Martin
Luther's
Church
Postil 1544
Summer
Postil
Sermons
from 13 - 26. Sunday after Trinity
THIRTEENTH
SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
GALATIANS 3:15-22.
GALATIANS 3:15-22.
Brethren, I speak after the manner of men:
Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one maketh
it void, or addeth thereto. Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his
seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed,
which is Christ. Now this I say: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the
law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, doth not disannul, so as
to make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance is of the law, it is
no more of promise: but God hath granted it to Abraham
by promise. What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till
the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made;
and it was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is
not a mediator of one; but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of
God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could make alive,
verily righteousness would have been of the law. But the scripture shut up all
things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to
them that believe.
GOD’S
TESTAMENT AND PROMISE IN CHRIST
1. This is a keen, severe epistle, one that is
unintelligible to the ordinary man. Because the doctrine it contains has not
hitherto been employed and enforced, it has not been understood. It is also too
long and rich to be treated briefly. But it is fully explained in the complete
commentary on this epistle to the Galatians, where those who will may read it.
The substance of it is, that here, as in the whole epistle, Paul would
earnestly constrain the Christian to distinguish between the righteousness of
faith and the righteousness of works or of the Law. In order that we may note
to some extent the main points Paul makes in this text, we remark that he
emphasizes two things. He treats first of the doctrine that we are justified by
faith alone, and he maintains this, after giving many reasons and proofs, by
saying in effect:
2. In this connection you should note that no one, whether
Jew or gentile, is justified by works or by the Law. For the Law was given four
hundred and thirty years after the promise of a Savior had been made to Abraham (who was to be the father of all the people
of God) and the assurance that all nations should be blessed in him. It was
given after it had been testified of Abraham that his faith was imputed to him
for righteousness. And as he was justified and received the blessing by reason
of his faith, so also his children and descendants were justified and received
the blessing through the same faith in that seed for whose sake the blessing
had been promised to all the world. For in his dealings with the Jews and with
the whole world, God always promised his grace and the forgiveness of sins (and
that means to be blessed of God) even when there was as yet no Law by which
they might pretend to become righteous, and before Moses was born.
3. Therefore the Law, being given to this people only after
the lapse of so long a period, could not have been given to them for
justification; otherwise it would have been given earlier. Or if it had been
necessary for righteousness, then Abraham and his children up to that date
could not have been justified at all. Indeed God designed that the Law should
be given so long after Abraham. Undoubtedly he would have been able to give it to the fathers much earlier if he had seen fit to do
so. Apparently he desired thereby to teach that the Law was not given to the
end that God’s grace and blessing should be acquired through it, but that these
come from the pure mercy of God which was promised and bestowed so long before
upon Abraham and those who believed.
4. Therefore Paul concludes: How could the Law produce
righteousness for those who lived before Moses, since Moses was the first
through whom the Law was given; and since even before his time there were holy
people and people who were saved? Whence did they derive their righteousness?
Certainly not from the fact that they had offered sacrifice at Jerusalem, but
from the fact that they believed the Word in which God promised to bless them
through the coming seed, Christ. Hence, those also who lived afterwards could
not have been justified by the Law; for they did not receive the grace of God
in a different way from that in which those who went before had received it.
God did not annul or revoke by the Law the promise of blessing which he had made and freely bestowed without the Law.
5. Here some might desire to show their wisdom and say to
Paul: Although the fathers did not have the Law of Moses, they had the same
Word of God which teaches the ten commandments and which was implanted in the
human heart from the beginning of the world, whence also it is called the law
of nature or the natural law; and the same law was afterwards given publicly to
the Jewish people and comprehended in the ten commandments. It might also be
said that Moses borrowed the ten commandments from the fathers, to which Christ
testifies in John
6. To answer this question we must observe the meaning and
purpose of Paul’s words; for he so speaks because of the boasting of the Jews,
who placed their dependence on the Law and claimed that it was given to them
that they might be God’s people. They considered their attempts at keeping his
Law, sufficient to procure justification. Why else did God give
the Law, they said, and distinguish us from all heathen peoples, if we were not
thereby to be preeminent before God and more pleasing to him than they who have
it not? They made so much of this boasting that they paid no respect at all to
the promise of blessing in the coming seed, given to the fathers, nor thought
that faith therein was necessary to their justification. Thus they practically
considered it as annulled and made void, excepting for
a temporal interpretation which they put upon it – that the Messiah would come
and, because of their Law and piety, give to them the dominion of the world and
other great rewards.
THE
JEWS GOD’S PEOPLE BY PROMISE
7. To rout such vain delusions and boasts, and to show that
the Jews were not justified through the Law and did not become God’s children
thereby, Paul cites the fact that the holy patriarchs, their fathers, were
justified neither by the Law of which they boast, because it was not yet given,
nor by their own deeds, whether of the natural law or the ten commandments.
God had based no promise of blessing or salvation on their
works. He had promised out of pure grace to give them
the blessing freely (that is, to give them grace or righteousness and all
eternal blessing), through the coming seed, which had been promised also to our
first parents without their merit, when by their transgression they had fallen
under God’s wrath and condemnation. Therefore, although the fathers had a
knowledge of the Law, or God’s commandments, these did not help them to become
righteous before God. They had to hear and apprehend by faith the promise of
God, which was based not on works but only on the coming seed. For if they had
been able by means of the Law or of good works to become righteous, it would
have been wholly unnecessary to give the promise of
blessing in Christ.
8. Now, if Abraham and the fathers could not be justified by
works, and in fact were not justified by them, no more
were their children and descendants justified by the Law or by works. They were
justified in no other way than by faith in the promise given to Abraham and to
his seed, a promise by which not only the Jews but all the heathen (through the
same faith) were blessed.
9. This truth Paul now further enforces and establishes on
the basis of these two particulars – God’s promise, and his free grace or gift
– in opposition to the boasting of the Law and our own merit. First, he makes a
declaration concerning the value and weight which every testament or promise of
the last will possesses. Likewise in the fourth commandment is implied an
ordinance that the last will of parents should be honored by their children and
heirs.
10. In regard to this subject he asserts that the rule is,
if a man’s testament be confirmed (and it is confirmed by his death) no man
dare alter it nor add to it nor take away from it. So the jurists declare it to
be a divine law that no one should break a man’s last will. How much more then
should God’s testament be honored intact? Now, God has made
a testament, which is to be his final last will; namely, that he will bless all
nations through the seed which at first he promised to the fathers. This he
determined upon, and assured to Abraham, and in him to all the world – to us
all. And he has confirmed it by the death of this seed, his only Son, who had
to become man and die (as was typified by the
sacrifice of Isaac on the part of Abraham) in order that the inheritance of the
blessing and eternal life might be bestowed upon us. This is God’s last will.
He does not desire to make any other. Therefore, no man can or dare change it
or add anything to it. Now, it is adding to it, it is breaking or revoking it –
since this testament has been opened and the blessing proclaimed to all the
world – if anyone claims that we must first earn that blessing through the Law,
proceeding as if, without the Law, this testament, by mere virtue of its
promise and will, had no force at all.
11. In short, this testament, Paul concludes, is a simple
promise of blessing and sonship with God. Accordingly, there is no law which we
must keep in order to merit it. Here nothing avails but the will which promises
saying, I will not regard your deeds, but promise the blessing – that is, grace
and eternal life – to you who are found in sin and death. This I will confirm
by the death of my Son, who shall merit and obtain this inheritance for you.
Now, God made this testament in the first place
without the Law, and has thus confirmed it; therefore, the Law, published and confirmed
long afterwards, cannot take aught from it, much less annul or revoke it. And
he who declares or teaches that we are to be justified by the Law – are to
obtain God’s blessing by it – does nothing else but interfere with God’s
testament and destroy and annul his last will. This is one argument of Paul,
based on the word “promise,” or “testament,” and is readily understood; for no
one is so stupid that he cannot distinguish between these two – law or
commandment, and promise.
12. The second argument of Paul is based on the words, “God
gave it to Abraham by promise.” Here also it is easy for one who is possessed
of common sense to perceive there is a marked difference between receiving
something as a gift and earning it. What is earned is given because of
obligation and debt, as wages, and he who receives it may boast of it, rather
than he who gives it, and may insist upon his right. But when something is
given for nothing and, as Paul here says, is bestowed freely – out of grace –
then there can be no boasting of right or of merit on the part of the
recipient. On the contrary, he must praise the goodness and kindness of his
benefactor. So Paul concludes: God freely gave the blessing and the inheritance
to Abraham by promise. Therefore, Abraham did not earn it by his works; nor was
it given to him as a reward, much less to his children.
13. It is evident enough to even a child that what is earned
by works as a reward is not identical with what is promised or bestowed gratis,
out of grace and pure free will. There is a distinction between them. God has
stopped the mouth of all the world and deprived it of all occasion for boasting
that it has received God’s grace by reason of the Law. For he promised and
bestowed that as a gift, before the Law or merit through the Law had any
existence. In his dealings with his own people, with Abraham and his
descendants, God promised to bless the patriarch and all his race and said
nothing of any law, works or reward; he based all solely on the coming seed.
14. In the faith of this promise they lived and died –
Abraham himself and his children’s children – till over four hundred and thirty
years had elapsed. Then only did God give the Law,
institute an outward form of worship, a priesthood, etc., and direct them how
to live and govern themselves. They had now become a separate people, released
from foreign domination, and brought into their own land, and they needed an
external form of government. It was not intended that only now and by means of
these gifts they should obtain forgiveness of sins and God’s blessing.
15. This is the substance of the first part of this epistle.
In teaching how we are to be justified before God, Paul would have us
distinguish well these two points, promise and law; or again, gift and reward.
If we teach that God, out of pure grace, and not because of any law or merit,
bestows forgiveness of sins and eternal life, the question at once presents
itself: Why is the Law given, or of what use is it? Shall we not perform any
good works? Why do we teach the ten commandments at all? Paul takes up this
matter and asks the question, “What then is the Law?” Then he proceeds to
discuss at length what is the office and use of the Law, and shows the
difference between it and the Gospel. Of this enough has been said elsewhere,
in other postils.
THIRTEENTH
SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.
Contents:
How Christ praises the time of the gospel; preaches on truly
good works; and how the kingdom of Christ is represented here in a beautiful
picture.
King James Version
Luke 10:23-37
And he turned him unto his disciples, and said
privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: For I tell
you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye
see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have
not heard them. And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him,
saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What
is written in the law? how readest thou? And he
answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with
all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy
neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do,
and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And
who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from
Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his
raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance
there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on
the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and
looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he
journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him.
And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him
on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the
morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and
said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.36. Which now of
these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do
thou likewise.
I. HOW
CHRIST PRAISES THE DISPENSATION OF THE GOSPEL
1. This Pericope contains especially three lessons. First, that
Christ praises the time when the Gospel was revealed and published, which is
rightly and justly called the time of grace. Secondly, what truly good works
are according to the command of God, which he pictures by the beautiful example
or history of the Samaritan ‘s actions to the one wounded by robbers. In the
same history he sets forth as in a loving picture the third lesson, a portrayal
of the kingdom of Christ, or of grace, which the preaching of the Gospel makes
known. The first lesson is given in these words: “Blessed are the eyes which
see the things that ye see: for I say unto you, that many prophets and kings
desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not; and to hear the
things which ye hear, and heard them not.”
2. The Evangelist says Christ spoke these words especially
to his disciples, and just at the time when he was greatly moved with joy in
his soul or with spiritual delight, and therefore he thanked and praised his
heavenly Father from his heart for the revelation of the Gospel. Here we see
that he was especially anxious to speak thus with his disciples, since their
own salvation also depended upon that revelation. And such words are nothing more than praise of the Gospel, that they lived in the time
(and now hear and see) of the revelation of the Gospel, which brings to the
world deliverance and salvation from sin and all misery. And of this time or
revelation the beloved prophets formerly prophesied in a glorious manner, and
they longed and cried for it beyond measure in their very souls, as is manifest
especially in the Psalms and in the Prophesy of Isaiah. Therefore, you are
blessed and more than blessed; for you enjoy now the
truly golden year, the pure kingdom of grace and the blessed time; therefore
only see to it that you retain it and make good use of it.
3. For such praise is true
admonition, yea, an earnest discourse of lamentation; for he exhorts to
thanksgiving for such grace. And on the other hand he laments over the great
ingratitude of the world, that there are so few people who know and receive
this, while so many despise it, therefore he says Christ turned especially to
the disciples and praised them; as if he wished to say: Yes, your eyes and ears
are indeed blessed, which see and hear this; for, alas! on the other hand there
are many eyes and ears that do not wish to see or hear it, although they have
it right before their eyes and ears. Christ thus shows however great and
superabundant the treasure is and however comforting the preaching of it may
be, yet among the great mass of people it is only despised and persecuted.
4. And now the times are changing, since the beloved fathers
and prophets in their day would have given their body and life had they been
able to live to see it, and had they experienced it their hearts would have
blossomed to fruit in their bodies because of joy and they would have thought
they were walking where there were only roses. As the pious, aged Simeon, Luke
2:28f., embraced in his arms the Savior while he as an infant could not yet speak
nor walk, and with all joy entrusted his life to him, and no longer cared for
this life nor for anything in it. Dear mother Eve also, Genesis 4:1, earnestly
prayed and longed for this salvation, and was glad when God gave her a
firstborn son; for she thought he would be the Savior; but when her hope in him
failed, she longed still more for it. And later the
hearts of all the fathers clung to and sighed for the same deliverer until he
came and permitted himself to be seen and heard. Then the whole world should
have received him at once with all joy and gloried in being saved; just as he
himself praises this grace.
5. Joyfully and with his whole heart aglow pious David
thanks God when he heard the first time from the Prophet Nathan God’s promise,
Samuel 7:12f., that he would establish not only a dynasty and a permanent
kingdom with his descendants; but also that he would let Christ be born of his
body and thus he would found an eternal kingdom of his grace and mercy. And
because of this’ his great joy he did not know what he should say before God
and how he should thank him, and hence he composed so many beautiful Psalms
about it, especially the 89, and besides in his last words and testament he
praises this kindness in the highest manner and says: “He hath made with me an everlasting covenant; ordered in all things
and sure: for it is all my salvation and all my desire,” etc. 2 Samuel 23:1.
But now the dear, blessed time has come, and there is a change, I say, so that
people live and appear who wish neither to see nor to hear, neither to know nor
to tolerate this rich grace and this highest favor of God bestowed so
gratuitously.
6. Just as we also see at present and easily understand how
those who wish to be the Church and to be called Christians, the Pope and
bishops with their followers, who should lift their hands to heaven and thank
God for their deliverance from darkness and blindness that they have again the
pure light of the Gospel; these bring fire and water, wet their sword and
polish their weapons to exterminate from the earth those who teach and confess
the pure Gospel, and there are so many unthankful, false Christians among us
just like them, who despise this salvation in the most defiant manner.
Formerly, when we were captives under the Pope’s tyranny, burdened with the
preaching of lies, relating to indulgences, purgatory and all the dreams of the
monks, what a sighing and longing there was then in all the world for the true preaching of the Gospel. How gladly would one then have
given, labored and suffered all things possible to secure true
instruction and comfort, and to be delivered with a good conscience from the
fearful martyrdom of the confessional and other oppressive burdens imposed by
the Pope! And how happy were many pious people at first because of this
deliverance who learned it and thanked God for it! But now, how many are there
who rejoice from their hearts and acknowledge how blessed they are in that they
can see and hear this? How soon they took offense at this blessed treasure and
then sought something else, when they forgot all they had received, and the
world became again filled with fanaticism and false teachings.
7. Indeed it really depends upon seeing and hearing; it is
fully revealed and it stands forth clearly in the light before our eyes and
ears; but the great mass of the world can not see nor understand it, even if it
were stuck in their eyes and continually rung and hammered into their ears. For
if they could hear and see a little of it, then it would accomplish something
among them and improve them, so that they would become more
reasonable and would not thus oppose the truth.
8. What did it help all the Pharisees that Christ himself
preached the Gospel to them? And what would it help all the fanatics and
critics even if it were preached twice as clearly, how we obtain the
forgiveness of sins and true consolation of the
conscience, likewise how a Christian should live in every calling of life and
should know that he pleases God. Of all this they heretofore knew and heard
nothing, so that they themselves acknowledged that the teaching was indeed
excellent, but at the same time they remained stone-blind and it never entered
their hearts that they could walk and live in harmony with it, all is strange
to them that they hear, read or they themselves speak concerning it For they
are too completely chilled and choked with other thoughts of their own
self-conceit and pleasure about things dear to them, so that aside from these
they can neither see nor hear anything. Thus among them it is fulfilled as the
prophets and Christ spoke before to the Jewish people and all like them, that
with eyes to see they shall not see and with ears to hear they shall not hear,
in order that they may change and be saved. This is the highest, the most
horrible and the most fearful punishment they can bring upon themselves, and in
addition be tormented in that they must daily see and hear the word and work of
God, that is offered to all men for their salvation; and yet they have not the
grace to receive it, Matthew
9. On the other hand it is great grace and a precious
treasure for him who receives this teaching that he sees and hears it aright,
so that we should indeed declare such a one saved. For the seeing and hearing
that enter the heart bring and give a fullness and
richness of possessions in understanding, enlightenment, comfort, strength and
growth of spirit, joy and life, that we can never hear and see enough of it and
prefer to hear, to learn and to know this above everything else that may be
preached, taught, sung or said, that it should help to our salvation. Yea, it
lets all other things pass as if it heard and saw them not, although in civil
government and life it must see and hear much, yet it clings alone to this
light and knowledge, which is so great that it completely fills the eyes and
heart, and darkens and blinds everything else.
10. In like manner the sun at its rising so completely fills
the world with light that the moon and stars are no longer seen or thought of,
although they give their light every night. Just so
let those, who can, give light also here, be they learned, wise, holy people,
even Moses, the Prophets. the fathers, or St. John the Baptist himself; yet
they all should yield to Christ, yea, bear witness that he alone is the light,
by whom all men are to be enlightened and that they themselves must become
partakers of that light, and that in Christendom all light, wisdom and teaching
aside from Christ must cease, or be found alone in him.
11. In the same manner should the beautiful sound and the
lovely music of the Gospel of Christ so engage and fill our ears, that we may hear
nothing else, as when a great bell or a kettledrum and trumpet sound and
resound, the air is so full that whatever else is spoken, sung or cried cannot
be heard. So should Christ’s words constantly in all our lives and actions have
the upper hand in our hearts through faith, and know of comfort, righteousness
and salvation from none other. These would indeed be blessed eyes and ears that
could thus make use of the blessed time or dispensation of the Gospel, and know
what God has given them in it; for such eyes and ears God himself esteems as an
excellent and precious treasure and a sacred and holy possession, which could
not be purchased by the whole world even if it had many more
and brighter lights and suns.
II.
THE SERMON OF CHRIST ON TRULY GOOD WORKS
12. This is an admonition of Christ to his dear disciples,
yea, a consolation and encouragement heartily to stand by the Gospel, since he
esteems and praises it to be so precious.
13. But how it is esteemed by others who are not true disciples of Christ, but are much smarter and holier
themselves than that they should need his teaching, the lawyer shows, who
stands by (as they were all together with Christ wherever he came, and they
heard whatever he spoke); he had heard that Christ speaks earnestly to his
disciples that they hear and see what was never seen nor heard before. This
lawyer could no longer retain his great skill and wisdom, he had to step
forward and let himself be heard, and try if he could not put him to shame, and
carry off the glory, that Christ was nothing, but he was the highly educated
Rabbi, in that he propounds to him a much higher theme, Hence he steps forward
and proposes to him this question: “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal
life?”
14. That these are not the eyes and ears of one who hears
and sees what Christ is, he himself makes manifest by his own words, as all
must do, if they in the most perfect way prove themselves to be such. For he
hereby confesses he knows nothing more nor higher than
the doctrine that treats of our own doings and works; of God’s grace, Christ’s
office and work he knows nothing, he has as yet never understood anything about
them, although he had heard Christ speak of them; he at once imagines he knows
much better than Christ can teach him; he wished to say like our fanatics and
critics: that which I have hitherto heard from you, is common; you must ascend
much higher to interest us. Dear sir, teach the people once to do something, by
which man is saved. But Christ lets such a tempter rush ahead and gives him a
good handle by which he in a masterly manner ensnares
himself in his own words, bids him to report and answer himself, since he
wishes to be so learned and clever, and says: “What is written in the law? how readest thou?”
15. As if he would say: I hear indeed that you profess to
have higher wisdom than I. Come, deliver yourself, I will be a pupil of your
discourse and consider you a teacher. In his answer Christ however forces him
into the Scriptures, when he says: “How readest thou?” For it is not Christ’s
pleasure for people to propound and preach their own arrogance; and hereby he
shows this lawyer (as he later draws from him through his own confession with
the question, who is his neighbor etc.), that he does not understand the
Scriptures, even in that part where they speak of our own works; therefore much
less does he understand the other higher teachings. Here he must not and cannot
answer differently than as Moses in Deuteronomy 6:5 comprehended in the
shortest form the summary of all God’s commandments, how we should live in our
relations both to God and men. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy 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.”
16. That is teaching truly of high order; yea, the greatest
thing that can be required of a man; as Christ himself confesses and confirms,
when he says:” Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.” But it
is nevertheless a teaching that is common, that is well known to all the Jews
as to the words, although they did not rightly understand them, and the
disciples of Christ had also certainly heard them. Hence this critic should
have indeed known that Christ spoke of another, a higher theme, since he said
his disciples were especially blessed in that they see and hear what others did
not. But all such hypocrites and fanatics must prove that they esteem Christ
and his Gospel as nothing, and let themselves imagine they know everything much
better.
17. Now, this commandment has often been explained and there
is still much to be said about it; for it is indeed the highest art and wisdom,
it is never learned perfectly, much less perfectly fulfilled and lived; so that
God’s Son had therefore to come from heaven, shed his blood and give us the Gospel, so that this commandment might be kept.
Although here in this life it makes only a little beginning among Christians;
yet in the life beyond we will constantly and forever have it in our eyes and
hearts, and live it. In short, it is far too high above the mind, heart and
sense of all mortals what the words mean, to love God with all thy heart, with
all thy strength, with all thy soul and with all thy mind. For as yet no one
experiences it, except those a little, who have the Gospel and embrace Christ
by faith, and receive the comfort and power of it in times of need, temptation
and prayer, and thus experience a taste of it; yet these persons themselves
feel and lament, like all the saints and Paul himself, that they are still far
from it and their flesh and blood feel nothing but sin and death; which of
course would not be the case if this commandment had gone fully into practice
and life.
18. Therefore such proud, godless spirits are shameless and
troublesome, as this latter who went forward so boldly, that they esteem
nothing at all, neither the high and earnest command of God nor do they wish to
hear and know the doctrine of the Gospel: they imagine, it is enough if they
have heard and can say the words: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart and thy neighbor as thyself.” They do not perceive that God wants
such doctrines not only heard and spoken, but put into practice, and where one
does not esteem this, it will bring upon him higher and unbearable
condemnation, as Christ says in Luke
19. That means, preaching the law aright and delivering a
good strong lecture, yea, snaring him with his own words and taking hold of him
at the right place, to show him where he was lacking. The doctrine he says is
precious and true; but, dear sir, do it also; I would
gladly see the doer of the law, then be a master and let your work of art be
exhibited; for you all have spoken, written and known it; and you need nothing
more; but just here you and others are lacking, that you do not do what you
profess, but imagine it is enough to speak and think the words. No, in this way
no one will live or be saved. The commandments must be kept and done, or the
wrath of God and eternal death instead of life will abide upon you.
20. Such is the judgment upon the critics, who wish to know
so much and teach everybody the way of salvation, yet they know nothing more than their own doings and works, and despise the
teaching of the Gospel; so that such talk is nothing but mere empty, wicked and
vain nonsense, since nothing follows from it; as St. Paul says of these
doctrines of the law and of works in Galatians
2l. Thus one sees in the papal sophists, fanatics and all
who are not of the pure Gospel teaching, what great and excellent works they
profess and how they adorn themselves in the highest degree with them, as the
saintly monks do; and yet they accomplish nothing. Yea, they only transgress
God’s law and oppose it; as is proved in their case and Christ shows in the
following parable that no persons are more unmerciful,
more unpleasant and of course more unloving to their neighbor, more destitute
of love to God, than such hypocrites.
22. Yea, “this do” are the words of Christ, the eternal
lesson and sermon that is here spoken and preached to all men, also to the
saints, and it accuses them, that they cannot and dare not glory before God on
account of their works, merits and sanctity. But they must, if they would know
themselves aright and stand before God, condemn themselves and their manner of
life; so that here no saint has ever been able to stand upon this foundation,
neither in the Old nor in the New Testament. They must all be mirrored in these
words, “this do,” which mean nothing more than: See,
you have not yet done this, nor fulfilled it. Like Moses himself, who had the
honor of being faithful in all the things of God, and God called him his
friend, with whom he spake by word of mouth and face to face; yet he had to say
to God, Exodus 34:6-7: “Oh, Lord God of all spirits and of all flesh! Thou art
merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, thou
forgivest iniquity, transgression and sin, and before thee none is guiltless. Here he casts away
both his own holiness and that of all men and pleads guilty before God.”
23. In like manner the prophet Isaiah, Isaiah 6:5-6, when he
stands before God and sees his glory confesses that he is unclean, and must be
comforted by an angel that his sins are forgiven him, etc. And Jeremiah, when
he prayed before God and gloried in opposing his persecutors, Jeremiah
17:16-17: “Lord, thou knowest: That which came out of my lips was before thy
face”; here he is holy and happy; and yet soon after he turns and says: “Be not
a terror unto me; thou art my refuge in the day of evil.” Likewise, Jeremiah
24. Thus also Daniel confessed his own sin and the sin of
all his people and said in Daniel
25. In the same manner also St. Peter opens his mouth boldly
in Acts
26. Now if the saints must confess this, who still have
grace and the Holy Spirit, how will or dare the other blind, poor spirits
presume and imagine that they have kept the commandments of God, when they form
human thoughts and dream they love God and their neighbor. And yet they are so
far from it that they do not understand nor know what God’s commandment
requires and how it is kept. This they prove when they are put to the test,
when they are to exhibit in a becoming manner love to their God and their
neighbor. As when they are required to suffer anything for God’s sake, as
injury and disgrace, either from men or when God himself visits them with his
rod; then one sees that the thoughts springing from their own brain are really
nothing, yea, they work only the opposite, they rage,
murmur. curse and blaspheme against God, as if God did them an injustice, etc.
In like manner they act to their neighbors. Where they know not how to enjoy a
neighbor or to secure some advantage and honor from him, but should serve him
gratuitously and help the poor, as this Samaritan did the wounded one by the
wayside, or expect also harm and ingratitude for extending the helping hand;
then there is not only no spark of love, but at once they seek revenge, turn
the people over to satan and think they do right in this and are under no
obligation to love such persons.
III. A
BEAUTIFUL PICTURE OF THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST
27. Even this blind hypocrite is of the same mind, he never
thinks and speaks of what he owes his neighbor, and yet he wants to be
considered saintly and holy, because he is a lawyer and knows how to speak of
the law. And although he was indeed reproved by Christ, and he surely knows he
was hit and was told he did not keep the law; yet notwithstanding he is so bold
and impudent as to despise God’s word, so that he beautifully adorns himself
and shines brightly and begins to ask: “And who is my neighbor?”
28. He feels that he made a mistake in speaking and that he
opened his mouth too wide against himself. He is now Caught and taken captive
by the Lord’s answer, and he drives a pin before his tongue so that he is not
able to take it back. Yet he was not so pious that he did Christ and God the
honor to humble himself and confess the truth, that he did not keep these
commandments etc.; but he forges ahead and desires to be viewed as having done
all, especially all that is due to God. Hence he does not even think of asking
if he is indebted more to God, but desires no more
than that Christ shows him who his neighbor is, to whom he should still be
indebted anything and he has not performed it.
29. It is shameless presumption on the part of such saints
of satan, that they are so very certain in their knowledge when God judges
them: and even when they have been moved by the law, and it is sufficiently
proved to them that they did not keep the law, they are not changed by it until
they once meet the judgment and the wrath of God in their severity, so that
they are compelled to feel them. However the lies and shame of such hypocrites
are hereby sufficiently uncovered; although they will not be ashamed; nor turn
red for it, so that they must show by their own confession that they do not yet
understand what Moses and the law require; because those who still wish to be
masters of the Scriptures prove themselves to be guilty in that they do not
know or do not appreciate who their neighbor is, as he is clearly enough set forth
by Moses and in this commandment. Therefore Christ also shows the same to this
lawyer clearly and plainly enough; not from the Scriptures, but by means of a
plain parable and picture, so that he himself must seize it and let fall upon
him the judgment to his own shame that he did not wish to know or understand
it. “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho; and he fell among
robbers,” etc.
30. Now the lawyer hears for the first time the appropriate
text that puts him and all hypocrites like him to shame, and publicly he is
convinced that he never kept the law, yea, that he did not understand it, even
in the smallest point referring to his neighbor, because he still doubts and
does not know, whom to consider as his neighbor, otherwise he is inclined to
love his neighbor. But thus it serves them right, who wish to master this man
Christ and his word. And because they are very anxious to approach Christ with
the law and plan to present it to him in a high and sharp manner, so they find
also sharp opposition and they are obliged to depart in shame, and they see
that he also knows something to say about the law, and that he lays hold of it
and has Moses in his eye in a different way than they.
31. In brief, Christ shows here that he will not and cannot
be caught by questions and debates relating to the law, and it is hurtful to no
one but to those who let themselves fall into such questions and become
entangled by them so that they can never get out again. For this surely happens
to all, who deal with the law independent of faith and the right understanding
of the Gospel. For where Moses alone with his shining light and rays, which are
the horns going forth from his countenance, strikes us in our eyes, no one can
stand before him. In short, whoever allows himself to be driven to Moses and
will deal with the law, is lost; so that here even Christians must battle until
they get out and are again wrapped up and enclosed in Christ, concerning which
I have said more elsewhere.
32. Now in their folly and blindness all hypocritical saints
resemble this lawyer, in that they not only fail to keep an iota of the law,
however high they praise it; but as to its fundamental meaning they understand
nothing about it; nor do they know how to make the right use of it, unless they
learn to repeat its words like crows. As St. Paul also says of them in Timothy
1:7: “Desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what
they say, nor whereof they confidently affirm.” Yea, verily it is true that no man on earth knows, except by the Spirit of
Christ, either what God is, how he should honor and thank him, or who his
neighbor is. For just as all the world make their own gods and never happen to
produce the true God, but is divided into innumerable
idolatries; so is the world also blind here in that it never meets its
neighbor, whom it sees ever before its eyes; passes by him, lets him suffer in
distress and hunger, whom it should serve and help, since it in other ways
gives very much and does many great works.
33. And especially are the Jewish hypocritical
interpretations hereby reproved and rejected, which paint and polish their
neighbor according to their own fancy, consider him a neighbor whom they like,
that is, he who is a friend, who has well merited and is worthy of a kindness
and of love, whom they have enjoyed or hope yet to enjoy; they imagine they are
not indebted to serve and help the stranger, the unacquainted, the unworthy,
unthankful enemies, etc.
34. Against such hypocrisy Christ answers with the history
of this poor, wounded man, who fell among robbers and was lying half dead, whom
the Samaritan alone receives, serves and helps, and whom both the priest and
the Levite pass by and leave lying helpless. Here the lawyer himself must answer
that neither the priest nor the Levite was a neighbor to this man, but he who
extended to him a kind helping hand was. The hypocrite did not dare to mention
the Samaritan by name; for the Jews were bitter enemies to the Samaritans.
their neighbors, considered them to be the worst people, like we look upon
heretics or fallen Christians. By this, without any praise to himself, yea,
against his own will, he is obliged to confess and say, who is a neighbor to
another.
35. And truly it sounds strange that he should be called a
neighbor who does a good act and loves another, since otherwise (to speak after
the manner of the Scriptures and of this commandment) he is called a neighbor
who needs a favor or should be served and shown love; but both belong together
and both are comprehended as in the predicate of relationship (praedicamento
relationis) and they bind us all together so that every one is a neighbor to
another. However to be such neighbors among one another is twofold: the first
only in tame and with words, the other in deed and with works of love.
36. In this sense the Samaritan was neighbor to the wounded
man, not the priest nor Levite, who by right should have been and were under
obligation to be. For in this respect all men are debtors to one another and
have the same commandment: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor”, etc. Hence there is
no difference, and in brief the meaning of this example is as Christ forces
this hypocrite to confess, according to the common understanding of men, that
they are neighbors, who before God belong together, where one needs help and
another can give it, and here no one is excused nor
free, be he priest or Levite.
37. And Christ is here especially sarcastic and vexed so
that he attacks the priest and Levite, the most holy persons and the
commissioned servants of God, and accuses, shames and scorns them by the
example of the Samaritan, before whom they had a horror and an aversion as
before a condemned criminal. But by this he shows that those who are the
greatest and boast most of keeping God’s commandments and teaching others, and
should go ahead with good examples, in brief, those who are considered to be
the high, the wise, the influential, and the best, have the least neighbor
love; especially to the poor, forsaken, persecuted Christians, who suffer for
the sake of God and his Word. For with their eyes centered constantly on their
own sanctity, wisdom, and great talents they imagine every person is obligated
to serve them, they do not think, that which they have is given by God only for
the purpose that they might let their righteousness, wisdom, honor and
possessions serve the needy, ignorant, sinful and despised. Hence this
Samaritan is justly praised to the everlasting shame of the priests, the Jewish
saints and also this hypocrite, for he showed such kindness and love to this
stranger and wounded man, who was doubtless a Jew; while his own priest, Levite
and scribes left him lying in his misery and wretchedness and as far as they
were concerned, dying and perishing.
38. But by Christ making the Samaritan a neighbor of him who
had fallen among the robbers, is meant especially to prove that he himself is
and desires to be neighbor, who fulfils the law in the right sense and shows
his love to the poor, wretched, and before God wounded and perishing
consciences and hearts of all men. And by this he also is an example that his
Christians should do as he does, who is considered as a Samaritan before the
whole world and especially in the eyes of the great saints, his own Jewish countrymen;
that they do the same, since other people do it not, also that they take to
themselves the need of the poor, forsaken and helpless, and know what they do
to them they do to Christ as their neighbor.
39. Now here in this Samaritan Christ pictures and makes
known the kindness, help and comfort, which he ministers in his kingdom through
the Gospel; which is the same of which he spoke to his disciples at the
beginning: “Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see”, etc. He
paints in the most Comforting manner what faith possesses in him, and how far
his Gospel differs from the doctrine of the law of the priests and Levites;
concerning which I have said so much heretofore. We see in this picture how we,
who have fallen in sin against God, he under the wrath of God and must die the eternal death, are again rescued only by him, in
that we receive God’s grace and comfort, and a quickening of conscience, and we
begin to keep the law.
40. This is the principal article of the doctrine of faith,
that says we cannot save ourselves, neither can anything we do nor the
doctrines of the law; but he must begin faith in us, who does not force the law
upon our attention, when we feel our sins and misery; for that is the work of
the secure spirits like this lawyer, who resent being reproved as sinners. But
he has tender mercy upon us, besides is friendly and consoling through his
Word, and himself binds up the sores of the wounded, places him on his own
beast, nurses and looks after him. For he had to accomplish our redemption
alone and take our place, bear in his own body our sins and need; he himself
publishes this and gives us the comforting word, by which our wounds are bound
up and healed.
41. This is called pouring wine and oil into the wounds,
both of which are good medicines for the injured. The wine preserves the flesh
clean and fresh that the wounds may not corrupt or fester; likewise this balsam
is especially given to the land of the Jews, namely, the noble, precious oil,
that is, the best remedy known for all kinds of injuries. It is the preaching
of the holy Gospel, which does both; it keeps the penitent conscience in the
knowledge of its sins and’ wickedness, that it neither becomes secure nor ceases
to long for grace, and besides he comforts the conscience by grace and
forgiveness, and thus ever makes man better until he is again well and begins
again to do the work of a healthy man.
42. And to this end he now makes use of the office and
service of the Church, as Christ commands her to expect and take care of such
by means of the same office and spirit, which he bestows, and asks her to be
faithful in everything that ministers to their strength and improvement, to
comfort, admonish, restrain, chastise, etc.; and assures her what she does and
sacrifices in such cases, he will reward.
43. Behold, this is the doctrine and the power of the Gospel
and the treasure by which we are saved; which brings us to the point that we
also begin to fulfill the law. For where the great unfathomable love and favor
of Christ are known and believed, thence flows forth also love both to God and
to our neighbor. For by means of such knowledge and consolation the Holy Spirit
moves the heart to love God, and gladly does what it should to his praise and
thanks, guards against sin and disobedience and willingly offers itself to
serve and help everybody, and where it still feels its weakness it battles
against the flesh and satan by calling upon God, etc. And thus while ever rising
in faith it holds to Christ, where it does not do enough in keeping the law,
its comfort is that Christ fulfills the law and bestows and imparts his
fullness and strength, and thus he remains always our righteousness, salvation,
sanctification, etc.
44. This is the right way to secure the observance of the
law, of which our blind critics know nothing; but Christ beautifully shows by
this, that one must hear the Gospel and believe in Christ before he can fulfill
the law; otherwise there is nothing but hypocrisy and nothing but pure boasting
and talking about the law without any heart and life in it all.
45. Here we should also answer those, who misuse today’s
Gospel to support their blasphemous doctrine, when Christ says of the
Samaritan, he commended the sick to his host, and when he gives him the half
dollar, says to him: “Whatsoever thou spendest more,
I, when I come back again, will repay thee.” For the monks and sophists have
invented from these words their lies about works which they call the works of
supererogation, works in excess or more than are
required, when one does more than God commands him, which he is otherwise not
obligated to do. And such lies they confirmed by other blasphemies in making
rules from the sermon of Christ in which he explained the ten commandments,
Matthew 5:21f.; and later applied them to their monastic life as if the monks
were the greatest saints, for whom it was too insignificant a thing to keep
God’s commandments. As if they did on a higher plane many and great excessive
works in their orders; for which God was obliged to give
much more than heaven not only to themselves, but to other people to whom they
wished to impart their works of supererogation, namely, to sell their lies and
blasphemies for money. Their god the pope confirmed this and canonized and
exalted these his saints as those who hereby strengthened his godhead and
influence also over the dead in purgatory.
46. This blasphemy is however entirely too base and
shameless, far above the blindness and presumption of this lawyer and those
like him; for they do not only wish to be praised for keeping God’s
commandments, none of which they understand, nor think of keeping the least one
in earnest. But they wish to be considered as having done much higher and many more works than all the saints whom God himself praises in
the Scriptures; all of whom nevertheless confess that they have not kept the
law for themselves, and must therefore, because they did not fulfill the law,
seek and pray for grace and forgiveness with Christ.
47. What a shame! that people in the Church of Christ dare
speak of works and spheres of influence which should be superfluous, and they
be said to have done more than God’s command required;
and still Christ said publicly of the lives of all men in Luke
48. It is true the Papists are now
ashamed of such slabbering, with which they have poured all their books full,
but yet they cannot quit their blasphemy. Since they see now that this lie will
not stand, they fall upon another interpretation that is just as blasphemous as
the first; they turn the words, “Whatsoever thou spendest more”,
from the life and works to the doctrine, and say we must do not only what the
Scriptures teach, but hear also what the Church teaches and decrees concerning
the same. For the Apostles and bishops are commanded to add more
to the two shillings, namely, to the Old and New Testaments.
49. Yet see how the devil juggles and distorts himself by
his sophistry and blind tricks in that he adorns and colors his lies. They have
heard and learned something of us that in this parable the two shillings apply
to the office of the ministry in the Church. For Christ is speaking of the
office that should attend and care for the sick, and is administered for their
relief and recovery. Hence, the two shillings are the Holy Scriptures or rather
the pound as Christ calls them in another place, that is, the understanding of
the Scriptures in the measure and the gifts of the Spirit, given to each one;
all which is still the one and the same understanding without one having it in
a richer degree than another. These sophists wish now to cite these words to
support the foundation of their lies, that in Christendom we must teach,
believe and hold as essential for salvation more than
Christ has given and commanded us to teach. They are blind, mad, perverted
persons who always seek something different and more,
both to do and teach, than God’s Word require, and yet they do not do it nor
teach it, but let that be realized which they wish to have taught and
practiced.
50. Therefore we tell you here again as before: Beloved,
what can you do or what do you know that is better and more
necessary to teach, than what Christ taught or commanded to teach? And what do
we need more, to minister to the consciences in every
thing that is necessary for them, to instruct, admonish, comfort, strengthen,
correct and in short to do all that is necessary for salvation, than the
doctrine of the Scriptures, namely, both of the law and of the Gospel? as St.
Paul also shows in 2 Timothy 3:16- 17:” Every scripture inspired of God is also
profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is
in righteousness: that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely
unto every good work.” In these words you hear that the Scriptures richly
contain and offer everything that serves to right living and good works; why
will you then feign or seek something different that is to be taught above or
along side of the Scriptures? Beloved, first explain the two shillings Christ
gives and practice well the doctrine they teach, then we will see later what more you are able to explain or teach.
51. For this excess or explanation of the two shillings we
may without danger and in harmony with the meaning of the Scriptures also
interpret as the growth and exercise in the true
doctrine and the understanding of it; as St. Paul admonishes in 1 Timothy
4:13-15: “Give heed to reading, to exhortation, to teaching, neglect not the
gift that is in thee,” etc. “Be diligent in these things; give thyself wholly
to them; that thy progress may be manifest unto all.” For the more one practices and exercises himself in the doctrines of
the Scriptures, the more learned, gifted and powerful he becomes in them, as is
the case in other arts. Therefore the explanation of this excess is, where one
practices this doctrine among the people, as every one is bound to do, and
according to his faithfulness in doing it he is either weak or strong, and
needs more comfort, admonition, etc., than another.
52. But it is not the intention and the zeal of these
sophists ‘to be so faithful and diligent that they correctly explain the two
shillings, that is, that they teach diligently what Christ commanded, since
they do not wish to do or to know this, for they shun the Scriptures like they
shun satan, they neither understand the teaching of the law nor of the Gospel.
But they fill the Church with their prattle and human doctrines, pervert and
counterfeit God’s Word, as the devil advocates that this explanation of the two
shillings must teach them something different than the Gospel teaches; as they
do nothing but propagate another and contrary doctrine of their cursed lying
prattle against the faith of Christ among the people.
53. The summary is, since Christ himself and the Apostles everywhere
forbid the introduction of other doctrines, it cannot stand the test that one
should desire to confirm a different doctrine by this parable or allegory; so
Christ will not expect of such sick persons anything different than he himself
gives to them; and that which can be further explained must not be anything
different, but be in harmony with that which Christ himself has given. However
it is possible that one should study a doctrine more
and harder than another and thus he explains more; as St. Paul says of himself
in 1 Corinthians
Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity;
Luke 17:11-19
Luke
17:11-19
And it came to pass, as he went to
1. St. Luke excels the other
Evangelists in that he not only describes Christ's work and doctrine like they,
but also observes the order of his journeys and circuits. His Gospel to the
thirteenth chapter shows how Christ began at
2. Now this was not the direct road
from Capernaum to Jerusalem. For Galilee is north of Jerusalem, and Samaria is
south of Galilee, and Capernaum is in Galilee. The Evangelist with special
pains desires to show that he did not journey on the usual road, as he mentions
Samaria and Galilee, and adds that he went through between them, and not across
their borders the nearest way. Christ journeyed from Capernaum eastward to the
Jordan and southward from Galilee to Jerusalem, which was a tiresome, far and
circuitous route, in doing which he took his own leisure and time. For he did
not journey thus for his own sake, but in order to preach as much as possible
and be of service to many. Therefore he journeyed on the borders of these lands
to appear publicly, that people might come to him from all sides to hear him
and obtain his help. For he was sent to offer his services to every one, that
all might freely enjoy his favor and grace. Thus the Evangelist now describes
the miracle and says:
3. One might ask the Evangelist how
these lepers could stand afar off and lift up their voices, as lepers could not
as a rule speak loud, and therefore they had to make a noise by rattling or
clapping something? Of course he would answer they did not stand a mile away,
only that they were not as near to him as those following him; and that all
lepers are not so entirely voiceless that they cannot be heard even at a
distance. However, the Evangelist, according to the custom of Holy Writ,
desires hereby to indicate the great earnestness of their desire, that the
voice of their heart was great that compelled them to cry out bodily as loud as
they could.
4. This entire Gospel, however, is a
plain, simple history or transaction, which requires little explanation. Yet as
plain as it is, great is the example it presents to us. In the leper it teaches
us faith, in Christ it teaches us love. Now, as I have often said, faith and
love constitute the whole character of the Christian. Faith receives, love
gives. Faith brings man to God, love brings man to his fellow. Through faith he
permits God to do him good, through love he does good to his brother man. For
whoever believes has every thing from God, and is happy and rich. Therefore he
needs henceforth nothing more, but all he lives and does, he orders for the good and benefit of his
neighbor, and through love he does to his neighbor as God did to him through
faith. Thus he reaps good from above through faith, and gives good below
through love. Against this kind of life work-righteous persons with their
merits and good works terribly contend for they do works only to serve
themselves, they live only unto themselves, and do good without faith. These
two principles, faith and love, we will now consider as they appear in the
lepers and in Christ.
5. In the first place it is a
characteristic of faith to presume to trust God's grace, and it forms a bright
vision and refuge in God, doubting nothing it thinks God will have regard for
his faith, and not forsake it. For where there is no such vision and
confidence, there is no true faith, and there is also no true prayer nor any
seeking after God. But where it exists it makes man bold and anxious freely to
bring his troubles unto God, and earnestly to pray for help.
6. Therefore it is not enough for
you to believe there is a God, and pray many words as the wretched custom now
is. But observe here in the leper how faith is constituted, how without any
teacher at all it teaches us how our prayers may be truly fruitful. You here
observe how they had a good opinion of and a comforting assurance in Christ,
and firmly thought he would be gracious to them. This thought made them bold
and anxious to bring their troubles to him, and to cry for help with great
earnestness and a loud voice. For if they had not previously possessed this
fancy and expectation, they would undoubtedly have remained at home, or would
not have gone forth to meet him, nor would they with raised voices have cried
to him, but their doubt would have advised them thus: What shall we do? Who
knows whether he would like to have us ask him? Perhaps he will not notice us!
7. O such wavering and doubt offer
sluggish prayers, it does not raise the voice nor go forward to meet Christ! It
indeed murmurs many words and chants many songs very unwillingly. But it does
not pray, and only desires first to be sure it will be heard, which is nothing
else than to tempt God. But true faith does not doubt the good and gracious
will of God. Wherefore its prayer is strong and firm like faith itself. St.
Luke does not relate three things of them in vain; first, that they went to
meet him; second, they stood; third, they lifted up their voices. By these
three things their strong faith is commended and presented to us as an example.
8. The going forth to meet him is
the boldness excited by comforting assurance. The standing is the firmness and
sincerity against doubt. The lifting up the voice is the great earnestness in
prayer, growing out of such confidence. But powerless doubt does not go forth,
nor stand, nor call, but turns and twists and hangs the head, grasps it in the
hands, opens the mouth wide and stammers forth perpetually: Who knows? Who
knows ? If it were certain? How if it would fail? and similar faint-hearted
expressions. For it has no favorable conception or thought of God, expects
nothing of him, and hence will receive nothing, as James says, 1, 6-7: ”But let
him ask in faith, nothing doubting; for he that doubteth is like the surge of
the sea driven by the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall
receive anything of the Lord.” Afterwards they come like the foolish virgins
who spilt their oil, with their empty lamps, that is with their works, and
think God should hear them knock and open to them. But he will not.
9. Behold this good inclination or
comforting trust, or free presumption toward God, or whatever you may call it,
in the Scriptures is called Christian faith and a good conscience, which man
must have if he desires to be saved. But it is not obtained by human works and
precepts, as we shall see in this example, and without such a heart no work is
good. Therefore be on your guard, there are many lecturers who want to teach
faith and conscience, and know less about them than a common blockhead. They
think it is a sleepy, lazy thing in the soul, that it is enough for the heart
to believe that God is God. But here you observe what a thoroughly living and
powerful thing faith is. It creates wholly a new heart, a new man, who expects
all grace from God. Therefore it urges
to walk, to stand, makes bold to cry and pray in every time of trouble.
10. The second characteristic of
faith is that it does not desire to know, nor first to be assured whether it is
worthy of grace and will be heard, like the doubters, who grasp after God and
tempt him. Just as a blind man runs against a wall, so they also plunge against
God, and would first gladly feel and be assured that he can not escape out of
their hands. The Epistle to the Hebrews says, 11, 1: ”Now faith is assurance of
things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen.” This clearly means faith
holds fast to what it does not see, feel or experience, either in body or soul,
but as it has firm trust in God it commits itself to and relies upon it without
any doubt but its hope will be realized. Thus it will also certainly be
realized, and the feeling and experience will come to it unsought and
unsolicited, even in and through such hope or faith.
11. For tell me, who had given these
lepers a letter and seal that Christ would hear them? Where is there any
experince and feeling of his grace? Where is the information, knowledge or
certainty of his goodness? Nothing of the kind is here. What then is here? A
free resignation and joyful venture on his imperceptible, untried and unknown
goodness. Here there is no trace in which they might discover what he would do,
but his mere goodness alone is kept in view, which fills them with such courage
and venture to believe he would not forsake them. Whence, however, did they
receive such knowledge of his goodness, for they must have known of it before,
be they ever so inexperienced and insensible of it? Without doubt from the good
reports and words they had heard about him, which they had never yet
experienced. For God's goodness must be proclaimed through his Word, and thus
we must build upon it untried and inexperienced, as will hereafter appear.
12. The third characteristic of
faith is, that it allows of no merit, will not purchase the grace of God with
works, like the doubters and hypocrites do, but brings with it pure
unworthiness, clings to and depends wholly on the mere unmerited favor of God,
for faith will not tolerate works and merit in its company, so entirely does it
surrender, venture and raise itself into the goodness for which it hopes, that
for its sake it cannot consider either good works or merit. Yea, it sees that
this goodness is so great, that all good works compared with it are nothing but
sin. Therefore it finds only unworthiness in self, that it is more worthy of
wrath than of grace; and it does this without any dissimulation, for he sees
how in reality and in truth it cannot be otherwise.
13. These lepers here prove this
clearly, who hope for the grace of Christ without the least merit. What good
had they ever done to him before? They had never seen him, how then could they
have served him? Besides they were lepers, whom he could justly have avoided
according to the law, Levit. 13, and kept himself free from them as was just
and right. For in reality and truth there was unworthiness, and reason why he
should have nothing to do with them nor they with him. For this cause they also
stand far off, like those who well knew their unworthiness. Thus faith also
stands far from God, and yet it goes to meet him and cries out, for it knows
itself in the reality of truth to be unworthy of his goodness, and has nothing
on which to depend, except his highly renowned and loudly praised goodness. And
such a soul also seeks Christ's favor, while it stands far off and is empty;
for it cannot in the least tolerate in its company our merit and work, and
comes freely like Christ into this village to the lepers, in order that its
praise may be free and pure.
14. Observe how everything agrees
perfectly that God's love gives its favor freely, does not take nor seek
anything for it, and how faith also receives quite freely and pays nothing for
it, and thus the rich and the poor meet together, as the Psalms say, To this
their words also testify when they say: Have mercy on us! He who seeks mercy of
course neither buys nor sells anything, but seeks pure grace and mercy, as one
unworthy of it, and evidently having greatly deserved the contrary. 15. Behold, here is a good, real, living and
true example of Christian faith, that sufficiently teaches us how we must be
disposed if we would find grace, piety and salvation. Now, in addition to this
doctrine follows the incentive or inducement to faith, that we should gladly
believe as we are at present taught to believe. This incentive, however,
consists in that we observe how such faith never fails, that as it believes so
it comes to pass, and that it is certainly heard and answered. For Luke
describes how graciously and willingly Christ beheld and heard the lepers, and
says:
”And when
he saw them, he said unto them, Go and show yourselves unto the priests.”
16. How very friendly and lovingly
the Lord invites all hearts to himself in this
example, and stirs them to believe in him! For there is no doubt that he
desires to do for all what he here does for these lepers, if we only freely
surrender ourselves to him for all his favor and grace. Just as true faith and
a Christian heart should do and delight to do; so these lepers also do and
teach us to do. For how earnestly the Lord desires that we should joyfully and
freely venture to build on his favor before we experience or feel it, he has
here sufficiently testified that he hears them willingly, without any
hesitation, that he does not first say he will do it, but as though it were
already done, he did as they wished. For he does not say: Yes, I will have
mercy on you, ye shall be cleansed; but merely: ”Go and show yourselves unto
the priests.” As though he would say: There is no use of asking, your faith has
already acquired and obtained it, before you began to ask; you were already
cleansed in my sight when you began to expect such things of me; it is no
longer necessary, only go and show your purity to the priests; as I consider
you and as you believe, so you are and shall be. For he would not have sent
them to the priests, if he had not considered them clean, and so wished to deal
thus with them, as those who had become cleansed.
17. Behold, so powerful is faith, to
obtain all it wants of God, that God considers it done before the asking. Of
this Isaiah says, 65, 24: ”And it shall come to pass that, before they call, I will
answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” Not as though faith or
we were worthy of it, but in order that he might show his unspeakable goodness
and willing grace, thereby to stir us to believe in him, and comfortingly look
to him for every good thing, with joyful and unwavering consciences, which do
not stumble after him nor tempt him. So now you also see that Christ hears
these lepers before they call, and before they cry out he is prepared to do all
their hearts desire. ”Go,” he says, I will not add a word, for it has succeeded
in your case farther, no promise or consent is necessary; take what you ask and
go. Are not these strong incentives that make the heart joyful and eager?
Behold, then his grace permits itself to be felt and grasped, yea it grasps and
satisfies us. This has been said on the first part, namely, faith.
18. Now we must also examine the
other part of this example of the nature of Christianity, love. The lepers have
instructed us how to believe; Christ teaches us to love. Love does to our
neighbor as it sees Christ has done to us, as he says in John 13, 15: ”For I
have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you.” And
immediately afterwards he says in verse 34: ”A new commandment I give unto you,
that ye love one another; even as I have loved you, that ye also love one
another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love
one to another.” What else does this mean than to say: Through me in faith you
now have everything that I am and have: I am your own, you are now rich and
satisfied through me; for all I do and love I do and love not for my but only
for your sake, and I only think how to be useful and helpful to you, and
accomplish whatever you need and should have. Therefore consider this example,
to do to each other as I have done to you, and only consider how to be useful
to your neighbor, and do what is useful and necessary for him. Your faith has
enough in my love and grace; so your love shall also give enough to others.
19. Behold, this is a Christian
life, and in brief it does not need much doctrine nor many books, it is wholly
contained in faith and love. Thus also says St. Paul, Gal. 6, 2: ”Bear ye one
another's burdens, and so fulfill the Law of Christ.” And to the Phil. 2, 4 he
says: ”Not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the
things of others.” And there he gives us Christ as an example, v. 6: ”Who
existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a
thing to be grasped.” Who, although he was true God, yet became our servant and
served us, and died a scandalous death for us. This Christian, free and joyful
life has the evil spirit as its enemy, who with nothing else does such great
injury as with the doctrines of men, as we shall hear. For truly the manner of
Christian's life; is briefly marked out in the words, have good heart toward
God and a good will toward your fellow man, here it consists entirely within
us.
20. His good heart and faith
naturally teach him how to pray. Yea, what is such faith, but pure prayer? It
continually looks for divine grace, and if it looks for it, it also desires it
with all the heart. And this desire is really the true prayer, that Christ
teaches and God requires, which also obtains and accomplishes all things. And
because it does not trust or seek comfort in self, its works or worthiness, but
builds upon God's pure grace, therefore whatever he believes, desires, hopes
and prays, also comes to pass; so that the holy Prophet Zechariah justly calls
the Spirit a Spirit of grace and of prayer, where God says, Zech. 12, 10: ”And
I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the
Spirit of grace and supplication.” Because faith recognizes and desires God's
favor without any intermission.
21. Again, love naturally teaches
him how to do good works. For they alone are good works which serve your
neighbor and are good. Yea, what is such love but only good deeds continually
shown toward your neighbor, so that our work is called love, our faith is
called prayer? Thus Christ speaks in John 15, 12-13: ”This is my commandment,
that ye love one another, even as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man
than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” As though he would
say: So completely have I done all my works for your benefit, that I also gave
my life for you, which is the greatest of all love, that is, the greatest work
of love. If I had known a greater love, I would have manifested it to and for
you. Therefore you should also love each other, and do all good deeds to one
another. I require no more of you. I do not say you are to build for me
churches, make pilgrimages, fast, sing, become monks or priests, or that you
are to enter into this order or rank; but you do my will and service when you
do good to each other, and no one cares for himself but for others, on this all
entirely depends.
22. And these he calls ”friends.” By
this he does not mean that we should not love our enemies. For he says clearly:
”Who lays down his life for his friends.” ”His friends” are more than mere
”friends.” It may come to pass that you are my friend, and yet I am not your
friend, or I may love you and receive you as a friend and offer you my
friendship, and yet you may hate me and remain my enemy. Just as Christ says to
Judas in the garden: ”Friend do that for which thou art come.” Mat. 27,50.
Judas was his friend, but Christ was Judas' enemy, for Judas considered him his
enemy and hated him. Christ loved Judas and esteemed him as his friend. It must
be a free, perfect love and kindness toward every one.
23. See, this is what James means
when he says, 2, 26: ”Faith apart from works is dead.” For as the body without
the soul is dead, so is faith without works. Not that faith is in man and does
not work, which is impossible. For faith is a living, active thing. But in
order that men may not deceive themselves and think they have faith when they
have not, they are to examine their works, whether they also love their
neighbors and do good to them. If they do this, it is a sign that they have the
true faith. If they do not do this, they only have the sound of faith, and it
is with them as the one who sees himself in the glass and when he leaves it and sees himself no more, but sees
other things, forgets the face in the glass, as James says in his first
chapter, verses 23-24.
24. Now let us observe the works of
the love of Christ in this example of the ten lepers. But what is in Christ
besides pure love? Everyone can easily find out for himself. First, why is it
necessary for him to travel between
25. In like manner, that he had just
gone into this village, why did he need to do this? Who asked him to do so? Who
paid him anything for it? Is it not true that he came before any merit was
possible, any prayer could be said; and offers his love and kindness freely and
gratuitously, and seeks nothing of his own in it but only serves others
thereby, so that he might draw all hearts unto himself to believe in him?
Behold, such virtue has love, that it does only good and lives for the benefit
of others, seeks nothing with selfish motives, does all freely and
gratuitously, and surprises everyone. Such life and work you must observe and
direct your life accordingly, if you would be a Christian, and banish all such
works and power from your view that are not of this nature, even if they be so
great as to remove mountains, like the Apostle says, I Cor. 13, 2.
26. Note in the second place how
Christ does good without harm to others, yea, by preventing harm to others. For
there are some who do good in a way that is harmful to others, as the proverb
runs, they offer our lady a penny and steal her horse. So they who give alms
from illgotten goods, as God says in Is. 61, 8: ”For I, Jehovah, love justice,
I hate robbery for burnt offering.” Of this nature are nearly all monasteries
and cloisters that devour the sweat and blood of the people, and then pay God
with masses, vigils, rosaries, or monasteries and holidays, and at times they
also give an alm. This is to love with the goods of others, and to serve God in
prosperous days and in the fullness of wealth with an all sufficiency. This
disgraceful welldoing is indeed a far reaching plague. But here Christ does no
one harm, but prevents injury rather, and directs the lepers to the priests, so
that they may be deprived of none of their rights.
27. Thus he bestows his kind deeds
upon the lepers, as though he went into this village for this purpose; he looks
upon them graciously and willingly, and gladly helps them. Besides he thereby
also prevents any disadvantage to the priests, although he is under no
obligation to them. For as he cleansed the lepers in a supernatural manner
without the priests doing anything, he was indeed not obliged to direct them to
them, and could say: Inasmuch as you have not performed your office toward
these according to the law, therefore you should also not have the emoluments
of the office, which is just and right. But love does not look on what is right
nor does it contend, it is present only to do good, and so it does even more
than it is obliged to do, and goes beyond what is right. herefore St. Paul says
in 1 Cor. 6, 1, that among Christians there should be no lawsuits at court,
because love does not seek or demand its rights, nor cares anything for them,
but is bent only on doing good. Although he says at another place, I Cor. 13,
1: ”If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am
become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.” Thus are truly the learned of our
day, who teach much about rights, which is only unchristian and opposed to
love. I do not speak of those who are forced to contend for their rights; for
as right is preferred by some unchristian people, they must be present and
defend the right so that nothing worse occurs. It is not Christian, to hang or
to crush under the wheel; but in order to restrain murderers, such things must
also be done. It is not Christian to eat and drink, nevertheless man is
compelled to do both. These are all necessary works, which do not concern the
inner nature of Christianity. Therefore a person should not be satisfied in
doing them, as though the doing of them made a Christian. The work in the
married state is not distinctively Christian, yet it is necessary to avoid
evil. Other examples might be given.
28. Thirdly, Christ shows love is
still greater, in that he exercises it where it is lost and receives
ingratitude from the majority; ten lepers were cleansed and only one thanks
him, on the nine his love is lost. If he would have made use of justice here
instead of love, as men are accustomed to do and nature teaches, he would have
made them all lepers again. But he lets them go and enjoy his love and kind
deed, although they return to him enmity instead of thanks. Nor did he prevent
the priests from enjoying their own, but
gave them their honor and rights, although without any need and
obligation to do so. And the priests thank Christ by alienating from him the
lepers, so that they believed Christ did not cleanse them, but their offering
and obedience to the law did it. And thus they destroy the faith in the lepers,
and cause Christ to be despised and hated by them, as though he had taken to
himself an office that did not belong to him.
29. That the priests had examined
these lepers one may readily believe, and this the text also suggests.
Therefore they must have trumpeted into these lepers many wicked words against
Christ, and highly praised the works and offerings of the law, so that they
might root out of them their great and noble faith, and establish themselves in
place of Christ in their heart. And the lepers accepted this, and regarded
Christ as the priests told them, so that they became his enemies, and ascribed
their purification to God as obtained by virtue of their offerings and merit,
and not by Christ and his pure grace. And while they were thus released from
bodily leprosy, they thereby fell into spiritual leprosy, which is a thousand
times worse. But Christ permits both parties to go and enjoy his goodness, is
silent about his rights, receives hatred and displeasure for praise and thanks;
that we may hereby learn how we often pray, and that it were better for us if
our prayers were not answered. It would have been better for these lepers if
they had remained unclean than that by their bodily cleansing they should
become diseased with a more dangerous spiritual leprosy.
30. Now study this example and
incite your life that you may do your good works not only without harm to
others, but also to their advantage, and not only to friends and the good, but
consider that the greater portion will be lost, and that you will receive
ingratitude and hatred as your reward. Then you will walk the right road in the
footprints of Christ your Lord. Until you have accomplished this, you should
not regard yourself a true, perfect Christian, it matters not whether you wear
ten hairy shirts and fast every day, or celebrate mass every day, and pray the
psalter, make pilgrimages, and establish churches or yearly festivals. For
Christ wishes to have such works done, if they are done in the right spirit.
Behold, this is truly a Christian life.
[But now you see whither Christ's
works tend. Therefore attend to this with all diligence, and view your own life
aright. If you find a work of yours, which you need or think you need for your
salvation, stamp it under your feet, guard yourself as in the presence of all
the devils, and never rest until you are delivered from such a spirit or work,
and strive that your life may be useful and serviceable not to your, but only
to your neighbor's need. Cursed be he who lives and works only for himself, for
Christ did not wish to do his own will nor live for himself! For your own works
will certainly lead you away from love and faith. You have no other work that
is necessary and useful for thy salvation than to believe, and daily to
exercise yourself in this faith, and see to it that you continue steadfast in
it, and not allow the priests to deprive you of it, as they did these nine
lepers, for they have slick tongues and a beautiful color. Only let all other
works go in one bundle, be they lost or well applied, let that not trouble you;
you remain in the faith Christ gives you, here you have many times enough; and
in love, which gives you to your neighbor, you will have enough to do, for
which you will find yourself many times deficient. For what you do in this is
nothing, even if you should possess all the works of the saints. Hear what St.
Paul says, 1 Cor. 13, 3: ”And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if
I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing.” It is
not enough to help the poor and torment yourself, you must love your enemy and
cast your goods with yourself into the waste heap, and not choose one rather
than another to whom to do good.
Here you might say: Alas, what will
now become of the spiritual orders, the priests, the monks and the nuns? Are
they of service to no one, and do they perform only their own works? Answer:
Why do you ask about priests and monks? Has not Christ ordered you to follow
him, and not priests and monks? If their works are not done in the sense before mentioned, that one should serve the
other and cling to faith, you are never to doubt that they are opposed to
Christ, and are as the foolish virgins with their empty, dark lamps. For their
sake another Christ will not come. Of this
This is enough on the first part of
our Gospel, let us now examine its second part. The Evangelist says:
II. A
PICTURE OF THE CHRISTIAN CHARACTER IN ITS DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH.
”And it
came to pass, as they went, they were cleansed.”
31. Thus far we have learned how
faith works, its nature, whence it comes, what its beginning is, what it
brings, and how acceptable it is before God. All this is said of the beginning
of a Christian life. But it is not enough to begin, we must increase and
continue steadfast, for Christ says, Mat. 24, 13: ”But he that endureth to the
end shall be saved.” And Luke 9, 62: ”No man, having put his hand to the plow,
and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Therefore this second part
treats of the increase and perfection of faith.
32. The faith or confidence of the
heart in God is a very tender and sensitive thing indeed, and it may very
easily be injured, so that it begins to tremble and despair, when it is
scarcely yet exercised and established. And thus it has countless attacks and
dangers from sin, from nature, from reason and self-conceit, from human
doctrine, from the examples of the saints and from devils. In short, it is
attacked without intermission from all sides, in front and in the rear, so that
it trembles and despairs, or falls to trusting in good works. Hence St. Peter
truly says, I Pet. 4, 18: ”The righteous is scarcely saved.” And the Prophet
Zechariah compares the righteous to a brand plucked from the fire, that he may
not be entirely consumed; and Amos the Prophet to a sheep's ear that the
shepherd delivered from the jaws of the wolf. So malignantly temptations rage
about a believing heart.
Therefore
33. Therefore we should not be
secure but stand in the fear of God and pray with Jeremiah, 17, 17, that God
might protect our faith, and not permit us to tremble or be frightened in the
presence of our faith. This Gospel also sufficiently shows this danger by a
terrible example, that among these ten lepers who believed, nine fell away, and
in the end only one stands and continues steadfast. It is here as with a
beautiful tree in full bloom, that we think cannot bear all its fruit; but
later so many blossoms are destroyed by storms, the fruit becomes wormeaten and
falls, that scarcely one tenth of it ripens. So there are many who receive the
Word and begin to believe; but as the Lord says, Mat. 13, 10-21, the soil is
stony and not deep enough, or faith stands among thorns and thistles; that is,
by reason of temptations and enticements they fall and continue not steadfast.
For as soon as things go wrong with them and God afflicts them, they forget his
goodness and see only his anger. Hence faith vanishes, and there remains a
wavering, discouraged and frightened conscience, that flees from God, not to
mention that it should go to meet him, as indeed it did at first.
