trust the holy fathers and the church, unless they certainly have God's word. What the Church speaks about and apart from the Word of God, whether through the Holy Fathers or Concilio, say: This is the flesh of the apostles, who also speak in this way from reason, without the Holy Spirit. In St. Augustine's books you can find many sayings that flesh and blood have spoken. And I must also confess of myself that I speak many words that are not God's words, when I speak outside the preaching office, at home over the table, or otherwise. That is why St. Augustine, in a letter to St. Jerome, makes a fine statement that only the holy Scriptures should not be held in error. All the others, however holy and learned they may be, are not to be considered right because they have taught thus, when they cannot prove it by Scripture. This is said for good measure.
The other part is the gloss and interpretation that the Lord himself interprets the previous words and says that the disciples will be saddened and grieved by his departure and death. First he shows them with dark words what will happen to him, namely that he will die and rise again from death. Then he announces what will happen to them about his death, namely, that they will be sad. Now I have told you," he says, "that I will come out of your sight and leave you alone; but you will be very sad about it. Death will come upon me, but great sorrow will come upon you. "Ye shall weep and wail, but the world shall rejoice; but ye shall be sorrowful."
9 But just as the disciples before did not understand the words and the text, so they did not understand the words and the text.
they do not understand the gloss and the interpretation of the words, even though what the Lord says here has come to pass and has come into their hands, and he has been taken from them, crucified and buried, they still do not understand either the text or the gloss. For there are two kinds of understanding: intelligentia verborum et intelligentia rerum, understanding of words and understanding of things. The understanding of words is when a man can speak and preach about a thing, but when it comes to the moves and the meeting that he is to put into practice, he cannot do anything about it. Such a man has the understanding of words, but not the understanding of the matter. Now it is not only necessary that one knows how to speak of the matter; it is also necessary, when it comes to the meeting, that he can comfort and strengthen himself with the words, and can rhyme the words and the matter together. This is often lacking, both for me and for many good fellows.
10 Therefore the Lord comforts his disciples here, and rhymes the words and the matter together, saying, "It will come to pass with you that you will weep and wail; the words which I am speaking to you now will come into your hands and under your eyes. There will be nothing with you but weeping and wailing. In addition, this will also happen, that these words, which I am now saying to you, and so that you should comfort and uplift yourselves, will be taken away from you; yes, that is more, when you will weep and howl, then all the world will rejoice, laugh, be in good spirits, and say: Where is now the excellent Master and his disciples?
(11) In like manner as it is with us this day. We, who confess Christ and his gospel, must be defeated and sad; but our adversaries rejoice, exult, and say: Yes, so it is with the heretics, now the emperor is here, now the emperor is here. And there is neither measure nor end to the throbbing and defiance of the papists. But we have tribulation, pain, suffering, misery and distress. Our Christ is gone, and we have nothing of it but the pestering and defiance of the adversaries. So that the two greatest evils are here together-
1978 L.5, 108-II0. on the third Sunday after Easter. W. XIII, 1250-1253. 1979
men come. Suffer harm and have ridicule to it.
(12) So shall it be with the disciples, saith Christ. This is the gloss (if you want to know it), which says: "Over a little thing you will not see me"; it will come into your hands, and the experience of that hour will teach you well. Then remember what I am about to tell you, and see to it that you have not only the understanding of the words but also the understanding of the matter. Then, when it comes to pass, remember it, and say, There must be weeping and wailing, when the world laughs, thunders, defies, and mocks us. The Lord told us before that this would happen to us; he is taken from us, weeping and wailing have come to us, but the world is joyful and rejoices. So remember, and hold your souls with patience, and put the words into practice.
013 And Christ set one thing upon another, sorrow and joy, weeping and laughter. Just as before in the text he set one thing upon another, saying, "Over a little thing ye shall not see me, and over a little thing ye shall see me," so here also he does in the gloss, saying, "I say unto you, verily ye shall mourn, and the world shall rejoice: but your mourning and the world's joy shall be for a little season. One by one they will alternate: your sorrow will become joy, and the world's joy will become sorrow. He says this so that patience will be the stronger. For who could be so firm and strong, and endure suffering, if God did not at times show refreshment? For where sorrow would have no end, it would already be hell itself. But it is said: The Christians' mourning should be a small thing, and the world's joy should also be a small thing. Christians must weep and mourn, but the world must sing and leap and be glad; but be of good cheer and hold your peace for a little, for it will not last long, and afterward it will alternate, and sadness will be turned into joy and joy into sadness. At the end of the Gospel
He interprets it even more clearly and says: "Your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no one shall take from you," that is, your sadness shall become eternal joy, and joy shall never be taken from you.
14 Let us learn these things, that we may be able to rhyme them together in affliction and temptation, and say, Well, I am now in sorrow; for a little thing is needful, and this sorrow shall be turned into joy. But especially he that is in the preaching ministry, let him remember it! The devil and the world will not let you be challenged. If you tell the truth, the world will become mad and foolish, and will curse, condemn and persecute you, and you will suffer scorn and ridicule. If the world can draw the sword against you, it will not refrain from doing so, and the devil as a master helps to do so, driving such poisonous, fiery arrows into the heart that the heart wants to melt. If you feel such a challenge, the world curses and persecutes you, mocks and laughs at you, and the devil torments you, what should you do? Should you become impatient, abandon the preaching ministry, run away and curse? No, but be patient, wait, and take courage, saying, "Well, my Lord Christ said before, "You will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice"; but he also added, "Your sorrow shall become joy," meaning a little. Now because he is true, and hath not lied unto me concerning the little one, that I should not see him now, and weep and mourn: neither will he lie unto me concerning the other little one, that I should see him again, and that my heart should rejoice.
(15) Therefore let these words be diligently remembered, that the Lord says they shall alternate one with another, one for another: Not to see Christ and to see Christ; to be sad and to rejoice; to weep and to be glad. And these things are of great need, that we may be able to bear them, and not fall to the ground under them, and perish. For if Christ had remained outside for a year or four, all his disciples would have fallen away from him to Annas and Caiphas. Therefore he did not want to lie hidden for a long time, but
1980 L.s, Iio-H3. On the third Sunday after Easter. W. XIII, 1253-1256. 1981
Only three days, and on the third day he was soon seen alive again, comforting and strengthening the disciples. He does the same with us; he does not leave us long in weeping and wailing, but gives us breath and rest, so that we may endure. Thus says the 85th Psalm, v. 9: "Oh that I should hear that God the Lord speaks, that he should promise peace to his people and to his saints, that they should not fall into folly! I would very much like," he says, "that our Lord God would let His word be heard among us, so that His people would not fall into foolishness and despair and blaspheme with impatience and say that He is not God. For the sake of the cause, our Lord God must temper and moderate the weeping and wailing so that it is small, lest His people fall into foolishness. He does not allow the defiance and mockery of the wicked to remain forever, lest the saints turn to wickedness, and the wicked be strengthened in their pride. For if the counsel of the wicked were not returned, they would think that all they do is right.
16 And now this is the text and the gloss, the words and the interpretation, in which it is also to be noted what he speaks of the world, although he does not say much about it, because he has no desire for it. But he gives enough to understand that he says, "The world will rejoice, but you will be sad; but your sadness shall become joy." For it follows that the joy of the world shall become sadness. The world, saith he, shall rejoice for a season, even as ye shall weep and be sorrowful for a season: but their joy shall become terror and mourning, even as your sorrow shall become joy. And such, the sorrow of the world, shall never cease, but shall endure for ever. We see this now also in our adversaries. Because they have insisted and defied the Diet and the emperor so much, and their attacks have not gone ahead, they go and hang their heads, as the evil-doers, and will still hang themselves with sorrow over it. For their mourning shall not be a small one, but a long and eternal one; and that begins already now.
(17) And so it shall be with our squires and covetous men, who, in this mischief with the corn, are now doing their mischief; they stop and mock us, and have good courage, and laugh; and it is good for them, that they may confidently gather money. But let them beware of the saying, Prov. 11:26: "He that keepeth corn, men curse him: but blessing cometh upon him that selleth it." When God will be merciful and, as we hope will happen soon, will again give a rich, fruitful year, then their joy will turn to wormwood, and the miserly will be put to shame. For such wanton evil-doers are not worthy to be judged by the authorities (the same punishment would be a great mercy), but should punish themselves. It does not help them what is said, admonished, warned; they want to know, so they may also see whom it will repent of. We have the advantage: if we suffer misfortune, let us pray; if we die over it, it shall not hurt us. They may see how it will go for them.
The third part of this gospel is that the Lord, to strengthen this teaching, gives us the example of a woman giving birth. Look at a woman," he says, "when her features are going on and she is to recover from the child (women know this better than anyone can speak of it, but experience shows that the hardship is great, since many die from it; in sum, it is a great cross that God laid on the woman in paradise after the fall); look at such a woman who is to give birth," says Christ; there is laughter to be borne. She cannot see the end of her pain, nor can she say with certainty whether she will recover from the child or not, but her thoughts and words are thus: God help, God counsel, be it done to me as God wills. For she does not know whether the child will be born or whether she will stay over it. Such a woman also has the text before her, as it was said to her in Paradise: "I will cause you much pain when you conceive; you shall bear children with pain." And she also lacks that she cannot find the little word: "Over a little one"; yet she stands in the hope-
1982 8.5, 113-115. third Sunday after Easter. W. XIII, 1256-1258. 1983
The pain is the reason for the painfulness of the work and the maintenance, whether it will last one, two or three days, but finally it comes from the pain.
19 Our dear Lord Christ presents us with such a likeness and example to strengthen this doctrine of the cross and suffering, so that we may learn with certain hope. For he speaks here of the woman who gives birth, not of the woman who remains above childbirth. And thus he means to say: A woman, when she gives birth, is in fear; just as you are in fear when the cross and suffering come upon you. But in her anguish she cannot add the little word, "Over a little one," for she has the word that she shall bring forth children in pain. But she does not have the promise that she will certainly recover from the child. But you, in your suffering and mourning, should add the little word, "About a little one. For you see that such a woman, of whom I speak (but I speak of such a one who recovers), works a little while, and afterward is saved. For this you have the promise and assurance, which the woman does not have, namely, that your sorrow will last a short time and then become joy. If the woman in her child anguish had the promise that you have in your suffering, she would not be sad. But she must mourn, because she is not sure whether she will recover. But you, through the example of the woman, should also take hold of the promise that is certain to you and cannot be lacking.
(20) Therefore, when we have temptation, sorrow and suffering, and fall into heavy thoughts about them, we should remember that we are then in childbirth and child distress. What shall we do here? Shall we act like a woman who does not know whether she will recover or remain above childbirth and die? No, for a woman has not such a promise as we have. Therefore a woman who has not yet given birth is not to be our example; but a woman who has now been delivered and is done with childbirth is to be our example. Just as a woman who has now been delivered from her pain and has given birth to the child has joy, so certainly joy shall follow our weeping and wailing. A woman, before she has recovered, may well miscarry.
We shall not lack it, because the promise is not made to us.
But how do we do it? How do we follow this teaching? When sorrow and suffering occur, our dear, tender flesh is there and our noble reason, and thus thinks: When will the suffering have an end? All is now finished and eternally lost. For flesh and blood and human reason cannot do otherwise than to judge and judge according to the five senses and according to feeling. It sees how painful suffering is, and it sees those who bring suffering upon us. But this only increases the sadness and suffering, until it finally becomes so great that one would have to die because of it. Therefore, whoever wants to be a Christian should not pay attention to how painful it is and how much the flesh would like to be rid of the suffering; but should keep to the word and rhyme it with the matter, and comfort himself with this comforting promise that the sorrow will last for a little while and then become joy. This example of a woman who is now delivered from her fear and has joy because a man was born into the world should also serve this purpose.
(22) He that doeth these things shall abide, though the temptation and the suffering be great and grievous. But he who does not do this will not be able to endure even a small, minor challenge. For because he forsakes the word and the promise, all his doings and undertakings are mere carnal counsels and thoughts, out of which nothing will or can come. Where Christ does not help here with his comforting, certain promise, and does not press it into the heart through his Holy Spirit, then it is lost. One may bite and devour oneself in sorrow and misery with thoughts, but one cannot work oneself out with one's own thoughts. For as it happened to the Jews in the wilderness, that the more they saw the bite of the fiery serpent, the more they were terrified and afraid; so shall it happen to him that forsaketh the word and the promise: the more he looketh on the feeling of woe, the more shall he fall into terror, trembling, and impatience.
1984 2.5, 115.116. On the fourth Sunday after Easter. W. XIII, 1258.125S. 1278. 1985
(23) Therefore, when we have sorrow, let us keep the word, and rhyme the word and the thing together. My Lord Christ told me before that if I would be his disciple, it must be weeping and wailing, but the world shall rejoice; but weeping and wailing shall not be long. He gave me certain assurances of this, and in addition presented the example of a woman who does not remain above childbirth, but is saved from anguish with joy: so that I would believe that he also wants to snatch me out of misery and bring me to eternal joy. Therefore I will suffer this misfortune patiently, and take comfort in the fact that it is a small thing, and I will be abundantly refreshed in this suffering. If we therefore take hold of the word and persevere in faith and patience, Christ will then let himself be seen again, just as he let himself be seen again by the disciples after his resurrection and after their great heartache. Then we do not look at
suffering, how grievous it is, and how unjustly they act who put suffering on us; but gain the joyful look, which is, as Christ says here, "I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man shall take from you."
(24) So we should also do in this precious time, and not look at the lack, how little grain there is, nor at the great courage of our young men and village fools; but have regard to the word, and say: Come on, let us have patience for a little while, the Lord will be gracious to us, and let us see Him again, as the 4th Psalm says v. 8: "Thou makest my heart glad, though they have much wine and grain.
(25) This then is the gospel in its three parts, which alone is a gospel for Christians, that they may learn to believe, and therewith be comforted in their great trials and tribulations, and have patience in hope.
*On the fourth Sunday after Easter, Cantate. )
John 16:5-15.
But now I go besides him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? but because I have spoken these things unto you, your heart is 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 whatsoever 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.
- this is a gospel fine, beautiful and rich in measure, but very high and sharp, of the high and necessary article, of which we have the name and call Christians Christians.
*) Held in the house, 1533.
e. Our dear Lord Jesus Christ, when he was about to go into the garden and depart, being sorrowful even unto death, spoke these things to his sorrowful and distressed disciples. For it is the most lovely, kindest and sweetest companionship of all.
1986 L. 5, 116-118. on the fourth Sunday after Easter. W. XIII, 1278-1281. 1987
The disciples are very sad to hear that their dearest master and lord is leaving them and bidding them good night. Therefore, the disciples are greatly grieved when they hear that their dearest master and lord wants to depart from them and bid farewell to good night. It grieves them that they should fall into such sweet fellowship, and they are so grieved and sad that they cannot ask him because of their great sadness.
(2) Seeing then that the disciples are so sorrowful and sad, the Lord comforts and strengthens them against the present sorrow of his departure, and against the future sorrow of his shameful death, and against the future suffering that would overtake them from the devil and the world. Dear children," he says, "you are greatly grieved at my departure, and it grieves you that I should be taken from you and that you should be left alone. But let go of your sadness; it will be much better after my departure than it is now. For if I did not depart from you, and go out of this bodily being and life, ye would remain as ye are now, and all things would remain in the old nature, the Jews under the law of Mosiah, the Gentiles in their blindness, and all the world under sin and death. But if I go from you to the Father, and die, and accomplish that for which God has sent me, then I will send you the Holy Spirit, who shall begin another being in you and in all the world. Therefore it is good that you break your hearts and forgive yourselves of my bodily fellowship, so that you may come to the future treasure, the Holy Spirit.
The German word for "heartbreak" is "Herzbrechen" (heartbreak), and it is called heartbreak when one has to forgive himself for a delicious thing. But such heartbreak is of two kinds. The first heartbreak is false and hypocritical; as, some forgive themselves something, and yet afterwards have just the same thing more than before. As the monks and nuns break their hearts and forgive themselves the world, and yet are in the midst of the world, and keep the best and sweetest of the world, about which I will now keep silent, that it is an own and self-chosen heartbreak, on which heartbreak
The common result is that they become impatient and curse. This heartbreak is like the heartbreak of the fox under the pear tree; since he could not enjoy the pears, he broke the heart and also had to break it. But he broke with impatience, impatience and scolding.
The other heartbreak is in a right, good cause, and is not a self-chosen heartbreak, but when one must forgive himself for something that he cannot avoid or avoid; and does not break the heart with impatience and reproach, but patiently submits, suffers and restores, and commissions the cause to God's will. So here: the disciples warmly loved Christ as their Master and Lord, as was right and just; for he showed them all love and friendship: nevertheless they had to forgive him, after the bodily company, and break their hearts. Even as Abraham, though he loved his son Isaac dearly, when he was born to him in his old age, and was an only son, born of Sarah, on whom was the promise; yet he had to break his heart, and slay and sacrifice that dearest son, and was already in the work of doing it, and would have accomplished it, if the angel of God had not called him to pause.
(5) Therefore, the first thing we should learn from this gospel, when we encounter something sour and bitter, is to receive it in obedience to God, to suffer patiently, to comfort ourselves, and to think that it will be much better afterward. For this is God's way of dealing with us, that after the trial and sorrow, when we are heartbroken, He comforts us abundantly and abundantly. And the greater the affliction and sadness, the greater the comfort and joy afterwards, if only we take it for good and bear the misfortune and sadness with patience, and do not curse. Again, the more impatient we are and do not want to be weighed down with crosses and trials, but want to cast the burden from us, the more and heavier we will be weighed down.
- this is that Christ here comforts his disciples with the good that is to come, with the
1988 L. 5, 118-120. On the fourth Sunday after Easter. W. XIII, 1281-1284. 1989
Holy Spirit, as if to say: "Dear brothers, be of good cheer and hope that I will go away and leave you alone, and that you will be deprived of my bodily company and friendship. I would rather remain here with you, that I should not drink the cup which the Father has given me. But truly it will and shall be better for you that I go from you to the Father than that I remain with you. For if I go not to the Father, the Comforter cometh not to you. But if I go to the Father, I will send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to you. My going away is much better for you than my staying. For if I remain, you have no more in me than a natural comfort, bodily protection and outward friendship. What good is that to you? But if I go away from you to the Father, then you will and shall have spiritual comfort, eternal protection and joy in me through the Holy Spirit.
(7) Behold, what an exceedingly gentle and kind man was our dear Lord Jesus Christ: how gently he comforted and strengthened his disciples with such fine, sweet, kind and gentle words, the like of which no man on earth can ever do or speak to his dearest and best friends. All these things are commanded for our sakes, that we should learn to be patient and of good cheer in trials, crosses, and afflictions, remembering that if the beloved disciples and apostles had to break their hearts, have patience, and forgive themselves of the Lord Christ, and wait for the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, we also must do these things, take up our crosses, have patience, and trust and believe in Christ, who says that things shall be much better hereafter than they are now. And this is the first part of this gospel.
The other part of this gospel is that he says, "When the Holy Spirit comes, he will punish the world for sin, and for righteousness, and for judgment." And this is the chief, the noblest article of our Christian faith, and our fairest, best, and highest consolation. When the Holy Spirit shall come, saith he, he shall be in all the world from me through you.
And you also shall be my witnesses, and shall testify and preach of me in all the world. I will send you the Holy Spirit, and he shall work in you, and ye shall become bold and defiant, and shall attack and punish the whole world. You shall, by your word and preaching ministry and by the power of the Holy Spirit, bring all the world into subjection and obedience to you.
What does "all the world" mean? And what does "punish" mean? Because if one discusses here rightly, then one will find well what is said there. "All the world" means not only Annas, Caiphas, high priests, Pharisees, scholars, elders, princes and kings in Jerusalem; but all that is in the world, in Jerusalem and in all the places of the world, all wise men, prudent men, scholars, saints, mighty men, emperors, kings, princes, noble and base, peasants and citizens, high and low, young and old. "To punish" means to leave nothing good to anyone, but to attack all their doings and beings with the Word, and to tell them that all of them, especially whoever they are, are guilty and wrong before God, and must obey this preaching of Christ, or be eternally damned and lost. Hereby all men on earth are subject to the preaching ministry that the apostles and their descendants lead because of God, so that they must be subject to it and follow it if they want to have God's grace and be saved otherwise.
(10) Now he divides the ministry of the Holy Spirit and the word of the apostles into three parts or articles, and says: they shall by the Holy Spirit, or the Holy Spirit by them, punish the world for sin, for righteousness, and for judgment; and himself interprets what he wants to be understood by each part. These are three high pieces and excellent articles, in which everything is summarized that concerns the spiritual government and Christ's kingdom, and of which the world neither knows nor understands anything. We will deal with them briefly and simply one after the other. The first piece shall be this:
For the sin of not believing in me.
(11) By the word and by the power of the Holy Spirit, he says, you are to do all that is in
1990 L. s, 120-122. on the fourth Sunday after Easter. W. xiir, 1284-1287. 1991
punish the wise, pious, holy and mighty of the world, because they are sinners before God, yes, sold under sin. And you shall punish them for such sin that they do not believe in me. You shall not punish the world only for theft, adultery, fornication, murder, death, and other transgressions of the law; for these sins the emperor and Moses denounced and punished: but for sin you shall punish the world, that they believe not on me. Therefore this preaching of yours shall be altogether new and unknown to the world, namely, that apart from faith in me all things are sin, however good and holy a work they may be in the sight of the world; and again, that to them that believe in me all sins, however great and grievous they may be, are covered and forgiven; yea, that whatsoever they do that believe in me, whether they eat or drink, whether they wake or sleep 2c., are all good works, pleasing and acceptable to God; again, that to the ungodly and unbelieving all works, however good and holy they may seem, are sin, so that they eat even a morsel of bread in disgrace and sin, and must give an account of every useless word they have spoken at the Last Judgment. The other part of your sermon is this:
For the righteousness that I go to the Father, and ye see me not away.
(12) This is a strange and peculiar righteousness, and much different from the righteousness of the world. For with these words Christ takes the righteousness of which his gospel teaches, and which is valid before God, out of my heart and yours, even though it must already be within, and sets it at the right hand of the heavenly Father. Therefore it is not our righteousness, but Christ's righteousness; indeed, this righteousness is Christ Himself; and yet it becomes my righteousness when I believe that Christ has gone to the Father, that is, that He was born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontio Pilato, was crucified, died, rose again the third day, ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father, as the articles of our Christian faith read. Therefore, the righteousness that is valid before God, and
which is called Christian righteousness, does not grow and come from our hearts, although it must be in our hearts; nor does it stand in our works, but in faith in Christ, that he was given up for our sins, and was raised for our righteousness, and is our Lord and Savior. Whoever believes this, God pronounces him righteous. The third piece shall be this:
To the judgment that the prince of this world is judged.
(13) It is a comforting sermon, which the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, has preached and should have preached in the world by the mouth of the apostles. For what is more comforting than that all sins, however many and great they may be, should be cancelled, forgiven, covered up, and not imputed, because of faith in Christ; and that he who has such faith should be justified by God, without all his works and merit, through faith in Christ alone? A more comforting sermon cannot be heard in the world.
- But when this new and unheard-of teaching and preaching comes and is heard in the world, that we are justified by Christ's going to the Father, the Jews and saints of this world come and say: You Peter, Paul, 2c. open your mouth wide, teach and preach about sin and righteousness; but what is this new teaching and preaching? If sin is not believing in Jesus of Nazareth, and righteousness is that Jesus of Nazareth has gone to the Father, then what are our works, sacrifices and worship for? Has not God Himself instituted all these things? Is this not the pleasant service of God that we have? Has not God commanded that we live honorably and holy? You are heretics and deceivers of the people, for you preach against that which God has ordained and established. So Christ says to his apostles: Be of good cheer and undaunted, and do not let such judgments and sentences of the world move you. If Jews and Gentiles condemn your teaching, let them go. For the devil cannot leave it alone; he must condemn and persecute the teaching of faith and Christian righteousness. But it lies
1992 ".5, 122-124. on the Fourth Sunday after Easter. W. xm, 1287-1289. 1993
I have already judged and condemned their judgments and sentences, which they will pass on you and your teachings. The prince of this world, the devil, gives them the niece to judge you. But be not dismayed or afraid: the prince of this world is already judged. Therefore, dear little children, the world will attack you, it will hold over its doings and being and condemn your teaching. But be content; this shall be your comfort, that I have already judged the prince of this world; therefore his judgment shall not hurt you.
(15) Thus our dear Lord Christ comforts and strengthens his disciples and Christians, that they should not be afraid of the judgment of the world, nor think that they are also rejected and condemned by God, when they are judged and condemned by the devil and the world; as also the 37th Psalm says, v. 33: "The Lord does not leave the righteous in the hands of the wicked, nor condemn him when he is condemned. It is a comforting sermon that Christ says: "Before the devil and the world judge you, I have already judged them. I have judged and condemned the prince of this world. Thus the wisdom of kings and the holiness of the Pharisees have been struck to the ground. Christ will have the upper hand against the judging of the whole world, however wise and holy they may be who judge. For he alone is wise and just; but all men are fools and sinners. Therefore he will be right, as the 51st Psalm says, v. 6: "That thou mayest be right in thy words, and pure in thy righteousness.
remain when you are judged." But this third piece of judgment meets the cross. 16 Now this is the summa of the evangeli
The doctrine of preaching what is sin and what is
And on the same doctrine we await the judgment and condemnation of the world, and yet take comfort in the fact that Christ says here, "The ruler of this world has already been judged. And such doctrine we do with all our diligence, preaching sin and righteousness, and suffering the judgment of the world against us. Even though we punish the world for judgment and one judgment goes against the other, we still have to endure and suffer over it. But that our adversaries, the papists, accuse us as forbidding good works, in this they do us wrong, and falsely blaspheme us. For we punish and condemn the pope and his monks and priests, not because of good works, but because they do not believe in Christ, that he alone is our righteousness.
We preach, then, that the holiness of the pope and the wisdom of the world are nothing. Monasticism and monastic life is nothing. Worldly being without faith in Christ is and should be nothing, however holy and spiritual it may seem. But this is Christian righteousness, that Christ went to the Father, shed his blood on the cross for us, and sat down at the right hand of the heavenly Father; and this is the article of our faith concerning the justification of man, which article we must know well, that we may be able to defend ourselves and endure against the devil, heresy, and our own consciences, which all fight against this article.
1994 8.5, 124.12s. On the fifth Sunday after Easter. W. XIII, 1288-1292. 1995
*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 proclaim to you freely 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.
1 Our dear Lord Jesus Christ, as your love hears, exhorts in this Gospel heartily to prayer. For this, after preaching, is the highest service of Christians, that they pray. The Lord gave such an exhortation, even in the evening, when he got up from the table and went into the garden, soon after the sermon your love heard two weeks 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 exhortation to pray follows this consolation. And rhymes very well with each other; for where a Christian is in fear, worry and sorrow, in trouble and misfortune, there is no other consolation nor remedy 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 says with great comfort that they should be bold and undaunted in this work. For, he says, I must not ask the Father for you. Although I have already prayed for you, and still pray, and will pray on the cross and at the right hand of God, since I will represent you without ceasing and for eternity: yet you do not need my prayer for you, because you yourselves
*) Held in the house, 1534.
you can ask the Father. Because you love me and believe in me, the Father loves you and hears you for my sake when you ask. Therefore, come boldly to the Father and ask confidently; do not doubt that your prayer will be answered.
(3) This is a comforting encouragement and enticement to prayer, that our dear Lord Christ says: "Whoever loves me, let him be sure that my Father loves him again, and so much that he hears him when he asks. For this I have purchased by my death, that he may pray as I do.
(4) We should diligently realize that Christ, through his death and departure from this world, has made and earned for us such access to God the Father that we can be wherever we want, in the church, in the house, in the cellar, in the kitchen, in the field, in the workshop, and come with such a heart, saying: Dear God and Father, I know for certain that you love me, for I love your Son and my Redeemer, Jesus Christ; in such trust and confidence I will now and comfortingly ask you to hear me and give me what I ask; Not that I am so holy or pious, but that I know that thou wilt gladly give and bestow all things for the sake of thy Son Christ JEsu; in whose name I now come before thee, and pray, not doubting at all that my prayer (be it for my person, as I will) shall surely be heard.
1996 2.5, 125-127. on the fifth Sunday after Easter. W. XIII, 1292-1295. 1997
5 If we pray thus, saith Christ, it is right: for because we believe in Christ, and love him, the Father also loveth us. If therefore the Father loves us, our prayer is amen and yea, and surely answered. Therefore let every Christian beware lest he tarry so long in prayer, until he think that he is altogether pure and skillful. As the devil has very often troubled and hindered me with such thoughts, that I have thought: You are not skilled now, but if you want to do this or that beforehand, you can pray all the more calmly afterwards. 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 wished, and never got around to wishing. She asked our Lord God what she should do in the morning, so that she could do it all day long; but she thought she wanted to start counting money, and count money all day long. When she had received the request from God, it occurred to her in the morning that she wanted to go and cover her feet beforehand, as the Scriptures chastely call it, and so she did not come to the request.
(6) So the devil is a mischievous man, and is always creeping after us, whether he might hinder us now with this or now with another. Therefore we must prepare ourselves against him and not let him hinder us. If he says to you, and speaks through you and in you, "I will do this first," you must say: No, not so; but as soon as the need is before thee, I will pray; for this is the right hour of prayer, that in the need I call upon God: if I am not skillful or worthy, God will make me skillful and worthy. For I know that he loves me, not because of my piety or holiness, but because of Christ, whom I love and believe in.
(7) This is what our dear Lord Christ wants us to do here, that we should pray and not go without praying, like the wicked people who enjoy eating and drinking (as they say), even if they have not prayed an Our Father in eight days. If you are a Christian, or if you want to be one, beware of such a crude life; at least pray in the morning when you get up, over and from the table, and in the evening when you leave the table.
In the evening, when you go to bed, say: 'Our Father, hallowed be your name 2c.
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. Our hearts should be in the desire every moment that God's name be sanctified, 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, and even if he does not think about it, there is nothing else in him. This means to pray spiritually and with the heart. And we need such prayer also very much for the sake of the strong driving, that a Christian is not for a moment safe from the devil and his own flesh, that he does not fall into sin and disgrace.
(9) But besides such prayer of the heart, oral prayer should also go. How this prayer should be arranged, the Lord teaches here, saying: "You should ask in my name"; item: "The Father loves you because you love me and believe that I came from God. When a person is thus prepared to believe in Christ, he is then a true priest in his chasuble and priestly adornment, and lacks nothing more than to open his mouth cheerfully, and to take up a certain thing that seems to him to be most important to him and to other Christians, and to say, "Lord, this is what I need, this is what they need, give us for Christ's sake.
(10) First, he says that in prayer one must do something that one asks for. What that something is, the time always brings with it, so that one must not worry about it, nor worry about what one wants to bring forward. As: We are now especially in such a time that we do not lack various needs, which occur daily and become more and more difficult from day to day, if we only prayed a lot. For the devil is a liar and a murderer. So neither the pope nor the Turk, along with other tyrants who are opposed to the Word, celebrate. In addition, we learn that everyone has enough hardship on him,
1998 L. 5, 128-130. on the fifth Sunday after Easter. W. XIII, 1295-1298. 1999
even if such common needs were not. That is why we have enough causes everywhere that drive us to prayer. But if you cannot think of all such needs, just take the Holy Father's Prayer before you. This has seven parts, in which all needs and all requests are summarized.
In the first petition: Hallowed be thy name, we pray for the dear gospel, for all righteous preachers, against all heretics and unbelievers, against Jews, pagans, Turks and the pope. For all of these blaspheme the name of God and make it unholy; that God may prevent them, give pious preachers, and keep the Word pure and clean against all heresy. This means something done.
In the other petition: Thy kingdom come, we pray that the kingdom of the devil and of death may come to an end. This is also a very broad petition, for it encompasses 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 petition: Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, we ask that all wills be prevented that strive against God's gracious will. This is a very unpleasant request for the devil and evil people, and prevents a great deal of misfortune, which the devil and evil people would cause daily, if this prayer were not so diligently resisted.
- 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, for the fruits of the field, for peace and for everything 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.
(15) In the fifth petition: Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, we ask 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 ourselves according to His will, and live among one another.
live kindly and forgive one another's iniquities.
16 In the sixth petition: Do not lead us into temptation, we pray that God will especially come to the aid of all afflicted hearts, that He will not keep them 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, "Deliver us from this 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, everything that may trouble and concern us, or serve us for the best, is very finely put together in the Lord's Prayer. Now this is the first thing, that one should ask for something, that our Lord God will do and give. For the command is already there, that we should pray, and the promise is also there, that it shall be yes and certainly heard; and to make matters worse, our dear Lord Christ Himself has presented to us both word and manner, in which all kinds of need are included, as can be seen in the Lord's Prayer.
19 Secondly, he says that prayer should be done in his name, because we must confess that we are poor sinners, not worthy to come before God and talk to God, and even more 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; he assures us that whatever we ask in his name will be heard. With these words, the service of prayer and invocation is completely drawn out of the whole world into the one person of Jesus Christ.
020 Therefore all prayer that is not made in the name of Jesus is neither prayer nor worship. As when a monk prays in the name of Francisci or Dominici, and says, O Lord, behold the merit of the dear saints, behold my fasting, my good works; this is not prayed in Christ's name, but in Francisci or Dominici, or in my name, and is quite a Turkish and heathen prayer, since nothing is made of it; for it is not prayed in the name of Christ.
2000 5. 139-132. fifth Sunday after Easter. W. XIII, 1298. 1299,1302,1303. 2001
If it is heard, it will only be to your detriment.
21 Let it be well known that one should ask in Christ's name. For Christ makes the prayer that is made in his name so certain that he says: "I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you, but the Father himself will hear you freely and gladly, if you only believe in me and have a desire for me and ask in my name. As if he wanted to say: If you come before God by command of my mouth and according to the teaching of the Father of ours in my name, and say: Our Father, who art in heaven, hear, dear Father, for the sake of your Son JEsu Christ; then it is rightly asked and your prayer is heard. So prayer must be through and in Christ, that is, it must be rightly asked, and it must follow that what we ask we shall obtain, namely, that we may be eternally blessed and joyful. Thus our dear Lord Jesus Christ most kindly entices us with this admonition, that we should be cheerful and willing to pray. For what we shall ask the Father in His name, that shall penetrate and not rest until it comes before God's throne, and there is already spoken yes and amen about it.
- On this promise the Lord says to his disciples: "Until now you have asked nothing in my name. For they relied upon him, as the peasants rely upon their parish lord, that he should pray for them, and think they may not pray. But this shall henceforth be done of you, saith he, no more. "Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." There he tells the disciples to pray themselves, and admonishes us with the words that no one should rely on another, nor remember: I must not pray; it is enough that this one and that one pray for me; but let every Christian pray, both for himself and for others, but especially for the need of common Christendom. For the two things must sustain Christianity on earth: The Word of God and the prayer of Christians. Just as the Christian Church is sustained by the Word of God and the ministry of preaching, so it is also sustained by every Christian's prayer.
The pope and his crowd cannot pray, for he prays either in his own name or in the name of the saints. But we, praise God, can pray, for we pray in Christ's name, and when we pray in this way, we know that our prayer will surely be heard. And if our prayer were answered, it would be impossible that the pope and other tyrants would not have destroyed and exterminated us long ago. But because prayer is always and without ceasing, we see that the more he and other tyrants rage against the church, the more they fall. Therefore, let us continue to persevere diligently in prayer. We, who are commanded by the word, and who are in the ministry of preaching, are to help preserve the Christian church by pure, righteous doctrine; but every Christian is to help preserve it by prayer.
(24) Therefore, whoever loves the Christian church and the gospel, and would like to see it prosper, should think that he must also help to preserve it. But this is done by prayer alone, when you pray that the name of your God in heaven may be hallowed, that his kingdom may come, and that his will may be done; and again, that the devil's name may be profaned, his kingdom destroyed, and all his will and schemes 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 protect and shield the Christian church against the devil and the world. For every Christian is a warrior and is at war with the devil. As firmly as we contend with preaching and teaching, so firmly shall you contend with us in praying. All these things are fought and contended for; for we Christians are mighty warriors, first we with preaching, and afterward ye with us with praying. These two things cause the devil heartache, if one preaches diligently and prays earnestly. And if he is to be beaten and broken, it must be done with the two weapons. For he who is in heaven does not lie.
(25) I have no doubt that through our prayer many evil practices of our adversaries have receded and been hindered. And if anything good is to happen this very day, and evil be hindered, it must be through prayer. Therefore
2002 2.5, 132.133. On the day of the Ascension of Christ. W.xiii, 1303,1320,1321. 2003
Do not throw your prayers to the winds, even if you think you are unskilled and unworthy to do so, 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 worldly 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.
(26) On the other hand, it is not good, even yearly, to think: let others pray, your prayer is nothing special. Beware of this, and so think: I have ever praised God! I love Christ and his gospel, and would rather leave everything than deny my Lord Christ; so it must follow that the Father also loves me and that my prayer will be heard, as Christ promises me here. Therefore
I will not let anything hinder me from praying or hold me back. So that one may say to the devil, who wants to make us sluggish and lazy in prayer, "Get thee out, devil! I will not be hindered; Christ my Lord has taught me otherwise, namely, that I should pray confidently in his name, and believe that my prayer is heard, according to his promise: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. If I do this, there shall be no need.
This is the exhortation to prayer. God, our dear Father, grant His Holy Spirit into our hearts, so that in all hardships and temptations we may pray and render this service to God, and be delivered from all misery for time and eternity, amen.
On the day of the Ascension of Christ.
First sermon.*)
Of the history and fruit of the Ascension.
From the history writes St. Lucas
Apost. 1, 1-11.
I have spoken the first, dear Theophile, of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach, until the day that he was taken up, after he had commanded the apostles (whom he had named) by the Holy Spirit, whom he had manifested alive after his passion by many things; and he was seen among them forty days, and talked with them of the kingdom of God. And when he had gathered them together, he commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which ye have heard (said he) of me. For John baptized with water: but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. And they that were come together asked him, saying: Lord, wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them: It behooveth you not to know the time or the hour which the Father hath reserved for his power: but ye shall receive power from the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and unto the end of the earth. And when he had spoken these things, he was visibly lifted up, and a cloud took him away from before their eyes. And as they looked after him toward heaven, behold, there stood by them two men clothed in white, which said also, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking toward heaven? This Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven, will come as you have seen him go into heaven.
*) Held publicly in the parish church, 1534.
2004 5, 133-135. on the day of the ascension of Christ. W. xm, 1322-1325. 2005
Of the fruit of the Ascension, the prophet David writes
Psalm 68:19.
You have gone up on high and caught the prison, you have received gifts for the people, even the apostates, that God the Lord will nevertheless remain there.
- on this feast the article of our Christian faith is acted, where we confess that Jesus Christ, Son of God and Mary, our Lord, has ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God. This is why this feast was instituted, that we should preach, hear and learn the article in faith, so that we may always remember the joyful ascension of our Lord and Savior, so that it may never be forgotten among Christians.
2 Now it is written in the Christian faith that the Lord's ascension is not our doing or work, but is an article to be believed. Therefore all Christian feasts, which we keep in the church, are made to present faith to us, and to be celebrated and preached for the sake of faith. Just as it is not my work, nor the work of any man, that the Son of God was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, so it is not my work that Christ rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and sent the Holy Spirit. Therefore, whatever feasts of Christ are kept in Christendom, each feast holds us to an article in the faith, and not to our deeds and works, as the symbol or confession of faith testifies. And this comes from the fathers, who in the first church ordered that such feasts should be kept so that the Christian faith would be practiced, practiced and preserved among Christians, so that Christians would not become mere saints of works. But it helped as much as it could. For even though such festivals have been held, such a church, which has dealt only with the works of men, without faith in Christ, has been torn down more and more every day. The dear fathers meant well and decorated the articles of faith with festivals, songs and ceremonies.
and adorned: but it turned out badly; and they themselves did not see that they were directed to works of men, in that they wanted to drive and maintain the faith in Christ.
(3) Now it is true that the preaching of faith is a very sweet, sweet preaching; but a subtle, high and perilous preaching, especially to carnal hearts. For when one preaches faith, it is preached of vain grace. As when I preach the first article in faith, that God created heaven and earth, or when I preach the second article in faith, that God sent His only Son to earth, and caused Him to suffer and die, 2c.: these are all works of God, given and bestowed upon us by grace. Now when one preaches such goodness and grace of God, crude and carnal hearts are drawn to it, and, as St. Jude says, they draw grace to their own will. But if one does not preach faith and grace, people fall on their own works and must finally despair. Therefore, the way it is done is not right in the "wicked" world.
- so it went St. Augustino: Since he preached the article of forgiveness of sins, and praised God's grace highly, and taught that man would become righteous and blessed by the grace and mercy of God, acquired and promised through Christ, without all his merit and worthiness; as all festivals of Christ teach and testify: He heard from the Pelagians that they blamed him for being a harmful teacher and preacher, who could do nothing more than to make people lazy and to prevent them from doing good works and reaching perfection.
2006 L. s, 135-137. - On the day of the Ascension of Christ. W. xm, 1325-1327. 2007
of the forgiveness of sins and grace help people to come to the right perfection.
5 Today we are also in the same situation. Because we preach the faith in Christ, the papists go to us, blaspheme us and say: We forbid good works, we preach too sweetly, people become lazy and lethargic through such preaching. And it is true. There are many among us who understand the preaching of the Gospel in such a way that they think they are not allowed to do anything good, to suffer anything, to give anything, and they freely say in public: "What good works are we allowed to do? The grace and forgiveness of sins will help us. As I myself have known one who has now died, who said, "Even though I am up to my ears in sins, grace is so great that my sins do not harm me. There are many such people who accept the preaching of faith in such a way that they think they can do whatever they want. They become insolent and presumptuous people. And it seems as if it were the fault of the gospel that this is the kind of preaching that allows people to do as they please.
(6) So it is not right on either side, on the right hand or on the left. If one preaches the consolation of faith, the people become rough and wanton; but if one does not preach the consolation of faith, the poor consciences are filled with fear and terror. They seek help and advice from the dear saints, go from one place to another to ask for indulgences, offer masses, as was done in the papacy. But more injustice is done on the left than on the right. For even though it is unjust and bad that the false evangelicals, who are lax and lazy, so shamefully misuse the sermon of grace, they do not impute such great idolatry and false worship as the works saints. On the right hand there is laxity and sloth, but on the left there is idolatry; as can be seen in the case of King Ahaz. Our Lord God punishes him with many plagues, so that the land is almost desolate. But what does it help? The more he is beaten and plagued, the more idolatry he creates. And as we have seen in ourselves under the pope
When pestilence came, we sought help from St. Bastian, who was supposed to drive out the pestilence, and we offered masses. For the need was there, and we would have liked to be rid of the pestilence. If we were overtaken by dire times and poverty, St. Anne and St. Erasmus were our emergency helpers; they were supposed to help us out and make us rich. If war came, St. George was called upon to help us. If we were in water and sea distress, St. Christopher was our god. So it goes all the way: as soon as the consolation of faith is silenced, it rains and snows with idols who cannot help.
(7) Therefore it is the same: if one preaches faith, people become lukewarm, do no good, serve no one, and help no one. But if one does not preach faith, the hearts become frightened and despondent, and set one idolatry upon another. Do what you will, but it will not help.
(8) But one should and must preach the faith in Christ, however it may be. I would much rather hear it said of me that I preach too sweetly, and that my preaching hinders people from good works (although my preaching does not do this), than that I should not preach the faith in Christ, and that there would be no help nor counsel for the stupid, anxious consciences. For this I see and experience: when a man is lazy and slothful, he boasts of faith falsely and says: He relies on the grace and mercy of God, which will help him, even though he is already in sin; as soon as the leg of the journey comes over him, it is found that he has never really grasped and believed in the grace and mercy of God; so that one will have enough to do with him, that he will be judged and comforted, whether he has not already caused particular idolatry. But when the sermon of faith has gone out, and a heart is completely flooded with sadness, there is neither help nor counsel. If you then say something about grace, such a heart answers: You preach to me much about grace and mercy; but if you should feel what I feel, you would speak differently. Thus goes a frightened, desolate
2008 L. 5, 137-139. on the day of the ascension of Christ. W. xin, 1327-133k 2009
Therefore the heart; as I myself have heard some speak thus, when they were comforted.
(9) Therefore, I would like the preaching of faith in Christ to remain in the pregnancy and not be forgotten. It is a sweet sermon, because it is full of joy, comfort, mercy and grace. But I must confess of myself that I have not yet grasped it sufficiently. We must let this happen, that some of us make vain certainty and presumption out of it; but others, as the saints of works, blaspheme us about it, and say, We make men lazy, that they come not to perfection. Christ himself had to hear that he was the companion of tax collectors and sinners, that he was breaking the Sabbath 2c. We will not have it any better.
(10) Therefore this feast is not badly a sermon of the history of the ascension, for the sake of the Lord Christ; but a sermon of faith, of the power and fruit of the ascension of Christ, for our comfort and good: yet so that we should not become lazy from the sermon, as carnal men do; but use it rightly, not as a cover for wickedness (as St. Peter says, 1 Peter 2:16). Peter, 1 Petr. 2, 16), lest we boast in vain, saying we believe, and yet believe not. Therefore, at this feast we are to learn both the history and the fruit of Christ's ascension.
The history clearly describes St. Lucas how Christ gathered his apostles and disciples in Galilee and commanded them how they should behave. And after such command he ascended visibly, and a cloud took him away from before their eyes, and he ascended into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. This is the history recently. It can be seen as if this had happened for the sake of the Lord Christ alone, and not for our sake. What does it help me, we think, that he ascended to heaven and sits at the right hand of God? I am nevertheless here on earth in all kinds of tribulation and misery. And it is true that if history remains bad and nothing more comes of it, history itself does not help me.
But the prophet David and the apostles do not leave it badly with the history, but drive the power and fruit of the history, and show why and for what Christ ascended to heaven. St. Paul preaches a beautiful, glorious sermon on this, Eph. 4, where he introduces this saying from the Psalm, and says v. 8, 9, 10: "He ascended on high, and led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. But that he ascended, what is it but that he first descended into the lowest parts of the earth? He who descended is the same who ascended above all the heavens to fill them all. But David is the Master from whom St. Paul took it. He prophesies of his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, long before he is born, how he is to rise from the dead and ascend to heaven, and describes his ascension in such a way that he indicates what kind of ascension it is and why it should happen. First he tells the history; then he tells why and for what purpose he should ascend.
13 He touches history when he says: "You have ascended on high. Now he speaks in the place of Christ, who will take and establish a new and eternal kingdom. Therefore he wants to say that Christ will ascend on high to take and establish his new and eternal kingdom. This belongs to history and is also necessary to know. For with this the kingdom of Christ is clearly and actually distinguished from all other kingdoms. Christ's kingdom is clearly and actually distinguished from all kingdoms on earth. Worldly kings do not ascend to the heights when they want to conquer their kingdoms, but remain on earth. The king of France, the Turkish emperor, and other kings do not ascend above the clouds when they want to seize and possess land and people, nor do they reign above the clouds in heaven; but remain here on earth, reigning on earth in this earthly kingdom. As soon as they depart from this earth and ascend, their kingdom and rule will come to an end. But my Son and Lord, says David, is such a king, who goes up from the earth to heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, and reigns on high.
2010 . L. 5, 139-141. on the day of the ascension of Christ. W. XIII, 1330-1333. 2011
Other kings set their throne in castles, cities, lands and people on earth: but this king sets his throne on high at the right hand of the divine majesty in heaven, there he reigns forever; as also the 45th Psalm says v. 7: "GOD, your throne abides forever and ever."
14 The prophet David foresaw this in the spirit long before, that Christ would be such a king, and would occupy his kingdom above the clouds on high. Therefore he prophesies that he will not make him a temporal king on earth, as the Jews and the apostles hoped before the ascension, and as the pope would like to have with his own, who boasts that he is Christ's governor on earth. But Christ does not need the pope as a governor. If he wanted to have governors on earth, then emperors, kings, princes, judges, and executioners would be well satisfied, and he would not need the pope at all. But his kingdom is not of this world; therefore he has no need of a governor. He rules in heaven and earth over all creatures, but he is not an earthly king and has no earthly kingdom.
(15) Therefore the kingdom of Christ is to be distinguished from all other kingdoms on earth. The other kings are kings on earth. But Christ is a king on high, that is, he does not reign earthly on earth, but is a king in heaven, where God himself is king. But you must understand that the Father's kingdom and the Son's kingdom are not two kingdoms, nor the Father and the Son two kings; but there is One kingdom and One King, without the Father having commanded the kingdom to His Son Christ to reign until the last day. After that the Son will hand over the kingdom to the Father, and God will be all in all, 1 Cor. 15, 28.
(16) In the sight of God all things are clear and evident, but in our sight they are dark and covered up in the Word, so that we may hear, believe and hope. In the resurrection of the dead, however, the covering will be removed; there we will see everything publicly that is offered and given to us here in the Word, and what we have heard in the Word and grasped with faith. Here we see, grasp and feel it
but hear it alone, as it is presented to us in the Word, and grasp it with faith; but there we will see it, grasp it, and feel it. And this is what is said of history, in which it is shown what kind of king Christ is and what kind of kingdom he has.
(17) Of the power and fruit of Christ's ascension David preaches beautifully and gloriously. Do you want to know, he says, what Christ ascended to? I will tell you. For this purpose he ascended on high, that he might take prison captive. These are short words. But with these short words he grasps heaven and earth, and all that is within. "He has captured the prison." That is magnificently and proudly spoken. Therefore he ascended on high and sits up in heaven, having put the stick in the stick and the prison in the prison. This is his kingdom, office, and work, which he hath set forth on high, that he hath cast the prison into the prison. Even though we do not see this, we still hear it preached.
018 But what is it that he saith, Thou hast caught the prison, or, Thou hast put the prison in the prison? In German we say, Christ therefore ascended on high, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father in majesty, to loose the captives, and to set them free: for this is to catch the prison. But we must keep the language of the prophet and be accustomed to it. He saith not, Thou hast ascended on high, and hast loosed the captives (though that is the opinion), but saith, Thou hast kept prison in prison, death in death, sin in sin, hell in hell. For he speaks of such a kingdom and such a prison, which is not earthly nor of the earth, but on high in the sight of God. You have led captive, he says, the prison that God calls prison, in his eternal kingdom, which is a kingdom of faith.
(19) Now what kind of prison, stick, or tower is this? It is not such a prison, band, stick or tower as the executioner and city servant has. For this is not Christ's concern, therefore he is also
2012 2.8, 141-143. on the day of the ascension of Christ. W. xm, 1333-1335. 2013
He has not ascended on high, but is concerned about eternal imprisonment before God. And for this reason he ascended on high and sits at the right hand of the Majesty, so that he might catch the eternal prison before God. If he had not ascended on high and had not led the prison captive, we would have been eternally imprisoned. But he ascended on high and caught the great, high, deep, strong prison before God, namely, sin into sin, death into death, hell into hell.
(20) What is prison in the sight of the world, and what is called imprisonment, is easy to understand: when the city servant throws a man into the tower, and the executioner binds him, that he may lead him out, or hang him on the gallows, or cut off his head. But the prison before God is and means that sin has entrapped us, death, hell and the devil have taken us captive, and we are under their power. David speaks of the same great, high prison here and says: "The King on high, Christ, has dealt with the prison, has caught sin, strangled death, destroyed hell. Sin, death, the devil and hell had caught us, but Christ caught them again. He attacked and caught those who had caught us. This is his kingdom and office in the highest, that he should catch my prison, put to death my executioner, accuse my sin, strangle and kill my death, condemn my hell.
21 The prophets have spoken these things very sweetly. It is strange speech, strange words and strange language, but it is all the more sweet and lovely because it is so strange and unusual. For, tell me, if you consider sin to be caught, what can it do? But if sin is not caught, but is free and loose, then it leads, and brings sadness and terror into the hearts of men, so that they despair and despair, so that in times of need they call on St. Bastian, St. Anne, and make one idolatry upon another without measure. For a heart that feels sin flees from God and says: I have angered God, oh help, dear Mary 2c. So do the people flee from Christ, who is the
Prison has led captive, and have recourse to a man who can not help. This is a free, living sin, which is uncaught, yes, it is my master and takes me captive: not only makes me frightened and sad, but also drives me from one idolatry to another. Likewise, if I am a loose, raw fellow, sin is my master, holding me captive to do its will. For that is to have sin as a master, when one does what it wants, when one murders, robs, steals, burns, breaks marriage; or when one lets sin drive him to greater transgression against the first table of the commandments of God. This is what sin does in the whole world, that it takes people captive and becomes their master, driving them to do evil and to despair. There we are caught on both ropes, on the right and on the left, so that we are either safe or even despair. This is a prison on high, that sin holds us captive before God, who is our Lord, and we are its prisoners.
22 For this purpose Christ ascended on high and caught the prison, sin, as if to say, "I ascend on high and sit down at the right hand of God; this is my kingdom, office and work, to catch the prison that had caught my Christians and believers. You sin is a piece of such prison; but as you have done to my Christians, so will I do to you again. They must be your servants and prisoners, either sinning freely against God through security, or standing in despair through sorrow; thither you, sin, have driven them. But come hither, and be caught again, and be made a servant. You have caught others, and they must be your prisoners; I will catch you again, and you shall now be my prisoner. Thou shalt not only be my servant, as they were thy servants; but thou shalt also be as a thief, whom they will now cut off.
23 But such power and authority as Christ has over sin he gives to those who believe in him, that now they also should be lords over sin, since before they were lords over sin.
2014 L.s, 143-145. On the day of the Ascension of Christ. W. xin, 1333-1338. 2015
sin have been servants. Sin shall not drive them, as before, to do wrong against God, or to despair. For Christ, who ascended on high, stands by them against sin, if they believe in him and call upon him. Thus St. Paul says Rom. 6:14: "Sin shall not be able to have dominion over you, because ye are not under the law, but under grace." As if to say, "You will feel sin and evil desire, but it will not be able to rule over you, for its dominion has been taken away from it and put under your feet, so that you must be masters of sin and it must be your servant. Just as a murderer, even though he is still alive, can no longer do harm because he is a prisoner; for the executioner has him on a chain, so he must stop murdering; and just as a thief whom the executioner has on a rope can no longer steal, for the executioner would have let his hands go at random; but because he is on a rope, he can do nothing; he may rage and curse, but he is on a rope to the executioner, and his raging and cursing are in vain: So it is with sin, which is not yet dead and buried; but Christ has bound it with cords and chains, so that it can no longer harm the faithful, nor drive them to disobedience against God, nor frighten them. Even though she does this, the believers still have so much help and comfort that they can remain safe from sin.
(24) This prison of sin remains until the last day, so that even though sin is not yet completely dead, it still cannot rule over the believers who are under Christ. But on the last day the head of sin will also be cut off, so that it will be completely dead. In the meantime, sin is bound and trapped, like a thief on the hangman's rope. Just as it has done to us, so Christ has done to it again; just as it has caught us, driven us, afflicted us and accused us before God's judgment, so Christ has caught it again, so that it can no longer exercise its power against us, if we remain under this King and Lord, Christ.
- this may be called a king; he is in
He ascended on high, and sat down above the clouds at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven, and caught the prison. He has not dealt with children's play and filthy work on earth, but has caught an eternal enemy and a high prison. Sin and the devil, who captured the whole world, he has captured again; so that even though sin and the devil are against me and want to torment me, yet if I keep to Christ, they cannot harm me.
(26) This is not preaching that men should be slothful and do no good; as the papists blaspheme us, saying that we are sweet preachers. But if they were in this prison, they would speak much differently. If one day they will come to the left in fear and terror, they will feel it. Therefore, this is not a sermon for flesh and blood, so that one would be allowed freedom to do as he pleases; but the ascension and kingdom of the Lord are for the purpose of capturing sin, so that eternal death does not bring us into its bonds and keep us in it.
- but if sin is to be a prisoner, I who believe in Christ must live in such a way that I am not overcome by hatred and envy toward my neighbor and other sin, but that I fight against sin, saying, "Do you hear, sin? you want to provoke me to anger, envy, commit adultery, steal, and be unfaithful. 2c. No, not so. Item, if sin assail me on the left hand, and will terrify me, that I may say, No; for thou sin is my servant, I am thy master. Hast thou never heard the song of my Lord Jesus Christ, which David sang, Thou art ascended on high? Until now you have been my executioner and devil, you have imprisoned me; but now I believe in Christ, you shall no longer be my executioner. I will be unaccused of thee: for thou art the prisoner of my lord and king, who hast put thee in the stocks, and cast thee under my feet.
28 Therefore let it be rightly understood. Christ, with his ascension and preaching of faith, does not want to make lazy Christians who say, "We want to live now,
Z016 5.14S-I47. On the day of the Ascension of Christ. W. xm, 1333-1341. 2017
as we desire, do no good, remain sinners and follow sin, as servants and prisoners. Those who say this have not understood the preaching of faith. Christ and grace are not preached for the purpose of remaining in sin. But Christian doctrine says, "Prison shall set thee free, not that thou mayest do whatsoever thou wilt, but that thou mayest sin no more. Therefore, when sin assails thee on the right hand with envy, hatred, avarice, 2c., or on the left hand with weakness of faith, with sadness or despair, thou shalt say, Hear it, thou captive wretch? I will not do it. Or do you not know that you are in chains with my Lord Christ? He hath redeemed me, and made me free, that I should not follow thee, as thou shalt bid me, whether on the right hand, or on the left.
(29) Thus Christian doctrine does not permit you to believe in Christ and yet persist in sins. For if you do believe in Christ, the text here says that you also believe that he ascended on high and caught the prison (that is, your sins). But how did he catch your sins? So he caught them, that they should no longer frighten you on the left side, nor accuse you before God. And if they would accuse thee, that thou shouldest smite them, saying, Sin, I will not answer thy accusation. I believe in him who sits above at the right hand of God and has caught you. Therefore I know no more of sin than of a captive sin, which is already condemned and damned before God and shall be beheaded at the end of the world. You would like to drive me into sadness, into despair, into presumption, into idolatry; but you have no right to me. You are imprisoned, your tyranny is over, your rule has come to an end. Likewise he hath also so caught thy sin, that it shall no more provoke thee to the right, nor entice thee. Though it tempt thee, though it entice thee, thou shalt not follow nor cleave unto it, but say, Sin, thou whistle sweetly unto me, and wouldest that I should do evil, and be proud, and hope, and envy, and be covetous, and strive; but I will not follow thee,
but trample all this underfoot, and instead be meek and humble, patient and kind, gentle and mild 2c.
(30) Let Christ work in us from above by his ascension, and let us feel and sense his work in us, so that Christ's ascension and faith may not only be on our tongue, but may be seen in me and in you and in each one of you in work and in deed. So that when sin wants to frighten me, I am confident and undaunted, and say: Sin, you belong to the gallows, let me not swear. Item, if she wants to provoke me to do evil, that I do not follow her, and say: Sin, you tempt me well; but I will not do what you want, but keep me in God's obedience. So I stay on the right track and take the middle road: do not become lazy or slothful, like those on the right who let sin rule over them; nor do I fail, like those on the left who despair.
(31) This is not to forbid good works, as the hypocrites blaspheme the doctrine of faith. For if I am to avoid sin, even to be a master over sin, I must do good works. For he that shall not be angry, hateful, envious, must be patient, gentle, kind, and gracious. He who should not despair must be undaunted and cheerful. So that no one can become lazy and lazy from the teaching of faith, if it is understood correctly. Therefore it depends only on that one understands it rightly.
- How to understand the doctrine of grace and faith is taught by St. Paul in Romans 6, v. 15, 16: "How then shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? Be far from that! Know ye not, to whom ye yield yourselves servants, in obedience, of whom ye are servants, to whom ye are obedient? Whether to sin unto death, or to obedience unto righteousness." As if to say, This should rhyme well, that we sin henceforth, because we are under grace. We are redeemed from sin; yes, we have died to sin, and sin has died to us, and we now live unto God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Dar-
2018 ".5, 147-149. on the day of the ascension of Christ. W. xm, 1341-1343. 2019
so that we will not serve sin from now on. It would not be good for me to keep sin as my master, and yet Christ should have redeemed me from sin. Christ wants sin to be my servant and serve me. Therefore, I do not think that sin is my master.
(33) But this is hard for the old Adam to understand, that through Christ and faith in him I should bring sin under myself, that it should be my servant. Therefore the preaching of grace and faith is a sweet, lovely teaching to the afflicted, stupid conscience; but not to the old mischief, to our flesh, which is grieved that it should not be angry, that it should not grudge, that it should not envy, that it should not be stingy, that it should not continue in sin. Faith feels the power and authority against sin, given through Christ. If then you believe in Christ, sin must be your servant and prisoner. If it attacks you on the left side with gloom and sadness, your conscience is confident and undaunted, and beats the sin. If it strikes thee on the right hand with certainty, thy faith saith, Hearest thou, sin? thou art a prisoner of my Lord Jesus Christ, in whom I believe; therefore I will not follow thee.
But the old Adam wants to have sin free and rid of it. If then thou cast away faith, and follow thy flesh, and do that which sin would have thee do, being sad, melancholy, desponding, and despairing, or being secure, continue in hatred, envy, covetousness, fornication, 2c.Then you do nothing but let go of the sin which Christ had caught, and separate yourself from Christ, who had set you free by the power of his ascension and by faith, and give yourself up to the prison and rope of your enemy, namely, of sins. But if you firmly resist sin in faith, it cannot harm you, nor frighten you, nor take you captive. For Christ has conquered it through his
joyful ascension caught and bound with everlasting bands, so that it cannot harm you as long as you stay with it.
(35) This is the one enemy that belongs to the prison that Christ led captive by his ascension to heaven, namely, sin, which wants to drive our hearts either to despair with terror or to safety with sweetness. For this is the way of sin, that it first entices with sweetness, then drives to despair. She wields the book and the sword, fights with lies and with murder, as her master, the devil, also does. First she tempts you sweetly; then she opens for you the book and the register of guilt, and reproaches you for what you have done, so that she brings you to despair and eternal death. Christ has led the enemy captive, as we have heard.
(36) Let this be said enough for this time concerning the Lord's ascension and kingdom, and how it is to be rightly understood. From this it is clear and evident that we do not preach laxity and sloth; as the Pelagians blamed Saint Augustine, and today the papists blaspheme us, saying that we forbid good works. They think a Christian life is to run to a monastery, to put on a monk's cap, to see sour 2c. But they know nothing about the power of faith, how it fights against sin. Therefore we must learn to understand the preaching of faith, so that we may prove faith by deed, and remain masters over sin, which before held us in its prison, but now through Christ is a prisoner. And even if sin still catches us at times, we still hold on to the King, our Lord Jesus Christ, who led the prison captive and gave us his victory. To the same eternal King, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be praise and thanksgiving forever and ever, amen.
2020 L.s, It9-151. On the day of the Ascension of Christ. W. xm, 1342-1346. 2021
On the day of the Ascension of Christ.
Second sermon.*)
Marc. 16, 14-20.
Last of all, when they sat at meat, he manifested himself, and rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him risen: and he said unto them: Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And the signs which shall follow them that believe are these: In my name they shall cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall cast out serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; and they shall lay their hands on the sick, and it shall be better with them. And the Lord, after he had spoken unto them, was lifted up to heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God. They went out and preached in every place, and the Lord worked with them, confirming the word with signs.
The main part of this gospel is the command which the Lord Christ gives to his disciples, saying, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. It is a strong and mighty command that the Lord does not send his disciples into one city or village, not only into the Jewish land to the people of Israel, not only to Jerusalem to the priests and Levites, not only into a kingdom and principality of the Gentiles, but into the whole world, to all kings, princes, rulers and all people under heaven, whether Jews or Gentiles, noble or base, male or female, young or old. This means to open wide the mouth, and not to preach in a corner, but to preach freely in public, so that it resounds before all creatures, sun, moon, 2c., and so that all men and everything that is called or ordered in the human race (as St. Peter calls such order of human creatures, 1 Pet. 2.) can hear it, so that no one has to excuse himself, nor may he say that he did not hear it.
- this command is so great and strong that no greater nor stronger command or commandment has ever gone out into the world. For of every king, emperor, ruler and lord
*) Held publicly in the afternoon on Ascension Day 1533 in the parish church.
The commandment goes no further than over his kingdom, empire, principality, country and people; just as the command of every householder goes no further than over his household. But this king's command goes over all kings, emperors, princes, country, people, great and small, rich and poor, learned and unlearned. For he gathereth all together, and saith, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." In sum, the gospel is to be preached everywhere, in the whole world; for although the apostles did not personally go into all the world, nor did they see all the corners of the earth, yet their preaching has gone into all the world; as the 19th Psalm says, v. 4, 5: "There is no language nor speech where their voice is not heard. Their cord goeth forth into all the earth, and their speech into the ends of the world." The apostle's word and sermon, according to the command of Christ, have come into all the world, although their person and feet have not come into all the world. Our fathers and forefathers heard the same word (though it was preached more clearly at one time than another) before us; we now hear after them. The word goes on forever, through other and other persons. The apostles began to preach to all the world; the apostles' descendants continue to preach until the last day.
2022 2.5, 151-153. on the day of the ascension of christ. W. XIII, 1347-1349. 2023
3 This command should be well remembered, for Christ himself distinguishes the preaching of the gospel from all other teaching on earth. For because he says, "The apostles are to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature," it follows that all the world, with all its wisdom, art, and teaching, neither knows nor understands anything about the gospel of Christ. For if it knew and understood it from its own head, it would not need the apostles' mission and preaching. If the Greeks had known it, St. Paul would not have been allowed to come to them and establish the obedience of faith among them.
Therefore, with this command, all the scholars of this world, philosophers, jurists, theologians, with all that they know, understand, and teach in the world, are brought to school and subjected to the poor beggars and unlearned fishermen, the apostles, as the messengers sent by Christ, who are to be masters of all the world, and whom all the world is to hear and learn from, or be damned with all their art and wisdom. The world knows and understands how to build, how to keep house, how to eat, how to drink, how to feed, how to govern land and people 2c. But of the kingdom of Christ, how one should be saved, it knows nothing. So here it says: Through the gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ "the mystery is revealed, which was hidden from the world", Rom. 16, 25; and: "We speak of the secret, hidden wisdom of God, which God ordained before the world for our glory, which none of the rulers of this world has known", 1 Cor. 2, 7. 8; and: "The mystery was hidden in God from the world", Eph. 3, 9.
(5) Wherefore Christ by this command distinguisheth the preaching of his gospel from all other preaching and teaching that is on earth: so that he excepteth not the Jews with the law, nor the philosophers with their wisdom. Go ye, saith he, and tell all men, Jews and Gentiles, Greeks and un-Greeks, learned and unlearned, that they know not before, and yet must learn, if they would be otherwise saved. For this reason, the Christian sermon, or the
to distinguish the gospel, which is in Christ's kingdom, from all other doctrines and preaching, as that which is set by Christ himself above all others, and since all the world knows nothing of it. This preaching is a high, heavenly preaching, which is hidden and unknown to all the world, and is revealed from heaven. The other sermons, however, are all earthly.
(6) What is the gospel that is to be preached to all creatures? "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. This also establishes a great and excellent distinction between the gospel and the law and other doctrines. For this is not the teaching of the lawyers, nor the law of God, nor the Ten Commandments, since the world with all its reason and wisdom cannot come any higher than what the lawyers have written and God has commanded through Moses. The teaching of the jurists is therefore: Fiat justitia, et pereat mundus: One should do what is right, and the world should perish. Most sermon is therefore: "Whoever does this, he will live in it. Cursed be every man that continueth not in all that is written in the law to do it."
(7) This is an earthly, mortal and hellish doctrine, which brings it no higher than that one should be pious here on earth and do what is right. Such things are taught, but they do not happen. It is always in imperativo or optativo, and never comes in indicative. The law says: Non habebis Deos alienos: "Thou shalt not have other gods"; but the work does not follow that I could say: Non habeo Deos alienos: I have not other gods. So also the law does not say of me, Non habes Deos alienos: Thou hast not other gods. Whoever then must be plagued with such laws alone, the lawyers or Moses, and has nothing better nor higher, has nothing more than hell and hellish fire and a stupid, frightened conscience. For what is right is never done, but sin and what is wrong are always done, and no one does what is written in the law. Therefore the wisdom of the lawyers is an earthly, carnal wisdom, which remains here below on earth, and "the law only causes wrath",
2024 8, 153-155. on the day of the ascension of christ. W. XIII, 1349-1352. 2025
as St. Paul says Rom. 4, 15. And Doctor legis est Doctor inferni: A preacher of the law is a preacher to hell.
(8) But the gospel is a heavenly sermon, which does not say, as secular law does, Fiat justitia: Let that which is right be done; which is never done; but rather, Fiat remissio peccatorum: Let there be forgiveness of sins. This is a high, heavenly sermon, which teaches us that we should not take comfort in the righteousness we had done. The world may perish, because the same righteousness never comes to pass; but that we may take comfort in the fact that the world has been helped, that it is to be preached to all creatures: Fiat remissio peccatorum. Let sins be forgiven. This is the apostle's preaching and teaching, and also our teaching today.
(9) Wherefore this text is mighty, when Christ saith, He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. He saith not, He that keepeth the law of Moses, the books of lawyers, the sayings of wise men; but saith, He that keepeth the remission of sins, or the like, he that believeth on me, the same shall be saved. This is what you are to preach to all creatures, to kings, emperors, princes, nobles, ignobles, men, women, young and old, that if they believe in me, they will be saved. As if he wanted to say: The world has been plagued long enough with laws, with righteousness and works, through which no one is able to be saved, because no one can do it. But now I will be brief: To be saved is to believe in me.
- Would anyone here say, "What is the purpose of the worldly law and the law or the Ten Commandments of God? Is the righteousness of the world and the law of no use? Answer: The righteousness of the world and the law should and must remain. For for this purpose God has ordained worldly authorities, father, mother, and gives reason, understanding, wisdom and all creatures, so that such justice may be done. But because the same righteousness of the world and of the law, because of the corrupt nature, does not happen, or happens even shamefully, and therefore no
If a man can be saved by this, Christ sends out a higher sermon into the world, which reads: "He who believes and is baptized will be saved.
(11) This is a different sermon from that of the lawyers and the law. It closes hell with short words and opens heaven. There are scarcely two words: to believe and to be saved; and yet these two words bring with them such power as is above all power, they take away the power of sin, the sting of death, the victory of hell, they cast away all fear, terror and trembling, they refresh and make alive a sorrowful heart. Thus the whole world is not able to speak that it should take away sin, death, devil, hell, all books of law and the whole law of God with one word, and freely open heaven and promise salvation; and the same undeserved and unearned, freely given for free. But Christ is able to do this through his gospel, and commands this to be preached to all creatures.
(12) This may be called a command which Christ sends out through the apostles into all the world. If we could believe this, we would eat up the apostles and preachers who lead this command with love and carry them on our hands. Yes, if we could only bring ourselves to believe that what the apostles and their descendants preach is the word of God, then everyone who hears it would lift up his hands and say: "Lord God, I thank you forever that I have lived to hear this. I will be obedient to you from the bottom of my heart, and gladly serve you with body and soul, and hold in all honor your apostles and preachers who carry out your command.
(13) But the ungodly world does not believe it; therefore it despises the word and the gospel, and tramples underfoot the apostles and preachers. This is not good for the world. But it is good for us preachers, so that we do not take upon ourselves the power nor become proud. For the fact that the ungodly world not only does not believe the gospel, but also persecutes it, keeps us preachers humble. Otherwise, if they believed the word and showed us great honor (as would happen if they believed the word), we would want to
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to be proud and condemned. The gospel is preached and taught, but it is not believed.
14 Therefore it remains the same what is said here about the disciples: "Jesus rebuked their unbelief and their hardness of heart, because they had not believed" 2c. The godless world is not only hardened and hard to believe the gospel; but unbelief is also unfortunately so strong in us, that we cannot escape all things from this text: "He rebuked their unbelief". For the treasure is too high and great, and our heart is too small and narrow, that it cannot grasp the excellent words and glorious promise. We walk in our five senses, and go by the feeling that sin still weighs us down and death terrifies us; this holds us back, so that we do not believe. But if we could believe the Word, we would have all that is presented to us in the Word, and we would be able to put an end to sin, the world, death and the devil.
15 Because unbelief is still so strong in us, we must always act, preach, hear and learn the word. If it cannot come in all at once, let it come in more and more day by day until we grasp it as much as we can on earth. For the two parts must come together, as Christ here joins them together, saying, "He that believeth shall be saved." There is no lack of the first piece (to be saved). For where the word is preached, blessedness is offered, heaven is unlocked, and hell is shut, by the power of the word. For St. Peter not only has the keys of the kingdom of heaven, but also everyone who preaches the word according to Christ's command. But the other thing is that we do not believe it firmly enough.
(16) Our enthusiasts also preach these words, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved," but they run about like a mischievous maid sweeping the house. If they can tell only one syllable of it, they think they believe. Yes, as the devil believes, so do they believe. For the Anabaptists teach about holy baptism thus: Water is
Water 2c. They let the word go, and fall on the bare element, as a cow falls over the brook. They do not open their eyes any further, and yet they speak these words and say that they believe. But with this they testify enough of themselves that they believe nothing at all, because they remain under the delusion that they must attain salvation through good works, through their own torture and suffering. The pope does the same, he also speaks the words, but faith is far from him. The books are still there, and there are still so many monasteries and convents today: they testify powerfully that they want to help themselves from sins and acquire salvation. And the sophists still insist on their perverse glosses, which they smear with these words. If you believe, they say, you have only begun; but if you want to be saved, it must be by good works.
17 Therefore Christ is not lacking; the command still stands, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth shall have neither wrath nor condemnation, but grace and blessedness; sin shall be forgiven, and heaven opened. But this alone is lacking, that one does not believe. God does not want to know about wrath, sin or hell; he says so in this promise and sermon; only take care that you believe.
- But "faith" does not mean to speak evil of it and to tell the words; but rather, to trust in the word from the heart, and in temptations, in danger of death, in persecution, to defy men, death and the devil, and to say, "Well, there stands the promise, there I stand by it, and I stake on it life and limb, goods and honor, and all that I have. So when you trust in the word and promise of God with all your heart, that is called faith.
19 The world knows nothing about such faith. Our smarties, both gushers and papists, don't know anything about it either. When it comes to the meeting, you can see what they know about it. What faith? says a hawk. You must come much higher, if you want to become blessed, you must suffer patiently.
2028 5, 157-IM. On the day of the Ascension of Christ. W. XIII, 1354-1357. 2029
and shed your blood. And a pope saith, O what is it that thou knowest no more to preach, but of faith? From preaching men become sure, and do no good works. Therefore, you must attack it differently, and teach how people should be pious and do good works. This is their great art and excellent teaching. But all this, when it comes to the highest, is and remains a worldly, hellish sermon, like the lawyers': Fiat justitia, et pereat mundus:
One should do what is right, and should the world go to ruin. I will be silent that it is not yet so good; but is vain false boasting and naked words without action. If you look at both, the enthusiasts and the papists, in the light, you will not find much of great, excellent patience and delicious works in them, as they boast. But the Christians, if they believe rightly and earnestly, will feel it well if they do not have to suffer and do good works.
20 But the doctrine of good works, as we shall say hereafter, does not belong in this place. Here the question is not of our works, but how to be saved. The answer is, as Christ teaches, to believe and be baptized. This same doctrine of faith and salvation is the main doctrine, and cannot be learned all at once, but must always be practiced and pursued. For grace and treasure are too great to frighten a human heart when it hears that God wants to open His heaven so wide, and that there is neither sin nor the wrath of God, but only righteousness, where one believes in Christ. Therefore, the doctrine of faith must always be repeated and constantly practiced, so that we may increase in it and (as St. Paul says, Eph. 4:15) grow in Him who is the head, Christ.
(21) Therefore it is not so easy for the faith, as the pope and the enthusiasts dream. I am a doctor of the holy scriptures, and have now studied them twenty years, and have also preached them to others; yet when the sun shines upon me, and the temptation comes, I feel and experience how I hang and wither, as the grass in the heat and drought. And
If God did not refresh me with His rain and dew, that is, with His Word and Spirit, I would wither away. Therefore, the preaching of faith is such a preaching that must always be practiced and driven. For it is not so ordered by God that one could or should understand or grasp it at once; but that it should be a hidden wisdom of God, which goes far beyond all human wisdom, art, power, justice and holiness; yes, which goes far beyond sin and death. Before I can rise above all, despise sin and death, and walk joyfully in all confidence in God's promise, I need God's spirit and power, constant training and experience.
(22) The pagans and the priests think that they have soon learned faith. Therefore they say, "Oh, what faith?" and they know how to spout and talk a lot about how to be pious and do good works. But I will not speak of faith; ask them how many good works they have, of which they boast so highly. They say many things about doing good, but they do not move a finger; as Christ says about the hypocrites, Matth. 23, 4. They are commonly proud, hopeful, hateful, envious, stingy and idolatrous people, who judge and condemn others, and yet are good for nothing themselves.
But a Christian, feeling that he is still a disciple of the Abc and remains in the main doctrine of faith, does not know how to boast much about his deeds; he confesses his weakness and imperfection, and says: "Will it continue with me nowhere; I well intend never to be angry, never to be impatient: but before I look around, anger and impatience have overtaken me. If then I cannot obtain the outward righteousness of works, for which God has given me hands and feet, reason and senses, and has set before me my neighbor, in whom I have cause to do good, and has given me his commandments, which impel me, saying, This thou shalt do, and this thou shalt forbear, 2c.: how then shall I obtain, and as soon as I have learned, the righteousness of faith, which is far above my understanding?
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is reason, senses and intellect? Thus a believer judges and punishes himself. Although he does not show his neighbor such wicked, gross malice as an ungodly man does, he nevertheless feels that he does not bear such fervent love for him as he should bear; item, that he is still lazy and sluggish to do what he is commanded; for this reason, he wishes, with St. Paul, to be redeemed from the body of this death that so hinders and holds him back. Paulo, he wishes to be delivered from the body of this death, which so hinders and holds him back, and complains that he cannot obtain the earthly, hellish preaching of the lawyers and Mosi, let alone learn the heavenly preaching of the Gospel and faith.
(24) But a hypocrite, who never comes to the point where a believer has come, even as far as the righteousness of works is concerned (for even if he gives a few pennies to a poor man in need for alms, he gambles away and squanders a hundred guilders at once), lets himself think that he has drunk the whole gospel in one spoonful at one gulp, if he has only read and heard it once. He must be allowed to think so, because he does not want to go without; but he has never tasted the gospel and has never begun to believe it. For if a true Christian, as I have said, cannot accomplish the low, poor, beggarly righteousness of this life, for which he has five senses, reason, powers, and a resolution to do such things: what should such a hypocrite understand or know of the high heavenly righteousness of faith, especially when the traits go forth that one should believe against all feeling and grasping?
(25) O what faith, saith a Papist or a devotee; to believe is a bad and easy thing. But, dear man, if it is so bad and easy, begin and try what you can of it, especially if the devil sets himself against your heart with all his power and frightens you; then you will probably find out that it takes effort and work to believe in Christ, so that when Streckbein comes upon you, you can say: Nevertheless I am not so much afraid of thee; for I believe in JESUS Christ, and am baptized into him: therefore heaven is open unto me 2c. For faith dareth confidently in Christ, is joyful and of good cheer, feareth not
before death, do not pale before God's judgment. But because you are still so sad and despondent in temptation, still so afraid of death, and pale before God's judgment, it is a sure sign that you still lack faith. That such hypocrites hold the doctrine of faith in such low esteem, and think that they have soon believed, shows that they have never experienced what a despondent heart and a frightened conscience do. That is why they go so safely. But when death and terror overtake them, they suddenly fall into despair. Then they realize what an art it is to have faith, namely, not mere words on the tongue, nor an idle, idle thought; but to lift up the head, and to take up an undaunted courage, and to defy Christ, against sin, death, hell, law, and evil conscience. When the law accuses you and accuses you, so that you say, "Disputes, you law, with whom you will, I cannot wait for you now; I do not want to know anything about my sins now. Canst thou preach much to me: Fiat justitia; then I turn my back on thee, and say, Let justice remain where it may, I will not deal with it now; but I turn hither to Christ, and listen to him as he preacheth, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." That is faith.
Yes, says the conscience here: God has nevertheless given His law, and commanded to keep it, with eternal damnation. Answer: I know that very well. But he also gave this gospel through his Son, which reads thus: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." This same gospel is greater than all the law; for the law is earthly, and given through a man (Moses), but the gospel is heavenly, and commanded to be preached through the Son into all the world. Therefore I put the lawyers' sermon, which teaches how men ought to act according to equity and justice, and the law of works in its place; but now alone will I hear of the chief good of my salvation, which is set before me and offered in the word, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved."
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(27) Yes, says the conscience, you have nevertheless sinned and transgressed God's commandment, therefore you are condemned. Answer: I know well that I have sinned and transgressed God's commandment. But here I have the gospel, which absolves me from all my sins and transgressions, and promises me blessedness because I believe in Christ. This same gospel hovers as far and high above the law as the heavens above the earth. Therefore the donkey shall remain on the ground and bear his burden, that is, the body with its members shall be subject to the law; but the conscience shall go up the mountain with Isaac, that is, knowing nothing of the law and works, but clinging to the gospel alone, which promises blessedness to all who believe in Christ.
(28) Yes, says the conscience again, you must nevertheless go to hell, for you have not kept the law. Answer: If heaven did not help me, I would certainly have to go to hell. But now heaven comes to my aid and is open to me. This I know, that my Lord Jesus Christ says: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.
- This is called faith, when the heart swings around in terror and temptation, and turns its back on law and justice, and turns here to Christ and his gospel, and says: "Dear Moses, be silent now, for you cannot speak well (as he himself confesses and says: "I have a difficult tongue and a heavy speech, Ex. 4, 10.); therefore let another speak now, who can speak better than you. On earth, as for this life and the old ass, I will hear thee gladly; but as for eternal life and blessedness, here is a text which reads thus: "Sins shall be forgiven, and heaven shall be open." To whom? To him who believes in Christ. If one lives and dies on it, that is called faith.
(30) Against this doctrine of faith and salvation the devil fights with all his might through his apostles and mobs; they smear their false glosses on it and say: One must understand it thus: He who believes and does good works will be saved. But there it is
It is necessary for you to be prepared and to distinguish rightly, saying, "I know very well that faith, when it is righteous, does good works, and when good works do not follow, that there is no righteous faith, but to open heaven and be saved belongs to faith alone and not to works. The chief good of salvation I must have first. But if through faith in Christ my sins are forgiven, heaven is opened, and I am saved, then I say, Fiat justitia: One should be pious and do right.
Ibant qua poterant, qua non poterant, non ibant, In quantum potero, te declinare docebo.
(They went where they could, where they could not, they did not go; as much as I can, I will teach you to deviate).
(31) Faith has in Christ the chief good of our salvation, which is freedom from the law and eternal life. Good works should follow faith, and be done in and from faith, so that it is not a carnal freedom that does no good, but a spiritual freedom that provides what is required by the law; as St. Paul teaches, Rom. 7:5, 6: "When we were in the flesh, the sinful lusts that were stirred up by the law were strong in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are loosed from the law, and are dead to it, which held us captive; so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter."
(32) So let the preaching of faith and the doctrine of good works be rightly discerned, and let each remain in its place where it belongs. For though the doctrine of good works is also needful to do, yet good works are only as the foliage, or as apples, pears, or other fruit on the tree. But faith is the tree that yields both foliage and fruit. Good works are to remain on earth among men and serve the neighbor. But faith comes up and deals with God, receives forgiveness of sins, life and blessedness, offered through the gospel in Christ. But this same faith, as I have said, is not a bad, unfulfilled thought, but a living confidence in God.
2034 2. s, 163-165. on the day of the ascension of Christ. W. xin, 1362-13W. 2035
The promise of the Lord is to be followed with all one's heart, to be braved, and to take courage against sin, death, and the devil.
But he who does not believe will be condemned.
(33) Just as the foregoing piece, with one word, opens heaven, shuts out hell, and removes the terror of Moses and the law from all who believe, so this piece is also a strong judgment, and again, with one word, shuts out heaven, shuts out hell, and makes Moses with his law an infallible tyrant, and the devil a mighty lord to all who do not believe. Nothing can help you; you are about to burn yourself to death over the law, like the Jews and Paul before their conversion, you are about to become a monk or a nun, you are about to be tortured and burned, and yet it is said: If you do not believe in Christ, you must go into the hellish fire, be eternally damned, and death is an eternal, almighty dungeon over you.
(34) Do you say: If I have prayed so much, fasted so much, made pilgrimages, said masses, and done so many good works, should all this be nothing? Answer: All this does not help, says Christ. "He that believeth not shall be damned." If you do not get the confidence in your heart to say with a courageous spirit: Sin, death, the devil and hell, I ask nothing of you, I have been baptized and believe in Christ; therefore I am sure that hell is closed to me and heaven is open; then you are condemned to hell and eternally lost.
(35) The whole world knows nothing of the judgment that heaven is closed to the unbeliever and hell is open, just as it knows nothing of the first judgment that heaven is open to the baptized and believer and hell is closed. Hence it comes that an unbeliever, when he is to die, whimpers and laments with trembling: Oh, that I had but four weeks to live, I would do so many good works, and thereby shut up hell, and open heaven. And I myself, in the priesthood, had no other thought than how I would do many good deeds to put away my sin.
atone. For I knew nothing of the gospel and faith everywhere. But now God has revealed his gospel to me, I have many other thoughts. When pestilence or death comes, then I say: Only away with the thief (my old Adam) to the gallows, I will not become better nor more pious. I say: Tomorrow I will become pious; but it will come to nothing, I have lied to my dear God a hundred thousand times; therefore only away with the flesh, which can do nothing but sin. But I take comfort in the fact that I have been baptized into the man who said, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved. So I say, and ask God for mercy, that he may strengthen me, that I may believe, and thereupon go on my way with joy.
But a blind man, who knows nothing of the gospel and faith, says: "Free my life, God, until I atone for all my sins. And human reason cannot speak otherwise. Then all stupidity, trepidation and doubt must follow, and a man finally becomes senseless and mad. But a Christian and believer does not do so, but says: "I would like to be pious, and have well begun; but it will not continue, I fall again and again into sin: therefore nothing is better, than with the old rascal under the earth. I cannot hope for any good works to comfort me. I may have preached the gospel diligently, served my neighbor faithfully, given alms, suffered and done good works as much as I could, but that does not pay the debt. Therefore, I believe and confess the article: Forgiveness of sin, and comfort myself that my Lord Christ said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved."
Therefore, I say, the world understands nothing, neither of the first nor of the second part. Nevertheless, the judgment stands there as a mighty thunderclap, striking down everything that is not of faith in Christ. "He who does not believe is condemned, be he Jew or pagan, monk or nun, bishop or physician, emperor, king or prince, burgher or peasant, no one of any kind is condemned.
2036 L.s, I6S-167. On the day of the Ascension of Christ. W. XIII, 1365-1367. 2037
If he does not believe, that is, if he does not know Christ and does not defy him against sin, death and the devil, he is condemned. Nothing helps, neither circumcision nor Mosi law, neither cap nor plate, neither mass nor pilgrimage, neither fasting nor praying, nor one good work, for it is said: "He who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him," John 3:36.
- But just as faith is not a sleepy thought nor a human delusion, but a living confidence in the heart in God's grace, and a fountain from which all good flows: so also unbelief is not otiosa speculatio, an idle thought or dream, but a fountain of pus in the bottom of the heart, where other sins follow in heaps: that one either walks along securely and presumptuously, despises God, hates and envies one's neighbor, and does all kinds of evil, and yet has no conscience about it, or is even too frightened and falls into despair. For the works of unbelief are not hidden, but evident, as St. Paul teaches in Gal. 5:19, where he describes the works of the flesh. Therefore unbelief is not a quiet thing that lies in the heart, rests and celebrates, but springs up and brings forth all kinds of evil fruit. On the other hand, faith is not a dead thing, but a living, powerful thing, where the heart is courageous and joyful, and defies sin and death, saying, "I will not be so terrified; for I have a man (Christ) who said, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved." I stand by this, and confidently trust in him.
39 But such faith, as I have said, cannot be learned all at once. There is still great weakness even in the saints; as it says here of the eleven apostles that they still have hard hearts to believe and are therefore punished by Christ. They do believe, but very weakly; and if Christ had not watered their little plant, it would have withered. That is why the papists and the enthusiasts are good fellows, who think that the faith is poured in with buckets all at once. When I meet a papist or a fanatic
mer would reproach him for not believing, he would burn with anger and say: Do you think that I am an unbelieving Turk or pagan? For as soon as they have heard faith called, there is no more unbelief with them, as they make themselves believe. But it is not only said of the elves, "Jesus rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart"; but it is also said of me and you, and of all of us in general, that we do not believe and have a hard heart. For if we believed, our hearts would be more courageous and cheerful, and would not be so easily frightened; item, we would be more cheerful and joyful in all good works. But because we are still sad and frightened, cold and lazy to do good, and nowhere want to go with us, it is a sure sign that our heart is still full of unbelief. Therefore I cannot withdraw from this text, but must confess that I and my kind are still in unbelief and hardness of heart. But because we still cling to the word that Christ speaks: "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved," the text will help us.
40 Therefore the word must always be practiced and learned, and faith must always be exercised, so that when temptation comes, we may stand firm. Where thou wouldest be sure and sleepy, and not exercise thyself in the word and faith, the devil hath soon overthrown thee with a whirlwind, and as with a downpour hath washed thee away. But if you are diligent in the word and practice faith, in time you will become a man who will water the little plant forever so that it does not wither, and who can stand a fight against the devil. For this reason, faith cannot be learned all at once, but must always be practiced, and the word must be constantly practiced; for the word and the Holy Spirit are the water to water the little plant.
(41) We are to learn from this gospel the difference between the doctrine of faith and other doctrines. Other doctrines of human works are hellish doctrines that preach to hell. But the doctrine of faith is a heavenly doctrine that transcends all. The
2038 L.s, 167-169. On Sunday after the Ascension of Christ. W. X111, 1367-1370. 2039,
The law should and must be kept, but because we cannot keep it, we cling to Christ so that we may be saved through faith in him. And in such faith we go and do what we are able.
But this cannot be learned all at once. Therefore, the word must always be practiced and faith must always be practiced. To this end, may God grant us His grace through Christ our Savior, 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.
You know that in the Christian faith we believe and confess that the Holy Spirit is the eternal, almighty God. The Lord Christ gives him a special name here and calls him a comforter. He sets this against the future persecution that the apostles and Christians will face in the world for preaching and confessing the Gospel. If you want to be my disciples and Christians, he says, you will have to suffer. For what need is there of comfort, if there be not suffering and sorrow upon your neck? Therefore you will have to suffer, so that you will not only be killed (that would still be small and pitiful), but that you will be killed in such a way that those who kill you will be right, yes, they will want to have done God a service, and you who are killed must be wrong. This does not mean killing badly, but killing shamefully and ignominiously, since everyone will say: Egg,
*) Held after dinner in the house, 1532.
It serves the heretic right; one should not want it to be otherwise for him 2c. So the Lord indicates that there will be no comfort in the death of the apostles and Christians.
(3) The world, saith he, shall strangle you as heretics. Then your conscience will also be weak, so that you will often think, "Who knows whether I have done right? Ah, I have done too much for him. You must therefore be wrong before the world and in your conscience. Because I know how you will be, that you will find little comfort in yourselves and no comfort at all in the world, I will not leave you in such distress, I will not lead you into the mud and drown you in it, but when there is no more comfort in the world and you are terrified and stupid, I will send you the Holy Spirit, who is called and is a Comforter. He shall speak to you in your heart against all despair, saying, Be of good cheer and undaunted; turn not to the judgment of the world, neither to your thoughts, but keep the things that I say unto you.
Now there are two kinds of comfort. One is a worldly consolation; this is a false and lying consolation, because it stands on the fact that a man relies on good, honor, power,
2040 L.5,i69-i7i. On the Sunday after the Ascension of Christ. W. xin, 1370-1373. 2041
on the friendship and support of great princes and lords. You, my disciples," says Christ here, "will have none of these, but all things will be against you and not with you: 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. It is a miserable, bad, uncertain comfort; it does not help and comforts any longer, until a fever, a pestilence, a headache or a stomachache comes, then it is already comforted. But I will provide another Comforter for you, the Holy Spirit, who shall comfort you when you are afflicted, afflicted, wretched, miserable, and forsaken, both before men and in your heart before yourselves. For this is the name of the Holy Spirit, that he is called a Comforter, and not a Comforter. For where there is sadness and distress, the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, is not at home. The devil is a spirit of terror and a comforter, but the Holy Spirit is a comforter. After that he gives the Holy Spirit another name and calls him the Spirit of Truth. This means: The Holy Spirit, whom I will send from the Father, shall be called and be a comforter, but a comforter in truth. He shall not be a comforter, as there is comfort in the world, where there is no truth nor continuance; but his comfort shall be a true, eternal, constant comfort, without falsehood and lie, which no man can deceive.
(5) But here it is contradicted. For the conscience says, "You tell me of a comfort, but I do not feel the comfort of which you tell me; yes, I feel and see the contradiction, that the world has joy and comfort, while the Christians must suffer. John the Baptist has to give up his head, Herod and his whore are meanwhile banqueting with each other and have good courage. It is a bad joy and a great consolation that the whore Herodias dances off the head of the dear holy man. It is the same with us alfo. The world does not grant us a morsel of bread, and everyone makes himself believe that what he does evil to a Christian is well done. Popes, cardinals, bishops, kings, princes and everything that is hostile to the Gospel.
that has good, calm days, sits in the rose garden without any challenge.
6 But the Christians are oppressed and afflicted. Now does this mean comforted? Yes, says Christ, it is called comforted. But you must distinguish it rightly. The Holy Spirit is called a comforter in the truth. The world also has its consolation; 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 can happen that everything the world comforts itself with can no longer comfort or help. On the other hand, this comforter that the Christians have is a spirit of truth that gives a constant comfort to our hearts. The world cannot comfort John the Baptist, but leaves him in sadness, Herod and his whore throw him into the tower and finally take away his cops. But the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, comforts John and says to his heart: "Dear John, do not turn away from the horror that you are lying there so miserable and that the wicked world is exercising its displeasure on you; you are nevertheless God's friend and the dear child. The whole world despairs of you; but I comfort you, and my comfort is a certain, eternal comfort. The world has a false, uncertain consolation, its consolation is called a short joy and long, yes, infinite suffering. But your suffering, on the other hand, shall be short and followed by eternal joy, since a moment is more and better than a thousand years here on earth, even though there would be joy for 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 where does the Holy Spirit get such comfort? From the Father, Christ says here. "For he, the Holy Ghost, proceedeth from the Father." This is an excellent saying, so that we can prove the article of our faith, the Holy Trinity, against the Arians and heretics. For if the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, it must follow that such a Spirit is eternal. For from the Father
2042 L.s, 171-173. on the Sunday after the Ascension of Christ. W. XIII, I373-137S. 2043
nothing can come forth that is not like and according to his nature and essence. Therefore, just as God the Son is eternal, because He is born of the eternal Father (for nothing can be born of God that is not like Him), so it must also follow that the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from God, is also eternal. But we will leave such an article for now and speak of it again in due time.
But with what does the Holy Spirit comfort? "Of me," says the Lord, "he will testify." As if to say: My dear child, the devil will frighten you and make you afraid, he will take you captive and kill you; you must wait for that, nothing else will come of it. But the Holy Spirit shall be a witness of me, shall awaken thee, and give thee remembrance of me; he shall not give thee one or more thousand crowns, as the world doth; but he shall bear witness of me, that thou mayest say: Though all is gone, wife and child, house and home, goods and honor, even now that life and limb shall perish, yet he liveth, who is called Jesus Christ, who for my sake was made man, died for me, and rose again, and ascended into heaven, as I pray daily in my faith. Is this true,- what shall I be afraid of? Truly, the Son of God, my dear Lord, who suffers death for me, he will not be my enemy, he will mean it faithfully and well with me. He who loves you is not to be feared. If the Son of God loves me, I have no reason to be afraid of him or to think anything evil of him.
9 But Christ clearly says: "The Holy Spirit will testify about me. Of me, and not of another. Apart from this testimony of the Holy Spirit to Christ, there is no certain, constant comfort. Therefore, this word "of me" should be written with large, thick letters and diligently remembered. For in this we may be sure that the Holy Spirit shall come with no other doctrine, neither preaching Moses, nor any other law, to comfort the consciences. If the consciences are to be comforted, the preaching of Christ's death and resurrection alone must do it; that alone comforts. But on the other hand
All other preaching of law, good works, holy life, commanded by God or man, are not able to comfort man in distress and death, but make him stupid and despondent, frightened and troubled. For God Himself, if one wants to deal with Him apart from Christ, is a terrible God, in whom 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 comfort to be grasped and held fast, saying, "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 want to stay with this and do not hold on to any other consolation. For if there should be a better or more certain comfort than this, the Holy Spirit would also bring it. But it should do no more than testify of Christ. The consolation shall not be lacking, if we only hold fast to it and believe that it is true and the testimony of the Holy Spirit.
But why does the Lord need the word "testify" here? He could have spoken differently! Answer: He needs a special word for it, does not say: The Holy Spirit will say about me; but: The Holy Spirit will "testify" of me. He does this so that we may have more respect for the word and believe it. For witnessing is done by the word, and the witness must be believed. Therefore Christ says: "The Holy Spirit will not personally present me to you so that you will see, grasp and feel it, but you will hear the voice of the Holy Spirit in your hearts that I died for you and have overcome sin, death, the world, the devil and hell.
(12) He also gathers the testimony of the Holy Spirit and the apostles, saying, "The Holy Spirit will testify of me, and you also will testify, because you are of the Holy Spirit.
2044 L.s, 173-I7S. On the Sunday after the Ascension of Christ. W. XIII, 1373-1378. 2045
fang has been with me." For it is true that the Holy Spirit has his effect within the heart. However, he does not want to have such an effect in any other way than through the oral word. As St. Paul, Rom. 10, 14, says: "How shall they believe, of whom they have heard nothing?" item v. 17: "Faith comes from preaching, preaching by the word of God." Therefore Christ calls the Holy Spirit a witness, not only that he witnesses inwardly and secretly in the heart, but also that he witnesses outwardly and publicly by the mouth and word of the apostles and of all preachers who preach the gospel of Christ purely and openly. For the mouth and the word belong to the witness.
(13) Therefore let no one who desires comfort wait until the Holy Spirit speaks to him personally and in his majesty from heaven. For 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 so also bears witness of Christ inwardly in your heart by his effect. But such an 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 This, then, is the summa summarum of this present gospel, that we should willingly yield ourselves to it, if we would be Christians, that we should not have great money and goods, joy and glory here on earth; but that we should have the world as our enemy, and bear sin and death and an evil conscience. Now when a Christian suffers such things, that the heart is troubled, saddened, and sorrowful, and thinks, Behold, how is it with thee? What have you done? You could well have been a Christian and yet not put yourself in such company; if you are in trouble now, it is your own fault 2c. Where also terrible examples strike, as: the example with Elijah, who called fire to fall from heaven on the two captains of king Ahaziah, each of whom had fifty men with him, 2 Kings.
1, 10. ff; item, the example of the first world, which God destroyed by the flood, Gen. 7; item, the example of the cities Sodoma and Gomorrah, which God destroyed and condemned with brimstone and fire, Gen. 19, and other terrible examples, by which the heart becomes anxious and fearful of God's wrath and judgment. Then, says Christ, it is time for you to know that such terrible examples and sights are all apart from me. But when you hear from me that I died for you and redeemed you by my blood, you will soon be able to conclude that I will not devour you nor condemn you.
15 But let it be especially noted against the false spirits and false preachers, that it is here decreed that the Holy Spirit, if he is to comfort, should do nothing else but testify of Christ and form him in the hearts. On the other hand, the evil spirit frightens the consciences, holding death and sin against them. The Holy Spirit must ward this off by his testimony, and speak and speak into our hearts through the Word: Oh man, what are you doing? Can you think of nothing else but death, sin and damnation? Turn away thine eyes from this ghastly, horrible sight, and look hither! Do you not know a man called Christ Jesus? Of him it is thus written: He was "conceived of the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried, went into hell, and 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 you and around you, and had not done this for you, you would have reason 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.
ZY46 2.5, 175.176. On the holy day of Pentecost. W. xm, 1378.1412-1414. 2047
16 Where this sermon resounds, there one hears the voice of the Holy Spirit, testimony and teaching. But if it does not sound like this, it may be the testimony of Moses, or of the wicked devil, or of the Holy Spirit, where it is best.
the heretics' testimony, since one has nothing to gain from it but fear and terror. May God protect us from this and keep us in this testimony of the Holy Spirit in our last hour, amen.
On the holy day of Pentecost.
First sermon.*)
Apost. 2, 1-13.
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 own language, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and those who dwell in Mesopotamia, and in 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 disheartened, 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.
Of the Feast of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit Sermon.
On this holy and joyful feast of Pentecost we celebrate and thank our dear Lord God for the great and infinite blessing he has shown on earth by revealing his holy and loving word to us poor people from heaven, not a bad and common word, but a special and different word, contrary to the law of Most. For this day the kingdom of Christ began by the apostles, and was revealed by the gospel before all the world. Christ had his kingdom in his person from eternity; but
*) Held publicly in the parish church in the afternoon, 1534.
Today, on the day of Pentecost, it was revealed by the Holy Spirit through the apostles to the whole world. And this revelation happened with great courage, defiance and joy of the wretched fishermen, the apostles, who had previously denied and abandoned Christ out of fear, and were stupid, frightened and despondent.
Now there is a great difference between the two preachers and two sermons; namely, when Moses preaches the law of works, and when the Holy Spirit preaches the gospel of Christ. On Mount Sinai, when the angels were preaching and Moses was preaching the Law, there was trembling and terror. The people begged God and Moses that God would stop speaking; for they could not hear God's
2048 2.5,i76-i78. On the holy day of pentecost. W. xin, 1414-1417. 2049
They did not like the sound of the voice, so they asked Moses to speak to them, so that they could hear him. Such a terrible splendor on Mount Sinai, when God spoke and thunder and lightning were mixed up, so that the whole mountain smoked, brought with it the sermon of justice and law, which (as we also heard on the day of the Ascension of Christ from the Gospel of Marci) reads thus: Fiat justitia, et pereat mundus: One should be pious and do what is right, and should the world go to ruin. Then secular authorities, the judge and Master Hans must do the best, and if they are too weak, death and hellish fire. That was a terrible show and reputation, so that it is indicated that the preaching of the law brings only terror, trembling, despair and eternal death. The same preaching is also necessary, because for the hard heads and rough, impudent people one must have Moses with his law, and Master Hansen with rods, fire, sword and gallows.
But today, on the new day of Pentecost, the joyful, happy and sweet kingdom of Christ has come, which is full of joy, gladness and assurance. This is another sermon, speech and language, which does not drive people back, like the sermon and voice on Mount Sinai: it does not frighten, nor kill, nor choke; but makes them joyful and bold. Just as Christ promised his disciples that he would send them the Holy Spirit, who would not be a spirit of terror, but a comforter, making them joyful, bold and courageous against all terror. For on the day when the Holy Spirit is sent down from heaven, every apostle appears in particular, and is as bold as if he wanted to devour the whole world, whom no one had been able to comfort just before. After his resurrection, Christ had enough to do with them that he might gather them together again as timid and scattered little chickens and comfort them; and yet he could not strengthen them nor make them bold with his manifold admonitions and consolations. But today, when the Holy Spirit comes with his roar and roar, and beckons them, he makes their hearts so joyful and their tongues so fiery that each one stands up and preaches publicly. No one
asks for the other, but each one for himself is so courageous that he might dare to penetrate the whole world.
004 Therefore this is much another word and preaching, than that which was given and ordained by Moses. This sermon, given by Moses, terrifies all the people, so that six times a hundred thousand men are like a single fowl that is frightened and shooed. But this sermon comforts and strengthens so powerfully that a poor, empty man, like Peter, who had previously let a maid frighten him, goes along, straightens up his head, stands up and preaches against spiritual and temporal authorities, against the chief priests and the whole council of Jerusalem, against the Roman emperor, and asks for no one. And as he doeth, so do the other apostles also, standing not otherwise than as though they were vain gods, and as though other men were vain grasshoppers against them.
This is the difference between the two sermons, the sermon of the law, and the sermon of grace and the gracious favor of God. The apostles are not afraid of anyone, whether he is in heaven or in hell. This is a great change, yes, it is even a wonderful, divine change. A short time before, Peter was afraid of a maid in Caiphas' house, so that he denied the Lord; and soon afterward he fell into such terror and trembling that he was not allowed to be seen for the three days while the Lord lay in the grave. Even after that, when Christ had risen from the dead and comforted him, he crawled to the corner with the other disciples and closed the door behind him. But now he freely comes out into the light, lets himself be seen by all the people, and shuns no one, preaches publicly, and is so courageous and defiant that he is allowed to despise all authority, spiritual and secular, of the chief priests and the governor Pilati. And as Peter did, so did the other apostles and disciples, who numbered about a hundred and twenty.
(6) For I believe, as the text and the history show, that Peter preached not only on the day of Pentecost, but also all the disciples, together with the eleven apostles, as soon as they were kindled by the Holy Spirit and had their
2050 8.5, 178-180. On the holy day of Pentecost. W. xm, 1417-1420. 2051
Tongues were fiery and preached, as St. Lucas writes: That the Holy Ghost sat upon every one of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues. One spoke Greek to the Greeks, another Roman to the Romans, the third in another place spoke Persian to the Persians, the fourth Egyptian to the Egyptians; so that on this day many sermons were preached and many tongues were heard. Wherever the apostles and disciples came to a people, they began to preach in the language of each people.
007 And what did they preach? They said, "Listen, brothers, we want to preach something new to you, and tell you a strange new myth. You know that one named Jesus of Nazareth was crucified at Jerusalem on the next Easter, as if he were a mischief-maker, an evil-doer and a traitor; he is mocked, scorned, blasphemed, cursed and put to death, as everyone knows. Do you want to know who he is? We will tell you: He is the Lord of heaven and earth, and the Son of God. This is what the apostles and disciples preached to all the people, not only in their native language, which was theirs by birth and which they had learned, but also in a foreign language, which they had not learned. The people were amazed that Jesus of Nazareth, who had been executed seven weeks ago and was cursed as an evildoer, condemned to death according to the law and executed publicly, was now preached as a Lord and God who has power over the whole world.
So Christ begins his kingdom through the unlearned laymen and unintelligent fishermen who have not learned the Scriptures. It is ridiculous enough that the Christian church should thus begin, through the poor beggars and through the annoying preaching of the crucified Jesus of Nazareth, who was mocked, scorned, blasphemed, and most disgracefully inflicted, and finally, as a rebel and blasphemer, was nailed to a cross and ignominiously killed; as his title above the cross indicates: "Jesus of Nazareth, the
King of the Jews. On the day of Pentecost it is publicly preached that violence and injustice had been done to him, and that those who crucified and killed him are God's enemies and devils, who have certainly sinned and greatly angered God. And by this preaching the kingdom of Christ and the Christian church is begun.
(9) This is an excellent boldness and great thirst *) of the apostles and disciples, that they may preach these things publicly on the day of Pentecost. Who could be so bold and preach as they preach? As if one were condemned to death and publicly judged by spiritual and temporal authorities, and had remained in such condemnation of death for seven whole weeks: and I should appear and contradict the whole regiment, both spiritual and temporal, and justify the condemned and killed one, and condemn the judge and the whole regiment, and say: You have acted as traitors and evil-doers, in that you have judged and slain him who is innocent in the sight of God and the judgment of all things; yes, that is more, you have acted as traitors to God, in that you have denied and crucified your Lord and God. Let this be boldness and thurst to me.
10 Thus the apostles preach, as St. Lucas clearly indicates, Acts 3, that Peter spoke to all the people. 3 that Peter spoke to all the people, vv. 13, 14, 15: "Men of Israel, the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his child Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied before Pilate, when he judged to let him go. But ye denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked that the murderer might be given unto you; but ye slew the Prince of Life." And as Peter preached, so preached all the rest. Therefore every one of them had an hundred thousand hearts, to make such a noise at Jerusalem, not only at Jerusalem, but also afterward in all the world, to begin the Christian church by preaching the wicked and foolish sermon, that they should kill the damned.
*) Thurst - audacious carriage, boldness, presumption.
D. Red.
2052 2.5, 180-iW. On the holy day of Pentecost. W. xni, 1120-1122. 2053
and crucified Jesus of Nazareth as the Lord of heaven and earth.
It is a miracle that the high priests together with the governor Pontio Pilato did not go there immediately and strangled these preachers all at the same hour. If our sovereign had one hanged on the gallows, and I wanted to appear for several weeks afterward and contradict the publicly pronounced verdict and court and say that not only had violence and injustice been done to the one hanged, but that he had also risen from the dead and was alive, yes, that he was the Lord and God of all the world: if I wanted to preach like that, I would wait to see what I would encounter.
This is the New Testament and Kingdom of Christ, which begins with so little power, yet with almighty might and power that no one can resist. It seems foolish that Christ begins the New Testament in this way. It begins with the apostle's sermon on the day of Pentecost. But what is this sermon? We apostles preach that Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified, condemned to death and publicly judged seven weeks ago, is the Lord of whom all the prophets prophesied. If any man will be freed from sin, and have everlasting life, let him repent, and be called by the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. Both the materia and the instrumenta are to be regarded as small and null. The materia and preaching are small; the instrumenta, that is, the apostles and disciples, whom Christ needs as instruments for this preaching, are much smaller. And yet, through this small preaching and futile instruments, the New Testament and Kingdom of Christ begins.
(13) It is first of all disgraceful and offensive in the sight of the great men, the mighty, the wise, and the prudent of this world, that the apostles and disciples preach that Jesus of Nazareth, who was hanged on a tree by his own people as a rebel and a heretic, is the Lord and the Christian; and do not first consult the chief priests, the council of Jerusalem, and the governor of Pontium Pilatum, whether they may do so. After that it sounded foolish and weak to
that this sermon was not preached by the Levites and priests of Jerusalem, but by the lowly people, poor beggars and unintelligent laymen, who had apostatized from their Master Himself and had denied and forsaken Him. Then the great Hanses and wise men will have thought: Are not the beggars mad and foolish? What do they want to do, who have learned nothing all their lives? They stand up and preach about Jesus, who is condemned to death according to the law by the Roman authority, by the council and by the whole assembly of the high priests in Jerusalem. Who ever heard a more inconsistent thing? They undoubtedly thought so. Some were displeased and angry at it, but others laughed it off and said, "You are drunk and mad and crazy.
(14) Thus Christianity begins with folly and weakness; as St. Paul says, 1 Cor. 1:23: "We preach Christ crucified, an offence to the Jews and a foolishness to the Greeks. And yet under this foolishness and weakness is hidden the greatest wisdom and power, which no one can resist. For no matter how wise and mighty the chief priests and Pilate are, they still have to suffer this. God strikes them with fear so that they must be afraid of the people, lest they be stoned. It is rebellious for the apostles to appear and preach about the crucified Jesus of Nazareth, against spiritual and temporal authorities: nevertheless, both the high priests and Pilate must fear, and are worth nothing better than to fear, since there is nothing to fear, so that God may demonstrate His power in the weak. Thus, I say, Christianity is approaching in public weakness; and yet in the same weakness there is such great, mighty power and strength that all the wise and mighty must be astonished at it and fear it.
(15) In what then is this same power and authority found? Nowhere else but in the Word and the Spirit. See what power Peter has! And not Peter alone, but the others all together. How certain they are of the matter! How powerfully they take hold of the Scriptures, as if they had studied them for a hundred thousand years, and had not understood them.
2054 L. 5, 183-185. On the holy day of Pentecost. W. xm, 1422-1425. 2055
I have learned the same in the best way. I could not do such a certain grasping of the Scriptures, though I am a doctor of the Scriptures; and these are fishermen who have not read the Scriptures. The same unlearned people and poor laymen, who have learned nothing, take hold of the Scriptures, and know how to guide the Scriptures better than the scribes, who study them daily. Thus, through the greatest foolishness and foolishness of the wretched, weak beggars, God proves the greatest wisdom that has come to earth, so that no one can imitate them, neither Annas nor Caiphas, nor any man on earth.
16 Thus Christianity began with the word of the poor fishermen and with the wretched and despised work of God, which is called Jesus of Nazareth, crucified. But God added this, that He raised up the apostles and disciples in the midst of their enemies in Jerusalem, and showered and showered them with many great miraculous signs, so that these new doctors and teachers would be confirmed against those who stubbornly acted against them. For the miraculous signs did not happen for the sake of those who soon fell to the apostles and disciples. This miraculous sign was enough for them, that the foolish fishermen and laymen held fiery tongues, preached the great deeds of God with other and new tongues and various languages, and knew how to guide the holy Scriptures so confidently. They had enough of this and quickly fell for the apostles and their preaching. But Hannam, Caipham, Pilatum, Herodem and the hard bunch had to be frightened by God with other signs. That is why he gave the apostles the gift of performing miracles, so that they would deal with the sick and even with the dead, making them healthy and alive as if it were child's play. When they carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and stretchers, and Peter came so that only his shadow overshadowed them, they were healed, Acts 5. 5 This meant that the miraculous signs would be performed to shut the mouths of the evil-doers and hard-hearted Pharisees, scribes and chief priests, so that they would become silent and, if not with their mouths in public, then secretly in their hearts.
and say, "This is what God has done.
17 By these two things Christ began his Christianity. By these two things Christ began his Christianity: by tongues and angry preaching, and by the miraculous signs which he granted to the apostles, to frighten the unbelievers, that their mouths might be stopped; as was done. For when Peter took hold of the right hand of the man who was lame from his mother's womb and was being carried every day to the door of the temple, and raised him up so that the legs and bones of the lame man were firm, all the people were filled with wonder and horror, and the rulers and elders and scribes, Annas the high priest and Caiphas, and John and Alexander, ran together and held a council and said: What shall we do to these men? That miraculous signs are done by them is known and manifest to all that dwell at Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. For they saw the man who had been healed standing before them, so they had nothing to say against it. If they said, "This man was lame, but the apostles did not heal him," it would be a bad rhyme. For all the people knew him, that he was he that sat for alms before the temple, and knew that Peter had made him whole.
18 We should never forget this sermon of Pentecost, but always remember it, and always thank God that it came to us from the apostles through the Holy Spirit, and through the power of the Holy Spirit it will remain in the world until the end. For if the Holy Spirit had not preserved it until then, we would know nothing about it; the devil would have long since snatched it away and destroyed it to the ground. But now the Holy Spirit sustains it powerfully for and for, so the dear feast of Pentecost and the comforting, joyful Pentecostal sermon have remained and have also come to us. Although many cults and sects have opposed it and have taken upon themselves to eradicate and suppress it, they have not been able to suppress or dampen it.
(19) Therefore, let us also speak of this joyful sermon, because it is through God.
2056 L- s, 185-187. On the holy day of Pentecost. W. xm, 1425-1428. 2057
grace has come to us, so that we may keep a clear distinction between the preaching of law and justice and the preaching of grace, which is the Lord Christ's own preaching. Just as we must make a distinction in our conscience between terror and joy, so we must also make a great distinction between the old Jewish Pentecosts, when the law was given on Mount Sinai, and the new Pentecosts, when the gospel is revealed through the Holy Spirit. We can make a difference between sadness and joy, between death and life. Therefore, just as the old Jewish Pentecost was a feast of sorrow, terror, trembling and death; as is seen in all the people of Israel gathered at Mount Sinai, that they were all terrified, trembling and fleeing, Ex 20:18.So let the new Pentecost be a feast of joy, consolation, and life, at which the joyful, sweet preaching that makes a cheerful, courageous heart is to be acted upon; as we see here happened to the apostles and disciples, since the Holy Spirit makes of the stupid, desponding, and fugitive people vain bold heroes, excellent sneezers, and such unconquerable men, who may defy the whole world and the devil in hell.
This should be our Pentecost sermon against all the terror of sins and death. The more joyful you are and the more certain and firm your faith is in your heart, the closer the Holy Spirit is to you and the more you have of the new Pentecost. But the more sadness is in your heart and the more frightened and stupid you are, the closer Moses is to you and the more you have of the old Pentecost of Mount Sinai. Therefore I say, as we can make a distinction between sadness and joy, between death and life: so also we should distinguish the old and new Pentecosts. We must have the old Mosaic Pentecosts for the sake of the bad boys, rough and secure people, yes, also for the sake of the presumptuous saints; but the new Pentecosts of the Holy Spirit we must have for the sake of the stupid, frightened consciences. From the new Pentecosts and
From the Holy Spirit's preaching, true joyful Christians and courageous, bold people become; as here are the apostles and disciples, who fear neither the world nor the devil. From the old Pentecosts and from the preaching of the Law become fearful and fugitive people; like the people fleeing at Mount Sinai, stepping from afar and saying: O dear Moses, speak thou with us, and let not God speak with us, lest we die. Such people make the old Pentecost and the preaching of the Law, who are frightened, despondent and stupid. And through such terror and fear of death they must leave sin and stop sinning.
(21) So the Holy Spirit began His ministry and work on this day of Pentecost in the New Testament, as Christ calls Him, a Comforter and Spirit of truth. For he gave the apostles and disciples a right and certain comfort in their hearts, and a sure and joyful courage, that they should ask nothing whether the world and the devil be merry or foul. Friend or foe, angry or laughing. They therefore walk in all security in the streets of the city, thinking thus: Here neither Annas nor Caiphas, neither Pilate nor Herod is anything, but we are everything. They are all our subjects and servants, but we are their lords and rulers. So they come forward most boldly without leave, not asking first whether they should preach, or whether the priests and Levites at Jerusalem also say yes to it; but come forward freely, and open their mouths freshly, chastising and reproving all the people, both rulers and oppressors, as murderers, malefactors and traitors, who have slain the Prince of life. What does Stephen do? He is not an apostle, but a deacon, appointed for the daily administration, and serves the others at table; yet he is so full of faith and the Holy Spirit that no one can resist his wisdom. He is allowed to engage with all the schools, and when he is brought before the council, he may open his mouth and say: "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit, as your fathers did, so do you. What prophets did your fathers not prophesy against?
2058 2.5,i87-i8s. On the holy day of Pentecost, W. xm, 1428-1431. 2059
and killed them, which before proclaimed the future of the righteous: whom then became ye traitors and murderers? (Apost. 7, 51. 52.) So he speaks as an angel of God, and asks for no one. He thinks: "These are great and high people before whom you speak, but however great and high they are, they are like grasshoppers compared to you; just as if he were an angel from heaven or God Himself. Such Pentecostals are made by the Holy Spirit, who know that they have a gracious God and Father in Christ, and go forth freely, confessing Christ before all the world, and being ready to suffer for His sake.
(22) Such a spirit was also needed by the apostles and disciples at that time, just as it is still needed by us today. For we are also blamed, as the apostles were, for being rebels, for separating the church from unity, and whatever evil happens, that, they say, happens to us. Before under the papacy, our blasphemers cry, it was not so evil: but now, now that these teachers have come, all misfortune has found itself, theure time, war and the Turk. They blame all this on our preaching. If they could tell us that the devil has fallen from heaven, even that we have crucified and killed Christ, they would not let it be. Therefore we also need the Holy Spirit's Pentecostal sermon, so that we may be confident and cheerfully despise such blasphemy.
(23) The apostles and disciples needed it at that time. For as it is with us this day, so it was with them in their time. They had to hear that all the world was complaining about them and crying out, "Since these arose and preached, the kingdom of the Jews has been divided and all the world has been outraged. If anyone doubts this, let him read the history of the apostles and he will find it. When they preached among the Jews, the Jews cried out, "These also, who are stirring up the whole world, have come here; only away with them and beaten to death! Apost. 17:6 But if they preached among the Gentiles, the Gentiles cried out, "These men make our city false, and are Jews, and preach a manner which is not fitting for us.
take, nor to do, because we are Romans." Apost. 16, 20. 21. In sum, everything evil that happened, the apostles and disciples must have done.
024 But they were their own prophets: for as they said, so it was done unto them. The Jews cried out against Paul, "This is the man that teacheth all men in all places against this people, against the law, and against this place," that is, he teacheth against God and against the service of God. "Therefore only away with such a one from the earth; for it is not right that he should live." Apost. 21, 28. 22, 22. But they were their own prophets, just like the high priest Caiphas, Joh. 11. As they said, so it happened to them. The Romans also cried out: These make the people astray and tear apart the Roman Empire. Just as they said, so it happened to them: the Roman empire was torn apart.
25 Our nobles, the godless bishops and princes, are also shouting about us today, saying that we are making Germany mad, and throwing everything into a heap. But let them also be their own prophets. For they know well that they are public lies, so that they blaspheme us and our doctrine. Therefore it shall be unto them, as the Lord saith of the servant of the scoundrel, Luke 19:22, "Out of thy mouth do I judge thee, thou scoundrel." As they say that we are their destroyers, so shall we be: not that such is our fault, or our doctrine's fault, but their fault, that they are so hard and stiff-necked, and will not suffer our preaching.
26 Therefore we must have this Pentecostal preaching of the Holy Spirit, who gives us heart and courage, so that we can tear through it, no matter who is angry, blaspheme us as much as they like, and immediately form groups and sects, so that we do not turn to them. Such courage must be there that asks nothing of it, but freely confesses and publicly preaches Christ, who has been so shamefully judged, condemned and killed.
(27) For this is the nature of the gospel, that it is a foolish and grievous preaching, which is everywhere rejected and condemned in the world. If the gospel enraged no citizen nor peasant, no bishop nor prince, it would be a
2060 12.8, 189-191. On the holy day of Pentecost. W. XIII, 1481-1438. 2061
A fine, sweet sermon would be good to preach, and people would gladly hear it and accept it with pleasure. But because it is such a sermon that angers people, especially what is high, mighty, and wise in the world, it takes courage and the Holy Spirit for those who preach it. That the poor beggars and fishermen, the apostles, should appear and preach in such a way as to enrage the whole council of Jerusalem, and the whole government, the ecclesiastical class, and also the Roman emperor, and even more, to open their mouths so wide as to say, "You are traitors and murderers," and to wait to be smitten on the mouth about it: this was not done without the Holy Spirit. Therefore the Holy Spirit with this Pentecostal sermon is our comfort and joy, that we ask nothing of the world's wrath and blasphemy. This same sermon makes such joyful people in Christ, who dare to do anything for Christ's sake and are willing to suffer for His sake.
This was said at the beginning of the feast of Pentecost. At the end, the text says how the people were amazed and astonished when they heard the apostles speak with other tongues about the great deeds of God. This indicates what the preaching of the apostles was on the day of Pentecost, namely that they did not preach about imperial laws and rights, nor about the law of Mosiah, but about the great deeds of God. "We hear them," they say, "speaking with our tongues the great deeds and wonders of God." These all that speak are Galileans, and have all one mother tongue: nevertheless they appear, and speak Welsh, Greek, Persian, Elamite 2c.; and not of loose, small things, but of the great deeds of God. It is a wonder that they know so many languages, none of which they have learned. To this miracle is added another miracle, that they speak of God and His great miraculous deeds.
What are these deeds of God? Answer: The apostles' sermons were not far from each other, but almost of one kind, although each preached a separate and special sermon. But this was the common stroke, as St. Peter preaches afterwards, Apost. 2, and St. Paul,
Apost. The sum of these sermons is that God fulfilled the promise He made to the fathers to their children by begetting Jesus as the Savior of the people of Israel from David's seed. The same God who performed so many signs and wonders from the time He brought the people of Israel out of Egypt, has now confirmed all the wonders in one heap, in that He raised Jesus from the dead and proclaimed in His name the forgiveness of sins, that whoever believes in Him is righteous and blessed. This has been the common stroke, without any one of them having put it out more abundantly in other and more words than the other. The main sum was how we confess and say in faith: "I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered, crucified, died, went to hell, rose from the dead on the third day, ascended into heaven" 2c. Item: "I believe forgiveness of sins" 2c. This was the Pentecostal sermon, without one leading other and more sayings from the Holy Scriptures than the other to prove it.
30 These things are clearly seen in the sermons of Peter and Paul, Acts 2, 36. 13, 26. After Peter has preached for a long time from the prophet Joel and from the Psalms, he finally concludes with these words: "Therefore let all the house of Israel know that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, a Lord and a Christian. And Paul, after speaking long from Moses, lifts up and says, "Men, brethren, ye are the people of promise, unto you is sent the word of salvation. As God promised to send you a Messiah and a Savior, so He has fulfilled His promise: the one whom the rulers of Jerusalem killed because they did not know Him is the Messiah. God was pleased that the promise should be fulfilled before it was understood. Therefore accept him, and see to it that you are not brought to naught as traitors and unbelievers."
031 When therefore the people heard these things, many believed. For they have rejoiced
2062 8.5, 191.192. On the holy day of Pentecost. , W. xin, 1433-1435. 2063
and thought, "These are all Galileans, and foolish, simple-minded people, and bad laymen, how can they speak of God in this way? For they have heard that the apostles began from above and told from the Scriptures how God governed the people of Israel miraculously and fulfilled His promise made to the fathers. Therefore they were moved by the apostles' preaching and converted before they saw the miraculous signs: What will this be? As if to say:
These are unlearned men and preach so mightily. If Annas or Caiphas or the scribes did it, it would be miracle enough. Therefore they immediately fell to the apostles, believed their preaching, repented, and were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.
May our dear God and Father, through His Holy Spirit, keep us in this Pentecostal sermon and give us a thankful heart, so that we may remain in it for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.
On the holy day of Pentecost.
Second sermon.*)
Apost. 2, 14-36.
Then Peter stood up with the elders, lifted up his voice, and spoke to them: Ye Jews, good men, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, let this be known unto you, and let my words come into your ears. For these are not drunken, as ye think, because it is the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken before by the prophet Joel: And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith GOD, that I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your elders shall dream dreams; and upon my servants and upon my handmaidens will I pour out of my Spirit in those days, and they shall prophesy; And I will do wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; and the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and manifest day of the LORD come: and it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved. Ye men of Israel, hear these words: JEsum of Nazareth, the man of GOD, among you, with deeds, and wonders, and signs, which GOD did by him among you (as ye yourselves also know); the same (after he had yielded to the deliberate counsel and providence of GOD) ye took by the hands of the unrighteous, and hanged him, and slew him. God raised him up, and loosed the pains of death, after it was impossible that he should be held by him. For David said of him, "I have set the Lord always before me, because he is at my right hand, that I should not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoiceth: for my flesh also shall rest in hope: for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known unto me the ways of life: thou wilt fill me with joy in thy sight. Men, brethren, let me speak freely to you of David the archfather: he died and was buried, and his sepulcher is with us unto this day. Now when he was a prophet, and knew that God had promised him by an oath that the fruit of his loins should sit upon his throne, he saw beforehand and spoke of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, and his flesh had not seen corruption. God raised this Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of it. Now he is exalted by the right hand of God, and em-
*) Held publicly in the parish church, on Pentecost Monday, 1534.
2064 L. 5, 192-194. On the holy day of Pentecost. W. XIII, 1435-1438. 2065
He has received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father; he has poured out this which you see and hear. For David has not gone to heaven. But he saith, The LORD hath said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. Know ye therefore all the house of Israel, that God hath made this Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
From the sermon of Peter.
(1) We have heard of the feast of Pentecost, and of the preaching of the Holy Spirit, how the apostles and disciples, by the sound from heaven, that is, by the Holy Spirit manifesting Himself in the form of a mighty wind, and sitting upon every one of them, became bold, knowing all languages, and stood and spake with new tongues the great works of God. At such a voice the multitude was gathered together, and was confounded: for every man heard that they spake with his own language. And when they were all thus astonished, and went astray, they found two kinds of disciples. Some, as we have heard, fall in with the apostles, and believe their preaching; but others have their mocking, and begin to blaspheme, saying, "They are full of sweet wine." As if to say, The fools, the fishermen, have labored the night before, and are weary; therefore they came early to drink, and have drunken themselves full.
(2) From the same useless mouths that said the apostles were full of sweet wine, St. Peter takes the reason for preaching this sermon, in which he introduces the prophet Joel. He wants to answer for the blasphemous words of the useless mouths that blamed the apostles for being drunk. Therefore he stands up and says: "There is neither gluttony nor drunkenness among these, as you think; but I will tell you what it is. What was proclaimed before by the prophets is now in progress. Now is come to pass before your eyes and ears that which was prophesied by the prophet Joel.
3 Thus goes the apostle, as he who is mighty in the Scriptures; yet he does not transfigure the whole text, whether he has already told the whole text; but presses only the first part, which is in the prophet, "I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh, and
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy." As if to say, "It is written, that in the last days there shall not be one prophet nor one prophetess, but many prophets and prophetsesses; item, that in the last days there shall not be a secret infusion of the Holy Spirit, as before, but a public outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This public outpouring of the Holy Spirit and this prophecy you now see before your eyes and hear before your ears. You see tongues burning like flames in our mouths, and you hear us speaking with other tongues and various languages. Now this is not to be done to us alone, but all that is called flesh or man is to be made partakers of this outpouring and these flames; as you see, and shall hereafter see more, that all who believe our preaching receive gifts of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, here is no drunkenness, but the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and prophesying, as the prophet Joel said before.
004 And that ye may know who he is that poureth out the Holy Ghost, I will tell you. JESUS of Nazareth, which preached among you, and wrought miracles, as ye saw, and whom ye took by the hands of the Gentiles, and fastened on the cross, and slew him: he is the outpourer. He is risen from the dead; for it was impossible that death should hold him. "He is exalted by the right hand of God, and has received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, and has poured out these things which you see and hear." This is what the prophet Joel foresaw and proclaimed long before; and what he foresaw and proclaimed long before is fulfilled today to this day. This is the responsibility for St. Peter to shut the mouths of the blasphemers.
Now rhyme these two together, the prophet and the apostle. The prophet
2066 8.5, 194-196. On the holy. Pentecost. W. XIII, 1488-144I. 2067
says: "I will pour out of my Spirit, says GOD." The apostle says: Jesus, exalted to the right hand of God, be the outpourer. The prophet Joel says: The true, eternal God will do it. The apostle Peter says: The crucified Jesus did it, who received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, and poured it out, that they might see and hear. With this he testifies that Jesus, crucified by the Jews, is the person of whom the prophet says that it is God who wants to pour out His Spirit in the last days. This should be remembered. Otherwise, when the nefarious people and the secure spirits, the heretics and the enthusiasts, fall in, they can make great use of this text and turn it against the deity of Christ. If Christ, they say, received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, it follows that he does not give the Holy Spirit. For since he received from the Father, he cannot take from his own and give to others. Thus they proceed.
(6) But look rightly at the text. You must not only look at the words that the apostle says: Jesus has received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father; but you must also look at the fact that it says: "And has poured out these things which you see and hear. With these words St. Peter gives to this person, who is called Jesus of Nazareth, the divine work of pouring out the Holy Spirit. For the pouring out of the Holy Spirit does not belong to any creature, even if it were an angel from heaven, but to God alone. Now St. Peter speaks here: JEsus of Nazareth is the man who pours out the Holy Spirit, or, that is, JEsus, exalted to the right hand of God, is God, of whom the prophet Joel said that he would pour out his Spirit. Thus he testifies that Jesus of Nazareth is true God.
(7) Therefore the text is not to be mutilated, as the heretics and the pagans do, but the words are to be gathered together, as the apostle joins them together, saying, "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 see and hear." This is: Now JEsus of Nazareth
When he rose from the dead, he was glorified as the true God and man who gives the Holy Spirit, as the true, eternal God. Therefore, the prophet Joel put it this way in short words, saying: "It shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of my Spirit" 2c. For to pour out the Holy Spirit, to forgive sin, to enlighten and renew hearts, belongs to God alone. The apostle Peter, however, has more abundantly deleted it, because he wanted to indicate that the same God, who says: "I will pour out of my spirit", is Jesus of Nazareth.
(8) The apostle therefore indicates that Jesus Christ, crucified by the Jews, is the middle person in the Godhead. For as the Father sends and pours out the Holy Spirit, so also the Son sends and pours out the Holy Spirit. So that the Holy Spirit is sent and poured out by the Son as well as by the Father, without the Son having everything from the Father, and not again the Father from the Son. For the Father is the origin or source (as the Fathers call it) of the Godhead. But what the Son has from the Father, he has all naturally and from eternity. For the Father has given to the Son eternal authority and divinity and all things wholly and completely, as He Himself has them from eternity; so that the Son with the Father is one, true, eternal God.
9 Thus St. Peter preaches that Jesus of Nazareth sits at the right hand of the Father, in right, natural, hereditary power, having the same kingdom, power, honor, and all things with the Father. Although he already sits at the right hand of God from eternity, as a natural, eternal God, before he became man: nevertheless he was not thus glorified after his human birth, nor preached nor proclaimed in all the world. But now that he has risen from the dead and ascended to heaven, he is also publicly proclaimed and proclaimed as the almighty, eternal God, who has eternal power and is Lord over all, even after his human birth. That this person, who is called Jesus of Nazareth, the son of the Virgin Mary, who died on the cross and rose from the dead on the third day, is the true, almighty, eternal God, was proclaimed in the Old Testament.
2068 2. s,iW-i98. On the holy day of Pentecost. W. xin, im-im. 2069
In the New Testament it is preached and glorified publicly. There you have now, says St. Peter to the Jews, whom you have crucified, namely, your true, natural God. For although you have already killed Him according to His humanity, and cannot kill the Godhead, yet here the humanity and the Godhead are one undivided Person; which Person received from the Father in eternity complete, full power and Godhead, and is now preached and transfigured in humanity in this way, as He who has one kingdom, power and glory with the Father. Therefore you have crucified your God and Lord.
(10) This is what he says afterwards: "Therefore let all the house of Israel know that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, a Lord and a Christian. As if to say, "So that you may have no doubt that God has made this crucified Jesus a Christian, He has given us this authority to preach this publicly and to proclaim through the Holy Spirit that He is the true Messiah.
(11) Such a sermon was preached on the day of Pentecost, which sounded evil in the ears of the chief priests and the Jews, and still sounds evil today in the ears of the worldly wise and clever. The heretic Arius could not rhyme it together: that Christ is true God and man at the same time, that he should be born of a virgin, should stand on earth, walk, eat, drink, sleep, wake, sweat, freeze, like another man; and yet in him should dwell all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. But here is the text. Joel says: God wants to pour out his spirit; Peter says: Jesus of Nazareth has done it. Therefore, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Mary, must be the true, eternal God.
12 Thus Peter publicly proclaimed this Jesus to be the true God. This is briefly stated. Peter will undoubtedly have written it out in greater detail than it is written by the evangelist. For it is a high article, on which we have to preach until the end of the world. Peter started the preaching; the apostle's descendants carried it on; we carry it on to our
Time. Now when we are dead, God will give others to drive them after us. For the God and Lord, of whom the prophet Joel prophesied that He would pour out His Spirit in the last days, still sits above at the right hand of God and fulfills this prophecy daily: He still pours out His Spirit, helps out of distress, baptizes, absolves, forgives sin, and gives eternal blessedness to all who believe in Him and call upon His name. So that even though we die, we die on this outpouring of the Holy Spirit, on baptism, on Word and Sacrament. For we hear the Word, receive baptism and sacrament, which Christ gave and confirmed to His Christianity by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit from heaven.
(13) If Christ did not sit at the right hand of God, nor pour out His Spirit daily, the Christian faith could not stand, for it is against all human reason, and the devil is an enemy to it. Therefore, if the outpouring of the Holy Spirit were not for and for, the devil would not let some people stay with the Pentecostal sermon and the faith in Christ, as he did to the Jews and the Mahometists in Turkey. But our dear God in heaven has set up an eternal, divine wall in front of it, and has exalted Jesus Christ, His Son and our Lord, to His right hand; He will help us to keep the Pentecostal sermon and the Christian faith, until we also become ungrateful, and God must punish us, and for our wickedness and ungratefulness, curse the devil to tear away the Word; as has already happened with the Anabaptists and the devotees of the Sacraments.
14 But the Pentecostal sermon and the Christian faith must remain until the end of the world. Even if we lose it because of our ingratitude, others must still get it as long as the world stands. Even if the devil drives the Pentecostal sermon out of a city, village, country or principality, he will not be able to drive it out of the world. For Christ is seated at the right hand of God and reigns in divine power, so that
2070 2.5, 198-200. On the holy day of Pentecost. W. xm, 1444-1440. 2071
to keep his Christianity together in one faith and hope through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the preaching of the Gospel, baptism and the sacrament. That is why he ascended to heaven and sat down at the right hand of God, so that he might practice and do the works that belong to God alone. The devil may well chase Christ from one city to another, but he will not chase him out of the world. If this were not the case, we would not have received the gospel, baptism and the sacrament.
15 This is the first part of this sermon, that the apostle Peter sets our dear Lord Jesus Christ in his right place, where he belongs. For he preaches that Jesus of Nazareth, crucified, true, natural man, born of virgins, is exalted to the right hand of God; that is, is glorified in his humanity, that he is perfect, eternal God, who pours out the Holy Spirit, and through Word and Sacrament powerfully rules his Christianity, forgives sin, and gives eternal life; yes, who makes us poor men angels, here in faith and there in sight, when he shall come at the last day with a shout and voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and shall make all things new. This is how one should preach about Christ.
The other part of this sermon is that he uses the short, powerful saying, also from the prophet Joel in the same place: "Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. This means that Christ and his kingdom are preached, namely, that he is the Lord and the Christ, whom one should call upon and be saved through faith in him. This crucified Jesus of Nazareth has such a strong name, he says, that he can save.
What does "to make blessed" mean? It means to redeem from sin and death. For whosoever shall be saved must not be under the law, but under grace. If then he is not to be under the law, but under grace, he must not be under sin. If he is under sin, he is under the law, that is, under the wrath of God, under eternal death and condemnation, and under the law.
the power of the devil. But if he is to be saved, these enemies, sin, death and the devil must be gone. Therefore, to be saved means nothing else than to be set free from sin and death, from God's wrath and the devil's power, from the law and an evil conscience. Now St. Peter says, from the prophet Joel: "The Lord, who pours out the Holy Spirit on all flesh, will save all who call on his name, that is, through faith in him he will save from sin and death.
This is the fine and pure preaching of Christ, with the tongue scraped clean, and no human work mixed in, but all things purely peeled out, and blessedness ascribed to Christ alone, as to whom alone it is due. This is the true Pentecostal sermon, which is to be preached to all Christians and to continue until Christ comes.
19 But however fine and pure this preaching is, it is also unpleasant in the world. The reason is that it condemns everything that is not Christ, and says that there is neither help nor counsel to escape from sin and death and to be saved, so that we must look to the man who is called Jesus of Nazareth crucified. There is no name, neither in heaven nor on earth, by which we can be saved from sin and death, but the name of this man alone; as the apostle also says afterwards, Apost. 4:12: "There is salvation in no other, neither is there any other name given among men whereby we may be saved."
20 Now this person is easy to meet. For St. Peter has delicately portrayed it here and said: "This person is called Jesus Christ, true man, born of a virgin, and true God, who sits at the right hand of God, in equal authority and glory with the Father, our all God and Lord; in whose name we must be saved, that is, redeemed from sin, death, the devil and hell, so that we call upon his name and approach him with firm faith. We must remember this, lest we be led astray and fall short of salvation. When a Jew, a heretic, and a reprobate comes creeping along and says, "What?
2072 5, An-202. On the holy day of Pentecost. W. xm, ms-iE. 2073
do you want to do? Do you want to call upon a man? By no means; you must call upon the true God, or you are an idol; then say: I am not an idol; I call upon the true God. For the man Jesus Christ is true God, who sits at the right hand of God and pours out the Holy Spirit. Does he say further: So you have three gods? No, say, I have only One God. For my faith is thus: that the three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, are one, true, eternal God. The Son, exalted to the right hand of God, is not another God, but is with the Father and the Holy Spirit one, true, eternal God. And the Holy Spirit, who is poured out by God, is also not another God, but is with the Father and the Son one, true, eternal God. There are not three Gods, but of all three persons is one Deity. There are not three names, but one name of one divine being, and yet three different persons, without the true, eternal God wanting to be recognized and honored in the Son, because the Son alone became man, and in his person accomplished the redemption of the human race and acquired salvation.
(21) Whoever thinks of being blessed apart from this name is already lost. The pope with his monks has raised many names. This one wanted to be blessed in the name of Francis, that one in the name of Mary, that one in the name of the dear saints; another one in his own name, through his fasting, praying, confession, penance, pilgrimage, mass 2c. This means not calling on the name of the Lord, but worshipping the name of man and work in the place of God.
(22) Though it grieves the pope and all human reason that all other names should be cut off as far as salvation is concerned, and that salvation from sin, death, and hell, and eternal happiness, should be placed in the name of Jesus of Nazareth crucified, without the addition of all human works and merits. But this is how it is decided: He that would have forgiveness of sins and a good conscience must seek it in this name, and be refreshed in this name, saying, O Lord.
Jesus Christ, who sits at the right hand of the Father and died for me, a poor sinner, true God and man, refresh my poor soul.
23 And now we see how the dear apostles agree with the holy prophets. I could not have seen that this prophecy of the prophet Joel should be understood by the crucified Jesus of Nazareth, and that the word: "I will pour out" should mean as much as: JEsus, crucified by the Jews, poured out. But the Holy Spirit had revealed it to the apostles that they understood the Scriptures. Therefore, St. Peter interprets who the "I" is and says: It is Jesus of Nazareth; the same is the God who speaks through the prophet Joel: "I will pour out of my Spirit."
The Jews and their rabbis do not understand this even today. But the Holy Spirit, who was poured out on the day of Pentecost, thus glorified Christ, first in the hearts of the apostles, and then also before the whole world, through the mouths of the apostles. As St. Peter proclaims him here publicly, that he was made a Lord and a Christian by God, even though he had already been crucified by the Jews. "He has poured out," he says, "that you see and hear." The prophet Joel proclaimed it before, but today it is fulfilled; you see it and hear it before your eyes and ears.
(25) And he commanded that the Holy Spirit should be poured out upon all flesh. Upon my servants and my handmaids, says God, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. Here the Lord and the woman shall be no more than the servant and the maid, the prince no more than the peasant. With this all teaching of the difference of the persons in the kingdom of Christ is abolished. Here neither Jew nor Greek, neither servant nor free man, neither male nor female is valid; but one is as good as the other. St. Peter does not have a better gospel, a better baptism, a better sacrament than St. Thomas; a Lord and Lady does not have a different, better kingdom of heaven, a different, better Holy Spirit, or a different, better outpouring of the Holy Spirit, than
2074 8.5, 202.203. On the holy day of Pentecost. W. xin, E-im. i38". 1385. 2075
a servant and handmaid. When we come to the invocation of the name of Jesus Christ, the one Lord, in whose name we are saved, we are all equal in one faith under one Christ. One may have a stronger faith than another, but no one has a better God, Christ and Lord than another.
Thus says God, who pours out His Spirit: My Spirit, whom I will pour out, shall begin another kingdom than has been on earth. In the kingdom of the world there is father, mother, master, wife, servant, maidservant, overlord and underling; there must be an inequality and difference of persons, statuses and offices. But in this kingdom of my spirit and of the New Testament all shall be equal, master, wife, servant, maidservant, lord, peasant, one as the other. For here only this applies: Whoever will call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. He calls all to believe in this name, none excepted. Through the same faith we all become equal, all one body and members of one body.
This is St. Peter's sermon, which he no doubt peppered with many other words. St. Lucas
indicates only the subject of which the apostle preached; but how he painted a color on such a sermon, he says nothing about it. But it was a strong, powerful, rich sermon. That is why Peter converted three thousand souls with such a sermon. We have the theme and main part of it, but not with such delicious color as St. Peter painted it: yet it is One Spirit's word and sermon.
May the merciful God give us His grace to grasp and keep these things, and may we thank Him from the bottom of our hearts. Under the papacy, this sermon has been obscured, and even today its main point is contested and denied, that we are to be saved through the one and only name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and there are so many false preachers, sects and cults who pervert this sermon. Therefore, we should diligently ask God to let us keep the main part of which St. Peter preached this day longer, and to graciously preserve us in it, so that we may grow and increase in the knowledge of such preaching and in the right faith in Christ, and finally become eternally blessed, amen.
On the holy day of Pentecost.
Third 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 your 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. I do not give you as the world gives. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be 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
*) Held after dinner in the house, 1532.
2076 2.5, 203-205. On the holy day of Pentecost. W. XIII, 1385-1388. 2077
I told you before it happened, so that when it happens you will believe. Henceforth I will not speak much to you, for the prince of this world is coming and has nothing to do with 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 preaches over tables on the green Thursday after the Lord's Supper. It follows the question, when Judas asks and says: "Lord, what is it that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world? Here the Lord answers the question, saying, "He that loveth me shall keep my words, and my Father shall love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." The text should be well remembered. For the Lord wants to teach us that it is a lost work to try to know God and to come to God, if one does not begin by loving Christ. As if he wanted to say: If one speculates for a long time where God is and how to get to Him, then it is lost. People look to me to have and love them. One always wants to flutter apart from me and meet God. But even if you think or hear a lot about God, you will still not be able to meet Him or grasp Him. That is how it will remain: "He who loves me will keep my words, and my Father will love him" 2c.
(2) But what is the meaning of this, that the Lord thinks of love? He should say, "He who believes in me will keep my words, and my Father will love him," as he is wont to say in other places. But here he turns back and says: "He who loves me will keep my words. Does love then, and faith not? Answer: It is one; for no man can love Christ, except he believe on him, and be comforted. For this reason the Lord spoke of this opinion, to show how one must turn away his eyes and heart from everything else that is in heaven and earth, and look only to the man Jesus Christ. For this is the true nature of love: when it accepts itself, it accepts itself alone, it abides and rests on it, and otherwise respects it.
nothing more in the wide world. The Lord also wants us to love him and set our hearts on him. Faith must be had first, just as Christ also wants faith to be understood first; after faith love must follow, so that nothing should be dearer to us, either in heaven or on earth, than the man Jesus Christ. Therefore, this saying does not take anything away from faith, but serves that one may recognize the nature and right effect of faith all the better.
(3) After this, he also needs the word of love, that he may see who will accept his word and persevere in it, that it may come to him sore. For there are many temptations that can cause impatience and displeasure. This also strikes at last, when one feels so badly about it that he thinks, "What am I reproaching 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. Then follows impatience, that one begins to murmur and says: "So let it be fine, so let another preach too, and stand in danger as long as I have stood; I have had enough of preaching. If a man is to endure such trials and not be crushed by 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. Therefore he says, "If you have begun by faith in me, and are to continue in it, I must first please you, so that you may say, 'God grant, let it be as it may,' and I will hold fast, and not deny my dear Lord Christ.
*) What do I want 2c. D. Red.
2078 2.5, 205-207. On the holy day of Pentecost. W. XIII, 1388-1391. 2079
not the people; that's why it has to be over.
(4) But where such love is not, there shall no man continue in my word, saith Christ. For I do not give out 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 air and love in me. If love is there, you will keep my word and stick to it, and it will cost you life and limb; but if love is not there, you will not keep my word. For there will be so much driving, temptation and adversity, which will press and drive you all to impatience and despair.
5 So Christ wants faith to be understood beforehand, that we have heard from him what he has done for us. But if we have heard of him and believe in him, the question is, How do we keep it, because so much danger, misfortune, and opposition come upon us? Here is the reason why the Lord says: "If you are to keep my word and stick to it, you must come to know me and believe that I died for you, was buried and rose again. From this it must follow that I mean no harm to you. If you recognize this and love me, then you will keep my word and stick to it. So love must flow from faith. If this is there, then one goes through it well; and if the world already grumbles about it and is angry, then he says: If you do not want to laugh, then be angry; it is just as important to me, I am more interested in Christ and his word than in your anger.
6 But Christ speaks plainly, saying, "He who loves me will keep my word." My word of my dying and rising, not Moses' word or the Ten Commandments. The same word is to be kept and not contradicted, for God has long before commanded such things: but in such a word of Moses there is not the comfort that is in my word; one does not get a good conscience from it, but the more one sees that we lack such obedience, the more one fears God's disgrace and wrath. But this
The word of our dear Lord Christ is the highest and best treasure. He that hath it, saith Christ, holdeth fast to it, and putteth all things over it, before he let it be taken, only be sure that my Father also loveth him.
(7) This is spoken in the proper manner of John. He 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, love follows. But he that loveth Christ, and trusteth in him, the Father shall love him again. This is well said, that a man shall lose all the wrath and displeasure of God through Christ, and shall be rid of sin, death, the devil, hell, and all calamities, and shall have nothing but the Father's love, solely because he believes in Christ and loves him. For Christ takes away everything with these words. Whoever loves him, the Father also loves him.
(8) This is a great and strong consolation in all temptation, if only one could grasp it rightly and believe it firmly. When one is unhappy, one should think: The Father is laughing at you now. But it will not enter our heart, especially in the hour of temptation. We remember the contradiction: God is hostile to us, he does not respect us and wants to strike us with a club. But such a thought is false, for Christ is certainly not lying when he speaks here: If it comes to pass with you that you love me and keep my word, that is, have your highest joy and delight in the fact that I have redeemed you from the power of the devil, that henceforth sin shall not hurt you, nor death devour you, and now be assured of eternal life and blessedness,5 as my word says; then it is certain that the Father will also love you, and thus prove his love toward you, that he, the Father, with the Son and Holy Spirit, will come to you and make a dwelling with you.
(9) This is ever a good consolation, that a Christian may not think how he will go up.
2080 2. 5, 207-209. On the holy day of Pentecost. W. XIII, 1391-1394. 2081
If he ascends to heaven, if he remains in Jerusalem, in Rome, wherever he may be on earth, whether in the field or in the house, he shall be in heaven. For God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit want to 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 in deed.
(10) For God to dwell with us here on earth does not mean anything else, except that everything we do, speak, think and suffer should be done well: we eat, drink, work, stand 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 in it. When God dwells with a man, that man becomes more powerful than death, the devil, hell, thunder, lightning and all misfortune. This is not only a great comfort, but also a great glory and honor. Heaven itself shall not have the glory that a Christian has. Reason: God does not say of heaven that He wants to dwell in it, but says: It shall be His chair and the earth His footstool. But a Christian's heart should be the right dwelling place, where God wants to dwell within, 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. If the man Jesus Christ pleases him, then it is certainly God's temple and dwelling place.
(11) So it all depends on this, that we let Christ please us, so there will be no need. For such love will make everything gentle and easy for us, which we must suffer for his sake and for his word. Otherwise it would be impossible for anyone 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.
012 He that loveth Christ, and is glad, and saith, I will suffer all things for Christ's sake, and for his gospel; hath the consolation again, that the Father loveth him not only for Christ's sake, but also for his sake.
He himself will come to him and dwell with him together with the Lord Christ and the Holy Spirit. This is a heartfelt, blessed comfort, to which we should adhere and willingly surrender what is ours to suffer.
(13) But that they should keep the word of Christ, who love him not, shall not cease. So also those who think they are Christians because they take monasteries and spiritual goods will not keep Christ's word long and remain so. For to take possession of monastery and church goods does not mean to love Christ. They do not look at Christ, but at a shell, just as a lawyer does not study his law out of a free heart, but looks at the profit. Therefore they do not keep Christ's word, except when it goes well; otherwise the journey is too great, as Asmus Spiegel says. Therefore, to keep Christ's word and to stand in danger, love belongs to it. Whoever does it out of duty or for the sake of money will leave it alone.
(14) But if we want to be true Christians and hold fast to the gospel, we must only say, "It was started for the sake of my Lord Jesus Christ and was done for his service; therefore it must go forth in the same way, as God wills. But why should we hold fast to the word of Christ, and not let any calamity or driving be averted from it? Because Christ continues to speak:
The word I speak is not mine, but the Father's who sent me.
(15) Christ often speaks in this way, because it is also very important. And this is the sum of it, that Christ wants to say: If you take hold of me and cling to me, that is, to my word and my promise, then be sure that you have taken hold of the right God and think of no other God besides me. For you will find God nowhere else but in me and my word. Cause: The word that I speak is not mine, but the Father's word; therefore, if you accept it, you accept the Father; if you believe it, you believe in the Father.
2082 8.8, 209-212. On the holy day of Pentecost. W. XIII, 1394-1397. 2083
16 Therefore the account of this day is easy to make. The Mahomet, the Turk, the Pope, and the Jews boast much of God, pray much, and want to be his best servants; but it is certain that the Mahomet, the Turk, the Pope, and the Jews have missed the Father and know nothing of him, for they do not have Christ's word, which is not Christ's, but the Father's, in which he promises us that through him we shall come to forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Yes, they still follow such doctrine and call us heretics who point to Christ and not to our own works and merit.
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 ears and eyes elsewhere but to me. Therefore, if you hear me, you hear God; if you see me, you see God. For this is decided: either by me you have heard and seen God, or you have never heard and known Him. From this it follows that when Christ speaks a friendly word, that the whole Godhead says yes to it, I remain silent, so that the world, death, the devil and hell 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 word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me."
When Erasmus or such a scholar and worldly wise man comes upon such words, he thinks that they are sleepy words, which a sleeping man has spoken over the table. For of such things, in which so much is at stake, Cicero should probably speak differently. But what life and consolation there is in such simple words is then found when the right features approach.
19Therefore the Lord here thus turneth and saith:
I have said these things to 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 remind you of all that I have said to you.
For if the Holy Spirit is not present, no matter how many words are spoken, it will not be understood.
(20) This is the summary of the fact that if we love the Lord Christ, we will keep God's word and not be turned away from it by some folly, and that this is the only way by which we will come to have God love us and draw so near to us that He will make a dwelling with us. One should remain on this path. But whoever seeks or takes another way to God than this, that he loves Christ, lacks God and never comes to Him: he may do and suffer what he will, but it is all in vain and lost.
(21) For 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 receive neither word nor doctrine, except it come by this one man's mouth: then he shall surely meet our Lord God, and cannot fail to meet him, which is nowhere else to be found or met.
22 But now it goes unfortunately, as it went in the Old Testament with the Jews also. They had the mercy seat in the tabernacle of the congregation, where they were supposed to pray and expect certain answers and nowhere else. But what did they have to do? Since 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 the Father and come to him so that he will love 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 leave Christ and his word behind and go about with the statutes of men. The pope keeps his mass, vows, celibate life. A monk comes, prays and says: "Saint Francis, pray for us! An Anabaptist keeps to his outward discipline, that he wears a gray skirt and no knife. The Jews and Turks also have their special things. And so that we did not go out completely unmarried, the pope had to make my dear Martin Luther a monk and Käthe von Bore a monk.
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Make her a nun so that she may become the bride of the Lord Christ.
But here it is much different. You are to adhere to Christ and his word alone; for there is God's command: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; this is the one you are to hear. You shall hear no other preaching, read nothing else, teach nothing else, learn nothing else, but it shall all come out of this man's mouth. For there stands the
Command: This 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 the same through His Holy Spirit, and thus be eternally saved, amen.
On Pentecost Mount.
First sermon.*)
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) Preach nothing but Jesus Christ and faith in him. This is scopus generalis, the general content of this gospel. But if you want to have it closer, then make the scopum and content de libertate christiana, of Christian freedom, and you will get away with it. This is its specialis scopus, its actual and thorough content. For Christ abolishes everything here: Law, sin, death, God's wrath, plus all trust in human justice, wisdom, and holiness. He takes so much in one heap and removes it purely. For because he says: "Whoever believes in the Son shall not perish, but have eternal life", it follows that the believer has sin, death, and the law,
s) In the house gehaltm 1532, while Dr. Pommer preached.
Devil, law, human justice and merit must be purely abolished and completely gone. So I could not speak if I were to tear myself apart right away.
- lex perdit nos, peccata perdunt nos, diabolus et ira Dei devorant nos: The law kills us, sins kill us, the devil and God's wrath devour and devour us, God is a consuming fire, Deut. 4:24. Here Christ abolishes all this, saying, "He that believeth on the Son shall not perish, but have everlasting life." The law shall not kill him, neither shall sin; the devil and God's wrath shall not devour him. The fire that Moses saw in the bush, Ex. 3, shall be purely extinguished, and there shall be vain Christian liberty. For not to be lost, but to have the eternal
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To have life is such a great thing that no human heart can comprehend it. Now I have given the dialecticam. Whoever can, let him now give the artificium rhetoricum. I have sketched it briefly. Whoever can, now paint it the right living color. But let us hear what a rhetor and master of speech Christ is. He speaks thus:
So, God loved the world.
3 There already goes the grandiloquentia. They are short, simple words, but they are real grandia et tragica verba, vain centner words and great pieces of work. God should be angry and destroy and kill the world, as His most foretold, murderous enemy. He should have left the world to the hellish fire: so he loves the world, so also that there is no greater nor higher lover of the world than he. These are verba grandia, high, excellent words; for no higher lover can be in heaven and earth than God. So also no higher affectus can be, by which God can pour Himself out completely against the world, than love. Nor can there be a more shameful villain nor a more unworthy enemy to whom such love is applied than the world. Therefore, they are vain, glorious, high centner words.
That a god should be, and should love the world, and grant it something good, is above all our reason, sense, understanding and art. I wish the world the hellish fire, and especially I would do that if I were God, who knows the world inside out and knows what the world is. I would do that, but what does God do? Instead of His wrath, which the world well deserves, He loves the world, and in an exuberant and incomprehensible way, He gives His only Son to the world, His worst enemies. I am not such a rhetor and master of oratory that I could achieve this artificium (this art) and sufficiently express these magnificas figuras (magnificent combinations of words).
If it had been more than enough, God would have offered the world a good morning. So he goes to and loves the world, the shameful fruit. That is
omnium odibilissimum et maxime inamabile objectum, the most hostile and unholy counter-image. And this is also the world in truth: a stable full of evil, shameful people, who abuse all creatures of God in the most shameful way, blaspheme God and put all plagues on Him. God loves these same shameful people. This is a love above all love. It must truly be a pious God, and His love must be a great, incomprehensible fire, much greater than the fire that Moses saw in the bush, yes, much greater than the hellish fire. Who would now despair because God is so minded against the world? It is too high and beyond my art, I cannot amplify it nor give it as abundantly as it is in fact and truth. Follow on:
That he gave his one son.
- "Gave", understand, to death; that is also vain grandiloquentia. Donum est inaestimabile, the greatness of the gift no one can inquire; so modus donandi is also inaestimabilis, the way of giving that God gives so high a gift, His unified Son, to death, no one can inquire either. If God had ever wanted to love the world and give His only Son, He could have given Him in another way. For He undoubtedly has more ways to give His only Son: would not have given Him to death. But he gave him in this way, namely, in death, and thereby wanted to praise his love for us, Rom. 5, 8. They are all grandia.
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
(7) He takes away, as I have said, sin, death, the last judgment, 2c., and caps, plates, carthorses, man, woman, and all distinction of persons, and will bind us without distinction, all of them, none excepted, to the man only, who is called Jesus Christ, the only Son of God. Now this saying is often found in John, as if the Holy Spirit alone could preach the only Son of God and Mary, and if the poor man, the Holy Spirit, knew nothing else. This is very ridiculous in front of the
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The wise and the intelligent of this world. As the poet says: Ridetur chorda, qui semper oberrat eadem: A lute-striker, who always strikes only one little song, is laughed at. So also the world of the Holy Spirit laughs, as a lute-player who can only play on one string. But such highly wise masters, who can teach the Holy Spirit how to speak, govern themselves, do not need God and the Holy Spirit. But there it is, there it is. Whoever believes in God has eternal life. If others do what they want, they are still lost, and neither Moses nor the law helps here; indeed, Moses and the law kill man and do not give life, but death. Therefore, it is all up to the Son, who brings eternal life. He who has the Son of God has eternal life. He who does not have the Son of God does not have life. For the Son must please God, and God cannot be hostile to the Son. Where the Son is, He looks and is pleased with him. Therefore, in short, it should be the son alone before God, and nothing else. It is a fine text; amplify it and give it more abundantly, I cannot achieve it.
The words are so bad and simple, and yet so powerful; indeed, they are greater than heaven and earth, and cannot be reached at all. For to take away in one word all that is not the Son, whom God gave to the world out of love: let this be a feat of a true orator. They are excellent, high words, and it is astonishing that these high words should lie there on paper, since one runs over them as if it were mud in the street. One writes of Virgilio, how he had at one time the poet Ennium in his hand; and when he was asked what he was doing, he answered: He was reading gold out of the Ennii dung. So this would also be called: Aurum Christi in stercore, aut nobilissimam margaritam in stercore: Our Lord Christ's gold in the dung, or a precious pearl in the dung. Who could pick up such gold from the paper, from the poor letters and simple words!
- "All who believe in the Son," says
he, "shall have eternal life." That means quite a gift. But it is a miserable plague that one should not grasp such a thing. This is because the gift and the present are too great, and our hearts are too full and cannot grasp such a gift. But this happens with a lesser gift and present. If it is a principality or kingdom, one disputes and says: "It will be a lie; should he give me a kingdom? Well, he will not do it. If this happens with lesser gifts, it happens much more here with this exuberant gift of God; then we first of all dispute with ourselves and say: Well, should God give me heaven? He will not. For we think that we are worth no more than about twenty florins; and measuring God by a man, we think: A principality, a kingdom, cannot be given away as soon as. Since no man can easily give me a kingdom, how can God give me heaven?
Therefore, this gift of God surpasses all the gifts of men. What is a man with his gifts, even if he gives a principality or kingdom, to count against God, who gives His only Son and with the Son gives eternal life? A man does not have this temporal, perishable life to give; let alone that he could give eternal, imperishable life. But God gives His only Son, and with the Son eternal life. By this you can see and recognize what God has in mind. Because He gives us the Son, He does not want to afflict or frighten us, much less strangle us, but to give us life, and with it eternal life. As St. Paul also says, Rom. 8:32: "Who also spared not his own Son, but gave him for us all; how shall he not with him give us all things?" Hold this temporal life against all other gifts on the face of the whole earth, and consider how far it outweighs all other things that a man needs for this life. Do you also think that this life is as good as a hundred thousand florins? I think so. Or do you think there is anyone who would give his life for the sake of the kingdom of France? I think so,
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no; yes, if it were the whole world. Now the same good is given here by God, which is better than all the goods of this world, namely, life, and in addition eternal life with the highest security. For he who has eternal life must not fear sin, death or hell. The same good is given by GOD, so certain that it shall not be lacking. That is what it means to be given, and that is what it means to be a gift and a gift.
(11) How hopeless people and desperate traitors we have been in the papacy, teaching that life is given to men through a lousy cap and a shabby plate, as if we could not come to life by grace and for nothing, but had to earn it by our works. But here it says that we cannot come to life by ourselves and our works, nor earn it by our works; but God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. That is, given by grace and love for nothing. Who was able to make God give His only Son? No one. His great love made him do it. It is grandia verba,*) if it were true, says D. Jeron(ymus). O who could lead this saying against the examples of the wrath of God, which come to us when we are in terror and temptation!
(12) But with this he does not deny that God's wrath, law, death, hell and eternal damnation exist. For because he says of eternal life, he gives to understand that there is eternal death. This, I think, is called an antithesis, when these two, eternal life and eternal death, are held against each other. Such antithesis he himself declares, since he speaks:
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 will not be judged, but he who does not believe has already been judged.
Moses is already there, and the world is already judged. Here the question is not how you fall into the well, but how you get out of it.
*) "vain centner words and great pieces of work." See above 3. D. Red.
come out of the well again. And indicates cause and speaks:
For he does not believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
These are vain thunderbolts. Do not believe in the son, that's what you do. If you do not believe in the Son, whether you are a monk or a nun, a Carthusian or a barefoot, you are already judged. I love this text very much.
(15) He says clearly, "He does not believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God. For the name is what God wants, and the name is what matters to Him. The name of the only begotten Son of God is everything. The piece belongs to faith. For this is why it is called the name of the only begotten Son of God, that the only begotten Son of God is preached in the Word and through the Word as our gift and offering. The only begotten Son, whom God gave to the world out of love, is not seen, but only heard. His name goes into the whole world through the Word. He does not want to be visibly present with us, but is to be heard in the Word alone. In that world the name and the word will cease, and we shall see the only begotten Son of God; as it is written, 1 John 3:2: "We know that when it shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." But in this world we do not see Him, but must hear Him in the Word. The same word that is preached of him, that shall do. This is to be remembered against the Anabaptists and the enthusiasts who despise the word.
The name of the only begotten Son of God is the factotum. When one hears the name of Jesus Christ, all that is unbelieving and ungodly in heaven and on earth shall be terrified; and again, all that believes shall leap, skip and be glad. As St. Paul also says Phil. 2:10: "In the name of JEsu shall all their knees bow, which are in heaven, and in earth, and under the earth." When one speaks "JEsus," he has struck the world dead, and the devil must flee a hundred miles away. Now comes the querela and lamentation:
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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.
(17) Is this not a great plague? The world would not be condemned for its sin, and Moses would have to leave it in peace; but this condemns the world, that it does not want to be loved by God. Egg, you desperate whore, you cursed world, let the devil love you. This is the judgment, he says, that the world will not let itself be given, will not let itself be loved, will not let itself be honored, will not have eternal life. Is it not a great pity that we have such goods, and yet should despise them so shamefully? Yes, not only despise, but also respect and love the antithesis, namely, death and hell. If one did this out of error and ignorance, it would still be tolerable; but that one, in contempt of the faith, the gospel, the only begotten Son and the heavenly Father, should love error, lies and darkness, and defend them against the truth and against the light: that is too much.
18 Therefore Christ wants to say here: I am not lacking, nor is my heavenly Father lacking, but the people who do not want to accept this treasure are lacking. Fie on the world! I am surprised that God did not strike with thunder and lightning soon after the ascension of Christ, and that even today the last day remains so long outside. The world is not judged because it did not keep what God commanded through Moses; but this is the judgment, that it does not want to have the Son, yes, that it wants to persecute and destroy the Son. Fie on the Jews, that they will not suffer the Son! Therefore they are also disturbed and cast out. So one had to louse the caps of the despisers and persecutors of the only begotten Son. Fie also to us Gentiles that we are such hopeless people and do not believe these high, excellent words!
19 So this much is said: No sin is more in the world than unbelief. Other sins in the world are Mr. Simon's sin, as when my hands and leniches
shits in the corner, it is laughed at, as if it were well done. So also faith makes our filth not stink before God. Summa Summarum, not believing in the only begotten Son is the only sin in the world, for which the world is judged. For God loved the world, gave the world His only Son, sent the world light, and all sins shall be forgiven, only if one believes in the Son.