34. [ § 34 to § 39 is found in
Edition c and pamphlets.] Thus we see here that the lepers began to believe,
and expected help from Christ, who then further awakens their faith and tries
it, does not immediately make them well, but speaks a word to them, to show
themselves to the priests. If there had been no faith in them their reason and
natural fancy would have spoken thus and immediately murmured: What is this? we
expected great kindness from him, and heartily believed in him, that he would
help us; but now he does not touch us, as is his custom, and as he did to
others, but only looks at us and passes on. Perhaps he despises us, besides he
neither promises nor denies whether he will cleanse us or not, but leaves us in
doubt, and says no more than that we should show ourselves to the priests. Why
should we show ourselves to them, they already know we are lepers?
We see that nature would thus become
angry and lukewarm against him, because he does not immediately do her bidding,
and he does not with certainty tell what he will do. But here is faith, that
strengthens itself and only increases through such temptation, and cares naught
how unkind or uncertain the actions and words of Christ sound, but clings fast
to his goodness, and does not permit itself to be frightened away. And of a
truth, there was in them a strong, rich faith, that upon his word they promptly
went forth; for had they doubted they certainly would not have gone, and yet
they had here no clear promise.
35. And this is the method God
employs with us all to strengthen and prove our faith, and he treats us so that
we know not what he will do with us. This he does for the reason, that man is
to commend himself to him and rely on his mere goodness, and not doubt that he
will give what we desire or something better. So also these lepers thought:
Very well, we will go as he commands, and although he does not tell us whether
he will cleanse us or not, this shall not influence us to esteem him any the
less than before. Yea, we will only esteem him so much the more and higher, and
joyfully wait, if he will not cleanse us, he will do still better for us than
if we were cleansed, and we will not on that account despair of mercy and
favor. Behold, this is the true increase of faith.
36. Such trials continue as long as
we live, therefore we must also continue to grow just as long. For when he
tries us in one instance in which he makes us uncertain how he will treat us,
he afterwards always takes another and continually enlarges our faith and
confidence, if we only remain unmovably steadfast.
Behold, this is what St. Peter calls
growth in Christ when he says, 1 Pet. 2, 2: ”As newborn babes, long for the
spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation.”
Again in the latter part of 2 Peter, verse 18: ”But grow in the grace and
knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ.” And St. Paul in all places desires we should increase, continue and
become rich in the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ. This is nothing else than
in this manner to become strong in faith, when God conceals his kindness and
appears as Christ does here to the lepers, so that we do not know what to
expect of him. For faith must be (argumentum non apparentium) an argument not an
appearance, and be certain and not doubt in the things that are concealed and
are not experienced. Heb. 11, 1.
37. Therefore observe that when God
appears to be farthest away he is nearest. This word of Christ reads as though we
cannot know what he will do, he does not refuse nor promise anything, so that
the lepers, who previously certainly relied on his kindness for all things,
might have become offended at it, and begun to doubt, and taken quite a
different sense of it than Christ meant. Christ speaks it out of an overflowing
kindness that he thinks it unnecessary to tell them that they have already
obtained what they want. But as the sense was not clear to them they might have
thought he was entirely of a different opinion, and farther from them than
before.
38. Thus are all his superabundant
kindnesses, works and words, that we may think that he was previously more kind
and gracious than afterwards, when he first had anything to do with us.
Thus it also happened to the people
of Israel in the desert, they thought God did not bring them out of Egypt, upon
whom nevertheless they called and they knew while in Egypt that he would help
them. But all this is done that we may not remain in weakness when we first
begin to believe, but grow and ever increase until we be able to take the
strong nourishment and become satisfied and full of the Spirit, that we may not
only despise and triumph over riches, honor and friends, but also over death
and hell.
39. Hence it is with the faithless
and unbelieving as with unfortunate mine workers, who begin to prospect with
great confidence, and dig extensively. But when they are about to strike the
treasure, which would have taken but a little more labor, they give up, and
look at what they did as in vain, and think, there is nothing in it. Then comes
another worthy of the task, who had never yet made a beginning, but he strikes
away boldly and finds what the former hunted and dug for him. Thus it is also
with the grace of God; he who begins to believe and will not continually grow
and increase, from him grace will be taken and given to another who begins with
it; if he, too, will not continue it will be taken also from him and given to
another. It only wants to be believed. And here our high schools speak wholly
blind, mad, and poisonous things about faith, when they teach that the
beginning of faith is enough for salvation, and is only a small degree or step
from it.
40. So these words of the text, ”And
it came to pass, as they went, they were cleansed,” would say: It is impossible
for faith to fail, it must take place as it believes. For if these lepers had
not believed and remained steadfast, of course they would not have gone.
Therefore, not for the sake of their going, but on account of their faith they
became cleansed, because of which they also went.
41. All this I say in order that
some blind teacher may not come to this text and stick his eyes into good works
without seeing the faith; and afterwards pretend that works make us acceptable
and save us, because these lepers went forth and thus became cleansed. This
error must be opposed, that one may rightly see the faith of these lepers, and
thus it will appear that their work of going did not obtain the cleansing, but
faith did. [So also the Lord opposes the same error in that he cleanses them
before they accomplish the work assigned them. For he did not only command them
to go, but to show themselves to the priests. Now they evidently became
cleansed before they arrived at the priests and before they had finished the
work. If they had first become cleansed after they had arrived and brought the
offering, the priests might have had ground for the pretense that they were
cleansed by their offering and works, as they even did, and misled the poor
people.]
42. Now I have often said that works
are twofold; some before and without faith, others come out of and after faith.
For as little as nature without faith can be idle and inactive, so much less
also can faith be idle. And as nature's works do not precede or make nature,
but nature must first be present and do the works out of and by virtue of
herself; so also the works of faith do not make faith, but they follow and
spring from faith. So there must be works, but they have no merit nor saving power,
but all salvation and merit must first be present in faith.
43. This is also the reason that the
works of faith are free and spontaneous, and not premeditated. For these lepers
were also free, and if Christ had commanded them to do something else, they
would have done it. And if they had been asked whether they went in order to be
cleansed, they would have replied, no. This must have been so, if the cleansing
took place because of their works. Just as if you should ask the hypocrites
whether they work in order to be saved, they would say: Yes, and without works
they would not want to be saved. [But these lepers would not speak thus, they
hope he will cleanse them out of pure kindness, without considering their work
of going, which they do only because he wills it to satisfy the law, although
unnecessary. For all lepers might also go to the priests, and yet they would
not on that account be cleansed, which nevertheless must be, if the work were
necessary and useful for the cleansing. Just as the work-righteous persons
think, that he who works will be saved; so it must also be here, he who goes
will be cleansed. But now as the cleansing takes place only because of the
presence of faith, so salvation comes also on account of faith alone.] But as
the lepers must go not for their own sakes, but for the sake of the priests,
that they might be satisfied, although they were not obliged to go to them; so
all believers must work, not for their own sake, but for the sake of others, to
serve them. Although they owe them nothing, but freely do good as Christ has
done to them, about which enough has been said above in the first part.
There follows further in the text:
”And one
of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, with a loud voice
glorifying God.”
44. The returning of one must have
taken place after he and the others had shown themselves to the priests. But
the Evangelist is silent as to how they came to the priests and what took place
there. However, from the return and thankfulness of this one, he gives us to
understand how it went. He without doubt very unwillingly returned alone, for
as with all his heart he thanks Christ and is kind to him, the conclusion is
clear how he persevered, admonished, urged, prayed and did his utmost for the
others that they should go with him and acknowledge the great kindness; and no
doubt it grieved him that he could not prevail upon the nine and had to leave
them with tears and grief. All these and similar things force us to think of
the love he had for Christ, that leaves nothing unattempted, fears no one,
regards no one, if they only worthily honor and praise Christ.
45. What kind of a tempest visited
the nine, that they so firmly separated from the one; as we have heard they all
made a good beginning and grew in the faith of Christ? Of their own accord they
would not have fallen so completely; some one must have first overthrown their
faith, so that the honor which they previously gave Christ so freely and
honestly, they now divert from him and rob him of this honor, and turn their
friendship into enmity. Nor was it a weak falling away, that so severely
offends and opposes the one leper with all his admonitions and regrets. Behold,
the priests did this, they could not bear that the honor be given to Christ;
hence they no doubt preached a strong sermon against him to root out their
faith.
46. But what might they have said to
them? Because they fought against Christ and the faith it is easy to think what
they said and did, namely, what is contrary to faith; that is, they heralded
into these poor lepers that they should not believe that Christ cleansed them,
but should thank God, who had regard to their offering and the prayers of the
priests, and heard them, and on this account cleansed them; and whatever else
they said to draw away the hearts of the
lepers. But the one leper did not permit himself to be drawn from
Christ; he remained steadfast and overcame all the assaults of faith.
47. [§§ 47 to 72 are found only in
edition c. and pamphlets.] Therefore with two strong assaults their hearts were
changed. First, to cleanse one from leprosy is impossible for a creature, and
it is certainly only the work of God, therefore it cannot be in any way
attributed to Christ, whom they saw and regarded as a man and not as God; therefore
they should beware by no means to blaspheme God, and make a god out of a mere
creature. O what a fine pretense and powerful stroke this was! What a great
faith must be there to stand, when it is opposed by God himself, by his honor
and work, with which one is threatened not to deny God! What heart does not
think, that it would be the very best to yield to a temptation like this?
48. The next stroke was to bring
forth the law of Moses, where it was commanded to hearken unto the priests at
the risk of death, what they judged according to the law, Deut. 17, 12. As the
priests here judged the cleansing was from God and not from Christ, they
powerfully caught their consciences, and crushed faith to powder in the nine,
for to act against the law, is also to act against God.
49. Here observe what a terrible
opposition this was, when bodily and eternal death is placed in opposition to
the conscience, together with the anger of God and man, the highest and greatest
sins, with the greatest punishment. What heart would not fall before such
terrors, or never tremble, especially when the law of God is offered as the
signal of truth? With this these nine fell, and had sooner denied ten Christs
than offend God and transgress the Law, and thought they did well by doing so.
50. Then an ugly contention arose
first of all concerning the one, who alone stood opposed to the priests; while
all his companions fall and join his opponents. Then they also exercised
diligence, prayed and threatened, that he should by no means offend God,
believe the priests, nor despise the law of Moses, and beware that he be not
put to death as a blasphemer. Here the poor child must be a fool or insensible,
so good he has it, or a heretic and apostate; he has become cleansed, but he
must on that account risk body and life, goods and honor, friends and
companions; and besides had to allow them the name that they were pious, did
good and honored God, while he must be a sinner and dishonors God. And because
he was a Samaritan they esteemed him perhaps the less, and thought: Let him go,
he is but a Samaritan, a man lost and not of Israel; or they had mercy on him,
as a man mad and possessed. See, this is the last and greatest opposition to
faith. But he who continues steadfast, abides indeed forever, for here is
overcome the fear of death and hell with all their terrors, in this world and
in the world to come.
51. Thus the name of God must at all
times do the greatest evil and be a cover for the greatest scandal through its
misuse by the devil and wicked men. For as they know that man does not fear and
honor anything so much as God's name and glory, especially among good hearted
people; therefore they take just such a one and bring him to their mind, that
what they pretend is God; then the poor crowd follows that thinks nothing else
than that a man must fear and accept all this, by which God's name or Word is
presented. Therefore an extensive knowledge is necessary in such opposition,
that a man may not err, although he be threatened by the name of God. For idols
have even assumed the name and honor of God. Thus the Pope always employs the
name of God for every sin and shame, and all his disciples and false teachers
follow him, and especially the priests who pretend that their unchristian,
unbelieving orders and works are divine and Christian.
52. But it is still harder when the
evil spirit torments the conscience in the throes of death, and pretends God is
angry and does not care for you; of this David says, Ps. 3, 2: ”Many there are
that say of my soul, There is no help for him in God.” Or as the Jews spoke to
Christ while on the cross, Mat. 27, 43: ”He trusted on God; let him deliver him
now, if he desireth him: for he said, I am the Son of God.” As though they would say: It is impossible
for God to help him, he is wholly lost.
53. Or when God himself thus tries
and forsakes a man, so that he feels nothing else in his conscience than that
God has forsaken him, and will never welcome him, as David says, Ps. 31, 23: ”I
said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes.” This also tempted
Abraham, Gen. 15, 12; and Jacob, Gen. 32, 24.
Here faith suffers its greatest
distress, and is in the pangs of hell. Here it is necessary to hold fast and
not suffer yourself to err, when God himself is pictured before you. Behold,
this is the last and greatest trial of faith; he who remains firm here abides
firm forever, for here is overcome the fear of death and hell with all the
terrors in this world and the world to come. They are the strongest Christians
and the greatest spirits, who resist this temptation.
54. All this I say that we may learn
to hold fast to faith, in which we have begun, and ever remain in the same firm
conviction that looks to God for every good thing, and not permit ourselves to
be forced or driven from it by man, the devil, sin, the law, the name of God or
God himself, which we will be able to do if we only abide in the true nature of
faith, as St. Paul says, Heb. 11, 1: ”Faith is the assurance of things hoped
for, a conviction of things not seen;” but not the substance of things fleeing
away, nor the evidence of things seen; that is, the nature of faith is, that it
relies on the goodness of God and thinks of nothing else than to hope for and
desire it. The contrary of this is to flee from it, which is terrible, and that
is not an example of faith, but of assault and temptation; for God has not
built our faith or good conscience, or confidence on wrath, but on grace,
therefore all his promises are lovely and gracious; on the contrary his threats
are terrible and bitter, which we must also believe; but on his threats
Christian faith cannot build, it must have before it only that which is good.
55. Secondly, man should possess
assurance. The good for which faith looks and on which it depends, must not be
seen or experienced. Therefore everything a person feels, whether of pleasure
or pain, he must know it is not that which he is to believe, but it is the
opposition and temptation, over which he must leap and jump, close his eyes and
all his senses, and cling only to the good which he neither sees nor hears,
until the contention ceases. Just as Elijah wrapped his face in a mantle, when
the great earthquake, wind and fire passed by.
56. The blows and assaults against
this leper were much greater, besides he was left alone; but he stood firm. So
far is his faith greater and more perfect, and was quite ripe. Without doubt it
is an example for us, that we, too, may not permit ourselves to be influenced
by like priests and saints, even though the great crowd of all the world go
with them. It was indeed a great sight, that the priests withstood him, whose
duty it was to teach other people the right way, and who should by rights have
been the most learned.
57. And here we learn a good answer
for the Pope, the priests and the wise, when they appear with their power,
government, office and dignity, and pretend that we must believe them, and only
hear what they say; who know well enough what it is, when Christ directs the
lepers to the priests, but appear as though they could not see how this lonely
man, who was not a priest but a common layman, nor was he even an Israelite,
but a Samaritan, and yet he pronounces judgment on the priests' doctrine and
opinion, and is more learned than they all put together; nor does he worry
about being alone, and the crowd being on their side. Now, if this had been
sufficient, as our Papists say, that they are the priests, the learned, the
rulers and the power, and besides they have the multitude with them, and that a
man should not oppose what the government, dignity, power and multitude offer,
then this Samaritan did what was not right. But God preserve us! For this
Gospel here teaches that scarcely no one is so accustomed to err and go astray
as just these very priests, the clergy, the most learned, the rulers, the most
dignified and the greatest crowd, wherefore we are scarcely to avoid any one
more than just these very ones.
58. But since Christ directs the
lepers to the priests, he gives them to understand it is not their office, but
the misuse of their office that is to be avoided, and draws the line how far we
are to believe and follow them, namely, when they teach according to the law we
are to hear them, as Moses, Deut. 17, 11, 12, clearly declares, that the
priests shall judge according to the law, and then, whoever will not hear is to
be stoned; but when they without law offer their own doctrine, we shall regard
neither their office nor power, and abide alone with the Scriptures. Of course
the people say, that no one writes false things except the scribe; so no one
preaches false doctrine except the preachers; and again as the common saying
runs: The learned are the perverted! If then the priests who are placed in their
offices by divine order to teach God's Law, often and most grievously err; what
shall our popes, cardinals and bishops do, who are not placed in their offices
by God nor man, but by themselves, who neither preach nor study, and produce
nothing but human doctrine and their own dreams? Therefore neither their office
nor doctrine is any good here, they are nothing but error from head to foot,
that is only to be avoided, for little of their doctrine and character is
subject to controversy; for they are not the priests referred to here, as we
shall hear.
59. But why does St. Luke say that
this single person saw that he was cleansed; did not the others see it too, as
all ten were surely cleansed? So the nine, as we have heard, with the priests,
also praised God, and held him in high esteem, so that they would not give the
honor to Christ as to a creature; why then does he say that this one only
greatly praised God with a loud voice?
60. In the first place this is said
by Luke according to a general custom, as when one says of the unthankful: he
does not see the kindness done him; that is, he will not see it nor take it to
heart, nor think that he ought to be thankful, but acts as though he knew
nothing about it, he despises it and regards it not. Thus these nine did not
want to see and consider the kindness of Christ, and despised him as though he
did nothing for them. On the contrary he who is thankful will and cannot
forget, and does not cease to recognize and acknowledge his benefactor and
kindness. With such eyes did this Samaritan see his cleansing.
61. On the other hand, the nine also
praised God, but with their tongues, and at the same time blasphemed him in
Christ. It would not have been punishable, if even at that time they had not
regarded Christ as God; for he was not, yet glorified, as St. John says, 7, 39.
And this one also, perhaps, still held him as a mere man. But they wanted
Christ to be looked upon as a sinful man and a blasphemer, and to be regarded
with the utmost contempt. Such was the poison they brewed into the nine. Christ
at that time sought nothing more than that they should receive him as sent to
them from God, and that they should believe that God dwelt, spoke and worked in
him. This they did not wish, and would not allow others to receive him thus;
but he was to be looked upon as coming from the devil, and speaking and working
through the devils. And such faith the nine permitted to be driven into them.
But this one remained firm in spite of
them, that God must be with Christ, who spoke, worked and dwelt through and in
him. Therefore his praise and thanks are mentioned and the praise of the others
ignored. Through what strife and opposition he remained in his faith, we have
heard above. It was a great faith that held so firmly to him who was despised,
condemned and blasphemed by the priests, the learned, the rulers, the best, the
greatest and the largest number among all the people. Who dare thus hold Christ
at present, when the Pope, the bishops, doctors, monks, priests, princes, with
all their host, have condemned him, and issued a bull against him, as we see
they publicly do?
62. And here this Gospel teaches
what works tried and experienced faith produces, and what is the true worship
and honor man may give to God. Some build churches for him, some arrange
masses, some ring bells for him, some light candles for him that he may see;
and act no differently than as though he were a child, who is in need of our
gifts and services. Although the building of churches and holding of masses at
first arose from the Christians coming together to conduct the true worship;
afterwards the same worship disappeared and was entirely omitted. Since then we
have continued to cling to charitable foundations, buildings, singing, ringing,
lighting, clothing, smoking, and as many more such preparations as there are
for worship, that we have come to consider such preparations as the chief
divine worship, and know nothing of any other. And we do wisely, as he who, builds
a house and spends all his money on the scaffolding, and during his whole life
should get no further, not even to lay a single stone for the foundation. Pray
tell, where will he dwell at last, when the scaffolding is torn down?
63. But the true worship is to
return and praise God with a loud voice. This is our greatest work in heaven
and on earth, besides it is the only worship we may bring to God; for he needs
none of the other kind, and is not capable for it: he will be only loved and
praised by us. Concerning this Psalm 50, 12-14 speaks: ”For the world is mine
and the fulness thereof. Offer unto God the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and pay
thy vows unto the Most High.” Do you think God would drink the blood of goats,
or eat the flesh of bulls? Thus he might also say now to the founders of
charitable institutions, smokers, singers, ringers and candle lighters: Do you
think that I am blind and deaf, or that I have no house for shelter? You shall
love and praise me, this is the incense you are to burn to me and the bells you
are to ring for me.
64. The returning means, to bring
home again to God the grace and goods received, not to keep them, not to boast
of them or exalt self above others, or praise self on their account, not to
reap honor thereby nor wish to be better than others, not to be satisfied with
self, not to have joy in them, but to have all such joy, pleasure, honor and
praise, only in him who has given them, and stand there willing and quite
composed, when he shall again take them from you, and none the less just then
to love and praise him. O how few there are who thus return, of course scarcely
one among ten. If one has more beautiful hair than another, he delights in
himself because of it above others; what then will he do with the great gifts
of reason, spirit, etc.? These are the ravens of Noah that flew out of the ark,
and did not return, Gen. 8, 7. To sum up all: To return embraces these two
thoughts: not to cling to God's gifts, but only to himself, who gives them.
65. Thus the great praise of God
includes two parts - The first is to esteem him highly in the heart, and to
have a lovely disposition toward him, so that we taste and experience how sweet
the Lord is, of which St, Peter speaks, 1 Pet. 2,3, and Psalm 34,8: ”O taste
and see that Jehovah is good.” All this faith, that has been tried, teaches and
brings us at the end of the conflict. For as long as the strife and conflict
endure, faith is in labor, and all is painful and bitter, it experiences and
tastes no sweetness in God. But as soon as the evil hour is past, if we
persevere and remain firm, then the sweetness of God will be ours. God will
become so lovely, satisfactory and sweet to the heart, that it will desire
nothing more than to battle and to seek to try his faith, and now as it were
thirsts and longs for suffering and misfortune, which all the world fears, and
which he also himself previously feared, of which Psalm 26, 2 speaks: ”Examine
me, O Jehovah, and prove me; try my heart and my mind.” Out of this valiant
faith comes quite a different man with a different taste, so that henceforth he
does not feel well without suffering, and as it were lives contrary to all the
world, so that he rejoices where the world mourns, and mourns where the world
rejoices, until he becomes an enemy of this whole life and becomes eager for
death.
66. This is what
68. Christ speaks of this in Mat.
24, 9: ”Ye shall be hated of all the nations for my name's sake.” Why for my
name's sake? They would and might not tolerate the name, praise and honor of
God, for then they and their whole cause would be put to shame. And if God
alone were wise, good, just, faithful and strong, then they would be fools,
wicked, unjust, liars, false and impotent. Who would bear this great injustice,
the devilish heresy, that so much divine service and godly life should for God's
sake be abolished and changed as a foolish, unjust, false and impotent thing?
Not so, it must not be God, but the devil who pretends this. Behold, upon the
highways all the prophets are murdered and Christ himself. The world does not
want to be a fool nor to be unjust. But God will not suffer this from it, and
hence he sends his messengers to punish it. And thus the saints must then shed
their blood on account of it. Therefore it is a great act to praise God and to
raise a free and loud voice before the world.
69. However, the false saints and
murderers of Christ also now praise and extol with a loud voice God and his
works, yea, they preach and cry more about God than the true saints do. As we
even now see every corner full of preachers, who highly extol and praise God,
that he alone is worthy of praise and honor, and use the very same voice and
Word which the true preachers use. Why then is it not valid? Or what is the
matter with it? Without doubt nothing else than that they with this leper do
not fall down at the feet of Christ to thank him, but want Christ to fall down
at their feet and thank them. For the Jews give all honor to God, but of Christ
they will know nothing. So it is with these; as long as we leave their cause
alone and do not reject it they cry and praise us very highly. But if one also
judges them by their doctrine, and their own cry falls upon them, that they are
nothing and their whole cause nothing but falsehood and foolishness; then their
praise and cry are gone, and their false heart breaks forth and is revealed, so
that they praise and honor God only with the mouth and themselves with the
heart.
70. It is not enough that you loudly
call and cry that God does all things and our work is nothing; you must also
suffer such things to be said of you and your affairs. You can agree that
Christ's and your enemy is nothing, and all he does is rejected, and you think
it is right and well done; for his cause is not from God, but against God. But
you do not wish to be rejected with him. Your cause is to be God himself and
unrejected; how then is it possible that you should tolerate the rejected
Christ, not to mention falling at his feet and regarding yourself as unworthy,
when with him you would be rejected? Now as God has concealed himself in the
despised man Christ, and will dwell there,
you must not undertake to find him anywhere else, except in contempt;
yea, you must reach the point to rejoice that you are found worthy to be
despised, and must also fall at his feet and thank him for the contempt, which
will not suffer your cause to be anything, so that it be not words but deeds;
that you say: God alone is to be praised and not man, such instruction is first
to be proved by you, you suffer such things just for the sake of his doctrine,
and you consider yourself unworthy of all this.
71. Thus Christ also taught the same
and praised God's name alone; and also suffered first and most of all, that he
became as nothing, so that no one can be compared to him in this. O this is a
rich, great example, of which much might be said. But now it is sufficient that
we may see a little how great a cause it is to prove God's praise by our
actions, and fall upon our faces at the feet of Christ, the man despised; as
the Apostles were glad, Acts 5, 4, that they were worthy to suffer dishonor for
the 'Name, of which it is said, Ps. 72, 9, that the enemies of Christ are to
bow before him, and lick the dust from his footprints. That is as St. Paul also
says, they shall boast in his sufferings and cross, that shall come upon them
on account of the praise of God and the punishment of men. For as Christ
himself thus suffered, suffering has become so precious that no one is worthy
of it, and it is to be regarded and esteemed as great grace.
72. From this we see how far a
Christian life is above the natural life. First, it despises self; secondly, it
loves and thirsts for contempt; thirdly, it punishes everything that is
unwilling to be despised, by which it resigns itself to all misfortune;
fourthly it is also despised and persecuted on account of such contempt and
punishment; fifthly, it does not think itself worthy to suffer such
persecution. Now from the very first part the world and nature flee, when then
will they come to the last? But there is still another and a greater behind it,
concerning the falling at the feet of Christ, which the priests neither
understand nor want; for not every faith is sufficient for it, but the faith of
Christ must be there, that truly humiliates us. Of this we will treat later
under the spiritual interpretation.
73. Why was it necessary for the
Evangelist to write, rather than something else, that this one leper was a
Samaritan? By this he opens our eyes and warns us that God has two kinds of
people who serve him. One, that has the appearance and name of having a great,
spiritual, holy life, is employed almost wholly in it, and yet it is all in
vain. They are nothing more than ravenous wolves in sheep's clothing. Yet they
have the honor of it, and are regarded by every one as the true worshipers of
God; therefore goods, honor, friendship flow to them, and everything the world
has, for God's sake; for they think he is there, and he who thinks differently
is worse than a heathen, heretic and an apostate.
74. The others are without any show
and name, yea, they are of the opposite appearance, as though no one were less
God's people than they, and in short, they are thorough Samaritans; a word that
sounds as badly among the Jews, as if at present you should revile one as a
Turk, Jew, heathen or heretic. For the Jews alone had the name of being God's
people, and they alone had God and his worship for themselves in preference to
all other people on the earth. And they hated the Samaritans above all nations,
for they too claimed to be God's people along with the Jews; therefore a
Samaritan was to them as an apostate Christian is among us. And although it be
true that the Samaritans did not rightly believe, and that the Jews had the
true law of God, it was according to human custom that they boasted alone of
Judaism and despised the Samaritans, who were less Jews and worse Samaritans,
than the natural Samaritans. But now, as God loves the truth and is an enemy of
hypocrisy with all its boasting, he turns it round and accepts the Samaritans
and lets the Jews go. Thus it occurs that they are not his people who still
have the name, the appearance and honor of his people. Again, those who
are his people and have the name and
appearance, are heretics, apostates and the devil's children.
75. So it is even at the present
time. The clergy, priests and monks call themselves and are regarded as the
servants of God, and no one is a Christian who does not believe as they
believe, whereas no one is less a Christian and God's people than just those
who thus turn up and boast themselves among them. Again, those whom they hold
are heretics, many of whom they have also burned and exiled, like John Huss and
his followers they dare not be Christians, although they alone are the true
Christians. Here then this Gospel is so powerful that no one returns, no one
exalts God with a loud voice, no one falls on his face at the feet of Christ,
except the Samaritans, the despised, the condemned, the accursed, who must be
heretics, apostates, errorists and Satan's own children. Therefore let us guard
against everything that makes only a show, it certainly is deceiving; and let
us not reject what does not make a display, so that we do not go and reject
Christ and God, as the Jews did. This Christ also desires when he says:
76. The stranger does it, he sincerely gives God all the glory. 0, what a terrible
example is this! Among ten only one, and he among the least and most worthless.
How entirely does God indeed overlook that which is great, wise, spiritual and
honorable! And yet such people have no fear, but become hardened and petrified
in their nature. It is also terrible that the Lord knows ten of them were
cleansed, of this they did not think. To it he is not silent, he inquires after
and seeks them: Where are the nine? 0, what a frightful thing it will be when
they at some future time will feel this inquiry and must answer whither they
went, that they did not give God the glory. Then they will say: Well, we have
nevertheless praised and thanked God, and thus our priests have taught us! Then
it will appear whether it will help us to follow the doctrines of men in the
name of God, and to forsake the doctrine and will of God. We are sufficiently
warned in the Gospel, therefore no excuse will help us if we allow ourselves to
be deceived. In Baptism we have all vowed to follow Christ and his doctrine; no
one has vowed to follow the Pope, the bishops and clergy. Thus Christ has
thoroughly rejected and forbidden the doctrines of men.
77. However, Christ here comforts
his poor Samaritans, who for his name's sake must risk their lives with the
priests and Jews, and strengthens their hope with the sentence and judgment
that he demands the nine and judges them as God's thieves, who steal God's
glory, and justifies the Samaritan. For this hope gives them strong courage,
that their cause before God will be rightly maintained and will stand, but the
opposite cause will be condemned and will not stand, it matters not how great
they were and what right they had on earth.
78. Therefore observe, before Christ
justifies the Samaritan, he judges the nine, that we should be certain not to
hasten or desire revenge, but leave it only to him, and go our way. For he is
in himself so careful to defend the right and punish the wrong, that he first
takes up the latter before he rewards his Samaritans.
79. Besides, he uses many more words
in this sentence than to the Samaritan; so that we see how greatly he is
concerned about it, and he by no means forgets their wrongs and our rights. Nor
does he wait long to have them accused before him, but of his own free will
summons them, so that without doubt the cause of the unbelievers influences him
more and sooner than it strikes or harms us. Of this God speaks in Moses, Deut.
32, 35: ”Vengeance is mine, and recompense.” And St. Paul says to the Romans,
12, 19: ”Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto wrath.” Now the
words which the Lord says to the Samaritan, when he adjusts his affairs, are
the following:
”And he
said unto him, Arise, and go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole.”
80. Behold, is not this a wonderful
expression, that he
attributes his cleansing to faith? This is opposed to the
judgment of the priests who told the nine that their offering and obedience to
the law had cleansed them. But Christ's judgment stands and triumphs, that they
were not cleansed because they went to the priests, nor because of their
offering, but alone on account of their faith. Therefore, as said above, faith
will not tolerate any work, that it should help man to be justified and saved.
For this faith more than all other things must and will do it alone, and he
employs his works elsewhere, namely, to help his neighbor, as Christ has helped
him.
81. And in conclusion we observe
that this Gospel sufficiently teaches and represents the entire Christian life
with all its events and sufferings; for the two chief things are faith and
love. Faith receives the good; love gives the good. Faith offers us God as our
own; love gives us to our neighbor as his own. Now when such life begins, God
goes to work and improves it by trials and conflicts, through which a man
increases more and more in faith and love, that through his own experience God
becomes to him so heartily dear and precious, and he no longer fears anything.
Then hope grows which is certain
that God will not forsake her, of which St. Paul speaks, Rom. 5, 3-5: ”We also
rejoice in our tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh steadfastness;
and steadfastness, approvedness; and approvedness, hope; and hope putteth not
to shame.” And Paul always treats of these three principles in his Epistles. To
the Colossians he speaks thus, 1, 3-5: ”We give thanks to God the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, having heard of your faith in Christ
Jesus, and of the love which ye have toward all the saints, because of the hope
which is laid up for you in the heavens.” And still more beautiful he says to
the Thessalonians, 1, 2, 3: ”We give thanks to God always for you all, making
mention of you in our prayers; remembering without ceasing your work of faith
and labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God
and Father.”
82. How beautifully he divides the
three principles, that faith goes forth in trusting,
love in laboring, and hope in patience and suffering. As though he would say:
Your faith is not a dream nor a fancy, but it is life and action; and your love
is not passive nor is it idle, but it serves well for your neighbor. All this
takes place in prosperous days, while your hope is exercised in suffering and
patience, and all this in Christ; for there is no faith, nor love, nor hope
outside of Christ, as I said above. Thus a Christian life goes through good and
evil until the end, and yet it does not seek revenge, and only grows more and
more in faith, love and hope.
83. And love, which naturally follows
faith, is divided into two parts: it loves God, who does so much for her
through Christ in faith; it loves its neighbor, and does to him, as God does to
her. Therefore, all the works of such a man go to his neighbor for God's sake
who loved him, and he does no work relating to God except to love and to
praise, and he confesses this freely before the world. For God does not need
other works. Thus, all worship is with the mouth; although that is also called
a service of God which is done to our neighbor. But I speak now only of the
service rendered to God, in which the one part man can take is to love and to
praise; but in this he must resign himself wholly and entirely in all
adversity. Behold, what more would you know as to how to be a Christian? Have
faith and love, continue in these, then you have and can do all things; the
rest will all be taught and given to you without any exertion on your part:
This Gospel of the Ten Lepers is further expounded in a special book or postil,
which examine for additional information. There you will also find the
allegorical interpretation. or the spiritual meaning of it.
FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.
MATTHEW 6:24-34.
Christians should not be anxious for
things of this life, but seek the kingdom of god.
MATTHEW
6:24-34.
No man can
serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else
he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye 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; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the
life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air:
for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your
heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by
taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for
raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not,
neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his
glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass
of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not
much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? Or, what shall we drink? Or, Wherewithal
shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of
all these things. But seek ye first the
1. This Gospel is a part of the long
sermon Christ delivered to his disciples on the mount, in which among other
things he especially warned and admonished his disciples against the infamous
vice of avarice and anxiety for daily bread, the legitimate fruit and proof of
our unbelief. This does great harm in Christendom when it takes possession of
those in the office of the ministry, who should be occupied by nothing except
teaching the Word of God and faith aright, and chastising the error and sin of
the world; or when it possesses these it should confess God’s Words before all
persons and be prepared to serve everybody for the sake of God, even if they be
obliged on that account to lose their riches, honor, body and life.
2. Christ wishes also to teach here
how he desires to have his kingdom distinguished from the civil life and
government, that he will not govern his Christendom upon earth so that it be
conceived and vested as a government where Christians are first of all to be
amply provided with temporal goods, riches and power, and who need not fear any
need or danger; but he wishes to provide them with spiritual treasures and what
their souls need, so that they may have his Word, the consolation of his grace,
and the power and strength of the Holy Spirit against sin and death unto
everlasting life. Moreover whatever they need of temporal things for this life
and the necessaries for present wants they are to expect also from him, and
they are not to be terrified if they do not see this before their eyes and have
it prepared for the future, and are tempted by want and need. On the other hand
they are to know that their God and Father will care for them and will surely
give them all if they with firm faith are only anxious about and seek how they
may continue faithful to his word and in his kingdom, and serve him there.
3. Therefore Christ makes a
distinction in this sermon, by which he separates his Christians from the
heathen and unbelievers. For he does not deliver this doctrine
to the heathen as they do not accept it, but to those who are already
Christians. He does not however consider those Christians, who only hear
his word and can repeat it, like the nuns do the Psalter. In this way Satan
also hears the Gospel and the Word of God, yea, he knows it better than we, and
can preach it just as well as we, if he only wished to do so. But the Gospel is
doctrine that is to be a living power and put into practice; it should
strengthen and comfort the people and make us courageous and aggressive.
Therefore they who only hear the Gospel thus, so that
they know and can speak about it, are not to be classed among Christians; but
those who believe and do as the Gospel teaches are righteous.
4. Now he, who tries to serve two
masters, will do it in a way that cannot be called serving at all; for it will
certainly be as the Lord here says. One can indeed compel a servant to do a
certain work against his will and he may grieve while doing it; but no one can
compel him to do it cheerfully, and mean it from the bottom of his heart. He of
course does the work as long as his master is present, but when he is absent,
he hurries away from his task, and does nothing well. Hence the Lord desires
our service to be done out of love and cheerfully, and where it is not done
thus, it is no service to him: for even people are not pleased when one does
anything for them unwillingly. This is natural, and we experience daily that it
is so. Now, if it be the case among human beings that no one can serve two
masters, how much more is it true in the service of God, that our service
cannot be divided; but it must be done unto God alone, willingly and from the
heart; hence the Lord adds:
“Ye
cannot serve God and mammon.”
5. God cannot allow us to have
another Lord besides himself. He is a jealous God, as he says, and cannot suffer
us to serve him and his enemy. We find very few, who do not sin against the
Gospel. The Lord passes a severe judgment and it is terrible to hear, that he
should say this of us; and yet no one will confess, yea, no one will suffer it
to be said that we hate and despise God, and that we are his enemies. There is
no one, when asked if he loves God and cleaves to him, who would not reply:
Dost thou take me to be such a desperate character as to be an enemy of God?
But see how the text here closes, that we all hate and despise God, and love
and cleave to mammon. For it is impossible that he, who loves gold and riches
and cleaves to them, should not hate God. Christ here holds the two opposed to
one another and as enemies, and says: If you love one of these two and cleave
to the same, then you must hate and despise the other. However well a man may
live here upon the earth, if he clings to riches it cannot be otherwise than
that he must hate God. And whoever does not trust in gold and worldly riches,
loves God. This is certain.
6. But who are they that love God,
and cleave not to gold and worldly possessions? Take a good look at the whole
world, also the Christians, and see if they despise gold and riches. It
requires an effort to hear the Gospel and to live according to it. God be
praised, we have the Gospel; that no one can deny, but what do we do with it?
We are concerned only about learning and knowing it, and nothing more; we think
it is enough to know it, and do not care whether we ever live according to it.
However, on the other hand, one is very anxious when he leaves lying in the
window or in the room a dollar or two, yea, even a dime, then he worries and
fears lest the money be stolen; but the same person can do without the Gospel
through a whole year. And such characters still wish to be considered as
Evangelical.
7. Here we see what and who we are.
If we were Christians, we would despise riches and be concerned about the
Gospel that we some day might live in it and prove it by our deeds. We see few
such Christians; therefore we must hear the judgment that we are despisers of
God and hate God for the sake of riches and worldly possessions. Alas I that is
fine praise we should be ashamed of ourselves in our inmost souls; there is no
hope for us! What a fine condition we are in now! That means, I think, our
names are blotted out. What spoiled children we are!
8. Now the world cannot conceal its
unbelief in its coarse, outward sins, for I see it loves a dollar more than
Christ; more than all the Apostles, even if they themselves were present and
preached to it. I can hear the Gospel daily, but it does not profit me every
day; it may indeed happen, if I have heard it a whole
year, the Holy Spirit may have been given to me only one hour. Now when I enjoyed
this hour I obtained not only five hundred dollars, but also the riches of the
whole world; for what have I not, when I have the Gospel? I received God, who
made the silver and the gold, and all that is upon the earth; for I acquired
the Spirit by which I know that I will be kept by him forever; that is much
more than if I had the church full of money. Examine now and see, if our heart is not a rogue, full of wickedness and
unbelief. If I were a true Christian, I would say. The hour the Gospel is
received, there comes to me a hundred thousand dollars, and much more. For if I
possess this treasure, I have all that is in heaven and upon earth. But one
must serve this treasure only, for no man can serve God and mammon. Either you
must love God and hate money; or you must hate God and love money; this and
nothing more.
9. The master uses here the Hebrew,
which we do not. “Mammon” means goods or riches, and such goods as one does not
need, but holds as a treasure, and it is gold and possessions that one deposits
as stock and storage provisions. This Christians do not do, they gather no
treasures; but they ask God for their daily bread. However, others are not
satisfied with this, they gather a great store upon which they may depend, in
case our God should die to-day or tomorrow, they might then know a way out.
Therefore St. Paul says, in Ephesians 5: 5 and Colossians 3:5, riches and
covetousness are the god of this world and are idolatry, with this Christ here
agrees and calls it serving mammon.
10. Now, how does it come that the
Gospel and
11. Of what help are his great
treasures and riches to the Emperor when the hour of death arrives and he is
called to die? They are a shameful, loathsome, powerless god, that cannot cure
a sore, yea, it cannot keep and take care of itself, there it lies in the
chest, and lets it’s devotees wait, yea, one must
watch it as a helpless, powerless, weak thing. The lord who has this god must
watch day and night lest thieves steal it; this helpless god can aid no one.
You should have contempt for this lifeless god that cannot help in the least,
and is yet so scrupulous and precious; it lets its devotees wait in the
grandest style and protects itself with strong chests and castles, its lord must
wait and be in anxiety every hour, lest it perishes by fire or otherwise
experiences some misfortune. Does this treasure or god consist m clothing, then
one must be careful and on his guard against the smallest little insects,
against the moth, lest they ruin or devour it.
12. The walls of our rooms should
spit upon us in contempt that we trust more in the god the moth eat and the
rust corrupt, than in the God, who creates and gives all things, yea, who holds
in his hand heaven and earth, and all that in them is. Is it not a foolish
thing on the part of the world to turn from the true God and trust in base and
low mammon, in the poor, miserable god, who cannot protect himself
against rust. Oh, what a disgraceful thing this is on the part of the world! God
visits gold and worldly possessions with many kinds of enemies, to bring us to
see and confess our unbelief and godless character, that we thus trust in a
powerless and frail god, we who could at once so easily approach and cleave to
the true, powerful and strong God, who gives us everything, money, goods, fruit
and all we need; yet we are so foolish and make gods out of his gifts. Shame on
thee, thou cursed unbelief.
13. Other sins give us a little
pleasure, we receive some enjoyment from them, as in the case of eating and
drinking; in unchastity one has pleasure for a little while; likewise anger
satisfies its desire, and other vices more so. Only in this vice one must
incessantly be in slavery, hounded and martyred, and in it no one has any
pleasure or joy whatever. There the money lies on a pile and commands you to
serve it; in spite of it letting any one draw from it a thimble full of wine
there comes rust and devours it, and yet he dares not attack it, lest he angers
his god. And when his servants have protected their god a long time they have
no more than any poor beggar. I have nothing, yet I eat and drink as heartily
as any one who has a large supply of mammon. When he dies he takes just as much
along with him as I do. And it is certainly the case that these people never
live as well nor as richly as the poor people often do. Who arranges this thus?
God, the Lord, does it. Here some have a certain affliction of the body that
they have no appetite; there others are internally unsound and never relish
what they eat; here their stomach is out of order; there their lungs and liver
are diseased; here is this, and there is that sickness; here they are weak and
afflicted at one point, there at another, and they never have an enjoyable hour
to relish what they eat or drink.
14. Thus it is with those who serve
this god, mammon. The true God is still of some use, he serves the people, but
mammon does not, it lies quiet and lets others serve it. And for this reason
the New Testament calls covetousness idolatry, since it thus desires to be
served. However, to love and not to enjoy may well vex the devil. This all now
experience who love the god, mammon, and serve him. Whoever has now no sense of
shame and does not turn red, has a brazen face.
15. Thus now it is with the word,
“serve.” For it is not forbidden to have money and
possessions, as we cannot get along without them. Abraham,
16. The sum of all is, it is God’s will that we serve not gold and riches, and
that we be not overanxious for our life; but that we labor and commend our
anxiety to him. Whoever possesses riches is lord of the riches. Whoever serves them, is their slave and does not possess them, but they
possess him; for he dare not make use of them when he desires, and cannot serve
others with them; yea, he is not bold enough to dare to touch it. However, is
he lord over his riches, then they serve him, and he does not serve them; then he
teaches in 1 Corinthians
17. He is a lord of mammon who lays
hold of and uses it for the sake of those who need it and lets God rule, who
says in Luke
18. Hence the sense is, we must own some possessions, but are not to cleave to them
with our hearts; as Psalm 62:10 says: “If riches increase, set not your heart
thereon.” We are to labor; but we are not to be anxious about our existence.
This the Master says here in our Gospel in plain and clear words, when he thus
concludes:
“Be not
anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink:
nor yet for your
body, what ye shall put on.”
19. And he now uses a reasonable and
natural form of speech, by which to close, that they are not to be anxious for
the nourishment of their lives; for reason must conclude and yield that it is
as Christ says, when he gives the ground and reason of his discourse by asking:
“Is not the life more than the food,
and the body than the raiment!”
20. As if
he would say: You turn it just around, the food should serve your life and not
your life the food. The same is true in respect to raiment; the clothing should
serve the body, thus the body serves the clothing. The world is so blind that
it cannot see this.
21. Now we must here have a high esteem
for the words of the Lord. He says, “Be not anxious;” he does not say, Labor
not. Anxiety is forbidden, but not labor; yea, it is commanded and made
obligatory upon us to labor until the sweat rolls down our faces. It is not
God’s pleasure for man to tramp around idly; therefore he says to Adam in
Genesis
22. Why then does he not give us
what we need without our labor? Because it is thus pleasing to him; he tells us
to labor and then he gives it; not because of our work, but out of kindness and
grace. This we see before our eyes; for although we labor every year in the
field, yet God gives one year more than another. Therefore, we are fools, yea,
we act contrary to God’s will, when we are worried as to how to scrape together
gold and riches, since God gratuitously and richly promises that he will give
us all and will abundantly provide for our every want.
23. However, one may say: Does not
24. Here we must be guarded, lest we
make a gloss, instead of understanding simply the words as they read: Be not
anxious for your life. God says: Labor, and if you accomplish nothing, I will
give what is needed; does he give then see that you rightly distribute it. Do
not be anxious to get, but see to it that your domestics and others also
receive of that which God has given to you, and that your domestics labor and
receive a Christian training.
25. Am I a preacher, my anxiety
should not be where to receive what I am to preach; for if I have nothing I can
give nothing. Christ says in Luke
26. Thus a housefather also does, he
attends only to that which is commanded him, and lets our Lord God arrange as
to how he will give. When he gives, then man is concerned how to impart it to
his family, and he sees that they have no need as to the body and the soul.
This is what the Lord means, when he says we are not to be anxious for our food
and raiment; but he certainly requires us to labor. For thou
must be a long time behind the oven until something is given to thee if thou
dost not till the soil and work. True it is, God can easily nourish thee
without thy work, he could easily have roasted and boiled corn and wine grow on
thy table; but he does not do it, it is his will that thou shouldst labor and
in doing so to use thy reason.
27. In like manner it is with
preaching and all our affairs. God gives us the wool, that he grows on the
sheep; but it is not at once cloth, we must labor and make it into cloth; when
it is cloth, it does not at once become a coat, the tailor must first work with
the cloth before it is a coat; and so God does with all things, he cares for
us, but we must toil and work. We have plenty examples of this before our eyes,
and God relates especially two here that should really make us blush with
shame, namely, those of the birds and the lilies in the field. Pointing to the
birds he says:
“Behold
the birds of the heaven, that they sow not,
neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them.”
28. As if the Lord would say: You
have never yet seen a bird with a sickle, with which it harvested and gathered
into barns; yea, the birds do not labor like we; and still they are nourished.
By this the Lord does not however teach that we are to be idle; but he tries by
this example to take all anxiety from us. For a bird cannot do the work of a
farmer as we do; yet, it is not free from labor, but it does the work for which
it was created, namely, it bears its young, feeds them and sings to our Lord
God a little song for the privilege of doing this. Had God imposed more labor
upon it, then it would have done more. Early in the morning it rises, sits upon
a twig and sings a song it has learned, while it knows not where to obtain its
food, and yet it is not worried as to where to get its breakfast. Later, when
it is hungry, it flies away and seeks a grain of corn, where God stored one
away for it, of which it never thought while singing, when it had cause enough
to be anxious about its food. Ay, shame on you now, that the little birds are
more pious and believing than you; they are happy and sing with joy and know
not whether they have anything to eat.
29. This parable is constantly
taught to our great and burning shame, that we cannot do as much as the birds.
A Christian should be ashamed before a little bird that knows an art it never
acquired from a teacher. When in the spring of the year, while the birds sing
the most beautifully, you say to one: How canst thou sing so joyfully, thou
hast not yet any grain in thy barn! It would thus mock you. It is a powerful
example and should truly give offense to us and stir us to trust God more than
we do. Therefore he concludes with a penetrating passage, and asks:
“Are not
ye of much more value than they?”
30. Is it not a great shame that the
Lord makes and presents to us the birds as our teachers, that
we should first learn from them? Shame on thee, thou loathsome, infamous
unbelief! The birds do what they are required to do; but we not. In Genesis
31. As if to say, your life is not
yours, nor is your body, you cannot make it one cubit longer or shorter;
neither be anxious as to how you are to clothe
yourself. Behold the flowers of the field how they are adorned and clothed,
neither do they anything to that end; they neither
spin nor work, yet they are beautifully clothed.
32. By this illustration the Lord
again does not wish to have us cease to sew and work, but we should labor, spin
and sew, and not be overanxious and worry. The evil we have is our toil; will
we in addition worry, then we do like the fools; for it is enough that each day
has its own evil. It seems to me, this is disdain that is commanded, that the
flowers stand there and make us blush and become our teachers. Thank you,
flowers, you, who are to be devoured by the cows! God has exalted you very
highly, that you become our masters and teachers. Shame, that
this earth bears us! Is it an honor for us? I do not know. We must here confess
that the most insignificant flower, that the cattle tread under foot, should
become our teacher, are we not fine people? I think
so. Now Christ places alongside of this the richest and most powerful king,
Solomon, who was clothed in the most costly manner in purple and gold, whose
glory was not to be compared with that of the flowers, 1 Kings 10:1. Is it not
remarkable that the adornment of the flowers in the field should be esteemed
higher than all the precious stones, gold and silver?
33. However, we are so blind that we
do not see what God designs thereby and what he means. The flower stands there
that we should see it, it strikes us and says: If thou hadst the adornment of the
whole world even then thou wouldst not be equal to me, who stand here, and am
not the least worried whence this adornment comes to me. I do not however
concern myself about that, here I stand alone and do nothing and although thou
art beautifully adorned, thou art still sickly and servest impotent mammon; I
however am fresh and beautiful and serve the true and righteous God. Behold,
what a loathsome, vicious thing is unbelief!
34. These are two fine and powerful
examples of the birds and the lilies. The birds teach us a lesson as to our
daily food; the flowers as to our raiment. And in the whole New Testament our
shame is no where so disclosed and held to view, as just in this Gospel. But
they are few who understand it. From these examples and parables the Lord now
concludes and says:
“Be not
therefore anxious, saying,
What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these
things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need
of all these things. But seek ye first his kingdom and
his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Be not
therefore anxious for the morrow; for the morrow will be anxious for itself.
Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”
35. As I said at the beginning
Christ delivered this sermon to his Christians, especially to those in the
office of the ministry or to those who otherwise either had nothing or never
could acquire and gather for themselves riches and mammon, as the rest of the
world does; in order that they might know, from what source they could nourish
and support themselves and their families. Yea, they are compelled to live in
the danger of being robbed of the little earthly goods God gave them and thus
they are without the least doubt compelled to live entirely upon the help that
God sends them and they expect from him, since the world gives them nothing.
36. This is indeed painful to flesh
and blood, and is very burdensome to them, yea, no one
can bear or do it, unless he is a believing Christian. For the world is so
disposed that it will not take the least risk in temporal matters for the
future; but it must be sure of them, order beforehand and have in store and
ready for use whatever it needs, as food, peace, protection and insurance, so
that it can live and depend upon neither God nor the people; but as it is
evident that the world enriches no one because of his faith and piety, they
think they must act and live as others do, in order that they may nevertheless
have also something.
37. Against this he herewith
comforts and strengthens his Christians, and again repeats: They shall
therefore not worry nor doubt nor wriggle in such unbelief, saying: Oh, what is
to become of us? Who is going to give us anything? Where in this world are we
Christians to get food, protection, peace? But they must know that their
heavenly Father provides for this, and will also give it to them, he who for
this very reason is called their Father (not the unbelievers’, although he
feeds all the world, and gives everything), in order to show that he will also
not leave his children, tie leads them into God’s high work of the whole
creation, that they may see how he nourishes and supports all things which he
creates, after having ordered and regulated each one – also all the birds in
the air, which, as you know, do not fret about their food nor know beforehand
whither they shall take it. Aye, especially also the little flowers does he so
deck and adorn that such beauty and :finery might more
fittingly be supplied elsewhere; for does it not seem quite useless, since they
only bloom for perchance a day? Must he not therefore much more think and care
for his Christians, how they may be fed and clad, and where they might dwell
and stay as long as they have to live on earth?
38. This he admonishes them to
believe; and to impress them most strongly with it, not by many but by earnest
words, he suddenly breaks off after having held up to them the examples from
daily life and God’s work among his Creatures; and closes with these words:
Shall he not much more do such things for you, O ye of little faith? He wishes
to say: Well, you ought to be ashamed of yourselves, if you are Christians and
know that you have a Father in heaven, to let me do so much preaching about
this! Yes, ashamed you ought to be, and not permit that such things be said of
you. But must I not say it, that ye are so small and have so little faith, and
that ye so little confide without doubt and care in the living God, who gives
you his Word and promise and has chosen you as his children – that he would
nourish and support your body and life? How then Will ye stand without shame
and disgrace, not alone before God but before all his creatures, if that is to
be said of you, and you yourselves by your own confession must testify that
you, having so plentifully God’s word and grace, so little trust him with
caring for your miserable maggot-sack and stinking belly?
39. Still more strongly does he
speak to them by saying: “After all these things do the Gentiles seek” etc. This ought surely to deter a Christian, when he hears
the public and terrible verdict spoken that those who worry and hanker after
mammon are heathen, that is, people who really have no God; who, instead of
God, serve mammon, in which there is only God’s name and naught but lies and
vanity; who therefore are wholly cut off from God, deprived of all divine
knowledge, comfort, grace and bliss. These are none other than the most
miserable, most unfortunate, condemned people, who have never any salvation or
comfort to hope for.
40. Here you see the world pictured,
what sort of a thing it is, namely the big, mighty crowd – excepting a very few
Christians – who, as soon as they have grown up, turn altogether away from God
and serve mammon, the god of lies. Him do they hold as the great, aye, the only
god, because the crowd that follows him is so great; nevertheless he is
nothing, a mere powerless name. So a Christian should truly be horrified and
shocked, when thinking of such blindness and misery of the world; he should
with sighs and tears strive and work for it to be far removed from such
shameful practices, and run from it, as run he can, as it were out of a fire,
aye, out of the midst of hell.
41. Thirdly, in order in the most
loving and comforting way to entice us to believe he again says: “Your heavenly
Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.” Is he not your father,
and only your father – not the birds’, the geese’ or ducks’, nor the godless
heathens’ father! Then trust him to be so loving that he will as a father care
for you and neither forget nor leave you; aye, that he has long before known
what he should give you, and has provided therefor ere you yourselves think of
it or feel your wants. For who but he has before known or thought what you
would be or need, ere you were born into this world? Therefore honor him so far
as to believe that he sees and knows such things and, knowing them, will act
with you as a father.
“But seek
ye first his kingdom and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added
unto you.”
42. That is
the chief passage in this sermon, and states the right rule and manner how we
are to proceed in order to get both the divine or eternal gift, and what we
need for this life. Would you rightly and well take care whereof it behooves
you to take care, then let this be the first, aye, indeed, your only care, that
you strive according to God’s Word to do your duty, to serve him in his kingdom
as his Word teaches you – for in this consists the righteousness belonging to
this kingdom – and to prize this more highly than all pertaining unto this
temporal life. If you do this you have done and provided well and need not take
any further burdens upon you nor cherish any cares in your heart; indeed, it should
be much too small a thing for you to care for so slight a matter as the wants
of your belly, and therefore to aggrieve yourselves. Rather do this for the
honor of God, and furthermore for your own use and benefit, that you strive
after the great and eternal good; which if you attain and keep, the rest will
surely take care of itself. Neither can you in any better way arrive at
obtaining it from God, than in this wise that you first seek and ask of him the
great things.
43. For this is to his liking, that
we ask great things of him, and that he be able to give great and many things.
And for the reason that he gladly gives great things, he will also not stint
the small things, but throw them to boot into the bargain. This God has
constantly caused many pious people to experience, who, following this rule and
precept, have striven to help in building God’s kingdom, have served the
church, furthered God’s Word, and given thereto of their means. He then on the
other hand has richly blessed them with goods, honor, etc. This is evidenced by
the old examples not only of the Scriptures, but also by the history of some of
our pious kings and princes, who, first having given plentifully for parishes
and pulpits, for the support of the holy ministry and for schools, have thereby
not become poorer, but were much more richly blessed and endowed by God, so
that they have reigned in good peace, with victory and good fortune.
44. This he would gladly still do,
if the world could or would haply for its own good follow the well-meant advice
which he here gives, and not with unbelief, greed and unchristianlike scheming
rage against his Word, to its own harm and ruin. So must he turn this Word with
her and prove the contrary; that he who will not strive after God’s kingdom and
his righteousness, but despises the same and reckons to provide for himself,
against God’s will, by means of his own wisdom and plotting, must be deprived
both of the eternal and of the temporal, and either not obtain the temporal or
at least not be satisfied and happy with it.
45. The world is always anxious
about the future, and therewith thinks to assure its fate and to bring this
much about that it may be removed from danger, protect and support itself. They see not the vanity thereof, and that their
projects go wrong; that it be true, and experience testifies, as Christ here
says, that each day brings its own misfortune and evil. Thus it comes to pass
that, with such plottings and prudence of their own, whereby they mean to
ensure themselves and to forestall all coming danger, the world only causes the
more woe and harm. For whenever they see that things do not go as they
expected, or that an accident happens, then they begin to despond, think of one
remedy and another, and imagine they must, wherever and as best they can, look
for help, protection and safety; thus they patch for themselves and think to
help matters by all sorts of strange craftiness and practices, whereunto they
are driven by unbelief, against God and their conscience, thus to carry out
what they have in mind, albeit they see that God does not prosper such things.
Hence springs so much misfortune, misery, murder, war, and all mischief and
misdoing of the wicked world. Each one means to carry out his affairs without
God, to oppress and choke whosoever would hinder him, and rather to throw all
things higgledy-piggledy on a heap than to desist from his mind. Thereby in all
affairs and governments all good things perish and naught but evil grows; as
all history and daily experience more than amply show.
46. Against this Christ would
caution his believers, that they may not waver nor stake their affairs on that
which is uncertain, vainly caring for the future, but at all times and daily do
that which is right; that they may not worry how things will come out, nor
permit themselves to be swerved by future and uncertain good or evil things;
but rather commend care to God, and then take everything that occurs to them in
good part and overcome it with faith and patience. For it cannot be on earth
otherwise than that each one daily in his office, estate and calling meet with
other things than he gladly welcomes, which causes him much trouble and labor.
Hence does also Christ call this life daily evil or misfortune, that is to say,
all sorts of misfortune, resistance, hindrance; that we may know it and be
prepared for it, so as not to be frightened by any of them from doing good,
neither yet to hanker after the world and become partakers in its unrighteous
and evil affairs – thereby leading ourselves and others into ruin and
damnation.
SIXTEENTH
SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
EPHESIANS 3:13-21.
EPHESIANS 3:13-21.
Wherefore I ask that ye may not faint at my
tribulations for you, which are your glory. For this cause I bow my knees unto
the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, and that he
would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be
strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; that Christ may
dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and
grounded in love, may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the
breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which
passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fullness of God. Now unto
him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,
according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be the glory in the church
and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen.
PAUL’S
CARE AND PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH
1. Up to this time Paul has been extolling the office of the
ministry, which proclaims the Gospel of the New Testament. In lofty and
impressive terms he introduces its purpose, power and wisdom – in a word, the
great benefits the office effects, since God thereby bestows upon us abundantly
all manner of wisdom, strength and blessings, all which things, in heaven or
earth, are of his dispensing. The Gospel proclaims to us life from death,
righteousness from sin, redemption from hell and all evil, and brings us out of
the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God. So sublime is the whole
subject, Paul does not venture to compass it with words but in the loftiest of
language suggests much.
2. In the first part of the text he shows the depth of his
concern that the Ephesians should retain the Gospel preaching received from
him, not allowing themselves to be torn away from it. To this end he employs
two expedients: first, he consoles and admonishes; second, he prays and
desires.
PAUL
CONSOLES HIS CONVERTS
“Wherefore I ask that ye may not faint at my tribulations
for you, which are your glory.”
3. Having been imprisoned at Rome by order of the emperor,
Paul thus consoles his beloved converts at Ephesus, admonishing them to cleave
to the doctrine learned from him; not to be frightened from it by beholding his
fate, nor permit themselves to be alienated by such comment as this: “This man
Paul in his preaching to you made great pretentions to
being commissioned of Christ himself, and to outdoing all the other apostles.
And you made your boast in him and relied upon him as
if he were the only and all-deserving one. Where is he now? What assistance can
he render you? There he lies in Rome, by the Jews condemned to death; more than
that, he is in the hands of that cruel tyrant, Emperor Nero. Did we not long
ago tell you he would meet such fate? Presumably this puts an end to his
boastings over every other man.”
4. To prevent the offense that threatened, Paul writes from
his prison, and his message is, in effect, this: “Dear friends, you see I am
imprisoned; the devil and the world have me in their hands. This may perhaps
alarm you, and rouse in you the evil suspicion, ‘If his doctrine were all right
and if he were the great apostle of Christ he claims to be, God would not
permit him to suffer such fate.’” For some of the false apostles thus taunted
Paul’s disciples. “But I entreat and exhort you,” Paul would say, “not to be
offended, or alarmed, not to grow faint, though I am in prison. Whether we be
tempted and suffer tribulation, whether we be honored or dishonored, no matter
what comes, only cleave to the doctrine I have preached to you – the Gospel,
God’s sure Word, as you know.” He reminds them, as before he has done, of that
whereunto God has called them, and of what they have received through his
preaching.
5. Such admonition is still, and will ever be, necessary in
the Christian community. The weak must endure severe conflicts in the
tribulations the Gospel inevitably entails. The trial is especially hard when
they must lose their leaders and teachers, and in addition hear the shameful,
bitter taunts of the calumniators. We in this day have to expect that some will
be offended when teachers are assailed. We should therefore be prepared, and
when any of our number fall away from our faith to flatter tyrants and the
Pope, and to become liars and knaves, we must individually lay hold of the
Gospel in a way to enable us to stand and say: “Not because a certain one has
so taught, do I believe. It matters not what becomes of him or what he may be,
the doctrine itself is right. This I know, whatever God may permit to befall
myself or others because of it.”
THE
CHRISTIAN’S CONFIDENCE MUST BE IN GOD
6. So have I personally had to do, and must still do.
Otherwise I would have been terrified and enervated when I saw the Pope, and
bishops, emperors, kings and all the world, opposed to the doctrine they ought
to sustain. I would have been overwhelmed, thinking, “They, too, are men and
cannot all be followers of the devil.” How could I comfort myself and stand
firm unless I were able to say: “Though ten other worlds and everything great,
lofty, wise and prudent, and all my dear friends and brethren as well, should
turn from me, the doctrine still remains true. It
stands; it will not, like men, totter and fall. I will adhere to the Word of
God, stand or fall what may.”
7. The Christian must be discerning enough to strip the
individual of his mask – f his great pomp and majesty – and distinguish it from
the Word. He who cannot so do, cannot stand under temptation; let one fall, and
he will soon follow suit.
8. Such is the nature of the Church in its earthly
government that human wisdom must stumble thereat; various sects of the
offended must rise in opposition to the faith. But God
delights to rule, not with the sword or with visible power, but through
weakness and in opposition to the devil and the world. Seemingly, he would
permit his Church to be utterly overthrown. Guard against and resist offenses
as well as we may – and the practice is not without its efficacy – still we
must ultimately be driven to say defiantly: “He who established the Church and
has to this time preserved it, will continue to protect it. Man would not rule
it wisely, but the living Christ is seated upon the throne whereon God placed
him, and we shall see who can pull him down and destroy his Church.”
PAUL’S
SUFFERINGS FOR THE CHURCH’S GOOD
9. When the trying hour arrives, we are able to accomplish
about as little against the enemy as Paul when he lay in chains powerless to
succor a soul. He was obliged to commit his cause to the Lord. At the same
time, as a faithful apostle, he ceased not, though removed from his followers,
to admonish and warn to the full extent of his power. Well he knew that many
false apostles were ready, so sure as he said a word, to pervert it and to fill
the ears of the people with their own empty words and poisonous teaching. He
elsewhere complains ( 2 Timothy 1:15) that by the
influence of this class all Asia was turned away from him. He had reference to
the nearest neighbors of the Ephesians in Asia.
10. For the sake of affording his converts comfort and
strength, Paul proceeds to make his sufferings and tribulations pleasing to
them by speaking of these afflictions in unusual and beautiful terms. He presents
a view quite opposed to the opinion of the world and the judgment of
calumniators. “My sufferings and tribulations,” says Paul, “which to you and
the world, viewed in a fleshy way, are most disastrous, really work you no
injury nor disadvantage, notwithstanding what the pernicious babblers claim
about such trials. Rather, they are beneficial to you and me. Though your
enemies seek thus to injure you to the fullest extent, benefits they never
foresee will accrue to us. “My sufferings are not for my own sake, but yours.
They work your benefit; it is better for you as it is, than for me to be
present and preach to you. And how so? Because I suffer only for the sake of
the ministry, for that Gospel I delivered you. I risk my life and all I have
that you may hold it fast; such is my earnest desire. I contend for and cleave
to, at the risk of my life, that which Christ gave me and enjoined upon me.
Thus by my chains and bands I honor and establish the Gospel, that you may be
strengthened and may cleave more firmly to it.
11. “So we shall joyfully transform the tribulation imposed
by the world in an attempt to inflict great evils: God will have to pronounce
the sentence: ‘Hear, O world, devil, emperor, tyrant! Thou hast imprisoned my
apostle Paul for the sake of my godly Christians. What injury have they done
thee? what fault committed? With no wrong on their
part, thou persecutest them. It is simply because I gave them my Word;
therefore thou art opposing and defying me. What shall I say but that thou hast
imprisoned and bound, not Paul, but me? Is it not insupportable that a
perishable worm, be he emperor or prince, should presume to apprehend God in
heaven? But thinkest thou I will remain silent and unprotesting? Thinkest thou
I will not break chains, stocks and bands, and give
command: Hold thou, devil and tyrant, and submit! Let me rule, substituting for
one Paul, ten; and for one Church at Ephesus establishing thirty, yes, a
hundred.’”
12. And as in Paul’s time, so today: when our enemies get
hold of an evangelical preacher, either he must secretly be drowned or
murdered, or he must publicly be hanged or burned. Why is it? Because of the
Christians to whom he has taught his doctrine. For a while God looks on
serenely. He says: “Beloved lords, be not enraged. Know you whom you have
apprehended and murdered? It is I, the Divine Majesty. It was not their own
word and command but mine which these preachers taught and my Christians
believed. You cannot deny the fact. I must, then, consider how to secure myself
against your wrath. How shall I do it? Indeed, by way of returning your favors
and kindnesses, I must so arrange that where one town had a minister and the
Gospel, ten, yes twenty, towns must have their pastor and preachers. I will, O
Pope and bishops, invade your own dioceses and you must tolerate and accept the
Gospel, whether to your joy or your grief. If you begin to rave,
I will give you cause for alarm, for you shall be overthrown, bishops, hats and
all.”
13. Note, when Paul says he suffers for the Ephesians, he
means that his suffering is for their profit, to teach them they have nothing
to fear in suffering. They, not he, are the subjects of concern in this matter.
His pains are not merely those of Paul – upon whom not so much depends – but of
an apostle or preacher of the Church of Christ. When the latter name is
associated with the suffering, when it is not John or Peter who is cast into
prison – that God might tolerate – but a minister of the Church, then the deed
is a too gross jesting with the majesty of God; it is tempting him too far, yes
apprehending him.