20 Let that be a grandiloquentiam for me. I am surprised that he can talk so badly and silly about such great things. In singulis verbis tanta est majestas, simplicitas, perspicuitas, gravitas, veritas, voluptas, et omnia, quae possunt tradi in rhetorica, sunt in hoc textu in summo gradu. Illum textum ego valde amo: I love the text out of measure. So one should amplify the text and abundantly cross out that it is the text alone in this world, and that there is nothing else in this world, yes, that even our life is nothing against this text. The negatives, that is, the no, are deliciously good. "GOD did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world through him might be saved." For this is the rhetorica, and art of speaking, that one expounds and explains himself per amplificationem et antithesin.*) So, he gives eternal life, and not eternal death. So Christ is here also a right rhetor and master of speech. Ad majorem confirmationem non solum affirmativam, sed etiam negativam ponit: That it may sound the stronger, he not only sets the yes: "Thus God loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life"; but also sets the no: "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved." This is the right rhetorica, as when I say, Omnis homo currit, nullus homo currit.**) For universalem negativam†) I mean simpliciter antithesin in oppositionibus. ††) If
*) By extension and contrast.
**) Man runs, no man runs.
†) a general negation.
††) Opposing opposites.
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If I preach a sermon, I make an antithesis, as Christ here makes an antithesis: Those who believe in the Son will have eternal life and not hell. For where one is to teach rightly, one must take a subject sive affirmativum, sive negativum, and expound and explain it by antithesis.
- Christ makes it good for us who are afraid and fearful of God, saying: "God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. As if to say: Do not be afraid, God will not strike you on the head with a club; God's Son did not come to judge you and put you to death, but came to make you blessed. Of this Erasmus understands nothing at all. For when he comes to the question: Why Christ was sent, since (as he considers it) one finds such fine, if not better and more perfect teaching among the Gentiles than in Christ, he answers: Christ came so that he might better and more perfectly keep what he taught than the others have kept. About the redemption that Christ came,
to make the world blessed, he says nothing at all. That is called blindness.
He who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, so that his deeds will not be punished.
(22) Those who love darkness and hate the light are those who build on their own righteousness, wisdom and holiness; they do not come to the light, because they do not want to be punished. Therefore this is spoken against the most holy. The publicans and harlots do not do this, but the most high and holy do.
But he that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest: for they are done in God.
(23) He who knows that he has taught and preached rightly does not hate the light, but comes to the light, that his works may be made manifest, because they are done in God. May our dear God grant us His grace, that we may believe and die happily, and so be saved, amen.
On Pentecost Mount.
Second sermon.*)
(1) This gospel is one of the most glorious sermons that can be found in the whole New Testament, so that it would be appropriate if it were written in letters of gold on the heart; and every Christian should at least know this comforting text by heart and recite it to his heart once a day, so that such words may become familiar to us and we may learn them all the better. For it is such words that make a sad heart cheerful and a dead heart happy.
*) 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.
people alive again, if only one could firmly believe in it. But since it is impossible to fathom such a glorious sermon in words, let us nevertheless speak it verbally, and earnestly ask God to transfigure these words in our hearts through His Spirit and to make them so light and hot that we feel comfort and joy from them, amen.
The sum of this glorious, comforting and blessed sermon is this, that God loved the world, and so highly that He gave His only Son, that we men should not die to eternal death, but have eternal life. As if
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Christ, our dear Lord, say: Listen, dear man, I want to present to you an unheard-of, strange painting, since the giver, the taker, the gift, the fruit and the benefit of the gift are so great that it is not only unspeakable, but also unattainable by thought.
(3) For behold here, first of all, the Giver: he is the greatest Giver, so be it. For here there are not emperors, kings, princes, who are esteemed great in the world, but God himself, who is incomprehensible and almighty, who created all things together by his word, has and sustains all things. And what needs many words? It cannot be said sufficiently. God is over all and against Him are all creatures, heaven and earth and all that is within, like a grain of sand, and as the prophet Isaiah, Cap. 40:15, as a drop that remains in the bucket, and as a mite that remains in the balance, even as a rod. He is the Giver, and may well be called a great Gebhart: that when one hears that God gives, 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 Almighty Himself?
- secondly, look at the way God gives, and you will find that God, the greatest and highest giver, gives in a way that is beyond measure. For that which He gives, He does not give as an earned reward, out of duty, but, as the words read, 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, neither with God nor with men, than love. As we see, what a man loves, he stakes his life and limb on, and therefore gladly and willingly risks everything he has. Patience, chastity, temperance, etc., 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 along with it. So also he who is pious and just,
He does no one wrong or harm, much less deprives another of his own; indeed, he gives everyone his own, gives reward and recompense for merit and good deeds; but whom you love, you surrender to, and find yourself willing, happy and ready in all things in which he needs your counsel or help. So Christ also says here that our Lord God gives us, not out of patience, right, or merit, but out of the highest virtue, which is called 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 gives in such a way that it flows from the highest virtue.
(6) Giving in this way, if it comes from true love, makes the gift more delicious and greater; as one is wont to say: This is dear to me, it comes from a dear hand; if one knows that the heart is there. Again, where one doubts the heart, one does not regard the gift very highly. For one does not regard the gift so highly as the heart; the latter brings a great weight to the gift. Therefore, if God had given us only one eye, or one foot, or one hand, and we knew for certain that he had done so out of divine, fatherly love, such an eye, foot, or hand should be dearer to us than a thousand eyes, feet, or hands.
(7) According to such love we should esteem all his gifts worthy, high and glorious; but especially that which is instituted by him for our blessedness and the strengthening of our faith, as holy baptism, the reverend sacrament of the body and blood of Christ (2c). This shall be to us all days as the kingdom of heaven. For even though it does not appear before the world, nevertheless God's great love for us is felt. Now these two things are great: the giver is great, and so is the heart from which the giving flows.
Third, the gift or present is also great and inexpressible. What does the great giver give from his great, divine heart? His one and only Son. That is, given, not a penny nor a florin, not a cow nor a horse, not a
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Eye, nor foot, nor hand, not a kingdom, yea, not heaven with the sun and stars, nor the whole creature: but he giveth his only begotten Son, who is as great as himself.
(9) Such a gift should ever make fire and light in our hearts, so that we would never cease to dance and leap for joy. For as the Giver, God Himself, and the opinion, that is, His heartfelt love, is infinite and inexpressible: so also is the gift, that He gives His only Son. For because he gives the Son, what does he keep? He gives himself with all that he has, at the same time with the Son. As St. Paul says, Rom. 8, 32: "Who spared not his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how shall he not with him give us all things?" Everything must be given with the Son, be it devil, sin, death, hell, heaven, righteousness, life: everything must be ours, because the Son is given to us as a gift and is ours, in whom everything is together, Col. 2, 3.
10 Therefore, if we believe rightly and receive and accept this noble gift by faith, all creatures, whether good or evil, life or death, heaven or hell, must serve us for our good; as St. Paul says, 1 Cor. 3:21-23: "All things are yours; whether Paul or Apollo, whether Cephas or the world, whether life or death, whether things present or things to come; all things are yours. But ye are Christ's, but Christ is God's." For if we want to look at and consider such gifts properly, we must confess that it is a gift above all things in heaven and earth. What is the gold, silver, splendor and glory of the world compared to this treasure? Not so much as a poppy seed against 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 glorious and comforting words rush over before the ears, and yet the heart does not realize them. Where there is a fine purchase of a house or a castle, one runs after it so earnestly, as if our life were set on the temporal good. But here, where they preach so gloriously.
that God gave His Son to the world out of pure love, we are so lax and lazy that it is sin and shame. Who, then, makes us regard such a gift and present so lightly, and not take such words to heart, always remembering them, thanking God for them, and letting them be our greatest joy and comfort? No one does it, but the wretched devil: he has possessed our hearts, that we are so stubborn and cold, 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 stand up and go down with these words every day, so that we might form them a little in our hearts and thank God for such unspeakable blessings at times. These are three parts: the giver, the love and the gift, Jesus Christ, with whom it is all and entirely given. To the fourth is also to be noted the little word "gave". The highest giver gives out of the highest virtue, out of his causeless love, the highest gift, his one and only Son. He does not count the gift as a reward or a merit; he gives so that it remains a gift and is neither borrowed, lent nor paid for, since nothing is to be given for it and nothing more is to be done, except to hold out one's hand and accept such treasure willingly and gladly. He will not only show you the treasure and let you feel it, but the treasure shall be your own; just take it. Oh that God would have mercy that there were not hearts and hands that would accept such a gift as it is offered to us, that it should be and remain ours until eternal life.
(12) But now, what is the name of the people of whom it is said that nothing can be given to one against his gratitude? If a rich gentle prince, out of charity, gave a poor beggar, who had neither clothes nor clothes and could not help himself from hunger, a castle with ten thousand guilders of annual income, and appointed him as a lord, saying, "I will give you all this for nothing;" and the beggar turned his back on him and answered: I will not have it: would not all the world cry out about the beggar, and say that no madder and more senseless man had ever been seen?
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See, he should not be a man, but a cattle? This would be done in front of the world. But now the world is not offered a castle, nor a principality, nor a kingdom, nor an emperorship, but the Son of God Himself; and God says: "Hold out your hand, take it, and let us be takers. But those who do not want it and turn their backs on God are we ourselves. Now count what a great and terrible sin unbelief is, for it is not human to resist a gift and not want it.
(13) Therefore, one can see how the whole world is so mad and foolish and possessed with the devil that it does not rejoice in such gifts and lacks only that, 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 hands and be happy. But because it is God's Son Himself, everyone acts as if they do not need Him. This is the fourth piece. It is to be called a bad gift; we are not to serve it nor pay for it.
Fifth, the taker is also depicted here by name, and is called the world. This is not only an ungrateful, but also a shameful, annoying taker, especially if one wants to hold the world against the gift and count it. For how does the world deserve such love and gift from God, which is the devil's bride, God's enemy and the greatest blasphemer? For after the devil, God has no greater enemy than the world. For apart from Christ, we are all children of the devil. Nevertheless, 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 what the gift is that He gives out of love, listen also and learn what the world is, namely, a great multitude of people who do not believe God, who punish God in His word, even who blaspheme, revile and persecute God's name and word; then who are disobedient to father and mother, murderers, adulterers, traitors, thieves and scoundrels, and so on; as we unfortunately see every day.
and learn that unfaithfulness, blasphemy, shame and vice reign in the world. 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 piece also makes the gift great, that our Lord God does not mind that we are such bad boys; but swallows up in one bite all vice and sin, by which the world profanes his name and word, and lives in all disobedience to God. For because the Giver is so great, and the gift so noble, vice ought to drive Him back; for the sins of the world are innumerable. But God overcomes Himself and puts aside all the sins of the first and second table, and does not want to know it, yes, precisely for the sake of such sin and such misery and wretchedness, in which we poor sinners are stuck or, if it were not for God's help, would have to perish eternally, He allows such love and gift to happen to us.
(17) Should one not then love such a gracious God again from the heart, and take care of all good things toward 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? Nevertheless, it says here that God wants to give and forgive everything to the world. For there must actually be forgiveness of sins, because God loves the world that blasphemes Him. We should open our hearts and 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 nothing else is to be expected or hoped for, but pure grace and kindness: it may well be, in this temporal life, that one nevertheless keeps to this love and makes sure of everything good to God for Christ's sake.
(18) From such thoughts a heart should be glad and of good cheer, that God will grant and give His dear Son to such wicked boys. For I myself must confess that for fifteen years I have kept mass in the priesthood and crucified Christ, and have committed all manner of abominations and idols.
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rei driven in the monastic life. God did not punish such an idolatrous life according to my merit, but revealed His dear Son to me and Himself: He loves me so much that He forgets all my wickedness. Thus the world defiles itself with many sins: nevertheless God has let His love shine, and has revealed the Son, whom He gave to the world before, again through the Gospel, so that we may 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, O Lord God, that we are so ungrateful and do not feel such joy in ourselves! We should be so happy, and not only serve him gladly, but also suffer everything gladly for his sake, and laugh if we should die for the sake of him who has given us such a treasure. Should I not gladly let myself be burned in the fire if I believe such things? 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. Now these are five pieces, all of which are great: the giver, the love, the gift, the giving, and the taker or person to whom it is given.
19 Now follows the sixth part, causa finalis, what God means by such a gift. He does not give it for us to eat, drink, clothe and nourish ourselves with; much less that it should be harmful or poisonous to us; just as he gives his word, baptism, sacrament, not for our harm, but for our salvation and good: but it is to 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 a matter of our having great money, goods, honor, power, or even the whole world here for a little while and being masters 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, so that the devil's head may be crushed, hell may be extinguished, and we may be free from sin, death and hell.
and that we may come out of eternal misery. The high gift shall work that hell may be filled up, and that for a weak heart we may have a sure and glad heart, and not only that, but that we may have life, and life everlasting. Let this be a rich, glorious, even unspeakable gift. For this be praise and glory to the great, merciful Giver for ever and ever, Amen.
- Whoever could blow out his heart would have reason enough to do so, since we hear from the mouth of the Lord Christ himself that he has given us the gift that hell is closed and heaven is opened to us, yes, that eternal life is and remains ours, and that 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 gives us His Son, that we should not perish but have eternal life.
(22) These are words that we cannot sufficiently learn or understand in this life. Therefore, a Christian should pray daily that God would press these words into his heart through His Holy Spirit and set them on fire in it: so that we might become true theologians who speak rightly of Christ and judge all other doctrine, and willingly suffer all that God sends us concerning 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 be rightly loved and bear fruit: we remain this year as before, today as yesterday, that it is a shame and a disgrace that we are so blind with seeing eyes and deaf with hearing ears. And no doubt the damned will lament and cry out on the last day that they have had such comforting words preached so vainly into the air, and have not accepted them.
(23) Seventh, what is the way to take such a gift? What is the bag or the box in which to put this precious and noble treasure? For such things are very much needed. The same is indicated by Christ in the word, "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
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(24) This is a clear, 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 gifts in. For just as God is the giver through love, so we are the takers through faith. There is no work or merit that counts, that we would run to a monastery and do this or that. Our works do not belong to such a great treasure; that alone belongs to it, that one by faith holds up his hands, keeps still and lets himself be given. So this treasure is given by God through love, and accepted and received by us through faith, that is, when 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 on Him all our sin, as John the Baptist says from the prophet Isaiah: "This is God's Lamb, who bears the sin of the world." Whoever believes such things is certainly blessed. For the gift is so great that it swallows up death, sin and all misfortune. As if a drop of water were poured into a great furnace, so all the sins of the world are counted against this treasure. As soon as they touch Christ, and this treasure is taken by faith, they are swallowed up and devoured; as a straw is consumed by the great fire, or a grain of sand by the vast sea.
This is what the text wants: "Thus God loved the world" 2c. These are golden and living words. May God grant that we may sit with them in our hearts! For whoever has grasped them, neither the devil nor sin nor death will be able to frighten him, but will be joyful and say with certain confidence: "I am undaunted, for I have God's Son, whom God has given me out of love: this cannot be lacking; for there is God's word, the holy gospel, which testifies to it. But your word, O Lord, and your Son Jesus will not deceive me; in them I trust and build. But if I am not strong enough in faith, grant that I may be stronger.
Otherwise, I can do nothing to such a high gift and love.
So that everyone may learn to take comfort in this gift the longer he lives. For it must be believed, as you have heard from Christ himself. But the firmer the faith, the more joy, pleasure and security one finds in one's heart, so that afterwards one gladly does and suffers everything that one only knows God demands and wants. But everything because God is merciful and wants to show us love.
(27) Yes, you say, if I were as pious and holy as Peter, Paul, the Blessed Virgin Mary, 2c., I would gladly believe and take comfort in such a gift. They are holy and such a gift is undoubtedly supposed to them. But how do I, a poor sinner, come to be sure that I should accept the gift, since I have angered God in so many ways and offended Him so often? Such thoughts do not remain outside, if at such a sermon the heart gets properly dressed and thinks of its mistreatment. Be careful not to go outside the word of God, nor to dwell too long on such thoughts; 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, Paul 2c.; but, world means the whole human race in one heap through and through. Do you now believe that you are a man? If thou canst not believe nor know this, take hold of thine own bosom, or of thy nose, whether thou be not a man as well as other men. Why do you then want to exclude yourself from the little word "world", because Christ with bright, clear words out-
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says that God has given His Son not only to the holy virgins Mary, St. Peter, nor St. Paul, but to the world, that all things should be accepted which are called the children of men? Now if I did not want to accept myself, as if I had no part in him, and you did not want to accept yourself either: then it would have to follow that these words of Christ were not true, since he says that he was given to the world.
(29) Therefore, from such words you should conclude the contradiction, that you should accept this gift as well, and not doubt that he 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. For God did not give His Son to the devil, nor to dogs, nor to geese, but gave Him to us men. Therefore, one should not reproach God in His word, nor say, "Who knows whether I am also among those to whom this Son is given and eternal life is promised through Him? For this is to make our Lord God a liar. Therefore, where such thoughts occur to you, put the cross before you as if the devil himself were there, and do not let such thoughts deceive you; but say, Why do I ask that I am not Peter nor Paul? If God had wanted to give this treasure only to them and their equals 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 have their certain course according to God's order. But here it says that 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, even as much as David and all the apostles. And what was David? Did he not also sin grossly and grievously? Who were the apostles? Were they not all sinners and unworthy enough?
Therefore, no one should follow this argument: I am a sinner, I am not holy nor pious as St. Peter, therefore I must not accept this gift nor console myself. Not at all; but say thus: Be I what I will, I must nevertheless
not prove my God wrong. For I belong to the world. Therefore, if I did not want to accept such a gift, I would be doing this 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 says in general that this Son and eternal life are promised and given to all the world, so that he excludes no one at all. For since he understands all men, neither I, nor you, nor anyone can doubt it. But he who excludes himself will have to give an answer. I will not judge them, he says, but their own mouth will judge them, because such a gift is promised and given to the whole world, which they still do not want to accept out of their own unbelief, against God's word. However, if one wants to consider it correctly, the sacraments of baptism and of the body and blood of Christ were instituted by our Lord Christ for this very reason, that each one in particular should appropriate such a gift and consider and use it as his own.
Let this be said in the simplest way of these words. It is a true, beautiful sermon that can never be unlearned. For it is the main doctrine on which we are to 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. Now everyone may learn what treasure and comfort we Christians have, what the world and God are, and how we come to such grace through faith alone. For the preaching of good works, which are to follow after such faith through the Holy Spirit, belongs to another place. Here we deal only with what we receive from God and how we should accept and grasp it.
(33) Let us call upon God, that we may believe, and cheerfully suffer all things, and die, and be eternally saved. May our dear God help us through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
2108 2.5, 236.237. On the Sunday of Trinity. W. xm, 1482-1486. 2109
On the Sunday of Trinity.
First 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, nor whither it leadeth. 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 you not believe when I tell you of earthly things; how would you believe if I told you of heavenly things? And no man leadeth unto 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.
I do not know why this Gospel was read on the Sunday of the Holy Trinity, because nothing special is said about the article. The words unitas sunt vocabula mathematica.**) Nevertheless, we cannot speak of God, we need such words. But this is also true: when we speak of God with our words, the same words become completely foreign, and sound much different than otherwise.
- but scopus hujus evangelii est spiritualis generatio et abrogatio legis, the actual, thorough content of this gospel is of the spiritual birth and abrogation of the law; that whoever wants to go to heaven must have something better and higher than the law and the works of the law; namely, he must be born again. This is what Christ preaches here to the Pharisee Nicodemo, and
*) Held in the house, 1532.
**) The words Trinity, Unity are mathematical words.
says: If you Pharisees want to go to heaven, you must become different people than you have been until now. It will not do, as you have done and lived until now. It does not happen the way you think, if you want to go to heaven. This is quaestio generalis et status causae, the question and the main point in this gospel: How shall one be saved? The dialectici call it propositionem, hoc est orationem, quae vere aut falso significat indicando, when one says clearly and roundly: This is it, or: This is not it.
(3) So Christ here also begins the answer to this question, and first sets the proposition, saying, Wilt thou be saved? Moses did not; and immediately defined and discussed what it is that does this: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. This is the definitive: Whoever wants to be saved must be born again. If he is not born again, he cannot be saved.
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become. This is the propositio: Quid nos? Quid Moses ? Quomodo intrabimus in vitam? What are we able to do? What can Moses do? How do we enter into life? How do we enter the kingdom of God? Answer: We enter the kingdom of God and come to life not by the law, not by our works, not by our free will and human powers, but by being born again. Lex non est vitae lex: The law is not a law of life, but life is: to be born again. Therefore the disputatio and question in this gospel is: whether the law makes just and blessed, or not? or whether it is enough for salvation to have Moses and the prophets, with the law and with the doing of the law? Here Christ says no: the law is not enough, but one must be born again.
That would be hellish fire, says a Pharisee and hypocrite, if I should have worked, fasted and prayed so much in vain. For these words "to be born again" are a real fallacia to such a Pharisee and saint of works, who understands nothing of spiritual birth. The dialectici call it aequivocationem aut amphiboliam, ut cum dico: Canis latrat in domo ; et canis est in coelo. In German it may be called an ambiguity if I say: The word "dog" means two things: the dog in the house, because he barks, and the star in the sky, which one is used to call the Dog Star, or Margaret Star, from which also the Dog Days have their name. Therefore these words are also a fallacia for Nicodemo. For when he hears that the Lord speaks of being born again, he thinks of a man and a woman, and of the fleshly birth, and says: "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he also go again into his mother's womb, and be born?"
005 But the Lord answered and said, I make a distinction, saying thus, 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. As if to say, I speak of such a new birth, not of flesh and blood, but of water and the Spirit. From this you can see, as I said, that status causae in
hoc evangelio est renascentia, the main thing in this gospel is about being born again. The question is whether one can enter the kingdom of God and be saved through the law, through our powers and works? There Christ answers: No; but one must be born again. To understand such a trade, the antithesis or the opposite helps a lot, as the Lord says to Nicodemo: Until now you Jews have been under the law of Moses, but your fathers did not understand it as you understand it, as if Moses was able to save anyone with his law. Therefore you must have something higher than Moses and the law if you want to be saved. What is that? It is the rebirth.
(6) Then Nicodemus is misled and cannot understand this, as no human reason can come from it or grasp the fact that salvation is apart from the law. It is in our nature and innate in us that everyone would like God to regard him as a pious man who has done much good. As soon as God deprives us of this glory, and reproaches, punishes and accuses us as sinners in whom there is nothing good, we begin to grumble against God. But it is said, "Whoever is not born again cannot see the kingdom of God." The whole man must become new and different. The tree must first become good before it bears good fruit: so man must first become good and pious if he is to do anything good.
(7) That Nicodemus says, "How can a man be born when he is old?" does not rhyme with the matter. For Christ speaks of spiritual rebirth: so Nicodemus understands it of the bodily, fleshly birth. To be sure, this whole sermon was a vain thing to Nicodemus' ears; for human reason cannot comprehend the spiritual birth and such high things of God; as St. Paul says 1 Cor. 2:14: "The natural man hears nothing of the Spirit of God; it is foolishness to him, and he cannot know it." The evangelist John described it in a simple way, and wanted to vex the Jews with it, that they were so coarse fellows, and proudly boasted and said: How? should we
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not be pious and enter the kingdom of God, we who have the circumcision and the law Most?
(8) But Nicodemus thinks he understands it very well; therefore, as I consider it and do not understand his words otherwise, I want to catch Christ in his words and say: You say that whoever wants to enter the kingdom of God must be born anew; truly, that would be a beautiful thing, that an old man should go back into his mother's womb and become new and young. Christ answers: "Dear Nicodeme, I am not talking about the mother's womb, as Moses says; but I am talking about a different and spiritual birth, which is not of flesh and blood, but of water and the Spirit.
(9) Then Nicodemus thinks, Who can float up in the air and be born of the wind? But Christ saith, Wind is wind, and water is water: neither speak I of such wind and water; but I speak of the water of baptism, and of the Holy Ghost. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." How am I to understand this, says Nicodemus. If thou, Nicodeme, saith Christ, wilt not believe this, thou shalt never understand it. "Verily I say unto thee, we speak that which we know, and testify that which we have seen; and ye receive not our testimony."
(10) This is the high and sharp disputation which Christ has with Nicodemus; it is not suitable for children and simple people. Therefore let them learn the fine, beautiful text of the serpent of brass that follows this disputation. For St. John especially is such an evangelist above others, who includes fine funny sayings and sermons, that when you read it, your heart will laugh. The same text I will now also act for the children.
No one goes up to heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the Son of Man, who 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 eternal inheritance.
(11) The people of Israel (as it is written in Numbers 21) had sinned against God by becoming displeased and impatient in the wilderness, because they had neither bread nor water, and they murmured against God and Moses. Then God withdrew His hand and sent the devil upon them, who tormented them with fiery serpents. They bit the people so that they were inflamed by their poison and died of heat, as if from carbuncle. For as soon as they were bitten by the serpents, their skin became fiery red, and they fell down and burned like hellish fire. And even though the snakes were chased away, they soon returned. When they were bitten by the fiery serpents and burned with great heat, one here, the other there, and died in great heaps, the people cried out to Moses, and Moses to the LORD. Then God said to Moses, "Set up a bronze serpent on a pole for a sign; whoever is bitten and looks at it shall live."
There are three noticeable pieces inside. First, the serpent that Moses is to make by God's command must be brass or copper, that is, reddish in color, and similar in all respects (but without poison) to those that, when bitten by the fiery serpents, were red and burned with heat. Second, the bronze serpent must be erected on a pole as a sign. Third, those who want to recover from the fiery snake's bite and live must look at the bronze snake erected on the pole, otherwise they cannot recover nor live.
(13) This is the figure that our dear Lord Christ presents to us, saying, "Just as the bronze serpent was lifted up on the pole in the wilderness, so must Messiah or Christ be hanged on the cross or on the gallows. And as the serpent of brass, which was lifted up in the wilderness, was like unto men that were bitten, but without poison: so must the Son of man, which is without sin, be reckoned equal unto sinners. Just as the Jews in the desert, who were bitten by fiery serpents, were not helped but by looking at the bronze serpent raised on the pole, so the Son of Man must become a serpent and be like the sinners.
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exalted. If you want to be redeemed from sin, death, the devil and hell and be eternally saved, you must believe in the exalted Son of Man, in Christ crucified.
You are bitten by the old serpent, the devil, who has so wounded you with his poison and bite that you lie there condemned to eternal death under God's wrath. With your sins you have deserved, and still deserve, that you must die. If you now want to come from such poison of the devil, to be healed and saved from sin and death, so that sin does not condemn you and death does not devour you, then you must believe in me, who will be raised on the cross. Until now you have undertaken various ways and paths, and will also undertake more ways and paths in the future; as I well know that you will not cease, so that you may be freed from sins and become blessed (as experience also shows that this has happened, not only in Judaism, but also in Christianity under the papacy, with monasticism, nunnery, clericalism and all kinds of orders). But this is the only way: that I am lifted up, and that you look at me, that is, believe in me. I must take your form, I must become as red as your tumor is. I must allow myself to be tortured and crucified, I must suffer death as if I were a sinner and such a man who deserves death. Therefore, only look at me and believe in me, and you will recover from the serpent's poison and live.
This is the only way to escape the fiery, hellish poison of the devil. If we are to be saved, our works, free will, human strength, pain and suffering will not do it, but the glory of Christ, exalted on the cross. For just as nothing healed the Jews, and no medicine helped them against the bite of the fiery serpent, but the appearance of the serpent of brass on the stake: so also nothing helps us from the poison of death and the devil, but the appearance of Christ on the cross. I believe that the Jews have tried all kinds of medicines, have smeared themselves with ointments, have quenched themselves with delicious cooling water, have laid the bitten and the sick in cold earth, as they say,
that this is a powerful remedy against poison and inflammation. But none of this helped; only the sight of the lifted up serpent on the stake made them well. So nothing helps us from our bite, by which the devil has poisoned us, but Christ alone, lifted up on the cross, to be seen.
(16) But such a vision is a spiritual vision, as the Lord himself interprets it, saying, "All who believe in me shall not perish, but have eternal life. This is a spiritual sight, namely, when I look at Christ, exalted on the cross, in such a way that I believe he was born to me and became man, died for my sin and was raised again for my righteousness' sake. In sum, that he is God's Lamb, who also bears the sin of the world for my sake. That is, he was "lifted up," that he bore the color of my poison on the cross, and yet there was no poison in him; as St. Peter says, 1 Peter 2:22-24: "He who did no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth; who reproached not again when he was reproached, neither grieved when he suffered; but brought it home to him who judges aright. Who himself offered our sin in his body on the wood."
(17) He that believeth these things hath everlasting life. Just as the Jews had this temporal, perishable life when they looked upon the bronze serpent raised on the pole in the wilderness, so all who look upon Christ as having died for them and risen from the dead have eternal, imperishable life. Thus we are healed from the devil's bite and poison. Just as the Jews were bitten variously by fiery serpents, this one in the head, that one in the eyes, the third in the hand, the fourth in the foot, and so on; and no one was healed and made whole, except by looking at the bronze serpent which Moses had raised to a pole by God's command: So we are also challenged and afflicted by the devil in many ways, and have many kinds of poison on us, falling here into this sin and there into that sin; over which the devil has bitten us through original sin and wounded us in body and soul, poisoning and corrupting us.
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has. And none of us can be freed from such harm and deadly poison, unless he looks at Christ, on whom God has cast all our sins.
(18) This piece and image of the serpent of brass, in which Christ is depicted, is somewhat easier and better understood. But the previous part, where the Lord disputes with Nicodemus, is sharp and not so easy to understand, especially by children and simple-minded people. For this is the way of the Lord, that he speaks sharply and from wisdom to the wise and prudent. Because Nicodemus is a Pharisee and also a master and teacher in Israel, the Lord speaks sharply to him about regeneration, knocks down everything that concerns salvation, nature, reason, free will, human powers, yes, even the law of God, and says: "All this does not help; whoever wants to enter the kingdom of God must be born again.
Nineteen: But Nicodemus understands nothing of this. I came," he says, "out of my mother's womb and was born; what shall I do now? Shall I be born again? How can that be? How can I become different from what I am now? My mother has already died; and if she were still alive, I am great and old. How can I become a child again and be put in the cradle? It must be so, dear Nicodeme, says Christ; you must become a little child, and be suckled, and swaddled, and carried. For whoever is not born anew cannot enter the kingdom of God. - "How may this happen?" says Nicodemus. It happens in a different way than you think, dear Nicodeme, says Christ, namely, from the water and Holy Spirit.
(20) Nicodemus does not understand this at all, indeed, it is a ridiculous thing to him in the first place, that Christ says man must be born of water and the Spirit if he wants to enter the kingdom of God. For he thinks: water is never a woman, and spirit is never a man; and shall the two, water and spirit, become my father and mother. How can this be? Do you hear, dear Nicodeme, says Christ, what I have said of
of the new birth out of water and the Spirit, you must believe it; with your five senses and with your reason you will not understand it nor grasp it, it must be believed. And sets a likeness of the wind. "The wind," he says, "blows where it wills, and thou hearest the sound thereof; but thou knowest not whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth. So is every one that is born of the Spirit." As if to say, "You hear the wind blowing, but you do not know where it comes from, where it begins, and where it ends. Just as you cannot understand the wind with your reason, what it is, and whether you already hear its blowing by heart, yet you can neither know its beginning nor its end, nor how far it began before you, or how far it ends behind you; so you will much less understand with your reason how the rebirth takes place, by which a man is born into God's kingdom. You hear the word I speak, but you know neither its beginning nor its end. Just as you do not know where the wind begins and where it ends, so you do not know where the word comes from and where it goes out. You hear the bodily voice and the outward word, but you do not see the power of the word, what it does, how the spirit works with and in the word. Therefore the word must be believed, against all seeing and feeling of reason. If one wants to argue a lot about how things should be, then it is over.
21 Let it be well known that faith is necessary if one is to understand these divine things. Just as the Jews in the desert, bitten by fiery serpents, had to close their eyes, blind their reason and look at the bronze serpent on the pole, and keep the word that God had said: "Whoever is bitten and looks at the bronze serpent shall be healed and live: so must we also shut our eyes, and take our reason captive, and look upon Christ on the cross, and believe the word which he said, He that believeth on me shall not perish, but have everlasting life." Many Jews will no doubt have laughed at the must and mocked it with the brazen serpent. Because they have it with
2118 8.8. 245-247. On the Sunday of Trinity. W. XIII, 1496-1499. 2119
They wanted to grasp and grasp with their reason, item, they wanted to do it with other remedies, but they were unsuccessful. Therefore, we should not argue from our reason about these great things, how they are to be done; nor should we subject ourselves to be delivered and saved from the devil's power by other ways and means. For we will not be able to grasp or accomplish it by these means. We must keep to the word that Christ says: "He who believes in the Son of Man, raised up on the cross, shall be saved.
22 From this we see that it is one thing that Christ says first about being born again of water and the Spirit, and that he says afterwards about the serpent of brass. Without first disputing more sharply with Nicodemo how he must be born again if he wants to be justified and saved in any other way. For where one is to be rid of the old serpent, the devil's bite and poison, there belongs a new, spiritual birth; or that is just one, there belongs the sight of Christ being crucified and that one believes in him. Therefore it is one when the Lord says, "He who is born again enters the kingdom of God;" or when he says, "He who believes in me shall not perish but have eternal life."
23 Therefore no human work or merit can help against the power of the devil and against sin and the power of death; just as the Jews, bitten by the fiery serpents, could find neither help nor counsel: but just as the Jews were healed in time from the bite of the fiery serpents without all human help and counsel, only through
the likeness of the serpent of brass, set up on the stake; so we are eternally healed and saved from the devil's poison, without all our works, own righteousness and holiness, through faith alone in Christ alone, exalted and crucified for us.
(24) Nevertheless, one must also be pious and do good works, just as the Jews had to work and do something in the desert: one had to wait and take care of the other, because they were bitten by the fiery serpents and were sick; they had to lie down in bed, eat and drink 2c. So also in this life we have to work, to do our job and office, to serve our neighbor 2c. But by this we do not earn blessedness; but blessedness and eternal life come to us only through the sight of Christ exalted and crucified. Just as the Jews' praying, waiting, caring, and working did not save them from the bite of the fiery serpent and keep them alive, neither do our works save us from the devil's power and give us eternal life.
This is the summa summarum of this gospel. The whole article is that we believe in Jesus Christ crucified for us, who is our serpent raised up by God, whom we are to look upon, that through him we may be healed and live forever. May our dear God and Father, for the sake of His dear Son Jesus Christ, keep us in this doctrine through His Holy Spirit, and let us grow in it from day to day, so that we may increase in the right knowledge of Christ and faith, and finally be saved, amen.
2120 2.5, 247-249. On the Sunday of Trinity. W. XIII, 1499-1501. 2121
On the Sunday of Trinity.
Second sermon.*)
(1) This is one of the high and sharp gospels, which is not suitable for children and silly people. But let us deal with it recently, if it may become clear and light, so that it may be understood. The Lord Christ speaks here of two kinds of birth: of the fleshly birth from father and mother, and of the spiritual birth from water and the Spirit. Those who are born in the flesh are called human beings, having body and soul, reason and senses, eyes, ears and other limbs that belong to a human being. Those who are born spiritually are called Christians and enter the Kingdom of God. In particular, he preaches to Nicodemo about the spiritual birth, saying: "Whoever wants to be a Christian and enter the kingdom of God must have a different birth than the first fleshly birth. The old, fleshly birth does not do. Whoever wants to be a Christian must cast off the old Adam altogether, seek another birth and be born anew. This is the text of the new birth.
2 Nicodemus does not understand anything of the text. Because he does not know more than about the first, old, fleshly birth, and Christ speaks of the new, spiritual birth, or rebirth, it is impossible for him to understand what Christ says. He thinks of a man and woman, and says: "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he also go again into his mother's womb and be born?"
3 Therefore the Lord Christ adds a gloss to the text, saying: "Dear Nicodeme, when I have told you of a new birth, you must not think of a man and a woman, for I am not speaking of such a fleshly birth from father and mother, but I am speaking of such a birth as a man and a woman.
*) Held in the house, 1533.
born of water and spirit and becomes a new man.
When Nicodemus hears this, he becomes more insane and mad than before. If he did not understand the text before, now he understands the gloss much less. He will no doubt have thought: How can a man be born of water and spirit? How can the water become my mother and the spirit my father?
(5) Therefore Christ says again, "Dear Nicodeme, do not be deceived or surprised that I said whoever wants to enter the kingdom of God must be born of water and the Spirit. For I know this for certain, and for this reason I have come down from heaven to preach to men that whoever wants to be saved must be born again of water and the Spirit. Therefore let your reason go, you will not be able to understand this birth out of water and the Spirit with your reason. And he gave him a similitude of the wind, saying, "The wind blows where it will, and thou hearest the sound thereof; but thou knowest not whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth." As if he wanted to say: "Can you not know the impotent wind, nor grasp it with your reason, which goes out and in through your nose, or which chases the clouds up in the sky; how then should you be able to grasp with your reason this high, divine birth from the water and spirit, which is above all human reason and thought? It often happens that it is completely quiet and there is no breeze at all; and soon in a moment a wind rises in front of you, behind you and to the side, on the water and on the field in the grain; and soon, before you really look around, the same wind dies down and stops again. What such wind is, you cannot understand. And
2122 2.3, 249-231. On the Sunday of Trinity. W. XIII, 1501-1504. 2123
If the wind did not blow or whistle, you would not know anything about the wind, whether it is already so mean to you that you live and must live in it. So you can understand much less with your reason what the rebirth is, since a man is born by God's power out of water and spirit to the Kingdom of Heaven.
(6) But as the wind is felt, sensed, and perceived from the blowing and blowing alone, so that when thou hearest its blowing, thou sayest, Behold, how the wind blows; so also the regeneration of man out of the water and the Spirit is known by the word and preaching of the gospel alone, that when thou hearest the word, thou mayest say, Behold, how the Spirit preacheth. Therefore, do not take your five senses into your hand, nor use your reason to find out how the new birth takes place. It is enough that I preach to thee, and that thou open thine ears, and hear me, and say, I hear the gospel preached; the same word that I hear I believe. If then you believe the preaching of the gospel, you will also be baptized, and thus a new man will be born of water and the Spirit, who will enter the kingdom of God.
(7) Nicodemus, not yet satisfied with this, marvels more, and says, "How can these things be? Therefore Christ continues, saying, "Art thou a master in Israel, and knowest not these things?" As if to say, Dear Nicodeme, the more you inquire and question by reason, the less you understand of it, whether you are already a Pharisee and master in Israel. Therefore, as I have told you, you will not be able to grasp or learn anything from this spiritual birth, unless you put away your old head and your five senses, and straight away believe the word that I preach to you. But I will tell you what the breathing and roaring of the Holy Spirit is, just listen to me. When the Holy Spirit roars, he roars like this:
As Moses lifted up a serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
This is the true roaring of the Holy Spirit. If you, Nicodeme, says Christ, now hear such roaring and believe the word, the Holy Spirit comes and makes a new man out of you, who, torn out of death and hell, is born into God's kingdom and eternal life as a newborn child of God.
Now the Lord Christ herewith gives a fine likeness of the serpent of brass that Moses set up in the wilderness, and points it out to Himself as the right master who can make and give the right interpretation and interpretation of the figures and images in the Old Testament. When the Jews became impatient in the desert and grumbled against God and Moses, because they had neither bread nor water, God sent fiery serpents among them, which bit them, so that they fell down in heaps from such a poisonous bite and died. When this happened, Moses prayed to the LORD for medicine and help for the people. Then God told Moses to set up a bronze serpent on a pole and said, "Whoever is bitten and looks at the bronze serpent shall live. And it came to pass, that if any man be bitten of the fiery serpents, and look upon the brazen serpent that is upon the pole, he shall live."
(10) This same brazen serpent, raised up by Moses in the wilderness, was a figure and image of Christ. For just as the bronze serpent that was raised on the pole had the form of a serpent, and yet was a bronze serpent, that is, without poison and harmless to all things: so Christ was crucified as an evildoer and sinner, and yet is righteous, innocent, and without all sin; as St. Paul says, Rom. 8:3: "God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, condemning sin in the flesh through sin." He does not say, God sent His Son in the sinful flesh; but says, "God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh." Christ nailed to the cross was like a sinner, but was not a sinner: just as the bronze serpent was like a poisonous fiery serpent, or had the color and form of the reddish, poisonous bite of a fiery serpent, but was not an evil poisonous serpent.
2124 8.8, 251-253. On the Sunday of Trinity. W. xm, 1504-1507. 2125
- Just as the bronze serpent, which Moses raised on the pole by God's command, chased away and drove out the poisonous fiery serpents, so whoever looked at the bronze serpent on the pole was healed from the poisonous bite and sting of the fiery serpents: So also Christ, exalted on the trunk of the cross for our sin, chases away and drives out the devil with his infernal poison; and whoever looks at the exalted and crucified Christ with right faith, neither sin nor evil conscience, neither death nor devil, neither hell nor eternal damnation will bite him.
- This is the proper breathing and blowing of the Holy Spirit, which roars through the preaching ministry and outward word: that all men and Adam's children are mortally wounded and corrupted by sin, as by the real, fiery, hellish poison of the old serpent, the devil; and that there is neither help nor counsel to heal such damage with all human power, might, wisdom, righteousness and holiness: but that God's only Son must come from heaven, become man, and be lifted up on the trunk of the cross as an evil, harmful worm; so that he might be a powerful, healing remedy for eternal life to all who, poisoned by sin to eternal death, recognize and accept him lifted up on the cross as their Savior.
But in order that we may understand and grasp these things, a new birth is necessary. Now how does this happen? By water and the Spirit, says Christ, that is, by the preaching of the gospel and baptism, by which, as by the outward ministry in the church, the Holy Spirit works in the heart of man. The word of the Gospel shows and reveals to the heart the exalted and crucified Christ, as the only Savior and Mediator. Baptism is certainly a sign and testimony apart from the Word, by which the Word is assured, and in which God promises to keep His promised grace, that He will wash away and blot out our sins, steadily and firmly. With the word and baptism is the Holy Spirit with his power; he kindles and awakens the heart to faith, so that in fear and trembling it holds to the promise with certain confidence.
of Christ. Now when a man firmly believes through the Holy Spirit that Christ, the Son of God, was lifted up and died for our sins on the cross, this makes a new heart and a new mind, and thus becomes a completely new man here through the Word, in the soul; until on the last day also the whole body will be renewed (realiter) essentially, since it will be brighter and more beautiful than the sun.
14 Now it is a great and marvelous thing that thou shouldest believe on him that hung on the wood for thy sin, and that by such faith thou shouldest obtain salvation and help against sin, death, and the devil, without any works of man, and without any doing of man. Just as it was wonderful to say and to believe that the poor people who were lying under the fiery serpents should look at the bronze serpent on the pole, and through such a sight be healed and recovered, without any other medicine and shell. Human reason cannot understand nor comprehend that faith in the exalted Christ should bring such certain help and salvation against sin and eternal death. Therefore, the word must always be preached and this article diligently practiced, so that we may be strengthened in faith against the thoughts of our reason.
- This doctrine makes fine hearts, which in tribulation and temptation of sins take courage, are confident and undaunted, and say, Though I am stung by the devil through his infernal poison, sin bites me, my conscience gnaws me, I feel that I am a child of wrath because of my first birth, condemned to death; yet I know and believe that my Lord Jesus Christ bore my sin on the cross, overcame death and reconciled me to the heavenly Father. I was baptized into this and have the promise of eternal life. Therefore I will cheerfully trust in him. Thus it comes to pass that just as Christ, exalted on the cross, casts out the devil, so also such a newborn man casts out sin, death, the devil, the world and all misfortune through faith in the exalted Christ.
(16) After this, such a newborn man also does good works, is obedient to God, is diligent and faithful in his work, loves his neighbor, helps and serves him wherever he can.
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with he can. Such works follow faith where it is righteous. But where such works do not follow, it is a sure sign that faith is not in the heart, and that such a man has either not yet looked upon the exalted Christ, or has forgotten him again. The devil has bitten him, and the hellish poison is certainly in his heart.
- but those who are righteous Christians, who accept the roar of the Holy Spirit, hear and believe that Christ, God's
Because of the infernal poison and the harmful, murderous bite, so that the devil stung the human race, the Son of God was raised up and died on the cross; and so, through such faith, Adam's children become true children of God, heirs of the kingdom of heaven and eternal life, and fine, friendly people here on earth among the people. This is the teaching of today's Gospel. May the loving, merciful God graciously preserve us in this, 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 things in thy life, and Lazarus, on the contrary, hath received evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And over all this 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.
In this Gospel, our dear Lord Jesus Christ has painted for us a picture and example of a rich and poor man, which is not so difficult to understand. For everyone soon hears what the opinion is, namely that God has to judge both. Rich and poor; if only it would go into our hearts to believe it.
(2) In particular, Christ made this parable at the same time against the Pharisees, who were covetous. He punished their stinginess here
*) Oesfentlich in der Pfarrkirche gehalten, 1535.
not only by the parable of the unjust steward, and what more he preached concerning the same parable, as is written just before this gospel: but also to set before them this example of divine judgment and sentence, which passed upon the rich man, to terrify them, that they should fear such sentence, repent, and amend themselves.
3 But such warning helped the stingy Pharisees in those days as much as our warning helps the rich and stubborn people of this world in our day. For
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This is what the world has come to today, God be lamented, that they are all pious and no one is stingy anymore. In fact, almost all vices have unfortunately now become virtues. Being stingy must now mean: to be frugal, to act with prudence, to be modest and nourishing. And as one does with avarice, so one now adorns all sin and vice in virtue. Murder and fornication are still regarded somewhat as sins; but other sins must almost all have the name as if they were not sin but virtue. Avarice, in particular, has adorned itself so beautifully that it is never called avarice. No prince, no count, no nobleman, no citizen nor peasant is miserly any more, but all are pious, that they speak: This is a nourishing man, this is a skillful man, who thinks to nourish himself.
(4) So it is with other sins also: Hopefulness must not be called hopefulness nor sin, but honor. If a man is honest, it is said, "This is an honest man, he is respectable and honorable, he wants to make a name for his family. Anger and envy must no longer be called anger, envy and sin, but righteousness, zeal and virtue. He who is angry, envious, hateful, it is said, Man is so diligent, so earnest and zealous for righteousness, he has just cause to be angry, he has been wronged and wronged 2c. So there is no sinner left in the world, but, let it be lamented to God, the world is full of saints. Seneca says: Ibi deest remedii locus, ubi vitia honores fiunt: When it thus happens that vices become virtue and honor, there is neither help nor counsel any more. Where the vices are adorned in virtues, there it is over.
(5) For those who do not want to be miserly, this parable and similitude does not concern them any more than it concerned the Pharisees. If a man is proud, and yet does not consider it to be proud and sinful, but honorable and noble, he must no longer be preached to as to being proud; for since he is not a sinner, but holy, how can he be punished? Likewise he that is envious, hateful, and revengeful, and yet thinks that he has cause to be so, is justly angry and avenges himself; for his neighbor has wronged him, and he cannot stand that 2c.: he can no longer be helped. Who will punish and correct those who have done wrong?
Make virtue, sin into righteousness, shame and vice into honor? If avarice is called nourishment, hope is called honor, anger is called zeal, one must let it go unpunished as it goes.
6 This rich man was also of this kind: he did not want to be stingy nor punished for stinginess, even though he was so obsessed with stinginess that he let poor Lazarum die of hunger at his door. And the Pharisees were also of this kind, as St. Lucas reports. Christ preached hard and with all seriousness against mammon and avarice; but the Pharisees mocked him, did not want to be stingy; did as our nobles do now, who make honor out of vice and shame, virtue out of vice, nourishment out of avarice 2c. Therefore Christ says to them: You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. As if he wanted to say: You Pharisees are pious; I cannot rebuke you, for you are no longer sinners, but vain great saints. But you will not deceive God. You deceive no one but yourselves. God will not judge you according to what men think of you. For men do not know you: they do not think of you as stingy, but as honest people. But GOD knows your hearts; and according to your hearts He will judge you.
(7) So the Pharisees and this rich man asked nothing about it; just as today our nobles, peasants, burghers, and gentry ask nothing about it either, let them preach and say what they will. It has now come to the point that the gross vice of drinking and revelry is no longer considered a disgrace, but gluttony and drunkenness must now be called happiness. And just as all vices have become virtues, so it is also with avarice, that I no longer know of a prince, a count, a nobleman, a burgher or a peasant who is stingy; and yet they all do it in such a way that if they could give a bushel of grain for four guilders at the market, they would. Everyone scratches, scrapes and scrapes so that it cracks, from the princely class down to the maid's class. In sum, everything is leprous of stinginess, and yet no one wants to be considered stingy. And
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As it is with avarice, so it is also, as I said, with other sins, such as anger, envy, hatred, pride and the like. What can one do about it? If one preaches against it, they laugh and mock, do not want to recognize their sin nor have done wrong, want to go badly this way, which the rich man here has gone to hell; and they also go to hell with the rich man, no pleading helps. Cause, when they are punished, they color and adorn their sin and vice in vain righteousness and virtue; how then can they be helped? Because they want to have it that way, we also let them go with the rich man into the abyss of hell. What can we do about it, because they want to be unpunished and do not want to repent or amend?
Therefore, this is one of the gospels that speaks of the fruits of faith and righteous works of a Christian, which a pious man and righteous Christian should do. But at the same time it shows that all the world is full of avarice and is running toward hell, although no one wants to recognize his avarice. Let us take the words one by one before us, and chew them over to see if they will enter into the heart and move anyone. Listen, says Christ, you stingy Pharisees, who justify yourselves before men, I will tell you a history:
There was a rich man who dressed himself in purple and fine linen, and lived all his days gloriously and joyfully.
(9) The Jews had a good pretense to adorn their avarice, for God had promised them through Moses that if they would be pious and keep His commandments, He would bless them in the field, in the kitchen, in the cellar, and in the closet, that every corner would be full of food; and when the year came around, they would throw away the old, that they might pour out the new. They were soon able to grasp such a promise and teaching, just as ours now soon grasp the gospel, since it is soft. Then they continued, and made a false conclusion out of the promise of God and the right doctrine, and said: God says in His promise: He who is righteous shall
have enough: therefore he who has enough is pious; but he who has want, or is poor, is not pious. Therefore, poverty had to be a punishment from God, like pestilence or other plagues. The false prophets, priests and Levites helped them with their preaching, as the 144th Psalm prays against such false teachers and says v. 11-15: "Deliver me also, and save me from the hand of strange children, whose doctrine is not profitable, and their works are false. That our sons may grow up in their youth like plants, and our daughters like hewn out oriels, like palaces. And that our chambers be full, which can give forth one store after another; That our sheep bear a thousand and an hundred thousand in our villages. That our oxen work much, that no harm, no loss, nor complaint be on distant roads. Thus the false prophets preached to God's people, and yet they had Moses before them. Therefore, I say, the Jews had a good pretense to color their avarice. When they were rich, they could adorn themselves with such doctrine as if they had kept God's commandment, and condemn the poor as if God had punished them for their sin and transgression.
(10) Such a wrong mind Christ touches here and says: You Pharisees justify yourselves as if you were pious; because you have enough, you consider other people who suffer lack to be cursed, and adorn your avarice, so that your mammon must be called God's blessing, and you must have the appearance that you have kept God's commandment. But I will tell you an example of a rich man and a poor man, which example presents you with a different judgment, cursing you rich people and blessing the poor. If you had seen this rich man of whom I speak, you would also have declared him blessed, saying, "To this man God gives goods and all things enough for him to live in joy: therefore it is a sign that he has kept God's commandment. Just as Moses says, "Those who keep God's commandments shall be joyful, shall have peace, joy and all things sufficient; so it is with this one. But I will tell you what the opinion is, so that you may know your falsities.
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and drop them. If God bestows wealth and gives goods, that is good and God's blessing. But if you serve mammon, scrape and scrape together goods through avarice, that is neither good nor God's blessing.
(11) So it is with this rich man. He has much goods; but he is stingy and unmerciful. He does not keep one letter nor one bag of the law of God; yet he has everything enough, has a delicious red purple robe (for purple was better with them than with us is velvet); item, has the best and most delicious white linen; so he is adorned. After that, he has the best, most delicious food and drink, has good, gentle days, goes to sleep at night with peace, gets up in the morning when he wants, is not in misfortune like other people and is not afflicted like other people. In sum, everything is full and he lives a life of joy. According to your judgment he is to be considered a blessed man; but before God he is a godless man who does not lift a finger to God's commandment.
(12) These things ought to be remembered, that we may beware of the false understanding of the Pharisees and perverse teachers. But here a miser would say: Is it evil to be rich and to have goods? Did Abraham, David, Job also have goods, and yet they were saved? Answer: Listen, miserly man: this rich man is not like Abraham, David or Job; for the goods he has, he has not with God and honor. Christ speaks here of such rich men who are stingy; he paints them in this example, and gives them their proper color. Although this rich man is not meager in his body, he is still stingy, snatching everything to himself, gathering goods from other people, so that he becomes a bankrupt and leaves the poor Lazarum to suffer hardship.
So it goes today, too. All the world scratches and scratches, and makes muthwillige theurung before great avarice, if nevertheless our Lord God gives quite years. Well then, I know for certain that you miser will not take your mammon down to hell with you as much as this rich man; otherwise the devil will not take your goods away. So you also need luck, so that your children can have it.
For the proverbs will remain true for your sake: Male quaesit, male perdit: Evil gained, evil lost; Et, de male quaesitis non gaudet tertius haeres: Unjust good does not come to the third heir.
- it would not have been a sin for this rich man to clothe himself, to eat and to drink; for God created the clothing, food and drink, and says it is his blessing. To whom it may become, he may use it for necessity. But stinginess is wrong and sin. Christ speaks clearly, "There was a rich man." Now the word "rich" is a very suspect word in many places in Scripture. Abraham is also rich, but the Scripture does not call him a rich man for that reason; but "rich" in Scripture means almost as much as a usurer or an ungodly man, as Isa. 53. stands v. 9: "He is buried like an ungodly man, and died like a rich man." There the prophet takes "rich" and "godless" for one thing. He wants to say: Christ died and was buried like an evildoer, a rogue and a wicked man, even though he did no wrong to anyone. This is what the Scripture calls "rich." So I do not (should not) desecrate a rich man. Well, is someone stingy, and does not want to hear it from us nor accept that he is stingy and ungodly, he will nevertheless have to hear it, since this rich man has had to hear it. It applies here whether we will deceive God in heaven or ourselves.
(15) This is the rich man who thinks he is pious, sits in the goods before the world with all honors, adorns himself with the word that God spoke through Moses: He who is pious, I will bless him; he makes himself believe that he must not give anything to anyone, nor let anyone enjoy his goods. Think therefore, he that is poor is accursed; again, he that is rich is blessed. I am rich: therefore I am blessed and have kept God's commandment. Lazarus, on the other hand, is poor: therefore he is a sinner and God has punished him.
Now there was a poor man named Lazarus, who lay at his door full of sores, and fed himself with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table.
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The Lord makes it bad enough, and weighs down the rich man hard. Poor Lazarus is full of sores and lies at the rich man's door. Therefore the rich man cannot excuse himself or say, "I did not know; if I had known that there was such a poor man, I would have called him to me, told him, healed him, and provided him with other necessities, so that he should not have lain in the street like a dog. He has no such excuse to make. For there lies poor Lazarus before his threshold, where he is always going out and coming in. Yet he leaves him lying there and gives him nothing; but has taken him for an accursed man, and thought, This man will be an ungodly, wicked man, therefore God has punished him, that he lies there in his pus and sins. So poor Lazarus stank in the eyes of the rich man, who thought he was holy, and yet he was full of all kinds of sins, without faith in God and love for his neighbor, full of avarice, hopefulness and unmercifulness.
17 After this it is also terrible that Lazarus himself comes and begs: not bread, meat, money, but only that which is thrown to the dogs. He asks for the pieces that are left over and fall with him, be they legs or bark, to be given to him. That is not enough. This weighs the rich man down even more, and helps him descend deeper into hell. Such an unkind and merciless man has avarice and hope made of him that he is even a stone to poor Lazarus, and there is not a drop of blood of Christian love, even of a human heart in him.
And what shall we say? The unreasonable animals and dogs come and take pity on the poor man. If they had had bread, they would have given it to him. They do what they can, take the best limb they have, namely, their healing tongue, with which they lick his sores and wipe away his pus. How easily the rich man could have done this, it would have cost him hardly a florin and would have been no harm or damage to his goods. But he despises and condemns the poor man with his
Swarm as a cursed and damned man.
19 Let these examples be told you, saith Christ unto the Pharisees. You think that if you leave poor people lying around, hungry or thirsty, it is a good thing. But turn the page and look at the text. You think that the rich alone belong to heaven, as they alone are the blessed of God. But learn here the contradiction, that no rich man (as the Scripture calls "rich") enters heaven, but that the very poor enter it. Therefore the gospel is preached not to the rich but to the poor. And this is also the truth. If our Lord God had taken only the rich into heaven, no one would be able to get along with the rich. Without that, they make such a fool of themselves with their little party, with the shameful Mammon, that they consider other people to be nothing but geese. What would have happened if God had chosen the rich as apostles? The rich would have been proud and would have said: "Yes, look, our Lord God did not want to take a poor person as an evangelist, apostle 2c., but took only rich people. But Christ turns it around and says, "You who are rich must become poor if the gospel is to be preached to you and if you are to go to heaven. Though ye be not poor in goods, yet must ye be poor in heart.
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.
- Poor Lazarus dies, having no one on earth to bury him gloriously, but he is carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man also dies and is buried, no doubt most gloriously. But there are other angels who wait for him and carry him to hell. It is the other way around. The poor Lazarus is cursed and damned according to the Pharisee's judgment, while the rich man has obtained God's blessing according to the Pharisee's judgment and is a blessed man. And yet the text says: Lazarus goes to Abraham's bosom, but the rich man goes to hell. Therefore
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one must judge rightly, not like the Pharisees, but as it is written here.
(21) But here also a right distinction must be made, saying, A poor man shall not go to heaven because he is poor; and a rich man shall not go to hell because he is rich: but that the former shall be right in his poverty, and have right use of it; and the latter shall not be right in his riches, and have wrong use of them. This is soon said, but this difference is not soon kept. For the old Adam is first of all a wicked mischievous man: when he has that wealth in itself is not evil, and poverty in itself is not good; but that it is up to the man who needs both rightly, and knows how to send himself rightly into them: as soon as he goes to and abuses this difference also for a cover.
(22) The difference is right and good: poverty is not good in itself; wealth is not evil in itself. But he who is able to put himself into it, and bears poverty with patience, for God's sake, and is content, as St. Paul says, Phil. 4, 11: "I have learned to be content with him with whom I am" 2c.: then poverty is a delicious thing and a preparation for eternal life. So also, when a rich man recognizes God's blessings and gifts and says: God has given me riches, I will use them rightly, I will not be proud or proud, I will not be stingy; if a poor man comes before me, I will share with him, help here and there, where need requires it: such a rich man is right in his riches, as Abraham, David were such rich men, and Job, who did not eat his morsel alone. Job 31, 17.
This difference, I say, is right. But how many, think you, are who hold this difference? For old Adam, as I said, is a mischievous man who speaks thus: I know the difference well: poverty makes no one blessed; wealth condemns no one. Therefore, though I am rich, yet such riches do not condemn me. He then goes on, becomes confident and proud, and thinks he can do what he wants with his property. That's how the rogue, the old Adam, is clever. Let every man therefore take heed that he deceive not himself, lest it happen unto him as it hath done.
happen to this rich belly. For God, who is the mouth of all hearts, is not deceived; he knows every heart, and nothing is hidden from him.
(24) Behold, what a mischievous and wicked man the rich man is, that he will not look upon a poor man lying at his door, asking only for the crusts and crumbs, but will despise him, and think him accursed; and before he will give him the crusts and crumbs that fell under his table, he will let the dogs eat them, or they will perish. Such an example is not set here in vain, but is prescribed so that the rich may beware, lest avarice by riches take them by surprise.
(25) This day all the world is toiling and scraping, and yet no one wants to be stingy, but everyone wants to be good evangelicals and true Christians. And such toiling and scraping goes over no one so much as over brother studies, and over the poor pastors in towns and villages. For citizens and peasants no one can almost flay, without what poor people are, who have the house full of children and with their sour work can hardly acquire the bread. Otherwise, peasants, burghers and nobles can increase their grain, barley, work and trade, double or triple their pennies, and thus bear the stinginess and drudgery of others all the more easily. But priests and preachers, and those who have no trade, but live on interest, or, as they say, have to live on the string, and cannot increase their penny nor multiply it, they have to hold out, and let themselves be oppressed and strangled.
How many peasants, burghers, and nobles give to poor Lazaro, who lies daily at their door? Yes, should they give him anything? They prefer to exploit him to the hilt; and what they get they squander, waste and squander with all too superfluous food and clothing, either chasing him down the throat or hanging him by the neck. That is why I have often said that such a creature can no longer stand, it must break; either the Turk, or else Brother Vitus will come, and all at once take away purely what has long been maltreated and stolen,
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has robbed and gathered; or the last day will throw in and put an end to the game. For God can no longer suffer avarice, arrogance, pride, splendor and stealing and robbery; he must intervene and take control himself, because nothing else will help. They would rather put everything into other things than help poor Lazaro with them. Under the papacy, people were lenient and gave gladly; but now, under the gospel, no one gives any more, but one only oppresses the other, and everyone wants everything for himself. And the longer the gospel is preached, the deeper people drown in avarice, hope and splendor; just as if the poor beggar should stay here forever. This is how the devil has gotten into the people.
27 Now poor Lazarus lies at the rich man's door, and there is no one to take care of him. But the dear holy angels sit there and look at him, because the rich man does not want to look at him. If I were to change, I would rather be poor Lazarus than the rich man, regardless of the fact that Lazarus lies at the rich man's door full of sores, hungry, famished, lonely, and has no guardian; but the rich man has everything. For I would rather have one angel for a guardian and watchman than a hundred Roman emperors with all their power. Now the text says that not one, but many angels waited for Lazarum, until his soul was delivered. O how evil it has happened to the man on earth that he has no one to wait for him. But now he has many angels waiting for him and carrying his soul into Abraham's bosom. I would also like to have such little children carry my soul, as Lazarus had. On the other hand, the rich man also has enough servants around him who look to him. Around his bed stand his servants, who take care of him; behind him a whole pharmacy is prepared. All around him, above him, below him, and on all sides are twenty or thirty devils, who wait for his soul to flee and carry it off to hell. These are very unequal little children compared to the little children who were waiting for poor Lazari's soul.
28 The Lord speaks and means these things.
with all seriousness, so that one may beware of avarice and not become safe. We are in great need of such a warning in our time, lest we also make a virtue of the shameful vice, the tiresome miserliness, as is unfortunately happening now with many. God also knows our hearts, and judgment is just ahead of us if we allow ourselves to be deceived by avarice, in which the rich man has come. Let us calculate what good we do in life, and we will find that we do little enough. What is the point of scratching and scraping and giving hardly a florin a year for God's sake to the church, school and poor, meager people? One will come who will reckon with us and say: "You had poor Lazarum at your door and gave him nothing; you thought you were doing right and well by not offering anyone a penny; you let yourself think that such was not stinginess, that God would not punish you: so now take your wages as you have earned.
We preachers can no longer resist the shameful avarice, which lives and rages as if it were God and Lord in all lands, and yet adorns itself most beautifully. We feel it at the market and in the kitchen, that we keep neither penny nor farthing; but we cannot see the persons whom avarice drives. Now we must let him judge who says here that the devil has led away the rich man. Therefore, let everyone be warned and beware. One now senses a great avarice among peasants, citizens, nobility, especially against the poor priests. This cannot end well. And this is the picture in which the rich man and poor Lazarus are depicted, both living and dying. But let us also hear how the rich man continues in hell.
Now when he was in hell and torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarum in his bosom, and said, 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 suffer torment in this flame.
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30 Then the rich man lies in the hellish heat and torment, lifts up his eyes and sees a different face than before. For now it is revealed to him what he has made. The cover is now gone, so that he has adorned himself before. He can now no longer say that he had to do it for the sake of honor, that he dressed himself so deliciously and lived so gloriously in joy. He now sees that poor Lazarus, whom he condemned at his door, lies in Abraham's bosom like a mother holds her child in her arms. This is a different face. Before he did not want to see this, but now he sees how Lazarus is such a good man before God. Before he saw nothing in the poor man but pus, sores, mockery and contempt; but now he sees in him all glory and a blessed, lovely being.
- He would like to be out of the torment of hell. "Ah, father Abraham," he says, "have mercy on me, and send Lazarum, that he may cool my tongue with but a few drops of water." This is atrociously prefigured. Christ is very strict and swift in this parable or simile. He is very hostile to the shameful, cursed avarice. That is why he depicts the rich man sitting in hell with a thirsty tongue, who would like just a drop of water to cool his tongue, but he cannot have it. He is answered in two ways. First, his Abraham scoffs and says:
Remember, son, that you received your good in your life, and Lazarus, on the other hand, received evil. But now he is comforted, and you are tormented.
Thirty-two to say, You have lost your good; now suffer torment and pain for it. And so you wanted it; therefore you are not wronged. You wanted to have your kingdom of heaven on earth, money and goods were your bliss, delicious clothes and glorious life was your paradise; now let your florins and thalers, your purple and delicious linen, your worldly pleasure and joy help you. What shall Lazarus help thee, whom thou hast forsaken and despised, because he was in a bad way? All this is answered by the divine judgment and sentence. He will
comforted, and thou shalt be tormented. This is the sum of it: the rich belong to hell; but the poor, who have sent themselves rightly into their poverty, belong to heaven.
And over all this 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.
(33) This is the other answer. Even though we would like to come to you and cool your tongue," he says, "it cannot be. We do not do it according to our will, for we owe it to God to will what he wills. We cannot do it according to our ability; even if we wanted to help you, we are separated in such a way that neither of us can help the other. When you and Lazarus were together, and were neighbors, so to speak, he was at your door, so one could serve the other; you were not allowed to step over any gulf; he was close enough to you. You could have had him carried into your stable if you had not wanted to give him a place in your house. But now he has come too far from you that you cannot do him any good, and he again cannot do you any good. The gulf is too wide; you cannot come to us, nor we to you. Therefore you cannot be helped. Thus the rich man is answered.
It is considered that this will be the greatest plague, that the rich and the damned will have to see the poor sitting in heaven, whom they have despised here on earth, as it is also written in Wisdom 5:2 ff. Therefore it will have hurt the rich man heartily when he saw Lazarum in Abraham's bosom. The hellish fire will have been even hotter for him, because he had to see Lazarum in such great honor, whom he had mocked before. And Abraham also does this to the rich man as punishment, that he shows him nothing else but Lazarum. For it is said, Per quae quis peccat, per illa punietur: Wherewith a man sinneth, therewith shall he also be punished, Wisdom 11:17. The rich man had sinned against Lazarum; therefore must he also be punished by him. It will be the same on the last day: our Lord God will punish the poor.
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Orphans, and the rich, the miserly, and the usurers against each other. When a usurer burns in hell, a poor man who has been oppressed and tormented by him will sit in Abraham's bosom. The usurer will see this to his great sorrow.
This is the judgment that the rich man in hell must hear: We will not and cannot help you. Then the rich man must despair of all help forever. I do not want to say here what Abraham's treasure is; it is also not necessary, because people are all too curious without that, worry about unnecessary things and in the meantime leave the main thing. We will probably find out what Abraham's castle is when we get there. Now we shall be satisfied with this, and learn that Christ wants to warn us through this parable, so that we will not be stingy kingdoms. If God gives me his blessing that I have money and goods, then I should be of use to others. If I do not do this, I will hear here from the rich man how I should fare.
Mammon is a cursed treasure that helps no one; indeed, it is a heavy burden that pushes one deeper into hell. But if it is God's blessing that one has wealth and goods, then the goods will be useful to the people. If it is not useful to people, it is certainly avarice and mammon and belongs in hell. We should stick to this and not argue about Abraham's bosom, but let those argue about it who have to do it and cannot avoid it. To this answer the rich man continues, and says:
I beseech thee, 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.
037 As if to say, If it be so, that I am lost and condemned, but Lazarus shall be saved and eternally comforted, send Lazarum unto my brethren. There is no gulf fastened yet; for they are not yet here in the place of torment where I am. Therefore send Lazarum to my father's house, and let my brothers
and testify that I must burn here in hell, so that they may be reformed and saved. This is nevertheless a pious reprobate, who does not begrudge the others the damnation and torment in which he is! But it is not written that the damned are of the same mind, but that Christ so plainly wished to reproach the people, to warn them.
Abraham said to him, "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear the same.
(38) Moses and the prophets, saith he, ran every sabbath day in their synagogues; let them hear the same. For this is how God has ordained it. Just as God's word is preached every Sunday in our country, so Moses and the prophets were read every Sabbath among the Jews. Then Abraham said, "Let them hear Moses and the prophets, and they will know how to live and what to do. We are to keep to the church office and the outward word. God does not want to start anything new with us.
And he said, No, father Abraham, but if one of the dead went to them, they would repent.
(39) Now they are used to the Mosi and the prophets, he will say, therefore it will not do so; but it would be a great and unusual thing, and have a great reputation, if one of the dead should appear to them, and testify to them of my torment in this flame.
And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe if any man rise up from among the dead.
40 The will of the damned must not be fulfilled even in the least. The rich man will be fed and watered as dry in hell as he fed and watered Lazarum here on earth; everything he asks and desires must be denied him. If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, he says, that is, if they can despise God's word, knowing that it is God's word, they will not ask for the dead. And this is true. If God already today
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If a priest sent an angel and did this three or four times, people would get used to it and think as much of it as of the priest's sermon. The same would happen if one of the dead were to rise. For whom God's word does not move in itself, no person moves him, no matter whether he is a dead man from hell or an angel from heaven.
(41) It may be pretended, saying, The preaching by men is vile: but if any man should rise from the dead, we would believe. Item: If the gospel were preached by great men, by princes, kings and emperors on earth, or by angels from heaven, we would believe. But how can we believe, because it is preached by men, and in addition by poor fishermen and lowly, despised people? Such things can be said, but in the end it is nothing. For the person does not bring a man to believe rightly; but God's word must bring him to know that it is God's word who is the supreme person. Whoever can digest that he despises God's word, since he truly knows that it is God's word: how should he not also despise the word of an angel and of the dead? Therefore he says rightly, "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe if any of the dead rise." For the profession and mission of Moses and the prophets is a higher profession and mission than that of a dead man. He who does not hear Moses and the prophets will hear much less the dead. Out of spite, he might want to hear one of the dead for a little while, as today and tomorrow; but the day after tomorrow, such a mission of the dead would be nothing.
(42) Sirach says Cap. 51, 33, 34: "Buy wisdom for yourselves, because you can have it without money, and submit your neck under its yoke, and let yourselves be drawn"; and sets his own example, saying v. 18: "When I was young, before I was deceived, I sought wisdom without timidity, with my prayer." This is spoken from God's word, that whoever is to become pious must start from wisdom, that is, from God's word, which is preached in the church by the pastor. If already Paul, Peter, yes, Christ himself preached it,
it is nothing if one wants to despise it. But it is the same when one loves God's word and believes that it is preached by Paul or Peter, Christ or John the Baptist, the priest or the chaplain; nothing depends on the person, but everything depends on the word. Whoever holds his baptism in high esteem only because he was baptized by the bishop of Mainz, by a cardinal, or by the pope, bases himself not on baptism but on the person. Such a reason will not last long. But the one who highly respects his baptism because it is God's sacrament, order and command, has a certain, permanent reason for himself. The person does not make the baptism better, no matter if it is a pope or a bishop, a priest or a chaplain, it is still not a better baptism than the baptism of the mother of the womb, who baptizes at home in case of need. So the word that the priest preaches is not a better word than that which the chaplain preaches. In sum, it does not stand on the person, but on the word.
(43) If all the dead stood up and preached, it would be nothing; indeed, one could not base oneself on the preaching of the dead, for they could well preach lies. Therefore, God does not want the dead to preach, otherwise He would not have established the office of preaching and appointed apostles, bishops, pastors and preachers for such an office. He gives us his word through the ministry of preaching, which he has commanded men to do. He will not give us his word through the dead, nor has he commanded the dead to preach. So it is written, Isa. 8, 19-21: "But if they say to you, 'You must ask the soothsayers and the interpreters of signs, those who smatter and dispute,' say, 'Should not a people ask their God? Or shall one ask the dead for the living? Yes, according to the law and testimony. If they will not say this, they will not have the dawn, but will go about in the land, smitten hard and hungry." It says that one should not ask the dead nor hear them, but by the law and testimony, that is, by the word, one should judge. God has forbidden the dead to preach, and has commanded those who have a profession to preach His word.
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44 Therefore this is a strong testimony against the poltergeists, that they say, Lazarus shall not preach, but be in Abraham's bosom; neither shall the rich man preach, but be in hell. Now if a poltergeist comes and rumbles in the house, say, Devil, do you not know where you belong? Abraham has Lazarum in his bosom, and the devil has the rich man in hell. If I want to hear a sermon, I want to hear it where God has placed it and ordered it 2c. Where has God placed it? Into the preaching office, into the mouth of the pastor in the church, and into the mouth of the father, the mother, the master, the women in the house. Whoever hears them, hears GOD. He who will not hear them may hear the devil in the dead and poltergeists. How he then
certainly hears the devil in the dead. For God has not commanded the dead to preach; but directs us to the living, to whom He has commanded His word.
45 Thus we have this image of the rich man and the poor Lazari, which is a terrible and serious image against avarice. It is, first of all, a shameful vice, which makes vain unmerciful people, full of all injustice, and hinders all the fruits of the gospel. Therefore, the Lord is not hostile to this vice without cause, especially because it adorns itself so and does not want to be a sin. Our dear Lord God graciously wanted to protect us from it, so that we would not fall into it. But if we are in it, he would help us to come out of it, amen.
*On the second Sunday after Trinity. )
So that we may give thanks to our Lord God and earn our bread, let us read and hear today's holy gospel.
For God Himself says that it pleases Him when one preaches and hears about Him. Thus writes St. Lucas
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 the other said: I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going 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.
This gospel is too rich and has too much in it at once for the young people; therefore we cannot do all the pieces in one hour. But yet you hear that Chri-
*) Held in the house, 1534.
stus here models for the simple a likeness of a householder who invites many to his supper, and those invited do not want to come. Each one who is invited takes something else that is dear to him, so that the householder finally has to send for the
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country roads and force strangers to come in. They do not come willingly, but the father of the house must take a rod. Finally, the father of the house passes a terrible judgment on those invited who do not want to come to the supper, and says: "Well then, those who are invited do not want to come to my supper, which I have prepared so deliciously and everything has been prepared; so they shall never taste it. The sentence is terrible, for it is said this much: Let them go, I will prove to them again something that will not be dear nor useful to them: they shall not taste my supper. They have separated themselves, and despise my supper, to which I have invited them: they shall not be worthy of it, neither shall they ever come to it.
(2) The common man can understand this similitude, and the Lord himself interprets it. For when the one guest who sits at the table in the house of the chief of the Pharisees (where the Lord heals the dropsy) says, "Blessed is he who eats bread in the kingdom of God," the Lord Christ answers by this parable of the Lord's Supper, and draws out how the kingdom of God is to be understood.
3 For the two kingdoms are far separated, the earth kingdom and the heaven kingdom. In this earthly and temporal kingdom, one must set the table, eat, drink, and sleep, so that one may feed the belly and sustain the body; and there one comes willingly and gladly to the Lord's Supper, even uninvited and uninvited, especially if the host is rich, mild, and free of charge, and serves enough and feeds for free. But in the kingdom of heaven there is another supper and other food: there is a householder and host called Heavenly Father, Creator and Lord of heaven and earth. He has prepared a supper, which is a great supper, and there is other eating and drinking than in the fleshly kingdom, and many are asked and invited, and yet those invited despise such a great supper. The other guests are forced to attend, and so the house and the table of this father of the house are filled.
4 The Lord Christ points to this likeness of the Lord's Supper, first of all praising the great, abundant goodness and the greatness of the Lord.
Grace of the heavenly Father, who has prepared such a great and delicious supper, and calls us poor beggars and people on earth to eat and drink with him over his table in the kingdom of heaven. After that, he shows and punishes the great, horrible stubbornness of those invited, that they despise such a rich and delicious meal, from which they could be full forever, and cling to the earth so firmly that they leave God his kingdom of heaven above it.
Spiritually, our dear Lord Jesus Christ Himself is the Lord's Supper. The heavenly Father is the rich man and the father of the house; he prepared a supper, made his dear Son Jesus Christ man, born of a virgin, and made him suffer, choke, mangle, and prepare, as one prepares food, and as one chokes a chicken in the kitchen, puts it on a spit, and roasts it: So the heavenly Father caused his dear Son, as the true paschal lamb to be sacrificed for the sin of the world, to be choked, crucified and roasted in hot love.
- but just as a chicken or other roast meat is not put on a spit and roasted, so that it remains on the spit forever; but when it is roasted, it is taken off the spit and put on the table to be eaten, and to be fed and satisfied, to grow and increase: so also Christ, who suffered and was roasted on the cross, was then taken off the spit, taken down from the cross, laid in the grass, risen from the dead 2c. And all this was done so that the food, Christ, might be presented to the whole world. For it is to be proper food for the whole world, both Jews and Gentiles.
7 This food, prepared, mangled, chopped, and roasted on the cross, is served and presented to the whole world. Where there is a Christian assembly, there is the table. The preaching of the Gospel is the dish. The commissioners are the preachers. Christ is the food. It is put on the table and presented by the mouth of the preacher; for in the preaching of the Gospel this food is put on and presented; for the food is in the Word alone, and is served to the whole world.
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heard with the ears of young and old, learned and unlearned, rich and poor 2c. One gets as much as another, in the whole world, if he only believes; for it is one food, which fills and satisfies all, yea, the whole world could be filled with the food. All believers eat of the Christ, and each one gets him whole, and still remains the Christ whole. This does not happen in bodily food, chicken or capon.
(8) But this food is presented in this way: the gospel is preached, how Christ suffered, was crucified, and died for our sins. And to this end all men in the whole world are invited, that they may come and not remain outside, eating of this food, gladly hearing the gospel of Christ, and believing as Christ is presented in the gospel. For to the offering and presenting belong three things: first, the dish, which is the word of the gospel; second, the minister, which is the preacher's mouth; and third, to believe it from the heart. When these three things come together, man's heart and soul begin to eat, saying, "Here is a deliciously roasted chicken and capon; here is the preaching of Christ; I see and hear the food, the roasted Christ; I am to eat of it; I am thus to believe it, as it is preached and taught in the Gospel. Whoever believes this from the heart eats of this Christ.
Now it's up to the taste. What does this dish give? How does it taste? A properly roasted chicken gives a sweet taste, brings body and soul together, as they say, satisfies and strengthens the body. So also here: if I believe the gospel, I eat of Christ, and my soul feeds and is strengthened, tastes of forgiveness of sins, eternal life and blessedness. When we are in death, sins, pestilence, troublesome times, dangers, terrors, fears, and all kinds of miseries, this is our hunger and thirst; then we need this food. And it is precisely those who are in such distress that this food tastes good to. When such frightened and anxious hearts and consciences hear in the gospel that Christ
He suffered, was crucified, and died for their sins, and was prepared, offered, and presented as food for all hungry and thirsty souls, that is, for all frightened and anxious hearts, and believe this without any doubt: their feeble hearts, afflicted consciences, and troubled souls will be strengthened, comforted, and refreshed.
(10) Through such faith one must take hold of forgiveness of sins, righteousness, eternal life and blessedness in Christ. For Christ alone can quench this hunger and thirst of the soul, chase away and drive out the devil and death, so that they can no longer harm. Therefore, if you eat this food and believe in Christ, who is presented to you through the gospel, you cannot be afraid, but have a free and joyful heart and can say: Christ lives, he is my food, I believe in him. Therefore, if Christ lives, let sin, death and the devil throb. Christ roasted on the cross and died for me, he is my capon, he is presented and set before me in the gospel, I eat of him, believe in him. If he is in me and I am in him, how can I be afraid of sin, death and the devil? That is right to present, eat and taste this food. And whoever eats this food in faith will live forever.
(11) This food therefore redeems from death. Whoever tastes this food and believes in Christ, it is promised to him and he shall have it, that he shall not die, but through faith in Christ be a child of eternal life, as he who has overcome death in Christ. Although death still lives in his body and he must die, yet it shall not hurt him; but when he is buried and eaten by worms, he shall rise again from the dead, and the body shall come forth again at the last day; for his food, Christ, to whom he is implanted through faith, lives; "he is raised from the dead, and dies not henceforth; death shall not have dominion over him" (Rom. 6:9), and shall make all things alive.
- of this food Christ says to the Jews, Joh. 6, 53-56.: "Truly, truly-.
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I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is meat, and my blood is drink. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, abideth in me, and I in him." This is saying that whoever believes with all his heart that I have given my flesh for him and shed my blood for him, he shall be safe from death. Though death devours him, yet shall he come forth again. As I live, so shall he live; though he die in time, yet because he believeth on me, I am in him, and he in me, and shall have power that he should not die. Death shall not have dominion over him. I will be his eternal food, and will give him eternal life. For in me there is no death, but life itself.
013 So also, in Christ there is perfect righteousness, and no sin: sin is not in him. Whosoever therefore hath Christ, and eateth of this meat, being all righteousness and no sin, is righteous also by this meat. Sin shall not accuse him, nor provoke the wrath of God against him; for Christ is his food: because he believes in him, sin must be gone. Even though he still feels sin, he should nevertheless confidently look up to Christ at the right hand of the heavenly Father, and firmly grasp the word of the Gospel, in which Christ is presented. If he does this, let sin be evil afterward: it shall not avail at all; for Christ our food is greater than our sin. Therefore also our righteousness is not called ours (though it becomes ours through faith), but Christ's righteousness.
14 So also, in Christ there is joy, yea, everlasting joy: he mourneth no more, neither travaileth any more, neither sweateth drops of blood, as he did in the garden; but in him is joy and gladness. And the same Christ, in whom is all comfort and joy, has become our food, presented in the Word and eaten through faith. Therefore, when we on earth are forsaken, downcast, and distressed, and something is troubling us, we are to go to
We should run to Christ for this food, and there we should be refreshed, uplifted and strengthened. If Christ, our food, has joy, gladness, life, we shall have it too. Now when sorrow, gloom, and temptation come, and what may come, I shall lift up my heart cheerfully, and say, I look upon Christ, in whom is neither sorrow nor gloom: for my faith doth bear me witness, that he suffered for me, was crucified for me, and for my salvation died, went to hell, and rose again from the dead 2c. Even though I do not yet feel these things, but unhappiness and sadness are stirring in me, such unhappiness and sadness should not win me over. For in Christ there is eternal comfort, joy, peace and happiness. The same is presented and given to me in the Word; in faith I have grasped it, and there I rely. And even if everything in this world turns around and death and worms devour me, I will rise again and live, just as Christ rose and lives.
(15) That is, a great supper, which the heavenly Father and eternal host has prepared and gives, not to one, two, or three people on earth alone, but to the whole world. And if two or more were still in the world, they could all be fed and satisfied, that is, redeemed from sins, death and the devil, and be saved, if they would only believe the gospel and eat of this food. Such a great supper it is. Bread and meat, a roasted chicken or capon lasts for a day, until evening. Perishable food does not last longer than the grave. This is a small, small supper. But this is a great, eternal, true and everlasting supper, which nourishes, strengthens, gives comfort, joy, life and blessedness. Therefore it is called a great supper, because it is infinite and incomprehensible, and gives eternal righteousness, joy and life, as surely as Christ himself has these goods. Only that we come to this supper, accept this food, and eat and drink at this table in the kingdom of God. And so we feed and eat the bread in the kingdom of God. This is a different food than that which is eaten in the earth, in this world.
16 So we are taught and admonished by our
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Dear Lord Jesus Christ, in this likeness of the Lord's Supper, that we should exercise faith well, and grasp it rightly, that it is and will be our food, righteousness, comfort, joy and life, so that we may not soon be terrified by sin, death and the devil, for he can easily take all these away. And this is our only true comfort. For we all have sin and death before us, and cannot escape. There is therefore no other counsel, but that we come to this great and delicious supper, and let our dear Lord Jesus Christ be presented to us in the gospel, and eat of him; that our hearts may be comforted and strengthened by faith in him, and that we may be able to say, when sorrow or terror cometh: Ha, Christ is undaunted; comes sickness, that we may say, Christ shall not die therefore; comes sin, that we may say, Christ shall not become a mischief and a sinner in heaven. If I am evil, it is without harm to our Lord Christ; if I am sad, Christ is joyful; if I am hungry, poor, sorrowful, Christ is full, rich, and full of comfort. Therefore, because he is righteous, holy, and alive, I also am righteous, holy, and alive. Because neither hunger, nor poverty, nor affliction harms him, neither shall it harm me: for he is mine, and I am his. And this is enough of the first part of this gospel.
The other part of this gospel is that our dear Lord Jesus Christ complains about the great hardening of the world, that people do not like this food and seek other food, despise this rich, great, delicious supper, do not like the preaching of the dear gospel, in which Christ is put on and presented; and this is what the great saints do, who cannot accept the gospel of Christ nor come to this supper before their buying fields and oxen, taking wives 2c.
Now it is not evil nor forbidden by God to have temporal goods, to buy fields and oxen, to take a wife. For one must have a wife and child if God provides them; and they must eat and drink, for which one must have cows, oxen, fields, meadows 2c. Therefore, this is not the pity that
they have field, ox, wife and child (for they would have all these things, if only they did not despise this supper); but this is the complaint, that they will not come to the supper, and so cling to the field, ox, wife, that they despise and miss this supper over it.
19 And this is that Christ gives this journeyman, who wanted to be clever and speak highly of the matter, a beating, so that he has to pull in his pipe and shut up. For when he says, "Blessed is he who eats bread in the kingdom of God," Christ answers him with this similitude, as if to say, "Yes, it is good, you speak rightly and well; all the world would be blessed and would eat bread in the kingdom of God. The supper is prepared, and the bread and the food in the kingdom of God is served and presented; if only they did not despise it. Yes, you and your kind, you Jews, would be blessed before others, if you would only do it. For you are invited to the supper of the kingdom of God; if only you would come to it. The food is on the table, John the Baptist points with his fingers and says, "Behold, this is God's Lamb, who bears the sin of the world." But where do we take guests who come to eat and drink? Those who are invited and asked to this supper, they do not eat; those to whom Christ is promised and promised, they do not want to accept him.
20 Therefore these two shall be well distinguished: To have fields, oxen, wives, and to come to the supper of the kingdom of God, and let each go in its own order. Buying fields and oxen, taking wives, is permitted to everyone. God does not ask anything about it, yes, he wants everyone to have his wife to avoid fornication, 1 Cor. 7, 2. But this is what Christ is complaining about here, that people do not want to come to his kingdom for the sake of fields, oxen and wives, and do not ask anything about his great, glorious supper. In the Lord's Prayer we pray first: Hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done; then we pray: Give us this day our daily bread. This is right and well asked. For Christ Himself has made this prayer, and has also commanded it,
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to pray in this way. But if one were to reverse the Lord's Prayer and seek and ask for daily bread first, regardless of where the first thing, namely, God's name, kingdom and will, would remain, this would be wrong and wrongly asked. So also we should first hear and learn the gospel, and then feed the belly. But to forsake the gospel for the sake of the belly is forbidden and criminal.
(21) Now the Jews did so, remaining with their fields, oxen, and wives, and forsaking Christ and his gospel. Our clergy under the papacy do the same today: they do not want to eat the roasted Christ, but instead run into a monastery, vow poverty, chastity, and obedience, and thereby think they will go to heaven. But where is Christ? These leave the great, eternal food, and cook themselves food, toads, snakes and other vermin; as jackdaws are wont to bring food to their young. And what do our people, who call themselves evangelicals, do, to say nothing of the Pabst and his? Peasants, burghers, and nobles cling so tightly to the temporal and transient that they forget about the Lord Christ and his Gospel. Now they would have enough of Christ; they could well stay with wife and child, but they do not want to come to Christ. So they should say, "We will eat and drink in time, but in the meantime we will not despise or neglect the great supper, and let Christ be our true food. If they did that, they would be blessed. But they do not.
(22) Therefore, let us be careful not to be deceived by the world's goods, pleasures, and honors.
All the world hears the gospel now; but when they have heard it, everyone seeks his courage more than before. This is the complaint here, that no one asks about the gospel; but everyone remains with his bugs, caterpillars, vermin. But whoever wants to be a Christian, let him beware that he does not let this meal pass by.
(23) The father of the house pronounces a terrible judgment on those who are invited but will not come, saying, "I tell you that none of the men who are invited will taste my supper. This is what is said: They shall burn forever in the fires of hell, they shall not be comforted nor strengthened. For there is no comfort, joy, life, blessedness, righteousness, without Christ alone. If one has lost Christ, sin, death, the devil, hell, misery and woe must remain. Therefore the Lord warns us, saying, "Take heed to yourselves. Those who despise my word and gospel shall never taste my righteousness, life, salvation, peace and joy, but shall abide in sins, death, hell, strife and sorrow forever.
24 But the world despises all these things, and will not listen to them. But we are to be warned, for we are told not to become crude, but to believe in Jesus Christ, who is presented to us in the gospel. He who has the right faith in Christ has eternal life; even though he still feels sin, death and sorrow, he still has righteousness, life, comfort and joy through Christ in heaven. To this end may the Father of the house help us, through Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, praised forever and ever, amen.
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*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 pence, if she lose one, doth not kindle a light, and turn the house, and search diligently, until she find him? And when she hath found it, she calleth unto her friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found my penny, which I had lost. So also, I tell you, there will be joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
This is one of the most comforting gospels than there is in the whole year. For it is a beautiful, lovely image that Christ compares himself to a shepherd, who wants to go after the poor sinners, search for them and bring them back to justice, so that they are not given to the wolf, the devil, and are eternally condemned. So it is also exceedingly sweet and comforting words that he says: "The angels of God in heaven, the high creatures, rejoice over a sinner who repents.
2 With this the Lord Christ describes his office and kingdom, namely, that he is such a shepherd or king, who does not have to do with the physical and external kingdom, who also does not outline the external, worldly rule, nor does he abolish it; but who deals with poor sinners and has to do with them. Therefore his kingdom is a spiritual kingdom, a kingdom of grace and mercy, a kingdom of forgiveness of sins and eternal bliss.
. 3 The evangelist says that all kinds of tax collectors and sinners came to Jesus to hear him. With this he shows the reason why the tax collectors and sinners came to Christ, and why their future was so dear and pleasing to the Lord Christ, and why they were so dear to him.
*) Held in the house, 1533.
and pleasant, that is, the hearing of his word and gospel, that they heartily desired to hear his preaching, and heard and learned the same with all diligence and earnestness. This is what the tax collectors and sinners did.
4 But the Pharisees and scribes sacrificed in the temple at Jerusalem, had themselves and their children circumcised, did the works of the law, took care to live blamelessly in outward piety, led a good walk and fine outwardly honorable life before the people, and thought that Messiah would also be as holy as they and would deal with holy people, would come for the sake of such outward holiness and piety, and would keep to such holy people as the Pharisees and scribes were. And this would be Christ's kingdom and ministry. When they saw that the Lord Christ had joined the tax collectors and sinners, had accepted them with grace, and was most kindly disposed toward them, they grumbled and said, "This man accepts sinners and eats with them." The Pharisees and scribes could not conclude otherwise, for they knew nothing of Christ's kingdom and ministry, that he had come on earth to save sinners, however great sinners they might be, and however great and many sins they might have committed, if they would only hear his word and gospel, repent, and be saved.
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and believe in him. They understood nothing of this, knew nothing more of God's word than what Moses and the law teaches.
5 The law teaches everywhere in this way (just as all reason judges in this way and cannot judge otherwise): God will do good to those who are pious and keep His commandments; and punish the wicked who do not keep His commandments, Exodus 20:5. 20, 5. 6.: "I, the LORD thy God, am a zealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation, and doing mercy unto many thousands that love me and keep my commandments." Therefore, they could not conclude otherwise than that because Messiah was sent by God, nothing else was due to Him but to deal with sinners as the Law teaches. Since the law says that God is angry with sinners and does not take care of them, but punishes them, Christ must and should also do the same, rejecting tax collectors and sinners unkindly and letting them go.
The Lord Christ answers them with these two parables of the shepherd with the lost sheep and of the woman with the lost penny. He could have answered them from the Gospel that God is not hostile to sinners, nor does He delight in their death and destruction, but sent His beloved Son to save them; as He preached to Nicodemo, who was also a Pharisee, John 3, and says v. 16, 17: "God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." This is a different teaching and preaching than the Law. It does not speak of God's wrath and disgrace on sinners, but of grace and love. Therefore Christ could have answered and said: "You Pharisees and scribes should not only know the law and judge from it how to deal with sinners, but you should also know the gospel and the sermon of grace, which teaches that sinners should be accepted because God accepts them. For Moses himself also points to
another prophet, teaching and word, which will be far different from the law given through him. Elsewhere, but in the same matter, he draws his profession. When he was rebuked and reproached by the Pharisees for eating with tax collectors and sinners, he said in v. 13: "I have come to call sinners to repentance, and not the pious. So he could have put on his profession and said: "I came on earth to save the lost. But he did not answer these Pharisees and scribes in this way, but convinced them with crude parables taken from nature and from common human nature and life, and shut their mouths, just as they had to draw in their pipes and give themselves up as prisoners.
(7) But with these parables he not only describes his kingdom and ministry sweetly and comfortingly, but also indicates a special thought which he has in this matter, namely, that he cannot refrain from being about sinners, seeking them, and doing everything that is conducive to their salvation. "A man," he says, "who has a hundred sheep, and loses one of them, leaves the nine and ninety in the wilderness, and goes to seek the one that is lost," and has neither peace nor rest until he finds it. And when he hath found, he layeth it upon his shoulder with joy, and bringeth it home, and calleth unto his friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep that was lost." This is what a man does with an unreasonable animal and poor sheep. The lost sheep lasts him much more, cares also much more for the lost one, than for the others all; has also much more joy over the lost sheep, if he has found again, than over the nine and ninety sheep, so were not lost. And "a woman who has ten pennies and loses one of them, lights a light, returns to the house, and searches diligently until she finds it. And when she has found it, she makes a joyful feast with her friends and neighbors." And so it happens in all other things: what is lost always causes greater pain, sadness and sorrow.
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and what has been recovered is loved, pleased and comforted much more than what is still left and undiscovered.
8 A mother who has many children is fond of them all, and would not like to have one among them. But when one of them falls ill, the illness makes a difference between all the other children, so that the sickest is now the dearest, and the mother takes care of none more nor waits more diligently than for the sick one. Whoever would then judge the mother's love according to maintenance, would have to say: The mother loves only the sick child, she does not love the healthy ones. This way, says our dear Lord Christ, I also have; the sinners are my purchased, expensive (acquired) good and property; for I have purchased them for myself by my suffering and dying, cost me therefore much more, and cost me more to acquire and acquire, than a sheep costs a man, or a woman a penny, or even a mother her children. That it should not hurt me, and that I should not worry about it and assume that they will go out of my way and out of my hands again, is impossible. For they cost me too much and have become too sour for me, and it takes me that they should still be of the devil. Therefore, I cannot leave it alone: as soon as one of my sheep escapes from me, I must act as if the others had nothing to do with me, and go after the one that is lost, seeking it so that the wolves do not get it.
(9) This is the heart of our Lord Christ most kindly and sweetly painted, that it is impossible to make it more sweet and kindly, because he has such care, concern, trouble, and labor, how he may restore poor sinners; and he himself leads us into our own heart, that we should think how we should feel, if we lose something 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.
010 And add unto this, that like as he is minded and affectionate toward poor sinners,
So also there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, over nine and ninety righteous who do not need repentance. And repeats the same saying another time, saying that there is joy in heaven before the angels of God over one sinner who repents. The dear angels and heavenly spirits have a feast of joy and sing a special Te Deum laudamus (Lord God, we praise you) when a poor sinner comes to justice and converts. If a man rejoices over a lost sheep when he finds it again, and a woman rejoices over a lost penny when she finds it again, and the angels in heaven rejoice over a sinner who returns and repents, why do you Pharisees and scribes punish and judge me, Christ wants to say, that I accept tax collectors and sinners who come near to me and listen to my preaching with all diligence and heart?
(11) Such lovely parables and images, and such sweet and comforting words, we should diligently remember, so that we may learn to comfort and endure against evil conscience and sin. For we human beings are all sinners, and there is not one of us whom the devil has not driven into the wilderness, that is, who has lived in such a way that he does not go astray after baptism, like a lost sheep who does not go astray and sin against his God. But where there is sin, it follows that one fears God. For the nature of sin is that it makes a fearful and despondent heart that worries about disgrace and punishment. Thus, human reason cannot conclude otherwise, nor does the Law teach otherwise, than that God is hostile to sinners. Therefore, a heart that knows itself to be guilty cannot naturally do otherwise than fear, and therefore denies itself all grace and awaits punishment. So all power lies with us to conclude with Christ against our own heart and conscience, and to say: I am a poor sinner, I cannot, indeed, will not deny it; but I will by no means despair of it, as if God did not want me. Reason: my Lord Jesus Christ says that a poor sinner is like a little sheep that has lost its shepherd and gone astray. Such erroneous
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He will not let sheep go astray, but will seek them out and carry them to the other sheep. This is an indication that he will not throw us away because of our sins, but will put all his effort into bringing us out of sin and back into grace. He also says that both he and the angels in heaven above take pleasure in it, where sinners come to repentance and are converted.
12 The parable of the sheep and the shepherd serves this purpose especially. It is not a miserable thing, for where a little sheep goes astray from its shepherd in the pasture; it cannot advise itself, is in danger at any moment, that the wolf, if it sneaks after it, catches it and eats it. In such a journey it has no help at all, can neither protect itself nor endure with the least. For there is no animal among all that is created by nature so completely bare and defenseless as a sheep. The same is true for 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 roaring lion, seeing if he may devour us.
- In such a journey this is the only consolation, that we have a shepherd, our dear Lord Jesus Christ, who takes care of us and seeks us, not because he wants to punish us for our sins and cast us into hell, but if he finds us, that he will gladly put us on his shoulders and carry us home, where we will be safe from the wolf and have our shelter and pasture in the best way. But you know how such a search takes place, namely that he lets his word go and sound publicly everywhere; in the same we hear how a terrible misery and burden sin is, which throws us down into eternal damnation. But God was moved out of fatherly love toward us disobedient children, and through His Son has provided counsel and help for us from such misery; ask nothing else in return, except that we accept it with thanksgiving, believe in Christ, repent, and turn to God.
14 But this gospel is not comforting
that Christ is such a shepherd and king, and has such a kingdom and office, that he seeks out, accepts and carries the erring sheep; But also teaches how we should send ourselves against this shepherd, and what we should do, so that we may be brought again into Christ's kingdom, and be made partakers of his grace and love, and from lost, stray sheep become dear, pleasant sheep, from God's enemies God's friends, namely, that we, as these publicans and sinners do, draw near to Christ, hear and learn his gospel diligently and earnestly, and improve ourselves from it. For the hearing of the holy gospel, or as St. Paul calls it, the obedience of faith, takes away and wipes out sin and everything that follows sin, namely, God's wrath, eternal death and damnation, so that a sinner is no longer a sinner, an enemy of God is no longer an enemy of God, but is righteous, a friend of God, and a delight to the dear angels in heaven.
- Thus this gospel makes a distinction between sinners, and meets our squires, peasants, burghers, nobles, princes, and all who boast of being evangelicals, who abuse this grace and lovely, comforting parables and examples, and say: Christ loves sinners, the angels in heaven rejoice over a sinner who repents; and yet forgetting repentance, they continue in all kinds of sins, defiance, and willfulness against God and their neighbor, without all fear and timidity, in great shameful certainty, sinning not only freely at God's grace and mercy, but also hate and persecute God's word and the ministers who preach such word, do not hear the sermon seriously, have no heartfelt remorse nor sorrow for their ungodly life and great sin and vice, have learned nothing more from the Gospel than that they can say with their mouths: Our Lord God will not reject sinners, Christ came for the sake of sinners 2c.
16 This gospel does not speak of such sinners, nor should they accept this comfort, for they would deceive themselves and pretend to themselves to their own harm and destruction, so that the longer
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But it speaks of sinners who draw near to Christ to hear him, that is, who learn the word, confess their sin, begin to believe and amend themselves. Such sinners are the right sheep, who want to leave error and let themselves be found by their shepherd Christ; they also hear God's word for the reason that they think about it in order to improve. Christ makes a cross over such sinners and gives them the comforting, joyful absolution: "All your sins are forgiven; you should know that God is merciful to you, only that you do not doubt it, but believe firmly and assuredly, just as I preach to you. Because you hear my word and believe in me, I will take you on my shoulders and carry you into the church, yes, into the kingdom of heaven. I will, yes, I have already done enough for you: therefore you shall have a gracious God and Father in heaven.
- All poor sinners who love to hear God's word and believe in Christ should do this.
recognize their shepherd, savior and king, and draw comfort and joy from them, and do not despair because of their sins. For our dear Lord Jesus Christ calls himself a good faithful shepherd, and he is. For he laid down his life for the sake of such sinners, that he might bear and lead them with all joy into the kingdom of heaven and eternal life.
(18) This is what is called sweetly and lovingly preached, and God's word greatly praised and glorified as the one 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 dear 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 all our hearts, love and esteem those who preach it, so that we too may come to such blessed fruit, be freed from error and from all the ride of the wicked devil, and become eternally blessed. May the dear and faithful shepherd and bishop of our souls, our dear Lord Christ, grant this to us all through the Holy Spirit, amen.
On the fourth Sunday after Trinity.
First sermon.*)
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 how can you see a mote in your brother's eye, and 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.
*) Held in the house, 1532.
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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 misfortune, then a new life must follow, that we may do what he desires of us. Such a new life the Lord puts into one word: "Be merciful, as your Father is merciful.
Now everyone knows well what "merciful" means, namely, such a person who bears a kind, friendly heart toward his neighbor, easily has compassion for him and takes his distress and misfortune, whether it concerns his soul, body, honor or property, with seriousness, and so lets it go to his heart that he thinks how he can help him; proves it also with the deed, and does it with pleasure and gladly. This is called "merciful". He clearly says, "As your Father is merciful." Thus he distinguishes Christian mercy from the mercy of unbelievers and evildoers, which they have among themselves. Sinners and tax collectors (as it says just before this Gospel) also practice mercy among themselves: one loves another, one shows kindness and friendship to another, one lends to another, but in such a way that they take back the same. This is a ruthlessness that does good so that it may receive good or better again. The lansquenets are murderers and reckless knaves, but nevertheless they are merciful among themselves. Harlots, knaves, highwaymen, likewise; the wicked knaves, who cause havoc, also have mercy: but this mercy extends no further than to their fellows and as long as the havoc lasts.
(3) But Christian mercy is like the mercy of the Father who is in heaven. A thief is not merciful to one who does not steal with him, but is merciful to his fellows who help him steal; otherwise he might not steal, if one did not help another to steal. This is a thieving mercy. So also in the house: if someone wants to excuse the household servants, or even they themselves under
To help one another over, if they do not do what they should, that is also a malicious mercy, yes, a devilish mercy. But we, if we want to be Christians, should be merciful, like our Father in heaven; not only to those who are our friends, nor to those who only cause trouble, but to everyone, even to those to whom we are enemies and who are enemies again 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 things are very hard. Ei, we say, what is the knave to me? he has done this and that to me, he has a useless mouth, should I help such a one? I would let him eat the lice and worms. So our nature always wants to pull us out of the ruthlessness, which only applies to our comrades, who play tricks on us, but it does not apply to the others.
(4) This is not the opinion, saith Christ; but if your neighbors have offended you, if ye would be Christians, remember that ye are merciful, and as merciful as ye have your Father which is in heaven for an example; otherwise ye cannot be his children, nor my brethren, who have redeemed you with my blood from sins and death. Now you have done all wickedness to your God and Father in heaven, and have broken all his commandments, so that he would have reason enough to say, "Should I give my son for such desperate husks? I would let them have the devil in the abyss of hell. For they do not fear, love or trust me; they despise, blaspheme and hate me, swear and curse by my name, 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 executes, is kind and gracious, not only gives life and limb, food and drink, wife and child, food and all necessities for this life, but also his Son and eternal life.
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(5) We should also learn to practice such mercy, for if someone has offended us and done something that is not pleasing to us, what is that compared to the fact that we have so often and severely offended God? If God has such great mercy that He gives His only begotten Son to His enemies, so that through Him they may be redeemed from sin and death, and gives us our souls, bodies, goods and everything we need, since He should justly send punishment, hail, thunder, lightning and hellish fire and all calamities: we should also learn to follow this example and say, "Even if this or that person has offended me so much that I should let him eat maggots, I still will not do it. For such would only be a pagan and not a Christian mercy. If he has wronged me and done me wrong, let him go. But because he has need of me and can help him, I will not repay him, for my Father in heaven has done the same to me.
(6) One can see what the peasants are doing everywhere. They are also merciful to one another, but they do not have Christian mercy; if they could give their goods, which they bring to the market, for four dollars, even at a good time, they would rather do it than not. So it is in cities, too: everyone collects money, goes there without a care, feasts and shows off, dances, jumps and is in good spirits, and at the same time lies to and cheats the other wherever he can. This makes one think: "I will do the villains all sorts of mischief again, if they need me. They should all be chased out of the country, the boys, so that the devil may plague them! But a Christian should not do it, but say: What do I care? Although peasants and citizens are wicked, this shall not move me to do them evil again; but I will do as a good tree does: if one breaks off the fruit that it has borne for the year, even though wicked men enjoy such fruit, yet it bears other fruit for a year, and is not angry at all because of it. So will I also do, I will remain a good tree and bring forth good fruit; I will not become evil because of another's wickedness. Is another
a thorn bush that can do nothing but prick, so let it remain; I will not therefore become a thorn bush, but will remain a fine, fruitful vine and bring forth good grapes. For so does my Father in heaven: He gives wicked men and villains as well as the pious and 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, because we well deserve that he let hellish fire rain down. But he does not do this, he does not want to become a thorn bush because of our ingratitude, but says: "If you do not want to be other than evil, then I will remain good, let my sun, my rain go over the good and the evil, the just and the unjust.
(7) This is the example which our dear Lord Christ sets for us, that we may 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 soon avenges itself, and pays evil with evil. This should not be the case among Christians, but they should say: "You are a thorn bush, you have pricked me badly, but for your sake I will not also become a thorn bush, but in your distress I will do you all the good I can, and ask God for you that he may forgive you these things and turn you from a thorn bush into a beautiful, fruitful vine. That is, "Be merciful, as your heavenly Father is merciful," who does the very best to his highest enemies and worst offenders.
(8) Now this is not to be understood as meaning that one should not punish at all. For Christ here preaches to his disciples, who had no rule. The children in the home, the peasants in the village, the citizens in the city, the nobility in the country, the princes in the empire have neither rule nor right against one another. For father and mother rule in the home, the sheriff and judge in the village, the mayor in the city, the princes in the country, and the emperor in the empire. But the children in the house, the peasants in the village, the citizens in the city, the nobility in the country, the princes in the empire are all equal among themselves; for this reason they should keep this rule among themselves, which the LORD
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Here there is that no one should do evil to another, but should be merciful to one another. But if the persons are unequal, as the emperor in the empire against the princes, the nobleman or judge in the village over the peasants: then one should not need 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; lords and wives should also not be merciful to their servants, but should punish what is to be punished and 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 concerning mercy is only for those who are equal. But where persons are unequal, let each wait for his special command, and let not mercy hinder such a command. Where authorities are appointed, they shall punish. But where there are equal persons, citizen against citizen, peasant against peasant, child against child, servant against servant, a Christian shall speak: You have done me harm and evil, may God 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, Such and such things do me harm, such and such things do me harm, so that thou mayest neither judge nor condemn. So no child shall strike another, no peasant, no burgher shall strike another, no nobleman shall overreach another, as if he were lord; but to the prince announce and say: This and that has happened to me, which is not mine to punish, because I do not have the office. I accuse you, because you have the office, so that you punish. This is also called mercy, where one asks God for the offender and seeks this proper means from those who have the command, so that the loose lads may be controlled and their courage increased. So did Joseph, who saw much wickedness in his brothers, but he did not punish it for himself, for he was not commanded to do so, but told his father: Father, so do Simeon, so do Levi; you may watch and defend. That was right and good
and a special work of mercy. But he earned disfavor, hatred and envy with it. For his brothers could not believe that he meant them so well. It is a great work of mercy that one announces it and indicates it to those who can improve it. For with such an announcement one helps the soul from the devil and the body from the executioner. But if one will destroy another and go with him to the judgment, neither the soul nor the body will be helped.
(11) In the same way, among children, servants and neighbors, no one should avenge himself, but ask God for the other, and then, with a gentle and not bitter heart, tell the rulers, parents, lords and wives what has been done wrong. In this way, one helps the other in body, money and goods, yes, even in soul, so that he will no longer be so lazy, careless, careless, forward, unfaithful, and will improve himself. One should learn such mercy: if your neighbor errs and does wrong, or if something happens to you, or you see something naughty, that you do not yourself strike, judge, condemn; but say: I am sorry for your case, I wish you had not done it. But I have neither to punish, nor to correct, nor to change; Christ will not have it from me. This is called praying for your neighbor. Then I went and told the one 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, father, mother, priest, chaplain, and finally also the executioner, who are to punish the unrighteousness. The others, who are not in such offices, should let it go unpunished and show mercy, that is, advise and help with what they can.
(12) We should therefore know that this command is for equal persons. But where there are unequal persons, one is a father, the other a judge, the third a prince, they should also show mercy to their equals, but not to the subjects who do wrong. For there is a special command that they should punish the evil of children, servants and subjects. But
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Where there are equal persons, they should bear a kind, friendly, compassionate heart towards each other, help, admonish, announce. This is called Christian living. But if they scold you about it, as the children and the servants do, and call you a traitor, it does no harm. Think thou that thou mayest remain a fig tree or a good vine, and let no thorn bush make thee. So does the good sun. It now looks at many a rogue who has stolen the previous night or broken the marriage, and nevertheless 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: Although I must now watch your mischievousness, I also want to watch one day when they hang you on the light gallows. Now you are laughing at me, and I must shine at your mischievousness. But what does it matter? if you do not improve, I will shine for your punishment one day.
For 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 let anything go unpunished unless it is followed by correction. Many a one passes through, leaves many lands, and thus escapes punishment for a time. But if no correction follows, then it happens in a strange way that he comes in and receives his reward for his misdeed here also for a time. For the common saying is not missing: He who escapes from his father and mother does not escape from the executioner. God has thus decreed: 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 sentence, that is your deserved reward. This is what God has decreed and commanded. But before ourselves we shall not scold one another, nor bite one another, nor cool our mettle, but shall live a Christian life, that we may learn to be like the Father in heaven in mercy.
14 The Lord Christ elaborates on this teaching with the similitude of the splinter and the beam. For the same likeness
This is especially true of those who want to avenge themselves, saying, "He did this and that to me, and I will pay him back; he is such and such. Against such impatience and revengefulness the Lord sets this parable and says: "What is it that you are so impatient and revengeful? Your neighbor has touched you with a word; what is it? It is a splinter. But thou hast a great beam in thine eye. Your neighbor has a small speck of dust, but your eye is full of large beams. Your neighbor has sinned against you, that is a fault; but what great and grievous sin do you have on your hands, which you have done against God, and do daily?
(15) So we are to learn this likeness in the work, when we see, hear, suffer something that is not pleasing to us, to have patience and say: What is this against my great sin? But in the world it happens that one beats, strikes, stabs and murders his brother for the sake of a splinter, regardless of whether he has a large beam on his neck. For he has never kept God's commandment, is a despiser of God, swears by His holy name, does not hear God's word, is angry with his neighbor, is a murderer at heart, is full of fornication, steals, robs, is perjurious, and in sum, he does not keep the least of God's commandments for a moment. But he does not see all this, and comes to devour him who has spoken a word thoughtlessly. Fie on you, beam bearer! Are you so sharp-eyed to judge your neighbor's faults and so blind that you cannot see your great sin?
(16) Therefore, when a Christian is offended by his neighbor, he should say: There I see a mote; but if I first stand before the mirror, I shall find in myself great beams, as troughs can be made of. What is it that my neighbor offends me? He has done it once in about four weeks. But I have grown so old, and have never kept any commandment to our Lord God, I am such a desperate rogue, my sins are like sabers, and the poor little splinter that I see in my neighbor deceives me? It is not right that the speck of dust on my neighbor should be greater than all the beams on my neighbor.
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rnir. I have done a thousand times more than he; I may think beforehand, as I get rid of the beam in me, so shall I forget the mote in my neighbor. I am disobedient to God and to the authorities, and do not stop sinning: and I, who sin so, will go and make a big beam out of a little word?
(17) We should take to heart this kind teaching and lovely likeness, which our dear Lord Christ sets before us; for it is like this: our Lord God gives us our great sin, and wants to forget our sin, and we do the opposite. Is this not an exceedingly unjust bargain? If we thought about this carefully, we would not judge our neighbor much, but would say to our brother: "Dear brother! God, who gives me so many beams, and not only forgives my sins, but also shows me daily great kindness and lets his sun shine, the same God forgive you your splinter. That would be right and Christian living. But if you want to punish your neighbor, say it to the father, mother, judge, authority 2c. They may correct it, so that the judgment may reach the one who is commanded to judge; otherwise remember: It is a splinter, I will give it to him, and also do all good for the sake of him who has given me much greater beams.
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Prayer, and it shall be given unto you. A full, pressed, shaken, and superfluous measure shall be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you measure with, you will be measured again.
(18) It says. If you can refrain from judging, God will also refrain from judging; if you can forgive and give to your neighbor, God will also forgive and give to you. And not only that, but also, where you let up your judging for a moment, God will let up His judging forever; where you give one farthing, God will give you many bushels full; where you forgive one sin, God has forgiven all your sins before and will forgive you innumerable sins yet.
Again, where you judge, condemn, do not forgive, nor give, you will do so: if you will not let the smallest thing go unscented, God will also pull out the bars. This is how it will be: where you find one splinter in your neighbor, God will find a hundred great bars in you.
(19) Therefore let us consider it well that the Lord preaches to us here, saying: "Be merciful, as your Father is merciful. God the Father is merciful, and thus I have been given abundantly, but in so far as I also give, and yet when I forgive and give a little, God wants to forgive and give again inordinately. Whom this does not move, that where he remains a good fig tree, neither judging nor condemning, but forgiving and giving, there shall be neither judgment nor hell, but only grace and kindness with God, nothing else will move him either. Again, whoever is not frightened by the fact that where we become a thorn bush and find a splinter in our neighbor to judge him, that God, on the other hand, may find a thousand bars in us, nothing else will frighten him either. Are we not great fools, then, that we cannot speak a word too well to our neighbor, when our Lord God showers us abundantly with graces, forgiveness, and giving? And again it can be heard that where we judge our neighbor, condemn him, do not forgive him nor give him, he again also wants to reckon exactly, measure and leave nothing unjudged and unpunished in us. Then an awful measuring will take place.
This is a comforting sermon for the Christians. The unbelievers and pagans do not care, they beat each other over the head, choke and kill for the sake of a word. But we, if we want to be Christians in a different way, should be kind and merciful, gladly forgiving and giving. For the heavenly Father wants to know of no hell, wants to give abundantly, to do good, to forgive sin; only that we also do it to our neighbor, that we also be merciful to those who have offended us. And such mercy shall not be a mercy of malice, as harlots, and knaves, and murderers, have mercy one to another, which is a mercy to the neighbor.
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but that mercy may be shown to the Father in heaven, that we may be kind to those who offend us in word or deed. This is how God's children should live. Turks and others have this
But God has revealed this doctrine to us, and we should also thank Him for giving us such a pure and certain doctrine. Let this gospel be presented briefly and childishly.
On the fourth Sunday after Trinity.
Second sermon.*)
(1) This gospel teaches Christians to live well and to do good works one to another, which are righteous works, not false works that only appear; and is a doctrine that concerns only the Ten Commandments. And no one else does such works except the Christians. In the books of the Gentiles you will find nothing of this teaching. For Christ saith, "Be ye merciful, even as your Father is merciful." "Merciful" is the name of such a man who is kind, benevolent, and helpful to others, who is glad to do good, to save, to help in whatever way he can. This is how far the pagans go when they speak of mercy. But they do not mean that one should do good even to one's enemy, which is what Christ means when he says, "Just as your Father is merciful.
The work of showing love and friendship even to an enemy is done only by a Christian, not by a pagan. The pagans say: One should not do good to the wicked, but only to the pious. And this they considered to be the highest. But Christ says, "No, not so; that is heathenish and earthly speaking. But you Christians should learn to do good and to help even those who have offended you. So he also says just before this text: "If you love those who love you, what thanks do you get? For sinners also love their lovers. And if you love your benefactors
*) Held in the house, 1533.
What thanks do you get from it? For sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what thanks do you get? For sinners also lend to sinners, that they may receive the like again." This is how far the Gentiles have taken their teaching, as they have said: Hand washes hand. But Christ says: "If your mercy is not better than the mercy of the Gentiles, you will not enter heaven. Therefore I also set you as an example, not the Gentiles, but your Father who is in heaven; who does good to the whole world, and pours down with heaps grain, barley, milk, butter, cheese, and what we need, that the whole world may have enough to raise. He pours out Jáchymovs by the cartload and gives whole mountains of silver. If he gave this to the pious alone, he would have paid them all in a moment. But he does not turn back, even though the people are wicked and ungrateful. He therefore does not let his goodness dry up, but always pours out, God grant, it falls on evil or good. Yes, the wicked always get the best and the most.
(3) This Father in heaven, saith Christ, I set as an example unto you that are my Christians, that ye consider not your friends only: for such love and mercy is found among the heathen: but that ye look upon your Father, who maketh his sun to shine on every man, and on murderers, and thieves, and adulterers, and whoremongers.
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He will not let his mercy run out for the sake of the wickedness of the people. But he does not do this; he does not want to let his mercy run out for the sake of people's wickedness. Whoever has been ungrateful, he will find him in his time. But men cannot be so wicked that he should dry up the fountain of his goodness for their wickedness. So do you also: do not be angered, do not withdraw your hand; as the world is wont to do, and say, Eh, all is lost that is done to the wicked. That is nothing said. You may punish him, saying, "You do wrong and sin;" and if he does not turn back, you may report it to the mayor, judge, or to whom it is ordered to punish. But thou shalt not withdraw thy hand to help, but thus shalt thou say, This man hath offended me, I deserve nothing but ingratitude from him; but for his sake I will not cease to do him good.
It is true that in the world one pays for good with evil. Everything that is given to children and servants is almost lost. When the children grow up, they would like their father and mother to die soon. So, too, if one serves the peasants with the gospel, they run over the priests with their feet. One might well become impatient and say: I do not want to preach anymore, I want to close my hands and give no more to the poor 2c. But it is said, No, not so; but rather, Thou doest wrong, and givest evil for good; but I will forgive thee. For because of your wickedness I will not become wicked. I will not become a thistle because thou art a thistle; but I will remain a fig tree and a vine, though thou prick me evil.
(5) A Christian should remain in a kind and helpful heart, so that goodness may be shown even to the wicked. For to be helpful to the good and to serve one's friends is easy; for even murderers can serve their friends, and the heathen can be kind, friendly and helpful, as long as they feel the help. But if the help remains outside, then the kindness and good deeds also dry up.
There one sees it publicly that it is not a spring or living well of love, but only water carried into the sand, that is, a pagan help. But if I do good, and he pays me good with evil, and I say: Well then, go thy way; yet my heart shall be steadfast to do good; I will not therefore grant thee evil, nor help thee to do evil; I will punish thee well; if thou turn not thou, go thy way; If the mayor and the judge do not punish you, you will have one in heaven who will punish you well; he still has so many devils, so many bad boys on earth, so much water, fire, blocks, stones, plagues, pestilence, that he can punish you well. Knowing then that it shall not 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. For they help so long, because they deserve thanks and help again. Where this ceases, love dries up. But a Christian should have such a spring, which cannot be exhausted nor run dry, although the benefit is poured out like water into the sand.
If our Lord God had not helped us sooner, we would have been grateful to Him: where would I have been when I was twelve years old? item, where would I have been when I became a monk and crucified Christ again on the altar with my idolatrous, blasphemous masses? He could have soon beaten me to death before the altar, but he did not, but left me alive and well, gave me food and drink, and preserved me forever. What have I done to him? I have put thunder on my head. A thousand devils would have led me away long ago if God had wanted to reward me according to my merit. So we should also learn from him, so we have a Christian life. And if the truth be told, no work can do us so much good as when you do good to your enemy, for there is no honor, thanksgiving, or pleasure in it, but vain ingratitude. This is right and well done. Works make one merry, and that is called right merry works. But the rest are only pagan works.
2182 8.5, 309-311. on the fourth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 1656-1660. 2183
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.
(7) This is because, as he says afterwards, we all soon see the mote in our brother's eye, but we do not see the beam in our own eye. This is the way of worldly justice and help, that it judges; as soon as someone offends us in the slightest, then the judgment comes quickly: What more shall I do to Schalke? I have done this and that to him; that is the thanks; so and so he pays me. That is an unmerciful mercy, and a heathenish, peevish help, that one judges as soon as the thanks does not follow. And it is well to find, as Gregory says: Vera justitia habet compassionem; falsa autem est duplex iniquitas: Right piety is compassionate; but hypocritical piety is a twofold unmercifulness and wickedness. For such pagan, hypocritical mercy says: I have done this and that to him, but he does all evil to me, offends me 2c. So this pagan, hypocritical mercy would like to have people go the way of the rope, giving some florin, or even ten florins or a skirt, and would like to buy the man with it and make him his servant and his own. Therefore, as soon as people say or do something that is not to the liking of such a hypocritical, merciful saint, or are not of service in a particular case, he immediately says: "Behold, I have done or given this and that to these people, and they may not do this friendship to me. That is, to serve thee again, as the heathen do; and if they serve thee not again, the judging is lifted up.
(8) But it shall be, if thou doest good to any man, and he know it not, or doest evil against thee, thou mayest chastise and warn him, saying, I do thee all good, but thou art ungrateful: amend thyself, or thou shalt run and sin against God. But if you want to become an enemy to him and judge and condemn him, beware. You may punish him and order him to be judged, but you are forbidden to judge, condemn and condemn him. Who knows what God will do with him?
Perhaps he wants to turn him around so that he improves. But if he does not improve, God, as said before, has so many executioners, devils and bad guys that he can punish him in his own time. As you can see, now here, now there an accident happens unawares. With him it will also find itself well. Therefore beware that you do not judge. You may punish him, but do not judge him and condemn him as if you no longer wanted to have anything to do with him. To boast and say, "I have done so much good to him, and he does me all wrong," is a pagan virtue. It is an old, rusty rag to do such good that the whole world should serve you for it. Who would not like that?
(9) Therefore Christ saith all these things: If you judge, you will be judged again; if you condemn, you will be condemned again. As if to say, "It is not for you to judge or condemn. . You may punish, instruct, admonish, tell those who are to judge and condemn, but it does not belong to you to judge or condemn. To forgive belongs to thee; but if thou wilt not forgive, and therefore doest good, that one may be thy prisoner, thou art a mischievous man in thy good deed. You have done good, but out of an avaricious heart: not that you may be useful to your neighbor, but you think, I will help him, and he must look upon me and worship me. This is a shameful holiness. Such a benefactor is twenty times more condemned than the other who is ungrateful. For he doeth good, that all the world should worship him in such holiness. If they do not worship him, he will do no more good. Fie on you, you shameful saint!
(10) Now then, let there be a proper distinction. One should be serious and punish, admonish, instruct in the home, in the city, in the church. But we should punish and do good in such a way that we may seek our neighbor's best interests, and not so that we may be paid for our good deeds and worshipped. If no one wants to thank us for our good deeds, let him be; he will find his judge, and we should not judge or condemn him. But such things are grievous, and it is hard to do good.
2184 2.5, 311-313. on the fourth sunday after trinity. W. xin, iMv-iM3. 2185
and take vain ingratitude for it. 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.
Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
This is a promise. If you forgive from your heart the one who offends you, you will be forgiven again by God and man. For it is understood of the forgiveness of love, that one forgives and pardons another's trespasses. Therefore one should forgive willingly and gladly. Yes, even if your neighbor would not stop sinning against you, yet your heart should be inclined to forgive him, neither hindering him nor desiring you to avenge him, but promoting and creating his best interests wherever you can. Do not reject the person, but do not desist from seeking his best. Just as parents should not cease to seek the best of their children, even though the children are unadvised and ungrateful. Although there is great concern and danger when the children are unthankful.
12 Aristotle writes a history of a pagan who was an unborn son and took his father by the hair and dragged him to the threshold. Then 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. But especially if the children are not grateful to their parents, God will let it happen to them just as they have done, or something worse may happen to them. Therefore, be pious and forgive gladly; God will punish iniquity and ingratitude.
Prayer, and it shall be given unto you. 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.
(13) The Lord has summed it up very well. He wanted us to be fine, pious Christians and to be righteous in every way. Therefore, just as he commanded, one should deal graciously with poor sinners, as God deals with us, neither judging nor condemning them, but commanding God's judgment and sentence, and interceding for them; so he further commands here that in other needs one should also be helpful to them with giving and counsel; and then one should certainly hope that one cannot give so much and so abundantly, but that God will always give more and more abundantly. As the common saying also testifies: "A gentle hand has never failed. 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 one does something that is not pleasing to them, they will not forgive it until one falls at their feet and worships them; therefore God does not forgive them again. So, where they do not know how to enjoy again, they give nothing. Therefore the heavy judgment remains upon them, that God again judges them, condemns them, and will not forgive nor give them.
(14) We should beware of such naughtiness and practice Christian works, doing to our neighbor as our dear God has done in heaven. He cancels the judgment and wants to forgive. He will neither avenge nor condemn, but forgive and give, regardless of how ungrateful we are, and throw his lap and hands full for his good deeds. But if we do not want to stop, he has his hour, when he finds us and punishes us, so that it does not remain unscented. This we shall also learn; if not, then we may wait for the judgment that he says: "With what measure ye measure others, it shall be measured to you again. Let us pray that our dear Father in heaven, for the sake of his Son Christ through his Holy Spirit, will graciously grant us all to become true disciples of Christ, and to have such a heart that there is an inexhaustible fountain of love within that will never run dry, amen.
2186 ".5, 3i3-3is. On the fourth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, iski-E. 2187
On the fourth Sunday after Trinity.
Third sermon.*)
This gospel teaches us to be righteous Christians, not to boast of the faith and the gospel in words alone; as now the world wants to be evangelical. Everyone knows to say much about Christ, but in deed and in work there is nothing behind. So most of those who have and hear the gospel deceive themselves and go to the devil with their faith and Christ, because they have not grasped him correctly. Christ would gladly prevent such evil and teach us to believe rightly. For this reason, present to us not a strange, unknown example, but the example of our Father and our own, which we ourselves have experienced, that he has acted in this way with us. As if to say, Then believe ye rightly, when ye do unto your neighbor as your Father which is in heaven hath done unto you.
(2) In the same way, he preaches Matt. 18 about the servant who owed so much to his master that he could not pay. The lord gives him the debt in full, and the servant accepts such grace from the lord and lets the debt be given to him; but he goes and is ungrateful, not wanting to give his fellow servant a hundred pennies, since he was given ten thousand pounds. Then his lord demands of him, saying, v. 32, 33: "Thou wicked man, I have given thee all things and forgiven thee all things, and wilt thou neither give nor forgive thy fellow servant any thing? Well, in short, you shall also pay all that I have given you and remitted to you in one penny, and you shall not come out of the dungeon until you have paid everything.
(3) Christ teaches the same here, saying, "You have all been in the judgment of God and in condemnation because of your sins. What then has your Father in heaven done? Is it not true that he has neither judged you nor condemned you?
*) Held in the house, 1534.
but forgive you all your sins, abolish his judgment, remove hell and condemnation, and receive you into grace? Then be thankful for it, and do to your neighbor as your Father has done to you; be merciful, neither judge nor condemn, but forgive and give as your Father in heaven has forgiven and given to you. If ye do this, it is a sign that ye truly and firmly believe the forgiveness of your Father which is in heaven, who hath forgiven you all your sins and trespasses, and that ye continue in such forgiveness. If, however, you do not do so, but want to receive mercy together with the servant of the scoundrel there, and do not prove the same to others here as well, then you shall know that you are only muzzled Christians and not righteous Christians, and God will again throw you out of mercy into judgment and condemnation, and deprive you of all the goods that he has given you, and lay all the guilt that he has forgiven you on your neck again; this you shall have for certain. The Father in heaven will therefore say to you, "Christians of the Shallows, I have given you my word, baptism, sacrament, eternal life and salvation, a good conscience and joy, and after that life, limb and all goods; you should have done the same to your neighbor, you should have removed wrath and vengeance against him, as I have removed my wrath and judgment against you. This was to be the sign by which you should have known, whether you truly believed it or not, that I had removed my wrath and judgment. But because ye do not do unto your neighbor as I have done unto you, I will do unto you again as ye do unto your neighbor. You have not been merciful. I have forgiven all your sins, given you my word and baptism, and yet you have not done to your neighbor the hundredth part.
2188 L. s, ns-317. on the Fourth Sunday after Trinity. W. xin, i66k-1669. 2189
want. Well then, I will also take away all grace and mercy from you, I will again draw to myself my forgiveness, eternal life and blessedness, which I had given you; I will again not forgive you, as you do not forgive your neighbor. I had adorned, decorated and praised you with my grace and mercy, but because you do not honor or praise me, but rather dishonor, disgrace and blaspheme me with your unchristian life and conduct, I will not honor or praise you either.
4 Thus our dear Lord Jesus Christ preaches to the false Christians. For they like to be preached grace and forgiveness of sins, that the Father in heaven has abolished judgment and condemnation, death and hell, guilt and torment, evil conscience and all misfortune, for the sake of his Son Jesus Christ; and in their place has given grace, life, blessedness, a good conscience and the kingdom of heaven, without our merit or work. Such preaching, I say, the false Christians like to hear; but that they should also show mercy, love, goodness, kindness and all good things to their neighbor, they do not want to approach.
Therefore, one must preach to such false Christians and say: It is true that God has forgiven all guilt and iniquity out of pure grace, as the example of Matthew 18. testifies about the servant with whom his master wanted to keep account. But at the same time you should know that because God has redeemed you from sins, death, hell, guilt and torment and has made you a nobleman, he wants the interest from you, so that you may also be merciful to your neighbor and remove your punishment and condemnation, as God has done to you. If you do this, you are a true Christian; but if you do not, but here you receive forgiveness of sins, but there you take your nearest Christian captive, strangle and stake him, you are a false Christian, and do not believe that God has shown you such great mercy, forgiven you all your sins, and given you the kingdom of heaven. For if you truly believed this, you would also do to your neighbor as God has done to you. And even if your neighbor does not deserve it for you, you should do it for him.
Do this for God's sake, so that you give him the interest he demands from you.
(6) As it is in the world, to whom one gives the highest friendship, he shows the highest ingratitude. When a prince or lord gives a mansion to someone by grace, he approaches and becomes the lord's enemy, inflicting all the plagues on his lord's subjects. As the officials enjoy the princes that they should serve the subjects, so they torture them for it. It is the same here. God gives all good things for free, one must not earn forgiveness of sins and blessedness from him, he has given everything to us for free, and demands only the interest from us, that we should be kind and helpful to our neighbor; so we go to, and hate, envy, persecute our neighbor to the utmost. Therefore this gospel insists on the fruit of faith, and concludes that if the fruit does not follow faith, it is a sign that we do not believe righteously.
Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, so you will not be condemned.
(7) Ye are escaped from judgment and evil conscience, saith he; therefore watch, and judge not your neighbor. But if you do not, you will have to enter the judgment again. All your sins shall accuse you, everything shall come again, just as if God had not forgiven you anything before. So also, where you condemn your neighbor, where you bite him, God will again condemn you and bite you, will let his punishment pass over you. And it shall not help you that ye are baptized; for your faith is not righteous.
(8) As it is in the house government, when a father has done all good to the children, and a master to the servants and maidservants, yet the children and the servants are not obedient. The children have life and limb through their parents and everything for free. They do not deserve the father's house and farm, inheritance, food and drink; but come to it by birth and out of mercy. Afterwards, however, the children become ungrateful and wish their parents dead. Then the father says to the disobedient son, "You desperate boy, I will have you no more.
2190 D- 3, 317-319. on the fourth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, lees-1672. 2191
to the son; pushes him out of the house and disinherits him. Then the son not only loses his father's grace and favor, but also his honor and his own name, and becomes the son of the executioner.
(9) And as it is in the temporal government, if an emperor, prince or lord favors someone and he becomes ungrateful, the prince or lord has the right and power to punish him for his ungratefulness and to take his good deed back to himself. It is the same in the Church and in God's Kingdom. God gives us His goods free of charge, but we become ungrateful and torment one another, judging and condemning one another. We should be merciful to one another, and one should say to the other, "Forgive me my trespasses and faults, and I will forgive you your trespasses and faults, but we will gladly take forgiveness of sins from God here, and not give forgiveness to our neighbor there. Then God also says: You desperate wretch, you are ungrateful. You want me to forgive you everything, and you don't want to forgive your neighbor anything? Yes, it grieves thee, and thou hast no rest, because thou hast smelled thy neighbor, and hast cooled thy little weary; and I -shall not smite thee, nor revenge myself upon thee? Then will I also close upon thee, and punish thee, that thou shalt no more be called a Christian; but baptism, word, gospel, and all things shall be lost unto thee.
(10) Wherefore let every man take heed and beware, that he be a righteous Christian, and that he keep himself according to the example of the heavenly Father. For Christ sets before us our own example, that we should do to our neighbor as God has done to us. You would have been judged and condemned before, he says, but your Father in heaven has abolished your judgment, condemnation and hell, and will not judge or condemn you. You have such examples in yourselves, in your own person; therefore do likewise to your neighbor. So then you are righteous Christians. But if it happens that you want to receive here, and there you do not want to do anything or prove anything, but your neighbor shall pay you in the most exact way, then God says: You are not Christians. What I have given you, that will I give you.
I will take you back, I will cast you out of mercy into condemnation, I will rob you of all the goods I had given you, and I will require you to pay all the debt I had given you. Therefore you must not boast much of faith; it must also be proved by fruits and works.
Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Prayer, and it shall be given unto you. A full, pressed, shaken and superfluous measure will be given to you in your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, you will be measured again.
11 First of all, God has not measured us with wrath. Since God and I were alone, God graciously measured me. If he 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 would have been so wicked throughout our lives afterwards; 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 and abundantly measured. But afterwards, if you do not want to measure others as God first measured you, wait for nothing else, for as you measure, so God will measure you again. You measure with disfavor; God will measure you again with disfavor. Before, thou wast well, for God had measured out to thee all grace: but now, as thou doest and missest with thine ingratitude, so shall it be measured out to thee.
(12) This is a wonderful sermon, in which one sees that God is more concerned about serving his neighbor than about serving himself. 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 also disagree with us and forgive nothing. Therefore one must measure here
2192 2.5, 319,320. on the fourth Sunday after Trinity. ' W. XIII, 1672-1674. 2193
understand 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 that we were measured with when 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. You are ungracious to them; I will also be ungracious to you. You judge and condemn them; I will also judge and condemn you. You take from them and give nothing; I also will take from you and give nothing. Here the measure is according to faith, that our dear Lord God so takes care of works against our neighbor, that he will call back what he has done good before, if we do not also want to do good to our neighbor.
(13) Therefore, whoever thinks of serving God faithfully, do to his neighbor as God has done to him. That is, he does not judge, he does not condemn, he forgives and gives gladly, be kind and helpful to his neighbor where he can. Otherwise, we will be like the servant in Matt. 18, who was granted grace because the Lord released him and freely forgave all his sins. But since he would not give his neighbor the hundred pennies, nor be patient until he paid them, the ten thousand pounds came upon him again, and he was handed over to the tormentors until he paid everything.
14 Now it is true: it is not possible that we can all avoid this rule.
hold. We very often forget mercy: where we should be kind, we are angry; where we should speak good words, we curse. Whether therefore it 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 go not without conscience, and so continue; but that we soon repent, remembering this image, and do as our Father hath done unto us, that we also forget and forgive, and let no unrighteousness nor thanksgiving make us bitter.
(15) But if one is to forgive, it is also necessary that the part which is to be forgiven recognizes its sin and is sorry. For that I have forgiven the pope, B. V. M. Cochlea, and other enemies of the Word for their sin is not possible for me. Cause: for they have not sin, but hold that they are right in persecuting our doctrine. But if they recognized their sin and said: We have done as fools, and will henceforth cease; then should forgiveness of sins follow. For if sin is to be forgiven, there must ever be sin. Whoever then wants to be right and does not want to confess sin, as Saul did with Samuel, cannot be forgiven sin; for he has no sin, but wants to have done right. But he who confesses his sin finds forgiveness. David confessed his sin and said: I have sinned against the Lord; with him God found that he could forgive, but with Saul he did not find that he could forgive. For Saul wanted to be right. But right cannot and should not be forgiven. That is enough for this time.
2194 L. 5, 321.322. ' On the fifth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 1696-1698. 2195
On the fifth Sunday after Trinity.
First sermon.*)
Today we are to give an offering to our dear Lord God. Since He is rich and has no need of our money and gifts, we should give Him sacrifices of thanksgiving, praise Him, praise Him, listen to His word, and learn from His work to recognize that He is a strong God, and we should strengthen our faith from it. He will remain the same God and Lord, even without our
Thanksgiving, as he was God and Lord before we were created. Nevertheless, he wants his miracles to be praised for our sake, so that there are people on earth who receive such benefits and goods from him. Therefore it is also called Sunday, praise day, thanksgiving day. Such praise and thanksgiving happens when we hear God's word and pray.
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 being gone out, and washing their nets, 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: and Jacob and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simoni's companions, were like unto them. And JESUS said unto Simon, Fear not: for from henceforth thou shalt fish for men. And they led the ships to land, and left all, and followed him.
This work was done today by our dear Lord God, that we should give thanks to Him, praise and glorify Him as a gracious God, and learn to trust Him to help us in all our needs, both physical and spiritual. The evangelist Lucas goes through it briefly, and says badly that Christ preached to the people. But it would have been fine if he had added what the sermon had been, just as St. John does, who surpasses all the other evangelists in that he so diligently describes Christ's sermons. The other evangelists all leave it at that, that they recently and in the summa indicate that the Lord Christ taught the people. But what the words
*) Held in the house, 1533.
They do not indicate that there were such teachings and sermons, or even rarely. St. Lucas says here that the people came to Jesus to hear the word of God. That is, the people heard God's promise, how one should trust God and live rightly toward our Lord God; Christ did not preach anything else. It would be nice to have the words of such a sermon. But we will leave that for now.
There are two pieces in this gospel. The first, that Christ makes these poor fishermen in a hui so rich with one word. They fish all night, which is the best and most convenient time to fish, yet they catch nothing. But at noon, when it is inconvenient to fish and one should rest, they catch much. Christ comforts his disciples with this
2196 2.5, 322-324. on the fifth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 1698-1761. 2197
and Christians, that he will not let them die of hunger; as also the 37th Psalm says, v. 25: "I have been young and have grown old, and have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed going after bread. Whoever can trust in God, He will provide him with so much in the end that he will not die of hunger. If someone dies of hunger, it is a sign that he has not believed or trusted in God, that he has had to repay his unbelief.
(3) The other thing is, that Christ not only giveth unto his disciples a rich draught of fish, comforting them bodily, that they die not of hunger; but comforting also Peter spiritually, and all that were with him in the ship, which feared and were afraid at this draught of fish. For they thought: How come we here together, we poor sinners and this holy man? In such terror he comforted them and Peter, saying to Petro, "Fear not." Comfort him not only with the grace he extends over him, but also promises him that he shall become a fisher of men and catch men. Put a glorious ministry upon him, that the whole world should be fishes, and he should be such a fisherman, catching emperors, kings, princes, noble and base, rich and poor.
These are the two things of which our dear Lord Christ preaches to us in this gospel: first, that he comforts us, that he will not let us die of hunger; second, that he comforts us also, that he will not let us be condemned in soul. Even if our sins are as great as they want to be, we should not despair. The first and physical need, where there is hunger and misery, is great; there he will give enough. The other and spiritual need, where sins are, as we men are all sinners, is also a great need; yea, it is much greater need than the bodily need of hunger. The disciples are all here in sins; therefore they are terrified and doubt. The closer the Savior is to them, the more they want to flee. Lord, go out from me, says Peter, I am a sinful man. He becomes so insane and mad that he wants to push away the one who wants to forgive sin. In such distress Christ will also comfort abundantly, as he did the disciples.
allhier comforts. These two pieces we want to chew the cud a little bit.
First, a Christian should trust our Lord God body and soul. The body: even if he does not catch anything for a whole night, he should not despair, but firmly believe that God will feed him; then he will have enough. The soul: that God wants to help, as Christ helps Petro, and makes him an apostle. A believer has food and drink; even if he is not emperor, there is no power in it. For God does not promise his own people goods of this world, great riches, power, much less half the world; but promises them eternal life, and still wants to give them food and drink here on earth. Now let us see how the people oppose this.
Peter has a peculiar great virtue, and must have been a pious heart, that he can break himself so finely and hold to the word of Christ so stiffly and follow it. For here it is as usual that our Lord God leads and pretends his commandments and works (as reason sees it) very foolishly. Christ tells the disciples to cast the net in the middle of the sea, where it is highest. Otherwise, fishing is such that one does not catch much at noon; the night is much better for it. Also, fishermen do not go out to sea, but stay on land and on the shore, where there are plenty of fish, as fishermen know well. The Lord reverses this and calls Peter to go up to the heights, that is, to go into the sea. And since they had caught nothing the whole night before, he now tells them to cast the net at noon. This sounds like a foolish command. Peter senses that this is not a command 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.
This is a very fine, polite answer. For when God is called something, the thoughts always strike that human reasoning
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Says: "What a foolish commandment is this! When Abraham was ninety and nine years old, and was commanded to circumcise himself and all his household, his reason said, "Pooh, what a foolish commandment is this! So also here, when Christ says, "Go up on high, and cast your nets," thoughts strike from the beginning: What is this? One pretends foolishly. If we were to catch something, we would have caught it by night. What shall we do now? So all the commandments of God are foolish in the sight of human reason; and our manner and nature is that we always want to be wiser than our Lord God. Therefore Peter could have said here: "Should you first teach me to catch fish, and have caught nothing all your life? I know the trade too well. If there should be fish to catch now, I could do it. This is how nature strikes.
8 Peter feels such thoughts and challenges, but he is so pious that 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. Another would have answered: "Dear preacher, forgive me, do not teach me to catch fish; I certainly know better than you can teach me. Wait for your preaching, let me lay the net and fish, it will not do so. Peter also feels such thoughts, could reproach the Lord with them as well as another, and does so politely. But he does not cling to such carnal thoughts, but turns away from his beautiful reason and clings to Christ's word. As if he should say: If I wanted to follow my reason, we would catch a mud. (For reason considers this a foolish commandment, as it well knows how to catch fish; the craft gives it). But I will not now follow my reason or my craft, but the word which thou, O Lord, sayest unto me I will follow; I will put away my mind, and do according to thy word.
(9) This is a fine piece of faith; who could but follow the example of our beloved Peter, and leave all that comes into our minds, and keep the word alone. For this he
We know that one man likes another to believe and follow him. If the master says to the servant, "Hans, do this," it pleases the master when the servant does it; and even if it is wrong, the Lord is not angry about it. Again, it is a very annoying thing when the servant wants to be smarter than the master; when the master orders something in the house and the servant does not want to follow, but says: "Lord, it is really no good, I tried it before, it did not want to do it, it wants to go this way and that way. There the devil is with vain reason, and the servant becomes so clever that nobody can get along with him before great cleverness. No one likes to have such a servant in the house. But truly, the children of men always do this before God in heaven, letting their reason go astray, so that they do not follow the word as they should. As can be seen in the sacramental devotees. Christ says, "Receive and eat, this is my body; drink, all of you, this is my blood." But they say, "No, no, it is not his body and blood, but only a sign of his body and blood; for Christ is seated at the right hand of GOD. So they do not look at the word, but consult their reason, whether it is fitting that Christ should sit bodily at the right hand of God, and at the same time his body and blood should be presented in the sacrament. Fie thy times; that is, to teach the chickens to lay eggs, and the cows to calve, and to teach our Lord God to preach and to speak. If thou hast a servant or a maid to teach thee, thou shalt have great delight in it.
(10) Therefore, God considers it a great honor when we act against Him and His word, as Peter does here. Even though reason wants to lead us elsewhere, we should still stick to ourselves and speak: Reason this way, reason that way; here is 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 like such obedience. If a prince tells his servant to do something, and he quickly goes and does it, he does not argue long about how it should be done, but thinks: "My master told me to do it, and I will do it in the name of God; if it is right, it is right for him and for me;
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If it doesn't work, it's bad for him and not for me. If it is foolishly ordered, then it is foolishly directed, what is it to me? I am there to follow 2c. So it pleases God in heaven when a man keeps the word and says: Away, away, reason! God has commanded me thus in His word; I will do thus as He has commanded me.
(11) If one did what one is obligated to do against God and His Word, there would be great peace on earth. There would be neither sectarianism nor heresy, but all churches would remain finely united and healthy in doctrine. There would be neither war nor dissension, but peace in the land, in the hearts of men, in homes. But because they do not do so, and most of the people are puzzling and disputing, neither wanting to base themselves on God's word nor merely following it, that is where all error and disunity come from.
It is true that we are not without challenges. When it happens to us like Petro, that we work in vain even for one night, we are not lacking in sorrow, and soon we grumble about it, become impatient and think that we want to leave everything and walk away. But one should not give room to such temptation, but remain in one's profession, one way as the other, and let God take care of it. For this we often see, that fine, pious, obedient children are, to whom nothing will go wrong or happen. On the other hand, other bad, disobedient boys are fine and do as they please. But it does not last long, and in the end it is found that the bad things in the beginning at last go well, and the good things in the beginning at last go badly. Therefore, even if it happens to you that you are not well, just hold on and do not let yourself get tired. For it is better to go wrong where thou remainest in obedience, than to go well there. In the end, God brings down disobedience with happiness, however great it may be, and helps obedience with misfortune and adds happiness to it.
(13) Therefore, we must take note of this and follow the beautiful example that Peter
If a man looks only at the word and follows it, he does not let other thoughts that would have occurred to me and to you, and which undoubtedly have occurred to him as well, either err or hinder him from such obedience. If you are a pastor, say: I have begun to preach and to teach the people; but they do not want to go away, they bump here and there; but that does not hurt. Because God commanded me to preach His word, I will not desist from it. If it is wrong, it is wrong for our Lord God; if it is wrong, it is wrong for me and for him. So shall one do in another office and profession, saying, Here is God's word and command, and I will go and cast my net, and let God take care how it is done.
14 For as Peter has the word to cast the net, so God's word and command is upon us, that God commands us to work and do what our profession requires. Whoever looks to such a profession and works diligently, even though good fortune is withheld and blessings are not forthcoming for a time, will at last be prosperous. Peter had the word: "Cast out your nets, that ye may make a haul." This seems to be a ridiculous, even foolish and forgiven promise. For Peter sees neither fish nor burr, hears only the bare word. But on the bare and living word he casts the net there. And because he follows the word, the word is such an excellent word that they decide such a great number of fish that the net also tears and the ships sink. So God will have pleasure and joy in obedience, and will take it to his credit when he finds a man who dares and begins something at his word, and will also give him luck, so that the same man will have enough. Let this be enough of the first consolation and teaching, which is bodily and goes to food, that Christ does not always want to leave his Christians to work in vain. He wants to be with his blessing at their work, and not let them die of hunger, if they only dare to do it confidently and cheerfully on his word.
The other consolation is spiritual. A Christian should also trust his soul to our Lord God. For God in the Gospel comforts abundantly, that he will accept sinners for the sake of his dear Son, will forgive them their sins, and will
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and make them blessed. But such riches of spiritual consolation, concerning forgiveness of sins and salvation, will not go anywhere with us people, even if we are already Christians and have God's word. Our heart speaks forever: I would gladly pray and trust in God, but I am a sinner; where can I go to become pious? Our Lord God is too great, I must not come before Him and pray. In such pusillanimity, fear and trembling, Christ also comforts abundantly in this Gospel, saying: "Do not be afraid, but dare confidently and cheerfully to trust in my word. For Peter also is a sinner, afraid and running; but I will not have him despair, but that he may take heart and courage, and stand in cheerful confidence that I will not cast him out nor reject him for his sin.
But he will have dared on his word. Just as he gives Petro a rich haul of fish when he dares on his word, so he will not let us sink in this spiritual temptation if we dare on his word. If Peter had done this fishing at night in his work, he would have thought that he had obtained the fish through his fishing skill and work. 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 catch the fish, that the word and the blessing of God did it, and that his work did not do it at all. Just as the fish are given free of charge and by grace, so it happens here. Sins are forgiven, not because of our merit, but by grace through the Word. Therefore, we should be accustomed to insist and build on the word, in prayer and otherwise, and let go of unworthiness.
(17) But it is difficult to trust in the word and to reject unworthiness. For the devil always stirs up thoughts in the heart: I am a sinner, I must not come before God. With these thoughts he destroys many a prayer and joy in the heart. Thus we are also inclined by nature to always want to base ourselves on our worthiness, and cannot believe that our
Sins are forgiven by grace. There, in the temporal good, one does not want to follow the word, as Peter is obedient to the word and follows it. If another had been with Peter in the ship, and had heard Christ say to Peter, "Go up on high, and cast your nets, that ye may make a draught," he would have said: Dear Lord, wait for your preaching; I know the fisherman's trade well, I know better how to start it than you can tell me. So it is the same with Petro. Peter thinks and disputes with himself: Dear Lord, I hear you say that I should not be afraid, but I feel it in my heart as it is. If I should not fear, I should not be a sinner, but righteous. If I did not have such a feeling in my heart, I would let your word stand. But because I feel that my righteousness and worthiness do not do it, I cannot believe that your word of comfort should do it. So he lacks faith.
18 In temporal goods Peter can grasp the word a little; but here in spiritual goods he cannot do the art at all; and yet he has a testimony and sign of divine goodness, grace and mercy, that so many fish were given to him before; and it is a wonder that the goodness of our Lord God so terrifies him. So we are also terrified by the greatness of divine goodness and mercy. It is great and unspeakable that our Lord God gives us His only Son, and in addition forgiveness of all our sins, and we do nothing in return. Should one not be terrified and despondent at this? It is said of St. Bernard that at one time a great sinner confessed to him; to him he set five Pater noster for penance. He was frightened and said, "Lord, what do you mean? Have I committed such a great sin, and you impose such a small penance on me? St. Bernard said: "Dear friend, do you think you will atone with this? You would have to live longer if you were to atone for your sin. Now as this man is minded, so are we all minded: if we do great sin, we will have great penance. It is true that we should repent, confess our sin, and amend; but on our repentance, worthiness, and merit, we shall not
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but on the pure and honest grace of God, promised to us in Christ. Apart from Christ and His word we will never come to forgiveness of sins.
19 Therefore Peter gives us here an example to beware of, as he gives us above an example to follow. He says, "At your word I will let down the net." So also shall we say, At thy word will I labor in my profession; at thy word will I take a wife; at thy word will I accept the preaching office. But here he cannot do the art. He should say, "Lord, at your word I will stay here, and thank you for such rich comfort, that you have made me joyful. But he says: "Lord, go out from me, for I am a sinful man"; he wants to despair in his sins. Such is an evil example of unbelief. Here he sees no word of God, but sees only his sin. He should have soon put out the eyes of his reason, blinded the horse, and caught all that is and is called five senses, and kept the word; but he does not do this, but pushes Christ away, saying, "Lord, I am not worthy that you should be with me; go out from me.
20 Now it is true that Peter is not lying when he says that he is a sinful man; such a confession is right. But it is not right that he should call Christ to depart from him. For in this case, if it is important to be and remain with Christ, one must turn one's eyes straight away from our worthiness or unworthiness, sin or righteousness, and not look at any of these, but hold firmly to the word and take hold of Christ in the word. Up there Peter forgets what he is and says: "Lord, I am a fisherman and can fish, but I let go of my craft and at your word I cast my net. So should he do here also, and say: Lord, I am a sinner, and not worthy that thou shouldest be with me; yet now I look not to my sin, but at thy word I dare, and abide with thee. But Peter drops the word here, and looking at his unworthiness, says, "Lord, go out from me; I am a poor sinner." Well, dear Peter, you were such a fine master when you were up there, and here you forget about the
Art altogether. Over there you say: Away, away with the fisherman; here is a word that I should follow. So you should also say here: Away, away with the sinner; here belongs another man, who does not see whether he is a sinner or holy, but who is not afraid, clings to the word of forgiveness of sins, and believes it. In the past you did not see if you were a fisherman, so here you should not see if you are a sinner.
021 Then Christ cometh to Petro's help in such fear and trembling, saying, Fear not: for henceforth thou shalt catch men. As if to say, "Do not look upon your sins; your sins are forgiven you. I will not swallow thee up, but will be gracious unto thee; and will not only do these things unto thee, but I will also work a great miracle with thee, that thou shouldest catch men unto the kingdom of heaven. Why then wilt thou be afraid? I will not condemn you. I am not come to smite sinners with my righteousness and holiness. It is true, I could do it, I would have good reason to do it, but I will not do it, I will not use my right: as I am pious and holy, I will not go away from you for that reason; and my righteousness shall not drive you away, but shall draw you to me, that ye also may be justified and sanctified by me; and I will do this abundantly, that ye may bring others also, whole kingdoms and principalities. Such a net I will give you, namely, my dear gospel. Therefore do not be afraid, Peter; not only shall you have a gracious God, but you shall also help many others to come to what you have come to. With such a net one still fishes today. When the gospel is preached, one casts the net, which then falls over the hearts; the people are the fish that are caught. This is a different kind of fishing.
In this gospel, Christ offers to help us abundantly in body and soul. He gives Petro two ships full of fish, so that he has enough, not only for himself, but also for all the others. So he also gives Petro a rich comfort, and commands him such a ministry, so that not only he may be just and
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but that others may also be brought here, so that they too may become righteous and holy. This is said to be abundantly given; it is only unfortunately lacking in us that we cannot believe it, that we cannot think like this: God will not deny you your daily bread, will not let you be thrown into hell.
(23) Therefore it is the devil that preacheth unto our hearts, Fear. Item: What will I eat and do? Wherewith shall I feed? Christ's word is thus, Thou shalt make a haul. Item: "Fear not." Therefore the thoughts that cause despair, whether of the body or of the soul, are the devil. Christ does not want to feed Peter alone, but also other people with the fish. So he does not want to comfort Peter alone, but also other people, and help them to the kingdom of heaven, if one only wants to follow his word. This is how abundantly he wants to honor faith. Just as he wants to show with this miraculous work what an honor and sacrifice it is to believe in him. He is very pleased, and all the angels laugh when we believe in him and say: Lord, upon thy word I will confidently venture, whether it be spiritual or bodily things. If we would do this, we would be blessed, and it would be as in paradise. After that we would also be right in all things, in life, death, sickness, poverty 2c. We would say, "Lord, at your word I will be sick; at your word I will be a sinner; at your word I will come before you and pray; at your word I will die; at your word I will keep. Thou sayest, I shall go fishing; thou sayest, I shall not be afraid: I stand by it; and whatsoever is preached contrary to such a word in my heart, that know I that it is not the word of Christ, but am sure that the devil speaketh it.
24 So we are to learn these two pieces,
Christ says to Petro, "You shall go fishing"; item: "Do not be afraid. And this is highly necessary for us; for hunger, sin, death, the devil, which we have before us, are strong mountains that cannot soon be thrown away. If these mountains are to be thrown away from us, the word in our hearts must be stronger than hunger, sin, death and the devil. Such things are soon spoken; but when it comes to the meeting, we can do it, just as Peter can do it here. Even though we cannot, we should not lose heart. For Christ did not cast off the disciples as soon as they could not do it; so he will not soon cast us off either. He would gladly have us be able to do it, but because we cannot, he says, "Send thyself a little, that it may be lifted up, that thou mayest not be such a wretch, and say, "Shall I fish first? I tried it before, but it is of no avail; it is a mere word, and seems to have no power; but that thou shouldest follow the word, and say, Lord, at thy word will I do it; and thy word is so strong, that I will fish.
2ö. In spiritual goods it should also be so that we follow the word and dare to trust the word. But we have to learn this all the time, because we are and remain weak, and we have to reckon with this. If we were perfect, we would already be in heaven. The young children know the art, they are not afraid of hunger, nor are they afraid of death. When they die, they go to heaven like angels; neither their soul nor body is afraid; they do not fear where they are going. So should we, at the word of the Lord, go fishing and not be afraid. We should esteem the words as great as heaven and earth. God help us that we may learn it once, amen.
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On the fifth Sunday after Trinity.
Second sermon.*)
In this gospel, St. Lucas describes a history of Christ and his disciples. I would have liked him to also describe what the Lord Christ preached to the people from the ships. But the three evangelists Matthew, Marcus and Lucas have the way that they usually leave out the sermons of the Lord and tell only the history; but John describes many sermons and little history. There are two parts in this Historia: the first is a physical comfort and teaching; the second is a spiritual comfort and teaching.
2 First, the evangelist says that the Lord Christ came to Petro, having labored all the night before, and yet caught nothing. He came to Petro about the time the people were pressing in to hear the word of God, and asked him to lead the ship a little way from land, and preached from the ship. But what he preached is not written. After the sermon, he tells them to go to the deep and make a move, and they catch a large bunch of fish. That would be a very fine householder, who could only have him so, that he would give his Christians more fish than they needed, then everyone would swarm with heaps. 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 have labored in vain a whole night before and then heard God's word; that is, he wants to help the pious and poor, who have suffered hardship before, with his blessing. For he who thinks of going to heaven must not be surprised that he suffers hardship and has nothing; he must first be tempted and have patience. If then one is tempted, and remains faithful to the word and to his work, then Christ will be there and help by rich blessing.
*) Held in the house, 1533.
This is the one consolation that is held out to us here, that we should believe; and even though we do not always have everything, and sometimes lack and are lacking, we should not despair or despair, but hope that the blessing will surely come. For so it is with Petro and his companions: they labor all night in vain, yet they can catch nothing, nor do they know where to get fish. But Christ, our dear Lord, comes and first gives them his word and makes Christians out of them. Then he tells them to go out to sea and try again. Peter followed and was very pleased with him.
4 So shall it be with us also. God does not want to give us all fullness soon in the beginning. For if he did, and as soon as we were baptized and became Christians, gave us full and enough, we would think we were holding on to ourselves. That is why he lets us lack for a while and get used to misfortune, so that a man must immediately despair of himself and say: Who knows how I will fare, how I will be provided for? Then he, the dear Lord and good steward, will be with us and say: "Be content, I know very well; make a move, do not let yourself be driven by work, and wait for the blessing, and you will get it all.
(5) For this is not to be the case with Christians, whether they have been lacking for a while or not, that they should therefore despair, deny Christ and become impatient about it; but they should hope that in time the Lord will still give them what they need. They should therefore continue and persevere with their work. For Christ does not give the fish to Peter in such a way that they jump into the boat by themselves; he must go up to the heights, use his craft, spread his net, as other fishermen do. For although Christ made Peter a Christian, he is not a Christian.
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Peter must let the Lord see to it that he does not catch anything.
(6) So shall it be with us: to whatever station God has placed each one, he shall not throw away nor leave the same office, whether he has already become a Christian. If you are a servant, a maid, a craftsman, a lord, a lady, a mayor, a prince, do whatever your office is. For it does not hinder you in your faith, and in such a state you can serve God rightly and well; then let God see to it how He will feed you and provide for your needs. And do not be afraid of it, even if you have to suffer hardship and lack for a while. First learn to work, to suffer, to lack, and stay in the ministry; for when the time is hidden from you, happiness and blessing will be found. But persevere faithfully, and do not be weary or impatient. For the night must be over; then Christ sits down in the ship, and brings that we and he may eat. But he who does not do this, but soon, when he is tired, throws away the net and impatiently leaves his work and begins another, must remain a bungler all his life, and will neither get behind nor ahead of himself.
(7) 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 it and would like it. For it would ever be unreasonable for God to jump up and give us blessings at the hour or day when we want them. Work for a while in vain, as Peter did, and suffer yourself, saying: I must also have my night, get up and work in vain; in time my Father in heaven will probably do it differently, as they say: 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, so that he sits in it and preaches, and we listen to the word diligently, and learn it well and follow it.
The other comfort and teaching is spiritual. For there you hear how Peter is terrified of the
He recognizes himself as a poor sinner and falls at the feet of the Lord Jesus, saying: "Lord, go out from me, I am a sinful man. This is a spiritual piece, which few people really understand; and in this piece Peter is especially a rough teacher. It would seem that Peter is so devout and humble that he would gladly flee from the Lord Christ. But it has a different opinion.
9 In the conscience it is like this: when God comes with His grace, promising forgiveness of sin and eternal life for nothing, through Christ, the grace becomes so great that one thinks it is too much, and must not accept this promise. 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 take comfort and accept such graces; but I am a sinner, 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 almost all of them are, know nothing about it; it is learned only in experience, and nowhere else. Therefore, most people do not think about their sin or God's grace. But the true Christians are afraid of this, and they always think it is too much that God should do such great things for their sake. What am I? they think. I am not worthy that God should be so gracious to me. So this comfort and teaching goes with Petro, that the Lord lets himself be heard so kindly toward him. Ah, Peter, I am not here to choke you or to punish you because of your sin. Do not be afraid. If you are a sinner, be content; I can and will help you out of it and make you a great man. Therefore be content for my sake; there shall be no need.
(10) So that this consolation may serve that
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We should learn, where such thoughts want to frighten our hearts and make us fainthearted, to reject them and not give them room. For it is not Christ's opinion that he cannot suffer poor sinners; he came to earth for their sake. Therefore he comforts Peter here against such thoughts, saying, "Let him not fear;" as he also says in another place, Luke 12:32, "Fear not, little host: for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Then the Lord also speaks to such hearts as Peter is here, who think, Who? Shall you go to heaven? live and play with the dear angels in everlasting joy and gladness in heaven above? Yes, if you were pious and holy. But as you are now, there is no end. No, says Christ, you fear; but you shall not. My Father will give you the kingdom, and will give it to you out of gracious good pleasure. For since you, as 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 will not look at our merit and worthiness, but at our need and his grace and mercy. This means that he does not only want to give us bodily blessings, but also eternal life.
(11) Peter is also in such a challenge here. He realizes that it is the gift and blessing of the Lord Christ that he, together with his companions, catches such a large number of fish at one go; yet he considers that he is unworthy of such a feat; for this reason he wants to despair. What, says he, shall I, O Lord, do with thee? Stick to pious people; I am unfortunately a wicked, sinful man. But Christ comforts him, and holds himself far otherwise against him than he thinks; saith he shall be without fear and satisfied. 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 that thou art a fisherman; but I will make thee a fisherman.
I command you to go into other waters and catch holy men, to fill the heavens with fish, and to fill my kingdom as you have filled the ships with fish; they shall be called martyrs and holy men. For such fishing I will give thee another net, which is the gospel; by it thou shalt catch the elect, that they may be baptized, believe, and live for ever. What I have now done with you is little; I will deal with you much more; you shall become a fisherman to me in all the world, catching and converting a city here and a whole country there.
(12) 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 and rumble among kings, princes, 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 be angry or laughing, shall break through and penetrate, and bring forth fruit, that many may believe in the Son of God, and thus receive forgiveness of sin, be justified, saved, and become heirs of eternal life and blessedness. And for a certain sign he has given us his word, baptism, the Lord's Supper, and absolution; which are his nets, that he might gather his own out of the world, where the devil is prince and god, and thereby keep them from the wiles of the devil and the tyranny of the world, and keep and strengthen them in the faith, that they should not be damned with the world.
013 And though sin is still 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 he said in Luke 12, v. 32, "Fear not;" look not whether ye be worthy or unworthy, but hear what I say unto you, It is your Father's good pleasure 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 you shall not lack.
- so this gospel deals with these
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two pieces. The first: Although God makes us suffer lack and labor in vain for a time, that He will nevertheless be with us in due time with His blessing and help us. The other: That he also wants to help us against sin and not condemn us. Therefore he gives us his word and comforts us, so that we may believe that we are his children. Such people also do righteous good works, if they first know 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 want, in hunger and in 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
He will also throw so much to me that the body will have its need for the short time of its life. Such people do not mind doing good works, for they are righteous.
15 Therefore, it is most important to the Lord Christ that he comforts our hearts continually and eternally and makes us certain that we should firmly believe and not doubt that we have a gracious God and Father 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 now also believe these things assuredly and firmly, and may thus comfort ourselves in all temptation, bodily and spiritual, may our dear Father in heaven grant us through Jesus Christ, His Son and our Lord, amen.
On the fifth Sunday after Trinity.
Third sermon.*)
What our dear Lord Jesus Christ preached to the people at the Sea of Galilee is not described by the evangelist Luke. But I believe that he spoke to the people in parables, as he also does in Matthew 13. But because the words of this sermon are not here, we cannot act on them. Therefore we want to preach the work that Christ has done here.
2 First of all, the evangelist says that the people came to the Lord Jesus, because they wanted to hear the word of God; therefore they followed him with crowds and came to him, so that he had no room on the shore. Then he saw two ships standing by the lake; the one was Si-
*) Held in the house, 1534.
monis, the other Johannis; and entered into the one which was Simonis, and preached out of the same. Everything is simple. There was a large pond or lake, and the Lord Christ preached from the ship or boat on the lake, and the people stood on the shore and listened to him. So these people are praised for having gladly heard God's word, and we are provoked with such an example that we should also gladly hear God's word and diligently adhere to it. For apart from God's word, all our life and deeds are lost and corrupt. But he who has God's word and hears it diligently has great advantage.
- first, from God's Word one learns to know God's will, how He is disposed toward us, and what He will do with us after this life.
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to make it so. Such a thing is impossible for a man to know 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 that God is not angry with us, even though we are sinners, but wants to be merciful to us and help us from sin 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.
4 Secondly, we also 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. For 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 did. He should stick to his profession, do what his authority, his office and status require and want according to God's will. This is called serving God rightly, and if he is especially pleased with it, it will also bring happiness and salvation.
(5) This is a necessary teaching, since it is very important that we put our calling into God's word, and that everyone be sure that everything he does and leaves is done and left in God's name and by God's command. Whoever lives in such a way that he does not know that his actions and omissions are in God's command and word is condemned. But he who knows that he does and leaves everything out of God's command and word is secure in his conscience and heart, and 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; knows therefore that it is a good work and pleasing to God. But he that cannot say these things, let him cease from time to time, and let him do what he will; for it is sin, and God is displeased and displeased with it; as St. Paul saith, "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin." Rom. 14, 23.