14. It was necessary that Paul give
his converts this admonition: “Dear children, fear not. Do not be alarmed at my
arrest and intended execution. Let our enemies put forth their utmost effort.
You shall see how I will rend the cords and burst the prison, humiliating them
until they lie in ashes; the place of one resister of the Gospel will be filled
by ten who preach it.”
CHRIST
PERSECUTED IN CHRISTIANS
Since Paul’s enemies refuse instruction and will not cease
their raging, since they refuse to learn against whom they rage,
he must make known to them who is the object of their persecution. It is
neither Paul nor an apostle, but he to whom it was said (Psalm 110:1), “Sit
thou at my right hand.” It is a perilous thing to take liberties with him. He
is now seated where he will brook no suffering. The enemies of the Christians
must behold such things as did the Jews who delivered Paul into the Emperor’s
hands, and as the Romans witnessed. Soon after Paul’s execution, Jerusalem lay
in ashes, and not a great while after, the city of Rome was destroyed. For when
Christ was oppressed, when in the person of his apostles and martyrs he was
seized and put to death, he had no alternative but to destroy a whole city. And
Germany may expect a similar fate.
NO MAN
CAN MERIT ETERNAL LIFE FOR ANOTHER
15. It is unnecessary here to reply to those wicked and
illiterate dolts, the Papists and Anabaptist factions, who explain Paul’s
words, “my tribulations for you,” and similar passages, as teaching that one
Christian can by his sufferings merit or aid in the salvation of others. Paul
does not say, “My tribulations for you are designed to secure for you
forgiveness of sins and salvation.” He clearly declares, as the Scriptures
everywhere do, that only Christ’s sufferings are thus effective and for all
men. Paul’s thought may well be expressed – and every minister may say the same
– in these words: “My preaching and my suffering are for your sake.” Just as a
parent may say to a child, “I must do or endure this for you.” True, works
wrought and sufferings endured for another’s sake are productive of the good
and comfort of that one or of many, but the worker or sufferer does not thereby
merit, either for himself or another, God’s grace and eternal life. No, these
things demand the offices of a being of another order – Christ. He through his
sufferings exterminates your sins, and through his death gives you life. Then
again, Paul is addressing those already Christians and having forgiveness of
sins and all the requirements of a Christian; yet he suffers for them; that is,
for their good – that in proportion as his enemies seek to oppose the Gospel,
its influence may be widened and the faith of his followers strengthened.
16. In the effort to comfort and strengthen the Ephesians,
Paul yet further glorifies and extols his tribulations in the words “which are
your glory.” What unheard of talk is this? Is it not much rather, as reason
dictates and as all the world affirms, a disgrace to his followers that he lies
there in prison? What greater dishonor can Christians suffer than to have their
ministers and pastors – their instructors and consolers – shamefully arrested?
So it seems to the world, it is true; but I tell you,
in God’s sight and in reality, this trial is a great honor to you, one of which
you may proudly boast. This very disgrace and provocation you may turn squarely
to your good, saying: “From the very fact of our disgrace, I know the doctrine
is true and divine. For it is the lot of the Word of
God and of salutary doctrine, together with the supporters of the same, to be
defamed and persecuted by the world and the devil.” Such persecution is but
glory and honor to Christians. Paul says in Romans 5:3, “We rejoice in our
tribulations.” In other words, we regard them as glorious, beneficial,
precious, blessed.
CHRISTIANS
TO REJOICE IN PERSECUTIONS
17. Christians should not, and cannot, have their glory in
the things the world esteems and honors; for the world will not, nor can it,
honor even God and his Word. Christ’s followers, then, should not be terrified
at such treatment as Paul received nor feel disgraced. Let them rather rejoice,
deriving comfort and glory therefrom, as did the apostles. We read ( Acts 4:13) of their boldness, and ( Acts 5:41) that
they rejoiced in being “counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name.” So it
fared with Christ himself, and Christians ought to be grieved if it be
otherwise with them and if the world regard them in a kindly way. In proportion
as the world persecutes them and heaps upon them its malice, should they
rejoice. Let them accept persecution as a good indication, regarding themselves
blessed, as Christ teaches in Matthew
PREACHING
MUST BE FOLLOWED BY PRACTICE
18. Having comforted his followers concerning his
tribulations, Paul tells them it is his earnest petition, his longing, that God
would grant them power to cleave in firm faith to the Gospel, not forsaking it
or growing weary when they have to endure affronts and tribulations, but firmly
resisting these. It is not enough merely to accept the Gospel, or even to
preach it. Acceptance must be followed by that spiritual power which renders
faith firm and manifests steadfastness in conflicts and temptations; for “the
kingdom of God is not in word, but in power,” as Paul says, Corinthians
19. Note how Paul devotes himself to the welfare of the
Christian community. He sets an example, to us ministers in particular, of how
to effect the good of the people. But we do not rightly heed his example. We
imagine it sufficient to hear the Gospel and be able to discourse about it; we
stop at the mere knowledge of it; we never avail ourselves of the Gospel’s power
in the struggles of life. Unquestionably, the trouble is, we do not earnestly
pray. We ought constantly to come to God with great longing, entreating him day
and night to give the Word power to move men’s hearts.
David says ( Psalm 68:33), “Lo, he uttereth his voice,
a mighty voice.”
20. Not only preachers, but all Christians, should
constantly entreat the God who grants knowledge to grant also efficacy; should
beseech him that the Word may not pass with the utterance, but may manifest
itself in power. The prevailing complaint at present is that much preaching
obtains, but no practice; that the people are shamefully rude, cold and
indolent, and less active than ever, while at the same time they enjoy the
strong, clear light of revelation concerning all right and wrong in the world.
Well may we pray, then, as Paul does here. He says, in effect: “You are well
supplied: the Word is richly proclaimed to you – abundantly poured out upon
you. But! bend my knees to God, praying that he may add his blessing to the
Word and grant you to behold his honor and praise and to be firmly established,
that the Word may grow in you and yield fruit.”
21. Feelingly does Paul speak of praying for his followers.
He seems to say: “I must lie here imprisoned, not privileged to be with you or
to aid you in any way but by bending my knees – that is, entreating and
imploring God earnestly and in deep humility – to the end that God may grant
you, may effect in you, what neither myself nor any other human being can
accomplish – what I could not do even were I free and ever present with you.”
TRUE
PRAYER CONSISTS NOT IN OUTWARD THINGS
22. Observe, the apostle alludes to his prayer by naming its
outward expression – bending the knees. But the external posture, if
accompanied by nothing else, is sheer hypocrisy. When prayer is genuine,
possessing the fire by which it is kindled, prompted by a sincere heart which
recognizes its need and likewise the blessings that are ours as proclaimed in
the Word, and when faith in God’s Word – in his promise – revives, then the
individual will be possessed with a fervor prompting him to fall upon his knees
and pray for strength and for the power of the Spirit. When the Spirit of
prayer is enkindled and burns within the heart, the body will responsively
assume the proper attitude; involuntarily, eyes and hands will be upraised and
knees bended. Witness the examples of Moses, David and even Christ himself.
When we pray with glowing hearts, external gestures will take care of
themselves. They are prompted by the Spirit, and therefore are not to be
denounced. If assumed, unbidden of the Spirit, they are hypocritical; as, for
instance, when one presumes outwardly to serve God and perform good works while
his heart is far away. The prophet says ( Isaiah 29:13),
“This people draw nigh unto me, and with their mouth and with their lips do
honor me, but have removed their heart far from me?
23. By the declaration, “I bow my knees unto the Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ,” Paul establishes the doctrine that no one should
presume to speak to God, to entreat him for any favor, unless approaching, as
Paul does here, in the name of “the Father of ore: Lord Jesus Christ.” For
Christ is our sole Mediator, and no one need expect to be heard unless he
approach the Father in the name of that Mediator and confess him Lord given of
God as intercessor for us and ruler of our bodies and souls. Prayer according
to these conditions is approved. Strong faith, however is necessary to lay hold
of the comforting Word, picturing God in our hearts as the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
24. The statement that Christ is our Lord is very
comforting, though we have made it terrifying by
regarding Christ as a stern and angry judge, But the fact is, he is Lord for
the sole purpose of securing us against harsh lords, tyrants, the devil, the
world, death, sin and every sort of misfortune. We are his inheritance, and
therefore he will espouse our cause, deliver us from violence and oppression of
all kinds and better our condition. The name “Lord,” then, is altogether
lovable and comforting to us who believe, and gives us confidence of heart. But
still more comforting is it to know that our God, our
Lord, is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The name “Lord” stands for the
complete Godhead, who gives himself to us. Therefore, all we ask in this name
must be abundantly bestowed. Naught is here for me but real help and pure
grace. For God designs to have me his child in Christ, placed above all things
temporal and eternal.
GOD
OUR FATHER
25. Paul further declares that God is not merely a father,
but the true Father, “from whom every family in heaven
and on earth is named.” Earthly fathers are so called because in a flesh and
blood way they have begotten us, or on account of their age
and their claim to honor. It is the universal custom to apply the term “father”
to an old master. In 2 Kings
26. But reason can never see it so. And only by the Spirit’s
work can the heart recognize the fact. Reason may go so far as to regard God an
angry and terrible judge, one who makes the world, even hell itself, too narrow
for it and leaves it without a foothold. But it is impossible for natural
reason to call God a father in sincerity; much less to regard him the divine
Father, preeminent over all who bear the name of “father” in heaven or on
earth, of whom all other fathers are as mirror reflections.
27. Think of the attitude of an earthly father toward his
child, and of the child toward his father. Even where actual parenthood is
lacking, the name engenders a confidence affectionate and pleasing enough to
kindle the brightest anticipations of great good to be received. Now, if the
sincere, loyal designs of earthly fathers for their children are mere pretense
compared to the blessed purposes of our heavenly Father, what must we look for
from this heavenly Father, this Father above all others Paul would teach us to
look at the proportions, and from the confidence we repose in our natural
fathers estimate the character of God as a Father and what we may expect from
him.
28. He who can put his trust in God, who can confidently
rely upon him and sincerely cry, “Thou art my beloved Father!” need not fear to
ask anything of God, or that God will at all deny him. His own heart will tell
him that his petitions will be granted. Because of the strength of his confidence,
he cannot fail to secure his heart’s desires. Thus God himself teaches us to
break open heaven and lay him bare before our eyes that we may see who this
Father is. [Thus Paul is confident what he asks is pleasing to God and will be
granted. If we did the same we would, doubtless, have a like experience. There
are still people who pray. It would be a blessing if there were many more. Then the Gospel would make greater progress and impart
to us greater power. It is evident, God be praised, that all who rage against the Gospel must be put to shame. The more they rage, the more the Gospel spreads, and all without our help
or counsel, only because God awakens hearts to pray that it may prosper, even
without our help. The more fervently we pray, the greater is God’s pleasure to
hear.]
29. What is the nature of the prayer Paul here presents? It
is the same as the Lord’s Prayer, being particularly identical with the first,
second and third petitions. In words of different sound but implying the very
same thing, Paul briefly embraces these petitions – the hallowing of God’s name
and Word in our midst, and the destruction of the devil’s kingdom and all evil
– whatever is opposed to the Word and will of God. He says:
GOD
LAVISH IN HIS BLESSINGS
30. Sublime words are these, wrung from a fervent heart.
Evidently, in the effort to express himself fully, clearly and in language
worthy of his subject, the apostle finds words too weak and rare. The fervor of
his heart can be but poorly portrayed. By the phrase, “according to the riches
of his glory,” Paul means to say: “Such is the greatness of God’s glory, it
deserves the title of riches. For it is conducive to God’s honor and praise
that he gives abundantly.” These words reveal the nature of God, proclaiming
him the source whence we may expect all good, and all aid in time of need. He
is God of all the world. The reason the world has made
many gods, has invoked many saints, is because it looks to them for aid and
benefit. The Scriptures term “gods” certain individuals who do good and lend
assistance to their fellows. God says to Moses ( Exodus
7:1), “I have made thee as God [a god] to Pharaoh.”
31. But God, because of the abundance and lavishness of his
gifts, is entitled to greater honor and glory. He is the true
God, to whom alone belongs all glory; yea, the riches of glory. He pours out
his blessings abundantly and above measure; he is the source of all blessings
in heaven and on earth. Even his most inferior creatures – water, air, the
earth and its products – are so generously bestowed that we can appropriate
only an infinitesimal part of them. Yet in our blindness and stupidity we do
not see, yea, we utterly ignore the fact that God is the giver o£ these. Now,
how much more generous is God in spiritual blessings! He has freely given
himself – poured out himself – for us, and also gifts and blessings of the
highest order. He has illumined us with a light bright enough to reveal to us
the real character of the world, the devil and the angels. Yes, to show to us
God’s purposes, present, past and future. Thus we have all wisdom and all power
over sin, the devil and death, being lords of all creatures. In a word, our
riches are inexpressibly great.
32. Paul employs forcible words to record his prayer here.
He has firm confidence in God that the petition must be efficacious, must
penetrate the clouds and open heaven. He does not say that God looks upon our
merit and worthiness and for the sake of these grants our requests; but for the
sake of the riches of his glory. We are not worthy his favors, but his glory is
worthy o£ our recognition, and we are to honor him because he gratuitously
lavishes his blessings upon us, that his name alone may be hallowed. Only with
a recognition of these facts may prayer be offered if it is to avail before
God. If God were to consider our merit, very small would be the portion due us.
But if we are to be richly blessed, it must come about through our recognition
of pure grace as the source of our gifts, and our praise of God’s exceeding
glory.
33. But what are the blessings for which Paul’s prayer
entreats? Something more than continuance of the Word with his followers,
though it is a great and good gift even to have the Word thoroughly taught: he
prays that the heart may taste the Word and that it may be effectual in the
life. Thus the apostle contrasts a knowledge of the Word with the power of the
Word. Many have the knowledge, but few the impelling and productive power that
the results may be as we teach. Hence they are criticized and not without
reason. But our enemies cannot censure and reproach us to greater extent than
to say that we preach and accept much good doctrine to no purpose; that no one
practices it and profits thereby; that in fact we are morally worse than before
we heard the doctrines, and consequently it would have been better had things
remained as they were.
WE
SHOULD PRAY FOR THE POWER OF THE WORD
34. What answer shall we make? This: In the first place,
considering our unsatisfactory condition and the lack of power with the Word,
we have great reason to pray with the earnestness Paul’s example teaches. And
secondly, though our enemies see little improvement and few fruits of the
Gospel, it is not theirs to judge. They think we ought to do nothing but work
miracles – raising the dead and bordering the Christian’s walk with roses,
until naught but holiness obtains everywhere. This being the case, where would
be the need to pray? We cannot, nor dare we, pray for what we already have, but
must thank God for it. But, since Paul and other Scripture authorities command
us to pray, a defect somewhere in our strength is indicated. Otherwise why say
they so much about it? Thus Paul himself acknowledges the Ephesians were weak.
He complains of the same weakness in other Epistles and especially in those to
the Corinthians. Everywhere he urges them to do and live as they had been
taught. The only reason Paul advocates this is that he saw, as we now see, that
everywhere they fail, and things are not as they should be. In spite of the
fact that not everyone’s conduct is satisfactory, some do mend their ways; and
the happy condition obtains that many consciences are assured and many former
evils are now avoided. If the two sides of the question were carefully
compared, we would see much advantage with us not now noticed. Again, even
though we are somewhat weak, is that any reason for saying all is lost?
Further, there is naught else but filth and corruption in the ranks of our
enemies, which they would gladly adorn with our weakness even. But they must
look upon their way as excellent and ours as odious.
35. Let them go on with their judging. We admit we are not
all strong, but it is also true that were there no
weakness in our ranks, we would have no need of prayer, perseverance,
exhortation and daily preaching. In condemning the Gospel because of our
admitted weakness, something we ourselves confess, our enemies are themselves
judged before God by their judging us. It is possible for me to be truly in the
kingdom of grace and at the same time outwardly weak enough to be regarded of
men as a knave. My faith is not apparent to men, but God sees it and I am
myself sensible of it. You meantime erroneously judge me by my outward conduct,
thus bringing judgment upon yourself. We are aware of, and also lament, our
weakness and imperfection. Hence we cry and groan, and pray to God to grant us
strength and power.
WORLD
SEES NOT INNER MARKS OF CHRISTIANS
36. A third answer to our enemies is: We are certain that
wherever the Word of God is proclaimed, the fruits of the same must exist. We
have the Word of God, and therefore the Spirit of God must be with us. And
where the Spirit is, faith must obtain, however weak it may be. Though visible
evidence may be lacking, yet inevitably there must be some among us who daily
pray, while we may not be aware of it. It is reasonably to be expected that our
enemies should judge erroneously, because they look for outward evidences of
Christianity, which are not forthcoming. The Word is too sublime to pass under
our judgment; it is the province of the Word to judge us. The world, however,
while unwilling to be judged and convicted by us, essays to judge and convict
the Word of God. Here God steps in. It would be a pity for the worldly to see a
godly Christian, so God blinds them and they miss his kingdom. As Isaiah says ( Isaiah 26:10): “In the land of uprightness will he
deal wrongfully, and will not behold the majesty of Jehovah.” For this reason,
few real Christians come under the observation of cavilers; the latter, in
general, observe fools and fanatics, at whom they maliciously stumble and take
offense. They are unworthy to behold God’s honor in a godly Christian upon whom
the Lord has poured out himself in fullness of blessing.
37. Let the real Christian come into the presence o[the caviler, stand before his very eyes, and the caviler will not
see him. Let the fault-finder hear that one leads an irreproachable life
and he will say: “Heretics have behaved similarly, but under a good appearance
concealed poison.” Let one be refractory and reckless, and he must be a knave.
Whatever we do, they are not satisfied. If we pipe, they will not dance; if we
mourn, they will not lament. Neither sweet nor sour appeals to them. Wisdom
must permit her self to be schooled and governed by these cavilers, as Christ
says in Matthew
THE
SPIRIT IMPARTS REAL STRENGTH
“That ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit
in the inward man.”
38. The apostle here speaks with varied expression. He
leaves little honor and glory, as it were, for free-will, but desires for his
followers the heavenly power imparted through the Holy Spirit. There is also a
power of the world, and a spirit – the devil, the prince of the world, who
blinds and hardens men’s hearts. He boasts of himself and imparts to men a
spirit of daring in his purpose to suppress and exterminate Christian doctrine.
But while worldings are courageous and daring, so are Christians, and the
latter are greater and far more powerful through the
Holy Spirit, and are undaunted by the world, the devil, death and all kinds of
misfortune. This is real spiritual strength. The Hebrew word “spirit” might
well be rendered “bold, undaunted courage.” Spiritual strength is not the
strength of muscle and bone; it is true courage –
boldness of heart. Weakness, on the contrary, is faint-heartedness, timidity,
lack of courage.
39. Paul’s meaning, then, is: “I desire for you, and pray
God to grant you, that bold, dauntless courage and that strong, cheerful spirit
which will not be terrified by poverty, shame, sin, the devil or death, but is
confident that nothing can harm us and we will never be in need.” The courage
of the world – the spirit of the world – holds out only until exhaustion of the
stores whereon it relies. As the saying is, “Wealth gives temporal boldness,
but the soul must rely on God alone.” The boldness resulting from riches and
worldly power is haughty and makes its boast in earthly things. But the soul
has no hoarded treasure. In God alone it braves every evil; it has a courage
and heart very different from that of the world. This is the strength for which
Paul prays on behalf of his converts, a strength not inherent in flesh and
blood. The possessor thereof does not rely and build on his own powers and
riches, nor upon any human help and support. This strength dwells in the inner
man. It is the trust of the dauntless, cheerful heart in God’s grace and
assistance, and in these alone. The heart which so trusts has no fear. It
possesses by faith abundance of riches and pleasures – God himself with all his
blessings. At the same time, to human sight only want, weakness and terror may
be apparent.
“That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.”
40. The Holy Spirit brings Christ into the heart and teaches
it to know him. He imparts warmth and courage through faith in Christ. Paul
everywhere intimates that no man should presume to approach God otherwise than
through Christ, the one Mediator. Now, if Christ dwells in my heart and
regulates my entire life, it matters not though my faith be weak. Christ is not
mere bone but also flesh. Yes, he has blisters and
boils and sins of which he is not ashamed, notwithstanding the eminent saints
may hold their noses thereat. And where he dwells all fullness is, let the
individual be weak or strong as God permits.
CHRIST
EMBRACED ONLY BY THE HEART
41. For Christ to dwell in the heart is simply for the heart
to know him; in other words, to understand who he is and what we are to expect
from him – that he is our Savior, through whom we may call God our Father and
may receive the Spirit who imparts courage to brave all trials. It is thus that
Christ dwells with us, in our hearts. Only so can he be embraced; for he is not
an inanimate thing, but the living God. How does man lay hold of the Savior in
the heart? Not by embracing him intellectually. It is accomplished only by living
faith. Christ will not permit himself to be received by works, nor to be
apprehended with mental vision; he will consent only to be embraced by the
heart. If your faith be true and on a firm foundation, you have and feel Christ
in your heart and are aware of all he thinks and does in heaven and on earth –
how he rules through his Word and his Spirit, and the attitude of those who
have Christ and those who have him not.
42. Paul desires Christ to be efficacious in the hearts of
his followers unto the full realization of the promises of the Word –
liberation from sin and death, and assurance of grace and eternal life. It is
impossible for the heart having such experience to be other than firm and
courageous to oppose the terrors of the devil and the world. But the heart
which has not yet arrived at this point is here advised what course to take,
namely, to pray God for such faith and strength, and to avail himself of the
prayers of others to the same end. So much in regard to faith; now follows the
mention of love.
LOVE,
THE EXPRESSION OF FAITH
“That ye, being rooted and grounded in love.”
43. This is an unusual way of speaking. Is it not in faith
that we are to be rooted, engrafted and grounded? Why, then, does Paul here
substitute “love?” I reply: Faith, it is true, is the
essential thing, but love shows whether or no faith is real and the heart
confident and courageous in God. Where one has an unquestioning confidence that
God is his Father, necessarily, be his faith never so weak, that faith must
find expression in word and deed. He will serve his neighbor in teaching and in
extending to him a helping hand. This is what Paul calls being rooted and
grounded in love – having the conscious experience of possessing true faith. Love is the test that determines the reality of
faith. Peter says ( 2 Peter 1:10), “Give the more
diligence to make your calling and election sure.” That is, proceed to good
works that others may see and you experience that you have true
faith. Until you do, you will always be uncertain, vacillating, superficial in
heart, not rooted and grounded. So by these two clauses Paul teaches, first,
that we should have in our hearts genuine faith toward God; and second, that
faith should find expression in loving service to one’s neighbor.
TRUE
CHRISTIANS FIND CHRIST EVERYWHERE
44. These words represent another feature of the apostle’s
desire for his Christians to be established and comforted in God through faith,
and rooted and grounded in love toward their neighbors. “When you are thus
strengthened,” he would say, “and are perseveringly pressing forward, you will
be able to grasp with all saints the four parts, to increase therein and to
appreciate them more and more.” Faith alone effects
this apprehension. Love is not the moving force here, but it contributes by
making faith manifest.
45. Some teachers would make these words reflect and measure
the holy cross. But Paul does not say a word about the cross. He simply says,
in effect: “That you may apprehend all things; may see the length and breadth,
the height and depth, of Christ’s kingdom.” This condition obtains when my
heart has reached the point where Christ cannot make the spiritual life too
long or too wide for me to follow, nor high enough or deep enough to cause my fall
from him or his Word; the point where I may be satisfied that wherever I go he
is, and that he rules in all places, however long or broad, deep or high, the
situation from either a temporal or eternal point of view. No matter how long
or wide I measure, I find him everywhere. David says (Psalm 139:7-8): “Whither
shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I
ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou
art there.” Christ rules eternally. His length and breadth, his depth and
height, are unlimited. If I descend into hell, my heart and my faith tell me he
is there.
46. The sum of the matter is this: Depressed or exalted,
circumscribed in whatsoever way, dragged hither or thither, I still find Christ.
For he holds in his hands everything in heaven or on earth, and all are subject
to him – angels, the devil, the world, sin, death and hell. Therefore, so long
as he dwells in my heart, I have courage, wherever I go, I cannot be lost. I
dwell where Christ my Lord dwells. This, however, is a situation impossible to
reason. Should reason ascend a yard above the earth or descend a yard below, or
be deprived of the tangible things of the present, it would have to despair. We
Christians are, through Christ, better fortified. We are assured that he dwells
everywhere, be it in honor or dishonor, hunger, sorrow, illness, imprisonment,
death or life, blessing or affliction. It is Paul’s desire for the Ephesians
that God give them grace and strength to have such
heart-apprehension of his kingdom. He concludes the details of his prayer in
these words:
47. He means: “I desire you, in addition to having faith and
apprehending the four proportions of Christ’s kingdom, to know the love of
Christ we should have – the love Christ bears toward us, and the love we owe
our neighbor. This knowledge transcends all other, even familiarity with the
Gospel; for, know as much as you may, your knowledge will avail little or
nothing without love.
48. Paul’s desire, briefly summed up, is that the faith of
Christians malt be strengthened unto efficacy, and that love may be warm and
fervent, and the heart filled with the fullness of God. “Filled unto all the
fullness of God” means, if we follow the Hebrew, filled with everything God’s
bounty supplies, full of God, adorned with his grace and the gifts of his
Spirit – the Spirit who gives us steadfastness, illuminates us with his light,
lives within us his life, saves us with his salvation, and with his love
enkindles love in us; in short, it means having God himself and all his
blessings dwelling in us in fullness and being effective to make us wholly
divine – not so that we possess merely something of God, but all his fullness.
CHRISTIAN
PERFECTION
49. Much has been written about the way we are to become
godlike. Some have constructed ladders whereby we are to ascend to heaven, and
others similar things. But this is all patchwork. In this passage is designated
the truest way to attain godlikeness. It is to become filled to the utmost with
God, lacking in no particular; to be completely permeated with him until every
word, thought and deed, the whole life in fact, be utterly godly.
50. But let none imagine such fullness can be attained in
this life. We may indeed desire it and pray for it, like Paul here, but we will
not find a man thus perfect. We stand, however, upon the fact that we desire
such perfection and groan after it. So long as we live in the flesh, we are
filled with the fullness of Adam. Hence it is necessary for us continually to
pray God to replace our weakness with courage, and to put into our hearts his
Spirit to fill us with grace and strength and rule and work in us absolutely.
We ought all to desire this state for one another. To this end may God grant us
grace. Amen.
SIXTEENTH
SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.
LUKE 7:11-17.
This sermon appeared in 1534 under the title: “A short
sermon on the Gospel of Luke 7 chapter, the widow whose son had died, 1534, Dr.
Martin Luther.”
Contents:
The resurrection of the widow’s son, the young man of Nain.
___
Luke 7:11-17
And it came to pass the day after, that he
went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much
people. Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead
man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much
people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion
on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they
that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And
he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his
mother. And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a
great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people. And
this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the
region round about.
1. This portion of the Gospel teaches us to know the grace,
work and power of God in the kingdom of Christ, our Lord, and to praise and
thank him, as well as cheerfully to serve and obey him. For this miracle and
act of mercy are related in order that we may recognize him as our helper in
all times of need; and then, when we acknowledge him as our helper, that we
love him, thank him for his benefits, and willingly suffer and endure whatever
he allows to befall us, especially since we know with certainty that he does
not permit anything to happen to us in order to destroy us, but only to try our
faith, to see whether our trust and refuge securely rest in him, or in something
else.
2. It is the nature of flesh and blood always to seek help
and comfort from other sources than God, where they should only be sought, and
at last, when all other help fails, to come to God for aid; if, indeed, things
turn out so well that they do not wholly despair of God, and rush to satan; for
many, when no other help avails, give themselves over to the devil. This
results from the fact that they do not know God, and think that he has
forgotten them, if he permits some small misfortune to happen to them.
3. Overagainst such thoughts, this Gospel presents a picture
of how the Lord Jesus Christ acted toward the poor widow in the time of her
greatest need, at the death of her son. On earth no greater need can arise than
that caused by death, when the world and everything else have an end. In this
greatest extremity he helped her, and raised the dead to life, as an example
for us who hear it. For this was done not merely for the sake of the widow and
her son, but, as St. John
4. This was, indeed, no jest in the life of the widow.
First, she lost her husband, and then her only son, whom she loved, died. Among
those people it was regarded a great misfortune, if parents could not leave a
name or children. They regarded this as a great disfavor of God. Hence this widow,
who after the death of her husband, placed all her hope and comfort in her only
son, must have had great sorrow when her son was torn from her and she had
nothing left on earth. Under such circumstances the thoughts were undoubtedly
forced upon her: Behold, you are also one of the cursed women to whom God is
such an enemy that they must pass from the earth without leaving an offspring.
For thus it is written in the Psalms and the Prophets, that God threatens the
ungodly, that he will destroy them root and branch, exactly as when one so
entirely destroys a tree that neither leaf nor twig remains. This was regarded
as the greatest curse and punishment, as may be seen in the lives of many
emperors, kings and princes, who were so completely destroyed that nothing is
known of them. This has the appearance as if it were the utmost disfavor.
5. Therefore this woman had great sorrow, not only because
she had been robbed of her husband and afterwards of her son and thereby the
family destroyed before her eyes; but, what seemed far more
serious, because she was forced to think: Now I see that God is unfavorable to
me and I am cursed; for this punishment has been executed upon me because God
in the Psalms and the Prophets has threatened the ungodly to destroy them root
and branch. This has happened to me. Therefore the miracle the Lord Jesus
wrought in her behalf seemed to her altogether impossible; and if some one had
then said to her: Thy son shall live again before your eyes, she would
undoubtedly have said: Alas! do not mock me in my deep
sorrow. Grant me at least so much that I may bewail my great misery, and
do not add to it by your mockery. This would undoubtedly have been her answer,
for she was greatly distressed, both by reason of the loss she had sustained as
well as on account of her scruples of conscience.
6. But all this is portrayed here in order that we might
learn that with God nothing is impossible, whether it be misfortune, calamity,
anger, or whatever it may be, and that he sometimes allows misfortune to come
upon the good as well as upon the wicked. Yea, that he even permits the ungodly
to sit at ease, as in a garden of roses, and meet with success in all their
undertakings, while, on the other hand, he appears to the pious as if he were
angry with them and unfavorable to them; as, for example, it happened to the
godly Job, all whose children were sadly destroyed in one day, who was robbed
of his cattle and land, and his body most terribly tormented. He was an
innocent man and yet he was compelled to endure a punishment such as no ungodly
person had suffered, so that at last even his friends said to him: “You must
undoubtedly rest under a great and secret sin, since this has happened to you.”
While attempting to comfort him, they added to his misery. But he answered,
saying: “I have done nothing and hence am not an ungodly person, whom God often
allows to live in rioting and to go unpunished.”
7. So also, it was undoubtedly a serious problem to the
widow that the Lord our God punishes the good and evil alike. But to the godly
this does not come as a mark of God’s anger or disfavor; while to the ungodly
it comes truly as a mark of anger, in order that they may be destroyed. For God
does not trifle with them, but is truly in earnest. As to the Godfearing, who
have not merited punishment, he tries to see if they will remain steadfast. If
they endure the test and think: “My God, though thou triest me, yet thou wilt
not forsake me,” he will come again and pour out his blessings as richly upon
them as he did in the case of Job, who received twice as much as he had lost,
both in property and children. The widow found all her joy in her son while he
lived. God tried her and took her son from her. When she wept and cried he came
again and gave her tenfold more joy than she had had
before; for she rejoiced more for her son in that one hour than she had done
throughout her entire previous life. So richly does our Lord God give again, if only men endure and do not doubt him.
8. Therefore learn from this, whoever can learn: If we are
pious and the trials come, which God sends upon us, let us cherish the thought
that he means it well with us, and let us not be offended when he permits the
wicked, the Pope, bishops and all others to do as they please. These think they
have deserved this at the hands of our Lord God and try to justify themselves,
if punished on account of their sins. But, dear friends, let us freely confess
and say: Lord, thou doest right, even though thou dost punish us; for before
thee, Lord, we have no right. But we hope that thou wilt punish graciously and
in thine own good time cease. If we do thus, all distress will be removed, no
matter how impossible help may seem to be.
9. Flesh and blood, when under trial, say, all is lost. For
when our Lord God makes an attack, he does it in such a manner that we know not
where to turn; and hence, no matter how we think or plan, we can find no way
out, but are hemmed in on every side, as Job says, Job
10. All this is presented to us as an example, that we may
learn to remain steadfast in faith and regard God in no other light than that
of a merciful God who, indeed, may permit us to be tempted, as if he were angry
with us and were laughing at us with the world; but let us guard ourselves
against such laughter and not become terrified at the anger, with which he
attacks his people. It may appear as if at times he
were on the side of the wicked and persecuted the godly without mercy; yet it
does no harm and it depends only upon a glance. But it is a blind and spiritual
glance, which we must give with blind eyes, that is,
with the eyes of faith, which sees nothing; For faith is invisible. Faith lays
hold of things that are not seen and of things that are not matters of
experience, Hebrews 11:1.
11. Philosophers have an art that deals with visible things,
which can be experienced and comprehended; but a Christian deals with
invisible, unsubstantial, spiritual things, that cannot be seen, nor
comprehended, so that one can hardly think they are possible. In this state
Sarah was with reference to her son. There was nothing but the simple word. Her
womb was not fit for that because of her age and her
natural condition that she was barren, and her son Isaac was indeed invisible
and as nothing. So this widow, with reference to her son, did not see that he
lived, but saw only that he was dead; but Christ knew that he lived and brought
the dead son to life, and so made the invisible
visible.
12. All this happened, as I have often said, for us to learn
to trust our Lord God and believe in him in all our need, and not become
terrified when we do not fare well, nor be offended if the wicked prosper. For
our Lord God is one who tries, who allows his own to be tried and to suffer, so
that they may truly perceive and learn to know that he is a gracious God, even
though he at times hides his grace so deeply that it cannot be seen.
Afterwards, if men persevere, it is only a matter of a single word and the
necessary assistance is rendered; as in this Gospel, only a word was necessary
and the dead son was restored to life. By this he desires to show that what is
impossible with us, is so easy for him that it requires only one little word:
“Arise.” It is easily spoken, and yet is has power to restore the dead to life.
We should learn to know that he can and will help us out of all our needs.
13. He who desires to be a Christian should be strong in
faith and praise God and his Word, and should say: “I will acknowledge, praise
and serve that God, and gladly do and suffer what he wills, who can so readily
and easily help.” Thus, this and other miracles of Christ should serve to
comfort us and make us better, and urge us on to believe in him and serve him,
as no other god, for no other god manifests himself as our dear Lord Jesus has
manifested himself. Therefore, we praise and magnify him daily, and daily bring
others to him that they may also do the same. May God continue his help more and more. This is the teaching of the Gospel as
presented in the example of the widow.
14. This narrative still further exhibits the true nature of Christ’s work, showing why he came and
reigns, namely, that he might destroy death and in its stead give life, as the
prophet Isaiah, 25:8, says: “He will swallow up death forever;” and St. Paul, 1
Corinthians 15:24-26, says that Christ must reign until he has destroyed the
last enemy, death, for his Christians, and thus give them eternal life; after
that he shall deliver up the kingdom to the Father, when he shall have
abolished all rule and all authority and power. This is the work he will
accomplish among his people and has already begun in faith before bodily death
takes place. Afterwards, however, when he shall have brought all his own
together he will complete his work in them at the last day.
15. Signs and types, yea, testimonies of the same are found
in this and other narratives, that record the raising of people from the dead.
But these form only the prelude to the work he will finally accomplish among
all Christians. The pictures of both life and death are here placed over
against each other, and it is shown where both originate and oppose each other,
and how Christ manifests his power and authority over death.
16. For, first, when you hear the Scriptures speaking of
death, you must think not only of the grave and the coffin, and of the horrible
manner in which life is separated from the body and how the body is destroyed
and brought to naught, but you must think of the cause by which man is brought
to death and without which death and that which accompanies it, would be
impossible. This cause Scripture points out and teaches, namely, that it is sin
and the wrath of God on account of sin. This cause brings death, always sticks
in it, appears from it, and works and draws after it all the misery and
misfortune on earth, and in addition banishes man from God and from all his
grace and joy.
17. Likewise, on the contrary, when the Scriptures speak of
life you must also conceive the cause that brings and gives life; that must be
the righteousness by which man is acceptable to God and by which he also finds
in God his pleasure, delight and joy, and receives thus from God every good
thing he may desire through all eternity.
18. Both these things you may see in this picture, two sorts
of persons and processions: the deceased with those who carry him out of the
town, and Christ who comes to meet him. All men know very well that they must die and that all of us go the same way, and see death before
us, by our side and behind us. Even the learned among the heathen have
complained of this misery of the human race; but they have not been able to
perceive the cause of death. Most of them think death is a matter of chance,
that we die like the brute, and that man is so created
that he must die.
19. Others, seeing that so much misfortune, misery and
sorrow pass over the human race, that so many die before their time and many
are miserably destroyed, things which could happen only by chance, have
searched for the cause and have been surprised that such misfortunes befall
man, who, alone among all living creatures, is the noblest and should be better
situated, and guarded against injury, but they have not been able to ascertain
the cause of the evil, except in so far that they have seen how many men,
through their own malignity or willfulness, have brought death and other
misfortunes on themselves. But this in itself is a matter of great wonder how a
man can be so wicked that he can willfully cast himself into trouble and
misery.
20. Here Scripture teaches us, in the first place, that
death originated in paradise, as the result of the eating of the forbidden
fruit, that is, from the disobedience of our first parents, and since then has
come upon all men on account of their sins. For if sin did not exist, there
would be no death. By this we mean not only gross sins, such as adultery,
murder, and the like; but they also die who neither
commit, nor can commit these, as children in the cradle; yea, even the great
and holy Prophets, John the Baptist, all must die.
21. Therefore some greater and different sins than murder
and similar public crimes, which the executioner punishes with death, must be
meant, why the whole human race is subject to death. This is the sin which we
have inherited from Adam and Eve, and from our fathers and mothers, which is
innate in all men born according to the common course of nature. This exists
and remains, as it did in Adam and Eve, after they had committed sin, had been
banished from the presence of God, full of evil lusts and disobedience to God
and his will. Hence all under the wrath of God are condemned to death, and must
be forever separated from God. In this way God manifests his strong and
terrible wrath against all men, which we bring upon us through sin, so that all
of us must be overcome by death; because we are born of flesh and blood and in
consequence must bear the guilt of our parents, and thus have become sinners
and worthy of death. Psalm 90:7 teaches us: “For we are consumed in thine
anger, and in thy wrath are we troubled.” It is the wrath of God, he says;
hence it is not an accidental thing, or because man has been so created by God;
but it is our fault that we commit sin. For since there is wrath, there must
also be guilt, which causes such wrath. This wrath is not a mere ordinary
thing, but such a serious affair that no one can endure it, and under which all
must succumb; and yet the world is so blind that it does not see nor regard
this wrath of God; yea, even the pious do not sufficiently comprehend it. The
Psalmist says, Psalm 90:11: “Who knoweth the power of thine anger, and thy
wrath according to the fear that is due unto thee?”
22. Much less can the world understand how one may be freed
from all this misery, nor can it accomplish this by its own wisdom and power;
even as in its blindness it attempts to do, when it hears of the wrath of God
and seeks by its works and life to be reconciled to God and merit life. For
since all men are by birth sinners and, under the wrath of God, subject to
death, how shall we be able by our own works to free ourselves from death?
Alas! when death is considered or how to escape death, there is neither comfort
nor hope for any one, as St. Paul says, 1 Thessalonians
23. For neither do these know that it is possible for a
single individual to be raised from death to life, and hence they conclude: “He
who is dead, must remain dead forever and must be annihilated.” Others, as the
Jews, Turks, Papists, even though they hear that there is to be a resurrection,
are nevertheless ignorant of the fact how they may take part in the
resurrection of the righteous and the saved, think that they can merit eternal
life by their own efforts; as we monks have hitherto believed and taught: that
if we strictly observed the rules of our orders, prayed much, read mass, etc.,
God would have respect for such a holy life and in consequence help not only
us, but others also, to escape death.
24. This, however, is nothing but a vain human comfort and
hope, without any authority of the Word of God; for such power and authority to
help ourselves cannot exist within us. Since on account of sin we have become
subject to death, so that we cannot even delay bodily death, much less can we
save ourselves or work ourselves free from eternal death. This we ourselves
have been compelled to experience and testify to by our monkery and
work-righteousness. For although we have had to do with these for a long time
and comforted ourselves with them, yet at last we found them useless. When once
the straits of conscience were concerned, when we had to struggle and stand
before the judgment of God, all this comfort left the heart and nothing
remained but vain terrified doubts, yea, even convulsions and tremblings on
account of the thought: Alas! I did not live a sufficiently holy life. How
shall I be able to stand before the judgment of God? For it must finally come
to this, that man must feel and become conscious of that which all the Saints
have experienced and confessed, namely, that no one can stand in the judgment
of God on the basis of his own life, no matter how good it may have been. Of
this the prophet Isaiah speaks, Isaiah 49:24: “Shall the prey be taken from the
mighty, or the lawful captives be delivered?” The “mighty” he calls the power
of death, that strangles and carries away all men and whom no one can resist or
rob of its prey; but by the “lawful captives” he means the law with its t
judgment, which is God’s judgment and which rightly holds all men captive, so
that no one can free himself or others from it, but all must, as far as in them
be, remain forever captive under it; for they themselves have merited such
captivity through sin and disobedience, and have fallen into the righteous and
eternal wrath of God.
25. Therefore there is no help from any creature against
this. God himself had to have compassion on our misery and to conceive a plan
for our deliverance, as he said in the prophecy of Isaiah, 49:25: “Even the
captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall
be delivered.” This had to be done by Christ, the Son of God himself, and he therefore
became man, that is, took upon himself death and its cause, sin and the wrath
of God, in order that he might free us from these and bring us to life and
righteousness. For, as by one man both sin and death came upon all of us; so
also by one man must victory over death, righteousness and life be given to us,
as St. Paul says, Romans
26. Therefore this work of life has been accomplished in
such a manner that without our effort or work we attain it, just as we became
subject to death without our effort and work. And in like manner as we did not
bring death upon ourselves, except in so far as we were born of Adam and
through the sin of another our flesh and blood became corrupt, so that we also
must die; so also can we much less work out and merit redemption
from sin and death, that is, righteousness and life, but must be brought to it
through the righteousness and life of another one. Therefore, since sin is born
in us through Adam and has now become our own; so also must the righteousness
and life of Christ become our own, so that this same power of righteousness and
life may work in us, as if it had been born in us through him. For it is in him
not only his personal, but an actual and powerful righteousness and life; yea,
a fountain that gushes forth and overflows for all who have become partakers of
him, in like manner as sin and death have gushed into human nature from Adam.
It means, therefore, that now all men can be delivered from sin and death and
be made alive, not by nor through their own efforts,
but apart from themselves through the righteousness and life of this Lord Jesus
Christ, namely, if he touches them with his hand and through his Word imparts
to them his work and power to destroy sin and death, and provided they believe
his Word.
27. For this reason we are called Christians, that is,
righteous, living and holy people, because we have this Lord and have become
partakers of him through the faith of his Word and Sacrament, who is the true sin-destroyer and death-devourer (I say of our sin and
death, which have strangled and devoured us) by virtue of his own power and
authority. He did both these things in his own person, inasmuch as he took upon
himself our sin and death. But since he was not only without sin and the guilt
of death, but in himself was perfect and eternal righteousness, and sin and
death had no hold on him, they were condemned and destroyed by him, and pure
righteousness and life presented to us in place of sin and death. For after his
victorious death and resurrection he established a kingdom in Christendom, in
which he now continually until death and the grave destroys sin in his
Christians through forgiveness and the power of his Spirit, and begins life in
them through faith, until he can bring them all together on one day, when he
will bestow on them perfect righteousness and life, both in body and soul.
28. All this you may see clearly and lovingly presented in
this narrative: This youth died, not because he had been a murderer, adulterer
or open sinner who had to be punished because of his misdeeds; but before he
could have become guilty of sins which those commit who have grown to maturity,
and become old, death carried him away only by reason of the sin in which he
was born. His mother might well bemoan her own sin, by reason of which she lost
her son, who had inherited sin and death from her.
29. But now that he has died, where may counsel or comfort
and help be found? Certainly not through the mother’s sorrow and tears, which
must have been unlimited. If human work and effort could in this case have been
of any avail or be meritorious, surely the tears of the widow would have
accomplished much more; for they certainly came from a
most anxious heart, as of a sorrowing and miserable mother, whose heart was
broken by reason of her love for her son, and who would willingly have done and
suffered anything, even her own death, in order to have saved her son. And now,
that he was dead, she doubtless cherished the secret wish and longing: Ah! if
it could be the will of God that my son might still be alive or could again be
restored to life. This was so deeply concealed in her heart, that she could not
see it herself, yea, she dared not even think of petitioning the Lord for it,
and yet her heart was filled with the thought. If she had been asked and had
confessed what her greatest desire was and what she would ask of God, she could
have said nothing else than: Alas! what should I desire or ask more on earth than that my son might live. And this is a
more earnest and heart-felt prayer than any one can express, for it proceeds
from a purely inexpressible longing.
30. And yet this is useless both for her as well as all
others, and she must cast it aside and remain in doubt; for had she not sighed,
wept and prayed most earnestly before her son died, that she might retain him
alive? But since all this was of no avail and her son had died, how much less
could she draw hope or comfort from his suffering; she saw clearly that he
could not be brought back by sighs and tears. If this were possible, other
mothers would have or would still do it.
31. In a word, unbelief fought against her prayer and made it unavailing; and hence contrary to all human thought,
hope and effort, her son was restored to her, alone for the reason that the Lord
met and had compassion on the poor widow, as the text says, and comforted her
not only with friendly words, but also with his power and authority restored
her son alive to her; so that she was compelled to say that it was not her
merit or that of any human being, but the pure grace and gift of the Lord, and
that he was a Lord who is able to do and give “exceeding abundantly above all
that we can ask or think,” as the Epistle for to-day says, Ephesians
32. Behold, how the Lord exhibits his work against death
when it comes into his presence, and thereby typifies or indicates for our
comfort what he will also do for all his people, when, like this youth, they
are seized by death. For here you see two processions or companies meeting each
other; the one, the poor widow with the dead youth and the people following him
to the grave; the other, Christ and those who went with him into the city. The
first picture shows what we are and what we can bring to Christ; for this is
the picture of the whole world and the way of man on the earth. There is a
crowd all of whom must follow death out of the city, and Christ, when he comes,
finds nothing else than that which has to do with death.
33. This is the whole essence of human life on the earth, if
we look at it in the proper light. There is nothing but the image and work of
death, and constant and daily approaching death until the last day, since one
after another dies and the rest have to do only with the horrible affair how
one may carry the other to the grave, and others follow daily. They render this
service to the dead, in order that to-day or to-morrow some one else may follow
them also to their graves. Wherefore Christ speaks of the character and order
of our earthly life to those whom he calls into his kingdom, Matthew
34. Thus you see on this side and in this crowd of the whole
world and of the human race nothing but death. We bring this with us and with
it drag ourselves from our mother’s womb, and all at the same time travel the
same road with one another, only that one precedes or is carried before the
others, and the rest follow after until the last one dies. Nor is there any
deliverance or help for this from any creature, for death rules over them all,
as St. Paul says, Romans
35. But on the other hand, you see here also a comforting
counterpart of life, and a glorious and joyous procession of the Lord Jesus,
who does not go out of the city with the dead, but meets death on his way into
the city; not however as those who return home from the grave, only until they
shall carry another one out. For the Lord does not come with such thoughts of
death, as if he had to fear death and come under its power; but steps into his
presence and opposes him as the one who has power and authority over death;
first he comforts the poor widow, whose heart is filled only with death, and tells
her to sorrow and weep no more, speaks other words
which no one else can utter, steps up to the bier, lays his hands on it,
requests the bearers to stand still, and immediately follows with a word and
says: “Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.” These words are instantly followed
by such power and efficacy that the dead man did not lie as before, but sat up,
bound and covered as he was, began to speak and showed that he was no longer
dead, but alive.
36. This was a wonderful and quick change from death to
life, on the part of the young man. Where the spark of life had long been
extinguished and there was truly no sign of life, there are instantly and fully
restored breath, blood, sensibility, movement, thought, speech and everything
else that belongs to life; and Christ, with one word, turned the sad and
sorrowing procession, and the carrying of the dead from the gate of the city,
into a joyous, lovely and beautiful procession of life, in which both the
youth, who was being carried by four or more to be
buried under ground, together with his sorrowing mother, joyously follow the
Lord Jesus, accompanied by the whole crowd into the city, forgetting death, the
bier and the grave, and speaking joyously and thankfully only of life.
37. But the glory and honor of this work belong only to the
Lord Jesus, through whose power and authority alone death can be removed and
life brought forth from it, as he also proves. Hence the fame and report
concerning Christ, of which this Gospel speaks, saying that it went forth
throughout the whole country, is recorded for our consolation and joy
overagainst the fear and dread of death, in order that we may know what kind of
a Savior we have in Christ. For he so manifested himself on earth in his
ministry, office and form of a servant, that he can be known as the Lord both
of death and life, to destroy the former and bring the latter to light; that
although he often met death and fought with it, as in the case of the daughter of
Jairus, and again in that of Lazarus, and at last in his own person, he
nevertheless finally overcame and destroyed it.
38. Christ also desires to prove in our death and that of
all Christians, since death casts every one of us under the ground and it thinks
it has completely swallowed all; as Christ promised and confirmed by his own
mouth and word in John
39. We should also learn to believe this and comfort
ourselves in the hour of death and in all other distresses, so that, although
we may come to such straits that we neither see nor feel anything else than
death and destruction, as in the case of this poor widow, because of her son,
yea, even though we may be in the clutches of death, as her son on the bier and
on the way to the tomb; yet that we may nevertheless firmly conclude that in
Christ we have obtained victory over death and life. For faith in Christ must
be so disposed, as the Epistle to the Hebrews 11:1, teaches, that it can grasp
and hold fast those things that can not, yea those things of which only the
antithesis can be seen, as in this case, Christ wants this widow to believe in
and hope for life, when he says, “Weep not;” although such faith was indeed
weak and small in her, as it also is in us, since she and all the world had in
their minds feelings and thoughts that despaired of life.
40. For he desires to teach us that also in our experience
there is nothing in us or apart from us, except only corruption and death; but
from him and in him only life, which shall swallow up both our sin and death.
Yea, the more misery and death are in us, the more and
the more richly shall we find comfort and life in him, provided we hold fast to
him by faith, to which he spurs us on and admonishes us both through his Word
and such examples as the one before us. Amen.
SEVENTEENTH
SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
EPHESIANS 4:1-6.
EPHESIANS 4:1-6.
I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord,
beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called, with all
lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is
one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your
calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is
over all, and through all, and in all.
THE
CHRISTIAN CALLING AND UNITY
1. This, too, is a beautiful sermon, delivered by Paul to
the Ephesians, concerning the good works of Christians, who believe and are
obedient to the doctrine of the Gospel. In the knowledge of good works Paul
desires Christians to grow and increase, as we learned in the epistle for last
Sunday. The ground of all doctrine, of all right living, the supreme and
eternal treasure of him who is a Christian in the sight of God, is faith in
Christ. It alone secures forgiveness o£ sins and makes us children of God. Now,
where this faith is, fruits should follow as evidence that Christians in their
lives honor and obey God. They are necessary for God’s glory and for the
Christian’s own honor and eternal reward before him.
2. Paul, remembering the imprisonment and tribulations he
suffered because of the Gospel and for the advantage, as he before said, of the
Ephesians, gives the admonition here. He would have them, in return for his
sufferings, honor the Gospel in their lives. First he names a general rule of life
for Christians.
THE
CHRISTIAN CALLING
“To walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called.”
3. The chief thing that should influence a Christian’s
outward walk is the remembrance of his calling and appointment by God. He
should be mindful of why he is called a Christian, and live consistently. He
must shine before the world; that is, through his life
and God’s work, the Word and the name of Christ the Lord must be exalted.
Christ exhorts his disciples: “Even so let your light shine
before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is
in heaven.” Matthew
4. Similarly, Paul would say: “You have received God’s grace
and his Word and are a blessed people. In Christ all your needs are blessedly
supplied. Be mindful of this and remember you are called to a far different and
vastly higher life than others know. Show by your manner of living that you
seek a higher good than the world seeks –
indeed, that you have received far greater blessings. Let your lives
honor and glorify the Lord who has given you such blessings. Give no occasion
for dishonoring your treasured faith, or for scorning his Word. Rather,
influence men by your godly walk and good works to believe in Christ and to
glorify him.”
5. Let the Christian know his earthly life is not unto
himself, nor for his own sake; his life and work here belong to Christ, his
Lord. Hence must his walk be such as shall contribute to the honor and glory of
his Master, whom he should so serve that he may be able to say with Paul, not
only with respect to the spiritual life –
the life of faith and of righteousness by grace – but
also with respect to its fruits – the outward conduct: “It is no longer I that
live, but Christ liveth in me.” Galatians
6. But the so-called Christian life that does not honor
Christ makes its sin the more heinous for the name it
bears. Every sin the people of God commit is a provocation of Jehovah; not only
in the act of disobedience itself, but also in the transgression of the second
commandment. The enormity of the sin is magnified by the conditions that make
it a blasphemy of God’s name and an occasion of offense to others. Paul says in
Romans
7. To guard against such disaster, Christians should be
particularly careful to give, in their conduct, no
occasion for offense, and to value the name and honor of their God too highly
to permit blasphemy of them. They should prefer to lose their own honor, their
wealth, their physical wellbeing, even their lives, rather than that these,
their most precious possessions and greatest blessings, should suffer disgrace.
Let them remember that upon keeping sacred the name and honor of God depends
their own standing before God and men. God promises ( 1
Samuel 2:30), “Them that honor me! will honor.” But
pursuing the opposite course, Christians bring upon themselves God’s sternest
wrath and effect their own rejection and shame. For he says further: “They that
despise me shall be lightly esteemed.” And in the second commandment God
threatens certain and terrible punishment to abusers of his name; that is, to
them who do not employ it to his honor and praise.
8. Well may every Christian examine his own life to see if
he is careful to guard against offense to the Gospel and to regulate his words
and conduct by God’s first commandment, making them contribute to the honor and
praise of the divine name and the holy Gospel. Weighty indeed and well
calculated to cause complaint are the sins to which every Christian is liable
in this respect; well may he avoid them lest he heap to himself the wrath of
God. Especially need we be careful in these last and evil times when the Gospel
is everywhere suppressed by great offenses. Man was created to be the image of
God, that through this his image God might himself be expressed. God’s image,
then, should be reflected in the lives of men as a likeness in a glass, and a
Christian can have no higher concern than to live without dishonor to the name
of God.
ADMONITION
TO SPECIAL CHRISTIAN VIRTUES
9. Such is the first part of Paul’s admonition concerning
the general life of Christians. He goes on to make special mention of several
good works which Christians should diligently observe: humility, meekness,
longsuffering, preservation of the unity of the Spirit, and so on. These have
been specially treated before, in other epistle lessons, particularly those
from Peter. Humility, for instance –
mentioned in today’s lesson
– is taken up the third Sunday
after Trinity; patience and meekness, the second Sunday after Easter, and the
fifth Sunday after Trinity.
10. The text here presents good works sufficient to occupy
all Christians in every station of life; we need not seek other nor better
ones. Paul would not impose upon Christians peculiar works, something unrelated
to the ordinary walks of life, as certain false saints taught and practiced. These
teachers commanded separation from society, isolation in the wilderness, the
establishment of monkeries and the performance of self-appointed works. Such
works they exalted as superior to ordinary Christian virtues. Indeed, their
practice amounted to rejection of the latter, and they actually regarded them
as dangerous. The Papacy has in the past shamelessly styled the observance of
Christian good works as worldly living, and men were compelled to believe they
would find it hard to reach heaven unless they became ecclesiasts –
for they regarded only the monks and priests worthy – or
at least made themselves partakers of the works of ecclesiasts by purchasing their
merits. But Paul – in fact, the entire Scriptures –
teaches no other good works than God enjoins upon all men in the Ten
Commandments, and which pertain to the common conditions of life. True, these
make not such brilliant show in the eyes of the world as do the self-appointed
ceremonials constituting the divine service of hypocrites; nevertheless, they
are true, worthy, good and profitable works in the
sight of God and man. What can be more acceptable to God and advantageous to
man than a life lived, in its own calling, in the way that contributes to the
honor of God, and that by its example influences others to love God’s Word and
to praise his name? Moreover, what virtues, of all man possesses, serve him
better than humility, meekness, patience and harmony of mind?
11. Now, where is a better opportunity for the exercise of
these virtues than amidst the conditions in which God destined us to live – in society, where we mingle with one another?
Upon these conditions, self-appointed, unusual lives and monastic holiness have
no bearing. For what other person is profited by your entering a cloister,
making yourself peculiar, refusing to live as your fellows do? Who is benefited
by your cowl, your austere countenance, your hard bed? Who comes to know God or
to have a peaceful conscience by such practices on your part, or who is thereby
influenced to love his neighbor? Indeed, how can you serve your neighbor by
such a life? How manifest your love, humility, patience and meekness if you are
unwilling to live among men? if you so strenuously adhere to your
self-appointed orders as to allow your neighbor to suffer want before you would
dishonor your rules?
12. Astonishing fact, that the world is merged in darkness
so great it utterly disregards the Word of God and the conditions he designed
for our daily living. If we preach to the world faith in God’s Word, the world
receives it as heresy. If we speak of works instituted of God himself and
conditions of his own appointing, the world regards it as idle talk; it knows
better. To live a simple Christian life in one’s own family, to faithfully perform
the duties of a man-servant or maid-servant –
“Oh, that,” it says, “is merely the following of worldly pursuits. To do
good works you must set about it in a different way. You must creep into a
corner, don a cap, make pilgrimages to some saint; then you may be able to help
yourself and others to gain heaven.” If the question be asked, “Why do so?
where has God commanded it?” there is, according to their theory, really no
answer to make but this: Our Lord God knows nothing about the matter; he does not
understand what good works are. How can he teach us? He must himself be tutored
by these remarkably enlightened saints.
FRUITS
OF ORIGINAL SIN
13. But all this error results from that miserable inherent
plague, that evil termed “original sin.” It is a blind wickedness, refusing to
recognize the Word of God and his will and work, but introducing instead things
of its own heathenish imagination. It draws such a thick covering over eyes,
ears and hearts that it renders men unable to perceive how the simple life of a
Christian, of husband or wife, of the lower or the higher walks of life, can be
beautified by honoring the Word of God. Original sin will not be persuaded to
the faithful performance of the works that God testifies are well pleasing to
him when wrought by believers in Christ. In a word, universal experience proves
that to perform really good works is a special and remarkable grace to which
few attain; while the great mass of souls aspiring after holiness vainly busy
themselves with worthless works, being deceived into thinking them great, and
thus make themselves, as Paul says, “unto every good work reprobate.” Titus
14. Another error is the hindrance –
yes, the suppression and destruction
– f the beautiful virtues of
humility, meekness, patience and spiritual harmony here commended of Paul. At
the same time the devil is given occasion to encourage fiendish blasphemy. In
every instance where the Word of God is set aside for humanly-appointed works,
differing views and theories must obtain. One introduces this and another that,
each striving for first recognition; then a third endeavors to improve upon
their doctrine. Consequently divisions and factions ensue as numerous as the
teachers and their creeds; as exemplified in the countless sects to this time
prevalent in Popedom, and in the factious spirits of all time. Under such
circumstances, none of the virtues like humility, meekness, patience, love, can
have place. Opposite conditions must prevail, since harmony of hearts and minds
is lacking. One teacher haughtily rejects another, and if his own opinions fail
to receive recognition and approval, he displays anger, envy and hatred. He
will neither affiliate with nor tolerate him whose practices accord not with
his own.
15. On the other hand, the Christian life, the life of faith
with its fruits, controlled as it is by the Word of God, is in every way
conducive to the preservation of love and harmony, and to the promotion of all
virtues. It interferes not with the God-ordained relations of life and their
attendant obligations upon men –
the requirements of social order, the duties of father and mother, of
son and daughter, master and mistress, servant and maid. All life’s relations
are confirmed by it as valid and its duties as vital. The Christian faith bids
each person in his life, and all in common, to be diligent in the works of
love, humility, patience. It teaches that one be not intolerant of another, but
rather render him his due, remembering that he whose condition in life is the
most insignificant can be equally upright and blessed before God with the
occupant of the most significant position. Again, it teaches that man must have
patience with the weakness of his fellow, being mindful of how others must bear
with his own imperfections. In short, it says one must manifest to another the
love and kindness he would have that other extend to him.
16. To this Christian attainment, contributes very largely
the single fact that a Christian is conscious he has, through Christ, the grace
of God, the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. And these not for his own
merits or peculiar life and works, but because he is, no matter how
insignificant in condition before the world, a child of God and blessed; a
partaker, if he but believes, in all the blessings of Christ, sharing equally
with the most eminent saint. So, then, he need not look about for works not
enjoined upon him. He need not covet those wrought in prominence and by the aid
of great gifts of God
– of unusual attainments.
Let him confine himself to his own sphere; let him serve God in his vocation,
remembering that God makes him, too, his instrument in his own place. Again,
the occupant of a higher sphere, the possessor of higher gifts and
accomplishments, who likewise serves in his vocation received from God, should
learn and exhibit harmony of mind. So shall he continue humble and be tolerant
of others. He should remember that he is not worthier in the eyes of God
because of his greater gifts, but rather is under deeper obligation to serve
his fellows, and that God can use the possessor of lesser gifts for even
greater accomplishments than himself can boast. Having so learned, he will be
able to manifest patience, meekness and love toward his weak and imperfect
neighbors, considering them members of Christ with him, and partakers of the
same grace and salvation.
THE
UNITY OF THE SPIRIT
17. Now you have the reason why the apostles Paul and Peter
everywhere so faithfully enforce this virtue, the unity of the Spirit. It is
the most necessary and beautiful grace that Christians possess. It holds
together the Christian community, preventing factions and schisms, as before
explained. So Paul here admonishes men to be careful for harmony, making every
endeavor to preserve it. The term “unity of the Spirit” is used to make plain
the apostle’s meaning. He would thus emphasize oneness of doctrine –
the one true faith. Since the Holy Spirit is present only where there is
knowledge of and faith in the Gospel of Christ, “unity of the Spirit” implies a
unity of faith. Above all things, then, the effort must be to preserve, in the
Church, the doctrine of the Scriptures, pure and in its unity.
18. One of the wickedest offenses possible to commit against
the Church is the stirring up of doctrinal discord and division, a thing the
devil encourages to the utmost. This sin usually has its rise
with certain haughty, conceited, self-seeking leaders who desire peculiar
distinction for themselves and strive for personal honor and glory. They
harmonize with none and would think themselves disgraced were they not honored
as superior and more learned individuals than their
fellows, a distinction they do not merit. They will give honor to no one, even
when they have to recognize the superiority of his gifts over their own. In
their envy, anger, hatred and vengefulness, they seek occasion to create
factions and to draw people to themselves. Therefore Paul exhorts first to the
necessary virtue of love, having which men will be enabled to exercise
humility, patience and forbearance toward one another.
19. The character of the evils resulting to the Church from
divisions and discords in doctrine is evident from the facts. Many are
deceived; the masses immediately respond to new doctrine brilliantly presented
in specious words by presumptuous individuals thirsting for fame. More than
that, many weak but well-meaning ones fall to doubting, uncertain where to
stand or with whom to hold. Consequently men reject and blaspheme the Christian
doctrine and seek occasion to dispute it. Many become reckless pleasure-lovers,
disregarding all religion and ignoring the Word of God. Further, even they who
are called Christians come to have hard feelings against one another, and,
figuratively, bite and devour in their hate and envy. Consequently their love
grows cold and faith is extinguished.
20. Of so much disturbance in the Church, and of the
resulting injuries to souls, are guilty those conceited, factious leaders who
do not adhere to the true doctrine, preserving the
unity of the Spirit, but seek to institute something new for the sake of
advancing their own ideas and their own honor, or gratifying their revenge.
They thus bring upon themselves damnation infinitely more
intolerable than others suffer. Christians, then, should be careful to give no occasion for division or discord, but to be
diligent, as Paul here admonishes, to preserve unity. And this is not an easy
thing to do, for among Christians occasions frequently arise provoking
selfwill, anger and hatred. The devil is always at hand to stir and blow the
flame of discord. Let Christians take heed they do not give
place to the promptings of the devil and of the flesh. They must strive against
them, submitting to all suffering, and performing all demands, whether honor,
property, physical welfare or life itself be involved, in the effort to
prevent, so far as in them lies, any disturbance of the unity of doctrine, of
faith and of Spirit.
21. Christians should feel bound to maintain the unity of
the Spirit, since they are all members of one body and partakers of the same
spiritual blessings. They have the same priceless treasures –
one God and Father in heaven, one Lord and Savior, one Word, baptism and
faith; in short, one and the same salvation, a blessing common to all whereof
one has as much as another, and cannot obtain more. What occasion, then, for
divisions or for further seeking?
22. Here Paul teaches what the true
Christian Church is and how it may be identified. There is not more than one Church, or people of God, one earth. This one
Church has one faith, one baptism, one confession of God the Father and of
Jesus Christ. Its members faithfully hold, and abide by, these common truths.
Every one desiring to be saved and to come to God must be incorporated into
this Church, outside of which no one will be saved.
23. Unity of the Church does not consist in similarity of
outward form of government, likeness of Law, tradition and ecclesiastical
customs, as the Pope and his followers claim. They would exclude from the
Church all not obedient to them in these outward things, though members of the
one faith, one baptism, and so on. The Church is termed “one holy, catholic or
Christian Church,” because it represents one plain, pure Gospel doctrine, and
an outward confession thereof, always and everywhere, regardless of
dissimilarity of physical life, or of outward ordinances, customs and
ceremonies.
24. But they are not members of the true
Church of Christ who, instead of preserving unity of doctrine and oneness of
Christian faith, cause divisions and offenses
– as Paul says ( Romans 16:17) – by
the human doctrines and self-appointed works for which they contend, imposing
them upon all Christians as necessary. They are perverters and destroyers of
the Church, as we have elsewhere frequently shown. The consolation of the true
doctrine is ours, and we hold it in opposition to Popedom, which accuses us of
having withdrawn from them, and so condemns us as apostates from the Church.
They are, however, themselves the real apostates, persecuting the truth and
destroying the unity of the Spirit under the name and title of the Church and
of Christ. Therefore, according to the command of God, all men are under
obligation to shun them and withdraw from them.
Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity;
Luke 14:1-11
Christ Heals the Man with Dropsy on the Sabbath and Teaches About
Humility
____
Luke
14:1-11
And it came to pass, as he went into
the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath
day, that they watched him. And, behold, there was a certain man before him
which had the dropsy. And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees,
saying, is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? And
they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go; and
answered them, saying, which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a
pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath
day? And they could not answer him again to these things. And he put forth a
parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief
rooms; saying unto them, when thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not
down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of
him; and he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place;
and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. But when thou art bidden, go
and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say
unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence
of them that sit at meat with thee. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be
abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
1. This Gospel offers us two leading
thoughts; one is general and is found in all our Gospel lessons, the other is
peculiar to this one. First, in its general character, it shows who the Lord
Jesus is and what we may expect of him, and in this is exhibited both faith and
love.