Now God has given us His word in abundance, so that we may well and without any effort put all our works and deeds into God's word. For he who has faith,
That is, whoever puts his heart and trust in God's grace, which He has shown us through Christ, may do whatever he wants in his profession and state; he sings or prays, eats or sleeps, and all is well done. For he does it as a Christian man, and believes in Christ, and can say: I will read, pray, work in Christ's name, and serve my Lord or wives in faith, and know that I thereby serve God in heaven. 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 in his state. For whatever is done in faith, no matter how small, is called a good work and well done.
(7) But by the word of faith God has also comprehended, established, ordered, confirmed and sanctified by His word all manner of estate and all outward life. For there is the fourth commandment: You shall honor your father and your mother. This commandment comprehends all estates, father, mother, son, daughter, master, wife, servant, maidservant, subject 2c. For the marriage state is the source from which all estates grow. From this commandment a child can now say: I will now go to school, study, cook, spin, sew, and know, if I do it faithfully and diligently, that God is pleased with it; for my father and mother have commanded me; 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 pleases our Lord GOD. So servant and maidservant, master and wife in the house, each in his own state, has God's word for himself, that he can say: God has commanded me this, in his name I will get up, go to work, sit at table, go to bed again 2c. Whatever one does, even if it is no more than sweeping a room, it is all well done and means living in God's obedience. For the word, Thou shalt honor thy father and mother, includes all positions, offices, and works that belong to the marriage state and originate from the marriage state.
- whoever does not have the word of God nor
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who does not know, cannot have such confidence, and must have this excellent consolation. Therefore, we should gladly hear God's word, because we learn from it how to make our lives pleasing to God. For from it we become all the more joyful and have a good conscience. No pagan, no Turk, no Jew knows this; Christians alone know it, and 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; whether something happens to me above it and the devil assails me, what harm can it do me? Nevertheless, I am in the state where God's word teaches me and comforts me: whatever I do or suffer is well done, and God will be pleased with it and be with me with grace.
(9) Let every Christian therefore 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 dies, can still say: My father, my mother, my lord, my wife has called me to go down; therefore I die in a blessed state, right obedience and good work that pleases God. So 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 has God's word for him, is found in God's obedience, and knows what he does according to such a calling, that he has orders from God.
(10) Thus all men might live well and blessedly, and have nothing more for it but the Word of God, the Ten Commandments, and faith in Christ. But there the devil fights day and night, so that people do not remember God's word, get up badly, lie down, eat and drink like swine, and do not ask whether they also serve God. This is the custom and way 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; this makes everything holy.
(11) Therefore it is not with the monks and their filth that they pretend and say, "In the commonwealths and offices," and so on.
To live and follow one's profession is nothing; but to enter a monastery and become a monk is something. So they think: Oh, these are common works, which the heathen also do; therefore it is nothing special in the sight of God. Thus they judge the offices and works without and apart from God's word. But he who has the word of God says thus: "It is true, if you count it in terms of work, that it is a very small thing for a child to go to school and study, for a maiden to spin and sew, for a maid to cook in the house, to wash, to sweep, to carry children, to wipe, to bathe. For the heathen and the unbelievers also do these things. But they do it without God's word, that is, they do not do it in faith, do not believe that service and obedience to God is done with such works, and do not know His command. But a son, daughter and maid who are Christians know from the fourth commandment that God commands and wants such works.
- God makes holy works by His Word, and does not need a Chresam for this. For the word is the true Chresam, that God says through St. Paul, "Ye children, be obedient to your parents in the Lord"; item: "Ye servants, be obedient to your physical masters with fear and trembling, in simplicity of heart. Eph. 6, 1. 5. Without such words they are bad, mean works, as the Gentiles also do. But through such word and faith the bad works (which the Gentiles do as well) become holy and pleasing to God. The two pieces, God's word and faith, make the works pleasing in the sight of God and the angels. Without God's word and faith, it is vain devil and death. For nothing on earth 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.
(13) Now this word and command of the fourth commandment passes through and over all ranks and deeds, and makes them holy and pleasing to God, provided you believe in Christ and obey in God's name. Those who believe and do these things are holy; they die when they want to, and they are children of eternal life, because they die in a holy state.
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and right faith. For a monk to put on a cap, to be certified, and to do such works, is not according to the word of our Lord God; therefore they are not holy works. But this is a holy work and makes you holy, that you believe in Jesus Christ, and then take the fourth commandment before you and obey it, because you hear that the state in which you are is adorned with the word of God and is therefore a holy state.
(14) He who looks only at the work itself sees no difference between Christians and unbelievers. They both do work and labor alike, the ungodly and the pious, so that no reason can make a difference between them. A harlot is both a woman and a pious woman, and does the very works that a woman should do; yet there is a difference and the works are unequal. For a godly Christian woman has the holiness that comes from the word and faith; a harlot has no such holiness. Such a difference is also between Christians and unbelievers. The heathen and unbelievers do their works without God's word, in sins and unbelief. But the Christians do their works according to God's word in faith in Christ and in obedience to God. Therefore, the works of Christians are holy before God, but the works of unbelievers are unholy.
15 But let no one shrink from the honor of having his name and his works called holy. For Christ has purchased our freedom, and God has given us His word so that we may be sanctified by it. Therefore, as little as we should shrink from being called Christians, so little should we shrink from being called holy, we and our work. For a Christian must be called holy and spiritual, not because he has flesh and blood, but because he has been baptized and has the Word of God and Christ, who sanctifies him through his Word, baptism and faith. Therefore we should be accustomed and know that our status and works are holy and pleasing to God: not because of status and works, but because of word and faith, from which such obedience and works follow. No Christian shall
I shall not despise my state and life, if I only enter into it according to the word of God; but I shall say, I believe in Jesus Christ, and do as the Ten Commandments teach me, and pray that our Lord God will help me to do it. This is a truly holy life, and it could not be made more holy by fasting to death.
(16) Therefore it is very good that children and young people are taught catechism from their youth, so that a child may say, "I will obey my father and my mother, for God commanded me in the fourth commandment. Thus, if each one in his position and office would act according to God's word, all works would be a precious treasure. But the devil does not like such things to be preached, and even if they are preached, he does not allow them to be taken to heart.
(17) And this is what the evangelist says, that the people came to Jesus to hear the word of God. For devout hearts prefer to hear that they may be instructed how to please our Lord God. When such hearts ask inexperienced confessors and other unintelligent people, the one says one thing and the other another thing that should be done. This is not the word of God, but the word and work of men preached, of which our Lord God has said nothing. Then one must be just as uncertain when one has done it as before. But when one hears God's word preached, people press in and say, "Others do not preach as this one does; press in, for it does a heart good to know what a holy life is and what it is, namely, that which stands in faith, which alone makes one blessed, whether one lives or dies. After that, if I am to live longer on earth, I must have something to do. Then I hear from God's word what I should do in my position and office. And when I do this, I know that it is pleasing to God, for he has commanded me. If a misfortune befalls me in it, I laugh at it and say: I thank you, Lord God, that you have placed me in a divine and blessed position and office; I will gladly do and suffer in it what I should.
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This is one thing, to press on to hear the word of God. For he who grasps it rightly, and to whom it is pleasing, will not easily fall away from it, but will remember that the longer he grasps it, the more he grasps it. God's word is a little flower, which means: longer, dearer. As Sirach also says in chapter 24 (v. 28, 29): "He who eats of me always hungers for me, and he who drinks of me always thirsts for me." That is, whoever takes hold of God's word once, loves it so much that he desires it more and more. But others, once they have read or heard it, throw it away and say: I can do that now, I've had enough. Such people have never tasted God's word, heard it with their external ears, and have only the foam of it. But a Christian daily remembers his Our Father, his Christian faith, or pieces of the Gospel; he regurgitates them, as sheep do, and takes them into his heart. Such also become true people. Thus the first Psalm, v. 1 ff. teaches: "Blessed is he that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked, 2c. but delighteth in the law of the LORD, and speaketh of his law day and night. He is like a tree planted by the rivers of water, which bringeth forth his fruit in his season, and his leaf fadeth not away; and whatsoever he doeth prospereth." Such a man walks in God's word, according to his state. If a misfortune befalls him, if he is struck by rain, wind, frost or heat, he does not ask about it, but everything is well done. Again, the wicked are like chaff scattered by the wind. From them no tree grows, nor anything righteous; but from the godly righteous people grow. When the wicked die, they are dead, having nothing either here or there. But the reputation and life of the righteous and godly remain here on earth, as an example to the righteous, and there in eternal life.
(19) Learn therefore what is the unanimous spiritual life, not to live in a monastery, but to believe in Jesus Christ and to do the works of your profession in faith and according to the word of God. See first that you believe in Christ and are baptized;
Then look at your ministry and profession. I am called to preach; if then I preach God's word pure and true, I do a holy work in which God is well pleased. You are a father and a mother; believe in Jesus Christ, and you are a holy father and a holy mother; interrogate your children in the morning, make them pray, punish them, prod them if they disobey; see how things go on in the house, how the servants cook and work. These are holy works, for you have been called by God to do them. This means a holy life, which is based on God's word and the commanded office and profession.
20 An ungodly man does not see these things. He sees that a Christian preaches, punishes, chides, drives, walks, stands; but that these are holy works, he does not see. For he does not see from what kind of heart he does such things, namely, that he does them from and according to God's word, and that he is called and sanctified for such work, and is completely a spiritual man in the eyes of God, even though it does not appear so in the eyes of the world. For the world is not worthy to see or understand a holy, spiritual work. That is why the devil also comes and presents other works to it, which seem high, so that even the works of the faithful are nothing in comparison. For the devil's workers seem to be good people, hang their heads, see sourly. So one blind man goes to hell with another. Go on, dear world, with your excellent holy and glorious works. The world does not praise God's work, but its own works; but it goes with them to the abyss of hell. Such people do not listen to God's word, they do not press to hear it. But our Lord God does not ask for sour looks, hanging of the head or gray clothes. He did not make my head so that I should hang it; he made the unreasonable animals so. I am to see to it that I go in at his word. He did not give me hair to make a plate for me, but I should be grateful to him, keep his word, and do what he calls me to do in my state. His word and faith, if he gives, position and office, if he has ordained, are all holy. Whoever accepts God's word
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and has faith, and is in a state ordered by God, he is holy. He who is obedient in faith to his parents, lords, wives, authorities, is holy. Therefore, we alone are sanctified through the Word, faith
and state, as God has ordained, and by nothing else; this you often hear. May our dear Lord Jesus Christ help us to grasp and keep it, amen.
On the sixth Sunday after Trinity.
First sermon.*)
That we may do our Lord God's service and honor today, let us hear the holy gospel.
Matth. 5, 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.
(1) In this gospel our dear Lord Jesus Christ teaches the Christian love which we ought to have one for another, and points out the opposition or hindrances which tend to hinder such love, and wants to teach us not to think that we have Christian love when we are in these things which he here tells. For he who has anger and hatred in his heart against his neighbor cannot love him. Likewise he that saith unto his neighbor, Racha, or thou fool, that is, he that showeth all manner of angry signs in his face and gestures, and speaketh all manner of curses and blasphemies with his tongue against his neighbor, cannot love him either. Therefore, the Lord Christ teaches us to avoid such things, so that Christianity
*) Held in the house, 1533.
Let love be shown freely, without any hindrance to our neighbor.
(2) But it has always happened that those who are angry and envious do not want to be called angry and envious, but say they do so out of right good zeal, for the sake of righteousness. Well," they say, "people are wicked, he who lives this way and he who lives that way; if I should not be angry, they would be strengthened in their wickedness. So then they are angry under the little hat and lid that is called zelus justitiae, zeal of justice, so that the guilt must be of all those against whom they are angry.
(3) Our dear Lord Christ wants to take off this little hat and cover and show us that we are in the skin. For if we are angry with our neighbor and envious of him, let us remember this: I do not do wrong, that
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I hate and envy him, forgetting that we should love our neighbor, thinking that we do not owe it to our neighbor. Should I, we say, give him what is mine for nothing? I have had to acquire it with toil and labor. Let him acquire it for him, too. At last they become people who are of no use to anyone, just as if our Lord God had left all things to grow for them alone and had given them for their sake alone, so that they should do no good to anyone or give any of it. And over all this they still go about making themselves pious, scratching and clawing in their sackcloth, helping no man on earth; and yet they say, They do this not out of envy and hatred of man, but out of a special and excellent zeal against the wickedness of men. Thus they deceive our Lord God in heaven, the foolish, unintelligent man.
4 Against such vices our dear Lord Christ preaches here. For there is a very vile vice in the world, which abominates many people out of measure, and is called by its proper name, as the Lord himself calls it here, the Pharisee and scribe righteousness and holiness. As if the Lord Christ wanted to say: It is true, there is a righteousness and holiness; and the highest, most learned, who want to be something special and are considered the greatest people of the world, lead this righteousness and holiness. But whoever wants to be my disciple and a righteous Christian, beware of this vice. For this is what you will find with this righteousness and holiness: those who are tainted with this vice put on gray skirts, look sour, pray a lot, and the world looks at them and is amazed at them, saying, "These are people! But if you look at them in the light, they are envious, hateful, selfish people, and adorn themselves only with the beautiful cover that they are holy Pharisees and scholars of Christ.
Now the righteousness and holiness of the Pharisees and scribes was such that we take as an example the fifth commandment of God, which the Lord himself introduces here. The Pharisees and scribes taught thus: Whoever wishes to keep the fifth commandment, Thou shalt not kill, as Moses commanded, shall not strike anyone to death with his fist.
and sword. And according to such their teachings they also kept in life that they did not commit any outward, bodily murder or death. This was their righteousness and holiness, so people had to say: These are excellent holy people, who keep God's commandment given by God through Moses; they are not murderers nor slayers. But in the meantime their heart was full of hatred, envy and bitterness. And even though they were full of biting, envying, hating and grumbling even among themselves, not to mention against others whom they were especially hostile to, they still went in under the beautiful cover and splendid appearance of great holiness, so that even in the presence of great holiness they did not want to kill God's Son themselves, but handed him over to the Gentile, the Roman governor Pilato; they also did not want to go into the judgment house in the presence of great holiness, so that they would not become unclean, but would eat the Easter. Joh. 18, 28.
(6) Such Pharisaic righteousness Christ punishes here, and warns his disciples and Christians against it, saying: If you want to go to heaven, you must be more pious than the Pharisees and scribes. They think that they are pious enough if they do not kill with their fists, and they do not have a conscience. But one does not find a single kind speech against their neighbor, they do not give a penny to a poor, meager person out of kind love; but if they give something, they want to have honor and glory from it here on earth with men, and there they want to have earned heaven with God with it. Yes, it should be ordered to such saints. Therefore, if you want to be my disciples and Christians and go to heaven, see to it that you are righteously pious.
What then is righteous piety? The Pharisees and scribes, as I said, had such piety: if they did not strike anyone dead with their hand, they thought they had kept the fifth commandment. Such holiness has the pope and his comrades also. For he teaches thus in his spiritual law, saying: Rancor ponendus est, non signa rancoris: The grudge in the heart should be put away, but the signs of grudge must not be put away, that is, if I have given a sign to an enemy, I must not put it away.
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If I have been there, it is not necessary for me to go to him, talk to him, help him and lend to him; this is called signa rancoris, which may well be kept. Thus teaches the pope, and all monasteries and convents in the papacy stand on this teaching. This is the kind of love that makes one say: I will forgive him, but I will not forget him.
But Christ says, "Let our righteousness be better than that of the Pharisees and scribes. The Pharisees and scribes are friendly, but in their hearts they are hateful and envious. But Christian love should be righteous, so that one not only presents oneself outwardly friendly, but also drops the hatred and envy in the heart. For if one has forgiven another from the heart, it cannot be otherwise; one must also forget anger. If he does not forget anger, then it is a pharisaical and parochial forgiveness. So I have often let myself be reconciled with my enemies, and afterwards had such friendship with them, just as if I had never been angry with them. Therefore, after reconciliation, love should again be as it was before the insult.
(9) Thus the heathen say, Male sarta gratia nequicquam coit: A mended friendship shall not be whole again; and as the German proverb saith, A broken bow shall always retain a scar: And so shall one hold himself against the world, that he trust not too much, as it is commonly said, Ab amico reconciliato cave: Beware of a reconciled friend. Yes, according to the world it is rightly spoken. For flesh and blood is such that it does not let resentment leave its heart, but seeks space and opportunity to take revenge. That is why such teaching belongs to the world, so that people there think, "He has forgiven me, but who knows whether he has also forgotten? Christians, however, should not do and live in this way, but should think: Our Father in heaven, whom we have all offended and angered, forgives us all our sin and iniquity, so that he says: Iniquitatum eorum nunquam recordabor: I will never again remember their iniquity; prove also this by deed, and so do us good,
that he must be said to have forgotten: so shall we do; I shall not fear thee, if thou be a Christian, as I would fear such a reconciled friend, who is not to be trusted; and again, thou shalt not say, I will forgive, but not forget; but resentment and tokens of resentment shall be put away, and all shall be pure and heartily forgiven.
010 This is what Christ means when he says, Let your righteousness be better than that of the Pharisees and scribes. For hypocritical holiness is a very common plague in the world, that one sets himself up as a friend, and yet is a rejected enemy; as it is said of cats, which lick in the front, and scratch in the back. And if the Holy Spirit is not there, and so makes the heart to forget and despise the offense, saying, What harm is it to me, if I forgive and forget already? God has forgiven and forgotten much more: so it is lost with flesh and blood. But where the Holy Spirit is, there fall rancor et signa rancoris, resentment and sign of resentment. And this is a Christian heart; otherwise no one does it. For to forgive and not to forget is too hard, and is a common plague and sin among all people on earth.
(11) Therefore Christ here preaches a right text to his disciples and Christians, saying, Ye must not comfort yourselves, nor think that ye are holy, if ye outwardly slay no man: but ye must go further, that ye not only be reconciled, and be reconciled; but that ye also shew yourselves to be so with works, that there be no deceit. Ye have heard the law, but ye understand it not. For the scribes and Pharisees interpret it thus: One should not kill with the hand; one should not take away anyone with the sword or other force. But the law reads thus, "Thou shalt not kill." "Thou" does not mean the sword, or the sword alone, but all that man is, body and soul. The scribes and Pharisees make a hand out of the word "thou"; item, out of the word "kill", that a carrion becomes out of it. But this is not the way to stretch the text. It says, "Thou shalt not kill," that is, your heart, mouth, five senses, fist, your money.
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and goods, and all that thou hast and art, thou shalt not kill. Not only shall you not strike the corpse dead, but you shall also leave all things standing that are for death. But what is for death? Not only the sword, that you lay your fist on another's body; but also if you do not come to the aid of your neighbor in his need, if you deny him your bread and food in his hunger, so that, if it were up to you, he would have to die. As St. Ambrose also says: Si non pavisti, occidisti: If you do not feed your hungry brother, you have killed him, as much as is up to you. The rich man does not mean that he killed the poor Lazarum lying at his door; but God says that he killed him. For though he does not kill him with his hand, yet he must die for his sake, because he has him lying at his door and has denied him all help. Therefore the fifth commandment is to be understood rightly. "Thou shalt not kill," that is, thy soul, heart, mouth, eyes, fists, feet, purse, money, and all that thou hast shall not kill, but help to life.
(12) So Christ reaches into the heart here when he says, "I tell you, whoever is angry with his brother is guilty of judgment. As if to say: To kill is not only to strike dead with the fist, but also to bear a grudge in the heart against one's brother. Such a grudge is hidden deep in the heart and cannot be seen. The rich man has a heart full of resentment and leaves poor Lazarum at his door, hungry and disgraced. He may come forward and say, "I am angry with Lazarum: I am not angry with Lazaro; but such an excuse is of no use, because he leaves him there and does not take care of him. If he loved him, he would shelter him and give him bread and food so that he would not die of hunger. This also means to be angry and to kill.
(13) Let us be well aware that Christ raises up wrath and calls us all brethren. It is a shameful vice to be angry with a brother and to kill a brother, that is, not to help out a brother who is poor. It is natural for brothers to love one another. That is why Christ calls all those who suffer need and are of our
Our brethren need help, that he may the better blow up the trouble in which our brother is, and the sin which is called forsaking the poor brother in trouble, and teach us that if we forsake our brother in trouble, we should not doubt that we have put our brother to death. For so shall the judgment be at the last day: Thou rich man hast slain so many brethren: thou mightest have helped and counseled this and that: but because thou hast not done so, thou hast become a murderer of them. Thus God will present to the rich man twenty or thirty brothers whom he has slain.
(14) This is what Christ does so sharply here, so that one may be careful and not become a murderer of his brother. He also makes three degrees, so that he may show how such sin becomes more and more serious. The first degree is: "He who is angry with his brother is guilty of judgment." As if to say: It is not enough that you do not kill your brother with your fist; for you can also kill him with your heart, if you do not mean him in earnest. He who is angry with his brother deserves to be judged. The other gradus is, "He that saith unto his brother, Racha, is guilty of rath." "Racha" means to look sourly at one's brother. This means that the one who is angry with his brother has been judged a murderer, but the one who says rakha has been judged even worse, so that it is not known how to punish him. The third gradus is, "But he that saith, Thou fool, is guilty of hellish fire." He who blasphemes and desecrates his brother has to expect even worse judgment.
So our dear Lord Christ does not want a hypocrite in his kingdom, but wants to have true Christian love among his disciples and Christians. But all the world is deep in this vice, which is called beating a brother to death. All craftsmen are vain murderers and thieves. Yes, not only craftsmen, but also princes, lords, counts, nobles, citizens, peasants, clergy and seculars; in all classes through and through, from the highest to the lowest, sinful and unrighteous.
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hardly against this commandment. For there is vain abandonment of the brother in all. One could help the poor at times if one wanted to, but the contradiction happens. We have only gathered and gathered, and have not given a penny to anyone, and yet all want to be good Christians.
For this reason Christ teaches in this gospel that we should look at our lives in the right way, and be and remain true, thorough Christians, loving one another warmly. In the world it is according to the saying: A cibo to cocto, ab amico reconciliato, a muliere barbata libera me, Domine: Protect me GOtt from a reconciled friend. But we Christians should let ourselves be reconciled among each other from the heart. This is what happens when I say: "If my brother has offended me, he has done more harm to himself than to me. I will forgive him from my heart and be thoroughly reconciled with him. This is Christian living. I may scold and punish my brother, but I should not be an enemy to him. When I say to him out of a brotherly heart, You fool; as Christ says to his disciples, "O foolish and slow of heart"; and St. Paul to the Galatians, "O foolish Galatians": this is not anger, but friendly love. Otherwise I would keep quiet and let my brother go, if I did not mean well with him. But because I open my mouth and punish him, it is a sign that I love him and seek his best. For it is also a sign of anger if I do not instruct my brother or punish him. Whom a Christian loves, he punishes; as the heavenly Father chastens and punishes whom he loves, Prov. 3:12, Heb. 12:6.
(17) Therefore let our heart be so minded toward our brother, that we may think, Though my brother be mine enemy, what can he hurt me? If he angers me, it is good. If he does not mend his ways, I still want to have peace and quiet and do him good. But only a Christian does this, and no one else. The heathen avenge themselves. For vengefulness is innate in all men. And even though revengefulness sometimes lingers, it comes again when the opportunity arises. I have seen many of them, and
There are still many such people in the world who forgive well, but if they are to serve whom they have forgiven, they are vain wretches, lying so firmly and deeply that no one can lift them up. This is the wickedness of which Christ speaks in this gospel.
18 But the Lord Christ adds a little, and sets a bar at the door, so that such people will not enter the kingdom of heaven. For not to love one's brother is a sign that one loves neither Christ nor God, as St. John says in 1 John 4:20: "If anyone does not love his brother whom he sees, how can he love God whom he does not see? This is briefly concluded.
(19) But here a right distinction must be made, and it must be known that all these things which are spoken of anger and killing are to be understood of personal anger and killing, and not of official anger and killing. For worldly authority, father and mother, and what has to govern, should be angry and punish. Therefore it is also said that princes and temporal authorities are God's wrath; as St. Paul teaches, Rom. 13:4: "The authorities are God's servant, an avenger of punishment on him who does evil." For the authorities do not punish their own person, but for the sake of their office. They should take care that they do not draw such official wrath and punishment on the person, and do not adorn themselves and say, "I did it and had to do it on account of my office," when they did it on account of their person; and thus cover their personal wrath or their own wrath with the wrath of their office. Whoever does this will see and learn whom he has deceived. Everything depends on a kind heart; otherwise anger adorns itself and wants to deceive our Lord God.
020 Let us learn therefore from this gospel, that every man be righteous in love; or if he be angry, that he take heed, and be angry not for his own person, but for the sake of the Lord. For it happens naturally that anger goes the wrong way, as do all other affectus, unless the Holy Spirit changes our hearts. May our dear Lord God and Father grant us His grace, that we may grow and increase in righteous Christian love, and keep right measure in official anger, amen.
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On the sixth Sunday after Trinity.
Second sermon.*)
(1) 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 and live righteous lives among themselves, which are neither false nor hypocritical. For he has also not given us a false grace; so also our sins, which God has forgiven and given us, are not painted sins; but he has redeemed us from real harmful mortal sins. Summa, his grace is a serious, truthful and righteous thing. 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 reason the Lord takes the fifth commandment in today's Gospel and sets before us an example to beware of, saying: "Unless your righteousness is better than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. The scribes and Pharisees were high people, and had great grace and gifts from God: the land of Canaan, the promise of Christ, and other gifts. This was vain earnestness and righteousness; therefore they should also be pious and righteous. But this they did not do, but led them on, and not only lived contrary to the Ten Commandments of God, but also taught falsely; so that it was vain hypocrisy with their teaching and living. They persuaded the people that if they sacrificed in the temple, they would have a gracious God who would accept their sacrifice and forgive their sin. Summa, they considered their sacrifices as the highest bliss.
*) Held in 1534.
(3) Therefore our beloved Lord Christ here strikes so hard at the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, saying, "You scribes and Pharisees only cause hypocrisy with your sacrifice. For God did not command you to sacrifice in such a way that you would earn and acquire eternal life, but as a sign of gratitude for this good deed, that He brought you out of Egypt and showed you all good things, gave you the land of Canaan and the promise of Christ. For this you should give thanks to him with your offerings, giving him tithes and interest as a sign of gratitude. The scribes and Pharisees did not do this, but turned the sacrifice into a mere work, which was supposed to make God their friend and earn them grace. This was falsely taught and lived, and a hypocritical service.
4 So they were also hypocrites against their neighbor. Outwardly they pretended to be friendly, but inwardly in their hearts they remained full of murderous hatred and envy; as Christ often laments in the Psalms about such hypocrites and evil cats, who lick in front and scratch in the back. Such false, shameful saints were the scribes and Pharisees, who stroked full of murder, hatred and envy, and struck the saints dead; and yet pretended to be pious before God by their sacrifice, and before their neighbor by their apparent, hypocritical life. Therefore Christ concludes that they are saints of the devil. Nevertheless, they bear the name and boast that they live according to the law of God. One must grant them that.
5 So this is the opinion that Christ in this gospel makes a distinction between righteous saints and hypocrites. As if to say: On earth there are false saints and righteous saints running around, but I am a righteous God,
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who helps righteously. Whoever wants to be in my kingdom and boast of my grace and help must also be righteous. Whoever does not want to be righteous shall not be my people, and I do not want to be God's people. The scribes and Pharisees want to do good with hypocrisy, but I do not accept such false saints in my kingdom.
(6) Therefore, let every man learn, first of all, to believe in Christ, to thank, praise and glorify God, and to confess his faith before all the world. He has had enough of worship and needs nothing more for his own sake, unless he is to serve other people, so that they may come to it as well. Then, when he does this, and wants to serve God much and make great sacrifices, let him think that he is not dead, but that he has a kind heart toward his neighbor; and not only with his fist, but also with his tongue, signs, gestures and heart offend no one: then he will be a righteous saint and not a hypocrite. For it is not enough for anyone to say, "I have not killed anyone with my fist. The Jews did not kill Christ with their fists, but they delivered him to Pilate to be crucified. So also the tongue has the heartache, so that resentment cannot hide itself, nor the mouth keep the word "fool" in the heart. This is what it means to kill your neighbor in the sight of our Lord God, for our Lord God includes everything in the fifth commandment. He has forbidden it so sharply that He may make us righteous saints.
(7) He that will keep this commandment must not only keep his hand to himself, but also his heart must be without all anger, envy, and hatred; his eyes must be without all sour looks; his tongue and mouth must be without harsh words and cursing. For though I do not strike my neighbor dead with my fist, yet I hate him in my heart, I look at him sourly, that if it were an arrow it would not go far, and I curse him with my tongue, that if it should come to him what I wish and curse him, he would soon die of it: so I am a death-slayer before God. Therefore, the Lord clearly indicates that there are four kinds of death. The first death stroke happens with the fist, when one
strikes with the sword and strangles. The other death blow is the sign when one does not allow someone to see, when one does not want to talk to him, does not thank him when he greets us, when one does not lend to him, does not save his innocence, does not avert his harm. In particular, the word "Racha" refers to a sour, unkind gesture, that one can see anger in one's eyes or hear it in one's speech. The third is done with the tongue, when one curses, or speaks ill of people, or otherwise does not speak well of them. The fourth is done with the heart, when one is favorable to one's neighbor and rejoices when he is unhappy. Such obedience and service is required by God in the fifth commandment.
(8) On the other hand, the hypocrites are full of hatred and envy; after that they go and give alms, thinking that they want to deceive our Lord God, and hide and adorn their hatred and envy. Just as the Jews thought that they wanted to make a smoke before the eyes of our Lord God with their sacrifice, so that he should not see their hatred and envy in their hearts against their neighbor. But what kind of service is this, that I give ten graces to one to whom I am favorable, and strike dead another to whom I am hostile? Or to give a penny to this one, and steal a hundred thousand florins from that one? Our Lord God does not want such saints.
(9) Let every man therefore consider what manner of heart he hath toward his neighbor, and what manner of words he speaketh, both backward and forward, to his face; whether he hurt his neighbor with his hand, or with his tongue, or with his eyes, or with his heart. For with these four things we are included in the fifth commandment, that is, we are bound by the fifth commandment, both body and soul, to remember, speak, and hear good of our neighbor.
(10) Therefore, whoever knows himself guilty of this commandment, do not consider himself too holy, but recognize his sin and transgression, ask for mercy and improve himself; do not be like the hypocrites who do not want to improve their lives. In the fifth commandment, God wants us to be faithful to one another. Therefore, whoever has sinned against this commandment, do not defend his sin, but turn quickly to God,
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and say: Dear Lord God, I, a poor sinner, have broken the fifth commandment, I have been angry, I have been unkind to my neighbor in word and deed; I am sorry. Forgive me, dear God, my sin, and help me to become a different person. This is the right confiteor (confession) that pleases God. For He does not want us to make a lid over sin, or to decorate our unrighteousness, and say: I have sacrificed so much, given alms 2c.: therefore I am pious and holy; but He wants us to confess our sin and transgression freely and to ask for mercy and forgiveness.
(11) After this, God also wants us to attack each other with earnestness, not to let anger go too long, but even if we cannot let it out of our hearts as soon as we can, to resist it and defend ourselves, so that such resentment that still remains in the heart does not come into the eyes, the face and the tongue, much less into the fist. Whoever wants to be a true Christian should say to God: Dear God, in this commandment you have poured out your heart and will, how I should behave towards my neighbor; this is your word and truth. Well, dear God, I will be kind to my neighbor, help him; grant me your grace, strength and spirit to accomplish this. If we are thus found, we have a gracious God and Father, who then finds us grateful and obedient children. He has thus thrown us together, that we should stand by one another, and not harm one another, either with fist, gift, or tongue.
(12) Such doctrine and life should remain among Christians and be diligently practiced. For otherwise God is displeased, and we harm ourselves, not only in body and goods, but also in soul. But where one comes into worldly offices and positions apart from Christianity, the commandment no longer has its course or power. For he who is in the secular government is commanded to let wrath go, and to curse where necessity requires it. A judge shall let a murderer cry out. This is an abominable curse, and
great pity; but that does not concern this commandment. Christ teaches here how we Christians should live among ourselves, not how one should live in the world and in the offices. It is no good for a judge to have a kind heart toward a public murderer, but his office is to warn and punish murderers, so that everyone may know that murder is wrong. But I, who am not in office, am forbidden to rebuke and to kill; unless the deed has become public, then I may also speak of it. So father and mother in the house have a special command over children and servants, that they should neither laugh nor spare when children and servants do wrong; but they should be angry, rebuke and punish confidently. That is what they call God; and if they do not do it, they are disobedient and do contrary to their office and command.
013 It hath not the opinion that a thief would say unto the judge: Judge, it is an insult to my honor for you to reproach me for being a thief; it is against the fifth commandment, which says, "Thou shalt not kill," that you have me hanged on the gallows. He may say this to his equal who is not in office. But the authorities have the command to use the sword, so that the evil may be increased. Because our Lord God has given such authority to the judge, a thief or murderer is not wronged when the judge says to him, "You are a thief, you are a murderer.
14 Thus God commands father and mother the rod, that with it they should prod the disobedient children; and it is much better that the children weep, than that the parents weep. So also the schoolmaster shall be angry, shall confidently take hold of the honor of the pupil, and say, Thou mischievous man, thou knave. Here the fifth commandment does not apply, "Thou shalt not kill," thou shalt not be angry. So it would not rhyme that a maid in the house, if she had neglected or missed something through laziness, would say to the wife: Dear woman, you are a Christian; remember the fifth commandment, and be not angry; for it is forbidden; "He that is angry with his neighbor," says Christ, "is guilty of judgment." No, maid; GOD has here another ord-.
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nung made. You are a maidservant, and you shall diligently attend to 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; this is what God has commanded your master and wife to do. And such anger makes them no more unchristians than the office and profession they have. But this would make them unbelievers if they were to leave their profession and abandon housekeeping with industriousness, leaving their children and servants to do as they please.
(15) So let the worldly rule and the fifth commandment be distinguished. In the kingdom of Christ there shall be no wrath, but only kindness and love, so that the heart may be bitter toward no one, and neither the mouth nor the hand may deceive anyone. But in the kingdom of the world, in the government of the world and of the home, let the mouth, tongue and hand, according to each one's position and office, go, rebuke and punish all who do evil and do not do what they are commanded. For there is no need to be merciful or compassionate, but to punish. But whoever would let the punishment stand, causes the highest judge, God Himself, to come and punish the evil. There is little advantage in this. For when God comes, he comes well and stops.
16 In this gospel Christ teaches his disciples and Christians not to have bitter and poisonous hearts toward one another, saying, "If you will not be more holy than the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. As if to say, If ye do not do right, ye have not known me rightly, but are still unrighteous.
big, as before. If you do not love your brother, you are of the devil, as you go and as you stand. What do I care about your sacrifice, if you hate your neighbor, blaspheme and kill him? What do I care how many oxen you sacrifice, or how much you give for God's sake, if you are a murderer? For as many people as you are an enemy to, so many you slay to death. If you sacrifice all the oxen that are on earth, what then? I prefer one man to all the oxen on earth. Therefore beware, you who want to be my disciples and Christians. For there are many of them who deceive themselves in their own devotion, thinking that when they offer sacrifices or give alms, everything should be covered with them. But if ye love your neighbor, and afterward sacrifice or give alms, smell it well: not for the work's sake, but for your own sakes, that ye be righteous men.
This is to encourage us to live a righteous Christian life. We have no false forgiveness of sins with God. If we believe this, we will not be false to our neighbor, but will have a kind heart and a gentle tongue; or if it is lacking, we will be sorry. Things cannot be so pure in this life. Therefore, if we fail, stumble and fall short, the next advice is to recognize the sin and ask for mercy. God protect us from the sin, which is also the sin of the Pharisees. For Pharisees, monks and priests are also holy; but before GOD they are murderers. God protect us from this and grant us grace to become righteously holy, amen.
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*On the seventh Sunday after Trinity. )
You know that in the third commandment it is commanded that one should hear and act upon God's holy word on the Sabbath. For in this way the day is sanctified to the Lord, when one hears His word and gives thanks to Him for His good deeds.
Therefore we also want to keep the Sabbath holy, to listen to his dear, holy word, to thank him and to pray. So today, on this holy Sunday, we read from the Gospel of Marc. 8:
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.
- In this gospel we are given two consolations, that our dear Lord Christ will supply both the soul with the word and the body with bread; so that, though he leaves his own on earth poor and despised, so that they are not regarded as other people in the world, but everyone is hostile to them and does not give them a morsel of bread (for they should and must be called the poor, lowly multitude): Nevertheless they shall not be so poor and lowly, that they have nothing at all, and die of hunger: but he will provide them with a goodly livelihood, that the belly may be supplied.
(2) But the Lord Christ here keeps his own doctrine and rule, which he gives in Matthew 6:33: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and the rest shall be added unto you. As if to say, "Do not worry that you will die of hunger, but only think as you hear my word; when this has happened, let the Father in heaven take care of your belly; he has already decided that you shall not
*) Held in the house, 1532.
die of hunger. Christ keeps this rule here. 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 the reason why he takes care of them so warmly and makes it seem as if he must see to it that they get food so that they do not faint.
(3) That therefore this should be the chief doctrine, that we should seek the word first of all, and follow after it. When this is done, we should then let the Lord Christ take care of the belly.
4 In the same way the evangelist Marcus says in the 6th chapter, when Christ feeds the five thousand men in the desert with five loaves and two fishes, that he crossed over and separated himself from the people to a special place in the desert. When the people became aware of him, they came after him from all the towns and villages, about five thousand men. But when he saw the great multitude, saith Marcus, he
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of the same lamented. For they were like sheep that have no shepherd, and began a long sermon.
(5) This is the first lamentation which the Lord regards as a godly preacher: that they were like a scattered multitude. Just as we were under the papacy: the one called St. Barbara, the other St. Catherine; there was no right preacher anywhere, who would have given us the right pasture and led us to right teaching. 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 and preached their own dreams, so that the poor sheep pined away, just as it happened to us in the papacy. No one knew that God, for Christ's sake, wanted to be merciful to us and forgive sins; therefore, they could not know how they would fare with our Lord God. Everyone thought that if he wanted to be saved, he would have to help with his works and life. This is now the first sorrow and damage that the Lord sees in the poor people, and he takes it to heart and gives them a nice long sermon. As if he wanted to say: "What are the hopeless priests doing? There are so many people who would like to hear and learn something from our Lord God, but there is no one to do it; the priests are busy with their splendor, avarice, indulgence and sacrifices.
Therefore says Marcus, "The poor people were to be looked upon as sheep that have no shepherd. O Lord God, if a sheep has no shepherd, it is a poor, miserable little animal. Cause, it has need enough, if it already has a shepherd, dog and stable. What does it want to become where there is no shepherd, no servant, no dog, no pen? Then the sheep will get lost by themselves. It is the same with us. Shouldn't the devil reign where there is no word of God nor right preaching? We have enough to do, if we like to hear the gospel, read it, preach it, pray for it, if there are pious pastors and faithful pastors. What should it be, where they are not? It soon happens that
People are persuaded that this one will become a monk, that one a nun, that one will accept this saint, that one another saint as a savior, and all go astray and among the wolves.
(7) These are the kind and loving eyes of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, that he sees into the hearts of the people, and takes care of them so warmly, that they go away without a shepherd. Therefore, even though he had escaped into the wilderness for the sake of his rest, as Marcus says, he still comes forth and first of all lets their spiritual hunger be his command, and preaches a beautiful sermon to them, feeding and comforting them first of all in their souls.
8 So also in today's gospel, when the evangelist indicates that the people stayed with the Lord Christ for three whole days, there is no doubt that they heard his preaching. And it would be good that such a sermon was also written; but the evangelist Marcus only wanted to describe the work. If it were St. John, he would also have described the sermon of the Lord next to the work. But St. Matthew and Marcus write more of the Lord's works and history than his sermons.
(9) Now this is the first part, that our dear Lord Jesus is careful and has a sorrowful heart over the abandoned souls; therefore he suspends his prayer, which he has to do against his Father, and takes care of the poor people and preaches to them.
(10) Because he has such a heart, how do you think he will receive on the last day the indolent pastors who do not faithfully maintain their office, and even deceive their parishioners? item, princes and lords who force the people to idolatry and do not want to let them keep the word pure? But especially, 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, and punish their subjects with their bodies and goods, where they do not want to permit such idolatry and do not want to carry it along?
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(11) What will fathers and mothers say who do not keep their children and servants diligently to the church and the word? He will undoubtedly say, "You fathers, mothers, lords and wives have had so many souls among you that you should have raised them to godliness and kept them diligently to the word. But you did not do it, you let them become reprobate and grow up without any fear of God. From whom shall I demand account for such unspeakable damage? From no one, except from you parents, masters and wives, whom I commanded to watch over it, but you did not comply, so that child and servants would have learned something. So on the last day Christ will address bishops, pastors, preachers, father, mother, masters and wives and demand an account from them. He not only feeds the belly, but above all he feeds and nourishes the soul with the Word, so that people may be led to a knowledge of the truth, become godly, pious and blessed. He sets such examples before us that we should follow in his footsteps.
(12) Therefore there is no greater and higher work that we can do on earth than to draw people with preaching and teaching. The devil is very hostile to such good work and therefore attacks it so hard with mobs, tyranny, violence and persecution. So it is also a difficult thing in itself, and costs 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. Summa, it is not more difficult work, because to bring other people to godliness is also not a greater service to God.
(13) Therefore the Lord Christ is the first to give the greatest alms here, and does the highest work and noblest service, helping the poor people in their souls. With this work he has sanctified the Sabbath rightly and well, and served God more and helped the people better than if he had given a thousand guilders to each one of them who heard his sermon. For spiritual food far surpasses bodily food, as by it man lives forever.
(14) Let father, mother, lords and wives follow such an example, so that they may have faith in
Their own children, their own servants, deserve heaven; that is, to do the highest and most pleasing work to God according to faith, when they, according to the example of Christ, first help souls, so that they do not lead to the devil.
(15) After this spiritual almsgiving, after the sermon, the bodily almsgiving also begins, that the Lord also helps the body and provides bread and food for the people. For as he goes out in Marci 6, and his disciples come to him, and say, v. 35, 36: "It is desolate here, and the day is now gone. Let them go from thee, that they may go about into the villages and markets, and buy them bread; for they have nothing to eat"; as if to say, Lord, thou preachest too long, for it tarrieth unto the evening, and the people have nothing to eat, wouldst thou make the sermon shorter, and give us to eat instead; he answereth and saith, "Pray ye them to eat"; they say, Shall we give them to eat? There is nothing here; so he commands the people to all lie down on the green grass near the table, and breaks five loaves among five thousand, so that they take up twelve baskets full of crumbs. So he calls his disciples to him, and says to them, "I am grieved for the people, because they have stayed with me three days, and have nothing to eat; and if I let them go home from me without eating, they will faint on the way." And when the disciples say, They have not so much bread in the wilderness as to satisfy the people; he breaketh seven loaves among four thousand, that they may all eat and be filled, and gather up seven baskets full of fragments.
16 This is the other alms. That Christ first preaches to the people and teaches them with the word is the rich alms; that he helps the body and fills the belly is the lesser alms. For he came not to destroy soul or body, but to help both. He did not come so that a Carthusian should fast and pray himself to death. The body has been given work to do, so that it should not be idle but should exercise itself, but man should work in such a way that he remains healthy and does no harm to the body. We should not break our heads.
2248 2.8, 374-376. on the seventh Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 1785-1793. 2249
and do harm to the body, as has happened in the monasteries of the papacy to many who have corrupted themselves with far too much praying, fasting, singing, watching, casteism, reading, and lying in prayer, so that they have had to die before their time, and I myself have done the same and broken my head, so that I have not yet overcome it, nor will I overcome it for the rest of my life. One should not do such a thing, for that is to kill oneself.
17 Christ also takes care of our belly, which is mortal; therefore the body should be taken care of, then put to work, but in such a way that it remains healthy. In chapter 33, Sirach says in v. 25: "To the donkey belongs his food, scourge and burden; to the servant his bread, punishment and work; but," he says soon after, v. 30, "do not lay too much on anyone, and measure out in all things. The body is to be given its food, that it may be preserved and remain healthy; after that it is to be set to work, that it may have something to do, and not become lecherous; thirdly, the scourge or punishment must also be there, that it may always have on and continue, not becoming slothful nor negligent. It is said, "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread, until thou return unto the ground from whence thou wast taken." A husbandman with plowing, digging and tilling, a preacher with preaching and teaching, a schoolmaster with reading and educating children, and so on each with his commanded work.
(18) But such things shall have their 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: If the donkey has his food and does not want to work, strike with the scourge, but so that you keep moderation in all things, as the wise man admonishes.
19 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 lack
We do not have to suffer over it. We have a rich Lord who takes care of our needs and to whom we should turn for all good things. Though it may seem that there will be a lack, yet he will provide for us and not leave us alone, if we will only hear his word diligently, believe in it and be devout. But where Christ provides, there all fullness must be found, though there be nothing at all; as is seen here.
020 For let us make a reckoning, and divide seven loaves among four thousand, and see how far they will reach according to our reckoning. Then we shall see that seven loaves are scarcely enough for four or five tables of people, that is, for forty or fifty men to be satisfied. But whereof do the others eat, that they may be filled also? Now Christ has here no more than seven loaves and a little fish, and yet reaches so far that four thousand men have enough, and there remain seven baskets full of crumbs, not counting women and children; of which there will undoubtedly have been many. With this miraculous work, our dear Lord Jesus Christ wanted to show that even if there is a need, he still knows the art of this day, that he can feed four thousand men with seven loaves and a little fish.
21 We should imagine such examples, so that we may learn to believe that if we faithfully and diligently adhere to God's word, we will be as poor as we want to be, and our Lord Christ will still give us our food and feed us. It has never been heard that a Christian died of hunger, as the 37th Psalm, v. 25, testifies. They, the Christians, have been persecuted, thrown into prison, and killed; but yet, if they have first passed away the first and rich alms, and have believed the word, they have all found to eat, and have been fed.
(22) Thus today's gospel serves us to learn to recognize our dear Lord Jesus Christ as a gracious Lord and Father who is pleased to help us in body and soul. For such teaching we should thank God today, and ask that He may provide for us with His spiritual and temporal blessings through Christ, amen.
2250 L.5, 376.377. On the eighth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 1812-1815. 2251
On the eighth Sunday after Trinity.
First sermon.*)
Because God has commanded us to hear His holy word, and every householder is commanded to present the same to his household.
let us now also do our duty and listen to today's gospel. Thus writes St. Matthew in the 7th chapter:
Matth. 7, 15-23.
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. By their fruits you 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.
From this gospel we are to learn, especially those of us who want to be Christians, that our dear Lord Christ admonishes and warns us with all diligence to hear God's word diligently and gladly, and to beware of false prophets. As if he wanted to say: Dear children, I admonish and warn you faithfully. God's word is now being preached to you in school and in church; listen to it and accept it, because you have it. If you do not, it will be taken away from you again and you will have to listen to the devil.
For so it is, he that will not hear Christ must hear the devil. Whoever does not want to learn from God's word his salvation, honor and discipline, let him learn from the devil all disgrace and harm. In the Word of God one learns how to go to heaven; from the devil one learns how to go to hell. In the Word of God one learns peace and all good things; from the devil one learns sorrow and heartache. The dear Lord has well seen this; therefore he faithfully warns his disciples and Christians, saying: "Watch and listen.
*) Held in the house, 1532.
and learn God's word diligently and gladly, because you have it. If you do this, it will be well with you; but if you do not, the time will come when you would gladly hear it if you could have it. So our dear Lord Jesus Christ teaches and warns us in this Gospel, as we have been told, that we should stand firm in the Word of God and learn it with all diligence. If we do this, there will be no need for us. But if we do not, we must hear the devil.
Now there is no one, as we would have us believe, who would like to hear the devil, for he is a lying and murdering spirit, who can do nothing but strangle, seduce, and put people through all kinds of heartache; as he has already proven enough in the human race. For soon in the beginning, through the fall of Ade and Eve, he made all of us humans die; from the blessed state in which man was initially created, he brought us to death, so that we are full of sins, subject to the wrath of God, have to go under the earth and die. This is what the evil spirit, the devil, has done to us,
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that we are all sinners and children of wrath and must die.
This should be a strong warning to us that we should rather hear the word of God than the devil. For here we hear that Christ says: "God will allow it and impose it on us, where we do not want to hear his word, that we have to hear the devil; as if he should say: Adam and Eve have deserved death and God's wrath with their transgression and have carried you all away with them, so that you and all their descendants are sinners and have to die. But I have again saved you from such harm that you have been delivered from sin and death, and I will still help you. Therefore I have given you my word: if you now keep it, you will be saved by me. But if you fail to do so, you will again suffer as Adam and Eve did in paradise, when they allowed themselves to be led away from the word by the devil.
5 So it happened to us in the papacy: there we had to listen to the devil, and almost worshipped what every monk, with leave, fisted and fared, until we finally lost gospel, baptism, sacrament, and everything. After that we ran to Rome, to Compostel to St. Jacob, and did everything, as the Pabst's ulcer led and guided us, until we also worshipped their lice and fleas, yes, even their low garments. Now, however, God has come to us again, and has given us the blessed light of His dear Word, and has delivered us from such darkness and blindness. For this we should thank God from the bottom of our hearts and diligently learn the same. But what happens? God has previously woken us up, but it still does not help. We are now rid of the pope, and now we know again what the gospel, baptism, and sacrament are, and what fruit we have from them, namely, that we are God's children and will be blessed. But how does it work? The old and the young throw the word to the winds, and in the meantime they are occupied with other thoughts. Oh, they say, would I have food for that! What heaven? If I had flour here! Because we then stand by the word, it will also come to that with us again, as it is already before our eyes, that there will come groups and sects, which will again introduce the devil.
(6) Then our Lord Christ warns faithfully, saying, "Take heed; abide in the word of God, hear it gladly, and learn it with all diligence. If you do this, I will be with you in grace. But if you do not, I tell you this: false prophets and wolves will come and tear you apart. Therefore see to it that you hold fast to my word, lest the devil deceive you again; for if you forsake my word, you will be deceived again.
(7) Now this is a faithful warning that should move us to diligently hear and learn God's word. But unfortunately it is of little help; now there are many who say, "Oh, I have already learned the gospel, I can now do it very well, there is no need for me. Yes, many may also go out and say, "What more can we ask of the pastors and preachers? Can we read it ourselves at home? So they surely go there and do not read it at home either. Or if they do read it at home, it is not as fruitful nor as powerful as the word is through public preaching and the mouth of the preacher, whom God has called and ordained to preach and tell you. Christ warns such people here, saying, "Beware, you will be deceived; false prophets will come to you, and they will come in sheep's clothing. You must not think that a false prophet will come, confessing that he is a liar and saying, "I will deceive you and lead you astray and bring you to the devil. All false prophets come in sheep's clothing; therefore your safety is not good. Beware, for you are one of the same disciples whom the devil will deceive. Because thou art so diligent in the word of God, thou shalt know that the devil hath already set his feet at thy door.
(8) We must remember this, that the devil will not come in wolf's clothing, but that he will have a sheepskin around him. How in our time the Anabaptists and the spirits of the mob come sneaking in with good, smooth words: "Dear child, you have had many preachers and heard many things, but they have not preached rightly to you. You
2254 8.5, 379-382. on the eighth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 1817-1820. 2255
You must not only have God's word, but you must have the spirit, the spirit. Christ is not properly presented to you through the preaching of faith; you must come higher. With such words they make the people rash, so that they listen to them and say: Well, it is not to be despised nevertheless. Thus the devil creeps in, so that one thinks it is St. Paul, yes, an angel from heaven.
(9) Therefore we must beware of the devil. The wolf would deceive no one if he came in the form of a wolf; just as a sheep does not stand still and willingly and gladly let itself be eaten when it becomes aware of the wolf. But if the wolf has a sheep's skin around him, the sheep is deceived, goes to him and does not care for a ride. So does the devil. If he came in his own form, there would be no need. For who would listen to the devil, or become the devil's apostle? But because the devil disguises himself, as St. Paul says in 2 Cor. 11, 14, to the angel of light, there is danger. Therefore let everyone be warned and learn diligently. For it is not to be believed how the devil is a mischievous man, and adorns himself more beautifully than any angel, yes, more beautifully than Christ himself; and his servants disguise themselves as preachers of righteousness, so that whoever hears them finally lifts up and says: "Well, I have been in this place so long and heard preaching there, but never heard such things as I am hearing now; here the spirit is right. So the poor wretch sits, opens his mouth, listens, and thinks that it is all the pure truth that the devil says through his apostles, and so it goes.
(10) It is the same in the house with masters, wives, servants and maids. There is a wicked neighbor who hires away another's servants, does not present himself as an enemy, but comes with good, gentle, smooth words, and says: "Dear Hans, dear Grete, could you not get another master and another wife, who would not beat you so, nor torment you so? Your master, your wife does not mean well with you, keeps you too hard 2c. With such words and the like the wicked neighbor makes the servant and the maid think that he means very well, when in fact he deceives the servants from good service. How then the poisonous mouths can so decorate it that
they thus deceive a poor child, pretending to be the best of friends, when they are the worst of enemies. Just as it happens in the house, that the servants are often deceived with good words, through evil mouths: so it also happens in the church, that the devil does not deceive us by saying the same, but by pretending to be Christ's apostle. Everywhere are and do the sheep's clothing, which deceive a poor child in the house, and a poor man in the church, that he is torn asunder. As it is said of wolves, When they are hungry, they howl and bark like dogs, and deceive the poor little sheep, so that they stand still and are hurried. Similarly, other animals are said to take on different shapes and voices, and to deceive both cattle and men.
Therefore Christ warns here and says: "Dear man, dear child, beware, listen to no one but me and my apostles; do not turn to any sneak; keep to my word and to the church, which says: I believe in JEsum Christum, who came from heaven for us men and for our salvation 2c. Say after them, I believe that I am baptized, and that I alone am saved through my dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Therefore be silent, thou honey-sweet mouth, thou comest creeping in a sheep's clothing, and yet art the sorrowful devil.
(12) This is how one should do in the home, obeying father and mother, masters and wives. Now if an evil mouth comes and says, "Dear child, do you not see how harshly you are treated? They do not mean you with faithfulness; you could well improve your cause, be in a place where you would have better days. When a poor child hears such things, he thinks they mean well by him, follow him, think he is doing right; and does not see that he is denying God's word, which commands that he should honor father and mother, serve lords and wives, and be obedient. So hear the devil in a good form. But he who wants to be undeceived, let him beware of such evil mouths, and follow God's word. For two things must be one: either to listen to God diligently, or to the devil; there is no other way out.
2256 8.5, 382-384. on the eighth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 1826-4823. 2257
But what does the wolf or the devil give in reward? Father and mother may punish you with a rod, but nevertheless they give you food and drink and let you live in their house. God punishes with severity in his word, but also punishes when one disobeys his word, but nevertheless offers and gives his grace and eternal blessedness to those who turn to him through repentance and believe in his Son. But what does the devil give? He tears, says Christ here. Therefore, if you have been listening to the devil and following him for a long time, you are torn apart. According to the Holy Scriptures, this means to be eternally lost and to be eternally damned with the devil into the abyss of hell. This is what happened to Adam and Eve in paradise. To them the devil came with good, sweet words: "Yes, should it be true? Should God have said: you shall not eat from all kinds of trees in the garden? Ye shall die with not death; but GOD knoweth that if ye eat of the apple, fo ye shall become wise as GOD, and know what is good and what is evil." This was the sheep's clothing in which the devil came creeping. But when they followed and ate the apple, the reward was to be eternally lost. And Adam and Eve would have remained eternally in death, if Christ had not promised and come and helped them out.
14 It is the same in the crowd. He who will not obey father, mother, masters, wives, which God has commanded, let him finally hear the executioner. He who will not let himself be pulled by his father's rod, let him be pulled by the hangman's rope. Father and mother, even if they poke you with the rod, they still help you to live; but the executioner cuts off your throat. This is how the devil finally pays off his children, even if he comes creeping along at the beginning with beautiful, sweet words. One should learn such things. For in all states it is so, and shall not be otherwise: He who will not listen to God must listen to the devil. But he who keeps God's word has eternal life and a gracious God who does him all good, blesses him and gives him everything he needs, here and there. God does not want to tear us apart as the devil tears us apart. Even though God sometimes stabs a little, He has to do that to keep people faithful to His word.
His rod, however, is not such an evil rod as the hangman's rope and the devil's tearing, which remains forever.
(15) The devil may well pretend, that he may deceive thee: but beware, and take heed, and abide in the faith of the word, and in the obedience of thy father, and of thy mother, and of thy lord, and of thy wives; and thou shalt not be torn asunder. If not, the devil will come to you through his prophets in sheep's clothing and deceive you; as he came to Adam and Eve and deceived them. For as he came to them through the serpent, saying, "God knows that in the day ye eat thereof, your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be like God": so shall the devil's prophets come unto thee, and both in the church and in the house shall say unto thee, Why wilt thou go into the church, and hear the word of God? What good will the Word do you? The Spirit must do it. Item: Why do you want to be obedient to your father? Why do you want to serve your Lord? You can have it much better elsewhere. If then thou wilt believe the devil, go thy way, dear child; thou shalt well find how these sheep's garments shall deceive thee, and pluck thee from God.
(16) Hence it is that the world today is so desolate that no one can get along with the people, with the children, with the household, and that such robbery, stealing, disobedience, unfaithfulness is everywhere. For everyone despises God's word and hears the devil in his prophets instead of the word, both in the church and in the home. Therefore there can be no right faith against God and no right obedience against men, no love nor faithfulness. But where there is no right faith in God and no right obedience to men, there must follow pestilence, hard times, famine, war and all misfortune. This is the reward for despising God's word.
(17) Therefore let every man diligently hearken unto the word of God, and say: I will abide in the word of God, I will believe it and follow it, and in such faith I will walk, and be obedient to my father and mother, diligently serving my Lord. What sounds against it I will not hear, nor follow it, however sweet it may sound.
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For I know this for certain: If I stay with the Word, believe in God, and am obedient to my parents, my Lord, then I have a merciful God and the devil cannot tear me apart. Whether I have to suffer a little about it, it does no harm. It is better to suffer something here with God than to be torn apart there by the devil. So I do, stand by the word, preach it diligently, and wait for my calling. Whether I have to suffer above the word and above my ministry is not the issue. It is better for me to be called a heretic by the pope and his followers for the sake of Christ than to deny Christ with the pope and be eternally damned with the devil.
18 We should learn from this gospel: Whoever does not want to hear God in his word must hear the devil. Whoever does not want to obey father and mother, let him obey Master Hansen. He who does not want to follow a good friend, let him follow a villain and a rogue. When the devil comes, he comes in sheep's clothing, gives good words; but at last it is called torn, here in the body, honor and good, there in the soul. Therefore we should learn to obey God in His word, so that we will not be torn apart, but may have good days here and eternal salvation there. May our dear God and Father, through His Holy Spirit, grant us this for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.
On the eighth Sunday after Trinity.
Second sermon.*)
The Lord Christ preached this sermon at the end of the long sermon on the mountain, which St. Matthew describes in the 5th, 6th and 7th chapters. And this because he knows well that where our Lord God builds a church, there the devil builds a cretin, or as it is said, when our Lord God took a lump of earth and made a beautiful man out of it, the devil wanted to imitate such a work and made toads and snakes. For it has always been so, where one has preached rightly, that the devil has mixed false doctrine and heresy with it. As you can see in a garden, if you sow good seed 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 admonishes and warns.
*) Held in the house, 1533.
In today's Gospel, the Lord, as our faithful teacher and arch shepherd of our souls, tells us to 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 you should rightly understand the Ten Commandments, rightly pray, rightly fast, and trust God to feed you. 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 man be secure, neither let him sleep: for it shall not fail (as it was said before), where the word is right and pure, there shall not the wolves abide without,
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but will certainly come. As can be seen first in the church, then also in the secular government and households. Everywhere the wolf interferes, whether he could snatch us from the word and do us harm. The Christian church has the right, pure word of God. The devil cannot let us stay with it, and he brings in all kinds of enthusiasts who bring something new and strange about baptism, about the Lord's Supper, about Christ Himself, and thereby mislead and seduce the people. And where such enthusiasts are found, we, as unholy, rash people, have a bad habit about us, which is a special plague, as soon as we hear something new, that we burst, fall from the word and gape at such drops, mobs and enthusiasts, who creep in to us.
(4) Now this warning belongs primarily to Christ, as if to say, "The false prophets will not remain outside, but will surely come to you, and with a beautiful, glittering light, and make you monkey-mouths, so that you will think you have never heard a better sermon in your life; so you will fall like the untimely, wormy fruit when the wind comes in. Who then will be to blame? Not mine, for I warn you against it, but your own, 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. No better word nor better doctrine will arise than that which has recently been written in the Catechismo from the Holy Scriptures. Therefore, one should stick to it, so that if a heretic and fanatic appears and teaches differently, one can say: This is not rightly taught, because it does not agree with my catechism.
But where one hears God's word diligently, and keeps the heart unattached, so that it does not hold fast to the word, the devil has free access, and makes man mad, so that he also falls into gross, tangible error. The Lord would like to warn us against this, so that we do not keep such unlearned hearts, but think about how we can keep God's word.
We could grasp it well and firmly. For he sends us not among the angels, but among the wolves, and there is need of attention. If any man therefore will be sure of this, and not err, let him hold fast, saith Christ, unto my word, which is the right light that I have lighted for you, and the right armor, that ye may be able to withstand the devil's sting, and to resist him, though he come unto you in sheep's clothing.
(7) These two things always do the harm: the sheep's clothing, under which the devil disguises and hides himself, and the security that our hearts stand alone. The devil does not come in his own garment, like a devil, but adorns himself as if he were God himself. So he came to our Lord Christ, and said, Matt. 4:9, "All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me." For these are not words that the devil should speak, but which belong to the high majesty, the eternal God. He alone is to be worshipped, and he alone is powerful of all kingdoms, and gives them according to his pleasure to whom he pleases. Just as the devil came to Christ as if he were God himself (for to give the whole world is the work of the divine majesty), so he comes to us this day through his heretics, groups and enthusiasts, who take God's word and the Scriptures as their guide, boast much about Christ, about God's spirit, and make such an appearance that one would swear that they are all holy and that God himself speaks through them. So when he comes adorned and finds a monkey's mouth and an empty heart, he slithers into it as a snake slithers into the mouth of a man lying in the grass and sleeping.
Therefore, we should diligently hear God's word, hold fast to it, and judge and judge all doctrine according to the word. He who does this has the right weapons, the sword of the spirit and the armor of God, and can easily ward off the devil and beware of his sheepskin. But whoever is sure, keeps his mouth open and is always looking for something new, the devil has soon tricked him and felled him with his sheep's clothing. For the fact that the devil deceives so many people through his erroneous spirits, the
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is due to the fact that he finds so many muzzlers who do not watch out or pay attention.
(9) It is the same in the secular government, which is an example and illustration of the Christian church, concerning the harm done by sheep's clothing and carelessness. If the rulers are sure and industrious, and do not themselves wait for their office and command, the land becomes full of hypocrites; and if they then trust one here, another there, and rely on any hypocrite, it is done with them. But if a ruler waits for his office and looks into things himself, takes account of the officials himself, does not believe what any hypocrite says, but looks into the game himself, he cannot be deceived.
Such a prince was Duke Frederick, Elector of Saxony, the noble and dear prince (of whom I have the right to remember). When he got up in the morning, the registers had to be read for him, and even though he traveled (as Master Peter Balbierer says), he never went to bed in the evening, because he had previously heard the account of the expenditure and what was consumed. He did this not only in foreign places, but also in his own cities. He looked closely at his officials and treasurers and believed no one but himself. This was a prince who kept house. Other princes next to him who did not do this, were careless and tardy, trusted everyone and did not take care of things themselves, had to perish. But such a prince, who himself looks into the game, takes account himself, is a strange bird among the princes on earth.
It is the same in the house regiment. When master and wife snore and leave everything in the hands of the servants and put their trust in them, the common saying goes: "The horse rode away in good faith. It is true, one should and must trust. For it is a shameful thing about unfaithful people, who have nothing good to do to anyone; but there should also be a measure, so that one does not trust too much, but watches himself and by trusting too much, as is commonly done, does not give the servants cause to sin. For although a servant
knows his master's commandment and will, yet he does not do it. If the master gives his back, especially if a bad neighbor, or otherwise a good fellow and drinking companion comes along, and says: Dear Hans, come, let us go to the beer and play; then my dear Hans goes there and forgets his master's command and commandment. For this is the way of the world, that the servants prefer to follow a stranger who turns them away from the command and obedience of their masters and wives, rather than that they should follow their masters and wives. Where masters and wives snore and do not perceive their cause, how is it possible that it will go well there?
Then nothing right happens on either side. Lords and wives steal too much, servants and maids too easily believe the tempters who lead them away from their lords' and wives' commandments and obedience. If one were to trust in the word of parents, masters and wives, then pious children, servants and maids would remain in the house. But unfortunately it happens that one no longer hears father and mother, lords and wives' command and word, as long as one sees them; as the common saying goes: If you come out of my sight, you will also come out of my heart. If now evil spreaders also strike, then it is all the more annoying. They give good words and say: I mean well, your need moves me, you have a wicked master and hard service; what do you show yourself, *) that you let yourself be imprisoned and kept hard? You could improve your situation, be in a place where you would have more air, not have to work so hard and have better days. Thus the evil mouths pose as if they were vain helpers, and yet they are vain devils.
(13) Thus it is that the wolf is found everywhere, in the church, in the secular government, and in the household government, and sees how he tears people away from the word. For as little as the devil can suffer the word to be pure and clear in the church, so little can he also suffer a serious stir and peace in the secular regime and obedience in the domestic regime. Everything that God has ordained, he must
*) What do you want 2c. D. Red.
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in the household and in the secular government as well as in the church. God has given His word to the church, He gives good laws and justice to the secular government, and He gives discipline and obedience to the household. This is his order and will that such things be preserved. But the devil, as a true master of all disorder, gets in the way everywhere so that he can destroy such godly, useful and necessary order. Therefore Christ speaks here: Take heed to yourselves, and be not safe. For you will not be among the most pious Christians, but most of them will have only the name, and under the Christian name, as under the sheep's clothing, he will introduce heresy in the church, desolate, disorderly conduct in the worldly government, and disobedience in the household.
14 But this is what happens most often and is most annual in the church. There come all the mobs, the fanatics and the heretics with the pretense that they boast of the truth with their mouths and say: Here is God's word, here is the holy scripture! We do not seek our own, but God's glory and people's salvation; we would like to see God's word pure and the truth promoted, we would like to help people 2c. So they go in under the beautiful glow and sheep's clothing. When the poor, silly people hear God's word and praise the truth, they make themselves believe that it is pure gold; soon they burst and put up with it. For the sheep's clothing soon catches one when one hears God's word and praises the truth. Who would not like to hear God's word and know the truth? Then a Christian should learn that the devil can name the truth and praise God's word just as well as the pious Christians. He who does not learn this is easily deceived and seduced, and then it is done with him. For he who lets his sheep's clothing deceive him is torn to pieces by the wolf. Therefore we should say: I will gladly hear God's word and the truth, but not trust too much besides, but see if it rhymes with my catechism and with the sermon I have heard so far. So whoever is finely attentive, and does not merely believe, but looks at the word, with him it has
no need. But whoever abandons his catechism and the doctrine he has learned before, and listens only to what every sneak says, that is what happens to him.
(15) So it was with Eve in Paradise. When the devil came to her with good, smooth words, he said: "Do you think that God is so envious that he should not allow you to eat from the tree? He makes our Lord God so pious, as if he could not be angered. He said, "He has given you the whole garden to enjoy; how can he begrudge you this one tree, which is not harmful to you but can serve to make you wise like him? These were smooth, sweet words that came to Eve, so that she fell down and thought, "It is true! and so forgot God's commandment, or if she did not forget it, she doubted it and thought, "Perhaps God did not command it that way, and you did not hear right. Soon she lay down and it was over with her. At the first, when the devil set upon her, she acted very wisely, and struck the devil away with the command which God had given them. "We eat," she said, "of the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Eat not of it. "2c. Then she holds up to him the word which she heard from GOD, and strikes him with GOD's word. But when he stopped again and pressed her, saying, "If God has forbidden you the tree, he must be an envious, unfaithful God, who does not want you to be wiser than he is; then she is persuaded, forsakes God's word, follows the devil, breaks off the apple and eats of it: so that she and all of us with her have fallen into all misfortune and eternal death.
(16) For the sake of such a journey, lest we also be deceived by the devil through his apostles, the Lord warns us here, saying, "Take heed. As if to say, "I am excused, but you are not excused; for I have given you my word, which is to be your guard and light to shine before you. Now if ye be deceived, the fault is not mine, but yours: ye must not say, We knew it not. Therefore
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Look well on it, do not let the light from the eyes, but hold firmly to it. If you hear someone talking against it, which does not rhyme with it, then say: I do not hear, here is my light, which shines differently for me.
(17) This much we are to learn for this time, that the devil pursues us everywhere: in the church he leads away from the word wherever he can; in the secular government he destroys peace and raises obedience between the authorities and the subjects; in the domestic government he causes disorder and disobedience between parents and children, between masters, wives and servants. This is the devil's trickery and cunning. Whoever wants to remain unconvinced by the devil should look in the home to the command of parents, in the secular government to the command of the prince, in the church to the word of God, and not to the word of evil spirits or other evil people, who
to lead us away from the obedience of God, the authorities and parents, and to persuade us to obey the devil.
In sum, God's word should be our shield and weapon. If we have it before our eyes and follow it, the devil cannot deceive us; but if we forsake the word of God, the devil has already fallen upon us. But God does not want to give us any other word, nor let us preach any other word, than the one He has already given us through the prophets, through His Son, and through the apostles, which He has revealed to us at this last time. If we diligently hear and learn the same word, we can well ward off the false word, and the devil must depart. But where we do not want to hear or learn the same word, the devil has already won. May our dear God help us to hold fast and faithfully to His word.
On the ninth Sunday after Trinity.
First sermon.*)
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 what I will do when I am removed from office and they take me into their houses. And he called all his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou 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.
- in this unjust steward and unfaithful rogue, who had killed his master's goods, our beloved
*) Held publicly in the parish church, 1532.
Lord Christ before two teachings. The first is that we should make friends with the unrighteous mammon, so that when we are in want, they may receive us into the eternal tabernacles. The other doctrine is that we are to be saved from
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this unjust steward and from the children of this world shall learn to be wise.
The first lesson the Lord sets with clear words, when he concludes this parable of the unjust steward, and says: "And I also say to you, make friends with the unjust mammon" 2c. As if he wanted to say: From the unjust steward you shall learn something good; he has to know how to take care of himself. When he saw that his master wanted to take the office from him, he made the debtors of his master his friends, so that when his master deposed him from the office, they would take him into their houses. In the same way, love faithful preachers and devout Christians and make them your friends, so that they may pray for you to become godly.
(3) But the Lord gives wealth a special name and calls it unrighteous mammon, because of the unrighteous custom to which it is subjected. For just as this steward is a rogue and destroys the goods that are not his but his master's, so we also are rogues with the goods that God gives us, and do not use them for God's glory and the benefit of our neighbor, but rather for God's dishonor and our neighbor's harm. Whoever is not God-fearing abuses his goods against God and his neighbor; as we experience enough in all the world every day. Therefore, wealth in truth is nothing else but an unrighteous mammon among all people. Christians can hardly bring themselves to use the good rightly; mammon is even subject to abuse and vanity, like all other creatures of God, but without their will, Rom. 8, 20.
4 Therefore the Lord will say: This unjust steward and others who misuse goods make friends with other people's goods; they use their master's goods in such a way that they themselves do not perish; how much more should you Christians do this, be just stewards of the goods over which God has set you as stewards, so that you use them to honor God and to benefit your neighbor! In this way, you shall make friends for yourselves, and you shall be able to rely on them in another and better way.
You may enjoy it in the same way as this unjust steward of his master's debtor enjoyed it. This is the first lesson in this gospel, that we need this example of the unjust steward for good teaching and make friends with the unjust mammon.
The other teaching is that the Lord praises the unrighteous steward for doing wisely, and reproves the children of light for not using the same wisdom in their generation. The children of this world, he says, are wiser than the children of light in their generation. As if he wanted to say: The boys and husks of this world do it to you Christians far before in their sex. Thus he separates God's children and the devil's children from one another, calling those children of this world, but these he calls children of light, even though they are not very pious children of God according to the flesh. The children of this world, he says, that is, the worldly people who walk according to the world, without the fear and faith of God, are wiser than the Christians and children of God in their generation. This unrighteous steward is a two-faced rogue: first, he is a sinner before God; then he is also a rogue before his Lord. Nevertheless, he is prudent and knows how to take care of himself so well that it is beyond all measure, so that he will not suffer in his body when he worships.
(6) This must not be interpreted as if the Lord were to praise the unjust steward's unfaithfulness and mischievousness, and to put up with our doing wrong to other people; but only the steward's speed and prudence is praised as an example to provoke us to use the same earnestness and diligence in a good matter that this steward used in an evil one, for his own benefit and to the detriment of his master.
(7) Just as when I see a lewd woman who adorns herself most beautifully for the purpose of fornication, the poor gold, silk and silk cannot help but be abused for fornication. But still I can praise it and say to you, "Do you see how this woman knows how to use her fornication?
*) visierlich - kind, nice. D. Red.
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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 the diligence, care and prudence that we should use in godly, good, honest things.
But now the Lord 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 carefully when it sees its advantage, and does not let any effort or work go to waste. How much trouble, worry and danger have the shrub thieves who make do in hedges! They have neither peace nor rest day or night, and they are in danger of being killed by a blade or by a road; nor do they love their devilish nature, so that they cannot tire of it. So a thief, a cheat, an adulterer, all lead a hard life and a hard order, need all kinds of cunning and trickery, intrigues and advantages, so that they align their roguishness, fornication and fornication, and they get mad beyond measure, until they give the devil his happy service.
(9) 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 earn hell by serving the devil so diligently and doing and suffering everything for his sake than it is for the godly to earn heaven. And that is fine talk, if you understand it right. That is why God must pull his Christians by the hair and force them to do what they should.
(10) Therefore this is a very fine similitude which the Lord holds up to us here. If we are Christians and want to do what we should 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, wickedness and everything that is dear to the devil,
are so mischievous, trained and ready. There you will feel such great diligence, since people are so cursed with mischievousness that they do not know how to be sufficiently nasty and wanton. Then learn that you also do such things against God and His word and for 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, the wife, the maid, 2c. serve the devil with such diligence and not let any effort go to waste; why would I not also serve my Lord, whom I am to enjoy for eternity, in this way? They lurk as if they were senseless, but after their eternal harm and destruction. How am I then so sleepy and lazy, since it concerns my soul's blessedness, that God must still drag me to it by the hair? I should spit at myself so that I do not crawl toward heaven, since those run and run toward 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 look on one whom avarice has rightly possessed, and you will find that he has neither day nor night rest from his own thoughts; all his thoughts and pursuits are for money, and take him no pains nor labor, as the poet said of the merchants:
Impiger extremos currit mercator ad Indos, Per mare pauperiem > fugiens, per saxa, per ignes.
A merchant is undaunted and gives himself to all the driving, so that he may escape poverty and feed himself.
(12) Then we should learn that as a miser cares for money and a worldling cares for food, so we should also care for the eternal with the same earnestness. But where will you find a Christian who does this? who gladly goes a quarter of a mile to church so that he may hear God's word, as a merchant travels through all the countries so that he may become rich? who for Christ's sake is willing to go on the road and suffer, as a merchant for the sake of temporal gain ventures into all kinds of hardship and danger? Where will you find one who is so glad when he finds a poor person to whom he can give ten guilders more or less?
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can help a man according to the need of his fortune and that need, as a rich usurer rejoices when he knows how to make a big profit with his money? Here everyone runs to, and would like to bring the hundred to ten, twenty or more guilders.
(13) But what is it against usury, which our money shall surely bear, if we help the poor with it? For thus saith Solomon, Prov. 19:17: "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 so it is found in the work, that the devil has a hundred ministries with his own, while Christ has scarcely one. What shall we do about it? We cannot change it, for the world cannot be told. We may preach, and always persist with punishments, threats, and admonitions, that we may take an example of such diligence, which the world needs in the devil's service, that we also practice good, as the children of the world practice evil, if we may attain a little of such an example, especially because we have the advantage (however difficult it may be) that we are children of light.
(15) If we remain by 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 least begun to be among the company that is called children of light.
(16) But let no man think that we shall bring it where the children of the world bring it in their generations. It
We should be far ahead of them, because we have the promise that we will receive the eternal crown, but there are too many obstacles in the way. Nevertheless, we are to be diligent to continue from day to day in godliness, discipline, patience, meekness, gentleness, mercy, and other Christian works. For if we are and remain only in the lifting up and in the right way, the step, however slow and narrow it may be, will finely give that we come after it; only that we do not make ourselves believe that we have even trodden it.
17 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 that is 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 heaven; 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.
He who is faithful in the least is faithful also in the greatest; and he who is unjust in the least is unjust also in the greatest. If then ye be not faithful in unrighteous mammon, who will trust you in that which is true?
(18) These are vain sayings, which belong to the government of the land and to the house; they are also taken from the government of the world and from the government of the house. The Lord applies such proverbs to the spiritual, and thus punishes the Pharisees, who were stingy. This means: Whoever is not faithful in temporal goods, but seeks his own honor and benefit, will never be faithful in spiritual goods, as in the gospel and the ministry of preaching.
- when a boy gets used to snacking in the house, starts to secretly take off a cherry or two, a few pears, nuts and other-
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He goes on and learns to steal, and after that he takes off a penny, until he comes to a penny, a florin 2c. Therefore saith the Lord, He that is faithful in the least is faithful also in the greatest." He who does not like to neglect a penny will not like to lose a skirt, much less set fire to the house. Again, he who does not respect a penny will not come to a penny. And he who does not save a penny where he can, will not save a guilder.
(20) All these things belong to the temporal government and to the household; but Christ refers to the spiritual, saying, If ye be unrighteous stewards in temporal, corruptible things, verily in spiritual, eternal things ye shall not be counted faithful stewards. If you have no right use for mammon, how can you be trusted to have right use for the gospel, for baptism, for the keys to the kingdom of heaven? If you are not faithful stewards of temporal goods, you will never be pious, faithful preachers.
And if you are not faithful in the stranger, who will give you that which is yours?
(21) The Lord does not call mammon unrighteous only because its unrighteousness is needed, but he also calls it foreign because it is a temporal good and does not remain forever, like the spiritual good. Eternal life is our (that is, the Christians') good, it is the true good and remains ours forever. But mammon is a foreign good, is not ours, but of the heathen. It is a perishable good and does not remain forever, but is distributed in this world, most of all among the heathen and unbelievers, although the believers also need it as an addition.
22 Therefore the LORD will say, If ye be in the stranger (which is but little, and is not
(The Lord said that if you are not faithful to the great good that remains yours forever, whether you have had it for a while or not, how can God trust you with the great good that is eternal, that is, eternal life, which is yours forever and is true? Est argumentum a minori. As, then, if I said, He that cannot do nor will not do that which is less, how should he be able or willing to do that which is greater? He who cannot walk three steps, how can he walk three miles? Therefore see to it, says the Lord, that you are faithful stewards in the least, as in pennies, and in temporal goods. If you do this, it will be evident that your heart is faithful toward me, and that you are not hostile or contrary to my gospel and to me.
23 Thus our dear Lord Jesus Christ punishes unfaithfulness and avarice in this gospel. And he does both with the example of the unjust steward and with proverbs. For in those days avarice and unfaithfulness reigned in all classes, as now in our day. How many do you think are faithful pastors, preachers and teachers today who are serious? Most of them ask nothing about it, although the pope spoils everything with his idolatries and blasphemous abominations, if they only have a belly full. Peasants, bourgeois, nobility, ask neither for the Gospel, nor for poor, meager people. In sum, in all classes there is unfaithfulness, and avarice reigns everywhere, as if it were God and Lord in all the world. But it is decided, as Christ says here, "If ye be not faithful in the stranger, who will give you that which is yours?" He who is stingy and unfaithful in the least will not be trusted with what is spiritual. He will not have eternal life, but eternal death. God would mercifully protect us from this, amen.
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On the ninth Sunday after Trinity.
Second sermon.*)
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 it; as the Lord himself interprets it at the end and says in clear words: "Make friends of unrighteous mammon", that is, help poor people with your money and goods.
2 Such teaching does not belong to the young people as well as to the old. For young people do not yet know much about avarice and mammon. Avarice affects the old the most, and the older one gets, the more avarice affects him. But young people should also diligently remember this teaching, so that when they grow old, and avarice, as it will not remain, also begins to challenge them, they will be prepared and will be able to say: When I was young I heard the gospel of the unrighteous mammon, how I should use his divine; I am obliged to follow the same teaching and to beware of avarice.
- Now the Lord does not present us with the opinion that we should follow this unjust steward in his deed, doing wrong to one another and cheating one another out of what is his; but his opinion is that we should follow this steward in prudence, diligence and prudence, so that just as he has considered the future need, even though to his master's detriment, we also consider it and turn our money and goods to it, so that we may enjoy it in a different and better life when we are now in want. He saw, because he was deposed from office, that he would need help from other people, so he needed his office, because it was still in his hands, so that he called his master's debtors to him and gave one fifty pairs of pants.)
*) Held in the house, 1533.
**) Pants, an elongated container for butter. D. Red.
He gave one butter and the other twenty measures of wheat. For he said, "This is what I will do when I am removed from office, so that those to whom I give so much will take me into their homes. We should follow this wisdom and make friends with our mammon, just as this steward made friends with his master's goods.
4 Here we are to learn first of all why the Lord calls the good bad mammon, and also the wrong mammon. The word "mammon" in German means as much as wealth. In German, "Unrechter Mammon" (unrighteous mammon) means as much as unrighteous wealth or unrighteous good. Now the holy scripture teaches that one should give back unrighteous wealth. For because it is not ours, but unrighteous goods, we should not do any good work with it, or give alms; as Isaiah says in chapter 61, v. 8: "I," says the Lord, "am he that loveth righteousness, and I hate robbery burnt offerings." This is said so much: I do not want the stolen sacrifice, give back to everyone his own; whoever wants to sacrifice, let him sacrifice his own; whoever wants to give alms, let him do it from his own, which he has acquired with God and a good conscience, or be satisfied. Therefore, nothing else should be done with other people's goods, except to give them back to the one from whom they have taken them unreasonably. How then is it fitting that the Lord should say here: With unrighteous mammon one should make friends, that is, give alms from it and help the poor? Answer: The Lord attacks mammon terribly and calls it unrighteous: not because the good should be gained unrighteously (for, as I said, unrighteous good should be given back), but because no man has a right need of mammon, except the righteous saints who keep the fear of God and the commandments of God. The others need mammon to that end according to their own
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My proverb: Good makes courage, and no one gives to him who gives. Because people are so puffed up with mammon, banqueting and living in a frenzy, and let the poor pass by unprotected and suffer from lack, whom they could well help, that is why it must have the shameful name and be called unrighteous mammon.
(5) What pleasure God has in such abuse can be seen in the saying of Ezekiel, where he says (Cap. 16:49, 50): "Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom: Hope, and all things full, and good peace, which she and her daughters had. But they helped not the poor and needy, but were proud, and did abominable things in my sight: wherefore when I began to see them, I put them away." This is the three things that Sodom destroyed: the first, that she was full, had great wealth and good peace; the second, that she was proud and hopeful, and did not know what to do with her wealth because she was so proud; the third, that she did not help poor people, but let them suffer hardship. This is the pity, and yet the common custom in the world, since the shameful 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 property: not because of its kind and nature (for what can the poor penny, guilder, Joachimsthaler, bread, meat, fish, wine and other things in addition. *), but because of man, who does not really need it.
(6) Therefore, the teaching of today's Gospel is primarily that one should not be stingy, but should make good use of what God has given and make friends with it, so that when we die and are destitute, 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 here for poor people, 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. Then one will come and boast: Lord, he has given me a skirt, a guilder, a
I have given him a piece of bread and a drink of water in his time of need, and I bear him witness that he has shown his faith. Yes, Christ himself will come forth on the last day and praise before his heavenly Father, all the angels and saints, what we have done good to one of his least brothers, that is, as he interprets it, to himself. These friends will do it and help us to heaven, if we have to live in poverty and leave everything on earth.
7 Our goods will not help us to heaven, but if we make a right mammon out of the wrong mammon, that is, if we bring the mammon out of the wrong custom into the right custom, and with our money and goods, which God has given us, come to the tax and help of the poor, who cannot win their bread themselves, we prove our faith and give testimony of ourselves that we are righteous Christians and heirs of eternal life. In the same way, the poor and Christ himself will publicly praise us on that day. For this is by no means to be 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 citizens and peasants, and the common saying shows that such filth lead in their mouths: I have grain and bread for myself; if you also want to have it, then get it. This means an unjust grain and bread, an unjust mammon, which they use for sins and their own destruction, when they could use it well and to 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 wickedness of those who steal and take from others? As there are bakers, butchers, tailors, and almost all craftsmen and merchants, servants and maids, since one always translates the other, pretends, cheats and lies. They will not only go to hell without friends, but also have many enemies against them, who will accuse them on the last day before God's court and judgment. Here on earth the poor and needy must suffer injustice from
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the miserly, let themselves be despised and trampled under, and in addition keep silent and call such enemies grace junks.
(9) But in that day they shall open their mouths, and say, Lord, there was an evil time, and this man had many floors full of corn, and cellars full of wine; but he would not have given out one grain, not one drop, but they would have paid him over in cash, as he would. 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 like 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 over avarice, usurers and all the ungodly, and will cry out over their necks for eternity that they have abused them so much to their eternal harm and condemnation. 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 steal, who do not damage others with their increase, transgression, etc., but do not give to the needy without punishment, how much greater condemnation will befall those who not only do not give, but who, as real thieves and robbers of stools, with their avarice, usury, increase, transgression, stealing, and robbery, make mischievous mischief and weigh down the dear poor, only that they have many thalers 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 out of 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. On the other hand, the miser and usurer, who can do nothing but scrounge 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 be
That day I would cry out over them and say: This peasant, burgher, merchant, nobleman could do nothing but scratch, scrape and scrape. I would have often needed his help, but he would not have helped me with a word, let alone that he should have helped me with money and goods. The Lord makes such a prosopopeiam *) here, that it forms 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 should learn to begin with right earnestness to be pious, mild, kind, charitable, 2c., thus proving our faith, and those to whom we have done good may have witness 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.
He who is faithful in the least is faithful also in the greatest, and he who is unjust in the least is unjust also in the greatest. If therefore ye be not faithful in unrighteous mammon, who will trust you in that which is true? And if ye be not faithful in that which is strange, who will give you that which is yours?
13 The Lord speaks this against the Pharisees. They were stingy and mocked him. So you Pharisees are covetous and mammon servants, how can you be righteous ministers of God and teachers among the people of Israel? For who will trust you in what is spiritual and true, but the ministry of preaching and the care of souls, if you are unfaithful in the small good, in the unrighteous mammon? And this is also the truth. If a pastor and preacher wants to be stingy, then he is no longer useful for anything, needs the preaching chair, like the pope with his priests, only for his pleasure and stomach service, takes the
*Prosopopoeia, a figure of speech, to present absent persons as present, and to let them speak and act. D. Red.
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He is not concerned with the care of souls, but with the care of money, interest and grain. For he who is unfaithful in unrighteous mammon, how can he be faithful in the high, spiritual office and goods?
Therefore it is necessary that whoever wants to be a faithful pastor and preacher, as well as a diligent listener, who is serious about God's word, learns to avoid this vice, which is called avarice. For it hinders the gospel greatly if the pastor or the listeners are stingy. A stingy pastor does not like to preach the word, so stingy pastors do not like to hear it either. The latter preach no further, because he has money and enjoyment from it; the latter hear it no further, because they desire it. Therefore, where avarice reigns, the gospel must fall and perish. A stingy farmer, citizen says: I must go to the field, to my work, I cannot wait to hear the sermon. A stingy preacher says: "I can no longer preach, because it brings me nothing in the kitchen. Therefore, the fact that today most of the preachers and listeners are such bad Christians and have so little regard for the gospel is not due to any other reason than that they are so stingy.
15 This is what is preached about mammon. The Lord gives it a shameful name and calls it the unjust mammon, because he who loves it uses it only for his own honor and pleasure, and thereby sins against God and his neighbor. In sum, it is a damnable good, not because of its nature and essence, but because of the unjust custom to which it is subjected.
(16) Therefore we should make a right mammon out of an unrighteous mammon, using it rightly and godly. He who does this will have many friends and witnesses to his faith in that day. But whoever does not do this will have no one to testify that he has proven his faith by deed; indeed, he will have to hear many poor people testify against him that his faith was not righteous, but only an empty shell. This will be the fruit and the reward of his shameful avarice and mammon service. May our dear God and Father grant us His grace for the sake of His Son Jesus Christ, and may He awaken our hearts through His Holy Spirit, so that we may grasp this teaching and live our lives according to it, so that we may prove our faith to be righteous and finally be saved, amen.
On the tenth Sunday after Trinity.
First sermon.*)
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.
*) Held in the house, 1532.
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- children should diligently memorize this gospel so that they may learn to fear God from it.
002 For Christ hath spoken these things with a great sorrowful heart, weeping bitterly that the beautiful city should perish so miserably, and be rent asunder, that not one stone should be left upon another. Ah, Jerusalem," he says, "if you knew and believed that such a calamity would come upon you, you would certainly not be so sure, but would consider what is for your peace, weep and pray that God would be merciful to you.
(3) Although the Lord speaks of the city of Jerusalem, he has warned and threatened 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 and will surely come, as God lives. Therefore, one should beware of all sins, but especially of the sin that is called despising God's word or the time of the visitation, that is, hearing the sermon and yet not improving, but continuing in sin forever, preaching and saying whatever one wants. The punishment for such sin certainly does not remain outside, even if it is stopped for a while. He who despises God's word does not escape punishment.
4 And to strengthen this warning and threat, he sets as an example his most beloved and holy city Jerusalem, and his own people, which city was our dear Lord God's own house, dwelling place and hearth, and the people his own household. For our Lord God has been in Jerusalem as a citizen, and the city has been like half of heaven, where God Himself dwelt with His angels, where all worship was ordered, where almost all the patriarchs lived and had their burial, where finally Christ, the Son of God, Himself walked, preached, died, was buried, rose again, and gave the Holy Spirit; That therefore this city is so heaped with holiness, that there is none like it in all the world, nor ever shall be till the last day. Nevertheless, all this is unseen, since they do not accept God's word and follow it.
our Lord God has held so firmly to his word that his dearest city has 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, since God himself did not dwell there; nor will he give it 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 harshly. For if he has torn apart the holy city of Jerusalem, his most precious treasure on earth, so that not one stone was left upon another, because of the people who heard his word and did not amend their ways, you must not think that he will give it to us if we also lie in the same sin. Jerusalem is so far away that it cannot be said that a house stood there.
(6) And God let this terrible punishment happen at that time, when the Jewish people had gathered in crowds to Jerusalem for the Easter feast, when there were almost thirty times a hundred thousand people (as the histories testify) at that time. God swept the people away in great heaps. For he intended to kindle a great fire, therefore he brought the fires all in heaps. Since he had gathered them together like a great funeral pyre, even like a forest, he led the Romans over them, so that they set them on fire and burned them. Josephus says that during the siege and conquest ten times a hundred thousand were slain and died of pestilence, and seven and ninety thousand were captured. They were so despised and worthless that thirty of them were sold for a penny. So Christ had to be smelled. Just as the Jews had sold him for thirty pieces of silver, so again thirty Jews were sold for a penny, and were so worthless that they were hardly allowed to eat with the dogs.
(7) Now this is the miserable and pitiful punishment that God has inflicted on His people, and thus even agreed with them,
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whom he loved and brought out of Egypt with such great glory and miraculous signs, and placed in the land of Canaan, and was their father, and spoke and dealt so kindly with them. But because they despised his word and would not follow him, he brought such wrath and terrible punishment upon them.
(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 thou goest safely, as if there were no need for thee. 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 one would like to think: Why does our Lord God hide the punishment? Why does he not reveal it? Why doesn't he let it go soon? If God revealed the punishment, people would convert! Answer: It cannot be that our Lord God will let the punishment go soon. For if he were to throw it in as soon as it was deserved, none of us would reach the seventh year. In addition, our Lord God would not be able to prove His patience if He were to hurry with the punishment and throw it in soon. God must be patient, so that He can see whether one wants to mend one's ways and seek mercy. If he should strike with thunder and lightning as soon as possible If he were to strike with thunder and lightning, it would not be fitting for God. That is why he keeps the punishment to himself, gives time and space to mend his ways, thus revealing his mercy towards us. The devil is an angry spirit, he does not do such things; if he could strike one dead with a hair, he would do it and would not tarry long. But God is merciful, therefore he will inflict the punishment, but will not remit it at all.
(10) This makes people sure that they not only do not improve, but become worse the longer. 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 yet, 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 the proper time, repent and improve yourself. This is what Christ means here, when he says to the city of Jerusalem: "But now it is hidden from your eyes. As if to say: Do not be deceived that the punishment is hidden. The punishment will be delayed for a time, but it will not be lifted and taken away. You will kill me and shed my blood, as you did with other prophets before me. I will keep quiet about it, let it happen and suffer it. This makes you think that it will always go on like this and will probably remain unpunished. Because of this, no one seriously tries to become more pious, to repent and improve. But beware, you are not exempt from punishment. If thou couldst be persuaded to believe it, thou wouldst think how thou couldst escape punishment. But you do not believe it, that is why you go so safely, let the time of your visitation, in which you are warned and you could come again to grace, rush by, are safe and do not improve. This is the very sin why God's wrath will overtake you and hasten you.
(11) Study diligently and notice what God considers the greatest sin, which he can least tolerate and suffer, namely, that his people have not recognized the time of his visitation. For the LORD here smites all sins into one sin, keeps silent about all other sins, and only attracts those that they have safely passed away, not only not turning away from the prophets' admonition and threat, but also persecuting them, shedding much innocent blood, until, as the Scripture says, Jerusalem here and there became full of blood (just as today's Germany also sins horribly because of the manifold persecution of the Word and its servants). Alongside this sin (as also in our time), adultery, fornication, usury, avarice, stealing, indulgence, drinking, boasting, and the like went on with power.
(12) Christ says here that I have punished such evil with the word, and have taught you to be godly and to amend your ways. For this cause I sent my prophets beforehand, I sent John the Baptist and my apostles, even I myself.
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I have appeared, preached, performed miraculous signs, and done everything that might serve your recovery. Now all other sins, as 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 enemies, 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 as a savior; I come as a visitator, a seeker, seeking you, preaching and crying out: repent, amend your ways, and be godly; yet hear and follow before wrath comes with power. So I seek you home.
(13) Yes, it will not end there. You make all your sin greater by not wanting to recognize, accept or suffer the visitation. As the proverb says, "He who cannot be advised cannot be helped. If a man is wicked, and it is said to him, "Dear man, let it be said to you that your sins may be forgiven you;" but he not only would not follow, but also began to blaspheme and to strike at the mouth of him who urged him to amend; who could help him? What devil would be the sick man's barber, who would take the shear knife from 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 on, blaspheme me, say that I have the devil, call my preaching heresy, and want to crucify me on top of that, and you will not be satisfied until you have done so. This is first of all the devil: when God not only wants to forgive sins and be merciful, but also wants to give great, high gifts; and one turns his back on him and drives back his word and grace, curses heresy and blasphemes most horribly; when it comes to this, 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 as the Jews would not see nor hear his word, so God would not see nor hear their crying, praying, worshipping and other things, and his wrath would not cease until Jerusalem was burned to the ground, so that one stone was not left upon another, so that one might say, "There stood this house, and there that house;" no, purely and completely, so that not a hair of a Jew nor a nail on a wall remained in the city. That is what they wanted. 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) This is especially to be noted, that the Lord says: "But now it is hidden from your eyes. For it is common that people do not think that God will punish, but because God out of kindness pardons the punishment and waits for correction, the world thinks that He will always remain silent. The same thing happened in Jerusalem. The Jews sinned against their God as they wished, but they still kept the punishment out of sight and thought that God would keep silent forever. But beware, says Christ; even though you do not see the punishment, if you do not mend your ways, it will certainly not remain outside. For even though God has tarried for a time, He has laid so many nets and ropes everywhere, set so many mousetraps for the sake of the wicked, that it is impossible that you should escape from Him at length.
16 He commanded the father and mother, the lords and wives of the house, to watch out for bad children and servants. Whoever will not let them defend themselves, he commands the secular authorities, who punish them through Master Hansen. Whoever escapes from Master Hansen does not escape from God and His judgment, who punishes and can punish with pestilence, hunger, water and fire, if one does not mend one's ways. Therefore, no one should think that he wants to lead it out and escape the punishment.
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If you do not want to be pious and not let God's word guide you (which is a kind, fatherly visitation), you must let the executioner or another wrath of God guide and lead you without your thanks. But truly with your 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. Now that it is hidden deceives the people; as Solomon also says, "It is not good that the people should not be punished soon, and that our Lord God should be silent so long; for they only become the more wanton. This or that, they say, I did yesterday, what happened to me because of that? It goes out fine for me.
18 A thief has stolen today: who will do anything to me for it? And so it goes, one example after another. If it has gone well with so many, why should it not go well with me? That is why all sinners, the better they like their behavior, the hotter and merrier they become. That they cease in good time and improve themselves is not enough. For they do not see this definition or sentence: although the punishment is hidden, it is nevertheless certain; as it is finally found that, according to the proverb, the pitcher goes to the well until it finally breaks.
Therefore beware and do not be deceived. Even if the punishment 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, he puts on woolen socks so that he may walk quietly and not be heard. Learn this, and therefore be not sure whether our Lord God will not quickly strike you; but fear, and beware. For he hath so many angels, so many servants, so many lions, so many plagues, war, famine, pestilence, that he may well smite thee. He can make the air full of fire and burn you; he can drown you with rain, strangle you with poison in untimely or otherwise unwholesome fruits, apples, pears, seeds. In sum, there are thousands and thousands of ropes and nets that God sets for the wicked and unrepentant sinners.
020 Now this is the cause that our dear Lord Christ so faithfully warns, and weeps, saying, Behold, O Jerusalem; because the punishment is hid, thou thinkest it will remain without. But you are far wrong. 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 thou wilt not abuse this privilege, but use it aright, then cease from sin in time, keep thee here to the word, and amend thyself, and thou shalt be counseled; if not, then thou shalt go down.
21 In this way Peter preaches to us, 2 Peter 3:15: "The patience or longsuffering of our Lord," he says, "count it for your salvation"; that is, let it seem to you that it is your salvation, that it is for your good, that you will not be condemned. For if God punished us in all ways, as and according to what we deserve, then (as I said above) ours would not come beyond seven years. Well, he does not do so, but is long-suffering, sticks to himself and forgives the punishment. This is what Peter says; take heed, for your own sakes, that you should say: Lord, I have unfortunately sinned much and often, now in this, now in another; now the punishment does not come, but is pardoned. But what does it mean? Certainly nothing else, except that, though the punishment is hidden, it will certainly come. Therefore, dear Father, forgive, and I will repent and amend. Therefore we must remember the saying of Peter: "Respect the patience of our Lord for your salvation". "For God," he says shortly before, "does not want anyone to be lost, but that everyone should turn to repentance." And if God forgives the punishment, it is for our good. Where one does not want to remit, but continues in sins and abuses such patience of God, the jar must break in the end. As you can see, because the thief of theft does not want to leave in time, he will finally be sentenced to the executioner; a lewd woman, maidservant, who does not want to let go with her evil deeds, will finally become a disgrace in front of everyone. But God has especially proved it with the city of Jerusalem, even though he hides and holds back the punishment, that he nevertheless
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finally wants to come and not give us the disobedience.
(22) Therefore, let everyone learn to fear God; everyone. Great and small, young and old, if he does wrong and will not desist from it, learn that 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 because it did not want to leave its sins and did not want to turn to the Word. The Lord holds this example up to us in today's Gospel, so that we should take it to heart and mend our ways, or know that if we do not refrain from sins, if we do not follow the Word and accept it with faith, God will not let it go unpunished, even though He hides the punishment for a time; which, as I said, is for our good, that we should take good care of the time and refrain from sins. But if 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, when our Lord God will also make you cry out, but will not hear you.
He did the same 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 up his ears and would not listen. Cause: He had therefore hidden and delayed the punishment, so that they should hear His word, 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 them."
(24) Let us therefore diligently remember this example, so that, since God will not remain outside with the punishment at last, we may be able to
and because he does not strike at once, but gives us time to repent, we also love him as a merciful father and say: O dear father, you will not let sin go unpunished; so grant me your grace and the Holy Spirit, that I may mend my ways 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 and humbled themselves and said, "Dear God, we have done wrong by being such bad boys and by seasoning your dear servants the prophets. Now you have given us the holy gospel through your Son. Give us grace that we may be converted 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 their sins, saying, "Oh, there is no need! Do you think that God will let the city go down like this, where He Himself lives, and has no worship anywhere else? Oh no, there will be no end! - they were so that not one stone was left upon another, and that neither skin nor hair was left of the Jews, and that it could not be said: Jerusalem stood here, but everything was washed away by fire. And now the poor Jerusalem, destroyed, devastated, bruised, stands there as an example to all who are wantonly wicked and do not want to mend their ways, so that they also have to suffer the same punishment.
(26) But to others who accept the word of God and repent, this history is held up for comfort and instruction: that when God hides the punishment, they may learn that it is for their peace and good, that God will graciously forgive their sin, if they cease from it and repent, fearing and loving God. For it is no wonder that we sin; but to defend sin, to remain unrepentant and obstinate in it, that 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, and yet we do not want to listen.
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On the tenth Sunday after Trinity.
Second sermon.*)
(1) This is one of the terrible gospels in Luke, and a very gruesome history, which should go to our hearts and move us so that we would never forget it. For here we hear what a great, severe wrath and seriousness fell upon Jerusalem. From this we certainly conclude: He that will be secure in his wickedness, and continue in sins, let him not take it into his head that he shall escape punishment. For if God has not spared the excellent, highly blessed city, because it has had God's word and yet has not reformed, then only everyone should think and desist from sins in time and improve himself, otherwise the punishment and the wrath will certainly not remain outside.
For the word "Jerusalem" is a holy word. There is no city, where our Lord God (as the prophets use to speak) has so disgraced himself, as with this city, where he had dwelt so long, where he had given so many learned, holy people, prophets and finally his only son. Summa, he has placed himself to this city so that he was her God, and Jerusalem the dearest peplum and the Jewish people the dearest child. Nevertheless, he did not spare this city and this people, but let them perish so horribly and, as the Lord says here, let them besiege, fear, drag and not leave one stone upon another. This happened 1500 years ago, and the example is still before our eyes, and the city can never again come under such rule. Let everyone be afraid of this and think that our Lord will also be angry with us if we continue in sin and do not mend our ways.
Therefore, all of us, and especially the young people, should learn God's word all the more gladly and willingly, and should gladly allow ourselves to be punished,
*) Held in the house, 1534.
Ask God for mercy and forgiveness if we have sinned. For that our Lord God should always give us His holy word, and we should despise it and strike the prophets to death over it, it will not end. Therefore, let us who now live and have the Word pure and in good peace also be grateful to God the Lord for it. For I am very worried that Germany will have to suffer a setback, pestilence, war, riots, precious time and all kinds of punishments will pile up. When then such punishments will come, one will howl, cry and pray, but it is then too long held out.
(4) In the city of Jerusalem at the time of the siege there was a terrible pestilence, a terrible riot and a great famine. In sum, there was famine, pestilence and death in the city at that time, so that they had to eat their own children. So horrible, unspeakable punishment has gone over the holy city. Wherever the soldiers smelled something, they violently entered the houses and took the food away from the Jews in front of their mouths; it was a punishment and wrath without measure. And this is prescribed for our warning, that we may learn to fear God and mend our ways. For when the hour comes, no amount of crying will help. The Jews had despised God for so long, and even overpowered him, that our Lord also turned his hand away and would not hear their cry. He will not give it to us either. For we are like the Jews in that we despise God's word and overrule it. Therefore, let everyone fear God, repent and improve himself, or we will not escape his punishment.
5 Our Lord God is merciful, long-suffering and patient, but when one has sinned, He wants him to repent and improve, and to show His goodness and mercy.
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Do not abuse patience. If one does not correct himself, but abuses the goodness and patience of God, the punishment will be even more severe. Therefore, be careful not to be found in the number of the hardened and hardened, as the Jews were.
(6) Nothing overthrew Jerusalem but the great glorious title, that she was called the city of God, His own house and His own habitation. This made the Jews sure that they thought: Should Jerusalem perish? It is impossible, 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 a title and grace they sinned, asked for no sermon, and yet said: We are God's people, we are God's people, our Lord God will hold all our sin against us.
(7) But it is impossible that God should suffer presumption, hopefulness and defiance. He has proven this sufficiently by manifold examples. Lucifer was cast out of heaven because of arrogance. For the sake of pride and defiance, God cast the apostle Judah out of the highest position, namely, the apostleship. Courage and pride have brought God's own blood friends, the Jews, into all misfortune. In sum, God has never given it to anyone who is presumptuous and proud. Therefore, each one should certainly consider himself as great and glorious as he can be, be he teacher or student, priest or layman, king or prince, lord or servant, if he comes to despise God and His word and does not return and repent, then he must be held responsible.
Therefore this gospel sets before us a terrible example of divine wrath and judgment against the presumption, certainty and contempt of the word. For it actually sets forth the cause of Jerusalem's destruction: that she did not know the time in which she was afflicted. As if our dear Lord Christ should say, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou hast not hearkened; thou hast been abundantly and manifoldly warned and admonished by so many prophets and kings, by John the Baptist, and by myself; after me cast
You also will be warned and admonished by my apostles; God has given you his word, worship and temple, he has graciously visited you and meant it with such faithfulness that it is exceeding great; he has wanted to make you godly and help you, but you have thrown it all to the wind, you have not wanted to listen.
9 This is the fault, says Christ, why our Lord God punishes the land and the people, that God is so gracious and gives His word and gospel, and the people are so evil and wicked, and will not hear nor be told. So he also says, John 3:19: "This is the judgment, that the light came into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their works were evil." GOD sends His Gospel, gives apostles and preachers; but men will neither hear nor suffer the truth. The apostles and preachers have to be their fools on top of that; everything that the say, they laugh at, go safely, and ask nothing about the preaching, do not mend their ways. This is the reason why God has disturbed the land and the people.
Our Lord God is merciful, he can and will forgive sin, he knows that we have a poor, weak flesh and sin; if only one stops sinning and lets himself be told. But if one wants to go through with his head and does not notice the time of the visitation, God cannot suffer that; then he comes with all kinds of plagues and punishes such contempt and sin. With other sins it is the same: if one does not stop, the punishment does not remain outside. If a man disobeys his mayor, schoolmaster or priest for a long time and escapes from them all, he will fall into the hands of Master Hansen. If he escapes from Master Hansen, the devil will get him. For our Lord God has ordered nets and ropes everywhere for the bad boys; if a man goes where he wants, he will not escape his punishment. If a man steals here and gets away, he will find a mousetrap in another place, and he will be caught. I have known many of them who would not stop sinning, but continued to do evil, and finally came into the hands of Master Hansen.
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Therefore it is just as good to follow father and mother as Master Hansen. For Master Hans punishes in such a way that one never does it, he is a rough disciplinarian, he cannot understand any scolding, he hangs the thieves on the gallows for a thousand devils. He is a rough teacher and preacher, he has a strong voice, he shouts the head from the neck. I praise him that he can preach so well to the bad boys who do not want to obey anyone. I think that there are few disobedient children on earth who will not all be handed over to the executioner unawares. That one sins is no wonder, but to defend sin and to remain stubborn in it, that is what Christ says, that no one should go out like that, but that everyone should be punished honestly.
(12) Jerusalem was a glorious city; yea, even at that time more glorious than all the earth. It is highly praised in the holy scriptures everywhere, it was named as a precious stone, and God also protected and shielded it magnificently from many kings: nevertheless, since it did not want to recognize the time of its visitation, it had to come down, even if it had still been one thing so delicious and glorious. Now if it had been given to anyone, it would have been given to this glorious and holy city.
- god also seeks germany home to
at this time out of special grace with his word. We, however, on both sides, oppose it very badly. The bishops pursue it and boast about it in all security, after they have shed so much blood. We, on our part, abuse the Gospel for our avarice, hopefulness and other sins. Therefore I fear that Germany will have to suffer a great defeat, be it through the Turks or otherwise through war, famine and other plagues. When such things come upon Germany one day, remember what I have said. For God will come after Germany and us Germans, just as He came after Jerusalem and the Jews. 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, that we may repent and amend. That is enough of today's Gospel for this time. God, the Father of all mercy, protect us from the shameful vice called contempt of His word, and awaken our hearts to His fear through His Holy Spirit, that we may abide by His word and follow it, amen.
On the eleventh Sunday after Trinity.
First sermon.*)
This service is due to our Lord God, that we preach and listen to His holy gospel every Sunday in praise and honor of Him. Thus writes St. Lucas:
Luc. 18:9-14.
But 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 as other men, robbers, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican; I fast.
*) Held in the house, 1532.
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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 by this virtue alone do we obtain grace. But where this virtue, namely humility, is not present, God cannot be pleased or gracious; and here Christ sets before us a horrible example. The whole world cannot recognize the Pharisee in any other way, nor he himself, except as pious; only God's spirit judges that he is evil; he is condemned here for the sake of hope. He goes to the temple, thanks God, prays and boasts that he is not like other people, robbers, unrighteous, adulterers; he fasts twelve times a week and tithes everything he has. Few Jews do this; as we see in our time, there is hardly one among ten who takes care of a poor priest. It is commanded by God, but no one does it. Because the Pharisee chastised himself, kept himself in moderation, gave alms, which no one else in the country did, he thought to himself: Well, you must be a pious man; and other people thought the same of him.
- "I thank you, God", he says, "that I am not like the other people"; for I see that such robbery and stealing are among the people, which is exceedingly. Citizens give evil goods; farmers translate the others with selling, barley, grain, chickens, eggs, wood 2c. And nothing else is to be seen in the world, but vain robbing and stealing. But I don't do that, I don't short-change or sell anyone, I sell as it is cheap. Further he says, "I am not an adulterer; neither am I like the publicans." Tax collectors were in such office, because it was so: One of the Romans had a care; just as today the Venetians and the Turk give a mine or land rent to someone, that he gives so much of it annually. These were called publicani, tax collectors, who had thus obtained a land, city from the Romans for an annual tribute and interest. If they should now
They had to gain something from the money they gave them. Where they got a rich, fat citizen or farmer in their clutches, they quickly took him by the head and threw him into a tower; that they thus brought the people from their estate, and what they could obtain in this way was their benefit. Just as even today the magistrates and the stewards cannot well be pious. Therefore the Pharisee says: "I thank you, God, that I am not like this tax collector.
Now Christ makes a strange judgment, saying that the tax collector is righteous and the Pharisee is unrighteous. How is that? Does the Pharisee thank God, pray and live blamelessly? But the tax collector speaks only one word: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner". And shall the tax collector be saved, and the Pharisee be condemned? Someone might say to our Lord God, "Who will be pious, if this is the way it is to be? Does God take pleasure in people stealing, robbing, committing adultery? No, God does not take pleasure in it. How then does He present Himself here, saying to the tax collector, "You are righteous"; and to the Pharisee, "You are a prankster"? Answer: It is because God the Lord does not ask about all virtues, not even about the highest virtues, if humility is not included.
4 The Pharisee did all these things, was not a robber, an adulterer, fasted and tithed. But he was proud and hopeful in doing so. So in our time there are many great, excellent people in cities, item, there are great princes in the country, who rule rightly and well. H.G. governs finely, others likewise have praiseworthy virtues. But besides that, they are proud asses, they think they are sitting in the lap of our Lord God, they take pleasure in themselves, they defy, pride themselves and thus make an idol out of themselves. This idolatry, arrogance, pride and pride corrupts all virtues. Thus a housemother is often skillful in ruling her house and servants, but she becomes proud and boasts that she is good at housekeeping,
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She says, "My neighbor does not do half as much as I do, and she has lost her beautiful virtue, because she is good at keeping house. When a maiden is beautiful and becomes proud and despises others, pride corrupts the beautiful.
It is true that a beautiful figure is a great gift, good housekeeping is a great virtue, it is a fine, glorious thing for a pious citizen who keeps a good house: but that one would presume upon it and allow himself to be worshipped for it, that is no good in any way. Then, says God, I will make such a judgment as is written here in the Gospel: the Pharisee who thanks God that he has done well, is not a robber, an adulterer, nor like this tax collector, shall be unrighteous; again, the tax collector who does not have such virtue, but says: O Lord God, I have not done well, forgive me my sin, shall be more pious than the Pharisee.
(6) It is a great art to keep oneself temperate and humble when God gives gifts. He who is a doctor of the Scriptures and has gifts from God to interpret the Scriptures: if he is proud, it is because he wants to hope from God's gifts. This is what the spirits of the wicked do, they set themselves above all and despise all men. What they have done is valid; what they have not done must be nothing. Then they say, like this Pharisee, "I am not like other people. I will not have this of thee, saith Christ unto me, and to thee, and to every man. That I have made thee a doctor of the Scriptures, and learned, are my gifts: otherwise thou wouldest be as unlearned as he. If you want to become proud with my gifts, I can take them away from you. Thou canst rule, but he cannot rule, neither can he do anything else; but I can take from thee and give to him; I can adorn him and make thee bald. So Christ here takes from the Pharisee all his prayer, fasting, chastity, and throws it there to the publican; makes the Pharisee naked and bare for the sake of his hope, so that he boasts about it as if it were his.
7 Therefore, if anyone is learned, let him give thanks to our Lord GOD. It is not his gift, but God's; only he does not defy God.
so that. If a man is a prince and can rule well, he should give thanks to God and not be proud, for it is not his but God's gift and bounty. But there are few people who do not feel proud when they feel. The nobility is now in charge, so they do not know where their arse stands; there is neither an end nor a measure to their banging and pawing. For this reason they are so despised before God that there is no more shameful people before Him than the nobility; they are inferior before God than the dogs under the table. For God the LORD is a God who does not like pride. He gladly gives art, fortune, nobility, princedom, kingdom, dominion; but do not become proud, for he cannot stand that.
What happened in Paradise? Lucifer was the most beautiful angel, God had adorned him so that he was the most beautiful of all God's angels, and his army was the most beautiful army of all God's creatures. But when he saw that he was so adorned and so well dressed above all others, so sensible and wise, that he could have ruled five worlds, he became proud and wanted to despise God. Then God said, "Listen, Lucifer, this is why I did not adorn you and clean you, so that you should be proud and despise me," and threw him into the abyss of hell. Then Lucifer would also say: "Was I more pious than all the Carthusians and better than all the others: why then did I fall so low? It is true that Lucifer was more pious and better than the others, but because he wanted to be hopeful and despise God, he fell so low.
- Adam and Eve were pure in body and soul, had sharp eyes that they could have seen through a wall, and such good ears that they could have heard for two miles; all the animals on earth were obedient to them, the sun and the moon laughed at them. But when the old serpent, the devil, came and preached to them, "God knows that the day you eat of the tree, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, and know what is good and what is evil", Adam and Eve thought, "God will be well pleased with us, will suffer this well; what is the matter with an apple? But soon and unexpectedly it went plitz, platz, and Adam and
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Eve lay there under God's wrath, sins, death and condemnation, and this is still hanging around our necks today.
10 Thus God overthrows the proud and exalts the humble; as St. Peter says, 1 Peter 5:5: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. If anyone wants to be in good standing with our Lord God, let him do this: If he has art, beauty, power and dominion, let him see to it that he does not exalt himself. If he rises, he must come down.
(11) But although these things are certain and true, and daily experience bears witness to them, yet there is no humility among men but among Christians alone. The unbelievers fall into hope and go to the ground over it. God lavishes His gifts, gives beautiful clothes, healthy eyes, sun, moon and everything that is needed, and speaks to us, the children of men: Effet, drink, adorn yourselves, preach, govern, it shall all please me; only be humble about it. But the children of men can not let it go, boast and become proud.
12 This Pharisee prays and gives thanks to God, but the heart is proud and the tongue is humble. For he is presumptuous and despises the tax collector and the other people. If he had wanted to thank God from his heart, he would have had to say, "Lord God, this beautiful robe and fine virtue that you have given me is your gift; if you had not given it to me, I would be as naked as this tax collector. So also, if thou art learned, or fairer in form, and art beautifully adorned, and decked out, and hast a fair chain of gold about thy neck, see thou be not proud. If thou thinkest thyself high, and wonderest, and seest that another hath not, and goest up and exalteth thyself above him, God saith, Who art thou that thou art so proud? Have I not given thee this bead, and this ribbon, and all that thou hast? All the jewels are mine, and I can take them away from you and give them to another. I have given you art, understanding and skill; I can take them away from you and give them to someone else.
013 Therefore let us not be presumptuous, nor despise other men: but let him that hath much take heed to himself, and cast himself forward.
among them, say: One is like the other; why then would I be proud? Before God I am no more learned than the least disciple. On earth there must be and remain such a difference, but before God everything is equal. From God we have received all that we have; He can give to another just as much as He has given to me. On earth we cannot be equal, we cannot all be masters, but some must be masters and some must be servants. But in the sight of God we are to learn to do away with such distinctions and say: O Lord God, you are the one who makes such distinctions among men on earth; it is your gift that you give wine to this one and water to that one to drink; you make one sit on a royal throne and another lie on straw in a stable. And because thou alone givest these things according to his good pleasure, thou wilt not suffer defiance before thee, nor other men's contempt.
14 Our peasants in the villages are proud and defiant because they have a lot of Jáchymovs; but they will not be there for long, they will be overthrown. Our citizens in the cities are also defiant and hopeful; if each one could make himself a king, he would. So the devil is everywhere in the hopefulness, if the people on earth have a little gifts. The nuns in the monasteries were especially damned people because of their courtship, for they boasted and said: Christ is our bridegroom, we are his brides; other women are not. So they have made vain hope out of chastity. Therefore God has also said: "If you nuns in the convents are so hopeful because you have vowed chastity, which you keep, as I well know, then I will (with leave that I speak so) go to the whorehouse and have these sisters baptized and repent, and I will take them to heaven and let you go as hopeful nuns.
15 Thus God forgives all sin, but He cannot and will not forgive hope. Where there is hope, there cannot be forgiveness of sins; for there all the greatest vices go and reign under the appearance of piety. And yet hope is a common thing.
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Vice, and reigns in all classes. A servant who is otherwise pious, if he can work, soon becomes proud and lets himself think that one needs him. A day laborer, likewise, does not know how to make himself shitty enough when one needs him. So the health of the body gives us hope when we can work. What would become of us if we became kings and princes?
16 Therefore, if anyone has gifts, whether of art, beauty, health, power, or dominion, let him remember to be humble and to despise no one. If he is presumptuous and despises other people, the judgment has already gone: He who has nothing and fears God and is humble is blessed; again, he who has gifts and could serve and help his neighbor with them, but is presumptuous and despises his neighbor, is of the devil. He who is proud and exalts himself for the sake of being needed does not accomplish anything with it, except that he may fall to the ground the sooner. Just as we see today in kings, princes, nobles, citizens and peasants who fall from great estates and become poor. They want to make Christ a liar, who has threatened all hopeful people with this example; they will miss that. They could be pious and serve the people, then God would not only let them have what they have now, but also give them much more. But they do not want that
They do not do anything, but make themselves proud; therefore this is their judgment that they have to come down like this.
(17) Now this is a horrible, horrible example, that this Pharisee, who cannot be reproved before the world, is condemned because he is presumptuous and despises other people. For where there is hope, as reported above, there is not forgiveness of sins. Presumption threw the most beautiful angel out of heaven; and the most beautiful two people on earth, Adam and Eve, when they became presumptuous and wanted to be like God, had to come down and were pushed out of paradise. God's own people, to whom God had given so many prophets, worship, temple, kingdom and priesthood, have fallen through hopefulness in such a way that even the dogs are not so despised as the Jews are despised in all the world. The pope, whom all the world feared and worshipped before, is now also descending. Therefore, everyone should humble himself before God, and gladly share with his neighbor what he has that is good, and despise no one, faithfully serve and receive wages, eat and drink, and see to it that he does not become proud and throb when he notices that his filth also stinks. God gives grace to those who do this; those who do not, must fall. For God does not like hopefulness; as Mary testifies in her hymn: "He scatters those who are hopeful in their hearts. He pushes the mighty from the throne, and lifts up the lowly."
On the eleventh Sunday after Trinity.
Second sermon.*)
In this gospel, our dear Lord Jesus Christ taught us about these two people, the Pharisee and the tax collector.
2 The Pharisees were among the Jews like the monks in the Pabstics, but they had special
*) Held in the house, 1533.
They had special clothing, special days for fasting and prayer, and practiced holiness so much that the other people were all sinners against them. That is why they were called "Pharisees": for pharisaei means special people who separate themselves from the common crowd and want to be something special.
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(3) On the other hand, the tax collectors, just as we have the castles and the magistrates, who passed and accepted water duties and land rents and other things from the Romans for the aforementioned money, then scourged and scraped the people as they wished. Therefore, they were considered by everyone to be miserly and public sinners, who had such an office, in which they were stingy and caused the people all troubles. Therefore it was not to be supposed that any of them were pious, even as it was not to be supposed that any of the Pharisees were mischievous.
4 But our dear Lord Christ makes a different judgment here: He says 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 grievous and disgusting that it is a miracle. For thus he begins this similitude: "There were some that presumed to be righteous, and despised others."
(5) This is a vexatious rhetoric, and two ugly vices of the Pharisees, that they were such men, who not only thought highly of themselves, which would have been sin enough (for it is a devilish sin to think highly of oneself), but also despised others. Then think, what is the use of such a proud drunkard and hypocrite, if he immediately prays and fasts himself to death? because such a devil sits in his heart, with such hope, that he puffs himself up and says: If I did not make myself holy, I would have to wait a long time from our Lord God. But I fast so much, I pray so much, I do this and that, which other Jews do not do. I give my tithes 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 come in heaps in the holy man: first, an abominable pride, that he is so exalted; second, that he is not satisfied with such sin, but also despises other people so deeply. This is the wretched devil, that he exalts himself so high, and is not satisfied with it, but also approaches and judges and condemns the others, saying, "They are nothing.
for robbers, the unjust and adulterers. He especially depicts the tax collector. He, he says, stands there, scourges and scrapes everyone, takes it where he can. I am not such a bad boy; I am a living saint to be reckoned against. 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 can such vice 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 therefore is chiefly for our dear Lord Christ to shew us what is true righteousness, and how it is to be discerned and known from hypocritical righteousness. As if to say, "You will find a man who walks as a living saint, fasts, gives alms, does not commit adultery, does no wrong to anyone, 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 prankster can wear, 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 enough. For even a rogue can lead such an appearance. Therefore do not rely on it. 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 then should this one stay in the church?
Fasting is right, praying is right, tithing is right, keeping one's marriage is right, not robbing, doing wrong to no one, is all right and good in itself; but the Pharisee so pollutes it with such hopefulness that it becomes pure devil's muck. For if it be so in the world, that he that doeth good to another, that he may catch him, and make him his own, doeth him more harm than good; as the proverb, "He that doeth good, doeth it more harm than good.
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means: Nihil carius emitur, quam quod donatur;
Good as a gift is the most precious thing: how can God be pleased with holiness, since one wants to throb him with it and pride himself against him? There holiness becomes a twofold mischievousness.
(9) So does the hypocrite here. O God, says he, do you also see that you have such a pious man in me? What is the world against me? It is nothing but robbers, unrighteous 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 says here: If ye would be godly, be ye right, and beware lest ye be hopeless saints. For though ye stumble, or sometimes fall into the mire, it shall not grieve me so, as if ye had all holiness, and yet were hateful.
10 Therefore the Lord concludes the gospel thus: "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 to 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 that he is learned, beautiful, rich, pious, is called hopeful; as the Pharisee does, he looks upon his fasting, tithing, and other things, and therefore thinks highly of himself. This is what the Lord wants to forbid. On the other hand, the tax collector is not seen to have hopefulness, but true humility; for he does not boast about anything, but only asks that God will be merciful 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; but thou shalt not, but shalt say, Though I be rich, I know that thou canst make me poor in an hour; though I be wise and learned, thou canst make me poor in a word.
make a fool of yourself. That would be to be humble and not to boast about yourself, and to despise others because you are more beautiful, more pious, richer than others.
It would be fine if we used such hope against the devil and spoke: I have the word of God, 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, these things go, that they may be praised; for we have it not from him. But against God, since we have everything from him, one should not boast, but humble himself.
(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 to please my neighbor, who has barely the tenth part of my gifts, more for the sake of a virtue than me. Why should I boast or exalt myself? If I have much, I should fear not to misuse it, and always think that 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 revenge; but he who has little may endure the less.
But the Pharisee does not do this here. He goes out on a limb: I am not like other people, nor am I like this tax collector: I tithe, the tax collector robs alone; I defraud no one, so this one scours and scrapes all the world. In sum, the Pharisee lets himself think that he is alone and has it all, the tax collector is nothing and has nothing. O thou double-minded wretch! shouldst thou not say thus: True, I give my 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 it is well known that you like this tax collector better than I do. So he should
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have exalted him above himself, or ever let him go beside himself, saying: It matters not whether he has much or little, but whether he has a gracious God. It is the same God who loves one as much as another, the small as much as the great. Why should one defy and despise others, because it all depends on God's mercy, and not on how worthy and what gifts each one has? But he does not do so, but defies God in his piety, and just as he stands before God and prays.
14 Therefore the Lord forbid that we should be presumptuous in our piety, or that we should have many gifts; and also that no one should despair because he is a sinner and has few gifts. For we all have One God, who spreads His mercy over us like a mantle, over pious and sinners, over learned and unlearned, over rich and poor. In sum, he is the God of us all; apart from him, no one will make another God, rich or poor. Therefore, we should not exalt ourselves, but be humble, not looking 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 whom he has given 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 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 because of it. He has no other eye on the one who has much than on the one who has little. So that we should all learn to hold on to his grace and mercy. For both righteous and sinner, rich and poor, strong and weak, are of our Lord God. What they have, they have all
But of himself nothing but sin. Therefore let no one exalt himself above another, but humble himself and fear. But what good there is, all of it is the gift of our Lord God; he shall boast of it, thou shalt not, but shalt 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; rather, you should 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 office and status in the measure that God has given me; I will not despise anyone, I will not exalt myself, I will not 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 humans are unequal among ourselves. This is what the Lord means when he concludes this parable and says: "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; but if anyone has anything, and therefore wants to be worthy and highly esteemed, from him I will take away one thing after another, until at last I cast him in disgrace into the abyss of hell.
17 If the Pharisee had not been so hopeful, but had humbly brought home his gifts to God's tabernacle, saying, "Lord, you have shown me great mercy by so graciously protecting 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 for it, for you can take it back 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 with it, and judges and despises others, saying, "I am all, the tax collector is nothing.
2314 8.8, 439-441. on the eleventh Sunday after Trinity. W. xin, iM4-iM. 2315
Our Lord God is so pure that there is nothing left in him to praise. For there stands the verdict of our Lord Christ: The tax collector went down justified before him; that is, the Pharisee is unjust, condemned and belongs to the devil in hell. What then does he gain from his boasting? But 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 to 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 a gracious God as well as you. Therefore, do not despise him; let him walk beside you, and God will be praised by both of them, since 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 word 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, and that 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 apart from Thy grace, I would have kept house even as other men; for we are all alike, one must not boast of anything above another. But this Pharisee does not think so, but even turns back and says, "I thank thee that I am not like other people." Thus he draws all his virtue into himself, as if he had it from himself and not from God; for otherwise he would say, "You gave it. He does not do that, does not pose himself differently, as if he were so rich and could give to GOD. So 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 a donkey or some other unreasonable animal? So, to whom God gives money and goods, he should not be so unreasonable as to say: I am a poor beggar and have nothing. He who has done something good, who has helped and counseled poor people, should not promise such things, so that he would 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 for everyone to humble himself. 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 become proud nor to despise others; but, as has now often been said, you should say: Dear God, it is your gift that you have given me; if another does not have it, there is no harm, for he has a gracious God just as I do; why 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 did not give it to His own people Israel, but destroyed it for the sake of pride. Other great kingdoms and principalities were also destroyed because of such sin. Lucifer had to leave heaven, Adam and Eve had to leave paradise.
22 Therefore learn to say, "Lord, what I have is yours; you gave it to me, you can take it away again. For who would insist on what is uncertain? But whoever does not do this, and wants to think of himself as having 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 unrighteous and of the devil. May God grant His grace that we may take note of such teaching and adhere to it, amen.
2316 L.s, 44!-443. on the twelfth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 1896-1900. 2317
*On the twelfth Sunday after Trinity. )
So that we may give glory and thanks to our Lord God today, we will preach and listen to His Word.
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 good: he maketh the deaf to hear, and the speechless to speak.
(1) This seems to be a bad and easy 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 similar 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, may God thank me especially 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 may seem that these are natural infirmities, for the world does not know the devil, that he does so much harm, makes people mad and foolish, and causes them all kinds of misfortune, not only to the body but also to the soul. But we Christians should believe that such defects and afflictions, whether of body or soul, that some fall into error and are deceived, some die of fear and sadness, that they are found dead in bed, are nothing else but the devil's blows;
*) Held in the house, 1533.
He causes such misery on earth, strikes people with error, blindness, sadness, that they cannot come to any joy, and does harm where he can.
3 Therefore we should thank our dear Lord God that He took care of our affliction and sent His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who helped this poor man and also graciously protected us so that we are not also damaged with such a plague from 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 (accidental) growth, as the world sees it, but it is only a gift of God. But because the world does not believe this, but, because it is so wicked, considers it a naturally bad thing, God must sometimes allow such things to happen, so that the devil makes one mute and deaf here, blind there, or even kills him; 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 Thus it is the work of the devil to kill the body, to blind the heart with false doctrine, so that they cannot 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, because where God has condemned him, he judges him.
2318 L. 5, 443-445. on the twelfth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 1900-1902. 2319
He does no good, and what is hurt, the devil does. 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.
It is the same with us human beings. God is a God of life, therefore He gives a healthy body and fine, dexterous limbs. But the devil, where he can and God gives him such, corrupts the body and does harm. Therefore, we should learn what such evil befalls 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 misery. But against this we are comforted by 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 for this reason, that he might 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 men Adam and Eve, God did not want to suffer this, but thought how he could take revenge on his enemy; therefore, make whole again and better what the devil has broken, and break the devil's work, sin, death and hell. Also, as we see here, he loosens the tongue that the devil has bound, and opens the ears that he had stopped up. Christ came to do this work, and does it for and among his Christians, as you will now hear. Let this be said according to the text of the miraculous sign and work of our Lord Christ, that he might show himself this day to be a helper of the wretched, and heal all infirmities which the devil hath brought upon us, and put him away from among us.
7 By this miraculous work the Lord also wants to show us how these two pieces especially belong to a Christian, that
that his ears be opened and his tongue loosed, and that he will do this work daily in his church spiritually against the devil. The bodily benefit, that he gives healthy ears and tongue, is also done to the Gentiles, but this spiritual benefit, that he opens their ears and loosens their tongues, is done only to the Christians. For this is ever certain, that we all have our blessedness through the word of God alone. 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 counterpart, the papists, are a thousand times more wretched than this mute and deaf man, for they have thicker and more clogged ears. Even though they hear God's word, they still cannot and will not hear it; just as we see in the unbelieving Jews: when our dear Lord Christ preached the most beautiful sermons about the forgiveness of sins and eternal life, they became mad and foolish, and not only would not hear it, but also blasphemed. Thus, all those who do not want to hear God's word are deaf and dumb, and much more dangerous than this poor man here; for they cannot do anything else with their tongue 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: "Hephathah", ear, you shall stand open! are those 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 stirs the tongues and makes us speak, as St. Paul says, Rom. 10:10: "If you are heartfelt, you will be able to speak.
2320 L. 5, 445-447. on the twelfth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 1902-1995. 2321
If you believe, you are justified, and if you confess with your mouth, you are saved. Through. Through faith in Christ we come to forgiveness of sins; after this should also follow confession, that we are not dumb, but speak as we believe in our hearts. This then makes a Christian; all other works do not make a Christian.
(10) It may well be that a monk fasts and watches, and hurts his body more than 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 who hears and believes, and afterwards confesses: these two things make a Christian whole. So our dear Lord Christ still performs such works daily in his church in the spirit and through the word, which work he did there in the flesh, 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, spits and stirs his tongue with them. Then he looks up to heaven, sighs, and says, "Hephatbah!" All this is a special gift that the Lord gives especially for 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 and pomp for this miraculous work, when he could have accomplished such a work with just a few words. For we see through and through in the gospel that it is only a matter of one word: when he wants something, it happens; as the 33rd Psalm testifies, v. 9: "When he speaks, it happens; when he gives, it stands there.
(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 deaf man understand.
He makes the mute 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 he does not deal so briefly and badly, but needs a special gesture that he reaches into his ears with his fingers, sighs, then first of all he says: "Arise," indicating to us that if we want to be loosed from the devil's bonds and have a ready tongue and certain ears, it must be through the outward word or ministry and outward signs. For we must first hear the word and then not leave baptism and sacrament behind, so that the Holy Spirit will be present to make ears and tongues free.
(13) Therefore, beware of the spiritual wicked, 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 tongue: thus my work will be done rightly and completely. As you can see, where the outward word goes right, you will certainly find Christians; where it does not go right, you will find none; 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 run to 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 all is in vain and lost. "He that heareth you," saith he, "heareth me."
- according to the ministry of preaching, god also ordained father and mother, lords and wives
2322 L.5, 447,448,6, 1. on the thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, I90S-1W8. 2323
in the house; they are not there for their own sake alone, but sit in God's stead; you should also hear them, especially as far as the outward life and all your actions toward others are concerned, and know that when you hear them, you hear God; unless they abuse their office and want to speak, say or command something against God and his word, you should not hear them. For "God is to be obeyed more than men." And as reported, you shall first hear God in the church through His servants, and then first of all men, as father, mother; what they say to you on account of their office, that God says to you. Therefore, think also that you accept it and follow it. Now it is ever true: ours is not one who thinks he would walk a hundred miles to such a church, when our Lord God Himself was speaking and preaching; for everyone would want to hear the voice. But our Lord God says: I will make it nearer to thee, that thou mayest not listen so far after it; hear thy pastor, thy father and mother, and thou hast heard me. For they are my disciples and ministers; if you hear them, you hear me.
(16) This is the show that Christ makes with this dumb and deaf man, to show that he does not open our tongues.
not to open our ears, not to open our faith, not to > > into our hearts without the outward preaching and oral word and > outward sacraments. Therefore, father and mother, lords and wives, > pastors and preachers of our Lord are God's fingers, servants and > saliva, by which He opens our tongues and unstops our ears. When you > hear them, God will speak to you in your heart, as to this deaf man, > "Hephatha!" so that your ears will be opened and your tongue will be > unstopped, and henceforth you will be a hearing and speaking person, > no longer deaf and dumb as before. > > (17) Therefore, let us be careful and diligent to remember and learn > this miraculous work, that we may become true Christians by word and > confession; for this must be done by nothing else, but by the word > which the pastor and preacher in the church, father and mother in the > home, speak. Through this finger and spittle Christ creates for and in > his Christianity that the ears of the deaf are opened and the > speechless are made to speak. For this reason we should be all the > more diligent in keeping to the Word, because this is the nearest and > most certain way that our ears may be opened and our tongues loosed, > and that we may be saved. May our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ > grant us this, amen.
On the thirteenth Sunday after Trinity.
First sermon.*)
Luc. 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 unto JEsu, Who then is my neighbor? Then answered JEsu, and said, There was a man that went down from Jerusalem
*) Held in the house, 1533.
2324 L. 6, i-3. On the thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 1908-1912. 2325
Jericho, and fell among the murderers; and they stripped him, and smote him, and went away, and left him half dead. And it came to pass about this time, that a priest went down that way, 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 let us take one or two pieces from it, that we may know and learn from it. The first part is that the Lord Christ here praises his word, the holy gospel, very highly, and speaks especially to his disciples:
Blessed are the eyes that 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.
2 With this he shows the misery that we now see on earth, that there is no more despised thing in the world than the dear gospel. All other false doctrine, lies of the devil and heresy the world can hear and tolerate; but the gospel it will neither hear nor see, but blasphemes and persecutes it to the utmost, puts the burned heartache on those who preach and hear it. Summa, it is the world's footcloth, princes and lords persecute, wicked boys defile and blaspheme; as the examples are unfortunately more than too many throughout Germany and in many other kingdoms before our eyes. The Lord sees this and therefore comforts his disciples and says: "The world reviles and blasphemes my gospel, but whoever has the grace to have it and to hear it has blessed ears and should thank God from the bottom of his heart that he has come to this and that he can consider it delicious, which the world so highly despises and hates. For surely it is true, you are more blessed than David and all other kings. For this has been the highest desire of all prophets and kings, that they would gladly have experienced this time and gladly have seen and heard me; but it could not be granted to them. You have it, therefore thank God for it,
that such great blessedness has happened to you that you can see and hear me.
For it is true that we are the poorest and most miserable people when the gospel is not there. For there comes one error after another, and it is not possible for anyone to save himself. As we have unfortunately experienced too much in the papacy, since it finally came to the point that we accepted the devil for a preacher and believed him, what he lied through the poltergeists and his lying preachers of masses, pilgrimages, purgatory and other things. There is no other way, where the good word is not, than that one accepts and believes all kinds of error and lies; and if people nevertheless let themselves think that they are on the right path to salvation, then they run straight to hell and to the devil.
4 Again, if the gospel is there, there is a terrible misery, namely, that everyone despises it and the least part accepts it for the better. If it is not there, there is sorrow and misery, and the door and window are open to all kinds of error and lies; but if it is there, it is most shamefully despised. Are we not poor, miserable people? If God does not give us His word, we cannot do without it without harm to our souls' salvation; again, if it is given, no one wants it. For this reason, nothing would be better than for our Lord God to come soon with the last day and smite everything in one heap; for neither punishment nor mercy helps in the ungrateful world. Therefore let the last day come, so that no man remains on earth.
5 This is the first part, where our dear Lord Christ complains that His word of grace, which proclaims and offers forgiveness of sins and eternal life, has been given with such
23262 .6, 3-5. On the thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 1912-1915. 2327
He turned to his disciples and said, "Blessed are you who have heard the word of God and have not died before the gospel was revealed. I tell you, the greatest and highest prophets and kings would have liked to experience and see it, and yet it did not happen to them; unfortunately, the greatest number in the world is so wicked that they do not ask anything about it, and even despise and blaspheme it. Do not turn to such trouble, but think that you need such grace and will be bettered by it. With this he also wants to entice and admonish us that we should hear his gospel with earnestness and not despise it, as we now unfortunately see in peasants and citizens and in all classes, from the highest to the lowest. Those who cannot follow the gospel despise it; the fewest part accept it with thanksgiving and improve themselves. These are the only ones who have blessed ears and blessed eyes.
The other part is that the Lord shows us the fruits of the gospel, namely, the good works that are to follow when one has heard God's word. He illustrates this with a fine, beautiful example of the man who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among the murderers, who beat him and robbed him and left him for half dead. Meanwhile a priest comes, he sees the poor man, but he does not take care of him, but goes his way. A Levite follows the priest, sees the wounded man lying there, but does not take care of his misery either. Finally a Samaritan comes, who did not have the name that he should be holy, but was a Gentile, who did not belong to the poor man who was a Jew; for he was not of his own kind, like the priest and Levite, but a stranger. The latter sees the poor wounded man, takes his accident to heart, soon gets off his horse, pours oil and wine into his wounds, bandages him up and lays him on his animal; but he goes on foot and leads him to the inn and orders him to the innkeeper, giving him two pennies to wait until he returns.
(7) This is the right painting, in which is delicately portrayed who Christ is, how he loves us, and what the right fruits are of his word and of those who gladly hear his word and gospel, namely, that his word, where it is heard earnestly and accepted with faith, makes such people as the Samaritan is here, soft, compassionate and 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. Such is Christ's picture in this example. But he is speaking here of such poor, needy people who are not wicked, as this poor wounded man is. To the lazy, useless, idle beggar people, who lie down to beg and do not want to serve anyone, may not herd cows nor do other work, and yet want money, one should give nothing, but let them die of hunger. But where there are really poor people, there a Christian heart should be so skillful that it does as the Samaritan does here. He thinks: This poor man is my neighbor, because he is also a man, has body and soul like me. Yes, he also has the God that I have, therefore he belongs closer to me than an unreasonable animal; he is close enough to me, because he is a man, therefore I cannot leave him lying there and starving. Come on, dear brother! Stop here, let me help you, I will do the best for you. And prove this also by deed; do thus to him as a father does to his child. These are the true saints.
(8) But the other proud saints, who think much and great of themselves, naturally have no mercy on the poor, but are hard, cruel people; for they think that our Lord God is glad that they serve him, and therefore think that they must not do anything to other people, nor serve them. Just as the priest does here. He was holy because of his office and birth. But what does the text say about him? When he saw the poor wounded man, he passed by.
(9) They may be unholy saints who see that their neighbor is in need and could well help him, but do not. On what else do they rely, but that they think they are nothing to our Lord God?
2328 L.6, 5-7. on the thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 1915-1921. 2329
guilty? If they have kept the law outwardly according to the letter and have sacrificed in the temple, and that I also put on the pope's saints, monks and priests (I am talking about the best among them), if they have said mass and sung, they think they have done it all, but do not sing to our Lord God from the hapsack afterwards. These are called cane saints and stone saints, yes, the devil's saints, who let themselves think that our Lord God owes them all things, and they, in turn, owe no one anything.
(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. So he thinks: O dear Jesus, if you knew how holy I am, you would be ashamed to open your mouth to me. I will ask you one thing: tell me, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?"
11 Jesus answered him, "Ask yourself this question; what does Moses write in the Law? He saith, Yea, I know that. "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." Jesus says: If you know it, do it. He says: I have done it; who is my neighbor? As if to say, I know no man whom I should serve; they owe me, I owe them nothing.
012 Then the Lord smote him with the likeness of the wounded man, saying, A priest saw him, and passed by; and so did a Levite; both of them were as pious as thou. But the Samaritan took care of the poor man. Now tell me, which one was the neighbor of the wounded man? The scholar answered: He who showed mercy to him; he will not name the Samaritan, the hopeless wretch and hypocrite.
013 Wherefore the Lord giveth him a good smite secretly; as if to say, Thou art as pious a saint as the priest and the Levite; thou helpest not thy neighbor with a penny, whether he should die now; and
Do you still ask what you should do to inherit eternal life? Do you not have poor friends, poor neighbors, afflicted people? Are there not enough misfortunes, fears and hardships? And do you first ask who your neighbor is?
(14) Therefore, it is all in this that we learn what it means to love God and our neighbor. It is soon said: I love God. One may not set much of a table before him; but nevertheless, if he were there personally, one would see finely who loved him and dared to do something to him. But now he is not there in person, so that one could see him and serve him, like other people who are with and around us.
(15) Therefore, if you want to know who loves God rightly, pay attention to how the children honor their father and mother, how the servants obey their masters and wives, and you will know who loves God and who does not love Him. 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; it is better that I honor and love you, God in Heaven. No, says God, I want you to honor your father and mother. There is my word; now if you want to love and honor me, honor and love your father and mother, that is then God loved.
But what happens? The spiritless crowd in the papacy abandons this love and seeks something better. The others, who want to be evangelical, go their own way; the children wish that their parents were already dead and under the earth, that they would only have their courage. In other states it is the same. A prince has his officials, whom he commands to preside over their commanded office rightly and faithfully. If you now 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, say to them: Why are you disobedient and unfaithful to your prince? If you loved God with all your heart, yes, with half your heart, yes, only the tenth part, you would serve your prince much more diligently.
(17) So also, if servants and maids loved God, they would follow His word and be obedient, saying Eph.
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6, 5. 6.: "You servants, be obedient to your physical masters, with fear and trembling, in simplicity of heart, as to Christ; not with service alone in mind, as to please men, but as the servants of Christ." Likewise, if husbands and wives loved God, they would keep God's word, as He says Eph. 5:22: "Let wives be subject to their husbands, as to the Lord;" item, Cap. 5:25: "Husbands, love your wives," 2c., and so on. Each one in his state would prove by deed that he loves God. But how finely they love God can be seen in their fruits; for each one wants to have his will, let God's love remain where it will.
(18) Therefore, the world is not only without God's love, but is also full of hatred towards God, so that it would be almost too painful for it not to love Him, if only it were not at enmity with 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 grumble against your father and mother, against your lord and wives, or authorities, and do not do what you are commanded to do, you despise God, hate him, and are an enemy to him. For it is his command that you honor them, be subject and obedient to them, serve them faithfully and diligently in your profession 2c. You are hostile to the same command; you do not want to do it, nor do you want to hear it. Is this called loving God? It means God hated and envied.
(19) So citizens and peasants and bad boys also love God, when they hear that it is God's command, they should not be stingy, not sell too cheaply, act faithfully 2c. The more one preaches, the more mad and biting they become, and they only do more to defy God out of sheer courage. Castles and officials also do this; when the priest admonishes them and says, "This is God's commandment," they say: Now I will not do it, because the priest says so; what is the priest's business how I keep house? should he rule me? Well, if it is not the priest's business, it is God's business; before you know it, he will reward you with pestilence, with a long time, with fire, with water, with the Turk, with the mercenaries, with the Spaniards, and with other plagues. These will
Take away your thalers and guilders purely and know no thanks for them; otherwise, if you were a Christian, you could earn favor and thanks from God and the people, and would increase in wealth from day to day.
20 Thus one sees everywhere that one not only does not want to hear the word of our Lord God, but one also persecutes it. Not only the pope, the bishops and tyrants, who blaspheme and condemn it, H. G. should keep priests who preach it, but he does not want to suffer it at all; but also on our part citizens, peasants, those of the nobility and others in all classes. They should honor God's word and adhere to it, live kindly with their neighbor, and especially give to their pastors: but if they could take much from them, they would do it with cheerful courage, let themselves think that they had only done well.
(21) Therefore, let us learn diligently and remember that he who has the word of God should also love God, that is, he should hear what works God requires of us, follow Him and say: O Lord Jesus Christ, You have opened my eyes to see how You have redeemed me from sins by Your death and made me an heir to the kingdom of heaven and eternal life by Your resurrection. Now, dear Lord, I thank you for such great, unspeakable grace, and I will gladly do what I know you want me to do. You have commanded me to honor my father and mother: I will gladly do it with all my will and be obedient. Thou hast commanded me to serve my lord and my wives faithfully, to work diligently, and to be obedient: I will do it gladly. Thou hast made me a housemother, a householder: O God, I will be godly, I will do with pleasure and love what I ought, and I will rather live over it than not follow thee, and not faithfully preside over my children and my servants, or vex them. This is the right fruit that should follow from the word, and is called loving God rightly. 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 again, that is not possible.
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(22) But let each one go home into his heart and see how he loves God. For loving God is not a matter of thought, as the mad monks think; but loving God means, as the Lord says in another place, loving one's neighbor. God says: If you want to love me, think and love your father and mother, your child, your husband, your wife, your master, your wife; this is what I want from you. Then, I say, let each one look around him to see whether he is doing this everywhere, and he will find out whether he loves God or is an enemy of God.
(23) He will certainly find that there are many more who hate God than who love God; indeed, that there is no one who loves God, except the Christians alone, who have God's word and love Christ, though not as fully as they ought. They say: Because Christ loved me, I will love my neighbor again, and with all my heart do what I ought to do; but if at times I am hurried with anger, impatience, and other infirmities, I am heartily sorry and will return. Christians do this; others, who are not Christians, do not.
(24) From this we can conclude that citizens and peasants, husband and wife, children and servants, princes, officials and subjects, are all of the devil. For they are enemies of God, hate and envy Him, because, as is unfortunately more evident than is good, they do not respect His word and command. God created them, gave them body and soul, gives them food and drink, yes, gives them his only begotten son; in return, the beautiful, tender world sings him a little song, which means: Odium (hate), I don't like you, I don't want you; and where they could, they should probably still tear him down from heaven: they are so fond of his word and command. Now, love in the devil's 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 wretched devil, and to follow his instigation to avarice, usury and all kinds of vice, who pursues us day and night, and has thrown us and daily throws us into fear, distress, sickness, poverty, sin and death, and takes all pleasure in our being so disobedient to God?
(25) So the world in general is a servant of the wicked evil in hell, who has the air of being an enemy of God and not doing what he has commanded to be done. The shameful enemy has already poured sin and death down our throats, 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 this worst enemy of ours, who means us so evil and poisonously, 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 heed his command, love what God hates, and hate what God loves and wants to have, let God go with his service and serve the devil.
(26) Now strike it with lightning, thunder, pestilence and hellish fire, as will surely happen. Dear God, is this not blindness beyond all blindness, that we should not love you, who shower us with all kinds of temporal and spiritual gifts? On the other hand, shall we gladly serve the infernal dragon, the devil, with love and will, who inflicts all plagues on us here and gives us eternal death as a reward there?
Therefore, learn what it means to love God. This Samaritan loved God, not that he gave anything to God, but that he helped the poor wounded man as much as he could. For thus says GOD: If thou wilt love me and serve me, do it to thy neighbor; he needs 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 God needs it for his person, or that he does it for our Lord God, but that he does it for his neighbor; but it is called done for God and served for God with it, because God has thus commanded and ordained it.
(28) He has not commanded anything else that the world should serve God with, except to run to St. James or to Rome, to build churches and other such things. He wants one to serve and help the other. We must not look for him in Rome; we will find him at home in our own house, in our wives, children and servants,
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Lords, wives, authorities; item, in our neighbor's house, in the street, in the market and everywhere. There we shall do what we can do for friendship, love and service to anyone; then he will consider it and boast that we have done it for him. How could he lay it closer to us? But the devil blinds the world so that it cannot see what it really means to love God and be an enemy of the devil.
29 Therefore let us strive to learn. This Samaritan does to the poor man as he would have done to his own body. He would have wanted to be bandaged if he had been wounded. As he loves himself, so he loves the poor man, and thus brings praise that he loved God and his neighbor. We should do likewise.
For this fruit should follow in Christians who have God's word; if it does not follow, then they are false Christians, like this priest and Levite, who are saints of the sticks, yes, saints of the devil. For he who passes by his neighbor also passes by God. Let us beware of the world's example, which is hostile to both God and neighbor. For GOD is more than the evil world, evil princes, evil officials, evil citizens and peasants. Whoever loves God and his neighbor will not go unrewarded. He who does not love God, that is, who does not come to the aid of his neighbor in his need according to God's command, but passes by and does not take care of his need, will not go unrewarded. May God help us to love him through Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.
On the thirteenth Sunday after Trinity.
Second sermon.*)
This is a very rich, delicious gospel, in which our dear Lord Christ teaches us a great deal, but all the pieces are very brief. The first part is that he says to his disciples in particular: "Oh, how blessed you are, how your ears and eyes are so filled with joy that you see and hear what the prophets would have loved to see and hear. With this he wants to indicate the shameful ingratitude and contempt for his gospel that is in our hearts. As if he wanted to say: If the holy prophets of old would have heard that you hear and seen that you see, they would have jumped for joy. This can be seen in the prophets, when they remember the Lord Christ in their sermons and prophecies, how anxiously they long and yearn for him, so that it upsets and grieves us that we are so shamefully lazy and unfaithful.
*) Held in the house, 1534.
are careless people. The Jews had Christ with his preaching and miraculous signs before their eyes and ears; he taught mightily, cast out devils, raised the dead, 2c., and gave the apostles the same power, that they also cast out devils and raised the dead. In sum, he brought to them the kingdom of heaven, which is nothing else but saving from sins and saving from death. But they despised and persecuted him, and trampled his gospel under foot.
2 The Lord complains about this and says: "You see my good deeds and miracles that I do for people. I heal their diseases and pestilences, I take away their sins, I help them from the plagues that the devil has brought upon the human race. But what shall I say of my own people, the Jews, to whom I am promised and sent? My teaching,
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Miraculous signs and deeds are before their eyes and ears; yet it is all nothing. Because I do not go forth in golden pieces, with trumpets, and with glorious pomp, they regard me not. Well, the prophets would have gladly seen and heard such things, but because they did not see or hear them, they strengthened themselves in their prayer and faith with the promise of my future. You see and hear so abundantly; yet there is no thanksgiving and no joy.
- it is miserable that our Lord God's greatest benefits should remain so unrecognized and that we humans should be so blind. Our Lord God does not keep His goods secret, but places them openly before our eyes and ears; yet we do not recognize and see them. Just as a drunkard sleeps and snores, he knows and hears nothing of what is happening outside, and even if the Roman emperor were to pass by, he would still not be able to open his eyes or recognize the emperor. Or, just as one who lies in a deep sleep cannot encourage himself; if one beckons to him, he does not see; if one calls to him, he does not hear; and even if he hears, he hears differently, so he answers honestly: What is it? or answers from black, if one asks him about white, and sinks from hour to hour again into sleep, and cannot be mistaken. So we also hear with thick ears, and sleep with slumbering eyes. If they preach Christ to us and say, "The Savior of the world is here, he is coming to you, he will bring you all blessedness," we pay no attention. We may well speak of it, but that our heart should rejoice and thank God for it from the bottom of our hearts is not enough. We ought to leap for joy, but our heart is too cold and will not let us have such joy.
(4) And this is done not only by the common, rude multitude of scorners and persecutors, who will neither see nor hear; but also by the little company of Christians, who desire to see and hear. For even the disciples of the Lord snored, and scarcely saw with half eyes, and scarcely heard with half ears. The prophets have seen it with eyes of valor, and with a silent, attentive ear.
Ears heard in the future, and said: O blessed is the time and the day of Messiah; ah, that we should see the redemption from sins, death and hell, and the bestowal of the Holy Spirit through Christ future and revelation of the Gospel would be accomplished! But we sleep and snore against it, since it is now accomplished; for our flesh is too strong and regards such grace as nothing. Summa, flesh and blood does not allow it, but weakens and dampens faith at all times. Therefore it is a shameful thing that even the apostles and saints are so lazy and sleepy, and so foolish about God's greatest and highest benefits, and do not leap for joy. In outward things we soon look at a small benefit, yes, even at a drink of wine that a man hands us. But in spiritual things we have thick ears to hear and drowsy eyes to see; yes, the temporal makes us pay no attention to the spiritual and eternal. Because we look so closely at temporal honor, joy and pleasure, we cannot recognize Christ's goods, which the prophets would have loved to see.
But it is much more shameful that the world despises and persecutes God's greatest and highest good deeds. God's own people, the Jews, put Christ to death. So it is today: the world persecutes the Gospel, which the dear prophets so heartily desired to see; this is first of all the wretched devil himself. Our laziness is unfortunately sin enough. Our dear Lord God protect us so that we do not also pursue His word, but become more and more courageous. The goods are before our eyes, which are offered to us through Christ; the word is preached by the apostles and other righteous teachers and preachers. Then we should sharpen and awaken ourselves in the Word and in the benefits of Christ, which are held out to us in the Word, so that we would become more and more grateful. But we are cold, lukewarm and lazy. We do not despise and persecute, but we are so sleepy and lukewarm that it is exceedingly so. This is the reason why the dear apostles so faithfully and diligently exhort us to be diligent to hear God's word, so that in knowledge we may be able to
2338 L. 6, 15-17. on the thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 1934-1937. 2339
Christ grow from day to day, increase and become more complete. He who has rightly sat on God's word and rightly knows Christ must be pious and joyful. For the knowledge of Christ and joy in him makes no man evil.
(6) This is the first lesson that our dear Lord Christ gives us at the beginning of this gospel, that he calls us all lazy and sleepy people, idle asses and lazy sacks, who have God's word with his goods before our eyes and ears, and yet do not realize what we have, hear and see.
(7) Just as we are bad in the knowledge of spiritual, eternal goods, so we are just as bad, if not worse, in the knowledge of temporal goods. If we only "consider" what goods God gives us in the body, as healthy eyes, ears, hands, feet and the whole body: who could sufficiently calculate how high, expensive and valuable such goods are? Many do not learn how precious and valuable a gift it is to have a fresh and healthy eye, unless it spoils him or he otherwise comes to it. Then he would gladly give a lot of money for it, so that he could have it back where it could be. But now, because the eye is fresh and healthy, he does not recognize such a gift from God, nor would he give a penny for it. How many people, who have healthy bodies and limbs, think that they have it from our Lord God? How many thank Him for such excellent gifts? Yes, I will be silent about thanksgiving; how many think that they are God's gifts? Is it not blindness that we have house, farm, land, cattle, money, property, and need these goods, eat and drink from them daily, and yet should not feel nor grasp that we have all these from our Lord GOD and that they are GOD's gifts?
(8) Therefore we are quite leprous and feel nothing. Where the flesh is corroded with leprosy, it feels nothing. So we are eaten away and corrupted by sin, that we do not feel, even though we see and grasp God's goods and gifts with our fists, and feel that they taste good to us, and that we are filled with them and grow fat.
we do not recognize that they come from God, much less thank Him for them. It is probably surprising that we are so blind and leprous in divine matters. The pious seldom think that it is God's gifts for which one owes gratitude to God. But the wicked do not even think about it. May the merciful God give us good eyes and ears, so that we may recognize His benefits and thank Him for them; for He likes us to look at His benefits and recognize them, and takes special pleasure in our thanking Him for them. Those who pursue the word of God do not see and hear it at all; they have not yet come so far that they catch sight of it from afar and sleepily hear and recognize it.
The other part of this gospel is about the law. The scholar of Christ comes up and tries Christ, asking him what he must do to inherit eternal life. As if to say, I am more learned and a better teacher than you are; I would do better than you do; what can you teach? You are one of his masters. Can you also tell how one should be saved? This is the most important question, of which people have various and repugnant opinions. The scholar of Christ makes himself believe that he wants to do much better than Christ. "What shall I do," he says, "that I may be saved? Bite me the little nut, and I will take thee for a master. But Christ does not want to instruct him (for the Christian scholar does not ask for instruction, but tries the Lord), but asks him again, saying, "You have Moses and the prophets, you tell me.
(10) Now therefore the question of the scribe is, How may we be saved? Of this there were many opinions, especially among the Jews. Some of them were learned, some were unlearned; but none of them knew the way to salvation, how and by what means a man would be justified before God, and they disputed about it in many ways. Basically, they were one with each other in that they taught the works of salvation, just as the monks did in the papacy. But there was a difference among them in
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that some insisted on sacrifices, washing clothes, ceremonies of food and drink, and such outward works; but some were nevertheless so wise as to dig it up and say: It should not be only that one should sacrifice, wash clothes, and perform such outward ceremonies; but it would be that one should love God with all his heart 2c. and his neighbor as himself. This Christian scholar was also of this opinion. But he was not serious, as were the others. For they were only mockers who spoke the word alone, but did not do so themselves, indeed, they thought nothing of it.
(11) There are many such scoffers today who despise the sermons and make themselves believe that they are learned, yet they know nothing of the gospel and Christian doctrine. They boast of the gospel and say: Gospel, gospel! There is nothing in the teaching of the pope. But when it comes to the meeting, no one is at home. The papists are also such people, they also teach that one should love God with all one's heart 2c. and one's neighbor as oneself, as much as the words apply. But they are and remain words, nothing more comes of them; they are pure mockers, and they are not serious.
(12) This scholar of Christ was also such a scorner and mocker; therefore the Lord gives him a secret sting. As if to say, Thou art a hypocrite and a knave in skin. If thou wouldst do it, and keep the law, thou wouldst not glory so highly. But because you do not keep the least letter of the law, you glory in it. I am hostile to those who boast much and highly, but when it comes to doing, they do nothing everywhere. If they should advance and lend a florin to a poor person in need, no action will follow, even if they already have a house full of money. Thou hypocrite hast answered rightly; but begin and do, and thou shalt live. As if the Lord meant to say, "You will do well if you do.
(13) This is the teaching of the law, which tells us what we should do, but it does not follow that we can do it. We are guilty of doing it, that we love God from the beginning.
with all our heart 2c. and our neighbor as ourselves. But we do not find this in ourselves. When we hear that we are to love God and our neighbor, we may well think that we have done so. But look at every man's life, and you will not find in any man that this commandment has been fulfilled or done. Nevertheless, we go on and choose other foolish tricks, and these right, high works, namely, how our hearts should both be wise toward God and our neighbor, and what works God is interested in, we leave undone. What do you think our Lord God thinks, that we are so busy and diligent in little things and puppet works, and leave the right works undone? Or what do you think he will say to us on the last day, that we will become monks and nuns, run to the pilgrimages, 2c., and meanwhile let our neighbor go in naked and bare, suffer hardship and die of hunger, leave our children uneducated? 2c.
(14) We ought to take care of our neighbor as ourselves, but we do not stop there; but as a cow, when she has only food to eat, does not ask whether the others have nothing to eat; so we also live like cattle, taking care of ourselves alone, not asking anything about our neighbor. Therefore our Lord God will say to us: You are hypocrites and mockers. I commanded you to love your neighbor, so let it be, and in the meantime do other foolish things, and mock me for it. For though one exalts and praises the works he has invented and chosen for himself, they are nothing compared to the works of which this commandment speaks.
- But what does it mean to love God with all your heart? Then look at the Our Father, in which we ask that God's name be sanctified, His kingdom come, His will be done.
(16) But where are the people who love him so dearly? This can be seen when a wife dies, a good friend dies, children die, or goods and possessions perish: how many are there who gladly suffer and endure such things, and are happy about it? Our flesh grumbles, is impatient, resists and resists God's will. Does this mean that,
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To love God when one is impatient, grumbles against God, resists and refuses to accept God's will?
Now, such dislike of God is not only in the wicked and unbelievers, but also in the saints and believers, as far as flesh and blood are concerned. Job loved God as long as he did good to him; he was also patient for a while. Even though his goods were stolen from him and his children were slain, he praised God as long as he was out of mortal danger, saying, "As God wills, so will I; it is a matter of house, goods and children. "The Lord has given, the Lord has taken away, the name of the Lord be praised. The Lord can give again. Job was patient for a while, which we certainly could not do. But afterwards, when he was attacked in his own body and when he was in fear of death, he became impatient and hostile to God. This is the way of flesh and blood.
- therefore it is a strange herb that does not grow in our garden, to love God with all our heart 2c. For to love God and to seek God's glory is to be hostile to oneself and to the whole world; as Christ also says, Luke 14:26: "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and child, and brother, and sister, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." But we do not find such things in ourselves. We may love the letters G.O.T., but we cannot love what the letters mean. We curse and grumble, especially because we are attacked and have to suffer something.
(19) The thrones *) and proud saints do not know what it is and means to love God; just as this great fool, the scholar of Christ, did not know it either, asks and answers as a hypocrite, and boasts of what he was not willing to do his whole life, nor was he able to do. Therefore Christ also reproaches him and says: "You are a bacchanalian: you want to tempt me, and you do not understand what you say, much less do it. So you read the Scriptures
*) Thrasones - Bramarbasse, braggadocio.
D. Red.
You, the Bacchants, have learned the Scriptures and praise great art, but when it comes to the meeting, you understand nothing at all.
(20) Therefore we should recognize ourselves as sinners from the law, and say: Dear Lord God and Father, this commandment, that we should love you with all our heart 2c., no one has kept: Job not, Paul not, Peter not; I much less. As St. Peter freely confesses and speaks, Apost. 15:10: "Neither they themselves nor their forefathers were able to bear the burden of the law; or that I speak in plain German: "We apostles, and who we are, together with our forefathers, patriarchs, prophets, and the whole people of God, have not kept God's commandment, are sinners and condemned. How and by what means did they become blessed? "By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ," says St. Peter in the same place, v. 11. It does not apply that you say: I have kept my order, therefore you will be merciful to me, God. Try it, if thou shalt die. See where then the holiness of your vowed poverty, chastity and obedience remains. Abraham could not rely on his obedience, and yet the same obedience is so highly praised in Scripture. The goal is set too high for us that we cannot reach it. Therefore we should crawl to the cross, confess our sin, be baptized, and swing ourselves under the wings of our Lord Jesus Christ and take comfort in His grace. After that we should do as much as we can.
(21) On this path every one shall be found. If he transgresses God's commandment and sins (as we often and unceasingly transgress), that we confess our sin and say: Lord God, I have transgressed your commandment, I have been impatient in repugnance, I am not compassionate and merciful, I do not help my neighbor 2c. But, dear God, pour in your grace and give me your Holy Spirit, that I may be obedient to you and keep your law to some extent. And there we will find enough to do, so that we may not be troubled with works of our own choosing. What the hell do we have to do with St. James? Shall we send our neighbor to Rome?
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seek? Are there not enough neighbors with and around us, as wife, children and other poor people? Whoever then wishes to walk on the right path and not to err, let him believe in Christ and rely on him; then, as much as he can, let him love God and his neighbor.
- O, this is a bad thing, say the Pharisees, scribes, monks and hypocrites; we preach much higher things. But what does God speak? He speaks thus: You hypocrites, let me be content with all the commandments of men. Since God wants His commandments to be kept, and we are not able to keep them, let us do this first and take up Christ. When we have Christ, then it will be found what we can do. We will not reconcile God with imaginary works. Or do you think that the plate covers sin? No, our Lord God judges much differently. Christ speaks thus: I will be a mediator between God and you, and will represent you to God, so that He will not punish, judge or condemn you for your sin. But when you have been reconciled to God, and your sins have been forgiven you, then go on your way, begin to do what God has commanded you, love God and your neighbor.
(23) So Christ here gives the scribes a slap on the mouth, saying, "You hypocrites boast about great things, invent new commandments, and leave God's commandment pending; you are not doing God any favor. Which
Is there anyone among you who has a servant and can suffer him to leave what he has been commanded to do and do something else that he has not been commanded to do? If a man had his servant bring him bread, and the servant went and brought him a straw, that would be very pleasing to him. If men cannot bear such things, should not God also be angry with those who despise and neglect His commandments and cast them into hell? A servant must do what his master wants, and no master can suffer that the servant does otherwise. So it is also with our Lord God and with his commandments.