2. Faith is here set forth in that
this man, sick with the dropsy, looks to Christ and firmly believes he will
help him. This faith he had as the result of his previous acquaintance with
Jesus. He knows him as a kind, friendly and sympathetic man who always helps
everyone and lets none go away uncomforted. Had he not heard such reports about
the Lord he would not have followed him, even into the house. He must indeed
have had some gospel knowledge and believed the wonderful things spoken about
him.
3. And this is the Gospel, as I
said, that must be preached and heard before there can be faith. We must know
that God is kindly disposed toward us and has sent his Son from heaven to help us. This the conscience must
hear and believe; for if God were unfriendly and unmerciful toward us, it would
avail little to know that all his creatures sympathize with us. If God is
satisfied with us, no creature can do us any harm, as St. Paul says in Rom. 8,
31: ”If God is for us, who is against us?” Let death, devil, hell and all
creation rage; we are safe. Therefore it is the Gospel that must present to us
the God-man as merciful. This is the fountain from which our heart can draw
faith and a friendly confidence toward God that he will help both the dying and
the living in every distress.
4. We notice this here in the man
afflicted with dropsy. He had heard of the kindness of Jesus to others and now
believes that he will show the same to him. Had he not believed, it would have
been impossible to help him. The Gospel resounds in all the world, but it is
not heard by everybody. The Pharisees also sat there; they saw these things
with their own eyes and failed not to notice what a friendly man Jesus was, but
they believed not; hence the Gospel could neither reform them nor give them
help and comfort. Thus the Gospel is very universal, but the true laying hold
of it is very rare. So much in regard to faith.
5. Later we have here pictured to us
also the love in Christ that goes forth and bears fruit, not for itself but for
others, as is the nature of true love to do. This is now said on the first part
of today's Gospel.
6. However, this Pericope especially
teaches us in the second place a necessary doctrine we must possess, if we are
to make use of the laws that order the outward and temporal matters and
affairs, which the church is to observe. Here we must act wisely and gently, if
we wish to do the right thing, especially when weak and timid consciences are
concerned. For there is nothing more tender in heaven and on earth, and nothing
can bear less trifling, than the conscience. The eye is spoken of as a
sensitive member, but conscience is much more sensitive. Hence we notice how
gently the Apostles dealt with conscience in divers matters, lest it be
burdened with human ordinances.
7. But as we cannot live without law
and order, and as it is dangerous to deal with law since it is too apt to
ensnare the conscience, we must say a little about human laws and ordinances
and how far they are to be observed. The proverb says: ”Everything depends upon
having a good interpreter.” That is particularly true here where human
ordinances are concerned. Where there is no one to interpret and explain the
law rightly it is difficult and dangerous to have anything to do with it. Take,
for example, a ruler who acts like a tyrant and abuses his authority. If he
makes a law and urgently insists on the law being executed, he treats
conscience as if he had a sword in his hand and were intent on killing. We have
experienced this in the tyrannical laws of popery, how consciences were
tormented and hurled into hell and damnation. Yea, there is great danger where
one does not know how to temper and apply the laws.
8. Therefore we conclude that all
law, divine and human, treating of outward conduct, should not bind any further
than love goes. Love is to be the interpreter of law. Where there is no love,
these things are meaningless, and law begins to do harm; as is also written in
the Pope's book: ”If a law or ordinance runs counter to love, it will soon come
to an end.” This is in brief spoken of divine and human laws. The reason for
enacting all laws and ordinances is only to establish love, as Paul says, Rom.
13, 10: ”Love therefore is the fulfilment of the law.” Likewise verse 8: ”Owe
no man anything, save to love one another.” For if I love my neighbor, I help
him, protect him, hold him in honor, and do what I would have done to me.
9. Since then all law exists to
promote love, law must soon cease where it is in conflict with love. Therefore,
everything depends upon a good leader or ruler to direct and interpret the law
in accordance with love. Take the example of the priests and monks. They have
drawn up laws that they will say mass and do their praying and juggle with God
in other ways at given hours according to the clock. If now a poor man should
call and ask for a service at an hour when they were to hold mass or repeat their prayers, they might say: ”Go your way;
I must now read mass, must attend to my prayers,” and thus they would fail to
serve the poor man, even if he should die. In this manner the most
sanctimonious monks and Carthusians act; they observe their rules and statutes
so rigorously that, although they saw a poor man breathing his last breath and
could help him so easily, yet they will not do it. But the good people, if they
were Christians, ought to explain the laws and statutes in harmony with love,
and say: Let the mass go, let the sacraments, prayers, and the ordinances all
go; I will dispense with works, I will serve my neighbor; love put in practice
in serving my neighbor is golden in comparison with such human works.
10. And thus we should apply every
law, even as love suggests, that it be executed where it is helpful to a
fellow-man, and dispensed with where it does harm. Take a common illustration:
If there were a housekeeper who made the rule in his home to serve now fish,
then meat, now wine, then beer, even as it suits him; but perchance some one of
his household took sick and could not drink beer or wine, nor eat meat or fish,
and the housekeeper would not give him anything else, but say: No, my rules and
regulations prescribe thus; I cannot give you anything else: what kind of a
housekeeper would such an one be? One ought to give him sneeze-wort to purge
his brain. For if he were a sensible man he would say: It is indeed true that
my rules and regulations prescribe meat or fish for the table today, yet since
this diet does not agree with you, you may eat what you like. See how a
housekeeper may adjust his own rules and make them conform to the love he
entertains for his household. Thus all law must be applied as love toward a
fellow-man may dictate.
11. Therefore, since the Mosaic law
was not understood nor modified by love in the Old Testament, God promised the
people through Moses that he would raise up a prophet who should interpret the
law to them. For thus Moses says in Deut. 18, 25: ”Jehovah thy God will raise
up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me;
unto him ye shall harken.” God raised up prophets from time to time to explain
the law and apply it, not in its rigor, but in love. Of this Moses himself is
an example. He led the children of Israel out of Egypt for forty years hither
and thither through the desert. Abraham had been commanded in Gen. 17, 12, to
circumcise every male on the eighth day. This commandment was plain enough that
all had to observe it, yet Moses neglected it and circumcised no one the whole
forty years.
12. Now, who authorized Moses to
violate this commandment, given to Abraham by God himself? His authority was
vested in his knowledge of the law's spirit; he knew how to interpret and apply
it in brotherly love, namely, that the law was to be serviceable to the people,
and not the reverse. For, if during their journey they had to be ready day by
day for warfare, circumcision would have hindered them, and he therefore
omitted it, saying in effect: Although this law is given and should be
observed, yet we will apply it in the spirit of love, and suspend its operation
until we come to the end of our journey. Likewise should all laws be
interpreted and applied as love and necessity may demand. Hence the importance
of a good interpreter.
13. It was the same in the case of
David when he partook of the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for anyone
to eat, except the priest, 1 Sam. 21, 6; as Christ himself makes use of this
example in Mat. 12, 3. David was not consecrated, nor were his servants. When
he was hungry he went to Ahimelech and asked for himself and men something to
eat. Ahimelech answered: I have indeed nothing to give; the shew-bread of the
tabernacle is for holy use. Then David and his men helped themselves and ate
freely of it. Did David sin in the face of God's ordinance? No. Why not?
Because necessity compelled him, seeing there was nothing else to eat. It is in
this way that necessity and love may override law.
14. That is what Christ also does in
our Gospel, when he heals the suffering man on the Sabbath, although he well
knew how strictly the Old Testament required the observance of the Sabbath. But
see what the Pharisees do! They stand by watching the Lord. They would not have
helped the sick man with a spoonful of wine, even if they could have done so.
But Christ handles the law even at the risk of violating it, freely helps the
poor man sick with the dropsy and gives the public a reason for his action,
when he says, in effect: It is indeed commanded to keep the Sabbath day, yet
where love requires it, there the law may be set aside. This he follows up with
an illustration from everyday life, then dismisses them in a way they must
commend, and they answer him not a word. He says:
15. As if
to say: Ye fools, are ye not mad and stupid! If you act thus in the case of
saving an ox or an ass which may perhaps be valued at a few dollars, how much
rather should one do the same to a neighbor, helping him to his health, whether
it be the Sabbath or not! For the Sabbath, as he says elsewhere, was made for
man, and not man for the Sabbath. So that the son of man is
lord even of the Sabbath,
16. Among the Jews there was a
rigorous enforcement of the law, even their kings insisted on its strict
observance. When the prophets came and explained the law in the spirit of love,
saying: This is what Moses means, thus the law is to be understood, then there
were false prophets at hand to side with the kings, insisting on the literal
text and saying: There, so it is written; it is God's Word; one must not
interpret it otherwise. Thereupon the kings proceeded to kill one prophet after
another. In the same way the Papists, priests and monks act now. If anyone
says: We need not observe their laws literally, but we should rather interpret
them in love; then they immediately cry, Heretic! Heretic!! and if they could
they would kill him; yea, they do so already quite lustily.
17. As Christ here treats of the law
relating to the Sabbath and makes it subserve the needs of man, so we should
treat laws of that kind and keep them only so far as they accord with love. If
laws do not serve love, they may be annulled at once, be they God's or man's
commands. Take an illustration from our former darkness and sorrow under the
Papacy. Suppose someone had vowed to visit St. Jacob, and he remembers the
words: ”Pay that which thou vowest,” Eccl. 5, 4. He may have a wife, children
or household to care for. What should such an one do? Should he proceed to St.
Jacob, or remain at home and support his family? There, decide for yourselves
which would be most needful and what harmonizes best with the spirit of love. I
regard it best for him to remain home at work and attend to the care of his
family. For his pilgrimage to St. Jacob, even if that were not idolatrous and
wrong in itself, would be of little profit to him, yea, he would spend and lose
more than he could gain.
18. Another example. A mother is
about to bear a child, who vowed to eat no flesh on Wednesdays, as many foolish
women do. And perhaps because of this vow the mother may injure her offspring
and her own body. Then the foolish confessional fathers come and say: Dear
daughter, it is written in the Scriptures, what one vows, that must be kept; it
is God's command and thou must at any peril keep thy vow. Thus the good woman
is soon taken captive and chained by her conscience, goes and fulfils her vow,
and does harm both to herself and her offspring. Hence both have sinned, those
who taught her thus, and the woman in that she did not esteem her love more
than her vow, by which she neither served nor pleased God; yea, more than this,
she thus provoked God to anger by keeping her vow. Therefore we should say to
such a foolish mother. Behold, thou art about to bear a child, and thou must
serve it and desist from this foolish thing, so that great harm may not spring
from it; for all laws find their end in love.
19. We should act in like manner
toward the false priests, monks and nuns. When they say: Yea, we have vowed so
and so, and it is written: ”Vow, and pay unto Jehovah your God,” Ps. 76, 11,
then say to them: Look, there is also a command: ”Thou shalt love thy neighbor
as thyself.” But in your vocation it is
impossible to serve your neighbor, nor can You continue in it without sin.
Therefore, forsake it openly and enter a state in which you are not so apt to
sin, but where you may serve your fellow-man, help and counsel him; and do not
bother about a vow which you did not give to God your Lord, but to the devil;
not for the salvation of souls and blessedness, but for damnation and ruin of
both soul and body.
20. If you are a Christian you have
power to dispense with all commandments so far as they hinder you in the
practice of love, even as Christ here teaches. He goes right on, although it is
the Sabbath day, helps this sick man and gives a satisfactory and clear reason
for his Sabbath work.
21. There is yet another thought in
this Gospel about taking a prominent seat at feasts, which we must consider,
When the Lord noticed how the guests, the Pharisees, chose to sit in the first
seats, he gave them the following parable to ponder:
22. This parable is aimed at the
laws and precepts of the Pharisees and scribes which provide that honor should
be paid to the great and powerful, giving them the preference and allowing them
to sit at the head. Christ here reverses the order and says: ”He that would be
the greatest, let him take the lowest seat.” Not that a peasant should be
placed above a prince; that is not what Christ means, nor would that be proper.
But our Lord does not speak here of worldly, but of spiritual things, where
humility is specially commended. Let rulers follow the custom of occupying the
uppermost seats at festive boards, we have to do here with matters of the
heart. Christ does not appoint burgormasters, judges, princes, lords; these
stations in life he ignores as subject to civil order and and the dictates of
reason. There must be rulers and to them honors are due because of their
position; but the spiritual government requires that its participants humble
themselves, in order that they may be exalted.
23. Therefore the Lord said to his
disciples when they disputed as to who should be the greatest among them: ”The
kings of the Gentiles have lordship over them, and they that have authority
over them are called Benefactors. But ye shall not be so; but he that is the
greater among you, let him become as the younger; and he that is chief, as he
that doth serve,” Luke 22, 25-27. He then speaks of himself as an illustration,
asking: ”For which is the greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth?
is not he that sitteth at meat? But I am in the midst of you as he that
serveth.” And in another place, Mat. 20, 26-28, he said: ”Whosoever would
become great among you Shall be your minister; and whosoever would be first
among you shall be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be
ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
24. The Papists have commented on
these verses in their own way and twisted this Gospel, saying: Yea, the Pope is
to be the least or youngest, sitting at the foot and serving others; but that
is to take place in the heart. They pretended to sit at the foot and to serve
others as the humblest; but withal they lorded it over all emperors, kings and
princes, yea, trampled them in the dust; just as if emperors, kings, prince's
and rulers should not also possess in their hearts the humility of which the
Lord here treats. They thus put on airs and make a show of their carnal
interpretation. If they had any humility in their hearts their lives would bear
testimony to it. Christ speaks here not of outward humility alone, for the
inner is the source of the outer; if it is not in the heart it will hardly be
manifest in the body.
25. Therefore the Gospel aims at
making all of us humble, whatever and
whoever we may be, that none may exalt himself, unless urged and elevated by
regular authority. That is what the Lord wants to inculcate by this parable,
directing it to all, be they high or low. In this spirit he reproves the
Pharisees and others who desire high places and are ambitious to get ahead of
others. They may accept honors when regularly elected and forced to accept high
places. I make these remarks to contravene and discredit their false spiritual
interpretations.
26. But now they go and mingle and
confuse spiritual and worldly things, and claim it is enough if they be humble
in heart when they strive for the chief seats. Nay, dear friends,
heart-humility must manifest itself in outer conduct, or it is false. All
should therefore he willing to take a lower seat, even to throw themselves at
the feet of others, and not move up higher, until urged to do so. Anyone who
regards this rule, will do well; but he who disregards it will come to grief by
so doing. That is what our Lord desires to impress upon his hearers as he
closes this parable.
27.
28. The sum of this Gospel then is:
Love and necessity control all law; and there should be no law that cannot be
enforced and applied in love. If it cannot, then let it be done away with, even
though an angel from heaven had promulgated it. All this is intended to help
and strengthen our hearts and consciences. In this way our Lord himself teaches
us how we should humble ourselves and be subject one to another. [However
concerning this virtue, what true humility is, I have said enough in former
Postils c.] Let this suffice on today's Gospel.
EIGHTEENTH
SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
1 CORINTHIANS 1:4-9.
1 CORINTHIANS 1:4-9.
I thank my God always concerning you; for the
grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus; that in everything ye were
enriched in him, in all utterance and all knowledge; even as the testimony of
Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the
revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall also confirm you unto the end,
that ye be unreprovable in the clay of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful,
through whom ye were called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our
Lord.
TREASURE
CHRISTIANS HAVE IN THE GOSPEL
1. We have before us the opening words of the Epistle to the
Corinthians, which Paul was moved to write because of unpleasant conditions in
the Church at Corinth after his departure. Divisions had arisen and sad
confusion prevailed in doctrine and life. Hence the apostle was constrained to
rebuke their wickedness and correct their infirmities. Because of these
wholesome admonitions, the reading and heeding of this epistle is not only
profitable but essential to this day; for the devil takes no respite, but
whenever the Gospel is preached in its purity he mixes with the children of God
and sows his seed.
2. Paul intends to be rather severe – yen caustic – but he
begins very leniently, showing them what they have received through the Gospel.
His purpose is to arouse their gratitude to God, and to induce them, for his
honor and glory, to be harmonious in doctrine and life, avoiding divisions and
other offenses.
3. In other words, Paul would say: Dear brethren, consider,
I pray you, what abundant grace and gifts have been given you of God. They are
bestowed not because of the Law, or because of your righteousness, your merits
and works; you are given no reason to exalt yourselves above others, or to
originate sects or schisms. Nay, all these blessings have been freely given you
in Christ and for his sake, through the preaching of the Gospel. The Gospel is
a grace which brings to you all manner of gifts, by him enriching you in
everything. You lack nothing from God, but you await this one thing, that
blessed day when Christ will reveal himself to you with all those heavenly
gifts which you now possess in faith.
4. In this wise he extols to them the preaching of the
Gospel (as indeed he does on different occasions); his purpose is to induce
them to regard it most appreciatively. He gives them an example of his own
gratitude, thanking God on their behalf, for the purpose of calling forth their
especial gratitude when they should consider what they formerly were and what
they now had received through the Gospel. And again, he would have them beware
lest, forgetful of their former misery and present grace, they relapse into
their old blindness. A sad beginning in such backsliding had been made by factions in their midst, who, satiated with the
Gospel and indifferent to the abundant grace they enjoyed, began to cast about
for something else.
5. Now observe: If the exalted apostle and venerable teacher
of the Gentiles in his day had to witness in his own parish such factions and
sects as those which, in sinful security and ingratitude toward the Gospel,
arose during his life, what wonder is it that today, when we do not have the
excellent preachers and pious Christians of those times, there are similar
sects? We are aware of the great benefits bestowed upon us, but at the same
time we see and realize that the devil instigates divisions and scandals. And
the cause of these evils may be traced to our ingratitude; we have quickly
forgotten the ills we endured under the blindness of popery, and how miserably
we were deluded and tormented. Necessarily, where God’s mercies are lightly
dismissed from the mind and disregarded, gratitude and regard for God’s Word
cannot be the result; satiated, listless Christians go their way fancying that
spiritual conditions always were and always will be as now.
6. The people, therefore, must be awakened to consider their
former destitution, the very wretchedness they were in. The apostle later on
vividly pictures such condition to his Corinthians, while here, in the opening
chapter, he intimates to them, in kind and courteous words, to consider, in the
light of the Gospel benefits they now enjoy, what they lacked before and might
be deprived of again.
7. Therefore he says, You now have received the grace
whereby in everything ye are enriched. Formerly you had not this grace and
would not have it today had not the Gospel been preached to you. You are
enriched in everything pertaining to yonder life, for it is not the purpose of
the Gospel to give earthly riches. But in spiritual
blessings ye come behind in no gift and have need of naught except this one
thing, that the Lord himself should come. This blessing you are yet to have,
and biding its advent you here live by the gifts and grace with which you were
enriched, until you are finally redeemed from the sinful, wicked life of the
world and from all its oppressions. You must know, and must thank God for it,
that you need not seek after any higher calling or better gifts, thinking you
have not all that is essential, as the factious spirits would have you believe.
8. For in your own judgment, what better thing could you
have than is the Christian’s in his Gospel and his faith? He has assurance of
sins forgiven and washed away in holy baptism, of justification and holiness
before God, and of the fact that he is God’s child and heir to eternal life.
Furthermore, although the Christian is conscious of remaining weakness and sin, yea, although he be
overcome by a fault, he may avail himself of absolution, comfort and strength
through his fellow Christians and by the aid of the sacraments; and he has
daily guidance for his conduct and faith in all the walks of life. Again, he
can call upon God in prayer in the day of trouble, and the firm assurance is
his that God will hear and help him. What further can one desire, or what more
does he need, than the knowledge that he is God’s child through baptism and has
God’s Word at hand for comfort and strength in weakness and
sin? Do you consider it slight enrichment to have
assurance of the fact that God himself is speaking to you and, by means of the
office of the ministry, is effective in you, teaching, admonishing, comforting,
sustaining you, yea, granting you victory over the devil, death and all evil
influences on earth?
9. Formerly what would we not gladly have given and done for
but a single Gospel truth in our distress and trials of conscience! True, when
one was discouraged or perplexed he was advised to seek and follow the counsel
of some intelligent and judicious mind; but such judicious one who might assist
with his counsel was nowhere to be found. For a wise man’s counsel does not
answer in such case. The Word of God alone suffices, and you are to rely on it
as if God himself revealed his counsel to you from heaven.
10. As Paul says, it is great riches, a precious treasure,
to possess in very fact the Word of God and not to doubt that it is the Word of
God. It is this that will answer; this can comfort your heart and support it.
Of spiritual benefits you know we had none under the tyranny and darkness of
the Pope. At that time we suffered ourselves to be led and driven by his
commandments, vain human baubles, by bulls, lies, invocation of saints,
indulgences, masses, monkery. And we did whatever was enjoined in the name of
the Church, solely to gain comfort and help, that we might not despair of God’s
grace. But instead of comforting us, these things led us to the devil and
thrust us into greater anguish and terror; for there was nothing in the
doctrine of the papists that could give us certainty.
Indeed, they themselves had to confess that by its teachings no man could or
should be certain of his state of grace.
11. Yea, they forced poor, timid, tempted hearts to dread
and fear Christ more than the devil even, as! myself experienced full well. I resorted to the dead – St.
Barbara, St. Ann and other departed saints – regarding them as mediators
between me and Christ’s wrath. But this availed me nothing, nor did it free me
from a fearful and fugitive conscience. There was not one among us all – and we
were called very learned doctors of Holy Writ – who could have given true comfort from God’s Word, saying: This is God’s
Word; this one thing God asks of you, that you honor him by accepting comfort;
believe and know that he forgives your transgressions and has no wrath against
you. If someone could have told me this, I would have given all I possessed for
the knowledge; yea, for such word of comfort I would not have taken in exchange
the glory and the crowns of all kings, for it would have restored my soul, it
would have refreshed and sustained my body and life.
12. All this we should bear in mind, by no means should we
forget it; that we may return thanks to God, recounting the superior and
wonderful gifts which have enriched us in all things. We have besides the Word,
free prayer and the Lord’s Prayer, knowing what to pray for and how to pray –
knowledge common to the very children today, thank God. In former times, all
men, especially we monks, tormented themselves with lengthy repetitions in
reading and singing; yet our prayers were but chattering, as the noise of geese
over their food, or of monks repeating a psalm.
13. I, too, wanted to be a pious and godly monk and I
prepared with earnest devotion for mass and for prayers. But when most devout! went to the altar a doubter and left the altar a doubter.
When I had rendered my confession I still doubted, and I doubted when! did not render it. For we were wholly wrapped up in the
erroneous idea that we could not pray and would not be heard unless we were
absolutely dean and without sin, like the saints in heaven. It would have been
much better not to pray at all and to have done something else, than thus to
take God’s name in vain. Still, we monks – in fact all the ecclesiastics –
eluded the people, promising them our prayers for their money and possessions,
actually selling our prayers, though we did not even know that we prayed in a
manner acceptable to God. But today, thank God, we do know and understand, not
only what to pray for and how to approach God “nothing doubting,” but we can
also add a hearty Amen, believing that according to his promise he will
certainly hear us.
THE CHRISTIAN’S TREASURE.
14. The Christian has indeed inestimable treasure. In the
first place he has the testimony of the Word of God, which is the word of
eternal grace and comfort, that he has a right and true
conception of baptism, the Lord’s Supper, the Ten Commandments and the Creed.
In addition he has the sure refuge of God’s promise to deliver us from every
trouble in which we shall call upon him, and to give
us, as he promised by the prophet Zechariah
15. In illustration of this idea, a picture was exhibited –
with the sanction of the Pope – representing a great ship in the wild, wide
sea, containing only the holy monks and the super-holy popes, cardinals,
bishops, etc., who were throwing their merits to those in peril struggling in
the water, or extending a hand, or by means of ropes and their stoles drawing
the drowning to safety in the boat.
16. In contrast to this darkness, consider the priceless and
to-be-cherished blessing of knowing with certainty wherein the heart is to take
comfort, how to seek help in distress and how to conduct one’s self in one’s
own station. If, though provided with spiritual riches on all sides, you are
not sufficient of yourself at all times to grasp them, you can, nevertheless,
always reach and appropriate them by means of the ordinary ministry and office
of the Church, yes, by the aid of your fellow-Christians. Again, it is
productive of the greatest happiness to know that when living aright in the
ordinary walks of life established by God, you are more
acceptable and pleasing to him than you would be to purchase the works and
merits of all the monks and hermits.
17. What Paul terms being “enriched,” first, “in all
utterance,” or knowledge – which, in the exalted spiritual meaning of the
words, bears on life everlasting – is having the comfort o£ faith in Christ and
of invocation and prayer. And enriched in “all knowledge,” means having true conception and right judgment in all things o\ our
physical life and in all our earthly relations. All things that a Christian
should know and should possess are comprehended in these two terms. These
blessings are gifts and treasures indescribably great. He who will contrast
them with the destitution of our former condition cannot but be joyful and
thankful. I remember the time when I, engaged in earnest study of Holy Writ,
would have given a great deal for the right exposition of a psalm; and when had
I but begun to understand a verse aright, I would have been as rejoiced as if
born to life anew.
18. Truly, then, we should now render to God heartfelt
thanks for the great favor and blessing of restored light and understanding in
Scripture, and the right conception of doctrinal matters. But, alas! it is
likely to be with us as with the Corinthians, who had received most abundantly
from Paul but by way of return had made ill use of it
and proved shamefully unthankful. And they met with retribution, the worst of
it being false doctrine and seductions, until at last that grand congregation
was wholly ruined and destroyed. A similar retribution threatens us, yes, is
before the door with appalling knock, in the instance of the Turks and in other
distress and calamity. For this reason we should, with a thankful heart and
serious mind, pray, as Paul here does for his Corinthians, that God would keep
us steadfast in the possession of his gifts and blameless in the day of our
Lord Jesus Christ.
19. Paul admonishes us to continue in this knowledge and
appreciation of the grace and gifts of God. Since by these blessings we have
received riches and happiness to the satisfying of all our need, the apostle
further admonishes us to look only for the Lord to reveal to us publicly by his
coming that which he has promised and through faith already granted us.
20. In the past, much has been written and ingeniously
devised on the topic of preparing for death and the final judgment. But it has
only served to further confuse timid consciences. For these comforters were not
able to show anything of the comfort to be found in the riches of grace and
bliss in Christ. They directed the people to oppose with their own works and
good life, death and God’s judgment. In place of this delusion is now evident
the precious truth; he who knows the Gospel doctrines, goes on and performs his
own work and duty in his respective calling. He takes comfort in the fact that
through baptism he is engrafted into Christ; he receives absolution and
partakes of the holy supper for the strengthening of his faith, commending his
soul and body to Christ. Why should such a one fear death? Though it come at
any time, in form of pestilence or accident, it will always find the Christian
ready and well prepared, be he awake or asleep; for he is in Christ Jesus.
21. For all these things the Christian may well thank and
bless God, realizing that he has no further need, nor can he gain anything
better than he already has in the remission of sins, the gift of the Holy
Spirit and the faithful prosecution of his calling; however, he should remain
in, and daily grow in, faith and supplication. But he cannot hope to attain to
another and better doctrine, faith, Spirit, prayer, sacrament, reward, etc.,
than had all the saints, John the Baptist, Peter, Paul, or in fact than has now
every Christian that is baptized. Therefore I need not idly spend time in
trying to prepare people for death and inspire them with courage by such
commonplaces as recalling and relating the innumerable daily accidents, ills
and dangers of this life. This method will not answer; death will not thereby
be frightened away, nor will the fear of death be removed. The Gospel teaching
is: Believe in Christ, pray and live in accordance with God’s Word, and then,
when death overtakes and attacks you, you will know that you are Christ the
Lord’s. Paul says ( Romans 14:8): “Whether we live...
or die, we are the Lord’s.” Indeed, we Christians live upon this earth to the
very end that we may have assured comfort, salvation and victory over death and
hell.
22. Of this Paul here reminds us, and dwells on it more fully later in this Epistle; he would have us duly
thankful for this great grace and living among ourselves in a Christian and
brotherly manner, in doctrine and practice, ignoring and avoiding that wild,
disorderly conduct of the contentious and disorderly. He who recognizes such
grace and blessing cannot but love and thank God and conduct himself aright
toward his neighbor; and when he finds himself falling short in this he will,
by admonition and the Word of God, make amends.
23. Here you might put the question: Why does Paul speak in
such a commendatory way of the Corinthians, saying that they were enriched in
everything and came behind in no gift, when he himself confesses later on that
they had contentions and schisms – in regard to baptism, to the sacrament, to
the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead and in regard to abuse of liberty,
and some lived as they pleased. Would you not call these things faults and
shortcomings? How, then, is he in a position to say that they were abundantly
supplied with all things spiritual, lacking not one thing?
24. Well, you should recall what I have repeatedly stated:
Christendom is never so spotless that there are not some spurious and wicked
admixed, just as you will always find weeds, darnel, tares, or wild mustard
together with pure grain. And he who will examine the Church with only a view
of finding faults and frailties among those called Christians, will miss the
Church, yes, the Gospel and Christ, and never discover a Church at all.
25. But we have the consolation of knowing that if we have
the Gospel pure, we have the treasure God gives his Church and we cannot go
astray nor want. But as yet we have not reached that degree of perfection where
all hearers of the Gospel will grasp it fully and wholly or are faultless in
faith and life; at all times there will be some who do not believe and some who
are weak and imperfect. However, that great treasure and rich blessing of
doctrine and knowledge is present. There is no defect in this, and it is
effective and fruitful. The fact that some do not believe, does not weaken
baptism or the Gospel or the Church; they only harm themselves.
To sum up, where the Word remains, there most assuredly is
also the Church. For wherever the doctrine is pure, there you can also keep
purity in baptism, the sacrament, absolution, the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s
Prayer, good works and all callings; and wherever you find a defect or an
irregularity, you can admonish, amend and rectify by means of the Word.
26. Some there must be who have the Word and sacraments pure
and unadulterated, who have faith, pray aright, keep God’s commandments and do
other things, as, thank God, we have with us. Then we may firmly conclude: If
the true Church were not here, these characteristics would be lacking;
therefore we must have among ourselves true members of
the Church and true saints. Now even though children of the world intermingle
(as will be the case always and in all places), who show neither faith nor a
godly life, it would corrupt neither faith, nor baptism, nor doctrine, nor
would the Church perish on that account – the treasure remains in its integrity
and efficacy, and God may graciously cause some to turn from their unbelief and
wicked life and be added to the faithful and to mend their ways.
27. Again, they with whom this treasure – the Word or
doctrine and its knowledge – is not found, cannot be the Christian Church nor
members of it, and for that reason they cannot pray or believe aright or do
good works pleasing to God. It follows that their whole lives are in God’s
sight lost and condemned, though they may assiduously extol God and the Church
and before the world may have the appearance and reputation of leading particularly
holy lives and excelling even the upright Christians in virtues and honor. It
is a settled fact that outside the Church of Christ there is no God, no grace,
no bliss; as Paul says ( Ephesians 4:5): “One Lord,
one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all,” etc. And Acts
28. And so Paul, when here extolling the Corinthians, has
not an eye to the contentious, the Epicureans, or to those who give public offense, as the man that “had his father’s
wife;” but the apostle looks to the fact that a few remain who have the pure
Word of God, faith, baptism and the sacrament, though some hypocrites be among
them. Because of these few – and few indeed there may be – we recognize the
presence of that inestimable treasure of which the apostle speaks. It is found
as well where two or three are gathered together as with thousands. Neither the
Gospel nor the ministers nor the Church is to be blamed that the multitude miss
this treasure; the multitude have but them, selves to blame, for they close
their ears and eyes.
29. Now behold how loftily Paul has extolled and how
beautifully portrayed the Christian Church – where she is to be found on earth
and what inestimable blessings and gifts she has received of Christ, for which
she is in duty bound to thank and praise him in her confession and in her life.
This subject the apostle concludes with the words:
“God is faithful, through whom ye were called into the
fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”
30. The good work which Christ has begun in you and already
assured to you, he will without fall establish in you until the end and for
ever, if you but do not fall away through unbelief, or cast grace from you. For
his Word or promise given to you, and his work begun in you, are not changeable
as is man’s word and work, but are firm, certain, divine, immovable truth.
Since you are in possession of this your divine calling, draw comfort therefrom
and rely on it without wavering. Amen.
EIGHTEENTH
SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.
MATTHEW 22:34-46.
Contents:
The doctrine concerning the law and the gospel; or the
greatest commandment and Christ.
MATTHEW 22:34-46.
But when the Pharisees had heard that he had
put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them,
which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master,
which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love
the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy
mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all
the law and the prophets. While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus
asked them, Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?
They say unto him, The Son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in
spirit call him Lord, saying, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right
hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how
is he his son? And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man
from that day forth ask him any more questions.
1. In this Gospel Christ answers the question the Pharisees
put to him: Which is the greatest commandment in the Law ?
and in turn asks them the question: What think ye of the Christ, whose son is he ? Thus this Gospel presents to us that which we
continually hear and should hear, so that these two sermons must continue to be
preached in Christendom, namely: the first, the teaching of the Law or of the
ten commandments, and the second, the doctrine concerning the grace of Christ.
For if either of these fall it pulls the other with it; while on the other
hand, wherever the one remains steadfast and is faithfully put into practice,
it brings the other with it.
2. And God has ordained that these two themes shall be
preached forever in the Christian Church, yea, they have always since the
beginning of the world accompanied one another; they were given to our father
Adam, while he was still in Paradise, and were later confirmed through Abraham,
Moses and the Prophets. For they are required by the needs of humanity, fallen
as it is under the power of satan, so that we live and move in sin and are worthy
of eternal death. Adam felt and lamented sin and its injuries; but later the
sense of sin soon weakened and was disregarded, so that the heathen did not
consider it sin although they indeed felt evil lust and desire in their bodies;
but they imagined all that belonged to the character and nature of man. Yet
they taught man should restrain such lust and desires and not allow them to go
too far; but this nature in itself they did not condemn.
3. Therefore God gave this one simple teaching that reveals
what man is, what he has been, and what he should again become. This is the
doctrine of the Law, which Christ here cites: “Thou shalt love God with all thy
heart, etc.” As if to say: Thus thou hast been, and thus thou shalt still be
and become. In Paradise you were in possession of the treasure, and were thus
created that you loved God with all your heart; this you have lost; but now you
must again become as you were, or you will never enter the Kingdom of God. In
like manner he speaks clearly and plainly in other places, Matthew
4. Therefore it is wrong and not to be allowed, as some in
ancient times said and as some stupid spirits now say: Although you do not keep
the commandment, and do not love God and your neighbor, yea, although you are
even an adulterer, that makes no difference, if you only believe, then you will
be saved. No, dear mortal, that amounts to nothing; you will never thus gain
heaven; it must come to the point that you keep the commandments, and abide in
love toward God and your neighbor. For there it stands briefly determined; “If
thou wouldst enter into life, keep the commandments.” Again, to the Galatians,
5:19-21: “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, of which I forewarn you,
even as I did forewarn you, that those who practice such things, shall not
inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, etc.”
5. And Christ wishes this doctrine to be observed by the
Christians so that they may know what they have been, what they are still
lacking and what they should again become, that they continue not in the misery
and filth in which they find themselves now; for if they do, they must be lost.
Christ speaks right out plainly in Matthew 5:17-18: “Think not that I came to
destroy the Law or the Prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For
verily I say unto you, the Law must be so taught and observed that not the
smallest letter or one tittle of it shall in any wise pass away, till all
things be accomplished.” Again, Christ says further in Matthew
6. For this is indeed a glorious doctrine that teaches what
we are to become; but that it may also be realized and not continue to be
preached in vain, the other doctrine must be added, namely, how and through
what means we may again return to our former state. We return when we hear what
we lost in Paradise; when Adam lived in full love to God, and in pure love to
his neighbor, and in perfect obedience without evil lust, and that had he
remained thus we would still be so; but now, since through sin he fell from
this command, we also lie in the same misery, full of sin and disobedience,
under God’s wrath and curse, and fall from one sin to another, and the Law
stands there, holds us guilty, urges and requires us to be pious and obedient
to God.
7. What shall we then do here, since the Law continually
commands and drives us, and we are powerless? For here my own conscience argues
ever against me: Since I am to love God with my whole heart and my neighbor as
myself, and I do not do it, I must therefore be condemned and God approves and
confirms the sentence of condemnation. Who will counsel me in this instance? I
do not know what to counsel you, says the Law; but it decrees and demands
plainly that you be obedient. Here the Prophets come now, and preach Christ,
and say: One is coming who will give counsel how man
may regain what he lost and again enter the state from which he fell, to which
the Law points him. This is the other sermon that should and must be preached
until the day of judgment, namely, the help from sin, death and satan, and
restoration of our bodies and souls, so that we may come into the state that we
love God and our neighbor from our hearts. This is to be done fully and
perfectly in the future life, but here in this life it should be commenced.
8. For in the life beyond there will be no longer any faith,
but perfect love, and all the Law demands we will do with our whole heart.
Therefore we must now preach what we should become and should forever continue
to be, namely, that we are to love God and our neighbor with our whole heart.
This I will commence, says Christ, and complete, not alone as to my own person,
but I will aid you to make a beginning, and to continue ever in it, until you
come where you will also fulfill it perfectly.
9. Now this will come to pass thus. Since we are unable to
keep the Law and it is impossible for the natural man to do so, Christ came and
stepped between the Father and us, and prays for us: Beloved Father, be
gracious unto them and forgive them their sins. I will
take upon me their transgressions and bear them; I love thee with my whole
heart, and in addition the entire human race, and this I will prove by shedding
my blood for mankind. Moreover, I have fulfilled the Law and I did it for their
welfare in order that they may partake of my fulfilling the Law and thereby
come to grace.
10. Thus there is first given us through Christ the sense
that we do not fulfill the Law and that sin is fully and completely forgiven:
however, this is not bestowed in a way or to the end, that we in the future
need not keep the Law, and may forever continue to sin, or that we should
teach, if we have faith then we need no longer to love God and our neighbor.
But there is bestowed upon us the sense that the fulfilling of the Law may now
for the first time be successfully attempted and perfectly realized, and this
is the eternal, fixed and unchangeable will of God. To this end it is necessary
to preach grace, that man may find counsel and help to come to a perfect life.
11. But the help offered us is, that Christ prays the Father
to forgive us our sins against this Law, and not to
impute what we are still indebted. Then he promises also to give
the Holy Spirit, by whose aid the heart begins to love God and to keep his
commandments. For God is not gracious and merciful to sinners to the end that
they might not keep his Law, nor that they should remain as they were before
they received grace and mercy; but he condones and forgives both sin and death
for the sake of Christ, who has fulfilled the whole Law in order thereby to
make the heart sweet and through the Holy Spirit to kindle and move the heart
to begin again to love from day to day more and more.
12. Thus begins in us not only love, but also truth, that
is, a true character, as the Law requires; like St. John says in
13. Now if we thus continue in faith, that is, in what the
Holy Spirit gives and forgives, in what he begins and ends, then the fire on
the judgment day, by which the whole world is to be consumed, will cleanse and
purify us, so that we will no longer need this giving and forgiving, as if
there were something unclean and sinful in us, as there really is at present;
we will certainly be as the brightness of the dear sun, without spot and
defect, full of love, as Adam was at the beginning in Paradise. Thus will it then
be truly said, the Law is established and fulfilled, Romans
14. These are the two doctrines that should accompany one
another, since they belong together or the one is in the other, and they must
always go together as long as we live here, by which the Law or God’s
commandment may begin to work in Christians, so that the wicked, disobedient
persons of the world may be restrained and punished. Since they will not fear
and love God like Christians and believers, they are obliged to fear eternal
fire, perdition and other punishments. Others, however, will be taught by it
from what they have fallen and how sorely and fully they have inherited sin.
15. For when I compare my life with the Law I see and
experience always the contrary of what the Law enjoins. I shall entrust to God
my body and soul, and love him with my whole heart; yet, I would rather have a
dollar in my chest than ten gods in my heart, and I am happier when I know how
to make ten dollars, than when I hear the whole Gospel. Let a prince give a person a castle or several thousand dollars, what a
jumping and rejoicing it creates! On the other hand, let a person be baptized
or receive the communion which is a heavenly, eternal treasure, there is not
one-tenth as much rejoicing. Thus we are by nature; there is none who so heartily
rejoices over God’s gifts and grace as over money and earthly possessions; what
does that mean but that we do not love God as we ought? For if we trusted and
loved him, we would rejoice more that he gave us the
sense of sight than if we possessed the whole world. And the word of
consolation he speaks to me through the Gospel ought to give
me higher joy than the favor, money, wealth and honor of the whole world. But
that it is not so and ten thousand dollars can make people happier than all the
grace and possessions of God, proves what kind of fruit we are, and what a
distressing and horrible fall it is in which we lie. And yet we would not see
nor realize it, if it were not revealed to us through the Law, and we would
have to remain forever in it and be lost, if we were not again helped out of it
through Christ. Therefore the Law and the Gospel are given to the end that we
may learn to know both how guilty we are and to what we should again return.
16. This now is the Christian teaching and preaching, which,
God be praised, we know and possess, and it is not necessary at present to
develop it further, but only to offer the admonition that it be maintained in
Christendom with all diligence. For satan has continually attacked it hard and
strong from the beginning until the present, and gladly would he completely
extinguish it and tread it under foot. For he cannot endure that the people
continue in it and conduct themselves uprightly and he seeks a hundred thousand
arts and wiles only to crush it. Therefore I so gladly preach it, as it is
greatly needed; for until the present it has never been heard nor known in the
Papacy.
17. For I myself was a learned doctor of theology and yet I
never understood the ten commandments rightly. Yea, there were many highly celebrated
doctors who did not know whether there were nine, ten or eleven commandments,
and much less did we know the Gospel and Christ. But the only thing that was
taught and advocated was: Invoke the Virgin Mary and other saints as your
mediators and intercessors; fast often and pray much; make pilgrimages, enter
cloisters and become monks, or pay for the saying of many masses and like
works. And thus we imagined when we did these things we had merited heaven.
18. That was the time of blindness when we knew nothing of
God’s Word, but led ourselves and others into misery by our own idle talk and
dreams. And I was one of those who indeed bathed in this sweat or in this bath
of anxiety. Therefore let us give heed that we may
thoroughly grasp and retain this doctrine, if other fanatics and false spirits
wish to attack it, so that we may be fore-armed and learn, while we have the
time and the beloved sun again enlightens us, and buy while the market is at
our door. For it will come to this when once these lights, which God now gives,
have departed, satan will not take a furlough until he raises up other
fanatical spirits to do harm; as he has already commenced to do in many places
during our generation. What will take place after we are gone?
19. Therefore learn, who can learn, and learn well, so that
we may know, first the ten commandments, what we owe to God. For if we do not
know this, then we know nothing and we will not inquire about Christ in the
least. Just like we monks did who either held Christ to be an angry judge or
despised him entirely in the face of our imaginary holiness. We fancied we were
not in sin, which the ten commandments show and punish; but we had the natural
light of reason and free will, and if we lived according to that, as much as we
were able, then God would have to bestow upon us his grace, etc. But now, if we
are to know Christ as our helper and Savior, then we must first know, out of
what he can help us, not out of fire or water, or other bodily need and danger,
but out of sin and the hatred of God. But whence do I know that I lie drowned
in misery? From no other source than from the Law, that must show me what my
loss and disease are, or I will never inquire for the physician and his help.
20. Thus we have both parts of the help of Christ: the one,
that he must represent us over against God and be a cloak to cover our shame,
as the one who takes upon himself our sins and disgrace; a cloak, I say, for
us, as the one who takes our sins and shame upon himself, but before God a throne
of grace in whom there is no sin or shame; but only virtue and honor. And like
a hen he spreads out his wings against the buzzard, the devil with his sin and
death, so that God for his sake forgives all, and to us he can do no harm. But
on the condition that you only remain under these wings. For while you are
under his mantle and protection and do not come out from under it, sin that is
still in you must not be sin for the sake of him who covers you with his
righteousness.
21. Then in the second place Christ does not only thus cover
and protect us, but he will also nourish and feed us as the hen does her little
chickens, that is, he gives us the Holy Spirit and strength, to begin to love
God and to keep his commandments. And this shall continue to the last day when
faith and this cloak of shame will cease, so that we will behold the Father
without any medium or covering, and we ourselves stand before him, and there
will be no longer any sin in us to be forgiven; but all will be again restored
and brought back or perfected, as St. Paul says in Acts
22. Now Christ wishes to teach this by his answer and the question,
with which he in reply upbraided the Pharisees. As if he should say, you know
nothing more than to speak of the Law, which teaches
you that you should love God and your neighbor and yet you do not understand
it; for you imagine you have fulfilled it, though you are still far from doing
so. Just like the one in Matthew 19:20-21, who boasts he had kept all the
commandments from his youth; but Christ says to him: “If thou wouldst be
perfect, go sell that which thou hast, and give to the
poor.” This is as much as to say: Whoever will love God aright and keep his
commandments, must be able to sacrifice his possessions, body and life.
Therefore another thing is necessary, Christ will say, for you to know, namely,
that you know and possess the man called Christ, who helps us to the end that
this doctrine of the Law may be established and perfected in you.
23. But what does it mean to know Christ aright? This the
Pharisees and scribes do not know; for they do not consider him more than David’s son, that is, he who is to sit on David’s
throne (as born from his flesh and blood) and is lord and king, also greater
and mightier than David was, and yet only to be a temporal ruler to make his
people the lords of the world and bring all heathen under his rule, etc. But
that they should need him in their lost state, to help them out of sin and
death, of that they knew nothing. Therefore the Holy Spirit must teach that he
was not only David’s son, but also God’s Son, as was taught after his
resurrection.
24. Now here Christ does not explain this, but he only
broaches that David in Psalm 110:1, called Christ his Lord: “How then,” he
says, “doth David in the Spirit call him Lord?” It does not sound right and it
is against nature for a father to call his son lord, and to be subject to him
and serve him. Now David calls Christ his Lord, and a Lord, to whom Jehovah
himself says: “Sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy
footstool,” that is, be like me, acknowledge and worshipped as the right and true God; for it becometh none other to sit at his right
hand; he is indeed so jealous that he allows no one aside from himself to sit
equal to him, as he says in the prophesy of Isaiah 48:11, “My glory will I not
give to another.” Since Jehovah now places Christ equal with himself, he must
be more than all creatures. Therefore he proposes to
them a great question, but lets them thus stick; for they did not understand it
and it was not yet the time to make this known public. But the meaning is as
our articles of faith teach us to believe; that Christ was both David’s true natural son of his blood and flesh and also David’s
Lord, whom David himself must worship and hold as God. However it was
impossible to make these statements harmonize, as it is still impossible for human
reason, where the Holy Spirit does not reveal it, how the two should be at the
same time in the one Christ, both that he was truly David’s seed and God’s Son
by nature.
25. Now Christ propounded this question to teach it is not
enough to have the Law which is the only thing that shows from what state we
have fallen; but whoever will return again to it and become renewed, that
Christ must do through a knowledge of him, who is indeed born of David and is
his flesh and blood, but not born in sin, as David and all men are born, but
had to be born without man of a drop of the pure blood of a virgin, sanctified
by the Holy Spirit, that he was born a real and true
man without any sin.
26. He is the only man that has been able to keep and
fulfill the Law; like all other men by nature, and yet not in the same guilt,
but reared without sin and God’s wrath. This one had to intercede in our behalf
before God and be our right hand and protection, be to us what the hen is to
her little chickens, in whom we have forgiveness of sins and deliverance from
God’s anger and hell. And not only this, but he also gives us the Holy Ghost to
follow him, and here begins to extinguish and slay sin, until we come to him
and be like him without any sin and in perfect righteousness; for he was raised
from the dead to the right hand of the Father to totally abolish sin, death and
hell and bring us to the new eternal righteousness and eternal life. Amen.
NINETEENTH
SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
EPHESIANS 4:22-28.
EPHESIANS 4:22-28.
That ye put away, as concerning your former
manner of life, the old man, that waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit; and
that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, that
after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth. Wherefore,
putting away falsehood, speak ye truth each one with his neighbor: for we are
members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon
your wrath: neither give place to the devil. Let him
that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor,
working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have whereof to give
to him that hath need.
DUTY
TO NEW AND OLD MAN
1. Here again is an admonition for Christians to follow up
their faith by good works and a new life, for though they have forgiveness of
sins through baptism, the old Adam still adheres to their flesh and makes
himself felt in tendencies and desires to vices physical and mental. The result
is that unless Christians offer resistance, they will lose their faith and the
remission of sins and will in the end be worse than they were at first; for
they will begin to despise and persecute the Word of God when corrected by it.
Yea, even those who gladly hear the Word of God, who highly prize it and aim to
follow it, have daily need of admonition and encouragement, so strong and tough
is that old hide of our sinful flesh. And so powerful and wily is our old evil
foe that wherever he can gain enough of an opening to insert one of his claws,
he thrusts in his whole self and will not desist until he has again sunk man
into his former condemnable unbelief and his old way of despising and
disobeying God.
2. Therefore, the Gospel ministry is necessary in the
Church, not only for instruction of the ignorant – such as the simple,
unlettered people and the children – but also for the purpose of awakening
those who know very well what they are to believe and how they are to live, and
admonishing them to be on their guard daily and not to become indolent,
disheartened or tired in the war they must wage on this earth with the devil,
with their own flesh and with all manner of evil. 3. For this reason Paul is so
persistent in his admonitions that he actually seems to be overdoing it. He
proceeds as if the Christians were either too dull to comprehend or so
inattentive and forgetful that they must be reminded and driven. The apostle
well knows that though they have made a beginning in
faith and are in that state which should show the fruits of faith, such result
is not so easily forthcoming. It will not do to think and say: Well, it is
sufficient to have the doctrine, and if we have the Spirit and faith, then
fruits and good works will follow of their own accord. For although the Spirit
truly is present and, as Christ says, willing and effective in those that
believe, on the other hand the flesh is weak and sluggish. Besides, the devil
is not idle, but seeks to seduce our weak nature by temptations and allurements.
4. So we must not permit the people to go on in their way,
neglecting to urge and admonish them, through God’s Word, to lead a godly life.
Indeed, you dare not be negligent and backward in this duty; for, as it is, our
flesh is all too sluggish to heed the Spirit and all too able to resist it.
Paul says ( Galatians 5:17): “For the flesh lusteth
against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh … that ye may not do the
things that ye would.” Therefore, God is constrained to do as a good and diligent
householder or ruler, who, having a slothful man-servant or maid-servant, or
careless officers, who otherwise are neither wicked nor faithless, will not
consider it sufficient once or twice to direct, but will constantly be
supervising and directing.
5. Nor have we as yet arrived at the point where our flesh
and blood will joyfully and gladly abound in good works and obedience to God as
the spirit is inclined and faith directs. Even with the utmost efforts the
Spirit scarce can compel our old man. What would be the result if we were no
more urged and admonished but could go our way thinking, as many selfsatisfied
persons do: I am well acquainted with my duties, having learned them many years
ago and having heard frequent explanations of them; yea, I have taught others?
It might be that one year’s intermission of preaching and admonition would
place us below the level of the heathen.
6. Now, this exhortation in itself is simple and easy of
comprehension. The apostle is but repeating his exhortations of other places –
on the fruits of faith, or a godly walk – merely in different terms. Here he
speaks of putting away the old man and putting on the new man, of being
“renewed in the spirit of your mind.”
“THE
OLD MAN”
7. What he calls “the old man” is well known to us; namely,
the whole nature of man as descended from Adam after his fall in paradise,
being blinded by the devil, depraved in soul, not keeping God before his eyes
nor trusting him, yes, utterly regardless of God and the judgment day. Though
with his mouth he may honor God’s Word and the Gospel, yet in reality he is
unchanged; if he does have a little additional knowledge, he has just as little
fear, love and trust in God as heretofore.
8. Such a life and such conduct should not be found among
you, says the apostle; you are not to continue with “the old man.” He must be
put off and laid aside. Your former manner of life, inherited of Adam,
consisted in disobeying God, in neither fearing, trusting nor calling upon him.
Again, in your body you obeyed not God’s commandments, being given to lust,
pride, insatiable greed, envy, hatred, etc. A life and walk of this nature is
not becoming a Christian who is regarded as, and truly is, a different order of
being from his former self, as we shall hear. Necessarily he should walk
differently.
9. In this respect a Christian must take heed that he does
not deceive himself; the true Christian differs from
the hypocrite. True Christians so live that it is apparent from their lives
that they keep God before their eyes and truly believe the Gospel, while
hypocrites likewise show by their walk that their pretensions of faith and
forgiveness of sin are hollow. No proof is seen in their lives and works
showing that they have in any wise mended their former ways; they merely deck
themselves with a pretense, with the name of Gospel, of faith, of Christ.
10. Now, the apostle has two things to say of the old man:
that he corrupts himself in error as to the soul and in lusts as to the body.
Paul portrays the old man – meaning every man without true
faith though he bear the name of a Christian – as in the first place given to
error: coming short of the truth, knowing naught of the true knowledge of
Christ and faith in him, indifferent alike to God’s wrath and God’s grace,
deceiving himself with his own conceit that darkness is light. The old man
believes that God will not be moved to vengeance though he do as he pleases,
even to decorating vices with the names of virtues. Haughtiness, greed,
oppressing and tormenting the poor, wrath, envy – all this he would call
preserving his dignity, exercising strict discipline, honestly and economically
conducting his domestic affairs, caring for his wife and children, displaying
Christian zeal and love of justice, etc. In short, he proceeds in the perfectly
empty delusion and self-conceit that he is a Christian.
11. Out of this error proceeds the other corruption, the
lusts of the body, which are fruits of unbelief. Unbelief causes men to walk in
sinful security and yield to all the appetites of their flesh. Such have no
inclination toward what is good, nor do they aim to promote
orderliness, honor or virtue. They take desperate chances on their lives,
wanting to live according to the lusts of their flesh, and yet not be reprimanded.
12. This, says the apostle, is the old man’s course and nature. He will do
naught but ruin himself. The longer continued, the greater his debasement. He
draws down upon himself his own condemnation and penalty for body and soul; for
in proportion as he becomes unbelieving and hardhearted, does he become
haughty, hateful and faithless, and eventually a perfect scoundrel and villain.
This was your former manner of life, when as yet you were heathen and
non-Christians. Therefore you must by all means put off the old man and cast
him far from you; otherwise you cannot remain a Christian. For glorying in the
grace of God and the forgiveness of sin is inconsistent with following sin –
remaining in the former old un-Christian life and walking in error and deceitful
lusts.
THE
GROWTH OF “THE NEW MAN”
13. Having put away the old man, the apostle exhorts us further
to put on the new man, that day by day we may grow as new creatures. This is
effected by first being delivered from error – from the erroneous thoughts and
ideas incident to our corrupt nature with its false conceptions of God, wherein
we do not fear nor believe him – and then from God’s Word receiving the right
understanding of him. When we rightly understand, we shall fear his wrath
against sin and rely on his grace in true faith,
believing that he will forgive our sins for Christ’s sake and will hear our
prayer for strength and assistance to withstand and conquer, and to continually
grow in faith.
14. This change Paul calls being “renewed in the spirit of
your mind”; that is, constantly growing and becoming established in that true conception and clear knowledge of Christ begun in us,
in opposition to error and idle vaporings. He who is thus received, says the
apostle, is a man “that after God hath been created in righteousness and
holiness of truth.” In the old man there is naught but error, by means of which
the devil leads to destruction. But the new man has the Spirit and the truth,
by which the heart is illumined unto righteousness and holiness, wherein man
follows the guidance of God’s Word and feels a desire for a godly walk and good
life; just as, on the other hand, the desire and love for sin and wickedness is
the product of error. This new man is created after God, as an image of God,
and must of necessity differ from such as live in error and in lusts, without
the knowledge of God and disobedient to him. For if God’s image is in man, man
must consequently have the right knowledge of God and right conceptions and
ideas, and lead a godly life consistent with holiness and righteousness as
found in God himself.
15. Such an image of God Adam was when first created. He
was, as to the soul, truthful, free from error, and possessed of true faith and knowledge of God; and as to the body, holy
and pure, that is, without the impure, unclean desires of avarice,
lasciviousness, envy, hatred, etc. And all his children – all men – would have
so remained from their birth if he had not suffered himself to be led astray by
the devil and to be thus ruined. But since Christians, by the grace and Spirit
of God, now have been renewed to this image of God, they are so to live that
soul and spirit are righteous and pleasing to God through faith in Christ; and
that also the body – meaning the whole external life – be pure and holy, which
is genuine holiness.
16. Some there are who pretend to great holiness and purity,
but it is mere pretense, deceiving the people in general. Such are the factious
spirits and monastic saints, who base their holiness and uprightness solely on
an external, peculiar life and on self-elected works. Theirs may be apparently
a commendable, holy and pure way of praying and fasting, of denying self, etc.,
and the people may call it so; but inwardly they are and remain haughty,
venomous, hateful, filled with the filth of human lust and evil thoughts, as
Christ says of such. Matthew
17. The true Christian, Paul asserts, has been molded
through faith in Christ into a new man, like unto God, truly justified and holy
in his sight; even as Adam originally was in perfect harmony of heart with God,
showing true, straightforward confidence, love and
willingness. And his body was holy and pure, knowing naught of evil, impure or
improper desire. Thus the whole life of the man was a beautiful portrait of
God, a mirror wherein God himself was reflected; even as the lives and natures
of the holy spirits the angels are wrapped up in God and represent true knowledge of him, assurance, and joy in him and utterly
pure and holy thoughts and works according to the will of God.
18. But since man is now so grievously fallen from this
cheerful confidence, this certainty and joy, into doubts or into presumption
toward God, and from unspotted, noble obedience into the lusts of iniquity and
ungodliness, it follows that not from mankind can come help or relief. Nor can
any one hope for remedy except the Christians, who through faith in Christ
begin again to have a joyful and confident heart toward God. They thus enter
again into their former relation and into the true
paradise of perfect harmony with God and of justification; they are comforted
by his grace. Accordingly they are disposed to lead a godly life in harmony
with God’s commandments and to resist ungodly lusts and ways. These begin to
taste God’s goodness and loving kindness, as Paul says, and realize what they
lost in paradise. He, therefore, that would be a Christian should strive to be
found in this new man created after God; not in blind error and vain conceit,
but in the very essence of righteousness and holiness before God.
TWO
CLASSES OF SINS
19. Lest there might be one who failed to understand the
meaning of the old and the new man, or of true and
false righteousness and holiness, the apostle now proceeds to give an example
or two, making it easier for us to grasp the idea. All sin comes under one of
two classes: First, that of the devil’s own making, such as murder and deceit;
for by lies he establishes all idolatry, error, false faith and holiness, and
among men he creates faithlessness, deceit, malice, etc. Secondly, those sins
which he instigates man to commit against man; deeds of wrath, hatred,
vengeance and murder. Paul combines these two classes.
20. Now, when a man does not deal fairly with his neighbor,
but practices dishonesty and deceit, be it in matters spiritual or temporal
(and the world is ever deceitful in all transactions), then certainly the old
man holds sway and not righteousness nor holiness, however much the man may
effect a good appearance and evade the courts. For such conduct does not
reflect God’s image, but the devil’s. For the heart does not rely on God and
his truth, otherwise it would war with fraud and deception; but its object is
to clothe itself with a misleading garb, even assuming the name of God, and
thus to deceive, belie, betray and forsake its neighbor at the bidding of every
fiendish whim, and all for the satisfaction of its avarice, selfishness and
pride.
21. In contrast thereto you can recognize the new man. He
speaks the truth and hates lies, not only those momentous lies against the
first table of the Ten Commandments, but also those against the second table;
for he deals faithfully and in a brotherly way with others, doing as he would
be done by himself. Thus should Christians live with each other, as members of
one body, according to the apostle, and as having in Christ all things common
and alike.
“Be ye angry and sin not: let not the sun go down upon
your wrath.”
22. Half the sins which the world has learned of its lord
and master, the devil, consist in lying and deceiving, and that in the name and
appearance of truth. No one wants to be called a liar, and even the devil
covers his lies with the name of truth. The other half, which is easier to
recognize, consists in wrath and its fruits. And this class is usually the
result of the other. The world, for its own advantage, lies and deceives; and
when it sees mankind acting in opposition to its wishes, or beholds its lies
exposed and its schemes thwarted, it begins to rage in
wrath against God, endeavoring to avenge itself and inflict harm, but
fraudulently disguising its wicked motive under the plea of having good and
abundant reasons for its action.
23. Therefore Paul admonishes the Christians as new
creatures, to guard against this vice of wrath, adducing the fourth verse of
the fourth Psalm: “Stand in awe and sin not.” The repetition of this passage
sounds, in Paul’s rendering, as if permission to be angry were given; he says:
“Be ye angry, and sin not.” But Paul is taking into consideration the way of
the world. Men are tempted and moved to anger. There are no clean records.
Under sudden provocation the heart swells with ire, while the devil busily fans
the flame; for he is ever alert to stamp upon us his seal and image and make us
like unto him, either through error and false doctrine, or through wrath and
murder in conflict with love and patience. These two forms of evil you will
encounter, especially if you make an effort to be a godly Christian, to defend
the truth and to live uprightly in the sight of all. You will meet with all
manner of malice aforethought and deceit, and with faithlessness and malignity
on the part of those you have benefited; again, with unmasked violence and
injustice on the part of those who should protect you and see to your
interests. This will hurt and move you to wrath. Yea, in your own house and
among your dear Christian brethren you will often meet with that which vexes
you; again, a word of yours may hurt their feelings. And it will not be
otherwise. This life of ours is so constituted that such conditions must be.
Flesh and blood cannot but be stirred at times by wrath and impatience,
especially when it receives evil for good; and the devil is ever at hand
kindling your anger and endeavoring to fan into a blaze the wrath and ill humor
between yourself and your neighbor.
24. But right here, says the apostle, you should beware and not sin; not give rein, nor yield
to the impulse and promptings of wrath. That you may indeed be moved, the
apostle would say, I well know, and you may fancy to have the best of reasons
for exhibiting anger and vengeance; but beware of doing what your wrath would
have you do: and if overcome by wrath and led to rashness, do not continue in
it, do not harbor it, but subdue and restrain it, the sooner the better; do not
suffer it to take root or to remain with you over night.
25. If followed, wrath will not suffer you to do a single
right thing, as James affirms ( James 1:20). It causes
man to fall and sin against God and his neighbor. Even the heathen have seen
that wrath gets the better of reason and is never the source of good counsel.
In line with this, we read that St. Ambrose reproved the emperor Theodosius for
having, while in a rage, caused the execution of many persons in Thessalonica;
and that he succeeded in having the emperor issue a rescript to the effect that
no one should be executed, even on his imperial order and command, until a full
month had passed by, thus affording an opportunity to rescind the order if
given in haste and wrath.
26. Therefore the Psalm says: When wrath attacks and moves
you, do not at once give it leave to do its will.
Therein you would certainly commit sin. But go into your chamber, commune and
take counsel with yourself, pray the Lord’s Prayer, repeat some good passages
from God’s Word, curb yourself and confide in God; he will uphold your rights.
27. It is this the apostle has in mind when saying: “Let not
the sun go down upon your wrath.” A Christian must not entertain wrath; he
should instantly quench and stifle it. It is the part of the new man to control
anger, that the devil may not move him from his new-found faith and make him
lose what he has received. If he yields to these instigations of his flesh, he
thereby returns to the error and condemnation in the old man and loses control
of himself, following his own desires. Then he adorns a lie with the appearance
of truth, claiming the right to be angry and take revenge; just as the world
does when it asserts: This fellow has done me infinite violence and injustice;
am I to suffer it? I have a just cause and shall not recline my head in ease
until he is repaid! By such talk it loses its case before both God and men; as
the saying goes: He that strikes back has the most unjust cause.
28. Both divine and human justice forbids that a man be
judge in his own case. For this very reason God has established governmental
and judicial authority, in his stead to punish transgressions, which – when
properly administered – is not man’s but God’s judgment. He therefore that
invades such judgment, invades the authority of God himself; he commits a
double wrong and merits double condemnation. If you desire to seek and obtain
redress in the courts, you are at liberty to do so, provided you proceed in the
proper way, at the proper place and with those to whom God has entrusted
authority. To these authorities you may appeal for redress. If you obtain it
according to law, well and good; if not, you must suffer wrong and commit your
case to God, as we have explained more fully
elsewhere.
29. In short, we find in this unique passage a statement to
the effect that he who curbs not his wrath but retains it longer than a day, or
over night, cannot be a Christian. Where then do they stand who entertain wrath
and hatred indefinitely, for one, two, three, seven, ten years? Such is no
longer human wrath but fiendish wrath from hell; it will not be satisfied nor
extinguished, but when it once takes possession of a man he would, if able,
destroy everything in a moment with his hellish fire. Even so the arch-fiend is
not satisfied with having cast the whole human race into sin and death, but
will not rest content unless he can drag all human beings into eternal
damnation.
30. A Christian therefore has ample cause to carefully guard
against this vice. God may have patience with you when wrath wells up in your
heart – although that, too, is sinful – but take heed that wrath does not
overcome you and cause you to fall. Rather take serious counsel with yourself
and extinguish and expel your anger by applying passages of Holy Writ and
calling upon your faith. When alone or about to retire, repeat the Lord’s
Prayer, ask for forgiveness and confess that God daily forgives you much
oftener than your neighbor sins against you.
“Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal
no more: but rather let him labor, working with his
hands the thing that is good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath
need.”
31. This thought is brought out also in the next Epistle,
namely, that a Christian should guard against giving offense to anybody by his
life, lest God’s name be blasphemed. It is a grand thing to be a Christian,
who, as has been stated, is a new man created after God and a true image of
God, wherein God himself desires to be reflected. Therefore, whatever of good a
Christian does, or whatever of evil he does, under the name of a Christian,
either honors or disgraces God’s name. Now, says Paul, whenever you follow your
lusts, in obedience to your old Adam, you do naught but give
occasion to the slanderers – the devil and his troop – to blaspheme the name of
God. For the devil, even without your assistance, at all times seeks
opportunity – nor can he desist – to befoul our dear Gospel and the name of God
with his slanderous tales, composed, if need be, entirely of lies. But where he
finds the semblance of occasion he knows how to profit by it. He will then open
his mouth wide and cry: Behold, these are your Gospel people! Here you have the
fruits of this new doctrine! Is their Christ such a one as they honor by their
lives?
32. So then a Christian should be exceedingly careful and
cautious for this reason, if for no other: to protect the name and honor of his
dear God and Savior and not to do the devil the favor of letting him whet his
slanderous tongue on Christ’s name. How shall we stand and answer in his sight
when we cannot deny the fact that our life gives just cause for complaint and
offense? By such a life we intentionally bring disgrace and shame upon God’s
name and Word, which things should be our highest treasures and most valuable
possessions.
33. When the apostle says, “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the
thing that is good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need,” he
indicates the true fruit of repentance, which consists in abandoning and
utterly abstaining from evil and in doing good. He at the same time attacks and
reproves the sin of theft so common in all walks of life. And them who idle
away their time and neglect their duty of serving and helping their
fellow-beings, he calls – and rightfully – thieves in God’s sight.
34. For the right interpretation of the commandment, Thou
shalt not steal, is this: Thou shalt live of thine own work, that thou mayest
have to give to the needy. This is your bounden duty,
and if you do not so God will pronounce you not a Christian but a thief and
robber. In the first place, because you are an idler and do not support
yourself, but live by the sweat and toil of others; in the second place,
because you withhold from your neighbor what you plainly owe him. Where now
shall we find those who keep this commandment? Indeed, where should we dare
look for them except where no people live? But such a class of people should
Christians be. Therefore, let each of us beware lest he deceive himself; for
God will not be mocked nor deceived. Galatians 6:7.
Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity;
Matthew 9:1-8
A truly
wonderful sermon on the forgiveness of sins, that is, the righteousness which
is through faith in Christ.
Matthew
9:1-8
And he entered into a ship, and
passed over, and came into his own city. And, behold, they brought to him a man
sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the
sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. And,
behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This
man blasphemeth. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore
think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be
forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of
man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the
palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. And he arose, and
departed to his house. But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and
glorified God, which had given such power unto men.
1. The theme of this Gospel is the
great and important article of faith, called ”the
forgiveness of sins”, which, when rightly understood, makes an honest
Christian, and gives eternal life. Therefore it is necessary in the Christian
Church to teach this article diligently and unceasingly, so that we may learn
to understand it clearly and distinctly. For this is the one great and
difficult art of a Christian, where he will have enough to learn as long as he
lives, so that he need not look for anything new, higher or better.
2. But that we may rightly
understand this, we must thoroughly know how to distinguish two powers or kinds
of piety. One here upon earth, which God has also ordained and has included
under the second table of the ten commandments. This is called the
righteousness of the world or of man, and serves to the end that we may live
together on earth and enjoy the gifts God has given us. For it is his wish that
his present life be kept under proper restraint and passed in peace, quietude
and harmony, each one attending to his own affairs and not interfering with the
business, property or person of another. For this reason God has also added a
special blessing, Lev. 18, 5, ”Which if a man do, he shall live in them”, that
is, whosoever upon earth is honest in the sight of all men shall enjoy life; it
shall be well with him, and he shall live long.
3. But if on the other hand man is
unwilling to do this, he has ordained that the sword, the gallows, the rack,
fire, water, and the like be used, with which to restrain and check those who
will not be pious. Where such punishment is not administered and the whole
country becomes so utterly bad and perverted, that the officers of the law can
no longer restrain, God sends pestilence, famine, war, or other terrible
plagues, in order to subvert the land, and destroy the wicked, as has happened
to the Jews, the Greeks, the Romans, and others. From this we may learn his
will, namely, that such piety be exercised and maintained; and know that he
will provide what is necessary; but if such piety is not practiced he will in turn
take away and destroy everything.
4. This is in short the sense and
the whole substance of this piety on earth. But it is further necessary to urge
it and to admonish people that every man diligently, zealously and voluntarily
exercise himself in it, and that he be not driven to it by force and
punishment. This admonition consists in setting forth God's commandments and in
applying them to every station of life on earth, as God has ordered and highly
honored; we should find pleasure in them and heartily do what is required in
the different spheres of life. When God says, ”Honor thy father and thy
mother,” every child, man-servant, maid-servant, citizen, and the like, should
receive the Word with joy, have no greater treasure on earth, and not imagine if
he do this he is already halfway or altogether in paradise. And this should be
solely done, that every heart may be assured without a doubt and say: Now I
know, that such work, life, or position is right and proper and is assuredly
well pleasing to God; for I have his Word and command as a sure witness, which
never deceives nor fails me.
5. For do not let this be the least
grace upon earth, when you have come to this decision in your heart and your
conscience rests upon it. We owe this assurance to the blessed Gospel alone, in
which we should delight and which we must reverence, even if we receive no
other benefit or use from it than this, that it quiets our conscience and
positively teaches us how to live and in what relation we stand to God. In what
error and blindness we were aforetime, when not even a spark of such teaching
enlightened us and we allowed ourselves to be led in the name of the devil by
the whims of every lying preacher; we tried all kinds of works, ran hither and
thither, expended and wasted our energies, money and property; here we
established masses and altars, there cloisters and brotherhoods, and every one
was groping for the way in which he might serve God; yet no one found it, but
all remained in darkness. For there was no God who might say: This is pleasing
to me, this I have commanded, etc. Yes, our blind guides did nothing less
than lose sight of God's word, separated
it from good works, and instead of these set up other works everywhere; in
addition to this they discarded and despised the positions in life, which God
had appointed, as though he knew no better, nor even as well as we, how to
manage his affairs.
6. Therefore we must constantly take
heed to inculcate this Word of God, which does not burden us with any special,
great and difficult works, but refers us to the condition in which we live,
that we look for nothing else, but with a cheerful heart remain satisfied in
it, and be assured that by such work more is accomplished than if one had
established all the cloisters and kept all the orders, although it be the most
insignificant domestic work. For hitherto we- have been woefully deceived by
the fine lustre and pomp of works, hoods, bald pates, coarse apparel, by fasts,
wakes, pious looks, playing the devotee, and going barefoot.
Our
foolishness consists in laying too much stress upon the show of works and when
these do not glitter as something extraordinary we regard them as of no value;
and poor fools that we are, we do not see that God has attached and bound this
precious treasure, namely his Word, to such common works as filial obedience,
external, domestic, or civil affairs, so as to include them in his order and
command, which he wishes us to accept, the same as though he himself had
appeared from heaven. What would you do if Christ himself with all the angels
were visibly to descend, and command you in your home to sweep your house and
wash the pans and kettles? How happy you would feel, and would not know how to
act for joy, not for the work's sake, but that you knew that thereby you were
serving him, who is greater than heaven and earth.
7. If we would only consider this,
and by the power of the Word look beyond us, and think that it is not man, but
God in heaven who wishes and commands these things, we would run full speed,
and in a most faithful and diligent manner rather do these common,
insignificant works, as they are regarded, than any others. There is no other
reason why this is not done than the simple fact that the works are separated
from the Word, and God's command is not regarded nor respected; we move along
in a blind, drowsy manner, and think the doing of the works is all sufficient.
Because we regard these works as insignificant, we stare and look around for
others, become indolent and fretful, do nothing in love, faithfulness and
obedience, have no scruples on account of our negligence, are faithless to our
fellowmen, injure or vex them, and thus heap upon ourselves all manner of
misery, wrath, and misfortune.
8. This then is one part of our
discourse, that this external righteousness be urged both in admonitions and in
threatenings, and not be considered as of no importance. For whosoever despises
it, despises God and his Word.
9. Therefore let every man look to
himself what he is or what he has to do, and what God demands of him, whether
it be to rule, to command and order, or on the contrary to obey, serve and
labor, that he may attend to the duties of his office with all faithfulness for
God's sake. Let him be assured that God has more
respect for such faithfulness than for all the work and piety of the monks, who
never yet have attained to this outward righteousness; nor are they able to
extol all their works and doings as heartily as a child or servant girl
performing their duties according to God's command. Oh, what a blessed world we
would have, if people believed this, and every man remained at his post, always
keeping in mind God's will and command. Then there would shower from heaven all
kinds of blessings and gifts instead of the many vexations and heart-aches,
which we now have, are looking for, and deserve.
10. Above this external piety there
is another, which does not belong to this temporal life on earth but which
avails only before God and which leads us to the life beyond and keeps us in
it. The former piety consists in works, which this present life requires to be
done among men, whether they be our superiors or inferiors, our neighbors, or
our kindred. It has its reward here upon earth, also ends with this life, and
they who do not practice it shorten their
days. But this latter piety moves and soars far above everything that is
upon earth, and has nothing to do with works. For how can it have works, since
all that this body can perform and that is called works, is already included in
the former piety. This piety is now called the grace
of God, or the forgiveness of sins, of which Christ speaks in this and other
gospels, and which is not an earthly but heavenly righteousness; it does not
come of our work and ability but is the work and gift of God. For that human
piety may well shield us against punishment and the hangman, and permit us to
enjoy temporal gifts; but it cannot attain for us God's grace and the
forgiveness of sin. Therefore, even though we may have this external piety, we
must nevertheless have a much higher one, which alone avails before God, frees
us from sin and an evil conscience, and leads us out of death into eternal
life.
11. This is, furthermore, the only part
or article and doctrine, by believing which we become and are called
Christians, and which separates and divorces us from all other saints on earth;
for they all have a different foundation and nature of their saintliness,
peculiar exercises, and rigorous life. It separates us also from the works of
those holding positions and offices approved by the Word of God, which are
indeed much higher and better than all the self-chosen ecclesiasticism of the
monks. These also constitute a holy calling, so that they are called pious and
deserve praise of all men because they do their duty. But all this makes no one
a Christian. He alone is a Christian who receives this article in faith, and is
assured that he is in the kingdom of grace, in which Christ protects him, and
daily forgives him his sins. But he who looks for something else or wishes to
deal otherwise with God, must know that he is no Christian, but is rejected and
condemned by God.
12. For this reason the greatest
skill and intelligence is needed to grasp and understand this righteousness,
and in our hearts and before God rightly to distinguish it from the above
mentioned outward righteousness. For this is, as has been said, the skill and
the wisdom of the Christian, but it is so high and great that even all the
beloved Apostles could not speak enough of it; and yet it meets the painful
misfortune that no art is mastered as soon as this. There is no greater theme
for a preacher than the grace of God and the forgiveness of sin, yet we are
such wicked people, that, when we have once heard or read it, we think we know
it, are immediately masters and doctors, keep looking for something greater, as
though we had done everything, and thus we made new factions and division.
13. I have now been teaching and
studying this subject with all diligence for many years (more than any one of
those who imagine they know it all), in preaching, writing and reading, yet I
cannot boast of having mastered it and am glad that I still remain a pupil with
those who are just beginning to learn. For this reason I must admonish and warn
all such as want to be Christians, both teachers and pupils, that they guard
themselves against such shameful delusion and surfeit, and understand that this
subject is most difficult and the greatest art that can be found upon earth; so
that even Paul had to confess and say (2 Cor. 9, 15) that it is an unspeakable
gift, that is, one which cannot be described among men with words so that they
may regard it as highly and dearly as it really is in itself.
14. The reason for this is, that
man's understanding cannot get beyond this external piety of works, and cannot
comprehend the righteousness of faith; but, the greater and more skillful this
understanding is, the more it confines itself to works and rests upon them. It
is not possible for man in times of temptation and distress, when his
conscience smites him, to cease from groping around for works on which to stand
and rest. Then we seek and enumerate the many good deeds, which we would like
to do, or have done, and because we find none, the heart begins to doubt and
despair. This weakness adheres so firmly to our nature, that even those who
have faith and recognize the grace of God, or the forgiveness of sins, cannot
overcome it with all their efforts and
exertions, and must daily contend against it. In short it is entirely beyond
human knowledge and understanding, ability and power, to ascend above this
earthly righteousness, and to transfer oneself into this article of faith; and
although one hears much about it and is conversant with it, there continues
nevertheless the old delusion and inborn corruption which would bring its own
works before God and make them the foundation of salvation. Such is the case, I
say, with those who are Christians and fight against this work-righteousness;
others, critics and inexperienced souls are even lost in it.
15. Therefore this doctrine, that
our piety before God consists entirely in the forgiveness of sins, must be
rightly comprehended and firmly maintained. We must therefore get beyond
ourselves and ascend higher than our reason, which keeps us in conflict with
ourselves and which reminds us both of sin and good works; and we must soar so
high as to see neither sin nor good works, but be rooted and grounded in this article
and see and know nothing besides. Therefore let grace or forgiveness be pitted
not only against sin, but also against good works, and let all human
righteousness and holiness be excluded. Thus there are in man two conflicting
powers: Externally in this life he is to be pious, do good works, and the like,
But if he aims beyond this life and wishes to deal with God, he must know that
here neither his sin nor his piety avails anything. And though he may feel his
sins which disturb his conscience, and although the law demands good works, he
will not listen nor give heed to them, but will boldly reply; If I have sin,
Christ has forgiveness; yea, I am seated on a throne to which sin cannot
attain.
16. Therefore we are to regard the
kingdom of Christ as a large, beautiful arch or vault which is everywhere over
us, and covers and protects us against the wrath of God; yea, as a great,
extended firmament which pure grace and forgiveness illuminate and so fill the
world and all things, that all sin will hardly appear as a spark in comparison
with the great, extended sea of light; and although sin may oppress, it cannot
injure, but must disappear and vanish before grace. They who understand this,
may well be called masters, but we will all have to humble ourselves and not be
ashamed to keep on learning this lesson as long as we live.
17. For wherever our nature succeeds
in finding sin, it tries to make an unbearable burden of it. Satan fans the
spark and blows up a great fire which fills heaven and earth. Here the leaf
must be turned and we must firmly conclude: If the sin were ever so great or
burdensome, this article of faith is nevertheless much higher, wider and
greater, which has been recommended and established not by man's wisdom, but by
him who has comprehended heaven and earth and holds them in the hollow of his
hand. Is. 40, 12. My sin and piety must remain here on earth as far as they
concern my life and conduct. But in heaven above I have another treasure,
greater than either of these; there Christ is seated and holds me in his arms,
covers me with his wings and overshadows me with his grace.
18. You may say: How is this, since
I daily feel sin and my conscience condemns me and threatens me with God's
wrath? I answer: For this reason, I say, one must understand that the
righteousness of a Christian is nothing that can be named or imagined but the
forgiveness of sin, that is, it is a kingdom of power which deals only with sin
and with such abundant grace as takes away all wrath. It is called the forgiveness
of sin for the reason that we are truly sinners before God; yes, everything in
us is sin, even though we may have all human righteousness. For where God
speaks of sin, there must be real and great sin; so also forgiveness is no
jest, but real earnestness. When you, therefore, consider this article you have
both. Sin takes away all your holiness, no matter how pious you are on earth;
again, forgiveness takes away all sin and wrath. Therefore your sin cannot cast
you into hell, nor can your piety elevate you into heaven.
19. Therefore, when the devil
disturbs your conscience, and tries to bring despair to your heart by saying:
”Have you not learned that one must be pious?” then answer courageously and
say: Yes, you are right; I am a sinner, that I have known before; for this
article, called the forgiveness of sins, has taught me this long ago. I am to
be pious and do what I can before the world; but before God I am willing to be
a sinner, and to be called nothing else, that this article may remain true, else
there would not be forgiveness or grace; but it must needs be called a crown of
righteousness and of merits. Therefore, although I feel nothing but many and
great sins, yet they are no longer sins; for I have for them a precious panacea
and drug which takes away the power and poison of sin and wholly destroys it.
It is this word, ”Forgiveness,” before which sin disappears like stubbles
before the fire. Without it no work, suffering, or martyrdom avails against the
smallest sin. For without forgiveness sin is and remains pure sin, which
condemns us.
20. Therefore only confess this
article heartily and boldly and say: Before the world I may be pious and do
everything that is required, but before God it is only sin according to this
article. Therefore I am a sinner, but a sinner who now has forgiveness and who
sits at the throne where grace rules supreme, Ps. 116. If this were not so I
would be a sinner like Judas, who saw only his sin, but no forgiveness. But
Christians, no matter how much sin they feel in themselves, in that word
forgiveness see much more abundant grace presented to them, and poured out over
them.
21. Thus learn then to magnify this
article and spread it as far as Christ reaches and rules, that you may elevate
it far above everything in heaven and on earth. For as the Word soars over all
this, so must also faith, which comprehends the Word and keeps the heart
steadfast in it, overcome sin, conscience, death and the devil.
22. Consider now what kind of a
person a Christian is, who lords it over death and the devil, and before whom
all sin is as a withered leaf. Now examine yourself and see how far you have
learned this lesson, and whether it is such an insignificant and easy matter as
some inexperienced souls think. For if you have learned and believed it, all
misfortune, death, and the devil will be as nothing. But since you are still so
vexed with sin, and since you are still frightened and in despair on account of
death, hell and God's judgment, humble yourself, give honor to the Word and confess
that you have never yet understood this matter.
In
short let every man examine his own heart, and he will find a false Christian
who imagines that he knows all about this subject before he has learned the
first principles of it. The words are soon heard, read and repeated, but to
carry out the principle in practice and in character, so that it may live
within us, and our conscience may be founded upon it and rest in it, is not in
the art of man. Therefore I say and admonish, that those who wish to be
Christians may always keep it in mind, assimilate it, practice it, and chastise
themselves with it, that we may at least have a taste of it, and as James says,
1, 18, be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. For we shall never advance
so far in this life as to come to a perfect understanding of it; nor did even
the blessed Apostles full of the Spirit and of faith, advance so far.
23. Thus far I have explained the
first part, what Christian righteousness is and in what it consists. But if you
ask further, whence it comes, or how it has been brought about or gained, I
answer: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has come from heaven and has been made
man, has suffered and died for our sins. This is the cause, the means, and the
treasure, through which we obtain the forgiveness of sin and for the sake of
which the grace of God is bestowed upon us; for such a treasure does not come
to us without means or merit. But since all of us are born in sin and are the
enemies of God, we have deserved only eternal wrath and punishment. All that we
are and have is condemned, and there is no help or way out of it. For sin is so
grievous that no creature can quench it, the wrath so great that no man can
appease and conciliate it. Therefore another man must take our place, namely
Jesus Christ, God and man, and through his suffering and death make
satisfaction for our sins and pay for them. This is the price that has been
set, and has been expended for us, by which sin has been quenched and the wrath of God appeased, the Father has been
reconciled and made our friend.
24. Christians alone know this and
believe it, and are in this respect different from those of every other faith
and worship on earth. For the Jews, Turks, false Christians, and those who
would be righteous by works, also boast that God is merciful; and there is no
man on earth but knows something of the grace of God, and yet all of them fail
to obtain it, or in other words, they do not have the treasure in which it lies
and from which it flows. They continue in their blindness and imagine they can
acquire it by their works, rigid life, and their own holiness, with which they
only make the wrath and displeasure of God the more grievous.
25. Therefore it is necessary that we
rightly learn to know this treasure, and seek forgiveness where it may be
found; that is, that we thoroughly learn to know, comprehend, and keep the Lord
Jesus Christ. For it is ordained that no one shall come into God's presence,
find grace, nor obtain forgiveness of the least sin except through Christ.
Because you are a sinner, and will always remain one, your conscience is ever
present, condemns and threatens you with God's wrath and punishment, so that
you cannot see the grace of God. With reference to the forgiveness of sins let
me say, that you will not find anything in your heart with which you can pay
them off, nor raise any funds for which God might recognize you and cancel the
debt in the ledger. But if you seize Christ as the one who has become your
substitute, who has taken your sin upon himself, and who has given himself with
all his merit and worthiness for you, no sin can avail anything against you. If
I am a sinner, he is holy, and is Lord over sin, death, satan and hell, so that
no sin can harm me, because he has been given me as my righteousness and
salvation.
26. Therefore we have, indeed, pure
grace and forgiveness of all sins, but nowhere except in and through Christ
alone, and in him only it must be sought and obtained. Therefore whoever will
come before God with any kind of work, that God shall recognize and regard as
meritorious for obtaining grace, will be disappointed and undeceived, yea,
instead of grace he will heap wrath upon himself. Thus you see that all other
ways and means are condemned as the doctrines of devils; by which men are led
and directed to their own works, or to the holiness and merits of others, as
for example, of the saints who have led ascetic lives and followed the rules of
their orders, and have suffered and expiated a great deal; or as those have
done who have comforted people in the throes of death and have admonished them
to suffer death willingly for their sins. Whoever dares to offer anything else
for sin or to atone for it himself does nothing else than deny the Lord Jesus
Christ, yea, disgrace and slander him, as if the blood of Christ were of no
more consequence than our repentance and satisfaction, or as if his blood were
not sufficient to take away all the sins of the earth.
27. Therefore, would you be freed
from your sins, cease to seek works and satisfaction, and to bring them before
God; but simply creep under the wings and into the bosom of Christ, as the one
who has taken away your sins, and has laid them upon himself. Thus you need not
chastise yourself with them, nor have anything to do with them! For he is the
Lamb of God, says John 1, 29, which taketh away the sins of the world; and
Peter says, Acts 4, 12, There is none other name under heaven, given among men,
whereby we must be saved. The reason we are Christians is because we have
Christ with all His merit and worthiness, not because of our efforts and works,
which indeed make a St. Carthusius, a St. Francis, or an Augustinian monk, an
obedient servant and extremist as they are called; but such works can never
make a Christian. Behold, this is the second part which belongs to the sermon
on this article.
28. The third thought is how and by
what means we may appropriate such righteousness, so that we may receive the
treasure acquired by Christ. Here also we need to give heed that we take the
right way, and not make the mistake, which
certain heretics have made in times past, and many erroneous minds still
set forth, who think that God ought to do something special with them. These
imagine that God will deal separately with each one by some special internal
light and mysterious revelation, and give him the Holy Ghost, as though there
was no need of the written Word or the external sermon. Consequently we are to
know that God has ordained that no one shall come to the knowledge of Christ,
nor obtain the forgiveness acquired by him, nor receive the Holy Ghost, without
the use of external and public means; but God has embraced this treasure in the
oral word or public ministry, and will not perform his work in a corner or
mysteriously in the heart, but will have it heralded and distributed openly
among the people, even as Christ commands,
29. He does this in order that we
may know how and where to seek and expect his grace, so that in all Christendom
there may be the same custom and order, and not every man follow his own mind
and act according to his own notions, and so deceive himself and others, which
would certainly happen. As we cannot look into the heart of any man, each one
might boast of having the Holy Ghost and set forth his own thoughts as divine
revelation which God had inspired and taught him in a special manner; as a
result, no one would know whom or what to believe.
30. Therefore this part also, namely
the external word or preaching, belongs to Christianity as a channel or means
through which we attain unto the forgiveness of sins, or the righteousness of
Christ, with which Christ reveals and offers us his grace or lays it into our
bosom, and without which no one would ever come to a knowledge of this
treasure. For whence should any man know, or in what man's heart would it ever
come, that Christ, the Son of God, came from heaven for our sake, died for us, and
rose from the dead, acquired the forgiveness of sins and eternal life, and
offers the same to us, without publicly having it announced and preached? And
although he acquired this treasure for us through his suffering and death, no
one could obtain or receive it, if Christ did not have it offered, presented,
and applied. And all that he had done and suffered would be to no purpose, but
would be like some great and precious treasure buried in the earth, which no
one could find or make use of.
31. Therefore I have always taught
that the oral word must precede every thing else, must be comprehended with the
ears, if the Holy Ghost is to enter the heart, who through the Word enlightens
it and works faith. Consequently faith does not come except through the hearing
and oral preaching of the Gospel, in which it has its beginning, growth and
strength. For this reason the Word must not be despised, but held in honor. We
must familiarize and acquaint ourselves with it, and constantly practice it, so
that it never ceases to bear fruit; for it can never be understood and learned
too well. Let every man beware of the shameless fellows who have no more
respect for the Word than if it were unnecessary for faith; or of those who
think they know it all, become tired of it, eventually fall from it, and retain
nothing of faith or of Christ.
32. Behold, here you have all that
belongs to this article of the righteousness of Christ. It consists in the
forgiveness of sins, offered to us through Christ, and received by faith in and
through the Word, purely and simply without any works on our part. Yet I do not
mean that Christians should not and must not do good works, but that they are
not to be mingled and entwined in the doctrine of faith, and decorated with the
shameless delusion that they avail before God as righteousness, whereby both
the doctrine of works and of faith are besmirched and destroyed. For everything
possible must be done to keep this article pure, unadulterated and separate
from all our own doings. But after we have this righteousness by faith, works
are to follow and continue here on earth, so that there may be civil
righteousness, and that both be maintained, each in its proper place, but
separate in their nature and efficacy - the former before God in faith over and
above all works, the latter works in love to our neighbor, as we said plainly
enough above and always taught.
Another Sermon for the Nineteenth Sunday after
Trinity;
(from the 1527-edition of the Church Postil)
Matthew
9:1-8
The
1. My friends in Christ, as we hear
and enjoy this Gospel every year, I hope you also understand it, and know what
it teaches us, and may God grant that the right life may also follow this
knowledge! For the greater part of the Gospel we hear only with the ear, and we
know it, but do not live according to it, whereas it should be so taught that
few words and nothing but life would be the result. But what shall we do for
it? We can do no more than preach it and no further raise it and carry it, we
must preach and urge it until God comes and gives us his grace to the end that
our words be few and that life may spring forth
and grow. The first theme here offered us is the Gospel when Christ
says:
”Son, be
of good cheer; thy sins are forgiven.”
2. These words show and contain in
brief what the
3. From this it follows that the
4. Therefore, if the kingdom of
Christ is to grow, we must keep out of it with the law, and not be busy with
works; for it is not in harmony with it to say: Go out and run hither and
thither and atone for your sins; you must observe and do this and that, if you
will be free from sin; but directly without any work and law, out of pure
grace, your sins are forgiven. Therefore, it is beyond the sphere of the
5. But we receive such things only
with the ear and on the tongue, and it enters not into the depth of the heart;
for sin at all times still hangs about our necks, it clings firmly to us, as
St. Paul speaks of this in Romans, 7, 18-19, and Heb. 12, 1. But in death we
will experience it. Of this class are at present our fanatics who boast of the
Holy Spirit, and pretend they would do better, some of whom are also in our
midst, listen to us and contend that it is not enough for us to preach only
faith and love. Yea, they say, You must do better and
climb much higher. How high then must I climb? You must destroy pictures, you must kill the ungodly, and do whatever they
propose. This filth now enters nearly every community where the Gospel has just
been planted. These tares of satan will also come to
us, as I have often warned you. Take heed that you remain sound in your
knowledge, in the true doctrine of Christ, for this knowledge and light is soon
lost.
6. Thus I say, my friends, and would
beseech you not to esteem that spirit great who proposes to you any kind of work,
call it what you may, even if it would raise the dead, which they have not yet
been able to do. And how is it that they say: we must kill the godless! Even if
Moses commanded it that you must really do it, what sort of Christians are you
then? But by this you shall truly experience which spirits are of God. and which are not. For if you give me a work to do, it is
not the Holy Spirit who does it; but he goes and first brings me the grace of
Christ, and then leads me to works. For thus he speaks: Thy sins are forgiven,
be of good cheer, and the like. He does not first insist on works, but first
leads up to God through his sweet Word and grace, and does not immediately
refer you to do some work; but later you will find works enough to do unto your
neighbor.
7. But the fanatics soon torment us
with works, and profess to have a nobler spirit; they urge and insist upon our
doing something first of all, and permit faith and love to be overlooked. This of
course is not of the Holy Spirit. Christ first takes possession of the
conscience, and when it is right in faith toward God, then
he also directs us to do works toward our neighbor. But he first highly extols
faith and keeps works in the background. This they cannot understand. I would
forgive them everything, if they would only not patch and mend their good
works, to which they trust their existence, honor and fame. I would not care
about their destroying all pictures, and melting cups and bells into one mass;
but that they should make a matter of conscience out of it for those who do not
destroy pictures, just as though the Holy Spirit or faith were not present
unless this work be performed.
8. I say this: Even if it were a
work which God at this present hour commanded, I would not so insist upon it
and condemn those who do not immediately obey it; and would find him some kind
of protection, as that he is yet perhaps weak, and thus spread over him the
kingdom of grace. Let us be conscious of the fact that the work among them is
directed to God, and not toward our neighbor. They make their works a necessity
and say: If you do this, then you are a Christian; if you will not do it, you
are no Christian. Where this or that is done there are Christians. And the fame
follows their work, that they want to be esteemed
better than others. Now you have the true light, therefore be warned. Prove the
spirits. We do not wish to prefer ourselves, as these persons do; but we boast
in this, that we hear the Word, ”Son, be of good
cheer, thy sins are forgiven.” I know that I have a gracious God; but these
spirits cannot do this. Therefore it is a mere devilish apparition that they
carry from house to house. In this they lie against the Holy Spirit, and blame
the Holy Ghost that he is the father of their cause. And even if the works were
good, the forcing and compelling must remain in the background. Let them then
keep quiet about setting us an example by their crazy works.
9. The
10. We have now sowed a little of
the Word, and this the devil cannot stand, for he never sleeps; the worms and
the beetles will come and infect it. Yet so it must be, Christ will prove his
Word, and examine who has received it and who not. Therefore let us remain on
the right road to the
11. By this observe how narrow and
how wide the
12. Forgiveness of sins is nothing
more than two words,
in which the whole
13. Sin is pure unhappiness,
forgiveness pure happiness. The divine majesty is great,
great is also that which it forgives. As the man is, so is also his
forgiveness. But you must know in your heart how great these words are in which
you know how to trust, yea, for which you can cheerfully die. But only few
rightly receive these words, therefore there are but few true Christians.
14. This then is the
15. This the workrighteous person
cannot do, for honor always follows, as they have said: Honor follows virtue as
the shadow follows the man. If it is the honor of works, whether man or God has
commanded them, it is nothing; if it is the honor of the works God does in us
it is all right, as Psalm 118, 16 says: ”The right
hand of Jehovah is exalted; the right hand of Jehovah doth valiantly.” As
though he should say: ”In this will I boast and glory,
namely, in that he has exalted me out of death, hell and all evil.”
Workrighteous people have not this glory, for they have not the Word; but as
the work is, so is the praise, they urge and compel us to depart from the Word
to human work. But the Holy Spirit urges us from our works to the Word. The
former boast of their works, the latter, where the Holy Spirit is, rejoice
internally in the heart with God, that he has done
this work, and they remain clinging to grace, and attribute nothing at all to
their own works.
16. Thus the scribes do here. When
they heard these words they said among themselves: ”This
man blasphemeth.” For this is the nature of the holy Gospel and the true Word
of God where it is truly believed, that it is blasphemed on both sides, and the
whole world would destroy it; as was the case in the time of the Apostles, and
as our raging princes now do, who simply wish it were dead, entirely crushed
and destroyed with all those who preach and confess it. This however is the
least persecution.
17. The other persecution is much
worse, which takes place among us as it also did in Apostolic
times among the Apostles. So too our country squires, who enjoy the Gospel with
us, and do not want to be followers of the Pope, but to be regarded as
Christians; they must plunge into it; so furious they are that they boast of
the Gospel, and yet they trust in their works. And here the Holy Spirit must be
called the devil, there the beautiful spirit. But we must venture to say: Their
cause is not just; then they will say again: Your cause is not right; for the
wicked spirit does not rest unless it is praised. We have a Lord of protection, he will successfully accomplish his work.
18. Paul calls all false spirits
bold and proud. Yes, in their filth with their protectors they are proud and impudent, otherwise they are the most cowardly villains that
can be found. When they are to appear and answer for their conduct, they cannot
produce a single answer. Among themselves they are bold, and venture to catch
God in his own Word; but when it comes to the test, they simply despair. But
the Holy Spirit stands firm, checks their buffeting, makes us bold and courageous,
comforts weak consciences and says: ”Be of good cheer,
thy sins are forgiven.” The true spirit is bashful, and becomes bashful in the
sight of God, as Christians do who bow before God, honor him and are not proud.
But before tyrants the Holy Spirit encourages them so that they fear neither
tyrants nor devils, and are not frightened even if they tore their heads from
their shoulders. But in God's presence they fear and tremble like a rustling
leaf. But, alas, I see the great mass of people are only concerned about
continually hearing without understanding what is said, and when the time comes
that they should give an answer, they stand like the pipers and can answer
nothing. And thus we also go forth to execution. We must endure such assaults
and factious spirits and cannot change it. Nevertheless, we may well comfort
ourselves with the thought that we have the true foundation, that our cause is
right and theirs wrong. This they also know well enough, and for this reason
they can never be bold except among themselves, and there they may boast as
long as they please.
19. But the
20. On this
earth man lives not for the sake of works, in order that they may be profitable
to him, for he is not in need of them. But if you do good works in order
thereby to obtain and merit something from God, all is lost, and you have
already fallen from this kingdom. But since you believe and continue to live
you ought to know that you live for this very cause, namely, to carry in the
sick man. God does not desire the Christian to live for himself. Yea, cursed is
the life that lives for self. For all that one lives
after he is a Christian, he lives for others. So these also do who bring in the
sick man, they no longer live for themselves, but their lives serve others;
yes, with their faith they win for the sick man a faith of his own. For this
sick man had at first no faith, but after he heard the Word, Christ instills
into him a faith of his own, and awakens him with the Gospel; as he is
accustomed to instill faith by the Word.
21. Thus all works should be done,
only to the end that we may see how they agree with the service for other people,
to bring them to a true faith and lead them to Christ. If I tear down the
pictures in churches that men may see a Christian is present, that is of no
profit to the people, nor does it preach how to become free from sin; but he
only desires praise, which does not lift up the consciences, and only makes the
people gape, with ears, eyes and mouths
wide open. It is a contemptible art to demolish pictures. But to know
the
22. The Word must be enforced, it
must be beaten into men, here I must eat and drink, adorn and clothe myself,
not that I may live, but that I may enforce the Word. For where the life of a
Christian is not centered in the Word, it is not right. I am required to aid
the conscience with the Word. I must give my neighbor meat and drink and do all
I can for him in order to reach the chief thing, namely, to encourage the
conscience, as they do here, who assist the sick man to recover his bodily
health. And although it is a kindness or work to his body, nevertheless they so
help him that his soul is also strengthened. Thus I feed the hungry, give the
thirsty drink, clothe the naked, and the like. Yet I do this not only that he
may eat and drink, but that I may secure the opportunity to tell him the Word,
and thus also to bring him to Christ. These works are outside the kingdom, done
to those who are not in the kingdom, in order to bring them into the kingdom.
23. Thus the Holy Spirit preaches,
but the mad spirit of the separatists only desires to perform great wonders, to
see and do miracles and signs. It is miracle enough that people learn by our
preaching to know Christ and obtain a joyful conscience. Likewise, that I
learned monachism, priestcraft, and everything belonging to popery to be
nothing, is for me a great miracle. There is nothing in it when they make the
charge that we perform no miracles. Although they do not shine so brightly and
our ministers perform no miracles, as the Papists imagine they do,
nevertheless, our light is pure and our knowledge correct. We surely preach the
Gospel, and this they must of course conscientiously confess before each and
every one, whether they desire to do so or not. So you have learned here that
the
II. THE
FAITH OF OTHERS.
24. Now we should also consider a
little the faith of others and the power to forgive sins, had we the time. I
said before that it is an error to baptize the children into the faith of the
church; men preached as though they were baptized without faith. This error
enters among us by force at present, for the devil does not sleep. They think
infants have no faith. The Pope with his subordinates has hitherto maintained
that children have no faith, but are laid into the lap of the Christian church,
and were baptized in the faith of universal Christendom. These new fanatics,
like the Pope, also say that children have no faith; but that we should wait
until they grow up.
25. We say that the faith of others
does not assist unto salvation, even if two Christendoms were present. The
child must itself believe in Christ. For I have not been born in the place of
the child or for the child, nor will I die in its stead, it has a death and
birth of its own. If it is to live and become free from death, it must also
come to this through faith in Christ. However, we pray for the children as well
as for all unbelievers; and preach, pray and labor that the unbelieving and
children may also come and believe; for this we also live.
26. So these people here had also
faith, but not the man of the palsy. Yet, he must receive it if he is to get
well, otherwise their faith would not have helped him. They, however, in their
faith prayed Christ to give the man sick of the palsy a faith of his own. So
the faith of others assists to the end that I may obtain a faith of my own.
27. Yes, one might say: ”How do we know whether children believe or not?” Neither
do we know who among adults believe or who do not. If I be baptized as an adult
and say: I believe; how can you know whether I believe or not? How do you know it? How, if I
were to lie? No one else can know it, to this every
one is brought by his own heart and thoughts; if it is right, it is right. The
child cannot stand on my faith, I have scarcely enough
faith for myself. Nor shall I lay it into the lap of Christendom, but into the
Word of Christ where he says: ”Suffer the little
children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Mat. 19, 14. Luke 18, 15. And thus I
shall say: ”Here, O Christ, I bring a little child to
thee, thou hast commanded me to bring it to thee.” Now I have done my part,
Christ will also certainly do his part.
So
I do not baptize the child in my own faith or in the faith of Christendom. But
my faith and Christendom bring the child to baptism, in order that by rightly
bringing it God may give it a faith of its own, that it may believe as I
believe and be preserved in the same Word that Christ has given me. And I do
not baptize the child on that it has no faith, as the Bohemians think, that
when it grows up it shall then first obtain faith, and speak the Word of God
over the child: Thy sins are forgiven thee; and yet it does not, as they hold,
believe the words. Is not this to charge the Word of God as being false? Now to
sum up: I can of course by my prayers and faith help another that he may also
believe, but I cannot believe for him.
THE POWER ON EARTH TO FORGIVE SINS
28. The Pharisees knew very well
that to forgive sins was the work of God, and belonged to him alone. For this
reason they regarded Christ as a blasphemer, who as a man pretended to forgive
sins. The forgiveness of sin is of two kinds: The first is to drive sin from
the heart and infuse grace into it; this is the work of God alone. The second
kind is the declaration of the forgiveness of sin; this man can do to his
fellowman. But here Christ does both. He instills the Spirit into the heart and
externally he declares forgiveness with the word, which is a declaration and
public preaching of the internal forgiveness.
29. All men who are Christians and
have been baptized, have this power. For with this
they praise Christ, and the word is put into their mouth, so that they may and
are able to say, if they wish, and as often as it is necessary: Behold, O Man!
God offers thee his grace, forgives thee all thy sins; be comforted, thy sins
are forgiven; only believe and thou wilt surely have forgiveness. This word of
consolation shall not cease among Christians until the last day: ”Thy sins are forgiven, be of good cheer.” Such language a
Christian always uses and openly declares the forgiveness of sins. For this
reason and in this manner a Christian has power to forgive sins.
30. Therefore if I say to you: Thy
sins are forgiven, then believe it as surely as though
God himself had said it to you. But who could do this if Christ had not
descended, had not instructed me and said that we should forgive one another
our trespasses? As when he says, John 20, 22-23: ”Receive
ye the Holy Ghost; whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and
whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained unto them.” And at another place,
Mat. 18, 19-20, he says: ”If
two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that 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 I am in the midst of them.” The word
penetrates and performs it.
31. Now if there were no man on
earth to forgive sins, and there were only law and works what a weak, and miserable thing a poor troubled conscience would
be. But now when God adequately instructs every one, so that he is able to say to
others: Thy sins are forgiven thee, whereever thou art; the golden age has
arrived. On this account we are to be defiant and boastful against sin, so that
we can say to our brother, who is in anxiety and distress on account of his
sins: Be of good cheer, my brother, thy sins are forgiven; although I cannot
give thee the Holy Ghost and faith, I can yet declare them unto thee; if thou
believest, thou hast them. They who thus believe these
words, praise and glorify God, even as they do here in the Gospel. That is, God has given man power to forgive
sins, and thus the
TWENTIETH
SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
EPHESIANS 5:15-21.
EPHESIANS 5:15-21.
Look therefore carefully how ye walk [See then
that ye walk circumspectly], not as unwise, but as wise; redeeming the time,
because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the
will of the Lord is. And be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be
filled with the Spirit; speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; giving
thanks always for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even
the Father; subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ.
THE
CAREFUL WALK OF THE CHRISTIAN
1. Paul’s admonition here is designed for those who, having
heard the Gospel and made a fine start in believing,
immediately imagine themselves secure and think they have accomplished all.
Forgetful that they are still flesh and blood, and in the world and in contact
with the devil’s kingdom, they live in unconcern, as if delivered from all
danger, and the devil far fled. By the very reason of their security they are
overcome of the devil and their own flesh, and fall unawares from the Gospel.
They have just enough connection with it to be able to prate
of it, boasting themselves Christians but giving no indication of the fact in
their conduct.
2. Paul would tell them how, in view of these things,
vigilance is essential to the Christian life. To regulate the life by keeping
God’s will ever before the eyes, always conforming the conduct to it – this he
calls walking circumspectly and being wise. If you for a moment lose sight of
God’s will, the devil immediately possesses you and works pernicious results,
transforming a Christian into an indolent, self-secure hypocrite; a hypocrite
into a heretic and factionist; and a heretic into an open enemy. So the apostle
here teaches that in all seriousness if we would secure ourselves against the
craft and power of the devil we must be vigilant; we must be careful how we
walk. In Satan we have an enemy bent on hindering us; on undermining our very
foundation.
3. Consequently they who fail to keep earnest watch over
their Christian life – that is, to have a care for soundness of belief and to
gladly hear and obey the Word of God – are unwise, even foolish, and have no
knowledge of God’s will. They have removed the light from before their eyes to
behold instead a thing of their own imagination. They see as through a painted
glass, presuming they do well in following such phantoms of their reason, until
they are misled and defeated of the devil.
THE
WORD, THE GUIDE OF THE CHRISTIAN
4. Therefore, not without reason does Paul warn Christians
to be always wise and circumspect – to keep the Word of God before them. Upon
so doing depends their wisdom and understanding. Let each one make it a matter
of personal concern, and especially should it be the general interest of the
congregation. Where care is not observed to retain the Word in the Church, but
there are admitted to the pulpit brawlers who set
forth their own fraudulent doctrines, the Church is injured; the congregation
will soon be as the preacher. Again, if the individual fails to regulate his
daily life – the affairs of his calling – by the Word of God; if he forgets the
Word and absorbs himself in accumulating wealth; if he is tangled with secular
interests, he soon becomes a cold and indolent Christian, then an erring soul,
and finally utterly disregards God’s will and his Word. It is for these reasons
God so frequently commands us in the Scriptures continually to explain and
apply his Word, to hear it willingly and practice it faithfully, and to
meditate upon it day and night. He would have our lives emanate from the Word
in honor to God and gratitude to him – from the Word wherein we daily look as
in a mirror. But care and diligence are necessary to bring it to pass, and we
should faithfully assist each other by instruction, advice, and in other ways.
5. In my admonitions I have often enough urged those who
have influence, to use all diligence in drawing the young to school, where they
may receive proper instruction to become pastors and preachers; and I have
earnestly advised that in cases of necessity ample financial provision be made for students. But, alas, few communities, few States,
are interested in the matter. In all Germany, look at the bishops, princes,
noblemen, the inhabitants of town and country – how confidently they go on
sleeping and snoring in their indifference to the question. They presume to
think there is no need for action; the matter will adjust itself; there will
always be pastors and preachers. But assuredly they deceive themselves if they
think they are consulting their best interests in this affair; for they will,
as the text says, become foolish and fail to recognize the will of God.
Therefore they will some day have to experience what they do not now believe:
in a few years after our day they will seek preachers and find none; they will
have to hear rude, illiterate dolts who, lacking understanding of the Word of
God, will, like all stupid Papists, preach the vile, offensive things of the
Pope, about consecrated water and salt, about gray gowns, new monasteries and
the like.
6. Cry, preach and admonish as we will, no one will hear;
foreseeing which, Paul prophesies that they who observe not God’s will, become
unwise, foolish, and consequently waste the day of grace and neglect their
salvation. Now, it is God’s will we should sanctify his name, love and advance
his Word, and so aid in building up his kingdom. When we fulfill his will in
these things, he will regard our desires, providing us with daily bread and
granting peace and happiness.
7. Now, it should be our chief concern to preserve to
ourselves the Word and will of God. That would truly be wisdom, and redeeming
the time. But failing therein, it must be with us as with the unwise and fools;
we will have to hear the declaration: “Since you refuse to sanctify my name, to
advance my kingdom and to do my will, neither will I provide you daily bread,
nor forgive your sins, nor keep from temptation and
deliver from evil.” God will then permit us to deplore the great calamities of
the world – its turmoil and wickedness, the cause whereof the world attributes
to the Gospel. But the punishment just mentioned must be visited upon them who
will not recognize the will of God and submit to it. These, however, desire to
justify themselves and are unwilling to receive censure for having conducted
themselves unwisely, even foolishly.
8. So much for a general observation upon the expression
“walking wisely and circumspectly”; so much upon unwise conduct in regard to
matters of vital importance to the Church, which have to do with the office of
the ministry and with God’s Word. Where the ministry and the Word of God are preserved,
there will always be some among the masses to attend upon the preaching of the
Word and to conform their lives to it. But when the Bible leaves the pulpit,
little good will be accomplished, even though one here and there be able to
read the Scriptures for themselves and imagine they have no need of the
preached Word. Where will the untaught masses stand? Note how it has been with
the poor people in our time who were misled by Munzer and Munster, and their
prophets and factionists.
PUBLIC
PREACHING OF THE WORD ENJOINED
Then let everyone lend earnest effort to promote
public preaching of the Word everywhere, and public attendance upon that
preaching; and thus rightly to found and build up the Church. Let him also put
on the wedding garment himself (mentioned in the Gospel for today); let him
take care to be found an earnest advocate of the Word of God, uninfluenced by
thoughts common to the secure spirit: “Oh, there are pastors and preachers
enough for me. I can hear or read the Word when I please; have access to it any
day. I must give first attention to bread-winning and
like things. Let others look out for themselves.” Take care, my dear sir; you
can easily fail by carelessness here and be found without the wedding garment,
perhaps may die without it, unaware how you are being
deceived. Whose fault will it be but your own since you would not hear Paul’s
admonition to walk wisely and circumspectly?
9. We should make provision while the opportunity is at our
doors, for, judging from the present course of the world, it will not long
retain what it has. Everywhere men are diligently helping to hunt down
ministers, or at least to so bring to bear upon them hunger and poverty, to so
oppose them with secret fraud, as to drive them from the land. And little trouble
and labor will be required to accomplish it. We shall only too soon be rid of
our ministers and have their places amply supplied by deceivers. I would much
rather suffer in hell with Judas the Betrayer than to bear the guilt of
accomplishing one minister’s death or of being instrumental in offering place
to one deceiver. For it would not be so intolerable to suffer the anguish of
the betrayer of Christ as to endure that of one who, by his sin in this
respect, is responsible for the loss of countless souls.
NECESSITY
OF IMPROVING THE TIME
10. Paul goes on to elaborate his admonition by explaining
what it is to walk circumspectly and wisely – to “redeem the time, because the
days are evil.” In other words: Think not happy days are in store for you and
you may defer duty till better times; better times will never be. The devil is
always in the world to hinder your every effort to do good, and his opposition
increases with time. The longer you tarry, the less your power to accomplish
good; wasted time only makes matters worse. Then redeem the time; grasp your
opportunities as best you can. Let no interest be so dear to you as the
promotion of God’s kingdom and the serving of the public in every good and
useful way possible, whatever befall yourself.
11. Christ in like manner says to the Jews: “While ye have
the light, believe on the light, that ye may become sons of light.” John
12. The Lord comes to your door. You do not have to seek
him. If you are grateful he tarries to speak with you. But if you let him pass
by you will have to complain as did the bride in Song of Solomon 5:6: “I opened
to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone … I sought
him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.” Think
not you will find the Lord when he has once gone, though you traverse the
world. But while he is near you may seek and find; as Isaiah says
( Isaiah 55:6), “Seek ye Jehovah while he may be found.” If through your
neglect he pass by, all seeking then will be vain. For more than twenty years
in my cloister I experienced the meaning of such disappointment. I sought God
with great toil and with severe mortification of the body, fasting, watching,
singing and praying. In this way I shamefully wasted my time and found not the
Lord. The more I sought and the nearer I thought I was to him, the farther away
I got. No, God does not permit us to find him so. He must first come and seek
us where we are. We may not pursue and overtake him. That is not his will.
13. Then be careful to avail yourself of the present
opportunity. Embrace it while he is near, and faithfully consider what he
requires of you. To ascertain this, go to the Creed and the Ten Commandments.
They will tell you. Regulate your life by them. Be helped by the Lord’s Prayer.
Begin with yourself; then pray for the Church. Let it be your desire that God’s
name be everywhere sanctified and that your life conform to his will. If you
are faithful in these things, assuredly you will walk wisely; you will avoid
sin and do good. For the study and practice of these precepts will leave you no
opportunity to do evil. God’s Word will soon teach you to sanctify his name, to
extend his kingdom, to do your neighbor no injury in mind, body or estate.
14. Observe this is “redeeming the time.” This is employing
it well, while the golden days last in which we have remission from pain and sin. Not such remission as the
Pope grants in his jubilees, wherein he deceives the world. Right here let us
be careful not to cheat ourselves with the false idea that salvation cannot
escape us. Let it not be with us as befell the children of Israel, of whom it
is said in Psalms 95:11 and Hebrews 4:3 that because of their unbelief they
entered not into the rest of God. They would not accept their opportunity in
the forty years wherein he gave them his Word and showed them his wonders,
daily admonishing them and calling to repentance and faith. They but tempted
and provoked him the more. Hence another admonition
was given the people of God and a certain day appointed: “Today if ye shall
hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” Hebrews 4:7. Every day with us is
“today” and we are permitted to hear God’s voice still imploring us not to
waste the time.
15. Surely we ought supremely to thank God, as the latter
part of our text enjoins, for the great blessing of his nearness to us. We have
his presence in our homes. He is with us at our board, by our couch – anywhere
we desire him. He offers us all assistance and grants all we may ask. So
gracious a guest should indeed receive our high esteem. We ought to honor him
while he is with us.
16. Well may we pray, as I have said. There is too much
slumbering everywhere in Germany. We cannot perceive how it is possible to
preserve the Gospel and fill the pulpits for ten years longer. To such extent
does wickedness rage in the world that blindness and
error must sweep it as before. And no one will be to blame but the stupid
bishops and princes, and those of us who esteem not the Word of God.
INGRATITUDE
WILL BE PUNISHED
Alas, that I am compelled against my will to be a prophet of
ill to Germany. Yet it is not I, but the prayer of my Lord and your Lord; for
according to its teachings he will say: “You neglected my Word. Unwilling to
tolerate it, you persecuted and starved out its messengers. Therefore I will
withhold your daily bread and give instead famine and
war and murder, unto utter desolation; for you wish to have it so. Then when
you cry for forgiveness of sins and deliverance from the evils come upon you, I
will hear you as you heard my Word, my entreaties. I will leave you in your
misfortunes as you left me and my Word.”
17. In fact, no one for a moment thinks of how God has
signally, richly and graciously blessed us; how we are in possession of actual
paradise – yes, the entire kingdom of heaven – if we only recognized the fact:
and yet we shamefully, ungratefully and unreasonably reject the kingdom; as if
it were not enough for us to overstep the Ten Commandments in our disobedience,
but must even trample under foot the mercy God offers in the Gospel. Then why
should we be surprised if he send down wrath upon us? What else is he to do but
fulfill our Gospel passage for today, which threatens every individual rejecter
and persecutor of God’s Son and his servants, by whom we are invited to the
marriage – what else is God to do but send out a divine army of servants to
arrest the career of such murderers and to terminate their existence? We are
given a special illustration – an example to the world – in the instance of the
fate of Jerusalem, and in fact of the entire Jewish nation. They sinned
unceasingly against all God’s commandments, and when he proclaimed grace and
offered forgiveness of sins, they trampled upon his mercy. Should Christ not
revenge himself when they shamed and mocked his precious blood?
18. Unto all the abominable sins mentioned, we must heap
blasphemies; for when wrath and punishment come upon us we make outcry,
complaining that the Gospel – or the new doctrine, as it is now called – is
responsible. The Jews blame us Christians alone for the fact that they are
scattered throughout the world. Their prayers day and night are directed
against us, in blasphemies and reproaches inexpressible. Nevertheless, it was not
the Christians who harassed and scattered them, but the heathenish Roman
emperor. But whom other than themselves have the Jews to blame for their
condition? for they would not tolerate Christ, when he brought them only help
and boundless grace. Refusing to accept him whom God gave and in whom he
promised all blessings, they necessarily lost their daily bread from God,
except as they rebelliously extort it by usury and wickedness. They had also to
suffer the loss of their national life, their priesthood and public worship,
forgiveness of sins and redemption, and so remain eternally captive under the
wrath and condemnation of God. Such is the just and inevitable punishment of
the unwise – the foolish – who refused to recognize their opportunity when
Christ was with them.
19. With this terrible example before our eyes, we are still
unrepentant, pursuing the same course the Jews followed, not only in
disobedience to the will of God, but in rejecting his grace. For that grace we
should earnestly long and pray, striving to secure to our children after us
baptism, the ministry and the sacrament, in their purity. In return for our
perversity, it will eventually be with us as with the Jews and other ungrateful
persecutors and rejecters.
20. Then let him who will receive advice and help,
faithfully heed Paul’s counsel and redeem the time, not sleeping away the
blessed golden hour of grace; as Christ earnestly admonishes in the parable of
the five foolish virgins. Matthew 25:13. The foolish virgins might have made their purchases in season, before the bridegroom’s
arrival; but failing to attend to the matter until time to meet the bridegroom,
they missed both the market and the wedding.
21. The ancient poets and sages make use of a similar
illustration at the expense of the cricket or grasshopper. As the fable runs, when winter came the grasshoppers, having
nothing to eat, went to the ants and asked them to divide their gathered store.
“What did you in the summer time that you gathered nothing?” asked the ants.
“We sang,” the grasshoppers replied. “If you sang in the summer, you must dance
for it in the winter,” was the response. Similarly should fools unwilling to
learn the will of God be answered. Terrible and alarming is the wrath of God
when with scorn and mockery he turns away a soul. In Proverbs
22. Some may ask what Paul means by adding to the phrase,
“Redeeming the time,” the modifier, “because the days are evil”; if we are to
regard the present opportunity golden, why are the days evil?
EVIL
DOCTRINES EVER OPPOSE THE CHRISTIAN
23. I answer: The time is unquestionably good so long as the
Gospel is sounded – is faithfully preached and received. At the same time, even
today the world is filled with evils, factions, false theories and bad examples
of every sort; much of this wickedness is inherent in ourselves. With these
things the Christian must always contend; the devil pursues, and our own flesh
discourages us and allures from recognition and observance of the divine will.
If we strive not against it, we shall soon lose sight of God’s will, to our own
injury, even while listening to the Gospel. For the devil’s strongest fury is
exerted to befoul the world with fanaticism, and to draw from the pure doctrine
of faith into that evil even them who possess the Gospel. Moreover, being still
flesh and blood we are always selfsecure, unwilling to be led by the Spirit,
and indolent and unresponsive in relation to the Word of God and to prayer.
Again, in the outward walks of life, in temporal conditions, only obstacles and
evils meet us everywhere, impeding our spiritual progress and impelling us to
suppress the Gospel and to rend the Church.
24. Let no one, then, expect to enjoy an era of peace and
pleasure here on earth. Although the present time is in itself good, and God
bestows upon us the golden year of his Word and his grace, yet the devil is
here with his factions and followers, and our own flesh supports him. He
corrupts the blessed days of grace at every possible opportunity, and so
oppresses Christians that they must contend against him with their utmost
strength and vigilance if they would not, through the influence of evils and
obstacles, be wrested from the Gospel they have received, and if they would
persevere therein unto the end. Wherefore, we have the best reasons to adapt
ourselves to the present time in the best possible way; to walk wisely and
circumspectly, showing all faithfulness to the will of God; obeying it while we
have opportunity – while still in possession of God’s Word, his grace and his
Spirit. Being opposed and obstructed by the devil and our own flesh, we must,
as Paul implies, be wise and careful; we must guard against following them. If
we fail in this respect, it will not avail us to pretend we did not know our
duty, or had not time to perform it and consequently could not cope with them.
So, then, we are to understand by “evil days” the allurements that lead us away
from God’s Word and his will.
“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess.”
25. The apostle touches upon several evils strongly tending
to waste of time and neglect of the golden opportunity. Especially is
drunkenness one, for drink makes men particularly self-secure, reckless and
disorderly. The evil was formerly common in Greece, and in Germany today are
men who delight in being riotously drunk night and day. Such individuals are
utterly lacking in the faithfulness and interest essential to following the
will of God. They are unable, even in temporal affairs, to persistently apply
themselves, much less to be opportune. Indeed, so beastly and swinish do they become,
they lose all sense of either shame or honor; they have no modesty nor any
human feeling. Alas, examples are before our eyes plainer and more numerous than we can depict.
26. Paul’s words of admonition, “Speaking to yourselves in
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,” are treated in the epistle passage for
the fifth Sunday after Epiphany, where the text is similar.
TWENTIETH
SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.
MATTHEW 22:1-14.
Contents:
The king’s marriage feast for his son and the wedding
garment; or concerning the kingdom of Christ.
THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST
MATTHEW 22:1-14.
And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by
parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to
call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he
sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have
prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are
ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of
it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the
remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But
when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and
destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his
servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go
ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the
marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together
all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished
with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man
which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest
thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said
the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast
him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many
are called, but few are chosen.
1. This Gospel is a very earnest admonition, like to-day’s
Epistle, to make good use of the time of the Gospel; and a terrible threatening
of the awful punishment, that shall pass upon the secure and proud heads that
despise the time of the kingdom of grace and persecute the preaching of the
Gospel, and upon the false trivial spirits who bear the name of the Gospel and
of Christ for a show and do not mean it in earnest. And by this Gospel is well
painted forth and made plain what the multitudes are
who are called God’s people or the church and possess his Word, and how they
are and act both as to their inner nature and their outer appearance.
2. First, God builds up his Christendom in a way that he
calls it, and what pertains to its government, the kingdom of heaven; to
signify, that he has called and separated out of the world a people for himself
here upon the earth through the Word of his Gospel; not to the end that it
should be fitted and organized, like the outer and civil government, with
temporal rule, power, possessions, government and maintenance of outward
worldly righteousness, discipline, defense, peace, etc. For all this has
already before been richly ordered, and it was commanded and put into man to
rule in this life as well as he can; although this is also through sin weakened
and spoiled so that it is not as it should be, and is a poor, miserable, weak
government, as weak and transient as the human body, and is able to go no
farther, where it is at its best, than the stomach, as long as the stomach
performs its functions. But above that God has arranged and instituted his own
divine government, after he revealed his fathomless grace and gave his Word to
prepare and gather a people, whom he redeemed from his wrath, eternal death and sin, through which they fell
into such misery, and from which they could not help themselves by any human
wisdom, counsel or power, and taught them to know him aright and to praise and
laud him forever.
3. Christ here calls his kingdom the kingdom of heaven,
where he does not rule in a temporal way nor deals with the things of this
life; but he founded and developed an eternal, imperishable kingdom, which
begins on the earth through faith, and in which we receive and possess those
eternal riches, forgiveness of sins, comfort, strength, renewal of the Holy
Spirit, victory and triumph over the power of satan, death and hell, and
finally eternal life of body and soul, that is, eternal fellowship and
blessedness with God.
4. Such a divine kingdom can be governed, built up,
protected, extended and maintained only by means of the external office of the
Word and of the Sacraments, through which the Holy Spirit is powerful and works
in the hearts etc., as I have often said in speaking on this theme.
5. But in the most lovable and comforting way it is pictured
to us here by Christ our Lord, in that he himself likens it to a royal wedding
feast; when a bride was given to the King’s son, and all were full of the
highest joy and glory, and many were invited to this marriage feast and its
joy. For this is among all the parables and pictures, by which God presents the
kingdom of Christ to us, a select and beautiful one; that Christendom or the
Christian state is a marriage feast or a matrimonial union, where God himself
selects a church on the earth for his Son, which he takes to himself as his
bride. God here by our own lives and experiences will make known and reflect as
in a mirror what we have in Christ; and also by the common state of marriage on
earth, in which we were born and reared and now live, he delivers a daily
sermon and admonition in order that we should remember and consider this great
mystery (for so St. Paul calls it in Ephesians 5:32), that the conjugal life of
a man and wife, instituted by God, should be a great, beautiful and wonderful
sign, and a tangible, yet spiritual picture, that points out and explains
something special, excellent and great, hidden to and inconceivable by the
human reason, namely, Christ and his church.
6. For this accompanies the marriage state, where it is
worthy of the name and may be called a truly married life, where man and wife
truly live together: firstly true heart-confidence
each in each from both sides, as Solomon in Proverbs 31:11 among other virtues
of a pious wife also praises this: “The heart of her husband trusteth in her;”
that is, he entrusts to her his body and life, money, possessions and honor.
Likewise on the other hand, the heart, of the wife clings to her husband, he is
her highest, dearest treasure on earth; for she expects and has in him honor,
protection and help in all times of her need. Such a completely harmonious,
equal and eternal confidence and affection are not found among other persons
and stations in life, for example between master and servant, mistress and
maidservant, yea, not even between children and parents. For there the love is
not thus alike, strong and perfect to one another, and an eternal union does
not endure here as in the marriage state, instituted by God; as the text in
Genesis
7. Out of such love and heart confidence follows now also
the fellowship in all they have in common with one another or in all that
befalls them, good or bad; so that each must accept it as his or her own, and
add and impart help to the other with his or her means, and both suffer and
enjoy, rejoice and mourn together, according as it may be well or ill with
them.
8. This now should be a parable or sign of the great,
mysterious and wonderful union of Christ and his church, whose members we all
are who believe on him, and as St. Paul says, Ephesians
9. Behold, this he shows us in the every-day picture of the
wedding feast or of the married state, where we see the love and faithfulness
of pious wedded persons; also in the marriage feast, in the bride and the
bridegroom s joy and riches; that we learn to believe this and that we also
think that Christ’s heart and mind are truly thus disposed to his bride the
church; but with far greater love, faithfulness and grace. This he clearly
shows us in his Word of the Gospel and by the Holy Spirit, whom he gives to his
church; and prepares the glorious, joyful marriage feast, at which he is wedded
to his bride and he takes her to himself, and, to speak in our childish and
human way, leads his bride to the dance as with fife and drum, and takes her in
his arm; again, he honors and adorns her with all his finery, that is with the
blotting out and washing away of sins, with righteousness and the gift of the
Holy Spirit, and with his light, knowledge, strength and all the gifts which
belong to that life. These are different chains, rings, velvet, silk, pearls,
treasures and jewels from the earthly ones, which are only a dead picture of
those heavenly treasures.
10. Therefore, wherever you see or hear bride and
bridegroom, or the joy and beauty of a marriage feast, there open your eyes and
heart, and behold what your loving Lord and Savior presents and shows to you,
who prepares a glorious, royal marriage feast for you, his beloved bride, a
living member if you believe in him. In that is eternal joy, good cheer,
singing and springing, eternal ornaments, and all riches and the fullness of
everything good.
11. Therefore a hearty confidence in him should grow and
increase in thee that he called and chose thee through baptism to his
fellowship through his inexpressible hearty love and received thee, to release
thee from sin, eternal death and the power of satan, and imparted to thee his
body and life, and all that he has; yea, he so completely gave himself to thee,
that thou mayest not only glory in what he did for thy sake and gave to thee,
but thou mayest comfortably and joyfully glory in him as being thine. And as a
bride relies with hearty confidence upon her bridegroom and holds the heart of
the bridegroom as her own heart, so do thou rely from the depth of thy heart
upon the love of Christ, and entertain no doubt that he is not otherwise
disposed to thee than as thy own heart is.
12. But this is opposed beyond measure in us by our old
Adam, our flesh and blood, our blindness and the stiffened hardness of our
hearts, which does not permit us to see or believe it; especially if we see and
experience in ourselves and in this miserable life other things before our eyes
and senses. For reason sees and understands it well that the marriage feast and
bridal love are in themselves a lovely and cheerful picture, and it may be
taught that Christ is a beautiful, noble, pious and faithful bridegroom, and
his church a glorious, blessed bride. But things come to a stop later, when
everyone is to believe for himself that he is also of Christ and a member of
his body and Christ bears such a heart and love toward him. The reason is that
I do not see such excellent glory in myself, but on the contrary my weakness
and unworthiness, and feel nothing but sorrow, sadness and all kinds of
suffering and even death, the grave, and maggots, which are about to consume
me.
13. But in the face of this you should learn to believe the
Word Christ himself speaks to you and God commands you to believe, that it is true (unless you wish to give God the lie) regardless of
what you feel in your heart. For if you should believe, you must not cleave to
what your thoughts and feelings say to you, but to what God’s Word says, no
matter how little of it you may experience. Therefore, if you are a person who
feels his need and misery and desires from the heart to partake of this comfort
and love of Christ, then incline your ears and heart hither to Christ, and lay
hold of this comforting picture he presents to you, wherewith he shows that he
will have himself known and believed by you, that he has in his heart a much
warmer love and a more loyal fidelity to you, than any bridegroom to his
beloved bride. And on the other hand you should have a much heartier and
greater confidence and joy in him than any bride has to her bridegroom. So that
here you may justly chastise yourself because of your unbelief, and say:
Behold, can the bridal love cause such hearty confidence and joy between the
bride and the bridegroom, which is still of a low order and transitory? Why do
I not rejoice much more over my holy and faithful
Savior, Christ, who gave himself for me and to me wholly as my own? Shame on me
because of my unbelief, that my heart is not here full of laughter and eternal
joy, when I hear and know how he says to me through his Word that he will be my
beloved bridegroom. Should I not much rather have here another, a higher joy,
and my eyes, thoughts, heart, and whole life cleave more
to my beloved Savior, than a bride to her bridegroom, who, if she is a pious
and true bride, sees and hears indeed nothing more gladly than her spouse? Yea,
even when she does not see him and he is absent from her, her heart cleaves to
him, so that she can not but think of him.
14. However, as I said, it is our old Adam, the corrupt
nature, that does not allow the heart to lay hold of this knowledge, joy and
consolation. Therefore it is and will doubtless continue to be, as St. Paul
calls it in Ephesians
15. For this marriage feast is so totally foreign to reason,
that it is terrified when it thinks how great it is. I speak now still of the
Christians; for the others do not come to it, they hold it simply as
impossible, yea, as mere talk of fools and a fable, when they hear that God
becomes man’s bridegroom; but the Christians who have commenced to believe it,
must be shocked and amazed at its greatness: Dear God, how shall I exalt myself
so highly as to boast of being God’s bride, and God’s Son my bridegroom? How do
I, a poor, offensive worm of the dust, come to this honor, which never befell
the angels in heaven, that the eternal Majesty condescends so very low into my
poor flesh and blood and thoroughly unites himself with me, that he will be one
body with me, and yet I am from the sole of my foot to the crown of my head so
completely full of filth, leprosy, sin and stench before God; how shall I then
be considered the bride of the high, eternal and glorious Majesty and be one
body with him?
16. But hear well that God desires it to be so. In Ephesians
5:25-27 he says: I will dress and place before me a bride, who shall be my
church, that is glorious, of the glory I myself have and not having spot or
wrinkle, but holy and without blemish, etc., just as I am. He does not speak of
a bride that he finds in this state, pure, holy, blameless, without spot, etc.;
such a bride he should not seek on the earth, but he should have remained among
his angels in heaven to find her there. But he revealed himself through his
Word to men, surely not for the sake of this life, but that he might be praised
forever through her; and therefore he must have had in mind something greater,
to do with and through her. The great mystery is that he did not take upon
himself the nature of angels, but united himself with the human nature.
17. Here on the earth he finds nothing but a corrupt,
filthy, shameless, condemned bride of satan, that has become faithless to God,
her Lord and Creator, and fallen under his eternal wrath and curse. If he is
now to secure here a bride or congregation, who, to be sure, must be also pure
and holy, otherwise there could be here no union, then he must first and in the
highest degree show his love, that he applies his purity and holiness to her
sins and condemnation, and thereby cleans and sanctifies her. This he did do,
as St. Paul says in Ephesians 5:25-26, in that he gave himself for her and
purchased her by his blood to sanctify her for himself, and besides cleansed
and washed her by the baptism of water; and he adds a Word which one hears. By
means of the same Word and baptism he prepares her to be his loving bride, and
praises and claims her to be pure from sin, God’s wrath and the power of satan;
furthermore does he desire that she esteem herself also as a loving, beautiful,
holy, glorious bride of God’s Son.
18. Here no one sees how excellent a work is accomplished
thus hidden and secretly through God’s Word, baptism and our faith; and yet by
it the result is accomplished that this company of poor sinful men, who were
not worthy to behold God at a distance because of their great filthiness, are made through this bath and washing clean, beautiful and
holy, so that they are well pleasing to God as the bride of his beloved Son and
as his loving daughter; and this purifying commenced in this life, he develops
and continues constantly in her until she is presented to him purer and more
beautiful than the light and brightness of the sun.
19. Therefore a Christian must learn to believe this, so
that he in the future does not consider himself in the light of his first
birth, as he was born from Adam; but as he is called to Christ and baptized
into him, and like all Christians confides in and is united with him; so they
should cling to him as to their bridegroom, who through the same washing of
regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, while they are still unclean
he continually purifies and adorns them until the day he presents his church to
himself, not only without a spot or stain, but also without a wrinkle, very
beautiful, sleek and perfect, like fresh youth.