The third part of this gospel is the parable of the wounded man and the example of the Samaritan who helps the poor wounded man. This indicates that we humans are all wounded, beaten and stripped by the devil through sin. And if the Samaritan, that is, our dear Lord Jesus Christ, does not bind up our wounds and take us on his back, we must all perish. The priest and the Levite pass before us, the law does not help us. Such would now be too long to act here. It is a rich and beautiful gospel, and it would take a whole year to preach it. May our dear Lord God grant us His grace that we may grasp and keep this, which we have now heard. Amen.
*On the fourteenth Sunday after Trinity. )
So that even you, who have not been to church today, may serve our Lord God and not become unreasonable animals, hear the holy gospel.
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.
*) Held in the house, 1533.
2346 L. 6, 23-W. On the fourteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. E-E. 2347
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.
1 In this gospel you hear at the end how the Lord praises faith. For that these ten lepers were healed, he blames their faith, and not himself. "Your faith," he says to the Samaritan, "has helped you." He does not say, "I have helped you," but gives the credit to faith. With this he wants to provoke us to believe in God boldly and with all confidence according to this 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, then 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 So this is the first lesson of today's gospel, that we should know that everything we can provide for ourselves and comfort ourselves in God should be yes. But whoever does not believe in God and does not want to provide good things for Him, let him not think that he will get anything. Therefore, as Jacobus says in his epistle, in the 1st chapter: Whoever 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? No, by no means! But in this way you shall say, "I know what I ask of God, that He will gladly do and give it for the sake of Christ. And if he does not do so now, as I would like him to do, he will do so at another time and in another way.
3 For a fickle heart that does not believe, nor think for certain that it will gain anything, certainly gains nothing. For
Our Lord God can give him nothing, even if he would like to. It is just like a vessel that you hold in your hands, and yet you do not want to hold it still, but keep moving it back and forth, so you cannot pour anything into it; and even if you would like to pour it in, it still misses and perishes in vain. So it is also done for an unbelieving, wavering heart. God would gladly give us what we need, but there we stand like a mad beggar: we hold out our hat that he may throw something into it, and yet we shake our hat without ceasing and 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. Just as if you had a candelabra or bottle in your hands and asked for wine to be poured into it, and 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 from you. He would say: Always roll yourself; do you think I want to pour the wine on the ground? It is the same with a wavering, unbelieving heart; God cannot pour anything into it, even if he would like to.
4 Again, where one does not waver, but stands still, he will gladly give, as we see here in the ten lepers. They stand still and cry out, "Jesus, dear Master, have mercy on us! They were very still and did not doubt that he would help; therefore, as they believed, so it happened to 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 rather remain steadfast in everything we ask, whether for health against sickness, or for food against poverty, or for righteousness against injustice and sin, or for life against death. For God will gladly give all these things, without at times forsaking tempting us to see if we can do what is right.
2348 L.6, 25-27. On the Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, I948-1S5V. 2349
Prayer and faith also want to persevere. This is the first part of today's Gospel, that we should pray in firm faith and not doubt God's gracious will through Christ.
The other piece is a very frightening example, that ten of them have such a fine faith and are healed, and only one of them recognizes such a blessing and thanks the Lord Christ for it. The other nine fall away again and do not give thanks to Christ because of such good deeds.
(6) Such an example should serve us to learn 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.
(7) We should also do this gladly and willingly, for it is a thing that does not require much effort and work, 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, and I thank you from the bottom of 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 wives, your friend, if a benefit has come to you from him? It does not break your leg, and the only thing you need to do is to confess it and give thanks, so that it may be seen whether it has been done to you. So the Samaritan does here, turns back to the Lord and gives thanks. It cost him neither a penny nor a farthing, 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 pagans said that ingratitude was the greatest vice; therefore, if one scolded someone for being ungrateful, he scolded him the most. Nevertheless, we learn that such ingratitude is very wicked, and is most common to those who have earned all thanks from us, such as father and mother, who dare to give their children life and limb, honor and property, and whatever they have. But how do the children reward them? What do they experience in
them? It is rare that a child is grateful; almost all children become ungrateful and would like their parents to die soon. That's what the wretched devil does. It is the same in other classes.
(9) Therefore learn to beware of the great and shameful vice, from which, it is said, the fountain of all faithfulness and goodness of men dries up. And is also the loud truth. For men are too weak and cannot bear ingratitude. Wherever one finds an ungrateful heart, the desire and love to help and benefit such people vanishes. Whoever wants to help other people and is not a Christian, and should get no other thanks for it, than that one should throw it into his hands: that is a very annoying thing. The first word is, "All is lost with the wretched man; let him always go in the devil's name; I would not look upon him to 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, this example teaches us, if we want to be devout Christians, to learn to be grateful, first to God, our gracious Father in heaven, who gives and sustains life and limb, and then all that pertains to eternal life; then to be grateful to our parents, friends and neighbors, who have shown us good, done us good, advised us or helped us, so that we recognize and give thanks, even if we cannot repay them. Such things are rightfully ours, and God wants them from us; but the least part of us does them. The world cannot be made to show its gratitude in words, much less will people be made to repay, as the saying goes: Nihil citius senescit, quam gratia. (Good deeds are soon forgotten.)
In monasteries, when an old monk gave them only a cut feather, the young monks were accustomed to bend down and say: Benedictus Deus in omnibus donis suis: Praise be to God for all that he gives us. This was not a wicked way; for it was done so that the
2350 8.6, 27-29. on the fourteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 1950^-1953. 2351
young people should be accustomed to accept everything with thanksgiving to God and man. Therefore, although it was not always so in the heart, it was nevertheless 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: God has done good to me, therefore I will give Him sermons, that is, preach His word, praise Him, and give thanks. 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 if this is not enough, even his only begotten Son, whom he gave us to comfort us against sin and eternal death, they still hang him on the gallows. This may ever be a world, which God should be cheaply hostile to and do it no good. When he gives the sun, the moon, and all things, and his only begotten Son, the world goes and condemns his word, and puts his Son to the cross. The third part of this gospel is a fine example, that Christ does not let the ingratitude of the nine lepers, who were cleansed, deter him from doing good to other people, but has patience and is satisfied that the tithes come and give thanks to him.
(13) We should learn not only to be thankful, but also to be accustomed to the virtue that can suffer ingratitude. No one has this virtue except God and true Christians; the world does not have it. For there are enough examples before our eyes, which testify that the world cannot stand ingratitude. The Greeks had very fine people who faithfully stood by the fatherland and risked life and limb for it; but as soon as they found that the thanks remained outside and they did not enjoy such benefits, but one wanted to inflict more on them and press them, they became impatient about it, so that, just as they had previously protected the fatherland against the enemies, they afterwards resisted the enemies.
helped the fatherland, and became its worst enemies. This is our way and nature; but it is an evil way that we should renounce.
(14) If any man will be a Christian, let him freely refrain from earning ingratitude with all his good works, faithfulness, and service, and beware lest he be moved thereby, and serve or help others no more. For this is a Christian virtue and the true fruit of faith, that when you have done your best and are rewarded, you be patient and say, "No, you must not anger me or make me unhappy. I will suffer it, and still help where I can. Will you 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. This means 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, it makes you think that what it has done is lost, that it will not use its good deeds so badly from now on. But our Father in heaven and our dear Lord Jesus Christ is the one from whom we are to learn this art. The Father in heaven lets 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 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 not let the sun shine any more, and let the ungrateful world die of hunger. But he does not do it, the merciful 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, I will still be kind and find the ungrateful well in its time.
16 Our dear Lord Christ also does this, tolerating ingratitude, as seen in this gospel. So should a Christian also do. For this is the way of Christian love, that it bears and endures all things, even ingratitude.
2352 2.6, 29-31. on the fourteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 1953-1956. 2353
Ingratitude, and yet does not allow itself to be made bitter. But there are very few of them who have such love, and therefore very few are true Christians. If we want to live in the world and still be Christians, we should learn to do good to people and help them. If we earn ingratitude by doing so, we should not be annoyed by it or think it strange, as the world does; it suffers and is very annoyed by it if the good deed is not repaid. But you think and use it. If thou hast done good to one today, and he escapes thee by ingratitude to-morrow, let it not offend thee; God will find him well repaid. Go on, and say, "I have lost my good deed in this one, but have brought another, and have done him good also; if this one also escapes me, let the third come to me, and so on; so that you may learn to say, as our Lord Christ says here, "If not ten have been made clean, where are they?
(17) The dear Lord also deserves little thanks, but he is content that one of the ten should return who recognizes the good done and thanks him; yet he asks about the others, saying, "Where are the nine?" lest they think they have done right. As if to say, "Be thankless, you will not escape me like this; I will ask where you have gone, that you have never thanked me for helping you. So, in his time, he will ask all of you: Why did you not recognize the glorious gift and the beautiful light of the sun? Why have you not known that I have given you life and limb and have created all that you need? Then it will be found 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 where our Lord God gives ten kingdoms, he is hardly thanked for one; where he gives ten good years, he is hardly thanked for one year; and 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 misers who buy it up and wait for theurung. Others think that because much has grown, they must kill, indulge and drink all the more. In this way they thank God for His blessing. Thus, our Lord is hardly thanked for the tenth part of His gifts and goods; for nine parts, He is not thanked at all. We should be accustomed to this, and not let it hurt us, but be content if we find one among ten who has done well and is grateful. 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) From today's Gospel we have these three teachings: the first is about faith; the second about the beautiful virtue called gratitude; the third about the virtue of suffering ingratitude. We are to take an example of faith from the lepers, that we keep still and do not waver in faith, so that God may give us. We should learn gratitude from the Samaritan and follow his example, so that we are not found ungrateful to God and man. From Christ, however, we should learn that, even if we do good to someone and it is done badly, we do not deserve thanks and our good deeds are lost; we should not take offense at them, much less let others repay us. In the world, as said before, it is a very mean vice to make people unwilling and discontented by ingratitude, so that they henceforth do not want to help anyone and often have to pay for their ten ingratitude. But if you are a Christian, do not do this. Let nine be thrown at thee before the tenth be grateful to thee. For Christ himself does not find people who would be grateful for such a great good deed. Would you have it better than he? Therefore let it come to the ninth, you will have no more harm than Christ; but they will have the harm, that neither happiness nor salvation will be with the ungrateful people.
- In sum, we will be fine Christians if we first have a firm faith and trust in God's goodness.
2354 L.6, 31.32. On the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, I95S-I95S. 2355
After that, we will be grateful to God and man, and finally be patient and suffer ingratitude when we have done everyone all the good we can. For nine will always be ungrateful if someone recognizes the good deed done and gives thanks for it. And it may well happen that
It is the one who gives thanks, and it is well placed, since one had the least trust and hope, as the Samaritan is here. May our dear Lord God grant us His grace to keep and improve, amen.
On the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity.
First sermon.
That we may give thanks to our Lord GOD, and do this day its due, let us hear and learn GOD's word. For this is what God wants from us.
and this is the most noble work of the holiday, that we hear his word. So God speaks to us today through this Gospel.
Matth. 6, 24-34.
No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate one and love the other, or he will adhere 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 do not gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more than they? Who is there among you that can add a cubit to his length, though he care 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.
1 Our dear Lord Christ spoke this gospel so that he might prevent the service of mammon. For he is concerned that mammon and his temporal nature will hinder his ministry. He wanted his service to be pure, so that it would remain on his side alone and not be done for mammon.
- Therefore, it is a gospel that does not particularly minister to the young people, for the-
*) Held in the house, 1532.
They have the grace, God be praised, that they rather eat spillings *) and cherries than have money; they also care more about a beautiful apple than about a red guilder; they do not ask what the grain is worth; they do not think much about how they will feed themselves, they let their father and mother take care of it.
*) Spilling, the name of several small yellow plum varieties. D. Red.
2356 L.6, 32-34. On the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 1959-1962. 2357
3 This sermon is especially addressed to fathers and mothers, and to those who are to sit in offices and govern, and most of all to preachers who are in a bad way in the world; some of whom are forced by poverty to think and strive how they will feed themselves and their wives and children. For they must stand in danger that where they speak the truth they will be persecuted, chased away and left to die of hunger. The Lord comforts them here, wants to relieve them of such worries, and says: "They should look at the beautiful lilies and roses, and the little birds, but especially the ravens, as St. Lucas Cap. 12, 24 reports. Because God feeds them so abundantly without their care and labor, and adorns the little flowers so, their clothing and parts will be thrown to them and given to them, so that they will not die of hunger.
4 That this sermon does not concern the youth in particular, for they go along confidently, like birds, that the kitchen and cellar are already in order, and let others take care of them; but they have other thoughts, how they will manage this and that. We old fools have the particular misfortune of providing for our bellies and always fearing that we will die of hunger. But the children's mammon is something else, namely that they adorn themselves, the boys that they have beautiful skirts, the maidens that they have beautiful bags, braids and other things.
(5) Therefore the young people have not much to learn from this gospel, but this saying, that Christ saith, No man can serve two masters: either he will hate one, and love the other; or cleave to one, and despise the other. This much a young man should learn from it, that because he is not yet challenged with the care of the belly, he serves God, and knows what it is and means to serve God. If he learns this well and understands it, then he has learned his own. And a child, a servant, a maid, and everyone in the house can do this well. For there is no one so small who cannot do this beautiful work of serving God.
(6) But what does it mean to serve God? Answer: To serve God means to do what he has commanded. Just as in the world the common
According to custom, "to serve" means nothing else than to do what one has commanded. That it is said as much: I serve my master, as if one said: I do what my master commands me. A servant in the house serves his master when he does what his master commands and wants him to do. A maid does not serve her wives in any other way than by doing what she is supposed to do. This is well understood. For servants and maids receive their wages because they want to serve their masters and wives, that is, to do what they are commanded and to do what they are told. So that the service is not based on the mere person, but on the word and command. For masters and wives of the house have no need of servants for their own persons, for they themselves can do well without servants and maids what they need for their persons; they can eat and drink, dress and undress themselves, they are tall enough to do so, because they are healthy and strong: but they help to keep house and to do the word and command of the master and the wives. This belongs to the servant and the maid to provide, and therefore they are appointed. Now if a servant is a rogue, and lets his master's word and command stand, and executes what others call him, and bears to others, that is serving two masters.
(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. But what does God mean and say? First of all, he says that one should hear Christ and accept the good gospel. This is the only right and pleasing service that we can render to God. For there is his command before our eyes: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, and you shall hear him.
According to it, God commands that children honor their father and mother, that parents nurture, train and teach their children, that a woman love her husband and keep him, and that her husband nurture and protect her. 2c. All this God has said and is His command. Where children honor their father and mother, they do not honor their parents alone, but honor and serve God, who commanded and commanded this. Where a husband loves his wife,
2358 ".6, 34-36. on the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xni, i9W-IMS. 2359
and a wife is subject to her husband, and one is faithful to the other, govern their house, and keep child and servants in discipline and honor: with the same they serve God. For there is God's command and word that they should do it. So servants and maids in the house, if they serve faithfully and do diligently what they are commanded, they serve not only their masters and wives, but God in heaven, who requires this of them by His word.
- henceforth in other estates also. When a citizen does what his mayor wants, and the subjects do what their ruler wants (provided it is not against God), they enter into the service of God. And there is no one in the world who could not serve God in this way, if only we would learn what serving God means. For the service of God is not in the work, but in the word and command of God. Therefore, the whole world would be full of God's service if everyone lived like this and did what he was commanded to do. It has a great reputation before the world that a monk forgives himself everything, and goes into a monastery, leads a strict, hard life there, fasts, watches, prays 2c. There is no lack of work, but there is a lack of command that God has not commanded him to do so. 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 housework 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) Thus, to do what God has commanded and to refrain from doing what God has forbidden is to serve God. When a preacher preaches God's word, baptizes, administers the sacrament, admonishes, punishes, frightens the secure, comforts the stupid and the afflicted, he serves not only the people, but God, who has ordered and commanded such things, and has joy in his heart because he knows for certain that it is God's will and command.
- likewise a poor maid has
Joy in the heart, and can say: I cook now, I make the bed, I sweep the house, who has called me? It was my master and wife who told me. Who 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 have every good thing, joy in his heart and a good conscience, because he knows that his work and labor is a service of God that is pleasing to God; nor would anything sour him if he thus sent himself into his service and occupation. For there can be no greater joy than to know that our life and work is and is called worship, and that God says to us, "Whatever you do by my command to your lord, to your wife, to your neighbor, you have done to me, just as if I had commanded you to do it up in heaven, for it is my word by which I commanded and commanded it. But the devil fights tooth and nail, so that there is no joy in it, but everyone is displeased with what he is commanded to do, so that there is no love for the people and no service for God.
(13) The treasure and joy in one's heart that one might enter the state knowing that he would serve God in it and that God would be pleased with his actions and life should be purchased for everything that is on earth. Now anyone can come into the state for nothing and without money, if he remains in his profession and does therein what he is commanded to do. In ancient times they taught: If you want to serve God, run to a monastery, put on a cap 2c. But if you ask who has commanded this, there is no God who has commanded it, and no word of God. Yes, you say, I myself have a good devotion and intention to it. The wretched devil thanks you for that! Who has commanded you, says God, that you want to serve me especially in heaven, and in the meantime let stand what I have commanded you here on earth? It is just such a thing as if I were to leave my
2360 L. 6, 3S-38. on the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xin, 1935-iW7. 2361
The servant would fetch wine, and he would leave it waiting, but he would go and bring me a bowl full of apples. With such a service he would do me a small favor; I should probably hit him on the head with the bowl and say, "Don't you know what I told you? If he said, "Yes, Lord, I meant well; I know you like to eat apples," I should say, "Yes, the devil on your head! I told you to get some hot wine; why don't you do what I told you to do?
(14) In the same way, it pleases God to leave in place what He has commanded and to do something else that He has not commanded. With all the monks and nuns it has been the opinion that they have left standing what God commanded, and done something else that God did not command.
(15) Therefore, you should learn what worship means, namely, to serve God according to His word and command, to do what He has commanded and to refrain from doing what He has forbidden. If you do this, then your heart can be secure in the sight of God, and you can do everything with joy, and your work or service will not be sour or difficult for you, but your heart will be in good spirits, because it knows that it is a right service and that it pleases God in heaven. What you do in your company is as much as if you had done it to our Lord God above in heaven. For he has taken it for granted that whatever we do in our work here on earth according to his word and command, he will count it as if it had been done to him in heaven.
(16) Thus do all other creatures: they therefore walk in the service and obedience of God. God commanded the sun to shine for all the world by day. This the sun does with all diligence, shining not at night but during the day, as God commanded it. God has commanded the moon to take precedence over the night, and the moon does this in all obedience. And all creatures look to what God has commanded them to do, and do nothing else, and thus all walk in the most beautiful garment of service and obedience to God. So also the water. What does that have for a
Command? What shall it do? It shall bring fish, says God in the first book of Moses. It does this everywhere, except when people, through their sin, do not withhold God's blessing and hinder His command. Just as creatures are adorned to walk in God's order and obedience, so man, who in his profession does according to God's word and command, is also adorned above all adornment on earth. Christ says here that even Solomon in all his glory was not so beautifully adorned as a little flower in the field. What does a little flower do? What is its command? Nothing else, except that it should stand there adorned, look lovely, smell good, and let itself be looked at and used. If God praises a flower so highly, what do you think is the adornment of a human being when he walks in God's word and command? He is more beautifully adorned when he does this than the sun and the moon and all the flowers on earth.
(17) When a maid adorns herself to dance, it is also an adornment to court the world; but it is as nothing compared to the adornment when she goes in her office and profession, waits on the children, the kitchen, the house, and does what she is commanded to do; or when a servant goes out to the field and waits on his profession. For the 45th Psalm praises the Christians and says in v. 10: "In your adornment go the daughters of kings; the bride is at your right hand, in precious gold." What kind of jewelry is this, because the Christians are so miserable here on earth? They are poor, miserable and despised, their deeds have no standing before the world; this one mucks out the stable, that one tends the cows; yes, the one who is more is thrown into prison, martyred and killed. This is how this bride, that is, the Christian church, is on earth. How is she adorned? She is adorned with spiritual ornaments, not with silver, pearls, jewels or precious stones, but with the word and command of our Lord God. There is no higher ornament on earth than where one enters into God's word and command. Such an ornament is such a jewel that the sun and the moon cannot be compared to it. For it is God's
2362 L. 6, 38-40. on the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 1967-1971. 2363
Jewelry. All the adornment of God is His holy word. Whoever does what God's Word calls him, walks in God's own adornment, yes, he is adorned in God Himself.
(18) Now count thou thyself how delicious and glorious it is when one enters in our Lord God's own adornment. How could a maiden be thought so delicious if she went in the adornment of the queen of France? or a servant if he went in the emperor's adornment and crown? And is all this only a worldly adornment, and nothing to be counted against this spiritual, divine adornment of a Christian, if a servant and maidservant, masters and wives are faithful and obedient; or if a wife goes along in worship and obedience, has her husband dear and valuable, brings up her children finely and well, and in her profession is guided by God's word and command. Compared to such adornment, pearls, velvet and gold are mere dirt. What is all worldly adornment, but only a shadow and an example, so that God may show what kind of adornment it is in heaven before God, if one lives and does according to His word and command?
(19) This is the right crown, and a beautiful necklace of gold, which shineth more beautifully than the sun: whereof Solomon saith, Prov. 1:8, 9: "O my son, obey thy father's instruction, and forsake not thy mother's commandment: for this is a goodly ornament unto thy head, and a necklace unto thy neck. If you hear what God tells you in His word, through preachers, through father and mother, through masters and wives in the house, and do this, you will have the most beautiful pearls and the most precious gems that a man can have on earth.
- Here on earth this adornment does not shine; but in that life it will shine, when God will reveal it and say: You blessed of my Father, come here! you have been a pious, obedient child, a diligent, faithful servant, a pious, faithful maid, a pious, obedient citizen, a pious husband, a pious wife, a pious, faithful preacher. Then, when God will bring out what is hidden, so that it will be seen with the eyes, it will be seen that the obedience to God and to the Lord will be the most important thing in the world.
His word, even in such lowly ranks, is more adorned than all the world's ornaments.
(21) Therefore, young hearts should be accustomed to respect God's word and command in their position and profession, and to learn to fear God in His word; that they may know what it means to serve God, namely, to be obedient to God's word and command, that each one may faithfully and diligently carry out his commanded office and love his neighbor. Whoever does this is clothed with our Lord God's own adornment, yes, he is adorned with God Himself, and already shines here on earth as beautifully as the angels in heaven. Even if he does not shine before men, he still shines before God.
(22) Let us therefore learn from this gospel that one should serve God in heaven and not mammon. Secondly, what worship means, namely, to do what God has commanded each one in his position and office through His word. And thirdly, what benefit and piety and beautiful adornment one has from serving God, namely: when a servant, maidservant serves masters and wives according to God's command, when a child is obedient to its parents, 2c. that such a thing is a precious adornment before God in heaven, above all adornment on earth.
23 Thus we have both dialecticam and rhetoricam. Dialectica is to indicate what it means to serve God, namely, to do according to God's command. Rhetorica is to indicate what a glorious thing and beautiful ornament such obedience and service to God is. Dialectica is the body; rhetorica is the adornment so that the body is adorned. The adornment is God Himself, or His holy word. He who keeps to God's word and does what God has commanded him in his office is adorned with God's adornment, yes, he is adorned with God Himself. Therefore, it is not a beautiful thing to serve God, that is, to do according to God's word and command. In sum, it is the highest wisdom and power to know how to serve God, and to do according to God's word and will in faith in Christ, and to always be found in such exquisite adornment. May our dear God and Father help us to do this through Christ our Lord, amen.
2364 L. 6, 11.42. On the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 1971-1973. 3365
On the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity.
Second sermon.*)
This is a rich gospel and a long sermon against avarice, to which our Lord Christ is especially hostile; for there is no other vice that hinders the gospel more and does more harm to Christians than avarice. And yet it is so vile that, as we see, the whole world is drowned in it. For everyone's greatest concern day and night is how he will be fed. And this promotes avarice especially well, that no one is satisfied with what God grants him and 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 with it, and so on, so that no one is satisfied, everyone would like to get higher and have more. Otherwise, if it weren't for avarice and pride, we would all have enough, and there would be no such worries, scratching and scraping among the people.
(2) The Lord would have liked to counter such unchristianity with this sermon, and for this reason he makes it very strong, saying: "No one can serve two masters; either he will hate one and love the other" (2c), and names the two masters: the one is called God, that is the right master, whom we are obliged to serve; the other master is called Mammon, that is not the right master, therefore he does not want us to serve him.
(3) But what is meant by serving mammon he also signifies, namely, to provide for life what one will eat and drink, and to provide for the body what one will put on. And he puts the whole sermon to the effect that we should let go of such care altogether; for it is not only a vain care, of which we have no need and can do nothing with it, but such care also hinders the right service of God. Therefore we should beware of it.
*) Kept in the house, 1534.
and get used to serving God and confessing to 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.
(4) To such confidence 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? Must we confess that He has already given us the most and the greatest, and will we not trust Him to give us even the least? It would ever hurt a rich man if he had given you a thousand guilders, that you would not provide so much for him that he would also give you an old pair of shoes. In truth, this is what we do 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 ponder.
5 Therefore Christ says: If you want to be Christians, have God in your heart, let him provide food, drink and clothing, he will be your father. If he has given you life and body, he will also give you food and clothing. Only do not be stingy, do not worry, do not despair of him so. Has he not already shown himself enough? He has given you body and life, all you have from him; after that he gives daily flesh, fish, birds, bread, wine, gold, silver 2c. All this is yours. What more shall he do? Has he not shown himself enough that you may trust him? He will not let you lack anything; only believe that it is true and that he wants to be your God and Father.
2366 ' 8.6, 42-44. on the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 1973-1976. 2367
(6) All of this is so that we may learn to trust in God, that we may begin to command our Lord God for the greater things in the lesser things, which belong to the food of this life and the clothing of the body. For if we do not believe that God will fill our bread bag and clothe our body, how will we command our soul to Him when we are about to die? There we see neither house nor lodging, there is neither grain nor raiment, there is neither food nor clothing; but we must believe alone and surrender to the mere word, and so go in faith. How then shall we trust God with these high things concerning eternal life, if we cannot trust Him with our belly?
(7) 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 has given us much and has been kind to us, so the Lord sets before us examples of other creatures, that we may learn from them to trust in God and not to worry. Look at the birds of the air," he says, "and learn from them. There is no raven that careth for food, what it shall eat tomorrow; but sitteth down in the nest by night, and in the morning flyeth out, and findeth food where God hath laid it up for him. In the same way all birds do: 'they all find enough to eat, without all their care. "If your heavenly Father feeds the birds, should he not also feed you? Are you not much more than the birds?"
8 But Christ does not forbid that one should not work. For even the birds, though they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather into the barns, nor do such work as men do, yet they have their work: they must spread their wings and fly after food. So shall we also work. For this is laid up for man by God; as it is written, Gen. 3:19: "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread"; and 2 Thess. 3:10: "If any man will not labor, neither shall he eat." But worrying is forbidden, so that people think that God has forgotten them, and think that they have to do it with their own bread.
worries. Some also do not want to trust God in their great abundance, when they have everything enough. This is forbidden, for we are all fools with our worries. If the grain in the field is to yield, God alone must give it: our worrying will not do it; for what can we do that everything in the field is so burned and spoiled this year? One stands and grasps that it is all in God's hands, he must do it. But we are desperate people, we do not learn to believe, but instead of faith we put worry.
(9) Therefore the little birds fly over before our eyes, in small honor of us, that we may 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 fly out again, you are happy and in good spirits, you sit down on a tree and sing, praise and thank God; then you look for your grain 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 its worries and keep itself in such a case, like a living saint, and still has neither field nor barn, neither box nor cellar; it sings, praises God, is happy and in good spirits, because it knows that its barn is built for it, which is called: "Your heavenly Father feeds it": why then do we not do it, who have the advantage that we build the field, collect the fruits, pour them out and keep them for the need?
(10) Thus our dear Lord Christ holds up to us the example of the little birds. As if to say, "The little birds are without care, for they know that they have such a good chef and rich waiter, whose name is the heavenly Father. Therefore they say: What shall we worry about? Do you not hear what a kitchen and cellar we have, namely, as large as the world is? Therefore we fly where we want to go, so we find our food and the kitchen well ordered. The same heavenly father would like to be your chef and waiter, if only you could believe it or wanted to have it. He
2368 L. 6, 44-47. on the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 1976-1979. 2369
proves it also with the deed, and gives you floor, box, cellar and barn full, gives you innumerably much more than the birds. Why will you not trust him? Do like the little birds, learn to believe, sing, be happy and let your heavenly Father take care of you. You are the most miserable people with your worries, if you do not want to trust God. These are comforting words and lovely examples that should move us.
(11) But alas, we learn that the whole world is a bunch of desperate misers who do not trust God, who do not serve God, but the devil. For Mammon is the God of the world. Mammon means good. Now all the world seeks not to eat and drink good (which would be granted to everyone), but only to have much money and to have mammon in the box and to worship it. That is why the world is full of mammon servants. Now tell me, is it not true? if you had a house full of money, and the house was also golden, and the Elbe or the Rhine flowed with gold, what good could that do you if there was nothing else, no grain, no beer, no wine, no water? Well, then, how finely you have served Mammon! You will never be able to eat the gold.
(12) This may be called a shameful mammon service, which the pagans also mocked and made a fable 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. When he touched his skirt, table, bench, bed, door, pillars, everything became gold as soon as he touched them; the knife above the table, the bread, the wine all became gold, so that the miser had no food and drink and had to die of hunger: he had wished well! Therefore curse avarice and flee it, whoever can. If one had all the gold in the world, he would still have grain and food; he would never eat silver and gold. Nevertheless, the world is so blind and mad when it has food and drink that it still wants to have gold and money as well. Just as if it did not need that which God gives abundantly and superfluously, and needed only that,
which he does not give so abundantly. Christ says: "What do you do with this, if you are already worrying yourselves to death? It would be a very foolish thing for a little man to sit down 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? This is what the world does when it cares, says Christ. No one will be rich or full. It is entirely up to God to give His blessing, not up to worry. If the blessing of God 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 are before one's eyes.
(13) Therefore let him who is a Christian not let avarice and care pass him by, but let him learn to trust in God, to work, and to let God take care of him. For we shall labor and let it be soured upon us, but we shall know that it doth not our labor. We shall plow the field, we shall sow, when it is ripe we shall reap; yet we shall confess and say: If God had not given it, all our labor would have been in vain: dear Lord God, it is your gift. So that we may give glory to God, recognize His blessings and thank Him for them.
14 Our dear Lord Christ would gladly tell us such things. As if he wanted to say: "Put away your cursed worrying and doubting; first learn to believe and trust in God; then see if he will let you starve. If you will trust him, he will bless your work. But if you will not do it, and will not command him the wretched belly, he cannot make the grain grow, or if it grows, he can make it wither; that you may see that your care does not do it, your unbelief and despair much less. But faith does it, that you work and trust in God, command him to take care, and take what he gives you.
(15) After this, Christ sets before us the little flowers of the field as an example, saying, "The little flowers of the field do not work, nor spin, nor sew; yet they have such beautiful skirts that they put to shame all the silk embroiderers with all their art. Sol-
2370 2.6, 47-49. on the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 1979-4986. 2371
Let this be set as an example for you. Because God so adorns the little flowers, which stand in the field for hardly a day and almost in vain, how are you such hopeless people that you do not believe that God will also feed you and provide clothes, but think that He has forgotten you?
When we go out into the field and look at the flowers, we find another excellent doctor who would gladly teach us the highest art, so that we can trust God and provide ourselves with everything that is good for him. Now we have a great advantage over the little flowers. 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 provide ourselves with a supply for at least one day, since the little birds have none and yet are fed: so we also have an advantage in clothing. So much flax, linseed and hemp is grown, so many sheep are raised, and there is 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 profit from it, especially if he continues his work and trusts in God?
17 Finally, he speaks to us honestly, saying, "The Gentiles seek all these things. But now ye shall not be Gentiles, but Christians. "Therefore shall ye not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? what shall we drink? wherewith shall we be clothed?" The Gentiles despair of GOD, are full of worry, do not think that GOD will give them anything. But you have a Father in heaven, who knows what you need. Therefore, you must not worry, but let your Father in heaven take care of you.
(18) And he concludes this sermon thus, saying, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all the rest shall be added unto you." As if he wanted to say: Mammon does not allow you to trust in God. For he who is the servant of Mammon must despair of God and put his trust in money and goods. Now your heavenly Father knows well that you must eat and drink and clothe yourselves; so he also has a heart toward you, that he will give you
Therefore, leave the care of the morrow (for you must not care for it, because your heavenly Father cares for it), and seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, that God may reign in you.
19 But what God's kingdom is and in what it stands, Christ teaches elsewhere, Luke 17:20, 21: "The kingdom of God does not come with outward appearances. Nor shall it be said, Behold, here or there it is. For behold, the kingdom of God is within you." Therefore, the kingdom of God means nothing else than hearing God's word and believing it. Then God reigns in us if we do not despair of Him, but trust Him from the heart and consider Him our God and Father. Where there is such faith, God dwells, and righteousness, that is, forgiveness of sins, follows immediately. A believing heart thinks of God, speaks of Him, prays to Him. And again, God dwells there, the word we speak and hear is God's word; the tongue is God's tongue; the ears are God's ears. Therefore, God's kingdom is faith. For where there is a believing heart, there is God's kingdom. The works follow after that, that such a man goes about his business, works, eats, drinks, is merry and of good cheer, like a little bird. So goes to God's kingdom and his righteousness.
20 Let this be your first concern, says Christ, that you seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness. That is, be anxious first how you may become believers and have God reign in you; when you have that, God will not leave your belly empty. He has made you lords over everything that grows on earth. The earth shall give you enough grain, wheat, barley, oats, wine, and whatever you need. The air shall give you birds, the water fish. Only believe that your heavenly Father will provide for you. But if you disbelieve, you shall have nothing.
The world can do nothing but be stingy and despair of God. It worries and fears how it will collect much money, and when it has collected it, it is not happy itself. Many collect a lot of money and all kinds of provisions, and yet they cannot eat their fill.
2372 2.6, 49.50. On the sixteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 1986.1987.1996. 2373
Now, when they die, some bad guy gets it. They did not trust God while they were alive, so when they die they keep nothing and are condemned. This is how the world serves Mammon. But if you would be Christians, do not do so; but seek first the kingdom of God, hear the preaching and the word of God, trust in God, and work gladly. God will not leave you; you will not die of hunger for Him. And though all the grain of the earth perish, yet will he provide food for you. For if he created heaven and earth from nothing, he can also create a ground full of grain. But see to it that you trust in him and let the stinging, scratching and scraping stand.
In this Gospel, our dear Lord Jesus Christ tempts us with beautiful images and examples to learn to trust God, and promises us that God will give us enough if we only trust Him and work. In fact, God has already proven, and continues to prove every day, that He wants to feed us. For what he has done on earth, in
in the air and in the water every day, that he gives and gives to us human beings; for the angels have no need of all these things. Heaven and earth are full; yet we are such hopeless people that we cannot trust God.
(23) Especially we should notice that he says, "You cannot serve God and mammon. No one can serve two masters." Either you will have to hate mammon and love God, or hate God and love mammon; the two must be one. For the bed is narrow, that nothing is left; and the covering so short, that one must nestle in three, as Isa. 28, 20. is written. God and mammon cannot lie with each other in one heart, one must fall out of it, either God or mammon.
(24) Let this be said as a warning from today's Gospel, that we may learn to believe and beware of avarice and mammon service. May our dear Lord God give us His Holy Spirit through Christ, so that we may improve and become more devout, amen.
On the sixteenth Sunday after Trinity.
First sermon.*)
That on Sunday we honor our Lord God and thank Him for His good deeds, because He has ordained the day for this purpose.
that he may be spoken of, we will hear his word in praise of him. Thus writes Saint Lucas:
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, and said: 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.
*) Held in the house, 1532.
2374 L.6, 50-S2. . On the sixteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm. 1996-2000. 2375
From this gospel we are to learn two things: the first, of faith, that we should know our Lord Christ by his works, and believe in him; the second, of Christian mercy and compassion, which we should have one for another.
- from the first part. The evangelist Lucas says at the end of this gospel how all the people, when they saw Christ raise the young man from the dead, feared and praised God, and how this speech of his resounded throughout all the Jewish land and all the surrounding countries. This is an example that we should uphold and praise God's word and miracles. We are to regard the works of our Lord Jesus Christ as different and higher than the works of men. For for this reason they are prescribed for us, that we may know by these works what manner of Lord he is, that is, such a Lord and God as is able to help where no one else is able to help, so that there is no man so high and low fallen whom he is not able to help, no matter what the need may be.
He proved this enough with this poor widow. For things could not have gotten worse with her. First of all, she is an abandoned widow, which is already misery enough; for a widow is otherwise afflicted enough in the world and has enough suffering that one must not afflict her further, as the Scriptures testify. After this misery there is another misery, that her only son is taken from her, so that he dies, and so that he died, that they now want to carry him out and bury him. There is no hope of life left, and even if the whole world were to be consulted, there is neither help nor counsel. The best advice is to have him carried to the grave, laid in the tomb and locked up; for no doctor, no king, no emperor can help. Then Christ lets himself be seen, what kind of a Lord he is, and helps the poor widow so that her son, who was already lying in the coffin and had been carried out of the gate and was now to be buried in the grave, comes to life again and she brings him home with her to her house.
- such and such works, from Christo
are intended to teach us to have great courage and an undaunted heart in sickness, pestilence, danger of death and in all kinds of hardships. When all the world says and must say: Now it is lost; that a Christian may always say: It is not lost, God still lives, Christ sits at the right hand of God and still reigns. Thus the 112th Psalm praises the hearty confidence and defiance in God's grace and help of the godly and pious, that they are undaunted and undaunted, and says v. 7, 8: "When a plague is about to come, he is not afraid; his heart hopes undaunted in the Lord. His heart is confident, and fears not, till he see his delight in his enemies."
(5) And what is impossible with our Lord God that we should not trust in him? He has created heaven and earth and everything from nothing; he still makes the trees full of cherries, pears and apples every year, and needs nothing for this. It is impossible for us, when the snow lies in winter, to bring a few cherries out of the snow. But God is the man who can make all things right: who can make alive that which is dead, and call that which is not, to be. In sum, let it fall as low as it may, so it has not fallen too low for our Lord God that He could not lift it up and raise it up. It is necessary that we recognize such works in God, and know that nothing is impossible for Him, so that when things go badly, we may learn to be fearless in His omnipotence, whether it be the Turk or some other calamity, so that we may think that there is a Helper and Savior who has a hand that is almighty and can help. And this is the right, true faith.
(6) This is the first thing we should learn from today's Gospel, namely, to praise and glorify our Lord God, who is able to help, no matter how great the need, and that we do not despair of Him. We should and must despair of ourselves and of people. For the need is often so great that no man can help; especially death is too powerful that no one, be he emperor, king, rich or mighty, can control it. But in God one should be bold and not despair.
2376 2.6, 52-54. on the sixteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2000-2002. 2377
For what I and other people cannot and cannot do, he can and can do. If I and other people cannot help me, he can help me and save me from death. As the 68th Psalm says v. 21: "We have a God who helps, and the LORD HERN who saves from death." So that our hearts may always be bold and confident, and hold fast to GOD. And these are hearts that serve God rightly and love Him, namely, those who are undaunted and undaunted. The others, who are timid and despairing, do not love Him, but are hostile to Him; indeed, they do not consider Him to be God, they throw His word and work to the wind.
The other part is that we should learn from the Lord Christ to be merciful. You have heard often and much, and still hear daily much, about love, that one should serve another. But to be merciful is something more, namely, to take care of other people's miseries. If I have a poor or sick neighbor, I should not only help him gladly, but I should also complain about his misery 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 takes care of it as if it were his own son, weeps with the mother, comforts her and helps her.
(8) This is also the example of love, which is to follow faith; nor will it remain outside, provided faith is righteous. Lest we do as the wicked, reprobate people, peasants and burghers, of whom there are now many, even among us, who have hearts of stone and iron, and still make merry of it, and rejoice when they see that their neighbors are in a bad way; for it grieves them that any man hath a penny. But it shall not be so with Christians: they shall have mercy where they see need, and be glad when they see that other people have food, drink, clothes, shoes, and that they are well. As Paul says that one should weep with those who weep, and rejoice with those who rejoice. A Christian should not be a devil's head, doing like the blocks and stones that rejoice in other people's misfortunes.
Things are when the neighbor suffers hardship and distress, and again grieve when he is well.
(9) But mercy is twofold; as need is twofold, spiritual and corporal. In bodily needs one should run to, help and advise as best one can, when one sees that the neighbor is in need of clothing and care, is naked and sick, the child is unclean and wants to perish, and poor people cannot advise help and cannot help themselves.
10 Spiritual distress is when a person suffers distress of the soul. As when I see a young man growing up who understands nothing of the gospel, cannot pray, is lewd, disobedient, and full of vice. If one admonishes such a person and, if it does not help, punishes him with stern words, yes, even gives him rods and shillelaghs, so that the sin and naughtiness may be reduced in time, this is called practicing mercy. For this is a great disease; where the soul has such evil upon it, it is far more dangerous and worse than when the body is sick. All pestilence, thunder and lightning in the body is not so bad and terrible as the soul's iniquity. Therefore, it is one's duty to show mercy to such a person as one can, with words, rods and blows.
(11) Yea, saith thee, it is an abominable mercy to put ruths upon the skin. Answer: How should one do it? If it is necessary, it cannot be avoided. 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 think too well of me and thank me for catching you by the hair, or for grabbing you by the eyes and keeping you strong, and would not ask that the tussle hurt you? For it is better to be caught in the hair or in the eyes than to be drowned. If then thou canst suffer in bodily afflictions, and sufferest gladly to be afflicted, because it is thy profit: why then wilt thou not suffer in spiritual afflictions to be punished, if thou wilt not be punished?
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you sin and do wrong; since it is not for temporal life but for eternal life, and not for the body but for the soul?
(12) 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 butter roll in the hand and spread it over their skin so that it becomes soft. This is a spiritual ointment against the sickness of the soul, which is called disobedience to father and mother, to masters and wives in the house. It is a work of mercy to look at a man in his misery and suffering and help him.
(13) Let pastors and ministers in the church look to such mercy with their parishioners, fathers and mothers in the home with children and servants, the authorities in the regiment with their subjects, and each one with his neighbor, where need and love require it; and be careful that they do not become unwilling or lazy in their office to show such mercy, as commonly happens. For whoever would be so merciful as not to punish sin and wrongdoing would be proving a twofold lack of mercy to his neighbor, and for that reason would incur God's wrath. The physical sorrow can also be great; as when someone falls into the water or fire, one does not look for how to attack him quietly and not hurt him, but how to save him. Why then would one look for the same in spiritual distress and need? Therefore hard words, hard blows and all seriousness should be used to save the poor people and to bring them out of the devil's net into obedience. When a father beats his disobedient son, he does not do it to beat him to death, but to perform a work of mercy on him, so that he will not perish in disobedience and sins and suffer damage to his soul.
14 Therefore observe the example of our dear Lord Christ here, and learn what mercy is, namely, such a virtue that takes care of the neighbor's sorrow. But sorrow, as I have said, is of two kinds. A bodily sorrow, as being sick, being poor
and the like. If you let such misery in your neighbor go to your heart, so that you do your own harm to help him, it is right and well done, and is called serving not only your neighbor, but also God, who will also reward it. Spiritual misery is sin, as there is a multitude of disobedience, indiscipline, evil words and deeds. This is called mercy, when one speaks evil to the servants and smites them. If it does not help, order the rest to the executioner; for it must be punished. For the executioner is also a merciful preacher, since otherwise there is neither advice nor help for bad boys. They corrupt themselves and other people with themselves, where one did not exercise mercy on them and defended them with the sword; as God has ordained the temporal sword for this purpose.
(15) So also 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 and keep a whole spot on your skin. So that this does not happen, our Lord God must give the sword into the hands of the executioner, the rod into the hands of the father and the mother, so that they may punish and ward off, so that the evil may be controlled. Therefore, learn to practice mercy, each in his own profession, and help not only where there is bodily misery, but also where there is spiritual misery.
16 These are the two teachings of today's gospel. One is a doctrine of faith: that we should be undaunted 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 hand 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 Jesus Christ 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, which confidently holds on to the Lord Christ, it goes on in the
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right service that pleases God. The others, who despair and despair, are enemies to Him and do not consider Him to be God, otherwise they would be able to comfort themselves. The other doctrine is that we, like Christ, should accept our neighbor's distress and allow ourselves to lament it.
be it bodily or spiritual. May our dear Lord grant us His grace to learn both, and to join with the pious people here in the Gospel in praising the Lord Christ for His good deeds for ever and ever, and in showing mercy to our neighbor, Amen.
On the sixteenth Sunday after Trinity.
Second sermon.*)
There is much to preach about today's Gospel. But for this time we will deal with only one piece, which is also the most important, namely: how we should comfort ourselves against death. For there is much need of such comfort and teaching.
(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 great misfortune if there was no son in the house, so that the Jews' rule was that they should have heirs. Because of this, 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. There is a sorrowful heart that should have despaired of God, as if it were forsaken by God, because he lets both husband and son die and takes away all comfort on earth.
3 Our dear Lord Christ takes care of this woman, has heartfelt compassion for her, and comforts her in such a way that he brings her son back to life and restores him to her, so that her joy is ten times greater than her sorrow was before. And it is a wonder that she did not fall down and die of joy as soon as she did.
4 We are to remember this history so that we may learn to practice our faith with it,
*) Held in the house, 1533.
strengthen and make firm. For the Lord Christ is not only concerned about this woman; he wants to teach us all that we should see how powerless and small he makes death, and therefore makes death seem so small to us, so that we are not afraid of it, but take a heart that patiently passes and does not respect death, because we have such a Lord in him, who can therefore easily help and save from death. But those who are in distress and in danger of death learn most of all about this, as this widow was in distress and in misery; the others, who know of no distress and are not in danger of death, hear nothing of this teaching. See how soon and easily this woman is helped, since she had to despair of all help. The son is deceased and dead, and is now being carried to the grave. There is no hope that he will come back to life in the flesh.
5 Since all hope is gone, and all the world must despair of the deceased son, our dear Lord Christ comes, does not take an apothecary, but speaks only one word: "Young man, I say to you, get up! Soon the dead man rises and lives. In this way he proves that death is like life before his eyes, that death and life are one and the same before him. Therefore it is the same before him whether we live or die. If we have already died, we have not died before him. Cause, it is to him only one word to do, then the death is gone.
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and life comes again; so that Christ rightly says in the Gospel, "GOD is not a GOD of the dead, but of the living." But the Scripture says of God that He says, "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Therefore, although Abraham, Isaac and Jacob have died, they are alive to GOtt.
(6) This is what we are to learn from today's gospel, namely, the great power that God will work on us through Christ at the last day, when He will draw all men out of death with one word and make those who believe eternally blessed. When he will say: Martine Luther, come forth! as soon as it happens, and I will be standing there in a moment. Therefore we should not doubt that it is both in the Lord Christ, the power that he can do as he proves here, and the will that he will gladly do. 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 hears; he who does not live he lives; and yet nothing more happens than that Christ opens his mouth and calls him to stand up. 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 is willing to do it (for there is no one to ask him; the poor widow's distress grieves him, and he goes uninvited and brings her son back to life), therefore we should accept this example as a test and demonstration, so that Christ may prove his power against death, so that we may take comfort in him and not be afraid of death. For for our sake it was thus done. As if Christ were saying, "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, not to look only as you feel, and so follow your fear; but also look to me for what I can do, and for what I will do.
I will gladly do this, that I may awaken you from death as easily as you awaken someone on the bed and from sleep, and I will do this with pleasure and gladly, so that neither the will nor the strength and the ability will be lacking.
It must follow that those who lie in the churchyard and under the earth sleep much 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 one word of Christ, and awake again. As soon as he speaks a word: "Young man, I tell you, get up"; "Lazare, come out"; "Thalitha kumi, maiden, I tell you, get up!", they hear. And on the last day, as soon as he will speak a word, as soon as the dead will hear and go out of the graves. That is why we sleep much harder in our beds than in the churchyard.
(9) So then, in the sight of our Lord God, death is not death, but sleep. Before us it is called and is a death when we die; but before God it is such a quiet sleep that it could not be quieter.
(10) This is what our dear Lord Christ would have us imagine, that we should not be afraid when pestilence and death itself come; but learn to say, What canst thou then, death, when thou art most wicked? You have hideous teeth, you bare them and frighten me, because 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 about it, and what he will do about it, if you have seasoned me, namely, that he is not afraid of you and asks nothing about your raging and strangling; but says: "Death, I will be thy death; hell, I will be thy pestilence"; if thou canst strangle my Christians, I can strangle thee again and make them alive.
(11) This is the consolation which the Lord holds out to us in today's Gospel, saying to death, Death, thou affrightest my Christians, that they die not willingly: but beware, I will affright thee again. You strangle them, but by strangling them, I will
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strangle you again. You say: I have eaten Paul, I have worn out Luther; but boast, death, as you will. They are not dead to me whom thou hast killed, but they sleep, and so quietly that I can wake them up with a finger. This will provoke death to anger, so that it will be unable to do more than put a man to sleep, so that when Christ says a word: Come, ye dead, they shall awake straightway from sleep, and come forth; as he saith, John 5:28, 29: "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, nor do the monks and our papists. For they set not their heart and hope on Christ, but run to their works, and make of Christ a severe judge. They know that they must die and that they have judgment and hell before them. Therefore they want to lure Christ with their prayers, mass halls, indulgences, fasting and other things. They consider him to be nothing else but a judge who says to this one: You have prayed so much, fasted so much, said mass, therefore come here and be blessed; and to the other: You have been a sinner, therefore be damned. Thus they make Christ the judge of Christians and of their lives, who is reconciled by works, and judges and condemns sinners who have no works. This is the wicked devil, that they make Christ more evil than death itself. That is why they fear the last day so much, because they do not know Christ and have evil consciences and despairing hearts.
(13) Christians do not do this. They know that Christ is a judge, and that on the last day he will judge the unbelievers who neither accept nor believe his word. But there they make a distinction, and say: I am baptized, and believe in my Lord JESUS Christ, that he died for my sin, and by his resurrection hath given me righteousness and eternal life.
Why should I be afraid of the judgment? He is not my enemy, but my friend; not my judge, who would condemn me, but my help and advocate with the Father. Therefore, even though the last day may come, or I may die, it does not matter. My Lord Jesus Christ watches death a little while as it strangles me. And if death thinks that it is over with me, that I have died, then 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 comfort them and to deliver her son from death, and to raise him up in the coffin, to see again, to hear, and to speak, who before saw neither, nor heard, nor spoke, but was blind, deaf, dumb, and dead to all things. So he will come to us all, that he may restore us, that we, being raised from death, may again hear, see, speak, and do other things. In sum, he will come to us who believe in him, that he may save us; but those who do not believe, he will judge.
(15) We should learn to desire this Savior and become more certain of his help and grace the longer we wait. We should be glad when we hear that pestilence, death and the last day are coming. But if we are frightened and afraid, we follow the old Adam and his flesh, not the Lord Christ or his word. For it is certain that Christ will come on the last day and wake us up again from death. In the meantime our bodies shall rest in the grave and sleep until Christ comes and knocks at the grave and says: "Up, up, Martin Luther, come forth! Then we shall rise in a moment as from a gentle, sweet sleep, and live and rejoice forever with the Lord Christ.
(16) So a Christian should have a different heart than Turks, Jews, Papists, and
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Monks. They become fainthearted, frightened and despondent, because they do not know where to start from. And it hardly serves them right. Why do they not learn and believe that Christ is a savior and helper of believers, but a judge of unbelievers? To me he is a physician, helper and savior against death and the devil; but over the pope, over H.G., over the ungodly, over the devil and his messengers he is a judge. For the pope and the wicked are the servants of the devil and death, and they want to do and execute this,
that death and the devil shall do. Those who are hostile to Christ and do not want to accept his kingdom are judged by Christ, so that he may give peace and eternal rest to the pious who take comfort in him.
This is what was said recently about the poor widow and her deceased son. May our dear Lord God help us to learn to recognize the man Christ as this gospel models him for us, so that we may take comfort in him when we die, amen.
On the seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.
First sermon.*)
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 who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.
In today's Gospel there are two pieces. The first concerns worship, how to act against God; the other, how to act against people.
- From the first part, the question arises whether it is better in the sight of God to keep the Sabbath or to help people and do good. For this is what the Pharisees are concerned with here, that they hold on to the Lord Christ as to what he will do to the water addict. If he does not help him, they think, he may be reproached for that.
*) Held in the house, 1532.
he is unmerciful and does no good to the people; but if he helps him, he is ungodly and does not keep the Sabbath, so he can be convinced that he is disobedient to God and his word. Now let the good Lord do what he will, and he shall be caught. For they want to lead him astray on both sides, and especially they meant it dangerously with the breaking of the Sabbath; for with the Jews it was such a great holy thing about the Sabbath, since they kept it firmly. But what does the dear Lord Christ do, who is imprisoned and, according to the Pharisees' suggestion, everywhere
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has lost? He strikes on both sides, goes through the middle 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 great doctors.
(3) This then is the sum of this bargain, that he saith unto them browbeaten, They know not what it is to keep the sabbath, or to sanctify it. Your thoughts, he says, are these, as if keeping the Sabbath holy meant doing no good and walking idly. No, this is not how you must interpret the Sabbath; but to keep the Sabbath holy means to hear God's word and to help one's neighbor as much as one can. For God does not want to keep the Sabbath so holy that one should leave or neglect one's neighbor in need. 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 no good, but that we should hear God's word and act and live according to it. What does it say and teach us? It instructs us that we should love one another according to the other table and do all good. Now if I am to hear and learn God's word on the Sabbath, it certainly follows that I should also do according to God's word on the Sabbath. But if I am to do according to God's word on the Sabbath, it also follows that I must not break the Sabbath or make it unholy by doing good.
4 Therefore, saith Christ, ye Pharisees are very rough teachers, that ye call it breaking the sabbath to do good. For this is what is most preached on the Sabbath, that we should love one another. But what does loving mean? It does not mean to treat one another with thought, or to act by heart, but to be kind to one's neighbor from the heart, to comfort or punish with the word when it is necessary, and to be helpful to him with counsel and action, and thus to help him in body and soul. As St. John says, 1 John 3:18:
"Little children, let us not love in word, nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth." That is to love, namely, to do good to one's neighbor. And God commands you to do this on the Sabbath as well as during the week; indeed, He has appointed the Sabbath so that you may hear and learn God's word on it, and love your neighbor and help him, whether kindly with words or helpfully with fist and deed, as your neighbor needs it.
5 Thus the Lord punishes the false saints, who made of God's commandment a perverse mind, and boasted that they kept the Sabbath, saying: I keep the Sabbath so purely that I would not gladly clothe a naked man on the Sabbath, or give a hand to one who is weak and sick. These are wicked men who turn back the word of God. For where God's word commands, "Love your neighbor and do him every good," they say, "Oh no, I would break the Sabbath. This is called unrighteous teaching, and God's command is even wrong. For God commands that even on the Sabbath you love your neighbor, care for him, and do him every good in all that he needs in body and soul. As can be seen in the example that the Lord introduces here. Is it not a disgrace, he says, if an ox or a donkey falls into the water or into a pit on the Sabbath, you do not break the Sabbath by helping the poor little animal? You love the animal on the Sabbath as well as during the week on the workday. If you show such love to an animal on the Sabbath day, why should you not do the same to a human being? Are you not great saints? You can love oxen and donkeys on the Sabbath, work with ropes and poles, and help them out of the water and save them: and I should not love a poor man on the Sabbath, nor help him? O great saints!
(6) Thus it is with those who want to master and teach the Lord Christ, that they must catch themselves and show publicly that they are great fools. As the Pharisees presume to think that the Lord cannot escape them: if he help the poor man who is addicted to water, let him do it.
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Sin against the Sabbath and against the third commandment; if he does not help him, he acts against the love of his neighbor and is unmerciful. So, they think, the way is lost to him on both sides. But he gives them such an answer that they are ashamed and do nothing more against him, saying, "You boys, you are unholy and break the Sabbath. What you seek from me, you do yourselves. To keep the Sabbath holy 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 also to be done on the Sabbath, for God has commanded that the Sabbath be set apart for holy works, and this is the right worship that pleases God. For He has no need of other foolish services, and does not want people to cry in church all day long, as the papists do. He wants us to hear his word and 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 does it mean to know God? Nothing else, but hearing God's word. Cause, without the word, no one can know God. But when the word comes and says: I am your God, who sent my Son and gave him to die for you, who accepted you in baptism 2c.; by such a word we learn to know God, that he is gracious and merciful. Otherwise, if God had not revealed Himself to us through the Word, no human reason would know or understand that we have such a God who has given us His Son and through the Son wants to make us blessed. So the third commandment says, "You shall keep holy the Sabbath"; that is, you shall hear God's word on the Sabbath and learn to know God. This means to serve God and to sanctify the Sabbath properly. And when the works follow, that one lives and does according to the word of God, that is also called serving God. So the unholy drips and hypocrites, the Pharisees, go to and leave such things standing; they hear God's word.
They do not, nor do they act according to 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 and special service with them, which they cannot attend a day. On the other hand, they do not hear a sermon in a month, in half a year, or even in a whole year; and even though they hear a sermon, they do not hear anything from the Scriptures or the true Word of God, but only human fables and lies. This is their worship, that they may sanctify the Sabbath or feast day, which can be done in no other way than by hearing the word of God and doing it. This is the right service and the right mass.
(9) Now with us Christians there should be a Sabbath every day, for we should hear God's word every day and live our lives according to it; nevertheless, Sunday is set aside for the common people, so that on the same day they should hear and learn God's word in particular and live according to it. For the other six days the common people must wait for their work and work with their hands, so that they may be fed; 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, that every man may be unhindered to practice and do the word and works of God, not concerning temporal things, but what God requires and wants 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, and afterward, when you come home again and take the book in your hand and read a gospel, this is called serving God, and is much more pleasing to Him than all other sacrifices and holiness, as Hosea says. For he who hears God's word and believes it, learns to know God and knows what He wants from us.
The other piece teaches about humility. For thus the Lord himself interprets the equation at the end: "He who exalts himself,
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he shall be humbled, and he that humbles himself shall be exalted." This you shall learn, that it is not only true before God, but also before men. For all men are of this nature, that they are enemies to those who hope. But it must be a particularly wicked man who is hostile to a humble, pious heart; it is natural that everyone should love it. As you can see, when a maid in the house is willing and obedient, and does what she is told with a simple bad heart, she soon takes away the woman's heart, so that she cannot be hostile to her. So it is natural that one cannot be hostile to humble 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 habits are always together), they say, "I must not do as I am told;" then the heart is gone, and father and mother, lords and ladies, think how to break their pride and humiliate them, or push them out of the house. Secular authorities also do this: whoever wants to be proud and not obedient, they teach him with a rope or a sword through Master Hansen.
How is it then that no one can suffer pride? It is not otherwise than that God wills it, and his word stands there and says that 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 the proud. For this reason, those who are worthy of hope burden themselves with one whom they cannot bear, namely, God in heaven, who presses them to death with the whole world.
- but he who is humble wins over the heart of God and man, so that God, with all his angels, and
*) Here the marginal note: "Hic nominavit (here he named) C., king from D- Item H. V. W. The pope is fallen and still falls all day."
After that, people laugh at you. Angels and people look at such a heart as a particularly noble jewel. Happiness and blessing also follow after it. As can be seen, often the son of a poor citizen or farmer, to whom his father does not have to give three pennies, becomes a chancellor, councilor, etc., and comes to such honors that princes and lords have to take notice of him because of his intellect and art.) Where does such luck 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 in vv. 5-8: "Who is like the Lord our God? Who has set himself so high, and looks upon the lowly in heaven and earth. Who lifts up the lowly out of the dust, and exalts the poor out of the dung, to set him beside the princes, beside the rulers of his people." This is what God does to the humble. But those who are proud and want to be on top, and nowhere, do not want to obey, against them he lies down with all disgrace and does not stop sooner, they lie down. Whoever desires examples of this will find enough of them everywhere.
(15) This should move us to humble ourselves, and the children and servants in the house to be obedient and to remember: God wants me to do what I am told; I should not be hopeful, but humble. Therefore what others will not do, that will I do; I will not care that I am lowly, despised, and a Cinderella. For I know that if I conduct myself in this way, God will in His time bring me up and lift me up.
16 So it was with Saul. He was obedient to his father, tended donkeys and considered himself the least of the tribe of Benjamin. To such a donkey driver and poor beggar God sent the prophet Samuel and anointed him king. Because he was humble and unworthy of hope, God bestowed upon him all grace and mercy. But what happened? When Saul was king, his heart swelled so that he became proud and asked for our Lord.
*) Here the marginal note: "Hic nominavit (here he named) D. Gregorium Brück."
2394 L. 6, 70-72. On the seventeenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2014-2016. 2393
God and His word nothing. Therefore, just as God had lifted him up before, when he was humble, so afterwards, when he became proud, He brought him down again, when he stabbed himself out of despair and his race was exterminated.
(17) David, likewise, was humble, and tended the sheep, keeping himself in obedience to his father. If he had been hopeful, he would have said, "Shall I tend the sheep? That is too close for me, I want to climb higher. But he did not do that, but remained in obedience and humility and tended the sheep. He was such a fine, strong, learned young man that he might have said, "What shall I do among the sheep? I want to excel and rise higher. But he remained a shepherd and did what his father told him to do. To such a shepherd God turned his heart and sent the prophet Samuel to anoint him king. And history tells us that David had seven brothers, all of whom were proud and hopeful and thought their young brother was nothing. But God said unto Samuel, Thou shalt not look upon the person, nor inquire of the great men; but thou shalt anoint me king, whom I will shew thee, even the shepherd: of the rest I like not. 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 remains humble, even though he had already been driven out of the kingdom, he comes back to it, and
God still does him such a great honor that he promises him that Christ shall be born from his tribe.
(18) All these things are written and preached to us for this reason, that we should be humble and beware of court, and not say, as the wicked housemaids do, "Who will always work in the kitchen, scouring dishes, washing up and sweeping? I want to go to the dance for that. Must I not always do what I am told 2c. Be careful! Will you be proud, what is it, God will oppose you? For he is not a liar, he cannot suffer hope or pride, as we see before our eyes. For what do you think is the fault that things are so bad everywhere in the world, that so many rough, clumsy, unhappy men and women are everywhere? Nothing else, because when they are young, everything wants to be proud, no one does what they are called to do and what they 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 again; and that which is brought low, he cannot leave it; he must lift it up. Let this be said.
(19) Let this be our worship today, that we learn and keep these things. Praise and thanks be to God that he teaches us this way on this day, and give his grace that we may learn it, keep it, and do it, for the sake of his Son Jesus Christ, amen.
On the seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.
Second sermon.*)
This gospel has two parts: the first is the quarrel about the Sabbath; the second is that the Pharisees are struggling to sit up, and for this reason are punished by the Lord Christ.
*) Held in the house, 1533.
The first piece is about the Sabbath. This was held in high regard by the Jews, as it is commanded by God in the first tablet of the Ten Commandments. Therefore they kept it so strictly that they did no work on it, nor did they cook on the Sabbath. Just as today the Jews still do not give money on the Sabbath.
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They were as if they were breaking and unholy the Sabbath by reaching into the bag with their hand and giving a penny to a poor man. So these scribes and Pharisees, of whom today's Gospel reports, were also such gross fools that they grumbled about Christ healing a sick man on the Sabbath.
3 The Lord answers them here and says: "What man is there among you whose ox or donkey falls into the well, and he does not immediately pull it out on the Sabbath day? As if to say, O fools and unintelligent scribes and Pharisees, are you not unhewn blocks and coarse hemlocks? You help the oxen and donkeys on the Sabbath, and yet you do not break the Sabbath. But how much better is a man than an ox or an ass? The damage to the ox and the donkey, if they are left to perish, is not so great as to the man, if he is not helped. Now therefore, if you remain holy and do not break the Sabbath by helping an ox or an ass on the Sabbath, why do you punish me for helping a man? Should it not be more to help a man than an ox and ass? Such fools you are! What you do must be holy and right; but what I do, even if it is what you do or better than what you do, must be unholy and unjust.
(4) And this is the nature and manner of all works saints and hypocrites, who can do nothing but master and reproach other people. Their best art is to pull the mote out of another's eye and not be aware of the beam in their own eye. The Lord is hostile to such judges of splinters and bearers of beams. They are also a peevish and hostile people, who esteem their own deeds highly and hold them in high esteem; but what other people do must stink. Summa, it is the Hanswurst, as the Germans call it, who likes nothing but himself alone. This is the quarrel about the Sabbath, and the punishment, so that the Lord Christ will shut the mouths of the Jewish fools, the scribes and Pharisees.
- with this it is indicated that whoever has the sab
If a person wants to sanctify himself, he must do so by practicing the word of God and by holy, godly works, as when he goes to church on the Sabbath, hears and learns the word of God, thanks, praises and prays to God, and does holy works. This makes the Sabbath holy, for God's Word is the true sanctuary, which sanctifies everything it touches, as St. Paul teaches in 1 Timothy 4, v. 5: "Everything is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer." Therefore the Sabbath is sanctified by God's word, by prayer, by faith 2c. This is how God has ordained it. He appointed six days for work, that the people should seek their sustenance with work for the same six days during the week. But the seventh day he ordained that they should keep it holy; and he called it Sabbath day, that is, a holiday or day of rest, because both men and cattle had to keep still from work and rest. But over the feast or rest he commanded that they should hallow the Sabbath or day of rest with the word of God, that they might learn to know God and hear the law 2c.
(6) From this it is seen how foolish and foolish these scribes and Pharisees are, that on the Sabbath they not only lay aside and rest from outward works and manual labor, but also call this a work, by which the Sabbath would be broken, if one heals a sick person, helps and serves a poor person, spends money on the poor 2c. They have been more shameful saints than the barefoot monks who did not touch money. Our Lord God clearly says to sanctify the Sabbath, that is, to preach on the Sabbath, to hear sermons, to praise God, to give thanks, to pray and to do holy works. But if there was an accidental work to be done on the Sabbath, it did not mean that the Sabbath was broken, because it was not done to seek food, nor did it prevent the sanctification of the Sabbath, but it was an accidental work. But these scribes and Pharisees are so rude that they say: If one helps a poor person in his need on the Sabbath, that is sanctifying and breaking the Sabbath. One should do such works especially on the Sabbath, namely, celebrate from food, and help and serve the poor, needy people:
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the foolish Jews would have let a poor man die of hunger before they helped him on the Sabbath; and yet they helped their ox and ass on the Sabbath when necessity required it. This is an illustration of how learned, skilful and understanding people become when they disregard God's word.
(7) Let every man therefore learn what it means to keep the Sabbath holy, that is, to hear and learn the word of God, and to help his neighbor when he needs our help. The Jews let their neighbor lie and suffer misery on the Sabbath, but nevertheless they cared for themselves on the Sabbath. But now they ought to remember that as they did not suffer their own bodies to be in distress on the Sabbath, but ate, drank, and waited for their bodies: so they ought not to suffer their brother's bodies to be in distress on the Sabbath. Therefore, to sanctify the Sabbath is to do holy works on the Sabbath, as to hear God's word and serve one's neighbor. If one does this, the Sabbath is sanctified with words and with works. This is the first lesson of today's Gospel.
(8) The other doctrine is, that one should not ascend, nor exalt himself. Now Christ does not here condemn the ranks and offices, that one is higher than another; for on earth such a difference must be and remain, that one is greater and higher than another: Father and mother above the children, the prince above the subjects, the priest above the hearers and parishioners, as far as the office and word are concerned. Such a difference cannot be avoided in this world, because the estates and offices are unequal. Therefore, one must have such difference and inequality.
(9) What then is it to exalt oneself? Christ, as I have said, does not forbid sitting on high; for there must be some who sit on high, since they cannot all sit on low, in this inequality of ranks and offices on earth. Neither doth he forbid that any should be exalted, that one should be a prince, and another a preacher; such things are well granted them. But this is spoiled, if one presses himself to it, and no one takes part in his
Let your status and profession suffice. It is not wrong to exalt oneself when it is done by God's order and by the proper profession and choice of men, but it is wrong to exalt oneself when one puts himself first and wants to be the highest, wants to be above and nowhere above; as can be seen now that the citizen wants to be above the nobleman, the nobleman prances like a prince, the prince like the emperor, and everyone rises so high that at last the emperor has to walk like a citizen. For the splendor and excess become so great that the emperor can no longer reach them.
(10) That is, to exalt oneself, that is, to ascend, not through God's order and man's calling, but without divine order and man's calling. For his restless heart is there, which cannot rest nor be satisfied, but wants to sit on top. Such people pretend well, and want to have the name, as if they rise because they want to create great, excellent benefit. But when they have attained this and have risen, they do nothing more than create their own benefit, seek good days, honor and pleasure. Now, however, the offices are not imposed on anyone so that he alone may have his enjoyment, honor and pleasure from them, but that he may work and be of use to other people. The captain here in Wittemberg is not set up to be a squire alone, but to be useful to the prince, the city and the country. He shall not seek his own courage in his office, but shall strive for the benefit of the prince, the city and the country.
(11) Thus it is, as is daily seen before the eyes. Before one comes up, everyone is eager to sit on top; but when one has come up and has an office, and is to do what is right, then it is found what it is to have an office and to sit on top. For he that thinketh to do that which is right, and to be of use to others in his office, shall find the work so much that he shall soon be weary and tired, and think least of all in his heart, where he speaketh not with his mouth, saying, Did the devil bring me into this office? As I myself must confess, if I want to confess otherwise and tell the truth, that I often feel such emotions.
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have come to thank you: Why has not our Lord God raised up someone else to preach to the Germans instead of me? For the unwillingness is too great, the work too much, and the wickedness and ingratitude of the people is too overwhelming, that flesh and blood cannot leave it alone; it becomes sullen and impatient, and would rather be without it.
012 A virgin seeth not the displeasure of the married state, because she is not yet a woman: therefore she is not satisfied, because she is married, and hath a husband. Likewise, a young man is not satisfied unless he has a wife. Now when they have entered the marriage state, and she has a husband and he a wife, they would rather be out and free again. So even a commoner is not satisfied with his profession, but thinks, "Oh, that I too should become a mayor! But when he has become mayor and has to endure displeasure, toil and work, he says, "God give the office hellish fire, and I would be rid of the office again. That means to have offices. For sitting on the top is not a joyful game and dance, but brings so much work and unpleasantness that he who is sensible does not desire it very much.
So St. Paul says in 1 Tim. 3:1: "If anyone desires the episcopate, he desires a good work. He does not say: He desires good days or a good life, but a good, good work. For it is good, delicious and praiseworthy to want to serve the people as bishops, preachers and schoolmasters must do, if they want to do enough in their office. It is right, says St. Paul, if someone desires to be useful to the people. If you only want to be on top, then you only seek your own and remain a lazy rogue who is of no use to anyone, but only seeks good, honor and pleasure. Well, my dear, who would not like that, if it were right? But if you are called to an office and say, "Well, if I am to have the office, may God's will be done; I will do my utmost diligence, I will not celebrate, but wait faithfully for the office and profession," and so it is right:
- but the world does not consider this, son
because everyone wants to be a nobleman and have honor. But no one can work and properly preside over the office. At princes' and lords' courts, things are like this: they sit up, but hardly three or four work, the others all do nothing but eat, drink and indulge 2c. They are caterpillars in the cabbage and flies in the soup, a very useful, lovely animal. The same thing happens in other crops.
(15) Therefore let every man be content in his position and office, and be diligent to be useful to the people in it. For God has pleasure and favor in those who remain in their profession and faithfully carry out their office. Let a young apprentice be diligent and study until our Lord God comes and lifts him up, saying to him, "You have studied long enough; now become a schoolmaster, and after that a preacher. If this were to happen to us, it would probably remain the case that each one would say: I do not desire honor, but if our Lord God wants to use me, I will gladly follow and do what I can to honor God and benefit my neighbor.
16 The Pharisees did not do this here, but wanted to sit on top and have honor. The Lord sees this in them, therefore he cannot keep silent, but punishes them. As if he wanted to say: Oh how you are my companions, how you like to have honor! But I tell you, sit down below as I do, and be gladly the servants of others. With this Christ does not punish sitting on top, as has been said, but rather that one chooses to sit on top. It is not evil or wrong to sit on top, but it is wrong to put oneself first. Christ speaks plainly of two who sit on high: the first sits on high; he has no right to sit on high; the other sits on low, and is told to move up; he has a right to sit on high. Therefore it depends on whether someone chooses to sit on top. For it is another thing when I myself seek honor; it is another thing when honor is offered me.
The Lord passes judgment on those who exalt themselves and comforts those who humble themselves, saying, "He who exalts himself shall be humbled; and he who humbles himself shall be exalted."
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This does not need much proof; public experience testifies enough. I myself have often seen those fall down shamefully who had climbed up before. For this gospel does not lie. Whoever wants to make himself high and seek his own pleasure in it will not succeed. But he that is called and required, and is made use of, shall prosper. If a prince says to a man, "Be my counselor," he shall do it if he is able. But to choose such a thing, and to intrude himself, God will not have it.
(18) Honor and power must be had in the world, and we cannot all be equal; though it often happens that one person rises through all ranks, from the bottom up to the top, yet the ranks remain unequal. Therefore to sit on top, to have honor or authority, to be a doctor or a prince, is not evil; but to intrude oneself is evil, if one seeks not God and the work, but one's own honor and benefit in it, that it should serve my shameful heart alone. A preacher should not have honor alone, but also work and earn the honor, as Peter, Paul, and others did; otherwise there is no happiness in the honor. A prince should not only sit on top, but also protect his subjects, keep peace in the country, stop discord 2c. But if he only wants to banquet and muddy, that is to say
does not govern well. Such a regent is like an evil bailiff in a good office.
19 In sum, offices should not be rejected, but one should not seek one's own honor in them. But those who exalt themselves so that they may have honor, our Lord God brings down, as he has done to many kings and princes. God has brought down the Jews, so that they now sit at the bottom and cannot come to any government on earth. They were the highest on earth, sitting on top of our Lord God's table, keeping God's word, being God's chosen people; but now they sit on the bottom. For God cannot suffer pride; he has overthrown the proud from the beginning, and has not wanted to suffer pride even in heaven, as Lucifer's example shows.
20 Therefore to sit high is not evil; but to choose to sit high is evil. As when a man is not fit to be a schoolmaster or preacher, and yet wants to be a doctor and teacher; or else a rascal, who is not fit for anything, wants to ride high, and seeks not the office, but only honor and profit: he should and must come down. We should distinguish between the two. To be high is not evil, but to want to be high and seek one's own honor and profit in it is evil. May our dear Lord God give us his grace and help us to keep these things and do what is right, amen.
On the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity.
First sermon.*)
So that we may also give our dear Lord God His glory, we will hear Him preach what He wants to say to us. May God have mercy on us, so that we may believe and have what He says to us.
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 thy Lord GOD with all thy heart.
*) Held in the house, 1532.'
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With all your heart, soul and 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? What 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.
In this gospel, hear your love, that our dear Lord Christ sets before us two pieces which we are to hear, learn and keep. The first is that the Lord answers the question of the scribe, saying: "The noblest and greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind; but the other is like it, to love your neighbor as yourself. There he has summed up all that can be preached, taught and comprehended of good works, among Jews and Gentiles. The summa is that one should love God and one's neighbor. From this well everything should spring and flow into it. Whoever asks how he may serve God, has here his knowledge that God Himself says: "Thus I am served, if you love Me, your God, with all your heart, 2c. and your neighbor as yourself.
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 this one became a monk, the other ran to Rome, to St. Jacob, the third called on this and that saint, served him with fasting, celebrations 2c. In those days, all this was called service; and one did not know how to interpret it differently, because service would be to go on pilgrimage, to run to a monastery, to toil with fasting, vigils, singing 2c. But to serve means to do what you are commanded. Therefore it must 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 command us to do, so that we may serve Him? Here it is: If you want to serve God and do what He asks of you, you must not go far and run for it, nor give much money for it. Love God and your neighbor. But how could God bring His service closer to you, and well
give you a filer? As if he wanted to say: If you want to serve me, do not look far, I will give you plenty, only listen to me and do it. Love me and your neighbor. For thou shalt know, when thou lovest thy neighbor, and doest all good to him, that thou hast done me a delicious service, and I will take it for that thou hast loved me, and done me good. This is a strange doctrine, that what is done to one's neighbor should be a service to God and to God Himself.
003 This doctrine, I say, shall make a strange noise at the last day. For in that day the righteous shall answer and say, "Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?" 2c. But Christ will answer and say, "Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Likewise also the wicked shall say, "Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or thirsty, or a sojourner, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not serve thee?" To them also Christ will answer, saying, "Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have not done it unto one of the least of these, ye have not done it unto me." If you give a poor Christian a shirt, a skirt, a penny, or even a cold drink of water, and help your neighbor out of his need, you have done this to Christ, and no one should make any distinction.
(4) But is this not the wretched devil, that we let this pass us by, and do not consider that we could so easily serve our Lord God Himself, and yet we do not do it? We think that if Christ were to come to our door now, or if we knew where to find him, we would run to him and bring him all that we have-
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We often wish and say. We often wish and say: If I had been in Bethlehem when the infant Jesus was born, I would have taken him up, cradled him and served him. 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 neighbor.
5 Yes, you say, our Lord God is in heaven and does not need my service at all? There is no harm in that; he is also on earth in this world. 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.
(6) But it is a pity that we have this teaching so clearly, and we throw it to the winds as if God were not there, when we could so abundantly serve Him all the days and hours. Such disobedience cannot be excused by saying that we did not know: We would not have known. For here it is said: "The other is equal to the first." Therefore the judgment on the last day will be like this: Have you not heard that he who loves his neighbor loves God? Now 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 judgment, for eternal damnation will follow.
In the papacy it was a very mean thing that old horsemen, warriors, lawyers and similar 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 serving God; for this reason, many of them ran into the monasteries and became monks and hermits. But it was a devilish seduction. Does this mean to serve God, to crawl into a corner, to advise and help no one? What need has our Lord God of the service that you do in a corner? 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 commanded it, saying, "The other is equal to the first."
(8) 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: "Because of your sacrifice I do not punish you. 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, "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 your child does not want to be obedient and pious, quickly pick up rods and strike with confidence. If the servants do not do right, punish them or show them 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.
(9) 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 take it that we have done him wrong; he will repay us abundantly for it. Again, if we do not serve our neighbor, he will take it that we did not do it to him. If we cheat and deceive our neighbor, we have done it to him, and he will avenge us honestly.
(10) Now you can see what the world is like with its nature and how it deals with our Lord God. Peasants, citizens and everyone else do nothing else, except to strike our Lord God in the mouth, to fight and to trample him underfoot without hesitation, since everyone is only concerned with how he can become rich and increase his wealth; his neighbor may die or perish in the process. If they could believe what they were doing to their neighbor, that they were doing it to God in heaven, they would be ashamed of their neighbor.
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They are terrified by wickedness and unfaithfulness. But they do not think that it is our Lord God whom they strike in the face, hate, envy, persecute and trample underfoot; and on the last day they will say: They did not know. But they will be answered: You would have known if you had wanted to know; for it is sufficiently prescribed and preached to you what you do to your neighbor, that you do it to me.
(11) Therefore, it is a clear and bright doctrine (may God grant us His grace, so that we do not run over it as the world runs over it) that God takes care of all good and evil that we do to our neighbor, just as if it were done to Him. Now, if each one saw his neighbor as being served by God when he serves him, the whole world would be full of God's service. A servant in the stable, a maid in the kitchen, a boy in school, they would be true servants of God and servants of God, if they did with diligence what their father and mother, masters and wives in the house, told them to do. So every house would be full of worship, yes, every house would be a true church, in which nothing but pure worship would be practiced. But the contradiction happens in the world; false preachers and evil tyrants do great harm to our Lord God in His church. Peasants and citizens, when they deceive their neighbor, deceive our Lord God; young journeymen, when they disobey their parents, disciplinarians and authorities, to whom do they do this but to our Lord God? They take his service from him and give it to the devil; and so henceforth, all the world is full of devil's service, there is no God's service. Everything serves the devil, because they do not respect the neighbor's love at all. Everywhere there are false, unfaithful, deceitful people, who overcharge their neighbor, presume, translate, steal, take, rob, so that the whole world is not only full of devil's service, but also full of devils. But where one does good and serves one's neighbor, this is called serving our Lord God, and every man's house and chamber is a church, where all God's service takes place, where one helps to discipline and honor. How shall our Lord God do better?
How should he bring his worship closer to us, but to build out of our houses and chambers vain golden churches, adorned with vain emeralds and pearls?
(12) Therefore let it be learned here that he who does good to his neighbor and serves him for the best, either of his own free will, as one man to another, or of his own duty and obedience, as children to their parents, servants to their masters and wives, subjects to their authorities: let him serve not only his neighbor, but God in heaven; for he himself says that he will accept such service as if it had been done to himself; as Christ says here, "The other is equal to the first. 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 or state, let him always go to the devil. For where there is worship, there is heaven. Now if I serve my neighbor, I am already in heaven, for I serve God. So we make for ourselves a paradise and heaven here on earth when we are obedient to God and serve our neighbor. But if we disobey God and do not serve our neighbor, we make hell on earth for ourselves, for we serve the devil, who belongs in hell. And it does not matter if one does not yet see or feel this; it will become clear in time that one will see and feel it.
(13) This is the first teaching of today's Gospel; may God grant that we take it to heart, that each one should regard his neighbor as loving and serving him, so that he may be loved and served by God. But what does loving one's neighbor mean? To do him all good. For love, where it is righteous, is not only in thought and word, but in deed. Where love has embraced a heart, it also teaches and drives the body to stand up, sing, speak of what it loves, and even care for it more than for itself. Therefore, to love one's neighbor is to do the work that follows: to teach, instruct, admonish, help, counsel, and do all that one can and is able to do that is useful to one's neighbor in body and soul, in good and honor. The-
2410 8.6,86-88. on the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 2053-2056. 2411
Love is not in outward appearance, but, as St. John says, in deed and in truth.
The other teaching in this gospel, when the Lord asks the Pharisees again which son Christ is, belongs to that life. The first teaching is about the neighbor, that we should do the service we are supposed to do to God to our neighbor, and always practice love towards him. For this purpose God has given us mouth, tongue, eyes, ears, hands, feet, money, goods, reason and everything, so that we can do this and in this life keep ourselves in the service of our neighbor. But if this life wants to have an end, one must also live there. To this end we must know that Christ is the Son of David. And not only this, but also why David in the Spirit called his Son Christ a Lord, and such a Lord, who sitteth at the right hand of God, until he hath laid all his enemies at the footstool of his feet.
15 Now David was the greatest man on earth, because of the divine, glorious promise that he was in such a great covenant with God; and yet this same great man and king falls down, humbles himself and confesses that his son Christ is his Lord. If then Christ is David's Lord, it follows that he is a greater Lord than the highest and greatest king on earth, since there can be no higher or greater king in this world than David was. Therefore our Lord Christ wants to say this much with this question: You Pharisees and Jews do not know what and who Christ is; you consider him to be a mere man, and only the son of David. But you should know that he is not only man and David's son, but also true God and David's Lord; and such a Lord, who sits at the right hand of God, and to whom God lays all his enemies at the footstool of his feet.
(16) This is another doctrine, not of our neighbor, but of Christ; not of this life, but where we shall abide when this life is ended. In this life we are to keep ourselves so that we love God and our neighbor. But if we are to die and be laid in the grave, it shall not be said, I have loved God and my neighbor; but it shall be said, I believe in Jesus Christ, and I love my neighbor.
Our Lord, who is Lord over that life, and is able and willing to save all who believe in his name. This temporal, earthly life we have not attained through Christ; but God gave this temporal, earthly life to the whole world long before Christ came, saying that one should love him and one's neighbor. Afterwards he also gave his Son Christ to the world, so that through him and in him we might also have eternal life. We do not believe in Christ because of this present, temporal life; for for the same life Christ did not die: but we believe in Christ for eternal life. And for this cause also he died, that he might bring us out of this life into that life.
(17) Therefore we must understand these two doctrines, and so distinguish them, saying, Moses and the law belong to this life. But to that life we must have the Lord, who is called Christ, the Son of David, who sits at the right hand of God, and at whose feet all his enemies must lie. By the law and by our works we cannot attain 'that life. For our works are not enough to pay for sin and to subdue our enemies. God's Son had to come from heaven, become man, and pay for sin with His death and blood, sit at God's right hand, and trample the enemies under His feet. Moses teaches us how to keep ourselves in this life, but for that life we have here the treasure, which is called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is the Lord of eternal life.
(18) This temporal, perishable life in this world we have through God, who is, as we confess in the first article of our Christian faith, Almighty Creator of heaven and earth. But we have eternal, imperishable life through the passion and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, who sat down at the right hand of God, as we confess in the other article of our Christian faith. These two pieces are necessary for us to know. The doctrine of the first and greatest commandment, how we are to love God and our neighbor, we must have for this life; but the doctrine and knowledge of who Christ is we must have.
2412 8.6,88-90. on the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 2036-2059. 2413
to that life, so that we may know where to stay when this life comes to an end; that is, when this life wants to end, that we may say: I believe that Jesus Christ is Lord over that life; he deals with me secretly and secretly by his word, power and Spirit, so that I also may enter into it. Thus one lives holy here in this world, if one serves God with the right worship, according to the highest commandment; and in addition has eternal life through Christ, according to the gospel.
(19) There must truly be a great wrath of God hanging over the man who does not turn to such excellent teaching, and it must be a terrible plague that the same man should not be moved by these words. For what can be taught that is higher and better than these two things? First, how a man should make for himself a paradise and kingdom of heaven here on earth, so that he may serve God by sleeping, waking, walking, standing, eating and drinking. For, as has been said, whatever one does for his neighbor, he does for the service and good pleasure of our Lord God Himself. Should we not be happy about such teaching, which brings us to the vain service of God? Such things are not fictitious nor false, but are constantly spoken by Him who cannot lie. Secondly, how a man who is about to die should comfort himself against death, namely, when he has Christ, is baptized, has absolution and the holy sacrament, eternal life must follow.
(20) But because these words have unfortunately become so common among everyone that almost no one respects them anymore, we should sincerely pray to God that he does not let us fall as well, so that we get such coarse and hardened hearts, as unfortunately all the world has now. Peasants, burghers, and nobles are not worthy to have some juice and taste from these words, and they also go by, do not see, do not hear, but are like darkened people who walk by, just as if these words did not concern them. This is a sure sign that they are rejected and rejected by God. That they would think for once: I will build a church for God and make a paradise for myself, and I will also go to heaven.
I want to serve my neighbor, so I have served God. After that I will have my Lord Jesus Christ for that life; in him will I believe, who is Lord of eternal life. But this they do not do, but go their way as blind and hardened men.
21 Therefore we should pray diligently that we may keep this teaching. They are such high and sweet words that they are beyond all measure. And let every man keep himself in fear and humility, and let these words come to his heart. For if anyone is not moved by these words, it is an evil sign; it is a sign that the devil has possessed his heart. And yet all the world is now so hardened, and especially the most learned and intelligent, that they let our Lord God speak so kindly, and yet love the devil more than God.
Our Lord God offers Himself most kindly to us, comforts us, gives us everything we need for the necessities of life and limb, and asks nothing of us in return except that we love Him; He also promises us eternal life in His Son Christ Jesus. Nevertheless, no one may serve him. But the devil, who puts us through all heartache, who plagues us daily with war, pestilence, expensive time and all kinds of plagues, everyone serves him with joy for eternal death. Where one is to give a penny out of God's command and in honor of Christ, one makes oneself so heavy that box, bag, hand and everything is tightly closed. But where one is to give a hundred guilders for the service of the devil, hand, bag, box and everything is open. This is the world, the beautiful, tender, noble herb, and yet sees before his eyes: that the devil rewards his servants and assistants so badly, namely, with all kinds of plagues here temporally and with the infernal fire there eternally; and again, that God rewards his servants well and abundantly, here temporally gives paradise and all good things, and there eternally gives eternal life in Christ our Lord; but nothing turns on this. Let us thank our dear Lord God for this teaching from the bottom of our hearts, and call upon Him with earnestness and ask that He may graciously keep us in it, that we may remain in it forever, amen.
2414 2.6, N.92. On the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 2026-2030. 2415
On the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity.
Second sermon.*)
(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 he is David's son and yet David calls him his Lord in spirit.
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 scribe and Pharisee should ever be able to answer such a question.
(3) The first commandment, Thou shalt not have other gods, is certainly the noblest and greatest commandment. The Pharisees and scribes, however, got away with it and fell into foolishness, so that when the noblest and greatest commandment was discussed, one said, "Sacrifice: Let it be sacrifice; the other: Let it be almsgiving; the third, let it be fasting, especially 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 from their own thoughts, without God's word. This is what happened to our monks and nuns. They have lost and forgotten what Christian faith and love are, and have put their monasticism in their place, running into the monasteries, doing obedience there, not wanting to have anything of their own; and they have called such monastic life the state of perfection, and are still today in the error that they do not know what true perfection is.
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 on their monastic life.
*) Held in the house on 12 October 1533.
But a Christian says: To be perfect means to fear and love God, then to be obedient to father and mother, not to kill, to do all good to one's neighbor. For God has never commanded anything else to be done. This is what the children know now. If you ask them what perfection means, they will answer: If you want to be perfect, love God with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself. But no monk can say such things, that I know for certain, because they cannot say the Ten Commandments, the Christian faith, the Lord's Prayer 2c. If they could, they would drop such their own foolish pretensions and go to the right obedience of the Ten Commandments.
(5) Such foolishness and blindness come from falling into outward works, which have a pretense and a peculiar noise; as when one keeps peculiar days, dresses peculiarly, neither eats nor drinks what others eat and drink, and does not take a wife. This makes people's noses gleam. But one loses the highest works and commandments, that one should love God and do all good to men; as we see here in the Pharisees and scribes, who, for this very reason, ask of the noblest commandment in the law that they themselves are not at one among themselves, and one thinks this, the other that is best.
Therefore Christ is right to present this example to us and to warn us, so that we may learn to diligently observe God's commandment and word, and know that when we love God and our neighbor, we are doing right and serving God. He moves the scribes and Jews around, and directs them from their works, sacrifices, almsgiving, fasting, 2c. to the Ten Commandments of God. As if he wanted to say: Do you ask which is the noblest and greatest commandment in the law? I will tell you, Moses himself interpreted it when he said: "Thou
2416 L. 6, 92-95. On the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 2030-2033. 2417
shall love GOD with all your heart 2c., and your neighbor as yourself."
(7) Let this be a good warning to us, that such high people have become so blind, and have not known which is the least or greatest commandment in the law. This scholar of Christ is a doctor and teacher among the people, and does not himself know what is a good life, or what is the noblest commandment. How can he teach other people and instruct them in the right worship of God, because he does not know himself? Such teachers are our mad monks and priests of today. If you ask one about good works, he will not reproach you with the Ten Commandments, but will say: If you want to serve God and do good works, you must become a monk, hear mass, go on pilgrimages to the saints, fast 2c. This means that you will be directed away from the Ten Commandments of God and the right way into the land of the sleeping monkeys. Finally, what is the reward of the teachings of men? If one casts out such works and puts them on, since God has commanded nothing of them, then the people are blinded, so that they no longer see the Ten Commandments, but even lose them. For otherwise one should ever be so witty, and be able to say: The noblest and greatest commandment is that which GOD commanded and commanded. But Pharisees and Christian scholars, priests, monks, nuns and all those who deal with human commandments cannot.
(8) Therefore Christ put his ignorance rightly upon this scribe. As if to say, "Are you a scribe and master of Israel, and have not yet read the Ten Commandments, that you might know which is the chief and greatest commandment of the Law? What then do you teach the people, because you are such coarse, unintelligent fellows? Such blindness, as I said, comes from the teachings of men.
(9) Therefore, be careful to avoid the teachings of men and their own devotion. Again, do not let the catechism of the Ten Commandments of God be a small teaching, so that people may be taught what to do from this outward life. For how one is to be saved, since he is not
The Lord hears a different teaching than the Ten Commandments, namely, the teaching of Christ, which teaching our Lord Christ will present later. But how one is to keep oneself in this life, there the Ten Commandments belong to. There we hear that one should love God and have no other gods. That is, you must let him be your God and not put anything above his love; you must be devoted to him and his word, and rather leave everything and suffer; then, if you do this, you will be in the highest state.
(10) Yes, says a monk, this is what laymen and common Christians do; I will do something special. A layman and a common Christian does not get up at night to pray, I will get up at matins and pray; he eats meat, I will eat fish; he dresses in a common way, I will have special clothes made; he is in the world, I will go out of the world. For so they called it, if one ran into the monastery; just as if they had overcome the world and what is in the world, hope, envy, hatred, lust, 2c., yes, even death, and were already sitting in heaven, and had nothing dearer than God. So it finally comes to this, that the blind people are so busy with their own devotion, that they even forget the Ten Commandments. Therefore it is said: Whoever wants to know which is the noblest and greatest commandment in the Law, let him learn the Ten Commandments of God; they teach rightly which are great and which are small works, and that there is no greater work than to love God, to love and honor Him with that which He gives us, and for His sake to lack gladly and willingly that which He does not give us.
The other question is that Jesus asks the Pharisees again and says: "What do you think of Christ? As if he wanted to say: You Pharisees are masters and teachers among the people of Israel, therefore you should be learned and experienced in the Scriptures, because you should teach and instruct other people. But you are coarse, unintelligent people who do not know the law; for you ask me which is the noblest and greatest commandment. Therefore I will ask you again, and hear of you, what ye know of Christ, whose son is he? Ye know well his stock, of which he shall be the son.
2418 2- 6' SS-97. On the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 20W-2035. 2419
He will be born of David's tribe. Because you know this, you think of him as badly pure man and David's son. But I ask you, do you think nothing more of him than that he is only a man and the son of David? Disputa. Tell me, how is Christ the Son of David, because David calls him his Lord?
(12) The fourth commandment does not set the son above the father, but gives authority and honor to the father, that the son should be obedient and subject to the father, as the words of the same commandment are, "Thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother." So also in the Jewish people this discipline flowed from the fourth commandment, that the father did not call his son his lord, but the son had to call the father his lord. Therefore Christ wants to say here: It should have been the other way round; Christ, David's son, should have been called David, rather than the father, his lord; now David goes on, whether he is already father, and calls his son Christ in the spirit his Lord. How can this be? If he is David's son, how is he David's Lord?
(13) With this question the Lord wants to awaken the Jews, so that they may learn to recognize Christ. As if to say: If you want to know who Christ is, you must look at him with different eyes, because he alone should be the Son of David. Because David calls him his Lord in spirit, he will not only be a man, but also a true God, born of the Father in eternity. Otherwise David would not call him his Lord, when he would be no more than a man and only David's son.
(14) The Pharisees are resolved, and cannot answer him a word; neither may any man question him further. For David is one of the greatest saints, and the most learned, greatest king on earth; yet he calls Christ, who is his Son, his Lord. From this it follows irrefutably that Christ must be greater and holier than David. What else does David do when he calls Christ his Lord, but that he freely confesses and says: O, my Son Christ is far above me: I am also a king and am called his father; but he is my Lord, and I am his father.
not only my Lord, but also a Lord of all kings, prophets and the most holy people on earth, and such a Lord who sits at the right hand of God and rules by God's command over all his enemies.
(15) Therefore, since Christ is such a great Lord, he must not only be a man and, according to the flesh, the Son of David, but also a true God and the Son of God, equal to God the Father in majesty and glory. For no one is entitled to sit at the right hand of God, unless he is like God. But especially because he puts his enemies at the footstool of his feet, he must be more than man. For what these enemies are, St. Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 15, when he introduces this Psalm and says, v. 25, 26: "He must reign until he puts all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be lifted up is death." Now if the devil and death are to lie at the feet of this Son of David, that he may be their lord, it must follow that there is a 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. Therefore you Pharisees, says Christ, will leave the Bible under the bench, or, if you already read the Bible, you will leave the main part of it, namely, Christ and the gospel.
(16) Thus the Lord leads us by this question on the right way to eternal life, and teaches us that if we want to be saved, we must not only know the law, but add another doctrine, which does not teach which is the most important commandment in the law, and does not instruct us what works we should do, but teaches us who Christ is, how and by what means we may come to and attain what the law requires of us. This teaching is nothing other than the gospel of Christ, who is David's and everyone's Lord. It teaches us that when we were imprisoned by sin and could not keep the law, Christ came and stood for us in the bath of sin, that he might save us from it; as St. Paul says in Romans 8:3, 4: "That which was impossible for the law (because it was weakened by the flesh), that he did.
2420 L. 6:97-99. on the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xin, 2035-M38. 2421
GOD, and sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and condemned sin in the flesh by sin, that righteousness required by the law might be fulfilled in us." We could not fulfill the law; for we are captive and bound under the power of the devil and sold under sin. That is why Christ had to come to help us. He put us on his shoulder, carried our sin, kept and fulfilled the law for us, which we could not fulfill, overcame sin, death and hell for our good, and now says to us through his gospel: "I will become your Lord; only hold on to me and learn to know me, that I am such a Lord, who has broken sin, death and hell; and I will help you, so that sin may depart from you and neither death nor hell may harm you.
(17) These are the divine works of this man, who is called Christ, the Son of David and Lord. For the redemption of sin, the overcoming of death, the deliverance from hell and the giving of eternal life are not the works of an angel, much less of the devil, but are the high and glorious works of the divine majesty itself. If then I hear and believe that Christ is such a person, who redeems from sin, death and hell and gives eternal life, then I rightly call him Lord. For so David and the prophets called him a Lord, that they attributed to him these divine works of the eternal majesty, that he saves from sin, death and hell and gives eternal life. You Pharisees, says Christ, know nothing of this. You are called scholars of Christ and masters, and have the title and name of teachers of the people of Israel, but you preach neither the law nor Christ. You do not teach the people how they should live here on earth and serve God; neither do you teach them how they should go to heaven through Christ and become eternally blessed. You only preach about your sacrifice, about calves, about tithes, about fasting, about sowing 2c.; but all these serve neither this nor that life before God. So he punishes the Pharisees and scribes, and convicts them of being blind, foolish and foolish.
This is a terrible example, that darkness and blindness have been so great among the people, so that even the highest rulers and holiest people, who sat in office and were supposed to show other people the way to the kingdom of heaven, are so ignorant and do not know the first commandment; much less do they know about the gospel or Christ. Such darkness also existed in the papacy, and still exists today in the places where the papacy reigns. I must confess myself: when I was a monk, I could not recite the Ten Commandments properly one after the other; and to this day no pope can recite them properly one after the other, be he a bishop or the pope himself. It was so bad among the Jewish people at the time when Christ came to earth that neither law nor gospel was preached, and the people of none of them knew how to live divinely here and how to have eternal life there. That is called darkness and blindness.
(19) Above this darkness he found also among the people of Israel gross swine, the Sadducees, who held and taught that a man should die like cattle, denying the resurrection of the dead, believing neither angels, nor spirit, nor devil, nor hell, nor eternal life. Our Lord Christ found such abominable darkness in his time among the Jewish people, so that he had enough work to do to eradicate these darknesses, and especially to bring the two doctrines, the Law and the Gospel, back to their right understanding.
20 Such darknesses will also be at the end of the world, if the last day does not come soon. And indeed under the papacy, as I said, such darknesses have already been, since we went there in our own works, and have known nothing either of the Law or of the Gospel. If the last day will not come "in time", then it will again become worse than in the papacy; so that even the doctors and teachers will no longer know anything about God and His commandments, much less will they know about Christ; so that our dear Lord Jesus Christ will not become a liar, since He said, Luc. 18, 8: "When the Son of Man comes.
2422 2.6, W-wi. On the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 2V8.20Z8-206O. 2423
do you think he will also find faith on earth?" For before the last day, the Sadducees, Epicureans, and sowers will reign everywhere.
(21) For this reason the Lord Christ wants to warn us in this gospel, that we should fear well and pay good attention to these two teachings. As if to say: Take heed and learn the commandments of God and the gospel of Christ. The Ten Commandments of God teach you what you should do and what are the righteous deeds that God has ordained and that are pleasing to Him. But my gospel teaches you how to escape death and be saved. You will have enough to learn from these two teachings throughout your lives, and no one will be able to learn them sufficiently.
22 And this is certainly true: where these two doctrines, namely, Law and Evan
If you keep the gospel bright and clear and in right mind, the sun and the moon shine, the two great lights that God created to rule the day and the night; there you can distinguish light and darkness. The gospel of Christ is the sun, the law is the moon. The moon looks like a red cauldron when it does not have the sun. If the gospel is not there, the law is hideous and terrible. But when the sun shines into the moon, the moon has a bright, white light. The moon rules the night, the sun rules the day: the law is for this temporal life, the gospel is for eternal life. As long as these two lights shine, day and night, light and darkness, can be discerned differently; but when these two lights are gone, there is all night and blindness and darkness.
On the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity.
Third sermon.*)
In this gospel there are three pieces, each of which would be sufficient for a sermon: the first piece is about the Sadducees, whom the Lord shut up; the second piece is about the two highest commandments, that one should love God and one's neighbor; the third and last piece is about Christ, what kind of man he is and where he comes from.
(2) The first part is of the Sadducees, who thought that there was no resurrection, and asked Jesus, saying, Seven brethren of ours have all, one after another, had a wife, and have all seven died, and at the last after all the wife died also. Now the question is, Which wife shall she be in the resurrection? for they all had her.
- whom the LORD answers, punishes them, and
*) Held in the house on the Sunday after Michaelmas 1534.
says: You are fools, and "know neither the Scriptures nor God's power". He puts the two pieces on them.
4 First, he reproaches them for not knowing God's power, as if to say: "You Sadducees think that in the resurrection of the dead and in the life to come, it is also necessary to make marriage and raise up seed, and think that our Lord God can create nothing else but man and woman. You do not think that God has more power and authority than He needs here on earth for this present, temporal life. If this is your opinion, as you sufficiently indicate, then you are rude people who think that God cannot create more than this life and what belongs to this life. But you should know that God has another power than for this life. The same power of God does not apply to the free, to marriage, to begetting children 2c. Such will be there in that
2424 2.6, 101-103. on the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2060-2063. 2425
Life will no longer be valid, but everything will be over. You are great fools to want to force our Lord God's power so tightly, as if God could not create anything except what is in this life. You want to measure our Lord God with His power according to your reason; this should not be. Because you are in such gross error, it is a sure sign that you do not understand God's power. It is true that in the resurrection there will also be a husband and wife. But there will be no conjugal life nor household; but there will be another life, where one will not be free nor let oneself be free. You think that there will also be a natural, bodily, animal life, as here on earth. But it is vain foolishness with your mine. "You are mistaken and do not know the power of God. There will be a spiritual, heavenly life, and the elect will be like the angels of God in heaven.
005 Secondly, he reproached them for not knowing the scripture, saying, Have ye not read Exodus 3, that God called unto Moses out of the bush, and said (v. 5), Come not near, put off thy shoes from off thy feet: for the place where thou art standing is a holy land; and said further (v. 6), I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. As if he wanted to say: You Jews read this scripture daily; therefore you should understand it. But as you do not understand the power of God, so you do not understand the Scriptures. This is a great reproach and a very terrible thing, that these were doctors and teachers among the people, and yet they understood neither the holy Scriptures, which they read daily, nor God's power. If you were learned and experienced in the Scriptures, says Christ, you would think thus: If God is the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, then it must follow that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob live. For God cannot be a God of the dead, who are nothing, but is a God of the living. If God were a God of the dead, he would be just as he who is a husband who has no wife; or as he who is a father who has no son; or as he who is a lord who has no servant. For is
he is a husband, he must have a wife; if he is a father, he must have a son; if he is a master, he must have a servant: or else a painted husband, a painted father, a painted master, that is, will be nothing. So it is here also. Where Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were dead, that is, nothing, God could not be their God. So you would think, if you were learned and experienced in the Scriptures. But because you do not think so, it is a sign that you are unlearned and inexperienced in the Scriptures.
Thus the Lord shuts up the Sadducees, and proves the article of the resurrection powerfully from the holy Scriptures, saying: "God is not a God of the dead, but of the living: GOD is a GOD of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." Therefore it follows that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are not dead in the sight of GOD, but live forever; otherwise GOD could not be their GOD. For he is not a painted nor a carved God, nor a juggler God, but a natural, true, eternal, almighty God. If he is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob must live before him, otherwise he would not be their God.
(7) Yes, the Sadducees would have said, as our Epicureans may still say today: But we do not see that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob live; how then can it be that they live? Answer: Do you hear, coarse sow, I and you also do not see that the holy angels live; should it therefore follow that the dear angels do not live? With the way nothing would have to live, what I and you do not see. But it is said: You shall not believe what you see; but you shall believe what God says to you in His Word. Now God's Word tells you that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob have one God; and again, that God has Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for a people. Now if Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are God's people and God is their God, it follows that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are not dead but alive. For God is not a god, as the idols of the heathen are, nor is he a painted god, who is alone for himself, and has no one to call upon him and serve him.
- here you are supposed to know what "a gOd" is.
2426 L. 6, 1<K-105. On the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2063-2065. 2427
and what it means to "have one God". "One God" means from whom one should expect and receive all good things. Thus, "to have one God" means nothing else than to trust and believe in him from the heart, to call upon him in times of need, to worship him and to serve him. Otherwise, if he alone were God in heaven, to whom nothing good could be done, he would be a stone or straw God. But now he is such a God, from whom we should expect and receive all good things, and whom we should call upon, and who wants to save us from all our troubles. If he sat alone in heaven like a log, he would not be God. Now the Scripture says that God is a God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; therefore Abraham, Isaac and Jacob must not only wait for and receive this temporal life, but also eternal life from God. If Abraham, Isaac and Jacob have eternal life from God, they must also live in God. Before the world they are dead, but before God they are not dead.
9 Thus, this gospel concludes that everything lives before God, even if it died before the world. God sees the death of all men as the sleep of a young child lying in its cradle and sleeping. The same child does not eat, does not drink, does not do the works of a living person, but lies like a log, and no life can be seen in it, except that the breath is still heard in it: nevertheless, the mother does not consider the same child dead, but alive. Now a living man should eat, drink, stand, walk, and do other things that a living man is wont to do; but let us not be mistaken about all these things. And although a man who is asleep does not do the works that a living man does, we do not say, This man is dead; but we say, This man is alive: This man liveth, though all the works of a living man be dead in him. Just as we think and say of those who are asleep, so also God says of those who have died: These who lie in the grave are not dead to me; to you men they are dead, but I will surely awaken them in my time and bring them forth.
(10) That is, the resurrection is powerfully based on the Scriptures. If you had looked at the Scriptures, says Christ to the Sadducees, you would have found the article about the resurrection in them. And if you had thought of God's power, you would not have had such coarse thoughts, nor would you have asked so foolishly how one would be free in the resurrection, but would have thought: There will not be such a life there as there is here on earth: Abraham will not free Saram again, nor Isaac take Rebekkam again in marriage. You should have believed this in honor of our Lord God, that he could create something more than this life here on earth. But you ask like fools who understand neither God's word nor work. This is one thing, that the Lord shuts the Sadducees up with the word and the deed of God.
The other part of this gospel is about the Pharisees. They hear that the Lord has shut the Sadducees' mouths; therefore they gather together and want to take credit, and they give a sharp, pointed question to the foolish man and simple-minded teacher. But they are right. They are as great fools and coarse teachers as the Sadducees. But thinking themselves wise and subtle, they come to the Lord, tempt him, and say: Master, beloved, hear us also what we know; for we are not so gross as the Sadducees. We know God's word and work, which the Sadducees do not know. We understand the Scriptures and God's power; we are the righteous teachers among the people. Therefore, tell us, "Which is the most noble commandment in the Law?"
That is the question so that they put to him. They think he will not be able to meet it or resolve it. For this was the greatest question with them: Which would be the noblest commandment or the highest work; just as under the papacy the greatest question was: Which would be the highest estate. Just as the Pabst's law was held higher and feared more than God's commandment and word: a monk held to the Shepherd more firmly than to the fourth and fifth commandment of God; so also among the Jews, the highest thing was not considered God's commandment, but God's word.
2428 2.6, 105-107. on the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2065-2068. 2429
of the love of God and neighbor, but human essays, of the temple, of gold at the temple, of the altar, of sacrifice, of fasting, of washing hands 2c. Such essays they have practiced and have made the best of, and have forsaken God's commandment and word. The noblest and greatest thing, they thought, is to sacrifice in the temple to our Lord God, to adorn the temple with gold 2c. For if the temple and the sacrifice were not there, God's glory and worship would be nothing. So the temple and the sacrifice must be the most noble and greatest among them.
(13) In such an opinion they ask the Lord, thinking thus: If he will name something else, that it is the noblest and greatest, except the temple and sacrifice, we will say that he does not know how to answer our question. Just as if one were to ask the pope today which is better, to build churches or to give a poor person a skirt? The Pope would answer: In the church much good is done, there one preaches, prays, sings, reads mass 2c.: therefore giving an almighty kiln is nothing against building churches and against the works that are done in the church. So the Pharisees also thought that the Lord should answer in this way, and say: The noblest and greatest thing is to preserve and adorn the temple and to sacrifice in the temple.
14 But Christ, being a good runner, goes straight to the point and says: "The noblest and greatest thing that can be done is not to adorn the temple, nor to sacrifice, but to love God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself. As if he wanted to say, "You Pharisees would like me to answer like this and say, "What the priests do in the temple is a wonderful thing. But I will not do it; but will go into the most common works which God has commanded, and which every man is bound to do, namely, to love God and his neighbor, as God commanded through Moses.
(15) This is especially a vexatious answer, that the Lord leads, and sets before all other works the common works which are commanded to all men, namely, that they should love God and their neighbor; they also seem and shine as they always will.
For not only have the Pharisees among the Jews and the hypocrites under the pope held human essays higher than God's commandment; but the monk is also in the skin of all of us from our youth: that we hold low the common works that God has commanded; and again hold great and high the special, distinct works of the Carthusians, monks and hermits, of which God has commanded nothing.
(16) But our Lord God is hostile to such distinctions; he does not want to do anything special with anyone before others, nor does he want to deprive anyone of his service, however small he may be; but commands everyone to practice love of God and his neighbor. Since God does not want to do anything special with us, nor does He want us to suffer any distinction, it must be said that when a poor servant sweeps the house and does so in faith in Christ, she does a better work and greater service than Anthony did in the desert. For Christ speaks here: There is no higher commandment than to love God and one's neighbor. Therefore, there is no greater work than to love God and one's neighbor. God does not ask for the rule of Francisci, Dominici or other monks; but wants that one should serve Him in obedience and love for one's neighbor. They may consider their orders and rules to be something delicious and special, but it is nothing before God. The most special, highest, holiest work is to love God and one's neighbor, to give God his name, monk or nun, priest or layman, high or low.
(17) If it is not spoken in German, I do not know what German is. It is the Lord's own mouth and word, the Master and Teacher of all the world says so, therefore we will not be able to punish it. Just look at a man who believes in Christ and fears God, and do not ask whether he is a tailor or a cobbler, a peasant or a bourgeois, noble or ignoble. If he believes in Christ and fears God and serves his neighbor, he is a living saint and keeps the greatest commandment and does the highest and best work.
- but you can't tell people that.
2430 8.6, 107-109. on the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 2068-2071. 2431
into their minds. They always want to have something special and higher. You have to attack yourself in such and such a way, says a monk, you have to dress in such a way, you have to keep such a difference in drink and food. Loving God and one's neighbor are common works that laymen also do; if you want to be perfect, you must go higher and do something special. Well, that a good year may come to thee, thou shameful eccentric! Shall our Lord Christ lie to thee? Is he not so learned as thou art, that he knoweth what is the noblest and greatest commandment and work? Christ says: There is no higher commandment nor greater work than to love God and one's neighbor; so these eccentrics go to him, reproach him, slap him in the mouth, and say: No; but monasticism, monastic life, being in the desert 2c. is the greatest and highest work.
(19) Therefore, one should learn it diligently, so that one can say: I must not start anything special; the best life I can lead is to love God and my neighbor. If I do that, I must not look for any other life. And this is also the truth; loving God and one's neighbor are the greatest and most excellent works, even though they seem to be the meanest and least works. This is evident from the fact that the same works are least done with earnestness and with action. Everyone takes on something else, and wants to be something special in front of others; but what God has commanded, one leaves undone and does not want to lift a finger to it. But our Lord God says thus: "Otherwise, do what you want; everything that you choose for yourself and plan to do is not pleasing to me, because I did not command it. Therefore, you are not doing anything else, except that you are going more and more out of the way with your own devotion and special way, and are coming from the life that I consider to be the best life.
(20) But it has always been so, and is so to this day, that the world does something of its own and peculiar, and leaves these excellent works, of which Christ speaks here, in abeyance. The Pharisees could not read this text, or whether they had already read it or not.
But when they read it, they ran away like blind men. The pope and his crowd do the same today. If you ask him what the noblest commandment is, he answers: "The best work is to build churches and chapels, to read the Psalter, to go into the desert, to do no good to anyone, to serve no one, but to become a hermit or a monk. For then one has peace and quiet, and can read the Bible, pray and serve God. But it is not called thus: but here is the Master and Doctor of all the world, who is to be heard before all others. He says: "The highest work, the noblest life and the holiest conduct is to practice the love of God and one's neighbor.
21 Therefore, on the Last Day, many a servant who has not known whether she has done anything good all her life will be preferred to a carthorse who has the appearance of great holiness, and yet has loved neither God nor his neighbor. God will pass such a judgment and say: This maidservant, according to my command, has served her wife, kept the house, 2c.; because she has done this in faith, she is blessed: but you, Carthusian, have had your own will, served no one but yourself and your idol; therefore you are condemned. This will be the judgment on the last day. And it serves the world right. It wants to take our Lord God for a fool who does not know what a holy life means, and wants to know better than God has ordained by His word: should there not be thunder and lightning? Because the world does not want it any other way, it is justified in being deceived and seduced, and in abandoning the works commanded by God and turning to other foolish works not commanded by God. Why does she not hear God's word and commandment and follow it?
- Let it be well known that our Lord God will judge the world on the last day, not according to every man's pleasure, but according to this commandment, which is the noblest and highest in the Law. If one wants to judge according to the outward life, which is the best work, then one should see, not how one can do it according to one's own choice and devotion.
2432 D. 6, 109-III. On the nineteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2071-2074. 2433
fast, pray 2c., but how to love God and do good to one's neighbor. He who walks in this rule is in the highest state. Thus Christ teaches here, and will also judge the world in this way on the last day. It will not help that someone says, "So many holy fathers have taught and lived differently. For here is the Master and Doctor, who is far, far above all popes, fathers and saints; he also shall be. For this is the one whom God the Father has made a doctor and teacher from heaven, and has put on his beret and said, "You shall have this one.
listen." Therefore, we should also be disciples of this doctor and put up with what he says. Everything that happens contrary to his word and teaching is condemned.
The third part of this gospel is about faith, how and by what means we are to attain love toward God and our neighbor, namely, through Christ alone, who is the Son of David and Lord, and who sits at the right hand of God until he lays all his enemies at the footstool of his feet. But that would be too long for this time, so we will leave it at that.
*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. But when Jesus saw their thoughts, he said, "Why do you think 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 saith 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.
From today's Gospel we are to learn 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 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.
*) Held in the house on October 19, 1533, on which day M. S. had proclaimed the dawn of Judgment Day.
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 the ministry and have the command to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus. Nevertheless, every Christian has this command in particular, when you are in despair because of your sin, that he should and can say to you, "What do you care? I, as a Christian, say to you: You do wrong to yourself, God is not ungracious to you. You should take comfort in these words as surely as if Christ himself spoke them from heaven, and you should not doubt the person from whom you hear them.
(3) For it is all up to him that your heart may accept such a promise and believe it to be true that God wants you for Christ's sake.
2434 8.6, 111-iis. On the nineteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 2074-2076. 2435
be merciful to him for his sins. Therefore the Lord first exhorts to faith when he says to the gout-ridden man: "Be of good cheer, my son; do not doubt that your sins are forgiven you. As soon as the gout-ridden man believed this word, his sins were truly forgiven.
4 So, if a church minister or another Christian says to you: God is not angry with you, only you are not angry with Him, because for the sake of His Son Jesus Christ He has forgiven you all your sins; then you should believe such a 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.
(5) This is also true: where there is no faith, our Lord God is called a liar, as if what He promises us is not true, and He does not want us to keep it. May the good Lord graciously protect us from such unbelief and sin; although the devil is a special master at it, who 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. An unbelieving heart dishonors God and gives Him the lie.
(6) Again, a believing heart honors our Lord God with the highest honor due to Him, for it believes Him to be true, who cannot lie, but will most certainly do what He promises. That is why the Lord Christ is especially pleased with these people, because they have a strong confidence in him that he will help the gout-ridden man; therefore 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 sin; then terror follows and a sore 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 thoughts sink too deeply into your heart, do not think thus: O, what does God ask of me? Who knows whether he will be merciful to me or not?
For what am I against God? Look not upon thy sickness, but hear what I say unto thee, that thy sins be forgiven thee. Therefore conclude: "Gout, gout! My sins are forgiven me; neither gout nor any other disease shall hinder me from such faith.
(8) So the word and the faith are to be kept closely together, for neither can be 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; for God will not be gracious apart from Christ. Again, whoever has the word and not faith, the word does not help. Therefore the two, word and faith, are given in marriage, and neither can be separated from the other.
- M. S. believes that the last day shall come this day. Such a belief is a loud lie; for there is no word in it. A Turk believes that he will enjoy his mahomet to bliss: but it is a viler lie; for there is no word 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, but because it lacks 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, that we cannot hold to the word as firmly as we ought, when those without the word can believe firmly and strongly. This is what the devil and original sin do, drawing us away from the word and the truth to lies, so that we gladly believe them. In sum, this is the devil's deception and our flesh's way, because our nature is so corrupted by original sin: where there is no word, we believe firmly; again, where we have the word, it is difficult for us to resist unbelief. For our flesh and reason do not want to believe in the word; if it should believe, it would gladly have faith in its hands.
2436 D. 6, 113-IIS. On the nineteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2076-2079. 2437
(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 happier and more confident. For if I could rightly and perfectly believe what Christ says here to the gout-broken man, and what was said to me and to you in baptism, and what is said in absolution and in public preaching every day, that I should not be angry nor displeased with God, do you not think that I would walk on my head with joy? that everything would be vain sugar, vain gold, vain eternal life to me? But 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. Cause: What they believe is a vain natural thing; we are naturally inclined to believe lies. Our heart always hangs there, the devil has thus corrupted our nature in paradise.
So the pope and his crowd believe strongly in the mass, in the saints' merit and intercession, in monastic vows, chanting, fasting 2c. The Turk believes firmly in his woran; because it is a false false faith, that is why it is so firm. There are, to speak with breeders, harlots and knaves together: the heart is the harlot, the false faith is the knave. But we, who, praise God! have a pure bride (for the Word is ever pure and good), cannot believe so stiffly and firmly. And yet we should believe firmly because we have the Word; but those should not believe firmly because they do not have the Word. But 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) Let it be learned therefore first of all from the gospel of this day, that we must first have the word; and after that we must also firmly believe it. So then it is a divine power for us, through which we obtain forgiveness.
of sins and blessedness, that we find help and comfort here and there. But if the word is not there, then a faith may well come out of it, just as the sacramentalists, Zwingel, Carlstadt, Anabaptists, Turks, Jews and the pope have a faith. But it is a faith that is innate to them through Adam's fall, that is, it is a faith in lies without a word, to which they cling more firmly than we do to God's word.
15 When our dear Lord Christ preached to the gout-broken man and forgave him his sin, the scribes said to themselves, "This man blasphemes God," because he wants to forgive sin. This is also a necessary thing, since much is needed, and therefore we should be diligent in noticing it. For this can be seen in Zwinglio and all the zealots and the spiritualists, that they are very wrong and do not understand how and by what means the forgiveness of sin takes place. Likewise, the pope and all his doctors do not know what absolution is. 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 repentance, confession, and satisfaction.
(17) So also the Anabaptists say, What shall baptism do for the remission of sins? A handful of water, said Nicolaus Storck, will not wash the soul. Likewise Thomas Münzer said: How can water cleanse the soul? The spirit must do it. The pope and the monks also cannot see what this power is that is given to men to forgive sin.
18 The devotees of the sacrament 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 priest or monk has been able to see that there is forgiveness of sins.
2438 L. 6, N5-117. On the nineteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2079-2082. 2439
a power given to men, as it is written here in the Gospel.
Therefore learn here, that you may speak of the matter in this way: I know well and confess that God alone forgives sin. But I also need to know this, how I can know that my sins are forgiven, or what the means is by which my sins are forgiven. The Holy Scriptures and all Christians teach me that if I want to have my sins forgiven, I do not have to sit down in the corner and say, "My God, forgive me my sin! and then wait for an angel to come from heaven and say to me, "Your sins are forgiven;" but God has come down to me, has ordained holy baptism and His word that I should be baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and has attached His promise to such a command: "He who believes and is baptized will be saved.
020 Yea, saith thou, is not baptism but water? True; but such water is not alone, there is God's word with it. So if 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 from 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.
(21) 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. Just as Christ begins here, and then commands that it be kept this way in the church from now on until the end of the world.
- As His command reads, Luke 24, 26. 46, 47: "Did not Christ have to suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and preach repentance and forgiveness of sins in His name to all nations?" and Matth. 18, 18. Joh. 20, 23.
I say to you, whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" 2c.: that therefore everyone should seek forgiveness of sin from men, and nowhere else.
- Therefore, if you want to have forgiveness of sins, you must not climb up to heaven; but 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 in baptism, go and be reconciled to your neighbor, then ask for absolution, when forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you in the name of Jesus; Believing the same word, receive the reverend sacrament, the body and blood of Christ, so that you may be sure that such a precious treasure is yours and yours alone to enjoy 2c.
(24) That one should not despise baptism, absolution, preaching and the sacrament, but seek and obtain forgiveness of sins through 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, yet it is not their word, but the word of God. Therefore, believe it firmly and do not despise it.
(25) When the priest baptizes a child, remember: God baptized the child; when the priest absolves you, remember: God has spoken this, He has pronounced this judgment on me and said that I should be absolved of sins.
26: Learn these things diligently, that you may be able to meet the vile spirits of the wicked when they cry out, saying, What is water? What is the laying on of hands? Do you think that water and the laying on of hands will make you clean from sins? that they may answer: True, the water and the hand do not do for themselves; but that God's word is with the water and with and by the priest's hand. The priest and church servant does not give his water, but gives the water that God has commanded to be given for the purpose of being born again into the kingdom of God and to be delivered from sins.
2440 2.6, "7-119. On the nineteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2082-2085. 2441
(27) Just as God gives the word, which is His word, not ours, so He also gives faith in the word; so that both word and faith, or forgiveness of sins and faith, are God's work. For forgiveness of sins is to be sought in the word that is in men's mouths and in the sacraments that are administered through men, and nowhere 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 works? Therefore, when they shall triumph in the last day with their works and merit, Christ will ask them, saying, "Where is my word? I have ordained baptism, the 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 yourselves there? You could not have lacked it; with your works you should and must lack it.
(29) These things I have said for your instruction, so that you may know what forgiveness of sins is and where to seek and find it, namely, that you should not run anywhere but to the Christian church, which has the Word and Sacrament. There you will certainly find them, and not in heaven, as the Pharisees think here, and think that Christ blasphemes God by forgiving sin; no one can forgive sin but God. Beware, then, and say: God has put forgiveness of sins in Holy Baptism, in the Lord's Supper and in the Word. Yes, he has put it into the mouth of every Christian man when he comforts you and promises you God's grace through the merit of Jesus Christ, so that you should accept and believe it no other way than if Christ himself had promised it to you with his mouth, as here to the gout-broken man.
(30) This is why the pagans, Zwinglius, Oecolampadius, and their ilk, as well as the Anabaptists, err very yearly in snatching away the word of forgiveness of sins. This is what one would want to do if it were a man's word or a
of a man would be water. But here is God's word and God's water in the word. But because they snatch away the word of God, they deprive themselves and others who let themselves be persuaded by them of all goods, the forgiveness of sins, baptism, the sacrament, the Lord Christ, and keep nothing of baptism and the sacrament, but only the empty shells. Likewise, because Anabaptists also throw away their neighbor, run away from wife and child, condemn the authorities, reject Christian positions and offices, they also deprive themselves of all Christian works. For he who throws away his neighbor keeps no one on whom he can practice Christian love.
(31) Thus, the pagans and the fanatics have lost Christ, baptism, the sacrament, the preaching chair, the Christian church, and everything. They do not want to hear the public word, they consider the oral sermon through the human voice as low as if some cow had bleated at them. If God spoke through a cow or other animal, what would be more to Him? He once spoke through a donkey! Should one therefore despise his word and not accept it? No. But now he speaks to us through men; even if it is the voice of a man, it is still the word of God, and there is certainly forgiveness of sins.
Thirty-two I say this so that you may be able to prepare yourselves against the false-hearted, as, coiner, Zwingel, and others, and confront them; likewise the pope, who in all his books teaches nothing of this, nor knows anything about it. For he holds and teaches that if a man falls into sin, baptism is no longer of any use to him; but if he wants to have forgiveness of sins, he must confess, repent, and make amends for sin with good works. Thus they spoke of repentance. This is a very fine theology, which the devil laughs at, for it does him no harm.
(33) It is true that I should repent and be heartily sorry for my sins. But this does not bring me forgiveness of sins. By what? Only by paying attention to the word and promise, and by giving my life to the Lord Christ, who, through his appointed servants, and in time of need, through
2442 n. 6, 119-121. On the nineteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2085-2087. 2443
all Christians, talk to me, believe: I look at the mouth, -and not at my repentance and penance. The repentance that God lays out for me I shall suffer; but the word that Christ tells me through the pastor and brother I alone shall take comfort in.
(34) Thus they turn it back, forsaking the word, paying no attention to what the minister or a Christian says by command of our Lord Christ, looking only to their repentance and contrition, which they impose upon themselves. But in so doing they lose Christ and all that Christ is, and it is impossible for them to counsel or help a single conscience. For they have lost the word, which alone can help, and refer people to their own repentance and godliness.
35 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 minister and all other Christians, and that we should believe them. Let this be said of the words that are written here, that God has given man power to forgive sins. Now let us also take the Historia a little before us.
The gouty man is an image of all sinners, for this 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 more and more away from oneself. That is why Aristotle compares such a person in Ethicis to the naughty, impudent youth that cannot be tamed nor subdued.
So we are all by nature gout-breakers: the more we worry about how to come close to God and reconcile Him with our works, the further we get from Him and the farther we strike back with our hand, and the longer the hesitation in us only grows. I must confess of myself that when I think I do best, I do worst when I am out of faith.
38 If we want to be helped from such a plague, we must turn to Christ, who helps wonderfully: He does no more than say, "Be of good cheer, my son, your sins are forgiven you"; from such a word the joints become strong and firm again, so that one can carry and lift the other; as happens here to the gout-ridden man, whom the Lord also helps physically after the forgiveness of sin.
(39) Before this, the sick of the palsy lies on his bed like a slaughtered pig, stretching out all fours; but as soon as Christ speaks to him, he gets up, fresh and healthy. That ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, the Lord saith unto him that is sick of the palsy, Arise, take up thy bed, and go home. As if to say, "This is a sign that you may learn that I have power on earth to forgive sin.
40 He clearly says "on earth" to indicate that one should not look to heaven or, as the pope has taught, hope for forgiveness of sins when one has died, in purgatory, through other people's works and merit. For here it is written plainly that men are given power on earth to forgive sins when they baptize, administer the sacrament, absolve, and preach from the pulpit. For it is decided that what is absolved on earth is also absolved in heaven; again, what is bound (that is, excluded from baptism, absolution and sacrament) is also bound in heaven.
(41) By such power that we men forgive or bind sins 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. If you believe the same word, you have it; but if you do not believe, you have nothing. That is why God has bound us together by such a ministry, so that one Christian should always comfort the other, give him a friendly word, and the latter should believe, provided the word is spoken to him correctly, namely, forgiveness of sins in the name of Christ. That means right to God and forgiveness of sins.
2444 L. 6, 121.122. On the twentieth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2087-2089.2100. 2445
led. Whoever dies, then, dies blessed and well.
But he who dies, as is taught in the papacy, on the intercession of the saints, on his own merit and that of others, dies wretched and evil. For he does not have the escorts that our Lord God has given him and appointed, namely, he has no pious pastor, no faithful brother, no right word nor right absolution. And even though he has baptism, he does not know how to comfort himself with it. The devil has caused this misery through the priest and is now starting it again with the mobs; for he cannot stand the word, it stings his eyes.
43 For this reason the pope 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, who speak contemptuously of baptism; likewise also the sacrament enthusiasts, Zwinglius and his crowd, who speak contemptuously of the sacrament, just as if there were nothing but bread and wine.
44 All these seek to take away this blessed doctrine from us. Therefore, beware of them, and learn that transgressions
The remission of sins is nowhere else but where the Word is. But such a word is in baptism, in the Lord's Supper, in absolution and preaching. Therefore forgiveness of sins is also there, and in spite of anyone saying otherwise. Where therefore the word is, there shall faith be; so that 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, and therefore it is impossible for one to grasp it properly.
I have said this in so many words, because the pope and the shameful sects do so much harm that everyone should beware of them. The pope points neither to the Word nor to the Sacrament; so the mobs cannot speak more contemptuously than of the Word and Sacraments, and nothing is valid with them, but Gaist, Gaist! 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.
First sermon.*)
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, I have prepared my supper, 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. Therefore go out into the streets and invite to the wedding whomever you find. And the servants
*) Held in the house, 1532.
2446 L 6.122-124. On the twentieth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2100-2103. 2447
went out into the streets and brought together whom they found. 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.
In this Gospel, our dear Lord Jesus Christ warns us to beware of the sin that is called despising and persecuting God's word; he also sets before us an example of the despisers and persecutors in whom God has horribly punished the despising of his word and the murder of his servants. But the Lord warns us especially of the certainty that comes with the fact that people not only despise God's word, but are also so sure of it that they go along and think to themselves that it will go well with them; just as it is written here of those who are invited that they do not want to come to the wedding, that they despise the glorious meal, and go away, one to his field, the other to his work. It would not be a miracle if the hellish fire rained down on them; but they go and become rich.
2 So it goes today also. When the good gospel is opened, there is a great tumult, so that the world is worse than before, and everyone wants to work. Before the gospel came, they did not work in this way; but now they are invited by the word and the gospel, they have so much to do that they cannot wait for the wedding. Now, under the light of the gospel, the peasants, the burghers, and the nobility are more stingy, proud, and hopeful, and they are more arrogant and stubborn than they were before under the darkness of the papacy; they put their pastors, who invite them to such a banquet, to all pains of heart, and they are ten times worse than they were under the papacy.
Let no one be angry that the godless peasants, burghers and nobles are so proud and courageous, and yet they trample on God's word and their pastors. It is certainly annoying that one should see, hear and experience such things. For even some pious people would like to remember: Because
Most of the people in the world despise God and His word, and yet they are happy: so will I do; I see nothing that they lack, they have everything enough, and they think they are doing right. By no means! Let them despise and persecute God's word, and put all their heartaches on their preachers: but turn not thou to it. They are safe now, and do not look upon our Lord God that they should be afraid of him. But beware. For our Lord God is a kind host who can lend you a bill for a time, but he will not give it to you if you do not mend your ways. Today he is also watching, letting citizens and peasants do all they can, despising the gospel and all faithful admonition and teaching, collecting money, overcharging for everything that is needed, wood, grain, butter, eggs, and remaining 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 there, or with a war, so that the lansquenets, Italians and Spaniards 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? *)
(4) 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 before you were stingy, proud and wanton and despised my word, now take it for good and look behind you at the score. You have been carousing for a long time; dear, pay once and hold out your neck! So it will finally go out. That's why it would be good to let up in time and improve, as we are admonished by the word. We would like to have it so that
*) Marginal note: "Weissagung, zum Theil erfüllet 1547."
2448 L. 6, 124-126. . On the twentieth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2103-2105. 2449
we would despise God's word and do whatever we wanted, and yet God would not punish us. Yes, we should be ordered to do so!
(5) Some of them, however, who are summoned, do not stop at contempt, but are still so wicked that they seize the servants, put them to all shame and disgrace, and finally kill them. By this the Lord especially means the city of Jerusalem, which struck the prophets dead and finally strangled the Son of God himself.
But what happened? The king was angry and sent out his army, the Romans, who had to be in his service, to kill the murderers, to burn the city with fire, and to deal so horribly with the Jews that they sold them more cheaply than sparrows: thirty Jews for a penny, since only one sparrow was bought for a penny. Then the Jews began to cry and complain, saying, "It is unreasonable for the Gentiles to afflict them like this. But they had wanted it that way, they had been drinking for a long time and had let themselves be preached to in vain; then they had to pay the bill once, God did not want to hear them again, the father of the house dealt with them as with snakes and toads. Beware of this.
(7) Without this, we have many other things upon us that are repugnant to our Lord God, and that offend Him: anger, impatience, avarice, belly care, lust, evil lusts, fornication, hatred, and other vices, are great and grievous deadly sins, which are everywhere in the world and abound with power. Nevertheless, such sins are nothing compared to the abominable contempt of divine word, which is so great and mean that in truth miserliness, stealing, adultery, fornication, etc. are not so mean; indeed, they would all remain so if we loved and valued God's word. But, alas! we experience the contradiction that all the world is drowned in this sin. Peasants and citizens do not care so much about the gospel, snore against it and do not consider it a sin. So I see my wonder in the church, that one yawns out there, the other out there, and among such a large crowd there are hardly ten or twelve who are there because they want to notice something from the sermon.
(8) Now over and above the fact that this sin is so common, it is also a real, terrible, hellish, devilish sin in that it does not want to be recognized like other sins. Everyone considers it a minor 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 make believe that the wine or beer tastes just as good to them during the sermon as at any other time. No one cares, much less consciences, that he holds the dear word in such low esteem. This does not happen in other sins, such as murder, adultery, and theft; these are followed, if not soon, then in due time, by the newcomer, so that the heart is horrified by it and wishes it had not happened. For no one can think it right. But not to hear the word diligently, yes, to despise, to persecute, no one takes conscience over. That is why it is such an abominable sin that the land and the people must finally be destroyed, for because it remains unrecognized, neither repentance nor correction can follow. This is what happened to the city of Jerusalem, Rome, Greece and other kingdoms.
- Germany also has to answer for this; for sin always cries out to heaven and does not let God rest, so that He must be angry and say: "I have given you my dear Son, my highest and dearest treasure, and I would have liked to talk to you and teach you and instruct you for eternal life, but I have no one who will listen to me; therefore I must let the punishment go. As the Lord himself testifies in John 3, v. 19: "This is the judgment, that the 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 others, but this is the judgment that breaks the neck of the world, that I have sent my word and they ask nothing about it. This is what most vexes me. Otherwise they are full of sins, and 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. I will have to suffer this, but they will see how it will go for them.
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(10) So it went with the Christians toward the morning in the beautiful, large countries that the Turk has now brought under himself. Hungary is almost gone as well. We Germans and other nations also do not want to hear the gospel nor suffer, therefore they must hear and suffer the devil's mob, the Anabaptists and sacrament abusers. So it should go. Wherever the Word of God is despised and will not be heard, then listen to the Turk, the revolting spirits and all devils who preach all kinds of error. For because it is the highest and greatest sin, it deserves the highest and most severe punishment.
Our Lord God would like us to fall on our knees before it and write it not only in the books with golden letters, but also in the hearts: the world wants it least of all, indeed, it can hardly stand that it is written in the books and resounds in the pulpit; it wants the devil in its heart, which must also finally be granted to it.
Therefore be warned. God has sufficient cause to be angry and to punish for the sake of other sins. But this sin is above all, when one despises his word, in which forgiveness of sins is proclaimed, 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 the least and punish the most severely.
Everyone is now crying out about the great infidelity and about the avarice that is now in the world, that peasants, burghers, noblemen so toil, scrape, steal and rob. It is not less, and such things cannot remain unpunished in the long run. But that we have the gospel, snore against it, and go strolling under the hour of preaching in the market, in front of the gate, in taverns, or sit and lie in the playgrounds, that is the main sin, which far surpasses all others. Our citizens are up to their ears in sin, not only despise the Word, but also mock the preachers, saying: "Our priest can preach nothing else but about faith, about the
Love, from the cross, can't do more than dat; go meanwhile to the ditch lurch. When I see such, my heart would break. Because of this, God will certainly punish them horribly, that he will send error and let red spirits tear down with power, which will tear it away with 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.
14 In the Welsh region of Rome, the same thing happened. 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 some ran into the monasteries, became monks and nuns, and toiled to death in the devil's name; the others ruled themselves to death and instead of divine truth believed in crude, shameful and harmful lies, until everything was devastated and ruined. Such punishment is now again on the way (for 'this sin must be punished physically and spiritually: physically with sword and fire, spiritually with error and seduction), the devil throws in the sacrament abusers and rebaptizers, who take away baptism and the sacrament pure. So it is also convenient, as if everything wanted to fall in one heap. Why do people not want to stick to the word and accept it with thanksgiving?
(15) Therefore, learn to beware of such sin; cherish the word of God 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 us abundantly. Therefore, every Christian should be diligent in such service, thinking: "Because my Lord and God wants me to hear his word, and because he himself holds this service in such high esteem that he will accept it for his pleasing service, I will gladly render him such service, preach his word, hear it, read it and learn it, so that I may also boast that I have once served my God for a day or an hour. Such a cause should be enough for us,
2452 L. 6,iW-i3o. on the twentieth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 2108-2110. 2453
that moved us to the Word. For to serve such a great Lord as God is, that is much. That is why every man should say with justice: Dear God, you show me innumerable benefits every day; therefore, because you want me to hear your word, I will also hear it again for your service and honor with diligence and earnestness, and be careful that I do not despise it. That would be cause enough.
016 But now there are other and greater causes. For God promises thee, saying, If thou hear my word diligently, and keep it, thou shalt be a 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 shall the devil not be found, but shall be made ashamed.
- thou shalt also have the benefit of having thy sin forgiven, and of having thy heart enlightened, and set on fire unto true devotion and obedience. For thou shalt hear good things, how thou mayest overcome death, and obtain eternal life. In sum, my word shall show you the way to heaven and bring you to eternal life. Therefore I command you to serve me, so that the fruit and the benefit is most yours. Without this, if I wanted something from you, you would have to do it for my sake, but now I am doing it for your sake, and I am commanding you such service that you will enjoy the most. As we find out when we do no more than take the Ten Commandments or the Lord's Prayer before us again for an hour, a new fruit is always found, that one notices and learns something that one did not know before.
(18) And if there be no other fruit, yet the fruit is always there, that the devil cannot abide with thee, nor 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, take up the holy cross before you, and say, "My God forbid that I should be one day without His word. For where I am without God's word, the devil will surely come to me.
Therefore, although I have already prayed this day, I will pray again now. That you may always chase away the devil and sin from you and render service to our Lord God. If you do not do this, you do our Lord God a grievous displeasure. Who would like to have such a great Lord's wrath?
Nineteen: But there, alas, goeth the greatest multitude, hearkening unto the word less than unto nothing. If pestilence or war comes today or tomorrow, our Lord God will say: I do not hear you again; because you would not hear me when I spoke to you, I do not hear your cries and howls now. As it is written in Proverbs of Solomon in chapter 1, vv. 24-30: "Because I cry out, and you refuse; I stretch out my hand, and no one heeds it; and you forsake all my counsel, and will not heed my punishment: I will also laugh at your calamity, and mock you when it comes, which you fear; when it comes upon you as a storm, which you fear, and your calamity as a weather; when fear and distress come upon you. Then they will call to me, but I will not answer; they will seek me early and not find me. Therefore they hated the doctrine, and would not have the fear of the Lord; would not have my counsel, and blasphemed all my punishment" 2c. So horribly shall this sin be punished'.
- When 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. Now hear the devil! If thou wilt not hear my Son Jesus Christ, who saith, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest; hear then brother Landsknecht, who curseth thee St. Veltin, Potz-Macht, and all curses, and thrustteth a spear through thee; so it shall be. Why then do you despise God's word, which you should hear and send to the highest treasure. But thou goest forth into thy field, and hast toil here and there, that thou canst not wait for the preaching. Do you think that God should not be annoyed by this? He has given you without the six
2454 2.6, 131.132. On the twentieth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2110-2113.2088. 2455
You shall 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: yet he shall not have it from you.
21 Therefore let this gospel be well remembered. It is a great seriousness that the Lord says: "The king was angry and sent out his armies and killed these murderers and set their city on fire. This indicates that our Lord God is most displeased when His word is despised. And this is no wonder.
22 If a mighty prince had a son and sent him to some prisoners in a tower to set them free, and they led him to them, not only would they not accept him gladly, but they choked him and mocked his father as well: do you think he would laugh at that? He would shoot the tower and the prisoners one by one in a heap, and he would do right. 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. He preaches the gospel and says: "Believe in my Son, and you shall have eternal life. Therefore we should accept him and believe in him. So we turn our backs on him and say to him, "Go to our fields and to our work, for we are better off there.
(23) Lightning, thunder, pestilence, the Turk, the mercenary, and all plagues come upon us! That we then clear
and cry foul, it will not do so; for. Dear, remember also how well it has pleased our Lord God that you have so long stolen his service and honor from him; count one against the other, and he shall give you hellish fire for not granting him his honor.
24 That is, to kill the murderers. The king punishes all the scorners, but he punishes the murderers more severely; as a warning to us, that we should not take offense at the common heap, at citizens and peasants, at bad boys, nor should we follow their example. For the world is no different: it does not want and does not like the word, it loves its fields and handling more. But woe to her! For what judgment and punishment will come hereafter, we see in the Jews and others.
(25) Therefore let us not follow their example, but hear the word gladly and diligently, and hold the wedding charities in all honor, love and esteem, for the sake of their Lord who sends them; so God will be with us in all our troubles, help and protect us, and finally give us eternal life for the sake of His Son, our dear Bridegroom, the Lord Christ. What more can he do? He offers us His grace and faithfully warns us of our harm; if we are condemned, the guilt is not His but ours. May our dear Lord God grant us His grace, that we may accept such a faithful warning and diligently guard against contempt of His word, amen.
On the twentieth Sunday after Trinity.
Second sermon.*)
- in today's Gospel, your love hears how the Kingdom of God is like a wedding, and such a wedding, when one
*) Held in the house, October 26, 1533.
Guests are not only absent and despise them, but also go to the wedding, mocking and killing the servants who announce such a glorious wedding to them and invite and ask them to it.
2456 L. 6, 132-134. On the twentieth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2090-2094. 2457
(2) Here we 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. This is what we call the Christian Church, which is here on earth. Now the Lord compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a royal wedding, because he, the Lord Christ, the Son of the King, takes the Church as his bride. He is the bridegroom, the Christian church is the bride, and God the Father, the King, entrusts it to His Son Christ and invites many guests to such a wedding. Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is to be understood as being down here on earth, and yet not a temporal kingdom, but a spiritual and eternal one. For it is so with us Christians here on earth that we are already more than halfway in the kingdom of heaven, that is, with the soul and spirit, or according to faith.
When you hear about the kingdom of heaven, you should not look up to heaven alone, but stay down here and seek it among the people, as far as the whole world is, where people preach the gospel, believe in Christ and have the holy sacraments in proper use. In good German, the "kingdom of heaven" means as much as the kingdom of Christ, 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. It is called the kingdom of heaven because all who have the Word and Sacrament and believe and abide in Christ through faith are heavenly princes and children of God; and it is only for this reason that our Lord God breaks down and removes the wall that is still between, that is, that we die, and then there will be heaven and blessedness.
(5) Let us first learn that the kingdom of heaven is called the kingdom of our Lord Christ, which is a kingdom of word and faith. In such a kingdom we have life in 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 lacking: the sackcloth has not yet been torn, the flesh has not yet been put away; this must happen first.
then it shall be with us one 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 chief office was to make the Jews wait for this wedding, that is, they put their people in hope that the Son of God would become man and pay for the sins of all the world by dying, and by His resurrection tear down the kingdom and power of death and the devil, and then send forth the gospel throughout the whole world and preach forgiveness of sins and eternal life to everyone in His name. The holy prophets called the people to wait for such a grace-filled sermon and to take comfort in it, hoping for forgiveness of all sins and eternal life through Christ.
7 But they would not come, as Christ says here, and remained without, even as the Jews in the wilderness desired again behind them in Egypt. After this he sent 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 prepared, and that they lacked 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; that is, they preferred their avarice, money, and goods, rather than the kingdom of Christ; as at this day many that are bidden to this marriage will not come, and let avarice hinder them, that they come not to Christ, and to eternal life.
(8) Some are true pious men, who seize the king's servants, mock them, and slay them. These are the Jews who put to death the prophets, the apostles and Christ the bridegroom himself. But listen, how are they? "When the king heard it," saith Christ, "he was wroth, and sent forth his armies, and slew those murderers, and burned their city." This is the city of Jerusalem and the Jewish people. For the whole Jewish
2458 8.6, 134-137. on the twentieth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2094-2096. 2459
The kingdom was torn apart because of contempt for the Word and persecution of the prophets, apostles and Christ, and the Jews, who were God's people, were defiled and perished and died miserably, not as God's people, nor as holy people, but as deceivers and evildoers. Well, they have lost their reward, they have been devastated and destroyed, and God has set them as an example for those who would come after them. And our dear Lord Jesus Christ wants to warn us with such an example, so that we may learn to listen to the preaching of his gospel with thanksgiving, believe it, and joyfully await his future, when he will come in his glory, when he will also make us blessed and glorious according to the body, as he has already placed us in the kingdom of heaven according to the soul and spirit.
9 In sum, the Jews are gone. Let us now hear further how the Gentiles are doing. They lay outside in the street, had no law nor word of God like the Jews, they were not walled up, but stood open like a free spot, so that the devil could run through and through again as he pleased. This king also calls them to be invited, without distinction, as they are found, male and female, young and old, rich and poor; as we still see today that God has ordained his baptism, his word, his Lord's Supper, to be given to everyone who desires it.
10 "Go," says the king to his servants, "into the streets, and invite to the wedding whom you find." That is, call all without distinction and say to them: Come to the wedding, believe in Christ, be baptized, hear the gospel, love one another, be the guests of our Lord God, and find enough to eat and drink at his table, that is, to have forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and victory against the devil and hell. So we Gentiles are all invited to this wedding, and none of us may say that he is not called to the fellowship of the gospel. The servants have gone out and are going out this very day, inviting from all lands and peoples whom they find.
- now when the tables are all full - for
It is clear that the wicked and the good are invited together without distinction. The king goes in and inspects his guests, and finds a large number who are not dressed for the wedding. For among the Christians it is so, that one finds mice droppings under the pepper, that some, and only many of them, are evil, and yet have the name that they are called Christians, because they are baptized, go to the sacrament, hear the sermon, but bring no more of it than the name, because they consider it no truth.
12 We must be accustomed to this. For we will never get there with preaching, so that a whole town, village or house will become devout, because good and evil will not come out, but, as it says here, will come in. We must suffer this and grant them the name that they are called Christians. They are all invited guests, but they are not all equally adorned. This will continue until the last day, when a different judgment will be made.
Before Judgment Day, the man who is not dressed for the wedding sits in the midst of the guests and does no more than mock the bridegroom because he is not adorned. For at the wedding one should adorn oneself in honor of the groom and the bride, and it is a great mockery to the groom and the bride if one does not adorn oneself for the wedding. If a sooty man, running from the hammer or 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 bridal aisle, everyone, but especially the groom, would think that he was either not in his right mind or that he was doing it as a special mockery. So does this unadorned guest, which is why the king addresses him: "Friend, how did you come in, and yet you are not dressed for the wedding? As if to say, "Because you have not adorned yourself, you are not doing it to honor me, but to mock me. These are those who are also in church, hear the sermon, are baptized, go to the sacrament, and yet have no wedding garment on, that is, they do not believe, do not take it seriously, leave themselves for
2460 L. 6, 137-139. On the twentieth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2096-2098. 2461
Christians think and intend to enjoy the Christian name only, like the pope and his crowd, so that they have the fullness of their bellies and good praises from it; they do not become Christians for the sake of God, nor for the sake of their souls' salvation, but only so that the name feeds their bellies. And yet there are such disgraceful people among the Christians as well, as today the red spirits, the enthusiasts, and all false Christians do, who seek something else in the Gospel than God's glory and their salvation, namely, their own glory, riches, and power.
(14) When the king sees such a guest, he brings him out and says, "Friend, how did you come in? This will happen either in death at your last end, or at the last day. Then the king will bring out such shameful guests and false Christians, and say: "Do I find you here, that you have the name of a Christian, and yet you do not believe what a Christian should believe? You have never been serious all your life how you could be free from sins, become more pious and happy; all your thoughts have been on good, honor, good days, etc., so now you come like a sooty guest. Always away! You do not belong among those who have adorned themselves to catch cream from you.
(15) When these things are held against such loose Christians, either in conscience or at the last day, then, says the Lord, they will fall silent, that is, they will not be able to make any excuse. For with what do they want to excuse themselves? God has done what he should; he has given you his holy baptism, he has held the gospel before your mouth and had it brought to your house and court; thus absolution and his Lord's Supper; he has appointed his servants for you in the church, your father and mother in the house, your masters and wives, 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 enough and told enough, I have received the sacrament with the multitude. But I did not take it seriously,
I did not believe, I preferred to let the world be. This means here that the unadorned black guest will fall silent when he will have to hear in the last hour or on the last day: You went to the wedding, you let yourself be counted among the Christians, you died and you have no faith. For who would be able to answer the judge, to whom we ourselves must bear witness that he has given us his Son, in baptism, in the holy sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, in the holy gospel promised all grace? that furthermore it is only up to us to hold out our hands and take what he so heartily wants to give us. There one must fall silent.
(16) But what is the judgment of the unadorned sojourner and unbelieving Christian? "Bind his hands and feet," says the king to his servants, "and cast him out into the darkness; there shall be his weeping and gnashing of teeth." That is, they must lie imprisoned with the devil in hell and in the infernal fire forever. For the binding of his hands and feet means that he will never be able to get rid of them by works, nor will he be able to get rid of them. In sum, he is deprived of all help and everything by which he might be saved; and for this he must lie in darkness, and is separated from God's light. "Light" in the Holy Scripture means joy and comfort; so that the unbelievers will be separated from all comfort, in eternal torment, pain and sorrow, in hellish fear and bondage before God, so that they will never see a speck of light. This is a terrible misery, if only we would take it to heart: to lie imprisoned in hell and torment, and to be deprived of all comfort and joy forever.
But it is written: "There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This is how the old teachers interpreted it and said: Howling from the heat and gnashing of teeth from the frost. But the Lord wanted to indicate with it generally all torture and torment which one can only think of; because heat and frost are the two greatest plagues on the earth. As if he wanted to say, "Those who go to the wedding and do not wear a wedding garment will suffer more than anyone can imagine;
2462 L. 6, 139-i4i. On the twentieth Sunday after Trinity. W. xni, 20S8-2101.2112. 2463
You can't talk it out with words, nor grasp it 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 it useful to us; for this we will have to suffer eternal imprisonment, darkness, torment, weeping and gnashing of teeth. Would the dear Lord therefore gladly teach us and bring us to the point that we may 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 and gnashing of teeth. But if we do not like such a blessed meal and spurn such grace, we shall have eternal death for it. For the two must be one: either to accept the gospel and believe, and be saved; or not to believe, and be eternally damned.
- So this gospel agrees with Paul when he tells Apost. 13, 46 to the Jews who opposed him and blasphemed: "The word of God had to be told to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles." For since the Jews would not listen, God disturbed them and sent His gospel to us Gentiles. Now that it has come to us Gentiles, and yet we have no wedding garment on, we certainly have before us, of this
Here it is written that God wants to eliminate the unadorned wedding guests and say to them on the last day: You wanted to have the curse, it shall come to you; you did not want the blessing, it shall be far from you; you did not want eternal life, you now have eternal death. Would the dear Lord, then, with allurements and terrors, bring us to the point where we would let the gospel be our highest treasure, hear it gladly, and believe it. By the promise he entices, O great grace! By the threat and punishment he frightens, O faithful warning! But neither enticement nor terror, neither grace nor punishment, helps the hardened world. Since these two things will not help, let death and the devil help! That will also do.
(20) If our Lord God rained money, he would find people who would want to come to him in heaven. But because he promises eternal life and threatens eternal death, no one will turn to him or amend their ways until they finally learn what they have done.
(21) This then is the sum of today's sermon, that the Lord would gladly provoke and terrify us, that we might earnestly hear, believe and grasp the word, and so hope for his 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 merciful God grant us this through Christ His Son and the Holy Spirit, amen.
On the twentieth Sunday after Trinity.
Third sermon.*)
In this Gospel, our dear Lord Christ has presented to us His holy Christian Church and His dear holy Gospel under the likeness of the wedding,
*) Held in the house, 1534.
and lamented the shameful contempt of his word and gospel, and also punished all who would not hear his word and gospel, but despised and persecuted it, and struck the ministers of the word to death.
2464 L. 6, 141-143. On the twentieth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2114-2116. 2465
- he paints his gospel with beautiful, lovely color and calls it a wedding: not a time of work nor a time of mourning; but a time of celebration and joy, when one adorns oneself, when one sings, plays, whistles, dances, eats, drinks, is happy and of good cheer; otherwise it would not be a wedding, if one worked, mourned or lamented. Therefore Christ calls his Christianity and Gospel by the highest joy on earth, namely, by the wedding. And thus teaches us that his gospel is a lovely, joyful sermon, a real joyful wedding, since Christ is the bridegroom and the Christian church is the bride and our mother. This means that the Lord calls the kingdom of heaven, that is, His kingdom on earth or the gospel, a wedding, so that He may entice us to come to His kingdom, accept His gospel, and think: "Let us go there, let us come to the wedding, let us be happy there, let us sing and jump with joy and gladness. Thus the Lord will entice us, that we may learn to hold the holy gospel as our best treasure and highest joy on earth.
Then he makes it even more beautiful and glorious, and calls it not only a wedding, but also a royal wedding, since the bridegroom is the son of a king and the bride the daughter of a king, since everything takes place in the most glorious way, since there is not only eating and drinking, as at a wedding, but a royal meal and royal joy. This should ever awaken us to have a hearty desire for this wedding. If a great and mighty king were to hold a wedding on earth, if he had prepared a splendid banquet and had invited many, there would be a rush from all places, and Hans von Jena would be in all the streets and want to see the royal adornment and splendor. If this is done at a mortal king's wedding, yes, it is done at a lesser wedding, why would it not also be done at this royal wedding, since God's eternal Son is the bridegroom? Would the dear Lord, then, gladly lure us to Himself, so that we might learn to be aware of the Gospel?
gelii with earnestness. Therefore, he calls his kingdom a royal wedding, indicating that his gospel is a sweet sermon to all hungry, thirsty souls. In sum, this royal wedding is the friendly reign of Christ, where there is delicious food and drink, comforting preaching, hearty joy and eternal blessedness, where poor sinners are delivered from death and the afflicted are comforted; where there is preaching, singing, praising and giving thanks.
(4) The law is not must, neither is the kingdom of this world. The law is not a marriage, but brings terror, trembling and wrath, Rom. 4:15: In the worldly government there is murder, wickedness and malice. For in the world there is nothing else but lying, deceiving, murdering, and practicing all unrighteousness; with this the worldly government has to do, that it may control and defend. Therefore, there is neither peace nor tranquility, neither pleasure nor joy in the worldly government. In sum, the world is the devil's kingdom; and yet everyone runs to it, even uninvited. Yes, even if God forbids it by his highest disgrace and by the highest punishment, namely, by the infernal fire, nevertheless people do not ask anything about it. The world is so attached to the devil, to his wedding and to his kingdom that it kills the prophets and apostles through whom it is invited to the wedding of the Lord Christ, and also the others who allow themselves to be invited to this wedding. To indicate this difference, Christ paints his kingdom with this likeness in the most beautiful and refined way, calling it a wedding, and a royal wedding at that; as if he wanted to say: The devil's kingdom is called Babylon, confusio, a mixture or confusion, a disorderly nature and mixture of all kinds of shameful nature and life, where everything is mixed up, where murder, fornication, theft and all kinds of unrighteousness reign; but my kingdom is called a wedding, and a royal wedding, where all is comfort, joy and sweetness. This should move us to learn to accept the gospel with earnestness as a friendly, comforting sermon, and to let ourselves be gathered to Christ in his kingdom, where there is eternal joy, heavenly glory, and the most beautiful things.
2466 L.6, 143-145. On the twentieth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 2116-2119. 2467
Splendor is; in summa, since everything happens royally.
(5) But is not this the wicked devil, that those who are invited to this royal wedding will not come? We may well boast of the devil's name, and say that original sin is a small infirmity and minor fault. Is this not a great sign of human blindness and a terrible fruit of original sin, that one holds God's word in such contempt? What could be said that is more abominable than that poor people and sinners, who lie imprisoned in the devil's kingdom, do not want to come to this wedding, when the bridegroom Christ wants to redeem them from sins and from the devil's power? Is it not a shameful plague that they will not hear the word of life and the preaching of their salvation?
6 Christ does not call his gospel a word to hell, does not call it a gallows to flee from, does not call it a work; but calls it a wedding, that is, a word to all joy and a sermon to the highest honor. That one should not hear such a word must of course be a great, terrible case and horrible poison of the devil. Yes, it is not only original sin and Adam's fall, but it is also the great power of the devil, who can blind and harden the hearts of men so that they do not hear the sweet voice of their friendly God and loving Father, and the sweet little tongue of their Savior, the sweet little sugar mouth; yes, they not only do not hear, but also draw the blade, and do not even want to suffer that they are invited to this royal wedding.
(7) Now the charge for this wedding is nothing else but to preach: He who hears and keeps the gospel of Christ is blessed; he who believes in Christ has forgiveness of sins, is loosed and set free from God's wrath and judgment, has a gracious God, has a faithful Savior who saves him from eternal death and from the devil, is a child of eternal life, sin shall not hurt him. God wants to say to him: My dear son; he shall have access to God in all confidence through faith, and may say: My beloved Father!
- Is this not a sweet sermon? Is this not a glorious royal wedding? Is not this food better and more deliciously prepared than all the game on earth? What can be preached that is more blissful, sweet and comforting than to say to me through the preaching of the Gospel, "May God be my gracious God and take me to heaven, that I may sing and leap and rejoice in His kingdom forever? Should one not run towards it? Should one not rejoice in the fellowship of the Gospel, and say: Praise and thanks be to God, who has invited me to His royal, heavenly wedding?
9 This is the most delicious food and glorious splendor at this wedding, that one preaches thus in the kingdom of Christ: Whoever believes in the Son of God, his sins are forgiven. This is such an excellent, glorious sermon that even the angels in heaven love to hear it and desire to see it, as St. Peter, 1 Peter 1:12, testifies. The dear, blessed angels have no need of such things; yet they are so eager, have great joy, pleasure and desire to hear and see our great happiness and blessedness, that Christ will become our bridegroom. If we will be ungrateful and offend God, His holy word and His faithful servants, who proclaim His word to us and invite us to such a wedding, we will also be as it is written: "The king was angry and sent out his armies and killed these murderers and set their city on fire.
(10) Therefore our dear Lord Jesus Christ calls the kingdom of heaven a royal wedding, because in his kingdom there is eternal joy and an abundance of all heavenly goods. For the preaching of the Gospel is such a glorious preaching that it does not stop at the words, but the essence follows, so that even the dear angels desire to behold it. The same holy, blessed spirits walk around in this wedding, and watch how we are happy, how we sit at the table, eat and drink of this eternal, heavenly food, which is presented to us in the Word, and serve us at the table as ministering spirits, sent out to serve (as the epistle to the Hebrews Cap. 1, 14. says) for the sake of those who are in need.
2468 8.6, 145-147. on the twentieth Sunday after Trinity. W. LIII, 2119-2121. 2469
They are everywhere around us, seeing with delight that we gladly hear and learn the preaching of the gospel; it is their joy that we are so happy and are made partakers of this heavenly calling. Christ paints his kingdom so beautifully and lovingly here, and calls the preaching of the gospel a wedding, a day of joy, which begins here at this time and lasts thereafter for eternity.
(11) But what do we do when we are invited to this wedding? Wherever the gospel is preached, no one runs to it, but everyone turns his ears elsewhere. But where pilgrimages, indulgences and other devilish garbage are preached, everyone's ears are turned away, and people run in crowds, one barefoot, the other in armor, thinking they are coming to the wedding, when in fact they are coming to the devil's murder pit. Thus original sin has blinded us, and the devil has ensnared and bewitched us, that we would rather hear false preaching than Christ's preaching, and eat poison, whereof we die, than the heavenly food at this royal wedding, whereof we live.
(12) For where the gospel of Christ is suppressed and human merits and works are preached in its place, what is that but poison to the soul? As has happened in the papacy, where not only has the Lord Christ been kept silent, but people have also come to forget the works of their profession, of which God commanded them to faithfully preside over wife, child and servants, and have chosen other works instead, of which God commanded nothing, and have sought comfort and help against sin and death in these imaginary and self-chosen works, but have found neither comfort nor help. For the heart alone is glad when it hears that Christ Jesus is our only Lord, King and Bridegroom. Apart from this our heart can receive no comfort.
(13) Now that the gospel has come to light again, teaching where to find comfort and salvation from sin and death, namely, in Christ alone, and how to live a Christian life by faith and serve God, each in his or her profession
Let us also observe and diligently search how hard the old Adam is still in us, how diligently we listen to God's word, how obedient and faithful we are, and how faithfully each one carries out his commanded office. For this we experience daily, how all the world turns away its eyes, ears and heart from this preaching, and how everyone has his own poison and eats it, so that he dies forever; then how all the world is full of murder, theft, unfaithfulness, treachery 2c., and no one faithfully carries out his office. The Lord complains about this, that people despise his royal, heavenly wedding, and instead run to the devil's wedding with crowds. As if he wanted to say: Isn't this a miserable business? My wedding is prepared, the guests are invited, and yet no one wants to come to the wedding. All the holy scriptures of the Old and New Testaments and all the church histories from beginning to end bear witness to this.
The invitation to this wedding began from the beginning of the world. The first servants who called the guests to this wedding were the patriarchs and prophets. Adam is the very first, who preached to his children, as a right bishop, yes, as a right pope before all others, about the King's son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who should trample the serpent's head and be the right bridegroom. After Adam follow Seth, Enos, Enoch 2c. until Noah. All of these were wedding chargers and preachers, who called the first world to the wedding. But what did the invited ones do? It happened in the first world just as it still happens in the last world today: some despised it, some killed the servants and the preachers.
(15) After the patriarchs came the prophets. Among the people of Israel were Isaiah, Jeremiah and other prophets, sent as messengers from God to invite the people of Israel to the wedding. But what did the people of Israel, who were invited to the wedding by the prophets, do? They despised the banquet and killed the prophets.
Finally, the bridegroom himself came. Christ was born in the Jewish land, preached.
2470 2.6, 147-149. on the twentieth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 2121-2124. 2471
He performed miracles, rode into Jerusalem, and invited the Jews to the wedding; but what did the dear young men, who were cousins and blood friends of our Lord Christ, do? They slew the bridegroom and chased the bride away from Jerusalem. Then our God also came behind them with His wrath, sent out His armies, that is, the Romans, and had the city of Jerusalem razed so that not one stone was left upon another, and killed these murderers, the Jews, who had slain the prophets and the Son of God.
017 And as he hath punished the city of Jerusalem, so hath he punished the other despisers and persecutors of his gospel. The first world, which despised the patriarchs, and Noah the preacher of righteousness, he hath destroyed with the flood: Sodom and Gomorrha, which despised righteous Lot, he hath destroyed with brimstone and fire. The people of Israel, who despised and killed the prophets, he punished with the Assyrian and Babylonian prisons and with other countless plagues. He punished the great countries and cities of the Gentiles in many ways, as can be seen in the prophets. He punished Greece with Mahomet and the Turks. He punished Welshia and Rome through the Goths and the Wends, and finally also through the Pope.
(18) The first despise the word, and cast it to the winds, and say, I must wait for my field and my handiwork. As that nobleman said, "What are the five books of Mosi? If they were five villages! and that farmer: What heaven? I have flour here! Such are many among peasants, burghers, nobility, who proudly despise the word of God. The others are even worse than the first: they mock and kill the servants. That is especially bad, to strike to death and to mock. Such things are not done to the wrongdoers. The executioner speaks a good word to the thief whom he has hanged, even if he hangs him on the gallows. But these servants, who invite to the wedding, must not only be killed, but they must also be given bad words, they must be mocked, so that both their honor and life are taken away from them. This is how it shall be, and our Lord God will remain silent until his time.
19 So it goes today. In the Netherlands, in France and elsewhere, much Christian blood is shed. Our Lord God is silent about it, and pretends not to see it, letting them do it. Not far from us, the B. V. M. and H. G. are defiling the Christians and persecuting them; our Lord God is also silent. But in his own time he will come and cast them down, as it is written here: "The king was angry and killed these murderers. One must not think that he will give someone who despises his word and kills his servants. Has he destroyed the first world by the flood, and has turned back Sodomam and Gomorrham with brimstone and fire, which was the best land, as Cain was the best man, namely, the firstborn among all the children of Adam; and has rejected his best, dearest children and friends in Jerusalem, so that they still lie in misery today; yes, has he (as St. Peter says, 2 Pet. Peter says, 2 Petr. 2, 4.) he spared not the angels that sinned: neither will he spare ours, if we shall despise and persecute his word.
It seems as if our Lord God lets the despisers and persecutors of his word go unpunished. But he does not let them go unpunished, nor does he let his servants go unpunished; as Christ teaches with the example of the unjust judge and the poor widow, Luke 18. The widow, he says, did not desist, and afflicted the judge, and overawed him, so that he saved her. If a man helps, and such a man who does not fear God and does not shy away from any man, should not the faithful God help? If the unjust judge and prankster hears and saves, should not the pious Father in heaven hear and save his chosen ones who call to him day and night?
Therefore, our tyrants and godless bishops, who despise and persecute the holy gospel, will not escape the wrath of God, even though the punishment will pass for a time. For they do not cease to rage against GOD and His Word; so also we always cry out to GOD, and the blood of our brothers, which is shed, also cries out. Therefore, as Christ says, God will come in a short time and will give the blood of His chosen ones.
2472 12.6, 149-151. on the twentieth Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2124-2127. 2473
and punish his enemies more severely than one would think. For he loves his elect and will not forsake them; without which we must wait for salvation, persevere in prayer, and cry out to God to ward off the devil and his scales and save us.
(22) Now again it is very necessary that we pray diligently, for our adversaries have evil in mind and would like to cause bloodshed. Therefore we should ask God to thrust their sword, which they draw, into their heart, and to direct their bow, which they draw, against them. They draw their sword, as the 37th Psalm says, v. 14, and want to strike; and they draw their bow to cut down the wretched and the poor, and to slay the pious. But the right judge and avenger will come, will let their sword go into their heart and break their bow. He has not yet given it to anyone who has despised his word and plagued and persecuted his Christians. Let us only pray, and gladly hear, learn and cherish the holy gospel; after that let us also be diligent, that each one in his profession may be obedient to God and serve his neighbor, that a woman may wait on her house, a craftsman on his trade, and each one may do his commanded office with joy. We must not worry about how God will save us and avenge Himself on His enemies.
(23) We are invited to the wedding and are already sitting at the table with the guests. Therefore we should not only rejoice inwardly in spirit, but also be glad outwardly, and do with joy and gladness what we are commanded. If the devil and the world are angry, our Lord God laughs kindly at us and the holy angels whistle. Even though we do not see this with our physical eyes, the Word of God testifies to it. Christ himself says, Luke 15:7: "I tell you, there will be joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. Now if the angels rejoice, we are cursed if we do not repent and accept this joy. So even though we do not see how God saves us and the dear angels protect us, we also hear this in the Word; as the story of the prophet Elisha and his enemies shows.
Therefore it is certain that the dear angels are around us. If we do not see them, we believe God and His word. He has said it in the Holy Scriptures, and has also proved it with enough examples. Let us only come to the wedding, and not remain outside, nor be ungrateful, as the Jews did, and not worry at all how God will save us and protect the dear angels. Let this be said of half of this Gospel.
Then the king said to his servants: The wedding is ready, but the guests are not worthy. Therefore go out into the streets and invite to the wedding whom you find 2c.
24 We are the heathen. There the king also finds people who do not keep themselves right. These are the false Christians and hypocrites, who seek only their avarice and honor in the gospel. They will be thrown into hell, where they will suffer misery and mourning forever. These are terrible words, that the Lord says: "Bind his hands and feet, and cast him out into darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Alas and woe, and never helped; there the false Christians must come. They have the word, and mean nothing else, but that they are Christians; but this does them harm, that they do as they please, and yet want to have the name and be called Christians.
25 This hypocrite is also such a false Christian here; he disgraces bride and bridegroom by not being adorned and not wearing a wedding garment. If I were the bridegroom, I would also take it for a mockery, and would not think otherwise, because he would make a mockery of it. So do false Christians, who want to be at the wedding, and yet do not eat the wedding food, even though they are already sitting at the table, have no righteous faith, do not do what they are obliged to do, remain fornicators, adulterers, gluttons, drunkards, usurers, haters, envious 2c. Yes, says Christ, I will find such hypocrites and false Christians in his time; though they mingle for a while with the wedding guests, they shall not escape me. Out into the abyss of hell
2474 L.6, 151-153. On the twenty-first Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 2127.-2142. 2475
with the false Christians who boast as if they belong to the wedding, and yet have no wedding garment on; they bear the name as if they were Christians, and yet are without faith, are not adorned as Christians, only defile the gospel and cause trouble.
(26) Thus this gospel concerns both Jews and Gentiles, and punishes one part as well as the other because of their unbelief and ingratitude. The Jews are punished for not believing, but for missing the wedding through unbelief and contempt, and for killing the prophets, apostles and the Son of God. The Gentiles are punished because they do not all wear the wedding garment; as today there are many among us who boast of being evangelicals and Christians, and yet remain in the old skin.
(27) Let us be diligent to obey and follow our dear Lord Christ, who so kindly and sweetly beckons us. He says that he has made us a wedding and a joy.
Let us therefore come to the wedding and not despise such hospitality. After this, let us also take care that each one does what he is commanded. If we do this, then we will have good courage and be blessed. If we suffer a little in the name of God, so much the better. Such kind words should move us to hear and learn God's word gladly, and to feed our souls daily at this wedding, so that we do not despise the Lord, who so kindly beckons us and wants to seat us in His royal wedding, which is to begin here and remain there forever. Let us be careful that we do not end up in the devil's murder pit for our own sake. May our dear Lord God grant us His Holy Spirit, that we may learn and keep these things, believe rightly, live Christianly, and be found in proper wedding garments and adornments at all times, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Savior, amen.
On the twenty-first Sunday after Trinity.
First sermon.*)
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, because 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 when he was better. 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.
1 St. John says that this was the other sign that Jesus did when he came from Judea in Galilee. The first sign that he did was that
*) Held in the house, 1533.
Soon after his baptism at the wedding of Cana in Galilee, he turned water into wine. The other sign is that he healed the king's son in Capernaum. All this happened in the first year of his preaching ministry. For as soon as the
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The Lord was baptized in the Jordan by John the Baptist, and from that time he began to preach and to perform miracles. Among these miraculous signs, these two were the very first.
(2) Now the evangelist has described this miracle in order to show what kind of man this preacher is, and to teach how this preacher should be heard, namely, so that one knows that everything he preaches is Yes and Amen. One does not know for sure whether this royal man was a Jew or a Gentile; there is also no great power in it, if one does not know. He was a bailiff or magistrate under King Herod. But the most important thing is to pay attention to the reason why the evangelist described this miracle, namely, as it is said, that one sees how great a thing it is for God's word and for faith when one has God's word and believes it.
The king has a son who is sick in Capernaum and has a fever. That was with them such illness, as with us is the pestilence, which takes the man soon there. He has heard that a new prophet has arisen who teaches powerfully and is mighty in deeds. deeds. No doubt he heard him preach himself, for the Lord began his preaching in Capernaum, as St. Matthew reports Cap. 4, 13. 4, 13. He also heard that he made wine of water at the wedding in Cana. He was soon moved by this, fell down and became a Christian; and when he was in trouble with his son, he went to Christ and called on him for help.
4 This was a fine heart, which as soon as from a sermon and from a miracle drew such faith in Christ that he came to him and sought help from him in his distress. This is what the king learned as soon as. What do we learn? We have God's word in abundance, we have the Holy Scriptures; all that is prescribed is prescribed for our comfort and strength, and God's word is preached to us daily: yet we do not believe. But the king believes after one sermon and after one miraculous sign; for this reason he comes to Jesus and asks him to help his son. There
The Lord will have thought to himself: Who told this man that I could help? I have hardly preached four or five sermons everywhere, and have hardly called eleven or twelve disciples; I have not yet healed a sick person, and have only performed a few signs at Cana in Galilee, at the wedding: How then does this man come to me seeking help and asking that I heal his sick son? How is it that he comes to me seeking help and asking me to heal his sick son?
5 Therefore this is a fine faith in the royal. For although the evangelist writes that the royal man had weak faith, asking the Lord to go down with him and help his son, and that the Lord also rebuked him for this, saying, "If you do not see signs and wonders, you do not believe," it is nevertheless a great thing that he learned to believe a greater one from a few and smaller miracles. For to make wine of water, though it be a miracle, yet is it a lesser miracle than to heal a sick man that lieth dead, or to raise a dead man. Because the royal has learned from the sign at Cana that Christ can do a greater thing, namely, help his son out of a fatal illness, there is not a little faith in him. And this royal one precedes us by far. For we have heard so many sermons and seen so many miraculous signs for so long, and yet we do not have such faith in Christ; indeed, we are so wicked and wanton that we despise his word and persecute the preachers of his gospel.
(6) For this reason, the evangelist presents this royal man as an example to us, so that he may make us ashamed and provoke us to believe. On the last day this royal man will come forth and judge those who have not believed, saying, "Fie on you, you wicked people! I have heard only a few sermons and had only one sign, and yet I have learned so much from this one sign, that the Lord made wine of water, that I believed he had such power that he could do everything. But you have heard the gospel for so many years and have seen countless miracles, and yet you are nothing more
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become better, have believed nothing the more.
(7) First of all, the king is weak in faith, because he asks the Lord to come down and help his son. For he would gladly have seen the Lord come to his son in person and help him, that he might have seen him before his eyes. Then the Lord rebuked him, saying, "Why do you not believe without signs and wonders? But I will do what you ask: "Go, your son lives". The king grasps this word so firmly that he puts all other thoughts out of his mind and goes in certain confidence and good hope that his son will live. He goes away in certain confidence and good hope that his son will live, as Christ has told him. Shortly before, he thought: "My son is deathly ill and will die if the Lord does not soon come down and help him. But now that he has heard the word of Christ, "Go, your son lives," he has other thoughts, namely, "I left my son sick at home when I left him, but now when I come home again, I will find him alive and well.
8 The evangelist praises such faith when he says: "The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went. As if to say: The king had such a fine, excellent faith that he believed the bad, bare word, and did not doubt that when he came home he would find his son fresh and healthy; thus he stands in certain hope, even though he neither sees nor feels. So, keeping to the word and believing it, the miraculous sign happens; his son gets well, and his servants come to meet him, proclaiming to him, "Your child is alive.
(9) Is it not a great miracle that the word of Christ has such power and accomplishes such great things that it gives life to this child who was lying deathly ill and restores him to health? Therefore, the Anabaptists are shameful people who doubt holy baptism, as if it could not give forgiveness of sins, life and blessedness. They look only at the water, and do not look at the word that is with and near the water; therefore they cannot esteem baptism highly. But one should look at the word
Christ says: "Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." The word is to be believed, for this word is an almighty power: what it promises, it surely accomplishes, and neither the devil nor the world can hinder or hinder it.
(10) They do the same with absolution, not considering the word that God speaks to a poor sinner in absolution through the ministry of preaching: "Be of good cheer, my son, your sins are forgiven you. Therefore, they consider absolution to be nothing, and say: What should a man's hand do for the forgiveness of sins? But we should have respect for the word, and learn to believe, when God says to us in absolution, "Your sins are forgiven," that it is as certain and true as it is certain that the Son of the King has been healed by the word of Christ.
(11) Therefore, we should hold God's word in high esteem and not doubt it, but rather believe that what God says is certainly true and cannot fail; as St. Paul praises Abraham, Romans 4:20, for not doubting God's promise through unbelief, but for becoming strong in faith, giving glory to God, and knowing with the utmost certainty that what God promises, he can also do. The royal is also praised here because he falls so finely on the word and believes the word of Christ without all disputing and wavering. And the evangelist, as I have said, has presented such an example to us, so that we may learn to uphold the word and firmly believe it. What God says in His word must be done, since He cannot lie.
(12) So also, when God will say to us who are in the graves on the last day: As soon as we rise from the earth and come forth again, no grave, no worm, no stone will be able to hinder us. For there is the word of Christ, John 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 they who have done good will come forth to the grave.
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resurrection of life, but those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment." The word cannot be false, nor can it be a lie.
The gospel of Christ and the Christian doctrine is such a great and mighty thing that it can do all things and is able to do all things; for it is an almighty, divine power, which also saves all who believe in it, Rom. 1:16. The word of God is a different word than the word of man. When a man speaks or commands something, one must walk and run, ride and travel, have much toil and labor, spend much expense and wear on it, so that it may be accomplished and brought to work. But God's word quickly sets all things right, brings you forgiveness of sin, and gives you eternal life, and costs no more than that you hear the word, and when you have heard it, that you believe it. If thou believest it, thou shalt have it without all trouble, cost, delay, or burden.
(14) Thus the gospel of Christ and Christian doctrine explain all things in brief words, for it is the Word of God, therefore it has
He is an almighty power and nothing is impossible for him, as can be seen here in the case of the royal son. Christ says to the father: "Go, your son lives"; as soon as faith is there and the father says yes to it, the son lives and is healthy. There is no need for food or effort, nor for any kind of burden. It is only a matter of a word to Christ, and soon it is yes. And so God governs his Christian church, yes, so he governs the whole world, that it is no hard work for him, but that he accomplishes everything with one word.
(15) Therefore, we should learn to honor God's word and believe it. We have the same word in the preaching of the Gospel, in baptism, in the sacrament, in absolution. Therefore, we should not despise baptism, the sacrament and absolution, but hold them high and glorious. If we believe the word, it will happen to us as it happened to this king, namely, that we will receive what is promised to us in the word.
On the twentieth Sunday after Trinity.
Second sermon.*)
(1) This is one of the signs which our dear Lord Jesus Christ did soon after he was baptized in the Jordan. The first sign after his baptism, when he began to preach and to do miracles, is that he changed water into wine at the wedding in Cana of Galilee. The other sign is that he healed the king's son in Capernaum.
2 The evangelist says that Jesus came from Judea in Galilee; when the king hears this, he goes to him and asks him to come down and help his son.
*) Held in the house, 1534.
help his son. He has such faith in Jesus, and yet he has not heard much about him, nor can he know much about his sermons and miraculous signs; for the Lord had hardly begun to preach, and had only performed one sign in Cana. Here it should not be thought that Christ came only once from Judea in Galilee, but he often went up and down, from Capernaum to Jerusalem and again from Jerusalem to Capernaum. For he did not remain in one place for the three years of his preaching ministry, but wandered about and went through all the places of the Jewish land, preaching and healing the sick.
- but we have here an exceedingly fine
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This is an example of faith in the king, which faith is so praised to us that we should also learn to believe in the gospel of Christ. For believing is not such an easy art as many people think. The word "faith" has now become so common that many despise faith and say, "What is faith? I have heard about it so many times now. Who should not know what faith is? But truly, the gospel is only an empty sound with such people, and faith is only a human dream that they make up for themselves. Therefore, one should learn what faith is.
This royal man had been an official of King Herodis, and it is possible that he had been a Jew; he no longer knows anything about Christ, because he has heard about him from other people, perhaps he himself has not heard him: nevertheless, since the journey of life with his son, who is sick with a fever, is there, he goes to him and asks him to help his son. In the countries, the fever is such that whoever is sick with it faces certain death. For fever with them and pestilence with us is one thing. When the father sees that his son is going to die, he is very sad and wants to help and advise his son, but he cannot. But when he hears that Jesus is coming from Judea in Galilee, he is glad and goes to meet him on two days' journey, having such faith in his heart that he will help his son.
(5) Such faith he has badly grasped from the common clamor and rumor that everyone has said about Christ, how he so gladly helps all people who come to him. He does not think of his merit as the reason why Christ should help his son. For even though he has been a pious man, he does not rely on his piety, nor does he come to Christ in such confidence in himself; but he has been moved by the common rumor that he has heard that he likes to help the wicked or the pious; as the heavenly Father makes his sun rise on the wicked and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous, Matth. 5:4S. Think therefore, though I am a wicked man, yet is he not a wicked man.
this man is so kind that he pushes no one away; therefore, I will cheerfully dare and confidently ask for his kind heart, which is inclined to help everyone.
6 Such an example is prescribed for us, so that our hearts may also take courage toward God. For faith is nothing other than a hearty confidence in God. He who bears such bold confidence and courageous heart toward God has a right faith. In worldly matters among men, faith is a different thing; as when one trusts a thousand florins, one says, "I will give you this money in good faith. But in spiritual matters, where one deals with God, faith is something different; as when I say: The magistrate here has a fine faith in Christ, that is, he has a firm trust that Christ will impart his mercy and help to him. Think, therefore, that though I have been a wicked man, yet he will exercise his goodness over the wicked and the pious; therefore he will also help me, as he has helped others.
(7) Reason strives against such faith; flesh and blood thus says: Yes, I do believe that God is kind and merciful; but St. Peter, Paul and others who are pious; but I am a bad boy, I am not worthy, therefore He is not merciful to me. He who has such a heart does not believe, but is a pagan, and thus thinks: "Who knows whether God will help me? This is the sorrowful unbelief that doubts God's grace and mercy. God does not help such a person. For as you believe, so shall it be done to you. Our Lord God, as the 18th Psalm says, v. 26, 27, is holy with the holy, pious with the pious, pure with the pure, perverse with the perverse. As you turn and turn, so God also turns and turns: if you think He is angry with you, He is angry; if you think He is merciless to you and wants to cast you into hell, He is merciless. As you believe about God, so you have him.
If you say, "I am not as pious as St. Peter, therefore God will not help me," you will think, "Woe to you! For in doing so, you build a hell for yourself and make a condemnation for yourself. St. Peter did not raise himself as high as you raise him;
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St. Peter does not say: I have been pious, therefore give me, God, eternal life: but he says: "We and our fathers did not have to bear the burden of the law, but we believe to be saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the same way as they also" (Apost. 15, 10. 11.). As if he wanted to say: God did not look upon our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, for their piety, but for Christ's sake; so we also do not see how holy we are, but confess that we cannot bear the burden of the law, just as Abraham and the fathers could not bear it; and rely on the grace and mercy of God, promised to us in Christ. Therefore, you must not refer to St. Peter, how pious he was; but you must pay attention to his teaching and faith, so that he says that he believes to be saved by the grace of Jesus Christ. For one must first believe in Jesus Christ, that he alone can and will forgive sin and give eternal life.
(9) So we see that faith is such courage in the heart that one relies on God for all good. Such faith, when the heart puts all its trust in God alone, is demanded by God in the first commandment, when he says: "I am the LORD your God"; and defines and discusses what kind of God he is, saying: "I who brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage"; that is, I alone will be your God, you shall seek no other God, I will help you out of all distress. You shall trust me with all your heart and believe that I will be your helper; you shall seek no other for help and comfort. Neither shalt thou think that I am an enemy to thee, nor that I will not help thee. If thou thinkest thus, thou makest me in thine heart another God, than I am. Therefore be sure that I will be gracious to you, and be obedient to me in the other commandments. This is faith, then, when a heart thus turns to God for all help, grace and comfort in all distress. This is what the first commandment teaches.
(10) And there Christians and Gentiles are separated. They differ in the outward works
not. For a heathen may fast and watch as well as a Christian, but he does not believe as a Christian. Now if a man does not have faith, and especially faith in Christ, there is no difference between him and a heathen; indeed, even an unreasonable animal can fast and watch. But this is what distinguishes a Christian from a heathen, that a Christian has recourse to Christ as his only Savior and turns to him for all good. Again, a Turk and a pagan doubts and says: "Yes, if I were as pious as St. Peter, I would believe that God would be merciful to me and help me; but I am a poor sinner.
The monks do the same: they forget the image that God has placed before us in the first commandment, namely, that he wants to be our God, to whom we should look for all good; they also forget the mediator between God and man, namely, the Savior Jesus Christ. They lose sight of the same image of divine grace and mercy, and make up their own minds: St. Peter may well expect grace and mercy from God, but not them. Such are the thoughts of the devil and unbelief in them. Because they now have such thoughts, they fall further on their own works, and say: I will go to a monastery, that I may become pious. Well then, go where thou wilt, and thou shalt accomplish nothing. Whoever wants to become truly devout must not start with his own imaginary works, but with the first commandment and with Christ, so that the heart may first become devout, that is, trust in God and believe. If the heart is not devout, how can the works please God? If you give me a thousand guilders and do so out of an evil heart, so that such money should be harmful to me, I would say, "Go to the gallows with your money. If a man does this, it will be much more displeasing to our Lord God if he does many things out of an evil, unbelieving heart. Therefore, see that you have a righteous heart before all things; after that, that you do good works; these will please God if they are done out of a pure heart.
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(12) As the first commandment teaches us about faith, so this gospel gives us a living example of faith in this king: he who believes that Christ will help his son, even though he does not deserve it. He does not think so: I am unworthy, therefore he will not hear my prayer; nor does he doubt his will, he does not say: He could help my son, if only he would. For if he had doubted in this way, he would not have gone to meet Christ, but would have remained a pagan. But because he believes, he goes to Christ and thinks, "Even though I am unworthy, he is merciful and will not deny me his help. A pagan would not have done this, because he knows nothing about faith. A monk would not do it either, because he first wants to reconcile our Lord God with works.
Therefore, we should thank God from the bottom of our hearts that He has delivered us from such darkness and error of the Pabst, since we poor and blind people have sought so many idols; and diligently pray that He will graciously protect us, lest we fall into greater darkness and error, nor seek more strange gods. Let us also gladly hear God's word and learn what faith is, so that our hearts may learn to build on and trust in God.
(14) Thus a Christian and a pagan are distinguished, not according to dress nor according to any work, but according to the heart and faith, namely, that a Christian trusts in God, and a pagan does not trust in God. A pagan also does outward works; indeed, it often happens that the pagans, according to the outward appearance of the works, are considered more holy than the Christians; but faith makes a difference. A dog and ass also fasts and watches, and the soldiers suffer more than the Carthusians. For the devil martyrs, as they say, will earn hell more sourly than the right martyrs heaven. But no man believes and trusts in God, unless he is a Christian.
(15) He who has not such a heart as this royal man, that he is sure Christ will be gracious to him and help him in all his troubles, is a heathen. For where a
If a Christian does not have such faith and confidence, he is not the one whose name he bears. In sum, a Christian should keep this faith, whether he lives or dies, that God will make him righteous and blessed, and help him in all his troubles. We should never abandon such hope when God first tempts us; as Christ does here to the royal man, and first challenges him somewhat harshly, saying: "Why do you not believe without signs and without miracles? Thus he tries him at first, and yet soon strengthens him in the faith. For just as we first lead young children by the hand so that they learn to walk, we then gradually remove the hand and say: Come here, come here, so that they themselves may learn to walk. In the same way, Christ does the same to this royal man, first trying him to see if he will hold fast, and then strengthening him.
(16) When the king said, "Lord, come down before my child dies," the Lord answered and said, "Go, your son lives. The king believes this word so firmly and holds to it so strongly, just as if he saw his son standing before him already fresh and healthy. And when he goes down, his servants meet him, announce to him and say: "Your child is alive. Yesterday at the seventh hour he was healed." Then he realizes that the hour is true in which the Lord said to him, "Your son is alive." Because he believed the same word and thought: The man will not lie to me; when I come home, my son will surely be well; so it happens to him as he believed, and he finds his son well.
(17) Then it is seen that faith is such a confidence, because the heart does not doubt God's grace and mercy; as also the 34th Psalm describes faith, and says v. 5: "When I sought the Lord, he answered me, and delivered me out of all my fear"; item v. 7: "When this wretch called, the Lord heard, and helped him out of all his troubles. So this royal thinks: This is a kind man, from whom no one has ever departed who has not obtained what he desired. Therefore he will not let me go away empty. If you also have such a hearty
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If you have confidence in God and can say: Who has ever come to God forsaken by Him? Therefore He will not forsake me; then you have a right faith.
- whoever does not believe will be condemned, especially because God so kindly draws us to Himself, first promising in the first commandment that He will be our God, that is, our comfort, help, life and all that is good, against all that may be evil to us; and again so earnestly threatening, if we do not come to Him or trust Him from the heart, that He will destroy us from the earth, Deut. 6, and avenge us to the third and fourth generation, Exodus 20; then also gives His Son, and in Him promises forgiveness of sins, eternal life and blessedness. Whoever does not turn to such a friendly promise, serious promise, and in addition to the Son of God, is not wronged when he is condemned. For it is a great dishonor to God if we do not believe in him nor trust in him; just as all sins spring from unbelief. Therefore, as we believe, so shall it be done unto us: if we hold him to be our God, he shall not be our devil; but if we do not hold him to be our God, he shall not be our God, but a consuming fire unto us; as he saith unto the Jews by the prophet Hosea, Cap. 13:4-8: "I am the LORD thy God, from the land of Egypt; and thou shalt know no other God but me, and no savior but me. I took care of you in the wilderness, in the dry land. But because they were fed, they were satisfied, and had enough, he
Their heart is lifted up; therefore they forget me. So will I be against them like a lion, and like a leopard in the way will I lie in wait for them. I will meet them like a bear whose cubs are taken away, and I will tear their hardened heart, and there I will devour them like a lion. The wild beasts shall tear them."
(19) For no greater dishonor can befall our Lord God than through unbelief: by it we make God a devil. Again, no greater honor can befall him than through faith, when he is thought to be a Savior. Therefore he cannot suffer a doubtful heart; as a Turk doubts, and a monk out of despair runs into a monastery, and says: O how hot is hell! therefore I will do so many good works, that I may reconcile God. But no one becomes a Christian by works, but remains a pagan. A Christian becomes so, if a heart believes and says: Christ is a friendly, kind savior of all people; therefore I will step confidently to him and call on him for help in a certain confidence. Such a person starts from the head and not from the tail. Therefore let us be accustomed to exercise ourselves in faith. Faith is the art of Christians alone, in which they practice daily, and it is not as easy as many people think, who make faith so mean and despise it. May our dear God and Heavenly Father grant us grace through His Holy Spirit, so that we may learn to believe, practice our faith daily, grow and increase in it, and rightly honor God in Jesus Christ our Lord, 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 lord 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 let him go, and he forgave him the debt also. 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, "Be patient with me; I will pay you everything. But he would not, and 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 while you were building 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.
In today's gospel, the doctrine of two kingdoms, the spiritual and the physical kingdom, of which your love has often heard, is mentioned. But for the sake of those who do not yet know this difference, we must preach it again. So now the two kingdoms, the spiritual and the temporal, are thus distinguished, as we shall hear. The temporal government is appointed and ordered by God to ward off, control and punish the wickedness of the world. Not that it can punish all wickedness, for it is far too small for that, but that it punishes the outward, gross vices, which in fact happen, so that no one commits sacrilege against his neighbor's body, wife, and goods 2c. So far does the temporal government go, that it should preserve external peace, so that each one may remain with his own.
In this worldly regiment there is not forgiveness of sin but punishment. That is why the holy scripture calls it the sword, Gen. 9. Rom. 13, 4. God did not put a piece of paper in the hand of the emperor.
*) Held publicly in the parish church, 1530.
but the hardest and sharpest to punish, namely, not a feather but the sword; as a sign that the secular regiment is not to forgive but to go through and punish. If one should forgive in the worldly regiment, then I and you would keep nothing. If a thief steals everything he finds in the house, and a murderer robs and strangles what he finds in the street, and the prince in the country and the judge in the city want to look through their fingers and forgive, then we would keep nothing of property, body and life.
(3) If a thief steals or a murderer kills, the emperor and his people are guilty of taking a different attitude than I and other preachers of the word and ministers of peace. It is not for us preachers to wield the sword, but our office is to preach grace, to forgive, and to proclaim forgiveness of sin in the name of Christ. Again, it is not the duty of Caesar and his followers to forgive, but it is his duty to punish evil, Rom. 13:4.
- but unfortunately it happens that those, so
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Those who are in the secular government and office, and hear that they are to punish, are not only negligent and lazy to punish evil, but also help to strengthen evil; there are few who take the word and Christian teaching seriously, that they might learn and know what their office is, or desire to punish evil, but let it go as it goes. Therefore, this teaching must be practiced diligently, so that one may learn and know that the outward rule should be strict. The Turk knows how to deal with this; he does not command for long, but when he has commanded and someone transgresses once, he quickly cuts off his head. As a result, there is not as much courage among peasants, citizens, farmhands and servants in his regiment as there is among ours.
The monks have been a cause of such negligence in the secular government with their sermons, that they have taught that princes and lords should always be merciful, not shed blood 2c. In this way, they have made the secular authorities to have a conscience when they should punish the wrongdoers. Our Lord God would also have known how to order worldly authorities in this way, if he had wanted such a regime, or if such a regime would have been good and useful for the world. But he commands worldly authorities the sharp sword; with it they shall punish evil.
6 God commanded King Saul to cut off the Amalekites, to destroy them and to banish them with all that they had, both men and cattle, young and old. Someone might say, "This is a harsh commandment; should we not spare especially the young children, the women and the old people, whom the pagans who have reason have also spared? But God does not want any sparing here. "Do not spare him," He says, "but kill both man and woman, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys" (1 Sam. 15, 3.). Saul should have obeyed the commandment of the Lord and should not have spared any of the Amalekites, even though they had cried, pleaded and begged. But Saul did not do it, but took Agag, the king of Amalek, alive, and what was good sheep and oxen and fattened, and the lambs he did not hide. Then was
The Lord was angry and tore the kingdom from Saul because he had not fulfilled the Lord's word, 1 Sam. 15.
7 King Ahab was also like this, as it is written in 1 Kings 20: God gave Benhadad king of Syria into his hand with a great battle, namely, a hundred thousand Syrian footmen defeated in one day. Now when BenHadad was smitten with his army, he besought Ahab the king, saying, "Dear one, let my soul live." Then said Ahab, "If he live, let him be my brother" (v. 32.), and set him by him in the chariot, and made a covenant with him, and loosed him again into his kingdom. When this was done, a prophet came and said to Ahab, v. 42: "Thus saith the LORD; Because thou hast let go the exiled man from thee, thy soul shall be for his soul, and thy people for his people." Then Ahab was displeased and angry, and thought thus, Should not a king of Israel, as I am, spare a captive that is slain? But he succeeded very badly. For more than three years an arrow passed through his heart from the same king's people whom he had let go against God out of unseemly mercy, and he was cut off with all his family.
(8) Therefore, secular authorities should punish evil and not spare it. But that the secular authorities are often negligent and lazy is the fault of the pope, the monks and the false preachers, who have not taught the difference between the spiritual government, in which grace and forgiveness should rule, and the secular government, in which evil should be punished with the sword. The spiritual and the temporal regiment have been mixed together, just as the bishops of today want to be temporal princes and leave their episcopal office in place. For this reason, it is a good teaching and great wisdom to distinguish between these two regiments, and to look to each one's office: a bishop to teach mercy and forgiveness; a prince and temporal lord to go through it sharply and to execute God's command against the evildoers, whom he is to punish with the sword.
- but I'm afraid it's been too hard for too long, and I can't do anything with this pre-
2494 6-170-172. on the twenty-second Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2I83-2I8S, 2495
The difference between the two regiments and the word of the matter can no longer be advised; there is no longer any timidity, fear or obedience in the world. Everyone knows that one should be obedient to the authorities, but no one does it. The contradiction happens: people lie, deceive, steal, rob, and do all things bravely; there is no longer any fear and timidity among the subjects against the authorities; so the authorities do not punish any more. It may mend, mend and mend until the last day, and a little fear and punishment may remain in the world; but that it should come to a right regiment and right order, as the worldly regiment should go, that will no longer be the case. And this is to be said first of the worldly regiment.
(10) Of the spiritual government Christ speaks in today's Gospel, teaching that in this government there is not the sword, as in the temporal government, but grace and forgiveness; therefore let every one who wishes to be a Christian remember to forgive his neighbor all his trespasses. The worldly kings have a kingdom, in which vengeance and punishment must go, as God has commanded: but the Christian people have a different kingdom and regiment; in it neither vengeance nor punishment goes, but there one should be kind and merciful to the other, as will be said hereafter.
(11) This servant owes his master ten thousand pounds, which is a vast sum that is impossible for him to pay. He is in such distress over the account the king keeps with his servants that he finds such a large debt he cannot pay. So the lord orders him to sell his wife and children and everything he has and to pay, and yet the servant with his wife and children and everything he has cannot pay because of the large, exorbitant sum. When the servant is in misery and distress because he cannot pay, his master does not punish him, but laments for him, puts the cross over him, releases him, and forgives him all his debts, no matter how great they are. As therefore the lord doeth unto this servant, so should this servant do unto his fellow servant; and
So they think, "My master has forgiven me a large sum, so why shouldn't I forgive my fellow servant a hundred pennies? But he does not do so, but throws his fellow servant into prison until he pays what he owes. We will hear later how he is treated, for he is thrown back into prison by his master and must pay everything he owes. This indicates that in this spiritual kingdom there is and should be complete forgiveness of sins.
(12) Now learn diligently what forgiveness of sin is. It is soon said, forgiveness of sin; just as the whole Christian doctrine is easy. Yes, if it were in words; but when it comes to the earnest and meeting, one knows nothing of it. For it is a great thing that I should grasp with my heart and believe that all my sin is forgiven me, and that through such faith I am righteous before God. This may be a strange righteousness to me, and far another righteousness than the righteousness of all lawyers, prudents and wise men in this world. For they all say that righteousness must be glued into the heart and soul of man as a qualitas*). But this gospel teaches us that Christian righteousness is not of all things in the heart and soul of man, but that we are to learn that we are justified and saved from sins through the forgiveness of sins.
13 Thus we have taught in the papacy itself in the past: Whoever wants to be free of sins must do this and that, build a chapel, erect an altar. Donate masses 2c. This is still in us today, as can be seen in this servant. When he is attacked for payment and now falls down before his master, he does not ask for forgiveness or remission of the debt, but for patience and postponement; thus the rogue draws sin into himself and wants to pay the debt to his master by himself, which is impossible for him. So do we. When we hear that we are promised forgiveness of sin, we still do not understand;
*Qualitas - quality, property. D. Red.
2496 2.6, 172-174. twenty-second Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 2185-2188. 2497
They are of this mind: I have done this sin and that sin, I will do so many good works against it, I will fast so much, pray, give alms, and pay for my sin. For human nature always wants to have its hand in the soil, to carry away the glory and to lay the first stone.
(14) Therefore this is high preaching and heavenly wisdom, that we believe our righteousness, salvation, and comfort to be apart from us, that we are righteous, acceptable, holy, and wise in the sight of God, and yet in us is all sin and unrighteousness and foolishness. In my conscience there is a vain sense and remembrance of sin and the terror of death; and yet I should look elsewhere, and believe that there is no sin and death. He who shall not see that which he sees, and not feel that which he feels, must be very charmed. I see before my eyes a red florin, sword, fire, and yet I shall say, This is no red florin, no sword, no fire. It is the same with the forgiveness of sin. I feel that I have been a bad boy, and still am, and yet I shall say, All my sins are forgiven me; for the word has been spoken over me, which is thus, "Your sins are forgiven.
015 So this servant payeth not his debt, ten thousand pounds, out of his pocket, bag, box, or coffer: for the sum is too great, and the servant hath not to pay: but the payment of the debt is in another's power, that is, in the king's power, who hath compassion on the servant, saying, I have compassion on thee: therefore will I break the register, that thou owe me no more: not that thou hast paid me, but that I have forgiven thee the debt.
(16) But, as I said, flesh and blood have heartache, always wanting to find something to rely on; it cannot resist naughtiness, it cannot go out from feeling sins and take hold of mere grace and forgiveness of sins. If you can do this art, cannot see that which you see, and cannot feel that which you feel, we will preach something higher to you. But you will have to learn it for a while. For with faith
ben of forgiveness of sin is just as if someone aimed at you with a loaded gun and wanted to shoot at you now, and you should still believe and say it is nothing.
(17) I must confess myself that it is sour and difficult for me to believe this article, for I see before me a very large register full of sin. And even though I have sinned against God in no other way, I have lived for sixteen years in godless, abominable monasticism, have said mass, have preached error and seduction, have deceived myself and others; and yet I shall see none of these sins, just as if I had never committed any of them. Item, I still feel daily that I lack the fear of God, the faith; I carry a rotten rogue around my neck, the old Adam, who preaches nothing good to me; I do not love God with all my heart and my neighbor not as myself, and am therefore full of sin: and yet I shall believe that there is no sin. Then I must confess that it is difficult for me to believe this article. For I am so minded by nature, so I am also so accustomed in the papacy, that I would gladly fast, watch, pray, go on pilgrimage, do good works, so that I might pay for my sin. Because I am so minded, this servant of the devil also wrestles with me, saying, "Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
(18) Now there is no means of obtaining forgiveness of sin except by closing my eyes and believing that my sins are forgiven me, as we pray in the Christian faith: I believe in the Holy Spirit 2c., forgiveness of sin. But my nature and reason would like to have this article so that sin would not be called sin, but a painted and invented sin, that sin would be a word badly spoken out of humility; in sum, I would like to give God a false sinner, and to confess myself a sinner, that I felt no sin in me. That would truly be a fine sinner for me. But now these are words of the Holy Spirit, that it is said: I believe forgiveness of sin. What the Holy Spirit calls sin must not be a painted sin, but a real, true sin, such as adultery, whore-
2498 D. 6, 174-176. on the twenty-second Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2188-2190. 2499
rei, theft 2c. Sin; such sins also are they which I have done, and do daily; even as in the case of this servant there is not a painted, but a righteous debt, namely, ten thousand pounds. Now let him that would know himself to be a sinner see that his sins are not a dream and a fancy; but let him know that his sins are as much sins as adultery, theft, murder, etc.; that is, that they are such great sins as lead to hell if they be not forgiven. For even if we do not commit all the outward, gross sins, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not murder: nevertheless, if we do not have this benefit, that we believe forgiveness of sin, our sins condemn us to the abyss of hell.
I do not yet know this art, but am still learning it. The common people do not know what sin and forgiveness of sin are. But we, who take care of ourselves, so that we may know what forgiveness of sin is, have to learn it for and for. For it is in our nature that we would gladly blot out sin by ourselves, and that we make light of sin, and say, I know not any particular sin that I have committed; I am no adulterer, no thief, no slayer of lives. 2c. But there must be a serious and righteous confession of sin among us, so that we say before God: Dear God, if you want to keep account with me, not painted sins, but real, great sins will be found among me; just as this servant has a real guilt. These are not painted pennies, nor number pennies; but real pennies, florins, and Jehoachimsthalers; and of these ten thousand pounds. Such confession of sins is necessary. For if the forgiveness of sins is to be righteous, the sin must also be righteous.
20 Therefore the words in faith, I believe forgiveness of sin, are set forth evenly. We believe the sin is there, and yet it is forgiven. The forgiveness eats away the sin. And again, where forgiveness is believed and confessed, sin must also be believed and confessed. Therefore we all have sins
and such sins as push us to hell without ceasing, without our being called into that regiment and state which is called the forgiveness of sins. For we are baptized in the name of Christ; thereby we have obtained forgiveness of sin and are clean. The guilt is still there, but it is forgiven. In itself it is guilt, but this is our benefit, that the guilt is forgiven.
So Christ began this article, forgiveness of sin, in us through baptism, and still maintains it through word, sacrament, absolution, and the Holy Spirit, whom he gives into our hearts. Sin is indeed there, but it is forgiven. Just as the serpent that is carried in the bosom is a serpent, but without poison; so the sin that is on our neck is sin, but not a damnable sin, because it is forgiven. Just as the death that strangles Christians bodily is a death, but a death that has been overcome. Now because this article was begun by baptism and is preserved by the Word, we will never fully learn in this life what forgiveness of sins is.
22 We see this very well in this servant. Before the king reckons with him, he has no conscience, does not feel the guilt, and would always have gone away, made more guilt and asked nothing about it. But since the king wants to reckon with him, he feels the guilt first of all. It is the same with us. The other part does not ask anything about sin, goes safely, is not afraid of God's wrath. Such people cannot come to forgiveness of sins. For they do not come to know that they have sin. They may say with their mouths that they have sin, but if they were serious, they would speak much differently. This servant also saith, before his lord reckon with him: This is how much I owe my master, ten thousand pounds; but he goes away laughing. But when the reckoning is made, and his lord calls to sell him, his wife, his children, and all that he has, and to pay, then he feels. So we also feel the seriousness when our sins are revealed to us in our hearts; when the register of our sins is held up to us, when we are told that we are guilty.
2500 6. 176-178. on the twenty-second Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 2190-2193. 2501
we lose our laughter. Then we speak: I am the most wretched man, there is no more wretched man on earth than I am. Such knowledge makes a truly humble person, makes room for one to come to the right forgiveness of sins. And where such humility does not precede, there is no forgiveness. Therefore the gospel of the forgiveness of sins belongs only to the right Christians who rightly recognize and feel their sin. The rest of the rough people, who do not recognize nor feel their sin, do not belong here, nor do they understand this article of forgiveness of sin. Even if they hear preaching about it, it still remains hidden from them.
(23) But the true Christians, who feel their sin, have the consolation of believing in the forgiveness of sin; for they are baptized, hear the gospel, have absolution and the holy sacrament; they believe the same word. For God has placed the treasure, namely, forgiveness of sin, in His Word and Sacrament, and commanded that it be believed. Therefore, Christians do not come before God as this servant comes before his master and says, "Be patient with me, and I will pay you for everything"; nor do they minimize their sins, but confess that they are real, great sins, and ask for forgiveness. Then it is right that they receive what they believe, namely, forgiveness of sin. This kingdom of grace and forgiveness began with us in baptism and continues until the end. For the preaching of the gospel, baptism, absolution, and the sacrament were instituted for this purpose, that we should strengthen our faith in the forgiveness of sin more and more.
(24) Let us diligently consider these things, that we may know how to be freed from sin; that is, by no other way or means than as it is written in the third article of our Christian faith: I believe forgiveness of sin; that is so much as to say, I truly know and feel sin, tremble and quake because of sins. But how do I get rid of sin? So I get rid of it by believing that even though sin is there and I feel sin, it is not forgiveness.
Sin, because it is forgiven. But if sin is forgiven, forgiveness is not earned. For "to forgive" does not mean to reward or pay, but to give freely by grace. Therefore a righteous faith is needed to come to the forgiveness of sin. For the two must be together: knowledge of sin or humility, and faith. Just as we must truly recognize and feel sin, so we must also feel the forgiveness of sin in the Word. It cannot be seen, nor grasped, nor groped; for it is a high article of faith: but in the Word we hear and feel it, and God who speaks the Word is greater than heaven and earth. Since God says it, and the word of forgiveness of sin is God's word, heaven and earth must say yes to it, and no creature can overlook the place and space that the forgiveness of sin has.
(25) Therefore let a Christian take hold of this article, not doubting it, but believing it assuredly, always looking to the forgiveness which he has in the word. Only he does not dispute much about his sins. For when he disputes with them, he comes to pay the debt, as this servant does. Therefore, do not listen to what our heart says out of fear and unbelief, but listen to what God says, who is greater than my heart and yours. If we believe the Word, the Word will open heaven to us, and we will know that God's Word is greater, higher, deeper, longer and wider than all creatures.
(26) Now follows the story of the scoundrel servant who, after receiving grace, becomes wanton and angers the king again. This is the ungodly world that most shamefully abuses this doctrine of forgiveness of sin. Some do not recognize their sins: even though they are up to their ears in sins, they do not want to be sinners; such have no forgiveness. For where there is no sin, as I said, there is no forgiveness. Some confidently sin after forgiveness, and think that the gospel allows freedom to do to each one what he desires. But the gospel is a sermon for the afflicted hearts and frightened consciences, not for those who have lost their
2502 6.178-180. On the twenty-second Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2193-2196. 2503
The same applies to those who sin wantonly at the mercy of God.
(27) This wicked servant, when his debt is forgiven, soon forgets such great mercy and goes and seizes one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred pennies; he chokes him and tells him to pay what he owes him. The fellow servant begs and pleads; but the more this scoundrel servant is begged, the angrier and harder he becomes. This is the common course in the world. When the sin is forgiven, one soon forgets about God's forgiveness and grace, and becomes more wanton and angry than before. I think it must be so that those who become evangelicals find themselves worse after the gospel than they were before the gospel: not through the fault of the gospel, but of the people who misuse the gospel in this way.
- the way of the gospel is that those who misuse it become worse than before. Christ himself says, Matth. 12, 43-45: "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he walks through a dry place, seeking rest, but does not find it. Then he says: I will return to my house from whence I came. And when he cometh, he findeth him idle, and clean, and adorned. So he goes and takes with him seven other spirits worse than himself, and when they come in, they dwell there; and the same man is worse afterward than he was before. So shall it be with this evil generation." There it is: To whom the gospel is preached, and afterward they abuse such preaching, they become seven times more wicked than they were before; and it were better for them that they had never heard the gospel. That is why I have often said that if I could do anything by wishing, I would wish that peasants, burghers, and nobles, who now most shamefully abuse the gospel, were still under the papacy; for they are nothing but a vain hindrance, disgrace, and harm to the gospel.
29 This is also seen here in the case of this scoundrel servant. The rascal, after he has received such great mercy, goes away and becomes worse than he was before. That this is not my opinion and judgment, but rather that
but the judgment of the Lord Christ Himself, who has indicated in clear, plain words that those who become evangelicals and then misuse the gospel become worse than they were before. And the experience also shows that it is true. Unfortunately, we experience every day that people now bear greater and more severe hatred and envy under the Gospel, and are worse with stinginess, scratching and grating than before under the papacy. The cause is this, as Christ says: they have opened the door to the devil again. He has taken to himself seven spirits more wicked than himself. We who preach the gospel must suffer this, that people become more angry after the gospel than before. But it is not the fault of the gospel, but of the devil and of the people who open the door again for the devil, so that he enters and dwells there with seven evil spirits. The fellow servants are greatly distressed at this, and come and bring before their lord all that they have seen and heard in the servant of the devil. So we also suffer much from the fact that those who have the name of being evangelical behave so ludicrously and shamefully that we wish they were still under the papacy. But we do like these fellow servants: we also bring it before God and before the people that they abuse the Gospel so shamefully.
(30) What happens? The lord summons the servant before him and says: "Thou servant of the shawl, all this debt have I forgiven thee, because thou hast asked me; shouldest thou not also have mercy on thy fellow servant, as I have had mercy on thee? As if to say, How unequally remitted is this, that I have remitted ten thousand pounds to thee, and thou canst not remit a hundred pence to thy fellow servant? What can the scoundrel servant say to this? He is decided and must be silenced. So our Lord God will also soon come with pestilence, dear time, war, and afflict our false evangelicals. In fact, there is already a great complaint in all places that everything is expensive. But the world does not want it any other way, it struggles for it, abuses the Gospel in the most shameful way, therefore God must strike. It goes, as it is written in Prov. 30, v. 21-23: "A
2504 L- 6, 180-182. on the twenty-second Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2196-2198. 2505
The land is troubled by three things, and the fourth it cannot bear: a servant when he becomes king; a fool when he is too full; a hostile woman when she is married; and a maidservant when she becomes her wives' heir." So now we are also full servants, we are redeemed by the gospel from the Pabst's law and tyranny, and because of this we become wanton; therefore God must throw in and punish us.
(31) This wicked servant deals with his fellow servant as he pleases, choking him and throwing him into prison. But how is he? The Lord becomes angry and hands him over to the torturers until he pays everything he owes him. So it will also happen to us that we will fall into God's wrath and punishment, spiritually and physically. For God will cruelly punish the courage of peasants, burghers and nobles who now abuse the Gospel in this way. And God did not want the punishment to come soon, but that we could escape the evil for a while through prayer. For it cannot stand any longer; the will to courage is too great, God must control it. For otherwise no admonition, no warning, no pleading nor entreaty, no threat, and in sum, no punishment in any government, be it spiritual or secular, will help. God Himself must see, defend, control and punish.
(32) Well then, since you want it so that God Himself must finally strike, I will dare you, who so shamefully misuse the Gospel and provoke God to anger, and see how I stand with you. I have a head to lose, and no more. If I lose it, I will see where I will stay; you may also see where you will stay. For here we see that these servants are unequal. The scoundrel servant is punished, but the other servants have a merciful master. He does not deal with them in the same way as he deals with the scoundrel's servant. So it will also be unequal with you, who so abuse the gospel, and with us, who are so afflicted by you.
Therefore, one should not abuse the grace and forgiveness of God. Our Lord God has given us enough signs that we should be forgiven for our sins, namely
The preaching of the gospel, baptism, the sacrament, and the Holy Spirit into our hearts. Now it is also necessary that we give a sign of ourselves, so that we may testify that we have received forgiveness of sin. Such a sign should be that each one forgives his brother his sins. There is no comparison between God's forgiveness and our forgiveness. For what are a hundred pennies against ten thousand pounds? Nothing anywhere. Just as we do not earn by our forgiveness that God forgives us our sin, but forgiveness of sin is given to us by God out of grace: nevertheless, if our brother has sinned against us, we should forgive him; so that we may prove and make a confession of ourselves that we have received and accepted forgiveness from God.
(34) But fraternal forgiveness also requires that the brother whom I am to forgive confess his sin. For I cannot forgive sin that is not confessed. If the brother continues to harm me and gets worse day by day, I should suffer for it, but I should not absolve him, but should weigh down his conscience and say, "Brother, you have sinned against me in such and such a way; you should know that you have wronged me. If he despises and laughs, I shall suffer it; but I cannot forgive him, because he will not acknowledge sin. But if he know in his heart, and say, Brother, I have sinned against thee, I pray thee, forgive me; then shalt thou say: Dear brother, with all my heart.
(35) For the brotherly forgiveness is not such a forgiveness as is the forgiveness of the peasants, burghers, and nobles, who put on their priest all plagues; and because they know that the priest cannot do anything to them for it, they rely on it and say: Our priest must forgive us, for there is no one to punish us; so the priest is a preacher who must be patient and suffer, he must not complain to anyone; and even if he complains a lot, he is not heard. They give him what they allow him, and steal grain and barley from him,
2506 L.6, 182-184. On the twenty-third Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2198-2201. 2507
oats and whatever they want. And especially those of the nobility make their pastor a calfactor and parlor heater, a messenger runner and letter carrier, take from him his interest and income, on which he is to feed himself with wife and child: and yet they are all good evangelicals, do no sin, so that they may make a conscience of themselves, rely on the fact that the poor man, their pastor, must forgive. Yes, dear Squire, you should be forgiven if you recognize it as a sin, if you want to let it go, and not continue. But if you do not recognize it as sin and continue in it, then they should say to you, "You are doing me wrong, and you do not want to forgive me.
Therefore I cannot forgive you. If you laugh at this, I say: "Burn on your soul; and when the pestilence, the evil time, brother Veit and finally the infernal fire come, God will keep account with you, as he has kept account here with this scoundrel servant.
This is what I have recently wanted to say about this high, excellent article, namely, the forgiveness of sins, about which article we would probably have to speak for a whole year. May our dear Lord God grant us His grace, so that we may understand this article correctly, comfort ourselves with it and use it blessedly, amen.
On the twenty-third Sunday after Trinity.
First sermon.*)
Matth. 22, 13-22.
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. And he said 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.
The most important part of this gospel is that our dear Lord Jesus Christ teaches us the difference between the two regimes, which we call the divine and the temporal kingdom, of which you have often heard. The same regiments are to be diligently distinguished, and each is to be let go in its estates and offices, so that neither condemns the other; as the spirits of the wicked have done, and are doing to this day. Some have fought against God's kingdom, which is the greatest and highest.
*) Held publicly in the parish church, 1529.
and has the most adversaries. Some have set themselves against the worldly kingdom. Thus the devil has always had his servants on earth, through whom he has wanted to eradicate these two kingdoms.
(2) But God hath so ordered them, and compassed them, and built such a wall about them, that they are well kept against all devils. But the same wall is that Christ saith in this gospel, "Unto Caesar that which is Caesar's, and unto God that which is God's." This is what all men are told to remember and do. If they do it willingly and gladly, well; if they do it not willingly and
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they must do it anyway. If one gives to God what is God's, and to Caesar what is Caesar's, and does it willingly and from the heart, one has thanks; if one does not do it willingly, one must. Because the word "prayer" is attached to every kingdom, it is such a moat, wall and fortification, by which all men are forced to give.
(3) The devil would like to prevent such things, he creates so many factions and sects in the church, so that he prevents God from being given what is God's. But it does not help; the more the devil rages against the kingdom and the dear church, the stronger the church becomes, and the more Christian blood is shed. But it does not help; but the more the devil rages against God's kingdom and the dear church, the stronger the church becomes; and the more Christian blood is shed, the more martyrs are made. So it should and must go. In the worldly kingdom, it should and must also go like this: the more fiercely the devil opposes, the stronger God holds over his order; as the histories testify that he has never left any rebellion unpunished.
(4) First of all, that Christ says: "Pray to Caesar what is Caesar's": thus the temporal kingdom is confirmed and fortified. For if the temporal government were an unjust state and not ordered by God, Christ would not say, "Pray to Caesar the things that are Caesar's." For he is a preacher and teacher of truth, whose mouth cannot lie, but speaks the plain truth. But if we are to give to Caesar, we must take Caesar for a Lord. Now the emperor at that time was a pagan and knew nothing of Christ, and his government was founded on pure human reason, and was also judged and held according to reason; nevertheless, Christ says here that because he is emperor, he should be regarded as such and obeyed. If one does not, one must.
5 Christians accept this word: "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's" with joy and thanksgiving and gladly give to Caesar what is Caesar's from the heart. For they have been instructed and enlightened by God's word, so that they understand what the temporal government means. Therefore they are not ungrateful, like the Anabaptists, who despise the authorities. First of all and most of all, a Christian looks at
the word "pray", and recognizes that he should be obedient to the same word, because Christ himself spoke it. After that he sees that the holy scripture calls the worldly authority God's order, and considers what benefit the worldly government creates on earth. For as long as God preserves it, peace remains on earth, so that the wicked do not all become murderers. This peace is such a great treasure that no one can think about it or understand it except Christians. Further, a Christian looks to duty, and knows that all he has is taken from him and given to the emperor or his lord who sits in the emperor's stead. For in the act of homage, every subject pledges to follow his lord in time of need, body and soul.
(6) So also with this word, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's," is taken from the subjects, body and goods, and given to Caesar; as 1 Sam. 8 also clearly states what is the right of the king, since Samuel says to the people who demanded a king, v. 11-17: "This will be the right of the king who will rule over you. He will take your sons for his chariots and horsemen to ride before his chariots, and for captains over thousands and over fifties, and for tillers of his field, and for reapers of his harvest, and to make his armor and all that pertains to his chariot. And he will take your daughters to be apothecaries, cooks and bakers. He will take your best fields and vineyards and oil gardens and give them to his servants. He will also take tithes of your crops and vineyards and give them to his stewards and servants. And your menservants and your maidservants, and your finest young men, and your asses shall he take, and do his business with them. Of your herds he shall take tithes, and ye shall be his servants." And to the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, says the prophet Daniel Cap. 2:37, 38: "You king are a king of kings, to whom God has given from heaven kingdom, power, strength and glory, and has delivered into your hands everything where people live, the animals of the field and the birds of the air.
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and has given you authority over everything."
7 Christians know this from the Holy Scriptures, they are enlightened; and so that peace may be and remain on earth, they are satisfied with their authorities, sit in readiness, whatever the emperor commands, whether it affects body or goods, they serve him with it. In this way they earn gratitude and are held dear; as St. Paul says Rom. 13:3: "If you do not fear the authorities, do good and you will receive praise from them." This is the least of the true Christians, who recognize this word: "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's", and thus think: Because God has commanded it this way and wants it this way, so be it. These are the ones by whom the temporal government is maintained. For if the Christians did this with their prayer, there would no longer be a regiment on earth that would preserve worldly peace; so that only the Christians accept this word: "Give to Caesar," and for the sake of their obedience please God and man.
The other great crowd, the mad mob, does not do this. Even though he hears with his ears, he does not believe that worldly authority, empire, principality 2c. is from God, does not consider God's word, which teaches that worldly authority is God's order, to be truth; but regards the worldly government as a misery, compulsion and trouble on his neck. A godless man does not look at God's order, commandment and command; but thinks only that he may fill his sack and enjoy the world, God granting that Duke John of Saxony may have peace or strife.
(9) O my beloved, if our Lord God would always let good peace be in the land, and let thee dance and leap, and thou shouldest not thank him for it, nor give anything to Caesar, that would be thy heart's delight. Thou thinkest not that thy goods are the emperor's and thy prince's, but thinkest that they are thine, forgetting in addition that thou hast paid homage to thy authority, to be obedient with body and goods. This is the way of the wicked. As little as he remembers the prayer he owes for his authority, and the peace, how precious a treasure it is: so little does he remember
He also remembers the homage he paid to his authorities. Just as peasants and citizens today curse their authorities for having to pay tribute to the Turks. This is because they do not believe that God has said or commanded anything from the emperor. They think that the property they possess is theirs; yet Christ says here, "Pray to Caesar what is Caesar's." What is the emperor's? Your body and your goods, which you said and swore to him in your homage; yet you set yourself against your lord, as if you yourself were lord, and your lord had sworn to you.
(10) This is the other group of the wicked, who do not understand this word: "Pray to Caesar" 2c., 'nor consider how necessary and delicious peace in the flesh is. They are swine who think that everything is theirs. These are the largest group on earth, who would destroy the worldly regime if it were not bounded and restrained by this solid wall of divine word and command. This forces the godless mob to say: If you do not want to obey your authorities, then you must; Master Hans will teach you. If you did not want to obey your authorities, you should not have obeyed them, but should have said the opposite, namely: I will not obey them with body and soul. But now you have obeyed and sworn to be obedient, and yet you will dispute much in the journey whether you will be obedient and give the emperor what is his.
(11) So did the Jews also, as this gospel saith. They had admitted the emperor, paid homage to him and sworn to him; and now they ask Christ first of all whether they should be obedient to him. But the Lord answered them, saying, If the emperor's coin is the interest, and ye have paid homage to the emperor, and have sworn unto him, remember and give him also that which is his. So also I say, Why hast thou accepted thy lord for a lord, if thou wilt not be obedient unto him? Therefore it is said: If you have sworn to your authorities and do not want to obey them, then you must go to Master Hans or, if he is too weak, the Turk will teach you. Now you have good peace, and sit in the thought that body and goods are yours; you do not think that you have such things.
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from God and from the emperor. God preaches to you in His Word and says: "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's"; but you open your mouth and say: "I thirst for Caesar"; and you mock God. Therefore, God will send the Turk upon your neck, and he will not let your wife, child, house and property remain with you for long; as happened to the poor peasants outside Vienna the other day, when the Turk destroyed and carried away ninety thousand wives and children in two days. Then our Lord God taught the poor people that neither house nor farm, neither wife nor child is theirs, but the emperor's, through whom God exists.
(12) We Christians should not ask what such wicked people do, but should willingly and gladly give to Caesar what is his. I have nothing, I have only four or six cups. But I will gladly give them, if necessary, and this neck as well. Do what you will, and you will not break down this wall, so that Christ may fortify the emperor here. What you refuse to give to the emperor in God's name, you must give to the Turk or someone else in the devil's name.
013 Many blaspheme us, because we do thus the obedience of the authorities: but we ask nothing of their blasphemies. For he that will be a Christian, let him not think that he is here in paradise, where he will hear good things; but that he is in the midst of Sodom and Gomorrah, where there are such men as neither know nor understand, neither know nor understand, what God hath commanded. For their sake we do not preach these things; for their sake we will not leave them. Whoever does not want to follow, our Lord God will certainly bring him afterward; but we must bear their sin, and do with pleasure and love what God has commanded, and not look at their disobedience, but at God's commandment. For the sake of a pious man, God can hold all the sins of a whole country to account; just as Lot bore all the sins of the land, prayed and corrected so much through his prayer that the cities did not perish. But as soon as he went out of Sodom, in a moment they were in hell. So also, because we are here, let us pray, and do as the obedient, that
God will not impute their sin to the wicked. But if we are no longer there, they will go to hell in the name of all the devils. The rod is already bound, they will not escape it. These things I say unto them that love the gospel: but the rest are not worthy to hear a word of me, or to look upon my face.
14 Therefore it should be known that God commanded to give to Caesar that which is Caesar's. But what is the emperor's? Then ask your homage. You pay homage to your mayor and prince, and the prince in turn pays homage to the emperor with body and soul. When the meeting comes and you are addressed by your authorities, remember your homage. If you do not want to do this, go to your mayor, prince, emperor, and say: "Mr. Mayor, gracious prince, most gracious emperor, I have paid homage to you and sworn to you in the past year, but I do not want to be obedient to you; therefore I come now and recite my homage to you. Then you will hear what your mayor, your prince, your emperor will say. But if thou wilt not recite thy homage, do with pleasure and love that which thou hast promised in the homage, and beware of the great multitude of those who bar and refuse to give what they owe, for it will go out upon their own necks.
- pious Christians look to the word: "Pray to the emperor" 2c., and give to the emperor what is his. Again, pious authorities take what the subjects give: not that they alone may have honor from it, but that the subjects may have peace, sleep securely in their houses, and need the world. One should recognize such benefits and be grateful for them. God will punish those who are grateful in his own time. So teaches Christ, Matt. 21, in the parable of the vinedressers. A householder planted a vineyard, and let it out to the husbandmen, and went over the country. But the husbandmen ate the fruit of the vineyard as if the vineyard were their own; they forgot that the vineyard was given to them, that they should give its fruit in its season. In sum, they nah-
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They took the vineyard as their own. And when the father of the house demanded the fruit of his vineyard, they slew not only the servants, but also the son of the father of the house, that they might take his inheritance. "What will the Lord of the vineyard," says Christ, "do to these husbandmen? He will destroy the evil-doers, and give his vineyard to other husbandmen, who will give him the fruit in due season.
(16) Ask thyself, therefore, whether thou couldst suffer such a will of courage in thine house: if thou tarryest abroad, and commandest thy house unto thy servant, he shall swear unto thee that he will do all things for thy good; but because thou art gone, the same servant shall begin and break all that is in the house; what wilt thou do thereto? Truly thou wouldest do unto the servant as the gospel saith, that the householder shall do unto his husbandmen. Why should not our Lord God do the same? Who can blame our Lord God for sending the Turks, or the mayor with the city servants, over the necks of the unthankful and disobedient?
Our Lord God gave you the goods through the emperor, and you paid homage and swore to the emperor; and now you are beginning to revoke your homage, and are acting as if the goods were yours and not the emperor's. Therefore you need such an admonisher, who is called the Turk, who will louse you fools with pistons. So it shall be; whoever will not accept this word, "Pray to Caesar," 2c. with kindness, must accept it with unkindness. As happened to the Jews: they had admitted the emperor to be their emperor, as they themselves confess: We have no king but Caesar; yet they would not have Caesar; but they must have him. Titus came and taught them to their destruction, for he destroyed them to the ground.
- Secondly, when Christ adds, "Pray to God for what is God's," he confirms and strengthens the spiritual rule, which is called God's kingdom. There is not so much need for this kingdom to be confirmed and strengthened as there is for
the worldly kingdom; for all the world has God as its Lord, willingly or unwillingly; and this kingdom endures forever, although there are many who oppose it: but nevertheless, if this kingdom is to be rightly understood, it requires as much explanation as the first and worldly kingdom. For human reason can understand and comprehend the temporal kingdom; but this spiritual government and kingdom of God human reason cannot understand nor comprehend.
19 Therefore, this spiritual kingdom is such a kingdom, in which all people's hearts are gathered and united who trust in God. For the citizens of this kingdom have paid homage to God and sworn in baptism. Just as a citizen and subject pays homage to his authorities and swears before the bank, so all Christians pay homage and pledge in baptism that they will have Christ as their Lord and God. For what is different if we renounce the devil, all his works and all his nature before baptism, and promise to believe in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, but that we make homage and swear to believe in the one true God and in no other, and in such faith to bring forth good fruits, that we want to be patient with our hearts, gentle, helpful to our neighbor and loving him? Our Lord God also demands such devotion from us, namely, that we cling to Christ alone, hear no other word, and accept no other foreign faith than the gospel of Christ and faith in Him. And this is founded here in the word that Christ speaks, "Pray to God what is God's." What is GOD? Nothing else, but faith in God and love for one's neighbor.
(20) Against this faith many set themselves. For here it is also mixed that some give to God what is God's; some do not give to God what is God's. Just as there are few obedient subjects in the secular regime, so there are few devout, righteous Christians in the spiritual regime, even though they all bear the name and mingle in the outward company. The small group gladly gives God what is his from the heart. For pious hearts call and
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Cry out to God without ceasing that their faith may be strengthened and that they may show themselves with such fruits as faith requires. These are the righteous Christians. For God does not want our money, body and goods; but has given them to Caesar, and to us through Caesar. But the heart, which is the greatest and best in man, he has reserved for himself; the same is to be given to God, that we may believe in him.
But the greatest and most multitude in the world does not give God what is his; indeed, in the same multitude it is all the more a swarm. There are so many sects and cults that it is impossible to tell them all; the devil takes the liberty of making a new and individual faith for each one of them; as is happening today through the enthusiasts, Anabaptists and Sacramentarians, who have torn apart and taken away the holy scriptures again and again according to the Pabst. All of these are rebellious in God's kingdom. Just as those are rebellious in the secular government who think that the property is theirs and do not give to Caesar what is Caesar's: so these are rebellious in the spiritual government; they think that the spiritual good and God's word is their own, which they may direct, bend, and pervert as they please, and they may rape the Christian faith, and corrupt good works as they please; and in sum, they want to be masters over the faith and lords over all the holy scriptures; when they have made obeisance in baptism, and have sworn that they will abide by the Christian faith and by the pure, truthful word.
(22) But the pious Christians, who intend to remain in the right faith and pure doctrine, pray, bear, suffer, and must also bear the sin, and avert God's wrath, so that he does not throw them in from the beginning, until God finally takes them away from this earth, and sets fire to the chaff and burns it with fire, when he has first threshed out the wheat and gathered it into his chaff. If the wicked, with love and lust, do not want to give to God what is his, they must suffer punishment for it. And so God keeps His word and faith, no matter how much the mobs resist,
that he sweeps his threshing floor and burns the chaff. Christians and God-fearers remember such vengeance and punishment, pray for it, and withhold God's wrath as long as they can. For a righteous Christian must be a plumb line on earth; and for the sake of such people the word remains pure and clean. For the sake of others, it does not remain for a few hours; indeed, they do God and his word, as I said, all mischievousness, and help it to perish only soon.
Therefore, it is the Christians alone who maintain these two kingdoms, God's and the emperor's, on earth through their prayers. If they were not praying for these two kingdoms, it would be impossible for them to remain standing for a few hours. In sum, it is the Christians for whose sake God spares the whole world. For he thinks thus: My Christians give to me what is mine, and give to Caesar what is Caesar's; therefore they must also have peace, which I must create and give them. If then God gives peace to the Christians, the same peace also passes over the ungrateful, who enjoy the pious Christians.
(24) Now that the fruits grow and peace is on earth, this does not happen for the sake of the ungodly crowd, but for the sake of the pious Christians. It is true that the ungodly often have more peace than the Christians, for God is a rich, gentle Lord who scatters His goods throughout the world, even among the ungodly; as Christ Himself says, Matth. 5, 45: "The Father in heaven makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. But all this is done for the sake of the pious and thankful, even though the wicked and unthankful also enjoy it, until at last the pious are all gone and the chaff is set on fire and burned. So it happened in Jerusalem: when the apostles and devout Christians were gone, grain, wine, bread and meat went away with them, and pestilence, famine and sword came among the ungodly multitude of the Jews, so that they choked and devoured one another. For there was chaff, and the wheat was gone. So it will finally be the same for you. As long as you devout Christians
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you will have peace and abundance of all goods. But when we leave this world, we will take with us all that you have, grain, body and goods, and you will not be able to keep it, just as the Jews could not keep it.
(25) Therefore, let each one remember this difference between the two kingdoms, the kingdom of God and the emperor's kingdom. When he hears the word: "Pray to God what is God's," he should remember the homage and the oath he made to God in baptism, and beware of strange, false faith, and pay attention to God's word, so that he will not be deceived or seduced. When he hears the word: "Pray to Caesar what is Caesar's," he should remember the town hall and the castle, and remember the homage and the oath he has given to his prince and mayor. So that one gives to everyone what one owes; as St. Paul also teaches, Rom. 13, 6. 7. Whoever does this with pleasure and love, God will give him back abundantly, and he will have praise and honor from his authorities. Whoever does not do this will have to hear that someone
Come and say: Give it to me in a thousand devils' names!
26 Solomon, Ecclesiastes 3:1, says: "To every activity there is a season. Hitherto it has been a time of peace; now it is a time of strife. Hitherto it has been a time for laughing and dancing; now it is a time for weeping and lamenting. If God has given us so long a gracious, pleasant time, and a day of salvation, when we might well have heard and learned God's word: so may we now also endure and bear the time of His wrath and fury. If you have gathered until now, you may now also scatter. If you have mocked God and the emperor so far, you may now weep for it in prison. If thou hast bragged and flaunted before in time of peace, now gird thy sword at thy side and go against the Turk. Therefore I ask that you give to God what is God's, and to Caesar what is Caesar's; and do this not for my sake, but for the sake of Him who commanded it. If it is done with thanksgiving, it is well; but if it is not done with thanksgiving, it must be done with ingratitude, and not only with shame and dishonor, but also with loss of body, goods and soul.
On the twenty-third Sunday after Trinity.
Second sermon.*)
The first part of this gospel is that the evangelist says that the Pharisees and hypocrites gathered together and held a council, how they caught Jesus in his speech. This is a comforting image against the persecution we encounter from the wicked people of the earth, who act against us with all their power. If they cannot suppress the gospel with their fist and with violence, they oppose it with evil wiles and poisonous practices. These are especially annoying people.
*) Held publicly in the parish church, 1530.
(2) But it is a peculiar thing that they can speak such good words; how these hypocrites creep in softly and come to the Lord with smooth words, "Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God aright. They pose as if they were his dear disciples, as if to say, "What you preach and teach is right, and it is sin and shame that people do not accept your teaching. With such praise they want to go to him, and think that he should catch his breath. For Christ himself shows how they mean it, when he says, "Ye hypocrites, why tempt ye me?" They
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give good words, but they mean it as the desperate villains. But how cleverly they attack it and how poisonously they mean it, they become fools at it, with all their hypocrisy, wisdom and poison.
(3) Thus Christians at all times have a hostile, vexatious quarrel with such false saints and poisonous hypocrites. David felt them well, and complained vehemently about them, as many psalms testify. The apostle Paul also has much to do with such and calls them false brothers. We also have enough of such hypocrites, who join us and act as if they were on our side, learning to imitate our ways, so that they will despise us all the more afterwards.
(4) Against such wicked, poisonous men we have this comfort, that our doctrine is so skillful that it does not inquire how wicked and deceitful the devil and the world are; but goes freely through, and looks every man in the eye, and turns not to violence and deceit. For what these hypocrites gain in Christ, this gospel testifies. What our adversaries gain in us, they may grease their shoes with. Whoever wants to harm us, let him see in the end whom he has harmed the most. In short, we want to be undeceived and unprejudiced. If, however, we are deceived or overrepresented, the one who attacks us shall be punished. At the Diet of Augsburg, the devil was finely twisted on all sides, but what did he accomplish? Nothing else, except that our adversaries get greater shame from it, and the truth still remains.
5 Therefore the gospel is a fine doctrine, which wants to be unconcealed. In bodily things it may happen that one deceives another. But with the gospel it is so: he who wants to harm it harms himself most of all. If they take away my skirt, my life, my goods, and hinder me here and there, what then? If I keep Christ, I will see what can be taken from me. Our dear Lord Jesus Christ is not deceived by the world, for he is too mighty and too wise, and cannot be deceived. Because he was made for us by God, as St. Paul says,
1 Cor. 1:30, "for wisdom, and for righteousness, and for sanctification, and for redemption"; so it is foolishness and folly when the world sets itself against Christ and his gospel, and against those who love the gospel. Although a Christian is deceived in worldly matters about house and estate (as the godless princes and tyrants are doing now, who chase away their subjects for the sake of the gospel), he remains undeceived. Our wanton peasants also deceive us now, steal everything that is to be had from them, and laugh at us for it; but what do they accomplish with it? Nothing, except that we laugh at them again. And we have greater and better advantage in laughing at them than they have in laughing at us. They laugh at us because they deprive us of our money, rightly and wrongly, with their precious goods; but we laugh at them because they are rewarded with hellish fire. What a fine profit is that!
6 A Christian has the advantage that he cannot be deceived by his teaching, for his teaching is divine wisdom. The Holy Spirit also helps him and reminds him what he should speak and do; as Christ says, Matt. 10:19, 20: "When they deliver you up, be not anxious how or what you shall speak: for it shall be given you in that hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but your Father's Spirit which speaketh by you." Therefore a Christian cannot be deceived; even if an elect person (where it is possible, as Christ says Matth. 24, 24.) is deceived into error, he still comes up again.
(7) This is the strong consolation of a Christian, that he may think, Well, if I lose the temporal, I am sure that the eternal must remain with me; for my Lord Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father. Because he is seated there, I will see who will bring him down. Through him I have eternal righteousness, peace and life. Though on earth I have shame, disgrace, strife and persecution, yet my conscience is free and my heart is glad. Such treasure is far above all crowns, glory and riches on earth. But the wicked
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Peasants, bourgeois, nobility, princes, who now dare to deceive the Christians, must have an evil conscience and will hear in due time what they do not like to hear, namely: "Go into the hellish fire"; if you did not want eternal life, now you have eternal death instead.
(8) This shows that neither cunning nor deceit, nor violence nor power, can do anything against Christ and his gospel. These hypocrites attack it very wisely; they would gladly put a mist and a whisper before the eyes of the Lord, that he should not see that they are knaves and husks; but should go forth, and out of imprudence say something, that they might catch him. "Tell us," they say, "is it right to give interest to the emperor or not?" So their plot is that they think: Let us catch him. He must either say yes or no. How, then, if he answers nothing and remains silent? Then, they think, we want to put a stake in him, so that he must answer: call him master, so that they remind him of his office, his duty and guilt, so that he does not leave them without an answer. As if they wanted to say: You are a master, and you offer yourself to teach everyone and give an answer; therefore you must not leave us without an answer, neither keep silent nor reject us.
9 Where should poor Jesus go? Here he is imprisoned, they think. If he says no, Herod's servants are there, and they will say, If you teach that interest should not be paid to Caesar, you are a rebel; and they will throw him into prison. But if he says yes, then we will first come to him. For then he has gone against the whole law of Mosiah, is a heretic and a persecutor of all the Jewish people, because he approves and confirms a foreign king who is not born of the Jewish tribe and blood. If he says that interest should be paid to Caesar, the Jews accept him; but if he says that interest should not be paid to Caesar, the Gentiles accept him; then we are rid of him.
(10) Behold, what excellent high wisdom is in these people! They are certain that they cannot fail and that no one will fail them.
may their wisdom overcome. But let them be wise, clever and cunning, let them lie and deceive, it will not help them. It is true, human reason might well be misled here and consider whether one should say yes or no; especially if it should see such great dangers as Christ is threatened with here: if he says yes, he will be caught by the Jews; if he says no, he will be caught by the Gentiles. Just as happens to us today, when things are often so twisted that one does not know what to say or what to advise. But Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom, Col. 2:3, and his gospel, which is the hidden wisdom of God, 1 Cor. 2:7, thus counsels in this matter: "Instruct me in the coin of interest," he says. And when they presented him with a penny, he asked them: What is the image and the superscription? Then they could not keep silent. For just as they called him to answer, so now he calls them to answer again. Should they now remain silent, he would have said: If you will not answer my question, neither will I answer your question. Therefore they answer and say, "The emperor's." Then he tightens the noose over them and says, "Thanks be to you, dear Lord. You ask me whether one may give interest to the emperor? There you have the answer. You yourselves confess with your mouths that you have already done it. I ask you myself. What manner of men are ye, that ye do a thing, and afterwards, when ye have done it, ask first whether it be right? If you have accepted the emperor as your lord and are under the emperor's rule, give him what you owe him. If this is the emperor's stamp and image, as you confess, then you are the emperor's subjects. If you are the emperor's subjects and have already given the emperor what is his, I will not take it from him.
(11) Thus the Lord drives the Pharisees' question into their own bosom. And this is prescribed for our consolation, so that we may know that it is the same for all who oppose Christ and his gospel; and that God may give us such an answer through his Holy Spirit that our opponents will be able to resist.
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The truth is that the pope and his followers are not the only ones who are against the truth. As we learn by experience, this is the case not only with the pope and his followers, but also with all those who oppose the truth. All our adversaries carry the Scriptures against us by the point, so that they can be taken from them and struck on the head with them, and so their own sword can pierce them through the hand and belly. Again, it is impossible for them to speak against us with truth, for the Holy Spirit is too wise for them and too certain of his cause, and knows very well that they, on the other hand, are uncertain of their cause. Therefore he strikes the sword from their fist and leads it against them. This is what we have seen in all the books of the fanatics, Anabaptists and Sacramentans, that their arguments are of this kind, and when they are turned around, they are the strongest against them. And where they have one against us, we have a hundred against them. Where they deceive us with one word, we have a hundred against them. Therefore Solomon speaks rightly, Prov. 21, 30: "No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel helps against the Lord."
(12) Since our doctrine is the word and teaching of God, I advise you to be unsworn by it, or you will catch cream. But the world cannot leave it alone; it must challenge the gospel and the Christians. For it thinks, "Oh, these are poor, simple-minded people; they are easily deceived and destroyed. But how easy it is, we see here in Christ with this question of the Pharisees.
(13) This is the first part of this gospel, that an example is set before us for our consolation, that we should not be dismayed when the enemies of the gospel assail us with violence or guile. For though they be yet one wise and mighty, yet are we far superior to them in wisdom and understanding. Even if we have to leave our heads and lives above them, it should not and cannot harm us.
14 The other and most distinguished piece in this Gospel is the saying: "Pray to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." With this, God's kingdom and the emperor's kingdom are distinguished, and it is indicated how
one should hold oneself against God and the emperor. But why does he not say first: "Pray to God what is God's"? but turns it around and says first: "Pray to Caesar what is Caesar's"? Answer: The Pharisee's question was, whether it was right to give interest to Caesar or not? Therefore the Lord answers first the question they asked him, namely, that they should give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's. For the coin, the image, and the superscription were emperor's. Because the property is the emperor's, he tells them to give to the emperor what is his, and reminds them that they should not forget to give to God what is His.
This is a clear distinction and fine teaching on how to behave against God and the emperor. But the world is so evil that it turns everything around. Today, no one wants to be obedient to the authorities anymore. Again, where there are some pious Christians who want to be obedient, the authorities are not satisfied with what they have, but also presume on what is God's, need their power against Christ and his gospel, and want to have and rule the kingdom of God and Christ. Thus do the great lords, princes and rulers of this world, when they hear that one should be obedient to the authorities, that one should suffer injustice from them; they have soon learned this, and thus need the dear Gospel, which teaches that one should be obedient to the authorities, against God.
So now the dear Emperor Carolus is surrounded by so many devils, evil clergymen, godless bishops and princes, who drive him to command what is not his due, namely, that one should not give to God what is God's. The authorities are ordered and confirmed by God to rule over body and goods; so they go on and want to command what they do not have the power to command. The authorities are ordained and confirmed by God to rule over body and goods; so they go ahead and want to command what they do not have the power to command, namely, that one should be obedient to the pope. How would the emperor come to govern my faith? He is a mortal man who is to rule over temporal goods; how is it then that he wants to rule higher than this temporal life goes? Now it is not this earthly, temporal life when I believe in Christ; but it is another life.
2526 6- M3-205. on the twenty-third Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 2225-2228. 2527
Life, above and apart from life, which is subject to the emperor. Nevertheless, the emperor also wants to be master over the same life, which is not subject to him, and to command me there. If he were master over it and died, who would then rule the eternal heavenly life?
(17) Therefore, if the emperor and the princes will command me, saying, Thus and thus shalt thou believe, I say, Far too high, dear emperor and princes. They say, Yea, thou must obey us, for we are thy authorities; I answer, Yea, ye are lords over this temporal life, but not over eternal life. They say further: Yes, peace and unity must be maintained, therefore you must believe as the emperor and the princes believe. What do I hear? So the Turk could also say: You hear, Roman emperor, you hear, princes, you should believe as we Turks believe, so that there may be peace and unity. For if this is true of one, it is also true of the other. If the Roman emperor has authority and power to command that people believe what he wants, the Turkish emperor also has such authority and power, and every nobleman in the village has the power to force his subjects to believe as he wishes, and likewise every householder in the house. In this way, as many and as varied faiths would arise as there are many and as varied heads on earth. Therefore our adversaries are mad and foolish to abuse their power in this way. They have their power from us and from our Gospel; and now they go to, and will not suffer God to be given what is God's. Is this the thanks they give to God for His holy gospel, through which they have come to glory?
18 Therefore Christ does here thus: when he confirms and gives his authority to the emperor, he puts a stake to it and says: "Pray to the emperor what is the emperor's". He does not say, "Pray to Caesar what is God's. Therefore one should not give everything to the emperor, but only what is his. What then is the emperor's? The emperor's is that to which he has right and power. This is to be given to him from the heart; nothing more is to be given to Caesar than what is his. Now it is well known that the Christian faith, baptism, and the sacrament of the
crament or supper of the Lord, the gospel, the Lord Christ at the right hand of God, eternal life, is not the emperor's, so that the emperor may do with it as he pleases. Therefore, if the emperor and the authorities want to command here, I should say: No, dear emperor, dear prince, dear nobleman, dear lord, dear wife, I cannot and will not do this; for Christ has commanded me to give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and not to give to him what is God's.
(19) I shall give body and goods to Caesar; but if Caesar is not satisfied with them, but also demands the soul, I shall say, 'Dear Caesar, it is not your place to demand such things; put out your letter and seal, and prove that such things are subject to you. If then the emperor considers this disobedience, I must suffer it. But in truth it is neither insurrection nor disobedience if I do not obey the emperor in this, for which he has neither power nor right. For the emperor has just sworn and promised allegiance to the God and Lord to whom I have sworn; how is it then that he now wants to be lord over the same God, over his gospel, sacrament, baptism 2c., and command as he pleases? But it does not help, they are hardened and obdurate, and do not listen. But one day they will feel what they will encounter.
(20) Yes, you say, the emperor cannot do otherwise; he swore to the pope at Rome, when he was crowned by him, that he would restore everything to its former state and to its former nature; he must keep this promise. Answer: The pope's own lawyers and the imperial laws say that nothing can be said or pledged against the first commandment. If I vowed to the pope this day that I would restore his idolatry and abominations, and had sworn immediately in clear words, such a vow would have to be understood thus: Christ and his gospel without harm. For we also owe something to God, as this text teaches: "Pray to God what is God's." I cannot promise or pledge anything to anyone against my baptism and faith, but the thing is always there: if,
2528 L.6, 205-207. On the twenty-third Sunday after Trinity. W. XIII, 2228-2230. 2529
that it is not against God and Christ. If it is against God and against Christ, it is not binding. Therefore, all vows and oaths made to the pope are nothing without this understanding, and without this understanding that it is not against God. Those who insist so hard on vows and oaths are mad, foolish and blind, that they do not see how to understand such vows and oaths.
021 Therefore let us well learn these things, when they speak: That which is spoken shall be kept; then take thou this saying of Christ before thee, Pray to GOD what is GOD's, and say against it: Did you not swear in baptism that you would believe in God, serve Him, accept His gospel? This you shall keep above all things; for this vow shall precede. What is the emperor or the pope against God? For this reason, they tell vain lies when they say, "The emperor has sworn to the pope, and he is obliged to keep it. Just as if only what one has sworn to the pope should be valid; but what one has sworn to Christ in baptism, namely, that one wants to stay with his gospel and keep the vest shirt clean, that should not be valid.
(22) Yes, one should not deal with such thoughts in the Diet, how one keeps what one has sworn to God, but only how one keeps what one has sworn to the Pope. Therefore I see that the harvest is near, of which Christ says, John 4:35: "The grain is in the field, and is already white for harvest." I do not know what to think of those who drive the emperor there. What is it that God will suffer, that they want to set the emperor higher than he should sit, namely, in Christ's chair, that he should force the people to believe what he prescribes. Let them make war; but he that will be a Christian, let him say thus, I will not fight against God, neither will I be in the army, where they rob God of what is God's; but will be obedient, and serve, where Caesar hath that which is Caesar's, and where God hath that which is God's. If Caesar will not take from you what is his and leave to God what is God's, one will come and teach him; he will not be persuaded.
He does not want to let go of what is his for the sake of the pope. He does not want to do without what is his any more than the emperor does; as the other Psalm says, v. 9: "You shall smash them with a scepter of iron; you shall break them like pots. If the worldly kings will not pay homage to Christ and serve him, he will smash them so that the pieces will jump.
(23) If our adversaries do not understand this doctrine of the difference between the two kingdoms, God's and Caesar's, let us understand it. What is temporal and transitory, one should be obedient to Caesar; but what concerns eternal life, one cannot and should not be obedient to Caesar. For God has not given to Caesar authority and power over the eternal, heavenly life that we have in Christ. We do not want to be a part of taking from God what is God's and giving it to the emperor. But the worldly lords do not believe that God is angry about it; therefore the iron scepter must come over them and teach them what they do not want to believe. As it has always been, those who have opposed the gospel have been crushed and shattered. The Roman emperor in the apostles' time was as proud and powerful as our adversaries may be. But where is he now? The Jews also relied on their holiness, power and authority; but they have been crushed, so that it is not really known where Jerusalem stood. Therefore our adversaries will not escape from our Lord God, for they do it too roughly. Perhaps we will have to perish with them; but God can save Lot from the midst of Sodom, and before He would leave His Christians, He would build an ark. He can still preserve the art, his own and destroy the whole world.
(24) Therefore our dear Lord Christ adds this part: "Pray to God for what is God's," for the sake of the tyrants who ride over God and want to take from Him what is His. God has ordained for them their portion and their rule; they should keep it in mind and not take it any further. But they do not. Again, the subjects want to be free of all things and not give anything to anyone; as one can
2530 2.6, 207-209. on the twenty-third Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 2230-2233. 2531
now sees that they make the freedom of the gospel a freedom of the flesh, and do what they desire. That both, sovereigns and subjects, leave their office in order. Secular authorities, emperors, princes and lords would have enough to do that a fine regime would be established in Germany; so they go and command, as one should believe. The office that is due to me as a Doctor of Holy Scripture and to the bishops and parish priests, that is what the emperor wants to do; but the bishops want to be secular lords, and so each one does what he desires.
25 In the lowest classes, too, things are like this. Peasants and burghers buy and sell as they please, increase everything that must be had from them, and their will is vain. If the peasant has to pay his lord, priest 2c. If the peasant is to give interest to his prince or priest, he could give nothing but chaff, especially to the priest, he would do so. So everyone lives as if he were emperor himself. There is no longer any right, but only willfulness. If the farmer brings grain, barley, etc. to the market, he sets it as he wants, and asks for no one. And in sum, everyone goes there and knows what is the emperor's, and leaves the emperor in the lurch. They hear what the emperor's right and order is, how one should keep it with obedience, with giving interest and with other things; but they do not ask anything about it, do what they want, and still do not make a conscience about it. Just as the emperor, the princes and the nobility, even if they fall into Christ's rule and want to rule over the church and the faith, do not make a conscience about it, so do these also; even if they act against the emperor's commandment, they still do not ask anything about it, but laugh in their fists; they do not think, "What am I doing? Is it also right? What if the emperor finds out and throws me into prison? No, but think like this: I, Hans, Kunz, peasant, am emperor myself, therefore I need my courage. So neither authorities nor subjects are any good anymore, and all the world is of no use.
(26) This gospel makes a subtle distinction, and teaches that with
The world, as I said before, mixes it up. But, as I said, the world mixes it up. Worldly authorities do with the spiritual regiment, which belongs to God, as they please; and the subjects do with the worldly regiment, which belongs to the emperor, as they please. Therefore, neither God's kingdom nor the emperor's kingdom will remain in the world. One will come who will avenge God and the emperor and punish both the authorities and the subjects.
(27) Things are now so shameful and miserable everywhere that I do not like to preach any more; for both authorities and subjects are only getting angrier day by day at the great light of the gospel. Our bishops and princes, the more they heard our confession of truth at the Diet of Augsburg, the more they raged and raved against the gospel and the truth. Peasants, burghers, servants, maidservants hear that they should give to the emperor what is the emperor's; but they do not sin from their sack, they do not look at the emperor as if they owed nothing to the emperor. No one thinks: This field that I own is not mine, but the emperor's; he has given it to me, that I should serve him with it, not that I should handle it as I please; but everyone thinks thus: I have to give interest to my authority, my priest; I will do with it as I please: I will give him a handful of chaff for it; and they do so honestly, just as if they were emperors themselves. But if both the authorities and the subjects go out like this, then this man is said to have lied, who says here: "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
(28) I have often pleaded and begged that this distinction be kept and that each one do his duty, and I have also warned of God's wrath and punishment. But it does not help everywhere. Peasants, citizens, nobility, princes, emperors want to know. Well then, I have done my part and can do no more, and I hope that our dear Lord God will take us away beforehand, so that we may be able to overcome the unjustness.
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They do not see the happiness that they feel and want to experience. Our Lord God has well distinguished the two kingdoms, so that He may keep His own, and yet the emperor may also have his modest share; and He wants to keep this distinction. In short, he will not suffer the emperor to arrogate to himself that which is God's, or anyone to rob the emperor of what is his. If the emperor is as powerful as he wants, God will teach him that he is God and Lord in heaven over all, even over the emperor; if the peasants, citizens, and nobility are as proud and wanton as they want, God will teach them that the emperor is their lord and they are under the emperor.
(29) Let every man know, therefore, that he owes his soul to God in the first place. Therefore, he shall diligently learn God's word, and in firm trust and faith commit his salvation to God, prove his faith, keep his children and servants faithful in God's word.
teach 2c. After that, that he owes his body and goods to the emperor. Therefore, whoever has goods, let him think that they are not his but the emperor's. For the emperor gives the fief to the prince, the prince to the nobility, the nobility or even the prince himself gives you this and that field. Therefore no one should say, "This property is mine; I may use it as I please. For whoever does this uses the property with sin in disobedience, and is a thief; and such sin will call to heaven. This is what we are to learn from today's gospel, namely, that we have two masters, God and the emperor: the emperor for this temporal life, and God for eternal life; so that we may give to each master what is his. I have said it in German enough, and can do nothing more about it, except that I have said it. We want to call upon the dear God for His mercy.
On the twenty-third Sunday after Trinity.
Third sermon.*)
I. The cause of today's Gospel comes from the fact that the Jews had such a promise in the Law Mast: If they served God and obeyed Him, they would be their own kingdom, have a king from among their people, and not be subject to any foreign king. They held fast to this promise and hoped forever that there would be no trouble for them. When the Romans came and became powerful (although it was a conquest that cost the Romans a lot of blood), the Jews were very distressed and caused a lot of misery and distress in the country, hoping that they would get rid of them again. But they were beaten, and so humiliated that they were not allowed to sit down against the Romans.
*) Held in the heap, 1533.
(2) In such a promise, as is the way of all men, the Jews had kept it well, and had well perceived that they should have a kingdom of their own; but that it said that they should serve God, be obedient to him, and keep his commandments, they soon forgot that, would not touch it with a finger, and yet wanted to have it. The kingdom, they said, is ours, it is promised to us, therefore we want to be free and have our own king from among our people. As if a wicked maid said to her wife, "You promised me so much wages, so you should give me so much, and I will do as I please. No, that is not true; but it is said, If thou wilt have wages of me, thou must work and do what I bid thee. So it was with the Jews also: they were disobedient and stiff-necked, and asked
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nothing according to God's commandments, and yet wanted to be free.
003 Therefore there was a great question among them, whether they should be under the authority of the Roman emperor, who was a heathen, and give him interest? because they had such a clear promise, that they should have their own king. Therefore they went about putting Christ in a clamp and took Herod's servants with them and asked him whether it was right to give interest to the emperor or not. If he says yes or no, they think, he cannot escape them. If he says yes, he will stir up all the people against him, and they will call him a blasphemer and a liar, who teaches against God and against Moses. For there was a promise: they were to be a free people and not serve any foreign or pagan lord. But if he says no, then he has forfeited his neck; for the Romans could not stand such things. They wanted to put him in this trap: if he said yes or no, he would be caught and killed. Where does the silly man want to escape here and stay alive? It is especially scarp (sharp) that they come to him with this poisonous question.
004 And what shall happen? how shall it come to pass? 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 presented the coin to him at his request, he asked, "What is the image and the inscription? He is even more simple-minded about the matter than they are. They answer: It is the emperor's. Well, my dear," he says, "is it the emperor's? is that what you say? Yes, we say so. Well, if you have the emperor's goods and coin, give him what is his. For since they had confessed that they needed the emperor's coin, that was already as much a confession as if they had accepted the emperor as their lord; therefore conclude from their own words, and say, If the emperor is your lord, as you yourselves confess, I will not take him from you, neither will I deny to the emperor what is his.
5 This is the cause of today's gospel, and is quite a masterpiece. The Pharisees want to betray and sell the Lord Jesus, and yet what they intended to do to him is beyond them. 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 if one murders himself with his sword.
(6) From this history we should notice two things. The first is that we should learn from the examples of the Jews here to recognize our naughtiness; for all of us, no one excepted, are of such a mind that we like to complain when we feel what is hurting us. It also seems to us that we are being wronged. And it is true that we are often wronged by people, that we do not deserve it for them, that they act so unfaithfully toward us. So we go, unable to see anything but our right and the wrong of our adversaries, crying out and complaining, just as the Jews did 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 reckon against the people, that they overcame the Jews and made them subservient to them. 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, and they made themselves believe 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 do thee wrong, yet thou shalt not reckon it, but look to it, and think, How if I have sinned so greatly before our Lord GOD, that I should long since have deserved that he should have taken from me not only my right, but also life and limb?
(7) The Jews felt very bad that they should be subject to a pagan emperor; they thought: We are God's people, the Gentiles know nothing of God and live in idolatry and shame. How then do we come to serve them and let them be our lords? The kingdom of God is promised and given to us; it is wrong for the Romans to take it from us. But what God-fearing, pious people there were, they lifted up their hands to God and asked for
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Grace; but they did not insist on justice, because they knew that they deserved it. Cause, the teaching and preaching that went public was no good (as we see in the Gospel); so the regiment was also of no use. Avarice, usury, fornication, pride, lust and other sins went with heaps. What should our Lord God do to them? Should he protect them, since they asked nothing of him and his word? Should he keep them by their rights, since they did not want to 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 also did not promise them the kingdom of the flesh as if it would always remain so; rather, God 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 things go, asked nothing of God's commandments, and still wanted to have their rule unchallenged, God granting that they were pious or not pious. Just like a servant who wants his wages, he deserves them or not. Yes, that should be ordered! So it is said: Do what you should, and you will get what is due to you. If a peasant does not want to be pious and obedient, nor does he want to give 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 lord of the manor.
(8) Therefore, we should learn to temper our complaint and make the same calculation, not only to see what right we have against others, but what right 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 ever deserved it for this person. But I must also look behind me and above me to see how I am doing with God. There I find a large score and a long register that shows me to be ten times worse, and I have sinned ten times, yes, a thousand times more against God than my neighbor has sinned against me. Therefore it behooves me to put the crook in the bend.
and say: O Lord, forgive, I will also forgive.
(9) For it would be wrong for us to stand so stiffly on our rights, since we have done so much wrong against God. True is he who can maintain his right by proper ways and means, so that he 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 and speak: 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 will not do as the Jews did. They set an evil example with their life and nature, and thought that they wanted to preserve their right, and that our Lord God should not have his right with them. Just as if the wicked peasants wanted to have protection from their authorities, and yet wanted to be free of interest and not give anything 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.
The poor priests do not have such an opinion. They have no power to force those who do not want to give them what they owe. That is why such wicked citizens and peasants let themselves think that they have a good right, if they give 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 looks on and 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. Then it is said, if it goes like this: Dear citizen, dear farmer, do not complain that injustice is done to you. You let yourself think that you are being wronged. But before God it is very right for you, you have earned this, yes, much trouble for him long ago. Therefore, do not complain that you are wronged, but complain about your sin and unrepentant life,
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about your avarice, pride, security, contempt of God's word and the like, for such sins make your right all wrong.
(11) So the Lord also wants to remind the Jews here, because they lost their right and were conquered by the Romans, that they should not cry about it, but think behind themselves of the old notched wood, and remember that they did not give God what they owed him; they should therefore make do. But the Jews would not do it, they wanted to have their kingdom back by right. Then our Lord God said no to them; the emperor of Rome shall be good for me, and he shall force you, if you will not gladly give yourselves under the punishment you deserve, to do so. For the kingdom was not promised to the Jews in any other way than that they should be pious in it; otherwise they would lose the kingdom and the law one by one.
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 great victories 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 gospel? Why don't we, who have the gospel, mend our ways and live as Christians should? This is the one piece we are supposed 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 world kingdom here, but confirms it with house, court, food, marital status, principality, peasants, citizens, nobles, and all the estates that an emperor may have.
must have. For Christ's saying, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's," is as much speech as if he said, "If you are a citizen, a peasant, a nobleman, a prince, a man, a woman, a servant, a maid, keep it that way and do not destroy Caesar's kingdom. You servant serve your lord, you child follow your father and your mother. I will not break up 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 do something new, as the monks did. They thought that if they remained in worldly office and status, they could not be saved. No, says Christ, this 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 the emperor; God will not prevent you from doing so.
(15) After this, you shall also give to God what is God's. For God has His special obedience, namely, that you believe in Jesus Christ, hear the gospel and accept it, and keep the fear of God and His commandments, be merciful, kind and patient. This you shall offer to God, and he will be satisfied with it. As much as concerns the body, the goods, your status and profession, give it to the emperor; but as much as concerns the soul, the faith, your Christianity, give it to God. Thus, God and the emperor can remain finely with 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. This is too high for you children to preach at home; it belongs to the church and to the scholars. Therefore, we want to leave it there.
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On the twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity.
First sermon.*)
On Sundays, one should hear God's word, as God commanded in the third commandment, saying, "You shall keep the holiday holy," that is, honor it so that it becomes holy. Such
But this happens when one hears God's word and learns how to believe and trust in God. Thus writes St. Marcus Cap. 5:
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 the 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 bled twelve years, and had suffered many things of many physicians, and had consumed all her substance, and was not helped, but rather was made worse. 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? 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 that were very much afraid and howling. And he went in, and said unto them: Why do ye tumult and weep? The child did not die, 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, damsel, I say unto thee, arise. And immediately the maiden arose and walked; and she was twelve years old. And they were amazed. And he forbade them sternly, that no man should know it, and told them to give her to eat.
This history teaches us that our Lord Jesus Christ is a helper and savior from the highest and greatest need, namely, from death. We see that all men must die, from the first man Adam to the last, from the beginning of the world to the end. One drowns in the water, the other perishes in the fire, this one dies of pestilence, that one of fever; and those who are alive now, have
*) Held in the heap, 1532.
Nothing more certain to await than death. Now the question is, how do you get rid of death, or if you have to die, how do you learn the art so that you come back to life? Christ teaches us the same art here in this gospel. He does not teach how to get rich, but how to be saved from death.
(2) Now it is a shameful plague that all the world sees that they must die, and yet they die.
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not only despise these teachings, but also despise the Lord Himself, who saves from death. This is not human blindness, but devilish wickedness, that both young and old know that they must die, and yet they go along in such certainty that they throw to the winds and despise him who says he will save us from death. In other lesser distresses and lesser harm, everyone seeks help. If one has only a bad thigh, he seeks a barber and a physician, and gives money enough that he may be helped. If one has no food, he runs over water and land, in rain and wind, through fire and driving, so that he may fill his belly. And so in every affliction and want, one runs and runs, that he may be rid of the affliction. But in this affliction every man is safe; though this is a greater affliction and higher affliction than all others, because we must die not only here bodily and temporally, but also eternally, if we are not helped.
3 Our dear Lord Christ, the true physician and faithful helper, comes and says: "Listen, dear man, to what I want to do to you; you are in death and cannot escape it. Since no one can help you, I will help you, and not only save you from death, but also give you eternal life; only hold fast to me and believe my word, and you will be safe from death: as I live, so shall you live. But such preaching is to be preached only to those who have need of it, and who know and feel that they must die. The others, who do not feel death, go safely away and throw it to the winds; as peasants, burghers, and nobles do today, and do not esteem a straw so small as this sermon, in which we learn how to escape death and come to eternal life.
This is a terrible, terrible thing, that one should so despise the Lord, who can and wants to help from death, and that one should be so disgusted to hear God's word, as if it were still a great burden. When an experienced and proven physician speaks to a sick person who has the pesti
The sick man answered, "Take yourself away from me; I do not like your medicine; I would rather die than take your medicine." Everyone would consider such a sick person insane and say, "Die in the name of the devil, because you are rejecting such a physician. So one would also say here: If you would rather see death than our Lord God, who wants to help you, then go and have the hellish fire for it. Now the wicked, crude people do this. Death comes and takes away one today and another tomorrow; they see this before their eyes, yet they do not turn to it, they are not afraid. Even though they know that they must die, they do not even think about how they can prepare themselves against death and escape it.
But as for Christians who desire comfort and help and intend to live forever, here is a picture for them to learn what kind of man Christ is and what they should think of him, namely, that he is such a helper who deals with the dead and wants to and can help in the last and greatest need. When all things cease, all friends leave, and the whole world cannot help, there is still one helper, Jesus Christ, who can come face to face with death and deliver us from its power.
You can hear this here in his words, and it is evident in his actions. He says that the girl is not dead, but asleep, and takes her by the hand and raises her up. As if he wanted to say, "Before you the girl is dead, but before me she is not dead, but asleep. Therefore, if you want to know me, know that I have the power of death, and that the dead are not dead before me, but sleep. And this, as it is said, he proves by deed. It is impossible for the whole world to awaken a dead person, but it is not only not impossible for the Lord Christ, but it is also no trouble or work for him. As when one awakens a sleeping person from sleep, knocks on the bed and says, "Hosha, get up," so does Christ here. Yes, Christ is
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It is much easier to wake a dead person than it is for us to wake a sleeping person from sleep.
(7) The Lord would have us believe this, and not go away like swine, and like the bad boys, peasants and citizens, who sit in the alehouse on Sundays and workdays, and pour beer down their throats like cows pour water down their throats, and say: Ho, wat frege ick nah GOtt, wat frege ick nah dem Tod? Egg, thou shameful sow, after which thou strivest, thou shalt also succeed; thou shalt also die and be cast down into hell. For because thou despisest thy God and Lord, who not only created thee, but will also give thee eternal life, thou shalt also go to hell and have hell fire for thy reward. And do not be wronged.
- But if we want to be Christians, let us be careful and guard against such security and contempt of God. We see that we must die and come into disgrace and death, since no one can help us. Therefore we should learn that God is our God and Lord, who wants to help us and save us from death; as the first commandment teaches us: "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage"; that is, I am your God, who leads you and delivers you from all distress, who raises you from death, who makes you healthy and heals all your infirmities, and who finally brings you out of the earth and makes you alive. All this is written in the first commandment. "For GOD is not a GOD of the dead," as Christ says, Matt. 22:32, "but of the living." Since God says in the first commandment that He wants to be our God, it follows that He wants to help us and save us from death. As if he wanted to say: Only believe in me, I will lead you out of the land of Egypt, I do not seek my benefit, but your benefit. Why else did I ask for you? For I was God before you became God, and I will be the same God when you are long dead. But what I do, I do too well for you. Therefore you shall learn to believe that I can and will help where no one else can help, namely, that I will bring you out of your Egyptian land, that is, out of the land of the Lord.
from sin and death. I will knock at your grave at the last day and you will not remain in it, but I will bring you out and give you eternal life.
9 This is to be learned. That is why it is preached that one should understand God's word and the first commandment: I am the LORD your God, so that God may be our God; just as Christ is the God of this little girl. The maiden is in the last stages, then the father comes to Jesus and says: O Lord, come, show the first commandment, lay your hand on her, that she may be healed and live. The Lord Christ recognizes his office, that he has promised such in the first commandment, and wants to do it, gets up and follows the father, so that one may learn that the first commandment should be true, md leads the maiden out of death, seizes her by the hand, and says to her, "Maiden, I say to you, get up." Immediately the maiden gets up and walks as if she were awakened from her sleep.
(10) Christ did this as a testimony and sign that he could and would save from death. He does not do it all the time and to everyone; otherwise no man would have to lie in the grave, but all the deceased would have to rise from the dead immediately and live. It is enough that he did it once, the other he saves until the last day. But that he did it to this little girl and others, he wanted to prove and explain the first commandment and give us to understand, so that we learned to say: Because he did it here, he can certainly still do the art. What he has done to this little girl, let it be a sign to me, so that I may learn to believe that he will also do it to me at the last day; I shall wait for it, and in the meantime be satisfied with the common help that will come at the last day.
(11) A distinction is to be made between the common ford out of Egypt, which will pass through the whole multitude on the last day, and the signs that have happened and may happen this very day, if necessary. The signs serve so that we may understand the first commandment and believe that GOD is our
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God and Lord be He who saves us from death. We do not yet see the common ford, but there is the word that he himself says: "I am the Lord, your God. So we also have the sign and the proof in this little girl that he can and will do it. Then I shall die and be buried, and say: I am going away now, but in his time I will rise again; for God has promised me that he will be my God and Lord, that he will snatch me out of death. I have such a word; and about the word I also have the sign that he raised the chief's little daughter. And as he did here with this maiden, so did he also with Lazaro, who had lain four days in the grave and was already stinking.
012 But wilt thou say, Why doth he not raise up all the rest also from death, as he raised up these? Answer: He saves the others until that time; but he raises some, that he may give us a sign to understand the first commandment. If none of the dead were raised, it would be difficult to believe the first commandment. But because this maiden, and likewise Lazarus, and the widow's son at Nain, are raised from the dead, by the same signs we are to learn to understand and believe the first commandment. Therefore God says, Ex. 3, 6: "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." This is said as much as Christ interprets it, Matth. 22: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob live; even if they are dead before the world, yet they live to me. So shall it be said of them that are dead, that they are not dead unto our Lord God, though they be dead unto us. He will bring this to light on the last day. For just as Christ brought forth this little girl out of death, so he will bring forth Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all of us. For there is his word: "I am the LORD your God." And the sign stands beside and with the word, so that one may learn to believe and say: "If Christ has raised so many dead, then one sees that he can and will do as he said in the first commandment: "I am the Lord, your God," I will help you out of all troubles; and even if you fall, you shall still return to life.
come alive. So you shall learn to recognize me.
(13) These things he commanded to be preached, that we might learn to believe in him, and call upon him, and cry unto him: O Lord, help me out of death! Be my God and Lord according to the first commandment. And this is to be our practice on Sundays, to preach and learn about it. This is what it means to serve God rightly, to praise and glorify Him, when one hears and learns His word, when one learns to believe in Him and speak of Him, according to the first commandment; when one does not do as the rough people, peasants, burghers, nobles do today, who see that they must die, and yet despise God and His word, and let themselves be strangled to death, like cows.
This is a horrible, horrible thing, that they see death before them, and yet they most certainly despise God, who offers them all mercy. What, say our brawn, schol ick dem Papen thohören? Beer her, lat uns supen. Well, you disgraceful, insolent pig, can you so despise your God and Lord, who promises you so kindly? You must promise your servant when he is to do something for you, your cow when she is to give you milk, your horse when it is to carry you, and all creatures when you need them; and your God and Lord, who wants to give you life, you despise, yes, persecute him, and want to shut him up so that he should not preach to you, do not want to learn how you should call upon him in times of need. It is terrible, I say, that our Lord God should offer his help in vain to such people who throw it to the wind and have no other help. And so it happens that in such certainty and contempt for God they go to hell in the name of all the devils and are eternally lost.
(15) Therefore, you young people, children and servants, boys and maids, learn these things well and diligently, that from your youth you may become accustomed to fear our Lord God and to love God's word, so that you may know how to keep yourselves in all troubles, especially in the time of death, that you may believe that God is your God and your servant.
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May the Lord save you from death. This is the first and most important part of today's Gospel.
(16) The other part is that Christ also teaches here by the whistlers how to do otherwise. The whistlers at the dead were the Jews' bells; for they stood before the door where the deceased was, and whistled a funeral dirge, mourning song, or lament. These are called whistlers among the Jews, who stood at the place of suffering and lamented the dead. Christ calls them away here, and says: "Why do you weep and wail? "The child has not died, but sleeps." Then they laughed him to scorn, as is still the case today, that all the world considers the dear Lord Christ to be a fool. But though they highly despise him, yet he continues, and drives out the pipers. So shall it be with all those who whistle evil unto death, whether they be false teachers, or whether they live unchristianly. Everything that is preached apart from Christ is whistled to death. Likewise, all life in contempt of God and in disobedience is also whistled evil to death.
(17) All these things he calls to be done away with; he drives them all out, as if to say, Put away all false doctrine, and all false unchristian living; hear what I say unto you, and do as I command you. I will whistle rightly and well unto death. But how does he whistle? "Maid, I say unto thee, arise"; and, as the first commandment saith, "I am the LORD thy GOD." If you are a Christian, you should know that you should believe in God, trust Him and call upon Him in all troubles, even in death. After that, he also tells the maiden to eat, drink and be obedient. He imposes nothing on her but obedience. Life is a gift and a present, not a merit; Christ gives it to the maiden by grace and free of charge, so that she may know that he is her God. Then he commands her to eat and drink,
be pious and obedient. That is well whistled to death.
So Christ is our helper and savior, as the 68th Psalm says in v. 21: "We have a God who helps, and the Lord LORD, who saves from death. For this we shall know him and call upon him; after that we shall do as we ought. He does not call the maiden to go into a convent, but calls her to eat, drink, and do in the house what she calls her father and mother. If we have Christ and believe in him, and in such faith go and do what we are commanded, then it is enough; and we are then fine people of blessedness, have a gracious God, and live here in obedience to our profession and commanded office.
(19) Now when the hour comes for us to die, we will pass away blessedly; as soon as our eyes close and we are buried in the grave, we will be raised again. For a thousand years will be for us, just as if we had slept only half an hour in the grave. When we sleep at night, we do not hear a clock, and do not know the time and hour how long we have slept. If this happens to us in our sleep, much more will it happen to us in death. A thousand years will pass like a night's sleep; before a man looks around, he will be a beautiful angel, floating in the air with Christ.
20 This is what our dear Lord Christ wanted us to think. As if he wanted to say: Dear people, learn from me who I am, so that you may know what kind of God you have in me, namely, who can raise you from death. In the meantime, be pious and obedient. If death comes, then dare rejoice in me, and you shall surely have eternal life; for I am a deliverer from the land of Egypt and a savior from death. May God grant us His grace, so that we may believe, amen.
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On the twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity.
Second sermon.*)
In today's Gospel your love hears of two miracles, both great and excellent: the first of the sick woman who has such firm faith in the Lord Jesus that she hopes, if she would only touch his garment secretly, without his knowledge, she would get well as soon as possible; the other of the head of the school who also believes that although his daughter has died, the Lord can give her life again. In both of these miraculous works, faith is excellently praised, as an example to us, because faith in Christ accomplishes such great things, that we are inspired by it to find ourselves in this man, too, to whom no one has ever thought of anything good that has not certainly happened to him, as he believed.
The first miracle is about the woman who is ill with red woe or red dysentery, which is a dangerous, severe disease, so that people die of it. Marcus says in particular that she consumed all her possessions among the physicians, for she had this plague twelve whole years, and grew worse with it from day to day. It has been a strange disease that it has lasted so long. For whoever gets this disease in these lands, it cannot last long; he must soon die of it. This makes the miracle all the greater, that the disease lasted twelve years, and yet the woman heals so easily that she does no more, for as she had heard that some had been healed who had only touched his garment, she thinks that she will also be healed in this way, so she goes among the people to the Lord, may not ask him for it, but out of great humility she thinks she wants to steal it from him secretly, so she touches his garment.
*) Held in the house, 1533.
The blood stopped and the dysentery ceased, since she had previously had so much trouble with it, had dared so much unpleasant food, and had tried all kinds of things, but in vain and in vain, yes, even with her great harm; for the longer it had become the worse with her.
3 Christ immediately feels in himself that a power had gone out from him, therefore he turns around among the people and asks who touched his clothes? The apostles thought this was a foolish question, that he asked so precisely who had touched him, because the people were so crowded around him. But the Lord wants to know who touched him. For it was not a bad touching with the hands, it had touched him unaffected with the heart and firm trust in his grace and omnipotence; therefore he also felt the power that had gone out from him. The Lord does not want such touching to remain secret, as an example to us; so he drives the woman with his questioning, so that she must come out, let herself be seen, and publicly confess everything that happened to her before everyone, so that he may have cause to boast of such faith. For faith is his most pleasant, dearest and highest service, which is most pleasing to him. Therefore he praises the woman, and addresses her warmly: "Be of good cheer, my daughter, your faith has helped you." The disciples themselves must confess that the Lord did not ask in vain, that it was not a bad touching, but something special that the Lord and all of us are interested in.
4 But it is a strange speech that the Lord makes here, if we want to consider it. He confesses that power went out from him, and yet he attributes the work and the power that went out from him not to himself, but to the woman and her faith. He helped her, as he feels the power in himself, and the woman also confesses that by touching his garment, she was able to
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had become healthy. Yet he says, "Your faith has helped you." This means that faith has been praised. For by this the Lord meant to show how much he delights in it, when you turn to him for all good things and seek help from him. The woman does not desire that the Lord touch her or lay his hands on her, as the ruler of the synagogue desires, but says, "If I would only touch his garment, I would be healed. This is a faith that even the Lord does not want to be hidden, but praises it publicly before all the people. As if to say, "Watch and learn to believe with confidence, whatever the need may be. For I would much rather help you than you can desire it; if it is a matter of death, I would much rather deliver you from death than you have life. As he proves here with the work, that it happens so easily and he lets the power go from him so gladly, so that the sick woman will be healed.
(5) Therefore we should learn from such an example that we also believe and do all good to 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, and we still see his miracles 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 fall into poverty and sickness, our faith is gone; we do nothing more than lament and cry out, and make ourselves believe that there is no help left, even though we hear every day that God wants to be merciful 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 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, God be lamented, 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 had an earnest desire to become righteous and blessed, 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 be lacking. That is why the Lord praises him here, saying, "Your faith has helped you." So it should be with us, that it should be said, "Your faith raised you from the dead to life; your faith overcame the devil, cast out sin and made you blessed. Such works, though Christ does them, are the works of faith; for without faith one cannot attain to them. Just as in the sermon and in the holy sacraments, faith must do it if we are to receive any of the goods that are offered to us and distributed among us. This is the first miracle.
The other miracle is about the deceased maiden, who was as old as Marcus says, when the woman had her illness. Now no one knew otherwise than that the maiden would certainly die, because she was in the last stages. But the father of the little girl went away with strange and strange thoughts, hoping that if he had Christ, his daughter would get well and live again. But before Christ comes, the little girl is dead, and everything has already been 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 did not have bells, so just as we ring for the dead, they had a funeral song trumpeted at the door; so the people had gathered around the corpse 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) Christ, therefore, coming and seeing the pipers and the tumult of the people, attacks the matter very ridiculously. Away, he says, with the pipers and with the tumult! The child has not died, but is asleep.
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These words should be well remembered. It is a very expensive thing to say, and I would give a hundred guilders for it, so that I could understand and keep it as the Lord means it. The maiden has died, the pipers have been appointed, and the bearers who are to carry her to the grave are present; and the Lord comes and says, "Get thee away, ye pipers of death and bearers of corpses! The maiden is not dead, but sleepeth. Is she not dead? Is she lying in the bier? Does it not mean she is dead when she is already lying in the bier? No, says Christ, she is not dead, but asleep; and proves this with the work, coming up, taking the maiden by the hand, not unlike the way we deal with a sleeping child when we want to wake it up. Then the girl gets up and walks.
(10) Whoever could believe this, that he could look at a dead man as if he were lying on a bed and sleeping; whoever could invert his word and vision in this way and regard death as a sleep, and think that a dead man would come out of death as easily as a sleeping man comes out of sleep. Whoever could look at a dead person as if he were lying on a bed and sleeping; whoever could invert his word and sight in such a way and regard death as a sleep, and think that a dead person would come out of death as easily as a sleeping person comes out of sleep: he would like to boast that he could perform a special art that no other person can do.
(11) But we experience and see in ourselves and in other people: the higher a man's reason is, the less he believes such things and the more he laughs. As one sees here, that they mock the Lord, and think: Should this dead man make alive? He will not be in his right mind to think that a dead man is asleep and can be revived with one hand. The same is true of the heavenly wisdom of God, which is so high that human reason considers it to be mere foolishness. For think thou, if a child had died unto thee, and I said unto thee, Well, he died not; seest thou not that he sleepeth, and canst be awakened with a finger? then wouldst thou think that I mocked thee in thy affliction, and say unto me, I should leave thee contented. These also have done the same to the Lord Christ.
12Therefore learn from today's gospel this, that death is against the
Christ is nothing else than a sleep; as we see here that he awakens the dead maiden with his hand as if she were asleep; and that a sick body is nothing else before him than a healthy body, as the other example with the woman shows. She was very sick, but as soon as she comes to Christ and touches his garment, the sickness must subside and disappear.
(13) 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. Before our eyes, what he says is not only nothing, but the very antithesis. The maiden is dead in the sight of all men, but in my sight, 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 my sight 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, sickness must depart, and righteousness, life and health must be in their place. As I speak, so it must be by all means, and not otherwise.
(14) That is why our Lord God speaks such a strange word here, which is a great lie in the sight of the world, when he says of the maiden, She is not dead, but sleeps. If he had only said, "It sleeps," people might have said, "It is the sleep of St. Michael, since one sleeps until the last day. But he also adds to this and says outright, "It is not dead; and yet he must confess that it has died and is no longer alive. So he says, "She is not alive in your sight or in your eyes, but she is alive in my sight; and that you may see that it is true, I awaken her with one finger only, as you awaken your children from sleep.
(15) 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 such eyes, when they see death, sin and hell, that can surely say: I see no death, I feel no sin, I am not damned;
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but I see through Christ all 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.
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; he finds what he wants: if he finds much, he is happy; if he finds little, he is sad and wants to despair.
(17) So in death's throes, he who can flee flees, thinking he will be safe elsewhere. But a Christian who has a firm faith in Christ would think like this: "If I have a thousand pestilences in my body, even if it were possible, I will not fear to death, for I have Christ; if it is his will, the pestilence shall harm me no more than a flea under 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 without fear, be in good spirits. But because we do not believe and do not have such spiritual eyes, but look at all things with carnal eyes, so we fear and tremble, and fall into foolish thoughts, as if we could escape the wrath of God for ten or twenty miles.
18 Now the Lord Christ testifies that not only this little girl, but also those who died and were buried before our eyes and have long since rotted, live unto God. Therefore, the Lord says in the Gospel of Matthew 22: "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 of them is left. But Christ strongly proves that they are alive. Cause: God is a God of the living, and not of the dead.
Dead. Therefore everything must live for him, but everything is dead for us. For the world and reason cannot see anything but death. But the eyes of Christians should see that they do not see and only hear in the Word how Christ looks at the deceased maiden.
(19) Just 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, "Eat, this is my body, which is given 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 look and listen only to the word that he tells me. So if you see a Christian dying, your eyes see a dead man; but close those cow's eyes and open the spiritual eyes that look at the word, and you will find that such a man is not dead, but alive before God. For there is the word of Christ, "He that believeth on me shall never see death."
(20) So then 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 God. For if death in a Christian be nothing, then blindness, deafness, leprosy, pestilence, and other diseases shall be still less and less. Therefore, if you see sin, sickness, poverty, or anything else in you, do not be alarmed; close your eyes of the flesh and open your eyes of the spirit, and say, "I am a Christian, and I have a Lord who can with one word prevent this evil. Why should I be troubled 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.
(21) Further, we should also consider that this maiden is not helped by her faith (for he that is dead believeth not, no more than he heareth or seeth), but by her faith (for he that is dead believeth not, no more than he heareth or seeth).
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but that the father believes and asks Christ to help his daughter. It is because of faith that this miracle happens, that the maiden comes to life again; as Christ says elsewhere: "All things are possible for believers.
(22) So it is a mighty thing about faith. Let it be a thing so great that if thou canst believe it, and be provided for Christ, it shall be yea, and neither devil nor death shall be so strong as to hinder it. As we see in both miraculous works here. They are therefore held up to us, and faith is therefore so highly praised by the Lord Christ Himself that He inspires us to see the creature much differently before God than before us.
- therefore whether we are poor and dead before us
If we seem to be in sin, in pestilence or other diseases, we should believe that in the sight of God there is much else, and cheerfully say: "Although there is poverty, pestilence and death, as a Christian I know of no poverty, death or pestilence. For in the sight of my Lord Christ there is only wealth, health, holiness and life. But if I do not see it yet, if it is only for a word, I will see it with my own eyes that it is true, and it will certainly be so.
- May God also grant us, for the sake of Christ our Savior and His Son, through His Holy Spirit, such spiritual eyes that we may look upon all misfortune apart from the world, and retain such comfort, and finally 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 to the pregnant women and suckling mammals at that time. But take heed that your flight be not in winter, or on the sabbath day. For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the world began, neither 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.
The summa of today's gospel is that our dear Lord Jesus Christ proclaims the desolation of the city of Jerusalem and the Jewish land, and the end of the whole world. St. Lucas Cap. 17. and 21. describes this prophecy a little more clearly and distinctly, and puts each piece especially in its place. But St. Matthew
*) Held publicly in the parish church, 1537.
The end of Judaism and the end of the whole world. That is why he is not as light and clear as St. Lucas. St. Matthew and Marcus press more for the end of the world than for the destruction of the Jews, therefore they combine both. But in order to understand them better, they must be separated from each other and see which one speaks of the end of the Jewish kingdom and which one of the end of the world.
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When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, that it standeth in the holy place (let him that hath seen it take heed).
2 Then he speaks of the desolation of the Jewish people, and introduces the prophet Daniel, who prophesied and proclaimed this before. For the 9th of Daniel is thus written, v. 27: "By the wings shall stand abominations of desolation; and it is determined that unto the end there shall be a dripping of desolation." That Daniel said: The abomination shall stand by the wings; but Christ says: The abomination shall stand in the holy place, that is, it shall stand in the temple where the cherubim stand, in the innermost choir of the temple, where the ark of God stands. In the same holy place, says Christ, you will see an abomination standing, and such an abomination as will be an abomination of desolation, that is, which will be a sure sign that Jerusalem and the Jewish kingdom shall be desolate, and shall remain so.
This happened in the time of the emperor Caji Caligula; he sent his images to and fro in all the countries of his empire, and had himself worshipped as a god; yes, he not only wanted to be worshipped in Rome in the midst of the pagan gods and in other places of the heathen, but also had his image set up in Jerusalem in the temple, where the holy city and the service of God was, and also wanted to be worshipped as a god by God's people. This was vehemently opposed by the Jews, for they were hostile to all images: but they had to suffer it. When they had already taken away the images, Pilate, the governor, put them back in, so that he had the emperor's image carried into the city in the night and set up in secret, which caused a great commotion among the people.
4 Christ therefore saith, When ye shall see it, know that it is an abomination of desolation. He calls it an abomination according to the scriptural way. For that which we call an idol or an abomination, the Scripture calls an abomination, because such an idol or abomination is not only an abomination in the sight of God, but also an abominable, horrible thing in the sight of men.
spiritual eyes of all pious hearts, to whom it is an abomination to see the devil being worshipped in God's stead. If then such an idol, says Christ, or image of poor, miserable people who want to be worshipped in God's place, stands in the holy place, notice it. He speaks very truly and clearly, and calls it an abomination of desolation, that not only will the final destruction of the city of Jerusalem follow, but also that God, who dwelt there before, will no longer dwell there, but will then hand over the city and the temple to the devil and his members, who are an abomination in the sight of God and all the saints.
5 St. Matthew speaks darkly and interprets the destruction of the Jewish kingdom by the word: "abomination of desolation". But St. Lucas speaks clearly that a desolation and an everlasting desolation will come upon Jerusalem (Cap. 21, 20.): "When you see Jerusalem besieged with an army, then realize that her desolation has come"; and soon after (v. 24.): "And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. And the prophet Daniel says: "There will be no end to the desolation. And experience bears witness to this. For the desolation of the Jewish kingdom has now lasted fifteen hundred years, and the Jews have often tried, even several emperors have helped them, that they might build the temple again. But they have achieved nothing. Because the holy scripture stands there, it does not permit it. Daniel saith, Let it drip upon Jerusalem unto the end: and Lucas saith, Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. Therefore Jerusalem shall not be rebuilt, but shall remain among the Gentiles until the Gentiles are converted to the faith, that is, until the end of the world. This is an opinion of which Christ speaks here. St. Matthew has indicated such in short words. But the prophet Daniel and the evangelist Lucas have spoken it more clearly.
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Then let him who is in the land of Judah flee to the mountains, and let him who is on the housetop not come down to take anything from his house, and let him who is in the field not turn back to take his clothes.
(6) The houses of the Jews were not pointed on the top, as ours are, but were square on the top, and paved, that they might walk, and stand, and sit, and had stairs to go up and down. But this is what the Lord means by it: Whoever is then in the city of Jerusalem or in the land of the Jews, let him make haste, let him not tarry, and let nothing hinder him. For the time has come for Jerusalem and all the land of Judah to be destroyed.
But woe to the pregnant women and sucklings at that time. But pray that your flight be not in the winter, or on the sabbath day. For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the world began, neither ever shall be.
(7) This belongs to the foregoing. The Lord still sees that Jerusalem is to be destroyed and not rebuilt, for it is to be the last and final desolation. And this is the first part of today's Gospel, which we now want to leave pending. For what is to be learned from it we heard on the tenth Sunday after the Holy Trinity. Let us therefore take the other part before us, which is the most important, and which Christ also speaks of primarily in this place.
And if these days were not shortened, no man would be saved; but for the elect's sake the days are shortened.
(8) Matthew leaves off the end of Judaism and comes to the end of the world; therefore what follows goes to the end of the world. So shall it be, saith Christ, at the end of the world: if those days be not shortened, no man shall be saved. And declaring himself, and signifying what calamities shall be at the end of the world, saith:
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 into error. Behold, I have told you before.
(9) This does not concern the Jews alone, but the whole world, and especially the Christian church, which is enlightened with the light of the gospel. How will it fare at the end of the world? This is how it will be, says Christ: "When the light of the gospel shines into the world, the devil will come with so many cults and sects, false prophets and false teachers, that whoever looks into the world with spiritual eyes will think that no one will be saved. For the deception will be so great, and the false prophets will perform such great signs and wonders, that even the elect (if it were possible) will be deceived into error.
010 Of this the Lord diligently and faithfully warns, saying, Behold, I have told you before. As if to say, "There will be no excuse; for I tell you beforehand, they will perform such great signs and wonders, and lead such a holy life from without, that everyone will say: God must dwell here; otherwise, how could such signs and wonders be done? Therefore beware and beware, I have told you before, I have warned you enough. If you do, then no excuse will help.
(11) This is the great misery that we see before our eyes in the morning and in the evening, in the best and most beautiful part of the world; in which misery we have also been in part, and many of us are still in it today. Just look at the time since the Turkish tyrant and Mahomet, and after that the pope, began and continued to rise and increase, and you will find something of which Christ says here. In the whole Turkish empire (which is admittedly larger and more powerful than Hispania, France, England, Germany, Welsh, Bohemia) you will find something that Christ says here,
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Hungary, Poland, Denmark, all together counted) is no knowledge of Christ, without what the poor captive Christians may have secretly, who have to be water carriers of the Turks. The other group thinks nothing of Christ, denies, blasphemes and defiles him, even annuls him, and says: The gospel of Christ has come to an end, since Mahomet has come with his Alkoran; and still consider themselves the closest, most pleasant friends and dearest children of God, as to whom God therefore gives so much happiness and victory against the Christians that they are the dearest children.
They do not know that the Christians will be punished here on earth for their sins and that the innocent will be made martyrs; as the prophet Daniel, chapter 7, had previously proclaimed that the Turks would fight against the saints and retain the victory. Therefore, because they are fortunate in warfare against the Christians and generally prevail and win, they become proud, obdurate and secure in their faith, so that they do not doubt that their faith is right and the Christians' faith is wrong. Thinking thus: Because God gives us so many victories, lets us conquer so many kingdoms, and in turn leaves the Christians like this, it cannot be missing: we are God's people and have the right faith; the Christians, however, are not God's people, but are wrong. Thus the Mahometan seduction sweeps away so many kingdoms and countries like a deluge that it cannot be seen otherwise than that even the elect, as Christ says here, are seduced into error (where it would be possible).
What kind of reputation did it have in the papacy? Not other than that no man was saved. For the world has been filled with all kinds of orders and sects, and with them people have made such a pretense that emperors, kings and the best people on earth have poured money into heaps: not only to the preaching chair and the priesthood, to promote false doctrine and lies (as the first did in the beginning of the papacy); but also to monasteries and foundations (as the others did afterwards), that the dear holy fathers, monks and priests should pray for them, and communicate their good works to them. Therefore are listed
come the great bishoprics of Würzburg, Bamberg, Cologne 2c., and so many monasteries and convents everywhere. If you look at such beings in the papacy, what is different than that Christ says here: "False Christs and false prophets will arise and say: Behold, here or there is Christ"? For thus says the pope: He who is obedient to the Roman church, and so fasts, feasts, eats, and so dresses, is blessed.
14 Thus we see that this text is abundantly fulfilled in the Pabstium. For there is no other way to heaven and no other name to salvation than Christ alone, through whose death and blood we are redeemed from sin and death; as the Lord Himself says, John 14:6: "I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me". 4:12: "There is salvation in no other, neither is there any other name given unto men, whereby we must be saved." He who does not see this light walks in darkness, is deceived into error and is deceived. Now we in the papacy have not only not seen this light, but have also extinguished it ourselves and helped to extinguish it. I myself had no other knowledge of Christ, except that I placed him with my thoughts on a rainbow and took him for my strict judge. We knew nothing about holy baptism. When someone became a monk, he was said to be born again, and monasticism was elevated far above holy baptism; so that baptism was not only silenced in the papacy, but also completely obscured. Because there was no true knowledge of Christ, we fell from Christ to the saints; we called upon them to be our patrons and mediators. In particular, we took refuge in Mary, whom we prayed to and said: O holy Virgin Mary, show your breasts to your Son Jesus Christ, and obtain grace from him; until the people finally ran to the monasteries to the monks, so that they should pray for them, and went on pilgrimages now and then to the saints to obtain grace and indulgence. This is what Christ says here: "They will say to you, 'Behold, here is Christ!
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stus, or there. For as people have been directed from time to time to this and that saint, to this and that pilgrimage; so they have run to the oak, to Trier, to Rome, to St. James. And the world has become so full of sects and orders that whoever looks into the darkness and abomination of the papacy must say that no man has become blessed there.
(15) Therefore, these are foolish people, who even today say, "Where my grandfather and my father went, there I will also go. Do you think that God should let the whole world sink so that it should not know the way to salvation? But, dear man, if you do not pay attention to the words that Christ speaks here, it is done with you. He thus says: "False Christs and false prophets shall arise, and shall shew great signs and wonders, that they may deceive into error (where it is possible) even the elect"; item: "Except these days should be shortened, no man should be saved". Therefore you must not look at the great multitude, nor at the wise men and scholars of this world, but at these words that Christ says here: "The days will come when these days will not be shortened, and no man will be saved. The papists think that they have a delicious rule and are not in error, for they rely on it, as they also say: The church cannot err, the church must remain. But they do not see, nor do they want to see, that this prophecy of Christ must also remain.
16 Now it is written that they will perform great signs and wonders, and yet they will be false Christs and false prophets. This has been abundantly fulfilled in the papacy. So many miraculous signs have taken place at the Oak, at Grimmethal and elsewhere, that the churches have hung full of crutches and wax. Yes, I will tell you more: Pabst's teaching is confirmed with so many and great miraculous signs that it is not easy to say. In Hesse, a child fell through a mill wheel and was miserably broken, and lay dead in the water for three days. When it was pulled out of the water, it was buried in St. Anne's church.
praise, it has become healthy again. There are many books full of such signs, and people have often gone and believed the lie. How? they said, should I not believe? I see before my eyes that St. Bastian, St. Anna, St. Benno 2c. have helped this and that sick person who vowed himself there. Christ says this beforehand, so that it may be noted when it happens. False Christs and false prophets will come," he says, "bearing my name, prophesying in my name, casting out devils in my name, doing many deeds in my name, so that even the saints, who are full of the Holy Spirit, and the elect, may be led astray, if it were possible.
17 What is to be done about it? Listen to what Christ continues to say. "Behold," saith he, "I have told you before. If they say unto you, Behold, here is Christ; believe it not." This is what you are to do: beware, do not believe false Christs and false prophets, even though they prophesy in the name of Christ, cast out devils, and do many deeds. Therefore learn that after the revelation of Christ and his gospel, you should not believe any sign or miracle, and if a dead man is raised who has been dead for ten days. If I now saw that a priest or monk raised a dead person in St. Anne's name, I would say that it was done by the devil. For St. Anne shall not be my advocate and mediator, but Christ alone shall be my advocate and mediator, 1 Tim. 2, 5. 1 Joh. 2, 1. One is warned enough who wants to be warned otherwise. Christ says here: "There shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall do great signs and wonders." And St. Paul says in 2 Thess. 2, 9-12, that the future of the Antichrist will be "according to the working of Satan, with all kinds of lying powers and signs and wonders, and with all kinds of seduction to unrighteousness, among those who are perishing, because they have not received the love of the truth, that they might be saved. Therefore, God will give them powerful errors.
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that they may believe the lie. That all may be judged who do not believe the truth, but delight in unrighteousness."
- That is to say, warned; and St. Paul clearly says that God will send powerful errors to the unthankful and unbelieving, that is, such errors that will violently overthrow people and take them captive, so that people will be powerfully seduced into error and cannot resist the lie; as I have now said about the miracle that St. Anne in Hesse helped a child who had been lying in the water for three days. That was a powerful seduction, imposed by God as punishment for ingratitude, that people had God's word, and yet did not accept the truth; therefore they had to believe such lies. So it also had an opinion with Mary of Loretta. This is such a gross, impudent lie, as they say that the same Mary sailed across the sea in a stone ship. In particular, the lie agenda of the miraculous signs of Francisci has a sack full of exquisite, great, shameful lies.
(19) Therefore, I say, do not believe any sign after the gospel has gone out to all the world and has been sufficiently confirmed by miracles and signs. And if one already sees that the dead are raised, still one should not believe; for because God has threatened the wager that he will cause false, lying signs to be done by the devil and his messengers, for the punishment of those who have not believed the truth: so one should not believe, but be wise and hear Christ, who faithfully warned us, saying, "If they say to you, Behold, here is Christ, or there, do not believe. Behold, I have told you before." If any man say, Yet they are holy men, and mighty prophets, and great signs; say thou, It is called unsigned, unsurprised, unprophesied, unchristened; but it is called, as Christ saith, If they say unto you, Behold, here is Christ, or there, believe it not."
020 But how shall a man do, that he may remain unconvinced? For it will be difficult before
that one may have strong errors before him, and yet not be led into error. Answer: There is an art to it, and such an art, which alone is the art of the right Christians. First of all, it should be known that the devil is such a cunning spirit and great, powerful lord (that is why he is also called a prince, yes, a god of bets), that where our dear Lord God does not control and resist his cunning, wisdom and power, there is no man on earth so wise, no one so strong, no one so holy, that he could resist the devil and stand before him. In sum, the devil, with his wisdom, cleverness and power, is far superior to all human reason and wit, so that where God removes his hand, he soon makes a spectre before our eyes, so that we are deceived before we know it.
21 We see this in Job, whom the devil made to curse the day in which he was born, and to blaspheme God. David was a great and excellent man, but when God withdrew his hand, he fell and became an adulterer and a murderer. One should be afraid of such great cunning and power of the devil, and know that no man is safe from him. If God decrees him, he can deceive not only Franciscum, but also all the others through Franciscum. Therefore, one should not be safe, but live in the fear of God and humility, and ask God not to lead us into temptation, nor to let us fall into temptation. With the same cunning and power the devil blinds and hardens people, so that they do not believe the truth; again he deceives and fools people, and makes them believe, so that they fall for the lie, believe it, and swear on it that it is the truth of God, when it is really the devil's deception and lie; item, he also blinds the outward senses, so that people do not believe otherwise than that they see, hear, and grasp something, which they do not see, nor hear, nor grasp. And this is no art to him. For he can blind the reason and the inner senses, so that a man thinks he has God's word, when he has the devil's lies; thinks that there is the right Christ and a righteous prophet, when there is a false Christ and a false prophet:
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Much more can he blind the outward senses, so that you think something is happening before your eyes, when nothing is happening. As he did in Hesse with the child, who was not dead, and yet the devil blinded the eyes of the people so that they all thought that the child was dead. The devil held his breath (as he can do) so that everyone took him for a dead child.
22 Thus it is said that the devil once adorned a brother in a king's garment, so that he and the other brothers around him thought it was a royal garment. When they looked at it, touched it, and felt it, it was velvet and silk, and exquisitely wrought. So the devil had bewitched their eyes, ears and fingers, that they were all distraught and mad. But when they approached and said to the brother, "Dear, go to the bishop St. Martino, so that he may also see the beautiful dress," the devil took note. Certainly not, said the enchanted brother with the royal dress, I will not go to St. Martino; for the angels who put the dress on me have forbidden me to do so. When the others insisted that he should go, and wanted to lead him there by force, the royal dress disappeared before their eyes. The devil still knows the art.
(23) It is written in Vitis Patrum that pious people, both husband and wife, had a beautiful daughter; the devil so bewitched them that they thought their daughter had become a cow; their eyes were so blinded by the devil that they could see nothing but a natural cow before them, and feel nothing but the natural horns, neck, legs and skin of a cow. Is this not a great power of the devil, who can thus charm people so that they can see and grasp nothing else but a cow, and yet is not a cow but their daughter? They go to the holy man Macarius, and complain to him with great grief that their daughter, whom they are leading, has become a cow. Then Macarius spoke (for his eyes were not so filled with grief).
fel blinded, like the parents' eyes): Dear people, I do not see a cow, but a fine virgin. But the parents stopped and said that it was a cow. Then Macarius asked our Lord God to open the eyes of the parents, and God heard the prayer of the pious man and opened the eyes of the parents; then they saw that it was their daughter, fashioned as before.
The devil can do the art. For if he can dazzle the inner senses, he can dazzle the outer senses much more. He is a true master and a thousandfold. If he can harden our hearts, he can much more hold our physical eyes so that they cannot see what they should see. How did he do to Thomas Muenzer? He had so deceived him that he neither saw nor heard, but stood there darkened as a rock. And this is the first thing we should know, namely, that many false signs can be done by the devil, when God removes his hand and gives it to him for the sake of the sin of the world. Then he can make the blind see, yes, even raise the dead, and yet they are not true signs, but only ghosts, so that the devil bewitches people. Just as he made that virgin into a cow, so he can make people blind and dead, and again see and live. Not that he is a creator, like God, but that he draws such a ghost over it that people think they are true signs.
(25) Secondly, diligently watch for the end of signs and wonders. For all false signs causa finalis, or final opinion, is that the devil wants to confirm his lies with them. Thus one reads that 'many miraculous signs were performed by Antonio and others, only in the opinion that the legends of the saints, monasticism, pilgrimages, saintly service, and in sum, that the people fell away from the right one way of Christ, and worshipped the creatures in Christ's place. This should be noted, so that those who praise miraculous signs so highly can be confronted and say: I know the devil, he can imitate God (because he is God's monkey), he can do all miraculous signs,
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without being false miraculous signs. People may think that they are true signs; even those who suffer them do not feel otherwise than as if they were blind, dead; as that virgin herself thought she was a cow. But they are false signs, which happen in the opinion that one falls away from God and vows to this or that saint. When people have pledged themselves to this or that saint, the devil removes the ghost. Then people say, "This or that saint has helped me," and are strengthened in their idolatry. Such false miraculous signs, which the devil did to strengthen his lies and errors, so that idolatry would become even greater in the world, the pope confirmed and confirmed with his indulgence.
026 Therefore let such false signs as are done among the saints be judged and judged according to the word which Christ saith here, If they say unto you, Behold, here is Christ, or there, believe it not. That it may be said, Yea, this is a fine prophet; Antony, Franciscus, are fine holy men; I see that they do great miraculous signs. Now let the same signs be done, whoever will, for now I do not care; but look at the end of such miraculous signs, and you will find that they all go to make one fall away from Christ. Now the Christian faith teaches me that I should put my heart's trust in Christ alone, and not in any idol, be it Franciscus, Anthony, or St. Anne. For even the dear saints themselves are not saved without Christ alone. But these miraculous signs want to make me believe that the work and merit of the saints help me to salvation; they want to make Christ out of Francisco, St. Anne 2c. That is, they want to lead my heart away from Christ, who is the only cornerstone and rock in whom I should build and trust. Therefore, I will not go on pilgrimages, but stay at home and go to church instead, and worship and call upon my dear God in Christ, who can help me better than St. Anne or any other saint.
- whoever does this will know the difference.
to recognize the difference between true and false miraculous signs. The apostles also performed many signs and wonders, but they were all intended to confirm the gospel and to make Jesus Christ known and accepted in all the world. But after that the devil came and wanted to do this, seeing that people were tired and weary of the right way to salvation, and God decreed that the devil should punish the world for its ingratitude and contempt. For God cannot suffer people to despise the treasure of His Gospel, in which He offers us His Son Christ. As soon as one despises him, he withdraws his hand and says: "If you are tired of me and weary of me, I will be tired of you again. Then the devil comes and performs miraculous signs, makes people blind and lame through his sorcerers and weathermen, and gives them advice again through them that they should call on the saints, pledge themselves to this or that saint with a pound of wax. And if then someone gets well, they think: This or that saint has helped me. Thus the devil has obtained what he sought with his false signs.
028 Therefore all the papacy is nothing else, but a world full of idolatry, saying, Behold, here, behold, there is Christ. But a righteous Christian does not call upon the saints, nor vow himself to them; but says, "I believe in Jesus Christ, who is my only helper, whom I call upon in all my troubles. When I am sick, I say, If thou wilt, O Lord, thou canst help me; but if thou wilt not, I will gladly suffer this cross and calamity for thy name's sake. This is what a Christian does. But an unchristian and unbeliever does not do so, for the devil tempts them to call upon the saints, to seek help from creatures, and to fall away from God and Christ.
(29) Therefore, if anyone wants to be unconvinced, let him remain steadfast in the right faith in Christ, continue in prayer, listen to and learn God's word diligently, thank God from the bottom of his heart, so that God may not be angry and remove his hand, and the devil may steal you away. For such a clever, powerful spirit, as I have said, is the devil that
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If you were even one more learned and understanding and knew the whole Bible, and God does not hold over you, you would fall and be lost. That is certainly true, should the Turk continue as he has begun, then all the world would fall into the Mahometan faith. And if the pabstry should have remained so, the whole world would have become full of monasticism and superstition. For in the papacy, the legends of the saints were more traded and more diligently practiced than the gospel of Christ. Therefore, it would have finally come to the point that, as it says here, no man would have been saved.
(30) But the judgment should come one day and break in two the rod of which the Scripture says that the Antichrist should be revealed. By the grace of God, we have somewhat controlled the papal abominations, so that they have in part had to cease, and the Christian doctrine has been swept up and purified; otherwise we would all have remained in Pabstism and would have had to suffocate in it. See to it now that you do not forget such grace of God, nor become ungrateful to God. We preach about it all the time and warn you, because the devil is a powerful enemy who is always after our souls.
Therefore, when they shall say unto you: Behold, he is in the wilderness, go not forth; 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 a carcass, there the eagles gather.
31 "Deserts" are the pilgrimages and field foundations, as, to the oak 2c.; "chambers" are the spiritual monasteries, as Carthusian monasteries 2c. The Lord wants to say: "See that you do not deviate from the right way that I have preached and taught you; whoever wants to do miraculous signs, do not turn away from them. What you hear differently from what you have heard from me, whether it be the pope, the church, the fathers, or conciliation, do not inquire into. Remember that I have said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." I warn you faithfully and tell you
Before this, the devil will come through his prophets, and will perform false signs and wonders, so that he will lead you away from me. There will be such an abominable being in the church that almost no saint and chosen one will be able to remain and be saved. But God will preserve His own, according to the saying: "Where there is carrion, there the eagles gather.
32 Thus I also believe that our dear God has preserved many of our ancestors in the great darkness of the Pabst. For in the same blindness and darkness it nevertheless remained that the Crucifix was held up to the dying, and that some laymen said to him: Behold Jesus, who died for you on the cross. In this way, many a dying person turned back to Christ, even if he had previously believed in the false miraculous signs and adhered to idolatry. These were the chosen ones who were also led into the prison of error and would have remained there if it had been possible. Thus, we can take comfort in those who died in Pabstism, that God has finally given them grace, that they have passed away by remembering the Crucifix to Christ. They were also in error, but it was not possible that they should remain in it.
(33) I believe that Bernard was also saved. For when he was about to die, he said, "I have lived wickedly, and I confess that by my own merit I cannot attain the kingdom of heaven; but my Lord Jesus Christ has the kingdom of heaven by two rights: first, by the inheritance of the Father, that he is the only begotten Son of God, born of the Father for ever, and has inherited the kingdom of heaven; and secondly, by the merit of his suffering, that he is the son of virgins, and has acquired the kingdom of heaven by his holy, innocent suffering. The first right to the kingdom of heaven, that he is the natural, eternal heir to it, he keeps for himself. But the other right, that he has acquired through his suffering, he gives to me. I accept this gift and will not be disgraced. By this word Bernard has been preserved. For although he already
2576 8.6, 252. on the twenty-sixth Sunday after Trinity. W. xm, 2315,2316. 2577
had led an austere life, and had attacked himself so hard with fasting and vigils that his breath stank, and he could no longer stand with his brothers in the choir because of weakness: nevertheless he did not die,
but on Christ, and took comfort in his suffering. This was also one of the elect who was deceived into error, but did not remain in it. And there have been many more like him.
On the twenty-sixth Sunday after Trinity.
Matth. 25, 31-46.
But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory, and all nations will be gathered before him. And he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth the sheep from the goats, and shall set the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right: Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I have been hungry, and you have fed me. I have been thirsty, and you have given me drink. I have been a sojourner, and ye have lodged me. I have been naked, and you have clothed me. I have been sick, and you have visited me. I have been a prisoner, and you have come to me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and watered thee? When did we see thee a sojourner, and lodge thee? or naked, and clothe thee? When did we see thee sick, or captive, and come unto thee? And the king shall answer and say unto them: Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. I have been hungry, and you have not fed me. I have been thirsty, and you have not given me drink. I have been a guest, and ye have not lodged me. I have been naked, and you have not clothed me. I have been sick and a prisoner, and you have not visited me. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And they shall go into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Because this Sunday is so rare, I have not been able to find any interpretation of it in the books written by M. Georg Rörer, except for one which the man of God wrote in 1537 (the year in which the sermon on the Gospel was preached).
of the next preceding Sunday). The same interpretation has already been printed in the church bulletin, so I did not want to put it here. Whoever wants to have it, may look for it in the church bulletin.
Gospels on feast and apostle days
Explanation of the Gospels
to the
most distinguished feast and apostle days
through the whole year.
Christmas Day; Isa. 9, 1-7
1.Sermon
On Christmas Day.
First sermon.*)
Isa. 9, 1-7.
For it will be a different trouble for them than 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 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.
Of the infant Jesu and his six names.
- now we celebrate the beautiful, lovely feast of the holy birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. And it is right that we celebrate such a great grace of God with such a glorious feast, and well consider, so that the article, where we confess and pray in our Christian faith: I believe in Jesus Christ, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, may not only remain known to Christianity, but also that the sorrowful, sad hearts against the devil and all misfortune may be comforted and strengthened by it.
First, we celebrate this feast in faith for the sake of the article. For it is a great, inexpressible art that we should believe and consider it the highest wisdom that God, who created heaven and earth, is born of a virgin. Such
*) Held in the parish church on Christmas Eve 1532.
has been a foolish sermon among Jews and Gentiles, since it was first preached in the world. It was very ridiculous, as it is still ridiculous for many today, that the high divine majesty, God himself, lets himself down so low, and not only creates, nourishes and sustains man, but also becomes man himself. Summa, it does not agree with human reason, but the devil, the world and reason oppose it and say: "We have never heard such foolish things. Therefore this article must be preached and practiced diligently, so that we may practice and strengthen ourselves in it, lest we also put it into doubt; but be sure, and become ever more sure, that God sent his Son into the world to be made man, born of a natural woman's image. For this alone is our art and wisdom, which we Christians are; and there we say that no greater wisdom has come into the world, and no finer
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This is the doctrine that God, who created heaven and earth, was born of a virgin, so that he had the same limbs, eyes, ears, hands and feet, body and soul, as another human being. It seems ridiculous to reason, but we celebrate this feast so that we may imagine this article, so that we may have no doubt about it.
(3) Secondly, we also celebrate this feast for the sake of the great benefit it brings. For if we firmly believe this and do not want to know anything better than that God, born of the virgin Mary, sucked his mother's milk, ate from her hands, and had her care and nurture, as a child is wont to have, and that this is our highest art and wisdom, then the benefit follows from itself, and we derive this comfort from the fact that we grasp, feel and grope at the piece that God is not opposed to us humans. For if God were opposed and hostile to us, He would not have taken poor, miserable human nature upon Himself. But now he has not only created human nature, but also becomes such a creature himself, which is called and is true man. Because he does this, he is not full of wrath and disgrace. For if he were hostile to the whole human race, as he is in part hostile to angels and men, namely, to evil angels and godless men, he would have taken on an angelic nature, which is closer to God than human nature, and would not have become a man, but an angel. Now God leaves the angels, who are of a holier and higher nature than we humans, who are a shameful, rotten, stinking maggot sack, and takes not angelic but human nature to himself and becomes man. This boasts the epistle to the Hebrews, cap. 2, and speaks v. 16. 17.: "He nowhere takes upon Himself the angels, but the seed of Abraha He takes upon Himself; therefore He had to become like His brethren in all things, that He might be merciful, and a faithful high priest before God, to make reconciliation for the sin of the people."
- at this the pagans took offense and said: should the pure nature, GOD.
themselves, have sunk into such impurity, misery and poverty? That will not be. It is true that God should not have put himself in such misery and poverty. He could have taken angelic nature upon Himself, or could have created such a nature, which would be neither God nor man, and taken it upon Himself; but He did not want to do so, but took human nature upon Himself, and became man, as I and you are men, sucked milk from His mother, the virgin Mary, as I and you did, when we lay at our mother's breast. From this knowledge every Christian who believes this must be glad and say: This my God and Lord has taken my nature, flesh and blood, as I have, and has tried and suffered everything as I have, but without sin. Therefore he can have compassion on my weakness, Hebr. 4:15.
(5) Then faith goes on walking, and thinks: If it is true that God became man, equal to us in all things, yet without sin: it follows that as far as God and man were from each other before, that is, further than heaven and earth, so closely do they now belong together; so that no blood friend, whether he be called cousin, brother or sister, is so closely related to me as Christ, the Son of the eternal Father. For it is certainly true that if we reckon apart from Christ how far God and man are from one another, they are found to be further apart than heaven and earth. But if we reckon in Christ, true God and man, it is found that they are much closer friends than one brother to another; for God, Creator of heaven and earth, has become true, natural man, the Son of the eternal Father has become the son of temporal virgins.
(6) Hence it is that Christ often calls Himself our cousin and brother in the Scriptures; as the epistle to the Hebrews from the Psalms and Prophets finely draws this, saying, Cap. 2:11-13: "He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, and sing praise unto thee in the midst of the congregation. And again, I will call my
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Putting trust in Him. And again, Behold, I and the children which GOD hath given me." And St. John, Cap. 20, writes v. 17. that soon after His resurrection Christ commanded Mary Magdalene to proclaim to His disciples, "Go unto My brethren, and say unto them: I ascend to my Father and to your Father, to my GOD and to your GOD."
(7) Yes, that is more, the Scripture says that Christ, the eternal Son of God, is not only our brother, but also our flesh and blood. Eph. 5:28-30: "He that loveth his wife loveth himself: for no man hateth his own flesh at any time, but feedeth it, and cherisheth it; as also the Lord hateth the church. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones." This is closely related. Husband and wife are one body, one flesh, closer friends than father and mother, son and daughter, brother and sister, as the Scripture teaches, Gen. 2:24: "A man shall leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife, and they shall be one flesh." Christ is also so closely related to us, indeed, He is more closely related to us than man and woman are related to each other. For God and man are here united in One Person. So Christ says to us: My body is your body and your body is my body, my leg is your leg and your leg is my leg. He counts himself and us for One body, blood, flesh, leg, soul.
This is a great, certain, exuberant comfort. Whoever could grasp it and be so certain of the matter that he would have no doubt about it, would be well. For whoever does not doubt it, but believes with certainty that this child, the Son of Mary, is truly God, must be happy and think: This is for me, for he has come into my skin, flesh and blood. I did not come to him, but he came to me; he descended from heaven, and did not come into hell to the devils, nor into a forest or desert to the wild animals, but into the world to us men, as St. John says: "The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us", Cap. 1, 14. He took to himself all that I am and have.
but without sin. So St. Augustine says: *) In Jesus Christ our Lord, each one of us is portio, flesh and blood. Therefore, where my body reigns, I believe that I myself reign. Where my flesh is glorified, I believe that I myself am glorious. Where my blood reigns, I believe that I myself reign. For though I am a sinner, yet I have no doubt of the fellowship of these graces. This means close friendship, if you want to count how far God was from us before Christ became man. And that is why we celebrate this feast, so that we may certainly recognize and grasp this friendship that we have with God and God with us, and the fellowship of such great graces, and so that we may comfort ourselves and rejoice in them.
(9) The wise men of the world and the epicureans pay no attention to this; when they hear for a long time that God became man, as the Christian faith testifies, they say: O! if nothing else is written in the Christian faith, but that God became man and was born of a virgin, then it is an even matter. For the world never ceases to laugh at the fact that God became our flesh and bone, and was crucified for our sins; as St. Paul says, 1 Cor. 1:23: "We preach Christ crucified, an offense to the Jews and a foolishness to the Greeks." So the dear world goes along, lets preach, and in the meantime remembers: If we had a belly full of beer, to eat and drink.
(10) It should be that all the world would laugh and be happy about this birth. The dear holy angels do so, consider it a great thing and cannot be sufficiently surprised about it; and it would be no wonder that the dear angels would be displeased with us and hostile to us. For if he had taken another creature to himself, they would have been ashamed, as if he had taken the nature of an eagle or a lion to himself, they would have been displeased, and would have said, why would God be of such a low nature? But because he takes on human nature and becomes man, they are not displeased, and do not grant us humans such honor, but sing
*) Augustin. lib. meditat. cap. 14.
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and laugh at it, and hold up Christ our Savior, though they have no need of him. And we unbelievers are baptized into it, and called by the gospel to receive the treasure, and to rejoice in it; yet we go and despise the treasure, and take a drink of beer for it, and many of us persecute it.
- Therefore I have now taken this text from the prophet Isaiah before me, in which we see how the prophet speaks of this article so certainly and preaches about it so long before, as if Christ had already been born, rejoiced over it, and longed for it so anxiously: so that we may recognize, on the other hand, how hopeless we are, to whom this treasure is placed before the eyes, that we hear how the mother bathes and waits for this child, yet shall be such ungrateful drops that we throw it to the wind, do not pay attention to it nor have joy in it. Such loose drops we let go; for it must be preached for the sake of those who have pleasure and joy from it. The great multitude hears, but does not hear; they grope, but do not feel. Therefore, just as they are proud and despise our preaching, so our preaching is also proud and despises such proud despisers. But the dear prophets had a hearty delight and joy in it, and all righteous Christians still have delight and joy in it. For their sake it is preached; the rest of the epicureans and swine we let go.
(12) In this text there are beautiful and excellent words, so beautiful and excellent that they are not found so beautifully in any evangelist. For the dear prophets have licked up the best of the promises of Christ, when they had a great desire and hearty longing for them. It is said that hunger is a good cook and thirst is a good waiter. But he who is full grows weary and tired, just as the sated and fattened sows grow weary of the trimmings. Because the prophet has a great desire and longing for Christ, he also sings so highly, an excellent song, so that no evangelist has written about it with such clear, beautiful, funny words. And this is also reasonable, and the
Children are worth writing about.
(13) He gives this child the greatest and most beautiful names, so that we should not only look at it in its mother's womb, as it has body, eyes, ears and limbs, and sees like another human being, but that we should also look at it and recognize it as the true, eternal God. As if the prophet were to say, "Reach out your ears and listen, and I will tell you what kind of child this is. This child is not to be regarded badly, as it is born of a woman's image and is the son of a natural mother; as the Jews regarded it, and many of them said: O what is it more? I have also seen this child, other children are just like it. It is wrapped in swaddling clothes and circumcised on the eighth day; this also happens to other children, what is special about it?
14 The prophet wants to wake us up so that we can see and recognize this child. Therefore, open your ears and listen to what the prophet prophesies about this child. For he praises so highly that heaven and earth are nothing compared to it. He draws everything into this child, all creatures, yes, God himself. In front of our eyes there seems to be nothing special, one has to deal with this child like one deals with other children, spreading porridge, bathing, diapering, singing, weighing, waiting 2c. Nevertheless, this child is much higher than other children. True, says the prophet, it is a born child; but it is such a child that its dominion lies on its shoulder, and has six titles and names, it is called "Wonderful, Counselor, Power, Hero, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
15 These words were also known in the papacy, for they were read and sung in the mass for the epistle. But no one has understood a letter nor a tittle of it. We preach about it now, praise God, and drive the mind without ceasing; but no one respects it, but the greatest number goes along and does not take it to heart. Nevertheless, for the sake of such scorners and swine, we must not refrain from preaching.
- the first in this prophecy of the pro-
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Isaiah, that you may learn that the babe that was born was born to you and your babe; as we also sing, "A babe as light as a feather is born to us this day. You must make use of the word "us" very well, and cross it out with diligence. Therefore, when you hear, "A child is born to us," make the three letters U N S as big as heaven and earth, and say, "The child is born, that is true; but to whom is it born? To us, to us it is born, says the prophet. He is not born to his mother, the virgin Mary, alone; nor to his friendship, his brothers and cousins, the Jews, alone; much less is he born to God in heaven, who has no need of the birth of this child: but he is born to us men from the earth. So now the prophet will say to me and to you, to all of us in general and to each one in particular: Listen, brother, I will sing you a merry little song and will proclaim to you a happy newspaper. There is a young child, a fine babe, lying in the manger in Bethlehem; this same babe shall be yours, given and given to you.
(17) O Lord God, who here could open his hand, take hold and joyfully accept this child, whom this mother, the Virgin Mary, carries, nurses, cares for and waits for. For I have become such a lord that the noble mother, who is born of a royal stock, yes, who is God's mother, must be my handmaid and servant. So that I cannot throb and defy that the prophet says: "This child is mine, born for my sake and for the sake of all of us, so that he may be my Savior and the Savior of all of us. And this mother serves me and all of us with her own body. We should all be ashamed of ourselves in our hearts. For what are all maidservants, servants, lords, wives, princes, kings, monarchs on earth compared to the Virgin Mary, who was born of a royal stock and is also the Mother of God, the highest woman on earth? She is the noblest jewel after Christ, in the whole of Christendom; and this highest woman on earth shall serve me and all of us, that she gives birth to this child, and that she gives it to be our own. This will be preached and sung during this feast:
A little child, so very light, Is born to us today, From a virgin so > clean, To comfort us poor people. > > If the child were not born to us, we would all be lost, salvation is > ours.
The song is fine and well made, and taken from the prophet Isaiah, and is also sung many times and often, but no one, or even few, know what it is that is sung.
The prophecy of the prophet and the Christmas carol is thus: "A child is born to us. Who are the Us to whom this child is born? Or what are we human beings, who are to take care of this child? There speaks a philosopher from the art: Homo est animal rationale: The human being is a reasonable animal. Thus we humans count ourselves against the swine. But what is man before and against God and against the angels? If one discusses and describes man rightly here, then one finds rightly what man is. It is true that compared to lions and swine, man is a higher, better animal. This is what we command the pagan philosophers and the other scholars in the schools. But according to the theology we must count man against God, and thus speak: God is eternal, just, holy, true, and in sum, God is all good; but man is mortal, unjust, deceitful, full of vice, sin and vice. With God is all good, with man is death, the devil and hellish fire. God is from eternity and abides forever; man is in sins and lives in the midst of death every moment. God is full of grace; man is full of disgrace and under God's wrath. This is to count man against GOD. So, if we count God and man against each other, and properly discuss and describe what God is and what man is, the little word "us" will become great, and the consolation will also become great. For if we human beings picture to ourselves what we are before and against God, we will find that there is a great difference between God and us human beings, and greater than between heaven and earth, indeed, no comparison can be made. And since
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The prophet Isaiah wanted to lead us to recognize and realize how deeply God lets himself down to us poor people, and how fatherly and warmly he takes care of us.
19 Therefore one should notice what the little word "us" or man means. The world looks at man from above, as the pagan poet says:
Pronaque cum spectent animalia caetera mundi, Os homini sublime dedit, coelumque videre Jussit:
It sees that man walks uprightly, as opposed to an animal, and is a reasonable, wise, understanding nature. But according to the Holy Scriptures, man is such a creature, which has turned away from God, is godless and evil, subject to the power of the devil, guilty of God's wrath and eternal death. To those desperate wicked, that is, to the people who are lost and damned, Christ is born too good.
(20) Now therefore take hold of him who is able. I say one more thing: God allows this child to be born to those who are condemned and lost; therefore hold out your hand and take hold, and say: I am indeed godless and evil, with me there is nothing good, but only evil, sin, vice, death, the devil and hellish fire. But against all this I set this child, whom the Virgin Mary has in her womb and on her breast. Because it was born to me to be my treasure, I also take this child and set it against everything I do not have. If I am not righteous and pious, I will find in this child all righteousness and piety. If I have death and all misfortune, I will find life and all good in this little child. And this is as certain as if I saw it already before me with my eyes. This is what it means to have access to this treasure if we make use of it through faith.
21 But such faith is sadly lacking everywhere. If you owed a hundred thousand guilders and did not have to pay, and someone wanted to give you so much that you would not only pay, but also keep something left over, you could reach for it and open your sack and bag. But here,
Since the treasure is so great that it could not be greater, there is no one to take hold of it and hold up the sack; indeed, the worse is that there are many who despise and persecute it. The righteous Christians alone take care of this infant and say from the heart: I am a damned man, I am guilty body and soul forever. But I know that Mary, the mother of this child, gladly grants me this treasure from the bottom of her heart, and helps me with her virgin body and all her limbs, carries the child in her womb, gives birth to it, and when it is born, she feeds it and cares for it. In sum, she does everything a mother should do. Thus the child was born for my sake, that salvation might be mine and ours.
22 This is what the true Christians do. But fie on the world for having such wretches, who take nothing for themselves of this treasure, and yet have the greatest need of it. All the world should crawl to it on all fours if they could not walk; so our Lord God must still be glad that there are some who desire this treasure. It is always a sin and a disgrace to drop such preaching before swine and dogs, who despise it, mock it, and persecute it, except that they should hear it and receive it. Whoever preached to such people about a rich man who wanted to give everyone enough money, whoever would come and bring the sack, all the world would come running from every place. But because one preaches about the infant Jesus, who offers eternal life and salvation to the whole world, no one is found who almost desires this treasure.
(23) But whoever wants to be a Christian should hear such a sermon with joy and believe that it is certainly true what the prophet Isaiah says: "A child has been born to us. For whichever Christian grasps these words with earnestness and firm faith, what can the devil do to him with all his evil wiles? For even though such a Christian is challenged by the devil, he can soon meet the devil and say, "Do you hear, devil, do you also know that a child has been born? Yes. Do you also know that it is born to us, that is, to me? Then the devil must give way. Therefore, one should pay attention to the little word "us",
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so that the "little child" and "born of us" may be brought together finely in faith; so that one is well equipped against all attempts of the devil.
In the papacy, the mother Mary alone has been praised and extolled. It is true that she is praiseworthy and can never be praised and extolled enough. For the honor is too high and glorious that she is the mother of this child before all women on earth. But we should praise and extol the mother in such a way that we do not let the child she gave birth to be snatched away from our eyes and hearts, nor do we esteem this treasure that was born to us less than the mother. If one praises the mother, she shall be a droplet; but this little child shall be a whole wide sea. If one thing is to be forgotten, it is better to forget the mother than to forget the child, as happened in the papacy, where the child was forgotten and the mother alone was remembered. For the
Mother is not born to us, she does not save us from sins and death. She may have given birth to the infant and the Savior of the world, but she is not the infant and the Savior herself. Therefore we should get used to the mother and bind ourselves firmly to the child.
(25) That is enough said for this time about the words: "A child is born to us. From this we should learn so much that we should take care of this child, much more than of our own body and life. For it is as near to us as our body and soul. O blessed and blessed is the man who is well instructed and firmly grounded in this wisdom. But that we take no comfort or joy from it is a sure sign that we either do not believe it at all, or that our faith is small and weak. We keep this feast and preach about it, so that people may learn about it, and we are sure that our work is not in vain or in vain, and that comfort and joy will follow for some.
2.Sermon
On Christmas Day.
Second sermon.*)
You have heard yesterday how the prophet Isaiah sings us a very fine little song about the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, which little song has remained in Christianity even under the papacy, and is still sung today by young and old, without them all having the understanding of it. But the prophet urges us to take care of this little child, who was born to us and is and should be our little child.
2 We therefore preach and practice these things diligently and without ceasing, so that we may learn to understand these two articles: "Conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary", and to each piece
*) Held in the parish church on the afternoon of Christmas Day 1532.
put the little word "us": us conceived by the Holy Spirit, us born of virgins, and thus henceforth: suffered under Pontio Pilato, crucified, died and buried. To whom? "To us." So that the whole Christ is and remains ours. Just as the dear fathers did not forget this, but put the words "us" and "our" with great seriousness and diligence into the Nicene symbol or confession of faith: Who for us men and for our blessedness came down from heaven, and was made bodily by the Holy Ghost, of the virgin Mary, and became man; and was crucified for us under Pontio Pilato, and suffered and was buried. The common symbolum or confession of the apostles does
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I also believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. These words "our Lord" are to be applied not only to Jesus Christ, but also to all other pieces of faith. Jesus Christ our Lord was conceived for us, born for us, suffered for us, crucified for us, died for us, and was buried for us; our Lord was raised from the dead for our comfort, is seated at the right hand of the Father Almighty for our good, and will be our comfort in the future to judge the living and the dead. This is what the holy apostles and dear fathers wanted to indicate in their confession with the word "us" and "our Lord," namely, that Jesus Christ is ours, who should and will help us, and to whom we can say: You are our Lord, you were conceived for us, born for us, suffered for us, crucified for us and died for us.
(3) So also here the prophet Isaiah interprets it, saying, "Unto us a child is born. Just as in the Christian faith we repeat the word "I believe" and apply it to every person of the Godhead: "I believe in God the Father"; "I believe in Jesus Christ"; "I believe in the Holy Spirit": so we should also repeat the word "our Lord" always, as it belongs to every part that we believe and confess about Christ: I believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord, our only begotten of the Holy Spirit, our only begotten of the virgin Mary, who suffered for us 2c. So that we do not read or speak the words coldly, pointing to Christ alone, but also to us. For he for his own person would not have needed this. If he had neither been conceived nor born, if he had neither died nor risen from the dead, he would still have remained Lord; but that he is conceived and born, that he suffers, dies, is buried, goes to hell, and what more is said of him in the Christian faith, is all ours. And these things therefore we preach at this feast, that we may well learn the power and fruit of this article, and know that Christ is our Lord. Yesterday we acted on the words, "Unto us a child is born." Now continue in the prophet:
We have been given a son.