20. Therefore do not be terrified if you feel too entirely
unworthy and impure; for if your thoughts are fixed on that you will forget and
lose this confidence and trust in Christ. But you must heed the Word Christ
speaks to you: Although you are full of sin, death and perdition, yet you have
here my righteousness and life, which I apply and give
to you. If you are impure and filthy, you have here the washing of baptism and
of my Word, through which I wash you and pronounce you clean, and will
constantly cleanse you for ever and ever until you shall stand before me and
all creatures perfectly beautiful and pure.
21. This he tells us not only through his Word; but in order
that we might not complain being left without admonition and preaching, he
presents it to us in so many different every-day pictures and parables of
wedded love, yea, of the first warmth and fervency between a bride and groom;
when we see how both hearts cling to one another and one has joy and pleasure
in the other. Here the bride does not fear in the least that her groom will
cause her suffering or harm or cast her away; but in hearty affection confides
in him and doubts not he will take her into his arms, sit with her at the
table, and give her as her own whatever he has. We
should in this also truly know Christ’s heart, and not allow ourselves to
picture him otherwise than we hear and see him both in his own Word and in the
parables and signs which present him to us, that we may indeed never dare to
complain, except of ourselves and of our old Adam that hinders us in our
beautiful joy.
22. For should not man become his own enemy, and only wish
that death might soon do away with him, for the reason that he knows not
himself and cannot rightly, as he should, taste and enjoy his great treasure,
joy and blessedness? And so perhaps it might be best for us, except that this
life with its temptations, cross and sufferings is to be the school in which
always and daily we more and more learn to know what
he is in us and we in him, and in which therefore we also work for this that we
may seize him, even as he ran after us and seized us, in that he fetched and
won us for his own with his sweat and blood. Alas, however, that we are too
weak, lazy and slow thus to run after him in this life!
23. Behold, such is the glorious royal wedding in this
kingdom, which Christ calls the kingdom of heaven, and to which we, all of us,
bidden and unbidden, Jews and Gentiles, come by means of the Gospel resounding
in all the world, as called by fifes and drums which, after the manner of the
Scriptures, are called the voices of the bridegroom and the bride. That is to
say, a marriagelike voice or sound and tone, that is a token of the wedding and
the joys, and is to announce unto everyone such joy and call us thereunto.
24. But now consider further how this wedding feast fares in
the world, and how the world carries itself towards it when it is to become a
partaker in this blessed kingdom. We have just heard how hard, on account of
their flesh, this is even to Christians, albeit they strive after this kingdom
of God and seek their comfort in Christ. But now it is further shown how the
other, adverse realm of the devil in the world, as in its empire (as Christ in
John
25. This is said especially of the Jewish people, who are
the first bidden guests to whom God sent his servants, first the patriarchs and
prophets, later also the apostles, causing them to be begged and admonished not
to neglect the time of their blessedness and salvation. They, however, not
alone despise this but also fly at the servants of God, who offer them such
grace, to beat them to death; nor will they listen or suffer to be told more of this wedding. These are not common and ordinary
people, but the best, wisest and holiest of all, who are occupied with far
higher and more needful things than to be persuaded to
come to this wedding, to receive good things for nothing, and to be helped into
heaven. They know much better for themselves how, by their own precious life,
to bring about great works, the law’s holiness and God’s service. Hereof more
is said in the Gospel story of the great supper (Luke 14), concerning those who
excuse themselves and would not come.
26. Like unto these are also all such as are by the Gospel
called to faith and the knowledge of Christ, but will not hear and accept the
same. These are always the greatest and best part of the world, who as we know,
wish to be called God’s people and the church. They also have to attend to far
greater and better things, – how they may keep up their fine and glorious
estate and condition, which they call the government and glory of the church.
Of that they will not hear, and esteem it an innovation and change of the good
and praiseworthy old order, etc. And the more one
urges them to obey the Gospel, the less will they listen to it, and the more
bitterly do they pursue it, as we always have it before our eyes in the world.
27. Well then, we should therefore honor at his
wedding-feast the King and Lord of Glory, and thank him for his abundant grace
and the good to which he has called us and of which he makes us worthy, sobeit
we judge ourselves worthy of everlasting life, as St. Paul says, Acts
28. Which is, also for other scorners and presecutors, a
terrible token and example of the final wrath resolved against them and of such
punishment wherewith he will altogether make an end also of them, because they
would not partake of and enjoy this feast: as has already happened to Greece
and Rome, and will likewise happen to our blasphemers and pursuers, unless the
day of judgment come between.
29. These then have received their judgment as they would
have it. In order, however, that Christ may still get people to his wedding
feast, his servants must continually go on with their preaching, and bid and
call whomsoever they find, until they fetch so many together that the tables
are full, not indeed of the great ones, the holy and mighty men (who were first
bidden but would not come). Rather must the poor, the cripples and the halt, as
he elsewhere says, rejoice at being allowed to come to this feast – that is,
the heathen, who are not numbered among God’s people and have nothing whereof
they might be proud. But among this company who are here sitting at table,
there is also found a rogue, whom the king, in looking over the guests,
speedily recognizes and judges to have no wedding garment, and to have come,
not in honor of the wedding, but as disgracing the bridegroom and the lord who
has invited him. Now these are such as also permit themselves to be numbered
among true Christians, hear the Gospel, are in the
outward communion of the right church and make before the people as if they
also might be of the Gospel – and still they are not in earnest about it.
30. With this Christ shows who on earth are that community
which is called the church, to wit, not those who pursue God’s Word and his
servants of the Gospel. For these are already wholly excluded and removed by
his final judgment, aye, they have spilt their own milk by their public and
self-confessed act of not accepting and suffering this preaching of the Gospel,
and should not and cannot among Christians be considered members of the church,
because they have not its doctrine and faith. Just as little can one consider
professed heathen, Turks and Jews as the church or its members. Such judgment
we must now also pass on our persecutors and blasphemers of the Gospel, as for
example the Pope and his following, and entirely separate ourselves from them,
as they do not in the least belong to the church of Christ, but are damned by
their own judgment; to which they testify by having turned us away as outlaws
and outcasts. The church on earth, however, if we speak of the outward
community, is a gathering of such as hear, believe and confess the right
teaching of the Gospel of Christ, and have with them the Holy Ghost who
sanctifies them and works in them by the Word and sacraments. Yet among these
some are false Christians and hypocrites, who nevertheless are at one with them
in the same doctrine and also hold communion in the sacraments and other
outward offices of the church.
31. Aye, such people the Christians must suffer in their
gathering and cannot, as men are, avoid it or prevent them from being amongst
them, nor can they remove them or turn them out of their gathering. They
cannot, indeed, judge and recognize them all, but must bear them and suffer
their company, but only till God himself comes with his judgment, so that they
become manifest and give themselves away by their
wicked life or false belief and spirit of heresy as not being true and honest
Christians. Of this St. Paul speaks, 1 Corinthians
32. Thus here the King comes in, himself to behold the
guests, and makes manifest him who has not the wedding garment. And now that he
has become manifest and is nevertheless, hypocrite that he is, impenitent,
obstinate and dumb, he causes him to be bound hand and foot and, that he may
not enjoy the feast, be cast out of the festive gathering, where there is
naught but light and joy, into darkness, where there is no comfort nor
blessedness, but only weeping and gnashing of teeth. This, then, likewise is
done in the church, by which such impenitent sinners, convicted and overcome, are ,also openly shown out of the congregation and publicly
declared outcasts from God’s kingdom.
33. Therefore the Christians, who are the right and dear
guests at this wedding, at all times have this comfort that the others who do
not belong thereto, that is both persecutors and false brethren, shall not
enjoy the same. For even as the former, the persecutors, manifest themselves as
not being members of the church, in that they exclude themselves and go apart;
thus the others, who for a time have crept in and have falsely sought cover
under the name and semblance of true Christians, shall
also finally become manifest. This also St. Paul says, 1 Timothy 5:24-25: “Some
men’s sins are evident, going before unto judgment; and some men also they
follow after. In like manner also there are good works that are evident: and
such as are otherwise cannot be hid.”
34. And from this it is easy to understand what is meant by
this man’s being without a wedding garment, namely, without the new adornment
in which we please God, which is faith in Christ, and therefore also without
truly good works. He remains in the old rags and tatters of his own fleshly
conceit, unbelief and security, without penitence and understanding of his
misery. He does not from his heart seek comfort in the grace of Christ, nor
betters his life by it, and looks for no more in the
Gospel than what his flesh covets. For this wedding garment must be the new
light of the heart, kindled in the heart by the knowledge of the graciousness
of this bridegroom and his wedding feast. Thus the heart will wholly cleave to
Christ and, transfused by such comfort and joy, will so live and do as it knows
to be pleasing unto him, even as a bride towards the bridegroom.
35. This St. Paul calls “putting on the Lord Christ” ( Galatians
Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity;
John 4: 46-54
The Nobleman's Son Healed. How faith grows and
is exercised
John 4: 46-54
So Jesus
came again into
1. Today's Gospel pictures to us a remarkable
example of faith, for St. John carefully notes at three different times that
the nobleman believed, and we may indeed be greatly moved by the fact, and ask,
what kind of faith must he have had, that the Evangelist mentioned it so often.
We have already learned so much about faith and the Gospel that I think we
should rightly understand it. But since it ever occurs again and again, we are
obliged to discuss it frequently.
2. In the first place, I have often
said that faith through the Gospel fully brings the Lord Jesus with all his
riches home to every man; and that one Christian has just as much as another,
and the child baptized today has not less than St. Peter and all the saints in
heaven. We are all equal and alike in reference to faith, and one person has
his treasure just as full and complete as another.
3. Our Gospel lesson speaks further
of the increase of faith, and here there is a difference. Although faith fully
possesses Christ and all his riches, yet it must nevertheless be continually
kept in motion and exercised, so that it may have assurance, and firmly retain
its treasures. There is a difference
between having a thing and firmly keeping hold of it, between a strong and a
weak faith. Such a great treasure should be firmly seized and well guarded, so
that it may not be easily lost or taken from us. I may have it indeed in its
entirety, although I hold it only in a paper sack, but it is not so well
preserved as if I had it locked in an iron chest.
4. Therefore we must so live on the
earth, not that we think of something different that is better to acquire than
what we already possess; but that we strive to lay hold of the treasure more
and more firmly and securely from day to day. We have no reason to seek
anything more than faith; but here we must see to it how faith may grow and
become stronger. Thus we, read in the Gospel, that, although the disciples of
Christ without doubt believed (for otherwise they had not followed him), yet he
often rebuked them on account of their weak faith. They had indeed faith, but
when it was put to the test, they let it sink and did not support it. So it is
with all Christians; where faith is not continually kept in motion and
exercised, it weakens and decreases, so that it must indeed vanish; and yet we
do not see nor feel this weakness ourselves, except in times of need and
temptation, when unbelief rages too strongly; and yet for that very reason
faith must have temptations in which it may battle and grow.
5. Therefore it is not as the idle
babblers among the theologians of the schools taught, who make out that we are
lazy and careless, by saying: If one have the smallest drop or spark of love
and faith, he will be saved. The Scriptures teach that one must increase and
progress. True it is that you possess Christ through faith, although you only
hold the treasure in a poor cloth; yet you must see to it that you firmly lay
hold of him and let no power rob you of him.
6. Consequently this nobleman or
officer, whoever he was (I hold he was a courtier of King Herod), was so far in
faith that he believed if he could bring Jesus into his home, he would then
surely heal his son; for he had heard God's Word or the Gospel of Christ, that
he cheerfully helped every person that was brought to him and refused no one
his favor. His faith laid hold of this and that was the reason he went to
Christ. For if his heart had been kept in suspense, so that he had thought: Who
knows whether he can help you or will help you? he would not have gone to him.
Therefore it is certain that he had beforehand so conceived of Christ and
believed that he would help him.
7. The nature and manner of faith
are to picture and mirror the goodness of Christ thus in the heart of man.
Therefore the Epistle to the Hebrews says, in 11, 1: ”Faith is the substance of
things hoped for,” that is, of something good, the grace and goodness of God.
Now the faith of this man stood so, that if he had continued in it he would
without a doubt have been saved, and the Lord would have had pleasure in it. However,
he dealt severely with him, found an imperfection in his faith, chastised him
and said:
”Except
ye see signs and wonders, ye will in no wise believe.”
8. How does this agree with what I said
before? If faith and a good confidence in him brought the nobleman to Christ,
how can he then say: Ye will in no wise believe, unless ye see signs? But, as I
said, he wishes to show him that his faith is not yet strong enough; for he
still clings only to the seeing and the experience of the bodily present
Christ. Likewise did Christ chastise the disciples in the boat, when the storm
came and he said to them: ”Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” Mat. 8,
26. As if he were to say: Where is your faith now? Therefore, however good and
genuine faith may be, it falls back when it comes to a battle, unless it has
been well disciplined and has grown strong.
9. Therefore you should not imagine
it is enough if you have commenced to believe; but you must diligently watch
that your faith continue firm, or it will vanish; you are to see how you may
retain this treasure you have embraced; for satan concentrates all his skill
and strength on how to tear it out of your heart. Therefore the growth of your
faith is truly as necessary as its beginning, and indeed more so; but all is
the work of God. The young milk-faith is sweet and weak; but when long marches
are required and faith is attacked, then
God must strengthen it, or it will not hold the field of battle.
10. Therefore this man would not
have been helped by the faith he had at first; he would have been forced to
retreat had not Christ come and strengthened him. But how did he strengthen
him? The nobleman believed, if he came to him in his house, he could surely
heal his son. Then Christ gave him a rebuke, a bitter and hard answer: ”Except
ye see signs and wonders, ye will in no wise believe.” With these words he
gives faith a scornful rebuff that it can not stand. The poor man was terrified
and his faith at once began to sink and to vanish, therefore he says:
”Sir,
come down ere my child die.”
11. As if
he would say: Yes, you must hasten and come and yourself be present, or my son
will die. Here Christ now bestows upon him a stronger faith, as God does upon all
whom he strengthens in faith, and raises him thus to a higher degree or plain
that he may become strong and believe in a different way than he did before;
and he speaks thus to the father:
12. Had he thus said to him before
that his son would live he would have been unable to believe; but now he
believes when faith springs forth in his heart and begets in him another faith,
so that he becomes a different man. Therefore the Lord adds to his great rebuke
great strength. For, he must now cling to that which he does not see; for he
did not before believe that Christ had such power and influence that he could
heal his son when he did not see him and was not present with him. It is truly
strong faith, that a heart can believe what it does not see and understand,
contrary to all the senses and reason, and can cling only to God's Word. Here
there is nothing manifest except that he believed, otherwise he would have
received no help. In faith one must look to nothing but the Word of God.
Whoever permits anything else to be pictured in his eyes is already lost. Faith
clings to the naked and pure Word, neither to its works nor to its merits. If
your heart does not thus stand naked, your cause is lost.
13. Let us now take an example of this:
When a priest, nun or monk boasts that he has maintained his chastity, said
many masses, fasted often, prayed much and the like, and then does not keep in
mind God's Word, but his own good works, and, builds upon them, so that he
thinks God must consequently hear him, then he is lost; for as long as this
picture is in the mind, faith cannot be there. Therefore when one is about to
die and death is present, and he looks around for a way of escape and for the
first step he should take, then satan is at hand and pictures to him how
dreadful and horrible death is; and besides he sees hell and God's judgment
before his eyes. Then satan is victorious, for there is no help as long as this
is before his eyes. If he were wise and pictured nothing else in his heart and
continued to cling to the Word of God alone, he would live, for that is a
living Word. Therefore, whoever clings to the Word must stand where the living
and eternal Word stands.
14. However, this is exceedingly
difficult to do; for here you see how hard it was for this nobleman; also, for
the Apostles in the Gospel, Mat. 8, 25-26, when they were on the water in a
boat and the boat was about to sink and the waves beat into the boat, so that
death was before their eyes; then they lost their hold on the Word. Had they
firmly believed and said: Here we have the Word of God, here is Christ; where
he is, there we are also; there would have been no danger. But since they did
not have such faith, they would have had to sink and perish had not Christ come
to their help. Just so it was with Peter, when he walked on the sea and came to
Christ - so long as he held to the Word, the water had to bear him up; but when
he turned his eyes from Christ and he let go the Word he saw the wind blowing
and he began to sink.
15. Therefore I said, we must let go
of every thing and cling only to the Word; if we have laid hold of that, then
let rage and roar the world, death, sin, hell and all misfortune. But if you
let go the Word, then you must perish. This we see also in people who seek
temporal nourishment: when they have sufficient, and their house and barn are
full, they easily trust in God and say, they have a gracious God; but when they
have nothing they begin to doubt, then their faith vanishes; for they picture
before their eyes, that there is nothing at hand and not any provision in
store, and they know not how they shall exist; thus care and worry drive faith
out of the heart. But if they would lay hold of God's Word, they would think
thus: My God lives, he assures me he will sustain my life; I will go forth and
labor, he will make everything right, as Christ says, Mat. 6, 33: ”But seek ye
first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be
added unto you.” If I retained this Word and would cast the other out of my
mind, I would not come into need. But as long as you picture before your eyes
your poverty, you cannot believe. This nobleman doubtless had also a picture in
his eyes, that he might have thought: He will not grant my request, he will
give me a hard answer, will not accompany me home and will cruelly turn me
away. Had he fixed his eyes upon such treatment he would have been lost; but
since he turned his eyes from such thoughts, Christ later gives him blessed
consolation and says: ”Go thy way; thy son liveth.”
16. This is the nature and way of
faith: - thus God deals with us, when he wishes to strengthen us. This is also
what St. Paul means in 2 Cor. 3, 18, when he says: ”But we all, with unveiled
face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the
same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit.” The glory of
the Lord with Paul is the knowledge of God. Moses also possessed a glory, the
knowledge and understanding of the law. When I have a knowledge of the law, I
look into his clear countenance and into his pure light. But now we have passed
through that and have a higher knowledge of Christ our Lord. Whoever knows him
as the man who helps in time of need and gives power to fulfil the law, through
whom we have acquired the forgiveness of sins: in that way he mirrors his glory
in us. That is, as the rays of the sun are reflected in the water or in a
mirror, so Christ reflects himself and gives forth a lustre from himself in our
hearts, in a way that we are transformed from one degree of glory to another,
so that we daily increase and more clearly know and understand the Lord. Then
we shall be changed and transformed into the same image, in a way that we all
will be one bread with Christ. This is not accomplished in that we ourselves do
it by virtue of our own power; but God, who is the Spirit, must do it. For even
if the Holy Spirit began such glory or illumination in us and would later
forsake us, then we would be as we were before.
17. Now we ought to be so armed that
we do not remain standing still at the first degree, but continually increase;
therefore the cross, temptation and opposition must come, by means of which
faith will grow and become strong, and as the glory of faith increases, the mortification
of the body also increases; the stronger faith is, the weaker will the flesh
be, and the smaller the faith, the stronger the flesh, and the less will the
flesh be denied. We are apt to think, if I shall continually help my neighbor,
what will become of me? To what will I come at last? But if we had mirrored in
us true faith and Christ, we would not doubt that we should have enough, but
remember that God will surely come to our assistance when the crisis comes. But
if we are lost in such a little tempest, what will we do in the great conflicts
of the soul? See, in this way faith is exercised and increased; if we go forth,
and are today as yesterday, tomorrow as today, that is not a Christian life.
Now the second thing for which John praises this man is, that he increased in
faith.
18. In the third place, he says:
While he was going home, his servants met him and said to him that his son
lived, and he experienced that his son began to amend in the very hour that the
Lord had said to him, ”Thy son liveth;” and he believed and his whole house.
Here the Evangelist says again that he believed. But, if he had not believed
heretofore why did he come to Christ? This is a more perfect faith, that was
confirmed by the miracle. In this manner our Lord God deals with us to make us
more perfect and raise us ever to a
higher plane of faith. If we pass through this condition, we thus come into the
experience and become assured of our faith, as we see here that the nobleman overcomes
all difficulties like an iconoclast who tears down pictures and images,
receives applause and becomes certain of his cause, in that he has experienced
it, and finds that he is helped by faith, and all agree; the time, the miracle
and the word with the faith.
19. What then did he now believe?
Not that his son had been healed, for this kind of faith is now at an end, the
healing has been done, and it is now a thing of the past. He sees before his
eyes that his son lives. But out of his experience comes forth another faith,
that Christ would in the future continue to help him out of other troubles and
whatever dark pictures might rise before him; that is what he believed. If the
Lord had said to him: Go and die; he would have replied: Although I do not know
whither I shall go or where the inn is, yet since I tried before what faith is,
I will again cling to the Word. You helped me once when I could not see nor
understand; you will now again help me. Moreover, if Christ had said to him:
Leave home and land and your possessions, and come, follow me; he would not
have thought: Yes, but how shall I support myself? No doubt the picture would
have appeared before his eyes: There is everything in abundance, here is
nothing; shall I let go of that, what will I come to? But now he thinks:
Although nothing is here, and I see nothing, I will nevertheless cling to the
Word, he will surely help me. I tried it before. This is impossible for reason,
but faith can do all things.
20. Therefore faith exercises itself
in various temptations and every day new temptations arise; for the former
experiences do not always return, as one sees here. This nobleman has already
made use of the work of faith, that is now past, it will never return again;
but he must now try another. Therefore the oftener a person experiences the
same temptation, the better it is for him; the more he triumphs over the storm,
the firmer he lays hold of Christ, and becomes skilled so to be ready to bear
all that is laid upon him.
21. In like manner it went with the
Holy Patriarchs, and thus it always goes with us; so that I believe what has
taken place in former times, is of no help to me, but my faith must always turn
its attention to things of the future. Therefore, when God called Abraham to
depart out of his own country, he did it, and believed it, Gen. 12, If. Now
when he came into that country, God called him to go into another and later
into another. Thus he continually increased in faith, and later he became so
assured, and had traced and experienced how God dealt with him, and became such
a perfect character that he was willing to offer his own son as a sacrifice to
God. From this it follows: Whoever is greatly tried and disciplined in this
way, faces death much more willingly.
22. Thus you see how an example of
growing faith is here portrayed; it is now clear enough, therefore take it well
to heart. Every person has indeed his own experiences in life by which he may
exercise his faith, to trust God to help him. Thus he will be able to prove how
God helps him, and he can thus make progress and grow in faith. As soon as one
experience ends another always begins, so that we may see and grasp the truth
that our Lord God is true. If we have the confidence that he will nourish and
sustain our bodies, we can also believe that he will save our souls. I have now
spoken enough about faith.
23. The other part of this Gospel,
on love, every one can easily understand for himself. It is clearly enough set
forth and it is not necessary to speak much about how Christ served and helped
this nobleman. He had no advantage or gain from it himself, but he did it
purely gratuitously out of love. Also you see how the nobleman became a servant
of his son. Whatever there is more in this Gospel belongs to its spiritual significance,
and its exposition word for word we will commend to the quiet and wise spirits.
TWENTY
SECOND SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
PHILIPPIANS 1:3-11.
PHILIPPIANS 1:3-11.
I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you,
always in every supplication of mine on behalf of you all making my
supplication with joy, for your fellowship in furtherance of the gospel from
the first day until now; being confident of this very thing, that he who began
a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ: even as it is
right for me to be thus minded on behalf of you all, because I have you in my heart,
inasmuch as, both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the
gospel, ye all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how I
long after you in all the tender mercies of Christ Jesus. And this I pray, that
your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge
and all discernment; so that ye may approve the things that are excellent; that
ye may be sincere and void of offense unto the day of Christ; being filled with
the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, unto the glory and
praise of God.
PAUL’S
THANKS AND PRAYERS FOR CHURCHES
1. First, the apostle Paul thanks God, as his custom is in
the beginning of his epistles, for the grace whereby the Philippians came into
the fellowship of the Gospel and were made partakers
of it. Secondly, his desire and prayer to God is for their increase in the
knowledge of the Gospel, and their more abundant
fruits. His intent in extolling the Gospel is to admonish them to remain
steadfast in their faith, continuing as they have begun and as they now stand.
Apparently this is a simple passage, especially to learned and apt students of
the Scriptures. They may not think it holds any great truth to be discovered.
Yet we must explain this and like discourses for the benefit of some who do not
fully understand it, and who desire to learn.
2. These words give us an exact delineation of the Christian
heart that sincerely believes in the holy Gospel. Such hearts are rare in the
world. It is especially difficult to find one so beautiful as we observe here
unless it be among the beloved apostles or those who approached them in
Christlikeness. For in the matter of faith we today are entirely too indolent
and indifferent.
3. But the Christian heart is such as inspired Paul’s words;
here its characteristics are shown. He rejoices in the Gospel with his inmost
soul. He thanks God that others have come into its fellowship. His confidence
is firm regarding certain beginners in the faith, and he is so interested in
their salvation he rejoices in it as much as in his own, seeming unable to
thank God sufficiently for it. He unceasingly prays that he may live to see
many come with him into such fellowship and be preserved therein until the day
of the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall perfect and complete all the defects of
this earthly life. He prays these beginners may go forth faultlessly in faith
and hope until that joyful day. Thus the godly apostle expresses himself,
pouring out the depths of his heart – a heart filled with the real fruits of
the Spirit and of faith. It burns with love and joy whenever he sees the Gospel
recognized, accepted and honored, and the Church flourishing. Paul can conceive
for the converts no loftier desire – can offer no greater petition for them
than to implore God they may increase and persevere in the Gospel faith. Such
is the inestimable value he places upon possessing and holding fast God’s Word.
And Christ in Luke
I. THE
DUTY OF GRATITUDE
5. Now, the first thing in which Paul is here an example to
us is his gratitude. It behooves the Christian who recognizes the grace and
goodness of God expressed in the Gospel, first of all to manifest his
thankfulness therefor; toward God – his highest duty – and toward men. As Christians
who have abandoned the false services and sacrifices that in our past
heathenish blindness we zealously practiced, let us remember our obligation
henceforth to be the more fervent in offering true
service and right sacrifices to God. We can render him no better – in fact,
none other – service, or outward work, than the thank-offering, as the
Scriptures term it. That is, receiving and honoring the grace of God and the
preaching and hearing of his Word, and furthering their operation, not only in
word, but sincerely in our hearts and with all our physical and spiritual
powers. This is the truest gratitude.
6. God calls that a “pure offering” which is rendered to him
“among the gentiles” ( Malachi 1:11), where his name
is not preached and praised from avariciousness, not from pride and presumption
in the priesthood and in the holiness of human works. These motives actuated
the boasting Jews, who, as God charges in this reference, presumptuously
thought to receive honor from him for every trivial service like closing a door
or opening a window. But the offering of the gentiles is joyfully rendered from
a sincere, willing heart. This kind of thanksgiving and sacrifices are
acceptable to God, for he says in <19B003>Psalm 110:3, “Thy people shall
be willing”; and in 2 Corinthians 9:7, “God loveth a cheerful giver.” The
knowledge of the Gospel should inspire us with gratitude of this order. Let us
not be found unthankful, and forgetful of God’s infinite goodness.
INGRATITUDE
DENOUNCED BY THE HEATHEN
7. The heathen everywhere, despite their ignorance of God
and his grace, condemned to the utmost the evil of ingratitude. They regarded
it the mother of evils, than which was none more
malevolent and shameful. Among many examples in this respect is one left us by
a people in Arabia called Nabathians, who had an excellent form of government.
So strict were they in regard to this evil that anyone found guilty of
ingratitude to his fellows was looked upon as a murderer and punished with
death.
8. No sin is more abominable to
human nature, and of none is human nature less tolerant. It is easier to forgive and to forget the act of an enemy who commits a
bodily injury, or even murders one’s parents, than it is to forget the sin of
him who repays simple kindness and fidelity with ingratitude and faithlessness;
who for love and friendship returns hatred. In the sentiment of the Latin
proverb, to be so rewarded is like rearing a serpent in one’s bosom. God
likewise regards this sin with extreme enmity and punishes it. The Scriptures
say: “Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.”
Proverbs
9. Thus we have the teaching of nature and of reason
regarding the sin of men’s ingratitude toward one another. How much greater the
evil, how much more shameful and accursed, when manifested toward God who, in
his infinite and ineffable goodness, conferred upon us while yet enemies to him
and deserving of the fires of hell – conferred upon us, I say, not ten dollars,
not a hundred thousand dollars even, but redemption from divine wrath and
eternal death, and abundantly comforted us, granting us safety, a good
conscience, peace and salvation! These are inexpressible blessings,
incomprehensible in this life. And they will continue to occupy our minds in yonder
eternal life. How much more awful the sin of ingratitude for these blessings,
as exemplified in the servant mentioned in the Gospel passage for today, to
whom was forgiven the debt of ten thousand talents and who yet would not forgive the debt of his fellow-servant who owed him a
hundred pence!
10. Is it not incredible that there are to be found on earth
individuals wicked enough to manifest for the highest and eternal blessings
such unspeakable ingratitude? But alas, we have the evidence of our own eyes.
We know them in their very dwelling-places. We see how the world abounds with
them. Not only are the ingrates to be found among deliberate rejecters of the
acknowledged truth of the Gospel, concerning God’s grace, an assured conscience
and the promise of eternal life, terrible as such malice of the devil is, but
they are present also in our midst, accepting the Gospel and boasting of it.
Such shameful ingratitude prevails among the masses it would not be strange
were God to send upon them the thunders and lightnings of his wrath, yes, all
the Turks and the devils of hell. There is a generally prevalent ingratitude
like that of the wicked servant who readily forgot the straits he experienced
when, being called to account for what he could not pay, the wrathful sentence
was pronounced against him that he and all he possessed must be sold, and he be
indefinitely imprisoned. Nor have we less readily forgotten how we were
tortured under the Papacy; how we were overwhelmed, drowned as in a flood, with
numberless strange doctrines, when our anxious consciences longed for
salvation. Now that we are, through the grace of God, liberated from these
distresses, our gratitude is of a character to increasingly heap to ourselves
the wrath of God. So have others before us done, and consequently have endured
terrible chastisement.
11. Only calculate the enormity of our wickedness when, God
having infinitely blessed us in forgiving all our sins and making us lords over
heaven and earth, we so little respect him as to be unmindful of his blessings;
to be unwilling for the sake of them sincerely to forgive
our neighbor a single slighting word, not to mention rendering him service. We
conduct ourselves as if God might be expected to connive at our ingratitude and
permit us to continue in it, at the same time conferring upon us as godly and
obedient children, success and happiness. More than this, we think we have the
privilege and power to live and do as we please.
Indeed, the more learning and power we have and the more exalted our rank, the greater knaves we are;
perpetrating every wicked deed, stirring up strife, discord, war and murder for
the sake of executing our own arbitrary designs, where the question is the
surrender of a penny in recognition of the hundreds of thousands of dollars
daily received from God notwithstanding our ingratitude.
12. Two mighty lords clash with each other like powerful
battering rams, and for what? Perhaps for undisputed possession of a city or
two, a matter they must be ashamed of did they but call to mind what they have
received from God. They would be constrained to exclaim: “What are we doing
that we injure one another – we who are all baptized in one name, the name of
Christ, and pledged to one Lord?” But no, it will not do for them to consider
this matter; not even to think of it. They must turn their eyes away from it,
and put it far from their hearts. Wholly forgetting God’s benefits, they must
wage war against each other, involving nations, and subjecting people to the
Turk. And all for sake of the insignificant farthing each refused to yield to
the other.
13. The world permits the very devil to saddle and ride it
as he pleases. It seems to be characteristic of every phase of life that one
will not yield to another – will not submit to any demand. Everyone is disposed
to force his arrogant authority. The presumption is that supreme honor and
final success depend upon an unyielding, unforgiving disposition, and that to
seek to retain our possessions by peaceable means will prove our ruin. Even the
two remaining cows in the stall must be brought into requisition, and war waged
to the last stick, until when the mutineer comes and we have neither cow nor
stall, nor house nor stick, we are obliged to cease.
RETRIBUTION
FOLLOWS INGRATITUDE
Oh, had we but grace enough to reflect on how it would be
with us did God require us, as he has a perfect right to do, to pay our whole
indebtedness, none being forgiven! grace enough to think
whether we would not this very moment be in the abyss of hell! But so
must it finally be with those who disregard the question and continually heap
to themselves the wrath of God, being at the same time unwilling for him to
deal otherwise with them than he did with the servant he forgave. But against
that servant was finally passed the irrevocable sentence which, without mercy,
delivered him to the tormentor till he should pay the debt, something he could
never do.
14. Nor is there any wrong or injustice in this ruling. For,
as St. Bernhard says, ingratitude is an evil damnable and pernicious enough to
quench all the springs of grace and blessing known to God and men; it is like a
poison-laden, burning, destructive wind. Human nature will not tolerate it. Nor
can God permit you, upon whom he has bestowed all grace and goodness, all
spiritual and temporal blessing, to go on continually in wickedness, defiantly
abusing his benevolence and dishonoring him; you thus recklessly bring upon
yourself his wrath. For God cannot bless you if you are ungrateful, if you
reject his goodness and give it no place in your
heart. In such case the fountain of grace and mercy that continually springs
for all who sincerely desire it, must be quenched for you. You cannot enjoy it.
It would afford you an abundant and unceasing supply of water did you not
yourself dry it up by the deadly wind of your ingratitude; by shamefully
forgetting the ineffable goodness God bestows upon you; and by failing to honor
the blood of Christ the Lord, wherewith he purchased us and reconciled us to
God – failing to honor it enough to forgive your
neighbor, for Christ’s sake, a single wrong word.
15. What heavy burden is there for the individual who, in
submission and gratitude to his God, and in honor to Christ, would conduct
himself something like a Christian? It will cost him no great effort nor
trouble. It will not break any bones nor injure him in property or honor. Even
were it to affect him to some trifling extent, to incur for him some slight
injustice, he should remember what God has given him, and will still give, of his grace and goodness. Yes, why complain even were
you, in some measure, to endanger body and life? What did not the Son of God
incur for you? It was not pleasure for him to take upon himself the wrath of
God, to bear the curse for you. It cost him bloody sweat and unspeakable
anguish of heart, as well as the sacrifice of his body, the shedding of his
blood, when he bore for you the wrath and curse of
God, which would have rested upon you forever. Yet he did it cheerfully and
with fervent love. Should you not, then, be ashamed in your own heart, and
humiliated before all creatures, to be so slow and dull, so
stock-and-stone-hardened, about enduring and forgiving an occasional unkind
word – something to be suffered in token of honor and gratitude to him? What
more noble than, for the sake of Christ, to incur danger, to suffer injury, to
aid the poor and needy? in particular to further the Word of God and to support
the ministry, the pulpit and the schools?
16. It would be no marvel had Germany long ago sunk to ruin,
or had it been razed to its very foundations by Turks and Tartars, because of
its diabolical forgetfulness, its damnable rejection, of God’s unspeakable
grace. Indeed, it is a wonder the earth continues to support us and the sun
still gives us light. Because of our ingratitude, well might the heavens become
dark and the earth be perverted – as the Scriptures teach (Psalm 106) – and
suffer the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah, no longer yielding a leaf nor a blade of
grass, but completely turned from its course – well might it be so did not God,
for the sake of the few godly Christians known and acknowledged of him, forbear
and still delay.
EXAMPLES
OF INGRATITUDE FOR THE GOSPEL
17. Wherever we turn our eyes we see, in all conditions of
life, a deluge of terrible examples of ingratitude for the precious Gospel. We
see how kings, princes and lords scratch and bite; how they envy and hate one
another, oppressing their own people and destroying their own countries; how
they tax themselves with not so much as a single Christian thought about
ameliorating the wretchedness of Germany and securing for the oppressed Church
somewhere a shelter of defense against the murderous attacks of devil, Pope and
Turks. The noblemen rake and rend, robbing whomever they can, prince or
otherwise, and especially the poor Church; like actual devils, they trample
under foot pastors and preachers. Townsmen and farmers, too, are extremely
avaricious, extortionate and treacherous; they fearlessly perpetrate every sort
of insolence and wickedness, and without shame and unpunished. The earth cries
to heaven, unable longer to tolerate its oppression.
18. But why multiply words? It is in vain so far as the
world is concerned; no admonition will avail. The world remains the devil’s
own. We must remember we shall not by any means find with the world that
Christian heart pictured by the apostle; on the contrary we shall find what
might be represented by a picture of the very opposite type – the most
shameless ingratitude. But let the still existing God-fearing Christians be
careful to imitate in their gratitude the spirit of the apostle’s beautiful
picture. Let them give evidence of their willingness
to hear the Word of God, of pleasure and delight in it and grief where it is
rejected. Let them show by their lives a consciousness of the great blessing
conferred by those from whom they received the Gospel. As recipients of such
goodness, let their hearts and lips ever be ready with the happy declaration:
“God be praised!” For thereunto are we called. As before said, praise should be
the constant service and daily sacrifice of Christians; and according to Paul’s
teaching here, the Christian’s works, his fruits of righteousness, should shine before men. Such manifestation of gratitude assuredly
must result when we comprehend what God has given us.
19. Notwithstanding the world’s refusal to be influenced by
the recognition of God’s goodness, and in spite of the fact that we are obliged
daily to see, hear and suffer the world’s increasing ungratefulness the longer
it stands, we must not allow ourselves to be led into error; for we will be
unable to change it. We must preach against the evil of ingratitude wherever
possible, severely censuring it, and faithfully admonish all men to guard
against it. At the same time we have to remember the world will not submit.
Although compelled to live among the ungrateful, we are not for that reason to
fall into error nor to cease from doing good. Let our springs be dispersed
abroad, as Solomon says in Proverbs
20. But if your good works are wrought with the object of
securing the thanks and applause of the world, you will meet with a reception
quite the reverse. Your reward will justly be that of him who crushes with his
teeth the hollow nut only to defile his mouth. Now, if when ingratitude is met
with, you angrily wish to pull down mountains, and resolve to give up doing good, you are no longer a Christian. You
injure yourself and accomplish nothing. Can you not be mindful of your
environment – that you are still in the world where vice and ingratitude hold
sway? that you are, as the phrase goes, with “those who return evil for good”?
He who would escape this fact must flee the boundaries of the world. It
requires no great wisdom to live only among the godly and do good, but the
keenest judgment is necessary to live with the wicked and not do evil.
21. Christianity should be begun in youth, to give practice in the endurance that will enable one to do
good to all men while expecting evil in return. Not that the Christian is to
commend and approve evil conduct; he is to censure and restrain wickedness to
the limit of the authority his position in life affords. It is the best
testimony to the real merit of a work when its beneficiaries are not only
ungrateful but return evil. For its results tend to restrain the doer from a
too high opinion of himself, and the character of the work is too precious in
God’s sight for the world to be worthy of rewarding it.
II.
THE DUTY OF PRAYER
22. The other Christian duty named by Paul in this passage
is that of prayer. The two obligations – gratitude for benefits received, and
prayer for the preservation and growth of God’s work begun in us – are properly
related. Prayer is of supreme importance, for the devil and the world assail us
and delight in turning us aside; we have continually to resist wickedness. So
the conflict is a sore one for our feeble flesh and blood, and we cannot stand
unvanquished unless there be constant, earnest invocation of divine aid.
Gratitude and prayer are essential and must accompany each other, according to
the requirements of the daily sacrifice of the Old Testament: the offering of
praise, or thank-offering, thanks to God for blessings received; and the
sacrifice of prayer, or the Lord’s Prayer – the petition against the wickedness
and evil from which we would be released.
23. Our life has not yet reached the heights it is destined
to attain. We know here only its incipient first-fruits. Desire is not
satisfied; we have but a foretaste. As yet we only realize by faith what is
bestowed upon us; full and tangible occupancy is to come. Therefore, we need to
pray because of the limitations that bind our earthly life, until we go yonder
where prayer is unnecessary, and all is happiness, purity of life and one
eternal song of thanks and praise to God. But heavenly praise and joy is to
have its inception and a measure of growth here on earth through the
encouragement of prayer – prayer for ourselves and the Church as a whole; that
is, for them who have accepted and believe the Gospel and are thus mutually
helpful. For the Gospel will receive greater exaltation and will inspire more joy with the individual because of its acceptance by
the many. So Paul says he thanks God for the fellowship of the Philippians in
the Gospel, and offers prayer in their behalf.
PRAYER
FOR OTHERS
24. Yes, it should be the joy of a Christian heart to see
multitudes accept the offer of mercy, and praise and thank God with him. This
desire for the participation of others in the Gospel promotes the spirit of
prayer. The Christian cannot be a misanthrope, wholly unconcerned whether his
fellows believe or not. He should be interested in all men and unceasingly long
and pray for their salvation; for the sanctification of God’s name, the coming
of his kingdom, the fulfilment of his will; and for the exposure everywhere of
the devil’s deceptions, the suppression of his murderous power over poor souls
and the restraint of his authority.
25. This prayer should be the sincere, earnest outflow of
the true Christian’s heart. Note, Paul’s words here indicate that his praise
and prayer were inspired by a fervent spirit. It is impossible that the words
“I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you, always in every supplication”
be the expression of any but a heart full of such sentiments. Truly, Paul
speaks in a way worthy of an apostle – saying he renders praise and prayer with
keenest pleasure. He rejoices in his heart that he has somewhere a little band
of Christians who love the Gospel and with whom he may rejoice; that he may
thank God for them and pray in their behalf. Was there not much more reason that all they who had heard the Gospel should
rejoice, and thank Paul in heart and in expression for it, praying God in his
behalf? should rejoice that they became worthy of the apostle’s favor, were
delivered from their blindness and had now received from him the light
transferring from sin and death into the grace of God and eternal life?
26. But Paul does not wait for them to take the initiative,
as they ought to have done to declare their joy and their gratitude to him. In
his first utterance he pours out the joy of his heart, fervently thanking God
for them, etc. Well might they have blushed, and reproached themselves, when
they received the epistle beginning with these words. Well might they have
said, “We should not have permitted him to speak in this way; it was our place
first to show him gratitude and joy.”
FEW
BELIEVERS NO REASON FOR DISCOURAGEMENT
27. We shall not soon be able to boast the attainment of
that beautiful, perfect Christian spirit the apostle’s words portray. Seeing
how the apostle rejoices over finding a few believers in the Gospel, why should
we complain because of the smaller number who accord us a hearing and seriously
accept the Word of God? We have no great reason to complain nor to be
discouraged since Christ and the prophets and apostles, meeting with the same
backwardness on the part of the people, still were gratified over the
occasional few who accepted the faith. We note how Christ rejoiced when now and
then he found one who had true faith, and on the other
hand was depressed when his own people refused to hear him, and reluctantly
censured them. And Paul did not meet with more
encouragement. In all the Roman Empire – and through the greater part of it he
had traveled with the Gospel – he only occasionally found a place where was
even a small band of earnest Christians; but over them he peculiarly rejoices,
finding in them greater consolation than in all the treasures on earth.
28. But it is a prophecy of good to the world, a portent of
ultimate success, that Christ and his apostles and ministers must rejoice over
an occasional reception of the beloved Word. Such acceptance will tell in time.
One would think all men might eagerly have hastened to the ends of the earth to
be afforded an opportunity of hearing an apostle. But Paul had to go through
the world himself upon his ministry, enduring great fatigue and encountering
privations and grave dangers, being rejected and trampled upon by all men.
However, disregarding it all, he rejoiced to be able now and then to see some
soul accept the Gospel. In time past it was not necessary for the Pope and his
officials to run after anyone. They sat in lordly authority in their kingdom,
and all men had to obey their summons, wherever wanted, and that without
thanks.
29. What running on the part of our fathers, even of many of
us, as if we were foolish – running from all countries, hundreds of miles, to
Jerusalem, to the holy sepulcher, to Compostella, St. James, Rome, to the heads
of St. Peter and St. Paul; some barefooted and others in complete armor – all
this, to say nothing of innumerable other pilgrimages! We thus expended large
sums of money, and thanked God, and rejoiced to be able thereby to purchase the
wicked indulgences of the Pope and to be worthy to look upon or to kiss the
bones of the dead exhibited as holy relics, but preferably to kiss the feet of
His Most Holy Holiness, the Pope. This condition of things the world desires
again, and it shall have nothing better.
Twenty-Second Sunday after Trinity;
Matthew 18:23-35
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
Matthew 18:
23-35
Therefore
is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account
of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him,
which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had
not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and
all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell
down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay
thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed
him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of
his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him,
and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his
fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience
with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into
prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellowservants saw what was
done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was
done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked
servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not
thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay
all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto
you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
1. This Gospel or parable Christ our
Lord spoke in reply to St. Peter, to whom he had just entrusted the keys to
loose and to bind, Mat. 16, 19, when Peter asked him how often he should
forgive his neighbor, whether seven times were enough 7 He answered: ”Not seven
times, but seventy times seven,” and Christ then related this parable, and with
it concludes, that our heavenly Father will do unto us, if we forgive not our
neighbor, as this king did unto his servant,
who would not forgive his fellow-servant a very small debt, after he had
forgiven him so great a debt.
2. First, before we consider the
Gospel itself, let us examine what kind of a rebuke it is, by which this
servant's right is denied. For the other servant who owed him a hundred
shillings, should according to justice have justly paid him this money. Even
the first also had a good right to demand what was his own. If an appeal had
been made to the public sentiment, every one would have been compelled to agree
with him and say: It is just and right for him to pay what he owes. Why then
this procedure, that his lord abolishes his claim, and besides condemns the
servant because he demands and executes his right? Answer: It was thus written
that we might know that it is altogether a different thing in the eye of God
than it is in the eye of the world, and often that which is not right before
God, is right and just before the world. For before the world this servant
stands an honorable man; but before God he is called a wicked servant, and he
is blamed for acting as one who is worthy of eternal condemnation.
3. It is therefore decreed when we
deal with God that we must stand free, and let goods, honor, right, wrong, and
every thing go that we have; and we will not be excused when we say: I am
right, therefore I will not suffer a man to do me wrong, as God requires that
we should renounce all our rights and forgive our neighbor. Concerning this,
however, our high schools and the learned have preached and taught quite
differently, that we are not obliged to give way to another and surrender our
rights, but that it is just for every one to secure his dues. This is the first
rebuff. Now let us consider this Gospel more fully.
4. We have often said that the
Gospel or kingdom of God is nothing else than a state or government, in which
there is nothing but forgiveness of sins. And wherever there is a state or
government in which sins are not forgiven, no Gospel or kingdom of God is found
there. Therefore we must clearly distinguish these two kingdoms from each other,
in which sins are rebuked, and sins are forgiven, or in which our right is
demanded, and our right is pardoned. In the kingdom of God, where God rules
with the Gospel, there is no demand for right and dues, but all is pure
forgiveness, pardon and giving, no anger, no punishment, but all is pure
brotherly service and kindness.
5. By this, however, our civil
rights are not abolished. For this parable teaches nothing of the kingdom of
this world, but only of the kingdom of God. Therefore, whoever is only under
the civil government of the world, is far from the kingdom of heaven, for all
this still belongs to perdition. As when a prince so rules his people as not to
permit anyone to be wronged, and punishes the evil doer, does well and is
praised. For thus it is in this government: Pay what thou owest, if not, you
will be cast into prison. Such government we must have, but no one will thereby
get to heaven, nor will the world be saved by it. But it is necessary for the
reason that the world may not become worse, it is only a protection against and
a prevention of wickedness. For if it were not for this government, one would
devour the other, and no person could protect his life, goods, wife and child.
So in order that everything may not go to ruin, God has instituted functions of
the sword, by which wickedness may in part be prevented, so that the civil
government may secure and maintain peace, and no one may wrong another.
Therefore it must be tolerated. And yet as we have said, it has not been
established for citizens of heaven, but simply in order that the people may not
fall deeper into hell, and make matters worse.
Therefore
no one dare boast, who is under the civil government, that he therefore does
right before God. Before him, all is yet wrong. For you must come to the point,
that you also avoid what the world claims to be right.
6. The aim of this Gospel is to
describe to us forgiveness for both parties. First the lord forgives the
servant all his debt. Then he demands of him that he also in like manner
forgive his fellow-servant and pardon his debt. This God demands, and thus his
kingdom shall stand. Hence no one should be so wicked and allow himself to be
so angry, as to be unable to forgive his
neighbor. And, as is written, if he would even offend you seventy times seven
times, that is, as often as he is able to offend you, you are to let your right
and claim go, and freely give him everything. Why so? Because Christ has also
done the same for you, in that he began and, established a kingdom in which
there is nothing but grace, that is to endure forever, that every thing, as
often as you sin, may be forgiven; because he has sent forth his Gospel, not to
proclaim punishment, but grace alone. Now, because this government stands, you
can at all times rise again, however deep and often you fall. For even if you
fall, yet this Gospel and mercy-seat remain and stand forever; therefore as
soon as you come and rise again, you again have grace. But he requires of you
to forgive your neighbor whatever he has done against you, else you will
neither be in this gracious kingdom nor enjoy the Gospel, that your sins may be
forgiven. This in short is the idea and sense of this Gospel.
7. However, it is here not forgotten
who those are who grasp and enjoy the Gospel. For it is indeed a glorious
kingdom and a gracious government, because there is preached in it nothing but
the forgiveness of sins, though it does not enter every one's heart. Hence
there are many rude and vicious people who misuse the Gospel, who live a free
life and do as they please, and think no one shall ever rebuke them, because
the Gospel preaches nothing but the forgiveness of sins. To those the Gospel is
not preached, who thus despise the great treasure and treat it wantonly; for
this reason they do not belong to this kingdom, but only to the civil
government, where they may be prevented from doing whatever they wish.
8. To whom then is the Gospel
preached? To those who feel their distress as this servant does his. Therefore
observe, how it is with him? The lord has compassion on his wretchedness, and
gives him more than he could desire. But before this is done, the text says
that the lord would make a reckoning with his servants; and as he began to
reckon this one appeared before him, who owed him ten thousand talents; but as
he had not wherewith to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife
and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. This was indeed no
cheering sermon, nothing but great earnestness, and the most terrible sentence.
Now he becomes so uneasy that he falls down and pleads for grace, and promises
more than he has and can pay, and says: ”Lord, have patience with me, and I
will pay thee all.” Here are pictured and set forth those who enjoy the Gospel
in its full measure.
9. For thus it is between God and
us. When God wishes to reckon with us, he sends forth the preaching of the law,
by which we learn to know what we owe. As when God says to the conscience:
”Thou shalt have no other gods,” but esteem me only as God and love me with all
thy heart, and trust in me alone; this is the reckoning and the register, in
which is written what we owe, this he takes in hand and reads to us and says:
Do you see what you are required to do? You are to fear, love and honor me alone,
and trust only in me, and hope in me for the best. But you do the contrary and
are my enemy, you do not believe in me, but put your trust in other things. To
sum up, you see here you do not keep a single letter of the Law.
10. Now when the conscience hears
such things, and the Law thoroughly comes at us, then we see our duty, and that
we have not done it, and we perceive that we have not kept a letter of it, and
must confess we have not believed or loved God a single moment. What now will
the Lord do? When the conscience is thus led captive and confesses that it must
be lost, and becomes anxious and fearful, he says: Sell him and all he has,
that payment may be made. This is the sentence which immediatetly follows, when
the Law reveals sins and says: This thou shouldst do and have done, but thou
hast not done it. For punishment follows sin, that payment may be made. For God
has not given his Law to the end to allow those to escape who disobey it. It is
not sweet nor friendly, but brings with it bitter, horrible punishment, and
delivers us to satan, casts us into hell, and leaves us in punishment until we
have paid the uttermost farthing.
This St. Paul has correctly
explained to the Romans, 4, 15: ”For the
Law worketh wrath.” That is, when it reveals to us that we have done wrong, it
brings home to our hearts nothing but his wrath and displeasure. For when the
conscience sees it has done wrong, it feels that it is worthy of eternal death;
and if punishment would soon follow, it would have to despair. This is meant,
when the lord commands this servant to be sold with all he has, because he
cannot make payment.
11. What does the servant do now? He
foolishly goes to work and thinks he will still pay the debt, falls down and
asks the lord to have patience with him. This is the torment of all
consciences, when sin comes and smarts deeply until they feel in what a sad
state they are before God; then they have no rest, run hither and thither, seek
help here and there, to become free from sin, and in their presumption think
they can do enough to pay God in full. As we have been taught hitherto; from
which also have come so many pilgrimages, charitable foundations, cloisters,
masses and other nonsense; so we fasted and scourged ourselves, and became
monks and nuns. And all this came because we undertook to begin a life and to
do many works of which God should take account and allow himself to be paid by
them, and had thought to quiet and put the conscience at peace with God; and so
we have acted just like this fool in today's lesson.
12. Now a heart that is thus smitten
with the Law, and feels its blows and distress, is truly humiliated. Therefore
it falls before the Lord and asks for grace, except that it still makes the mistake
that it will help itself; for this we cannot root out of our nature. When the
conscience feels such misery, it dare promise more than all the angels in
heaven are able to do. Here one can easily promise and bind himself to do every
thing that may be required of him; for he finds himself at all times thus
prepared, that he still hopes to do enough for his sin by means of his good
works.
13. Now behold the things men were
guilty of heretofore in the world's history, and you will find it so. Then men preached:
Give to the church, run into the cloister, establish many masses, and then your
sins will be forgiven. And when they forced our consciences in the
confessional, we did everything they imposed upon us, and gave more than they
demanded of us. What should the poor people do? They were glad to be helped in
this manner; therefore they ran and martyred themselves to get rid of their
sins; and yet it did no good whatever, for the conscience remained in doubt as
before, so that it did not know on what terms it stood with God; or if it were
secure; it became still worse and fell into the presumption, that God had to
regard their works. Reason cannot let this alone nor get around it, so as to
abandon it.
14. Hence the Lord comes and
sympathizes with this distress, because the servant thus lies captive and bound
in his sins, and in addition to this is such a fool as to want to help himself,
looks for no mercy, knows nothing to say of grace, and feels nothing but sins,
which press him heavily, and knows no one to help him. Then his lord has mercy
on him and sets him free.
15. Here is represented to us the
Gospel and its nature, and how God deals with us. When you are thus held fast
in sins and you torment yourself to become free from them, the Gospel comes and
says: ”No, not so, my dear friend, it will do no good for you to torture and
torment yourself to madness; your works accomplish nothing, but God's mercy
does it all; he has compassion on your affliction, and sees you a captive in
such anguish, struggling in the mire and that cannot help yourself out, he sees
that you cannot pay the debt, therefore he forgives you all.”
Hence it is nothing but pure mercy.
For he forgives you the debt, not because of your works and merit, but because
he pities your cries, complaints and humiliation. This means that God has
regard for an humble heart, as the Prophet David says in Psalm 51, 19: ”The
sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart, O God,
thou wilt not despise.” Such a heart, he says, is broken and cast down and
cannot help itself, and is glad when God gives it a helping hand; this is the
best Sacrifice before God, and the true way to heaven.
16. Now this follows out of mercy;
because God pities our distress, he yields his claims and nullifies them and
never says: Sell what you have and make payment. He might well have proceeded
and said: You must pay, I have the right to demand it, I will not on your
account annul my own right, and no one could have blamed him. Yet, he does not
wish to deal with him according to our ideas of right, but changes justice into
grace, has mercy on him, and gives him liberty, with wife and child and
everything he has, and makes him a present of the debt besides.
This
is what God preaches through the Gospel, namely: He who believes, to him not
only the debt, but also the punishment shall be remitted. To this no works are
to be added; for whoever preaches that through his works one can atone for his
debt and punishment, has already denied the Gospel. For the two can not be
tolerated together, that God should have mercy, and that you should have any
merit. If it is grace, then it is not merit: but if it is merit, then it is
justice and no grace. Rom. 11, 6. For if you pay what you owe, he shows you no
mercy; but if he shows mercy, you do not pay for what you receive. Therefore we
must leave him alone to deal with us, receive from him and believe. This is
what today's Gospel teaches.
17. Now you see, since this servant
is thus humbled through the knowledge of his sins, that the Word ministers very
strong comfort to him, when the Lord declares him free, and remits him both the
debt and the punishment. By this is indicated that the Gospel does not reach
vicious hearts, nor those who walk forth impudently, but only troubled
consciences whose sins oppress them, from which they desire to be free; on
these God will have mercy and bestow upon them all things.
18. Thus this servant now received
the Word, and thereby became God's friend. For if he had not received the Word,
it would have done him no good, and forgiveness would have amounted to nothing.
Therefore it is not enough that God has the forgiveness of sins offered to us,
and has proclaimed the golden year of the kingdom of grace; but it must also be
grasped and believed. If you believe it, then you are free from sin, and all is
right. Now this is the first part of a Christian life, taught by this and all
the Gospels, which properly consists in faith, that deals only with God.
Besides it is also indicated that we cannot, grasp the Gospel, unless there be
present first a conscience that is afflicted and miserable because of sin.
19. Now conclude from this that it
is nothing but deception that is preached in relation to our works and free
will, and if a different way to blot out sin and obtain grace is taught, than
this Gospel here advocates, namely, that the divine Majesty looks upon our
wretchedness and has mercy upon us. For the text says clearly, that he presents
and remits to those who have nothing; and thus concludes that we have nothing
wherewith to remunerate God. So you may have free will as you wish in temporal
things, in outward life and character, or in outward piety and virtue, as man
can have in his own strength, yet you hear now that it is nothing before God. What
can free will do here? There is nothing in it at any rate but struggling and
trembling. Therefore, if you would be free from sin, you must desist from and
despair in all your own works, and cling to the cross and plead for grace, and
then lay hold of the Gospel by faith.
20. Now follows the second part of
this parable, that of the fellow-servant. We would gladly die every hour for
the sake of our faith. For this servant has enough, he retains his life and
goods, wife and child and has a gracious lord; so he would be a great fool if
he would now go and do everything he could to obtain a gracious lord. His lord
might then well say, he only mocks me. Therefore, he dare not add any work, but
only receives the grace offered him, be joyful and thank the Lord, and do unto
others as the Lord did to him.
21. Thus it is now with us. If we
believe, then we have graclous God, and need no more, and it would indeed be well for us to die soon. But if we are to
live on earth, our life must not be devoted to obtain God's favor by means of
our works; for he who does this mocks and blasphemes God. As men hitherto have
taught, that we must so long lie at God's ears with our good works, praying,
fasting and the like, until we obtain grace. Grace we have already received, not
through our works but through God's mercy. If you are to live, you must have
something to do and work at, and all this must be devoted to your neighbor,
says Christ.
22. But that servant went out. How
does he go out? Where has he been within? He had been in faith, but now he goes
out through love, by which he is to show himself to the people. For faith leads
the people from the people unto God, but love leads out unto the people.
Previously he was within, between God and himself alone, for no one can see or
vouch for faith, how both Work together. Therefore one must needs go out of the
eyes of the people, where no one is seen or felt but God; this is transacted
alone through faith, and no external work can be added to it. Now he comes out
before his neighbor. If he had remained within, he could well have died; but he
must come out and live among other people and mingle with them. Here he finds a
fellowservant whom he strikes and beats, and throttles him, demands payment and
shows no mercy.
23. This is what we have often said,
that we Christians must break forth, and show by our deeds and before the
people that we have the true faith. God does not need your works, he has enough
in your faith. Yet he wants you to work that you may show thereby your faith to
yourself and all the world. For God indeed sees faith, but you and the people
do not yet see it, therefore you should devote the works of faith to the
benefit of your neighbor. Thus this servant is an example and picture of all
those who should serve their neighbor through faith.
24. But what does he do? Just as we
who think we believe, and partly do believe, and rejoice that we have heard the
Gospel and can say a great deal about it; but no one wants to follow it in his
life. We have brought matters so far, that the doctrine and jugglery of the
devil have been partly overthrown, and we now see what is right and what is
wrong, that we must deal with God alone through faith, but with our neighbor
through our works. But we cannot bring it to pass, that, as to love, one does
to another as God has done to him; as we ourselves complain that some of us
have become much worse than they were before.
25. As this servant will not forgive
his neighbor, but seeks to collect his claim; so we also do and say: I am not in
duty bound to give what is my own to another, and yield my rights. If another
has offended me, he owes it to me to reconcile me and ask pardon. For thus the
world teaches and acts. And here you are right, and no prince or king will
compel you to give to another what is your own; but they must permit you to do
what you wish with your own. The civil government only compels so far, that you
may not do with another's goods what you would, not that you must give your
goods to another. This is right before the world, as reason concludes: To every
one belongs his own. Therefore, he does not do wrong, who uses his goods as he
will, and robs no one of his own.
26. But what says this Gospel? If
God also would have acted thus and had maintained his right and said: I act in
harmony with justice, when I punish the wicked and take what is my own, who
will prevent me? where then would we all be? We would all go to ruin.
Therefore, because he has given up his claim on thee, he desires that you too
should do likewise. Therefore, also give up your right and think: If God has
given me ten thousand pounds, why should I not give my neighbor a hundred
shillings?
27. Thus your goods are no longer
your own, but your neighbor's. God could indeed have kept his own, for he owed
you nothing. Yet he gives himself wholly unto you, becomes your gracious Lord,
is kind to you, and serves you with all his goods, and what he has is all
yours; why then will you not also do likewise? Hence, if you wish to be in his kingdom you must do as he does; but if
you want to remain in the kingdom of the world, you will not enter his kingdom.
Therefore the sentence in Mat. 25, 42, which Christ will speak on the last day
belongs to those who are not Christians: ”For I was hungry, and ye did not give
me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink,” and so on.
28. But you say: Do you still insist
that God will have no regard for our good works, and on their account will save
no one? Answer: He would have them done freely without any thought of remuneration;
not that we thereby obtain something, but that we do them to our neighbor, and
thereby show that we have the true faith; for what have you then that you gave
him and by which you merit anything, that he should have mercy on you and
forgive you all things that you have done against him? Or what profit has he by
it? Nothing has he, but that you praise and thank him, and do as he has done,
that God may be thanked in thee, then you are in his kingdom and have all
things that you should have. This is the other part of the Christian life,
which is called love, by which one goes out from God to his neighbor.
29. Those who do not prove their
faith by their works of love are servants who want others to forgive them, but
do not forgive their neighbor, nor yield their rights; hence it will also be
with them as with this servant. For when the other servants, who preach the
Gospel, see that God has freely given them all things, and they refuse to
forgive anyone, they become sad to see such things, and they are pained, that
they act so foolishly toward the Gospel, and no one lays hold of it. What do
they do then? They can do no more than come before their Lord with their
complaint and say: So it goes; you forgive them both the debt and the
punishment, and freely give them all things; but we cannot prevail upon them to
do to others as you have done to them. This is the complaint. Then God will
summon them to appear before him at the last judgment and accuse them of these
things and say: When you were hungry, thirsty and afflicted, I helped you; when
you lay in sins I had compassion upon you and forgave the debt; therefore you
must also now pay your debt. There is now no grace nor mercy, nothing but wrath
and eternal punishment, no prayers will help from now on, and they become
speechless, and are cast into torment until they pay the uttermost farthing.
30. St. Peter said the same of those
who heard the Gospel and again fell away. 2 Pet. 2, 21: ”For it were better for
them, not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to
turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto them.” Why would it be
better? Because if they turn back it will be twofold worse with them, than it
was before they had heard the Gospel; as Christ says in Mat. 12, 45, of the unclean
spirit, who takes unto himself seven other spirits worse than himself, comes
with them and dwells in the man out of whom they were cast, and the last state
of that man becomes worse than the first.
31. Thus it is now with us also, and
it will be still more so. So it also was with Rome. There things were in a fine
condition in the days of the martyrs. But afterwards they went to ruin, and
abominations arose and Antichrist ruled, and the city became so wicked that it
could not be worse. The grace of God preached through the Gospel is so great
that the people do not grasp it, therefore great and terrible punishment must
also follow. Thus we will see just punishment come upon us, inasmuch as we do
not obey the Gospel we have and know.
32. For as often as God has
afflicted the people with severe punishment, he previously set up a great
light; as when he led the Jews out of their country into captivity, he first
brought forth the pious king Josiah, who again restored the law in order to
reform the people; but when they again fell away, God punished them as they
deserved. So also when he wished to overthrow the Egyptians, he sent Moses and
Aaron to preach and enlighten them, Ex. 4, 14. Again, when he wished to destroy
the world with the flood, he raised up the patriarch Noah, Gen. 6, and 7. But
when the people would not believe and only grew worse, terrible punishment followed. So it was with the five
cities; Sodom and Gomorrah with the rest were punished, because they would not
hear pious Lot, Gen. 19.
Therefore
such terrible punishments will also now come upon those who hear the Gospel and
do not receive it. So this servant in the Gospel is cast off, and must pay what
he owes. This means, that he must endure the pain and consequences. But he who
endures the pain for the debt, will never be saved. For to sin belongs death,
and when one dies he dies forever, and there is no more help nor salvation for
him. Therefore let us receive these things as a warning; those, however, who
are hardened and will not hear, will guard against it.
33. This is an elegant, comfortable
Gospel, and is sweet to the afflicted conscience, because it contains nothing
but forgiveness of sins. But for stubborn heads and hardened hearts it is a
terrible sentence, and particularly so because this servant is not a heathen,
but belongs to those under the Gospel, who held the faith. For as the Lord has
mercy on him and forgives him what he had done, he must without doubt be a
Christian. Hence this is not a punishment for the heathen, neither for the
common crowd who hear the Gospel with the external ear, and have it on their
tongue, but do not live according to it. Thus we have the sum of this Gospel.
34. What further the sophists are
accustomed here to discuss, whether the sins will come back that were once
forgiven, I let pass. For they do not know what forgiveness of sin is, and
think it is something that sticks in the heart and lies still there, whereas it
is the whole kingdom of Christ, which lasts forever without end. For as the sun
shines and gives light none the less, although I close my eyes, so this mercy
seat or forgiveness of sins stands forever, though I fall. And as I see the sun
again as soon as I open my eyes, so I have the forgiveness of sins again when I
look up and again come to Christ. Therefore we must not make forgiveness so
narrow, as the fools dream. This is said on today's Gospel.
TWENTY
THIRD SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
PHILIPPIANS 3, 17 – 21.
ENEMIES
OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST AND THE CHRISTIAN’S CITIZENSHIP IN HEAVEN
PHILIPPIANS 3, 17 – 21.
Brethren, be ye imitators [followers] together
of me, and mark them that so walk even as ye have us for an ensample. For many
walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are
the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is perdition, whose god is the
belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. For our
citizenship [conversation] is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Savior, the
Lord Jesus Christ: who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation [change
our vile body], that it may be conformed [fashioned] to the body of his glory,
according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto him
self.
1. Paul immeasurably extols the Philippians for having made a good beginning in the holy Gospel and for having
acquitted themselves commendably, like men in earnest, as manifest by their
fruits of faith. The reason he shows this sincere and strong concern for them
is his desire that they remain steadfast, not being led astray by false
teachers among the roaming Jews. For at that time many Jews went about with the
intent of perverting Paul’s converts, pretending they taught something far
better; while they drew the people away from Christ and back to the Law, for
the purpose of establishing and extending their Jewish doctrines. Paul,
contemplating with special interest and pleasure his Church of the Philipplans,
is moved by parental care to admonish them lest they sometime be misled by such
teachers to hold steadily to what they have received, not seeking anything else
and not imagining, like self secure, besotted souls who allow themselves to be
deceived by the devil not imagining themselves perfect and with complete
understanding in all things. In the verses just preceding our text he speaks of
himself as having not yet attained to full knowledge.