(4) The women say, What is the son? To this the prophet Isaiah answers, saying, It is a son, and the same son is ours. It is a strange thing that I and you and all the world should become the mother of this child, and yet neither I nor you have conceived or given birth to this child. For just as you heard yesterday how this child becomes our blood, flesh, and bones through birth, so we all become the mother of this Son through the Son being given to us. Such things are not to be spoken. For who can fathom in thought, let alone in words, that we poor, miserable people should be so presumptuous as to accept this child, and not doubt it, but certainly believe that this child is not only born to us, but that the same Son is also given to us? No man's heart can fathom it, and no man's tongue can utter it.
5 For "to give" means to give freely, free of charge and without money. Now the prophet says: This son is given to us; that is, he is our gift and offering, he is mine and yours; and thus mine and yours, that we may not buy him, nor give money for him, but that he is a pure gift and offering.
(6) But the world is not worthy to hear a single letter of it, because of its shameful unbelief. The pious virgin and noble mother brings this son into the world, so that the same son may be mine and yours and a gift, as surely as if he had been given into my hand and yours. And of this we have certain and sure signs, God's word and the holy sacraments. The prophet Isaiah also stands there as a witness and says that this Son is given to us. But we still do not believe it, nor do we thank God for it. Therefore, we are not worthy to hear a letter of it, for the sake of our great and shameful unbelief.
7 But the prophet Isaiah combines both: "born" and "given", indicating that this child is truly God and truly man. True
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Man is he; for he is born unto us. True God he is, for he is given to us. These two pieces are clearly stated in the text, a born child and a given son. But what kind of son he is, the prophet shows afterwards, when he 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 with judgment and righteousness from henceforth even for ever." Thus sings the prophet: "This child is a true, natural man, born of a virgin into the world, and is a son; and for this sign is he given and presented unto us. Now listen how he further describes this son: .
What dominion is on his shoulder.
This is too much for one sermon. Do you want to know, says the prophet, what kind of child was born and what kind of son was given? Listen, I will paint it for you. The born child and the given son is a lord and has a dominion; and his dominion is on his shoulder. Such a child and such a son is he. That is what he is called, namely, a lord who carries his dominion on his shoulder. This is how he should be painted, if he is to be painted correctly.
(9) That is, the child and the Son were painted correctly. The angel of the Lord, who appears to the shepherds in the field and preaches of the newborn child, also paints finely, saying Luke 2:11: "To you is born this day a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." The born Savior, he says, is Christ the Lord: not only as a householder in the house is lord over the household; but also a lord over heaven and earth, over things visible and invisible. For whom the angels call a Lord, he will certainly not have to be a poor little Lord, but a Lord over all. If he would not be a lord over all and also the angels lord, then the angels would not call him a Lord. Now the angel says to the shepherds: "The newborn child is your Savior. But the same your Savior is Christ and the Lord of us all. This is also called rightly painted, because this child, at Bethlehem
hem is born, is such a Lord, whom all the angels of God worship, Hebr. 1, 6.
(10) But the prophet Isaiah does not soar in his prophecy as the angel does in his sermon, but remains on earth. The angel sets the reign of the newborn child also in heaven, that the Savior, born in Bethlehem and laid in the manger, is the Lord of all creatures in heaven and earth. But the prophet leaves this child's dominion on earth, saying, "The child who was born to us and the Son who was given to us is a lord, but his dominion is on his shoulder. Let anyone who can or wants to guess what this is: The child is a lord and has a dominion, and his dominion is on his shoulder. How does that rhyme: to have a lordship and to be a lord over it, and yet to carry the lordship on his shoulder? to be a lord and yet at the same time to be a servant and a servant? This wants to be a marvelous, even adventurous lord, who carries his dominion on his neck: who rules and reigns over his dominion; and yet is his dominion's servant and servant, lifts up his dominion and carries it. How is this to be understood? Or what is indicated by it?
First of all, the prophet wanted to indicate that the rule of this Lord is a different rule than the rule of this world. The rule of the world is as Christ says in Luke 22:25: "The worldly kings reign, and the mighty are called gracious lords." This is how the worldly government must be, that the kings and rulers rule strictly, are lords, have power and administer justice. In the secular regiment it must be so that a prince in the country, a mayor in the city have shergants, master Hansen, so that the pious are protected and the wicked are punished. That is the secular regiment, there the rule carries the lord. A mayor must sit on the shoulder of the citizens and say: This does; and the citizens must carry the mayor and be obedient to him.
012 So the father and the mother of the house must be on the neck of the children and the servants; and the children and the servants must be on the neck of the children and the servants.
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must carry their parents, their masters and wives. The secular regime cannot exist in any other way, because the lords oppress their subjects. If they do violence and injustice to their subjects, they may stand by and watch. I do not speak now of such tyranny, but of a right, orderly regiment; there it cannot be otherwise, the rule must bear the master. He who is subject to the worldly regiment is not carried by his lord; but he must hold out his back and carry his lord. But here it is the other way around. Such a child is born to us, and such a son is given to us, who has a dominion and is a lord. But the dominion does not carry the Lord here, but the Lord carries the dominion. Now this Lord's dominion is his kingdom, his people, his church, I and you, and all who have been baptized into him and believe in him. Therefore this Lord carries us. In the worldly regiment we have to carry our kings and lords, and they are on our shoulder. But in the spiritual regiment and kingdom of Christ, this King and Lord carries us, and we are on his shoulder.
(13) Secondly, the prophet intended to indicate where the dominion of this king and lord is to be found. His dominion, he says, that is, his kingdom, his people, his land and people, is on his shoulder. Our sovereignty is in Thuringia, Most, Saxony 2c. But this king's dominion and people is the whole Christendom. Where Christians are in the whole world, there is his dominion. That is us, and all who believe in him. For thus saith the angel, "Unto you is born this day a Savior." And so we confess in the other article of our Christian faith, I believe in Jesus Christ our Lord. If then he is our Savior, as the angel says, and our Lord, as we confess in faith, we are his kingdom, dominion, and people.
14 But where is Christ's dominion and kingdom? "On his shoulder," says the prophet. This is a strangely unheard-of thing, that Christ's dominion, kingdom and people are not under his feet, not in Rome, nor in Babylon, but in a certain place.
and place; but lies on his shoulder. I could not define the Christian church in such a way, or use such a word in my Dialectica, as the prophet defines and discusses it here in short words. Do you ask: What is the Christian church? or where is the Christian church to be found? I will tell you. You must seek the Christian church, not that it lies in Rome, nor in St. James, nor in Norimberg, nor in Wittemberg, nor among peasants, citizens, nobles; but it is said: His kingdom is on his shoulder.
(15) Painters, when they want to paint this text, paint a child with a cross on its shoulder. But if I were to paint this text, I would not paint a child with a cross, but would paint a child carrying a church on his shoulder, then this text would be painted correctly. For the little child carries his dominion on his shoulder, that is, the church and all of Christendom. If you want to find the Christian church, you will never find it unless you look at the Christians who are on Christ's shoulder. We have to suffer from the fact that the pope, the red spirits and the enthusiasts have this text just as much as we do, that they have the title and name of the church and boast of being Christians; but that does not make them the Christian church or Christians by any means. For no one is a Christian unless he has Christ on his shoulder, that is, trust and put his heart's confidence in Christ, and let himself be carried by him, as a lost sheep must let itself be carried by its shepherd, if it is to get along otherwise; as the similitude teaches, Luke 15. In sum, let faith be in the world, even if it be called what it will, Jewish, Turkish, Papal, still no one is a Christian unless he has Christ on his shoulder.
16 The prophet Isaiah saw this and wanted to indicate with these words that the Christian church lies on Christ's shoulder, and that a true Christian and a true member of the church is one who believes that he sits on Christ's shoulder, that is, all his sins lie on Christ's neck, so that the heart says, "I know no other consolation, except that all my sins and all my sins are on Christ's shoulder.
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Missethat Christ lies on his shoulder. So those who lie on Christ's shoulder and let themselves be carried by him are called and are the church and righteous Christians.
(17) This text is to be preached and practiced diligently, that it may be rightly understood. Christ must carry us, must pay for our sin and do enough, or we are lost. He had to carry us on the cross, and must still carry us and tolerate us. We cannot and should not carry him, but he must carry us. We will not earn him anything, but he says to me: I will forgive all your sin, your guilt is on my shoulder; yes, all my dominion and all my people are on my shoulder, they are also called as they like, Isaiah, Peter, Paul, from the highest to the lowest. Those I carry are my land, people and kingdom; those I do not carry are not my kingdom, church or people.
(18) Thus we hear how the prophet Isaiah describes Christ in a beautiful and lovely way. He is a child and a son, he says, born and given to us, a Lord and having dominion. But what kind of Lord is he? Such a Lord is he who carries us, and we are on his shoulder. If he does not carry us, we are lost. If the pope, bishops, monks and priests believed this, they would approach the matter much differently. But they do not want to be carried by Christ; they carry Christ as they think they do, and Christ is only a painted Christ to them. For they think, "I must live like this, fast like this, pray like this, so that I may do enough for my sin and atone for God's wrath. But this will be an unequal carrying; if Christ is not to carry you, but you want to carry him, it will be a very heavy carrying for you. If a lost and stray sheep wanted to say to its shepherd, who wanted to carry it: No, dear shepherd, you shall not carry me, but I will carry you, sit on me: I mean yes, the sheep should get to carry!
But if the sheep is to be helped, the sheep must say: Thank you, dear shepherd, that you seek me and want to carry me; I cannot carry you, but I will gladly let myself be carried by you. It is the same in the kingdom of Christ. Christ wants to carry his Christians as a shepherd carries a poor, miserable, lost sheep. He speaks to a poor sinner thus: "You were conceived and born in sins, you have angered God with many sins and are condemned to death; but there shall be no need for you, your sins shall be forgiven you, just lay yourself on my shoulder, I will carry you before God.
(19) One should accept this sermon with all joy and thank God for it from the bottom of one's heart. But unfortunately, the great masses of the world not only do not accept this sermon, but also despise and persecute it. Now this is truly not a lie, but the eternal divine truth. The prophet Isaiah proclaimed it beforehand through the Holy Spirit; God has faithfully kept His promise and fulfilled it abundantly: Christ has come, has borne us, and still bears us; as the apostles and the whole New Testament testify to this, and the work stands. Therefore, let us accept this sermon, thank God for it, and have such confidence in Christ that He will represent us and answer for us, that our sins shall not accuse nor condemn us before God. For, as I said, this sermon is well received in the world, but how it is received we see before our eyes.
(20) Now that the prophet has said that Christ carries his dominion on his shoulder, he goes on to indicate how such carrying takes place. He said that the child is born to us and the Son is given to us, and that on him lie all our sins, sorrows, miseries, grief and heartaches, and that he wants to help us from all these by carrying them. But how this happens, he explains by the following six names, which he gives to this child and son. We will tell you about them later.
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3.Sermon
On Christmas Day.
Third sermon.*)
(1) This is a very glorious chapter, in which the prophet, with excellent and glorious words, describes Christ as a person and Lord, who bears his dominion on his shoulder. What this is, you have heard, namely, that he bears me and you and all who believe in him with all our sins, sorrows and heartaches. And this he did not only when he came to us on earth and took our sin upon himself and bore it on the cross, as St. Peter says, 1 Peter 2:24: "He himself offered up our sin in his body on the wood," but he also bears us daily through his word and gospel. Thus the spiritual and bodily kingdom is aptly distinguished. The worldly government should be called and be such a government, because we carry the Lord and King. For the world is in need of being oppressed and forced. But the spiritual government and kingdom of Christ is called and is also such a government, because the Lord and King carries us. For as the rude, wild multitude of the world need to have the Lord upon their necks, whom they must fear and bear: so again the afflicted hearts and sore consciences need to be borne and relieved of their burdens and encumbrances. This is a great difference between the two kingdoms. In the secular regiment, so many thousands of people have to bear one head, one secular king and lord. But in the spiritual regiment One Head and King, namely Christ, bears innumerable men; yea, He bears the sin of the whole world; as the prophet Isaiah says, Cap. 53, 6.: "The Lord cast upon Him all our sin"; and John the Baptist: "Behold, this is the Lamb of God, which beareth the sin of the world." And today
*) Held in the parish church early on the day of St. Stephen, 1532.
He preaches about himself that he is a king of grace and mercy. This is a piece in the prophecy.
- now follow the six names, which the prophet gives to this king, with which names he paints further, how his kingdom is formed. Hitherto he has painted the king to be such a lord and king, bearing his kingdom on his shoulder; but with the six names he teaches us what is the form and color of the holy Christian church. If you want to paint the Christian church correctly, paint it so that it lies on Christ's shoulder and Christ must carry it. But how Christ carries his church and how the church is carried by him, this is so, that first of all his name and work is: "Wonderful".
And it's called Wonderful.
Christ is called "Wonderful" because of the work he does in his holy Christian church, which he rules in such a way that no one can understand or know by reason that it is the Christian church; he does not bind it to any place, time or person, he does not let it be recognized by any outward thing, clothing or vesture, so that one could notice and actually know where it is and how large or small it is. If you want to meet her and find her, she lies nowhere else but on Christ's shoulder. If you want to grasp it, you must close your eyes and all your senses, and only hear how the prophet baptizes and paints it here.
4 Therefore Christ is called Wonderful, because he is a strange king and has a strange kingdom. He is a rejected king in the sight of the world; as he himself says, Psalm 22:7: "I am a worm and not a man, a mockery of men and a despiser of the people"; and as the 118th Psalm testifies, v. 22, 23: "The stone which the builders rejected has become a stone.
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This was done by the Lord and is a miracle before our eyes. And his church is a rejected people before the world, before the devil, and even before ourselves, as St. Paul says of the apostles, 1 Cor. 4:9: "We have become a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men"; item v. 13: "We are always as a curse to the world, and a sweep offering to all men." Holy Christianity is indeed the dear, pleasant bride of Christ, and yet must have the appearance and appearance of being the devil's bride. It is the true Christian church, and yet it must be scolded as seductive and heretical, having apostatized from Christ and the true faith, and having separated itself. The world does not allow her to be called Christ's bride and church, but she must be the devil's bride and church. The Turk considers the Christians to be the most godless and foolish people on earth, even devils; the Jews likewise; and today the papists consider us to be the most accursed and harmful people who have ever come to earth. Therefore, the Christian church does not have the appearance, name, ornament, nor the outward appearance that it is God's people, but must have the name as if it were the devil's people.
(5) And that would still be deceptive and unfortunate, that such an appearance would be only before the world and the devil. But that it often appears so before our eyes is difficult to overcome. For the devil is able to turn a Christian's eyes away from baptism, from the sacrament, from Christ's word, so that he is tormented with thoughts as if he had been cast out by God; as David complained about such inner trembling and terror, Psalm 31:23: "I said in my trembling, 'I am cast out from your eyes.'" This is our hope-color, that the Christian church should be so before their eyes, and I before myself, that it should not appear that it is the church, and that I am a Christian. I shall know and believe that this is the holy Christian church and that I am a Christian; and yet I shall see that both church and I are covered with the strong lid, that we are scolded by all the world heretical and devilish; yea, I shall hear that my
my own heart says to me: You are a sinner. These strong covers, sin, death, devil and world, cover the church and Christians in such a way that one can see nothing, neither from church nor from Christians; one sees vain sin and death, and hears vain blasphemy of the devil and the world. There the whole world, and all that is wise and prudent in the world, stands against me, yea, my own reason denies me; and yet I shall stand fast upon it, and say, I am a Christian, I am righteous and holy.
6th Now this is that Christ is called "Wonderful," because his work, as he exercises it in his Christianity, is strange and wonderful, so that no reason can comprehend it. The Christian church is just and holy, and yet does not appear to be just and holy. The reason is this: Christian righteousness stands apart from us, only in Christ and in faith in him; so that the Christian church and every Christian confesses and says: I know that I am sinful and unclean, lie in prison, in danger, in death, in shame and disgrace, and feel in myself nothing but vain sin; yet I am righteous and holy: not in myself, but in Christ JEsu, who was made for me by God for wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Such Christian righteousness is above all reason, nature, and wisdom, and no one who wants to judge according to reason can be involved. For all the wise say that righteousness is a qualitas or forma, that is, such a virtue, holiness, or piety as must be in a righteous and pious man's soul. Just as the white or black is a paint on the wall, in the bread, on a coat 2c., smeared or poured into it: so, they say, righteousness and holiness must be in the soul of man, as if it were pasted into it. And indeed our own heart cannot judge otherwise according to reason; think therefore: Righteousness must be seen and felt; but I see and feel in myself vain unrighteousness, how then can I be righteous?
Therefore, as I have said, the devil, the world, and my own heart stand against me, saying, I am unrighteous. What shall I do now
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say? Not otherwise, for this is written: "My Lord Jesus Christ, who was born and given to me, is called Wonderful; he rules his church and Christians wonderfully, so that they are righteous, holy, wise, pure, strong, living, and children of God, although the contradiction appears, not only before all the world, but also before ourselves. But to what shall we adhere, that we may overcome such appearances? To the Word. For just as Christ in his person makes it strange and strange: when he wants to go to the Father into eternal life, he goes to death; when he wants to catch sin, death and the devil, he lets them come upon him, accusing, blaspheming, condemning, choking and killing him 2c.: so we also must open the eyes of our heart, so that we do not count ourselves according to outward appearances, but according to the word.
(8) Therefore shall I say, I hold the Christians and myself holy, not for my own righteousness, but for holy baptism, for the holy sacrament, for the word, and for the Lord Christ, in whom I believe. If I look at myself without baptism, without the sacrament and the word, I find all sin and unrighteousness, yes, the devil himself, who torments me without ceasing. So also, when I look at you apart from baptism, apart from the sacrament and the word, I see no holiness in you; yes, even though you are already here in the church, hearing God's word and praying, yet you are not holy apart from the word and sacrament. Therefore the color does not do it; but this color does it, that I say: This man is baptized, hears gladly God's word, believes in Christ. These are true signs, so I know that he is a true Christian and a holy man.
(9) The outward appearance and the vesture do not do it; but where the gospel is preached purely and truthfully, where the holy sacraments are performed in their proper use, and each one carries out his commanded office and work in his own state, there God's people and true Christians are surely found. Therefore, you should not judge by the outward color, but by the word. If you judge by the outward color and not by the word, you will surely fail. The reason is this:
From the outside, there is nothing special about a Christian compared to another person; indeed, an un-Christian and a heathen often have a more moral demeanor and a more respectable appearance than a Christian. That is why the outward appearance and color are deceptive.
(10) The unholy, mad monks and priests still wanted to paint and color the Christian church according to the outward form and appearance; hence came so many orders and sects, caps and plates; then they said: We monks and priests lead a peculiar way, peculiar clothing, do not become married: therefore we are holy people. But you laymen lead the common way in the world, become married, do your trade: therefore you cannot be so holy as we. All the world has been fooled by appearances; for it is the devil that the outward larvae should so move and excite all the world. I know for certain that there should hardly be ten of you here in Wittenberg whom I would not seduce if I wanted to use again such holiness as I used in the papacy when I was a monk. Baptism, sacrament, word are not so delicious to human reason as the monastic garment and vesture, the Order of St. Francis and the Order of St. Carthage. Then reason falls and says: He is a monk, leads a hard order, has fasted, awakened and prayed himself to pieces so that he sees like a shadow; therefore he is holy. But this man is a common man, a tailor, a cobbler, has a wife: how can he be holy?
(11) Therefore, know the Christian church well, and look not at the outward appearance, but at the word. A woman who is baptized, hears the gospel, believes in Christ, has a husband, bears children, and does her appointed work is holy, even though her holiness is not seen. For with the eyes of the flesh I cannot see her diligence, so that she is adorned before God, nor her faith, which she has in Christ in her heart; but I see that she goes about the house, cleansing the children, spinning, sewing, cooking. Therefore, there seems to be nothing special about her: but if she sticks to the gospel and faith in Christ and faithfully carries out her ministry, she is holy and a member of the Christian community.
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Not because of her piety, but for the sake of baptism, for the sake of the gospel that is in her heart, and for the sake of the Lord Christ who dwells in her heart. It is not for such a woman that she is a Christian and a holy woman. But if a beguine and a nun of the cloth comes along, bends down and looks sour, all reason considers her holy, so that the woman who is baptized and believes in Christ, and faithfully keeps her married state, must be nothing compared to this nun. Thus our Lord God makes the world a fool; it is not worthy to see or recognize a Christian. Therefore, one should beware of the outward larvae, and learn that this is the Christian church, if one is baptized and has faith in Christ in his heart, and walks along outwardly in the common works, as required by each state and profession. This is how the Christian church should be viewed and recognized. He who sees it in this way cannot fail nor err. But he that hath not such knowledge, as the whole world and all reason lacketh, must err.
(12) So Christ is called "wonderful" because everything he does in his Christian church is wonderful and strange. The Christian church, as I said, has a wonderful righteousness and holiness that is hidden from all reason. But when it comes to the cross, things are much more wonderful and strange. For a Christian who is baptized and confesses Christ must suffer and be persecuted in the world for the sake of Christ and the gospel. This has such an appearance before all the world, as if he had been abandoned by God, and he himself does not think otherwise in his heart, according to the feelings of reason. Thus Christ has his church covered with crosses, persecution and all kinds of trouble, so that he may make fools of all the world. There all reason is caught and cannot send itself into this. But a Christian takes the floor and thinks: "Even though I am despised and persecuted, I have been baptized, have the gospel, believe in Christ, and hold my baptism, gospel, and Christ in such high esteem in my heart that I regard the whole world as a splinter.
- and this is certainly true: whoever does the
If anyone has the gospel and Christ in his heart, he has such righteousness before God that even if he had the sins of the whole world upon him, they would be as a drop of water compared to a whole sea. It is not a small thing to consider God's word and to keep it, but it is so great that all creatures are as a small stick compared to it. So the Christian church is righteous and holy, even though it does not have the reputation of being righteous and holy before the world, and is even covered with crosses and sorrows. And no one can sufficiently fathom and comprehend the righteousness and holiness of the church with faith, let alone be able to fathom and comprehend it with human reason. And whoever wants to recognize the Christian church and the Christians must recognize them by the word, gospel, faith and fruits of the gospel and faith. If you have the gospel, are baptized, believe in Christ, you are a Christian and holy. Then, if you enter in your state, keep your marriage, honor your father and mother, obey lords and wives, these are fruits of the gospel and faith.
(14) But if a little gushes in from time to time, it need do no harm. Remember your baptism, keep the gospel, get absolution, receive the sacrament; say: I have had evil thoughts, I have stumbled, I have done wrong here and there; but I am baptized, I have the word, absolution, the holy sacrament: this is greater holiness to me than the whole world with all creatures. Christ is my most gracious and merciful Advocate, so that even if all the devils wanted to frighten me, they are hardly a speck against him.
(15) From this we see why Christ is called Wonderful, namely, because he takes everything he does for the Christian church out of our eyes, reason, and senses, and hides it in his word. Righteousness, holiness, wisdom, strength, life, blessedness, and all that the church has in Christ is incomprehensible to reason and hidden from the world. If you judge the church by reason and outward appearance, you are wrong. For there you will see such
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People who are sinful, infirm, frightened, afflicted, miserable, persecuted and exiled. But if you see that they are baptized, believe in Christ, prove their faith with righteous fruits, bear the cross in patience and hope, it is right. For this is the right color by which to know the Christian church. Reason regards baptism as bad water and the word as a sound; therefore it cannot know nor find the Christian church, because it regards baptism and the word so little. But we Christians should hold baptism and the Word in such high esteem that we should also destroy all the world's goods against them. If we do this, we can know the Christian church, and also comfort ourselves and say: In me I am a sinner; but in Christ, in baptism, in the Word I am holy.
- so we are to take this name "Wun
We must make use of the "derbar" so that we do not allow ourselves to be deceived by the external larvae, but may beware of all enthusiasts. This is also highly necessary for us. For in time monks will come again: not the previous ones we had in the papacy, but others. For the world cannot leave it alone, it wants to paint the Christian church externally with veneers and larvae. But the church cannot be painted in any other way than, as I said, with the gospel, word, baptism, sacrament, faith and fruits of faith. Baptism is the right white color; for there we put on the right, beautiful, white Western shirt. The word and faith are the glorious blue color in the sky; the fruits of the gospel and faith are the other manifold colors in which we are adorned, each in his state and profession.
4.Sermon
On Christmas Day.
Fourth Sermon.
Today we have heard about the first name, why the newborn child, our dear Lord Jesus Christ, is called "Wonderful", namely, that he carries his reign and kingdom on his shoulder and handles it in such a way that the whole world with all its reason, wisdom and cleverness cannot recognize it. The reign and church of Christ is and remains hidden from the world, so that whoever does not attain to it through faith and the Holy Spirit will never know and learn which is the Christian church, indeed, will not know whether he himself is a Christian. Now follows the other name:
Rath.
- the child and the son is called "Rath", therefore that he is a faithful Rathgeben and *) On St. Stephen's day in the afternoon in the parish church held, 1532.
can give good counsel in all distresses, where one needs counsel, understanding and comfort. For just as he miraculously leads and governs his holy church under sin, cross, tribulation, shame, disgrace and persecution, so that it is covered, so he also leads and governs it with good, faithful counsel, so that he helps it and comes to its aid in all kinds of suffering. Such counsel is his dear holy gospel, which can advise and help in all things that trouble, mislead or deceive our hearts and consciences.
(3) He is called miraculous because he leads us miraculously and lets us float under the appearance of heretics and sinners with whom God is angry. This figure remains as long as there is a Christianity on earth. But it is hard to bear that the Christians do not only have the reputation before the whole world.
2616 L. 6, 285-287. Am heiligen Christtage. W. XIII, 2430-2433. 2617
They themselves, according to the feeling of their flesh, often think that God is angry with them and that they have been rejected by God. Good counsel is needed so that Christians and saints may endure such things. For if I should forever have the nomen that I am a heretic and deceive country and people with my teachings, and should always have a despondent, doubtful heart and feel that God is striking me, I could not endure it for long. Therefore, it is necessary that Christ help me with his faithful counsel and give me the rod in my hand so that I can bear it.
Thus, Christophorus is painted in the middle of the sea, with a tree that God has given him in his hand, on which he stalks and holds. If he did not have the tree, it would be impossible for him to bear the burden and get through the deep, wide sea. It would also be impossible for me to endure the great threatening, raging, raging and tyranny of the world, as well as the great cunning and fiery darts of the devil, if Christ did not stand by me. I would have had to fall back to the pope long ago if he had not given me faithful counsel in my heart.
When the burden of Christianity and ourselves becomes too heavy, Christ comes and governs his people with his counsel, puts his word into our hearts and says: "Be of good cheer, stick to me, let the world rage and rage, let yourself be called a heretic, let yourself be condemned; whatever happens to you happens to me. As he speaks through the prophet, Zech. 2, 8: "He who touches you touches the apple of my eye." So he counsels the apostles, Matthew 10:16-20: "Behold, I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and without guile as doves. But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to their council houses, and scourge you in their synagogues; and they will bring you before princes and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and against the Gentiles. When therefore they deliver you up, be not anxious how or what ye shall speak;
For it shall be given you in that hour what ye shall speak. For it is not you who speak, but your Father's Spirit who speaks through you." And John, Cap. 15, 18, 19: "If the world hate 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." And Apost. 4. when the apostles had to stand before the council of the chief priests at Jerusalem, Christ stands by them with his counsel, that they lift up their voice to God with one accord, and say, vv. 24-28: "O Lord, who art the God that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that is therein; who said by the mouth of David thy servant: Why do the heathen rise up in revolt, and the nations take in vain? The kings of the earth are gathered together, and the princes are gathered in multitude against the Lord and his Christ. Truly they have gathered together against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, to do those things which thy hand and thy counsel purposed beforehand should be done.
(6) This is the faithful counsel and comfort which we have through Christ, that we may say: In the name of the Lord, if I should be a heretic and despised before the world, so be it; but my consolation is, that such things happen unto me, not for my own sake, but for the sake of my Lord JESUS CHRIST: to him also it is, and not to me. If then the world calls me a heretic, he is above, who knows well that I am reproached and condemned by the world because I preached and confessed him before the world. Otherwise I have done nothing to the world, I have done everything good for it; therefore it is not to blame for me. But if it condemns and persecutes me for preaching and confessing Christ, he who is in charge may help. He also comforts us in Matt. 5:11, 12: "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile and persecute you for my sake, and shall say all manner of evil against you, when they lie against you. Be glad and of good cheer, for you will be saved.
2618 L. 6, 287-289. Am heiligen Christtage. W. XIII, 2433-2436. 2619
will be well rewarded in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you." That is to put the tree in our hand, when Christ gives us the consolation in our heart to say: Dear emperor, dear pope, dear princes, if you do not want to laugh, you may be angry; the matter is not mine, but Christ's. For this reason you are persecuting me; so be it. And it is also true that our adversaries cannot say with truth that we are murderers, thieves, or robbers, or that we make war; but that they persecute us is because we preach the doctrine which the pope condemns.
- When the devil offers me battle and attacks me with his fiery arrows, so that my own heart and conscience renounce me and stand against me, I must confess that I have sinned and angered God, and the devil stirs up and blows up sin so that such a fire comes out of it that I want to melt into it; I have been baptized, have the gospel, and believe that Christ is my Savior and Redeemer, have also His seal and letters, His word, absolution and sacrament; nevertheless, the devil would like to destroy all this, that I should forget that I have been baptized and that Christ is my Savior and Redeemer, and would like to push the thought into my mind that God is hostile to me: how do I do that? Then Christ gives me good, faithful counsel, and teaches me in his word: I should not believe my thoughts nor follow them, but hold fast to his word, as he says to the gout-ridden man, Matth. 9, 2: "Be of good cheer, my son, your sins are forgiven you"; and as the 42nd Psalm teaches, v. 6: "Why do you grieve, my soul, and are so troubled within me? Wait upon GOD, for I shall yet thank him that he helpeth me with his face."
- if the pope and the world want to dissuade me from the confession of the pure doctrine and truth of God, turn before the name of God and the church, and say to me: "You are a heretic, you preach against God and his church, desist, and return to the mother, the Roman church, and you will find mercy: then Christ gives me
He says: "Do not accept this clamor; God does not do this to deter you from the truth, but the world and the devil want to make you weak and timid, so that you will fall away from the faith; therefore be confident and stand firm. Thus God comforts the prophet Jeremiah, Cap. 1, 17. 18.: "Gird up thy loins, and arise, and preach unto them all things whatsoever I command thee; fear them not, as though I should discourage thee. For I will make thee this day a strong city, an iron pillar, a wall of brass throughout all the land, against the kings of Judah, against their princes, against their priests, against the people of the land."
(9) So Christ also bears this name and is called Counselor, because He wants to help and comfort us in all our troubles, when the world persecutes, reviles and blasphemes us, when the devil frightens us with our sins by the fiery darts he shoots into our hearts, or when he attacks us with the name of God through our adversaries, who, under the appearance of the name of God, would like to tear us away from the confession of the truth. In such and such a challenge I find counsel and comfort in the Scriptures: I should seize it and hold fast to it. If I do this, I will not be afraid of my sins, nor of the tyrants and blasphemers of this world, nor of the evil thoughts and poisonous arrows of the devil, much less despair or perish in them.
l,0. And is actually called "counsel" because he gives us a faithful good comfort in the heart, which is his holy word. For Christ stands by his own without bodily power, but only with the word. This is what we Christians should learn, that it is said, "When the world persecutes you, do not resist persecution with violence, as the world does, but comfort yourselves with the word. For Christ makes his own suffer hardship on earth, makes the devil and the world run over them, has them thrown into prison, and presents himself as if he were dead and had no power or authority to help; but gives them his word, saying, "Here is my word, with which you shall be comforted. Be afraid of the
2620 2.6, 289-2SI. On St. Christiane. W. xm, 2436-2438. 2621
world, then be undaunted. If the devil wants you, take hold of my word and believe it, it will give you advice and comfort in all kinds of trouble. My word shall be your faithful counsel. Thus he says Isa. 50:4: "The Lord hath given me an instructed tongue, that I may know how to speak in season to the weary. As if to say, "I am a faithful counselor and a right comforter, and I do this through my tongue, which has been taught by God, that is, which has God's word. This tongue does not help you to be free from temptation, but keeps you in it; but it gives you a rod in your hand to hold on to.
(11) This is a sermon for Christians alone, from which they are to learn that when our Lord God puts them in danger, shame, sorrow and distress, what they should do, namely, that they should not despair, but say: All these things happen to me not for my own sake, but for Christ's; therefore I will also be patient, take hold of God's word, and be comforted by it. And this is true, no one today calls me a heretic for any other reason than for the sake of Christ and His Gospel. That the world is hostile to me, harms me where it can, and the devil frightens me: all this happens to me because they would like to bring me to have such faith as the world has. This sermon does not serve the unbelievers, for they do not want to be governed by the first name "Wonderful," but flee from the cross, or resist by force to get rid of it; they do not need the faithful counsel of Christ, who wants to comfort and strengthen them with his gospel and word in the cross. If Christ had such a kingdom and gospel, if money were given enough and worldly, visible help was shown, we would soon believe heaven away from him and would have to have another heaven, everyone would believe and this heaven would be much too narrow. With such a sermon, when enough gold and silver were distributed among the people, I wanted to bring all people in the world to Christianity. But because the kingdom and the gospel of Christ give eternal life, and at the same time teach that for the sake of Christ and his word, one must
Let them rape, hate, sing, beat, torment, kill: so no one wants to go there, and if our dear God has enough room in heaven, no one will go near it.
- but it is decided that Christ is called Wonderful, Council 2c. He governs his church miraculously, covers it with cross, tribulation and suffering. He is also a faithful counselor, standing by his church; though he does not seem to give help, yet he gives his word to be kept. Therefore we should esteem the word great and keep it glorious. If the world holds its things, money, goods, honor and power in high esteem, we should hold the word much higher, which helps us in all our troubles. Should we not give the saying Matth. 5, 11: "Blessed are you when men revile you for my sake" 2c. for ten thousand worlds. There you will find faithful counsel to comfort you in suffering; there you will hear that Christ calls you to rejoice, pronounces you blessed, and says that all these things will happen to you for his sake. The world punishes thieves and murderers, but the fact that the devil calls me a heretic and a sinner is only for Christ's sake, so that he may tear me away from that man. If the devil had done this, he would have left me satisfied.
13 Therefore, I say, we should esteem the word dear and high. When hatred, envy, persecution, when sin, death, the devil, and the world afflict us, we should take up the word and say: "Blessed are you when men revile you for my sake" 2c.; item, "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" 2c., is greater than a hundred thousand worlds, yes, greater than heaven and earth. The same word shall be my faithful counsel and strong tree, to which I will cleave, that I may bear and endure. If we do not adhere to the tree, our nature is far too weak to endure the fierce hatred and envy of the world, and to endure the cunning plots and fiery darts of the devil.
(14) I often get so angry and impatient with our peasants, burghers, and nobles that I think I will not preach any more, because they do it so shamefully that anyone would be displeased to live. So the devil hears
2622 2.6, 291-293. Am heiligen Christtage. W. XIII, 2438-2441. 2623
Nor do I cease to be troubled within and without; that one may yet say, Be another preacher in my stead, I will let it go as it may, I have nothing of it but hatred and envy of the world, and all manner of plagues of the devil. So flesh and blood wallet and human nature wants to become despondent and stupid. Then it is necessary that I take counsel in God's word, and take the rod and staff in my hand, and stand on them and say: Now it is going well, because peasants, burghers, nobles, princes, and the spirits of the mob are so wanton and thank me so shamefully for my gospel. It shall be so, my Lord Christ has said: "If you were of the world, the world would love your own" 2c.; "Blessed are you when men revile and persecute you because of me" 2c. Then I stop myself, and let such a word be greater to me than all the wickedness of the world, and think thus: Fresh through, as it is begun.
(15) This is the art of the Christians; but the others, as ungodly bishops, princes, nobles, citizens, peasants, cannot do this art, neither do they accept the word, because they are to be blocks and stones; as we also preach against them as against a wall. The Holy Spirit himself calls them lumps and idols, who have ears and do not hear, Ps. 115:6; for since they make idols for themselves, silver and gold, and seek counsel from them, and hope in them; who have mouths, and yet do not speak; who have eyes, and yet do not see; who have ears, and yet do not hear; they are like them, and can neither see nor hear, though they have eyes and ears. Therefore this sermon concerns us who believe in him and suffer for his sake. To us he is marvelous and counsel: marvelous, that he leads us marvelously; counsel, that he comforts and strengthens us by his word.
Force.
16 The third name indicates how this king not only wants to comfort in suffering, but also to provide a livelihood. For if the counsel were alone, it would be only words, and if there were no emphasis, nothing would come of it in the end. So that something will come of it, he is called not only counsel, but also
Power: because when he has led us into all misfortune, and has let us be afflicted inwardly by the devil and outwardly by the world, and has strengthened us in suffering by his faithful counsel and holy word, he will also once powerfully lead us out, win and keep us right. And this he will and must do, so that he may preserve his divinity and that we may not despair. If we were to suffer all the time and God did not strike once, he would lose his divinity in the world, and we would despair and despair as if it were a false word on which we had relied; that is why he is called strength, that he may strike at last.
17 Thomas Muenzer had driven it so far by the uproar that we thought we would all have to go to failure, and was now at the point that it should all go over and over. We had nothing, except that our Lord God comforted us with His word and counsel. When I held to the word and said, "Lord, this is not my adversary, but yours; it is for your holy baptism, your gospel and your word," God came with his power and ordered the coiner to leave. Therefore he is called power, that today he removes this one, tomorrow that one out of the way; as he has shown himself powerful this time, because the gospel has stood, that he has taken hold of the skin of many, that they have felt it. For the verse must remain, Psalm 9:21: "Give them, O Lord, a Master, that the Gentiles may know that they are men."
This will certainly happen when the hour comes that we have suffered and the persecutors are ripe; God alone knows this hour best. We should not dictate to him the time or the hour, nor set the goal; he knows the time, the hour and the goal, we do not know, nor should we know, but we should keep his word, and let him be commanded the time and the hour, that he may strike when it seems good to him. He will come in due time, that we may know his power, and see with our own eyes how the wicked are rewarded. Only hold fast to him in all confidence, and you will see how the wicked will be punished. Whether we already
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not see that all who are hostile to us will be punished, yet in some we will see our pleasure and feel God's power.
19 But he does it in such a way that he always alternates and lets one thing follow another. Just as he puts an end to the night, and lets the day shine forth and become night again, so he puts an end to suffering, gives one end, and soon starts another. He gives rest, even in the midst of temptation: but he makes it so that it is always uphill, downhill, soon uphill again; now it is night, now it is day, soon it is night again; and it is not always night, nor always day, but one thing alternates with another, so that now it is night, now it is day, soon it is night again. This is how he governs his Christian church, as we see in all the histories of the Old and New Testaments. St. Paul saw and experienced much of this alternation, as he especially testifies in the 2nd Epistle to the Corinthians. St. John, however, even more, as he lived longer. In the Old Testament there is much alternation: when they held fast to the word in temptation, comfort and help were found, and yet afterwards they did not leave without the cross.
20 This means that the Lord is not such a counselor and comforter, who leaves it alone with the word and does nothing more, but also remedies it so that it comes to an end. When we are in trouble, he gives us his faithful counsel.
and strengthens us with his word, so that we do not sink from weakness, but may stand. But when it is time, and we have endured, he comes with his power, that we may pass through and retain the victory. We must have both: the counsel that we may be comforted and directed in suffering; and the power that we may pass through. All the Psalms give Christians a suffering strength, that is, comfort in trials and sufferings, that our backs may not break, but that we may have hope in patience. Then they also ask that God would finally take away the temptation, that He would not only give a strong back to suffer and endure, through His faithful counsel; but also refresh and refresh through His victorious power. This is how he leads all of Christendom, and this is his regiment. He who does not know this does not know what kind of king Christ is.
21 So now we have three names. The first is "Wonderful," that the Lord deals with his Christian church in a different way than flesh and blood can understand or calculate; in sum, that he does everything against the stream. The other name is "Counsel," that he counsels and comforts in temptation by his holy word. The third name is "power," that he also wants to help. He is wonderful, leads miraculously, brings us into the cross and suffering; is räthig and comforting; is strong, helps us also, that we come through and attain the victory.
5.Sermon
On Christmas Day.
Fifth sermon.*)
Hero.
- the first three names we have heard, how the child shall be called Wonderful,
Held in the parish church early on the day of St. John, 1532.
Rath, strength. Now follows the fourth name, that it should also be called "hero," that is, warrior. We Germans call it a giant, who is skillful and strong for the fight, who strikes around, and throws down, here a bunch, there another. With this name
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The prophet tells us how this King and Lord should present himself against his enemies.
The first three names concern us and teach us how he governs, comforts, sustains and defends us. First, he leads us through various crosses and sufferings; then he gives counsel and comfort through the word; third, he is with us with his power so that we can get through. So that these three names apply to us. But this fourth name concerns him, and teaches how he will increase and spread his kingdom, how he will attack his enemies, throw them around and push them into a heap, so that we, who are miraculously led by him, comforted by his counsel, and preserved and protected by his power, may also advance and not remain so small forever.
(3) For this reason he is called Hero, because he is a giant and a warrior who throws himself around. And this is also a power and strength; but not by helping us, as the third name teaches, but so that he may strike and strike down others, whom he also wants to subdue. But this he does without all the stroke of the sword. For as his regiment, that he might rule his church, is done strangely: so this victory against his enemies, by which he subdues the people, is also done strangely, without armor, without drawing swords, without guns. He only throws his gospel into the world, that is his sword, so that he conquers the world. It goes here after the saying Is. 11, 4.: "He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked." All his sword is the rod of his mouth and the breath of his lips. The gospel which he put in the mouths of the apostles is his sword; with it he strikes the world as with thunder and lightning.
4 The apostles did nothing but preach the gospel confidently to the world, attacking people in the place where they are softest, namely, under the left teat, at the heart. They struck no one with the physical sword, took no one's own, forced no one by force. But with the spiritual sword, which is the word of God, they struck no one.
They took captive the hearts of men, brought them to the kingdom of Christ, tore apart and destroyed the devil's kingdom in all lands. St. Peter arose on the day of Pentecost after the sending of the Holy Spirit, and struck the Jews with the sword of the gospel, and did such great battle that he cut off three thousand souls from the devil in one day and by one sermon. And because he was trusted with the gospel among the circumcision, he continued to strike at the Jews until others came and were converted and became Christians, but the persecutors perished, and finally all Judaism, which stood against the gospel and would not suffer this hero and man of war, Christ, went into a heap. St. Paul likewise, soon after his conversion, drove the chief priests, scribes and Jews into a mob; then, because the gospel was entrusted to him in the foreskin, he bore the name of Jesus before the Gentiles and before the kings, and taught that all men, Jews and Gentiles, were sinners, and must be justified without merit, by the grace of God, through the redemption that came about by Christ Jesus, Romans 3:23, 24. 3, 23. 24. This seems to be a small word, but it was such a mighty thunderclap that the whole Roman empire was struck into a heap with wisdom, power and holiness; there lay Minerva and Pantheon with all its idols. Thus this hero struck down all things among Jews and Gentiles, by the miraculous power of his word in the apostles.
5 And this day, what have I done to the pope? I have never drawn a sword, but have struck with the mouth and the gospel alone, and still strike at the pope, bishops, monks and priests, at idolatry, error and sects, and have thereby accomplished more than all emperors and kings could have accomplished with all their power. I alone have taken the rod of his mouth and struck at the hearts, let God rule and let the word work; this has caused such a ruckus among the papacy and made such a rift in it that where the rebellious murderous spirits with their peasants have come to me, I have been able to do more than all the emperors and kings with all their power could have done.
2628 ". 6, 297-299. On the holy day of Christ. W. XIII, 2447-2449. 2629
had not fished before the yarn, things should probably be different now with the Pabstthum.
There you can see the power of this hero. He is such a giant that he needs no other weapons than the word alone. He preaches to the world that all men, with all their wisdom, righteousness and piety, are sinners and condemned before God; but whoever wants to be saved must repent and believe in the forgiveness of sins in the name of Christ. When this sermon goes out into the world, indulgences, purgatory, the Holy Mass, monasticism, and the papacy fall away, without all bodily weapons and arms. This may be a strange and weird giant, who destroys the devil's fair with such a small and light tool, as it seems.
(7) And the Jews and the Gentiles say: Yes, but it is not right that the apostles should rumble thus in Judaism and in the Roman Empire. Who is Peter, Paul? They are rebels who make the country and the people go astray and cause turmoil on the whole face of the earth; how then can it be God's power? As today the Pope says of our Gospel, it is not God's but the devil's work. Answer: Right. No one should understand this name "hero" unless he has faith. Reason does not say that it is right that through the preaching of the Gospel at this time masses, pilgrimages, saints' service, indulgences 2c. should cease. For it does not recognize this giant and mighty warrior, but says that he is a rebel; just as his own people, the Jews, crucified him as a rebel. But we who go in under the first name "Wonderful," preach and confess the gospel, and are therefore persecuted by the world, know that we should place our comfort in the faithful Counselor, Christ, and expect His power. And because we do this, we see and experience that he is the right victor, who defeats so many people from the devil in his kingdom, so easily, without any stroke of the sword, just by the breath of his lips.
(8) And this controversy he proveth not only in his enemies, whom he taketh from the devil, and bringeth to the kingdom of heaven; but proveth it daily in us, that he, or we by him, have destroyed the devil, that is, sin and death.
in our hearts. For sins are the devil's fiery darts; if they make my conscience afraid and timid, it is time for me to strike the devil dead. How and by what means? By the word which Christ, as a faithful counselor, puts into my heart. For where Christ is preached and his name is called with earnestness, the devil flees.
(9) This is the warfare of this hero: when the gospel arises, it does not cease, it smites and hurls into the world, so that many people are won and Christ's kingdom becomes great. Such is a blessed smiting and a blessed warfare; for by it men are beaten from the devil and brought to Christ in his kingdom. This may be a hero and a giant. Thus it is written, Psalm 149:6-9, that the saints shall have sharp swords in their hands, to execute vengeance among the heathen, and punishment among the nations, to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron, to do them the judgment whereof it is written. Such honor shall all his saints have. The saints shall take sharp swords in their hands; these are not the swords of this world, but the spiritual swords of the mouth of Christ. With the same swords they shall thrust, and smite the heathen, nations, and kings, with all their wisdom and holiness, capturing them and subduing them to Christ. Such honor have the warriors and saints of God.
(10) So today our gospel also punishes the nations and avenges our Lord God for having been blasphemed in the Pabstics through the masses. For the word of the gospel creeps into the hearts of many people, even among our adversaries, puts them to shame, and takes them captive into a blessed prison, so that they may be free from sin, death and the devil, and become eternally blessed. This is a delicious prison. Would to God that all the world were in that prison; for it is such a prison, where one is kept and protected from the devil.
011 The sword is drawn and goes forth, and shall go forth until the last day. It was first drawn on the Jews by the apostles, and it was thrown in until the last day.
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Judaism is destroyed. After that, it was set on the Gentiles and on the Roman Empire, and threw itself into it, so that idolatry had to cease. Now it will be cast upon the papacy; there it shall cast in and not cease until the whole papacy perishes. The yeasts shall remain of the Pabstry; but the sword of the gospel shall not cease to condemn the Pabstry with its idolatry. Even though the pabstry will get breath in time, it shall be killed with the spirit of Christ's mouth until Christ puts an end to it by the appearance of His future.
Eternal - Father.
(12) We have now heard four names, in which all things are arranged that serve for power for us and against the enemies. Now follows the fifth name, "Jmmer Father", or "Eternal Father". This name is for us against him, and is a very sweet name, full of comfort. For by it it is signified that those who are under Christ are not servants, but children and free, who have come out of the servant's right into the right of children, and are not under the law, but under grace. For the word "father" is opposed to the word "tyrant" and "judge". Moses and the law is a judge and a tyrant; where the same falls into a heart, there it frightens a man that he wants to go right with God. But it is said, as David says: "Do not go into judgment with your servant; for before you no living man will be justified." (Ps. 143, 2.)
(13) This name should be well remembered, that Christ is not called a tyrant or a judge, but Father, who holds and proves himself fatherly toward us. And is not called Father for a moment, as the Sophists taught, but is called Eternal Father. In the priesthood, when I wanted to go to the Sacrament, I had the thought: Who could remain pure only a few hours after confession, so that I might receive the Sacrament worthily! This was because I did not know what is called forgiveness of sins, nor did I understand why Christ has this name and is called Eternal Father. Therefore, one should learn this name well. If you
If you are under Christ in his kingdom, he takes away from you the bondage of the yoke and the law, not only for an hour, not only for a day, but forever, until the last day, that is, forever and ever. For he is my Father forever, as the prophet calls him here: so I need never be under the law. Thus He Himself says, John 3:17, 18: "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 will not be judged." If Christ is not to judge the world, the law must be gone; if a believer is not to be judged, he must be free from the law. In short, a Christian is not under the law; for Christ is called Everlasting Father. But if Christ is Eternal-Father, a Christian must be Eternal-Child.
14 This is called the forgiveness of sins, that in Christ's kingdom we receive absolution, not because of our works, but because Christ is called Eternal Father. If you believe in Christ, the law shall have no effect on you. Christ will be your father forever, and will have no need of law against you, but will keep you childlike. If you have sinned and repent, and believe that your sins are forgiven in his name, he will have mercy on you as a father has mercy on his children. Let this be learned, that under Christ in his kingdom there is no judging or righting, but forgiving sin and being an everlasting father. Let the unbelievers, who do not belong in Christ's kingdom, go to the judge and executioner. But if thou believest in Christ, thou shalt be a child for ever, and Christ will be thy Father for ever and ever. Or if thou must have the law, put it upon thy flesh and old Adam, that he may be chaste, and keep the ten commandments of God. But let your faith, your heart and conscience be free from the law, and let the law in your heart even melt before this name "Eternal Father", as ice melts in summer before the heat.
(15) Therefore let a Christian's heart be so prepared, when the devil shall call him to judgment, that he may say, I know of no judgment: for it is written, Whosoever believeth in
2632 L.6, 302-304. On the holy day of Christ. W. XIII, 2452-2453. 2633
believes the Son, he shall not be judged." The law is gone, its burden has ceased; for I am under one Lord, who is called Father: not for an hour, not for a day, but forever. Therefore I am not under the law of servants, but under the grace of children and free; I will have the right of children. A father gives his children everything they need out of fatherly love. But a servant, if he wants something from his master, must earn it from him.
Therefore Christ is called not only a hero against his enemies, but also an everlasting Father for his friends and Christians, whom he rules in such a way that they should respect no law according to their hearts and consciences. In the conscience the law shall be nothing between me and Christ, but there forgiveness of sin shall be everything. As far as my faith and conscience are concerned, the judge, the judgment seat, the office of judge, the rod and staff, the prosecutor, the executioner, and everything else must be laid aside, and apply only in my heart: Christ is Father, and Everlasting Father. I should not think here as if Christ were standing behind me with the club, for such things belong to the judge and executioner, and not to the Father. But Christ is called Father, and Everlasting Father: therefore he shall not be my judge, if I believe in him.
(17) Is not this a consoling kingdom, which this child hath? Is not this a great grace, that we poor men and sinners should be in such a kingdom, where there is no wrath, but only forgiveness? Let your old Adam be pressed and afflicted with the law, that he may be kept in check and be obedient. But from this take heed that your heart may have joy, and that your conscience may be sure and glad toward God. For here is Christ who represents us. He thus says: He does not want to know about any judgment seat, but wants to be Eternal Father. He takes away the law from our heart and puts it on our old Adam; therefore our heart is well satisfied. If the devil comes and wants to torment us with the law, we should say: Christ is called Eternal Father, he does not want to be right with me. He himself says, Joh. 12, 47: "I did not come to judge the world, but that
I will save the world"; and Joh. 3, 18: "Whoever believes in him will not be judged. Now this means Eternal Father, that those who are under Christ are not under the law, according to the heart and conscience, whether they should already be under the law, according to the flesh and old Adam.
Prince of Peace.
This is the sixth name. This king shall be a king and prince who shall reign peacefully and happily. For "peace" in the Hebrew language means happiness and salvation, that everything will go well; as David says to Nabal, 1 Sam. 25, 6: "Happiness, peace be with you and your house, and with all that you have. So Christ is called the Prince of Peace, because in his kingdom there shall be all fullness and riches enough to be desired. He shall have a kingdom all full of riches and joy. He shall be our Eternal Father, representing us with eternal grace, so that neither sin nor death nor the devil shall accuse us before God. Above this we shall have in his kingdom all happiness and abundance of riches.
19 But as we cannot see with the eyes of reason how he is Eternal Father, so we cannot see how he is Prince of Peace. All this must be believed, if we want to understand and grasp something of it. Therefore this is such peace, such good and riches, which we have in Christ's kingdom, which no man can know with bodily eyes, nor comprehend with reason. That we now have the gospel, baptism, sacrament, God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, the right understanding of the Scriptures, so that we can make all the world rich in the Spirit: who can tell this wealth of such heavenly goods and such great happiness and blessing?
20 Therefore Christ is called the Prince of Peace, so that everything in his kingdom may proceed happily; he rules his own happily, gently and peacefully, and makes them blessed and rich in all spiritual goods. But faith is necessary to recognize and appreciate these goods. Whoever could put a few words from the Gospel on the gold scale and see how great the kingdom of God is?
2634L 6, 304.305. On the holy day of Christ. W. xm, 2455-2457. 2635
If you were to see what a treasure and a treasure of the holy baptism is given to us, you would consider all the kingdoms on earth to be nothing but dirt. Yes, who only should see what a good and treasure the holy baptism is, he would lift such treasure above all the world's goods. But because one does not see such things, one does not esteem them highly. But in truth these goods surpass everything that is in the world. For he who has God's word, baptism, sacrament, 2c. in his right mind, has all wisdom, and can counsel and help himself and others in the matter of sins and death, can keep himself and others from error, and has temporal and eternal joy in God. Such treasure is so great and high that no one can pronounce it; and such goods go in full swing under this king in his kingdom, where he reigns with his gospel.
(21) But how is it under the pope, who rules with the laws of men and the dreams of monks? There it goes, as we have experienced with our damage, that we have not known what baptism is, who Christ is, what faith is, have not understood a single word in the Lord's Prayer, have not known how to pray properly, have not understood a single commandment of God nor a single piece of the symbol or confession of faith, have not been able to interpret a single verse in the whole Psalter correctly, have not known how to say how many sacraments there are, have not known what fatherhood, motherhood, servanthood and maidhood are. When they preached about good works, they did not teach how each one in his state should be obedient to God and serve his neighbor, but they said, "Will you do good works?
Then go to St. James, to Rome, run into a monastery, become a monk. This has been a great and miserable pity; whereas now, under the Gospel, we have such great riches in all the gifts of God.
- Such a king is this child, who is a gentle father, who rules his own gently and fatherly, and a rich prince, who can and will make us rich, and bless us with all kinds of spiritual blessings in heavenly goods, as St. Paul says in Eph. 1:3. says: In his kingdom all things are full, and blessings are plenteous: but spiritual blessings in heavenly things, which cannot be seen with the eyes of reason, but must be known and apprehended by faith; as also all the other names, because they are spiritual.
(23) Therefore let us not be troubled, though the world hate us, blaspheme us, persecute us, and choke us; if only this riches of spiritual blessings and heavenly goods abide in Christ. If I have the treasure, then I can defy pope, emperor and all the world and say: You are indeed great lords, and I am a poor beggar compared to you; but I still have a penny in my pocket, which you do not have; I understand this saying from the holy scripture, which you do not understand, nor do you respect. I would not give the same for all your riches, even for the whole world.
(24) So this little child rules his Christianity, as these six names teach; he is called Wonderful, he is powerful, he is a hero and can war, he is a gentle father forever, he is a rich prince who makes his children vainly rich kings and princes in spiritual, heavenly goods.
2636 8.6, 305.306. Of the innocent little children. W. XIII, 2492-2494. 2637
The Escape to Egypt; Matth. 2, 13-23
*Of 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 Herod seeketh to destroy the young child. 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 mourning, and weeping, and wailing: Rachel wept for 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.
Although we do not celebrate the day of the Innocent Infants, let us now read and act upon their history, so that we may see how the dear Lord fared soon after His miserable birth, which the angels praise so highly, and preach and sing comfortingly about it.
First, let us talk a little about the story of how it happened. When the wise men came from the east, they found the infant with Mary, his mother, still in Bethlehem. Which (as I believe) will have happened at the end of the six weeks. For they had to keep the law of Moses, which was that a woman, when she had born a son, must lie in state forty-two days, that is, six weeks, and be called unclean, so that no one could have fellowship with her, and she could not go among the people, but whatever she touched was unclean. When she gave birth to a daughter, she had to lie in state for 84 days, that is, twelve weeks, and be unclean.
*) Held publicly in the parish church in the vigil on the Feast of the Circumcision in 1541.
be. Although Mary was not obliged to do this and Moses had no right over her with his law, because she gave birth without any pain and her virginity remained intact, she kept silent, gave herself up to the common law of all women and let herself be called unclean.
(3) She is a pure, chaste virgin before the birth, in the birth and after the birth, she did not become sick or weak from the birth, and could have gone out soon after the birth, not only because of the law, but also because of her intact body; for her son did not weaken her virginity, but rather strengthened it: nevertheless not only the mother, but also the son lets himself be kept unclean according to the law. He is not guilty of this, but does it willingly and gladly; as St. Paul says Gal. 4:4: "When the time was fulfilled, God sent His Son, born of a woman, to be given under the law, that He might redeem those who were under the law." But that the wise men should visit the child and the mother before the time of purification, against the law, is a peculiar thing.
2638 2.6, 306-308. Of the innocent little children. - W. xm, 2494-2497. 2639
thing to which the star had brought them. And Joseph, knowing full well that this child and this mother were not of such a character as other unclean children and women, allowed this to happen; otherwise the wise men would not have been allowed to enter her house.
4th Now when the wise men had departed from Bethlehem, and were not returning to Herod, but were going by another way to their own country, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, and commanded him to take the young child and his mother, and to flee into Egypt: for it was known that Herod would seek the young child to slay him. And Joseph takes the child and his mother, and departs by night. Herod put to death all the children in Bethlehem and all its borders who were two years old and under. Joseph stayed in Egypt with the child and his mother until the seventh year. But when Herod was dead, he departed again out of Egypt by command of the angel, and dwelt at Nazareth. This is the recent history.
Here two disputationes and questions arise. The first question is: How do St. Lucas and St. Matthew compare with each other? Lucas says Cap. 2, 39: "When they had finished all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their city Nazareth." But Matthew writes: "They fled into Egypt", which could not have happened before the six weeks. For even though Mary would have been strong enough naturally, the law did not permit it, they had to appear first in the temple and present the child to the Lord and make their sacrifice. If then they went from there to Nazareth, as Lucas writes, how could they have fled from Bethlehem in Egypt, as Matthew writes? Item, why does Herod kill the children of two years, if it happened soon after the six weeks?
6th The historians want to compare it this way; they say that after Herod had called the wise men to come back, he was taken by his sons to Rormgeladen, and thus a whole year passed before he brought the children back.
He had the infants killed. But according to the Gospel, Herod almost hurried after the murder of the infants. The wise men came to Bethlehem in the six weeks. When Herod heard that they had first come to Jerusalem and were looking for the newborn king, but that they would not return to him afterward, as he had left with them, he undoubtedly thought, "Perhaps the child was born half a year, a year, or a year and a half ago; therefore I will soon seek the child, and will attack a whole company of those two years old and under, so that I may not lack him. This is a very cunning piece of advice. For he was sure that the king must be born in Bethlehem, as it was proclaimed by the prophet Micah; for this the tribes of Israel were not mixed. Because Herod was sure of the place and the tribe that the king would be born in Bethlehem in the tribe of Judah, he thought, "The child will remain in this place and in this tribe; therefore he will not escape me; I will take a whole company before me so that I may be sure to meet him.
(7) He began wisely enough, for he had been in the habit of murder for thirty years, during which time he had slain many Jews who would not have him as king because he was a foreigner and not of the family of David. The Romans had installed him and invaded by force; therefore the chief priests and elders opposed him fiercely, and Herod resisted vigorously until he finally killed all the chief priests and all the prominent people among the Jews; he exterminated the Sanhedrin with priests, nobles and rulers; then he took the priesthood to himself, and the priestly garments from the temple he sold to whomever he wanted. He was a pious man, like M. H. and K. V. E. in our times. Although he had thus tyrannized and raged for thirty years, almost exterminating the entire nobility and the priesthood (for he was a rageful man, and did not spare anyone, not even his own children; he had two fine sons, whom he executed together with their mother, and others as well;
2640 8.6, 308-311. Of the innocent little children. W. XIII, 2497-2499. 2641
So that Augustus the emperor, when he heard these things, said that he would rather be Herodis' sow than his son.) But the people did not leave off their murmuring, but stood firm that not a stranger, but one of David's blood and stock should be king; they set up two great rumors against the Roman governor. For they said: We are God's people; therefore we shall not suffer a foreign king. Herod was mad and foolish, and he tyrannized with great fury.
008 And it came to pass, when he had reigned so many years, as he had said,' and the Jews murmured against him, and made a tumult, that there was first a cry that a new king of the Jews was born. For the shepherds and others, if they heard it from them, did not keep silent. Moreover, soon thereafter the wise men came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews?" Then he becomes more furious, mad and foolish; he thinks, "This will be a wicked game;" he deals cunningly with the wise men, directs them to Bethlehem, tells them to search diligently for the infant, pretends to be serious about it, and admonishes them, when they find it, that they also show it to him, so that he also comes and worships it (yes, with the sword through the heart!).
9th Since this attack did not go away and the wise men did not come back, he soon looked for another attack, thinking: I still want to find the child. I have executed so many of them before, but it should not remain so, they must be better off. He therefore ordered that all the children under two years old be stabbed and murdered, not only in Bethlehem but also all around its borders; he suddenly attacked them and secretly gave the order the night before. This shall be done, as I think, after the six weeks, when all things are finished in the temple.
010 And it came to pass, when Herod was about to do this, and the decree was already made that the children should be put to death, that this decree came to pass, that the angel appeared unto Joseph in a dream, saying, He shall flee into Egypt, and shall speedily flee. For there was no more time nor space; the strangulation was to begin in the morning. Therefore also the
Angels do not: Go, or depart; but: Flee, go up, flee in haste, and get thee hence quickly: for the morrow, or the day after tomorrow, shall the mourning begin. And Joseph tarried not, neither waited till the morning, but rose up immediately that night, and fled, according to the commandment of the angel, and that night was almost come out of the border of Bethlehem. For I hold that the border of Bethlehem had scarcely three miles of way about it. This happened when I was eight, after the six weeks, when they had finished everything in the temple and now wanted to go back to Nazareth; then the angel's command fell on them to flee into Egypt, and Joseph came away in a hurry with the child and his mother. Herod immediately sent out to kill the children.
(11) Behold, what an abominable tyrant he is; before he hath broken his courage, rather will he knowingly put to death the innocent with the guilty. Well, he said, they will hide the newborn king from me; so I will find such counsel, which shall also be hidden from them. Now they weigh their children, give them porridge to eat; but this night they shall do it at last. Such bloodthirsty advice he holds secretly, and suddenly assaults them; otherwise every mother would have run out to the border with her child. It is a desperate, treacherous counsel, which cannot be prevented by human wisdom, nor can it be prevented; therefore the mothers of Bethlehem are safe, sleep with their dear little children and do not worry about it at all. In the morning, the king's messengers come with their terrible command, attack the children and strangle them without any mercy. This was a pitiful sight, for there were few houses in all Bethlehem and the surrounding area where two or three children were not found, for a woman often bears two children in two years. There has been wailing and howling about the bloodhound in all the houses; as also the evangelist draws from the prophet Jeremiah. Just as if we were there now, when the Turk snatches the children away from their mother's breasts and strangles them.
2642 L.6,811-313. of the innocent little children, W.XIII, 2499-2602. 2643
12 Thus the life of our Lord Christ begins, that the devil is soon there, causing trouble and distress. But what he has gained in it, that he has well come to know. For the little children have been taken out of this world and his kingdom into heaven. If the Roman emperor Augustus had wanted to serve these children and had given them his kingdom, he would not have served them as well as Herod serves them with his bloodthirst and murder. He tore the children away from their mother's breasts and placed them in heaven, making vain martyrs of them, so that their blood became precious before God. The parents were hurt, but the children were well: they did not feel any spiritual challenge; the Lord took them away when he came into this world, to be a sweet sacrifice. Thus S. Murder will also create much good.
Joseph and Mary do not know that the rogue is planning such an attack. Mary has been cleansed with her child in the temple, and now wants to return home with Joseph from Bethlehem and settle down in Nazareth. But the angel brings a different message and says to Joseph: "If you stay here, the devil's head will find you. Only flee away soon, it is here no longer longer to wait. Joseph obeys the voice of the angel, gets up by night and flees away. The angel could have indicated this a day or three before, but our Lord God lets it come to the greatest and last need, and does not tell them where to eat and drink, but has let it come to the last need, when there is no more waiting.
014 And hear how the angel saith, Take the child, saith he, and his mother. He does not say, "Take your child, whose father you are;" but rather says, "Take the child and its mother," giving the child to the mother alone. So also before, Cap. 1, when he also appears to Joseph in a dream, v. 20, he says, "Fear not to take Mariam thy spouse unto thee: for that which is born in her is of the Holy Ghost." He then places the child before and the mother after. Now the father and mother should be
according to the fourth commandment; but because the angel presents the child and the mother afterwards, he wants to indicate that the child of the mother is God and Lord, and yet is called Mariam its mother. From this it follows that this child is truly God, and yet at the same time a true, natural man; yet conceived without sin by the Holy Spirit, and born of a virgin.
15 The angel also reports the reason why Joseph should flee. "It is present", he speaks, "that Herod seeks the child to kill it. As if he wanted to say: Herod has heard from the shepherds' cries and the wise men's message that a new king has been born. He cannot bear this; therefore he wants to commit an outrageous and diabolical act on the innocent blood, to choke the infants in a heap; therefore arise from this hour and flee with the child and its mother into Egypt.
16 From this you can see what misery and suffering the poor mother endured. She came to Bethlehem in a strange place and had to stay there until the time of her cleansing. In her town of Nazareth, she could have been much better as a mother of six, where she would have been better cared for. But she had to go to a foreign country. But the cross did not end there, but now that she hoped to return home, the persecution began and the child was in danger of being murdered. Both Joseph and Mary were frightened; the mother especially must have been very sorry. So they quickly come out of a small misfortune into a greater one, and must not only leave their home and the city of Nazareth, where their food and goods were, but even flee from the people of Israel in Egypt, since they were not God's people, since they have nothing of their own where they can live or from which they can live. It will have been a poor marriage. Even though the wise men gave them something, it was a great misery that they had to wander and live in a foreign country for six years. For when they wandered in Egypt, it was a great misery.
2644 ". 6, 313-315. of the innocent children. W. XIII, 2502-2504. 2645
It was in the thirtieth or thirty-first year of Herod, when he almost brought the Jews to obedience. Therefore the Lord was six or seven years in Egypt, in a foreign land, a sojourner and stranger; there he had to enjoy the help of strangers whom he did not know, and Joseph may have fed and helped himself with his handiwork.
(17) This is the history of the flight of Christ in Egypt, and how Herod dealt with the innocent infants in Bethlehem; which shows how the Lord fared soon after the six weeks, and what persecution, mourning, trouble, and bloodshed followed. But why did he do this, that he went into such misery and subjected himself to so many misfortunes? Why did he not rather use his divine power or the protection and help of the angels, who could have soon taken Herod away? Answer: The Holy Scripture wants to portray this Lord as a true, natural man, who in all things, except sin, wanted to be like us; as St. Paul says Phil. 2, 7: "That he had manifested himself, and taken upon him the form of a servant, and was found like another man in deeds.
(18) Therefore, the book of Jesus' pueritia, how he was supposed to have performed miraculous signs in his childhood, is just a fool's work. For he has been mocked like another child, he has been treated like other children, he is protected by the angels like other children. For many a child falls from the table, bench, or into the fire, so that it is publicly seen that the angels are there to protect it. Six years ago in the Voigtland, not far from Zwickau, a maiden was sent out to look for cattle and drive them home. But since she got lost, she was found sitting in the forest on the third day, in the cold winter, and unharmed 2c. This is what the dear angels do not only to Christians, but also often to the pagans; hence the saying came that one says: You have had a good angel today 2c. Many a man often falls, so that it would not be a miracle if he broke his neck three times, and yet he is protected. On the other hand, one also learns
often that one breaks a leg on the level way 2c.; because the angel is not there. I must confess that when I think back on my life, I have been noticeably protected by the angels three times. I have also seen that some have hardly left the house, and soon after that the house collapsed.
- so Christ also wanted to keep, did not want to be something special in front of others; but because he wants to be a natural man, he also lives and behaves like a man, lets himself be wrapped in swaddling clothes, suckles 2c., learns to walk on chairs and benches, has eaten and drunk, and in sum, keeps to all things like other children, except that he has done no sin, and has been an excellently sensible, disciplined, intelligent child above all others, so that one could well have felt that something special would become of him. For he wanted to conceal his majesty and divinity until he had accomplished the redemption of the human race. Although, when he entered his office, he performed great signs that no other man does, he died soon after and manifested himself in divine form. For he did not come to subdue the world and protect himself with the sword. No, he does like another man, is warned by the angel of harm and flees away.
(20) All these things are prescribed for us as an example and a lesson, so that we may be more certain and assured of the article of our Christian faith, namely, that Christ is a true, natural man, born of virgins, who lived on earth as another man. He makes no distinction between himself and others, but acts and suffers like another man, except for sin. As often as we read in the Gospel that he escapes, he wants to prove himself as a natural man, and covers up his divinity so that he hides it from the devil.
(21) We should do the same: if we can escape, we should not despise such means; as some enthusiasts do, who, in defiance of the devil, will not depart, when they might well depart. As one now
2646 6> 3is. On the Historia of the Conversion of St. Paul. W. xm. 2soi. 2Zi8. 2647
There are also many who do not want to go to church, nor do they want to use other means ordered by God, but want to have something special. But God has given you worldly rulers, princes, lords, 2c., item, pastors, preachers, word, baptism, sacrament, 2c., and everything that belongs to the bodily and spiritual life: according to this, as other people do, you cannot err. But if you want to do something special, you do it against God's will and command. So Christ also keeps the common way, wanting to be like another child: not like Manichaeus makes a changeling out of him, who takes the human nature away from Christ altogether; but wants to be like another child in all things and in all things.
The angels, as St. Paul says, are found equal to men. Just as he would have perished if he had not been warned by the angel. This is what is said about the comparison of the histories.
Now the other question and disputation is left from the three sayings that St. Matthew introduces. The same question I command the scholars. Matthew is blamed for not leading the proverbs correctly, because the prophet Hosea Cap. 11 speaks of the people of Israel who were to be led out of Egypt; item, the saying: "He shall be called Nazarene", one does not know where it stands. But he was not wrong, but well introduced. But it would be too long to talk about it now.
The conversion of St. Paul
*About the Historia of the conversion of St. Paul. )
Apost. 7, 37. to 8, 3.; 9, 1-6.; 26, 16-18.; 9, 7-17.; 22, 14-16.; 9, 18-25.
And the witnesses laid down 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. But he knelt down, and cried aloud: Lord, do not keep this sin from them! And when he had said this, he fell asleep. But Saul was pleased with his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church at Jerusalem, and they were all scattered abroad in Judea and Samaria, without the apostles. There sent ab'er Stephanum godly men, and held a? great lamentation against him. Saul destroyed the church, went to and fro in the houses, and pulled out men and women, and delivered them into prison. Then Saul, while he was still hurting and killing the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him to send letters to Damascus to the synagogues, so that if he found any of them that way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to 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? And the LORD said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and they shall tell thee what thou shalt do. For to this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a minister and a witness of those things which thou hast seen, and which I will cause to appear unto thee. And I will save thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, among whom I send thee now to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God, to receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance with them which are sanctified by faith toward me. But the men who were his companions stood still and were frozen, for they heard a voice and saw no one. 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. And he was three days without sight, and did not eat, neither did Hank. 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. The Lord
*) Held in the house on the third Sunday after Epiphany, 1534.
2648 6, 3i6.3i7. Ueber die Historia von der Bekehrung St. Pauli. W. xm, Wis-2522. 2649
said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called the right way, and inquire of the house of Judah for Saulo, whose name is Tarsen: for, behold, he prayeth, and hath seen in a vision a man, whose name is Ananias, coming in unto him, and laying 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 to a saint 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 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 he said, God of our fathers hath ordained thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see the righteous, and hear the voice of his mouth. For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of that which thou hast seen and heard. And now, what do you consume? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, and call upon the name of the Lord. 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 who in Jerusalem cast out all those who call on this name,' and therefore it is customary for him to lead them bound to the chief priests? But Saul grew stronger and stronger, and he drove in the Jews who lived in Damascus, proving that this man is the Christian. And after many days the Jews held a council together, that they slew him. But it was made known to Saulo that they were pursuing him. And they kept watch at the gates day and night, that they might kill him. Then the disciples took him by night, and put him through the wall, and let him down in a basket.
- this history of Paul's conversion should be kept in the church and preached, so that we may learn to recognize the miraculous work of our Lord God, how he made Saulum a holy and excellent apostle, and comfort ourselves with it.
2 Saul was present when the blood of Stephen, the witness of God, was shed, and was pleased with his death, and kept the clothes of those who killed him, and also helped to capture, torture and kill other Christians and saints, and thought that he had done well, that he was pleased with the death of Stephen and helped to capture and torture the other Christians. The same blood of the saints, and especially the blood of Stephen, presses him so hard that he cannot rest, but would have gladly exterminated and killed all Christians in one day, if he could and if God had not prevented him. As can be seen in all tyrants: once they have tried Christian blood, the devil does not let them celebrate, hunts them down and drives them to more murder, like a hunting dog that sees the game before it and has come to the jump.
*)In the text, to 9, 11. the marginal note: "(Correct) ευθεία, the wide road".
Since he was so angry, snorted and raged against the Christians, he was converted to Christ; as St. Lucas describes all this very clearly, how it happened, and repeats such Historia often in many chapters. This is an excellent legend, so that we do not find any saint in the whole New Testament who has such a great legend as this man. He was converted in a very strange way and happened in a very strange way, as we hear from the history described by St. Lucas, and Saul became a great saint and apostle before our Lord God.
(3) Such a history should be preached among Christians at least once a year, even though the day is not celebrated: not because we want to worship St. Paul and make a god out of him, as the papists do, but so that we may hear and learn God's miraculous work and improve ourselves from it. For here one sees a miracle above all the miracles that Christ has done, that he so graciously converts his greatest enemy. For as St. Lucas testifies here in clear words, Paul was a murderer, bloodhound and betrayer of all Christians, who also blasphemed Christ and profaned him to the highest degree.
2650 s, 317-319. On the Historia von der Bekehrung St. Pauli. W. xm, 2522^524. 2651
who would have liked to have eliminated Christ and the whole of Christendom in one day, where he could have done so. But what cause has he for this? No other, because he hears that the Christians preach that one cannot be saved by the law; if one wanted to be saved, it would have to happen only through Jesus crucified; apart from him, one could neither come to forgiveness of sins nor to eternal life. When he heard that Moses with his law could not help to salvation, and that all the prophets had not been sufficient for Moses, he became mad and foolish.
4 Just like the pope with his own, when he hears that his filth, monasticism, orders, prayers, fasting, and keeping the mass do not help to blessedness before God, he wants to burst with malice, and cannot stand such preaching at all. So it was to the wretched Paulo's mind, without him having a better cause than the pope and his followers. 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 for something; so, he thought, I will leave life and limb over. For how can it be wrong, because it is given and ordered by GOD Himself? The pope does not have God's word, but his own scripture and man's statute. For this very reason, we challenge their observance of mass, orders, prayers, and fasts, saying that they are unjust and cannot do anything in the sight of God, since God did not command them, but they have done them out of their own choice and devotion, apart from God's command. And yet, one sees what they dare to do in order to maintain their idolatry.
If we now look at the heart of Paul, what moves him that he, so hostile to the Christians, takes letters and becomes 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 mean anything else, because
he is doing right. On the other hand, the conscience of our papists convinces them 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 God's word, nor the institution of Christ, nor the custom of the first church.
For this reason Paul is more pious than the papists, for he seeks nothing in this, but to defend God's word and honor, and to dare and suffer what he can dare and suffer, and what he does, he does ignorantly; as he himself says 1 Tim. 1:13: "Mercy has been shown me, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. No pope of today can boast of this. For what they do, they do commonly for the sake of the belly; for this God's word thrusts them before the head, and shines in their eyes, that they must confess it to be the truth, and yet they will not tolerate nor suffer it. Therefore, whoever persecutes the Christians knowingly will be persecuted differently than Paul, who did it completely unknowingly.
(7) Now when Paul was so serious about the matter, and thought to fight the new sect in other places besides Jerusalem, our Lord Jesus also had his thoughts, and said, "Stop! He will become good to me, for what he does he does with earnestness; the same earnestness which he now has in an evil matter I will strengthen with my spirit, and use it for a good cause, and set him against the Jews, that he may preach me, and make the Jews mad and foolish, as they deserve. Just as our Lord God needs me today against the pope and his followers: since I would have let myself be torn apart over the pope before, I must now fight most fiercely against the pope. This would make the papists mad and foolish. So Paul became a very good preacher, first among the Jews, then and especially among the Gentiles, of whom he boasts that he is a teacher, and we must confess that we are his children, whom he begat in Christ by the gospel, as he says in 1 Cor. 4:15. But this is a greater miracle, because Christ kept all the other apostles and disciples with him for a long time before, but Paul.
2652 s, 319-321. On the Historia von der Bekehrung St. Pauli. W. xm, 2521-2527. 2653
he immediately sends among the Gentiles and has him preach; so that Paul is our master, we who are Gentiles and not Jews.
This is the great and comforting miracle, that our Lord God converted the man who was so wicked and persecuted Christ and his Christianity with such earnestness. This is how it happened: He took letters from the chief priests to the synagogues in Damascus, so that he could lead the Christians captive to Jerusalem, thinking: "Now I will examine them properly; he quickly set out for Damascus, where some of the Jews had become Christians. They were his blood friends, but he intended to inflict all the plagues on them.
Now as he came near Damascon, suddenly a light shone around him, and he fell to the earth.
The right hour has come. The Lord let the light shine around him in the field, and he fell to the earth. For no heart is so strong, even if it were a pebble or a diamond, that it could hold and not break. The light shines around him and strikes him down, so that he lies there and loses his face in terror. There he lies and thinks: Now you must die! The painters do not paint the history correctly, for they paint how a thunderclap struck Paul to the earth; but as it is written here and in other places, it was not lightning or thunder, but a sudden light, at which he is frightened and falls to the earth. As he lay there in great fear and terror, he heard 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? Did I think I was doing God the highest and best service by this? And he said:
HErr, who are you? The Lord said: I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest.
(11) This is saying, What you do to my Christians, you do to me; therefore, 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 wonder that Paul in the
would have died in a moment. For when it strikes one's eyes and heart that he has persecuted God, there will be little consolation. The same will happen to our papists, either in the last hour, when they are to die, or on the last day; then their conscience will accuse them and beat them to the ground so that neither heart nor breath will be left.
12 The Lord spoke to him in Hebrew, and his companions saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of him who spoke to him. Therefore they do not know what happened to him. The Lord continues:
It will be difficult for you to lure against the sting.
(13) This is an excellent warning, which all should take to heart who think to persecute Christ and his doctrine. But they have not the grace to believe it; therefore they are not converted like Paul, but continue in sins, until they die and perish here temporally and there eternally. It is a good thing, saith Christ, that thou rageest thus: what dost thou thereby accomplish? Nothing else, but that you stab yourself in the spear. A fine and excellent swordsman is he who thrusts his heels against the spear, or treads on the spear with his feet.
(14) This is a very remarkable and comforting saying for the poor persecuted Christians, that he who persecutes Christ is considered to be licking against a sharp thorn, because the foot is either paralyzed or otherwise not very lucky. Thus it shall come to pass, that he that rageth against Christ shall lodge against the sting. As H. G. thinks today, he wanted to tear Christ down from heaven, but he will soon find out how he will fare. A spear is not made to be walked upon, but to be thrust with; but he that will lick his feet against it shall see how he shall fare. When Paul hears this, he has had enough and speaks with trembling and fear:
Lord, what do you want me to do?
15 This is the way to teach a Mores. This man, who is called JEsus of Nazareth, can
2654 6.321-323. On the Historia von der Bekehrung St. Pauli. W. xm, ssA 2528. 2655
to say to one with earnestness that he feels. Paul would have had to despair and die if Christ had not lifted him up and comforted him. For he spoke to him:
Get up and go to the city; there they will tell you what to do.
16 Although he speaks to Paul from heaven, he does not want to abolish the preaching ministry, nor does he want to do anything special for anyone. He might well have commanded him from heaven by voice what he should do; but he directs him to the preaching seat and pastor, where he shall hear and learn what is to be learned. For our Lord God does not want to do anything special for anyone, but gives his baptism and gospel to the whole world, to one and to another. There we can learn how to be saved, and not wait to see if God will do 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 he will be found, and nowhere else.
Therefore, it is hardly right for those who seek something special to find the devil. The spirits of the mob, Carlstadt, Münzer and others, gather in a corner and wait there for our Lord God and for the Holy Spirit; so the devil overhears and possesses them that they want to force our Lord God to let them see something special. Then our Lord God decrees that the devil flies down in the form of an angel, and it serves them right. Our Lord God has not done anything special to Paul, who hears the bodily voice and word of the Lord Christ and is to become the highest preacher, but he must go into the city and hear Ananiam. He says, "Go," and will not do anything special for him, nor teach and baptize him in the field,
but point him to where his word and baptism are. And Paul gladly follows the command of the Lord, even though he does not yet know where he should be and who should tell him.
018 Then our Lord God sends Ananiam, who preaches to him, baptizes him, lays his hands on him, and says:
Dear brother Saul! The Lord has sent me, who appeared to you on the way you came, that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
So Paul comes to the face, to baptism, to the Holy Spirit, through Ananiam, who was not a finger against Paul, but was like a little candle against the sun. From the same little sulfur wood Paul must receive his light, from the little doctor Anania the great doctor Paul must hear what he should do.
19 Let this be known, that we may learn to hold the preaching office in high esteem: Paul is overcome with vision, understanding, and the Holy Spirit, that he knows who Christ is, what baptism is, by the ministry of Ananiä, and immediately appears and is a different man. How much Christian blood he had shed before, so much, yes, a thousand times more he now makes Christians, that the disciples themselves cannot sufficiently marvel, and say: Is this not a miracle, that the man preaches thus, who in Jerusalem casts out all who call on this name? And much more angered the Jews, than the Christians had angered him before.
(20) This is the history of Paul's conversion, a very beautiful legend, which shows us the miracle of our Lord God, that the great persecutor of Christ and His Church was thus converted and turned from a wolf into a gentle, harmless little lamb, for our salvation and comfort, so that we Gentiles might have such a master and teacher and thank God from the bottom of our hearts for such grace.
2656 L. 6, 323. 324. On the Day of the Purification of Mary. W. xm, 2532-2535. 2657
*On the day of the Purification of Mary. )
Luc. 2, 22-32.
And when the days of their purification were come 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.
Today the feast is celebrated, which in the papacy is called Our Lady's Candlemas, because on this day the wax candles were consecrated, exorcised, lit and carried in the procession. You have often heard where this came from, namely, that Pope Sergius took it from the Romans, so that, just as the pagans went about with torches and lights on this night, seeking the Proserpinam, so the Christians should go in honor of Our Lady every year on this day with consecrated burning candles in the procession. We must leave this to the pope and whoever feels like it. We celebrate this day as a feast of our Lord Jesus Christ, who showed himself on this day when he was carried into the temple in Jerusalem and presented to the Lord.
2 St. Lucas remembers three things: the cleansing, the presentation and the sacrifice; and attaches to each thing that it was done according to the law of the Lord. What does he want to indicate by this, that he makes so many words about it and remembers the law of the Lord so often?
First, he wanted to show how God had ruled and forced the Jewish people with so many laws, as a people who needed such coercion.
*) Held publicly in the parish church, 1537.
First of all, the law of purification was a hard law: for the six-pregnant women of the Jews had to be unclean: what they ate, what they drank, what they touched, where they walked, what they touched, everything was unclean, and everyone had to flee and avoid the six-pregnant woman as if she were a leper. If she gave birth to a girl, she had to stay twelve weeks and be unclean, but if she gave birth to a baby, she had to stay six weeks.
4 After that, the law of presentation and sacrifice was also a hard and severe law. When the six weeks were up, the mother had to bring her first son to Jerusalem to the temple, present and sacrifice him to the Lord, and redeem him with a place of guilders (quarter guilders) and a pair of turtledoves if she was poor, and then present and present herself three times a year to Jerusalem in the temple. This was the law of the Jews in the Old Testament, a very hard and heavy law. How angry we should look if such a hard and heavy law were laid upon us.
(5) In the New Testament we are exempt from such laws, but the Jews under Moses had to bear such a burden of the law, not only with a burden on the body, but also with a great cost in money. From each head they had to give annually a place of guilders to the Romans.
2658 8.6, 324-326. On the day of the Purification of Mary. W. XIII, 2335-2338. 2659
After that they must give all the first birth of men, cattle and fruits to the temple. The tenth of all the fruits they gave to the Levites. Over all this they gave almost two tenths, if you count what they gave to the king, item, for sacrifices, item, to the poor. And the pope also did a lot of giving. What was given for wax candles on this day alone! Whoever had the money that was spent in this principality for wax candles on this day alone, would be a rich gentleman. Now we are free, not only from the heavy burden of the law Most, but also from the Pabst's treasure.
But how one thanks God and His Gospel for this freedom is seen daily in the peasants, burghers, nobility, etc.; for now no one likes to give a penny more for the Gospel and the preaching ministry, indeed, everyone prefers to steal and rob from the poor church what was given before the age. The peasants in the villages complain when they have to build a fence for their pastor; indeed, they force him to herd cows and swine, just like the other peasants. In the Old Testament and Mosiah's Law, the Jews were forced to be obedient to their priests, just as in the papacy no one was allowed to revolt against monks and priests; but now, under the Gospel, everyone wants to do as he pleases, and the priests and preachers are not only despised, but also treated badly in other ways. We must suffer such filth beside us, as we must suffer snot in the grass.
Therefore our Lord God was well pleased to burden the people of Israel with many laws. For a donkey and a horse must be harnessed and bridled, otherwise they cannot be used; as the 32nd Psalm says in v. 9: "You must put a bridle and bit in the mouth of horses and mules, if they will not come to you," and Sirach Cap. 33, 25: "To the ass belongs his fodder, scourge, and burden: so to the servant his bread, punishment, and labor." There must be law, punishment and compulsion in the world; it cannot be dispensed with: not only because people are so wicked, but also because the
The devil does not rest, nor does he cease to incite and drive people, until he has brought about fornication, murder, thievery and all kinds of vice. Then one must restrain and ward off as much as one can, and force the people whom the devil drives to sin and vice, so that outward discipline may be maintained. Now the common man is free not only from the burden of waxen lights, but also from all constraints in which they are placed in the papacy, and enjoy the light of the Gospel without any burden, purely for nothing. They should thank God for this, but they become insolent and wild, and do not want to do anything good. This is one reason why St. Lucas looks at the law so often.
(8) Secondly, he meant to signify that our dear Lord Christ threw himself under the law for our sake, so that he might redeem us from the curse of the law. He was not conceived nor born, as the law says of the firstborn, but was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a pure virgin. Nevertheless, he kept the cleansing with his mother according to the law. This is a great comfort to us, that the Scripture thus models and exemplifies Christ to us, that he became like us in all things, but in such a way that he committed no sin. The deeper we can bring Christ into the flesh, the better it is. For he cast himself under the lowest law of purification, that he might show himself to be a natural man, yet a pure and holy man, giving himself under the law for our sakes; as St. Paul says, Gal. 3:13: "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us."
(9) It is the same with the law of the firstborn, which must be presented to the Lord. The same law indicates how all young children, soon from birth, would be sinners and condemned to death. Therefore, they must soon be brought into the temple and presented for sacrifice, that is, death. Now Christ comes, bearing not only the law of uncleanness, but also the law of the presentation and sacrifice of the firstborn; not only taking upon himself our sin, but also allowing himself to be condemned to death.
2660 n. 6.326-328. On the day of the Purification of Mary. W. XIII, 2338-2341. 2661
condemn to death for our sake, because all that was sacrificed in the old law was given to death. But whoever wanted to have his firstborn son again had to redeem him with a sacrifice. This is called the other sacrifice in the Old Testament.
(10) So Christ has taken upon himself the judgment that he is condemned to death like another man. From this we see what we are by nature with reason and free will. The law gives us to death, and the very first fruit, which was the best and noblest, to show that there is no good in man, though he already has the advantage and is the firstborn among his brethren. Because Christ therefore hath done these things, and hath given himself under the law, he hath delivered us from the law, that we should not be guilty of death, but much less of uncleanness. For he owed nothing to the law, he is not a sinner, and the law has no right to condemn him to death. But because the law has attacked him as another child, conceived and born in sins, and yet he is excluded from all other children, as he was not conceived of male seed, but of the Holy Spirit; not born of an unclean mother, but of a pure virgin, and therefore the law has no right over him, even that he is the master of the law: therefore he has redeemed us from the curse of the law, that the law should not condemn us to death, if we are baptized into him and believe in his name. And this is the first piece in this gospel, of the laws of purification and the first birth.
The other part of this gospel is more consoling and subtle than the first, that old Simeon, prompted by the Holy Spirit, comes into the temple and takes the child Jesus in his arms, and sings a fine song that we have to console ourselves against death. For it is a different song than the Pope's and the priests' requiem. St. Lucas says that Simeon had a promise from the Holy Spirit that he would not die, because he had first seen the Christ of the Lord, that is, the King of whom all the prophets prophesied and said.
have proclaimed. Then he comes into the temple and takes the child (whom the parents bring into the temple, that they may do for him according to what is written in the law) in his arms, praising God and saying:
Now, O Lord, let thy servant depart in peace, as thou hast said. For mine eyes have seen thy Saviour, whom thou hast prepared before all nations, a light to lighten the Gentiles, and for the praise of thy people Israel.
12 Simeon has a very sharp face. He sees in this child neither a royal figure nor splendor, but a figure like a poor beggar. The mother is a poor woman, and has barely five pennies in her purse, so that she may redeem her child in the temple according to the law. The child is swaddled in a very small, poor swaddling cloth, yet Simeon comes without anyone's testimony or preaching, preaches and testifies publicly himself, saying, "This child is the Savior of all the world and the light of all the Gentiles. This is a strange sermon and a strange testimony about this child. Simeon sees a little child lying in a small cloth. If he had wanted to judge by reason, he would have had to say: This is not a king, but a beggar child. But he puts this poor form, as the child is to be looked at according to reason, out of his sight, and makes this child a king, greater than all the kings of the whole world. For he calls him a Savior, prepared of God before all nations, and a light to enlighten the Gentiles in the whole world. This means to reach out far and wide and to open his eyes wide. He sees into the whole world, from one end of the earth to the other. Wherever there are peoples and nations, he says, in the whole world, this child is a savior and a light. Therefore, take everything that is said in all the Scriptures and hang it on this child whom he has in his arms.
First, he calls this child a savior of all nations. Thereby he indicates that this child redeems from sin and death and gives righteousness and eternal life. The dear Simeon sees these great miraculous works in this child, that he justifies the people and
2662 8.6, 328-331. On the day of the purification of Mary. W. xm, 2541-2543. 2663
and speaks of it with such certainty and comfort, as if he saw in the whole world no more sin, no more death, no more sorrow, but only righteousness, salvation and life. "My eyes have seen your Savior." As if he wanted to say: "I have no other reason, but that all that is in the world is life and blessedness. Therefore I will not die, but go in peace. Secondly, he calls him a light of the Gentiles. He is a light, he says, by which all the Gentiles shall be enlightened. He is to take away the darkness and give light among the Gentiles, that is, he is to tear apart the kingdom of the devil, who rules in the world with darkness, error, sin, death and all misfortune; he is to destroy sin and death; as St. Paul also says in 2 Timothy 1:1. Paul says, 2 Tim. 1, 10. 11.: "Who hath taken away the power of death, and hath brought life and an incorruptible nature to light, through the gospel: to which I am set a preacher and an apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles." These are great, mighty works and miracles of God that Simeon gives to this child, saying that this child will reign in the whole world, and set the light of his gospel on fire against the devil's error and darkness, and bring people to the knowledge of God.
14 But that all men be not enlightened, nor believe the gospel, there is no power. For the sun shines in the whole world, and yet many people are asleep, and many are blind who do not see the light of the sun. That all people do not see the light of the sun is not the fault of the sun, but of the people who either sleep or are blind, or close their windows and eyes and do not want to see the light of the sun. Our whole city of Wittenberg is full of the gospel, which shines to all, young and old; and yet very few accept the gospel. This is not the fault of the gospel, but of the people who do not want to accept it. Even though many Gentiles remain blind who do not see the light, this child nevertheless remains the light of all Gentiles.
15 Thus the kingdom of Christ remained under the pope, the Turks and the Tarthers, and remains today under the angry nobles,
Bishops and princes, yes, also stays in Rome, where the devil lives in the flesh. One still finds baptism there and some who have the gospel. Therefore, when Simeon says that Christ is a light to enlighten the Gentiles, it means this much: Christ's kingdom passes through the whole world among all the Gentiles, and it is not because all the Gentiles are not enlightened. Thou hast prepared him, saith he, to be a certain King and Saviour in all the world where men are, that he should enlighten the Gentiles with his light. So the old Simeon prophesies of Christ, just as the prophet Isaiah prophesied of him long before, when he says, Cap. 49, 6: "I have made thee the light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be my salvation unto the end of the world."
(16) Since this child, as Simeon says, is to be the Savior of all nations and a light to enlighten the Gentiles, it follows that all nations on earth are without salvation and all Gentiles without light, that is, in darkness, blind, lost and condemned. For if they were not without salvation and light, lost and damned in darkness, they would have no need of this Savior and light. Now Simeon is the greatest heretic who came to earth, and whom all the world rejects and condemns; as we see today that this song of Simeon is highly contested as false and heretical. The pope with his own will not allow Simeoni's song to be true, that is, that this little child Jesus is the Savior of all nations and the light of all the Gentiles. Therefore I would like to preach it in such a way and paint this child in such a way that I, who preach it, and you, who hear it, would grasp it with firm faith, as Simeon grasped it. He says: This child, which I have in my arms, is a savior of all nations and a light of all the Gentiles. Therefore, where this Savior and this light, Christ, is not preached, there is darkness, blindness, sin, death, God's wrath and eternal damnation.
But our adversaries cannot stand such preaching. When I preach and say: All that the pope and his monks, nuns and priests have taught and done is darkness and error, 2c. they not only do not want to listen, but also call it "error.
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Such preaching is heresy, and yet they sing this song to this day in their churches, with candles, lights, flags, and great pageantry. They keep the words of this song, singing and confessing with their mouths that Christ is the Savior of all nations and the light of all the Gentiles, but they deny the truth. For if it is true that this child is the Savior of all nations and the light of all the Gentiles, it follows that Francis' order, the Pope's decree and statutes are not such a Savior and light. If this text and article is to stand round and pure, as Simeon set it, then one must thereby also condemn everything that follows from this article to be condemned. But if I teach such things and make such consequences, I am called a heretic and a liar, and it is said of me that I teach error and seduction. That is why the papists bite their own tongues, because they say that Christ is the Savior and light of all the world, and yet they teach beside it: Monasticism and good works also help to salvation, as their books testify. This is an abominable blindness, that they profess that Christ is the Savior and light of all the world, and at the same time also want to teach and defend: Good works are the Savior and the light, or, which is the same, Christ is not only the Savior and the light, but if I lead such a life, become a monk, fast like this, pray like this, I am also the Savior and the light.
(18) Let us leave these blind men and blind guides, and see diligently that we may have this text and article certain and pure, namely, Christ is the Savior and the light of all the world; therefore all things that are without Christ are sin, death, darkness, hell, and damnation, even if they be the very best laws and ordinances that there may be. So, imperial law is certainly God's order, one must have it and cannot do without it; but it does not help to blessedness before God and eternal life. I will give a rough example: A cow must have hay and straw, that is its law, which it cannot escape; but by such a law it does not become a child, daughter or heir in the herd, but remains a cow. It is the same here. Even if I have read all the laws and commandments of the
Emperor, I am not, nor do I become, God's dear child through it; much less am I and do I become God's child through monasticism, and even if the monks were a hundred thousand times more holy, neither are they. This is crudely spoken, for I must speak of it so crudely for the sake of the crude, useless chatterers. Just as a cow does not become a daughter or heir in the house by having its law in the stable, so no one becomes a child and heir of God by having his law, whether it is the emperor's or the pope's: without the pope's law being as good as the emperor's, since the emperor's law is God's order according to reason, but the pope's is only human, presumptuous, free essays, so that the poor consciences are weighed down and entangled. If a cow, because she has her law in the stable, wanted to say: I am a daughter and heir in the house, and lie down in the cradle, where the daughter should lie, then one would say: Ei, hinaus mit der Tochter, lassen den Schlächter her, der die Tochter Mores lehren. So it is also said here: Only monks and priests with caps and plates, who want to be God's children and heirs in the kingdom of heaven by their laws and works, are thrown into hell.
19 Therefore Simeon has a pure voice, and sings thus: "My eyes have seen your Savior, whom you have prepared before all nations, a light to enlighten the Gentiles" 2c. As if to say, "I know of no other Savior and light than this, whom I now carry in my arms and see with my bodily eyes. From this it follows, as I have said, that everything that is not Christ is darkness, blindness, death and the devil in the sight of God, even if it were the temporal government and the righteousness of Caesar. For such things are not valid before God, but belong to the cowshed, that is, to this transitory, fleeting life. But this little child, of whom Simeon sings here, is the only Savior and light of the world, which enlightens us and makes us righteous and blessed before God.
(20) And the dear old father speaks very truly, and calls the child a savior of all nations, and a light of the Gentiles. He does not let the child remain alone in the small, narrow corner of the Jewish land, but gives him to all, even to those who do not know him.
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are of Abraham's seed and blood. The Jews boast as if they alone share in the promise made to the fathers, but Simeon attributes this king not only to the Jews but also to the Gentiles. Therefore it is well said and a prophetic piece that he calls Christ a light to enlighten the Gentiles. Although I, as a Gentile, am not a brother of the people of Israel according to the flesh, I am nevertheless a co-heir of this grace and blessing, that Christ is also my Savior and light.
(21) Now this could be written out in many words, if the time would allow it. But let us note this time that with these words everything is excluded as impossible for righteousness and salvation before God, which is not Christ. I would like this article to be understood correctly, because I know that the devil is on the way and that he is under the obligation to cause trouble, as he cannot celebrate. Whoever has learned and grasped this article of Christ, cannot err; much less will he cause riots and sects. For Christ is the light, and will not cause us to err; he is the only Savior, and will not cause us to perish or perish. We see this in the old Simeon; he has rightly known Christ, and is so full of this knowledge that it is all Christ in his heart. He says nothing of angels, nor prophets, nor of the Virgin Mary, nor of John the Baptist; but sings to us only of this little child. Do not ask what the chief priests and scribes, the emperor at Rome, or other princes think of this child, but confess openly and say: This child is not only mine, but also the Saviour of all nations and the light of all the Gentiles.
- third, he calls it a prize
of his people Israel, that is, the people Israel will have this child's great honor. For Israel was the people to whom the promise was made that from them the Savior of all nations and the light of the Gentiles would be born; as Christ says, Joh. 4, 22: "Salvation comes from the Jews". In this the Jews precede us Gentiles; as St. Paul says, Rom. 9, 4.: that to them belongs the adoption, and the glory, and the covenant, and the law, and the worship, and the promise 2c. All that Christ brought for treasures and goods belong to the people of Israel. We Gentiles do not have the promise, but yet we have the benefit of it. Though we cannot boast, as the Jews do, that Christ is our cousin, brother, and blood-friend according to the flesh, yet the benefit is ours, that he is as much our Savior and light altogether, as he is of the Jews.
(23) This is the little song that Simeon sang to us today, and he will go on his way in peace, for he has seen so much that nothing can frighten him. Because he has seen the Savior and the light prepared by God, he no longer sees sin or death, and is ready and willing to die. "Now you let go, Lord," he says, "your servant in peace," that is: Now I depart with all my joyful heart. I see no death, neither can it be called death, but call it a journey in peace. He does not say, Now I will die; but says, Now I will go in peace. He did not have such a song only in his mouth, on his tongue, on paper, but in his heart. May our dear God and Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ His Son, grant us His grace through His Holy Spirit, that we may sing after dear Simeon and also journey in peace, amen.
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On the day of the Annunciation.
First sermon.*)
The feast of the conception of our Lord Jesus Christ is approaching. In honor, praise and thanksgiving of the same we want to present this Evan
The feast is about the Gospel, so that this article may remain known in our Church. Thus writes St. Lucas of the Historia of this feast:
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 gift 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 a son of the Most High, and God the Lord shall give him the throne of his father David; and he shall be king over the house of Jacob forever, 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: be it done unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
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 by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary. The women call it "lifting up"; the faith calls it "receiving". Mary has lifted up or conceived of the Holy Spirit. This article must remain in Christianity, for it is an excellent, high article, which is opposed first of all by the devil, and then also by all those who keep company with the devil. And we Christians are called to believe and confess such articles as are most foolish in the sight of the world.
(2) In the sight of reason, it is a foolish thing for us Christians to believe and confess. All women, no matter how great and high they may be, become pregnant in one way, namely,
*) Held publicly in the parish church in 1532, on Palm Sunday afternoon, which was the evening before the Annunciation.
as it is written, Gen. 1, 27. 28.: "God created man in His image, He created them male and female. And God blessed them, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth" 2c. But with Mary, God does a special thing that was never heard of before in the world, and shall never happen again as long as the world stands: that she becomes pregnant and a mother, not of a man, but of the Holy Spirit. It is ridiculous in the sight of reason, in the sight of all wise and prudent men; and the wiser and wiser they are, the more foolish they become that Christians believe and confess such things, which are impossible in the sight of all reason.
3 In German, it is customary to say, "If I do as other people do, I will not fool them. This is a common saying, and is finely spoken and has its measures. But in the articles of faith we must put this saying into a corner and speak: Will
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If I am to be a Christian, I must believe and do what other people do not believe and do not do, yes, I must make it even strange and weird, so that other people are offended and annoyed by it. Like this, that I should believe that Mary, the pure virgin, is pregnant and has become a mother, and yet no one on earth knows about it but she alone. Such a thing is foolish and impossible. For if such a thing had happened before, it would have a semblance and could be believed. But that God chose this virgin alone from all women and performed such a miraculous work with her, this makes the deal unbelievable. Nevertheless, it is true that Mary is pregnant and has become a mother, and yet she is a pure virgin; and a true, natural virgin, not a stone, wooden virgin, but a born virgin. Just as another man has flesh and blood, and mortal flesh, so she also has flesh and blood, and is a mortal man, like another woman. And yet God does something special with her, that she bears a son, is the mother of him, carries him, gives birth to him, nurses him, and no one knows about it, except she alone.
(4) We Christians alone believe this article, and are therefore considered fools and fools in the world. When Turks and Jews hear this, they laugh and mock at us, and our clever ones laugh at us too. Just as all articles in our faith seem foolish and ridiculous to reason, so this article also seems foolish and ridiculous, that the angel here proclaims that Mary shall conceive and become a mother, and bear a son: who shall not only be true man, but also true God. We Christians are great fools before the world to believe that Mary is the true mother of this child and yet is a pure virgin. For such is not only contrary to all reason, but also contrary to God's creation, who said to Adam and Eve, "Be fruitful and multiply." All women who become pregnant must say: We are fruitful and multiply from our husbands. But Mary conceived and said, "I am fruitful and multiply, but without a husband. This is now
high and great, that the angel saith unto her, Thou shalt conceive in the womb, and bear a son, and shalt call his name Jesus."
005 But this is greater and higher, that he saith further, The son which thou shalt bear shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and his kingdom shall have no end. With this he paints this child and this fruit so that heaven and earth are too close to him. This seems foolish to nature and reason. How is it possible, says reason, that this child should be called the Son of the Most High, and yet be the natural son of a poor, mortal servant? Now the angel thus proclaims, and we Christians also thus believe, that Mary is not only a pure virgin, and yet conceives and becomes the mother of a natural son; but also that the same son, whom Mary conceived, bore, nursed and waited for, is called and is truly the Son of God, just as a mother nurses and waits for her natural child. This first of all offends all the wisdom of the world and especially annoys the Jews. And indeed, if the world is to stand longer, one will well realize what the devil will raise against this article through the mobs; they are already beginning to poke at this article and to sow their poison against it.
(6) Therefore, let us grasp this article well and hold fast to it, so that we do not hear what reason has devised here, but what God's Word says about it. This article is firmly attested both in the Old and New Testaments; therefore, it must surely be true. If it were right and good, I could ridicule it just as cleverly as they ridicule it, and could find as sharp a head among us to outsmart it as they outsmart it. They think that no one can calculate it as sharply as they do, and consider us great fools. But however great fools we are, we also understand their foolishness, which they consider to be great cleverness, and thus say: "Because it seems so foolish to them, we believe it to the praise of our Lord GOD, to our blessedness and to the defiance of the fools.
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I could also calculate and count on my fingers that no woman or virgin (to speak according to nature and reason) would become pregnant of herself. And it would not only be foolish, but also an evil, dangerous example, if a woman or virgin wanted to say that she was pregnant by herself. But we have here a Master above us, God in heaven, who gives this virgin testimony that she has become pregnant and a mother without a man.
7 He has reserved for himself that he has more wise men to create than one alone. In the beginning, he did not create man and woman at the same time. He does not pour out his art all at once, as did that fencing master who taught his pupil everything at once and was then paid by him; but he remains master and creator forever, and we shall know no end to his art, power and wisdom. He created Adam from a lump of earth and breathed into his nostrils the living breath, so that man became a living soul. Then he created Evam from the man's rib. Now he could have created man and woman at the same time and in the same way, but he did not want to do it. He could have created Evam alone first and let other men be born from her: but he did not want to do it either; but created Adam first, then Evam, then Adam and Evam together, and arranged it so that from human blood and seed all men should be born; as St. Paul says, Acts 17, 26. 17, 26: "He hath made that of One blood of all men shall dwell generations out of all the face of the earth." These are three ways to create human beings.
(8) But as our Lord God did not want to be captive to create all men either from the earth's womb, or from the man's womb, or from human seed, so much less did he want to be captive to keep one of the former wise men; but he established a new one, which should have been the fourth wise, namely, that he once wanted to create a child from a virgin; as the prophet Isaiah, chapter 7, says, v. 14: "The Lord is with us.
will give you a sign; behold, a virgin is with child and will give birth to a son, whom she will call Immanuel. As if he wanted to say: God does not want to keep his order of the creature here, but to make a new one. A virgin shall conceive, and this shall be a sign or miracle. But here he keeps the order almost in half, that the child is born of a virgin. There is no man and woman, but there is one, the woman, and she stands alone, without a man.
(9) So then we Christians should say: According to reason it is foolish that a virgin should conceive and become a mother, and bear a son who is not only her natural son, but also God's natural son. But here I must put reason and human prudence under the bench, and not hear what reason says about it, but what God says in His Word. For He who is above in heaven and has created all reason will know something more than all men's reason knows. And he who has put eyes in my head and in yours will see further than I and you see, as the 94th Psalm says v. 9: "He who planted the ear, should he not hear? He that made the eye, shall he not see?" The Creator must be greater, wiser and wiser than the creature.
(10) Therefore, we should give ourselves over to the Word and not investigate or puzzle any further. But God lets us proclaim in the Word that this child is true God and true man, born from eternity of the Father, and born in time of a true, natural woman's image, who has natural limbs like another woman's image, and cares for her child like another mother; without this conception and birth taking place supernaturally, and this son being born of a virgin. In such a word of God we should give ourselves captive; for we cannot fathom it with our reason, but must drown in it, if we want to speculate it out; as the clever ones drown in it, who want to calculate it with reason.
11 Now this is the angel's announcement of how our faith holds, as we speak:
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I believe in Jesus Christ 2c., conceived by the Holy Spirit; that is: I believe that the Virgin Mary became pregnant with a Son, who is also God's only Son. By whom did she become pregnant? By no one, but herself. She stands alone and without a man, and no one comes to her but the Holy Spirit alone.
Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be? for I know of no man. The angel answered and said to her, "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.
Then Mary disputes with the angel how this will happen. At that time, people did not think much of virginity. Now the angel comes to Mary and speaks kindly to her, saying that she is kind and pleasing to God and man, and brings the message that she shall conceive and bear a son, who shall be called the Son of God. Then thoughts occurred to her that she thought: "I am a poor little Cinderella; shall I now become a mother and bear a son, and know of no man? Who will believe that I am pregnant by myself? So she feels that she is led by this message of the angel into danger of death. Therefore she thinks: Will they find out from me that I am pregnant, and then ask me: how will I prove that I do not know about any man? And this is also the truth; if our Lord God had not kept a special watch over Mary, it is no wonder that she would have been stoned or burned. For to be with child, and yet not to know of any man who is the child's father. Father be, there stone and fire belongs to under Moses. Because this conception should not happen as it is the common way in the world, Mary is afraid and asks how it will happen.
013 Then the angel gives the gloss, saying, Mary, if thou wilt speak of this according to reason, thou shalt never conceive; and though thou be with child, yet must thou die according to the law. But you have a great advantage: "The Holy One.
Spirit will come upon you." As if he wanted to say: I will announce the right bridegroom to you; the Holy Spirit will be with you; let him see to it that you become pregnant, "and the power of the Most High will overshadow you"; the Most High God will thus provide, so that neither the devil nor the whole world can raise anything against you. You will be a mother and bear a son, and yet no one will know about it except the Holy Spirit and God Most High alone. Therefore, let our Lord God see to it that it is brought forth and led out. If he is involved, let us see who will prevent it. For what power is there on earth that can hinder the Most High? Yes, the power of the Most High will overshadow you and darken you so that the devil will never notice how you become a mother, and this miracle of God will be hidden from all the world. You will be taken for the mother of this child, but no one will know how you will become a mother until it is revealed in its time. Therefore, do not be afraid; you will be safe.
And Mary said, Behold, I am the handmaid of the LORD: let it be done unto me according to thy word.
14 On the day and at the moment when Mary gave her consent to the angel Gabriel, she was taken up with Christ. The Holy Spirit made her fruitful in the hour when she said: "Let it be done to me according to your word", and she became God's mother, and Christ was both God and perfect man in one person. Even though he was small, at that moment he was both God and man, a child in his mother's womb, and Mary is God's mother.
(15) As I have said, the Turks and Jews laugh at this article and think that it is a fine, high art that they can laugh at it in this way. But if it were good, we could laugh at it just as well as they. But we Christians should hold fast to this article and stick to it. For these things were proclaimed from the beginning, that the Son of God should become man, and that his mother should be a virgin; as the first promise,
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which God gave soon after Adam's fall (Gen. 3:15): "The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head. He does not say: the man's seed shall do it; but: the woman's seed. Therefore the mother of the serpent must be a virgin. After this the dear fathers and prophets continued to proclaim it, until finally the dear apostles preached it to all the world, and now we are also baptized into it and called Christians, because we believe and confess such things. That is why we should stick to it. Now if in the last days there come any scribblers and talk against this article, see that you stand firm.
(16) For it is in this article that we are concerned. Christ asked to be lifted up when we are lifted up, but without sin, because he wanted to sanctify us through and through. We are conceived and born in sins, whether emperor, king, prince, rich or poor; all that is called and is man is conceived in sins, Psalm 51:7. But Christ alone has the title and glory of being conceived by the Holy Spirit. We are conceived in sins, and are such people, since flesh and blood, and all that we have about us, is unclean and corrupted by sin; as every one well feels in himself, and sees in other men, that we and all the world are full of evil desire, full of hope, full of devils, and possessed with grievous unbelief. This is how we are conceived and born. For all men, how many conceive and are born, are conceived and born after the common manner and creation, of which it is written, Genesis 2:28: "Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth." Christ did not want to be found in such an unclean, sinful conception and birth. He became a real, true, natural man, but was not conceived and born in sin, like other Adam children. Therefore his mother had to be a virgin, whom no man had touched, so that he would not be conceived and born in a curse, but without sin, and the devil would have no right or power over him. The Holy Spirit alone was there and worked this conception in her virgin body. The Mother Ma
ria was born of sinful parents and in sins like us, but the Holy Spirit came upon her and sanctified and purified her, so that this child was born of flesh and blood, but not of sinful flesh and blood. The Holy Spirit made the Virgin Mary remain a true, natural human being who had flesh and blood like we have. But He swept the sin out of her flesh and blood, so that she would become the mother of a pure child, who would not be poisoned with sins like us.
- it is also that the angel says: "the holy thing that is born in you will be called the Son of God. For soon after Mary conceived, she was a holy mother, full of the Holy Spirit, and her fruit was a holy, pure fruit, both God and perfect man in One Person. And after that the holy mother gave birth to God's Son, a holy man, without any sin. His blood may have been red and his flesh white, he sucked his mother's breasts, ate porridge, cried, slept, like another child; but his flesh and blood is holy, pure flesh and blood. He is a holy man, son of a holy virgin and Son of God, true God and man in One Person.
(18) This article we preach from this day, that our Lord Jesus Christ is truly God and man, in One Person, conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. Which article is our sole defiance against the devil, yea, against all angels. "For he nowhere taketh the angels unto himself," as Heb. 2:16. is written, "but the seed of Abraha he taketh unto himself." He did not become God and angel, but God and man. He did not take upon Himself the angelic nature, but the seed of Abrahä, which is a man, having flesh and blood. That is why he is called Immanuel, God with us: not only because he is around us and with us, and dwells among us, which would be enough; but also because he has become what we are. He came so close to us that he took to himself the very flesh, blood, and bone (yet without sin) that we have. This defiance hears
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the devil does not like that our flesh and blood is the Son of God, yes, God Himself, and reigns in heaven over all. In former times, the Symbolum Nicänum or Confession of Faith, which was made at Nicaea at the Concilio, was sung every Sunday in church; and when the words were sung: Et homo factus est (and became man), everyone fell on his knees. This was a fine, praiseworthy custom, and should still be kept in such a way that one thanked God from the bottom of one's heart for the Incarnation of Christ, that He has placed us in such great, high honor, and has allowed His Son to become man.
For otherwise it seems as if God is hostile to the world. It is so shameful in the world, and God allows so many hordes to come and so many murders and misfortunes to happen, that someone would think that God alone is the angel God and Lord and does not care about mankind. But here we see that God is so close to us humans that He is not so close to any creature as He is to us; and we humans, in turn, are not so close to any creature as we are to God. Sun and
Moon do not come as close to us as God has come close to us, for He has come into our flesh and blood. God does not reign over us alone, nor does He dwell in us alone, but has also personally wanted to become man.
20, Such grace we celebrate today, that we may thank God for cleansing our impure, unholy conception and birth by His holy conception and birth, taking away the curse from us and bringing blessing upon us. We have by nature an impure, sinful conception and birth: but Christ has a pure, holy conception and birth; and by his holy conception and birth our impure nature, flesh and blood are blessed and sanctified. Therefore we are put into baptism, so that we may enjoy His holy conception and birth through the means of His Word, Sacrament and Spirit. Would God that we also thanked Him for such grace, and did not become so weary and tired of hearing and learning such things; as, unfortunately, the majority of the world does, thinking they can do it once they have heard it.
On the day of the Annunciation.
Second sermon.*)
This feast is celebrated so that we may learn to recognize our Lord God's abundant grace and thank Him for it, and rejoice in the great miracle that God has so graciously visited us poor people and sent not an angel to redeem us, but His one and only Son, who not only speaks to us and brings such a message, but also clothes Himself in our flesh and blood and becomes man Himself. When a prince comes to poor
*) Held in the house, 1534.
If a man came to beggars and not only wanted to give them money, but also became a beggar himself, the beggars would not be able to thank him enough, nor would they be able to rejoice enough over such charity. But this is no comparison to the grace that God has shown us through the incarnation of His Son. Therefore, this should also make us happy and awaken us to thank our dear Lord God from the bottom of our hearts.
(2) Cursed and accursed is the man that heareth these things, and believeth not, neither receiveth them with joy. Indeed, Jews, Turks,
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Tartern and the Pope do not believe it and consider the mission of the Son of God as if a servant had been sent to beer. But we Christians should learn how highly our Lord God honored us by allowing His Son to become man. How could he have come closer to us? If I take my child out of my arms and kiss it, that is considered great love. But God does not do this; but takes on the very nature that I and all men have, becomes man, eats and drinks as I and you do, is born of a virgin, as I and you were born of the mother: without the Holy Spirit having directed this conception and birth, since we men, on the contrary, are conceived and born in sins. We Christians should rejoice that we have thus been saved. For so much harm has not come to us through Adam's fall, by which we were all stained with sins and came to death, as has come to us through Christ, who himself became man, so that he might redeem us from sin and death. The devil has come close to us, but he has not come so close that he has taken over our nature. For even though he fell through hope, and after that brought man to the point of falling away from God, he did not become a man and did not come as close to us as the Son of God, who became our flesh and blood, came to us.
We should take comfort in this and thank our Lord God from the bottom of our hearts that he has done us the honor of allowing his Son to become man, so that our flesh and blood now sit above in heaven, at the right hand of God, and God and man are one person and rule over heaven and earth. Happy is the man who believes this and takes it to heart, that we humans are now of a higher nature than the angels, who are the highest creatures. The epistle to the Hebrews praises this highly, Cap. 2, 5: "He has not subjected to the angels the world to come, of which we speak"; item v. 16: "He does not take the angels anywhere to Himself, but the seed of Abraham.
he takes to himself; therefore he had to become like his brothers in all things."
- the angelic nature is much higher and more glorious than the human nature; for the angelic nature cannot dwell on earth with glory. Now Christ could have become an angel, that he would be such a person, since angelic and divine nature would have been united; as divine and human nature are united in Christ. But he did not want to do this; rather, since God had promised Abraham that from his lineage Christ, the Son of God, should be born, who would bring blessing to all the Gentiles, he came and was born of a virgin, who was the daughter of Abraham and David. There Abraham's lineage is highly honored. But it also applies to us, whether we are already Gentiles, and not Abraham's seed according to the flesh; for the promise says that in Abraham's seed all Gentiles shall be blessed. Moreover, we Gentiles come from Adam and Noah, who had the same promise that was repeated to Abraham afterwards. Therefore, the promise and the fulfillment of the promise apply to all people on earth; and we are to rejoice in the future and incarnation of Christ, and accept with all our hearts that the Son of God has become man. He has not come to us like a bad messenger bringing letters, but has united himself with human nature in such a way that he can never be separated from us, since he is in our nature, and has come to us in such a way that he cannot come away again. Even though we do not see him now, it does not hurt. For he said that we should wait until the last day, when we shall see him clothed in our flesh and blood, and we shall have such a body as he has.
(5) We should rejoice and thank God for this. He who does not do this is an unholy man. For this is such great grace and glory that the angels would be justly hostile to us, that our Lord God despised the angels, and did not choose to take their nature to himself; but chose us men, and took our nature to himself, which we
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were the devil's own. Now he that cleaveth unto Christ hath as much as he. For Christ has divided his inheritance with us, so that we sit with him in a common fiefdom, if we believe in him. Even if the devil makes a move on us, he cannot devour us; for Christ became man, being like us in all things except sin. He now says to us in his word: "Hold on to me, I will not leave you; just as the devil, death and hell cannot hold me, neither can they hold you.
Today is the day when our salvation began and God's Son became man, and divine and human nature were united in one person. Wretched people are those who argue about this from nature and doubt that two natures are together in Christ, God's nature and man's nature. Therefore, one should beware of disputing and disputing, and say: Here, disputing is not valid. Elsewhere one may dispute and be clever, but here in the article of faith one should leave disputing to one's own devices. Here, then, it is said: Whoever holds to God's mercy in simple faith, and believes that God's Son became man for our good, has the benefit of it, namely, eternal blessedness. He who does not, has the contradiction.
(7) This miraculous work we celebrate today, namely, the union of God and man, that the two natures, divine and human, are so united that they cannot be separated from each other; as we also pray in our faith: I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary. At Christmas we hear how Christ was born; but today it has come to pass and divine and human nature have been united in One Person. This message is proclaimed by the angel Gabriel and says to the virgin Mary: "She shall conceive and bear a son, who shall be called the Son of the Most High. He shall sit on the throne of David forever, and be a king over all kings. These are mighty and
great words, and it is a great wonder that a woman could believe such words. If it were said to a virgin now, she would certainly laugh at it; for human nature is hard and sluggish to believe God's miracles. But Mary has believed it finely simple-mindedly, has not groped for it with the reason.
- It is true: she asks the angel how it will be; but she does not ask how it is possible according to reason, but asks badly how it will be, whether she should also take a husband. Then the angel answers: No, "the Holy Spirit will come upon you". Therefore she did not do wrong by asking, because she trusted Joseph. She did not want to act against this, she did not want to become an adulteress, as the Jews revile her, but she wanted to remain honorable. But when she hears that the Holy Spirit will come upon her, she is satisfied and asks no more, but gives the angel the full word, and the Holy Spirit makes her God's mother at that moment.
This is the history of today's feast, and the article of our faith, from which we hear how our Lord God sent His only Son to us. We must not send a messenger to him, but he has come to us, and even personally, we monks have sent messengers to our Lord GOD, have wanted to reconcile him with our works. This shall not be; but we shall believe that the Son of God came to us, became man, was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and was born of the Virgin Mary. Therefore, we should not worship ourselves as if we were going to our Lord God first, as if He had not come to us first; no, but He Himself came to us first.
(10) First, we were created by Him and through Him; then, since we were lost and condemned by sin, we are saved by His future, when we believe that He became like us and united human nature with God. Now, if I want to come to God, I must go to the virgin's womb, on which Christ lies, that is, I must hear, as the Christian faith teaches me, that Christ is for
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For my sake I was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. If I start from there and hold fast to Christ, conceived and born for me, I am on the right path to heaven; so Christ draws me to Himself. If the devil wants to devour me, I will remain there, since Christ remains. For the devil cannot hold me, because Christ has come to me, having flesh and blood as I have, yet without sin. Therefore, just as he came to me and took my flesh and blood, so I should hold fast to him.
(11) This is the right article that shows us the way to heaven, so that we do not fall into foolish works to propitiate God, as we did in the papacy. Christ came to us first: we must hold on to him with firm faith. But if I believe in him, then I should also do good works afterward, fast rightly, pray rightly, give alms rightly, and
but remain steadfast in Christ, who alone makes me blessed, without the help or merit of my works. For it is said, as the Nicene Symbol says: Qui propter nos homines et propter nostram salutem descendit de coelo: Who for our sake and for our salvation came down from heaven. It is not said: Nos propter ipsum ascendimus in coelum: We have gone to heaven for his sake; but Christ has come from heaven for our sake. The devil always wanted us to go astray, for he knows well that whoever believes in Christ will be saved; therefore he tries to deceive us by various ways and means. If he has torn us away from this article, he has won. Whatever stays with this article and clings to Christ tramples the devil underfoot. But what falls away from Christ, that the devil tramples underfoot. May our dear God grant us His grace that we may remain firm in this article and be saved through Christ, amen.
*On the day of the Holy Trinity. )
Luc. 9, 28-36.
And it came to pass after these sayings, about eight days, that he took Peter, John, and Jacob, and went up into a mountain to pray. And as he prayed, the form of his countenance was changed, and his raiment became white and shining. And, behold, two men talked with him, which were Moses and Elias. They appeared in clarity and spoke of the end which he was to fulfill in Jerusalem. Peter and those with him were asleep. When they awoke, they saw his clarity and the two men standing with him. And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto JESUS, Master, here is good: let us make thee three tabernacles, and Most one, and Elias one. And knew not what he spake. And as he spake these things, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they were afraid, because the cloud covered them. And there fell a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son; him shall ye hear. And when such a voice came, they found JEsum alone. And they kept silence, and told no man any thing in those days which they had seen.
Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Trinity, for the sake of the article that in our Christian faith we believe and confess three persons of divine majesty, of equal omnipotence, power and eternity,
*) Held publicly in the parish church, 1538.
God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The Mainz foundation holds today the Gospel of Nicodemo. The Brandenburg Monastery here holds this Gospel of the Transfiguration of Christ on Mount Thabor. But we are not bound to it. We would like to
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Take the Gospel of Matthew 3, of the revelation that took place at the baptism of Christ at the Jordan, which gospel is most appropriate for this feast, since one is to preach about the article that there is one, eternal God, and yet three distinct persons of the one, eternal divine being.
- at the Jordan the persons appeared more differently. Because the figures, in which the persons reveal themselves, are further from each other. The Father appears in the voice and speaks from heaven of his Son. The Son appears in humanity and is baptized by John in the Jordan. The Holy Spirit appears in the form of a dove and hovers over Christ. There every person has its own and peculiar form and image finely different. And thus three distinct persons of divine essence are clearly indicated, that the Father is a distinct person from the Son and the Holy Spirit; and the Son is a distinct person from the Father and the Holy Spirit; and the Holy Spirit is a distinct person from the Father and the Son. And yet the Father is not without the Son and the Holy Spirit. Item, that neither Father nor Holy Spirit, but the Son became man.
(3) On Mount Thabor, the figures in which the persons are revealed are not so far apart, but the difference between the three persons is also clearly indicated. The Father reveals himself in voice, and speaks from the cloud, saying, "This is my beloved Son; him shall ye hear." The Son reveals Himself in glorious form and clear face, shining like the sun. The Holy Spirit reveals Himself in a light cloud, overshadowing the disciples and pouring faith into them. These are also three figures and images, in which the difference of the three persons is shown, although the figures are not so far from each other as there. The Father speaks from the cloud not of Himself but of the Son; therefore the Father is another distinct person from the Son. And it is the Son of whom the Father speaks, and he is seen in a clear form; therefore the Son is another distinct person from the Father. And the Holy Spirit
comes in a light cloud and overshadows the disciples; therefore the Holy Spirit is a different, distinct person from the Father and the Son. And yet all three persons are one, eternal, almighty God.
4 We confess these things in our Christian faith; we should also believe and confess them according to the revealed gospel. Before Christ's future and birth, this article was not as clear and evident in the Old Testament as it is in the New Testament after Christ's future. For God tolerated and carried the Jewish people as a mother carries her child in her womb. The patriarchs and prophets understood this article well; but the common people remained simple-minded in the faith of the one God. Just as among us the silly, simple-minded people remain that there is one, eternal, almighty God, and cannot grasp the difference of the three persons in the one Godhead as actually as the scholars.
(5) But the true faith in the New Testament is that we Christians publicly preach and confess that the three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are one, eternal God; item, that the Son became man, suffered and died for our sin, and rose again for our righteousness; item, that the Holy Spirit is sent from the Father and Son, who sustains us in Word and Sacrament, comforts us, strengthens us, forgives sin, raises us from the dead, and leads us to eternal life. This is the true Christian faith, and apart from this faith there is no more true faith on earth.
(6) And this faith has certain outward testimonies and proofs that it is the true united faith. The first external testimony is that no faith on earth, be it what it may, has existed as long as this faith. Adam and all the fathers from the beginning of the world had this faith, and all the blessed will have this faith until the end of the world.
The other external proof is that no faith on earth has performed such miraculous signs as this faith. If you read the histories of the Old and New Testaments, you will find how great miracles were performed.
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signs and deeds the saints have done through this faith. In the Old Testament, the holy fathers and prophets performed miracles upon miracles through this faith, even raising the dead; as we read of Elijah and Elisha. Abraham had only three hundred and eighteen servants born in his house, yet he struck with them and put down four mighty and powerful kings. So this faith has always rumbled and rumbled in the world, even in the Old Testament, and has done great deeds, as the epistle to the Hebrews, chapter 11, tells many such examples. In the New Testament, what miraculous signs Christ and the apostles did! How easy it was for them to make the blind see, the deaf hear, the lepers clean, the lame walk, and to raise the dead! What deeds have believers done after Christ and after the apostles! As Christ proclaimed before, Marci 16, 17. 18.: "The signs which shall follow them that believe are these: In my name they shall cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall cast out serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; on the sick they shall lay their hands, and it shall be better with them." No faith on earth has ever done such deeds. Therefore, there is a certain outward indication and proof that this faith is true. The other faiths in the world have not been able to perform such miraculous signs, even though they have tried; just as the sorcerers in Egypt could not perform all the signs that Moses did.
(8) No faith on earth has fought and contended so valiantly against all opposition and persecution as the Christian faith. The Turk, the Pope, the Roman, Greek and Persian empires have opposed this faith with all their might and power, but they have won nothing. They may have killed many Christians and thought they would destroy and exterminate them all, but this faith has prevailed against all, even though it was the only one and the others all challenged it. The Turk is content with the faith of the Jews, but he wants to eradicate the Christian faith, even if it is true,
that one should attack the Christian faith, then Turks and Jews become one, as Pilate and Herod became one over Christ. Other faiths fall to the ground, even if they remain unchallenged; but the Christian faith is challenged by all and still endures. Especially the Pope has attacked the Christian faith with innumerable sects; as we still see today: because the Christian faith is shining at this last time, the papists are using all their power to dampen the gospel and to eradicate the Christian faith. But what happens? The Christian faith is on top and triumphant; the pope with his cults and sects perishes. All the cults and sects suffer and get along with each other, and all become one to fight against the Christian faith; but they accomplish nothing, except that they weaken themselves and strengthen the Christian faith. The Turk is powerful and strong, has great money and goods, but it does not help: the Christian faith remains.
(9) The third outward proof is that there has been no faith from the beginning of the world that has so certainly proclaimed and prophesied what is to come as the Christian faith. The Christian faith has certain prophecies about how it and other faiths in the world will fare when it and other faiths in the world come to an end, namely: that other faiths will perish; but the Christian faith will last until the last day, when teaching, preaching, and faith will be seen. The Turk cannot know from his Alcoran how long his faith will stand and how the Turks will finally fare. But the Christian faith and holy scripture prophesies of the beginning and end of Mahomet; as can be seen in the prophets Ezekiel and Daniel. And St. Paul prophesies of the beginning and end of Pabst, and says, 2 Thess. 2, that in the Church of God the end-Christ will rise up for God; but Christ will overthrow him with the spirit of his mouth and with the appearance of his future. He will attack him, he says, not with his fist, but with his mouth and with his word, and he will break him with the appearance of his future.
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(10) Therefore no other faith can be the true faith, except that which was from the beginning and came to us through the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, bishops and teachers who followed in the footsteps of the apostles. The same faith has existed and remained; will also exist and remain until the last day. Even though the devil and his followers have opposed it with all their might, power, wisdom and art, and even today there is no end to the mobs and sects that all aim against this faith: nevertheless, this faith has remained and will remain until the end of the world. We have quenched the sacramentalists and the Anabaptists a little; but the devil will not fail to stir up other tempests, but he shall not succeed. He may persecute us; but our faith goes through fresh, like a fine strong chariot through a great water. The mud may cling to the chariot and the muck to the wheels, but the chariot goes through and cannot be hindered. . So it is with the Christian faith also: all the filth and stink of the devil clings to it; as Christ and the apostles proclaimed that there would be many troubles; but the Christian faith passes through and stands firm.
11 The Turk cannot say this about his Alcoran and Mahometan faith; indeed, he himself confesses that the Mahometan faith will exist only until a new prophet comes who will establish a new faith. But he rages against the Christian faith and thinks he wants to eradicate it. So he thinks: Mahomet has the whole world in his hands; what can the poor little group that adheres to Jesus Christ do? But the Christian faith is not defeated, but conquers and wins, although the Turk makes many martyrs. If the Christian faith were a human, lying thing, it would have perished long ago, as other faiths in the world have perished. Pabst's and Mahomet's faith has now stood for a long time; but at last it endures and does not last. The Christian faith, however, will remain until the end of the world. If it were not the right faith, it should have fallen just as well as the faith of the heathen. Gentile faith
together with their idols, Jupiter, Diana 2c., have fallen. Even if the Turk falls or is converted, no new faith will come, but the old faith will remain, which has been from the beginning, and still is and will be until the end.
- Now these are external indications and proofs that our faith is the right faith, namely: First, the length of time, that this faith has been from the beginning of the world and will be until the end of the world; second, the power, that this faith triumphs over all temptation, and the divine power and authority are shown in this faith, even against the gates of hell; third, the prophecy, that this faith tells beforehand what is to come, and the prophecies rhyme well with the stories and certainly come to pass. No other faith has these three things, neither the Christian faith alone. Therefore it is certainly and truly the true one faith.
(13) Therefore, we must hold to the true old faith that in the eternal Godhead there are three distinct persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is the highest and first article in the Christian faith, in which the others all hang. We call it the article of the Holy Divine Trinity. But "Trinity" is a rather wicked German; for in the Godhead is the highest unity. Some call it "Trinity"; but this is all too mocking. Augustine also complains that he has no convenient word. For I cannot say, as there are three men or three angels, that there are also three Gods; but I must say that there is one eternal God. There is indeed a third in the Godhead; but the same third are persons of the one Godhead: not three Gods, not three Lords, not three Creators; but One God, One LORD, One Creator, or as we say: It is one divine being, and yet are three different persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I call it a Third. For Trinity is just as expensive, and I can not give it a proper name.
- to preach about this today, as our Christian faith requires us to confess that GOD, who created the heavens and the earth
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The Son, and not the Father, nor the Holy Spirit, became man; and that the Holy Spirit writes these things in the hearts of men through faith; but that the Son and the Holy Spirit are the same eternal God who is the Father. Whoever worships the Son does not worship a foreign God, and whoever calls upon the Holy Spirit does not call upon a foreign God. In sum, whichever person of the Godhead one calls, one has called the right, true God.
(15) In the Old Testament, this article is also well used, as the Scriptures show that Moses and the prophets understood it well. But it is not so clearly stated as in the New Testament. For God led and nurtured the Jewish people as a mother nurtures her child by the teat. But in the New Testament, now that the Gospel is revealed, this article does not go darkly nor hidden, but with pictures and words publicly; as Christ taught that one should baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. This is what we always do in Christianity, so that this article may remain firm, namely: that there is one eternal God, and yet three different persons of the one eternal divine being, and that the Son became man, and that the Holy Spirit pours faith into the hearts of men. He who believes, then, is a Christian and a child of God, who lets Jews, Turks, and the Reds, yes, his own heart and reason, be pushed and annoyed by it, and remains firm in the word that teaches us to believe.
16 Thus this gospel teaches us. The Father speaks from the cloud and talks about His Son; the Son stands there with a clear face, in a white shining garment, and prays; the Holy Spirit appears in the form of a light cloud. There are indicated three different persons. For he that speaketh out of the cloud is another than he of whom he speaketh; and he that appeareth in the cloud of light is another than he that speaketh, and he that is spoken of. He who speaks is the Father, and He of whom He speaks is
the Son, who stands and prays; and he who appears in the light cloud is the Holy Spirit. Therefore the Father is separated from the Son, and the Son from the Father, and the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son according to person; yet the Father is no other God than the Son, and the Son no other God than the Father, and the Holy Spirit no other God than the Father and the Son; but the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are One, Eternal God.
(17) Then the heretics come and fight against this article with all their power and art. Some, like Arius, attack the Son and do not want to let the Son be God, saying: The Son is called God according to the name, but not according to the divine nature and essence; that is, he is to be called such God, through whom all other creatures were created, but is not a true, natural, eternal God with the Father. Some attack the Holy Spirit and do not want the Holy Spirit to be God. The Holy Scripture stands against this, and testifies powerfully that the Son and the Holy Spirit are natural, eternal God, equal to the Father in omnipotence, power and glory.
18 Jn 5:20-23: "The Father loves the Son, and shows him all that he does, and will show him even greater works, so that you will marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them: so also the Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that they all may honor the Son as they honor the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which sent him." What is to become of this? The text says that the Son has the same power that the Father has; that the Son makes alive what is dead, just as the Father makes alive; and as the Father is honored, so also the Son should be honored. Now this is a divine power, to make dead things alive, and a divine honor, that the Father may be honored. Therefore, the Son must be true, eternal God, with the Father. For if he were not true, eternal God, as Arius claims, the divine power and honor that the Father has could not be assigned to him.
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(19) Likewise, the Scriptures testify, and the Nicene Symbol confesses and teaches from the Scriptures, that it is the Holy Spirit who gives life, and who is worshipped and honored at the same time as the Father and the Son. Therefore, the Holy Spirit must also be true, eternal God with the Father and the Son, in one being. For if he were not true, eternal God, the divine power and honor that he gives life and is worshipped and honored with the Father and the Son at the same time could not be attributed to him; as the holy fathers have vigorously asserted and preserved this from the Scriptures against the heretics.
It is true that the persons of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are so far separated that Arius would still like to say according to reason: The Son (Christ) is not God, but only man; and the heretics would like to say: The Holy Spirit is not God, but a creature. But however far the persons are separated, yet here they come together again in the divine power and glory, that as the Father raises the dead and makes them alive, so also the Son raises the dead and makes them alive; and the Holy Spirit raises the dead and makes them alive. And as the Father is worshipped and honored, so also the Son is worshipped and honored; and the Holy Spirit is worshipped and honored with the Father and the Son at the same time; as St. Paul makes a third and separates the persons of divine being from each other, and yet brings all three persons together again and concludes them in one, when he speaks Rom. 11, 36: "From him, and through him, and in him are all things. To Him be glory forever and ever, amen."
21 So also in this Gospel there is a great difference of the persons. The Father speaks from the cloud; the Son stands and prays; the Holy Spirit overshadows the disciples: but according to the Christian faith, I must bring all three persons together again and say that the three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, are one, undivided, divine being. The difference of the persons is enormous.
The Father talks about the Son. The Son hears the Father speak. The Holy Spirit does not hover over the voice, but over Christ and over the disciples. Voice, Son, Cloud, these three are widely distinguished. But I say according to the Christian faith, these three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, are one God, of equal power, glory and majesty.
22 For the Scriptures teach that by the Son and the Holy Spirit all things were created: Col. 1:16: "By him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth"; Psalm 33:6: "The heavens were made by the word of the Lord, and all his host by the spirit of his mouth. Item, that the Son and Holy Spirit raises the dead and makes them alive, as the Father. These works, creating all things, raising the dead, and making them alive, powerfully conclude and compel that these three distinct persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are one God. For the Holy Scripture says that there is no more than one Creator, one Life-Giver. These works, creating all things, making the dead alive, belong to the one God. Since they are attributed to the Son and the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures, it follows that although the Son is a distinct person from the Father and the Holy Spirit is a distinct person from the Father and the Son, yet the Son and Holy Spirit are one, eternal God with the Father. We cannot deny this, because we would deny the whole Holy Scripture. Therefore, the Holy Scriptures and the Christian faith compel us to distinguish the three persons in the one Godhead, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Son and Holy Spirit, and yet not to separate or separate the one Godhead from one another, nor to make three gods; but to confess and honor one God in three Persons and three Persons in one Godhead.
(23) For we Christians are not satisfied that we have one God, as the Turks do, who are very proud with their argument, saying, "In one house there cannot be three masters, but there must be one master. Since
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they think they have hit it, and consider us Christians to be vain mad geese and ducks, as if we could not understand that we worship three gods. But woe to all those who first drove the Mahometan faith into the people with this argument. Woe also to all those who write such things about us Christians in foreign countries and lie to us so shamefully.
(24) We Christians are not such foolish geese and ducks, nor such coarse gags, that we do not understand that it is not only a foolish thing, but also idolatry, to worship more than one God. We also say that there is one God and Creator of all creatures, and do not make three gods, but believe and confess that there is one God; and yet say that the same one God wants to be known and honored in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. For thus God has revealed Himself that we should believe and confess that in His Divine Being there are three distinct Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Not in his creation are three distinct persons; for there he is one; but in his inward divine being are three distinct persons. In his creation, from the outside against the creatures to reckon.
new, God is one, one God and Creator of all creatures. But to reckon in His Godhead inwardly against Himself is not one single Person, but are three distinct Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
(25) In creation and works, counting from the outside against the creature, we Christians are one with the Turks; there we also say that there is no more than one God. But we say that this is not enough, that we alone believe that there is one God. For the same one God, whom the Turks praise as being one Creator of heaven and earth, has revealed Himself to be Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three distinct persons, and one eternal God. Therefore, the Jews and the Turks do us an injustice by accusing us and saying that we are idolatrous, that we worship three gods; for we do not worship three gods, but one unified God, without recognizing and honoring the same unified God as He has revealed Himself.
- May God the Father, through His Holy Spirit, keep us firm in such faith for the sake of His dear Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, against all that may oppose us, amen.
On the day of St. John the Baptist.
First sermon.*)
Luc. 1, 5-80.
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest of the order of Abia, named Zacharias, and his wife of the daughters of Aaron, whose name was Elizabeth. Now they were both devout before God, and walked blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes. And they had no child: for Elisabeth was barren, and they were both of them of a sound mind. And it came to pass, when he was ministering before God in the time of his ordinance, according to the manner of the priesthood, and it was his duty to burn incense, that he entered into the temple of the LORD. And all the multitude of the people were without, praying under the hour of incense. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, standing at the right hand of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was afraid, and fear came upon him. But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard, and thy wife Elisabeth.
*) Held in the house, 1532.
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will bear you a son, whose name you shall call John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; he will not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother's womb. And he shall turn many of the children of Israel unto God their Lord. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the unbelievers to the prudence of the righteous, to prepare a ready people for the LORD. And Zacharias said unto the angel, How shall I know this? for I am old, and my wife is aged. And the angel answered and said unto him, I am Gabriel, which stand before God, and am sent to speak unto thee, to shew thee these things. And, behold, thou shalt be silenced, and not be able to speak, until the day that these things shall come to pass, because thou hast not believed my words, which shall be fulfilled in their time. And the people waited for Zacharias, wondering why he tarried so long in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak to them. And they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he beckoned unto them, and was silent. And it came to pass, when the time of his ministry was expired, he went home to his house. And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five moons, saying, Thus hath the LORD done unto me in the days that he looked upon me, to take away my reproach among men. And in the sixth moon the angel Gabriel was sent from 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 Most High, and God the Lord shall give him the throne of his father David; 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: be it done unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. 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 Elisabeth. 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 are arrogant 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. And the time came for Elizabeth 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, By no means; 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 there came a fear upon all the neighbors, and this story was 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 with him. And Zacharias, his father, was given to the Lord.
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He prophesied and said, "Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people. And hath raised up for us a horn of salvation in the house of David his servant. 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 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 we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, 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 the 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 come forth before the people of Israel.
Of the Conception, Birth and Sermon of John the Baptist.
Every Christian should know the right reason for celebrating this day, so that we do not have such foolish joy as the world tends to have, as if our Lord God had given birth to St. John only for the sake of eating, drinking and dancing, and other such foolish joy for love.
(2) Therefore let us take the gospel before us, that not only our bodies may be filled, rejoice, dance, and leap this day, but also that our hearts and consciences may rejoice.
The very first thing in this history is that God performs great miraculous signs with this conception and birth. 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 such an age that they no longer have any hope of having a child. In addition, the mother was not only outdated, but was also crying out that she was naturally barren. God did a great miracle and gave them a son and sent His angel Gabriel from heaven to bring the news of such a son. The father Zacharias became mute until the child was eight days old; the mother gave the child a name and said: "He shall be called John; which name she had not heard from any man. Then the father began to speak again, confirming the mother's word and saying, "His name is John." The neighbors were all amazed, and the father preached a beautiful sermon about the child out of the Holy Spirit.
(4) These are all great miracles, that God may show that this Son will be a great and excellent man; as all who hear these things marvel and say, "What do you think this child will become? And Christ Himself says that among the sons of women there arose none greater than John the Baptist.
But why he is praised great and above all the children of Adam, the angel shows in the first message, and the father. Zechariah also shows it in his song of praise. The angel gives the reason and says: "He will be great in the sight of the Lord; he will not drink wine and strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother's womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to God their Lord. This, says the angel, is why he will be so great: not only that it will happen so strangely at his conception and birth, but that he will have such a great and high office, yes, the greatest and highest office among all the children of Adam. God will make him so great and put so much on him that no one has had nor will have such a great and high office as John, Zachariah's son. He will be the greatest before all, except the Lord Himself, who, though he is the least in the kingdom of heaven, yet is greater than John. This is also what the angel said to Zacharias just before: "Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, whose name you shall call John; and you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
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(6) The angel tells of two joys. One is the joy of Zachariah the father and Elizabeth the mother, who no doubt rejoiced that they should have a son in their old age. But especially Elizabeth will have rejoiced, who was so long in lamentation that she was barren. For in the Old Testament it was a curse and a disgrace if a woman was barren. Because Elizabeth had to bear the shame of being barren for such a long time, and because other women had to flee like owls from birds and were not allowed to go among them, it was a joy to her that she gave birth to a child in her old age. As she herself confesses, boasts, and says: "Thus hath the Lord done unto me in the days that he looked upon me, to take away my reproach from among men." This is a natural joy and gladness that the father and mother had over this child, and this joy is not evil either; for the angel praises and proclaims it.
7 But the other joy is greater, that not only father and mother, but also others should rejoice in this child: not because of his birth, that he is born with such miraculous works; but because of his ministry, that he should lead such a joyful, comforting ministry. This is what the angel means by these words: "Many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord." And his father Zacharias interpreted these words, saying, "You will be called a prophet of the Most High; you will go before the Lord to prepare His way and give knowledge of salvation to His people, who have forgiveness of their sins. As if he wanted to say: You child will be the great, excellent preacher who will teach the people how they must be saved. Until now we have had Moses, but he has left us all in sins and evil conscience, we have not been able to escape death, there has been no help, no counsel. For just as it happened to us under the papacy, when this one ran to St. Jacob, that one to Rome, one flagellated himself, another fasted himself; when one had tried and done everything, then
the conscience was not yet helped, the poor, miserable, afflicted people knew not where to turn, could have no comfort nor rest against sin and death: so it was with those under Moses. But now, says Zechariah, things will be different. For God has given us a child who will be the man who will show the way to forgiveness of sins.
(8) "Thou child," saith he, "shalt be called a prophet, which shall give knowledge of salvation unto the people. You will be such a preacher that the whole world will rejoice. All who see and hear you will rejoice, thanking and praising God for having such a comforting preacher appear, pointing with his finger to the Son of God, and promising forgiveness of sins through him to all who accept him and believe in him. Oh how blessed are the fingers that point to Christ! How blessed will be the ears that hear the voice: "Behold, this is the Lamb of God, who bears the sin of the world! Oh how blessed eyes will be, which will see the blessed finger, which finger will point to the sacrifice, which is to be offered for the sin of the world! With these words, the dear John has also sweetened the hearts of all people, so that they now know from his sermon how to be freed from sins and become eternally blessed.
(9) For he saith thus, Behold, the Lamb of God, which bareth the sin of the world. Now every man must confess for himself that he also belongs to the world. Therefore John makes the hearts of all men glad with this sermon, if they will only accept it, and shows them the right consolation against sin. The sin of all the world, he says, yours, mine and everyone's sin, none excluded, is on this Lamb of God. Sin shall no longer lie in the world, shall no longer frighten us, condemn us, nor kill us, but shall be taken away from us and lie on the Lamb of God. This is the real joy that John brings such a message to the world first, pointing to Christ with his fingers, exhorting and stimulating everyone to cling to him and to follow such a message.
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Grace should wait from him. Such preaching has never happened from the beginning of the world.
(10) 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 it and bring it to pass. John is the only one who let the first voice go and showed the person with fingers where forgiveness of sins could actually be found.
(11) 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 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 fingers are, to show the little lamb of God, and to say that this is the true Savior, who will save the world from sins. Whoever then is oppressed by sin, whoever is to die, 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. And this is the joy that all the world, not only Zacharias and Elisabeth, shall have in Johanne.
12 And of joy also Zacharias the father saith in his song of praise, when he is filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesieth, saying:
Praise be to the LORD God of Israel, for he has 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 that hate us, and shew mercy unto our fathers, and remember his 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, should serve him without fear all the days of our life, in holiness and righteousness that is pleasing in his sight.
(13) Dear old Zacharias rejoices at the birth of his son, not only because of his person, but because this is now happening, which God promised so long ago through his prophets, that he would give David a son to save him 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 to pass, since all the prophets have written of it and cried out that it would one day come to pass. Now it is here, praise be to God forever and ever! It has been promised and all the prophets have been promising it, but they have not been able to bring it to pass, nor to preach it as my son John will preach it, who will point with his fingers to such salvation and point the people to it. Now the dear word will start, which will proclaim forgiveness of sin publicly.
And thou child shalt be called a prophet of the Most High; thou shalt go before the Lord, to prepare his way.
(14) The dear father rejoices greatly, and yet does not praise the holy, strict life his son is to lead, as the angel said, but only praises his word and preaching. And call him not badly a prophet, as the other prophets were; but such a prophet as shall walk hard before the Lord. For he himself, the Lord, will now come and preach himself. But before he does so, this infant John will appear and say, "Look! This is the man through whom all the world will be saved. Whoever has this man, who has a gracious God, shall be fearless and without fear all his life, through this man alone. No prophet ever did this before, pointing fingers at this man.
15 John will prepare his way for the Lord; as a prince, when he goes, the next servant goes first, the prince does not go first; but when the servant is seen, everything gives way, and everyone gives place. So will my son be. He will go first and cry out: Give way, the Lord is coming, he is following hard on my heels.
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Soon after my sermon he will appear and preach, suffer and be crucified, and rise again from the dead, send the Holy Spirit, and proclaim publicly to the whole world what I am preaching now.
(16) Now this is the joy that we should have today, that we should rejoice for the sake of John's mouth and finger, so that whoever is afraid of his sins, whoever is afraid of death, may look here at this blessed finger and hear this joyful, comforting voice: "Behold, this is the Lamb of God who bears the sin of the world. This finger we are to praise and thank GOD today for the sake of dear John's ministry and his comforting word. For he is the paragon above all prophets and preachers; no more comforting word and finger comes, than John's word and finger is.
(17) Here think back 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 lived such an austere life, drank neither wine nor strong drink, ate locusts and wild honey, and covered himself with camel skin. But what good is this to you and me? What is the use and service of it for us? Isn't it true that whoever wants to consider John only for his person will not be able to draw comfort from it? For although God has therefore laid out such a hard life for St. John, so that people should pay all the more attention to his preaching and believe all the sooner, because he was not a bad man, but led a special life above all others, in honor of and for the advancement of the Gospel: nevertheless, this does not help us today, it gives us no special joy. But the word and the sermon of John comforts and rejoices the whole world, who only wants to accept it, that he comes with such a finger 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, stone or wood, but to us humans, who are poor, afflicted sinners, that we should accept it and be comforted and rejoice in it.
And goes on to speak of John's preaching, what a new sermon it is that he will bring into the world, saying:
And give the knowledge of salvation to his people, which is in the forgiveness of their sins.
(18) That is, to preach comfortably, and to teach men aright how they shall be saved. The Jews had the law, which is such teaching and preaching that one knows what one should and should not do. This is also a wonderful, great knowledge, but it is very bad for us, because we cannot follow it. For since we know that God has laid His ten commandments upon us and wants us to keep them, and yet we must confess that we cannot keep them nor keep them, it follows that such knowledge of the law has no more effect in man than that he must fear God and await His wrath and punishment. That is why St. Paul says that the law causes wrath, the law kills and condemns, and is like a handwriting on our own neck. Rom. 3. 2 Cor. 3. Col. 2.
(19) Now John is to come and give another knowledge to the people of God, which is not a knowledge of sin, wrath, and death, but a knowledge of salvation, that is, such a sermon as teaches how to be saved from death and sin. This is an art of which the world knows not a word. In the priesthood, when I was a monk, I did not know the art either. I felt that I needed someone to help me from sin and death, but I did not know where to find such a helper. I called St. Annam, who was my emergency helper. John is supposed to be a master in this art and give people the knowledge of salvation, that is, bring such a sermon into the world, so that people learn how to be saved, that is, how to be delivered from sin and death.
(20) But how shall such things be done? What kind of teaching will it be? This is what Zechariah means when he says, "Who is in remission of sins. Whoever wants to know how to be saved must know that it is by grace alone, and by nothing else. This is also what John preached:
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"Behold, this is the Lamb of God, which bareth the sin of the world"; item: "Of His fullness have we all received grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth were given through Jesus Christ. (Joh. 1, 16. 17.) Such sayings are very many in his sermons, from which one can see how he always pressed hard on Christ and on his grace. As if John wanted to say to us: Good works do not help to salvation; I have also fasted and lived so strictly that where good works should help to salvation, my works should also have helped.
(21) For John outwardly lived a holier life than Christ Himself, who stayed with the people, lay on beds, drank wine, ate meat, wore linen and woolen garments. But John lived in the desert, drank water, ate wild honey and locusts, wore a camel skin. Nevertheless, he says, such a hard life does not get you into heaven, but forgiveness of sins does. We should learn these things. It is true, we should be justly pious and keep ourselves in a holy life. But to be saved is only through the forgiveness of sins, that each one may know God to be merciful and to forgive sin, saying, "Lord, I cannot reckon with you; I do not know how to stand before you by my works. For John was much holier than I, and yet he did not build on his holiness. I would gladly guard against sins, be pious, live chastely and modestly, but that does not help me. This alone helps me, that you preached through St. John that we should be saved through the forgiveness of sins.
22 It follows that all the world is in sin, indeed, sin itself. For where there is no sin, there is no need of the forgiveness of sin. Again, where there is need of forgiveness of sins, there must ever be sin. Since the world is to be saved through the forgiveness of sins, it must follow that the world is full of sin. So it follows that all men are sinners and, as much as there is in them, are condemned.
But if they are to be saved, this is the only way, that their sin must be forgiven them. But this happens, as John teaches, only through the Son of God; he is the little lamb, where all our sins lie, which must help us. For if sin should lie upon us, and we should bear it, we should be eternally damned and lost, and no man should be able to go to heaven. But it is called forgiveness of sin that the Son of God had to bear the sin for us.
23 This means to understand John's sermon correctly and to know how to be saved, namely, only through the forgiveness of sins. But if we become blessed through the forgiveness of sins, then all other ways of wiping out sin are excluded. 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 must be saved only through the forgiveness of sin and not through good works.
But where does the forgiveness of sin come from? Who makes it? Then Zacharias answered very finely and said:
Through the heartfelt mercy of our God, through which the exit from on high has visited us.
I think that means that all merit and good works are cut off from the forgiveness of sins, so that one cannot say that one deserves it. The Virgin Mary was holy, John the Baptist lived an austere life, but did they have forgiveness of sins? No, says Zacharias here; but forgiveness of sins comes only from the fact that God is merciful, and out of such mercy sent and gave His Son to us, so that He paid for us and we should be saved through Him. Therefore, forgiveness of sin does not come from our merit, nor from our good works, but from the heartfelt mercy of God, who loved us on his own initiative. We deserved the hellish fire with our sins, but God looked upon His causeless mercy. This is the
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Cause why he sent his Son and for his Son's sake now forgives our sin.
(25) And he preacheth greatly of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, that he giveth him a special name, and calleth him the "coming forth from on high," that is, above all creatures in heaven. As the brightness rises from the sun when it breaks forth, so the Son rises from the Father forever and ever. Thus Christ speaks of Himself, John 3:13: "No man taketh up to heaven, but he that descended from heaven, even the Son of man, which is in heaven." 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, 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 pure grace and mercy.
26 Therefore we cannot boast that we have done word or work, for no one has known of such things. But John is the first to point to him with his finger and lead us to him, otherwise we, like the Jews, would pass by. The Jews saw him playing in the street like another child, they saw him carpentering, drilling boards 2c.: who would have regarded him in such a servile form for the exit from on high and for the Lamb of God, if John had not shown him and made him known to us? The Jews were angry with him without this, and said, "Oh, this is the carpenter, the son of Mary, the poor widow's child; his brothers and sisters are all here, with us," 2c., Marci 6, 3. Therefore, no one here can boast that he deserved it, because he did not know about it, nor would he have known him, if John had not proclaimed this and shown him with his fingers.
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.
27 Here Zechariah concludes his thanksgiving and joyful song, and does not grasp
He 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 remain outside, our eyes will be closed at last; so that everything is under death and must die, no man is exempt or free. Those who are to go down to the earth and sit in darkness, God has lit a light for them, says Zechariah, 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.
28 This is the joy, not a foolish worldly joy of dancing and jumping, of eating and drinking, or of being lifted up by great money and goods or a worldly kingdom. It is about something greater and higher, namely: how we remain alive when we are dead and rotten in the earth; how we become pious when we are in sin; how we get from hell to heaven, from damnation to blessedness. For we must finally go down and see and hear the devil. This happens commonly 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 in 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 the pope have other fingers pointing to plates and caps and commandments of men; but it is the infernal fire. For as good works should help, so
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they would also have helped John, and he would have been comforted by them. But he revels in his good works and hard life, and says to Christ, Matth. 3, 14: "I need to be baptized by you"; seeks and desires nothing else, but that God will be gracious to him through Christ; item says, Joh. 1, 16: "From his fullness we have all taken. Thus the Virgin Mary and all the saints were also saved by grace through Christ's righteousness and merit.
(30) This is St. John's preaching of 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. For "John" is the name of one who is in grace, a kind, loving, friendly man, to whom everyone is kind. He is a pure John.
hannes, his sermon is pure joy. He should be called by the name of his office, not by the name of his life or person, otherwise he should be called "Sour". But his life helps us little, brings us no joy; but his teaching brings comfort and joy.
(31) You young children and you great men should know that this day is celebrated, not for the sake of dancing, eating and drinking, but so that St. John may teach us how to be saved; so that everyone may give thanks and praise to God for having given us the beloved John, and for having sent 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.
On the day of St. John the Baptist.
Second sermon.*)
Of the feast, office and sermon of St. John.
1 The evangelist Lucas tells us that the angel of the Lord appeared to Zacharias in the temple at the altar of incense, and announced to him that his wife Elizabeth would bear him a son, whose name would be John; that he would have joy and gladness, and many would rejoice at his birth. He also tells how John was born miraculously, that is, from old parents and from a mother who was also barren, and that he was still in childbirth.
*) Held in the house, 1533.
was filled with the Holy Spirit in the flesh. That therefore John's birth was a special birth, and much a different birth than that of other men.
2 All this was not done for John's sake, but for the sake of his ministry, that he might teach, as the father Zacharias says in his hymn, such an art as to how one should come to the forgiveness of sin and enter heaven, namely, not by one's own work and merit, as the Pharisees taught before; but by pure grace, through the heartfelt mercy of God,
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who gave his dear Son for the sin of the whole world.
Although all papists have sung this hymn of praise to Zacharias daily in their churches, and still sing it today at all masses, they have not understood it, nor do they understand it. They have celebrated this feast, they still celebrate it, only for St. John's sake and for the sake of his austere life. But we celebrate this day not for the sake of St. John, but for the sake of God, that we may praise and glorify him, because he brought dear John into the world and made him such a preacher, who has preached such words and such a sermon that the world cannot be saved by any other means than through the forgiveness of sin.
(4) John preached these things, as Zacharias said before, and his preaching also testifies. He chastised and reproached the Pharisees and Jews for preaching that one must be saved by his own piety and holiness; he called them viper-breeds, and said that they should do righteous fruits of repentance. In sum, he has thunderously struck down all in one heap and called all to repentance: the false repenters who thought they had repented, and the false saints who thought they had no need of repentance. And preached his sermon only on the paschal lamb, which should bear and take away sin from the world, that is, from all men that are born into the world.
(5) Therefore, at this feast we should thank our dear Lord God for giving us the man John, who was the first to preach the gospel to us and point us to the Lamb of God. The prophets also preached of Christ before and pointed to him, but from afar, that he would come long after. John, however, preached about him, and not only said, "No one can be saved except through the forgiveness of sins, and through the little lamb of God, which bears the sin of the world," but also pointed to the little lamb with his finger and said, "Behold, this is the little lamb of God.
(6) Before John came with his finger, no Jew ever thought that this little lamb would bear the sin of the world, and that this Jesus, the Son of Mary, would be God's little lamb. They could not have imagined that he should be, even though he had already come among them, stood among them, walked among them and was walking among them. But when John came, he said, "This is the one who is to do it. So Zacharias speaks in his hymn of praise: John shall be called a prophet of the Most High, and shall go before the Lord to prepare his way, and to give knowledge of salvation to his people, who are in remission of their sins; that is, he shall be such a preacher as God hath put in his mouth from heaven, to shew the little lamb of God, whereby men may obtain remission of sins, and be saved.
(7) Let us therefore celebrate St. John's Day, not to worship St. John, which he neither desires nor wants from us, but to recognize and rejoice in his ministry, and to learn to follow his finger, so that it points to the little lamb of God. For John does not take honor for himself, but gives it to the one to whom it is due. "I am not worthy," he says, "to untie his shoe laces," John 1:27; item: "I am not Christ, but sent before him. He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom stands and listens to him, and rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice," John 3:28, 29. The pope honored and worshiped John, and let the little lamb of God go. He did the same with other saints. He honored and worshipped the Virgin Mary and Mother of God, and he let the infant Jesus go in her womb. John does not want to have such things, but rejects everyone and points only to the little lamb. "I baptize with water unto repentance," he says; "but he that cometh after me is stronger than I; to whom I am not sufficient to bear his shoes, he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." (Matth. 3, 11.) As if he wanted to say: I am only God's instrument; I preach and baptize, that I may bring you to the lamb.
2716 L.6, 380.381. On the day of St. John the Baptist. W. XIII, 2668,2669,2680. 2717
I am not the lamb, but this one is the lamb of God who bears the sin of the world. I am not the little lamb, but this is the little lamb of God, which bears the sin of the world. Therefore I want you to look not at me but at the little lamb.
(8) These things are to be learned first, so that we may rightly know the little lamb. Afterwards, when we know what love and grace God has shown us in giving us the little lamb, through which we have forgiveness of sin and eternal life,
we should also show love to our neighbor and do him good, show him mercy and forgive sin when we are hurt and damaged by him; just as God has forgiven our sin. If we do this, we will be true Christians and pleasing to God. This is what was recently said about our dear John, whose birth and preaching we should heartily rejoice in and thank God for.
On the day of St. John the Baptist.
Third sermon.*)
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 sitting 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.
From the beheading of John.
We have heard the sermon of our dear John the Baptist, how his conception and birth was proclaimed by the angel of the Lord, and how he was conceived and born, and how the father Zacharias had previously told him what his ministry was to be. Everything happened gloriously; angels,
*) Held publicly in the parish church, 1534.
Men, heaven and earth rejoice and know to say of him; his conception and birth is a wonder and a great thing. Now we also want to hear what his end was, so that we have his legend in its entirety; we want to bring together the feast of his conception and birth, and his beheading.
- the agenda of his life, what he has done.
2718 L. 6, 381-383. on the day of St. John the Baptist. W. XIII, 2682-2684. 2719
The evangelists report nothing about it, without St. Lucas Cap. 1. saying v. 80: "The child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the wilderness until he should come forth before the people of Israel. He was brought up by his pious, holy parents, and perhaps in the eighth year of his age he came into the wilderness, and was in the wilderness until he was thirty years old. There he appeared and preached. For they were both almost the same age, the forerunner John and his Lord, Christ. John was conceived six months before Christ was conceived. Since he was conceived six months before him, he was born six months before him; and in the year that John appeared and preached, Christ also almost appeared and preached, without John having started a little before Christ. St. Lucas Cap. 3 indicates that John began preaching and baptizing at the Jordan in the fifteenth year of Emperor Tiberii. Now it is certain that Christ was crucified in the eighteenth year of Tiberius. Therefore the account shows that John and Christ preached almost with each other; without John having started a little earlier, and Christ having preached a little longer than John. John did not preach much over two years, Christ not much over three years. They both made it short, the forerunner and his Lord. In the fifteenth year of the emperor Tiberii they began to preach and in the eighteenth year of Tiberii they are both gone. But the forerunner left sooner than his master, since he had been in the preaching ministry for barely two years or not much longer.
3rd John, says St. Lucas Cap. 3, 3, "preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins". He went to the Jordan River and went through the whole country. He did not preach in one place alone, but went to all the regions around the Jordan, preaching the same two years, saying, "Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand." He drank not wine nor strong drink, but water, and preached
He ate locusts and wild honey, lived a strict life and reminded people that the kingdom of Christ was present, baptized and showed Christ with his fingers. When John preached like this, Christ soon appeared and preached as well. This happened in quick succession. As soon as John began to preach, in half a year, or at most in a whole year after that, Christ also began; and for more than three years they were both dead.
This is a short time, and it rhymes very badly with the high testimony given to John by the angel, by the father of Zachariah, and by Christ himself. The angel brings the message of his birth, prophesies gloriously of his ministry, and introduces the holy scripture from the prophets Isaiah and Malachi: "He will be great in the sight of the Lord"; item: "He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah". Zechariah says, "Thou child shalt be called a prophet of the Most High; thou shalt go before the LORD, to prepare his way." Christ says, "Among all that are born of women there hath not arisen one greater than John the Baptist." Such a great and excellent cry is followed by such a short work that John preaches for barely two years, and yet he does no miraculous signs; only he baptizes and preaches repentance for the forgiveness of sins. He has glorious testimonies in the Old Testament from the prophets Isaiah and Malachi, in the New Testament from the angel of the Lord and from Christ himself. The father Zacharias exalts his ministry above all prophets' ministry. Nothing more follows such excellent, glorious testimonies, except that John preaches repentance and baptizes at the Jordan now and then; and he only does this for two years, after which he loses his head. For he preached not only in the land of Judaea, but came also into Galilee unto Herod the king, whom he desired to convert. And because Herod liked to hear him, he must have often been at court, hoping to win Herod over. But Herod refused him with his head, threw him into prison and had him beheaded for the sake of the whore Herodias.
- that's how it ends, that's how it ends with the
2720 L. 6, 383-3S5. On the day of St. John the Baptist. W. XIII, 2684-2687. 2721
great, excellent man, so gloriously praised by men and angels, yes, by his Lord himself; he should suffer such an ignominious death for the sake of a wicked, desperate whore; and in addition be secretly beheaded in prison, and his head brought into the whore's chamber on a bowl, so that she sees her pleasure in it. It is no wonder that the infernal fire would have struck him. This man is most gloriously praised by the prophets, by the angel, by Christ: and shall not preach longer than two years, shall leave his head above his sermon, so that the young Hürlein brings him to the dance, flaunts with him before the guests and then brings it to her mother. So shamefully the excellent man loses his life.
When Christ hears this, he acts as if he did not care and was not concerned about the unjust death of his dearest, most faithful friend; he is not angry, does not curse, does not threaten, and in sum, does not do anything about it. He should have struck into the dance with all thunder and lightning; but he does no more, except that he escapes into a desert. Who wants to serve such a lord, who executes his dearest friend and greatest saint, even his own forerunner so shamefully, and does nothing about it? It is also said that the pagans and barbarians fell into the same land and scattered the bones of John after his death and, even worse, burned them to powder, so that nothing remained of them but ashes. The nuns of Rome boast that they have John's head. Others boast that they have his finger, so that he has shown Christ. But the histories say that John, with other saints, was torn out of the tomb by the pagans and burned. Does this mean that the holy, great man, who was so gloriously praised in the Scriptures, and whose like never came on earth after Christ, was honored, that he should preach for such a short time, barely two years, do no miraculous work, and finally die such an ignominious death, and after his death his bones should be scattered and his body burned to powder?
7 Come on, whoever wants to be a Christian and
especially a preacher, may learn here how God deals with His children and the dearest saints. And what are we with our temptations and persecutions against the holy, excellent man John, with whom things went so miserably during his life and after his death? Indeed, Christ, the Son of God himself, did not fare any better; he did not preach much longer than three years and was then crucified. It must have been a shameful time among Hanna, Caipha, Herod, Pilato and Tiberio, that John had to suffer such a shameful death at the dance for the sake of his high office and Christ had to suffer such a shameful death at the cross for the sake of his great good deed; and that the two high men, such as never came on earth, nor will come to the end, are executed so miserably within a year and a half.
(8) But this was the wrath of God upon the land, which should not have borne these two chief preachers in the ministry more than three years. For this people always struck the prophets dead. As soon as one arose, away with him; as Christ laments, Matt. 23:37, 38: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often have I sought to gather thy children together, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Well, it shall come to an end! "Behold, your house shall be left unto you desolate." Since they had pushed these things to the limit and loaded themselves with the blood of the prophets, so that they might fulfill the measure of their fathers, God quickly carried away John the Baptist and Christ His Son, so that John would soon be gathered to the prophets and Christ would quickly enter His kingdom, and the bloodhounds and murderers, the Jews, Pilate, Herod, would be paid as they deserved. For about forty years after John's and Christ's death, the Jews came to an end, the city was razed, the temple torn down and burned, the kingdom, the priesthood, the worship, the land and the people, everything fell to the ground. There-
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After Christ brought the gospel into the world, and made all the mighty and prudent and wise to err.
(9) Thus the two highest men that have ever been in the world have held their office for the shortest time. Other prophets, bishops and martyrs have not held their office so briefly. These two, John and Christ, were the greatest and highest preachers who ever came on earth, and yet they completed their course in the shortest time. But this did not harm them, but was a sign of a terrible wrath against the Jewish people. Because God took away these two excellent preachers so soon, I would not have liked to remain if I had lived for that time.
(10) When God takes away righteous people, it is always a sign of God's wrath; as the prophet Isaiah, Cap. 56, says, v. 13, 14: "The righteous perish, and there is none that taketh it to heart; and holy men are taken up, and no man heareth. For the righteous are snatched away from calamity; and they that have walked rightly before them come to peace, and rest in their chambers." There it says both: when God takes away righteous people and separates the grain from the chaff, it is a sign that He wants to punish the rest of the heap, and set fire to the chaff and burn it with fire. But it does them no harm, for they come out of trouble into rest. Our Lord God does not want them to see the calamity that follows. Thus God comforts the pious king Josiah, 2 Kings 22, and says v. 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 place." Therefore the pious have no harm when God takes them away from this evil world through death, but the world should be terrified of it, because it is an indication that there is a calamity ahead and that evil is about to happen.
So John is snatched away, Christ is crucified, the apostles are killed. Under this the world rejoices. The dear lords, John, Christ, the apostles, go away, no one asks about it, no one says: Alas,
Let it be lamented to God that the holy men perish so miserably! Alas, how will we fare? but everyone laughs, mocks and is in good spirits. But, as I said, our Lord God wanted to make it so short with the holy men, so that His wrath, which was to come upon the Jewish people, would come sooner.
- Today it is also like this: the gospel is persecuted most fiercely and the pious are torn away, so that God's wrath, which is present, may come sooner. For you will learn that when those who now endure are gone, hellish fire will rain down on the world and there will be misery and distress. God thus lets the pious be carried away, so that they do not see the future calamity, but go into their closet and rest there in peace. When we are gone, we will say: "Well, dear bet, you did not ask for it when I preached to you, comforted you, punished you; but you laughed and made a mockery of it, and strangled the pious. Now let us lie down in the grave, and sleep there, and rest gently. When calamity and trouble come upon thee, we will neither see thee nor hear thee, as thou wouldest not hear us; but we will sleep and rest softly, and let thee cry in vain.
(13) I do not like to be a prophet who prophesies like this, but the common course is that God makes his prophets see the calamity of which they preach and warn the people. Jeremiah is almost the only one who has had to see and experience his prophecy himself with the prison and the destruction of Jerusalem; God has taken the others away beforehand so that they should not see the misfortune. Therefore, we should not be offended by the fact that God deals with His saints as if He did not know them, as if He did 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: but the world promotes its own destruction and gathers the wrath of God; for this reason it must finally fall to the ground.
14 So now John has barely two years
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and departed from the world with it. Christ also completed all his sermons, teachings and miraculous signs in three, or at the most in four and a half years, and therewith departed. He must have preached and performed miraculous signs almost every day, so that he completed his course. This is a great, excellent case, and great, shameful ingratitude of the world, that the two highest preachers are executed so soon. The devil has rushed and attacked them sharply. John and Christ did not miss him and grabbed him by the throat; therefore the devil did not miss them again. And if the devil could have kept Christ in the grave, as John did, he would have done so. But the Holy Spirit had prophesied of him, Psalm 16:10: "Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to perish." "Therefore it was impossible that he should be kept from death," as St. Peter says, Apost. 2, 24.
(15) The devil thought, 'If I can only get rid of these two preachers, I will have won. Just as he would like to have nothing left of the gospel, of baptism, of the sacrament. But Christ thought against it: "Wait, devil, if you want it, I will not wait long, I will hurry and soon complete my course, so that you may crucify me. But after this I will preach a sermon, which shall penetrate into all the world, and remain until the last day: thou shalt not hinder it. If then the devil and the world did not want to hear John and Christ in their lifetime, they must now hear them after their death, whether they want to or not. Just as they must hear us now, against their thanks. That we are not long dead, that is not lacking in their good will.
16 This is the legend of our dear John, who together with his Lord Christ lived briefly here on earth, but now lives for eternity. Yes, not only that, but although his body is dead, yet his spirit lives: it still preaches among us, because we have his word and preaching, which is the true sanctuary. Have we not
We have the right finger and the right head of John, that is to say, his dear word, which he preached. Yes, we have the whole of John and the whole of Christ; not a piece of their body, but their teaching and preaching, that we may hear what wisdom and spirit they had. This is dearer to us than the body of all the saints. What good would it do us to see their bodies, heads and fingers? Basically nothing. But that I have the finger of John, "Behold, this is the Lamb of God, which bareth the sin of the world," is profitable and good for me. If I do not see it with my eyes, I see it with my heart and faith.
Therefore John still lives and never dies; his finger, that is, his words that he speaks and points to God's Lamb, we have, we hear, and we may follow them if we wish. This is a dear finger and a precious head of John the Baptist. The dead finger of John was burned to ashes by the Gentiles, and we shall see it again at the last day; but his right living finger, that is, his Word and Spirit, we have. This same finger goes before us and points us to the right man who redeems us from sin, death, the devil and hell. Now let us look at the Historia from word to word, and hear what pieces his Legenda has.
Herod sent and took John and put him in prison for Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he had freed her. And John said unto Herod, It is not right 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 kept him, and obeyed him in many things, and heard him gladly.
18 St. Matthew and St. Lucas call this Herod the tetrarch, because he was a lord over Galilee and Perea.
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For the Romans had divided Judea and its possessions into four parts, or four dominions, and had set a lord over each dominion, that they might compel the Jews. This Herod had a brother, whose name was Philip; this same Philip had a wife, whose name was Herodias; with her he had begotten the young Hürlein, who danced here. Now Herod traveled to Rome one day, and when he was on the way to his brother's inn, he had a conversation with Herodias and became one with her, so that he kidnapped her from his brother when he returned from Rome, and the pious little daughter, the dancer, went with him.
019 And when Herod was come again into Galilee, and had Herodias to wife with him, John was also in the country, preaching repentance, and baptizing. And Herod heard John gladly, therefore John was often at court. Herod was his gracious lord and king, and the pious John thought he wanted to convert Herod. When he saw that he had done wrong, that he had taken his brother's wife and daughter, and that he had committed adultery in public, he punished him, saying, "It is not right for you to have your brother's wife. Herod did not like this, that John rubbed his iniquity in his face. Although the text says: Herod could well have suffered John, but Herodias could not have suffered him. But it grieves Herod that he should be punished and put away his brother's wife. Think therefore: They will not get along with each other, John and Herodias. If I lose one of them, as I must, I will lose John as much as Herodias.
020 But he feigns to hear John, and is earnest, and saith, Verily this man preacheth well. For he feared John, because he knew that he was a pious man, and the whole country clung to him and held him in honor and for a holy man. But beware, lords are lords and always want to have an advantage over other people. As the saying goes, "It is not good to eat cherries with lords; they throw around their sticks.
April weather 2c. soon turn. No lord likes to be punished, unless he is pious enough to suffer it. David, Josiah, and Jehoshaphat could bear to punish the prophets, but the other kings cut off the heads of the prophets and preachers and wanted to go unpunished.
21 In our time there are many such people among princes, nobles, burghers and peasants, who like to hear the preachers, but they are not moved by the sermon; as soon as they are moved, their friendship is over. If one punishes others, they can well suffer it; but if one promises them, as John here does Herodi, they do not want to suffer it. As our city juniors say: One should not preach anything about the honorable, wise council and the council lords, but only about the common man. Dear Junker, you should be ordered to do so! So Herod listens to John gladly, since he punishes the common people. But when John also turns to Herod and says, "It is not right for you to have your brother's wife," Herod thinks: Wait, if thou wilt, it shall be thy head.
22 But this is not rightly heard, when the priest punishes other people, that you say: This is a fine man, he can preach well from the covenants; how does he pass through! but when he attacks you, that you say: That the priests this and that! he has to preach from no one, but from me? So the devil and evil mouths also like to hear that other people are beaten to the flesh bank; but that one punishes his lies and wickedness, such he cannot stand. But to hear rightly means to hear the truth gladly, if it concerns my person, and to be punished and to improve myself, as David, Josiah and Jehoshaphat did. But those who like to hear the truth against themselves are strange birds on earth. Otherwise sparrows and ravens are not so mean as those who like to be praised.
(23) When we preach to citizens and peasants that they should not steal, that they should not usurp, that they should not oversell, the council can well endure this, it likes to hear it; this is Herod's hearing. But if I say, "You councilors should do your duty," they will not stand for it. Ei
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Dear, Herod could do that too. When our princes and those of the nobility hear that one should repent, convert, believe in the Gospel; that is right, they say, that is what we like to hear. But when they say, "You, prince, nobleman, should also repent, your wild, desolate life is no good; and you can hear and suffer such things, then surely God loves you and such things are a special gift from God. Something will certainly become of you, and God will not leave you; as Solomon says, Prov. 1:5: "He who is wise listens and corrects himself, and he who has understanding gives him counsel"; and Sirach Cap. 1:31: "The fear of the Lord is right wisdom and discipline, and faith and patience are pleasing to God." But if you are angry, grumbling, and do not want to suffer, you are a Herod; not a child of truth, but a child of lies.
(24) This is the first part of the history, so that the evangelist touches Herod the king for the common vice that reigns in the world, namely, that everyone, and especially the great lords, want to be called as if they like to hear God's word, and yet want to be unpunished. How? says Herod, John punishes me because of Herodias? I cannot stand such a thing. But I cannot kill him, for he is a pious and holy man. If I killed him, the cry would go up against me that I had killed the pious, holy man. Herodias would not have asked about the cry; but Herod asks about it. Therefore he has the appearance as if he likes to hear John, before men; but not before God, who sees his heart. But so that John no longer punishes him publicly, he keeps him safe.
And it came to pass, 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: Whatever you ask of me I will give you, up to the half of my kingdom. She went out and said to her mother:
What shall I ask? She said, "The head of John the Baptist. And she went in quickly to the king, and asked, saying: I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a bowl 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 carried his head on a bowl, and gave it to the maiden, and the maiden gave it to her mother.
This is the other part of the story. While John was being kept in prison, Herod and Herodias made this announcement: Herod was going to celebrate his anniversary, give a supper and a dance, and the little daughter should come and dance; and when the guests were at their happiest, Herod would promise to give her whatever she asked for, including half of his kingdom, so that everyone would know the fatherly heart he had for the little girl. He calls it half the kingdom, but he means John's head. This is the announcement that no one could think that such an announcement would be made about the holy man in the dungeon. Herod, Herodias and the dancer understood the language well, that half of the kingdom means as much as John's head. The guests did not understand. Herodias had instructed the daughter so that if the king said half of his kingdom, she would know what to ask for, namely, the head of John.
026 Therefore she saith, I will that thou give me now once upon a time upon a dish the head of John the Baptist." The head of John, she says, I will have; and she adds: John the Baptist, so that there will never be any misunderstanding or mistake; and "on a bowl," so that she will certainly have it. Where does the little hurdle get the courage that she is not frightened by the words, let alone by the deed, that she carries the dead head along so freely? For a woman is supposed to be naturally stupid, especially in such serious matters where the head is involved. What does the holy man Herod want to do here, because the head is so important?
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Girl begs for Johann's head? He likes to listen to John and fears him, as the guests well know. But how should he do it? He has sworn to give the maiden whatever she asks, including half of his kingdom. Therefore he must leave, the oath forces him, he cannot do otherwise.
These are perfectly holy people. Herod has sworn and wants to keep the oath, he does not want to anger God with the false oath. The guests at the table must be satisfied. And the king becomes sad. Why does the maiden ask for this? He does it unwillingly. Yes, behind him, as the peasants carry the spit.
(28) There are painted the poisonous hypocrites who kill the innocent and the pious under a beautiful pretense. Herod had decided beforehand with Herodias that John should die, but such a murder must be secret from the world. And Herod stood sadly and said, "Oh, how sorry I am for this; I promised foolishly and the maiden asked foolishly. How can one make a nose at our Lord God! He must be badly muzzled in his mouth, and not notice the mischievousness of Herod.
(29) So do the hypocrites in our time; they murder the innocent, and yet pretend that they must do it, so that people will not remain in the Christian church. Yes, indeed, persecute the word of God, blaspheme His holy name and strangle the innocent, and then adorn yourself and say: You do this for the sake of God's word and name. Do you want to know who you are? You are Herod's child, he is your father. But, dear sirs, For
Saints and bishops, see to it that you deceive our Lord God, the foolish man. We must suffer such poisonous hypocrites, who are murderers of Christ and the apostles, and yet have the appearance before the world that they do it unwillingly, and must keep the oath they have sworn. Yes, they say, we cannot pass by, the Christian church wants it that way, God wants it that way 2c. Thus John comes around his head, and Herod remains holy and the whore Herodias remains pious.
And when his disciples heard it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a sepulcher.
This is the third part of the history. His disciples bury the dear John; and Christ is silent and lets Herod do it. This is especially annoying, that God is so entitled to Herod, and lets him murder the holy man and adorn himself with the oath in this way. But one must be used to it, it will not happen differently in this evil world. We also have many such secret enemies, who behave like Herod, listen to us gladly and yet stab at us like vipers. But Herod has been well repaid: he is cut off together with the Jews, root and stem. Our Herods will also have their end; they will not excuse themselves forever with the authority and the Christian name they use. If things go badly for us, we should not be surprised, because it happened to John and Christ. Although our enemies who persecute the gospel today boast of great holiness and act like Herod, they will receive their punishment in his time.
2732 L.6, 395.396. On the day of the Visitation of Mary. W. XIII, 2718-2722. 2733
On the day of the Visitation of Mary.
First sermon.*)
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.
This feast is also called the Feast of Our Lady, which the pope instituted only a short time ago to drive out the Turks with it, as can be seen in the lection that is sung at matins. There it says: "Just as the Virgin Mary walked over the mountains and trampled the mountains, so she should be invoked to trample the Turks under her with the same feet. But the longer we celebrated this feast and called upon the Virgin Mary, the more the Turk trampled us. Therefore, we should not and will not celebrate this feast for this reason.
But we want to celebrate it by thanking God for the glorious revelation that happened on this day, that Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit, and since she did not know about Christ and his conception before, she now comes out and confesses that Mary is the true mother of her Lord and God; and that John shows his Lord in the womb with leaping, and that Mary sings the beautiful hymn, the Magnificat, from which we see how learned she is, and we learn to sing after her. All this is well worth it,
*) Held in the house, 1532.
that we celebrate in order to learn and thank God for it. The Pabst's celebration is to call upon Mariam, but our celebration is to praise and thank God, according to the example of the dear virgins, so that we may celebrate as she celebrated.
Let us take and act on two things from this Gospel: the first is the example of the virgin Mary, according to works and outward manners; the other is praise or thanksgiving, that she gives thanks to God and sings to us the beautiful hymn of praise; so that we may learn fine outward discipline before the world, and both outward and inward works before God, gladness, thanksgiving and faith, which we owe to God to give with words and heart.
The first part is about external discipline and manners. Fine, beautiful virtues are presented to us. The first virtue is humility. The young maiden Mary, although she is highly honored (for she is God's mother, that Elizabeth should follow her), nevertheless, because God has decreed that old people should be honored, she follows the same teaching, and even though she is already higher, she still falls down, bows her heart and humbles herself, that
2734 L. 6, 396-398. on the day of the Visitation of Mary. W. XIII, 2722. 2724-2726. 2735
she follows her friend so far and desires to serve her during the six weeks. Even though Elizabeth is older than Mary, she humbles herself before the young maiden and says: "Where does it come from that the mother of my Lord comes to me?
This is a very glorious adornment and great adornment of the dear virgin, that she does not become proud of the honor she has, that she is God's mother and is to give birth to the Son of God. It would not be surprising that she would have fallen into a greater hell, deeper than Lucifer with his companions. For behold, what do we poor mud sacks do? If we have a penny or a florin, no one can get along with us for court. A cattle-maid, who has a beautiful hair, puffs herself up and becomes proud; a young man, who has a beautiful skirt, - all together he becomes proud and insolent, if he has something special; be it beauty, art, money, nobility, he knows neither end nor measure of his arrogance, and yet all is like dung in the street against the great grace, which this virgin has here.
- For with her it is not a matter of silver and gold; if all the gold that is in the world were in one lump, it would be a stink compared to this great honor, which no man on earth has ever had, that the angels in heaven themselves, and after them Elizabeth, the great woman who gave birth to the greatest Son after Christ, call her the mother of God and the most noble of all women; and yet this highest, noblest, holiest mother does not look at her great gift, but gives herself down and says to the angel: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the LORD!"And so comes a long way to Elizabeth to serve her.
(7) The angel greeted her with glorious words, and said that she was the most precious of women; and Elizabeth also cast herself down, and said unto her, Thou art the mother of my Lord; I am not worthy that thou shouldest come unto me. From such honor a carnal heart would be swollen and broken with hope; for how is it possible that a human heart should not be lifted up by it and become hopeful? Let us have ten guilders or a new skirt for the
She is not moved by the great honor. But she does not let the great honor move her, but keeps herself in humility, and serves not only her friend Elizabeth, but also all of us, and brings the Son into the world, who is the Savior of us all.
8 Ah, how the great humility of this high person will disgrace our courting on the last day, when we will see the dear virgin, and she will address us proudly and say: I have not been proud or boastful, and I have had more than you can have as empress and queen. But what was the cause of your court? Why have you been so proud? A golden chain, a beautiful skirt, 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 noble and most gracious of women? And yet I have not exalted myself to this.
9 So, you mad saints, you heretics, you riffraff, who think you are 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 also been able to speak of our Lord God, and yet I have not been hopeful, but have forgotten all my honor, walked over the mountains, served old Elizabeth during the six weeks, cooked, washed diapers, and done all the other household chores from the heart and with joy, like another maid, and have not taken on anything. Thus Mary, with her humility, will disgrace all those who hope.
- disgrace yourself, you shameful hope, and only be ashamed 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 all goods and have such a lowly heart that she goes and is not ashamed to wash the diapers, wipe the little child John and bathe 2c. Such humility is too high. It would have been cheap to have ordered her a golden chariot and to have driven her with four thousand horses.
2736 ".6, 398-400. on the day of the Visitation of Mary. W. XIII, 2726-2729. 2737
and shouting and screaming in front of the wagon: Here rides the woman above all women, the princess among the whole human race! But all this is silent, the poor maiden goes on foot such a long way, up to twenty miles, and yet she is already 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 Joseph and some other maiden with her. But Lucas says of her alone, for it is most of all in her, and it is she alone who proves such humility.
This is the first 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. The master and the wife must, as the servant and the maid will, so much pride is among the people, and yet they are only poor, miserable beggars; let alone what the great noblemen and women do, since honor, power, property, art and other things. This will not last long; thunder and lightning will have to strike in the end to feed pride.
But if we were Christians, we would think: Dear, has this mother been able to humble herself in this way, what do I, a wretched man, want to be so pompous, unworthy and proud of? If I already have yellow hair, a red skirt, golden chains, if I am already learned, noble, rich, powerful, what is it then? On such hopefulness, 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, poor sack of maggots, but I will learn to follow this example, so that I may hear what the dear virgin does, who is God's mother, and who could have stayed at home for half an hour; she 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 crowd is used to doing.
(13) So this example serves us, that everyone, especially young children, learn to serve gladly and to humble themselves, regardless of whether you are already more worthy and greater than the one you can serve. Mary does this; John has a delicious nursemaid in her, our Lord God has especially given it to him. John was dear to him, therefore he let the Virgin Mary serve him, wash him, wipe him, carry him 2c. This was a great glory that God bestowed on dear John. This is prescribed for us as an example, that we also learn to serve one another humbly, and say: "If the holy, highly graced mother of Christ has done it, why would I not also do it? And even if I did ten times more, it would still be nothing; for this person is too high, she is the queen and empress among all women, is therefore far more, if she humbles herself of a straw, than if I humbled myself for a thousand miles. Therefore, this example stands here as a mockery and disgrace to us against our arrogance, pride and disobedience.
The other virtue is that Lucas says: She has finally gone over the mountains, that is, finely chaste, not out of arrogance and recklessness, as the young servants go to the milk, to the dance and to the church consecration, washes from one' house to another, and everywhere opens rattling benches *) and throws the eyes back and forth. 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 go about finely, they shall not remain outside for two hours, they shall not count all the tiles on the roof, all the sparrows under the roof, nor shall they keep all the stands along the way. So the Virgin Mary did not keep herself; she goes about her business, does not count the trees, does not stand here and there, but her heart was set on duty, thinking: You want to visit the mother Elisabeth, you want to serve the dear Hans. Before the thought
*) Klapperet - chatter. D. Red.
**) Slut - unattached, loose, dissolute, libertine life. D. Red.
2738 6, 400-403. On the day of the Visitation of Mary. W. XIII, 2729-2731. 2739
If someone spoke to her on the way, she answered briefly, and only hurriedly went to dear Mother Elizabeth and to the dear little Baptist.
For this reason, St. Lucas was diligent in using the word "endlessly," so that maids and women would not say, "Why should I always stay at home like a nun in a convent? Why should I always stay at home, like a nun in a convent, and not go for a walk? But the Virgin Mary did! If it was not a sin for her, it is not a sin for me. Yes, do it with fine manners, as she did, and with chaste, virginal gestures. For she did not go out of inconsideration, but meant to serve her mother, since the angel had told her of how she would go with a son in her old days. So she does more outside her home than she would have done at home. Do the same, and do it well and morally, with the chaste behavior that befits a virgin and a woman, and it will not be a sin for you.
16 But just as the people of women do not follow the dear virgin in humility, but are hopeful and proud, so they do not follow discipline either, as is unfortunately evident to the eyes. There are few of them, women and virgins, who would let themselves think that they could be cheerful and chaste at the same time. With words they are impudent and coarse, with gestures wild and lewd. That means to be in good spirits now. But discipline and cheerfulness should and could go hand in hand if one were to look at this example. In particular, however, it is very bad that the young maidens are so exceedingly insolent with words and gestures, and swear like the lansquenets, not to mention the shameful words and annoying coarse sayings that one always hears and learns from the other. This is due to the fact that the mothers in the house give them such examples and do not pay more attention to the discipline of the youth. But this is a special and certain sign of a great future punishment, where discipline tends to fall among women. For after the mothers, the children and the maids learn it from the women, until finally neither discipline nor honor remains in all classes; as we have seen.
Unfortunately, in our times, we also have to see and therefore wait for the deserved punishment.
(17) This is the example of outward discipline and manners, and especially of profound humility, which the fine Virgin Mary presents to us, so that she may disgrace us with our stinking, nasty court life, since she humbles herself so highly that no one is equal to her among all virgins and women. We should follow this by beating ourselves up and saying: "Oh, did she do that, the dear Virgin Mary, who was not guilty of it (for she could have had herself celebrated cheaply, but she did not): what did I want to boast about and be held high? Always down 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.
18 Elizabeth humbles herself, even though she is an old matron, yet she throws herself down and says to Mary: "How can I be honored that the mother of my Lord should come to me? This is also a deep humility. But the Virgin Mary's humility is greater because of the greatness of her person. Therefore she should be our example, and especially the example of all virgins and women.
The other part of this Gospel is that Mary sings the Magnificat. With this she proves her doctorate and mastery, and teaches how one should behave toward God. Above, she teaches with her example how to behave toward people in outward discipline and fine manners; here, she teaches how to behave toward God with praise and thanksgiving. She does not deny before God what she is, whether she already humbles herself and lets herself down. For this is false humility, when one denies what God has given us; as the monks in the monasteries did, they called the people who praised them liars. If one said to them: You have a fine memory, a good mind; they said: No, whether it was already the truth.
20 Thus do the young maidens; when they are beautiful, they speak: I am not beautiful, but am black; and yet to them is not
2740 L. 6, 403-405. on the day of the Visitation of Mary. W. XIII, 2731-2734,2737. 2741
for the heart. Rich people, when they are called rich, cannot leave it unanswered, complaining themselves poorer than those who are really poor. This is not called humility, but a twofold hopefulness and a deliberate lie, which also brings dishonor to God.
(21) What God has given and bestowed should be confessed and not denied. One should say: Praise God, who has given it! I have good food, I am not so vile, 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 can use 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, does not say: I bear no apples, no pears, no cherries, no nuts; but what God has given it, that it lets see 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, it is true; but I have it not from myself, God has given it to me; therefore 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: "Although you moon, star, tree 2c. do not shine as beautifully as I do, you are nevertheless also a beautiful creature of God: for this reason I will not despise you, but help you to remain with your light, green foliage, and may you also shine and serve 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 before other women and that she is the Mother of God. It is all true, she says; I have received the greatest grace and honor from God. But from where and for 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 the same
I have it, and not from me nor from men. I did not create it, nor did it come from my motherhood; it is all the gift of our Lord God. Therefore, dear Elisabeth, it does not apply here that I want to plead against you or against another person; therefore, even though I have such gifts, I can still be your handmaid and serve you and your household. "He has done great things for me, who is mighty and whose name is holy. Therefore God forbid that I should profane or blaspheme his name, or that I should glory in my own name, saying, I have these things of myself. His name is holy, he has done it, he may be praised for it, and even though people also praise me for such grace and call me blessed, I will bring it home to God. For his name is holy and he is mighty, therefore he alone shall have the glory.
It is a beautiful song, and is sung by the papists, monks, nuns and priests in all churches, but it is a sin and a shame that one should sing it without understanding and devotion. They have the words in their mouths and bleat them out like rough donkeys, so that the organ whistles it much better than they sing it. They don't pay attention to it, nor do they desire to understand it, but just plop along and chatter like geese cackle the straw.
My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
(24) She says that her soul is exalting 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 may praise me, dear Elizabeth. I praise and extol the Lord and God, whom all the world should praise and extol, of whom I uphold and confess that all that I have is of our Lord God.
(25) So the little word "raise" has a very fine meaning. For "to exalt" means to praise highly, just as, on the other hand, to court means to ride high. He who exalts another
2742 8.6, 405-407. on the day of the Visitation of Mary. W. xm, 2738-2740. 2743
oppresses and humbles herself. Because she now says, "My soul lifts up the Lord," she confesses that she throws herself down and lifts up another, namely, our dear Lord God. This means, however, that we poor beggars have been run into the side, and a high lesson has been given to all of us, one and another, not only to servants and maids, peasants and citizens, but also to noblemen, scholars, wise men and saints. For what do we do? The common saying is among our citizens and peasants: What? Ick heb och noch twe Pennig to vertehren; can therefore insist on money and property, on guilders and thalers. Well, you fainthearted belly, will you rise up? Shouldn't you say: it's someone else's property; God gave it, he can also take it away again: why would I want to exaggerate? So, a spirit of the mob goes along in glory, considers himself learned and flaunts his art, as Zwinglius says: "I am also learned. Well then, be learned as you wish, but do you know it? or where did you get it from? From yourself? Yes, the devil on your head! Thou art from above, therefore thou shalt not boast; but he that hath given thee, and may at any moment take it away again.
(26) It is not only annoying and disgraceful, but also a foolish and ridiculous thing to boast about other people's property, as great lords are wont to do: We by the grace of God 2c. King of Jerusalem 2c., and yet have nothing of it but the mere title. That is, to boast of a mere bag. Item, if one says: My neighbor has much money; it is just the same here, without it being much more dangerous here. We have body and life, members, reason, art, honor from God, and yet we boast of it as ours, and yet it is not ours, but God's. "What have you that you have not received? But if you have received it, what do you boast of, as if you had not received it?" says St. Paul, 1 Cor. 4:7. But it does not help to say what you will. The devil is in the people, who teaches them to be ungrateful against God (since they have it all from Him), and to be proud, and to throb Him with His own gift. Well, whoever does not want to leave it, he can take him off again, as bare as he took Judam off:.the
was also proud and abused his office to betray Christ; but it so happened that he got himself over it.
The dear young lady here does not do so. "My soul", she says, "exalts the Lord"; that is, I praise and extol God, not only with my mouth, but my heart and my whole life, all my strength and limbs, and everything that governs my soul, would gladly sing and praise God. For "soul" does not mean anything else than our life, which speaks, hears, sees, eats, drinks, smells. In sum, everything that is and sustains life, all my hair, all my drops of blood, I wanted it all to be able to sing the Magnificat, and thus exalt and praise a gracious God. We hopeless drops, when we bring it up, do it with the mouth alone, the life and the soul do not experience it, the Magnificat sticks to us only like a foam on the tongue. If it were thalers, guilders, beautiful houses, beautiful clothes, we would also sing the Magnificat, but in small honor of God.
28 "My spirit," she continues, "rejoices also in God my Savior. My "spirit," that is, my inner being, my entire knowledge, since I also know God, does not rejoice in the temporal, but in God. This is also the right joy, when one rejoices in God. We rejoice no sooner than we have money in our pockets, and, which is sin and shame, rejoice ten florins more than God Himself. For, tell me, is this 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.
29 Therefore, let all the spirits come together.
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If all the teachers on earth try to make a verse that resembles this verse, they will see where their art lies. She sets her sights high, and yet 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 rascals, as soon as one knows a Greek vocable, we do not know where to stay for hope. We should be thrown out with lungs, one with the other, for the sake of the shameful hopefulness, which we do for such a small thing, and forget this example here, that the dear virgin does not exalt herself of 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.
30 "Me," she says, "all the children will praise blessedly"; that is, all the world will sing about me and say that God has made me so great and blessed. Dear virgin, would it not be time for you to become hopeful, so that the whole world can praise you? No, she says, I do not want to become hopeful for that reason. But this is that I rejoice, that I am a wretched, despised maiden, and yet God, my Lord, hath not despised me, but hath looked upon me with favor. For she will have been a young maiden, and yet poor, wherefore no man esteemed her specially; she was not brought forth, she went not forward. I know well, she says, I was nothing. But 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 and 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 what I have, I have only from God's goodness and grace. That is pure praise to God and His grace.
For he has done great things for me, who is mighty, and whose name is holy.
(31) She will not touch the name of our Lord God, that is, she will not exalt herself in her gifts, always recognizing that what she has is God's and not her own; therefore she wants us all to recognize him as powerful alone, but us as weak, powerless people, and that his name alone is holy, that is, that his name alone is praised and exalted, but our name, as an unholy name, should not be praised. But here look around you again in the world: where are those who do it? Everybody would like him to be thought great and great, and especially everybody would like to be praised for 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 for those who fear him.
Here she stops with her person and reaches out to the whole world, praising God, not only for her sake, 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 pray and give thanks not only for the gifts we alone have, but also for those that other Christians have with us. Mary does the same and says: God has not only done much good to me, but also does much good to others. And this is a special masterpiece, that she so finely puts together God's mercy and God's fear, that where one fears God, He will be merciful, and where one does not fear God, there will be neither mercy nor grace, but punishment and wrath.
He wields violence with his arm and scatters those who are hopeful in their hearts.
She takes a lot in one heap, the dear doctor. 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 and rich do the same. All of them will hope-
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as if they had no need of our Lord God. But here, listen to how such hopefulness counsels them.
(34) He is mighty, saith he, and opposeth all that is wise and proud; great things can he make small, small things can he make great: this is his potter's work. He has rather taken a great king and emperor by the head and pulled out a poor servant. Now he takes K. F. by the head, soon H. G., sheer M. J. For they want to be proud, straighten the comb, as if they had everything from themselves. I am a F. V. S., they say, shouldn't I stand up to the priest? That is what they say about us. Well, says our Lord God, be wicked and wise, you will still have to sit me down. I also have an arm; if I draw it, beware, it is very heavy, and it will make thee astray, that thou shalt not know where thou art at home. Thus great kingdoms and principalities have been wiped out. The Virgin Mary here knows how to sing about this; she is a learned virgin and a high doctor.
35 But why does she use such words, saying, "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 fools of them and blinds them; then, when they are blinded, they are soon disgraced, so that they have to throw away their wisdom. This is called scattering the wise in their hearts. When he wants to overthrow them, he leads them to ruin with their own wisdom. When they have decided in the best way and say, "Let us attack in such and such a way," our Lord God mocks them and says, "Good, good, my lords, you are very wise; come quickly! Into the pride he leads them up, plump they lie there in a heap. So he pushes 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 the other bunch follows, who rely on their power and violence. There it sings also thus from:
He pushes the mighty from the throne and lifts up the lowly.
In sum, our Lord God wants to have humble people, to whom he will do all good; but he will punish that which is hopeful. Therefore, even if he exalts the lowly, as soon as they overlook it and become proud, they must come down. Saul was a poor donkey herder from the lowest tribes of Israel. God said to him: Come here, I will make a king out of you. But as soon as his belly swelled and he would not humble himself against God and His word, God overthrew him with all his 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. Poor little students who are pious and study often become doctors, bishops and great lords.
This is the way of our Lord God. What wants to be low, that he wants to have up; again what wants to be high, that he wants to have down. He who will not believe it, let him know it. 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 the Holy Spirit and 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, Herodis', Caiphas' and other great lords' daughters have been worthy of hope; they have gone so far 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 also had it from experience that they said: Magnisque negatum stare diu: What is great does not stand long. Cause: when it becomes great and feels great, pride follows; then our Lord God must come and make what is great small and humble it. Rome has come very high, so, where one only calls the name Rome
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that all the world had to take off their little hats and bend down in front of it. But what has finally become of it? It lay in a heap, and is now destroyed and devastated for the third time. For the Virgin Mary says here: No one shall be too high for God, he will overthrow them all if they want to be proud.
He fills the hungry with goods and leaves the rich empty.
(39) This is the third group, which is proud and presumptuous because it is rich and has much money and good things. Our Lord God must also do his work here, so that he lets great possessions disgracefully slip away and not come to the third heir. Again, he gives poor people such great fortune that they come to great goods. Now if everyone were so wise and learned this art and humbled himself, he would let them all stay and, what is more, he would give more and more from day to day, the longer the more. So would great kings, princes, then reasonable and wise people also remain, God could and would well suffer them; for it is he who makes them kings and great lords, if only they could leave pride. But no one wants to do it, everyone still wants to defy our Lord God with his gifts. God cannot and will not suffer such things, and says: "Stop, journeyman; if you want it, I will advise you well. If I have made thee fat, I can make thee lean and scrawny again. These are the three piles where God shows himself not merciful but angry, and so he will deal with all who do not fear him nor humble themselves, but want to insist on their wisdom, power and wealth.
He remembers his mercy and helps up his servant Israel; as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his seed forever.
This is the last part of this song, in which Mary sings of the greatest and highest grace, that God has visited and redeemed Israel through His only Son. The
The first piece concerns her in particular, that she praises God and gives thanks for the grace and good deeds that he has shown to her person. The other piece concerns the world, in which it sings of the great miraculous works that God performs without ceasing for all people in the whole world, that He wants to be the helper of the humble and the poor, but overthrow the proud. The third part concerns Christianity, and is the greatest and highest work of God, that He remembers His promise and gives not only body and soul, but also His Son. This is the greatest and most spiritual good, which He spoke to Abraham and other fathers, and has now accomplished through this virgin, that she should bear the Son of God into the world, and that He should help us through His suffering and resurrection from sins and eternal death to eternal life. With this she also concludes her song.
(41) And this song is an example from which we should learn how to thank and praise God for all His spiritual and bodily gifts, to carry them home to Him, and not to exalt ourselves because of them, but to say in all humility: Lord, they are Your gifts; and I thank You because I know that they are Your goods and not mine; as we see that the dear virgin is setting an example for us with her example.
(42) From this gospel we are to learn two things: first, discipline and humility, so that we will not be proud, so that you young men will think to yourselves, "You young man, how are you so proud? Remember the Mother of God, who went and served her mother Elisabeth and washed the winds of the dear little Hans, the Baptist; if the dear holy virgin was able to do this, why would I not do it too? So a young maiden and a little child should be accustomed from their youth not to be proud and to serve old people gladly. Secondly, praise and thanksgiving, that we thank our Lord God from the bottom of our hearts for all His benefits, bodily and spiritual, and especially that He has sent us His dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who has redeemed us from sin and death. To this end, may God grant us His grace, Amen.
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On the day of the Visitation of Mary.
Second Sermon.
This feast has now been celebrated in the papacy for several hundred years and the Magnificat has been sung in all churches, and yet the right reason for celebrating it has not been known. Therefore, we must preach it, so that we may keep the right understanding and custom, and know why and how we should celebrate it.
2 The story happened not long after the angel departed from Mary. When Mary received the message and gave her full word to the angel, and now became the mother of God, she soon arose and went up the mountain to her friend Elizabeth, of whom she had heard from the angel that she was pregnant with a son in her old age and was now in the sixth moon. These are truly great miracles of God, that the Virgin Mary becomes a mother and bears God's Son, and that the old barren Elizabeth also becomes pregnant and gives birth to John the Baptist in her old age. The same two miracles we celebrate today. Mary goes up the mountain at last and with haste, she travels from Nazareth of the Galilean country the hard far way, up to the Jewish country, to Jerusalem, to the Elizabeth. She does this not out of presumption, but out of strong faith: that she firmly believes the words of the angel, who told her that she would conceive in her womb and give birth to God's Son. This is a wonderfully great miracle, that the dear virgin believed the words of the angel and through faith conceived God's Son from the Holy Spirit and became God's mother; and in such faith went to her pregnant mother Elizabeth, of whom she had heard that she had now carried her son for six months.
*) Held in the house, 1533.
- To this great miracle there is added another miracle, which is also great: that Elizabeth sees that the Virgin Mary is God's mother, and the child John leaps in the womb when she hears Mary's greeting, and the Holy Spirit, with which John is filled in the womb, goes out of the child and fills the mother as well, so that she cries out loudly and confesses that Mary is a mother and is pregnant with the Son of God. It is a great wonder that the holy matron sees so clearly and says to Mary: "This is the mother of my Lord, and blessed, blessed and blessed is the mother and the child," and says: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. O blessed art thou that hast believed" 2c. As if to say, "No woman on earth is like you; such a mother does not come on earth as you are; for you are the mother of my Lord, the fruit of your womb is above all the fruit of your womb.
(4) Again, Mary rejoices over this, and turns the greeting around and carries it to heaven, saying: "I rejoice with all my heart that I am God's mother, and that the fruit of my womb is so blessed. But not because of my person, for I am not worthy, nor deserving: but because I rejoice that God has looked upon my misery, not upon my high estate, not upon my yellow hair; but that I am such a despised little Cinderella, and yet God has so exalted me that He has brought me forth above all others, and I have become the mother of His Son; blessed be He forever. And begin, giving glory to God and singing the beautiful Magnificat of our dear Lord God, praising him that he has not only shown great mercy to her person, but that he also shows mercy to all people who fear him, especially,
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that he helps his servant Israel. This is his way and nature," she says, "that he loves to help the lowly and the miserable; therefore he calls himself a father, judge and helper of widows and orphans. He proved this in me, and still proves it to me, that he helps the miserable, lifts up the lowly, makes the poor rich; and again, what is high, arrogant and proud, he is hostile to and overthrows.
And as Mary sings here, so our Lord God still reigns in the world today, as daily experience testifies. Rich people's sons seldom turn out well; for they are secure, presumptuous and proud, thinking that they must not learn anything, because otherwise they have enough to feed on. That is why God throws them down, so that their property melts away and they become beggars. On the other hand, the sons of poor people have to work themselves out of the dust and suffer a lot. And because they have nothing to be proud of and to insist on, they learn to trust in God, they shirk and remain silent; thus our Lord God lifts them up, so that they come to such honors, where many a rich man cannot reach with all his power, might and wealth. The poor fear God; therefore God gives them good heads, so that they may study and learn well, become learned and understanding, so that they may teach princes, kings and emperors with their wisdom; as can be seen in Joseph and Daniel. It is the same with the daughters. Poor people's daughters serve, let themselves be pulled and chastened, wait for God's help. When they do this, our Lord God is there and helps them so that they can get away, become godly men, have a house and a farm, and become rich. Again, the proud, hopeful harlots remain behind. The Virgin Mary was poor, miserable and abandoned, but she feared God and trusted in Him, so our Lord God came and took her as the mother of His Son. This is an example that should frighten all the proud and proud, and in turn comfort all the humble and God-fearing, so that they know that God wants to be a God of the humble who fear Him, who has a special desire to help the poor; as the 113th Psalm says, vv. 5-8: "Who is like the Lord, 'our God, who is
Who hath set so high, and looked upon the lowly in heaven and earth? Who raiseth up the lowly out of the dust, and exalteth the poor out of the dung, to set him beside the princes, beside the princes of his people?" Who are the great doctors of the law, the chancellors of princes and kings, the emperor's counselors 2c.? Commonly poor people's children: they must do the work, govern the land and the people; the others are only the princes' bottles.
This is the history that we celebrate today, not for Mary's sake, but for the sake of the great miracles that have taken place today. For it is not for her glory that we worship Mary, but that we should give thanks to our dear Lord God for having given us these two boys, Christ and John, who speak to each other in their mother's womb, and are full of joy. John is the oldest, is now over half; Christ is the youngest, has not yet been as big as a little bee. And it is a very great, great miracle that John, who was half a year older than Christ, leaps with joy in his mother's womb when Christ greets him through Mariam. They are full of joy, Christ and John. Christ is glad that he has his forerunner; John is glad that he has his Lord who follows him on the foot. This we celebrate today, thanking our dear Lord God for giving us these two boys who begin to preach the Gospel.
7 So we celebrate the feast not for the sake of the mothers, but for the sake of the fruits, that we may give thanks to God for them. For Mary and Elizabeth did not preach the Gospel to us, but John and Christ preached it to us. And so the Holy Spirit takes pleasure in the holy Gospel, which is so despised everywhere in the world today. John and Christ are great men and excellent preachers, who should gladden our hearts with their preaching; but we despise both, the forerunner and the Lord with his preaching. Therefore we will receive our deserved reward and punishment. If we want to be Christians and escape the punishment, let us thank our Lord God for His dear
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Gospel, which first minister and preacher was John the Baptist; and for his Son, our dear Lord Jesus Christ, whom he has shown us today through the two mothers, Elizabeth and Mary. The two boys jump for joy and talk to each other in their mother's womb, and so one tells the other. Christ greets John and John shows Christ with jumping.
(8) After this, three examples of three special virtues, which we should also strive for, are also held up to us in this history of the Virgin Mary. The first one is faith; the second one is a fine and chaste behavior in front of people; the third one is a very great and high humility.
(9) Of faith Elizabeth says: "Blessed are you who have believed, for what was said to you by the Lord will be accomplished. And Mary is justly praised, not only because of the common faith (which all Christians have who are saved), that she believed she had found favor with God through the given fruit of her womb, from which abundance we have all received grace for grace; but also because of the special faith. For she had a special promise that applied to her person alone, that she would 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.
(10) From such faith she arose and went up the mountain to her friend Elizabeth. As soon as she heard from the angel that she would conceive in her womb and bear a son who would grow up and be called the Son of the Most High, and that Elizabeth was also pregnant with a son of her own age, she set out and went straight to Elizabeth, neither wavering nor wavering, but strong in faith, not doubting the angel's word through unbelief, but firm and strong in faith, and knowing with absolute certainty that what God had announced to her through the angel, he had fulfilled. Therefore, she is not joking, but very serious. For she believes that she is God's mother and that Elizabeth is also pregnant.
Perhaps she did not go alone, but Joseph went with her; for it is a long way from Nazareth to Jerusalem: yet she lets nothing hinder her, and makes the long hard journey. So she is driven by faith.
(11) We are to follow this example. Although we do not have such a special promise as Mary had, and we cannot be like her in this, we still have the common promise, both physical and spiritual. We should keep the same word and not doubt it, but firmly believe that what God promises, He can also do. For the two must be together, word and faith. Faith cannot be without the word; and again, where the word is, there must be faith.
(12) The evangelist speaks of another example soon in the beginning of this gospel, when he says that Mary went up the mountain "in haste. He means, then, that she went with modesty and haste, and that she did not do as the peasant girls do, or, indeed, as the burgher's wives and burgher's daughters do, who on the way go down and keep silence, and do not go out of places, nor do a thing at all. For this is a common plague, not only among servants and men when they go out, but also among maids and wives, when they have to do something, that they open their mouths and do not think of going home again. Such lazy servants make their master's teeth dull, just as vinegar does when it is poured into the teeth; as Solomon says, Prov. 10:26: "As vinegar does to the teeth, and smoke to the eyes; so does the lazy man to those who send him."
And St. Lucas has added such a word with diligence, in order to meet the objections of the cheeky women and maidens, who would like to object here: Yes, why did the Virgin Mary not stay at home? Has she also become forward and proud? Item: Why shouldn't I go out to look around and to make merry? Didn't Mary go out and travel across the country? No, says St. Lucas, it is not your opinion that you wanted to take an example from this to strengthen your forwardness. For what the Virgin
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Mary did not do this out of presumption, but out of faith, because she believed the words of the angel who said to her: Elizabeth is pregnant with a son. She wanted to serve her old mother, so she set out quickly and went about her business, not gawping around and her thoughts not standing on the roof, but thinking how she would serve her mother. You shall take such an example from it and learn to be consistent, that you walk in faith in God's word and do your job faithfully, diligently and consistently.
14 That Mary also stayed with Elizabeth for three months, it seems that she was a poor, abandoned orphan, who no longer had father, mother or other close friends in Nazareth, whom she should have served. Therefore, no one is to be excused for wanting to withdraw from the obedience of father and mother, or from guilty service. For Mary was in the time of her own self when she no longer had father and mother. Therefore, that she remains outside for three moons, she does not withdraw from obedience nor from obligatory service; she does not walk idly for the three moons, but serves her old mother Elizabeth and her young cousin, the dear little Baptist.
The third is an example of humility. Mary is God's mother, and she knows and believes that she is God's mother. Elizabeth also knows it and publicly boasts about it. Therefore, the Virgin Mary is the greatest and highest woman above all queens and empresses. From such majesty she does not become a hair's breadth prouder, remains in humility, even lets herself down and becomes a maidservant, gives herself into the service of her old mother Elizabeth, and remains with her until John the Baptist is born. .
(16) Such deep humility should strike us squarely in the head and repel our pride. But the wretched farmyard has the heartache of the people; a poor maid becomes proud, and rises from a silk or velvet braid, so that she does not know herself and no one can get along with her. A peasant who has ten thalers,
boasts, and does not know whether he wants to walk on his feet or on his head. It is a blood disgrace that we take upon ourselves the gifts of God, boast and pride ourselves with them, as if we alone were everything. Therefore, we should always remember this example of God's mother, who is so exalted, and yet humbles herself as if she were not God's mother; she thinks nothing more of herself now that she is God's mother than before she was a poor, miserable maiden. Of course, it is innate in women that they are proud. A woman is by nature a weak instrument. Therefore, it may easily happen that she takes a cause for hope. But Mary knows well that she is the mother of the Son of God; nevertheless, she humbles herself and serves the old matron Elizabeth, who now walks with a heavy body. This is such a high example, that we should be ashamed of our courtliness, and be glad, if we can show others such services, which Mary has shown to Elizabeth here.
(17) Well, it is up to us whether we want to do it and follow this example or not. The example stands there and shines before us, and the promise and the threat stand beside it. If we will be humble, God can and will exalt us. But if we will be proud and courteous, God can and will overthrow us. One finds many a rich woman who seems to be proud, and yet is not proud. Again, peasants' and burghers' wives are prouder today than countesses and princesses. Such things must be allowed to happen. But here it is, Mary proves it with her example and sings it in her hymn: If you want to be proud, you have one above, namely, God in heaven, who cannot stand it, he will overthrow you. But if you are humble, you also have one above, the same God in heaven, who wants to help you. And why would you not be humble, because the noble, holy Mother Mary did it?
(18) But especially let young people learn to shirk and suffer. For such suffering is not harmful to them. It is more harmful to rise quickly than to suffer, as Solomon says, Prov.
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16, 18: Contritionem praecedit superbia: He who is to go to the bottom becomes proud first, and proud courage comes before the fall. It is better to be struck from the cradle with rods and to be despised than to grow up without punishment and discipline, like young trees and wild saplings. Those who humble themselves and suffer turn into men, but those who are proud and do not want to suffer must perish. As Solomon also says, Prov. 13:18: "He that forsaketh discipline hath poverty and dishonor; he that loveth to be punished shall be honored."
(19) These three examples of faith, discipline and finality, and humility, we have in this Gospel, besides that of giving thanks to God for His Son, our dear Lord Jesus Christ, and for the dear John, whom He has given us. John is the first minister of the Gospel in the New Testament, who began the preaching of the Gospel. But Christ is the one of whom the gospel preaches, and who gives us what the gospel proclaims to us, namely, forgiveness of sins and eternal life, amen.
*On the day of Mary 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. And when she heard that he sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, she brought a jar of ointments, and stood 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. Thou gavest me no kiss; but this woman, after she came in, did not cease to kiss 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.
1 This is a beautiful gospel, and would be worthy of diligent work. But since this cannot be done all at once, because time is too short, we want to do something there.
*It was held publicly in the parish church in 1536, on the seventh Sunday after Trinity, when the sermon was mostly about the Magdalene's Gospel, because the sermon about bread is also held on other Sundays, e.g. on the Sunday of Latare.
of speaking. Here our dear Lord Jesus Christ indicates what kind of ministry he has commanded his apostles and preachers. Elsewhere he orders and testifies with words, but here he confirms it with deeds. But this is the office and the command, that they should do as he did, that no one should be pleased. For his office is to punish sin and to forgive sin. But if he
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sin, the world will not suffer it, and says that he should preach vain gospel and grace; if he forgives sin, the Pharisees and great saints turn up their noses and say: He forbids good works, does not punish sin, preaches only grace.
2 We preachers are to help our Lord God in this ministry, and also to punish sin and forgive sin on his account. Those preachers who do not punish sin close hell and heaven. Again, those preachers who do not forgive sin also close hell and heaven. Therefore, one should preach both; punish sin and forgive sin.
(3) But, as I said, the world does not put up with any of them. If one reproves and punishes sin, it is not right. If one comforts and forgives sin, it is not right either. The way it is done is not right. Just as it happened to Christ here, so it happens to us today. When he forgave the Magdalene her sin, it was not right, and the Pharisees said that he was closing up hell, giving people room and air to sin freely, and blaspheming God. But since he had put the swarm on Simon, who boasted of his own righteousness, and put his sin before him, which he did not know, it was no good. Therefore the Lord does not complain in vain nor without cause about such wickedness of the world, when he says Matth. 11, 16-19: "To whom shall I compare this generation? It is like the little children who sit in the marketplace and call out to their companions, saying: We whistled to you, and you would not dance; we mourned to you, and you would not weep. John came, did not eat and did not drink; so they say, He has the devil. The Son of man is come, eating and drinking; so they say, Behold, how is man a glutton and a winebibber, the publican and sinner's fellow!" John preached repentance, punished sin, lived a strict life, so they said: This one does not keep to the people, he is a devil, who would hear him? Christ preached forgiveness of sin, accepted sinners, so they said: This one holds himself to harlots and knaves, makes people wanton and sure; how then can he be a righteous prophet?
(4) This is truly a praiseworthy rule, to be observed according to reason, which Christ has laid upon us, whereof we must be reproached as blasphemers and heretics before God, like John, and as drunkards and companions of harlots and whoremongers, like Christ. But how shall we do to him? If it was so for Christ, it will be no better for us. Therefore let us be diligent, and learn to be accustomed to do it in such a way as to please no one, especially those of us who are in the ministry. If we do not do this, if we do not punish or forgive sin, no one will be saved.
5 This Pharisee Simon does not know that he lacks the main thing. He thinks he is doing an excellent work and considers it a great blessing that he has invited the prophet Christ as his guest and has placed him among the Pharisees as a great rabbi. But this work remains, that he does not see his sin nor desires forgiveness of sin. Therefore our Lord Christ must punish him, making him sin and shame in his best work, in which he boasts. Thou hast charged me, saith he, but thou seekest therein only thine own pride and profit. You have not given me water at my feet, and if you had given it to me already, it would be a small service compared to this service the woman has given me. For this sinner hath not taken water, but tears from her eyes, and hath not wetted my hands, nor my head, nor my face, but the least limb, my feet, which I defile in the dust of the earth; and hath done this from behind. How thinkest thou of this work, which the sinner hath done upon me, against thy work, wherein thou didst gird thyself, and yet gavest me no water to wash my face, hands, or feet?
6 You have not given me a facilet or towel to dry my face, hands or feet. But this one has not given me a silk cloth, but her hair and braids, her highest ornament that she has. (For the hair is a woman's highest honor, 1 Cor. 11:15.) With these she dried not my face, nor my neck, but my feet. You have not given me a kiss,
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neither on my hand, nor on my cheeks, nor on my mouth. For this was the common custom in the land, that one kissed another, as is still the custom in the Low Countries and elsewhere. Therefore says Christ, Thou mightest have kissed me after the manner of this land and people: but thou didst not, thou trusting, proud ass. But she thought herself unworthy to kiss my hand, cheek, and mouth; therefore she fell down on her knees, and did not cease to kiss my feet, however dishonestly it seemed to thee.
(7) You did not anoint my head with oil, or, as we would say, with fragrant water, as one is wont to honor guests with lavender water or rose water. Such you have omitted and not done. But this one has poured a delicious water, balsam, spikenard water, which is noble and precious, on my feet, which are sullied by dust. You have not seen such work in this woman that she has done in me. Again, you did not see this sin in yourself, which is a grave sin and a great, gross sin, if you were to stand in judgment before God. Thus the Lord punishes the Pharisee for his sin, but forgives the woman her sin, saying, "Your sins are forgiven.
(8) This then is the office of the Lord Christ which he exercises in the world, namely, to punish sin and to forgive sin. He punishes sin in those who do not recognize their sin, especially in those who do not want to be sinners and think they are holy, as this Pharisee did. He forgives the sin of those who feel their sin and desire forgiveness, as this woman was such a sinner. With punishment he earns little thanks; with forgiveness of sin he makes his teaching heresy and blasphemy. Such things must be allowed to happen. If the Lord Himself was not able to be above such things, but complained about them, as it is written in Matthew 11, we will not have it any better. If we want to be Christians, and especially preachers, we must have patience and remember the saying. Paul, 2 Cor. 6, 4. 7. 8.: "Let us in
prove themselves in all things as the servants of God, on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil rumors and good rumors." Since the Lord punishes the Pharisee, they become unwilling and unwilling to listen. Although the text does not report this in this place, in other places it is well seen how they accepted his punishment. When he says to the woman, "Your sins are forgiven you," they say: Did the devil bring this prophet? Who is he that will forgive sin? This is what the Lord must suffer; so he answers no further word, but lets the proud asses judge and condemn as they will, until they have had their fill.
(9) So we also punish sin and forgive sin, and are blasphemed by our opponents, the papists, as heretics. They blame us, we forbid good works, and give cause to sin; yet we punish sin more severely than they. For though they punish sin for a long time, they remain only in the other table, and punish only the gross, outward sins; as this Pharisee does, who thinks thus: I am a great saint, I am not such a sinner as this woman. The commandments of the other table he knows quite well; there he lets himself be seen as understanding that fornication is wrong and sin. But of the first table he understands nothing; does not know that he lacks faith in God's goodness and mercy; does not realize that he is worse than a heathen, that he does not love God and his neighbor, but is full of pride, hopefulness and presumption, and yet goes along so blindly and stubbornly, and knows nothing about such sin. That is why Christ must pry open his sword, reveal his sin and show him the right knots. It is true, thou hast invited me, saith he, to eat with thee: but what is the matter, that thou art puffed up and boasted in such a work? Thou art a man of sense and understanding, and hast rightly judged that he loveth more to whom he is most given. You are also a pious man in the eyes of the world, not an adulterer, not a thief, not a
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But you are an unbelieving, godless man, you are presumptuous, you have no God, no grace, no mercy of God, no forgiveness of sin, you are hopeful and envious of your neighbor. I mean yes, that is, the proud Simon exalted and rightly canonized.
10 Thus it shall be, that is our office. Sins are not to be forgiven, they are punished first, so that they may be recognized, and especially the sin against the first table, as unbelief, idolatry, being without fear of God, presumption, not knowing or respecting God 2c. Again, one should not be silent about forgiveness. That there are both in the pregnancy, the punishment of sin and the forgiveness of sin, the sermon of repentance and the sermon of forgiveness of sin. Where sins are not punished, man does not become humble and the sermon of grace is of no use to him. But if a man is struck by the sermon of punishment and the law, like this poor whore, he needs the sermon of grace and forgiveness, or he must despair and despair. This poor whore is not as well off as the proud Pharisee Simon; he is presumptuous and proud, and makes himself believe that he is pure, not only his fist, but also his heart and everything about him; therefore he needs to be punished so that his sins are revealed to him. But this poor puke recognizes and feels his sin, is sorrowful and humble; therefore he needs forgiveness.
- none shall remain. The sermon of repentance and punishment must be preached, so that people may come to the knowledge of sin and become humble. The preaching of grace and forgiveness of sin must be preached, so that people will not fall into despair. Therefore, the ministry of preaching should take the middle road between presumption and despair, so that people will not become presumptuous or despair. Both sins are forbidden by God in the first commandment, where God says, "I am the LORD your God," as if to say, "You shall not be presumptuous; if you are presumptuous, I am not the LORD your God. Again, neither should you despair; where you despair, neither am I the LORD,
your God. Punish the sin of the presumptuous and secure people who do not feel their sin; and punish not only the gross, carnal sins, but also and especially the subtle, spiritual sins. But the others, who feel their sin and are afraid of death, are to be comforted, saying to them thus: Dear brother, you have had enough terror before, I must not frighten you further. Before, you had no God because of your presumption; but now the devil wants to take you away from God on the other side through despair. God has forbidden both of these, and has ordained the ministry of preaching, so that both sins may be increased: presumption through the sermon of repentance and the ministry of punishment; despair through the sermon of grace and the forgiveness of sins.
(12) This is the sum of this gospel, which teaches the ministry of Christ, that he punishes sin and forgives sin; for which ministry he is called either a devil or a blasphemer in the world: if he preaches repentance and punishes people for their sin, as John the Baptist did, he must be called a devil; if he preaches mercy and forgives sin, he must be called a glutton and a duller, the companion of harlots and knaves. How he does it is wrong. If he deals severely and harshly with the hardened and presumptuous, it is not right; if he deals gently, mildly and kindly with poor sinners, it is not right either. If he whistles, it is not right; if he complains, it is not right.
(13) Now this ministry and both preaching must remain in Christendom, if anyone else is to be saved; as Christ commanded that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name, according to God's will. And every part shall be rightly discerned and divided. For this reason St. Paul commands his disciple Timothy, 2 Timothy 2, and says in v. 15: "Command yourself to show God a righteous and blameless worker, who rightly divides the word of truth"; as if he wanted to say: "You should keep the word of truth firmly, but see to it that you separate it from one another and divide it rightly. This is the right double-edged
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Sword. The word of punishment is to be kept, so that all sins, both external and internal, physical and spiritual, may be punished in us by others. The word of grace is to be kept, so that we and others may have right and certain comfort against sin. We must have both preaching, the preaching of punishment and the preaching of grace, so that people may be kept on the straight and narrow and not fall into presumption and security on the right or into despair on the left. Where there is despair, one falls headlong into hell; where there is presumption, one runs full speed into hell.
For this reason this gospel should be well remembered, and God wanted all men to form in their hearts this example of our Lord Jesus Christ, how he stands against the proud Pharisee and again against the poor sinner. Over the Pharisee Simon he is a strict judge and sharp preacher, and makes it especially annoying and unpleasant. Again, over the poor sinner he is a merciful confessor and comforting preacher, pronounces a gracious absolution over her and makes her a saint; but over Simon the Pharisee he makes a devil. That is punishment and mercy preached. The poor puke he makes free from sins and covers her with the heaven of graces. He shows the sin to the proud Pharisee and weighs down his conscience; yet he does not mean him evil, but seeks his blessedness, and reveals the sin to him, so that he may recognize it, have counsel, and not be condemned with the other presumptuous hypocrites, if only he would follow.
(15) These things ye always hear preached of us. And so we should also preach, so that we are always found in the state and among the sinners who recognize their sin and are terrified by it; as Magdalene here recognizes her sin and is terrified by it; and are not found among those who have no sin and allow themselves to be thought holy, or who defend their sin and want to be unpunished. Then our dear God protect us from being found among such sinners who do not want to be sinners. If he ever wants to let us fall, then let us be in
such sins as we recognize and which he forgives us, and do not let us fall into those sins which he cannot forgive, because they do not want to be sin but righteousness.
16 A Christian, as long as he lives on earth, is in such a state, even if he is not an adulterer, murderer, robber, nor does he have such sins, which are against the soul, as St. Peter calls it (1 Petr. 2, 11.), that is, against faith and good conscience: nevertheless he is and remains a sinner before God, and is full of sin in his heart, not only against the first commandment, but also against all the commandments of the first and other tables: does not love God with all his heart, does not like God's word and work as he should, does not have such fervent love for his neighbor. And in sum, he feels all kinds of evil inclinations, lusts and desires against God's commandment, even though he resists them by faith through God's Spirit, so that he does not follow them. Such impurity does not cease with us until the pit. St. Paul anesthetizes his body and tames it, 1 Cor. 9, 27. Nevertheless, he complains that he has not yet grasped it, nor can he fully grasp it, Phil. 3, 12; and Rom. 7 he says: He would like to be pious, he would like to burn with vain love toward God and his neighbor; but he has a devil in his heart that pulls him back, namely, original sin. "I delight in God's law, according to the inward man; but I see another law in my members, which is contrary to the law in my mind, and takes me captive to the law of sin, which is in my members. I wretched man, who will deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord." (V. 22-25.)
(17) Thus it is with all Christians that they have and feel sin, but they do not let it rule or have the upper hand; they do not let sin give way to hope, nor drive themselves into despair; nor do they let it rage against fear and humility, nor drive themselves into presumption, pride and hopefulness against God and their neighbor. Therefore, they are always in battle, fighting against sins, and praying that God will deliver them from the painful, sinful body.
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want. Whoever does this is on the right path to salvation. Even if he is a sinner and still feels his sins, they should not harm him. Whoever confesses his sins and allows himself to be punished and defended, there is hope that his sins will be forgiven. But he who does not recognize his sins, but rather defends them and wants to go unpunished, has no such hope.
18 Let this be said enough for this time concerning the ministry of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, which we perform in his name, to punish sins and forgive sins, as he has commanded us. We also need this ministry forever, until the last day.
sst day. For in this life we will not be able to be completely pure and perfect. The old leaven has eaten away too far, worked its way through and corrupted our nature to such an extent that we will not be rid of sin until we die to it, even physically. Therefore, we are always in need of punishment and forgiveness, so that sin may be increased and cured. May our dear God grant us His grace that we may remain pious sinners and not become holy blasphemers, that is, that we may let God be just and right in His words, so that He may justify us, amen.
St. Michael's Day.
First sermon.*)
You know that today one should hear God's holy word. Therefore, let us let our Lord God be our preacher, and let us be his disciples and hear his holy word. Thus writes St. Matthew:
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.
From the angels.
This feast of the angels was arranged in the church for the sake of the young people, or to put it correctly, for the sake of all Christians,
*) Held in the house, 1532:
that they may learn to remember the dear angels, and thank God for having ordained such great lords to be servants to us; as the epistle to the Ebrews says they are therefore servants of God.
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Spirits sent out 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; even as He could make us human like Adam and Eve, by Himself, without father and mother; as He could rule without princes; as He could give us light without sun and stars, without plowing and farming and other work. But he will not do it, but he has given father and mother, who shall keep house, beget and raise children; he has given princes and authorities, who shall rule; he has created sun and moon, who shall shine; and in sum, he has arranged it so that one creature shall always serve the other. Just as we should thank God for giving us father and mother, worldly authorities, sun, moon, stars, grain and all kinds of creatures to 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 the devil is everywhere around men, in courts, in houses, in the fields, on all roads, in water, in wood, in fire: everything is full of devils. They do nothing but want to break everyone's neck every moment; and it is certainly true that if God did not stop the evil enemy, he would not leave a grain in the field or on the ground, not a fish in the water, not a piece of meat in the pot, not a drop of water, beer or wine in the cellar unpoisoned, item, not a healthy member of man.
4 Therefore, when a man loses an eye or a hand, when a man is strangled, or when a man gets pestilence or another disease, these are all blows and throws of the devil. He throws at the head of one or the other: if he hits, he has it; if he does not hit, it is a sure sign that God has strengthened him through the dear angels. So, when accidental cases occur, that the one in a
Fire, which falls into a water, these are vain devil's strokes and throws, who always stabs and throws at us, and gladly inflicts all misfortunes on us.
Against such a wicked, poisonous, mischievous enemy, who pursues us without ceasing, 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 cause all misfortune; as we see and experience every day, that some break a leg on level ground, some fall down a staircase or stairs, 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, if God did not intervene every hour, that such things would always happen, and that we should therefore be more diligent in praying and more grateful to God for such protection.
When he wants to punish, he removes his hand and takes away the protection and service of his dear angels, and leaves the devil room and power over us. He strikes down one here, another there, so that ten, twenty, thirty, yes, often a hundred die of the pestilence in one day. These are the plagues of the devil, his poisonous arrows, his lead bullets, namely, pestilence, glands, Frenchmen and other misfortunes. God allows these things to happen so that He may warn us and draw us to Himself, so that we may adhere to Him and be obedient to Him.
(7) For he is a God of life, who will save and help where we need it, if only we fear him and call upon him. But if we are wicked and ask nothing of his word, nor thank him for his fatherly protection and care, then he is angry and keeps his angels at home, leaving room for the devil to tame wicked boys with pestilence and other calamities, because otherwise they will do no good. Just as if you pull off your hands and will not give your children food, clothing or anything else, they are already poor and corrupt. So
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God also punishes the ungrateful, bad boys by not resisting the devil and keeping his angels at home. When he speaks to Michael, Gabriel and others: Stop resisting; let the devil be tamed, because otherwise the boys will do no good, so let them go and strangle the pestilence; so it goes on.
8 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. This will undoubtedly not have gone off without harm, for the journeyman is wont to go about, says Peter, seeking like a lion where he may feed and choke. Then the Lord says further, "Have you not taken heed of my servant Job? For he is not like him in the land, bad and righteous, fearing God, and shunning evil." Satan replies: Yes, dear one! Job has been good to God, for you have kept his house and all that he has all around, and have poured a wall around it." By this he means the dear angels who had to be around Job, looking at his wife, child, field and cattle. As if he wanted to say: I would have come to this, where you did not defend.
Now our Lord God lets him try, he shall do with Job's goods as he pleases. In a moment the devil comes, arouses some evil men, and they 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 companies and take three thousand camels from Job and slay what they find. All this happened in one day, and it was not enough. For Job had three daughters and four sons. While they were together, happy and in good spirits, behold, the devil stirred up such a storm that he threw the house into a heap and killed everything inside. The devil was able to do this, but not before God had allowed him to. So it can happen to us as well.
When our Lord calls back the angels, ours is none, he is dead in a moment.
(10) Then Job, falling down on the earth in all humility, prayed and said, "The Lord has given, the Lord has taken away, the Lord be praised!" God said to Satan, "You see, Job is still righteous, and there is no one like him in the land." Satan answered: This is not a miracle! All misfortune is still to be overcome, because it does not apply the skin. But let me attack him on his skin, on his flesh and bone: 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 flesh, and afflict him as you will; but spare his life, and do not kill him. This is a special, comforting little piece, that nevertheless our Lord God has caught the devil in such a way that he cannot harm any further than God grants and allows him. For he could not come to Job's skin until God allowed it. But when our Lord God permitted it, the devil came out and covered poor Job with so many evil Frenchmen that there was not a single spot on his skin, from the sole of his foot 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 comes from so suddenly, but we Christians know that it is the work of the devil, who has such halberds, lead bullets and guns, such spears and swords, so that he throws, shoots and stabs among us when God allows him to. Therefore, let no one doubt: where a fire breaks out, that a village or a house burns down, there always sits a devil with it, who blows, always into the fire, so that it should become bigger. So, if someone dies of the pestilence, drowns, falls to death, that is done by the devil, and God decrees it, because otherwise we would be too evil. As you can see, even though such punishments are carried out, the world does not turn away from them, and God cannot make us righteous through them.
(13) Let us learn these things, and know that the devil harms us all in the following ways
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Body, goods and honor, he may do it by himself, as when he attacks Job in the body, or by his servants, the wicked people, 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. For this he needs the service of the dear angels, even though he could do good by himself without the angels; just as he needs the evil angels to punish and do harm, even though he could punish by himself.
(14) For the sake of this blessing we should thank our dear Lord God that he has given us the dear angels who, as a wall, represent and protect us against the devil; we should not be insolent nor secure, as if we were alone on earth and the devil were a thousand miles away from us. No, you are not alone, the devils are all around you, as Paul says, flying in the air like jackdaws and crows, shooting and throwing at us without ceasing, and if they could strike us down with one throw, they would.
Against these evil spirits and devils, God created the holy angels, who are kind, merciful, benevolent spirits that help prevent the devils from doing everything they want. Therefore, if the holy angels were not in the courts of emperors, kings and princes, the devil would reign there; as you can see, no unity can be made there, because the devil, who is at court, blows into them and causes all discord; and if the holy angels were not there and weeping, they would fall into each other every hour, and no day would pass without war and murder. Our Lord God lets it happen that great lords become divided, he sometimes lets the devil light a fire; but there are the dear angels, who extinguish again and make peace. But where God withdraws His angels because of our sins, there it happens that people burn, murder, stab to death, defile women, and so make it that the devil takes pleasure in it.
- so in housekeeping also would not be
There would be no peace, but eternal discord, scolding, quarreling, stealing, unfaithfulness, neglect, etc.; nothing would go right, but everything would be full of sorrow and heartache, where it should go according to 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, 'that he must give way and desist.
Therefore let no one be safe, for all things are full of devils; they would gladly harm the body, the goods, and the soul with bitterness, hatred, wrath, jealousy, and other things, so that they would bring us down to hell. But that it does not happen, we have to thank our dear God, who through his angels prevents the devil, that nevertheless always more good than harm happens, that there is more peace than war, that more grain remains and grows than is spoiled 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, this happens to us as a punishment, that God wakes us up, and we open our eyes, look around, what we have and keep besides such harm for grace and good deeds; and thank God for it, if war, pestilence or other misfortune goes, that it did not go completely to failure, but still something and the most part remained. Thus does the prophet Jeremiah, exhorting his people to thank God that they have not been destroyed, as he speaks in his chapters Cap. 3:22: "The goodness of the LORD is that we are not utterly destroyed." As if he wanted to say, "Be silent and do not complain that you have been punished and led away; it is God's grace and mercy that you are not completely destroyed. For that is how the devil would like it. He is not satisfied with breaking your leg, he would like to tear your neck off; he is not satisfied with breaking one or two of you.
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He wanted to clear the house and throw it into a heap. Therefore, we should fear God and ask Him to protect us from the devil through His angels; and when one dies in the time of pestilence, or one perishes in war, we should say with the pious Jeremiah: Praise God that the others remain and not everything is gone. 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. Again, he 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 when they can no longer do so, they give you evil dreams, hang evil mouths on you, which are to deceive you, hinder you, and revile you. Know that all this is called the devil's trick, and beware lest you live like the heathen: they also see and experience such misfortune, but they think it happens 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 the water, or a stone falls on him and does him no particular harm, this is not called good fortune, but the work of the angels themselves.
Now there is a difference both among the angels and among the devils. Princes and lords have great and excellent angels, as is seen in Daniel 10. Children and wicked servants have common angels. For one angel is always greater, stronger and wiser than the other. So are the devils. For this very reason, says Christ, they have a kingdom. Luke 11: For as in one kingdom there are many persons and unequal offices, so there are unequal offices among devils. These are lesser devils, who prey on fornication, avarice, vain honor, and other such sins. But these are higher spirits, who attack with unbelief, with despair, with heresies, just as the spirits of the rotters and the pope have such devils. Therefore, it is highly necessary that we get used to prayer and faithfully cry out to God in such high journeys that he does not take such protection of the dear angels from us, because otherwise it is over with us, we are too weak for the devil.
22 This is what the Lord means in this gospel, in which he also speaks of the angels. But it is a pity that this gospel should be preached to such people as do not take it to heart and consider 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."
- It would be enough said that he says: These little ones have their own angels. But with this he makes it still greater, that he says: "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 that you take good care of them, because God is very interested in them. And though ye despise them, and have not pity on them, to spare them, yet spare their angels, and fear them; and learn, because these same great spirits serve them heartily, and do what is best for them, which always stand before the face of God, and always hear him, and see him, and serve him, and serve him; that ye also do such things, which ye have done, and have not done.
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be far, far inferior, and yes not annoy them, but serve them gladly. The angels are the highest servants, who are as at court around the prince, stand before the table and hear and see the prince himself. The same servants have the children also to servants. Therefore I ask and warn that you do not annoy the children, but wait for them and serve them.
(24) If we had no more than this one saying, where Christ lets himself be heard, how his heavenly Father cares so much for 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 cheerful, willing and merry for such service from the bottom of their hearts, 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.
(25) The other is, not only to serve the youth gladly, but also not to vex them, either in word or deed, that they be not deceived, but brought to the best: that they learn to pray, to be chaste, temperate, obedient, faithful, quiet, and true, not to curse, not to reproach, not to be lewd in word and deed, and in sum, not to become carnal, coarse, naughty, wild, desolate people. As it happens very soon, where one does not prevent it by diligent discipline.
026 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; but the children, that they be not offended. For hear how the Lord takes care of the children:
27 "Whoever welcomes such a child in my name welcomes me." As if
He who takes care of a child bodily and spiritually, who brings him up rightly so that he learns to know God and does not learn to curse, swear and steal, I promise him that he will take me in himself and do me such kindness as if he were carrying me, little Mary, in his arms and caring for me as my mother Mary cared for me. That is ever sweetly preached and kindly enticed.
28 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 one finds wicked mouths that gladly help to do so, and God in heaven be praised! one now finds boys and maidens of ten or twelve years old who can curse torture, velten, 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 are supposed to teach them, from father and mother and from the shameful, evil servants. Such things come to the young people much sooner, and they notice them much better, than the Lord's Prayer. This is caused by the old evil tinder, the corrupt nature that is in us. Therefore Christ preaches so sweetly and exhorts so kindly that one should take care of the young people, and says: "If you teach anyone of these little ones, so that they are brought up to fear God and knowledge, to godliness and discipline, then you have done me the greatest service. I have appointed my great servants, the dear angels, to serve them and wait for them. Behold, and do ye also, vex them not, let them hear no evil, and serve them gladly.
2S. Therefore one should be more careful and more deliberate with the young people, and not speak or do everything that one usually speaks and does. The pagans also said: Maxima reverentia debetur juventuti: The greatest shame and honor belongs to young people. But Christ preaches much differently here, namely, when one receives young children and serves them, that it is as dear to him as if one carried him himself in his arms, as the Virgin Mary carried him. But how many are those who do it? Very few. Therefore the Lord sets a hard sentence on them, and says:
2780 L. 6, 442-444. On St. Michael's Day. W. XIII, 2861-2863. 2867,2868. 2781
But whosoever shall offend the least of these that believe in 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.
(30) He is very angry, the Lord, and is vexed that the young people are not taken care of. Whoever offends one of these least ones," he says, "whoever teaches the young people to curse, to swear, to lie, to talk back, to be lewd, 2c.: it would be better for him if he were already dead. This is to indicate that such sin will be punished not only with temporal death, but with eternal damnation. The world considers this to be a bad punishment; that is why all kinds of troubles are going on in full swing, and it is the evil devil that the young world is now so wild, wild and naughty that vain devils' children come out of it, who can do nothing but curse, swear, blaspheme, lie, behave lewdly, be disobedient and exercise all courage. Woe to those who help them! For the judgment is already passed on such as these; as Christ saith, "It were better for them to have a millstone about their necks, and to lie in the midst of the sea, than to offend such." But the world does not hear until it learns, feels and grasps with its harm.
31 Therefore our dear Lord Jesus Christ exhorts us to serve the youth gladly and not to offend them, saying: "If you will not be afraid of the children, be afraid of their angels; and if you are so ashamed before them, think that their angels are standing there and are afraid of them, and therefore look sourly. If the angels are displeased, and if they are always standing before our Lord God, our Lord God (who otherwise also sees and notices, as nothing is hidden from Him) will see and notice it in the angels, and will therefore be angry; so that both God and the angels will be grieved and angered if one annoys the children. For this reason, care should be taken to train the youth, not only not to do anything bad in front of them, but also to keep them from doing bad things and to discipline them diligently; as when a child curses or utters a shameful word, it should be spoken to him seriously:
Be ashamed in thine heart, and do it no more: for thine angel standeth there, and heareth, and is afraid of such a curse, and looketh sore upon it. If then your angel is afraid of it and sees it sore, and he stands before the face of God, thinkest thou not that God will perceive it, and therefore also see it sore, and therefore be angry? Therefore, do not do it at all! With such words and others, the youth can be trained, because otherwise they will grow up in their sod and learn and practice all naughtiness. But where words and faithful admonition do not take place, nor will they help, parents have orders to quickly spur them on with the rod and not to let the children lose their will to be brave.
32 But if anyone says, "Should we not curse at all? Christ and the apostles did curse. Answer: It is true that Christ and the apostles cursed and reproached, but they did so out of love, not to offend, but for punishment and correction. But if one curses in such a way, as the world does now, that neither punishment nor correction follows from it, but rather annoyance, especially among the young people: that should not be. This is what the Lord means here, that everyone should do this and take precautions, so that the youth will not be angered. If one does this, one is doing such a great service as if one were carrying Christ himself on his arms; as he says here, "If one reproves the young people, one is serving them.
(33) So it says both that it is a great service to Christ himself to serve the young people, and again that it is a great sin to offend the young people. If the dear angels keep the young children and serve them gladly, we should think that we also help them to be well brought up and serve them gladly. But the world does not believe it. Therefore, what Christ wants to happen does not happen, but the contradiction happens, as can be seen everywhere. I would rather be dead than live ten or even three years and see how my boys live. Therefore I will also serve our Lord God, and not have a millstone hung around my neck for their sake.
2782 8.6, 444-446. St. Michael's Day. W. XIII, 2869,2870. 2783
This is what is taught and preached today, that the angels rule the whole world and serve the young people, and that Christ wants us to do the same. Therefore, we should learn that father, mother,
Schoolmasters do God the highest service they can do Him by raising and instructing young people properly. That is enough of this gospel and of the dear angels.
St. Michael's Day.
Second sermon.*)
- from this gospel we are to learn how our Lord God is so vehemently angry with, and also wants to punish so severely, those who offend the young people, or teach them or allow them to do something unjust, impudent and offensive, whether of words or deeds. And sternly warns against vexation, saying, "If thine eye, hand, or foot offend thee, pluck it out, and cut it off. "2c. There he does not mean the eye that is in the head, nor the hand and foot in the body; but he means our neighbor, our brother, our sister, with whom we deal daily. And he wants to say as follows: If we see that our good companions, or our brothers and sisters, teach us something evil and want to lead us to wickedness and evil-doing, we should rather leave them and avoid them, and not excuse ourselves when we do something evil, because we have heard, seen or learned it from this or that person.
(2) He also makes a terrible threat against those who offend other people, saying that God will punish severely those who cause trouble. In particular, he warns and admonishes that one should not offend the young people. If for no other reason one should not refrain from causing trouble to the young people by words or deeds, then one should refrain from doing so for the sake of the dear angels who are beside and around the young people. We should take this warning and admonition to heart,
*) Held in the heap, 1534.
and always remember that if we cause trouble by cursing or otherwise speaking evil words, the angel will be behind it, see it and hear it; God will not let it go unpunished.
- After this, we should also diligently consider the great good deed of God, which He shows us daily through the service of the dear angels, and thank Him for it from the bottom of our hearts; for the sake of which we also celebrate and celebrate this feast of today, so that we may thus love and honor the dear angels: not for their own sake, but for the sake of God; that we may love, honor and thank our Lord God, who has given them to us as guardians and watchmen, that they may protect and preserve us from all violence, cunning and temptation of the devil and the world, and from all evil.
(4) Let it be known for certain that every man has an angel of his own looking after him and watching over him. It is a common saying that when a person is in danger, they say, "You have had a good angel" or "Your holy angel has been with you, watching over you. This is well and finely said, and reminds us of the benefits that God shows us through the dear angels.
5 We should also know that the angels are different. For as among men one is great, and another small; one strong, and another weak: so also one angel is greater, stronger, and wiser than another. Therefore one prince has many
2784 ". 6, 448-448. St. Michael's Day. W. xm, 2878-2873. 2785
a more certain and stronger angel, who is also wiser and wiser than an earl; and an earl a greater and stronger angel than another common man; and so on. The higher the rank and the greater the business, the greater and stronger the angel he has to protect him, to help him and to ward off the devil.
Therefore it is certain that a little child, as soon as it is born, has its own angel, who is much greater and more powerful than the king of France or the Roman emperor. These same angels guard and protect us so that the devil will not harm us. For this is also certain, that wherever we are, there is a great company of devils, which pursue us, that they may frighten us, do us harm, and strike at us as with swords and long spears; against them the dear angels stand, and catch all the strokes, and beat them out, that the devils may not do us harm, as they would willingly. For this purpose they also help us from time to time out of prisons and out of other journeys of the body, into which the devil has led us; as we read in the Holy Scriptures that they led St. Peter and other apostles and saints more out of prison.
(7) Therefore we should thank our Lord God diligently for the sake of the dear angels, through whom he helps us out of such a journey and out of the power of the devil, who does nothing else nor intends anything else, except to seek our life and limb and to deceive us; as Christ says in John 8, v. 44: "The devil has been a murderer and a liar from the beginning, and experience also shows that he has been guilty of this from the beginning of the world, and has always been a grudge against and an enemy of the human race. Soon after Adam and Eve were created, the devil injected them with his poison and brought them to the point that they had to die, and we all have to die after them even today. This is the devil's way, and he still does it. For he is not satisfied that we must all die because of the poison that Adam and Eve bequeathed to us; but he also seeks day and night to inflict more pestilence and other plagues on us.
He may send him to the neck, break his arm and leg, and even tear off his neck. Yes, it would be his will that he would not only kill or confuse the child that is now born, but also destroy it, if he could, in the womb, together with the mother, yes, the whole human race at once and push it into the abyss of hell. Such would be the devil's greatest pleasure and joy. But that it does not happen, we have only our Lord God and His dear angels to thank.
(8) That I have kept these eyes of mine for forty years, which might have been spoiled in the cradle or in the first bath, I have no one to thank but our Lord God and his angels. Therefore, we should also strive not to offend the dear angels with our actions and deeds, but to keep ourselves in such a way that they do not see or hear anything evil or improper from us. For they are holy and pure spirits, and therefore cannot suffer where one leads an ungodly life, lives in fornication and other vices; as the 34th Psalm says, v. 8: "The angel of the Lord is encamped around those who fear him, and helps them out. Whoever does not fear God and is in trouble because of this, the angels will leave him in the lurch and will not help him out of it. For their protection shall be such that God's word and order shall not be shattered, and the wicked shall not go unpunished because of their sin.
(9) When we cause trouble with impertinent words or gestures, we should think that the little angel is standing behind and watching. When he sees that we have no shyness or fear of him, he sometimes lets a stroke or blow of the devil pass over us. That's why some break an arm and a leg, some break a neck, some are drowned in water, others are stabbed. And although the devil is after our lives day and night, we nevertheless see that most people remain fresh, healthy and alive. Although a woman or two die in childbirth at times, most of them recover. Although some are stabbed to death,
2786 L. 6, 448-456. St. Michael's Day. W. XIII, 2873,2964-2966. 2787
drown in water, break legs and necks: yet the greatest number remain healthy. For the sake of such service of the dear angels we should thank our dear Lord God diligently and from the heart. For if the dear angels did not always guard and protect us, we would probably be strangled ten times in one hour.
(10) That is enough for this time of these two pieces that we have taken from this Gospel.
We are told to remember the first, that we should not offend anyone; and the second, that we should give thanks to God for His dear angels, who protect us and keep us so that the devil cannot harm us. 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.
To God the Father, to God the Son, and to God the Holy Spirit, the one, eternal God, be praise and glory for this beneficial teaching and for all His benefits forever and ever, Amen.
Prayer
A common form of exhorting the audience to common prayer at the end of the sermon.
Compiled from many sermons of D. Martini Lutheri.
My dear friends!
Since we are gathered together in the name of our dear Lord Christ to hear his holy word and to pray for the needs of all Christendom, as we are commanded to do, and are promised that our prayer shall be heard; as our Lord Christ himself says, Matt. 18:19, 20: "If two of you shall become one on the earth, to ask whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." Let us therefore pray, first of all, for the spiritual government and loving ministry: that God would give us devout and faithful preachers, who may present to us the treasure of his holy word, pure and clear; that he would graciously protect us from mobs and heresies, and not look upon our great ingratitude, so that we would have long since deserved that he would take his holy, dear word from us again; that he would not punish us so horribly, but would rather let pestilence and other punishments come upon us, than deprive us of his dear word; Would also give us a thankful heart, that we might love his holy word, hold it dear, and value it, and hear it with fruit, and be improved thereby; that we might not only rightly understand it, but also live and work by it, increasing daily in faith and good works, that thus his name might be hallowed, his kingdom come unto us, and his will be done in us. After this, let us also pray for the temporal government and for all the authorities of all Christendom: that God may enlighten their hearts by His Spirit and Word, so that God's Word and glory may be promoted through them and not hindered, and that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life among them in all godliness and respectability; for our most gracious Lord, the Emperor, that God may grant him happiness against the Turks, and look upon His grace and mercy, and not let us fall into the cruel tyrant's power; may also protect the dear Emperor from the devil, the Pope. In particular, however, pray for our sovereign N., under whose protection and protection God has placed us, that God may be with his regiment and give happiness and salvation to it, so that God's word, discipline, 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, and that you may be obedient and pious. In particular, a common intercession is desired from you for N. And each one pray for himself, for his wife and child, and what is commanded him, also for all afflicted, bodily and spiritual 2c. For these and all other needs, and for ourselves, let us say with one another the Holy Father.
Overview of Sermons
I.
Chronologically ordered compilation
of the sermons contained in the thirteenth volume of Luther's Sämmtliche Schriften.
1528. Columne
On the fifth Sunday after Epiphany. R....... 1630
1529.
On the twenty-third Sunday after Trinity. R. 2504
1530.
On the twenty-second Sunday after Trinity. R. 2490 On the twenty-third Sunday after Trinity. R. 2518
1531.
On the Sunday before the new year's day (in part). D. 86
On the Sunday after Christmas Day. R 1500
On the New Year's Day. D. 102
On the new day of the year. D 114
On the new year's day. R 1528
On the new year's day. R 1540
On the fourth Sunday after Epiphany. R 1616
(According to D. in 1533.)
Passion sermon. R 1822
On the holy day of Easter. D 506
On the first Sunday after Easter, Quasimodogeniti.
D. (ed. b) 538
On the first Sunday after Easter, Quasimodogeniti.
R 1944
On the third Sunday after Easter, Jubilate. R. 1972
On the Sunday after the Ascension of Christ, Exaudi (in part). D 628
On the fifth Sunday after Trinity (in part). D. 762
On the day of the Purification of the Virgin Mary. R. 2656
On the Feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist (in part). D 1158
1532.
On the first Sunday of Advent. R 1344
On the second Sunday of Advent. R 1366
On the third Sunday of Advent. D. (ed. a and b) 20
On the third Sunday of Advent. R 1392
On the fourth Sunday of Advent. R 1412
Columne
On the holy day of Christ. R. 1438
On Colonel's Day or Feast of the Apparition. D. 122 On the day of Epiphany. R. 1550
On the day of Epiphany. R. 1564
On the Sunday of Lätare. R. 1718
Easter Eve. R. 1866
On the Sunday after the Ascension of Christ, Exaudi.
R 2038
On the holy day of Pentecost. D 642
On the Holy Day of Pentecost. R. 2074
On Pentecost mont. R. 2084
On the Sunday of Trinity. R. . 2108
On the second Sunday after Trinity. R. 2146
On the fourth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2166
On the Fifth Sunday after Trinity (in part). D. 758 On the fifth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2194 On the seventh Sunday after Trinity. D. (ed. a
and b) 780
On the seventh Sunday after Trinity. R. 2242 On the eighth Sunday after Trinity (in part). V. 797 On the eighth Sunday after Trinity. v 2250 On the ninth Sunday after Trinity (in part).
D. 808
On the ninth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2266 On the tenth Sunday after Trinity (in part). D. 814 On the tenth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2282 On the eleventh Sunday after Trinity (in part). D. 828 On the eleventh Sunday after Trinity. R. 2298 On the thirteenth Sunday after Trinity, D. (ed. b) 846 On the fourteenth Sunday after Trinity. D. (ed.
- 860
On the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity (in part). D 868
On the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2354 On the sixteenth Sunday after Trinity (in part). D 889
On the sixteenth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2372 On the seventeenth Sunday after Trinity, D. ... 892 On the seventeenth Sunday after Trinity. R. .. 2382 On the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity (in part). D. (ed. a and b) 903
On the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2402 On the twentieth Sunday after Trinity (theil
wise). D 928
2790 Chronologically arranged compilation of sermons. 2791
On the twentieth Sunday after Trinity, R. 2444 On the twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity, R. 2540 Christmas sermons on Isa. 9, 1-7.
First Sermon, R. 2584
Second Sermon. R. 2596
Third Sermon. R. 2606
Fourth Sermon. R. 2614
Fifth Sermon. R. 2624
On the day of the Annunciation. D. 1112
On the day of the Annunciation. R 2668
On the day of St. John the Baptist. D. 1140
On the day of St. John the Baptist. R. 2696
On the day of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary (in part). D.
(ed. a, b and c) 1210
On the day of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary. R. 2732
On St. Michael's Day. D. 1258
On St. Michael's Day. R. 2768
1533.
On the first Sunday of Advent. D. 1
On the first Sunday of Advent. R. 1352
On the second Sunday of Advent. D. 10
On the second Sunday of Advent. R. 1374
On the third Sunday of Advent. R. 1404
On the fourth Sunday of Advent. D. 32
On the fourth Sunday of Advent. R. 1422
On Christmas Day (in part). D. 44
On Christmas Day (in part). D. 61
On Christmas Day. D. 64
On the Holy Day of Christ. R. 1464
On the second day of Christmas. D. 78
The next Sunday after Epiphany. D. 154
The other Sunday after Epiphany. R. 1594
On the third Sunday after Epiphany. R. 1604
On the fourth Sunday after Epiphany. D. 174
(According to R. in 1531.)
On the Sunday of SIXDAYSIME. D. (ed. d) 202 On the Sunday of Lätare. D. 276
On the Sunday of Lätare. R. 1726
On the Sunday of Judica. D. 286
On the Sunday of Judica. R. 1730
Char Friday. R. 1856
On the holy day of Easter. R. 1882
Easter Tuesday. R. 1912
On the first Sunday after Easter, Quasimodogeniti.
D. 538
On the second Sunday after Easter, Misericordias Domini (in part). D. 557
On the second Sunday after Easter, Misericordias Domini. R. 1958
On the fourth Sunday after Easter, Cantate. R. ... 1984
On the fifth Sunday after Easter, Rogate. D.... 598
On the day of the Ascension of Christ. R. 2020
On the Sunday after the Ascension of Christ, Exaudi
(in part). D. . 620
On the Sunday of Trinity. R. 2120
On the third Sunday after Trinity. R. 2158 On the fourth Sunday after Trinity. D. 736 On the fourth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2178 On the fifth Sunday after Trinity (in part). D. 756 On the fifth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2208 On the sixth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2224 On the seventh Sunday after Trinity. D. (ed. c) 780 On the eighth Sunday after Trinity (in part). D. 790
Columne
On the Eighth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2258 On the ninth Sunday after Trinity (in part).
D. 802
On the ninth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2276 On the eleventh Sunday after Trinity (in part). D. 828 On the eleventh Sunday after Trinity. R. . 2306 On the twelfth Sunday after Trinity. D. 838 On the twelfth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2316 On the thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. D. (ed. a) 846 On the thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. R. ....... 2322 On the fourteenth Sunday after Trinity. D. (ed.
a and b) 860
On the fourteenth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2344 On the sixteenth Sunday after Trinity (in part). D. 884
On the sixteenth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2380 On the seventeenth Sunday after Trinity, R.... 2394 On the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. D. 900 On the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2414 On the nineteenth Sunday after Trinity. D. .... 912 On the nineteenth Sunday after Trinity. R.... 2432 On the twentieth Sunday after Trinity (theil
wise). D. 924. 935
On the Twentieth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2454 On the twenty-first Sunday after Trinity. R. 2474 On the twenty-third Sunday after Trinity. D. 960 On the twenty-third Sunday after Trinity. R. 2532 On the twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity. D. 973 On the twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2550 On the day of St. John the Baptist. R. 2712 On the day of the Visitation of Mary (in part). D. 1210 On the day of the Visitation of Mary. R. 2750
1534.
On the first Sunday of Advent. R. 1360
On the second Sunday of Advent, R. .. . 1384 On Christmas Day (in part). D. 48
Am heiligen Christtage (theilweise). D. 52 On Christmas Day. R. 1450
On the holy day of Christ. R. 1478
On the holy day of Christ. R. . 1484
On the second day of Christ. D. (ed. a) 78
On the second day of Christ. R. 1490
On the day of the colonel or the feast of the apparition. D. 136 On the day of Epiphany. R. 1574
On the First Sunday after Epiphany. D. 144 On the first Sunday after Epiphany. R. 1584
On the Sunday of Septuagint. D. 192
On the Sunday of Septuagint. R. 1646
On the Sunday of SIXDAYSIME. D. (ed. a, b and c).. 202
On the Sunday of SIXDAYSIME. R. 1652
On the day of the Purification of the Virgin Mary. D. 212
On the day of the Purification of the Virgin Mary. R. 1662
On the Sunday of Estomihi. D. 234
On the Sunday of Estomihi. R 1672
On the Sunday of Invocavit. D. 244
On the Sunday of Invocavit. R. 1682
On the Sunday of Reminiscere. D. 254
On the Sunday of Reminiscere. R 1692
On the Sunday of Oculi. D. 262
On Sunday Oculi. R. 1702
On the Sunday of Judica. R. 1738
Palm Sunday. R. 1744
On the day of the supper of Christ. (Held on
Wednesday after Easter.) D. 298
2792 Chronologically arranged compilation of sermons. 2793
Columne
Passion sermons. D. 330
The first sermon. R. 1750
The second sermon. R. 1768
The third sermon. R. 1786
The fourth sermon. R. 1804
On Green Thursday. R. 1840
On Easter Monday. R. . 1896
Easter Wednesday. R. 1922
On the first Sunday after Easter, Quasimodogeniti.
R. 1938
On the second Sunday after Easter, Misericordias
Domini (in part). D. 552
On the second Sunday after Easter, Misericordias
Domini. R. 1966
On the fifth Sunday after Easter, Rogate (in part). D. 752
On the fifth Sunday after Easter, Rogate. R. ... 1994 On the day of the Ascension of Christ. R. 2002
On the Holy Day of Pentecost. R. 2046
On the Holy Day of Pentecost. R. 2062
On Pentecost mont. D. 652
On Pentecost Assem. R 2094
On the fourth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2186
On the Fifth Sunday after Trinity (in part). D. 752 On the fifth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2214
On the sixth Sunday after Trinity. D. 768
On the sixth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2234
On the Tenth Sunday after Trinity (in part). D. 814 On the tenth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2294
On the thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2334
On the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity (in part). D. 876
On the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2364
On the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. R. . 2422
On the twentieth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2462
On the twenty-first Sunday after Trinity. R. . 2480 On the day of the conversion of St. Paul. D. 1090 On the day of the conversion of St. Paul. R. 2646
On the day of the Annunciation. R. 2678
On the Feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist
(in part). D. 1158
On the day of John the Baptist. R. 2716
St. Michael's Day. R. 2782
1535.
On the Sunday before the New Year (in part). D 96
On the Sunday after Christmas Day. R. 1514
On the Sunday of Trinity. D. 664
On the first Sunday after Trinity. R. 2126
1536.
On the day of Mary Magdalene. R. 2758
1537.
On the twenty-fifth Sunday after Trinity. R. 2558
1538.
On the Sunday of Trinity. R. 2684
1541.
Of the Innocent Infants. R. 2636
Unknown date. Columne
On the third Sunday of Advent. R. 1430
On the third Sunday after Epiphany. D. 164
On the Colonel's Day or Feast of the Apparition. D. 1082
On the fifth Sunday after Epiphany. D. 184
On the day of the Purification of the Virgin Mary. D. 220
On the day of the Last Supper of Christ. D. 310
On Green Thursday. D. 316
Passion or History of the Passion of Christ our Savior.
The first sermon. D. 346
The other sermon. D. 360
The third sermon. D. 372
The fourth sermon. D. 382
The fifth sermon. D. 390
The sixth sermon. D. 398
The seventh sermon. D. 412
The eighth sermon. D. 420
The ninth sermon. D. 430
The tenth sermon. D. 442
The eleventh sermon. D. 456
Char Friday. D. 468
The twelfth sermon. D. 480
The thirteenth sermon. D. 494
On the Holy Day of Easter. D. 518
Easter Tuesday. D. 528
On the third Sunday after Easter, Jubilate. D. ... 564
On the third Sunday after Easter, Jubilate. O. .. 574
On the fourth Sunday after Easter, Cantate. D. .. 586
On the day of the Ascension of Christ. D 610
On the Holy Day of Pentecost. D. 632
On the Sunday of Trinity. D. 680
On the first Sunday after Trinity. D. 696-
On the second Sunday after Trinity. D. 708
On the third Sunday after Trinity. D. 726
On the twenty-first Sunday after Trinity. D. 938
On the twenty-second Sunday after Trinity.!). 950
On the twenty-fifth Sunday after Trinity. D. 984
On the twenty-seventh Sunday after Trinity.
D. 998
St. Andrew's Day. D. 1020
St. Thomas Day. D. 1032
On Christmas Day. D. 1042
On the day of St. Stephen. D. 1056
Of the Innocent Infants. D. 1072
On the day of Matthew. D. 1102
On the days of Philippi and Jacobi. D. 1126
On the day of Peter and Paul. D. 1166
On the day of Magdalene. d. 1182
On St. Jacob's Day. D. 1196
On the Day of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary (in part). D. 1208
On the day of the Visitation of Mary. V 1220
On the day of Bartholomew the Apostle. D. 1234
On the day of St. Matthew. D. 1244
On St. Michael's Day. D. 2266
On the day of Simonis and Jude. D. 1274
On the day of the church consecration. D. 1286
A wedding sermon. D. 1298
Funeral Sermons.
The first funeral sermon. D. 1320
The other funeral sermon. D. 1330
II.
Saying - Register
containing the scriptural passages explained in the thirteenth volume of Luther's Sämmtliche Schriften.*)
The scripture passages marked with an * are sermon texts.
Genesis.
8, 1. ff. 2268.
3, 15. 1085. 1861. f. 1904. ff.
4, 7, 404. f. 546. 1952. f.
17, 15.16. 1503.
22, 18. 452. f. 1086.
48, 15.16. 670. f.
49, 10. 1115.
2 Samuelis.
15, 25.26. 584. f.
Psalter.
2, 10. 379.
2, 12. 379.
16, 23. 1862.
18, 26.27. 2483.
18, 27. 1257.
22, 2.7.9.17.19. 1862. f.
33, 6. 2695.
45, 10. 875.2361.
51, 6. 544.
62, 11. 1293.
68, 19. 613. ff.
*69, 19. 2004. ff.
69, 22. 1863.
85,9. 1980.
88, 16. 180. 1625. f.
90, 11. 12. 1335.
110, 1. 672. 1775.
116, 12.13. 865.2350.
116, 15. 1079. f.
127, 2. 282.
149, 6-9. 2629.
Proverbs.
1,8.9. 875. f. 2362.
5, 15.16. 1297.
19, 17. 810. f. 2272.
25, 27. 1570. f.
Preacher.
7, 3. 4. 5. 1332. ff.
8, 14. 1516.
Song of Songs.
8, 6. 1494.
Isaiah.
*9, 1-7. 1042. ff. 2584. ff. 2596. ff. 2606. ff. 2614. ff. 2624. ff.
9, 6. 120. f. 671. f. 1837.
11, 1. 1115.
11, 4. 2626.
50, 4. 26. f. 1398. f.
*52, 13-53, 12. 1828. ff.
53, 4. ff. 338. f.
53,9. 2133.
56, 13.14. 2722.
61, 1.2. 540. f.
61,8. 804. f. 2277.
65, 1. 1252.
66, 2. 1294.
Lamentations of Jeremiah.
3, 22. 2775. f.
Ezekiel.
16, 49. 805.
16, 49.60. 2278.
Daniel.
9, 24. 340.
9, 27. 2560.
Hosea.
3 5. 672.
6, 6. 896. 1252. ff. 2390. f.
6, 9. 827. f.
Joel.
3, 1. 674.
Micah.
*5, 1. 128. ff. 1564. ff.
Zechariah.
9, 9. 2. ff. 1353. ff. 1360. ff.
9, 11. 339. f.
12, 10. 492. f.
Wisdom.
11, 17. 2141. f.
Sirach.
2, 1.2. 175. f. 1619.
24, 28.29. 2222.
33, 25.30. 785. f. 2246.
51, 18.33.34. 2144. f.
*) The few Greek and Latin words which are explained in the thirteenth volume may be briefly mentioned here, instead of in a special word index: εύόοκία 76.1488. f.; Ιερεύς 1026; κυβεία 446; πρεσβυτέρας 1026; denarius 956; talentum 952; trinitas 2108; unitas 2108.
2796Speech register . 2797
+----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+ | Matthew. | Marcus. | *19, 41^t8. 814. | | | | ff. 1347. ff. | | *1, 18-25. 1478. | > *5, 21-43. 972. | | | ff. | > ff. 2540. ff. 2550. | > 2282. ff. 2294. | | | > ff. | > ff. | | 2> 1-12. 122. ff. | | | | 1082. ff. | * 6, 17-29. 1158. | 19, 44. 986. | | | ff. 2716. ff. | | | > 1550. fs. | | *21, 25-36. 10. ff. | | > | 6, 34. 782. f. | 1366. ff. | | > *2, 13-23. 1072. | | | | > ff. 2636. ff. 3, | 6, 35.36. 2247. | > 1374. ff. 1384. | | > 11. 2715. s. | | > ff. | | | *7, 31-37. 838. ff. | | | *3, 13-17. 136. ff. | 2316. ff. | *22.7-20. 1840. ff. | | 1574. ff. | | | | | *8, 1-9. 780. ff. | *22, 24-30. 1234. | | 3, 16.17. 2686. | 2242. ff. | ff. | | | | | | *4, 1-11. 244. ff. | *10, 35-45. 1196. | 22, 25. 2601. f. | | 1682. ff. | ff. | | | | | *22, 39-54. 1758. | | 4,9.10. 793. | *14, 32-52. 1758. | ff. | | | ff. | | | 5, 11. 2621. | | *22, 54-62. 1768. | | | *14, 53-72. 1768. | ff. | | *5, 1-12. 998. ff. | ff. | | | | | *23, 2-25. 1786. | | *5, 20-26. 768. ff. | *16, 1-8. 1882. ff. | ff. | | 2224. ff. | | | | | *16, 14-20. 2020. | *23, 26-31. 430. | | > 2234. ff. 5, | ff. | ff. | | > 39.40. 375. | | | | | Lucas. | *23, 32-43. 456. | | *6, 24-34. 868. ff. | | ff. 468. ff. | | 2354. ff. | *1, 5-80. 2696. ff. | | | | 2712. ff. | > 1804. ff. | | > 2364. ff. | | | | | *1, 26-38. 1112. ff. | *24, 13-35. 1896. | | 6, 33. 781. ff. | 2668. ff. | ff. | | 1731. | | | | | 2678. ff. | *24, 36-47. 1912. | | *7, 15-23. 790. ff. | | ff. | | 2250. ff. | > *1, 39-56. 1208. | | | | > ff. 1220. ff. 2732. | *24, 36-48. 528. | | > 2258. ff. | > ff. 2750. ff. | ff. | | | | | | *8, 1-13. 164. ff. | *1, 57-80. 1140. ff. | *24, 50-53. 610. | | 1604. ff. | | ff. | | | > *2, 1-14. 44. ff. | | | *8, 28-27. 174. ff. | > 52. ff. 64. ff. | John. | | 1616. ff. | > 1438. ff. 1450. ff. | | | | > 1464. ff. 1478. ff. | 1, 14. 1252. | | *9, 1-8. 912. ff. | > 1484. ff. | | | 2432. ff. | | *1, 19-28. 32. ff. | | | 2, 11. 2600. f. | 1412. ff. | | *9.9-13. 1244. ff. | | | | | *2, 15-20. 78. ff. | > 1422. ff. 1430. | | *11, 2-10. 20. ff. | 1490. ff. | > ff. | | 1392. ff. | | | | | *2, 21. 102. ff. | 1, 29. 335. ff. 946. | | > 1404. ff. | 114. ff. 1526. ff. | 2703. f. | | | | | | 11, 16. ff. 1401. f. | 1540. ff. | *1, 35-42. 1020. | | | | ff. | | *11, 25-30. 1102. | > *2, 22-32. 212. | | | ff. | > ff. 220. ff. 1662. | *2, 1-11. 154. ff. | | | > ff. 2656. ff. | 1594. ff. | | *13, 24-30. 184. | | | | ff. 1630. ff. | *2, 33-40. 86. ff. | 2, 19. 387. | | | 1500. ff. 1514. ff. | | | *15, 21-28. 254. | | *3, 1-15. 680. ff. | | ff. 1692. ff. | *2, 41-52. 144. ff. | 2108. ff. | | | 1584. ff. | | | *16, 13-19. 1166. | | > 2120. ff. | | ff. | > *5, 1-11. 752. ff. | | | | > 2194. ff. 2208. ff. | 3, 14.15. 337. f. | | > *18, 1-10. 1266. | > 2214. ff. | | | > ff. 2768. U. | > | *3, 16-21. 652. ff. | | > | > *6, 36-42. 736. | 2084. ff. | | > *18, 21-35. 950. | > ff. 2166. ff. 2178. | | | > ff. 2490. ff.' | > ff. 2186. ff. | > 2094. ff. | | > 19, 17. 593. f. | | | | | *7, 11-16. 1320. ff. | 3, 19. 2449. | | 19, 23-26. 1289. f. | | | | | *7, 11-17. 884. ff. | *4, 47-54. 938. ff. | | *20, 1-16. 192. ff. | 2372. ff. | 2474. f. | | 1646. ff. | | | | | 2380. ff. | > 2480. et seq. | | *21, 1-9. 1. ff. | | | | 1344. ff. 1352. ff. | * 7, 36-50. 1182. | 5, 20-23. 2693. | | | ff. 2758. ff. | | | > 1360. ff. 21, 33. | | *6, 1-15. 276. ff. | | > ff. 2513. f. | *8, 4-15. 202. ff. | 1718. ff. | | | 1652. ff. | | | *22, 1-14. 924. ff. | | > 1726. ff. | | 2444. ff. | *9, 28-36. 2684. ff. | | | | | 6, 58-56. 2151. f. | | > 2454. ff. 2462. | > *10, 23-37. 846. | | | > ff. | > ff. 2322. ff. 2334. | *8^ 46-59' 286. | | | > ff. | ff. 1730. ff. | | " 22, 15-22. 960. | | | | ff. 2506. ff. | 11, 13. 640. | > 1738. ff. | | | | | | > 2518. ff. 2532. | *11, 14-28. 262. ff. | *10, 12-16. 552. | | > ff. | 1702. ff. | ff. 1958. f. | | | | | | 22, 23-32. 2422. ff. | 11, 24.25.26. 365. f. | > 1966. ff. | | | | | | 22, 32. 1902. ff. | 12, 32. 763. 2212. | *12, 12-19. 1744. | | | ff. | ff. | | *22, 34-46. 900. | | | | ff. 2402. ff. | *14, 1-11. 892. ff. | 12, 23.24. 337. | | | 2386. ff. | | | > 2414. ff. 2422. | | 12, 32. 337. | | > ff. | 2394. ff. | | | | | *13, 1-17. 316. ff. | | *24, 15-28. 984. | * 14, 16-24. 708. | | | ff. 2558. ff. | ff. 2146. ff. | *14, 1-14. 1126. | | | | ff. | | 25, 41. 1278. f. | *15, 1-10. 726. ff. | | | | 2158. ff. | 14, 12. 265.1705. | | *26, 36-46. 346. | | | | ff. | 15,7. 2472. | 14, 16.17. 673. f. | | | | | | *26, 36-56. 1758. | > *16, 1-9. 802. ff. | *14, 23-31. 642. | | ff. | > 2266. ff. 2276. ff. | ff. 2074. ff. | | | > | | | *26, 47-50. 360. | > 16, 10.11.12. 2273. | *15, 17-25. 1274. | | ff. | > ff. 2281. ff. *16, | ff. | | | > 19-31. 696. ff. | | | *26, 51-56. 372. | > 2126. ff. | 15, 26. 674. | | ff. | | | | | *17, 11-17. 860. ff. | *15, 26-16, 4. 620. | | *26, 57-68. 382. | | ff. 2038. ff. | | ff. | *17, 11-19. 860. ff. | | | | 2344. ff. | *16, 5-15. 586. ff. | | *26, 57-75. 1768. | | 1984. ff. | | ff. | *18, 9-14. 828. ff. | | | | 2298. ff. | *16, 44-20. 2020. | | *26, 69-75. 390. | | ff. | | ff. | 2306. ff. | | | | | *16, 16 -23. 564. | | *27, 1-10. 398. ff. | 18, 11. 771. f. | ff. 574. ff. | | 1786. ff. | | | | | *18, 31-43. 234. ff. | > 1972. ff. | | *27, 11-31. 412. | 1672. ff. | | | ff. | | *16, 28-30. 598. | | | *19, 1-10. 1286. ff. | ff. 1994. ff. | | *27, 33-56. 442. | | | | ff. | | 18, 28-19, 16. 1786. | | | | ff. | | 27, 40. 581. | | | | | | 18, 36.37. 424. ff. | | * 27, 57-66. 494. | | | | ff. | | *19, 13-30. 1856. | | | | ff. | | *27, 62-66. 1822. | | | | ff. | | *19, 25-37. 480. | | | | ff. | | *28, 1-10. 506. ff. | | | | 518. ff. | | *19, 31-42. 1822. | | | | ff. | | 28, 19. 5W. f. 673. | | | +======================+=======================+======================+ +----------------------+-----------------------+----------------------+
2798 Spell register. 2799
*20, 19-31. 538. ff. 1938. ff.
- ff.
*20, 24-31. 1032. ff.
21, 15, 16.17. 483.
Acts.
*1, 1-11. 2002. ff.
*2, 1-13. 632. ff. 2046. ff.
*2, 14-36. 2062. ff.
2, 38. 143.
*6. and 7, 1.2.44-59. 1056. ff.
*7, 57-8.3. 2646. ff.
*9, 1-22. 1090. ff.
*9, 1-25. 2646. ff.
13, 46. 2462.
15,9. 771.
15, 10.11. 2484.
20, 28. 669. f.
*22, 14-16. 2646. ff.
*26, 16-18. 2646. ff.
Romans.
*5.8-11. 334. ff.
6, 3. 1326.
6, 14. 2014.
6, 15.16. 2017. f.
7,8.9. 544.
7, 8. 9.'10. 1951. f.
7, 13. 547. 1955.
8, 3.4. 2420. f.
10, 10. 1319. f.
1 Corinthians.
1, 23. 24. 1899. 1, 30.31. 524. ff.
5, 7. 486.
5,7.8. 527.
7, 19. 109.
7, 29- 31. 1444.
10, 2. 668. f.
*11, 23-26. 298. ff. 1922. ff.
*11, 27-34. 310. ff.
11, 31.32. 567. f.
Galatians.
3, 13.14. 452. ff.
3, 21. 1536.
4, 4.5. 1534. f.
5, 2.3. 1535. f.
6, 13. 1535. f.
Ephesians.
4, 8. ff. 613. ff.
4, 30. 1526.
5, 28-30. 2588.
Philippians.
2 7 55 3^6.7.' 40. f. 1428.
Colossians.
1, 15-17. 667. f.
1, 16. 2695.
2, 14.15. 513. ff.
2, 15. 1886. f.
1 Thessalonians.
4, 13. 1323. ff.
2 Thessalonians.
2,9. 994.
2,9-12. 2567. f.
2, 11. 992.
1 Timothy.
3, 1. 2400.
6, 13.14. 424. f. 427. s.
6, 17. 1722.
2 Timothy.
2, 15. 2765. f.
1 Petri.
1, 10.11. 1907.
1, 11. 1860. f.
2, 24.25. 554.
3, 1. 1318.
3.7. 1316. ff.
3, 21. 22. 1907.
4, 15. 434.
2 Petri.
3, 15. 822. f. 2291.
1 John.
3,8. 840.
3, 15. 772. f.
Hebrews.
12, 5. ff. 568.
13, 4. 12W. ff.
Jacobi.
1, 6.7. 2346. f.
III.
Subject Register
to
The first volume is the thirteenth volume of Luther's Sämmtliche Schriften.
Communion. 1. the doctrine of the Lord's Supper. it is proper to preach the Lord's Supper on some special days 1840. f.; the doctrine of the Lord's Supper is objectionable to reason 105. f.
- name of the A.'s. It is called communio 304. 1927., eucharistia > 1850. > > 3. the essence of the A. God deals with the individual 947; it is a > sweet, comforting food 302, 1848; in the papacy it was made a terrible > food 1923; the old church taught that it was Christ's body and blood > 494; we eat and drink Christ's body and blood 1844, with the mouth > 1327; what seems foolish to reason 1531; we should not worry how this > can be 1845; the sacramentarians think that the A. is just bread and > wine 299; it is not Christ's body and blood if it is not eaten and > drunk 712; the pope does not want to know anything about the A. under > either form 300; he has stolen the chalice 1925. > > 4. the purpose, benefit and fruit of the A.. It is to be done in > memory of Christ 301. f., 1851. ff., 1926. f., 1930 f.; is necessary > for us Christians for the sake of the old Adam 306. ff.; serves to get > rid of sins 1849. ff, to strengthen the new man 1929 ff; to comfort > the conscience 711 f.; to make me sure that Christ is given for me 302 > f.; to receive forgiveness 303 f., 309 f.; to nourish our mortal > bodies to eternal life, to comfort us in death and at the death of our > loved ones 1326 ff.; to unite Christians, to keep them together 303 > ff, 711. f., 1927. ff., which is also modeled in bread and wine 304. > f., 1928.; we are to prove ourselves Christians by the enjoyment of A. > 309. The pope has made it a fair for the dead 301., 1925.; and a > plaster to be put over all manner of sickness and misfortune 301. > > 5. worthiness and unworthiness. Some receive it worthily, others > unworthily 310, 1932, f., unworthily to their detriment 1932. It is > important to know in what worthiness and unworthiness consist 310, > 1933; unworthy people usually consider themselves worthy, and vice > versa 313, 1935; one should examine oneself whether one is worthy 313, > f., 1935, f.. W. is not purity from sin, righteousness by one's own > works 310. f., 1933. f., we should never go to the Sacrament 311., > 315., 1933.; who is worthy > > 314. f., 1935. ff.; unworthy is he who lies in knowing sins 311. f., > 1933. f.; in what way manifest sins, which the judge and executioner > punish, make unworthy 314. f., 1936. f.; how those who lie in hatred > and other sins 312. ff., 1934. f. become worthy. What is taught in the > pabstry of the W. 299. ff, 310., 1849., 1923. f., 1933. > > 6. to whom the A. is to be given. Those who have been previously > interrogated and instructed 1185. > > 7. enjoyment of the A.'s. Many despise it 1931. f.; what to think of > those who seldom enjoy it 309.; many shy away from it 1848. f.; what > to think of those who miss it because they lie in enmity and other > sins 312.; despising and missing it is harmful 307. ff., 1929. f.; > enjoyment of the A. is thanksgiving, worship, sacrifice 1850. f.; what > sacrifices the pope has made from the enjoyment of the A. 1850. f.. We > are to enjoy it because it is commanded 1850. f., because it is a > sweet food 1848. f.; we are not to take it under one > form 309.; we are to enjoy it often 315., 1180., 1854. f., 1926. f., > often and gladly find ourselves doing it 298. f., which did not happen > in the papacy 299. ff., where it was enjoyed out of obedience to the > church 308. f.; we should not grow weary of A. 1922., we should enjoy > it often, because it is a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving 1851. > f.. Let no one be forced to do it, as happened in the papacy 300. f., > 1924. f.; let Christians be taught to go there confidently 1850. > > 8. public celebration of the A., ceremonies. How the Corinthians > celebrated it 312, 1935; the ancient church mixed the chalice with > water 494. f.
Cf. means of grace, sacraments.
Evening Blessing. S. Morning blessing.
Idolatry. Is all worship apart from Christ 1467. ff; self-righteousness and mammon worship 71. f.; follows where one does not have the gospel 2006. f.; the world is full of A. 1468.- S. honor.
Indulgences of the pope, a loud lie and fraud 534.
Abraham. Abraham knew that God's Son should become man and became blessed through such faith 1743; his faith was revealed in obedience to the commandment of circumcision 107 - A.'s household: why they had to be circumcised 104; by allowing themselves to be circumcised, they revealed their faith 107.
2802Absolution Subject index. Resurrection 2803
Absolution. It is a great power 912. f., which is given to men and which every Christian has 2432. ff.; one Christian can absolve another 912. s.; by teaching that men can absolve, God's glory is not taken away 923., 2443.; God absolves through men 241., 919. ff, 1679, 2439; Christ absolves 1941; God deals with the individual 947. The Word of God is not to be despised 2479; not to be despised, but to be needed 545, f. and believed 545, 913, f., 918, 2433, f., 2438. Neither papists nor enthusiasts know what the Word of God is 2437, f.; in the papacy the Word of God was an abomination 537.
Farmers are the preachers 717. f.
Agatha, St. Comforted in death 1881. f.
Allegories of Luther. Allegorical interpretation of the donkey, the filling, the spreading of the garments on the way at Christ's entry into Jerusalem 7. f., the Easter lamb 487. ff., the 30 pieces of silver for which Christ was sold Ward 412. from: Matth. 9, 1-8. 922. ff., 2442. ff.; Marci 7, 31-37. 840. f., 2319. ff.; Luc. 7, 36-50. 1195. ff.
Omnipotence of God. In this we are to trust 2375.
Everyday things are despised 1301.
Alms. The right A. is when one serves his neighbor faithfully in his profession 703. f.; are witnesses of faith 2278. f.; will be rewarded one day 2278. f.; do not buy heaven 813. A. of unbelievers do not please God 813. f..
Eldest. S. High Priest.
Ambrose. How he was appointed bishop 1028; his saying: Si non pavisti, occidisti 772, 2230.
A minori. S. Arguments.
Offices. Are not to be rejected 2402. f-, one distinguishes between the civil office and the abuse of the same 1606.; one has them to serve others 2399. f.; one does not seek one's own honor in it 2402. f.; bring much unhappiness 2399. f.; everyone seeks A., but one does not want to serve 2399. ff.
Official anger is not prohibited 2233rd, 2238th f.
Andrew, the apostle. Poor 1023.; let God's word matter more than his food 1022. f.
Challenges. Nature and type: God does not seem to care about us in them 180. ff, 1626. ff. Originator: the devil tempts us 246., 1684. and the gates of hell 1176. f. Consolation: God helps 162L. f. Behavior: Prepare for A. 398th; in the A. wrestle in faith, hold to the Word and pray 246th, 1684th, take hold of the Word 2621st, hold to Christ the Rock 1177th f., run to Christ the soul's food 2152nd ff, Pray 355 ff; prayer is the best remedy and medicine 359 ff; in all kinds of afflictions comfort yourself with the name of Jesus 121 ff, with Christ's suffering in the garden 1769 ff, with the love of God 646 ff, 1106 ff, with the presence of God 647 ff, with the fact that Christ is in the ship 180 ff, 1626. ff, and that the A. do not remain without fruit 182. f.; in A. of sins think of Christ's agony 352.; how to behave in A. because of sins committed 181. f., 696. f., 1627. thinking of Christ's agony 353. f. against the A., as if God were ungracious, comfort yourself with Jesus' name 121.; in A. because of unworthiness, hold to the Word 662. f.; how to behave in A. that one is not worthy to pray 255. ff., 1694. ff. Benefits: A. do not go off without fruit 182. f., 1629.; the greater the A., the greater the
Fruit 1629.; serve for our good 626. s. - S. Faith II, 10., > Sündennoth, sinners.
Anstet, St. Trieb devil from 275th, 1717.
Antichrist. Is the Pabst and Turk 992. ff; is the Pabst in his arrogation of earthly power 1205.; how the A. gradually arose in the church 323.
Apostles. Needed the Holy Spirit for their ministry 2058. f.; made powerful sermons from the sayings of A.T. 1902., 1906.; why God confirmed their sermons with miraculous signs 2054. f.; blamed their teachings for all misfortunes 2058. f.. Why their weaknesses are reported to us 1033. ff., 1196. ff.; why they did not understand Christ's prophecies of His suffering 236. - S. Disciples.
Work. We are to keep the body in check by labor, 2248, but not to harm it by excessive labor, 785, f., 2247, f.; we are to labor, but leave the care to God, 757, f., 880, ff, labor, but not to scratch and scrape, 206, 1657, 2366, f., labor, and patiently await the blessing, 2208, ff, 2369; Christ will bless labor, 2201; according to the labor be the reward, 194, 1647.
Aergernisse. The devil is the cause of trouble among Christians, 1272. f.; one should not give trouble, nor should one take it away, 1268. ff.; one should not let oneself be annoyed, no matter how difficult it is, 1273.
Arguments. Argumentum a minori 2274. f.
Arimathia. Formerly called Aruma 497.
Aristotle. Tells a story of a uugerathen son 2184th, a fable of the hare and the lion 1164th; his opinion about gouty people 922nd, 2442nd.
Arius. Denied Christ's divinity 679; his end 679, 2693.
Arms. Poor: Christ took bodily A. to apostles 2135. we should take care of them 702. ff, 804. ff, 2272. ff, 2276. ff, give them 849. f., 1295. f., how much 1296. f.; which A. and how far we should help them 1060., which we should give nothing 2327.; if we help the A., we lend to God on usury 810. f., 2272.; if we give to them, we give to Christ 127. who is poor in spirit 999. ff; such is the kingdom of heaven 999. ff - A. and rich: A. are often healthier than R. 789.; it often tastes and prospers better for them than for R. 1722.; God needs R. for the sake of A. 1290. s.; R. should give to A. 1295. f., how much 1296. f.; R. often neglect A. 789. for which God punishes them 789. f.
Poor-law office. An important office 1062; what kind of people should be chosen for it 1060. f.; the devil is an enemy of it 1062.
Poverty. Physical poverty is neither a punishment nor proof of ungodliness 2130 ff; it does not make one blessed 2136 ff; how one should send oneself into it 2136 ff, and comfort 698 ff, 1007 ff, 1720 ff. What is spiritual life 999. ff. A. and wealth: both hinder faith 1720; A. better than R. 1722.
Resurrection. 1. a. of the people. The dead will rise one day 1322 ff; A. compared with the seed 1880 ff; A. proved by Christ from Moses 1902 ff, 2424 ff; Christ can and will raise us 2382 ff; our A. is certain through Christ's A., we already have half of it in it 1877 ff, and in baptism we are already raised according to the soul 1877 ff; reason cannot grasp the A. 1878 ff;
2804Riot Subject Registry. Best2805
It seems ridiculous to her, but we should believe it 237th, 239th, > 1674th, 1676th s.; the Saxons say: Do you think that one guy is in the > other? 1879; God has always wanted to preserve the hope of the A. in > the church 449; the A. is comforting in death and at the death of our > loved ones 1322. ff - S. Transfiguration. > > 2. a. Christ. S. Christ 3.
Insurgents are murderers of a whole country 1792.
Augustine. Complains how he could not understand the Scriptures with reason 1909; was challenged by the Pelagians because of his doctrine of grace 2005. f. In his books find much sayings that flesh and blood has spoken 1976. sayings and opinions about: Christ's birth 2589; the opening of Christ's side 493. f.; a convenient word for the Trinity 2691; the authority to strangle the heretics 184, and their duty against the church 191; one should not hold the Scriptures alone in error 1976; about death 1384. f.; about Matth. 16, 13. ff. 1169.
Augustus, Emperor. Verdict on Herod 2640.
Going out often means as much as being born 1567.
B.
Ban. The church has the power to ban 190. - S. Key power.
Barefoot monks. S. Dying.
Mercy. 1. b. of God. Excludes all merit 1232. f.; God is merciful to sinners who act against his will 737., 742. ff., 2169. ff., 2179. f.; we should take comfort in it, insist on it and defy it 1221. ff. B. and fear of God belong together 1226. f., 1232., 2745.
- b. of people. Nature and kind: what it means to be merciful 736, > 1254, 2168, 2178; there is a pity mercy 736, 742; difference between > Christian and pity mercy 2168 ff, 2178. ff.; the pseudo-mercifulness > seeks its own benefit 745.; our nature drives us to > pseudo-mercifulness 737.; the right B. in spiritual distress does not > seem to be a B. 889. ff., is nothing easy 744. f., our nature draws us > away from it 2169. ff. Works: how the b. is to be thrown in various > distresses 1254. f., in bodily and spiritual distress 889. ff., 2377. > ff.; to the b. belongs that one reports the wrong, so that it is > punished 740. f., 2172. f. To be practiced on whom: on everyone 736 > ff, 742 ff, on the wicked 2168 ff, 2178 ff, 2186 ff, on enemies 1008 > ff, on the ungrateful 738 ff, 743 ff, 745 ff; motives: various 744 ff; > Christians are to be merciful 889 ff, 1008; God is pleased with > charity 1252, ff; it will be rewarded one day 806, 815. If one has > transgressed this commandment, turn back soon 748, ff. To whom the > commandment of charity applies: it does not apply to unequal persons > 739 ff, 2171 ff, and does not prohibit penalties by authorities and > parents 739 ff, 2171 ff, 2377 ff - see Alms, Faith II, 6.
Cf. love 8.
Barnabas. S. Paul.
Basil. Saying about the ambition of the dimers of the Church in 1236.
Belly care. Is ingratitude against God 876. f.; is mammon service 876.; is contrary to faith 880. ff.; is useless and harmful 876., does no good 879.; one should flee it 878. f.; of the same we should be ashamed before the birds 877. f., before flowers
- f.; therein lies the world 878. - S. Mammonsdienst, > Nahrungssorge.
Peasants' Revolt. Not prompted by Luther's teaching 362.
Beelzebub means: bumblebee, big mosquito 269th, fly man, fly king 1709th - S. Zebub.
Burials. S. Burial of the dead. - B. Christ s. Christ 3.
Greetings. With the Jews: Peace be with you 1939; happened in Luther's time with the Jews in some places with a kiss 2762. - S. Guests.
Confession. The right confession is that which one does against God, it does not in itself make one pious and pure 170. How one should bring people to private confession 1188. The Roman auricular confession is not commanded in Scripture 169. f., 1188; does not earn forgiveness 1188; why Luther had to reject it 1188. f.
Conversion. B. To God is faith 1101; wherein consists the right change 1495; ff; prepares joy in heaven 2162. f. - S. Change of heart.
Confession. How the faith is rewarded by the world 1067. ff. - S. Glaube II, 9.
Offender and offended. Rightful conduct on the part of the offended 776. ff. - S. Forgiveness 2.
Bernardus. Led an austere life 2576; B. and the confessor 2203; died blessed 2575. f. Sayings and opinions about: the angelic fall 57th, 1457th; Mary, Christ could not deny her anything, if she showed him her breasts 18th; human satisfaction for sin 2203.
Occupation. Conduct: In one's profession, live chastely, righteously, and godly 82. ff; put all one's works in God's Word 2216. ff; in it, serve one's neighbor 703. ff; seek to benefit people 2401.; be faithful and let God take care 1728. ff; be faithful even when it seems that it will not work 760. ff, 2210.; and wait patiently for God's blessing 756. ff, 2000. ff, 2208. ff.; to do the works of the profession with joy, remember that all Christians are equal before God 195. ff., 1648. ff.; professional fidelity is the most beautiful and best ornament 874. ff, 2361. ff.; unfaithfulness punishes God 1729. works of the B.'s: the monks despise them unjustly 2218. ff., they are God's service 753. ff., 766. ff., 871. ff., 905. ff., 1497. ff., 2216. ff., 2357. ff., 2408. ff. Change: Christians should remain in their B. 1609. ff., 1615., 2548. f., not run into the desert 1494. ff.; remain in it, the outward B. does not hinder the faith 82. ff., 2210.
Circumcision. 1. general. Is offensive to reason 106, 1531, f., seemed a foolish thing to the Gentiles 105, 1530, f.; why Abraham's household also had to be circumcised 104, 1530; significance of the 8th day 1533; should last only until Christ 107, f., 1533; we have no need of it 111; it no longer applies to us, it is only an example of faith and obedience 104, 107, 1530, f., 1533; it does not in itself make one blessed 109, ff, 1535, ff; one may be circumcised to serve others 1541; - S. Means of grace, sacraments.
- b. Christ. S. Christ 3.
Weigh down. What it means: the heart b. 1370. f.
Sprinkle. Sometimes means: preach 1829. f**.**
Consistency. B. In keeping the word follows from love for Christ 644 ff, 2077 ff; How to comfort oneself in worrying whether one will be constant 1052 ff.
Best. The B. often become the Aergsten 188.
2806 Pray Subject index. Christ2807
Praying and fasting does not make blessed 103.
Bethlehem. how wide its borders were 2641st; its shameful behavior at Christ's birth 46. f.
Affliction. How to grieve the Holy Spirit 1526. f. Binding key. S. Key power.
Bishop of Trier. His terrible death in 1738.
Bishop's office. Is not good days, but a delicious work 2400.
Blood of Christ. Christ's b. lives and has its effect after Christ's death 490. f., 495.; b. and water should flow together for and for, where baptism is not, there is also not Christ's b. 491., 495.
Brück, Dr. Gregorius. Example of a humble man 2393. Brotherhood of Christians with Christ. It is something great and comforting 522 ff.; it causes us not to worry so much about temporal things 526 ff.; whoever does not want to take comfort in it is worth making other brotherhoods for himself 525 ff.
Books. The book de infantia Christi 152, 1591, 2644.
Penance. 1. repentance. Is not outward correction, but faith 733, displeasure with sin 1100, recognition of sin and desire to be rid of it 1184, ff; right repentance also includes faith 1186, f; is repentance and faith 1199, ff, 1251; Peter's example teaches what B. is 397. B. should be preached to all the world 533, 1916, f., what this means 533, 1916, f.; the preaching of B. is displeasing to many 533, f.. We cannot do B. by ourselves 397. Fruits follow right B. 1188. ff, 1251. f.; one such fruit is obedience to God in profession 1101. What is B. according to papal teaching 1185., 1187. f. - S. impenitence.
- b. and faith. Should go side by side 1055.; B. without G. does not > bring forgiveness of sin 536., 1920. > > 3. b. and forgiveness. How these two belong together 532. ff, 1917. > f.
C.
Caius Caligula, emperor. Sent his images to all countries, including Jerusalem, and wanted to be worshiped as a god 2560.
Carl V, Emperor. Seduced by the papists, he also wanted to rule over the faith 2525. ff.
Ceremonial law. It should last only until Christ's 22nd presentation, Law II, Purification.
Cerinthus. Denied Christ's divinity 678; his end
Char Friday. S. Feasts.
Christians. 1. the name "Christ" is a new name which we receive in baptism 1344. f.; thus we are called by Christ 1344. ff.
- the nature of the Christian is not the outward life, but faith 87. > not works, but faith 841. f., 1319. f.; a Christian is who believes > 2484. ff., 2489. who believes forgiveness of sins through Christ 535. > f., who lies on Christ's shoulder 2602. ff.; Christians are poor in > spirit 999. ff, pure in heart 1009. f., peaceable 1010., meek 1004. > ff. - glory; their glory is not seen 561.; are pilgrims 505., toilsome > and burdened people 1108., there is no creature more afflicted, more > miserable, than a Christian 1177.; there alternates sorrow and joy > 1976. ff.; are generally poor and > > miserable 1007th; must suffer much 1002nd ff, are persecuted 1012nd; > are Simeons, obedient cross-bearers 437th; find at the same time > sinners and saints 536th, 1920th, in what way they are holy 517th f.; > are blessed people 999th ff, Dwellings of God 647, 2080, hopeful, > blessed people 89, f., already living in an eternal life 561. Are > inwardly and before God all equal, one has and counts as much as the > other, although in the outward life a difference of status remains > 194, ff, 219. f., 305. f., 1646. ff., 1670. f., 1928. f., 2073. f.; > this is very comforting and gives joy to the works of the profession > 195. f., 1648. f., but displeases the works saints 196. ff., 1650. ff. > They find children and free 2630., Christ's brothers, which is a > comforting name 522. ff., co-heirs of Christ 522. f.. All things > belong to them, and all things must be for their good 2098. f.; their > blessings and curses are not to be despised 958. They shall not be > afraid of their enemies 1181., nor be afraid of their wickedness 2518. > ff, God saves his Christians from their enemies 2472. f.; they > triumph, though seemingly defeated, over their enemies, over the gates > of hell 1176. ff.; a Christian cannot be deceived with his doctrine > 2521. f.; C. become lords over sin 2013. ff., can laugh at death and > the devil 514. f., can cast out the devil by the word 264. ff., 1702. > ff., a Christian does not die 1345. f. - S. Christian eyes, sins 4. > > 3. life of the C. It shall be love 1275.; shall live in peace 75.; > their life shall be righteous, not false nor hypocritical 768. ff.; > they stumble and fall all their life 186. f. > > 4. behavior of the C. towards each other. They should love each other > warmly 482 ff, 1276, be humble and kind 325 ff, 2494 ff, serve each > other 554. > > 5. marks of the C. What it means to recognize a C. 561. f., 1964. > that is a great art 561., 1964.; by outward life one cannot recognize > a Christian 516. f., 559. f., 1962. f.; Christians hear Christ's > voice 556. ff., 1960. ff.; cross is a mark 580. > > 6. false C. Do not want to practice love and mercy 2186. ff.; God is > not merciful to them 2186. ff.; how to preach to them 2188. f. > > 7. the right and the false C. hypocrites are always found among > Christians 935. f.; the difference is not an external one 559. ff., > 1961. ff., 2484. ff., 2610. ff.; both are sinners 1189.; with the > right C. there is repentance and faith, the false ones are safe 1189. > f. - S. Pious 2. > > Cf. Christ 11, pious, faithful, godly, saints, disciples, authorities > 9, sheep, world 3.
Christian eyes. How they look at things 981. f. Christian blood presses the persecutors hard 1092.
Christianity is God's firstborn instead of the Jews 218. f.
Christophorus. How he was painted 2616.
Christ. 1. the article, from C. If we want to know this article, we must begin with the birth at Bethlehem 133. f., 1570. f.; whoever believes in the article tramples the devil underfoot 2685.
- person and name C. C. is true natural man, yet without sin 49th > f., 55th, 1047th, 1455th f., 1481st f., 2113th, 2123rd, 2644th f., but > with human needs 49th f., 55th; the deeper we see C.
2808Christ Subject register. Christ2809
He is true God 1742. f., 1907. f., eternal God 1048., God yet distinct from the Father 667. ff., natural and eternal Son of God 297., the second person in God 2067.; he had to be God 1170., 1905. f. He is true God and true man in one person 131. ff., 182., 908. ff., 1117. ff., 1566. ff., 1627. f., 1838. f., 1841., 2065. ff., 2410., 2417. ff., 2584. ff., 2599. ff., 2642. f., 2670. f., 2677. f.; God is man, man is God 1455. f., He who strangles Mary's son strangles God's son 1890. f.; God and man were already in the first moment of conception 2675., 2677., 2682.; the union of natures is inseparable 2682. The article of Christ the God-man is founded in the A. and the N. T. 2675. f.; C. revealed that he was not only a man, but also God, in his twelfth year 146. ff, 1585 ff, which is also taught by his death throes at Oelberg 348; that he was God and man was necessary for the sake of his work and ministry 132 ff, 1568 ff. That Christ was God and man, the devil does not like to hear 2677. f.; this doctrine cannot rhyme with reason 132., 1568., it sounds evil to the clever 2068., it offends all the wisdom of the world, especially annoys the Jews 2671., Turks and Jews laugh at it, we should believe it 2675. - Names: Exit from on high 2710.; the name Christ was well known to the Jews as the name of the promised Messiah 1169. f.; Everlasting Father 1052., 2630. ff.; Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace 2633.; Prince of Peace 1053., 2633.; Great Joy 1448. ff.; Savior of all Nations 2661. ff.; Hero 1050. f., 2624. ff; Lord, though poor before the world, yet rich in spiritual goods 128. ff; Immanuel 2677.; Power 1050. f., 2622. ff.; Light of the Gentiles 2662. ff.; Praise of His People Israel 2666. f.; Counsel 1049. f., 2614. ff.; Counsel and Power 2622. ff.; Wonderful 1049. 2607. ff.; Wonderful and Counsel 2614. ff., 2621.; Wonderful, Counsel and Power 2625.; Wonderful, Counsel, Power and Hero 2626. - S. Arius, JEsus, Manichaean, Manichaeus, Son, Word I.
- states C. a) Conception and birth. Conception: Why Christ wanted to be conceived by a woman, but without sin 2676. f.; it was a sinless conception 1122.; C. was conceived by the Holy Spirit 1121. f., 2674. ff.; when the conception happened 2675.; the miraculous conception put Mary in danger 2674. f.; it was prophesied 2672. f., 2675. f.; God has more wise men than one to create men 2672. f.. The article of the E. is an excellent high article 2668.; the devil and his own are offended by it 2668.; it is foolish to reason 2668. ff.; the E. through the Holy Spirit cannot grasp reason 1112., 1122.; only Christians believe this article, therefore they are considered fools 2670. ff.; we are to believe it 2673. Birth: no evangelist wrote of it as Isaiah did 2590. ff; why Christ had to be born of a virgin 1905.; birth of a virgin is not so wonderful as Eve being created from a rib 132.; why Christ is born in Bethlehem, not Jerusalem 1561.; the birth was poor and miserable 46. ff. Benefits: The birth is a high honor to us 48. ff., 1125. f., 1456. ff.; by it we come into the citizenship of the angels 62. f.; by it Christ becomes our flesh and blood 2588., our brother and cousin 2587. f., we all his mother 2599.; no blood friend is so near to us
related as Christ 2587. f., he is closer to us than Eve was to Adam 49. This birth is a great joy 1452. ff.; Christ is born to us 2592. ff, is our Savior 1460. ff; without this birth there is nothing but blasphemy, but it brings God His glory 70. ff, 1466. ff; it first brings peace on earth 74. f., 1471. ff; it is comforting to us 2586. ff, 2595. f.; it works patience 1473. ff. By his conception and birth, Christ has sanctified our E. and G. 2679. use: all men have the glory, only Christians enjoy the fruit 1482.; the heart cannot grasp the joy that birth brings 1462., all the world should be in good spirits about it 2589. ff, but no one rejoices in it but Christians 2594. f.; we should be ashamed that we do not rejoice in it 2592.; only the frightened can rejoice in this birth 1447. ff.; blessed is he who does not rejoice 1457. ff, 1460. ff; the poverty of the birth should warm our cold hearts 47; the birth should move us to praise and thanksgiving 48. f., for which it is preached annually 50; it should teach us humility 50. s., 1482. f.; how one can come to be comforted by it 2593. f.; it should move us to love our neighbor 1462. The angels are not envious, they rejoice 2589. f. Annunciation: How the Nativity was made known by various revelations 220. f.; the angels' preaching of it was very necessary 52. f.; the preaching of the history of the Nativity is very necessary 1452.; the history is to be well imagined by the young people and the common man 1440.; young people are to form the history in their hearts 1480. f.; the story of the shepherds was soon forgotten 1492.; after the history one is to show the benefit diligently 1440. - S. Incarnation.
b) Life and suffering. Christ had many temptations in His life 180, 1625 f. - Circumcision: Christ's b. was different from the b. of other men 104, 108, 1528 f., 1533 ff; He was not subject to the law of b. 108, f., 120, 1534; it happened for our good and comfort 108, f., 111, 120, 1534, ff, 1082. ff; how the name of Jesus agrees with the B. 120. - Presentation in the temple: Christ was not subject to the law of presentation 214., submitted to it for our sake 2659. f.; he puts our disobedience to shame by his voluntary obedience 2l4. s. - Flight into Egypt: why Christ fled instead of using his omnipotence 2644. ff; remained six or seven years in Egypt 2644. - Christ's childhood: he did not lead a peculiar life 147., 1585. f.; was voluntarily subject to his parents, rendered all kinds of service 151. ff., 1590. ff; story of a bishop who wanted to know what Christ did in his youth 152., 1591.; what works the monks imputed to him 153., 1593.; how he questioned himself in the temple as a twelve-year-old boy and punished the false teachers 150. f., 1589. f. - Baptism: on what day it is said to have happened 122.; how it happened 136., 1575. f.; the revelation at the baptism was much greater than that which happened to the wise 141. f., 144. f.; happened to us as a consolation and example 137. ff., 1576. ff.; teaches that God is gracious to us 138. ff. - The last suffering: It was great for his person and benefit 1805 ff; he was condemned by proper authorities 1771 ff, 1788 ff; he suffered voluntarily 367 ff, 1760 ff, 1780; he wanted to tread the winepress alone 367 ff; he suffered because God wanted it 1837; Christ
2810Christ Subject index. Christ2811
had to suffer for the sake of God's truth 1759. ff.; he obediently fulfilled the Scriptures through his suffering 1860. ff., it was prophesied 450. f.; it was an innocent suffering 422. f., 1778. ff., 1797. f., 1859. f., a patient one 1834. f.; how long it lasted 1858. ff.; the suffering in the night was more severe than that in the day 1861.; the suffering in the garden cannot be imagined 1763. ff.; its struggle with death was more severe than that of other men 1765. ff., wherein it consisted 348. f., no one can fathom it 346. ff.; Christ, by his suffering, quite rightly celebrated the Easter of the Jews 1860. ff. Purpose, use and custom: the use of suffering 334. ff.; Christ suffered for us 422. f., 458., 460., 470. f., 1757. ff.; the purpose was our redemption 1827.ff.; suffering is a medicine against sin and death 339.; it teaches us the burden of sin, comfort against sin, patience in suffering, love of neighbor 2c. 506. f.; it praises God's love for us 341. ff.; is comforting 423. f., reveals our sin to us, comforts at the same time 492. f., is comforting in our suffering 384; it serves to resist the evil spirit, to bring the Holy Spirit 587; encourages to desist from sins 346. f.; should drive us to the love of God and Christ 1864. ff.; his struggle with death serves to confirm our faith that he is true God and man 348. ff., to recognize the abomination, the harm, the burden of sin 350. ff, For comfort against sin and evil conscience 346, 353. ff, For consolation in every anguish and distress 355. f. His suffering is not to be forgotten, it is to be preached about 1751. f.; we are not to be offended by it 449. ff.; this is the highest thing, that we should remember that Christ suffered out of obedience and for our service, and that the Scriptures might be fulfilled 1864. f.. f.; when contemplating the suffering, remember: it is your sins 510. ff.; we are to rejoice over the suffering 441. - S. Suffering 3, Passion Sermons, Pilate, Solar Eclipses.
c) Suffering and resurrection. Both are great for the sake of Christ 1888; Christ overcame death and the devil 1886 ff; are of no use to us without the ministry 540.
d) Crucifixion and death. Christ was mocked and maltreated at the crucifixion like no other 1808. ff.; Christ's prayer on the cross 456. ff., 470. ff.; that his side is opened is not accidental 489. f., that blood and water flow from it is not natural 489. ff. Benefit and custom: He was crucified for the sake of our sin 1810. f., became a curse for us and brings us blessing 452. ff., thereby freed us from sin, death,-devil and hell 1811.; his prayer on the cross bears fruit 1819. f., 1825. f.; his death was uncaused, he suffered it for the sake of our sin 1119. f., helps us to eternal life 1130. f., effects of it on Christ's friends and enemies 496. ff., how he strengthened the weak 497. ff.; the death on the cross should not be resented 454. f., how it was preached in the papacy 1811. f. - S.Cross3, death on the cross, nail marks, wounds.
e) Burial. Why Christ was laid in a new tomb 504. f. that was not his own? 505.
f) Ascent to hell. The whole person has gone to hell 1872. f.; Christ overcame the devil and broke hell 1875. How to deal with it in two ways 1868. f.; how some teachers
1869; one should not brood over it with reason 1868. ff., but remain with the simple words of children's faith 1868. ff.
g) Resurrection. The story of the resurrection is an article of our faith 510; the story of the resurrection 508, 1885; how long Christ lay in the grave 508; he rose from the dead by his own power 614; it was first proclaimed to jackdaws and foolish women 1900. f. Use and custom: to know the history is not enough, one must also know the use and custom 510.; Christ's A. is very different from that of Lazarus, for here no mere man had died 1885. sf.; by his A. Christ overcame sin, death and the devil to good 511. ff., 1891. sf.; his A. and victory is greater than can be made 1893. sf.; Christ through the A. is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption 524. sf., it brings us brotherhood with Christ 522. sf. - It is done unto us for good 1876. sf., poor sinners for comfort 521. sf.; is very comforting to us 344., 512. sf, comforts against the terror of death 1877. ff; to recognize the fruit of the A., behold the image of the suffering and risen Savior 510. ff; we are to take the fruit of the A. to heart and believe 515. ff; the A. happened for our sake, we are to accept it in faith, take comfort in it against the devil, sin, death and hell 519. ff. Christ gives his victory to the faithful 1893. f.; it takes a strong faith to grasp it 1876.; few rejoice in Christ's victory and are harmed by it 1894. f.; the Pope and reason consider the article of salvation to be foolishness 512., why we should diligently practice and grasp it 1884. f., 1888. ff, it will be obscured 1888. ff.
h) Ascension. A miraculous work 611, different from the Ascension of Enoch and Elijah 614; Christ ascended by his own power 614. History in itself does not help us, we must know the power and fruit 2008. f.; of the fruit of Christ's Ascension 2009. ff; in what respect the Ascension benefits us 1209. f.; through the Ascension Christ led captive sin, death and devils 615. ff, and caught the prison, i.e., he ascended to give captivity to the prisoners of sin, death, and hell 2011. ff; in his ministry Christ received gifts for men 617. ff; it teaches that Christ's kingdom is not worldly 612., 614. f., calls to a holy life 2015. ff, comforts against the charges of sin 2016. f.
- work and office. His work and ministry teaches Isaiah 1047. ff; Christ came to destroy the works of the devil 840., 2316. ff, did all things for our good, not for his own sake 2598., was given for all men 2105. ff, is our food 2149. ff, the great supper 2153, a light to the Gentiles 2662, ff, began his work in paradise 637, began his ministry in circumcision 1533, ff, he who knows Christ and his ministry knows the best and highest art 1244, - he is a helper and savior, not a severe judge 118, 128, ff, 1108. ff., which reason considers him to be 130. and which the papists make him to be 2384. f.; he is gentle and humble 1110. f., compassionate of heart with sinners 1036. f. He is a helper in all kinds of distress 940. f., 980. f., come to help soul and body 2247. f. He died not for the sake of temporal but for the sake of eternal life 2411.
2812Christ Lach register. Christ2813
Savior 128. ff., 226. ff., a Savior not of earthly need but of sin 114. ff.; a Savior of whom all men shall take comfort 59. ff., a Savior of all nations 2661. ff., of Jews and Gentiles 229. ff., also of Gentiles 1085. f., of sinners 1450. f., 1460. ff, 1460. ff.; he seeks to set right poor lost sinners 730. ff., takes care of penitent sinners 467. f., 479. f.; his office is to comfort sinners 1035. ff.; he is kind to all the wretched who desire his pod, a severe judge to all despisers 1939. f.; he is the only Saviour 114. ff., 226. ff. How joyful it is that Christ wants to be our Savior 59. ff.; one should not take him for a judge 121., seek no other Savior 118. f.; few take comfort in his 61.; unhappy who does not rejoice that he is the Savior of sinners 1460. ff.He is a redeemer, should make us free from sin, death and hell, how glorious that is 659. f.; he has overcome sin, death, devil, hell 1886. f. He has redeemed us from the law 1534. ff. and from its curse 2660.; makes eternally free from the law 2630. ff. Christ is a fountain Against sin and uncleanness 493.; has freed us from sin 2012. f., acquired forgiveness of sins 1194., 1205. f.; his office is to strip us daily of sin and death, and put on his holiness and life 4. ff. Christ is a helper in death 2540. ff., the right paschal lamb who saves us from death 486. ff.; he makes us a quiet peaceful heart against death 227. f. Christ destroyed the devil's power 1861. f. - Christ is the right some good shepherd 552. ff., 1961. ff., 1966. ff., that is very comforting 558. ff., 1961. ff.; a good shepherd, he goes after the lost 731. ff, by the preaching of the word 732.; we are to hear the voice of this shepherd 734. f.; few follow his voice 562. f. - Christ is our Lord, that is comforting 62., a heavenly king, whom the pope does not like 1746, ff., a glorious king, at whose form many are vexed 1829. ff., a king of grace 32. ff., a just and a helper 3. ff., 1355. ff., he comes to help, not to judge 1346. ff., a king who carries his rule on his shoulder 1047. ff., 2600. ff.; he rules wonderfully 2607. ff.; he proves himself in his government as a counsel 2614. ff., power 2622. ff., hero 2624. ff; this king is an everlasting father, not a tyrant or judge, and makes us eternally free from the law 2630. ff, he is a Prince of Peace 2633. ff.; how Emperor Augustus had to serve this King 45. f.; we are to receive in faith this heavenly King, whom the "governor", the pope, does not like 1748. f. - He performed his high priestly office on the cross 1806. ff.; the crucified one's high priestly adornment, altar, sacrifice 461. f., 474. f., 1807. ff., 1812. f.; he offered himself on the accursed altar459. f., 471. f.; in his prayer on the cross he administered his high priestly office 458. ff., 470. ff., of this prayer 1810.; for which sinners Christ prayed on the cross 463. f., 476. f.; this prayer is also comforting to us 1810. f., It is also valid for us 460, 472; Christ's high priestly office was not understood and preached in the papacy 460, 473 - Christ pours out the Holy Spirit 2065 - S. Redemption, Gang, Gentiles, Saviors, Shepherds, Love 3, Messiah, Kingdom III, V, VII, Sin 3, Sinners, Death 1, Reconciliation, Miracles.
5 Christ in the Old Testament. Everything in the Old Testament is aimed at waiting for Christ 67; Moses 1904 ff, Moses and the prophets 1897 f; the prophets also indicate the history of the birth, but with special diligence, what it should do for us 1042; all that was prophesied about Christ's suffering 450. f., e.g., that his side would be opened 485, 489; a model was the paschal lamb 485. f. - S. Moses, Prophecies.
6 Conduct, knowledge, contempt of Christ. Many fall by him, many rise by him 90 ff, 1507 ff; the righteous fall by him 1508 ff; we should not be offended by his poverty 1364 ff; we should not be offended by the fall of many 1508 ff. We learn the right conduct from the wise 127 ff.; it consists in faith and confession 1084 ff., 1086 ff.; he who wants to find Christ, let him keep to the word 123 ff.; only he who keeps to the word, unconcerned about reason, can find and accept him 1553 ff.; we should seek him in the word, believe in him and confess him 1491 ff.; we should accept the infant, the Son 2596 ff, Faith is the right bag to receive Christ as a gift 660. f.; one should not let his own unworthiness keep him from accepting this gift 662. f.; many do not accept him 1088. ff., the world does not accept him 2098. ff. How Christ is called a Lord 2420; those who want to master Christ are put to shame 894, 2387; those who do not want to hear Christ must hear the devil 2250. f. - What it means to know Christ rightly 1170, 1839; all things depend on the right knowledge 1169; it brings peace on earth 74, makes righteous and blessed 1838. f., 1172.; it is a great art 1963. f.; few recognize Christ as the Son of God 1171.; how to gain the knowledge of Christ 1173.; it is gained only from the Word, not from one's own thoughts 130.; to know Christ, one starts in Bethlehem 133. f., The world despises Christ, the great supper 2154. ff; despising Christ comes from the devil 655.; how foolish and shameful is the despising of Christ, this glorious gift of God 654. ff. - S. Knowing.
C. and the father. He who hates C. hates the v. 1285.
8 C. and Moses. Moses' sermon cannot comfort, although it is necessary, but only Christ's sermon 1394. ff; C., not M. makes just and blessed 1362. sf.
- C. and John the Baptist. J. was six months older and took office somewhat earlier than C. 2718. f.; J. did not preach much over two, C. not much over three years 2718.; the devil hastened and attacked them sharply 2724.; Christ's conduct at John's death 1159., 2720.
- C. and his apostles. Their relationship to each other was a sweet and lovely 1985. f.
11 C. and his believers. He is the shepherd, they the sheep, that is very comforting 558. ff; how C. knows his own 559. f.; he wants to make them quite a living 2242. ff; Christ's sheep shall follow his voice alone 562.; how the G. mourn the suffering of C'i. 492. f. - S. Brotherhood.
- C. and his enemies. He will bring them to the ground through the gospel 2624. ff.
2814 Chrysostomus Sach Register. Marital status2815
Chrysostom. Opinions and sayings about: the Lord's Supper 494, the opening of the side of Christ 494.
Clement. Pope C. did not believe the resurrection in 1677, 1679. C. hanged in Wittenberg, was mad and possessed at his death in 1737.
Cocles. A priest's servant, useless launderer 388.
Conciliar. They are not to be trusted, for they certainly have God's word 1976. The evangelicals insisted on a C., but the pope wanted one in which they would have no voice 386.
Creatures. God has so ordered them that one should serve the other 1258; go along in the service and obedience of God 874. f., 2360. f.
Cyprianus. Defends the custom of the ancient church to mix the chalice with water in the Lord's Supper 494. f.; opinion on heretic baptism 628. f..
Cyriax, St. Trieb devil from 275th, 1717.
Cyrus. A Pious King 379.
D.
Gratitude. Be grateful to God and man M5; D. pleases people 864, 2348 f.; how the young monks were accustomed to gratitude 865, 2349 f.. D. and ingratitude: we should make a habit of D., beware of U. 863. ff, 2348. ff.
Darius. A Pious King 379.
Representation in the temple. The Old Testament law of it a hard law 2657.; it showed that we are sinners by nature 2659. f.; in the N. T. we are free from it 2657. - S. Firstborns. - Christ's D. s. Christ 3.
David. He was the greatest man on earth, according to the divine promise 2410, one of the greatest saints, the most learned, greatest king on earth 2418. He attacked Goliath in faith 238, 1675, f.; he becomes and remains king because he is humble 899, f., 2394, f.; he is gentle in suffering 1006. D. and Saul: How is it that D., who also sinned heavily, does not kill himself? 411.
Humility. A great art 2302, 2304; Christians should practice it 318, ff, 1229; humility should teach us Christ's incarnation 50, ff, 1482, ff; the example of Christ and angels 1485, ff, angels 65, ff, Mary 1212, ff, ff, 1234, 1234.; examples of right D. are John the Baptist 39. ff, the centurion of Capernaum 171., 1607. False D.: in what it consists 1218., 2739. f.; is not found in the Virgin Mary 1219., 2739. f.; beware of it 1218., 2739. f. - S. Faith II, 6, Hope 4.
Humble exalts God 1228. f.
Denarius. Is translated soon penny, soon penny, about 1/8 florin 956. - S. penny.
Germans. S. Romans.
Germany. God will punish it for contempt of the word 930, 2299; God's word will become dear in it 1726; God will punish contempt of his word with pestilence and war 2447, with bloodshed 1348; it will be disturbed 2059.
Serve. Means: to do what one is commanded to do 871, 2357, 2404; what it means: to serve two masters 2357, to serve God in holiness and righteousness 1149. f.
Dionysius. Wrote de substantiis separatis and speculated on things he had not seen in 1476.
Donatists. Want a church of only saints 185.
Trinity. 1. trinity. This article is the highest in the church 665. f., 2691.; we are not to reason in this article, but keep the word 675. f.; to reason in this article is foolishness 666. f., 675; has always been most fiercely contested in the N. T. 666, 2693, f.; how the Turks attack this Article 2695, f.; how this Article has been preserved 679; God has cruelly punished the heretics who violated this Article 678, f.; the world does not believe it 666.Turks and Jews mock us because of this article 668. The doctrine in brief 667, 2696, f.; we have not three Gods, but one God and three persons 2072.; the doctrine proved from testimonies of Scripture: that Christ is God and distinct from the Father 667, ff, that the Holy Spirit is God and yet a separate person 673. ff.; it was also revealed in the OT, but not as clearly as in the NT 2687., 2692.; we should thank God that it can be proved so clearly from Scripture 673.; it is finely formulated in the apostolic Symbolum 676. ff. The revelations of the D. compared with each other 2686. f.
- D. and unity are mathematical words 2108. but we cannot speak of > God, we need such words 2108.
Trinity. Quite evil German 2691.
Trinity. Sounds of the Trinity all too mocking 2691.
E.
Marriage bed. Is stained by fornication and anything that tears the hearts of the spouses apart 1311.
Adultery S. Fornication.
Husbandry. Why the servants are called that 854.
Husband and wife. They should thank God for giving them the grace to enter into marriage 1314. f.; the promise of Matth. 18, 19. 1320. f. applies to them. They should love each other 1307., be peaceable 1010., carry each other 1311. f., pray diligently for a peaceful marriage 1316.; the devil seeks to make strife between them 1010., 1315. f.; discordant spouses cannot pray 1317. f.; how to guard against discord 1315. f.; to have peace, the husband should drive with reason, not with force 1316. ff. and hold something to the wife 1317., and the wife be subject 318. and confess her transgression 1318. f. - S. Marriage.
Celibacy. Nowhere certified by God 1303; has only been made by heretics 1305.
Marital status. 1. the doctrine of marriage: much is at stake 156.
- founder and sustainer of the E. It is instituted by God and > planted in our nature 1303. f., 1314.; God nourishes the spouses 159. > f., 1599. f., of which they shall take comfort 163., 1603. f.; Christ > will provide when want comes 159. f. > > 3. duration of the e. In eternal life there is no E. 2423. f. > > 4. purpose of the E. It is to serve against sin and for the increase > of the kingdom of God 1314. > > 5. sanctity of the E.. It is a medicine against sin 1306 f.; a holy, > blessed state 157, 1598, in which one serves God 157 f.; is, properly > kept, full of good works 1307 ff.; God gives his blessing to it and is > well pleased with it 1304 f., 1310 f.; in
2816Wives Subject register. Recognition2817
The greatest saints have spent their lives in this state 1305. f. > > 6. works of E.'s. They seem small, but are magnificent 1307. > > 7. honor and glory of the E.. Is a glorious, delicious thing 1302. > ff.; one should honor it 158. ff., 1302. ff., 1597. ff. and ask God to > keep it honest 1312. f.; as Christ honored it 156. ff., 1310. ff., > 1596. ff. and Mary 160., 1600. f.; reasonable and chaste people even > among the heathen have considered it an honest and praiseworthy life > 1298. ff. > > 8. enemies and despisers of the E.. The world despises him 1302 f., > as well as all heretics 1596, 1599, 1604 f., the papists 156, 1300, > 1596 f., the Anabaptists, and other mobs 159, 163, The causes of > contempt are lust of the flesh and false holiness 1300 f. and because > the E. has no special standing before the world 1301. Punishments: the > enemies and despisers fall into all kinds of sins 1301; as God has > punished contempt in the papacy 156, 1W, 1602 f. - S. Fornication. > > 9. necessity and benefit of the E.. We cannot live in good conscience > without it 1306; what the blessing of it consists of 1304; it benefits > all other states 1308; it must maintain them 162, 1603; it must serve > them, they must serve it 754. > > 10. infertility of the E. was considered a disgrace and curse in the > A. T. 2702. > > 11. woe of the marriage. It is a troublesome state 156. f., 163., > 1604. f.; it easily causes discord 1313. f.; peaceful marriages are > rare 1315. f.; the woe is often a punishment for fornication in youth > 1305.; it is useful 1309. f.; it should not prevent anyone from > marrying 1309. f.; one takes comfort in the fact that God has > instituted the marriage 1303. f.. > > 12. beginning of the E.'s. In Luther's time, people prayed in > church for new spouses 1313.
Cf. marriage bed, spouses, wives.
Wives. Most of the misfortune in marriage passes over them 1319. - S. Spouses.
Glory of God. Is knowledge of God, praise, glory, thanksgiving 72. f.; after the glory follows peace on earth 74. f., 1472.; the natural man does not give God the glory 72. ff.; it is given to God alone in Christ 1466. ff., is only worked through Christ's birth 70. ff.
Ambition. It is a sign that one is apart from Christ 1471; it brings discord 1472; we humans are poisoned by it 72 ff, 1226; it is naturally attached to all of us 1469, 1471.
Oaths. E. and vows always have the condition: unless it is against God 2527. f.; if we are asked under oath or in the name of God, we shall confess the truth 1781.
Ownership. Having one's own is not wrong 1058.
Unity. The Lord's Supper preserves the unity among Christians 1927. ff, the devil tries to disturb it 1928. f. - S. Trinity 2.
Elizabeth, mother of the Baptist. It is a miracle that she recognizes Mary as the mother of the Lord 2751; humble toward Mary 2739.
Parents and children. He who hears the parents hears God 843 f., he who honors them serves God 872; children should be subject to and serve the parents according to Christ's example 151 ff, 1590 ff; one must obey God more than one's parents 148 f, 2321 f; children should tell the parents what is wrong in the house 740 ff, which is mercy 2172 ff;
To be subject to the monks and to serve them is better than the > monks' works 154. f., 1593. f.; the monks are mostly ungrateful to > the monks 2348. f. How Christ will meet the monks on the last day, who > do not diligently keep the church and the word of God 784. f.; monks > should punish the monks 951, although anger is forbidden 2239. f. - S. > obedience, punishment, disobedience.
Conception. The natural e. of humans is sinful 2676. f. - E. of Christ s. Christ 3.
Angels. 1. general. Among them there are ranks 1265. f.
- the good E. One is greater, stronger and wiser than the other > 2783. f.; are nobler than us, but not hopeful 63., 65. f., humble > 1484. f.; are kind, merciful, benevolent spirits 1263.; we are their > brothers and sisters, they are kindly disposed toward us 1476. f.; > want to be our good friends, though we are sinners 519.; rejoice over > a penitent sinner 2162. f.; find in our services 1476.; protect people > 2644. f., 2770. ff; examples of angelic protection 2644.; God uses > them for our protection 1258., 2770., mtzieht their service, uni to > punish 2771. f.. We are to ask God for their protection 1262., 2778. > f., which includes living in the fear of God 1266. f.; are to be > careful not to grieve them 2785.; are to be grateful to God for their > protection 1258. ff., 2768. ff., 2783. ff. - S. guardian angels. > > 3. the evil ones E. It is all full of devils 1258. f., 1263. f., > 2775.; seek to harm every moment 1259. ff., 2770. ff., 2784. f.; can > harm only as far as God permits 1260. ff, 2772. ff; with which sins > the lesser, with which the greater, are concerned 1266., 2777.; God > allows them nzanches to test us 1263., to awaken us to thanks 1264. > f. - S. Hoffahrt 2. > > Both are always around and with us 530, 1914; each one has his angels > who guard him and follow him 2776; each Christian has many good, but > also many evil angels around him 1265; there is a constant struggle > between them, the good ones defend the evil ones 1259, ff, 2770, ff, > 2784, ff, especially also at the courts of princes 1263, 2774.
Ennius. Virgil's verdict on him 2088.
Inflammation. Cold earth a remedy 2114. f. Epiphany feast. S. Festivals.
Erasmus. Does not understand anything about redemption 2094.
Inheritance of Christ. In what spiritual goods it consists 522. ff.
Original sin. Is no small infirmity 2466. - S. Flesh, saints 1.
Earth. Cold E. a remedy for poison and inflammation 2114. f.