PURITY
OF DOCTRINE ENJOINED
2. He particularly admonishes them to follow him and to mark
those ministers who walk as he does; also to shape their belief and conduct by
the pattern they have received from him. Not only of himself does he make an
example, but introduces them who similarly walk, several of whom he mentions in
this letter to the Philippians. The individuals whom be bids them observe and
follow must have been persons of special eminence. But it is particularly the
doctrine the apostle would have the Philippians pattern after. Therefore we
should be chiefly concerned about preserving the purity of the office of the
ministry and the genuineness of faith. When these are kept unsullied, doctrine
will be right, and good works spontaneous. Later on, in chapter 4, verse 8,
Paul admonishes, with reference to the same subject: “If there be any virtue,
and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
3. Apparently Paul is a rash man to dare boast himself a
pattern for all. Other ministers might well accuse him of desiring to exalt his
individual self above others. “Think you,” our wise ones would say to him,
“that you alone have the Holy Spirit, or that no one else is as eager for honor
as yourself?” Just so did Miriam and Aaron murmur against Moses, their own
brother, saying: “Hath Jehovah indeed spoken only with Moses? hath he not spoken also with us ?” Numbers 12,2. And it
would seem as if Paul had too high an appreciation of his own character did he
hold up his individual self as a pattern, intimating that no one was to be
noted as worthy unless he walked as he did; though there might be some who
apparently gave greater evidence of the Spirit, of holiness, humility and other
graces, than himself, and yet walked not in his way.
4. But he does not say “I, Paul, alone.” He says, “as ye have
us for an example”, that does not exclude other true
apostles and teachers. He is admonishing his Church, as he everywhere does, to
hold fast to the one true doctrine received from him
in the beginning. They are not to be too confident of their own wisdom in the
matter, or to presume they have independent authority; but rather to guard
against pretenders to a superior doctrine, for so had some been misled.
RIGHTEOUSNESS
OF THE LAW IS VAIN
5. In what respect he was a pattern or example to them, he
has made plain; for instance, in the beginning of this
chapter, in the third verse and following, he says: “For we are the
circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and
have no confidence in the flesh: though I myself might have confidence even in
the flesh: if any other man thinketh to have confidence in the flesh, I yet
more: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of
Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews.” That is, he commands the highest honor a Jew
can boast. “As touching the law,” he goes on, “a Pharisee; as touching zeal,
persecuting the Church; as touching the righteousness which is in the law,
found blameless. Howbeit what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss
for Christ. Yea verily, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of
the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I suffered the loss of all
things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ, and be found in
him, not having a righteousness of mine own, even that which is of the law, but
that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by
faith.”
6. “Behold, this is the picture or pattern,” he would say,
“which we hold up for you to follow, that remembering how you obtained
righteousness you may hold to it a righteousness not of the Law.” So far as the
righteousness of the Law is concerned, Paul dares to say he regards it as filth
and refuse (that proceeds from the human body); notwithstanding in its
beautiful and blameless form it may be unsurpassed by anything in the world
such righteousness as was manifest in sincere Jews, and in Paul himself before
his conversion; for these in their great holiness, regarded Christians as
knaves and meriting damnation, and consequently took delight in being party to
the persecution and murder of Christians.
7. “Yet,” Paul would say, “ I who am a Jew by birth have
counted all this merit as simply loss that I might be found in ‘the
righteousness which is from God by faith’.” Only the righteousness of faith
teaches us how to apprehend God how to confidently console ourselves with his
grace and await a future life, expecting to approach Christ in the
resurrection. By “approaching ” him we mean to meet him in death and at the
judgment day without terror, not fleeing but gladly drawing near and hailing
him with joy as one waited for with intense longing. Now, the righteousness of
the Law cannot effect such confidence of mind. Hence, for me it avails nothing
before God; rather it is a detriment. What does avail is God’s imputation of
righteousness for Christ’s sake, through faith. God declares to us in his Word
that the believer in his Son shall, for Christ’s own sake, have God’s grace and
eternal life. He who knows this is able to wait in hope for the last day, having
no fear, no disposition to flee.
8. But is it not treating the righteousness of the Law with
irreverence and contempt to regard it and so teach as something not only
useless and even obstructive, but injurious, loathsome and abominable? Who
would have been able to make such a bold statement, and to censure a life so
faultless and conforming so closely to the Law as Paul’s, without being
pronounced by all men a minion of the devil, had not the apostle made that estimation of it himself? And who is to have any more respect for the righteousness of the Law if we are to
preach in that strain ?
9. Had Paul confined his denunciations to the righteousness
of the world or of the heathen the righteousness dependent upon reason and
controlled by secular government, by laws and regulations his teaching would
not have seemed so irreverent. But he distinctly specifies the righteousness of
God’s Law, or the Ten Commandments, to which we owe an obligation far above
what is due temporal powers, for they teach how to live before God something no
heathenish court of justice, no temporal authority, knows anything about.
Should we not condemn as a heretic this preacher who goes beyond his
prerogative and dares find fault with the Law of God? who also warns us to shun
such as observe it, such as trust in its righteousness, and exalts to sainthood
“enemies of the cross of Christ .... whose God is the belly” who serve the
appetites instead of God?
10. Paul would say of himself: “ I, too, was such a one. In
my most perfect righteousness of the Law I was an enemy to and persecutor of
the congregation, or Church, of Christ. It was the legitimate fruit of my
righteousness that I though I must be party to the most horrible persecution of
Christ and his Christians.
Thus my holiness made me an actual enemy of Christ and a murderer of his
followers. The disposition to injure is a natural result of the righteousness
of the Law, as all Scripture history from Cain down testifies, and as we see
even in the rest of the world who have not come to the knowledge of Christ.
Princes, civil authorities in proportion to their wisdom, their godliness and
honor are the bitter and intolerant enemies of the Gospel.
11. Of the sensual papistical dolts at Rome, cardinals,
bishops, priests and the like, it is not necessary to speak here. their works are manifest. All honorable secular authorities
must confess they are simply abandoned knaves, living shameless lives of open
scandal, avarice, arrogance, unchastity, vanity, robbery and wickedness of every
kind. Not only are they guilty of such living, but shamelessly endeavor to
defend their conduct. They must, then, be regarded enemies of Christ and of all
honesty and virtue. Hence every respectable man is justly antagonistic toward
them. But, as before said, Paul is not here referring to this class, but to
eminent, godly individuals, whose lives are beyond reproach. These very ones,
when Christians are encountered, are hostile and heinous enough to be able to
forget all their own faults in the sight of God, and to magnify to huge beams
the motes we Christians have. In fact, they must style the Gospel heresy and
satanic doctrine for the purpose of exalting their own holiness and zeal for
God.
RIGHTEOUSNESS
OF THE LAW OPPOSES THE CROSS
12. The thing seems incredible, and I would not have
believed it myself, nor have understood Paul’s words here, had I not witnessed
it with my own eyes and experienced it. Were the apostle to repeat the charge
today, who could conceive that our first, noblest, most respectable, godly and
holy people, those whom we might expect, above all others, to accept the Word
of God that they, I say, should be enemies to the Christian doctrine? But the
examples before us testify very plainly that the “enemies” the apostle refers
to must be the individuals styled godly and worthy princes and noblemen,
honorable citizens, learned, wise, intelligent individuals. Yet if these could
devour at one bite the “Evangelicals,” as they are now called, they would do
it.
13. If you ask, Whence such a disposition? I answer, it
naturally springs from human righteousness. For every individual who professes
human righteousness, and knows nothing of Christ, holds that efficacious before
God. He relies upon it and gratifies himself with it, presuming thereby to
present a flattering appearance in God’s sight and to render himself peculiarly
acceptable to him. From being proud and arrogant toward God, he comes to reject
them who are not righteous according to the Law; as illustrated in the instance
of the Pharisee. Luke 18:11-12. But greater is his enmity and more bitter his hatred toward the preaching that dares to
censure such righteousness and assert its futility to merit God’s grace and
eternal life.
14. I myself, and others with me, were dominated by such
feelings when, under popery, we claimed to be holy and pious; we must confess
the fact. If thirty years ago, when I was a devout, holy monk, holding mass
every day and having no thought but that I was in the road leading directly to
heaven if then anyone had accused me had preached to me the things of this text
and pronounced our righteousness which accorded not strictly with the Law of
God, but conformed to human doctrine and was manifestly idolatrous pronounced
it without efficacy and said I was an enemy to the cross of Christ, serving my
own sensual appetites, I would immediately have at Mast helped to find stones
for putting to death such a Stephen, or to gather wood for the burning of this
worst of heretics.
15. So human nature ever does. The world cannot conduct
itself in any other way, when the declaration comes from heaven saying: “True
you are a holy man, a great and learned jurist, a conscientious regent, a
worthy prince, an honorable citizen, and so on, but with all your authority and
your upright character you are going to hell; your every act is offensive and
condemned in God’s sight. If you would be saved you must become an altogether
different man; your mind and heart must be changed.” Let this be announced and
the fire rises, the Rhine is all ablaze; for the self righteous regard it an
intolerable idea that lives so beautiful, lives devoted to praiseworthy
callings, should be publicly censured and condemned by the objectionable
preaching of a few insignificant individuals regarded as even pernicious, and
according to Paul, as filthy refuse, actual obstacles to eternal life.
16. But you may say: “What? Do you forbid good works? Is it
not right to lead an honorable, virtuous life? Do you not acknowledge the
necessity of political laws, of civil governments? that upon obedience to them
depends the maintenance of discipline, peace and honor? Indeed, do you not
admit that God himself commands such institutions and wills their observance,
punishing where they are disregarded? Much more would he have his own Law and
the Ten Commandments honored, not rejected. How dare you then assert that such
righteousness is misleading, and obstructive to eternal life? What consistence
is there in teaching people to observe the things of the Law, to be righteous in
that respect, and at the same time censuring those things as condemned before
God? How can the works of the Law be good and precious, and yet repulsive and
productive of evil?”
17. I answer, Paul well knows the world takes its stand on
this point of righteousness by the Law, and hence would contradict him. But let
him who will, consult the apostle as to why he makes such bold assertions here.
For indeed the words of the text are not our words, but his. True, law and
government are essential in temporal life, as Paul him self confesses, and God
would have everyone honor and obey them. Indeed, he has ordained their
observance among Turks and heathen. Yet it is a fact that these people, even
the best and most upright of them, they who lead honorable lives, are naturally
in their hearts enemies to Christ, and devote their intellectual powers to
exterminating God’s people. It must be universally admitted that the Turks,
with all the restrictions and austerity of life imposed upon them by the Koran,
a life more rigorous even than that of Christians it
must be admitted they belong to the devil. In other words, we adjudge them
condemned with all their righteousness, but at the same time say they do right
in punishing thieves, robbers, murderers, drunkards and other offenders; more,
that Christians living within their jurisdiction are under obligation to pay
tribute, and to serve them with per son and property. Precisely the same thing
is true respecting our princes who persecute the
Gospel and are open enemies to Christ: we must be obedient to them, paying the
tribute and rendering the service imposed; yet they, and all obedient followers
willingly consenting to the persecution of the Gospel, must be looked upon as
condemned before God.
18. Similarly does Paul speak concerning the righteousness
of all the Jews and pious saints who are not Christians. His utterance is bold and of certain sound. He
censures them and, weeping, deprecatingly refers to certain who direct the
people to the righteousness of the law with the sole result of making “enemies
to the cross of Christ.”
19. Again, all the praise he has for them is to say that
their “end is perdition”; they are condemned in spite of strenuous efforts all
their lives to teach and enforce the righteousness of work. Here on earth it is
truly a price less distinction, an admirable and noble treasure, a praise
worthy honor, to have the name of being a godly and up right prince, ruler or
citizen; a pious, virtuous wife or virgin. Who would not praise and exalt such
virtue? It is indeed a rare and valuable thing in the world. But however
beautiful, priceless and admirable an honor it is, Paul tells us, it is
ultimately condemned and pertains not to heaven.
HUMAN
RIGHTEOUSNESS IDOLATROUS
20. The apostle makes his accusation yet more
galling with the words “whose god is their belly.” Thus you hear how human
righteousness, even at its best, extends no higher than to service of the
sensual appetites. Take all the wisdom, justice, jurisprudence, artifice, even
the highest virtues the world affords, and what are they? They minister only to
that god, carnal appetite. They can go no farther than the needs of this life,
their whole purpose being to satisfy physical cravings. When the physical
appetites of the worldly pass, they pass likewise, and the gifts and virtues we
have mentioned can no longer serve them. All perish and go to destruction
together righteousness, virtues, laws and physical appetites which they have
served as their god. For they are wholly ignorant of the true
and eternal God; they know not how to serve him and receive eternal life. So
then in its essential features such a life is merely idolatrous, having no
greater object than the preservation of this perishable body and its enjoyment
of peace and honor.
21. The fourth accusation is, “whose glory is in their
shame.” That is all their glory amounts to. Let wise philosophers, scrupulous
heathen, keen jurists, receive the acme of praise and honor it is yet but
shame. True, their motto is “Love of Virtue”; they boast strong love of virtue
and righteousness and may even think themselves sincere. But judged by final
results, their boast is without foundation and ends in shame. For the utmost
their righteousness can effect is the applause of the world here on earth. Before
God it avails nothing. It cannot touch the life to come. Ultimately it leaves
its possessor a captive in shame. Death devours and hell clutches him.
22. You may again object, “If what you say it true, why
observe temporal restrictions? Let us live in indulgent carelessness following
our inclinations. Let pass the godly, honorable man; the virtuous, upright wife
or virgin.” I answer, By no means; that is not the design. You have heard it is
God’s command and will that there be temporal righteousness even among Turks
and heathen. And later on (ch. 4, 8) Paul admonishes
Christians to “think on these things,” that is, on what is true.
He says: “Whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are
of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on
these things.” And continuing, in verse 9, he refers them to his own example,
saying, “which ye both learned and received and heard and saw in me.”
FRUITS
OF FAITH
23. With the believers in Christ, them who have their
righteousness in him, there should follow in this life on earth the fruits of
upright living, in obedience to God. These fruits constitute the good works
acceptable to God, which, being works of faith and wrought in Christ, will be
rewarded in the life to come. But Paul has in mind the individuals who,
rejecting faith in Christ, regard their self directed lives, their humanly
wrought works, which conform to the Law, as righteousness availing in the sight
of God.
His reference is to them who so trust, though wholly
ignorant of Christ, for whose sake, without any merit on our part,
righteousness is imputed to us by God. The only condition is we must believe in
Christ; for he became man, died for our sins and rose from the dead, for the
very purpose of liberating us from our sins and granting us his resurrection
and life. Toward the heavenly life we should tend, in our life here walking in
harmony with it; as Paul says in conclusion: “Our citizenship is in heaven [not
earthly and not confined to this temporal life only]; whence also we wait for a
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” If we have no knowledge, no consciousness, of
this fact, it matters not how beautiful and praiseworthy our human, earthly
righteousness may be, it is merely a hindrance and an injury. For flesh and
blood cannot help relying on its own righteousness and arrogantly boasting in
this strain: “ We are better, more honorable, more godly, than others. We Jews
are the people of God and keep his Law.” Even Christians are not wholly free
from the pernicious influence of human holiness. They ever seek to bring their
own works and merits before God. I know for myself what pains are inflicted by
this godless wisdom, this figment of righteousness, and what effort must be made before the serpent’s head is bruised.
24. Now, this is the situation and there is no alternative:
Either suffer hell or regard your human righteousness as loss and filth and
endeavor not to be found relying on it at your last hour, in the presence of
God and judgment, but rather stand in the righteousness of Christ. In the
garment of Christ’s righteousness and reared in him you may, in the
resurrection from sin and death, meet Christ and exclaim: “Hail, beloved Lord
and Savior, thou who hast redeemed me from the wretched body of sin and death,
and fashioned me like unto thy holy, pure and glorious body.
GOD’S
PATIENCE WITH HUMAN RIGHTEOUSNESS
25. Meantime, while we walk in the faith of his
righteousness, he has patience with the poor, frail righteousness of this
earthly life, which otherwise is but filth in his sight. He honors our human
holiness by supporting and protecting it during the time we live on earth; just
as we honor our corrupt, filthy bodies, adorning them with beautiful, costly
garments and golden ornaments, and reposing them on cushions and beds of
luxury. Though but stench and filth encased in flesh, they are honored above
every thing else on earth. For their sake are all things performed the ordering
and ruling, building and laboring; and God himself permits sun and moon to shine that they may receive light and heat, and everything
to grow on earth for their benefit. What is the human body but a beautiful pyx
containing that filthy, repulsive object of reverence, the digestive organs,
which the body must always patiently carry about; yes, which we must even
nourish and minister to, glad if only they perform their functions properly?
26. Similarly God deals with us. Because he would confer
eternal life upon man, he patiently endures the filthy righteousness of this
life wherein we must dwell until the last day, for the sake of his chosen
people and until the number is complete. For so long as the final day is
deferred, not all to have eternal life are yet born. When the time shall be
fulfilled, the number completed, God will suddenly bring to an end the world
with its governments, its jurists and authorities, its conditions of life; in
short, he will utterly abolish earthly righteousness, destroying physical
appetites and all else together. For every form of human holiness is condemned
to destruction; yet for the sake of Christians, to whom eternal life is
appointed, and for their sake only, all these must be perpetuated until the
last saint is born and has attained life everlasting. Were there but one saint
yet to be born, for the sake of that one the world must remain. For God regards
not the world nor has he need for it, except for the sake of his
Christians.
27. Therefore, when God enjoins upon us obedience to the
emperor, and godly, honest lives on earth, it is no war rant that our
subjection to temporal authority is to continue forever. Instead, God
necessarily will minister to, adorn and honor this wretched body – vile body,
as Paul here has it with power and dominion. Yet the apostle terms human
righteousness “filth,” and says it is not necessary to God’s kingdom; indeed,
that it is condemned in the sight of God with all its honor and glory, and all
the world must be ashamed of it in his presence, confessing themselves guilty.
Paul in Romans
28. Outwardly, then, though your righteousness may appear
dazzlingly beautiful before the world, inwardly you are but filth. Illustrative
of this point is the story told of a certain nun regarded holy above all
others. She would not fellowship with anyone else, but sat alone in her cell in
wrapt devotion, praying unceasingly. She boasted special revelations and
visions and had no consciousness of any thing but that beloved angels hovered
about and adorned her with a golden crown. But some outside, ardently desiring
to behold such sights, peeped through holes and crevices, and seeing her head
but defiled with filth, laughed at her.
29. Notice, the reason Paul calls the righteousness of the
Law filth and pollution, is his desire to denounce the honor and glory claimed
for it in God’s sight; notwithstanding he honors before the world the
observance of the Law by styling it “righteousness.” But if you ostentatiously
boast of such righteousness to him, he pronounces his sentence of judgment
making you an abomination, an enemy of the cross of Christ, and shaming your
boasted honor and finally casting you into hell. Concerning the righteousness
of faith, however, which in Christ avails before God, he says:
30. We who are baptized and believe in Christ, Paul’s
thought is, do not base our works and our hope on the righteousness of this
temporal life. Through faith in Christ, we have a righteousness that holds in
heaven. It abides in Christ alone; otherwise it would avail naught before God.
And our whole concern is to be eternally in Christ; to have our earthly
existence culminate in yonder life when Christ shall come and change this life
into another, altogether new, pure, holy and like unto his own, with a life and
a body having the nature of his.
THE
CHRISTIAN A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN
31. Therefore we are no longer citizens of earth. The
baptized Christian is born a citizen of heaven through baptism. We should be
mindful of this fact and walk here as if native there. We are to console
ourselves with the fact that God thus accepts us and will transplant us there.
Meantime we must await the coming again of the Savior, who is to bring from
heaven to us eternal righteousness, life, honor and glory.
32. We are baptized and made
Christians, not to the end that we may have great honor, or renown of
righteousness, or earthly dominion, power and possessions. Notwithstanding we
do have these because they are requisite to our physical life, yet we are to
regard them as mere filth, wherewith we minister to our bodily welfare as best
we can for the benefit of posterity. We Christians, however, are expectantly to
await the coming of the Savior. His coming will not be to our injury or shame
as it may be in the case of others. He comes for the salvation of our
unprofitable, impotent bodies. Wretchedly worthless as they are in this life,
they are much more unprofitable when lifeless and
perishing in the earth.
33. But, however miserable, powerless and contemptible in
life and death, Christ will at his coming render our bodies beautiful, pure,
shining and worthy of honor, until they correspond to his own immortal,
glorious body. Not like it as it hung on the cross or lay in the grave, blood
stained, livid and disgraced; but as it is now, glorified at the Father’s right
hand. We need not, then, be alarmed at the necessity of laying aside our
earthly bodies; at being despoiled of the honor, righteousness and life
adhering in them, to deliver it to the devouring power of death and the grave
something well calculated to terrify the enemies of Christ: but we may joyfully
hope for and await his speedy coming to deliver us from this miserable, filthy
pollution.
THE
GLORIFIED BODY OF THE CHRISTIAN
“According to the working whereby he is able even to
subdue all things unto himself.”
34. Think of the honor and the glory Christ’s righteousness
brings even to our bodies! How can this poor, sinful, miserable, filthy,
polluted body become like unto that of the Son of God, the Lord of Glory? What
are you your powers and abilities, or those of all men, to effect this glorious
thing? But Paul says human righteousness, merit, glory and power have nothing
to do with it. They are mere filth and pollution, and condemned as well.
Another force intervenes, the power of Christ the Lord, who is able to bring
all things into subjection to himself. Now, if he has power to subject all
things unto himself at will, he is also able to glorify the pollution and filth
of this wretched body, even when it has become worms and dust. In his hands it
is as clay in the hands of the potter, and from the polluted lump of clay he
can make a vessel that shall be a beautiful, new, pure, glorious body,
surpassing the sun in its brilliance and beauty.
35. Through baptism Christ has taken us into his hands,
actually that he may exchange our sinful, condemned, perishable, physical lives
for the new, imperishable righteousness and life he prepares for body and soul.
Such is the power and the agency exalting us to marvelous glory something no
earthly righteousness of the Law could accomplish. The righteousness of the Law
leaves our bodies to shame and destruction; it reaches not beyond physical
existence. But the righteousness of Christ inspires with power, making evident
that we worship not the body but the true and living
God, who does not leave us to shame and destruction, but delivers from sin,
death and condemnation, and exalts this perishable body to eternal honor and
glory.
TWENTY-THIRD
SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.
MATTHEW 22:15-22.
This sermon is found in one pamphlet print: “A sermon on
Matthew 22. The Tribute Money, Dr. Martin Luther, Wittenberg, 1535.”
Contents:
The counsel of the pharisees put to naught.
MATTHEW 22:15-22.
Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how
they might entangle him in his talk. And they sent out unto him their disciples
with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true,
and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou
regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it
lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? But Jesus
perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me
the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them,
Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith
he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and
unto God the things that are God's. When they had heard these words, they
marvelled, and left him, and went their way.
1. This Gospel is in itself plain enough and easy to understand.
Its contents are noteworthy, especially because of Christ’s answer to a
practical question and its doctrine. First of all our attention is directed to
the intensely wicked, bitter and venomous persecution of Christ and his Word on
the part of the Jews, who schemed to attack him with shrewd and deceitful
questions. For these villains and base characters would gladly have put him to
death as one who had wearied them beyond endurance and must be gotten out of
the way, although they could find no cause for impugning either his doctrine or
his life, eagerly as they sought to do so. They studied all sorts of devices
and ways to catch him in his words and condemn him, which they kept up until
God allowed them to vent their spite and crucify him. That class of people will
obtain what they strive for, even to their own hurt. They had their time of
probation and could have repented when the Son of God appeared in their midst,
but they flatly refused to accept him, God suffering them to go their way and
fulfill the measure of their sin to its utmost extent in that they murdered him
who came to save them. Their end was destruction and obliteration as a nation.
The enemies of the Gospel are no better in our day. They would put Christ out
of the way if they could, and thus it will be even to the end of time, with the
same result. Amen.
2. See now how they scheme and succeed. The wisest and most
learned leaders assemble, put their heads together and decide on one of the
many shrewd plans by which to cause Christ’s death. Their wise counsel is as
follows: If we weigh and balance the situation we find two ways to seize and
accuse him. First, if he opposes Caesar, he can be charged with conspiracy; and
if he is considered a conspirator we will have him in our control as one
guilty, like a thief and robber, who would despoil the emperor of his majesty
and crown and who is worthy of death, with which the law punishes such a crime.
Should this scheme fail we can have recourse to another one, namely, to prove
him to be guilty of robbing God, and have him condemned as a blasphemer. It
would be regarded as a still greater crime to prove that he robs God of the
honor due him and misleads the people under the cloak of serving him. For
should he say, We must pay tribute to Caesar and acknowledge him as our
sovereign; he would detract from God, who alone wants to be this nation’s
sovereign and who has chosen us from all races to have no king but him. This
also would condemn him to death. Whichever way therefore he may answer, he will
be caught and fall into our hands. Does he favor Caesar, he robs God; and if he
decides in favor of God he declares against Caesar and makes himself a
conspirator.
3. Such is the counsel of those wiseacres and petty saints
who resolved to lay hold of Christ with all law and authority, as an enemy
either of God or of Caesar. Not that they cared so much either for the one or
the other, but in order to carry their point. They were indeed anxious enough
to free themselves from the yoke of Roman power, causing frequent insurrections
and drawing abundantly deserved executions upon their own heads, by hundreds
and thousands, and finally suffering entire destruction as a nation. In like
manner they were before God thieves and evildoers in that they corrupted his
Word and persecuted its pure doctrine. So entirely submerged in these two vices
were they as to have become doubly worthy of death, before God and before
Caesar; they manifested their wickedness, moreover, by attempting to catch an
innocent man as if guilty of their own sin, pretending to be most pious saints
before God and most loyal subjects of Caesar.
4. The Jews were used to this from time immemorial; they had
treated their prophets and many godly teachers in a similar manner, and
afterwards did the same to the Apostles, so that it is no wonder if they treat
us in the same manner. And what have the Apostles or we either to complain of
in particular, since they did not spare their Lord and
God? The world cannot do otherwise. It is under the devil’s control, reveling
in robbery and rebellion, at the same time imputing these crimes to Christians,
as if they were sinners above all sinners.
5. And see further how they play their trick and seek to
entangle the Lord so that they may not fail in their plans. They do not put the
question abruptly, but approach him with a neat introduction of flattery, as
though they had the best of intentions and were really in earnest about the
matter. They praise and humor him with smooth words; for they think he is human
and a preacher like themselves, who thus loves to hear such flattery and
praise, and say: You are a true teacher and an upright man, what you say and do
is right and good, etc., etc. With such praise a young fool might be misled to
preach what the people want to hear, as nearly all false prophets do who look
for the approval of men rather than that of God. They accept honor, and preach
what is paid for; where their pay ends, there also ends their preaching. These
were of a kind characterized by Christ when he says of them that they like to
be called Rabbi, etc., Matthew 23:7. Because they are so foolish they think he
also likes to be tickled and can be befooled by servile adulations,
surrendering himself to their two prongs and their death-thrusts, before he
would be aware of any danger.
6. But the saying is true: “The
Lord will have them in derision.” It is not an uncommon thing for one man to
deceive another, but no trickery will avail with Christ. He understands the
wiles of men and can entrap them in their own devices. So here; he compels
these hypocrites to speak the plain truth, although they have many other things
in their hearts, and thus perfectly puts them to shame. It is indeed true that he teaches the way of God right, and fears nobody,
while not one of his enemies speaks from the heart. The lips may utter truth
that amounts to nothing but lies. Christ’s words are true, however they may
twist them. They judge him by themselves and represent him as a disturber of
the peace, who would rob Caesar of his tribute money and rally the populace
around him in rebellion, while he is afraid to make such declaration in public.
That is their design and scheme, but they veil it under the words: “Thou
teachest the way of God in truth,” praise not to be condemned so far as it
goes. Caiaphas, the high priest, acted in like manner, John 11:48-50, when he
said: “It is expedient for you that one man should die
for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. If we let him thus alone,
all men will believe on him; and the Romans will come and take away both our
place and our nation.” That was a true declaration, fitting them, while they
dissembled as to their hearts’ sentiments. They did not believe that the Romans
would come, but were intent on putting Christ out of the way, thinking they
would then fare better. And yet it happened to them even as they had
prophesied, that Christ had to die for the people, and
the Romans did despoil them of their land and nation.
7. That is the lot of those who would deceive and mock God;
they mock themselves and come to grief. They seek a teacher of truth, and they
find such in him, against their wish, for he hits them on the head with truth
in a manner that makes them reel in confusion. They wish to submit a puzzling
question to him, not about the law and matters of salvation, but one that is
unnecessary and insidious. They pass by the whole Pentateuch and what pertains
to God’s Word and way of truth, and catch on something calculated to confuse
him. Moses has not instructed us about giving tribute, nor had Christ anything
to do with that.
8. There, think they, we have him securely as between two
spears. Does he say yes, then we accuse him as one who would rob God; who holds
heresy, and, as an apostate Jew, teaches contrary to Moses and the prophets:
if, on the other hand, he says nay, we will know what to do, for the servants
of Herod are at hand. He must fall into the hands of these tempters or into
those of the rabble, in either case he is lost; indeed he must fall into the hands
of both and surely die, for there is no escape
possible in either yea or nay, represented by the two classes of people, Jew
and Gentile. Was not that planned shrewdly enough? Who could escape from such a
dilemma with gauntlets on both sides? They themselves would have failed to
extricate themselves in a similar predicament.
9. But the wise people met with a wisdom they neither knew
of nor looked for; it was divine wisdom. Christ seizes the spear and club in
their hands and turns their weapons against themselves, answering neither yea
nor nay, but compelling them to give an answer which
indicts themselves. There he is the Master as they had greeted him; he proves
that he can answer their slippery interrogation by themselves. They are thus
obliged to run the gauntlet, and are caught in the net with which they had
planned to catch him.
10. As of in a playful mood, Christ has them show him the
tribute money to start with, and asks whose stamp and superscription it bears.
In that childlike way he may have made the impression
that he did not know, or was not able to read, so that they concluded: We have
him surely now; he is afraid and wants to dissemble in favor of Caesar, not
daring to say a word against him, etc. Instead of that he takes the word from
their lips, making them admit that they are caught. They must confess it, and
cannot do otherwise than say, It is Caesar’s. With that answer he turns the
conclusion against them: If the currency and its image is Caesar’s, also the
superscription, then you have my thanks for saying yea yourselves to the
question you put at me. Why need you bother me with a matter that you can
settle so readily? This is truly digging a pit for others and falling in
yourself; setting a trap and being caught in it.
11. Christ makes use of the same dialectics in answering
others who would impugn his character, and entraps them where they meant to
entrap him. As in Luke 19:21-22, where a servant had buried the pound entrusted
to him in a napkin, saying: “I feared thee because thou art an austere man:
thou takest up that which thou layest not down, and reapest that which thou
didst not sow.” He saith unto him: “Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee,
thou wicked servant,” etc. That is, be it as thou hast said. Because thou
regardedst me to be an austere man, taking what I had not laid down, therefore
it serves thee right that thou shouldst be treated in that way, and thy pound
be taken from thee as from one who compels me to be austere and strict with
him. I give this as a caution that people may learn to take heed and not trifle
with holy things. For men can be deceived, but those who try to deceive God
deceive themselves.
12. I have often said that God acts toward man even as man
is disposed; as thou thinkest and believeth concerning him, such he is to thee.
The servant of whom we speak did not have an austere and severe man for his
master; on the contrary, he was treated kindly and justly; but since he
pictured him that way he must learn how it feels. It is the same with our belief
or disbelief. If our hearts picture him as gracious or angry, pleasant or
harsh, we have him that way. God is not to be mocked. Those who regard him as
angry toward them will find him so; but whoever can say: I know that he will be
a gracious father to me and forgive my sins, they will
have that experience with him. There must, however, be no hypocrisy, no
dissembling, as if the lips should say one thing and the heart thinks the
opposite.
13. Since, then, these people call him Master and a teacher
of truth, although they do not believe what they say and simply try to catch
and deceive him in his words; he turns the matter to their discomfiture and
gives then an unexpected proof of what their lips profess. Like as if we were
to regard him wrongfully as an ungracious and angry God, we would so experience
him, for it is, as he says: “Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee;” again: “By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by
thy words thou shalt be condemned,” Matthew
14. This is the experience these plotters make. Their words
pronounce him to be a teacher of truth, yet in their hearts they are false;
however, he is a real teacher to them and exposes their knavery and hypocrisy.
Christ is a good doctor. Such physicians as clearly understand the disease must
be commended; they can help a patient so much better than one who simply
experiments on the case. He soon learns what knaves they are; but since they
call him Master, as if they would learn of him, they must hear what they do not
expect, namely: “If I am a master and teacher of truth I will tell you truly
what you see and seek: You are hypocrites in my judgment.” That put in plain
language means: “You are deceitful fellows.” They deserve this, first, because
they are not pious at all; secondly, because they cover up and decorate their
falseness by making a pretense of virtue before the people. “You are double
hypocrites; you do not seek the way of God nor the truth, yet you flatter me as
teaching such to make yourself appear holy; and because you will not hear the
truth that could save you, you must hear truth that shall reveal your hypocrisy
and condemn it. For, I am, as you say, a teacher of truth. To some, that
signifies life, to others, death and damnation, according as their respective
faith and hearts may be. Therefore I tell you plainly and truly what you are
inwardly, namely, hypocrites and desperate rogues who are beyond help and
advice and who belong to the devil. But those who are godly and would like to
be so, to them I say: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and
I will give you rest,” Matthew
15. Behold, thus they find the right teacher of truth, not
to their salvation, however, which they do not seek, but to their condemnation.
They are enemies to the truth and do not like to hear such preaching; yet they
must hear it, as if from their own lips, answering their question themselves,
to their own exposure; as explained above.
16. After this exposure and reproof of their impudence,
silencing them with their own answer, the Master continues: “Render unto Caesar
the things that are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” Let the child
be baptized that its name become known. In other words: “You want to take away
from Caesar what is his, and have already taken from God what is God’s. You,
therefore, are rebels and blasphemers. You take and withhold, and not even
question your own dishonesty, nor manifest a purpose to do what is right. That
is indeed and rightly called disloyalty, where one refuses to give to Caesar what he can claim as his own.
17. This truth they must hear from this teacher of truth,
however much it may displease them to be so sternly rebuked. They hate to be
called thieves and robbers, as if they were disposed to despoil the emperor
(Caesar) of his authority and belongings and usurp the rights of their
superiors under a pretense of justice, for which they deserved punishment in
body and estate as twofold rebels. This is the first thought.
18. Secondly. Just as they have been shown to be thieves and
robbers toward the state they are similarly guilty of robbing God. They
withhold what is God’s and even claim to be in the right by so doing. The
Phophet Jeremiah,
19. Let us now pay attention to the hypocrites of our day –
those prudish pietists, bishops and the Pope’s whole coterie of clerics, who
persecute Christ and his followers in that they reject and condemn his Word and
the acknowledged truth of the Gospel. Christ rightfully calls them robbers and
profaners of God and of Caesar. They are obedient neither to God nor to the true Christian church; neither to the state nor to any
constituted authority, but would be lords themselves and live and do as they
like, none daring to oppose them. They are disobedient in person, and also
assault innocent Christians, devour and kill whom they can and would destroy
God’s kingdom completely; yet they wish to be well spoken of as being in their
right, being obedient, pious and peaceable, and regarding us as heretics and
sinners against God and Christendom and against the powers that be, who
therefore deserve death. Just like these in the Gospel, who would give neither to God nor to Caesar; pretend to great piety,
while they seek to put Christ out of the way as one teaching what is opposed to
religion and to patriotism.
20. But how, if the wheel should reverse itself and throw
the guilt, which they now heap on us Christians, upon their own heads so that
they receive the reward due to the openly condemned rebels and God-thieves, who
profane the majesty of both divine and human right? True, neither the Gospel
nor Christ himself makes use of physical punishment, yet they should beware
lest others come (and I fear very much that such will be the case) who will handle them roughly, teaching them, as others have been
taught, that they must cease to persecute Christians. This would be treating
them after their own fashion. The Pope, with all his apostles, disciples,
lawyers and theologians, teaches: Violence need not be endured, but vim vi
repellere licet, that is, open violence may be repelled by force. They say, what
Christ teaches, Matthew
21. It were, therefore, not wrong, according to their own
teaching, to resist such insufferable injury by force; and I would not lament
so very much if, as a punishment from God, it should come about through some
false preacher or rabble leader that such tyrants were killed. For they are
intent on disorder; their teachings and doings instigate uprisings and war,
while they throw the blame on us who teach righteousness, hold the government
in honor and oppose conspiracy by word and deed. They would gladly kill us, and
although they fail in their loyalty, they want to be honored and safe-guarded
in their mischief so that no harm may befall them. The popes with their
followings have taught thus not only, but they also practiced it by their acts,
opposing kings and emperors as it suited them, despising all authority and
trampling the law under their feet, even claiming divine right for their
doings. They would do the same now, if they could, boasting that they are in
supreme authority and owe allegiance to no ruler.
22. If they should now allow such doctrine to be preached
among them, as I myself could do if I were so minded to avenge myself (may God
forbid it), or the public would take such teachings from their books and
statutes, and a general uprising should follow, whom would they have to blame
and who could reason otherwise than that it served them right? Why are they so
desperate and perverse that they reproach Christ with his teachings as
seditious and blaspheme him who is their Lord, while they themselves are rebels
and profaners of God? They disseminate and defend such godless and seditious
teachings, and persecute us who preach the pure Gospel, as they well know, and
with all faithful ones resist and preach against disloyalty and disorder. They
themselves must acknowledge, if they would or could do so in their concealed
malice, that they owe it to no other source than to our preaching that they for
so long a time have been and are yet secured against rebellion, for if it had
not been for us they might have had some different experiences. By their
teaching they could not maintain nor enforce peace, favoring uprisings as it
does, and if I could approve of it I would not trust myself to advocate or at
least wink at any resistance of their adherents in self-protection by force.
23. But we will neither teach nor allow that Christ’s words
are nothing more than counsel; we teach that
Christians must suffer wrong, if needs be, and leave vengeance to God. They are
to be what the Scriptures call them in Psalm 44:22, “sheep for the slaughter,”
who may expect death every hour of the day. The Papists know full well that
they are safe in our presence; they show their gratitude by persecuting, devouring
and murdering us unceasingly, until we are entirely done for. But may it not
also happen that in so doing they will meet with such as will defend their
rights against them and give them their due so richly
deserved, thus paying for what injury they have done to the Gospel and to us?
Their doom is sealed. For the present we must suffer, and leave to God how and
when he will avenge us. The punishment they deserve is in God’s hand to be
meted out in his own time and manner. Although they pretend to be afraid of us,
we will do them no harm, allowing them to imitate the Pharisees over against
the common people who adhere to Christ. Others will give them what they fear
from us, as did the Romans to those who opposed and suspected Christ and his
adherents, giving them their full reward when they believed themselves secure.
24. That is the way these will fare in time. They are
afraid, though they know that we have attempted nothing to their hurt, nor de
we now do so; we offer them peace and uphold peace, exhorting and teaching our
people and the public generally to abstain from disloyal acts. We will not
stain our hands with their blood. That is something we do not wish to be guilty
of. We glory in our innocence over against them before all the world and will
not implicate ourselves in their downfall. But others shall arise who will
visit upon them what is written of that class of people in the Bible, as, for
instance, in Proverbs
25. Let that be said on this text to those who would reproach
Christ in order to promote their own reputation and
standing, so that they may see and learn what sort of a truth-teacher he is,
exposing their lies and falsehood and fastening on them what they like to
accuse him of, as being real liars and murderers, or misleaders and rebels;
they insist on such a course, but endeavor to throw the suspicion on Christ and
his adherents, in spite of the fact that these are and teach the very opposite.
26. But we must keep this Word before our eyes; it is our
rule of conduct toward the two kingdoms, God’s and Caesar’s, so that we may give to each the honor due him as both of divine order and
example. That in both there are many who are not godfearing, who abuse the
charge and position committed to them, especially toward Christians,
persecuting us as disobedient and disloyal, we admit, but it does not disturb
us. We must and are willing to suffer this, at the same time we maintain our
right to punish them by word of mouth, telling them the truth and hurling back
the accusations heaped upon us. In so doing we satisfy justice and fulfill our
duty; the rest we commit to God, how and by whom he may want to avenge us.
27. We have said much about the teaching of Christ’s answer;
for it is the doctrine we insist on, that the two powers or governments, God’s
and Caesar’s, or spiritual and temporal kingdoms, must be kept apart, as Christ
does here in a clear and brief declaration, making a distinction not only, but
also illustrating finely how each is to be constituted and administered. When
he says, “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s,” he refers to the
relation of subjects to their rulers; the other part, “Render unto God the
things that are God’s,” is especially intended for such as are in authority.
28. For it is thus ordained of God that subjects must and
shall give to their rulers what they need; when he
commands them to give, it is implied that these may take; and where we are to
give what is due, there we infer that we owe them something, so that the
language might be: “to return,” rather than simply to render or give. That is
something for subjects under civil authority.
29. On the other hand, there are restrictions placed upon
rulers that they govern in the same spirit, and not take from their subjects
what is not due them; but remember to give and do also
what they are in duty bound to do by virtue of their presiding over countries
and nations, so that they may grow and prosper. That is why they were elevated
by God to their respective positions of honor, not that they sit there simply
as placethieves, and doing what they like.
30. But if that were emphasized it would be found that the
world is full of real thieves and rogues, rulers as well as subjects, and the
number would indeed be small from the highest to the lowest, who obey and do
what is right. Subjects are most generally so disposed as to cheat their ruler
and appropriate to their own use what is his, wherever they can, to say nothing
about giving cheerfully, hesitating as they may do to admit that. Princes and
office-holders wish to have the name of being Christians and obedient subjects
of the emperor, yet they do only what suits them and, if they could, they would
gladly usurp the places of their superiors.
31. The same is true of the knights
who wait upon and assist the princes; if they could do so, they would gladly
confiscate everything, strip their chiefs of what they have and trample them
under foot; instead they take villages and castles, delight in being called
“dear subjects,” advise and govern in their own interests, thus reveling,
oppressing and plaguing both lords and subjects, according to their sweet will.
By the way, how many princes and office-holders are there now in high positions
who could claim that they give to Caesar what is Caesar’s?
Would not all rather fill their own coffers, bags and pockets? This all can do;
but giving to Caesar what belongs to him is difficult to find; taking and
stealing from him is much more common.
32. There is a similar state of things in all other
situations and offices. Servants deceive and cheat their masters, maids their
mistresses, day laborers and mechanics those for whom they work. It is so in
daily intercourse, at the market and elsewhere; stealing and robbing, even
boldly and openly, is the common practice. In that way things go on among high
and low, so that there is no royal residence, no city, no house, that is not
full of knaves and thieves. Were the world plagued with this sin only, it were
already too much and it deserved to have been destroyed long ago; and yet no
one wants to be charged with and punished for theft, the evildoers would rather
claim honor for their misconduct; especially is that the case with the lords of
the nobility who strut around in glittering chains. But if they were treated as
they deserve they would not be allowed to wear them on the streets, but would
be dealt with as those who stole five or six dollars. It is here, as the saying
goes, “Little thieves are hung in iron chains; the big public thieves are
permitted to walk about with chains of gold.”
33. It should not be thus, but everyone respects his estate
and position and do as it behooves him. Yea, sayest thou, is it not enough that
I take nothing from anybody? Yea, truly; but there are many ways of taking; not
only from under the bench where there is nothing that belongs to thee, nor out
of the bag or chest of another, but also where thou art unfaithful to thy
employer and permittest damage to ensue because of negligence or mischief,
rather than in consequence of a mistake. As, for instance, where a citizen or
neighbor overcharges another, and the nobleman filches and squeezes. According
to the seventh commandment all such sharp dealing is called stealing and doing
wrong; those who practice it are thieves who care nothing for a troubled
conscience, and the maxim, “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s,”
becomes a rare bird. All the world is full of the perversity, “taking from
Caesar the things that are Caesar’s,” from the bottom up; from servant up to
knights and princes, so that there is no estate on earth so plagued with
thieves and rogues as that of the emperor’s and government’s.
34. Government must also be told how to act toward its
subjects. Those in authority also rob and take what is not theirs, and that on
the responsibility of their superiors. As when an emperor or prince goes on,
plaguing land and people with unnecessary assessments and other burdens. In
that situation thou must also hear thy text. If thou desirest the subjects to
put into practice their lesson and be honest with thee, thou must also avoid
taking from them what is not thine. For Christ does not say here, Render to
Caesar that which he wants and likes, but he assigns limits to him, how far he
may reach, that is: “The things that are Caesar’s,” or what he is rightfully
entitled to.
35. Therefore, land, cities, homes, are not to be governed
as the one in authority over them may like, as if an employer could treat his
employees to suit his notion, contrary to the Lord’s justice. Nay, the employee
would say, I owe thee what is thine, not what thou mayest desire to have. One
might require so much as my head or fist, or he would not pay me wages or food
and clothing, and so plunder and plague me as not to leave a rag upon my body.
That would be taking the rights from the man-servant, and her property from the
maid-servant.
36. So also if a burgomaster, ruler or office-holder should
compel and plague the people to serve his whims, that could not be regarded as
a lordly right, but would be stealing and doing wrong, just as much as if a
fellowcitizen should steal from them. However, there is no position nowadays so
insignificant but that its occupant should not desire to have the right and the
power to do and command what he pleases, studying how he may oppress the people
and holding that his authority empowers him to squeeze, drive and torment
everybody as he pleases. Even as is now the case more
especially with the poor clergymen and preachers, so that there is danger in
all estates, especially in the higher ones, for in them the really great
thieves are to be found. A house-servant may make a householder poor by his
dishonesty; but a nobleman can steal what amounts to something, namely, a whole
principality, land and people.
37. Therefore we must tell them how Christ has limited their
prerogatives in this text, so that they may not do what they might personally
wish. It would go entirely too far, and the Pope’s rule would go into effect,
they being flogged by their subjects; but we neither teach nor approve of such
practice. Christ does not say de facto , sed de jure ,
not by fact, but by right; that is, he teaches what each man must do, namely,
the subjects must give, and the government must not take more than what is due;
but who is to punish where both parties sin against the law is not stated.
38. Christ does not do, as the Pope teaches that one should
hit back, nor does he allow anyone to avenge himself, neither the employer nor
his employee; the infliction of punishment and judgment he reserves for himself
as the highest Lord and God. “Vengeance is mine,” saith God, Deuteronomy 32:35.
He who does not give heed to this teaching will
experience this judgment. If God does not punish by the ordinary authorities he
will do it by pestilence, war, revolutions and other plagues; for he can punish
rulers as well as their subjects. Therefore both are instructed as to their
duty, and we will abide by his declaration. We must not and will not coerce
anyone by violent measures, but say only what is right and resist wrong-doing
by word of mouth. Whoever will not mind that, we excommunicate such an one in
accordance with Christ’s teaching, telling him that he belongs to the devil,
and let him go. Others may punish the Pope and his followers who will not abide
by the Word of God, but resort to violence.
39. This is a brief statement as to the first estate or
government, both in its higher and its lower functions, to show how far we. are
away from our true position and how full the world is
everywhere of thievery. But these matters are worst of all, if one is to
expound this passage (Render to God what is God’s) and speak of the God-thieves
in the spiritual government of Christendom, in which I and the likes of me are.
For as high as heaven is above the earth so dangerous and difficult is this
office in comparison with secular or imperial positions which, indeed, are also
dangerous where their occupants do not call upon God for help to discharge
their duties properly and without injury to their subjects. But if unfaithful
ministers or preachers get into their office they will be, not thieves of
bread, meat or clothing, wherewith the body is nourished and with which jurists
busy themselves, who teach nothing further than what ministers to the belly and
try to check that class of stealing; but those who occupy the office that is to
give the bread of eternal life to souls and, instead,
cause them everlasting thirst, hunger and nakedness, taking away the word by
which man is nourished from death to life, such are not simply belly-thieves,
but thieves of God and of the heavenly kingdom.
40. Such now is the Pope with his bishops and all their
retinue, who do not preach to the people, rather preventing them from receiving
God’s Word and what it gives and affords; doing their very best in mischief
when they forbid and hinder the sacrament to be administered under both forms,
as Christ instituted it, and they well know, in sheer violence and blasphemous
thirst; they cannot rightly be called anything else than sacrilegious, public
thieves of God, robbers of his Word and sacrament.
41. There are among us also some who so plague and press the
poor pastors with hunger and care that they cannot do their work properly; some
also lowering their calling so as to reach out for the heavenly things and at
the same time hanker after carnal goods, as the cliques of Pope and priest also
do, who are charged with spiritual matters, but do not preach them nor suffer
it to be done. They practice the two kinds of robbery and deserve all the more severe punishment. Yet the world is just as full of
this miserable dishonesty as of the secular sort, and they are thieves through
and through, from top to bottom, from the least to the greatest.
42. But how will it be in the end when the final judgment
shall take place? What does it mean that God must continue to call and preach:
“Do render both to God and to Caesar,” but all in vain, and should thus be
mocked and his Word trampled under foot? Are we not to expect that at last there
should rain upon the world a flood with thunder, lightning and hellfire? It
cannot and must not be otherwise, because the trespass against God’s and
Caesar’s right continues so boldly and so eagerly and turns the single into a
double robbery, ever defending its course and resisting its punishment. God
will and can not suffer that forever. I would that he might take us and ours
away in mercy so that we be spared the coming calamity! Wickedness is so very
great, and so manifold in the whole world, that it exceeds the leaves on the
trees and the blades of grass upon the earth in number. May God preserve and
deliver us from this distress, and grant grace that we may hold to his Word in
earnestness and be delivered from such evil! Amen.
TWENTY
FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
COLOSSIANS 1:3-14.
COLOSSIANS 1:3-14.
We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, praying always for you, having heard of your faith in Christ
Jesus, and of the love which ye have toward all the saints, because of the hope
which is laid up for you in the heavens, whereof ye heard before in the word of
the truth of the gospel, which is come unto you; even as it is also in all the
world bearing fruit and increasing, as it doth in you also, since the day ye
heard and knew the grace of God in truth; even as ye learned of Epaphras our
beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, who
also declared unto us your love in the Spirit. For this cause we also, since
the day we heard it, do not cease to pray and make request for you, that ye may
be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and
understanding, to walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in
every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all
power, according to the might of his glory, unto all patience and longsuffering
with joy; giving thanks unto the Father, who made us
meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; who delivered
us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son
of his love; in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins.
PRAYER
AND SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE
1. In this short epistle to the Colossians Paul treats of
many things, but particularly of faith, love, patience and gratitude. Upon
these topics he is remarkably eloquent, for as God himself declares in Acts
2. The apostle’s first words are praise for the Colossians.
He remarks upon the good report he has heard of them, how they have faith in
Christ and love for all saints, and hold fast the hope of eternal life reserved
for them in heaven: in other words, that they are true
Christians, who have not allowed themselves to be led away from the pure Word
of God but who earnestly cling to it, proving their faith by their fruits; for
they love the poor Christians, and for Christ’s sake have endured much in the
hope of the promised salvation. So he exalts them as model
Christians, a mirror of the entire Christian life.
3. “Hearing these things of you,” Paul would say, “I
heartily rejoice in your good beginning.” Apparently he was not the one who
first preached to them. In the first verse of the second chapter he speaks of
his care for them and others who have not seen his face, and he also intimates
here that the Colossians learned of Christ and the Gospel from Epaphras, Paul’s
fellow servant.
4. “And therefore I always pray for you,” he writes, “that
you may continue in this way; may increase and be steadfast.” He is aware of
the necessity for such prayer and exhortation in behalf of Christians if they
are to abide firm and unchangeable in their new found faith, against the
ceaseless assaults of the devil, the wickedness of the world, and the weakness
of the flesh in tribulation and affliction. “That ye may be filled,” Paul
continues, “with the knowledge of his will.”
5. This is his chief prayer and desire for them and if it is
fulfilled there can be no lack. The words are, “be filled”; that is, not only
hear and understand God’s will, but be come rich in the knowledge of it, with
ever increasing fullness. “You have begun well; you are promising shoots. But
something more than a good beginning is required, and
the knowledge of God’s will is not to be exhaustively learned immediately on
hearing the Word. On the contrary it must be constantly pursued and practiced
as long as we live if it is ever to be rounded and perfected in us.
KNOWLEDGE
OF GOD’S WILL IMPOSES OBLIGATION
6. “Knowing the will of God” means more
than simply knowing about God, that he created heaven and earth and gave the
Law, and so on, a knowledge even the Jews and Turks possess. For doubtless to
them has been revealed that knowledge of God and of his will concerning our
conduct which nature the works of creation an teach. Romans
7. Since we have not done God’s will according to the first
revelation and must be rejected and condemned by his eternal, unendurable
wrath, in his divine wisdom and mercy he has determined, or willed, to permit
his only Son to take upon himself our sin and wrath; to give
Christ as a sacrifice for our ransom, whereby the unendurable wrath and
condemnation might be turned from us; to grant us forgiveness of sins and to
send the Holy Spirit into our hearts, thus enabling us to love God’s
commandments and delight in them. This determination or will he reveals through
the Son, and commands him to declare it to the world. And in. Matthew
SPIRITUAL
KNOWLEDGE ENJOINED
8. Paul would gladly have a spiritual knowledge of these
things increase in us until we are enriched and filled wholly assured of their
truth. Sublime and glorious knowledge this, the
experience of a human heart which, born in sins, boldly and confidently
believes that God, in his unfathomable majesty, in his divine heart, has
irrevocably purposed and wills for all men to accept and believe it that he
will not impute sin, but will forgive it and be gracious, and grant eternal
life, for the sake of his beloved Son.
9. This spiritual knowledge or confidence, is not so easily
learned as are other things. It is not so readily apprehended as the knowledge
of the law written in nature, which when duly recognized by the heart
overpowers with the conviction of God’s wrath. Indeed, that more than anything
else hinders Christians and saints from obtaining the knowledge of God’s will
in Christ, for it compels heart and conscience to plead guilty in every respect
and to confess having merited the wrath of God; therefore the soul naturally
fears and flees from God. Then, too, the devil fans the flame of fear and sends
his wicked, fiery arrows of dismay into the heart, presenting only frightful
pictures and examples of God’s anger, filling the heart with this kind of
knowledge to the exclusion of every other thought or perception. Thus
recognition of God’s wrath is learned only too well, for it be comes bitterly
hard for man to unlearn it, to forget it in the
knowledge of Christ. Again, the wicked world eagerly contributes its share of
hindrance, its bitter hatred and venomous outcry against Christians as people
of the worst type, outcast, condemned enemies of God. Moreover, by its example
it causes the weak to stumble. Our flesh and blood also is a drawback, being
waywardly inclined, making much of its own wisdom and holiness and seeking
thereby to gain honor and glory or to live in security a life of wealth,
pleasure and covetousness. Hence on every side a Christian must be in severe
conflict, and fight against the world and the devil, and against himself also,
if he is to succeed in preserving the knowledge of God’s will.
WE
MUST PRAY FOR SPIRITUAL LIGHT
10. Now, since this knowledge of the Gospel is so difficult
to attain and so foreign to nature, it is necessary that we pray for it with
all earnestness and labor to be increasingly filled with it, and to learn well
the will of God. Our own experience testifies that if it be but superficially
and improperly learned, when one is overtaken by a trifling misfortune or
alarmed by a slight danger or affliction, his heart is easily overwhelmed with
the thunderbolts of God’s wrath as he reflects: “Woe to me! God is against me
and hates me.” Why should this miserable “Woe!” enter the heart of a Christian
upon the occasion of a little trouble? If he were filled with the knowledge of
God as he should be, and as many secure, self complacent spirits imagine
themselves to be, he would not thus fear and make outcry. His agitation and his
complaint, “ O Lord God! why dost thou permit me to suffer
this?” are evidence that he as yet knows not God’s will, or at least has but a
faint conception of it; the woe exceeds the joy. But full knowledge of
God’s will brings with it a joy that far overbalances all fear and terror, ay,
removes and abolishes them altogether.
11. Therefore let us learn this truth and with Paul pray for
what we and all Christians supremely need full knowledge of God’s will, not a
mere beginning; for we are not to imagine a beginning will suffice and to stop
there as if we had comprehended it all. Everything is not accomplished in the
mere planting; watering and cultivation must follow. In this case the watering
and cultivating are the Word of God, and prayer against the devil, who day and
night labors to suppress spiritual knowledge, to beat down the tender plants
wherever he sees them springing up; and also against the world, which promotes
only opposition and directs its wisdom and reason to conflicting ends. Did not
God protect us and strengthen the knowledge of his will, we would soon see the
devil’s power and the extent of our spiritual understanding.
12. We have a verification of this assertion in that
poetical work, the book of Job. Satan appears before God, who asks ( Job 1:8): “Hast thou considered my servant Job? for
there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that
feareth God.” And Satan answers on this wise: “Yea, thou hast surrounded him
with thy protection and kept me at bay; but only withdraw thy hand and I
venture I will soon bring him around to curse thee to thy face”; as he
afterward did when he afflicted Job with ugly boils and in addition filled him
with his fiery arrows terrifying thoughts of God. Further, Christ said to Peter
and the other apostles: “Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as
wheat: but I made supplication for thee, that thy faith fail not.” Luke
13. Therefore, although we have become Christians and have made a beginning in the knowledge of God’s will, we ought
nevertheless to walk in fear and humility, and not to be presumptuous like the
soon wearied, secure spirits, who imagine they exhausted that knowledge in an
instant, and know not the measure and limit of their skill. Such people are
particularly pleasing to the devil, for he has them completely in his power and
makes use of their teaching and example to harm others and make them likewise
secure, and unmindful of his presence and of the fact that God may suffer them
to be overwhelmed. Verily, there is need of earnest and diligent use of the
Word of God and prayer, that Christians may not only learn to know the will of
God, but also to be filled with it. Only so can the individual walk always
according to God’s will and make constant progress, straining toward the goal
of an ever increasing comfort and strength that shall enable him to face fears
and terrors and not allow the devil, the world, and flesh and blood to hinder
him.
SPIRITUAL
KNOWLEDGE BRINGS INCREASING JOY
14. Such is the nature of this fullness of knowledge that
the possessor never becomes satiated with it or tired of it, but it yields him
ever increasing pleasure and joy, and he is ever more
eager, more thirsty, for it. As the Scriptures declare, “They that drink me
shall yet be thirsty.” Ecclus 24, 21. For even the dear angels in heaven never
become sated with fullness of knowledge, but as Peter says, they find an
everlasting joy and pleasure in the ability to behold what is revealed and
preached to us. Peter
WHY
AFFLICTIONS ARE SENT
15. To create and stimulate this hunger and thirst in us,
and to bring us to the attainment of full knowledge, God kindly sends upon his
Christians temptation, sorrow and affliction. These preserve them from carnal
satiety and teach them to seek comfort and help. So God did also in former
ages, in the time of the martyrs, when he daily suffered them to be violently
seized in person and put to death by sword, fire, blood and wild beasts. In
this way he truly led his people to school, where they were obliged to learn to
know his will and to be able defiantly to say: ““ No, O tyrant, O world, devil
and flesh, though you may injure me bodily, may beat or torment me, banish me
or even take my life, you shall not deprive me of my Lord Jesus Christ – of
God’s grace and mercy.” So faith taught them and confirmed to them that such
suffering was God’s purpose and immutable will concerning themselves, which,
whatever attitude to wards them he might assume, he could not alter, even as he
could not in the case of Christ himself. This discipline and experience of
faith strengthened the martyrs and soon accustomed them to suffering, enabling
them to go to their death with pleasure and joy. Whence came, even to young
girls thirteen and fourteen years old, like Agnes and Agatha, the courage and
confidence to stand boldly before the Roman judge, and, when led to death, to
go as joyfully as to a festivity, whence unless their hearts were filled with a
sub lime and steadfast faith, a positive assurance that God was not angry with them,
but that all was his gracious and merciful will and for their highest salvation
and bliss ?
16. Behold, what noble and enlightened, what strong and
courageous, people God produced by the discipline of cross and affliction! We,
in contrast, because unwilling to experience such suffering, are weak and
enervated. If but a little smoke gets into our eyes, our joy and courage are
gone, likewise our perception of God’s will, and we can only raise a loud
lamentation and cry of woe. As I said, this is the inevitable condition of a
heart to which the experience of affliction is unknown. Just so Christ’s
disciples in the ship, when they saw the tempest approach and the waves beat
over the vessel, quite forgot, in their trembling and terror, the divine will,
although Christ was present with them. They only made anxious lamentation, yet
withal cried for help: “Save, Lord; we perish!” Matthew
17. It is God’s will that we, too, should learn to accustom
ourselves to these things through temptation and affliction, though these be
hard to bear and the heart is prone to become agitated and utter its cry of
woe. We can quiet our disturbed hearts, saying: “ I know what is God’s thought,
his counsel and will, in Christ, which he will not alter: he has promised to me
through his Son, and confirmed it through my baptism, that he who hears and
sees the Son shall be delivered from sin and death, and live eternally.”
18. Now, what Paul calls being filled with the knowledge of
the divine will in Christ through the faith of the Gospel, means faith in and
the comfort of the forgiveness of sins, since we have not in ourselves the ability
to fulfill his will in the ten commandments. This knowledge is not a passive
consciousness, but a living, active conviction, which will stand before the
judgment of God, contend with the devil and prevail over sin, death and life.
19. Now, the heart possessing such knowledge or faith is
kindled by the Holy Spirit and acquires a love for and delight in God’s
commandments. It becomes obedient to them, patient, chaste, modest, gentle,
given to brotherly kindness, and honors God in confession and life. Thus it is
increasingly filled with the knowledge of God’s will; it is armed and fortified
on all sides to withstand and defeat the flesh and the world, the devil and
hell.
“SPIRITUAL
WISDOM” DEFINED
20. By way of explanation Paul adds the words, “all spiritual
wisdom and understanding.” This is not the wisdom of the world. There is no
necessity to strive and to endure persecution for that which concerns itself
with other than spiritual matters. Nor is it the wisdom of reason, which indeed
presumes to judge of divine things, but yet can never understand them; on the
contrary, although it accepts them, it quickly falls away into doubt and
despair.
21. “Wisdom” signifies with Paul, when he places it in
apposition with “spiritual understanding,” the sublime and secret doctrine of
the Gospel of Christ, which teaches us to know the will of God. And a “wise
man” is a Christian, who knows himself and can intelligently interpret God’s
will toward us and how we perceive his will by faith growing and obediently living
in harmony with it. This wisdom is not devised of reason; it has not entered
into the heart of man nor is it known to any of the princes of this world, as
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:8 10. But it is revealed from Heaven by the Holy
Spirit to those who believe the Gospel.
22. But there is necessary to the full completion of wisdom
something which the apostle calls “understanding”; that is, a careful retention
of what has been received. It is possible for one having the spiritual wisdom
to be overtaken by the devil through a momentary intellectual inspiration, or
through anger and impatience, or even through greed and similar deceitful
allurements. Therefore it is necessary here to be cautious, alert and watchful
in an effort to guard against the devil’s cunning attacks and always to oppose
him with his own spiritual wisdom, that he may not be undeceived. The Pauline
and scriptural use of the word “understanding” signifies the ability to make
good use of one’s wisdom; to make it effective as a test whereby to prove all
things, to judge with keen discernment whatever presents itself in the name and
appearance of wisdom. Thus armed, the soul defends itself and does not in any
case violate its own discretion. To furnish himself with understanding, the Christian
must ever have regard to the Word of God, must put it into practice, lest the
devil dazzle his mind with some palaver and error and deceive him before he is
aware of it. This Satan is well able to do; indeed, he uses every art to
accomplish it if a man be not on his guard and seek not counsel in God’s Word.
Such is the teaching of David’s example, who says in Psalm 119:11: “Thy word
have I laid up in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.” And again in
verse 24: “Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors.”
23. A man may be familiar with God’s Word, yet if he walks
in self security, concerned about other matters, or if perhaps being tempted he
loses sight of God’s Word, it may easily come to pass that he is seduced and
deceived by the secret craft and cunning of the devil; or of himself he may
become bewildered, losing his wisdom and being unable to find counsel or help
even in the most trivial temptations. For the devil and reason, or human
wisdom, can dispute and syllogize with extraordinary subtlety in these things
until one imagines to be true wisdom that which is
not. A wise man soon becomes a fool; men readily err and make false steps; a Christian likewise is prone to stumble; ay,
even a good teacher and prophet can easily be deceived by reason’s brilliant
logic. Essentially, then, Christians must take warning and study, with careful
meditation, the Word of God.
24. We read of St. Martin how he would not undertake to
dispute with heretics for the simple reason that he was unwilling to fall into
wrangling, to rationalize with them or to attempt to defeat them by the weapon
of reason, the sole means whereby they pointed and adorned all their arguments,
as the world always does when opposing the Word of God. The shrewd Papists today
pretend, as they think, very acutely to confirm and support all their anti
Christian abominations by the name of the Church, making the idiotic claim that
one must not effect nor suffer any change in the religious teaching commonly
accepted by Christendom. They say we must believe the Christian Church is
always guided by the Holy Spirit and therefore demands our obedience. Notice
here the name of the Church, concerning which your spiritual wisdom teaches
according to the article: “ I believe in a holy Christian Church. But that name
is distorted to confirm the lies and idolatry of the Papacy, just as is true of the name of God. So there is need of under standing,
of careful, keen discernment, that wisdom be not perverted and falsified, and
man be deceived with its counterfeit.
25. By close examination and comparison with God’s Word, the
standard and test, you may clearly prove the Papacy to be not the Church of
Christ, but a sect of Satan; it is filled with open idolatry, lies and murder,
which its adherents fain would defend. These things the Church of Christ does
not endorse, and to tax it with resolving, appointing, ordering and demanding
obedience to that which is at variance with the Word of God, is to do the
Church wrong and violence.
CHURCH
NOT TO COMPROMISE WITH PAPISTS
26. The world at the present time is sagaciously discussing
how to quell the controversy and strife over doctrine and faith, and how to
effect a compromise between the Church and the Papacy. Let the learned, the
wise, it is said, bishops, emperor and princes, arbitrate. Each side can easily
yield something, and it is better to concede some things which can be construed
according to individual interpretation, than that so much persecution,
bloodshed, war, and terrible, endless dissension and destruction be permitted.
Here is lack of understanding, for understanding proves by the Word that such
patchwork is not according to God’s will, but that doctrine, faith and worship
must be preserved pure and unadulterated; there must be no mingling with human
nonsense, human opinions or wisdom. The Scriptures give us this rule: “We must
obey God rather than men.” Acts
27. We must not, then, regard nor follow the counsels of
human wisdom, but must keep ever before us God’s will as revealed by his Word;
we are to abide by that for death or life, for evil or good. If war or other
calamity results complain to him who wills and commands us to teach and believe
our doctrine. The calamity is not of our effecting; we have not originated it.
And we are not required to prove by argument whether or no God’s will is right
and to be obeyed. If he wills to permit persecution and other evils to arise in
consequence of our teaching, for the trial and experience of true
Christians and for the punishment of the ungrateful, let them come; and if not,
his hand is doubtless strong enough to defend and preserve his cause from
destruction, that man may know the events to be of his ordering. And so, praise
his name, he has done in our case. He has supported us against the strong
desires of our adversaries. Had we yielded and obeyed them, we would have been
drawn into their falsehood and destruction. And God will still support us if we
deal uprightly and faithfully in these requirements, if we further and honor
the Word of God, and be not unthankful nor seek things that counterfeit God’s
Word.