Raise. What it means to e. 2398. f. oneself; those who do it fall 2401. f.
Knowledge. 1. knowledge of God. In what it consists 896, 1106, 1140; to know God is to hear God's word 2390; this knowledge is wisdom above all wisdom 524, f.; to know God began in Bethlehem 133, f., 200, f.; Christ teaches us to know God 524, f.; it is obtained only from the word 2390, from Christ's word 644, ff; to this we should seek to bring others 784, f. - S. Knowing.
- e. Christ. - S. Christ 6.
2818Declaration Subject index. Gospel2819
3. e. God and Christ. The latter is not possible without the > latter 1139. f.; without the former, one cannot honor God properly 70. > ff.
Explanation of obsolete, unusual words and expressions: an 199th; andt 416th; aufgumpen 1097th; Ausruck 2424th; baß 363rd; sich betragen 781st; Bechtlein 749th; bidmen 14., 348., 503.; hörnen 2143.; aus den Bünden Wohl 1572., 2727.; Caballe 1418.; döchte 1215.; Dockenwerk 254.; Ehehalt 161., 898.; Erdbidem 422., 448.; eugnen 377.; entgegen 171.; entwerden 2639.; erarnet 62., 689., 2162.; ereugen 1590., 2017.; Federwatt 46.; fern 660.; fernd 14.; fert 330., 2103.; Gäucherei 417.; Genet 1748.; Gerick 1265.; Gesetz 1466.; Heimbde 1131.; heinte 2641.; hinterste 56.; Hose 2279.; ichtes 1534.; Kasel 602.; Klapperbänklein 1216., 2737.; Kliplein 1709.; Kosent 1592.; Kotze 2764.; Kühebaren 1084.; sich lausen 959.; launig 1669.; lautprächt 1075.; Leinlach 46.; sich lenden 67.; Letze 1842.; Letzte 298.; Luderpaner 1216., 2737.; Marderschaube 1298.; Metze 2362.; mißtreu 794.; nehrlich 1852.; sich nieten 733.; nindert 357., 500.; Ort 956., 1664.; Ortsgulden 1500.; Rahm 937.; scarp2534.; Schembart 407.; growing up in one's own sod 1271.; Spilling 1723., 2355.; Spond 46.; not a sticken 1678.; Ströter 828.; Strumpf 1549.; thüren 286., 1772., 2153.; thurst 2051.; lie 483:; harmless 490., 2317.; forgiven 444.; wear 1300.; verweiß 348.; verwohnet 467., 479.; visierlich 2269.; weger 605.; Weiche! 1949th; to draw 227th, 795th, 1051st, 2077th; to wear out 787th; to twist, to twist 720th, 852nd, 1425th; purpose 1265th, 2776th.
Redemption. Christ is our E. 525. - S. Christ 4.
Harvests. How people abuse rich harvests 2352. f.
Apparitions. Ghosts appear 528, 1912; ghosts are not the souls of the deceased, but the ghosts of the devil 529, 1913; right behavior when the devil appears 531, 1914; what false doctrines and abuses arose in the papacy because the ghosts were thought to be the souls of departed men 530, 1913. f.- S. Poltergeists.
Firstborn. In the Old Testament they had their special glory 213, 215, 218, 1666; they were commonly proud, stubborn, and were rejected 215, 1666; John the Baptist is almost the only first-born who was well known 218, 1670.
First births. The Old Testament law of E. 213th, 1664th f.; inducement to it 213th f., 1664th f.; it does not bind us Christians 214th, 1665th - S. Representation.
Education. E. young people a magnificent service 1269., there is no greater' even better work 2778. - S. youth, children.
Eating and drinking is the most joyful work 1848.; Christum we eat by faith 2150. f.
Evangelists. Why they do not describe the suffering of Christ in the same way 1792. E. and Apostles: The E. describe the history, e.g. of the resurrection of Christ, the A. show fruit and benefit 1885.
Gospel. 1. nature of the gospel. It is a doctrine that did not grow in our garden 728. f., a heavenly sermon, hidden from all the world 2023., different from all other doctrines 2022. f.; it leads all the world to the school 2022.; a foolish, annoying sermon 2059. f., displeasing to the world 2071., and also to the pope 2072.; it saves from error 2325.; is worth more than all the kingdoms of the world 2633. f., a
Wedding, a lovely, joyful sermon 2464. ff., a gracious, comforting > message 25th, 1396. f., a sermon for the poor 25th ff.; it alone > brings comfort 624. ff.; has to do with forgiveness of sins 416., does > not give permission to sin 2501. f., does not forbid good works 27. > f., 1399. f., but confidence in them 28. f. > > 2. power and effects of the E.. It is not without fruit 752; it is > not to blame for the arising troubles 209, ff, 1660, ff; it must not > surprise us that where there is the E., there are also evils, mobs 2c, > ff, 1630; it reveals the thoughts, destroys the outward appearance and > deception 96, ff, 1515, ff; it instructs and comforts us 100, ff, > 1519, ff; it shall work good works 849; it overcomes the world in a > blessed war 1626, ff, 1519. ff; it is to work good works 849.; it > overcomes the world in a blessed war 1626. ff; it wants a change of > heart, not of outward profession 82. ff; it makes chaste, obedient, > pious 7. ff, 1359, wise and gentle, hearty 849, 2327; it unites > Christians, keeps them together 303, ff; where it comes from that it > does not bear fruit in all 208, ff, 1660, ff; it does no harm, even if > it does not enlighten all, it is still a light 2662, ff. > > 3. behavior toward the E. We should diligently pursue it 2028. f., > diligently hear and notice it 22. f., 729., esteem it dear and > valuable 723. f., 1392. ff., gladly accept it 2464. ff., hear it, > learn it, improve ourselves from it 6. f., 2164. f., It is hard to > believe 2026, 2028, f., we should believe it, unconcerned about people > 1436, f.; we should bring others to it 784, f.; to hold to the word of > Christ, love for Christ is necessary 644, f.; only those who humbly > crawl to the cross 723, ff. enjoy the gospel. The angels rejoice over > the gospel 2467. f.; it arouses the devil's wrath 1617. ff., 2032. f. > Men are ungrateful against it 2334. ff., even Christians 2336. f. Some > always accept it 1710.; who are those who accept it 93. Many shut > their ears against it 2468. ff.; many do not understand it and do not > accept it 1417. ff., they do not accept it, faith is not sufficient > for them to be blessed 695. f., This sermon does not want to be > preached in Nicodemus today either 693; people wonder about it, but do > not believe it 1491. f.; people still remain the same 2103; people > should accept it, improve from it, and many will become angry 6. f., > 1358. f.; many abuse it in order to live in sin 2006. f.; who are > those who are angry about it 92. ff, why many fret 1400. ff; it is > despised and persecuted 37. ff, 1347. f., 1425. ff, 2337. f., 2446. > f., despised, when we should give thanks for it 2025. f., it is not a > despised thing, because the E. 846. ff., 2324. ff.; many despise, do > not believe 1399. ff., as once the Jews did 1434. ff., e.g., for the > sake of earthly things 927. f., 934. f., 2457.; where Christ is with > his sermon, it burns in all the churches 174. ff.; against the gospel, > enemies become friends 417. f. It must be called heresy 2663. f.; it > is blasphemed: it forbids good works 27. ff., is to blame for all > misfortunes 176. ff. and for all ailments 187.f., 360. ff.; all > accusations against the gospel are lies 386. ff. The natural man > despises it 2466.; it arouses the wrath of the world 1617. ff. why it > is angry at the E. 29. f.; great, wise, powerful despise it 1103. ff, > are its worst enemies 97th; those who seem the best bitterly oppose it > 1515th ff; the rough and sure consider it a foolish sermon 1247th; the > workaholics resent it 1247th, 1508th ff; why the Jews at the time of > Christ did not accept it 716th ff;
2820Eternal Subject register. Pious2821
The mobs fight against it 2032. f., harm the E. more than the tyrants > 1632. ff.; the papacy is hostile to the E. 37. ff., the papists are > annoyed by the E., partly they hate it 91. ff., they are interested in > the preservation of their false worship 43., their power and their > income 1075. ff., 1692. f., they reject it for the sake of their belly > and their work righteousness 1430. f., for the sake of their belly > 1508. the enemies do themselves the most harm 2520. ff., they have > always been crushed and shattered 2529.; contempt and persecution of > the E. punishes God 29. f., likewise the And ank, since one becomes > angrier 6. f.; he who abuses it for sins becomes angrier than before > 2502. f.; despisers will not taste the Lord's Supper 723. ff. We > should not be surprised at the contempt of the Eucharist 30 ff., 39 > ff.; that many are angry 1402 ff.; that the papists are hostile to the > Eucharist 39 ff.; we should not be alarmed that those who seem to be > the best are bitterly hostile to it 1520 ff.; nor should we be > offended by it 1525 ff.; we should not be angry at the contempt 846 > ff., 928 ff., 934 ff., 1105 ff., 2324 ff, about the hostility of the > world 1089. ff., about the contempt and persecution 2446. ff., about > the fact that many are offended by it, that cannot be otherwise 91. > sß; how we should answer those who ascribe all misfortune to the E. > 1619. sf.; be patient with the wickedness of the world 1473. sf., with > what we should comfort ourselves 367.; whether we should defend the E. > with the sword 378. ff. - S. Christ 6. > > 4. spreading of the E.'s. It is to be spread into all the world and > has gone out into all the lands 2020. sf.; it will remain until the > end 2069. f. > > 5 The E. and the civic estates. The E. does not abolish them 967. f., > 1059. f., 1084., 1494. ff-, 1609. ff-, 1648., 2538. f.; it does not > urge to change the state and profession 82. ff. > > 6 The E. and the secular kingdoms. The E. does not abolish the secular > kingdoms 967. f., 1399. f., 1609. ff.; it does not cause turmoil and > disorder 416.
Cf. Law I, 5, Faith II, 1, Forgiveness.
Eternal. S. Temporal.
Exorcists. One devil casts out another 275.
F.
Cables. Of the rabbits who wanted to make the lions pious 1164.
Falling. If you fall, do not despair 394. f., 1150. Fasting. S. Prayer.
Miss. One should forgive and bear one's neighbor's fault 327. f., which is difficult for the old Adam 328. f.
Holiday. S. Sabbath.
Enemies. The worst enemies of Christ are the pope, his bishops 2c. 402. f.; for our F. we should pray 1070. f. - F. of Christ s. Christ 12.
Enmity. F. Against God reigns in the world 854. f., 857.; how it reveals itself 854. f..
Festivals. Church festivals begin the night before 508. f.; are > celebrated and preached for the sake of faith 2004. f.. Why Christ's > suffering is especially preached on Char Friday 1858. Epiphany feast: > what revelations are said to have occurred on this day 122., 1552.; > called E. because of the revelation at Christ's baptism 1577., should > be called feast of Christ's baptism 136., 144., 157V.; the revelation > at Christ's baptism was > > The feast of the Ascension: a joyful feast 141. f., 144. f., 1579. > that happened to the wise men; the latter was celebrated in the papacy > for eight days 1582. On Maundy Thursday mau celebrated the institution > of the Lord's Supper 1840. What the feasts of the saints are useful > for 1196.ff. Feast of the Ascension: a joyful feast 620. f.; for which > it was instituted 2004. Feast of St. John: in the papacy it was > celebrated for the sake of St. John's austere life 2706., 2714. f., > how it was celebrated there 1142nd, 2700th, 2704th, how it was > celebrated in the papacy John Pries 1151st f.; how and why it should > be celebrated and enjoyed 1142nd, 1145th f., 1151st f., 1156th f., > 2700th, 2704th, 2706th, 2711th, 2713th ff. Marian feasts: The > Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is also called the Feast of Our > Lady, which was instituted by the Pope, as it was called Mary in > 1210th, 2732nd; why and how we should and want to celebrate this feast > 1210th f., 1220th, 2732nd f., 2750th ff. Assumption of the Blessed > Virgin Mary, a thoroughly Papal feast 1208. f.; how it was celebrated > 1210. Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Why it was called Our > Lady's Candlemas 2656; celebration in the papacy 234. f.; why we > celebrate it 2656. Annunciation: why we celebrate it 2668., 2678. f. > Why the feast of Michaelmas is celebrated 1258., 2768. ff., 2783. > Trinity: why it is celebrated 2684.; different pericopes in different > pens 2685. f.; how it differs from Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost > 665. f. Of the Feast of the Innocent Infants 2636. - S. Candlemas, > Easter, Palm Sunday, Pentecost, Christmas.
Fire. Means suffering and temptations 487.
Flesh. The old Adam always tempts us Christians to sins and vices 306.f., 516.f., 1149. - S.Saint 1.
Curse. Christ became an F. for us 452. ff.
Swearing. Difference between forbidden and permitted 2781.
Questions of the dead. One should not ask them 2145. f.
Women. In what their right adornment consists 1211; should be domestic, right behavior outside the house 1216 f., 2737 f., 2755 f., should rather be found in church than elsewhere 1212; are inclined to court 1213, 2757; Luther complains about the courtliness and lack of discipline of the women of his time 1217, 2738; where discipline falls among the women, that is a certain sign of a great future punishment 1217, 2738.
Freedom, the Christian. Is F. of sin, death, devil, law 2084. ff.; the devil transforms it into a carnal F. 1632. with the enthusiasts.
Joy. The right F. is the F. in God, but it is rarely found 1224. The devil does not grant us any F. 77.
Peace. "Peace" in Hebrew means: all good, happiness, welfare 1939., 2623. F. is not in the world 74. f., should be among Christians 75.; Christ brings it 74. f., 1471.ff.; follows where God is honored 74. f., 1472.
Peaceableness. Whereof it consists 1010; the same shall be exercised in all ranks 1011.
Frederick, Elector of Saxony. How he took care of the expenses of his household 2262.
Cheerfulness. S. Breeding.
Feast of Corpus Christi. An idolatrous feast 712. f.; how and why the papists celebrated it 710. ff.; one preaches against it 711.; why Luther abolished it 713.
Pious. 1. pious. They are recognized not by their office, but by their behavior toward Christ and his gospel 384. f. - S. Christians.
- f. and godless. The G. rhyme is: I live, and know not how long > 2c., the F. on the other hand: I live,
2822Piety Subject index. Commandments2823
as long as God wills 1741; God blesses the F., but not the G. 278. f.; > that the F. are in a bad way, while the G. are well, seems > incomprehensible, but should not annoy us 574. ff.; outwardly the F. > are often worse off than the G. 5-9. f., This should not anger us 561. > f.; distinguish between the cross of the F. and the punishment of the > G. 433. f.; it is twice more sour for the G. to earn hell than for the > F. to earn heaven 809.; the F. should let the zeal of the G. serve as > an example 809. ff. - p. Christians 7, Turks 2, World 3.
Piety. Which is righteous piety 2227. f.; right piety is compassionate, but hypocritical piety is merciless 745., 2182.; one should not be proud of one's piety 833. f. - S. Justice.
We do not need 600 saints' prayers.
Fear of God. See Mercy 1.
Foot washing. Origin of the use among the Christians 3l6. In the papacy it is called mandate 321; in the papacy it was an empty ceremony 316; there was no humility 321. The right footwashing is to serve others 320, ff; to forgive and bear their faults 327, ff, which is difficult for the old Adam 328 f.; we should practice it all our lives 322; ecclesiastics should practice it especially diligently 322 f.; as the bishops should wash the feet of their people 321, the authorities should wash the feet of their subjects 325 f., as it should be done in the household 326 - S. Mandate.
G.
Gifts. 1. general. God distributes them unequally, Hann to be more helpful to the less gifted than to the more gifted 834; how the less gifted should think and comfort themselves 834. f., 2313.; God increases the gifts in the humble 835. We should recognize and use God's gifts, not deny them out of false humility 836. f., 1218. f., 2315., 2739. f.; we are to esteem them highly 654., not despise them, nor waste them 1725. f., give God the glory for them 1470., thank him 1234., 2302. ff.; we are to recognize them as God's gifts and not exaggerate 2310. ff, not to exalt them 218, 320, 322, 832, 1218, 2740, 1669, 2302, but to use them humbly to serve our neighbor 320, 1485, 1669, how to use them 72, ff; to give account of their use 2311. People do not recognize them as gifts 2338, sf, They exalt them, become proud 1222, 2304, but this is shameful and ridiculous 1222, ff, 2742, ff; God punishes contempt of the gifts by depriving them 1726, ff.
We may need earthly goods, but we should not abuse them 702. > > 3. g. of the spirit. We should not get hung up on this, not be > deceived by it 800.
Cf. goods.
Bile. In addition to animal bile, this also refers to a bitter poisonous herb 444.
Christ's walk to the Father. In what it consists 593.
Guests greeted the Jews with a kiss and washed their feet 1184. f. - S. Greetings.
To give means to give freely 2599.
Prayer. 1. God's will. We should pray 1996. f.; every Christian should pray 605. f., 2000. f.
- characteristics of the right G.. Let it be done without doubt ILL, > 606. f., 862. f., 1995., 2346. ff., in the name of JEsu, in childlike > trust 601., 604. f., > > 1995., 1999. f., in faith 356. f., 862. f.; G. without faith is > mockery 1683.; one does not look at the unworthiness, but from the > need 1681. ff.; the G. is persistent, an insolent leering 241. ff., > 1679. ff.; we should not desist 257. ff., 1696. ff. - S. Faith II, 8. > > 3. power and dignity of the prayer. After the ministry of preaching, > prayer is the highest service of God 600, 1994; do not think: let > others pray, your prayer is nothing special 608; do not disrespect it, > it is not in vain 600, 608, 2001, ff, not useless 991; it is the right > means and remedy in distress and temptation 359; it fosters faith > 1854, ff, sustains the church 607, ff, > > 4. hearing of the prayer. E. is promised 1999. f.; is certain to > those who love Christ 1996.; God cannot hear those who pray in doubt > 862. f.; God hears the G. in the name of JEsu 605. f., and only this > 605.; whether God also hears the G. e.g. of the Jews 605.; the G. > serves that one obtains a thing sooner 244. f., 1681. f.. God does not > always help when and how we wish, but so that it serves His glory and > our blessedness 606; why God often forgives 169, not because He did > not want to help 260 sf, 1698 ff; immediate relief is often not good > for us 1700. How God heard the G. of the Protestants against the Pope > and the Turks 607. f. > > 5. what we should ask for. For what and for whom we should pray 1342 > f., 2786 f.; pray in all distress and temptation 355, in all requests > 357, for all kinds of things 1342 f., for help in distress 1994 f., > for help in all kinds of distress, as the Our Father shows 602 ff, > 1997 ff, for the Holy Spirit 640 ff. > > 6. time, manner of praying. Do not wait until you feel ready 601, > 1996; pray without ceasing 602, 1997; pray at least morning and > evening and over and from the table 602, 1996. Pray in all places > 1997. Besides heart prayer, oral prayer should also go 602, 1997; how > to pray in temptations 356, ff, as in bodily things and as in > spiritual things 357. ff.; in bodily things, but not in spiritual > things, we should say: If you wish 167. f.; do not ascribe to God > measure, time or goal 168. f. 606. f. > > 7. obstacles and encouragements. Nothing should deter us from prayer > 254, 1694, ff; how Satan tries to hinder us 255, ff, 601, 1996; how to > overcome the obstacles 601; it is an obstacle to keep one's prayer > low 2001, ff. To encourage us to pray: Christ's command not to forget > the prayer in the small sin of sorrow 600; that God loves us 600; the > need 602; God's command, the need, the promise of the answer and that > Christ has prescribed a form for us 604. ff. A forni, how to exhort > the people to the G. 1342. f., 2786. f. > > 8. he who alone can pray: he who has the Holy Spirit 609, the flesh > is too lazy and heavy for it 359; he who loves Christ 1994 and > believes in him 1997; only he who believes 179, a believing Christian > 602; not he who lives in knowing sins 20. f.; the pope and his crowd > cannot pray 2001.
- g. Christi. S. Christ 4.
Commandments of God. 1. general. Seem foolish to reason 2197. f., but do not follow reason, but obey 2198. ff.; do not cheekily ask why? 106. f., 1532. f.
2824Crime Subject Registry. Law2825
3 The Ten Commandments. The first: it is the noblest and greatest 2414; which the Jews considered the greatest 900. f., 2414. ff., 2427. f.; the first interpreted 2544. ff. The third: see Sabbath. The fourth: remarks on it 754. f., 766., 2217.; Christ honored it at Cana 156. ff., 1596. ff. The fifth: interpreted 772. ff., 2229. ff., 2236. ff.; Papal interpretation 775. ff.
Cf. law.
Infirmities, bodily. Are effects of the devil 838. f., 2316. ff.
Birth. Is twofold, the carnal and the spiritual, the carnal does not make blessed 2120. ff. - S. Rebirth.
Dangers. Where we can, we should escape and not despise such means 2645. f.
Fallen ones should not be cast out, they can come back to grace 185. f.
Obedience. Obedience to God and his word is the most beautiful and best ornament 874. ff; obedience to superiors is worship 2217. f.; one must obey God more than parents and authorities 148. f., 1587. f. - S. Parents, Household Fathers, Authorities 8.
Spirit. 1. the Holy G. is eternal God 624., 2694. ff., God and a special person 673: ff.; proceeds from the Father 2041. f.. Is called the Holy Spirit, why? 638. which name is comforting to us Christians 638. f.; is called: Paracletus 597., Comforter 621. ff., 639., 2038. ff., Spirit of Truth 623. f., 2040. ff., Spirit of Prayer, Comforter, Spirit of Truth 639. f. Work and ministry: He testifies of Christ 624. ff, 2042.f. through the oral word 2044.; works faith 638. f., the new obedience 638. f., impels to prayer 639., leads into truth 639. f. He is Paracletus, makes hearts courageous and joyful 597., a comforter in the suffering of Christians 621. ff, 2038. ff; gives true comfort 623., 2040. ff; he comforts, let it be known Against false preachers 627. f. He shall punish the world through the apostles and preachers 1989. for sin 588 ff, 1989. f. for righteousness 592. ff., 1990. f. and for judgment 595. ff., 1991. f. He has had his work in the church from the beginning 636. ff., is poured out to the end of the world 2068. f.; why his work was not rightly revealed until the day of Pentecost 637. f.; as Comforter and Spirit of truth he began at the first Christian Pentecost 2057. f. The Holy Spirit is laughed at like a lute-player who can only play one string 2088.
- have the H. G. What this means 1061; how to obtain it 640. ff.
Avarice. Adorns itself, pretends to be a virtue 2127. f.; does not particularly affect the youth 870. f., 2276., 2354. f. It hinders the word from bearing fruit 206., 2282., 2364.; makes merciless 2134. Christ is the enemy of greed 2140., God punishes him 2137. ff.; punishment of the same 407. f.. The old Adam is tempted to G. 306. f.; the whole world is drowned in it 870. f., 2364., 2368.; we should beware of it 806., 2276. ff., 2364. ff., flee it 878. f., especially the preachers 2281. f. - S. Mammon service, food care.
Miser. They are only out to get money 810; they do not trust Christ to provide for them 276. f.; how the miser will be lamented on the last day 807. f.; no one wants to be considered stingy 2127. f.;
in which G. can serve as an example to Christians 809. ff. - S. > Mammonsdiener.
Vows always have the condition: unless it is against God 2527. f. - S. Oaths.
Frugality. We should be content with what God provides 788. f.
Justice. 1. justice before God. What reason considers it to be 2609; the world knows nothing of it 592; it does not consist in a glittering life 830; it does not stand in our works 769; it stands apart from us, in Christ 2609; Christ is our righteousness before God 525; it consists in Christ's going to the Father 592; our righteousness is Christ's righteousness, taken in faith 1990. f.; it stands in grace and forgiveness 769.ff., 2495. it is not obtained by works 592. ff., 2495. f.; it does not stand on our confession and repentance, which is very comforting 594.; it is obtained through Christ alone 1363., through faith 944., through the knowledge of Christ 1838. ff, Through faith in Christ alone 1139. This faith is incomprehensible to reason 2609.; it must be believed 2610.; it is difficult to believe that one is righteous before God 2496.; the doctrine of faith in God is rejected by the righteous 1991.; we should not be concerned 1991. f.
- righteousness of faith and life. This is to follow that 771; both > are not soon learned 2029. > > 3. pharisaical g. The g. of the Pharisees was hypocrisy 2234. f.; > wherein pharisaical g. consists 768. ff., 2226. ff.; Christ warns > against it 768. f" 2226. ff.; it is very mean in the world 2229. > > 4. the true and the hypocritical G. How to recognize both 2309. ff. > > Cf. piety, hunger, self-righteousness, works righteousness, works > saints.
Rumor. What it means: have a good G. 1060. f.
Chant. S. Sermons.
Gifts get their value from love 654.
Stories. A peasant woman who wanted to count money all day 1996; a bishop wants to know what Christ did in his childhood 152; a child lies dead in the water for three days 2566. f.; the unborn son 746., 2184.; the devil in the mass 48. f., 1480. f.; of the devil's deception 2570.; a priest casts out a devil 1717.; of one who was afraid of death 24., 1395. f. - S. Bernard, Midas, Paphnutius.
Sexes. The woman does not have such courage and a strong heart as the man. 1317.
Law. 1. the moral law. 1. nature of the law: it teaches what we should do, but it does not follow that we can do it 2340. f.; it cannot change the heart 859. f., cannot comfort, but only frighten and condemn 23. ff. - S. ceremonial law.
- benefits and effects of the G.: The G. is still necessary 24; does > not satisfy the heart, but reveals sin 1537. f.; deters, does not free > from sin, death and the devil's kingdom 134. f.; does not make > righteous nor blessed 852. ff., 859. f., 1136,, 1536. f.; 2108. ff. > > 3. binding nature of the G.'s.: Christ was not guilty of keeping it > 108. f.; also the Christians should.live.according.to.it 1137. > > 4. fulfillment of the G.: From the fact that it teaches what we > should do, it does not follow that we can do it.
2826Consort Subject register. Faith2827
- f.; no one can keep it 109. ff., 851. f., 859. f., even > Christians do not fulfill it perfectly 1539. f., no child keeps the > fourth commandment 1537.; Christ fulfilled it for our good and comfort > 110. ff., 1533. ff.; the right practice of the G. follows from faith > 112. f.; how we should practice the practice of the G. 775.; Christ's > and Mary's example should drive us to the practice of the G. 214. > ff., 1665. ff. > > 5. g. and gospel. The Gospel is an earthly, mortal, hellish doctrine, > the Gospel is a heavenly doctrine 909. f., 2023. f., 2031., 2411. f., > 2416. f.; the Gospel says: Justice be done, but the Gospel says: > Forgiveness be done 2023. f.; the Gospel is a revelation and knowledge > of the wrath of God, but the Gospel of the salvation and grace of God > 726. ff., 1152. f., 2160. f., 2707, 2707.; the G. frightens, the E. > comforts, makes courageous 66. f., 541., 2047. ff., 2056. f-, 2465.; > the G. cannot comfort at the thought of death, but only the E. 1395. > ff.; the G. has no say, where it is about becoming blessed, the E. > applies 2032.; not the G., but the E. works faith 1195., makes blessed > 2419. f.. G. and E. are like sun and moon 2422. f.; both must go in > the church 691. ff., 2760. ff.; the E. does not cancel the G. 2024. > f.; the E. is necessary because we cannot keep the G. 109. ff. and > this does not make us righteous 1536. ff.; the G. must precede the A > 1251. We should take good care of both doctrines 2422. - S. Christ 8, > Faith II, 7.
Cf. Christ 4, Commandments.
II The Old Testament laws are now completed 448.
Gestkde. Is also called marriage keeping, why? 854. if the husband obeys the master and the wife, he serves God 872; their service is pleasing to God 158, 160, ff, 1598, but few believe it 160, ff, 1601, ff, but those who do believe it become happy to do all the work 160, ff, 1601, ff; the husband, like Mary, should be humble and serve gladly 1215, ff, 2736. f., announce what is wrong in the house 740. ff., do not let yourself be lured out of your service by flattering words 795., 2263.; Luther complains about the servants' courting 1215., 2736. and unfaithfulness 854. - S. Abraham, Husbandry, Household Fathers.
Ghosts. S. Apparitions.
Gethsemane. How Christ spent the night there 1763.
Stolen goods are returned 2277.
Conscience. The evil G. makes fail, the good, however, confident 727. f.
Gouty people. Type and nature of their disease 922.; find an image of the sinners, the unruly youth, the work saints 922.
Poison. Cold earth a remedy against it 2114. f.
Faith. I. The Creed. Is cheaply called Apostolic 677. f., is drawn like honey from the writings of the apostles and prophets 676. ff.; brief interpretation of the same 676. ff.; brief interpretation of the 2nd article, especially of the words: "our Lord" 2597. f., "descended into hell" 1868. ff., "risen from the dead" 1876. ff.; interpretation of the words: "I believe forgiveness of sin" 2497. ff.
II Faith (fides, qua). 1. the doctrine of faith is the main part of > Christian doctrine 1616. f.; is sweet and lovely, but also high and > dangerous 2005.; everyone thinks they can do it 174.; seems ridiculous > to reason 237. f., 1674. f.; is blasphemed, as
which forbids good works 2005. f.; many abuse it to a life of sin 2006.; do not tolerate a life of sin 2016. ff.; must resound in spite of all abuse and blasphemy 2006. ff.
- the nature and character of God. It is important to know the nature of faith 945; it is something other than faith in worldly matters 2483; it is an honor of God 914, 2489; God requires it in the first commandment 2484; it looks to the future, not to the present 180, 944, 1625.It is not mere knowledge, but believing Christ's word to be true 941. ff; it is not mere knowledge, but trust 591.; it does not rely on its merit 2482. ff; it is a hearty confidence in God 2482. ff; it is heartily trusting in the word 2027., 2032.; it wonders at what it believes 1503. ff. The G. is not an easy art 2028. ff, 2036. ff, 2482. ff, not a work of man 1173.; it does not want to be righteous in us 280.; the devil and the old Adam prevent it 914. ff, 2436.; it is the work of the Holy Spirit 638.; God works it through the Word and the Holy Spirit 1173.; God does not force anyone to do it 91., 1507.; it is not more difficult for us than for the King 946. ff. Examples of strong G.: the centurion of Capernaum 170 ff, 1606 ff; Jairus 978; the royal 2476 ff, 2480 ff; Mary, the holy virgin 1212; the woman with the flowing blood 978. Of the G., the world, the enthusiasts and the papists know nothing 2027 ff; the papists do not know what G. is 180. - S. No. 3, repentance 1, 2, wonder, way.
Faith and the Word of God. They belong together 236. f., 914. ff., 942., 2435. ff., 2755.; faith without the Word is not faith 915. f., 2435. f., is something natural 915. f., 2435. ff, does not help 945. f.; faith should be based on the Word, not on miracles 942. f.; that is the nature of faith, that it is based on the Word 1607. f.; he has a keen eye on the Word 945., keeps Christ's promise 943.
- practice and growth of the G.. The G. must always be practiced 2029, 2037; the Royal, an example of the practice and growth of the G. 2476 ff, 2487; one asks God for the preservation of the G. 1173 f.
- power and effects of the G.. The G. accomplishes great things 974. ff, 2550 ff; he cannot fail 944 f; he obtains what he believes 862, 1608, 1701, 2346 ff; with him there is a special light 1607 f; he helps against sin, death and the devil 2125; he makes pure from sin 944; where he is, sin cannot harm 537 f; he works joy 1463; he makes happy and fearless 661, and humble 172.
- g. and virtues. Love and charity should be with each other 1070; charity and mercy should follow charity 889, 2376; charity and humility before God must be with each other 1609.
- g. and works. Man falls from the doctrine of God to the doctrine of works 1416 ff.; both doctrines should be well separated 1420 ff.; God and life should be distinguished 1137 ff.; God and the merit of works dispute each other 591 ff.; the doctrine of works belongs to this life, the doctrine of God when it comes to blessedness 1416 ff., 1427 ff. The G. must manifest itself in good works 2186. ff; works should follow the G. 535., 595., 2033. f., 2326. ff; the G. should be followed by a Christian life 1613. f.; good works follow the G. 697., 2125. f.; what does not come from the G. is sin 588. ff; without the G. the works are not good, the G. is not good.
2828 Articles of faith Subject register. Goods2829
G. makes them good and pleasing to God 535. f., 595., 766. f., 1990., > 2485. - S. Justification.
- G. and prayer belong together 167.
- confession and confession belong together 2319. st; B. should > follow G. 841. > > 10. fight and victory of the G.. Difference of the strong and the > weak G. in the fight 1624. f.; how the G. fights and conquers in the > cross and adversity 178. ff., 1622. ff.; the G. seizes Christ at his > word, when he is most angry, and overcomes him 259. ff., 1698. ff. > > 11. G. and unbelief, both no idle thought 2036. > > 12 G. and reason. The V. is darkness against the G. 1173.; it strives > against the G. 2483. f., ridicules it 980.; one should believe against > the objection of reason and all feeling 2555. ff.
Articles of faith. Are revealed clearly and brightly enough, but heretics come 1901. st; in this one should not follow reason 2669. f.
Matters of faith. In this, people have nothing to command 2526.
Believers of the OT. Knew the article of the Trinity 2687, 2692; looked forward to the future of Christ 1464; became blessed through Christ 34. f. - G. and unbelievers see. Fromme 2, Messen.
Equality. Before God, we are all equal 834.
Limbs. Healthy G., a gift of God 839. f., 2317. f.
Happiness and unhappiness. G. is not a sign of grace, U. not a sign of wrath, as reason erroneously thinks 577. ff., 698. f., 707. f., 1202.; G. is not a proof of piety, U. not a proof of godlessness 2130. ff.
Grace. God is gracious 230 ff, 954 ff; that God is gracious to us is taught by Christ's baptism 138 ff; Christ acquired grace for us 1194; it is beyond our understanding 954; it is not easy to believe 1037, 1194, 2088 ff, 2210. f.; is so great that we cannot believe it by nature 762. f.; G. is obtained by those who desire it 954. f.; how it is obtained 1100. f.; G. is obtained through Christ 139. f.; the preaching of G. is resented 1247. - S. happiness, forgiveness.
Means of grace. Have no outward appearance 2611; teach that there is no strife between God and us 1038; by them we obtain the Holy Spirit 641. f.; by them the Holy Spirit works 2124. f., 2321. and by them alone 843.; they are the net for Christ to catch fish 2213.; they serve to catch us out of the devil's kingdom 1029. f.; the devil must give way to them 264. st, 1703.ff.; in them forgiveness of sins is distributed 549. f., 1187., 2437. f. We should not judge the G's by what our eyes see 4. ff., 1356. f.; we should not despise them 2321. f.; we should not despise them for the sake of appearances, but give thanks for them 267. f., 1706. f., 1179. f.; we should esteem them highly 2097.; to need them is right worship 1276., to right custom belongs faith 1138. They are despised 1365. f.; papists and enthusiasts despise them 924.; unbelievers are not worthy to know their glory 268., 1707. ff.; the devil opposes them with persecutions 266., 1705. - S. Lord's Supper, Sacraments, Baptism, Word II, IV.
Grace election. S. Provision.
God. God is called, from whom one should expect and receive all good things 2426; what it means to have a God 2426; the natural man thinks God is a serious judge, but he wants to make all blessed 230. sf. - S. omnipotence, mercy, trinity, honor, grace, love 2, punishments 1, dishonor; disobedience, works 1, will.
Worship. 1. right worship. Is the most beautiful and best ornament 874 ff, 2361 ff; consists in the love of God and neighbor 903 ff, 2404 ff, 2428 ff; the monk is in us, we seek something special instead of the love of God and neighbor 2429 ff; worship is doing what God has commanded 103 ff, 252 ff, 871 ff, 1685. f., 1691. f., 2356. ff.; consists in the use of the means of grace 1276. f., in listening to the word of God 2390. f.; the right way is to be faithful in one's profession 85., to live therein chastely, righteously and godly 1497. f.; wherein it consists, considered according to the different classes 872. f., 2357. ff; how to serve God with one's money 1277.; the highest good is the preaching of Christ's Passion 332.; the first and highest good is faith 1149., 1606., 2357.; he who takes Jesus for his Savior does God the greatest honor 1549. f..From faith follows service in holiness and righteousness 1149; after the ministry of preaching, prayer is the highest gift 1994; the noblest gift is that we bring others to knowledge 784; in which the right gift consists according to papal teaching 903. ff., 1276. f., 2404. ff. The right faith makes one happy 873, 2358, ff.; can only happen in Christ 1466, ff.
- the public G. The word is more powerful there 2253; the angels are > present 1476. > > 3. service to God and neighbor. God takes care of the service of the > neighbor more than of his own 747. f., 2191. st; service to the > neighbor is G. 903. ff, 2404. ff; love of neighbor is G. 1276. f.; he > who wants to serve God, love neighbor 2236., do to neighbor as God has > done to him 748., practice mercy on neighbor 1252. ff; he who does not > love his neighbor cannot serve God 776. f., an unforgiving one cannot > 776. ff. The doctrine that serving one's neighbor is G. is thrown to > the winds 904. ff., 2406. ff., it will make a wonderful noise on the > last day 903. f., 2404. ff. > > 4. self-chosen G. has great appearance 252., 1690. f.; does not > please God 2359. f., 2430.; Satan tempts to it 252. st, 1691.; beware > of it 246. f., 1684. f., how? 253. ff; the pope has done much st G. > 341.
Godless are their own prophets 1622nd, 2059th; God finally punishes them 433rd st - S. Pious 2.
Godly and hypocrites. The H. disrespect the G. 2031., cunningly hostile to them, but gain nothing 2519. ff., kill them with beautiful appearance 2730. - S. Christians.
Gregory. His statement about right and hypocritical piety 745, 2182; his statement about the holy scripture 1909, Luther wonders how G. came to such a beautiful statement 1909.
The Scriptures call the idols 2560.
Resentment is death 2227. ff.
Groschen. S. Denarius.
Maundy Thursday. S. Feasts.
Good, foreign. You give it back 2277.
Goods. 1. earthly goods. people do not recognize them 2338. ff; in order not to lose them, many do not want to belong to Christ's kingdom 1202.; we should be satisfied with what God provides 788. st; a Christian
2830 Community of property property register. Farmstead2831
can use it 1444. ff., how he should use it 1749. f.; how we can serve > God with it 1277., should serve Christ 127.; one should not say: The > property is my own, and take it away from the authority 2532. - S. > Authority 8.
- clerical G. Which such are 1613.
- earthly and heavenly g. One should not miss the heavenly g. above > the earthly g. 2154. ff.
Cf. gifts.
Community of property. Whether Christians must now still have G. 1058. f.
H.
Hair. The woman's highest honor 2761.
Keeping. What it means to keep God's word 292, 295, f., 1736; whoever does it has eternal life 292, f., 1736, f., 1740, f..
Laying on of hands. With the apostles 1027. f. - S. Ordi nation.
Annas. An excellent, handsome man 385.
House. Master H., a rough disciplinarian 2298. - S. Executioner.
Houses. Type of construction among the Jews 2562.
Housekeeping. Satan creates strife in it 2774. f.
Household fathers, mothers and servants. Their life is holy if they believe 2219, 2222, f.; they should remain in their position 158, 1598, f.; they should wash each other's feet and serve 326. Household fathers and mothers have a heavy responsibility if they do not keep their children diligently to the church and the word 2246, f.; they should not obstruct the community too much 794, 2262, f.; they should punish it 951, even though anger is forbidden 2239, f.. The G. follow the house fathers and mothers 795. - S. Office anger, obedience, punishments 2.
Pagans. Worshiped because they thought of the state after death 1134; are not excluded from Christ 126, 173, 412, 1085, 1574, 2662, 2681, p. Jews 5.
Savior. In the secular world, the authorities, parents are 226, 1543; in the spiritual world, there are none except Christ, although people make themselves many different kinds of parents 226 ff.
Holy. Whoever wants to become holy, let him confess that he is a sinner 533.
Saints. 1. the true H. Christians are holy 516. ff; through the means of grace 2610. ff; also still have a large particle of the old Adam 1149. f., 1975.; still have 'sin, let them not reign 2767. ff. -S. Christians 3, flesh, holiness, sanctification.
- the deceased H. for which their histories are distinguished in the > Scriptures 1196. ff; their weaknesses and sins serve us as a warning > 1197. f.; and for consolation 1199, They cannot help us from sins > 1122. f.; to take comfort in their merits is to give Christ a > companion in suffering 370. f.; in Pabstism they were pointed to > instead of Christ 1123. f.; they are not to be called upon 120. f.; > they are not to be called upon in the name of Christ. f.; one should > not call upon them 1204; which saints were called upon in the papacy > in the various distresses 2006. f.; whoever dies through their > intercession dies blessed 2444. - S. Feasts, Intercession, Suffering > 4, Martyrs.
- h. and hypocrite. Difference 2235. f.
Halo. What is indicated with it 1255.
Holiness. The holiness of Christians is to be pious and holy in the outward life 1149. f.; self-chosen holiness has a great appearance 252.
Sanctification. Christ is our sanctification 525; sanctification is to follow in faith and life 527; it is the work of the Holy Spirit 639; it will not be perfected in this life 186, 638, 642, 1149, 2029; we are to make the same effort, even though it will not be perfected 811. f. - See Justification.
Executioner. A merciful torturer 892nd, 2379th - S. Hans.
Herod. 1. H. the Great. Was called H. Ascalonita 1166; used to murder 2639. f.; how he oppressed the Jews 2639. f.; what Emperor Augustus judged of him 2640.; his end 1081. - S. children.
- H. Antipas. Son of the previous 1166; why he was called > "tetrarch" 2725. f.; kidnapped Herodias from his brother Philip > 2726; killed John 2725; his end 1167. > > 3. H. Agrippa. Brother's son of the previous one, his end in 1167. > f.
Lords. Great H. do not like to be punished 2726. ff. - S. House fathers.
Glory. S. Suffering 1.
Heartbreak. Of two kinds of H. 1986. f.
Hearts. What is a pure heart 1009. f.; the pure in heart will see God 1009. f.. We should not burden our hearts with eating and drinking 394.
Change of heart. What it consists of 83. f. - See Conversion.
Hypocrisy is everything that is not Christ and not in Christ 1522. ff.
Hypocrites. They think they have drunk up the gospel in one gulp 2030. and have no need of it 1395.; do not go as far as believers in the righteousness of life 2030.; mock God 2473.; are full of hatred and envy 2237.; can only master and reproach others 2396.; cannot please them 1401. f.; no one can get along with them 30.; cannot deceive God 936. f., 2460. f.; have no excuse before God 937., 2460. f.; are eternally damned 937. f., 2460. ff. - S. Christians 6, 7, godly, saints 3.
Jerome. Saying about Assumption 1208
Heaven and earth and all creatures must be resurrected and become new 1877.
Ascension. See Christ 3, Feasts.
Kingdom of heaven. Is the Christian church 926th, 2456th; very different from the earthly kingdom 2148th; a spiritual, eternal kingdom 2456th; is where the gospel is 2456th - S. Church, Kingdom I, II, III, V, VII.
Shepherds. According to the doctrine of faith Christ is the only good shepherd, according to the doctrine of love the preachers and all Christians are good shepherds 2968.; there are good shepherds, but also wolves and hirelings 1969.; how Christians become good shepherds against each other 554. f.; the Bethlehemite shepherds have not seen the angels 66., 1487. - S. Christ 4, 11.
Wedding at Cana. On what day it should have happened 122.
Yard ride. 1. How we may be hopeful against the devil 832. f., 2311.
- forbidden sin A devilish sin and annoying vice 830th, 2309th, does > not want to be sin but virtue 2128th, does not want to suffer anywhere > less than with preachers 1198th; God cannot suffer it
2832High Priest Subject Registry. John2833
- he does not give it to the worthy 2296. he overthrows them 215. > ff, 1666. ff, 2303. ff, 2313. ff, 2392. ff, 2401. ff, 2746. ff, 2756. > ff, and scatters them in their lifting sense 1227. ff, 2745. f.; H. > overthrows the most beautiful angels 2307., makes ruthless 2134., > corrupts all virtues 2300. ff., and works 831. f., 2300. ff., 2309. > f.; where H., there is no forgiveness of sins 2305., 2307. H. clings > to all men 2734., 2743. f., 2745. f.; to this we are inclined 1213. > ff, 1224, 1227; men cannot refrain from it 2304, ff; men are hostile > for the sake of their wisdom, or power, or wealth 1227, ff; the world > and the devil provoke Christians to H. 318, ff; servants of the church > should beware of H. 1236; we should be ashamed of H. when we see > Mary's humility 2735, ff, ff, 2741, ff, 2741, ff, 2741, ff, 2741, ff, > 2741, ff, 2741, ff, 2741, ff, 2741, ff, 2741, ff, 2741, ff, 2741, ff, > ff, 2741. ff., 2756. ff.; how Mary will punish our sin 2735., 1213. > ff.; if we are provoked to sin, we should think of Christ's example > in washing our feet 318. ff. - S. Ambition, firstborn, presumption, > wise. > > 3. H. and disobedience are all ways with each other 2392. > > 4 H. and humility. What is D., what is H. 832nd, 2310th; what is to > keep us from H., to keep us to D. 897th ff, 2391st ff; God punishes > H., D. wins his heart away 898th f., 2392. f.; H. overthrows, D. > brings to graces 835.; through D. one comes to graces, where it is > lacking, God cannot be gracious 828., 2300. ff.; to H. men are > enemies, D. one loves 897. f., 2392. f.
High priests. The power of the high priests and elders among the Jews 1771. ff; before Caiphas was Eleazar, after him Jonathas high priest 385.
Ascension of Christ into Hell. S. Christ 3.
Hell punishments are terrible 937. f.
Hosanna. Lends: Lord, help 8.
Help. Christ is pleased when we seek help from him 976, 978, f.; he cannot refuse 977.
Hunger. Christians should not die of hunger 276. ff, 781. ff; no Christian has ever died of hunger 788., 2249.; if someone dies of hunger, it is a sign that he has not believed God 2196. In which righteousness consists 1007. In spiritual hunger Christ is our food 2150. ff,- p. lack.
Fornication is defilement of the marriage bed 1311.; H. and adultery exclude from God's kingdom 1314. f. - S. fornication.
Hus suffered for the name of Christ in 1283. f.
I.
We are earthly-minded by nature 1133; earthly-minded people also sometimes think of another life 1134; brotherhood with Christ makes us not so concerned about the temporal 526. f.
False teachers certainly come 790. ff., 2258. ff; come in sheep's clothing 793. f., 796., 798. ff., 2253. ff., 2261. ff., pretend that God's zeal drives them 798., boast of their ministry 798. ff, lead a glittering life 799; they and their disciples are thrown into the fire 803; they are easy to fall for 2260; we must be careful of them 796; we must beware of them 791; ff, 2250. ff., 2258. ff.; pay attention to the fruits 800. ff., that is the teaching 801. ff., then also the life 802.; keep to the word, then one remains unconvinced 792. ff., 2260. ff., with the catechism can be
to resist them 793rd, 2260th, 2264th f. - S. sheep's clothing.
Errors. Error is easily spun 598. f.; follows, where one does not keep the word 2260. f. There were strong I. in the Pabstthum 992.; what comfort the Christians have against it 995. - S. Doctrine.
J.
Jacobus and John. Hopeful, had no understanding of Christ and his kingdom 1198. f.
Jeremiah is almost alone, who has had to experience his prophecies of misfortune 1161st, 2723rd p. prophets.
Jerusalem. Was equal to half of heaven, God's house and hearth 816. f., 2284. f., 2294., 2298., was considered also by the Gentiles as the most glorious city in the Orient 823., 2292.; when J. was destroyed 817., 2285.; single from the history of the destruction 824., 985. f., 2292. f., 2295.; the same was a punishment for contempt of the gospel 986. f., serves us as a warning 814. ff., 2284. ff., 2294. ff. and consolation 825., 2293.; J. will not be rebuilt 2561.
Isaiah. No evangelist wrote of Christ's birth as he did 2590. f.; Isa. 52, 13. to 53, 12. is an exception in the A. T. 1828. - S. Prophets.
JEsus. Is called Savior, and that from sins 114. ff, 1542. ff; he is not a bodily Savior 1543. ff, he is needed only by those who believe in a life after this life 1543. f.; this name summarizes the prophecies of Christ 120. ff, agrees with circumcision 120; this name pleases God, we need to know 114; those who believe in this name will stand and remain before God 119; this name rejects everything by which one seeks forgiveness and salvation apart from Christ 118, 1548 ff, Everything by which one seeks these is made his J. 118, 1548; the pope robs Christ of this name and gives it to the saints and our works 121, 1548. f.; the monks raise themselves up as healers 1546.
Yoke of Christ are the sufferings of Christians 1110.
John. I. The name. "John" means: one who is in grace, a most gracious man 1157, 2712.
II J. the Anabaptist. 1. the baptist. His birth was much different > than other men 2712. f. for the sake of his ministry 2713. f.; his > conception and birth was a miracle, accompanied by miracles 2700. f.; > with his birth God did a miracle 1142. ff, it should bring a special > benefit to the people 1143. ff., it gave reason for natural and > spiritual joy 2702. ff.; bears his name of his office, not of his > strict life half 1157., 2712. f.; of his youth we know nothing 2717. > f., came perhaps in the eighth year into the wilderness 2718; had to > lead an austere life 2706; led an austere life 2718. f., according to > the outward appearance a holier than Christ 1153., 2708.; how the Holy > Spirit comforted him in prison 2040. f.; of his beheading 1158. ff, > 2716. ff.; how Herod and Herodias planned the same 1162. ff., 2729. > ff.; his conduct at his death 1161.; his death did him no harm, was a > sign of wrath against the Jews 1160.; fates of his corpse, relics > 2720., 2724. f. > > 2 The ministry of the Baptist. He was not a reed that wavered in his > ministry 1405. f., was constant in his testimony of Christ 1414. ff.
2834Joseph Subject register. Children2835
He did not come to Christ because he was in doubt 22; he knew then > that Jesus was the true Christ 1102; neither was he a man in soft > clothes 1406, nor a mere prophet 1406, f.; inasmuch as he was great > above all the sons of Adam 2701, ff, had the greatest and highest > office among all the sons of Adam 2701st, was more than a prophet > 1145. f., 1150. f., had the greatest and highest office above all the > prophets 2704. ff., 2714. f.; his office was comforting 1144. ff, > 2702. ff; he urged on Christ and his grace 2708., preached forgiveness > of sins through mercy 2714. ff; did not want to reign in the church > 1415. f., was humble 39. ff, 1426. f.; how necessary his preaching was > for the Jews 1430. ff.; did not stay in one place with his preaching > 2718. f.; held his office only a short time 1158. ff., 2718. ff.; > still preaches 2724. f., also to the Gentiles 1409. f.; we are to love > him 2712. > > 3. J. and Herod. I. was often at the court of H., hoped to convert > him 2719th, 2726th; H. heard him gladly 2726th ff. - S. above 1.
Cf. Christ 9, Feasts, Baptism 2, 3.
III John the Apostle. Lived 68 years after Christ's resurrection 482. > Causes his gospel 666, 678; differs from the other gospels in that it > not only tells the history, but also Christ's words and sayings 539, > 1946, 2194, ff, 2208, 2245; it includes fine funny sayings and sermons > 2112; it has special regard for all the sermons and miracles of > Christ, which belong to the doctrine of faith 1032; it guides and > interprets the Scriptures everywhere in a manner 485; it first draws > men to Christ, and through Christ brings them to the Father 646, > 2079 - S. Jacobus.
Joseph. 1. Jacob's son. How the promise of the meek was fulfilled in him 1005.
2 The man of Mary. Why Lucas calls him Christ's father 88, 1501; how he was challenged that the child Jesus was lost 147, 1586.
3rd J. of Arimathea. Has not forgotten his last hour 505; from where > he had the courage to ask for the body of Christ 498. ff. ,
Judas Iscariot. 1st Judas. Stingy and a thief 364th; took the Lord's Supper to death and judgment 310th, 312th, 1932nd, 1934th; left behind a bunch of disciples who would rather betray Christ than give up their splendor and power, as the papists do 324th; has many followers 367th, the pope is one 366th f.. His example teaches: how sin creeps in smoothly at first, but then causes a terrible end 403. ff; that we should fear God, guard against sins and pray diligently 364. f.; that the gospel and pure doctrine are not to blame for all kinds of trouble 360. ff; it also serves to comfort the enemies of the church 366. f.
J. and Peter. Difference of the sin of both 395. f.; why the one comes > to grace, the other not 396. f., 409. ff.
Jews. 1. general. Mocking names because of the circumcision 105.
- the I before Christ. Needed the coercion of the laws 2656. ff; > were not God's people alone 104. > > 3. the I. in Christ's time. The tribes no longer lived separately > 1557. f.; how their regiment was distributed 1771. f.; no longer had > the court of neck 1777.; had many tributes 2657. f.; resisted the rule > of the Romans 962. ff., 2532. ff. There must be a > > 2721. why they did not accept the gospel 716. ff.; were proud and > sure, despised grace 173.; insisted on their temple and worship 126.; > their blindness in disputation, which was the greatest commandment > 900. f., 2420. f., 2427. f.; thought Christ at best John, Elijah, or > Jeremiah 1169.; resented Christ's suffering 449. ff.; it is their own > fault that they lacked the Messiah 1408. f.; have no excuse for not > accepting Christ 1552. f., 1744. ff. - S. High Priests. > > 4. the J. after Christ. They do not have the right God 649. In > Luther's time: were nowhere sure 1348. f.; still expected the Messiah > in thunder 1435.; let themselves be baptized for the sake of the > baptismal penny 1202. - S. Pabst 3. > > 5. i. and Gentiles. Both are damned sinners 229. f.; the I. had > God's word, the H. sat in darkness 1043.; Christ is a savior to both > 229. ff.; the I. did not want to be equal with the uncircumcised H. > 1651. f., but despised them, so God rejected the I. 216.
Youth. The youth likes to hear lewd things, is easily annoyed and seduced 1269. f., 2778. f.; in her, around the twelfth year, it tends to show what will become of her 1590. She should get used to fear God, to love his word 2547. f., to serve the elders 2749.; she should shirk and suffer 2757. f.. One shall serve her gladly 1268. f., 2777. ff., he who serves her serves Christ 2778. f., 2781.; one shall not vex her 1269., 2777. ff, not to speak and do in front of her everything that is spoken and done otherwise 1270, 2779; whoever annoys her will be punished with eternal damnation 2780, 2782, f.; one should draw her to the best 1269, 2777, f., keep her in discipline 1271; how one should refer evil to her 1271, 2780, f. - S. Annoyance, Education, Catechism, Children.
Disciples of Christ. The disciples of Christ resented his suffering 449. ff. How Christ's disciples should hold themselves, how they should comfort themselves 9M. ff. - S. Apostles.
Virgins. In what their right adornment consists 1211; shall remain in their houses, right behavior on the street 1216. f., 2737. f. - S. women.
K
Fighting the devil is done through prayer 2001. catechism. Let it not be a small doctrine 903; with it one can ward off false prophets 793, 2260, 2264, f.; one should accustom the young people to catechism from their youth 2221.
Knowing. What it means to know Christ and the Father 630.
Heretics. Come from the fact that they want to interpret the Scriptures according to reason 1899; how the secular authorities should behave towards them 191. f.; the church should banish them, not strangle them 190., 1641. f. Consolation when Christians are accused of heresy 2616. ff.
Heretic baptism. Whether it is a right baptism 628. f.
Children. Unobedient children are of the devil 1739; they should be ashamed of Christ's example 152, 1591 ff; ungrateful children are punished by God 2184; God lets the rich fall, but raises the poor 2752 ff; the sick and weak children seem to be the mother's favorite 2162; one should not despise or anger children 1268 ff; he who takes care of them serves Christ.
2836Child murder Subject index. Cross2837
- f. The Bethlehemite children were well treated by Herod 2642. > Who are the children of God 291. f.; we are accepted, not born > children of God 523. f.; we do not become children of God by the law > of the emperor or the pope 2664. f.; that we are, Christ has earned > for us 1838. We do not become perfect children of light 2272. f.; how > we should take the children of the world as an example 809. ff., 2269. > ff. Who are the devil's children 291. f. - S. Education, youth.
Infanticide. When the Bethlehemite K. happen 2640. - S. Feste.
Church. Type and nature: it is a kingdom of heaven 926; the great multitude, office, power, prestige do not make the church 222; ff; are the baptized believers 2812; is where the means of grace are 2610; ff; where one teaches and believes the gospel 926; where the faith and confession of Peter and the apostles is 1175. ff;
It rests on Christ's shoulders 2603, 2607; it is founded on the rock > of the knowledge and confession of Christ 1174. - One, holy, universal > church: unity in faith and life is necessary to it 303. f.; it is > harmful to the devil, he seeks to disturb it 305. f.; there are rebels > in the church 2516. The church does not seem just and holy 2609. ff; > hypocrites and evil are always mixed with it 185. ff, 1630. ff, 2459. > f.; this comes from the devil 187. f.. The K. is bound to no place > 2602. f., 2607.; remains to the end of the world in spite of all > enemies 1177., 1626. f., 2069. f. - Enemies of the K. are: the devil > 2508., the gates of hell 1176. f., the devil and the world 1072. ff.; > how the latter hostile them 1176. f.; the more the devil rages, the > stronger the church 2508.; God punishes the enemies 428. ff.; the more > they rage, the more they fall 607. f., will be condemned 366. f. - The > false church also has the right office 628. f.; resorts to the sword > 629. ff.; the pope is not the right church 1175. f. - There are always > two kinds of church, the true and the false 628th, are difficult to > distinguish 628. f.; how to distinguish 629. ff., 632. f.; the true is > despised, the false highly respected 1197.; the false persecutes the > true 629. ff., Cross and consolation: it is a poor, despised, > miserable, small group 222. ff., covered with cross and trouble 2612. > f.; seems to be the devil's bride, must be called heretical 2607. > ff.; does not seem to be the Christians' church either 2608. f. > Comfort in hostility: that Christ is with her 1626. f., that she will > remain and spread 1072., 1977. ff.; comfort when she is to be called > heretical and not God's people 1102. ff., 2616. ff. - Foundation and > preservation: miraculous foundation of the Christian K. on the first > Pentecost at Jerusalem 2050. ff.; it starts with vain foolishness and > weakness, under which the greatest wisdom and power is hidden 2052. > ff.; God preserves it 467., 479., 1077. ff., 1819; it is preserved by > the Word and prayer 607, 2000 - Characteristics: the means of grace > 2610, ff; the Church adheres to the Word 1195, ff; the confession of > Christ 1175, ff - We are to serve it with our earthly goods 1087 - The > Church and worldly kingdoms: The church does not abolish it 967; the > secular rulers find it their duty to protect God's word and kingdom > 378. ff, should make peace for the church 191. ff; how the authorities > may act if two different doctrines are preached in one place 1644. - > The Lutheran and the papal church: difference in the doctrine of the > way to salvation 630. f.; that > > the right, this the wrong K. 630. ff. - churches and schools we should > support 127., provide for training of preachers and church servants > 1087. f. - S. Christendom, Kingdom of Heaven, heretics, papists 2, > preaching ministry, kingdom.
Ecclesiastics. They are all equal 1239. ff; between them there is a difference of gifts, not of power 1240. ff; wherefore the difference of their offices is 1204. f. They shall not exalt themselves in their office 1242.Not to rule, but to serve 1239, not to seek violence or honor, which Satan tempts them to do 323, 1236, since this was done, the pope came to 323. f. They may expect only temptations, but their reward is great 1242. f. - S. Church, Preacher.
Church property. Administration of the same an important office to which Satan is enemy 1062. f.
Church regiment. Such a regiment, since one alone has the word 1238. f.; therein is a difference of gifts, not of power 1240. f.; whether a head or supreme is necessary for it 1240.
Church Fathers. S. Fathers.
Church consecration. In the papacy one imitated Moses 1286. ff; why one chose Luc. 19, 1-10. for the church consecration text 1286.; how one celebrated them especially in the country 1288., there the authorities should defend 1288.
No one may be plaintiff and judge at the same time 385.
Monastery should be needed as school houses 42nd, 1429th..;
should be reversed to the bottom 42nd, 1430.
Monastic life is not worship 872. ff., 2359. f. - S. Monks, monastic life.
The clever ones who want to master Christ will be disgraced 895. f.
Comets were seen three in two years 12.
Coming. How one comes to God 2683. f.; how one comes to God through love of Christ 644. ff., 2076. ff. What it means to come to the Father 1139; one comes to Him only through Christ 1134. ff.
King. S. Christ 4.
Corn usurers do wrong 286; God punishes them 287. f. 1981. - S. blessing.
Cross. 1. the cross of the Christians. Nature and type: what the cross actually is 434 f.; it is a hard cross 583 f.; it is not something chosen by the monks 437 f.; it frightens the heart 1128 f.; God often does not seem to care about Christians in it 180 f.; it seems as if we must succumb 570 f.; when Christ enters the ship, there is also weather and tempest 174 f. - the author is the devil and the world 434 f. - who must bear it: A Christian must expect K. expect 175. f., 208.; all Christians must bear it 432. f., 580. ff., that is not to be wondered at 575. f. - K. a sign not of wrath 432., 577. ff., 1202. f., but of God's love 569. and of Christ's disciples 580. ff. - K. is necessary and salutary 575. f., 698. ff., 1203., useful 1987. f.; God does not mean it evil 1165. ff.; the purpose is our blessedness 569. f., it is the only way to the inheritance and kingdom of Christ 1167; it has a glorious end 1177. f. - cross and consolation alternate 1987. f.; the right consolation is the word 2614. ff.; consolation is: that it is only about a small thing 570. ff., 583. ff., 699. ff., 1978. ff., that Cbristus is our brother 525. f. and our good shepherd 558. ff., that Christ's kingdom is spiritual and not worldly 425. ff., that one suffers for Christ's sake 435. f. - Conduct: The flesh flees the cross 437th, reason despairs in it 1983th; we fall to prepare ourselves for it 576th f., 580th ff., not to it
2838Death on the cross Subject register. Songs2839
Do not let our hearts be troubled 1128. ff; take it as a sign that we > are God's children 1202. f.; we should be obedient to Simeon ^7. f., > bear it patiently 1987. f.. Keep the word 293, flee to Christ 178, ff, > do not see that you are a sinner 435, ff. Take comfort: that it is not > a sign of wrath 432, with the love of God 2101, with Christ's death > 1126, ff, that we are Christ's brethren 525, ff, with the gospel > calling 699, ff, With the dwelling in heaven 1132, that Christ > foretold it 580, 1984, and that it is right 1165, ff, with the example > of Christ and the Baptist 580, ff, that one suffers for Christ's sake > 435, ff, and that it is only for a little thing 570, ff, 583, ff, 699, > 1978, ff. How one should comfort oneself against the judgment of > reason that God has forgotten us 566. f., and that God does not mean > well with us 567. ff.; with which sayings one should comfort oneself > 567. f., with which examples 568. f., with the purpose of the cross > 569. f. Pray and call on God for help 436, 1994, - S. Faith II, 10, > suffering, lack, hardship, tribulation, misfortune, criminals, > persecutions, losses.
- distinguish between the penalty and the penalty 433. ff.
- It is now called the sacred wood, but before that it was called > the cursed wood 1807. f.; fine thoughts of the old teachers about the > wood of Christ 455. f.
Death on the cross disgraceful 451. f. - S. Christ 3.
War instigates Satan 2274.
Men of war live in a blessed state 767, 2218.
Toads. The devil is said to have created one from a block of earth 1631.
Arts. Good arts should not be despised 1725.
L.
Do not give anything to vagrants 849.
Lazarus means: God helps 700.
Life. In the Hebrews, L. often means: to have good courage 1W6. Christians regard the earthly life as a shelter 505. A holy life is a life in the profession according to God's word in faith 2216. ff. There is an eternal life 116. f., which reason considers foolishness 5l2; we attain it through Christ, who is our food 215l. ff; there is no marriage state 2423. f. - S. ChristenA, celibacy, faith II, 7,
Doctrine. In the angel's sermon at Christ's birth we have a touchstone of the doctrine 69. f. - The pure doctrine**:** how it presents Christ 994. f.; how the devil misuses and perverts it 1632.; many fall where it goes and cause all misfortune, others rise from it 94., 1511., that is better than that the pure doctrine is missing 94., is also not the doctrine's fault 95. f., 1512. f.; it is better that it rumors, than that everything remains silent and dead I5II. f. - In the Christian doctrine the doctrine of faith is the main part 1616. f. - Why the papists did not accept the Lutheran doctrine 718. f.; they called it false, because the Lutherans were in a bad way 577. f., 94. and called it seditious 416. but it was not to blame for the various troubles 209. ff., 1660. ff., nor for sedition, sects and evil living 360. ff. - False Lutheranism should be resisted, but not with the sword 1639. ff.; sheep of Christ should beware of it 556. ff., 1258. ff. - Pure and False Lutheranism
L. are always with each other 790. ff, 2258. ff - Doctrine and life: > For the sake of the evil life, reason also rejects right doctrine > 1632. f., 1636. f.; false doctrine and life are to be done away with > 2548. f. - S. articles of faith, matters of faith, errors, Lutherans, > human doctrine, human statutes, religion.
Body. It should be kept in check by work 2248. and not harmed 785. f., 2247. f.
Suffering. 1. the suffering of the Christians. They have to suffer a lot 1002. ff, 1279. ff, must expect life 1110., life, not earthly honor and glory 1200. ff; their life must be without fault 1080. f.. The comfort in L. is: God helps 1628. L. andHelp always alternate 2624., Christ gives us a livelihood in L. 2622. ff. Behavior: Be patient 1628. f., praise God 1755. f., be gentle 1004. ff., 1110., be humble I1II, hold to the word 1737, come to Christ 1108, f.; take comfort in the fact that L. is a sign that one does not belong in the devil's kingdom 1281, f.; take comfort in Christ's suffering 384, 1280, f., and in the fact that one suffers for Christ's sake 1283, ff; think of the joy to come 1003, f.; take comfort in eternal glory 1111.The fact that the enemies neither know Christ nor the Father, but hate him 1284. f.; one gives thanks for the glory IIII. The fact that Christians have to expect glory deters many from faith 1201. - S. and glory: Suffering here is followed by joy there 1438. f.; Christ will one day repay the glory for his sake 1438. f. - S. Cross.
- l. Christ. S. Christ 3.
- the L. of Christ and of the Christians. The Christians' L. is > Christ's L. 1081; distinguish Christ's L. from all other L. 1805. > f.; distinguish both L. according to merit 438, 458, 470; we suffer > for God's glory, Christ for God's glory and our salvation 1753. ff. > > 4th L. of the Saints. How it was preached in the papacy 1756. > > 5. life of the world. She also has to suffer many things, has no > consolation 1283; how she cries in the L. 1004. f.
History of the Passion. Why the evangelists refer to so much Scripture 449. ff. - S. Passion Sermons.
Light. Means in Scripture: Joy and comfort 2461**.**
Candlemas. Where this feast came from, what was done on it 2656.
Love. 1. general. What it accepts, it accepts alone 2076. f., 2096. f.; is the greatest of all virtues and includes all others 653. f., 2096. f.; gives gifts their value 654.
God's love for mankind. God loves the world 653 ff, how comforting > that is 658 ff; His love is revealed in Christ 653 ff, 911 ff, 2086 > ff, 2094 ff, 2586 ff, 2678 ff; we are assured of the Father's love > through the love of Christ 646 ff; the natural man cannot believe it > 341 ff, the devil hinders it 342 ff; whoever spurns the love of God is > condemned 2092 ff. > > 3. l. Christ to the people. Its greatness is revealed in the prayer > on the cross 462., 474. f., 1813. f.; should awaken charity 2332. > > 4. man's love for God. To love God means: to keep his word and > command 853. f.; what it means: to love God with all your heart 2341. > f.; how the love to God is revealed in life 852. f.; revealed in ' > keeping his commandments 2329. ff., in trusting God.
2840Loveless Subject index. Luther2841
In adversity 2376, in love and service of neighbor 856 ff, 2329 ff. > The world does not love God with all its heart 2341 ff, it falsely > says it loves God 854 ff, 2330 ff; love of God does not grow in our > garden 2342 ff, is impossible for us without the Holy Spirit 852 ff, > without knowledge of Christ 911 ff; only those can love God who have > known God's love in Christ 1106 ff, God's grace 1190. f.; it is > found only in Christians 856. f., 2332., even they do not love God > with all their heart 2342. f.; how to awaken to God's love 855. f.; > God's love for us should awaken love for Him 658., and Christ's > suffering 1864. ff. > > 5. the Lord of men to Christ. In what way we come to God through > Christ 644 ff, 2076 ff; makes us keep Christ's word 644 ff, 2076 ff; > if we love Christ, we become dwellings of God 647 ff, 2079 ff; this L. > flows from faith 644 ff, 2076 ff; Christ's suffering should drive us > to such L. 1864 ff. > > 6. l. to God's word. It shows that we are of God 1730 ff.; makes one > confident in suffering and death 1736 f., 1740 f. > > 7. l. to the neighbor. It looks only to God's word and command 166; > consists in doing all good to one's neighbor 2409. f.; should be > heartfelt 2224. ff.; cannot be begged 867; is a service that all need, > especially emperors and kings 1277; this service can be rendered by > anyone, however small it may be 1277. f.; is not found in the natural > man 2340; few practice it 1278. f.; Christians should have it 889. f., > 1276.; Christ's birth should drive us to it 1457. ff., 1462. f.; how > we should comfort ourselves when it is evil rewarded 1280. ff. - See > above 4, Faith II, 6, Worship 3. > > 8. l. and mercy. Difference 889th, 2376.
Loveless become damned 1278.
Songs: Agnus redemit oves 512. f.; Christ ist erstan
The 512th f., 1889th, 1891st f.; He who broke hell 1889th; A little > child so lovely 67th f., 1889th, 2592nd f.; God be praised and given > 1889th; Hostis Herodes impie 1075th; Mit Fried und Freud fahr ich > dahin 1514th; Now we pray to the Holy Spirit 1889th.
Wage. S. Work.
Release key. S. Key power.
Lucifer. Was the most beautiful angel, siel by Hoffahrt 2303. Luther. I. Luther himself. Sayings of L. about himself concerning: the Lord's Supper: he was afraid of it in the papacy, and it still clung to him later 1849, 1924, with what thoughts he received it in the papacy 2630, f.; the longer he waited, the more reluctantly he went to the Lord's Supper 315, 1937; how he acted when he noticed that Satan wanted to keep him from it 1854, f., He also went unconfessed 1855. Challenges: he experienced what a master the devil is 1895; his actions challenged him more than grace comforted him 1401; how the devil often frightened him with sin and death 1892; challenges because of the contempt of the gospel and its consolation 2621. f.; his faith became weak 2028. f.; in this Christ stood by him with his counsel 2616. Challenges: How he comforted himself over the attacks on his doctrine by the papists 183; he thanked God that he was condemned to death by the pope 1426; he was blasphemed because he was obedient to the authorities 2512. Mercy: How God had mercy on him in the pontificate
Profession: God needed him against the pope 2651; he kept his word, waited for his profession, unconcerned about the consequences 2258; was often tired of his office 2399 (see below preaching office). feared him in the papacy as a strict judge 13, 1378, 1554, 2565. Trinity: L. thanks God that he does not dispute whether the article of the D. is true or not 675. Angelic protection: L. was three times noticeably protected by the angels2645. Knowledge: did not know the 10 commandments in the papacy 2421, knew nothing of the knowledge of salvation in the gospel 2707; did not recognize the diabolical wickedness of men before the beginning of the gospel 99. f., 1519.; still has to learn about the resurrection of Christ 1884. f.; has not yet sufficiently grasped the doctrine of faith 2008. Gospel: he would have expected the pope and everyone to accept it 98. f., 1518. f.; if it had not already happened, he wanted to ask God to hide the word of the cross from the wise and understanding 1899. Enemies: He reconciled with them from the heart 2228.; whom he could not forgive 2193. Prayer: How he was prevented from doing so by the devil 1996. Faith: He found it difficult to call Christ "great joy" 1448.; to believe the forgiveness of sins 2497.; how he would have acted in the place of the wise men from the east 125., 1560., the Cananaean woman 258. f., 1697. f. Saints: St. Anne was his idol, St. Thomas his apostle in the papacy 1417. Ascension of Christ: why L. once preached of it 1868. Catechism: blessing of praying it daily 1854. f. Life: He was guilty of many sins in the Pabstthum 2102.; how he would live if he believed no other life 1544. Teaching: Tried to preach the gospel in such a way that no one would be offended by it 94., 1511.; he would rather hear he preached too sweetly than that he should not preach the faith 2007. Monastic life: "The pope had to make my dear Martin Luther a monk and Käthe von Bora a nun" 2083. f.; why he became a monk 83., 1495. f.; how he tortured his body 2248.; judgment on his M. 1412., it was a sin 2497. f. Münzer: How he prayed against Münzer 2623. Pabst: He would have thought that the P. would accept the gospel W., 1519. preaching: no ten in Wittenberg would stand firm if he wanted to seduce them to Pabstthum 2611.; he no longer liked to preach, so miserable was it 2531.; he wished he did not need to preach anymore 1572. f. speaking: he spoke many words that were not God's word 1976. disciples: how he ran away as a S. from a farmer who brought a fried sausage 1679. f. Testament: L. also wanted to make an N. T. out of the A. T., if he had the spirit of the apostles 1902., 1908. Devil: Has appeared to L. 529., 1913. f., L.'s behavior thereby 531., 1914. Works righteousness: Through this he wanted to become blessed in the Pabstthum 2034. f.; it still stuck to him later 1548.
- L.'s time. Sayings of L. about his time in relation to: Communion: Some refused to receive it in both forms, supposedly out of obedience to the authorities 149. Fraud and usury prevailed in all estates 2279. f. Harvests: There were many years of good harvests before 1533, but the usurers squandered everything 780. f. See below:
2842Lutheran Subject index. Mice meal2843
Corn usurer. Gospel: It was despised 928. ff, 2446., persecuted 2471. > p. below:. Word of God. Avarice: In it everything was drowned 2129, > 2137, etc.; various ways in which one tried to spare something 407. > Servants: L. complains about the servants 1213, etc.; maids were > insolent in words and gestures 1217, 2738. Means of grace: they were > despised 1365. Church services: they missed the sermon, went to the > inn, went for a walk 2c. 2450. f.; one was not devout at the sermon > 2448. youth: L. complains about the cursing of the 1.1270., 2779. f. > church: one was meager against the church 1062. f., 1349. church > customs: public intercession for new spouses 1313. corn usurers > distributed the grain 1981. p. above: Harvesting. Life: People lived > in all kinds of sins and despised the Word 2450.; sins were considered > virtues 2129. f.; all kinds of vices were more prevalent than before > in Pabsthum 363., 1358. f., 2502.f. See below: Luxury, gluttony. > Doctrine: Many at princely courts, also many priests, remained papists > against their convictions 1273. ff.; instead of accepting the gospel, > one went around with human statutes 651. Luxury: Complaining about > splendor and excess 2399. Authorities: One despised the O. 2530. ff. > S. Papists. Papists: persecuted the Protestants 390, ff., 1611, ff., > incited the authorities against them 402, 1011; papist authorities > forbade the subjects the pure doctrine 970, deprived their Lutheran > subjects 446. Preachers: they wanted to dictate what and how they > should preach 272. f., 1712. f.; they were treated badly, were meager > and thought that they had to forgive sins 2505. f.; they were despised > 1365., held inferior and more contemptible than cowherds and sowherds > 854. f.; the church servants were treated with contempt.They were > hostile to the ecclesiastics 844; they liked to do the greatest harm > to the parishioners 1572; they were meager toward them 484, 2658; they > were stingy, especially toward the parishioners 2137, 2139; the > parishioners had to struggle with food worries 870. f. Disobedience: > Complaints about U. against parents and authorities 844. Persecutions: > The Protestants were persecuted and robbed in 1521, see above: > Papists. Gluttony 2137. f. Women: L. complains about the hopefulness > and lack of discipline of the womenfolk 1216. f., 2738. f. Word of > God: it was despised 1349th, 2450th, it was very mean in all classes > 290th; it was persecuted 855th, 2287th S. above: Gospel. - S. > greetings, women, Lutherans, Reformation, death 1, mourning.
Lutherans. How the papists slandered the Lutherans concerning the Lord's Supper 387. f. - S. Doctrine, Papists 2.
Lyra. Opinion about the Antichrist 1301.
M.
Macarius and the Dazzling Work of Satan 2570. f.
Power. Many are proud of this 1228.
Maids. How they should be comforted by the example of the Virgin Mary 161. f.; Luther complains about their insolence 1217.
Magnificat. Why it was decreed to be sung in the past 1220; the pope and his crowd do not understand it.
Mahomet. Whether he performed miraculous signs 994.
Mammon. M. means good, wealth 2277th, 2368th;
why it is called unjust M. 804. ff., 2268., 2277. f., > > 2283; how to make a right M. out of it 806, 2279" 2283; how to use it > 1470; the world will not be frotz 2371. f.
Mammon servants. How they will fare on the last day 2280. f. - S. Miser.
Mammon service. Belly care is m. 876, 2364, f.; is idolatry 71, f.; foolish 2368, ff, as the pagans mocked it 878, 2368; the world is full of it, it is drowned in it 878, 1468, 2279, f., 2368 - S. belly care, avarice, food care.
Mandate. Means: command, commandment 321st; so one called the foot washing in the Pabstthum 321st - S. foot washing.
Lack. In lack, reason wants to reckon, but we are to believe 280. ff; one flees to Christ 155., 1596.; one lets God take care 786. ff; one comforts oneself that Christ will not let us die of hunger 756. ff, 2208. ff - lack and abundance: do not trust in and do not be frightened by lack 787. - S. hunger, cross, need.
Manichaeans. They did not consider Christ to be a right man 182, 1627.
Manichaeus. Made Christo a changeling 2646. f. Man. S. Sexes.
Mary. 1. The Virgin M. Was of the tribe of David 1114. f., a young, poor maiden 1225th, 2744th, 2756th, poor 213th, 1664th, probably a poor maid 1114th; was probably at work or at prayer when the angel appeared to her 1114th; went to Elizabeth to serve her during the weeks 1220th f. She was a virgin before, in and after birth 2637th; kept the law of purification, whether she was guilty of it or not 214th f., 2636. f. She was born in sins like us 2676. f., no better than other children of God 1116. f.; how she obtained forgiveness 1154. f., 2709.; also enjoyed, both like us, Christ's ascension 1209. Of her faith 1212., 2759. f.; she simple-mindedly believed the angel's proclamation 2682. f., which is a miraculous work 2750.; she proved faith and love in the answer, Behold, I am the Lord's handmaid 2c. 1124. f. She was humble in her high honor 1222. ff, 2733. ff, 2740. ff, 2756. f.; of her humility 1212. ff; far from false humility 1219., 2739. f.; how her humility punishes our hopefulness 1213. ff, 2735. f.; she was chaste in gestures 1216. ff, 2737. ff, 2755. f. She had to suffer misery with the child 2643. f.; how she was afflicted and challenged when she lost the boy Jesus 147. f., 1586. f.; how it looked in her heart when Christ died 496. She was blessed by grace 1157., by faith alone 1124. f. Veneration: after Christ, she is the noblest jewel in Christendom 2592; she cannot be praised and extolled enough, but how? 2596. f.; one should not worship her 1225., not seek mercy from her 1116.; what to think of her ascension 1208. ff.; how she is worshipped in the papacy 1756.; Bernhardus thinks that Christ can deny her nothing if she shows him her breasts 18. - S. Feasts.
- m. Magdalene. Image of the Christian Church 1195. ff.
Martyrs. How they are worshipped in the papacy 1756.
Martyrdom. God respects him 1079. f.; is not considered wrong in the eyes of the world 1163.
Measure. Size of the same among the Jews 154.
Mattheshochzeit. A wedding that lacks nothing but bread and who 160, 1600.
Meal of mice. Since one only eats, not drinks 712.
** **2844Human Subject register. Noth2845
Man. According to the philosophers, he is a rational animal 2593. f. What the natural man is compared to God 2593. f.; his miserable condition 54., 59., 1453. f.; is in darkness 2663. ff., gout-broken 2442. f., deaf and dumb 2319, heedless and forgotten against God's benefits and punishments 78, ff; loves sin 397; is lost 691, f., 694, f.; only Christ can help him 2443 and Christ's birth 54, f., 59, f. - S. honor fear, conception, earthly, sins 3, world.
Doctrine of men. It has a greater appearance than God's word 252, 1690 f.; it is the devil's doctrine 252, 1691 f.; it gave rise to the pope 252, 1691 f.; it should be fled, it blinds people 2415 ff.
Human statutes. Do not please God 2344. f.; to what extent one can keep them 1616. f.
Incarnation of God. How comforting it is that God became a man 54. f.; it reveals God's love 2678., teaches that God is not opposed to us humans 2586.; is joyful because the Incarnate wants to be our Savior 59. ff. What a great honor it is 54. ff, 1125. ff, 1455. ff, 1480. ff, 1483. ff, 2680. ff; this honor casts out the fear of Christ and God's wrath 1458. ff. Believing the M. is a great, ineffable art 2584. ff; it is a great grace about which we should rejoice 2678. ff; the honor should make us glad 58.; we should rejoice in the honor, thank God for it 1480. ff, 2678. ff, 2680. ff, especially also young people 1481. ff; the high honor should arouse ardent love towards the neighbor 56. ff, 1457. ff; unhappy, who does not know about this high honor, or does not rejoice in it 57. f., 1457. ff. Reason and the pagans are annoyed by the M. 2584. ff; worldly wise men and Epicureans ridicule it 2589.; Jews, Turks, Tarians and the pope do not believe it 2679. f.; the devil is annoyed by our high honor 1125., out of envy of this he fell, as some think, 1457. f. - S. Chri stus 3.
Mass. How the papists wanted to make the abolition of the M. wrong 1639. f.
Measure. With what measure God measures us before and after faith 2191. f.
Messiah. Lousy beggars have raised themselves to the M. 1435; Christ is the M. 22. f., 450. f. The Jews had many beautiful and glorious promises of him 1. ff., 1352.; he was to be a righteous one and a savior 3. ff., 1355. ff., 1362. f., which is a power no other king has 3. f., 1355. f., 1364.; was to come poor and miserable 2. ff. The Jews believe two Messiahs, one suffering and one glorious 1831. f.; their false expectations of the M. 1. ff., 1352. ff., 1360. ff., 1364. f., 1431. f., 1745. f., 1748., they expected a bodily Savior 59., expected he would keep to the saints, reject the sinners 2159.ff.; still expect him in thunder 1435. - S. Christ 4.
Michaelmas Festival. S. Festivals.
Michel, St. St. M.'s sleep, since one sleeps until the last day 981st, 2555. "
Rivas. Fable of the King M. 878., 2368. f.
hirelings. M. are the fickle preachers who preach for their own benefit or avarice 555, 1969. M. and wolves are the false teachers and tyrants 555, 1969.
Bad harvest. In 1534 - 2367.
The means God gives, whether in the physical or in the spiritual, are to be used 2645. ff.
Monks. They reject the doctrine of faith 2485; they do not know what perfection is 901; how they justify their monastic life 250; they want a peculiar life 2415; their life is not holy and pleasing to God 755; it is lazy and epicurean 157, 1596; they tempt God with it 250. How to accustom the young monks to gratitude 865.
Monastic life. It is not the right change of man 1494 ff, no worship 905; it is denial of Christ 1429, dishonor of the marriage state 157, 1597.
Lunar eclipses, though natural, are nevertheless signs of the last day 12., 1376. f.
Morning blessing and evening blessing. What kind of sayings should be remembered 410.
Moses and the Prophets. The prophets drew from Moses 1902; what they preach 707; they deal with Christ 1897; they were read in the schools on the Sabbath 2143; one should listen to them if one wants to be saved 706; - S. Christ 8.
M. S. had scheduled the last day for October 19, 1532 2435.
Münzer. He was darkened by the devil 2571; belonged more to the pope than to the evangelicals 1642. f.; wanted to spread the gospel by force 1641; had success in the beginning 2623.
Idleness and waste displeases God 882. f.
N.
Neighbor. What one does good or evil to him, one does to God 903. ff, 2404. ff; one should not despise him 853., not rejoice in his misfortune 2376. f.; one should serve him willingly and without self-interest 165. f. - S. Liebe 7, Noth.
Nail marks of Christ. Whether they are still transparent 1943. food worries. Are foolish and shameful 2365. ff.;
come from the devil 2206, he incites to avarice and n. 248, 1686, f.; > they attack parents and preachers 2356, not the youth 2354, ff; > Christians should beware of them 2364, ff, they should not follow them > 2242, ff, they should not and need not make themselves n. 276. ff., > they should trust God to feed them 1720. ff., 1726. ff.; how to resist > them 248. f., 1687. - S. Bauchsorge, Geiz.
Nebuchadnezzar. A pious king 379.
New Year's Day. For Christians, the Christmas feast is N., according to the Romans, January 1, 1528.
Nicodemus. Was not wrong 682.
Nuns. Despise wives, God rejects the N. 2305.
Roth. Is bodily and spiritual 2377. ff. As great as it is, it is still nothing in Christ's eyes 983. in all N. he can help 2374. ff. he is a helper in all N. 2554. f. In all things we tremble easily 976 f.; we should not despair 2375 f.; we should look at them with Christian eyes 980 f., 983 f., believe, not worry and calculate 280 ff.; in all things we should flee to Christ 178 f., 940 f., 1623 ff., 1940 f., 2375 f., provide ourselves with all good things to him 976 f., 2552 ff., but who does it? 2552 ff; pray 355 ff, 991 ff; how to pray 356 ff; take comfort in Christ, the good shepherd 1961 ff, with Christ's agony 355 ff. Conduct in the face of one's neighbor's need 2377. ff., in this we should help him, the brother, 2230. f.; example of spiritual still and how to help 890. ff. - S. Cross, lack.
2846Necessary Subject register. Pabstthum2847
Necessities. How the N. to the great supper happens 721. ff.
Emergency defense is allowed 376.
Novatians. Wanted a church of vain saints 184.
O.
Authority. 1. God's order is the O. 1237. f., ordered and confirmed by God 2506. ff.; he who hears it hears God 843. f.; has been restored to honor by the Gospel 1714.; is preserved by the prayer of Christians 2510., 2517.
2- Profession. He who is not called to it should not arrogate to > himself the office 374. > > 3. the state of the O. is necessary, there must be in the world law, > compulsion, punishment 2658. f. > > 4, The office and works of the O. By her works she serves God 374; she > has power over body and goods 2508. ff; her office is to rule over > body and goods, not over faith. Her office is to rule over body and > goods, not over faith 2525 ff; to wash the feet of the subjects, to > serve them in spiritual and physical matters 325 ff; she is commanded > to use the sword for the good of the subjects 372 ff; to protect the > pious, to punish the wicked 1238; the authorities are called > "gracious lords" for the sake of her office 1238; she is to punish > injustice 951, to ward off all anger and willfulness 373 ff, to oppose > false doctrine and worship 381; to act rightly against heretics 191 > ff; to punish outward vices, not all evil in general 2490 ff; to > punish even when there is no plaintiff 377 ff and even though mercy is > commanded 739 ff and wrath forbidden 778, 2233, 2238 ff; to defend > itself when it is attacked on account of religion? 378. ff. - See > Heretics, Punishments 2. > > 5. official conduct. The O. is not tyrannical, does not take > everything from the subjects 972. f.; does not believe everything from > others, sees for himself 2262.; does not trust the officials too much > 794. .., > > 6. the sins of the O. Few want to wash the feet of the subjects, > serve them 326; is often lax and too lenient 377, 2492, f., for which > the pope and the monks were to blame 2492, f.; is not particularly > concerned about God's kingdom and religion until Pilate is awakened > by the enemies of the gospel 402; often demands what is God's 2525, > f., f., 2530. the O. should be punished 272. f., 1713. f.; it does not > like to be punished 2726. ff.; if it is lax and too lenient, God > punishes it on a whole city or country 376. ff., 2492. f.; how Christ > will meet the O. on the last day, who imposes false doctrine on the > subjects 784. f. > > 7. enemies of the O. Most consider it a misery, a constraint, a > necessity 2510. f.; the Anabaptists despise it 2508. > > 8. o. and subjects. The O. is God's order, which we should not > disrupt 1237. f.; one should not despise the O. 2493. f.; the U. must > bear the O., this should not oppress those 2601. f.. One must obey God > more than the 0.148. f., 1587. ff.; right conduct when the O. wants to > force one to false doctrine and worship 380., 968. ff.; the u. should > not wield the sword when the O.'s cause is evil and unjust 382. U. > should give the O. what belongs to her 2508. ff.; what belongs to her > teaches homage 2513.; one should give her what is hers, but in such a > way as to smoke > > God grant what is God's 2525. ff. U. are to indicate to the O. > annoyance and will to anger 374. f., 2172. f., order her to take > revenge 374. ff. One does not want to be subject to the O. 2529. f.; > one does not like to give her her fee 2510. ff. God punishes > ungrateful, disobedient U. 2512. ff. - S. Obedience, revenge, > disobedience. > > 9. Christian and O. A Christian may be a secular O. 1446; he is their > subject 1971, fulfills his duty with joy, as befits 2508. ff; he may > seek their help 740. f., 2172. f., 2537.
Cf. Church, Empire VI, VII.
Oxen mean regents 718.
Oekolampadius dangerously errs in tearing the word from the forgiveness of sins 2440.
Ear confession. S. Confession.
Sacrifices. The Old Testament sacrifices do not earn mercy 2235; they are now finished 448.
Ordination. What belongs to it 1028. f. - S. Laying on of hands, ordination.
Orders of God are desecrated by the devil and his own 712.
Origen. Interpretation of Luc. 22, 33. - 1502.
Paschal Lamb. How the Jews had to eat it 1842. f.; a model of Christ 486. ff.; Christ has abolished it 1842. ff.; we have in the N. T. a better O. 634.
Easter. This feast is instituted to preach about the resurrection of Christ 1866. f., it is fair that this article be practiced on this feast 1884.
P
Pabst. 1. the pope. Is Jude's successor 366. f.; wants to be lord of the church and the secular authorities 1239. f., which is an abomination above all abominations 1242.; how one wants to prove that he is a lord in heaven, on earth and in hell 1168.
- the P. and his clergy. They are idolaters and slaves of the devil > 253. f., 1692., vain children of Judas 385., Christ's worst enemies > 402. f., rebels 1642. f., Bloodhounds, to whom one should not hold > 1645., no right fishermen 1030. f. Are in erroneous doctrine and life > 69. f.; are up to their ears in contempt of the Word 292., 1735.; have > a Turkish faith 1171.; do not rightly recognize Christ 1171.; do not > believe the article of Christ's resurrection 512.; have no mother's > hearts against those who are commanded to them 484.; want to be both > plaintiff and judge in religious affairs 386. > > 3. pabst, Turk and Jews have missed the father 2082.
Pabstism. The priesthood is false, as can be seen from its doctrine and life 802. f.; Christ's prophecy about the false Christ was fulfilled 2564. ff.; the devil is hidden under it 1631. f.; the devil had brought his kingdom and power high 266. Darkness: God's word and good arts lay low 1726. st; darkness in doctrine 2565. f.; people knew nothing of the law and gospel 2420. ff.; there were strong errors 992. f.; the devil was heard 2252. ff.There were strong errors 992; there was hearing of the devil 2252; the P. is hostile to the Gospel 37; there was no knowledge of the Gospel 2634; there was still the Histories, but did not understand them 1889; there was still baptism, the Sacrament, parts of the Catechism, but did not understand all 68; there was no understanding of the angels' sermon at the birth of Christ 68; there was no preaching of forgiveness in Christ's name 537;
2848 Palm Sunday Subject Index. Preacher284A
John's preaching of salvation was missing 1153. Christ was presented > as a severe judge 13, 18, 1109, 1383 ff, 1554; they did not point him > out, but to other ways to heaven 38; they made many ways to the Father > 1137; by the doctrine of good works they dishonored Christ 42, and > denied that he was the light of the world 2664; they sold good works > in the p. 42; the service of God is self-chosen 341; they put the > commandment of men above the commandment of God 414, 2415, ff, 2427. > ff; it is a world full of idolatry 69. f., 2573. statutes of men: much > had to be given 2658. f. How the consciences were martyred in the P. > 13th, 1378th; their condition was miserable, like that of the Jews in > the time of Christ 782nd, 2444th f.. There were lying signs 994, 2566. > ff. In the P. the devil also gave way to the word 266; many of our > ancestors were saved there 2575; we should not forget the papal > abomination 551; one should flee the P., if only because it makes > Christ a severe judge 1109.
Palm Sunday. From where it has the name Palm Day 1744; should be called: Day of the entry of Christ 1744.
Paphnutius. Story of P., the piper and the two wives 85. ff., 1498. f.
Papists. 1. papists. Hate the gospel because the belly is their god 92. f.; are like the Jews who went out to capture Christ 382. f.; knowingly condemned the pure doctrine 463., 476.; are worse persecutors than St. Paul 1094. f.
2 The P. and the Protestants. The Protestants call the Protestants > rebels and heretics, who are to blame for everything, but unjustly > 1642, 1804, f., 2058; they accuse them unjustly of forbidding good > works 2006, 2019; by which they wanted to make the abolition of the > corner mass and other abuses unjust to them 1639, f. - S. Church, > Lutherans.
Sermons on the Passion. The sermon of the Passion is at the same time a high and bad, a secret and public, a strong and weak sermon 331. f., It is the highest service of God 332. f.; it was already started in Paradise 332. One should preach annually about Christ's Passion 1757; it is cheap and useful to preach 1750. ff; the sermon about the Passion is very good and necessary 330. ff, 333. f.; if God takes away this sermon, the punishment will not remain outside for long 333. How one should preach about the Passion 334. ff, 340; besides the history, one should also show the benefit 1827; the cause of the suffering should not be left behind 1752; one should always see that Christ suffers for our salvation 1814; one should also see the words that Christ speaks 1805. The preaching of the Passion: Isaiah 338, Zechariah 339 ff, Daniel 340, John the Baptist 335 ff, Christ 337 ff, the Apostles 340, Paul in Romans 340 ff. How Christ's Passion was preached in the Papacy 334, 336, ff, 1753, ff. We should hear the sermon of the Passion with particular pleasure and practice it often 333. ff. - S. Christ 3.
Paul the Apostle. Why he was an enemy of Christians 1093 ff, 2650 ff; his conversion is a miracle 1092 ff, 2649 ff, painters do not paint it properly 1096 ff, 2652 ff, it should be preached about in church 1092 ff, 2648 ff, 2648. ff., it is comforting to us 1099. f., 2653. f. He is the herdsman, our apostle 2651. f. His epistles are the standard-bearer in the N. T. 1828.
Master to strike out the resurrection of Christ 1876. Why the discord > of P. and Barnabas is reported 1198.
Pericopes. The Protestant: Reason for selection of P. for Epiphany 1584. f.; various pericopes for Trinity 2685. f.; why Matth. 15, 21-28. have been placed on the Sunday Reminiscere 254., 1694., Marci 8, 1-9. on the 7th Sunday after Trinity 780., Luc. 2, 33-40. on the Sunday after Christ Day 1502., Luc. 11, 14-28. on Oculi 262. f., 1702, Luc. 14, 16-24. on the first Sunday after Trinity 710, Joh. 3, 1-15. on the Feast of Trinity 680. ff., 2108. Whoever wants to treat the Gospels right, should pay attention to the words, especially those spoken by Christ 1946.
Pestilence. How a Christian should think in the P. 981. f., 2556.
Peter. Is called rock 1174. from where the apostle P. had the name 1174.; how his faith and obedience is revealed at the fishing expedition 758. ff.; for which his deep fall is told to us 1198.; his fall is very comforting 1786. f. - S. Judas.
Pontifical consecration. The papal P. has no scriptural ground 1025. ff.
Penny. How much it was worth among the Jews 280. - S. Denarius.
Pentecost. Means: fifty 632. f. - S. Pentecost. Pentecost. Origin of the Old Testament P.
- f.; it is a terrible P. 634, f.. The New Testament P. was > prophesied 636.; how it happened at the first Christian P. 2049. f.; > then the Holy Spirit began his ministry as Comforter and Spirit of > Truth 2057. f. Why we celebrate the P. 2046. f. Difference of the Old > and the New Testament Ps: the former is terrible, the latter is joyful > 2056. f.; the latter is a different and better Ps than the former 634. > ff.
Pentecost sermons. The sermons on the day of Pentecost in the A. and N. T. are very different 2047. ff. Content of the apostles' sermons 2050 ff, 2060 ff; how courageously they appeared 2049 ff, 2057 ff; how well they knew how to lead the Scriptures 2053 ff; this Pentecostal sermon has been preserved for us by the Holy Spirit, for which we should always thank God 2055 ff.
Pound. Among the Greeks, a sum of gold, about 600 crowns 952.
Pharisees. The name means: odd man out 829, 2307. They were among the Jews, as in the Pabstthum the monks 829. f., 2306. f.; stingy 2126.; did not want to be considered stingy 2129.
Pilate. What God revealed to the wife of P. in a dream 428.
Poland. The P. believe what their king believes 1436.
Poltergeists. How to counter them 2146. - S. Apparitions.
Preachers. 1. their office. It is a ministry 322 ff, 545; their word is Christ's word 1940 ff, God's word 1941; in one preacher's mouth is heaven and hell at the same time 543; they have power to forgive and retain sins 1957; they lead John the Baptist's ministry 1409 f; they are to catch people with the gospel 1029 f.; they are to seek the lost 728, to seek the lost 728; to preach Christ as the good shepherd and as an example 556, 1970; to punish the world for unbelief 591, to eradicate it from the hearts according to Paul's example 341; to punish and forgive sins
2850 Preaching Office Subject register. > Government2851 > > 2759. ff.; shall also punish the sins of the high ones 272. f. > > 2. different kinds of P. The false ones are Judaean followers 367; > the false ones are called righteous, but the righteous ones are called > seducers 1801; a sleepy P. makes a merry listener sleepy with him > 68. - S. shepherds, false teachers, hirelings. > > 3. conduct of office. Pastors should conduct their ministry in such a > way that they can give an account on the last day 273, 1714; > unfaithful pastors will have a heavy responsibility 2245, f., as > Christ will meet them on the last day 784. Their ministry requires > love 483, f.; they must expect enmity 1165, f., They must be patient > in their ministry 2762. f. As good shepherds, they must also lay down > their lives for the word 554. f., 1968. They need the Holy Spirit for > the right conduct of their ministry 2058. ff. They should not preach > as people wish 272., 1712. ff, They are to preach unconcerned about > how people receive it 273, 1715; they are to punish injustice > unhesitatingly, even if it means their lives 164; they are to be > strengthened by the Holy Spirit so that they are not afraid 597; they > are to urge people 721 ff; they are to bear witness to their teaching > with their lives 164; they are not to seek their own benefit or honor, > which Satan tempts them to do 324 ff, and from which no one should > think himself safe 325; they should not seek their own benefit 555, > 1969; they should beware of avarice 2281, f.; they should not let > their office serve them for splendor and court 545; they should not > want to be glorious, but consider Christ's testimony of his kingdom > before Pilato 427, f.; they should only serve others 322, ff. How they > should comfort themselves: when they see many tares 188. f.; when they > are challenged, as if God's word is preached without fruit 752.; when > they are persecuted, they should comfort themselves with this: it is a > small thing to do 1979. > > 4. conduct against them. One should ask God for brave preachers 68. > f.; one should hold them dear and valuable, not withhold from them > what is theirs 854. The right preachers are called rebels 2628. f.; > the listeners often behave badly against them 484.; one wants to > dictate to them what and how they should preach 272.; one does not > want to know anything about punishment or forgiveness of sin 2760. > ff.; the world does not like to be punished 1164. f.. God punishes bad > behavior against them 2537. f.; he who despises their word despises > God's word 1941. f.; God punishes it if one is meager against the > preachers 966. The hostility receives the P. in humility 2025. f. > > 5. p. and listener. There should be a maternal and filial > relationship between them 483. f.
Cf. church usher.
Preaching office. It is not a ruler's office, but a ministry 1204. f.; it is not a higher nor heavier work than this 2246.; it is a spiritual regiment, not to be mixed with the secular, as the popes and bishops did 541. ff., 1947. ff.; it does not have to do with earthly things, but only with sins 541. ff., 1947. ff, 1947. ff; the own definition of the P. is that one should preach the gospel of Christ 542., 1948.; it should preach the very thing that Christ preached 1948. f.; should be led according to Christ's example 540. f.; to the same all the world is subject 1989.; should not be in vain 635.; one should not wait for something special and despise the P. 1098. f., 2654. f.; for the
Preservation of the P. one should give away his earthly goods 8.; the > devil is your P. enemy 1030. f., 2246. - S. Spirit 1, Church.
Sermons. One should preach nothing but about Christ and faith in him 2084; the highest sermon is how to be saved 683; public sermons are very necessary 330 ff; one should explain his subject per antithesis 2094; one should also think about it afterwards 81 ff. Many do not understand the preaching of Christ 1417; it should always be practiced 1416. f. - Preaching and singing: A good sermon is followed by a joyful song 1487. - S. Penance, Passion Sermons, Pentecost Sermons.
Priest. In the A. T. not everyone could be a priest 1024. f., in which the pope imitates the A. T. 1025. The some priest of the N. T. is Christ 1025. f.; in which sense also others in the N. T. are called priests 1026. - S. Christ 4.
Prophets are called who prophesy the future 1407; God seldom lets his prophets see the misfortune they preach 1161, 2723; the prophets of the OT longed for Christ 2334 ff, for Christ's birth 2590 f. - False prophets s. false teachers. - S. Christ 4.
Prophecies. The Scriptures are a proof of the truth of the Christian religion 2689. The prophecies of Christ are drawn tighter and tighter in the Bible 677. Luther's prophecies: after his death the rod will be felt, which is already bound 2512. f.; when those are gone who now endure, hellish fire will rain down on the world 2723.; after his death the spirits of the rotten will come 1884., which will especially darken the article of Christ's resurrection 1888. ff., it will become even darker than in the papacy 2421; God will afflict the evangelicals with pestilence, war, theurung 2503. f., 2507; God will punish avarice 2137. - S. Germany.
Testing. What "to test" means 313rd, 1935.
Purple. Better than velvet 2132.
R.
Racha. Refers primarily to the unfriendly gee-.
Revenge. We are not to avenge ourselves 374, 738, 957, 2175, but to order the authorities to avenge us 374; how then, if the authorities do not avenge? 375; own R. punishes God 957. f.
Vindictiveness. Is innate in all people, we should not indulge in it 2232. f.; it is a miserable, harmful thing around a vengeful heart 1006.; R. is very harmful 960. f..
Vindictive people cannot pray Our Father 960. f.
Justification and sanctification. The R. is to be followed by the H. 2168., 2186. ff., 2234., it also follows 1539. ff. - S. faith 11,7, forgiveness 2.
Ways of speaking. Scripture often speaks of God in a way that people do 1261.
Reformation. Was a great good deed 177; for this we should thank God 2486; one was ungrateful 79, 176 ff, 1620 ff, 2259 ff, 2658.
Rainbow. From a R. that went around the sun 12.
Government of God. God needs the world without it knowing it 46; it should not annoy us that God deals with his saints as if he did not know them 1159. ff, 2721, 2723; if it seems strange to us, remember that there is an eternal life 116. f.
2852Reich Subject register. Rhymes2853
Kingdom. I. R. of God and R. of Christ is one and the same R. 2010.
II. R. of God. We should strive for this, and everything else should > fall to us 1726. ff. > > III. r. of Christ. 1. nature and kind. It is not an earthly r. 2009 > ff, not a worldly one, not concerned with earthly goods 612, 614, > which many forget 615; but a heavenly, eternal r. 1120 f, 1446, a > spiritual r. 1562 ff, a spiritual R. of truth 1793. ff.; that it is a > spiritual R. is comforting 425. f., 426. f., with which, of course, > the papists are not satisfied 428.; a spiritual R. of grace, > forgiveness, blessedness 2158. ff, different from Mosi's R. 2465. f.; > a R. of grace, how to be comforted by it 32. f" there is vain > forgiveness 2494. ff., 2630. ff., in it there is no sin, no death, no > wrath of God 1120., in it Christ makes us eternally free from the law > 2630. ff.; a kingdom of the cross 575. f., in it we do not have > earthly glory to expect, but suffering according to Christ's example > 1200. f., cross and suffering is the court scar 1201.; in it Christ > wants no one to be like Himself, He alone wants to be helper and > Savior 1203. f.; in it it is not to ride high, but to serve 1485. f. > > 2. beginning and progress of the R.. Christ judges it with judgment > and strengthens it with righteousness 1054. f.; it is entered by faith > 1120. f.; it consists in faith 2371.; Christ rules with the Gospel > 426., he rules his R. whimsically 2607. ff., 2614. f., in the > temptations he governs it with his counsel 2614. ff., he governs it in > such a way that suffering and help alternate 2624., he casts down the > enemies 2624. ff., he governs happily and peacefully 2633. ff.; it is > preserved by the Christians' prayer 2416. ff. > > 3. subjects of the R.'s. They are equal to each other in spite of > the difference in status 194. ff, 2073. f., which is very comforting > 195. f., but the papists do not want to know about this equality 196. > ff; it is an R. for sinners 1819. f., for the blind, the lame, the > crippled 23., 1084. f., 1088., 1394. ff, for afflicted hearts 1446. > ff.; a R. of those who have paid homage to God and sworn in baptism > 2515.; in it are all subjects who have been baptized and believe > 2602.; in it we become rich in spiritual goods 2633. ff.; tvhich > subjects are to honor Christ and serve Him 7. ff, They should pray for > Christ's glory 8., promote it with their earthly goods 8.; we should > strive for the same first, so that everything else will fall to us > 780. ff., 882. f., 2242. ff., 2371. f.; well to those who serve Christ > 9. > > 4- Enemies of the R. Human reason cannot comprehend this R. 2515; > Christ casts down the enemies of His R. 2624. ff. > > Cf. Christ 4, Kingdom of Heaven, Church. > > IV. R. of the Devil. A very few R. 274, 1716. f., a terrible, > miserable, horrible R. 54. > > V. R. Christ and the devil. The former is poor, the latter rich 1282; > the latter is peace and sweet, the latter is strife and confusion > 1488, 2465; they are enemies to each other 1281, 1716; the devil's > rule is hostile to the Christians 274, It makes not all accept the > word 274; Christ is a master of the devil and his R. 264, ff, he > defeats it 1563; the devil's R. is overcome by the preaching ministry > 264, by the gospel 2626, ff; the world despises Christ's R. and hangs > on the devil's R. 2465. > > VI. Worldly kingdoms. Are also God's R., but > > only of the left hand 26th, 1397th; shall punish external vices 2490. > ff. > > VII Christ's R. and secular kingdoms. Christ's kingdom is a > spiritual kingdom, quite different from secular kingdoms 128. ff, 425. > ff, 1441. ff, 2465. ff; to recognize this difference is necessary 425. > ff, 1442. ff; one distinguishes both, lets both exist next to each > other 2506. ff; one should not make Christ's kingdom into a secular > kingdom 1239.; few make the difference 1442. ff, this art was not > understood in the papacy 2492. ff, there "ran mixed both kingdoms > 1442., 1445., that do many 2529. ff. ^r^tus, as distinguished from > all secular rulers, carries his rule on his shoulder 2601. ff, 2606.; > secular rulers deal with temporal, Christ's rulers with eternal 2529. > ff, the latter with earthly, the latter with spiritual, heavenly, > eternal goods 1201.ff, 1746.ff; Christ's rule is not a temporal, but > a rule of mercy 1147. ff; temporal r. seek temporal peace, but > Christ's rule eternal 1444.; Christ's rule is not a temporal rule, > in which one rules, but serves 1236.; temporal r. rule with the sword, > Christ's rule does not 1397. ff, 1641. ff, in that one there is > compulsion, in this one not 91., 1507., in those there is punishment, > in this one forgiveness 2490. ff, in those there is inequality, in > this one everything is equal 194, ff., 1647. ff., The latter have to > do with strong holy people, the latter with poor, weak sinners 25. ff; > when the world's judgment ceases, Christ's judgment and glory will > be revealed in us 426. f; Christ's judgment does not abolish the > worldly judgment W7. ff, 1441. ff, 1609. ff, 2158., the latter should > not hinder the former 968. ff, otherwise they harm themselves 971. f. > Both the devil challenges 2508. - S. Gospel 6.
Rich (divites). "Rich" often in the Scriptures as much as usurers, ungodly 1836. ff, 2133. God needs the earthly R. for the sake of his church 1290. ff; they should above all hold to the word, this for their highest treasure 1292.Their narrow little hearts 1292. ff, and the avarice that prevails in all classes 1293. ff, prevent them from overcoming these obstacles 1294.; they must beware of avarice 2137. ff; they must restore unjust goods 1297. ff.; shall make for themselves a monument of death in their pleasure houses 506; shall commonly abuse money and goods 1295. f.; why God lays many a cross upon them 699; Christ will not exclude them from his kingdom 1289. ff; which R. will be in great honor at the last day 808.; why R. are condemned 702. f.; must become spiritually poor, if they want to become blessed 2135.; what they were urged to do in the papacy, if they wanted to become blessed 1291. f. - He who is rich in spirit 1000.- S. poor.
Diet of Augsburg. How the evangelicals were afraid in 1626; it will bear its fruit in 1629; the enemies of the gospel were saddened by the outcome in 1980, 2520.
Wealth. It is a foreign good 2274. f.; it is not evil 2132.; why Christ calls it unjust mammon 2268.; it is not a proof of piety 2130. ff.; it brings care 1724.; it does not condemn 702., 2136. ff; it should not be coveted 1724.; how to be right in one's wealth 2136.; it is needed for God's glory and one's neighbor's benefit 2268.; it should not be abused, but used to help the poor 804. ff, 2276. ff; many are proud of it 1230. - S. Armuth.
Rhymes. "I live, and know not" 2c. 1741.
2854Cleaning Subject register. Sword2855
Purification The Old Testament law of R. was a hard law 2657.; what it prescribed 2636. f.; it was not moral law, with injustice the pope imposes it on the Kindelbetterinnen 212., 1662. ff., we are free from it in the N. T. 2657.
Religion. Only the Christian religion is the true one 1137. ff, 2687. st; it will not perish 2690. f. One should not stay with a false R. for the sake of the ancestors or other people 2566. - S. Doctrine, prophecies.
Respons. On the day of the Assumption of Mary 1208. f.
Rene. Is the kingdom and regiment of sins 546, 1953; necessary for the forgiveness of sins 547, 1955; not a meritorious work 546, 1953; the work of the Holy Spirit 1186.
We shall not judge and condemn 744 ff, 2182 ff, 2189 ff; we may punish, but not judge and condemn 744 ff, 2182 ff; this is a hard commandment 744 ff.
Judges shall punish, though wrath is forbidden 2238. f. - S. Plaintiffs.
Rome. Now lies two rooms deep underground 1611; is an example of how God overthrows the hopeful 1229.
Romans. It is a miracle that a woman could have remained unabused among them, for they believed in no other life 1545; the Germans took much from them 1528.
Rotten and enthusiasts. They come from the devil 1630 ff; they come when we least think of it 1637 ff; they are necessary and good for the church 1635 ff; they harm the gospel more than the tyrants 1633 ff; we must expect them 1637 ff; we fight them not with the sword but with the word 1641 ff; we should flee them 451 ff - S. Scripture, interpretation of Scripture.
Rottengeister. They are the devil's mouth 76; they always claim to have the Scriptures on their side 446; they interpret the Scriptures as they see fit 1362.
S.
Sabbath. It was the highest of all festivals 1824; its celebration by the Jews 2395; what it means: to keep the Sabbath 894, 2388, 2395, 2540; whether it is good for people 893, 2386, 2395; among Christians all days should be the Sabbath 897, 2391; the first day of the Sabbath is Sunday 1896.
Sabbath Journey. Barely 1/4 mile 991.
Saxony. Legends of the Resurrection: Do you think that one guy is inside the other? 1879.
Sacraments. Assure the individual that Christ belongs to him664, 2107. - S. Communion, Circumcision, Means of Grace, Baptism, Word IV.
Sacramentalists. Council Questions Their Reason 2199. p. Anabaptists.
Anointing. Why the Jews anointed the corpses 497. f.
Seed. Often means children, heirs 1S37.
Meek. Christians are meek in suffering 1004. ff; S. will possess the earth 1005. f.
Saul. God raises up the humble, overthrows the proud King Saul 899, 2393. f. - S. David.
Avenger, on the right on the cross. An excellent, beautiful example, the like of which cannot be found anywhere 465. ff, 477. ff, 1818. ff; had a western faith, makes a glorious confession 465. f., 478. f., 1818. f.; where
from which he had his rich knowledge 466. f.; his death was a service > 468. 480.
Christians should not have schadenfreude 2376. f. - S. Misfortune.
Sheep. Have a certain sharp ear before other animals 557. 1960. p. Christ's hear his word 556. ff., 1960. ff., follow his voice 562. f., 1971, f., flee from a stranger's voice 1971. ff.; such find who believe in Christ and follow him in love 1970. f.
Sheep's clothing. Which are the s. of the false prophets 798. ff., 2264. ff.
Sleep. S. Michel, St.
Serpents. Of the fiery S. in the desert 2113. In what way the brazen S. was a model of Christ 2113. ff., 2117. f., 2123.ff.; it had to be looked at in faith 2117. f.; many Jews probably laughed at the same 2117. f..
Key power. What kind of power it is 1179; it has to do with sins, not with worldly things 541 ff, 1948 ff; binding belongs to some sins, loosening to some 543 ff, 546 ff, 1949 ff; against this power the power of emperors and kings is nothing 543 ff, 1949 ff; this power is commanded to the church 1180 ff, How it is exercised 1179; if it is exercised, God does it 1940; this power the pope has falsely arrogated to himself alone and extended to the temporal 1178; - The release key is a great power 545, 1952; all Christians can use it 545, 1949, 1952; - How the pope understood the binding key 542, 1948; - S. absolution, excommunication, forgiveness.
Jewelry. The most beautiful and best S. is to stand in the command and obedience of God 874. ff., 2361. st.
Shoot of Abraham. Has the promise happened to Abraham 701.
Castle. Your office 2308.
Scripture, the holy one. Is not derived from human wisdom 1899; often speaks of a thing like other people 88, 1501; understanding: the unbelievers also have the Scriptures, but do not understand them 134; he who wants to understand them must become a fool and gouge out the eyes of reason 1898; one cannot understand them without the Holy Spirit 1898, 1901, 1910; behavior: It is not a matter of disputing, but of believing 1911; become a simple student of the Scriptures 1909; we should read, hear, and act them with pleasure 1910, f., so that one will find his heart's delight and joy 1911; cults and sects claim that the Scriptures are on their side 446.
Interpretation of the Scriptures. Rotten and sects interpret everything in their opinion -446th, 1362nd, 1899th - S. Pericopes.
Debt sacrifice. A sacrifice to pay the debt 1837.
Schools. The High S. did not recognize unbelief as the right major sin 589. - S. Church.
Schoolmaster. First S., then preacher 2401.
Guardian angels of individuals 2783. f.
Weak. In general: shall not despair 1033. ff.; Christ does not reject them 1198. st. S. in faith does not throw Christ away 1032. ff., 1943. ff. - S. Strong.
Enthusiasts. They have lost everything 2441 - S. Rotten, Sacramentalists.
Sword. Who should wield it and who should not 372. ff; whether one should defend the gospel with it 378. ff.
2856Soul Subject index. Proverbs 2857
Soul. Means the life 1223rd, 2743.
Blessing of God in the corporeal. Make much out of little 780. f.; do not waste it, but save it 285., 1725. f., but also do not be stingy and increase the market 285., which God punishes 288. f.; many misuse it 284. f.
Being. What it means to be of God 291, 1734; those who are of God shall have life 1736. Not to be of God is a terrible lament 288, 294, 1731; what it means to be of the devil 290, 1732, 1734.
Self-righteousness. Is idolatry 71. f., 1467. f.; Christ warns against it 768. ff.- S. works-righteousness.
Beatify. What this means 2070, f.
Blessedness. Our bodies will not need clothing 84; it is prepared for all men 1131. How to attain it: men want to attain it by their own choice of worship and works 683 ff; the Gentiles and Jews sought to attain it by their worship 1134 ff; men want to attain it by works 1422 ff, 2034 ff; the Jews thought they could attain it by works 2339 ff; Christ must teach how to attain it 683 ff. It is obtained through Christ 2410 ff, 2662 ff, who is our food 2151; through Christ alone 1134 ff, 1363 ff, 1422 ff, 1838 ff, which, of course, does not please your natural man 1135; through Christ alone, which is not disputed when one teaches: If thou wilt be saved, let thyself go 2c. 1138; by right knowledge of Christ 1172; by grace 2343, 2707 ff; by Christ alone, not by law 109 ff, 907 ff, not by law 852 ff, 859 ff; by Christ alone, not by holy living 34 ff, 67. not by works 1346., 2711. f., he who wants to go to heaven as a saint is deceived 467., 479.; by forgiveness of sin, not by works 1153. f.; by being born again 684. ff, by regeneration, not by works 2108. ff; by accepting Christ's death 1131.; that all men do not attain to salvation is because they do not accept Christ's death 1131.; by faith 2024., 2070. ff, by faith alone 2034.; in the Son of God 2087. ff, 2104. ff; by faith, not by law 1040. ff; by faith alone, not by works 660. ff; not by faith and works 2032. ff; whether not by works, since the friends made by unrighteous mammon receive us into the eternal mansions 812. ff; by Christ and faith in him 2685. ff. To attain salvation, one must listen to Moses and the prophets 706. ff. The whole Holy Trinity works for our blessedness 680 ff.
Beatificator. The word is not good German 114th, 1542. Seneca. His saying: Ibi deest remedii locus etc. 2128.
Sequence on the day of the beheading of John 1165.
Sighs of Christians over the world are a sure sign of a great wrath of God 1526. f.
Safety. Leads into error 2260. f., does harm also in earthly things 2262. f.; the example of Jude 364. ff. and Peter 390. ff. warns us against this.
Silver piece. Value of this coin 360.
Simeon, the old man. He studied diligently in the prophets 233; he knew from God's word that the Messiah existed 221. f.; he had no advantage over us, although he saw Christ with his own eyes 228. f.
Simon. S. means: one who lets himself be told and follows 437. S. of Cyrene, a picture of the Christians as cross-bearers 432. ff.
Sodom. An example of how God punishes the contempt of His word 1351.
Son. The Son of God is true God 2693, 2695. f. In Judaism, it was considered a special misfortune if there was no son in the house 884.
Sun. One saw many suns 12.
Solar eclipses, though natural, are signs of Judgment Day 12, 1376. f. The S. at the time of the Passion of Christ was not natural 1377.
Sunday. What it is ordained for 897, 2391; what to preach and learn there 2547.
Worry. We should not worry, but believe 280. ff; we should leave the worrying to God, our worrying is of no use 786. f. - S. work.
Thrift begins with the small 2273. f.; God will have it 883., 1725. ff. - S. Blessing.
Proverbs. 1. after beginnings: Ab amico reconciliato etc. 2228.; A cibo to cocto etc. 2232.; Amor descendit etc. 484.; Audiatur altera pars 1792.; Are you something 2c. 830., 2309.; Dat Deus omne bonum etc. 758.; To parents bad boys can run away 2c. 742.; It comes to the wicked twice more sourly 2c. 2270.; Lift it up 2c. 1725.; Lord's favor and April weather 2727.; Ignoti nulla cupido 52nd, 1452.; Jacula praevisa etc. 576. f.; The longer, the worse 2c. 1389.; cats licking in front 2c. 1523., 2229., 2235.; Magnisque negatum stare diu 2747.; Male sarta etc. 2228.; Maxima reverentia debetur juventuti 2779.; Nihil carius emitur etc.. 831st, 2310th; Nihil citius senescit etc. 80th, 865th, 1493rd, 2349th; Trauwohl ritt das Pferd weg 794th, 2262nd; Vor Essens wird kein Tanz 1848th; Was man gern thut 2c. 437; Wat, ick hab ock noch 2c. 1222; Wehre, Elfe, wehre 2c. 1725; Wem nicht zu rathen ist 2c. 820., 2288.; If I do as others do, 2c. 1112. f., 2668.; He who likes others better 2c. 25, 1397; He who holds when he has 2c. 1725; He who runs away from his father 2c. 742, 2174; Where God builds a church 790, 1630 f., 2258.
- by keywords. Eyes - sense 2263rd; outrigger, good 1898th; full > belly - cheerful head 1848th; peasants' church 1288th; bow, broken > 2228th; hand, mild 2185th; good -muth 805th, 2278th.; good, ill-won > 2133rd; wrongful good - third heir 2133rd; hunger-cook, thirst -waiter > 2590th; eating cherries 2726th; pitcher to the well 822nd; rogue - > luck 575th, 582nd; Wohlthat - forgotten 865th. > > 3. proverbial sayings. That should be ordered to them 965th; to lay a > blozen 284th; to take an oaken Butterwecken in the hand 2378th, to > grease one's skin with an oaken Butterwecken 891st; to run in the > dark 1791st; to make a blue haze before the eyes 401st; to push the > bottom of the barrel 825th; it will be found when the snow melts > 725th; to fish someone in front of the yarn 2627th f.; to hit the meat > bank 2727th.; to beat to the meat bank 2727.; it comes from a dear > hand 654.; the buffoon who likes nothing but himself 2396.; the sky > hangs full of violins 578.; yes, behind him 2730.; to teach chickens > to lay eggs 760., 2199.; to get someone in the crook 2301.; to tie a > shillelagh to the dog's neck 2536.; to louse with cobs 2514.; to beat > the crook in the crook-
2858States Subject register. Sinners2859
965th; teaching cows to calve 760th, 2199th; hearing a bell but not beating it 1573rd; throwing one out with lungs 2744th; having to be muzzled in the mouth 2730th; teaching a moros 2653rd; making one a nose 2730th; washing the fur 1714th; having to draw in the whistle 2155th, 2161st.2161; to harness the cart to the horses 149, 1589; to catch cream 2524; to grow up in one's own sod 2781; to have one's hand in the sod 2496; to give a town shilling 1800; to dance at high mass 80; to live on the string 2137; to get nowhere 278.
Estates. 1. types of professions. God has ordered the difference between the professions 2304, 2312, Christ does not reject it 2398, it must remain 305, it remains among Christians 194, 1648. The devil is hostile to all the churches and seeks to destroy them 795. f., 2261. ff. One should not be proud of one's status 2304. f., 2312. f.; no Christian should despise his status as unholy 2220. f.; one should be accustomed from youth to be certain that one is in a blessed status 2218. ff.; how one should comfort oneself when one is of low status 195. ff., 1649. ff. - S. Aemter, Evangelium 5.
- the state of the Christians. In what it consists 1613. f.; one > distinguishes between the Christian state and the external life 1613. > ff.
Strong and weak. Why God strengthens the S. and lets the St. fall at the time of the aversion 500. f.
Stephen. His Office and Life 1058. ff.
The dying. What they still say and do goes deeper to our hearts than usual 317. f.; how they were comforted in the papacy 1755, how the barefoot monks comforted them 1755.
Star of the wise men. Some think it was an angel 1088.
Pride. S. Courtship, disobedience.
Punishments. 1. divine punishment. God does not lack the means to punish 822, 2289 ff; why God often hides the punishment, does not let it go immediately 818, 822, 2286; the punishment finally comes despite the delay 821, 2287, 2289 ff, it finally hits the wicked 433; he who continues safely in sins does not escape it 815; people abuse the delay of the punishment for security 8l8, 820, 2286, 2289; - p. Cross 2, deeds of mercy.
- human punishments. Are not annulled by the prohibition of wrath > 778., 2233., 2238. st, nor by the commandment of mercy 739. ff; can be > works of mercy 889. sst, are a piece of the same 2377. f.; one should > punish out of mercy, not out of selfishness 2183. st, 2232. f. - S. > mercy 2, parents, authorities 4, penal office, death penalty.
Sin. 1. kind and nature: difference between right and pious sins 542. ff., 1949. ff. Never sin is a horrible harm and burden, as Christ's suffering teaches 350. ff, 439. ff; a dangerous disease 1248. f.; does not want to be sin, but virtue 2127. ff; creeps in smoothly at first 403. ff; is everything that does not proceed from faith 1990.; by recognizing sin it becomes right sin 544. f. Sins are not all of the same magnitude 395. st; difference between willful and weak sins 895. f., s. 463, 476, 1815, ff, knowing sins are against the Holy Spirit 1816, f., between recognized and unrecognized s. 544, forgiven and unforgiven s. 544.
The greatest is contempt for the word 2287. f. - S. Original sin, > unbelief. > > 2. consequences and punishments of the S. It dominates man, drives to > sins 2012. f.; where the devil first finds room, he plunges man from > one S. into the other 364. ff.; first it lures, then scares 2019.How > it first creeps in smoothly, but afterwards causes a horrible end, > teaches Jude's example 403. ff; whoever sins wantonly, does not > receive the Holy Spirit 642. f.; God leaves no sin unpunished, where > correction does not follow 742., 2174., 2295. ff. - S. Punishments 1. > > 3. help against the s. We cannot help ourselves 952. f.; the natural > man loves sin 397., is secure in his sins 1249. ff.; the abomination > of the s. we do not recognize from ourselves 350.; the shell is not > with us, but with Christ 694. f.; the abomination of the s. reveals > Christ's suffering 439. ff, his agony 350. ff., his prayer in the > agony 352. Christ helps against the S. 910., 2152., he is the only > physician 1249. ff., the only helper 3. ff., 114. ff., 296. ff., 1355. > ff., 1362. ff., 1833. f., 2114., 2118. f., 2124. the only Savior 1546. > ff.; one finds help only in the holy child JEsu 1122. ff.; he has > taken her captive 615. ff, 2012. ff. and it serves for our good 616. > we receive help in regeneration 2118., 2124. through faith 2013. f. We > should beware of the S. 409., beware and pray against it, be warned of > Jude's example 364. ff; do not despair, since the Triune God wants > our blessedness 682.; Christ's Ascension comforts against the > accusations of the S., breaks its dominion 2012. ff; weep over one's > S. and pray 440. ff, ask for mercy 953. f.; how we, having fallen into > sin, should seek mercy 394. ff.; if one has sinned, ask for > forgiveness and resist the sin 774. f.; how we, being freed by Christ, > should fight against it 2015. ff. - S. Christ 4, sinners, impenitence, > forgiveness. > > 4. s. of the Christians. The S. still clings to them, is not > condemnable 2495. ff. > > 5. s. of other people. Be patient 750; punish and forgive them 2760. > ff; not punishing them would be double mercy 891. - S. Apostles, > Saints 2, Sinners, Forgiveness.
Fall of man. By this the devil has disgracefully brought us to naught 1453. f.; against this Christ's birth comforts 1453. ff.
Necessity of sin. In this Christ comforts us that he will not let us be condemned, and we should believe him 2201. ff., 2210. ff. Let us prepare ourselves with God's word 409 ff; let us not despair 1036 ff; let us keep the word 948 ff, 982 ff, 2618 ff, 2628 ff, the gospel 295 ff, 2032 ff; let us need the Lord's Supper 1187 ff; let us look to Christ 1448 ff, grovel on the cross, ask for mercy 953 ff, confess sin, ask for mercy 397 ff; let us take comfort in Christ, the good shepherd 2164 ff, of his righteousness and innocence 1539., of his suffering 343. f., 346., of his innocent suffering 423. f., of his agony on Mount Oel 353. ff., of his resurrection 344. f., 1892. f., of his ascension 2016. f.; take comfort in baptism 1187., in freedom from the law 2630. ff.; take comfort in the sins of the apostles 1199.
Sinner. S. all men are 533. f., 728., 1154., 1916. f., also the Christians still 1920., all men by nature, whether also in outward works a difference is 1191. ff.; some sin knowingly, the sin-
2860Symbolum Subject register. Devil2861
digfn against the Holy Spirit 463. f., 476. others ignorant 464., 476. > f. Natural man thinks God will not have mercy on the S. 1250.; God > loves them 341. ff, will not reject and condemn them 726. ff, will be > gracious to them 1099. f., 1125. ff, 1246. ff. Christ does not reject > them 1199. f., loves them 2162., can suffer them, will help them 763., > seeks them to make them blessed 2161. ff.; how the lost s. are found > by him 732. f.; he accepts them 1086., accepts the penitent s. 467., > 479.; which s. he accepts 733. f. How to deal with them, what to do > with them 726. ff; how our mercy should be shown to them 1254.; not to > reject them, but to seek them 735., to accept them 1248. f. They > themselves should: not be sure 1249., not be sure, improve 2296., not > despair 734. f., 834. f., 1071., 2163. f., 2313. not thinking, when > they know their sins, that God's grace is not available to them who > are unworthy 762. ff., that they are excluded from Christ 2105. ff.; > drawing near to Christ 2165. f., fleeing to grace 2343. f., Confessing > sins, asking for forgiveness 2237. f., needing absolution 1180. f., > confessing sin, believing in forgiveness 2500., taking comfort: Christ > is a good shepherd 731. f. - S. Christ 4, sin 3, 5, sin distress.
Symbolum. The Nicene: In it, the little word "us" and "our" is used with great diligence in the article of Christ 2597. f.; as it was sung in the church of old 2678. - The Apostolic: see Faith I.
T.
Day. 1. The natural day begins with the Jews and also in the Christian church in the evening 508. f.
- the last day is not far away 1371; will come suddenly 19, 1369, > probably faster than expected, for the sake of the sighing of the > chosen 243. f. Of the signs of the last day 11. ff., 1374. ff.; what > has been fabled of it 1387.; the signs on the sun and moon are partly > natural, partly not 12., 1376. f.; the roaring of the waters 13., > 1377.; the terror of men 13. f., 1377. ff.; the signs have mostly > already happened 13. f., 1377th, 1388th; will not always happen > 1387th; whether the signs will all happen shortly before the last day > 12. f., 1376th, 1378th, 1387th; the striking of the trees reminds of > the last day 1388th; Christ will come in great splendor 14., 1379th > f., as a savior of his own 1450th f.; it is a day of damnation and > redemption 15. ff, 1380th ff. Conduct: One should not be afraid of > Judgment Day 888. f., not be sure, but look forward to it 1368. ff.; > this should not frighten us, that it will come Suddenly 19. f.; at its > approach Christians should not be frightened 14. ff., they need not be > afraid 2384. ff., we should rejoice when we see the signs 1373. ff., > 1379. ff., 1387. ff.; we are to look forward when the signs come on > 12. ff., we are to be valiant and pray 1389. ff., we are to 'beware > of eating and drinking 19. ff., we are to pray 20. We ask for the > youngest T. in the Lord's Prayer 1372. ff.; the world is safe 1384. > ff, will be safe 1369. f., will scratch and scrape 1389. f., we shall > work yes, but not go 1390. - S. M. S., lunar eclipses, solar eclipses.
Talentum. A sum of money, about 600 crowns 952. - S. Pound.
Baptism. 1. the New Testament T. The doctrine of it is offensive to reason 106. God baptizes 919., 2439.; the person of the baptizer does not make the T. better 2145.; in it God deals with each individual 946. f. Glory: it is not bad water 142. f., 1580. f.; is an aqua vitae 143., 1581.; in it the Holy Trinity is present 142., 1580. f. Baptizing without water is an abominable error 687. f. Baptism in the name of Jesus and the Triune God is the same 143rd, 1581st effects: It is not to be judged after the eyes see 688. f.; it seems incredible to reason 1900.; its glorious effects are to be believed even if not felt 240., 1677. f.; it takes away sin, death and all misfortune 143. f., 1581, gives forgiveness of sins 918, cleanses from sins and makes us eternally alive 492, makes us partakers of Christ's death, which is comforting in death and at the death of our loved ones 1326, casts out the devil 264. f., 1704, 1704. washes away sins, moves out of the devil's kingdom into God's kingdom, which seems foolish to reason 1532. we are baptized to inherit Christ's kingdom 1749. it gives birth to us again 686. ff, we put on the right vesture 2615, Christ instituted it, that in it he might put on and give us his righteousness 5. f., 1358. Water has its power from the Word 686. f., 918. ff., 2438. f., 2478. f.; it is connected with Christ's blood 491. f. Baptism teaches that God is gracious to us 138. ff., 1576. ff. It should not be repeated 1179. f.; it remains firm even if we fall, one does not persist in sins 144., 1582. Children should be baptized 687. behavior: Baptism should be honored because Christ was baptized 137th, 142nd, 1576th; for our baptism we should thank God 495th; despisers of baptism are cursed people 137th, 1576th; if Christ gave money in it, it would not be despised 1202nd; Jews were baptized for the sake of the baptismal penny 1202nd. Baptismal customs in Luther's time: renunciation 2c., Confession of faith 2515; Western shirt 2615. - Blood, means of grace, sacraments, Anabaptists.
- the T. Johannis. Why it was called a T. of repentance 1161. f. > > 3. the T. Christi and Johannis. The difference is a bit too high for > the common man 43.
- Christ's T. S. Christ 3.
Tauler writes: one should desist from prayer 258, 1696.
Temple at Jerusalem. Establishment of the same 448th; had its special coin 826th; is not rebuilt, although it has been tried 2561.
Testament. The A. T. should last only until Christ 22; difference of the Old and New Testament covenant 1148. f. - The whole New Testament is already in Moses 1902, 1904, 1906 - S. Pentecost, Pentecostal sermons.
Devil. Opinion of some fathers about his fall, 57th, 1457th, what he is and is able to do: Is God's monkey 790. f., 2258. as he is said to have created a toad out of a lump of earth instead of a man 1631. f.; strong and powerful 1710.; mighty and, cunning, can easily deceive us 2569.; a lying and murdering spirit 2251. f., 2256.; can easily deceive us by false signs 2569. ff.; seeks to make all disorder 2261. ff.; comes not in the wolf but in the sheep.
2862 Exorcisms Subject register. Ingratitude
2863
fur 2253. f., 2256. f., 2261. f.; cannot harm further, for God permits him 1260. ff.; Christ has taken him captive 615. ff. and delivers us from his power 1460. f. Effects: He causes misfortune and all kinds of afflictions 2316; does us all kinds of harm to body and soul, harms where he can 838. ff, 2770.; when he has felled one, he does not easily let him go 270., 1710. f.; he serves Christians for the best 617. Conduct: He is judged, now we must not be afraid of him 595. ff.; how we may be hopeful against him 832. f., 2311.; one should not be safe from him 2569. f., One fights against him by prayer 2001; Christians do not despise him as surely as the saints of works 269 ff, 1709 ff, the world serves this enemy of men 2333. - See Angels 3, 4, Hope 1, Fighting, War, Toad, Lucifer, Empire IV, V. Exorcisms. Whether one devil casts out another 275, f., 1717, f.; they happen continuously in the church spiritually through the word 264, 1702, ff.
Devil's service. The world is full of them 906. f., 2408. f., 2413.
Theurung. How to take comfort in it 1985.
the apostle. How great his unbelief was 1034. ff-, 1943.; how he came > from unbelief to faith 1039. f., 1943. f.; was actually only weak in > faith 1944. f.
Table Prayer. Christians should pray over and from the table 602.
Death. 1. the natural T. Is like a sleep before God 2426. Christ is a savior and helper in T. 2540. ff, a light in T. 1156.; he gladly helps from T. 886.; took him captive 615. ff; T. is a little thing before our Lord Christ 884. ff, 2380. ff, only a quiet sleep 886. f., 980., 2383. f., 2543. f., that is not easy to believe 2554. f.. Comfort: Moses gives no comfort against death 23 ff; how we should comfort ourselves against death 884 ff; comfort against death is offered by baptism 1326 ff, the Lord's Supper 1326 ff, the ministry of preaching 1327 ff; against the terror of death Christ's resurrection comforts 1877 ff, 1892 ff, our own resurrection 1881 ff, 2544 ff; it serves Christians for the best 616 ff. The believers' T. is a sleep 887. ff., 1327. f., a salvation from all evil 1329., it does them no harm, but is a harbinger of misfortune 1160. f., 2721. ff. Behavior: Christians are not to respect the T. 2380. ff, not to be afraid of the kind of death that will kill them 1386.; what kind of worry we should have 1340. f.; we should ask God to let us know that we must die 1335., it is not foolishness to want to think of death 1335.We should firmly trust that God will give us a blessed hour 1336; we should learn that God wants to save us from death 2544. f.; we should keep a good conscience 1340. f.; looking forward to death is an art above all arts 225. f., to die cheerfully is a work of the Holy Spirit 1514; to look forward to death 226 ff; to patiently endure death is not meritorious 1755. many do not want to prepare for death 1337, to go there safely, to despise the only Savior from death 2541 ff, It is a horrible and terrible thing 2547; the world is surely going there 1384; the natural man is afraid of death for sin's sake 224; the despisers of the word go there in terror 294, 1736; Turks, Jews and papists do not comfort Christians, are afraid of death 887, 2384; Christians do not fear it 292, 1736; they look forward to the fact that they are free of the flesh.
T. of some ungodly preachers in Luther's time 1341 - S. Dying, dead.
- prophetic T. What that was 1776.
Fear of Death. Worse than death itself 1765.
Death distress. How to pray in it 1068. ff.
Capital punishment. Instituted by God for the worldly kingdoms 190. f.; a work of mercy 892., 2379.; how to prepare the condemned for death 190. f.; how the barefoot monks comforted them 1755.
Deaths. 1. general. God does not want to preach to us through T. 2144. ff.
- believers. Are not dead before God 2546, 2556, f.; sleep much more > quietly than we do in bed 886, f., 2383. Their death is a call to > repentance 1332, ff., to remind us of our own death 1332, ff. > Consolation: we have not lost them 1322. ff., 1333. f.; on what this > hope is based 1326. ff.; consolation at a sudden tooe 1338. ff., at > the death of those who were insane in mind 1338. ff. Conduct: We are > to thank God that he has made them know his word 1336; we may mourn > for them 1325, but not like those who have no hope 1323; how we are to > comfort ourselves over them 1320; at the death of Christians we are to > see nothing but vain life 1876. ff. > > 3. unbelievers. Thoughts and behavior at their death 1337. f.
Cf. questions, dying, mourning.
Killing. What the Scripture calls killing 772. ff.
Burial of the dead. What the Christians should think when they go to the corpse 1330. ff; the Jews had pipers instead of bells 977. f., 2548., 2553.
Death is fourfold 2236. f.; all the world is in this vice 2231. f.
Mourning for the deceased. People dress in black 1002.
Fidelity. There is no T. among the people 1471. f.
Feast of Trinity. S. Feasts.
Comfort. The testimony of the Holy Spirit alone gives comfort 625 ff, 2042 ff; He comforts by testifying of Christ 624 ff, 2042 ff; He takes His comfort from the Father 624 ff, 2041 ff; in His testimony alone one should seek comfort 626 ff, 2043 ff; one should seek it in the oral word 2044 ff; difference between the comfort of the world and that of the Holy Spirit 622 ff, 2039 ff.
Tribulation. Be comforted: It is only a small thing to do 1979. f.
Turks. 1. the Turks. They do not have the right God 649; how they attack the article of the Trinity 2695; what they think of Christ 992, f., 1171; are persuaded that their virgins may give birth, and yet remain virgins 1121, f.. Keep a strict regiment 2492; take the tenth son from each of the parents 1664.
- the T. and Christians. How the T. at Luther's time before Vienna > 2512th; their successes were a punishment of Christianity 967th - S. > Pabst 3.
u
Abundance often harms the body, too 789. The merciless. God is hostile to them 850, 2186. ff,
- f.; repent of his mercilessness 2192. f.
Impenitence makes sin great 1192. f.
Ingratitude. Is the greatest vice 864th, 2348th; is very mean 864th, 2348th; the world is ungrateful to God 865th, 2189th f., 2350th ff.; God punishes ingratitude.
2864 Dishonor Subject register. Pursuer2865
- f., 2189. f.; Christ is the enemy of ingratitude 867. f.; one > must become accustomed to ingratitude and not let it turn us from > doing good 866. ff., 2350. ff., only Christians can do this 866. f., > 2350. ff.; it should not keep us from doing good 738. f., 743. f., > 745. f., 2180. ff.; with ingratitude we should not judge 2182. ff. - > S. Gratitude, Benevolence.
dishonor of God. This is the highest dishonor of God, believing that he wants to corrupt us for the sake of sins 232.
Disunity. Satan and the world try to cause it 1010. f.; Satan causes it among Christians 1631. ff; it devastates everything 274., 1716., is very harmful among Christians 1631. ff, especially when it arises among preachers 1198,
Unfriede. Satan instigates it 76. f., 2774. f.
Disobedience. We should be ashamed of disobedience to God 214. f.; disobedience to parents and authorities is punished by God 844. f., 2256. f. Disobedience and pride are common to each other 898.
Unbelief. It is original sin 589.; a great abominable sin 656. f., 2100.; the right main sin, which only the Holy Spirit teaches to recognize 588. ff., the world does not recognize it, even in the high schools it was not recognized 589. f.; a disgrace to God 2488. f., He punishes God's lies 914th, 2434th; a source of pus in the bottom of the heart 2036th, the source from which all sin flows 590th; he works security or despair 2036th; he condemns 2034th, the world does not know 2034th ff; he is the one sin that condemns 2092nd ff; he who does not believe is cheaply condemned 2488th; he is deep in our hearts 340th ff, is also still in the Christians 2026, 2036; how one should try to eradicate it 341; defend oneself against it with God's word 662; by this alone one can eradicate it 2105; - S. Faith II, 11.
Unbelievers find already judged 2090. ff. - S. Scripture. Misfortune. Is caused by the devil 2770. ff. Do not despair of God's love 567 ff; do not think that God has forgotten you 566 ff; be comforted by the fact that it is only a small thing that needs to be done 566; when we are unhappy we immediately think that we are finished 564 ff. One should not rejoice in one's neighbor's death 2376. f. - See Angel 3, Happiness, Cross, Devil, Losses.
Misfortunes. Caused by the devil 1259. ff.
Injustice. We like to complain that injustice happens to us, that is not right 2535. ff; right behavior, where violence and injustice happens to you 740.f., 963. ff, 2174.ff; one may seek one's right in an orderly way 2537.
Subjects. S. Authority 8.
Unforgiven. Why they often do not want to go to communion or pray the Lord's Prayer 777 - S. Zorn.
Unworthiness. When we realize that we are unworthy, we should not despair 172. f. but keep our word 662. f.
Fornication. Is a great sin 1313; God punishes lewd living in many ways 1300, 1313 ff, with pestilence and evil time 1350.
V.
Father. "Father" is the opposite of "tyrant" or "judge" 2630.- S. Christ 7.
Fathers. Not the works, but the faith and obedience of the fathers in the Old Testament find us examples 104.f.; the fathers in the church could err 1976.
Our Father. Is a prayer for the last day 1372. f.; > > the entrance explained 523rd; the order of the 7 petitions 2155th f.; > the seven petitions explained 603rd f., 1998th f.; the 4th explained > 991st; the 6th explained 1336th; the 7th explained 1336th.
Despisers of the Word. Are not of God, but of the devil 288. ff., 1730. ff., 1738. ff.
Contempt. 1. v. of the word and preaching ministry. Nature and type. V. is, if one does not mend from the word 987. f. Is a devilish sin 2449th, does not want to be considered sin 2449th, but a virtue 289. f., 1733. f.; is a great sin 929. f., greater than others 2448th, a worse sin than adultery and avarice 1350. f.; the greatest sin 819. f., before God the greatest sin 2287th, the greatest sin that God can least tolerate 931.; of the devil and his children proper color 291. f., 1735. original sin and the devil 2466., 2468. is very wicked 929. f., 2448. in all classes 290., 1740. consequences and punishments: whoever knowingly goes against the word gets deeper and deeper into sin and unrest 502. ff.; whoever will not hear God's word must hear the devil 2250. ff.; brings error and disunity 2200.; from this follow abominable sins 288. f., 1732. ff. God cannot leave the V. unpunished 986. ff.; he punishes it 2457. ff., 2471. f.; punishes it certainly 2284. ff., 2294. ff., 2447. ff.; punishes it more severely than other sins 986.; all misfortunes follow 1622.; God punishes it with hell 177. ff, 937. f., 2157., with all kinds of other punishments and plagues 178., spiritual and bodily 845., 2451.; God punishes them with not understanding the Word 1572. f., with error 931; he gives the reprobates over to their mind 1103, 1359; with false doctrine 1419, 1918; with sects 2252; with false doctrine and war 1350, ff, 1410. f., with pestilence, theurung, war 2257., 2501. ff., with pestilence, war 2c., whether it may be due for a time 928. ff., with disruption of civil kingdoms 1610. ff, God destroys the land and people because of the F. 2296. ff.; God punishes by not answering prayer 1349., by not doing what the despisers would like and need 279., he mocks the despisers in their misfortune 933.; how God has punished the F.: on the people before the Flood, on Jews and Gentiles before the birth of Christ 2470. ff, on the world before the flood 1351st, on Sodom 1351st, on the Jews after the birth of Christ 984th ff, 2457th ff, on other countries 988th, on the Orient 2450th, in Hungary 2450th, in Welsh 2451st. This sin is not so easy to recognize as others 929th ff, it is hard to save one from it 289th, 1733th ff. r one should not be offended by it 2455th, beware of it 2451st ff.
- contempt of Christ. See Christ 6, Gospel 3.
Criminals. How to instruct criminals sentenced to death 1755, how the barefooted comforted them 1755.
Damnation. This will be the greatest plague, that the damned will see the blessed whom they have despised from the earth 2141; from this there is no help 704. f.; to escape from it, one must listen to Moses and the prophets 706. ff.; that many are damned is not God's fault, but man's 230. ff.; God does not do wrong when he damns those who hear of Christ's birth and yet do not accept it 64. f..
Damned. Do not have compassion with others 2143.
Persecutors. Are foolish people 1097; licking against a sharp spike 2653; there is a difference between
2866 Prosecutions Subject Register. Verse2867
those who do it ignorantly and those who do it knowingly 1084. f.
Persecutions. Christians' persecutions are Christ's persecutions 1096, 2652, f.; Christians are attacked with lies 1064, ff. Satan persecutes us because we cast him out by the Word 266. f., 1705.; the persecutions proceed from ordinary power or authority 1773. ff., 1788. f.; the persecutors give the persecutions a good appearance 1072., 1078. ff. Christians must suffer V. 1012., 1063. ff., they do not stay out 1617. ff., 2038. f.; they benefit Christians 1072. ff. Punishments: God punishes the persecutors 428. ff., they come to an evil end 1166. f.; God will pay the persecutors who are authorities 1774. f.; the devil drives the persecutors on and on 2648. God cares for the Christians 128. in V., the Holy Spirit is the right comforter in this 622. ff., 2038. ff. Christians must expect V. 621. f., be prepared for it 1617. ff.; do not be afraid 1619.; confess 500.; be patient and remember the birth of Christ 1473. ff., 1488. f.; Suffer gladly, for we shall one day judge the devil 266. f., 1705. f.; Look for the end of the persecutors 1167.; Keep the word, leave the time of help to God 1623. f.; How Christians should comfort themselves in this 75. f., 1012., 1063. ff, 2616. ff; seek comfort in the Gospel alone 626. f.; take comfort in God's love revealed in Christ 1106. ff; take comfort in Christ 2042. f., in Christ, power 1105. f., so that the prince of this world is judged 1991. ff" so that Christ is a prince of peace 2635. so that Christ cannot be stolen from us 1506.; it is comforting that the persecutors lick against the sting 1097. - S. Christian blood, heretic, cross, martyrdom, comfort, persecutors.
Forgiveness. 1. divine v. The doctrine of the forgiveness of sins cannot be grasped by man of himself 532, 1918; the teaching of the forgiveness of sins in Christ's name is called heresy by the pope 534; how the world abuses this doctrine 2501. ff. V. is necessary, God does not forget sins 1193; it is certain, sinners have no reason to doubt it 341. ff. It is acquired through Christ 1194, 1205, f., through him alone 1206. Where it is to be found: it is to be sought from men 917, ff, 2438, ff, 2443; it is not to be obtained in purgatory 923; it is dispensed in Word and Sacrament 549, f.; it is obtained through the means of grace 2437, ff, f., 2500, 2500, through absolution 918, f.; it is found only in the Word 549, 924, f., 1953, ff.; the enthusiasts take away the Word from the forgiveness of sins 921; it is obtained through baptism 918, f. How one attains V. was taught wrongly in the papacy 917, 1920; even the Anabaptists do not know this, nor the sacramentalists 917; it is not attained by repentance and confession 2441, f., not by repentance without faith 536; it is not earned by repentance and suffering, or all kinds of works, as was taught in the papacy, but repentance is necessary 546, ff, 1953. ff; it is not obtained by works of repentance 1189., not by love 1191., not by works 534., 920., 1815., 2495. ff; but by grace, through faith, without works 954. ff, by grace through the word 2202. f., it is pure mercy 1154. f., by mercy, without merit 2709. f., by humble desire for grace 1192. f.. it is obtained only by those who ask for mercy 953. ff.; by Christ's death alone 335. ff., by Christ's death, not by our works 462. f., 475. f., who V. by own works
To obtain it, it is necessary to recognize sin 1951 ff, 2764 ff, > confess sin 2193 ff, recognize sin and believe 2497 ff; it is obtained > through repentance 1251 ff, only repentant sinners obtain it 533 ff, > 1919 ff, 1919; it is presented in the Word, taken by faith 1958 ff; it > is obtained by faith in the Word 547 ff, 913 ff; by faith, not by > repentance and penance 921 ff, 1100 ff, 1920; by trust in Christ 11Ä > ff; he who wants V., let him believe that Christ suffered for him and > rose again 532 ff. Holding out: Why not all obtain V. 1206. f.; no one > can ask for V. without the Holy Spirit 517.; he who earnestly desires > V. also has the resolution to refrain from sins 954.; the V. of sins > is incomprehensible and difficult to believe 1194., 2202. ff., 2210. > ff, 2495. ff. One should preach V. only m Christ's, not in one's own > or any other name 532. ff., 1915. ff. - S. absolution, penance 2, 3, > key power, sin. > > 2. v. and sanctification. The doctrine of the sinful V. does not > forbid good works 1918. f.; the V. is to be followed by another life > 1038. f.; 1046., 1055., 1582. sanctification 1820. f., 1919. f., a > righteous Christian life 2234. ff, good works 1959., 2015. ff; the V. > is followed by love for God 1190. f., good works 551. - S. > Justification. > > 3. the fraternal V. The teaching of this does not apply to the world > empire 950. ff. One should practice fraternal forgiveness 327, 747, > 2175, 2184, 2504, Christians should forgive one another 2494. ff. It > should be from the heart, one should forgive and forget 2228, 2232; > why it should have no measure nor goal among Christians 950. ff. The > offender should also be sorry for his wrong 749., 2193. and confess it > 2505. ff. Is possible only through the Holy Spirit 2229. Whoever fails > it harms himself 958. ff; whoever will not forgive, will not be > forgiven 777. f. - S. Offenders, Wrongs, Sins 5. > > 4. divine and fraternal V. This shall follow those 2504. f.
Promises. With the v. of the law we like to forget the condition attached to it 2532. ff.
Transfiguration. Nature of the transfigured bodies 611. f. Lost things, which one has found again, one loves more than the undiscovered 2161. f.
Losses. How to console oneself in earthly v. 730. - S. Cross, misfortune.
Presumption. Beware of this 496. f. How Satan tempts to V. and hope 250. V. and despair: God does not want either 251. f., 172. f., 1690.; Satan tempts to both 250., 1688.; both lead to hell 2766.; Christians should beware of both 2767.; how to defend against both 2764. f.
Reason. Is blind without God's word 901. f.; cannot grasp God and his works, yes, even many natural things 1845. ff.; cannot grasp what Scripture reveals 1899. f.; cannot grasp spiritual things 2111.; considers God's wisdom foolishness 980.; one does not believe it, but the word, which seems ridiculous and impossible to it 237. ff. - S. Faith 11, 12.
Waste. One should not waste God's gifts 1725; God punishes v. 789. f. - S. Idleness.
Care. One should not speculate about this in a forward manner, but start from the bottom up with the human being.
2868* Reconciliation Subject index. Work saints2869
Some wrongly think that God offers grace seriously only to the elect 201; many wrongly think that the elect will be saved without means, despising the means of grace 199; the right use of the doctrine of grace is to keep to the gospel 201. ff.
Reconciliation with God. We have it through Christ, so that we can now boast of God 345; the pope refers to his own works 345 - see Christ 4.
Mind of words and things 1977. f.
Try. What it means: God v. 250. f., 1688. ff.
Trust. We should trust God in the physical 2197 ff. and in the spiritual 2201 ff.; we should trust other people, but this must have its limits 794, 2262 ff.
Astonishment. A sign of great faith and high intellect 88. ff., 1503. ff.
Despair. S. Presumption.
Vincentius, St. comforted in death 1882.
Virgil. His verdict on the poet Ennius 2088**.**
Perfection. What Christianity consists of 902, 2414. f.
W.
We should be vigilant so that we do not fall into sin 390. ff, 409.
Water. It has the command, it should bring fish 874.
Female. S. Sexes, Hair.
Christmas. For which this feast was instituted 44. f., 50., 1440.; on it one should preach of the good deed that God's Son became man 1478.; it is right that one celebrates W. 2584. ff.
Wise. Those who think themselves wise, God puts to shame 1227. f.; if God wants to overthrow them, he first makes them fools 1228.; come to fall in Christ 1508. ff. When the people from the East came to Bethlehem 2636. ff; are an example of a beautiful and mighty faith 125. f., 1557. ff. - S. Hopeful, Star.
World. 1. all people. The "world" is the whole human race 2105, all that is born of Adam 588; it is in sin 2708, sits in death and darkness 1156.
- the godless. What the world is 657.; is the heap of unbelievers > 590.; how they should be painted in their court color 590.; is a > stable full of evil, shameful people 2087., 2100. f.; God's enemy 99. > f., 854. f., 857. f.; does not accept the Son of God 2100. f.; > blasphemes God 76. f.; ungrateful to God 865. f., ungrateful, a > servant of the devil 2992. f.; the devil's bride who does his will > 76. f.; is of the devil with all her good works 588. ff.Where she is > most holy, she is the devil himself in the flesh 1523. ff.; there is > neither love nor faithfulness 74.; the wicked world can neither be > made happy nor sad 31.; her friend is he who does not hold to the > truth 1799.; her wickedness reveals the gospel 96. ff, 100. ff; not > all will be converted once again 563.; will be condemned cheaply > because it does not want to be loved by God 2092. ff. - p. Suffering > 5. > > 3. w. and christians. Difference between them 574. f.; the W. is > well, the C. bad 2040. f.; C. have sorrow here, the W. joy, but one > day it will be reversed 1002. ff., 1977. ff.; the W. is the enemy of > the C. 1279. ff, > > deprives them 445. f., grieves them by their behavior against God's > word 102. f.; for the sake of C. courage does good to the world 2516. > ff.; as the W. care for the earthly, so C. should care for the eternal > 2271. ff., she is an example to them in prudence, care, diligence, > perseverance 2269. f., 2276. ff. - S. Pious 2.
Works. I. W. of God. Reason cannot comprehend them 1845. ff; they seem ridiculous to it 105. ff; how we should meet our reason 107.; we should not ask: why? 1760. ff; seem foolish to the world 1761. f. Difference of the W. G.'s outwardly 638.; by this difference one is to notice the difference of the persons 678. How we are to regard the W. of Christ 2374. f. - S. Word III, Signs.
ll. W. of the people. 1. the word of the Christians and the > un-Christians. They are outwardly the same 2220.; the Christians' > actions are according to God's word, those of the unbelievers are not > 756.; those of the Christians are holy, those of the unbelievers are > not 2220., unbelievers do not recognize this 2223. > > 2. evil w. Self-selected w. have great appearance 252. > > 3. good actions type and nature: what good actions are, the reason > without God's word knows nothing 901. f.; the actions are holy by > word and faith 2219. ff.; good actions are those that happen according > to God's word 753. ff., 766. f.; are only those that come from faith > 1257.; even the least works done in faith are good 1257.; whether > works are good or not depends on the person 1257.; good works can only > be done if the person is good 1919. f.; outward works, without change > of heart, are not pleasing to God 85.: the works of Christians are > good works 766. f.; one should not be ashamed to call his works holy > 2220. f.. Good works consist in the love of God and neighbor 803; they > must flow from the love of God and neighbor 2404; they are only those > where mercy is within 1256. The highest and greatest good work is that > we bring others to knowledge 784. f. Necessity: Luther did not forbid > good works 534. f.; the gospel does not forbid them, but trust in them > 27. ff.; Christians should do them 539., 1427., 1430.; we must do them > 2119.; one should do them, but not trust in them 40. ff., do them, > although they do not make one blessed 685. Effects: Distinguish > between the works in and with which Christ is and those we do 1138. > f.; good works please God, but do not make blessed 1136. ff, 1400., > 1437. ff, 2119.; do not merit forgiveness of sin 534., 539. - S. mercy > 2, profession, faith 11,7, blessedness, forgiveness 1, 2.
III. w. of the devil. S. Devil.
IV. W. of God and W. of the Devil. The works of God are good, those > of the devil evil 2317. f.; all the works of God are good, but are > corrupted by the devil 838. ff.; Christ came to destroy the works of > the devil 840., 2316. f.
Work righteousness. Is a blasphemy of Christ's suffering 1815; is innate to us 2111; is deep in our hearts 340. f. - S. Justice.
Work saints. They understand nothing of regeneration 2110; reject the doctrine of righteousness by faith 1991; are spiritually gouty 922; merciless 850, 2327 ff, do not want to serve their neighbor 2327 ff; what kind of halo should be painted for them 1255.
2870Technics Subject index. Word2871
Doctrine of works. Denies Christ, the light of the world 2664; murders the soul 827, 2468.
Contradictions, apparent, in Scripture. In the calling of Andrew 1020. ff; Matth. 2, 13. ff. and Luc. 2, 39. 2638, ff.
Rebirth. It is necessary for salvation 684 ff, 2108 ff; it is followed by good works 2125 ff; it happens through water and the Spirit 686 ff, 2116 ff, 2120 ff, not through law and works 690; reason does not understand it 2117 ff, 2120 ff, the saints of works do not understand it 2110 - see birth.
Anabaptists. How they come in sheep's clothing 2253. f. Brief outline of their doctrine 799.; wanted a church of vain saints 184.; shameful people who doubt the power of baptism 2478., consider baptism mere water, believe nothing 2026. f., how they deny the effect of baptism by Scripture 251., 1689. f., blaspheme baptism, the devil takes it 142.; wanted community of goods 1058. ff. W. and sacramentalists: Luther's teaching did not produce them 363.
Will. God wants to make all blessed 230. ff, 1103. f. Free will despairs in cross and adversity 178 ff, 1622; does not help to salvation 684 ff; to what extent we have a free will 1623.
Wit. A priest's servant and a useless washer 388. S. Cleaning.
Beneficence. God's deeds are soon forgotten 865., 1620. ff.; men abuse them 2352. f., reward them with hatred 2332. and ingratitude 2189. f., 2334. ff. God's will and punishments are soon forgotten 79. f., 1492. f. We are not to ^reward them out of self-indulgent paganism 2182. ff.; are soon forgotten 865., 1620. ff. - S. Mercy 2, Ingratitude.
Dwelling. What it means: God dwells with us 647., 2080.
Wolves. When they are hungry, they shall bark like hrknde 2255. - S. Miethlinge,
Word. I. The personal W. Is God, a person distinct from the Father 670.
II. Word of God. 1. nature and kind: Is a little flower, that is, the > longer the better 2222nd; a great treasure 295th; it alone teaches us > God's gracious will 753rd, 2215th f., teaches that our state is a > service of God 753rd f., 2217th f., embraces all states and all works > 754th; it is not understood where Christ does not open our minds > 1916th - W. of God is what a chnst or preacher speaks 1941th f. > > 2. effects of the word: it does not return empty 264. ff., 1703. ff.; > it is able to do everything 2478. ff.; drives out the devil 264. ff, > 1703. f.; works repentance 1186.; brings forgiveness 548. f.; makes a > new heart 1295., a peaceful heart in adversity^iand death 292. ff.; > opens the ears, loosens the tongue 840. ff., 2318. ff.; works various > virtues 1212.; sanctifies all estates and works 2216. ff., all estates > 766. ff, our works 753. ff; works eternal life 1687. f., makes blessed > 1741., it is God's will 1742. f.; without the will we go from error > to error 847. f., 2325. f.; where it comes from that the word does not > bear fruit in all 208. ff., 1660. ff.; poverty and wealth hinder the > word 1720.; it would not do more good if even the dead rose from the > dead and preached it 2143. ff. > > 3. conduct toward the world We should not despise it 843. but hold it > dear and valuable 984. ff, 2621. we care for it more than food > > 1022. ff., whoever acts otherwise acts foolishly 1023., should > diligently keep to it, hear it gladly and accept it 1738. ff., keep to > it despite all obstacles 1292. ff, to hear and accept it with > thanksgiving 1942, to hear it gladly and diligently 752, 2215, 2250, > for the sake of God's command and promise 931, blessed is he who > hears it 292, what blessings come from diligently hearing 753, ff, > 767. whoever hears it has honor and benefit from it, whoever does not > hear it has shame and harm 1741. f.; we should practice it diligently > 81. f., 410. f., form it in the heart so that it becomes a nature 80. > ff, We are to take it into a fine, good heart 207. f., 1658. f., not > to doubt it, but to believe it 2479., to rely on it 171. f., to > believe Christ's Word completely, not only in part 488., not to judge > it by reason 759. f., Believe it, even if it seems ridiculous to > reason 237. ff., 1672. ff. and even if we see and feel something > completely different 948. f.; this is a great art, not judging it > according to human reason 1975.; whoever accepts it with faith, God > sustains him even in adversity and danger 989. f.; do not put off > hearing and accepting 206. f., 1657. f.; we are to keep it in our > hearts and move it like Mary 1493. f.; we are to stay with the Word > 1113. not to jump out of the net of the Word again 1031. ff.; we are > to hold on to the Word 792. ff, 2259. ff, we must keep to it alone > 2084.; we must keep to it in this life 2091.; we must keep to it, do > it in everything 2206. f.; we must keep to it, if we want to find > Christ 123. ff, 1553. ff, without the Word we do not take hold of > Christ but of the devil 124.; we must keep to it and not ask for any > man 1273. f., unconcerned about the church, fathers 2c. 1559, at the > cost of life and limb 555 f., 560 f., 1969; see if it is rightly > conducted 250 f., 1688 ff.; we should live our lives according to it > 2218, follow it 759 f.; whoever wants to keep Christ's word must love > Christ 644 ff., 2076 ff. The devil is an enemy of the word 178, 531, > he flees from it 531, tries to tear us away from it 124, refuses not > to remember it 2218, takes the word out of the heart of many > listeners, this is not a natural forgetfulness 204, 1655, ff. To > reason, the word seems ridiculous and impossible 237. ff, 1672. ff. > How differently sinners behave against the Word 733. f.; four kinds of > disciples of the Word 202. ff., 1654. ff.; some cannot get enough of > hearing it 268. ff., 1708. ff; Christians desire it more and more > 2222.; many do not handle it diligently 82.; instead of accepting > Christ's Word, they handle it with the statutes of men 2083. f.; it > is not so easily remembered as fables and fairy tales 331.;' some do > not want to accept it for the sake of the preacher's little person > 272. f., 1712; some want to have preached as and what they like 272. > f., 1712. f.; one does not want to hear it, but persecutes it 2330. > f.; the enemies of the Word have to help themselves with lies, but > with which they promote the Word 503. f.; that not all accept the Word > comes from the devil's kingdom 274. - S. Hold, Love 6, Reason.
Cf. Faith II, 3, Means of Grace.
III. Word and works of God seem foolish to reason 2197. f.; God > reveals them to minors 1900. f.
** **2872Usury Subject register. Zwingli2873
IV. Word and Sacraments. The S. find in the W. grasped 550; therein > forgiveness is distributed 549. f. - S. Means of grace.
Usury. Punishment of the same 407. f.
Usurers. How they will be lamented on the last day 807.
Wounds. Whether Christ still has the five wounds on his body 1943.
Miraculous works. God still annually performs miracles on seeds and trees, but we do not respect them 1723. f.; these miracles should inspire confidence in God 1723. f. Christ's miracles should serve as a testimony to the Word 943.; prove his divinity 154. f., the truth of his doctrine 170.; are comforting to us 155.; are a proof of the truth of the Christian religion 2688. f.. We do not need any more signs for the confirmation of the doctrine 164; in what way the church does greater signs than Christ did 265.
Seasoning consecrations. A Papal ceremony, from which superstition followed 1210.
Z
Zebub. Means: bumblebee, big fly 1709. - S. Beelzebub.
Signs. When God wanted to make something new, he let signs precede it 10. f., 1374. ff.; true signs agree with Christ's word 994.; in what way Christians do greater works than Christ 265., 1705. There are also lying signs 994.; false signs exist in the papacy 275., 1717. ff., 2566. ff.; the Satan
they can easily work 2569. ff; the purpose of them is to confirm the > lie 2571. f; they are a punishment 2568., 2573.; one should not > believe them 2567. ff; to remain unconvinced, pray and keep the word > 2572. ff. How to recognize true Z. from false 275., 1718. f., 2572. > f.- S. Day 2, Miraculous Works.
Time. How it will happen in the last time 1369. ff.
Temporal and eternal. Right behavior against both 705. f.
Tax collectors. What their office was 2300. f., 2308.; were Schösser, Amtleute 829. f., 1245.; among the Jews despised 1245. f.
Wrath. The prohibition of anger applies only in Christ's kingdom, not to the world kingdom 778. f., 2233., 2238. ff.; a shameful vice 2230. f.; can be finely adorned 774. f., 2225. f.; one should resist it and therefore pray 2238.; if it has overtaken us, we should ask forgiveness and resist it 774. f.; whoever has given cause for anger, let him remain unconjured to God and God's service until he has first reconciled himself to his adversary 776. f.; what the pope teaches about putting away anger 2227. f. - S. official anger, happiness, unforgiving.
Discipline and cheerfulness can well be with each other 1217. listeners. See Ecclesiastes 4:5.
Doubt. Resist it with God's word 662. f.
Zwingli. Said: I am also learned 2742; does not understand by what forgiveness of sins takes place 2437; dangerously errs in tearing the word from the forgiveness of sins 2440.
House Postil 1.part
House Postils part 1, Luther sermons for one year, compiled by Veit Dietrich
Forewords Etc.
Forewords, historical and philological writings. (The "Passional" with illustrations.) As a supplement to the sixth volume; Interpretation of the Old Testament. (Conclusion.) Interpretations on the prophets Obadiah to Malachi.