28. So much by way of explaining what Paul means by wisdom
and understanding to know the will of God, and by way of teaching the necessity
of having both wisdom and understanding. For not only must the doctrine where
by wisdom is imparted be inculcated in Christendom, but there is also need for
admonition and exhortation concerning that understanding necessary to preserve
wisdom, and [or defense in strife and conflict. Were
not these principles exercised and inculcated in us, we would be deceived by
false wisdom and vain imaginations, and would accept their gloss and glitter
for pure gold, as many in the Church have ever done.
29. The Galatians had received from Paul the wisdom of
justification before God by faith in Christ alone. Nevertheless, inspite of
that knowledge, they were deceived and would have lost their wisdom altogether
through the claim of the false prophets that the God given Law must be
observed, had not Paul aroused their understanding at this point and brought
them back from error. The Corinthians were taught by their spiritual wisdom the
article of Christian liberty; they knew that sacrifices to idols are nothing.
But they failed in this respect: they proceeded without understanding, and made carnal use of their liberty, contrary to wisdom and
offending others. Therefore Paul had to remind them of their departure from his
doctrine and wisdom.
30. The Scriptures record many instances of failure in this
matter of understanding. A notable one is found in the thirteenth chapter of
First Kings. A man of God from the kingdom of Judah, who had in the presence of
King Jeroboam openly denounced the idolatry instituted by the king, and had
confirmed his preaching and prophecy by a miracle, was commanded by God not
under any circumstances to abide in the place whither he had gone to prophesy,
nor to eat and drink there. He was to go straight home by another way than the
route he had come. Yet on the way homeward he allowed himself to be persuaded
by another prophet, one who falsely claimed to have a revelation from God, by
an angel, commanding him to take the man of God to his home and give him to eat and drink. While they sat together at the
table the Word of the Lord came to the inviting prophet and under its
inspiration he told the other that he should not reach home alive. The latter,
departing on his journey, was killed on the way by a lion, which remained
standing by the body and the ass the man of God had ridden, not touching them
further, until the old prophet came and found them. He brought the body home on
the ass and buried it, commanding that after his own death he should be laid in
the same grave. Such was God’s punishment of the prophet who allowed himself to
be deceived and obeyed not God’s express command. However, his soul suffered
not harm, as God testified by the fact the lion did not devour his body but
defended it. Now, in what was the prophet lacking? Not in wisdom, for he had
the Word of God. He lacked in understanding, allowing himself to be deceived
when the other man declared himself a prophet whom the angel of the Lord had
instructed. The man of God should have abided by the word given to him, and
have said to the other: “You may be a prophet, indeed, but God has commanded me
to do this thing. Of that I am certain and I will be governed by it. ! will
regard no conflicting order, be it in the name of an angel or of God.”
NEITHER
REASON NOR FEELINGS A RIGHT JUDGE
31. So it is often with man today, not only in doctrinal
controversy but in private affairs and in official capacity. He is prone to
stumble and to fail in understanding when not watchful of his purposes and
motives, to see how they accord with the wisdom of God’s Word. Particularly is
his understanding unreliable when the devil moves him to wrath, impatience,
dejection, melancholy, or when he is otherwise tempted. Often they who have
been well exercised with trials become bewildered in small temptations and
uncertain what course to take. Here must one be watchful and not go by his
reason or his feelings, but remember God’s Word or ascertain if he does not
know what it is – and be guided thereby. When tempted man cannot judge aright
by the dictates of reason. Therefore he ought not to follow his own natural
intelligence nor to act from hasty conclusions. Let him be suspicious of all
his reasoning and beware the cunning of the devil, who seeks either to allure
or to intimidate us by his specious arguments. First of all let man call upon
the understanding born of his wisdom in the Gospel, what his faith, love, hope
and patience counsel, in fact, what God’s will eloquently teaches everywhere
and in all circumstances if only one strive, labor and pray to be filled with
such knowledge.
32. Paul uses the expression, “spiritual wisdom and
understanding,” because it represents that which makes us wise and prudent to
oppose the devil and his assaults and temptations, or wiles as Paul calls them
in Ephesians
“To walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing
fruit in every good work; and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened
with all power, according to the might of his glory, unto all patience and
longsuffering with joy; giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance
of the saints in light.”
33. What is meant by “walking worthily of the Lord” we have
heard in other epistles, namely to believe, and to confess the faith by
doctrine and life, as people worthy of the Lord and of whom the Lord can triumphantly
say: “These are my people Christians who live and abide in what they have been
taught by the Word, who know my will and obediently do and suffer for it.”
34. Our wisdom and understanding of the knowledge of God
should serve to make us characters that are an honor and praise to God, in whom
he may be glorified, and who live to God unto all pleasing, that is, please him
in every way, according to his Word. And because of such wisdom and knowledge,
we should, in our lives, in our stations and appointed work, not be unfruitful
nor harmful hypocrites and unbelievers, as false Christians are, but doers of
much good, useful characters to the honor of God’s kingdom. All the time we are
to make constant growth and progress in the knowledge of God, that we may not
be seduced or driven from it by the cunning of the devil, who at all times and
in all places assails Christians and strenuously seeks to effect their fall
from the Word and from God’s will, even as in the beginning he did with Adam
and Eve in paradise.
ONLY
GOD’S POWER CAN OVERCOME THE DEVIL
35. The apostle continues: “strengthened with all power,
according to the might of his glory.” Here is preparation to sustain the
conflict against the devil, the world and the flesh, and to overcome. Not our
own power, nor the combined power of all mankind, can effect it. Only God’s own
divine, glorious power and might can overcome the devil and win honor and
praise in the contest with the gates of hell. Christ in himself proved such
efficacy of the divine strength when he overcame all the devil’s superlative
assaults.
36. By this power and might of God must we be strengthened
in faith. We must strive after such divine agency and by the help of the Word
persevere and pray, that there may be not only a beginning, but a continuation
and a victorious end. So shall we become ever stronger and stronger in God’s
might. Whatever we do, it must not be undertaken in and by our own strength. We
must not boast as if we had our selves accomplished it, but must rely upon God,
upon his strength and support. Certainly it is not due to our ability but to
his own omnipotent agency if one remains a Christian, steadfast in the
knowledge of God and not deceived nor conquered by the devil.
PATIENCE
ESSENTIAL TO ENDURANCE
37. But, the writer tells us, the attainment of strength and
victory calls for “all patience.” We must have patience to endure the
persistent persecution of the devil, the world and the flesh. Not only patience
is required here, but “long suffering.” The apostle makes a distinction between
the two words, regarding the latter as something more
heroic. It is the devil’s way, when he fails to defeat by affliction and
trouble, to try the heart with endurance. He makes the ordeal unbearably hard
and long to patience, even apparently without end. His scheme is to accomplish
by unceasing persistence what he cannot attain by the severity and multitude of
his temptations; he aims to wear out one’s patience and to discourage his hope
of conquering. To meet these conditions there is necessary, in addition to
patience, long suffering, which holds out firmly and steadfastly in suffering,
with the determination: “Indeed, you cannot try me too severely or too long,
even though the trial continue to the end of the world.” True, knightly,
Christian strength is that which in conflict and suffering is able to endure
not only severe and manifold assaults of the devil, but to hold out
indefinitely. More than anything else do we need to be strengthened, through
prayer, with the power of God, that we may not succumb in such grievous
warfare, but achieve the end.
CHRISTIANS
SHOULD REJOICE AND BE THANKFUL
38. And your patience and long suffering, Paul says, must be
exercised “with joy.” In these severe, multiplied and long temptations you must
not allow yourselves to be filled with sad and depressing thoughts. You are to
be hopeful and joyous, despising the devil and the troubles and tumults of the
world and himself. Rejoice because you have on your side the knowledge of the
divine will in Christ, and his power and glorious might, and doubt not that his
omnipotence will help you through.
39. Finally the apostle enjoins us to give
thanks, or to be thankful. Forget not, he would say, the unspeakable benefits
and gifts God has bestowed upon you above all men on earth. He has richly
blessed you, and liberated you from the power and might of sin, death, hell and
the devil, wherein you would, for all you could help yourselves, have had to
remain eternally captive; he has appointed you for eternal glory, making you co
heirs with the saints elected for his eternal kingdom; and he has made you partakers of all eternal, divine, heavenly
blessings. In your sufferings and conflicts, remember these glories ordained
for and given to you, and remembering rejoice the more
and willingly fight and suffer to obtain possession, to enjoy the fruition, of
what is certainly appropriated to you in the Word and in faith.
40. The writer of the epistle calls it “the inheritance of
the saints in light,” or of the “light” saints, that is, the true
saints. Thus he distinguishes from false saints, intimating that there are two
classes of saints. To one class belong the many in the world who have only
their own claim to sainthood: the Jews, for instance, with their holiness of
the Law; and the world generally, the philosophers, jurists and their kind,
with their self righteousness. These are not saints of light; they are saints
of darkness, unclean, even defiled. In Philippians 3:8 Paul counts such
righteousness loss and refuse. To this class belong also many false,
hypocritical saints in the company of Christians who have the Gospel; they,
too, hear the Gospel and attend upon the Holy Supper, but they remain in
darkness, without the least experience of the wisdom and understanding that
knows the divine will. But they who exercise themselves in these spiritual
graces by faith, love and patience in temptation, and perceive the wonderful
grace and blessing God imparts through the Gospel these honorably may be called
the saints, destined, even appointed, to eternal light and joy in God’s
kingdom.
41. Paul now expatiates on the things that call for our
gratitude to God the Father. He sums up the whole teaching of the Gospel,
showing us what is ours in Christ and giving a glorious and comforting
description of his person and the blessing he brings. But first, he says, we
ought, above all, to thank God unceasingly for the knowledge of his revealed
Gospel In it we have no small treasure. Rather, it is a possession with which
all the gold, silver and other riches of this world, all the earthly joy and
comfort of this life, are not to be compared. For it means redemption from
eternal, irreparable loss and ruin under God’s eternal, unbearable wrath and
condemnation. And this wretchedness was the result of our sin. We were
committed to sin and without help, without deliverance, ay, we were captive in
such blindness and darkness that we did not recognize our misery; much less
could we devise and effect our escape. Now, in place of this misery, we have,
without any merit on our part, any preparation, any deed or design, ay, without
even a thought, assuredly received, through God’s unfathomable grace and mercy,
redemption, or the forgiveness of sins.
GOD’S
GRACE INCOMPREHENSIBLE
42. The measure of such graciousness and blessing no tongue
can express; indeed, in this life no man can under stand it. In hell the wicked
shall become sensible of it by the realization of their condemnation and the
never ending wrath of the eternal, divine Majesty and of all creatures. No
created thing shall they be able to behold with joy, because in these ever
shall be reflected the condemned one’s own unceasing, lamentable sorrow, terror
and despair. Nor, on the other hand, can the creature behold the condemned with
pleasure, but must abhor them; it must be an object of further terror and
condemnation to the damned. However, in this life God in his unspeakable
goodness has subjected the creature to vanity, as Paul says in Romans
43. But because an eternal, unchangeable sentence of
condemnation has passed upon sin for God cannot and will not regard sin with
favor, but his wrath abides upon it eternally and irrevocably redemption was
not possible without a ransom of such precious worth as to atone for sin, to
assume the guilt, pay the price of wrath and thus abolish sin.
44. This no creature was able to do. There was no remedy
except for God’s only Son to step into our distress and himself become man, to
take upon himself the load of awful and eternal wrath and make his own body and
blood a sacrifice for the sin. And so he did, out of his immeasurably great
mercy and love towards us, giving himself up and bearing the sentence of
unending wrath and death.
45. So infinitely precious to God is this sacrifice and
atonement of his only beloved Son who is one with him in divinity and majesty,
that God is reconciled thereby and receives into grace and forgiveness of sins
all who believe in this Son. Only by believing may we enjoy the precious
atonement of Christ, the forgiveness obtained for us and given us out of
profound, inexpressible love. We have nothing to boast of for ourselves, but
must ever joy fully thank and praise him who at such priceless cost redeemed us
condemned and lost sinners.
46. The essential feature of redemption forgiveness of sins
being once obtained, everything belonging to its completion immediately
follows. Eternal death, the wages of sin, is abolished, and eternal
righteousness and life are given; as Paul says in Romans
47. Such is the doctrine of the Gospel, and so is it to be
declared. It shows us sin and forgiveness, wrath and grace, death and life; how
we were in darkness and how we are redeemed from it. It does not, like the Law,
make us sinners, nor is its mission to teach us how to merit and earn grace.
But it declares how we, condemned and under the power of sin, death and the
devil, as we are, receive by faith the freely given redemption and in return
show our gratitude.
48. Paul also explains who it is that has shed his blood for
us. He would have us understand the priceless cost of our redemption, namely,
the blood of the Son of God, who is the image of the invisible God. The apostle
declares that he existed before creation, and by him were all things created,
and that therefore he is true, eternal God with the
Father. Hence, Paul says, the shed blood truly is God’s own blood. And so the
writer of this epistle clearly and mightily establishes the article of the
divinity of Christ. But this requires a special and separate sermon.
TWENTY-FOURTH
SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.
MATTHEW 9:18-26.
Contents:
Two examples of faith, and Christ’s call from the dead.
MATTHEW 9:18-26.
While he spake these things unto them, behold,
there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now
dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. And Jesus arose,
and followed him, and so did his disciples. And, behold, a woman, which was
diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the
hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his
garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he
said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made
thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that
hour.
And when Jesus came into the ruler's house,
and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, He said unto them, Give
place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scornBut
when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the
maid aroseAnd the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.
I. TWO
EXAMPLES OF FAITH
1. This narrative is more fully and
faithfully presented by the other Evangelists, Mark and Luke, and is a rich and
beautiful Gospel, both in its doctrine and consolation, for it teaches the
correct knowledge of the divine will in spiritual wisdom and understanding, (as
may be noted in the Epistle for to-day) and affords consolation and strength
under the cross and amid suffering. Let us note a few of its lessons.
2. First, the Lord is here represented surrounded by the
people, as a kind and affable man, as St. Paul in Titus 3:4, says, that through
him the grace and love of God have been made manifest,
through which he shows himself willing and ready to help and serve all men, and
also renders help to those who in true faith seek it from him.
3. But they are people who are in misery, trouble, sorrow
and distress. He will be with them and permit himself to be found by them; for
with such, his Word and work can be made effective.
But his Word and miracles are useless and lost among the carnally secure, the
mighty, the rich and prosperous, because they are not capable of receiving his
grace and favors, for they are already satisfied and satiated, and seek comfort
and happiness in other things or even in themselves. In order to receive the
grace and benefits of Christ, men must realize they have no comfort and help in
any creature, and that they experience nothing but trouble and sorrow; and it
is true as the Church sings in Luke
4. From this you see how graciously and paternally God
manifests himself toward us, since he comes to us so closely through his
beloved Son and seeks the poor and miserable, in order to pour out his grace
upon all, who are willing to receive it; because he sent his Son to us, in
order to be with us and dwell among us, as St. John,
5. This is the knowledge which Christians require and
through which alone they become Christians and children of God, as Isaiah,
53:11, says: “By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many,” and
John
6. This doctrine and knowledge of the Gospel should be
cherished and lauded by the whole world, because it alone publishes this true and joyous consolation, that God has had mercy on poor,
unworthy and miserable sinners, and does not wish to impute unto them their
sins, but out of pure grace forgives them. No other doctrine or sermon on earth
can save or give the same, as the whole world, Jews,
Gentiles and Turks, must acknowledge.
7. Therefore, no person can of himself reach that point
where he is before God free from horrible unbelief, and a condemned conscience,
is able with a true heart to call upon God, and knows for a certainty that God
will hear him, except alone through this knowledge of Christ, whom God himself
has appointed as his Mediator and publicly testified that he will be gracious,
hear and bless all who call upon him through Christ. Hence those only are
Christians who render true service to God and can
comfort themselves in the joyful assurance, that the true God is their God and
that he will be with them and help them; whereas all others, who do not know
Christ, are truly without God and cannot call upon him with true hearts, nor be
comforted, but must perish before God in eternal and terrible doubt and
destruction.
8. This Gospel presents two beautiful examples both of the
help of Christ and of faith which clings to and finds comfort in Christ, and
obtains help from him. First, that is a beautiful faith of the ruler of the
synagogue, which leads him to Christ in his distress, at the time when his
daughter was lying at the point of death and when he could only say that she
must die before he could return home; for he says: “My
daughter is even now dead,” and when all men had given up the hope and thought
that help could be secured for her. Yet he did not despair, but, while the rest
of his household despaired, wept and lamented, and could think of nothing
except how to lay out the dead body and arrange it for the flute-players and
others, he went to Christ in the firm confidence that if he brought him to his
daughter, she would be restored to life. He believed Christ was the one who
could help not only to restore and maintain health as long as body and soul
were still united, but that he could also restore life after body and soul had
been separated by death. This was certainly at the time a remarkable example of
faith, since nothing like it had ever before been heard or seen, unless perhaps
the miracle of the raising of the widow’s son to life, Luke
9. This is the virtue of the right kind of faith, which was
also, shortly afterwards, praised in the woman who had an issue of blood, namely,
that it clings steadfastly to Christ, grasps and holds fast to the Word heard
from him, does not inquire or look to that which the human mind may suggest,
nor to what other people believe or do; but straightway concludes, with
reference to the reports concerning Christ, that he is the one who can help in
time of need; who has helped others and therefore will help now. Such a heart
and faith truly find Christ and receive according to their faith.
10. In the second place, his faith concerning the Person of
Christ was of such a character (which was indeed a great spiritual knowledge)
that he rightly regarded him as the true Messiah sent
by God, not such as the great mass of the Jews, especially the scribes, thought
that he would come publicly before the people as a great and mighty lord and
king with great pomp and show, so that everybody would regard and receive him
as the one sent to them from God and in addition expected that he would deliver
them from bodily slavery under the foreign dominion of the Roman Emperor and
establish them as the mighty rulers of the world. On the contrary, overagainst
such dreams and Jewish notions, he regarded him as the true
Lord and Messiah, although he was not thus regarded and received by his own
people, the Jews, who was sent from God, not to confer temporal power,
possessions, honor and freedom, but to help in those things and necessities
where no man can help, namely, to redeem us from the peril of death and the
power of the devil, yea, to turn death into life and confer life. He must not
be regarded as a mere man, but as that one who truly has in himself divine and
eternal power and authority over all creatures, because he believes that he
holds in his hands power over life and death, that is, that he truly is the Son
of God, as the Scriptures declare.
11. The other example of faith deserves no less praise,
namely, that of the poor woman who had an issue of blood twelve years, on
account of which she suffered in her body and lost all her strength, and
because of this she had long despaired of receiving human help and comfort. She
came to Christ, as she had heard of him, and could come to him in the certain
and undoubted confidence that he could help her in her great need, and with the
heartfelt assurance that he was so good and gracious as to help her and not let
her go away unaided. Of this she was so certain and confident that her heart
was free from care and grief, although she had reason to doubt. She was
concerned only with the thought of how she would be able to get to Christ,
wondering and thinking: “Ah! If I could but touch the hem of his garment.” Then
she firmly and confidently concluded in her heart, “I shall be made whole.” But she did not know how to reach him, because
she saw the crowd was so great and she, a poor, sick woman, could not well
break through such a crowd of people. Besides, the law did not permit her to
come among the people; yet her faith and desire urged her not to desist, but to
press through the crowd until she came behind him and touched his garment.
12. Behold here, how her faith overcame two obstacles.
First, her faith was so strong that she believed she could obtain help, if only
she could touch his garment. She did not deem it necessary to come to him and
with many words present her complaint and pray that he would have mercy on her
and help her, nor did others pray for her; but she sought only to reach him and
touch him, for she thought, if only she could do this, she would receive help.
She neither doubted his power, nor his willingness to help. Hence she did not
deem it necessary to do more, in order to secure his
help, than to touch merely the fringe of his outer garment. Therefore she did
not deem it necessary that she should come before him to be touched by him;
yea, she did not regard herself worthy to be addressed by him; nor was her
heart so full of confidence that, notwithstanding this, she lacked courage to
come into his presence, and hence was neither seen nor heard by him. But she
was satisfied simply to come up behind him, secretly and unnoticed by the
crowd, and did not doubt as to the help she expected to receive. Nor did her
faith deceive her, for as soon as she touched the hem of his garment, the
fountain of blood was stopped.
13. Now, that a poor, simple woman should be able to see and
know that this man’s help and power were such that it was not necessary to
speak to him at length, but that he was able to see in secret, even though he
should not publicly show that he knows anything of our necessities or wished to
help us, must be the result of a great and extraordinary illumination of the
Spirit and the knowledge of faith. Accordingly, her faith produced such an
assurance in her, that all doubt was removed, and she realized that if she
could only reach him with even the most insignificant means, she would be
helped. This, indeed, means a strong faith that this man must possess divine,
almighty power and authority, that he can see and understand the secret
thoughts and desires of the heart, although not a word is spoken; and that he
can prove his work and help, although she sees and feels nothing externally
except the words we heard him utter, which produced faith in her heart.
14. She desired nothing besides this Word, nor did she ask
for more than merely to touch his garment, which she
used as an external means and sign to gain the desired help. Likewise, we need
nothing more in our lives and in the kingdom of faith than the external Word
and Sacraments, in which he permits himself to be touched and seized as if by his
garment.
15. Hence you may see what faith, which clings to the Person
of Christ is and does, namely, a heart that regards him as the Lord and Savior,
the Son of God, through whom God reveals himself and bestows upon us his grace,
assuring us that through him and for his sake, he will hear and help us. This
is the true spiritual and heartfelt worship of God,
where the heart has to do with Christ and prays in his name, even though not a
single word may be uttered aloud, and gives the honor due him, regards him as
the true Savior, who can hear and know the secret desires of the heart and
manifest his power and help, although he does not permit himself to be
externally touched or approached, according to our thoughts.
16. The other master-piece of her faith is, that she is able
to overcome the feeling of her own unworthiness and roll from her heart the
heavy stone, which weighed her down so heavily, and yet makes her so diffident
that she dare not publicly approach Christ like other persons. The judgment passed
upon her by the law was that, as an unclean woman, she was not allowed to
associate with other people. For, in Leviticus
17. It was, therefore, not without a struggle and conflict
that she maintained her faith in that which she sought in Christ; for she could
not help but think: Behold, I am an unclean woman, punished of God, and every
one knows me. If I appear before this Lord, every one and even he himself may
simply condemn my boldness and impudence for coming into his presence and I may
receive more wrath and severer punishment from God
instead of mercy, and be forced to confess that I had been served rightly if he
casted me from him in his anger. This trial and struggle show also that, as the
text says, after she had been discovered, she was terrified and trembled, even
though she had received the desired help; and yet she was filled with fear,
lest he would speak harshly to her and censure her, because she had not been
afraid to come to him and secretly steal the desired help.
18. But her faith, which clearly set before her the good and
gracious heart of Christ, broke through all these barriers; besides, her great
need, yea, even her despair compelled her to become impudent before God and,
regardless of the prohibition and judgment of the law, her own shame urged her
to conclude: This Savior must be laid hold of, in spite of what the law, her
own heart and all the world, yea, what even he himself may say. Here is the man
who can help and who is also a good, gracious and faithful Savior. On the other
hand, I am a poor, miserable woman, who needs his help. He will certainly not
become other than he is, because of me, nor permit his grace and help to fail
me. Let his will be done in me; it will be better for me that I should be
covered with shame, than the injury I would receive if I should fail to seek
the help which I may be able to receive from him. She fixed her heart on the
idea that if she could only touch this man, her need would be removed and the
desired help received; and she would afterwards speak with Moses and the law,
so that she might remain uncondemned by him, etc.
19. Behold, that is a beautiful faith, which realizes its
unworthiness and yet does not permit itself to be hindered on this account to
place its confidence in Christ, nor to doubt his grace and help, but breaks
through the law and everything that frightens it away from him; yea, if the whole
world would attempt to hinder and thwart, yet it does not think of leaving this
man until it has laid hold on him. Therefore it presses through all barriers
and attains what it seeks in Christ, and immediately experiences the power and
work of Christ, even before he begins to speak. For it cannot apply to Christ
in vain, even as Christ himself testifies, when he says: “Thy faith hath made thee whole.”
20. Besides, faith like this is so pleasing to Christ that
he does not wish it to remain concealed in her and that the power and work made effective by it should remain a secret, but what is in
her heart must be published to everybody so that her faith may be praised
before the whole world and be strengthened in her. Therefore, turning and
looking around, he asked and desired to know who touched him; for he felt that
power had gone forth from him. When she found she had to be discovered, she
became afraid and began to tremble; for a heart filled with the great and
implicit trust which she had in him, and yet also with humility and the
knowledge of her unworthiness, must regard itself guilty, because she had gone
contrary to Moses and because she realized he might justly be angry with her,
because she could be so bold and impudent as to press through the crowd to him.
And hence in the midst of the work, after she had already been healed and her
heart was filled with joy, her faith had to contend with fear and terror, and
yet only to enjoy all the more consolation and joy in
Christ. For Christ does not wish faith to remain concealed in the heart, but
desires it to be publicly confessed, so that the glory of God may thereby be
praised and others also be spurred on to believe.
21. Therefore, when this woman was in fear and danger, lest
she should be disgraced before all and be condemned according to the law, yea,
even she herself be compelled to make a public confession, Christ began to
confirm her faith, to say she had done well in disregarding Moses and the law,
that is, the judgment passed upon her unworthiness; and now he publicly shows
the same disregard, will have her unaccused and uncondenmed, yea, esteems her
faith so highly that he ascribes to it alone the power and efficacy that helped
her, just as if he had done nothing in the matter. In like manner, he was
accustomed to speak at other times, as to the ruler, Matthew
22. We should learn from this woman to realize the power of
faith, and in our temptations and conflicts to call for help. For, as I have
already stated, it is through such faith that we become Christians, and a
distinction is shown between us and all other people on the earth, the Turks,
heathen and Jews. For we must know that it is one thing to be a good man,
perform many and great deeds, live a good, honorable and virtuous life, but
quite another thing to be a Christian. For in that which concerns our lives and
work we often receive great praise and honor before men, even from Jews and
Turks, as many great and excellent men have been highly praised in pagan
histories for their uprightness and virtue. Again, there have been many among
the Jews, as Gamaliel, Paul before his conversion, Nicodemus and others (as
this poor woman), who have with all zeal lived according to the law, so that in
their external life before the world, they surpassed many true
Christians.
23. But even here a difference as great as between heaven
and earth must be noted between Christians and others. A Christian is one who
has a different kind of light in his heart, that is faith, which truly knows
and lays hold on God and truly worships him. Through the Word of God he knows
and realizes his own unworthiness and receives the true
fear of God; and again finds comfort in his faith, believes and trusts he has
obtained forgiveness of sin and redemption in Christ, the Son of God, and for
his sake is acceptable to God and elected to eternal life; and in all his need,
when he feels his own weakness, or is tempted, can find refuge in God, appeal
to him and expect his help; and he knows he shall be heard.
24. No other person than a Christian has this faith and
assurance, be he Jew, Turk, Papist, or whatever he may be called, no matter how
pious and good his life may be, or how much he may pride himself that he
worships and serves God and hopes for eternal life; for the service, worship
and life of such persons still lack two great things, which prevent them from
being acceptable to God: first, they do not have the true
God, that is, do not know him as he has revealed himself and will be known,
towit, as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, his Son. Hence they walk in
blindness and miss God, because they seek him according to their own notions
and apart from Christ, and are deprived of the knowledge of the true Divine Being.
25. Secondly, they lack the possibility of the true and
assured knowledge of the will of God, because they do not have the Gospel.
Hence, they cannot be certain that God will assuredly hear them, and must
always remain in doubt whether or not God will hear them and interest himself
in their behalf. Accordingly their appeals and prayers can be nothing more than mere vain and useless thoughts and babblings,
through which the heart finds no consolation in God, nor expect anything from
him, but rather flee from him and are therefore truly without God, and use the
name of God in vain.
26. But the Christian’s prayer consists in this that he
prays to the true God, namely, the Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who has revealed himself to men through his Word; and besides he
has the certain confidence and assurance against all doubt that God will be
gracious to him and hear his prayer for the sake of Christ, his beloved Son.
27. This is the beautiful example of the woman. Now we turn
to the daughter of the ruler of the Synagogue. But here, too, faith must
contend and be strengthened; for although, as we have already heard, he had an
excellent faith, yet it could scarcely have been maintained, had it not been
strengthened. For, while Christ was still speaking with the woman, Mark 5:35-36
and Luke
28. This must have been a severe blow to the ruler’s faith.
But the fact that the woman had just been healed, must have prevented his faith
from failing, and indeed strengthened it to resist the doubts concerning his
daughter. And Christ himself is present to comfort and strengthen him against
this stumbling-block, in order to show that he is unwilling that even such weak
faith should be injured in any way, but be established and strengthened; and in
view of this he admonishes and encourages all persons by saying: “Doubt not,
only believe, etc.” This he said in order to see how highly he was pleased with
the faith that clings to him, and that he was ready to guard against its being
overcome; as he spoke to the Apostles, and especially to Peter, who fell so
easily, “I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.”
29. Now when Christ came to the house, this man’s faith had
to receive another blow; for there they saw and heard nothing but the tumult,
weeping and wailing, and the blowing of trumpets (which they used at the death
of their friends, as we do bells). All this cries in his heart that nothing was
left but death, and his faith had nothing on which to lay hold against despair,
except the word which Christ spoke against the tumult and lamentations: “The
child is not dead, but sleepeth,” on account of which he was mocked and laughed
at as a fool; for they all saw and knew that the maid was dead, and that there
was no breath nor spark of life in her. They could not but think: See, our
master or ruler must be mad or silly to bring this fool here, who tries to
convince us that the maid is not dead, when every one can clearly see she lies
stiff in death, a dead corpse, ready to be placed under ground.
30. They had come together at the synagogue, as at a common
gatheringplace, as we do at our churches, where on the Sabbath the Word of God
was taught, because throughout the whole country there was neither church nor
temple, except at Jerusalem. And this ruler of the synagogue occupied the same
position among them that our pastors occupy, and others occupied the place of
assistants or readers, who read Moses or preached, circumcised the children and
instructed the young, and visited the sick and sorrowing to comfort them. These
had to be together in the synagogue and testified concerning this work of
Christ, even with their mocking and scornful laughter, namely, that the maiden had
certainly died and been raised from the dead. The ruler therefore, before he
could experience the work of Christ, was compelled, in the face of this offense
and mockery, to cling to the one word of Christ and with him be regarded as a
fool and in his folly learn this spiritual wisdom that death is not death to
Christ, but only a sleep.
II.
CHRIST’ S CALL FROM THE DEAD
31. Let us learn from this to become fools with Christ and
this ruler and teacher, in order that we may understand these words. Although this
man’s words may be despised by the world and be regarded as foolishness, yet
they are very precious, for in them there certainly lies hid the highest wisdom
of heaven and earth. For this passage, as a general expression, teaches you
that your death in Christ is nothing more than a mere
sleep, so that you may be able to look through and beyond the horrible sight
and frightful larva of death and the grave, yea, apprehend the same truth of
death, if only you hear these words in faith and accept them as true in Christ.
32. Here we have nothing to do with ox-eyes, or even man’s
eyes, but with the eyes with which Christ sees, and with the ears with which
Christ hears, yea, a mind and heart like Christ himself has. A swine, when it
sees the dead body of a man lying before it, can only conclude that it is a
carcass like any other dead body, which is devoured by birds or animals, or is
decomposed. So also a person without faith neither sees nor understands more, and in this respect cannot be distinguished from the
brute, except in so far as he carries his head upright, while that of the brute
is turned to the ground; for his thoughts can reach only as far as this life is
concerned. Therefore, it is not to be wondered at that the mind should affect
such socalled wisdom as this: “How can a person be said to sleep when he no
longer has either breath or life, is buried under ground and is in process of
decomposition?” On the other hand, he who desires to learn how to perceive and
understand God’s kingdom, power and work, must shut his mind and understanding,
purify his eyes, cleanse his ears, and see and hear what Christ says in this
matter, and how it is in his sight apart from this life, where our
understanding, mind and thought cannot reach.
33. In this passage you hear that Christ says that to him
the dying of a person is not death, but a sleep, yea, from his point of view
none of those who have lived and died before our time are dead, but are all
alive, as those we see standing before us; for he has concluded that all shall
live, yea, he holds their lives in his hands. For you must here clearly
distinguish between the thoughts and actions of Christ, and the views, thoughts
and understanding of the world, as I have said before, so that you may not
remain in the blind and brutish thought and opinion concerning the dead and
putrifying body, but rather perceive that this is the Lord of all creatures,
whether to us they be dead or alive, and that all life comes from him and is
maintained in and by him, so that if he would not maintain life no one could
live a single moment.
34. Besides the regular daily maintenance of life, he must
maintain it without our will and help when we sleep, a condition in which man
has no control over his mind and life, and does not know how he falls asleep
and wakes again. Therefore it is not difficult for Christ, in the hour when
body and soul are separated, to hold in his hand the soul and spirit of man,
even though we ourselves neither feel nor see anything, yea, even though the
body be entirely consumed. For, since he can preserve the breath of life and
spirit, apart from the body, so he can again bring the body together out of
dust and ashes. This he has proved in this and similar examples, when he
restored to life with one word those who had truly died and whose body and soul
had been separated. Hence we must conclude that he holds in his hand the life
of those who have died; for if this power did not belong to him, he could not
restore life.
35. In the second place, you must not calculate how far life
and death are apart, or how many years may pass while the body is wasting in
the grave, and how one after another dies, but endeavor to grasp the thought of
Christ with reference to the conditions apart from this time and hour. For he does
not calculate time by tens, hundreds or thousands of years, nor measure the
years consecutively, the one preceding, the other following, as we must do in
this life; but he grasps everything in a moment, the beginning, middle and end
of the whole human race and of all time. And what we regard and measure
according to time, as by a long drawn out rule, all this he sees as at a
glance, and thus both the death and life of the last as well as of the first
man are to him as only a moment of time.
36. Thus we should learn to view our death in the right
light, so that we need not become alarmed on account of it, as unbelief does;
because in Christ it is indeed not death, but a fine, sweet and brief sleep,
which brings us release from this vale of tears, from sin and from the fear and
extremity of real death and from all the misfortunes of this life, and we shall
be secure and without care, rest sweetly and gently for a brief moment, as on a
sofa, until the time when he shall call and awaken us together with all his
dear children to his eternal glory and joy. For since we call it a sleep, we
know that we shall not remain in it, but be again awakened and live, and that
the time during which we sleep, shall seem no longer than if we had just fallen
asleep. Hence, we shall censure ourselves that we were surprised or alarmed at
such a sleep in the hour of death, and suddenly come alive out of the grave and
from decomposition, and entirely well, fresh, with a pure, clear, glorified
life, meet our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the clouds.
37. Therefore we should entrust and commend to our true Savior and Redeemer ourselves, body, soul and life,
with all confidence and joy, just as we must commend to him our life without
care in our bodily sleep and rest, assured that we shall not lose it, but be
truly and carefully preserved in his hand, maintained and again restored. Here
you see, as he shows in reality, how easy it is for him to awaken men from the
dead and restore them to life, as he came to the maiden, took her by the hand,
as some one else might do to awaken one from sleep, and with a word called,
“Maid, arise!” and the maiden suddenly arose, as if she had been awakened from
sleep. We see here neither sleep nor death, but wakefulness and freshness, even
as Lazarus came forth from his tomb.
38. Behold, this Word of Christ is not a matter of laughter
and foolishness to faith (as to others among the prudent and the saints
according to the law, who nevertheless remain in fear and terror of death, have
to do with their thoughts about death and works), but of great wisdom, by which
death and all the images of death are swallowed up, and in their place true comfort, joy and life are obtained. The act and
experience must assuredly follow this Word of Christ and faith in his Word
cannot fail. Let this be regarded as a master-piece and a wonderful work of
alchemy or a science, which indeed does not turn copper and lead into gold, but
turns death into sleep, your grave into a soft sofa, the time from the death of
Abel until the last day into a brief hour, a work which no creature has nor can
attempt except through faith in Christ. If you can believe this, that is, let
the Word of Christ be true and not a lie, you have
already overcome both death and the sting of death, and in their place have
obtained sweet rest.
39. Scripture everywhere affords such consolation, which
speaks of the death of the saints, as if they fell asleep and were gathered to
their fathers, that is, had overcome death through this faith and comfort in
Christ, and awaited the resurrection, together with the saints who preceded
them in death. Therefore the early Christians (undoubtedly from the Apostles or
their disciples) followed the custom of bringing their dead to honorable burial
and wherever possible interred them in separate places, which they called, not
places of burial or grave-yards, but coemeteria ,
sleepingchambers, dormitoria , houses of sleep, names which have remained in
use until our time; and we Germans from ancient times call such places of burial
God’s acres, as St. Paul, 1 Corinthians
40. Further, we are shown here, as in a painting, both in
the woman with the bloody flux and in the maiden, the result of attempting to
govern conscience by means of the law, without a knowledge of Christ. There are
two classes of people: One class consists of the sick, poor timid consciences,
who feel their secret need and sins, as well as the judgment and curse of the
law, that is, that they are under the wrath of God, desire earnestly to be
freed from it, seek help and counsel from many physicians, expend all their
possessions, body and life, and yet receive no help, neither improvement nor
comfort, but continually grow worse; until they at last give
up in despair and resign themselves to death; finally Christ comes to them with
his Gospel. Many good-hearted people have hitherto experienced this under the
Papacy, who earnestly strove to become pious, did everything as they were
directed and taught, and yet gained from it only terrified and timid
consciences, and on account of the fear and horror of death and of the judgment
day, would gladly have ended their lives. This is the result of all teaching at
its best, apart from the knowledge of Christ.
41. The other class, like the daughter of the ruler, are
those who are without the law, whether they be Jews or Gentiles, that is, are
free and live securely, do not feel the terrors of the law, think they are
prosperous and safe until they are suddenly struck down and die,
as St. Paul, speaking of himself, Romans
42. Since both the woman and the daughter were delivered
from their need and from death, there is no counsel or help other than that
which acknowledges Christ and hears the truly comforting, living voice of the
Gospel, which has the power to abolish sin and death, and to give
to the conscience everlasting comfort, joy and life, wherever these are
accepted in true faith. And here the doctrine is clearly set
forth, that we are justified and saved, without our merit, gratuitously, alone
through faith, and so are delivered from sin and death. The poor woman brought
nothing to Christ, except her great unworthiness, so that she had to be ashamed
of it, yea, was filled with fear and terror when forced to make herself known.
There was even far less personal merit or worthiness in the ruler’s daughter,
because she lay there in death and was altogether without life and action. In a
word, we must confess that in ourselves we have nothing, nor are able to live
or do anything to please or to bring us favor and life, unless his pure grace
be conferred upon us.
43. But after we have received forgiveness of sin,
consolation and life, let us begin to teach and do good works. Just as the
woman, after she had been healed, and the maiden, after she had been restored
to life, did good and living deeds. Thus we too have power in Christ to live
according to the will of God, and know that our lives and works begun in Christ
are acceptable to him. Whatever else might be said here, how Christ performs
his works and wonders in his Church, in which are seen the fruits of faith,
though secretly and obscurely, as in both these instances of the woman and the
maiden, so that the world was not allowed to see them, would make our present
discussion too lengthy.
TWENTY-FIFTH
SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.
MATTHEW 24:15-28.
This sermon is found in all editions of the Church Postil
and in two pamphlet prints, both issued at Wittenberg in 1525, under the title:
“A sermon on the Jewish kingdom and the end of the world, Matthew 24, preached
on the last Sunday after Pentecost, Martin Luther, Wittenberg.”
Contents:
The destruction of the kingdom of the jews, the abomination
of desolation, and the end of the world.
Matthew 24:15-28.
When therefore, ye see the abomination of
desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the
holy place (let him that readeth understand), then let them that are in Judaea
flee unto the mountains: let him that is on the housetop not go down to take
out the things that are in his house: and let him that is in the field not
return back to take his cloak. But woe unto them that are with child and to
them that give suck in those days! And pray ye that
your flight be not in the winter, neither on a sabbath: for then shall be great
tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now,
no, nor ever shall be. And except those days had been shortened, no flesh would
have been saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. Then
if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ, or, Here; believe it
not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show
great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
Behold, I have told you beforehand. If therefore they shall say unto you,
Behold, he is in the wilderness; go not forth: Behold, he is in the inner
chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh forth from the east, and
is seen even unto the west; so shall be the coming of the Son of man.
Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
1. In this chapter there is a description of the end of two
kingdoms; of the kingdom of the Jews, and also of the kingdom of the world. But
the two Evangelists, Matthew and Mark, unite the two and do not follow the
order as Luke did, for they have nothing more in view
than to relate and give the words of Christ, and are not concerned about what
was said either before or after. But Luke takes special pains to write clearly
and in the true order, and relates this discourse
twice; first briefly in the 19th chapter, where he speaks of the destruction of
the Jews at Jerusalem; afterwards in the 21st chapter he speaks of both, one
following the other.
2. Notice therefore that Matthew unites the two and at the
same time conceives the end, both of the Jewish nation and of the world. He
therefore cooks both into one soup. But if you want to understand it, you must
separate and put each by itself, that which really treats of the Jews, and that
which relates to the whole world. This we wish to do now.
3. Notice, first, how Christ prophecies in this chapter
concerning the final destruction of the Jewish nation, which the Jews did not
at all believe, even though they had been dearly told through great signs and
words, the promises of God which he made to the
fathers, like unto which had happened to no other people upon the earth. For
this reason they strongly insisted and depended upon it, thought it will
continue forever, as they think even at the present time; that their kingdom is
not destroyed but has only disbanded a little and shall be re-established. They
cannot get it out of their minds that they are not completely ruined.
4. For this reason God announced besides his miracles with
clear and plain prophesies that their kingdom shall have an end and that God
had abolished the external reign of the law, meats, offerings, etc., and would
establish another which shall endure forever, as the angel announced to the
virgin concerning Christ, as recorded in Luke
5. Among the various passages which treat of the end of
Judaism there is especially one that is introduced by Christ, namely: the
prophet Daniel, 9:25f, speaks of the terrible abomination, standing where he
ought not, when he says concerning the Jewish nation, “Know therefore and
discern, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build
Jerusalem unto the anointed one the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and
three-score and two weeks,” that makes together seventy weeks or years, “And
after the three-score and two weeks, shall the anointed one be cut off, and
shall have nothing: and the people of the Prince that shall come shall destroy
the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and even
unto the end shall be war; desolations are determined. And he shall make a firm
covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause
the sacrifice and the oblation to cease; and upon the wing of abominations shall
come one that maketh desolate; and even unto the full end, and that determined,
shall wrath be poured out upon the desolate.”
6. The Prophet Daniel desired to know the definite time when
this should come to pass, but he could not learn it, and although the angel
pointed out a definite time, it was nevertheless too dark for the prophet to
understand, hence he said before: But at last, at the last time, you shall see
everything, that is, your prophecy, that is to be revealed to you, shall
transpire at the end of time. For when Christ sent out the Gospel through the
ministry of himself and of the Apostles, it lasted three or three and a half
years, that it almost amounts to the calculation of Daniel, namely the 490
years. Hence he also says, Christ shall take a half a week, in which the daily
offerings shall cease; that is, the priesthood and reign of the Jews shall have
an end; which all took place in the three and a half years in which Christ
preached, and was almost completed in four years after Christ, in which the
Gospel prospered the most, especially in Palestine through the Apostles (that
when they opened their mouth, the Holy Ghost fell as it were, from heaven, as
we see in the Acts of the Apostles), so that a whole week, or seven years,
established the covenant, as Daniel says; that is, the Gospel was preached to
the Jews, of which we spoke before. Now, when the time came that a new message
or sermon began, there must also begin a new kingdom, that is, where Christ
rules spiritually in our hearts through the Word and faith. If this is now to
continue, then the other must be set aside and has no
more authority and must cease. This is the part of the prophecy of the
phophets, which Christ is explaining.
7. The other treats of the abomination of desolation. Here
Christ now says, When ye shall see this one standing in the temple, then take
heed (he wants to say) for that is a sure sign from Daniel’s prophecy that his
kingdom is now at an end; and do not let yourselves be deceived because the
Jews and weak Christians think that it shall never be destroyed.
8. But the abomination of which Daniel writes is that the
Emperor Cajus, as history tells, had put his image in the temple at Jerusalem
as an idol, for the people to worship, after everything there had been
destroyed. For the Scriptures call idolatry really an abomination, because God
abhors and abominates it, inasmuch as he is the enemy of no sin so much as of
this. The others he does truly punish, but he does not cast the people away if
they repent, as he says in Psalm 89:31-34: “If they break my statutes, and keep
not my commandments; then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and
their iniquity with stripes. But my loving kindness will I not utterly take
from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My covenant will I not break, nor
alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.” But this sin, called idolatry,
which is really unbelief and denial of God, which he cannot at all endure,
condemns man completely. For where this remains in the heart of man, so that he
teaches and believes correctly, indicates that our works are nothing, and that
we shall be acceptable to God and serve him aright alone through faith, then
there will be a truly godly character; there light and truth abide. Although
along side of faith there runs a sense of the weakness of the flesh. It is not
an abomination before God, but only a daily sin that God will punish unto
repentance; yet he keeps the people, spares them and forgives them, when the
people turn to him and learn to acknowledge his goodness. On the other hand,
where this faith and doctrine do not exist, everything is lost; for it is
impossible for man not to establish for himself a
false worship and choose his own opinion and work, and worship it, so that he
really denies God and his Word, and God is entirely turned aside; so that his
grace cannot operate. Such abomination is generally the most beautiful and the
greatest holiness in the eyes of the world, which outwardly appears in
beautiful works and customs; but inwardly is full of filthiness, as we can see
at the present day in our orders and church services where they are at their
best. However there are again some Christians who are not like these in their
works and ways; but are truly holy before God.
9. Now Christ says, when the abomination, that is, this
idol, shall stand in the temple, the kingdom shall finally be made desolate and destroyed, so that it can never be rebuilt
again, as Luke expresses it clearly in these words, Luke 21:20f: “But when ye
see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that our desolation is at hand.
Then let them that are in Judea flee unto the mountains; and let them that are
in the midst of her depart out; and let not them that are in the country enter
therein. For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may
be fulfilled.” And further, “Woe unto them that are with child and to them that
give suck in those days! And pray ye that your flight
may be not in the winter, neither on a Sabbath: for then shall be great
tribulation, such as had not been from the beginning of the world until now,
no, nor ever shall be.”
10. All this pertains still to the Jewish nation. For if
this should come upon us at the end of the world, then would we, according to
the text, have to be in the land of Judea, because he really points to that
country. It is also true, when he says that no greater
calamity has been or can be upon the earth than was at the time of the
destruction of Jerusalem; as we see in history, how unmercifully they were
slaughtered and even killed one another, cast themselves into the fire, and
permitted themselves to kill one another. Yea, the famine was so great that
they ate the strings of cross-bows and even their own children. It was so
shameful and abominable that like pity and distress shall never be heard again.
11. But they themselves wanted it, hence God permitted them
to be thus blighted and destroyed. He would gladly have had mercy upon them and
preserved them, but they brought themselves to such distress with their
stiff-neckedness, that they killed and consumed one another; that as they began
it, all such murder and bloodshed had to increase. Thus the death of Christ and
of all the prophets is most abominably avenged on them, and that without
ceasing, they raged against the Word of God, and persecuted and drove away the
Apostles, as St. Paul says in Thessalonians 2:15-16, that the wrath of God
finally came upon them.
12. When such fearful wrath and abominable plagues are at
hand, says Christ, then flee wherever ye are able to flee; for these words,
“Then flee unto the mountains, he that is in Judea, and he that is upon the
housetop,” etc.; then; “He who is in the field,” etc., are all written or
spoken symbolically, as if to say, hasten quickly away; the sooner the better,
and let no one find or overtake you. This also came to pass. After the Jews had
been sufficiently warned by many signs, that they should submit themselves to
the Romans, and they would not; then the disciples and apostles fled away and followed
this saying of Christ, they left everything behind that was in Judea and never
returned to take anything.
13. “And pray ye,” he says further, “that your flight be not
in the winter, neither on a Sabbath;” that is, see to it that you flee at the right
time, that you be not overtaken. For he did not want to perform a miracle and
keep them safely in the midst of the enemy, although he could have done so; for
he had determined that everything that was there should be completely destroyed
together; therefore all as one mass were only fit for destruction. If there
were indeed a great multitude at Jerusalem according to the record, a million
and a hundred thousand men were melted together, as many as were in the city.
Therefore Jesus admonishes the disciples that they should not postpone their
flight to the Sabbath, when they did not dare to journey; nor to the winter,
when it would be cold; but that they should depart, the sooner the better; that
if they hesitate, an inconvenient time to flee would come.
14. Thus far Jesus speaks concerning the Jews. Now I have
said before that Matthew and Mark unite these two ends together. Therefore it
is difficult to discriminate, and yet we must discriminate between the two.
Therefore notice that what had been said up to the present, all referred to the
Jews; but now he weaves both together, breaks off abruptly, does not concern
himself about the order in which the passages were spoken by Christ, and how
they are connected with and follow one another; but leaves it to the Evangelist
Luke, yet he wants to say that it shall be thus at the last day, and says:
15. This refers to both parts and the meaning is, that the
distress shall not endure long, for the sake of the godly; for the war against
the Jews did not last quite two years, when peace was declared. But since all
this has reference also to the end of the world, we wish to apply these
passages concerning the Jews also to ourselves, so that we do justice to the
Evangelist.
16. That a war shall come again as came upon the Jews, I do
not expect, because the text says: There shall be such tribulation as shall
never be again, as we also read and see; but another punishment shall come upon
us; as that was a temporal war, so at the end of the world will a spiritual war
come over the ungodly, who will be in the same condition as the Jews. Thus they
will agree with one another: as that calamity came upon Jerusalem according to
God’s ordering and everything was ground to powder; so abominable, and even
worse, shall it be before the last day, when he shall Come and make an end of
the whole world.
17. For when Christ ascended into heaven, he established his
kingdom not only in Judea, but extended it into all the world by means of the
Gospel, which is being preached and heard everywhere. But we are doing just
like the Jews, we deny and persecute the Word of God, kill the Christians who
confess and preach this Gospel, as at the first the Romans, and afterwards to
the present day, the Pope, bishops, princes, monks and priests do. This has now
been done, for more than five hundred years, and no one was allowed to preach the
Word of God, unless they repeated from the pulpit the text of the Gospel for a
mere show, and afterwards brought out of it or put into it the mere doctrines
of men. If anyone opposed it, they rose against him with fire and sword and
suppressed it. And it avails nothing, how they are warned and frightened by
words and signs; they still stand in their pride, storm and rage
against it as lunatics, so that God will ever have sufficient reason to destroy
them finally and eternally at the last day.
18. Therefore this passage in Daniel concerning the
abomination applies also to us. For we also have indeed a real abomination or
desolation sitting in a holy place, namely: in Christendom and in the
consciences of men, where God alone should sit and reign, of which Daniel
speaks in very clear words in the 8th and 9th chapters. For this is the real
pure doctrine, if we preach that we are redeemed by Christ from sin, death,
satan and all misfortune, and are planted in the kingdom of God through the
Word and faith and thereby are made free from all law,
and that no man, whoever he be, can enter into the kingdom of God through the
works of the law nor be made free from sin. Where this is preached and
believed, there Christ reigns spiritually in the heart without a medium; there
is the Holy Spirit with all the treasures and fullness of the riches of God.
19. But what is the Pope doing? He is sitting not in the
natural temple or God’s house, but in the spiritual, in the new and living
temple of which Paul says: “If any man destroyeth the temple of God, him shall
God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are,” Corinthians
3:16-17. In all times many devils and heretics have tried to sit here, and all
who are preaching against the true doctrine: If you
want to be saved, then simply join this or that society and order, and do this
or that work. They draw away the people from faith to works, although they are
using the words, Christ is the Lord, but in truth deny him, for they do not say
a single word that he forgives sins alone through grace, and redeems from death
and hell, but they say: Through this order, through these works, we must do
penance for sin, and atone for it in order to obtain grace, which is as much as
to say: Christ did not accomplish it, he is not the Savior; his suffering and
death cannot help, for if your works can accomplish it, then Christ cannot
accomplish it only through his blood and death, or the other must be in vain.
If you insist upon your works, then you drive out Christ; you deny and put to
shame his precious blood and him with it; then he cannot reign in your heart
through his Word, work and spirit, but my work is my idol whom I let sit in my
heart and reign.
20. Thus you see whether the Pope is not the greatest
arch-abomination of all abominations, to whom Christ and Daniel refer; and the true Antichrist, of whom it is written that he sitteth in
the temple of God, among the people, where Christ is named and where his
kingdom, spirit, baptism, Word and faith should be: because he interferes with
the office and kingdom of Christ by his fanaticism of the spiritual rites of
Christ, wants to rule over the consciences and govern with his propositions and
works. And he can in truth be called an “abomination of desolation,” who is only
destroying and laying waste everything, for as has been said: Christ and my
works cannot abide together; if the one stands, the other must go down and be
destroyed; wherefore the Pope has made desolate the
kingdom of Christ, as far as his diocese reaches, and all who join him have
denied Christ.
21. St. Paul prophesied all this, when in 2 Thessalonians
2:3-4, he calls him: “The man of sin and the son of perdition, he that opposeth
and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so
that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God.” But that
the Papists want to turn this passage from themselves and say: Christ and Paul
are speaking of the temple of Jerusalem, that Antichrist shall sit and rule
there, amounts to nothing. For Christ says here, that Jerusalem together with
the temple shall have an end, and after its destruction it shall never be
rebuilt. Therefore since Paul is pointing to the time after the Jewish kingdom,
and the destruction of the material temple, it cannot be understood otherwise
than of the new spiritual temple, which as he says himself, we are. There, Paul
says, the Pope shall sit and be honored, not above God, but above everything
that is called God, for the name of God does indeed remain the highest honor,
therefore he cannot exalt himself above the true God,
but above that which is called God and is worshipped; that is, he is exalted
against his preaching and honor, higher than the true God, as is apparent in
that so many princes and the world are clinging to him and regard his command
higher and greater than the command of God. If any man eats meat contrary to
his command or goes out of the impure calling of the priest, monk, or nun, into
married life, as God has commanded, or according to the institution of Christ
takes the sacrament in both forms; that is the greatest sin. They regarded it
much less than stealing, adultery and all open vice against the command of God,
and no one is even allowed to punish them for it. Yea, that they themselves defame
the Word of God, persecute and kill the Christians, they esteem as the highest
service of God, as it is also the highest service they can do for their god,
the Pope. Is not this exalting and honoring Anti-christ against God, so that if
anyone speaks or does anything against this, if he gets into their hands, he
must immediately die? I think now that enough has been
pictured forth and explained concerning this abomination.
22. Now it is high time for him to run and flee, who is able
to flee; let everything he has behind and depart; the sooner the better; not
with his feet but with his heart, in such a way that he will be rid of the
abomination and enter the kingdom of Christ through faith. But to do this
reason and a keen insight are needed rightly to discern the abomination. It
cannot be seen in any way better than when we compare it to Christ who teaches,
as stated above, that we are reconciled to God, and are saved through his
blood. But the Pope ascribes this power to our works. Thus you ever see that to
be saved through works and not to be saved through works (to believe on Christ
as our justification before God) are contrary to each other. If you then want
to remain with Christ, you must flee from the Pope and let him go.
23. This is now the abomination of desolation that has
reigned until our time; but is now revealed through the grace of God, but will
never be destroyed by emporer or worldly power. It must all be higher than that
material destruction, since that was such a great tribulation, that there never
can be a greater physically. Therefore did God reserve the destruction of this
abomination for himself, as Paul says in Thessalonians 2:8: “Whom the Lord
Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the
manifestation of his coming.” Although they themselves fear evil from worldly
power and insurrection, yet this shall not be so well with them. For they are
not worthy of such mild punishment, and God will not grant unto them that they
be destroyed through man, but will do it himself without means, through his
Word. Inasmuch as it has now made a beginning and the
kingdom is destroyed even to the extent that it avails nothing, nor can take
captive the conscience of those who know the Gospel. However hostile the Pope
rages against the Gospel; he must nevertheless fall at the feet of princes and
seek help from them. Hence his power is weakened and broken by means of the
Gospel; but his final destruction is reserved unto the last day. Therefore it
must continue in part until Christ at his coming shall destroy and grind to
powder all together from heaven.
24. But as at that time among the Jews, the days were
shortened, as Christ said, so must now also the days be shortened for the
elect’s sake; for we see that the government of the Pope has had opposition and
has declined during the last hundred years, without, at the Council of
Constance where Huss was burned at the stake, having frightened everybody that
he was held as God; but the truth came finally to light, so that now it is very
much despised and can endure but a little longer; hence we notice, as I said
before, that our text refers not only to the Jews but also to our abomination,
the Pope’s kingdom. Now Christ says further:
“Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the
Christ, or, Here; believe it not.”
25. From this passage we should indeed know and understand
how to conquer the Pope and his rebel horde, who abolish the kingdom of Christ,
and bind the Christian life to external and visible things, as they also
publicly declare: Where the Pope is, there is the Christian church. They want
to lead us to the point that we should find, feel and touch it in person or
state, or in a manner that is wholly external. Thus they do in all their
cloisters and institutions. Therefore they say: If you enter this calling, eat,
clothe yourself, pray and fast so and so, then you will atone for your sins and
be saved. Heretofore Christ pictured this beautifully to us, and pointed to all
these cloisters, callings and works, by which they wish to help the soul, and
warns us to be careful of them, and not to permit ourselves to be drawn from
the foundation upon which we stand; that we cannot become Christians through
any such thing; but are redeemed from all evil alone through his blood and are
planted into his kingdom, if we believe. He thus takes from our eyes all
temporal and external things, casts to the ground with one word all doctrines
that do not proclaim faith in its purity, and all life that is not regulated
according to the right doctrine of faith. In short, he adds: “If anyone says,
here or there is Christ,” believe it not, which means: Beware of everything
that leads you to works, for it surely deceives and separates you from me.
26. These are admirable, earnest and fearful words, that
these preachers of works must force this truth into the people with such a show
and emphasis that even the saints who stand in faith cannot protect themselves
against it, but are led astray thereby, as has been the case. For the dear
fathers, Augustine, I think Jerome also, likewise St. Bernard, Gregory,
Francis, Dominicus and many others, although they were godly men, have all
erred here, as I have often remarked in other places. For this error, that the
Christian life was bound to external things, was early introduced and they with
others were swept into it, and it went so far that they were led into it by
their outward conduct, as we see in the books of St. Bernard, how poorly he
writes when he answered anyone on the questions of their monastic life; but
when he writes freely out of his own soul, he preaches so elegantly that it is
a pleasure for him, as Augustine, Jerome, Cyprian, the great and noble martyr,
and many others experienced. But when any question was laid before them
concerning the law and external regulations, whether we should understand it
so, or so, then they immediately stumbled and fell, so that little was needed
to mislead them. Still the followers of the Pope use this as the greatest
argument against us. They say, should so many holy people and teachers have
erred, and should God have forsaken the world so completely? They do not see
that this becomes to them a stumbling-block to cause their fall.
27. What shall we now answer them? The passage lies clearly
before us. This we must believe and let it stand; we cannot get away from it,
even though the holy angels in heaven were against it, for should not Christ be
holier and his Word amount to more than their word?
For he never at any time says: Lord of the many or of the great multitude, but
of the small number, of the elect, that they should stumble, so that they would
almost be led astray, and he warns us that we should not cling to this, when we
see that they cling to external things. Had they then not erred, Christ could
not have been right when he proclaimed it. Now if all the saints should come
and bid me believe in the Pope, I would not do it, but say: Even though you are
of the elect, Christ nevertheless has said that there should be abominable and
dangerous times: that you also must err. Therefore we must cling alone to the Scriptures
and to the Word of God, which say he is not here nor there. Where he is, there
I shall be. He will not be there where my work or calling is. Now whoever
teaches me otherwise deceives me; therefore I still insist that nothing avails
that they propose, as for example: The holy fathers and teachers thought so,
lived so, hence we also must think and live in like manner; but this avails:
Christ taught and thought so, therefore we must also think the same, for he is
authority, above all the saints.
28. At the time of the holy fathers, Anthony and others,
shortly after the Apostles, the fallacy already arose, of which Christ is
speaking here, although Anthony strove against it, that everybody was running
to the wilderness by the thousands, and it gained such favor that later Jerome
and Augustine almost worshipped custom, and did not know how sufficiently to
praise it. Now when we look at it in the right light, this text powerfully
opposes that movement, and there were also among them many heretics and many
condemned persons, and although there were godly people among them who escaped
the deception, nevertheless the example was dangerous and cannot be commended.
Also St. Francis was a holy man, but his example and the order he established
we are not to follow. But this no one, not even the saints, has recognized; so
deeply and with such great display has it taken root. The Christian life is not
confined to the wilderness, but moves freely in public society as Christ and
the Apostles lived, that we come before and among the world, preach and
admonish openly, to bring the people to Christ; but the people who run to the
wilderness, do not want to remain in the world where they must suffer so much.
They choose for themselves their own strict life, want thereby to be better
Christians than others, as also the cloisters do, which are designated by
Christ as the “chambers.” Christ closes now and says:
29. By this Christ wishes to say: Only do not believe them,
when they want to bind Christ to this or that, and try to lead you from faith
to works. I warn you not to fall from the pure faith, for you know not it what
hour I will come. When anyone neglects his looking for me, then I will come as
suddenly as the lightning flashes from heaven. When anyone clings not to him by
faith, he is lost. Therefore see to it, that that day does not come upon you
unawares. Remain steadfast in the faith, so that if you be indolent and sleep,
satan may not tare you from .your faith. But these
words here follow each other in disorder. For as I said, Matthew gives these
passages all in a heap and not in order. Therefore it does not agree exactly
with the words which follow here:
“Wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be
gathered together.”
30. That is, you need not ask where the place is, where
Christ shall come. I am where I wish to be, hence we will meet each other, as
we say: “Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered
together.” For as the eagle does not paint for himself the place to which it
will fly, but wherever the carcase is, there they will be gathered together;
thus mine own will also find me. Where I am, there shall my elect also be. This
is the text concerning the end of the Jews and of the world: to which Matthew
now unites the passages concerning the signs of the last day, all which Luke
separates clearly. This will belong to another occasion and is elsewhere fully
discussed.
Twenty Sixth Sunday after Trinity;
Matthew 25:31-46
MATTHEW
25:31-46
When the
Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then
shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all
nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth
his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the
goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come,
ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was
thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and
ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto
me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or
thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in
prison, and came 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: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty,
and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye
clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they
also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an
hungred, or athirst, 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 these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into
life eternal.
1. The words of this Gospel are in
themselves clear and lucid They have been given both
for the comfort and encouragement of believing Christians, and for the warning
and terror of others, if perchance, they might be of help to them. While most
lessons almost exclusively teach and inculcate faith, this one treats only of
the works, which Christ will examine at the last day, that it may be seen that
he wishes them to be remembered and performed by those who wish to be
Christians and be found in his kingdom.
2. And Christ himself gives this
admonition here in the strongest terms that can be given, both in the consoling
promise of a glorious, eternal reward, and in the most terrible threatenings of
eternal wrath and punishment upon all who despise the admonition; so that
whoever is not moved and aroused by these words can certainly never be moved by
anything. For Christ says, he will himself come visibly in his majesty, at the
last day, with all the angels, and that he will transplant all who have
believed in him and have exercised love toward his followers, into his father's
kingdom of eternal glory all who believe in him and love his saints; and that
he will also cast into hell forever all who live not as Christians, and who
separate themselves from him and all his saints.
3. Now, had it not been told us we
should be inquisitive beyond measure to know what would happen on the last day,
and what Jesus would say and do on that day. Here we are now told, and have set
before us first of all, death, which no one can escape; but after that the day
of judgment. Then it shall come to pass that Christ will bring together by
means of the resurrection all who have ever lived upon earth; and at the same
time he will descend in great inexpressible majesty, sitting upon the throne of
judgment, with all the heavenly host hovering around him; and all the good and
bad will appear, so that we shall all stand exposed before him, and no one will
be able to conceal himself.
4. The appearance of this glory and
majesty will immediately become a great terror and pain to the condemned, as we
read in today's Epistle lesson, !est they shall suffer punishment, even eternal
destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he
shall come to be glorified in his saints, 2 Thess. 1, 9-10. For even if there
were no more than a single angel present, there would not remain in his
presence one fickle, wicked conscience, were it possible to escape, any more
than a thief and a rascal can bear to come before a human judge. If he could
escape, he would much prefer it, if only for the purpose that he might escape
public disgrace, to say nothing of his being compelled to hear the judgment
passed upon him.
What
a terrible sight this will be, when the ungodly shall see not only all God's
angels and creatures, but also the Judge in his divine majesty, and shall hear
the verdict of eternal destruction and hell fire pronounced upon them forever!
This ought surely to be a strong, powerful admonition for us to live as
Christians, so that we may stand in honor and without fear at the right hand of
this majestic Lord, where there will be no fear nor terror, but pure comfort
and everlasting joy.
5. For he will then, as he says here
himself, immediately separate the goats from the sheep. And this will take
place publicly in the presence of all angels, men, and creatures, and before
the whole rabble of an ungodly world, that it may be seen who have been pious,
honest Christians, as well as who have been false hypocrites. This separation
cannot take place in the world until that day, not even in the assembly that
constitutes the Christian Church. The good and the bad must remain together in
this world, as the parable of the wedding guests says, Mat. 22, 10; or as
Christ himself had to tolerate Judas among his Apostles. Christians are even
now grieved that they must remain here in the midst of a crooked, perverse,
ungodly people, which is the kingdom of Satan, Phil. 2, 15.
6. While they have their sufferings here
upon earth, they will have also their comfort on the coming day of judgment,
when Christ will separate them from the other flock, so that after that day no
false, ungodly men, nor death, nor devil can ever touch them or offend them.
7. Then he will pronounce the
verdict in the very words in which he has already prepared it and set it forth,
and he will certainly not change it. And the words are peculiar in this that he
makes them depend upon the deeds and works here mentioned, which they have or
have not done, and which are the basis and cause of his judgment. And all these
words set forth at length the works which have been done as well as those which
have been neglected. And all this shall happen in the twinkling of an eye, when
the hearts of all men shall be revealed before all creatures; and as it is
preached here, so there all will be forthwith executed.
8. You may ask why Christ there
especially examines works called deeds Of mercy, or the neglect of such works?
Six different kinds are mentioned in the text, although many more might be
given; yet were one to judge critically in the matter, there are no more works
than those implied in the fifth commandment: Thou shalt not kill; in which we
are commanded in general, as Christ himself explains it, not to be angry with
our neighbor, but to be kind to him and ready to serve and assist him, supply
his wants in times of need, whether in hunger, thirst, nakedness, suffering,
imprisonment, sickness or other troubles, and to do this even to those who may have
given us occasion for anger or for unmerciful acts, and thus do not appear to
be worthy of our love and benevolence. For that is a poor virtue which does
good only to those we love, or from whom we hope to receive kindness and thanks
in return.
But
one might, as has been said, add to those works of mercy many more from other
commandments; for example from the sixth, that one is to assist his neighbor,
to protect his wife, children and domestics, and to keep them under proper
restraint and in honor; also from the seventh, eighth and last commandments,
that is, to help save and maintain the goods and property, house, home and good
report of his neighbor; also to help protect and defend the poor, the oppressed
and the down-trodden.
9. Now Christ says also in Mat.
12,36, that men must give an account on the day of judgment not only of the
transgressions of these commandments, but also of every idle word they have
spoken. Then where shall the works of the first table, the greatest
commandment, as right teaching, faith, prayer, hearing and preaching of God's
Word, and the like, find their place? Why does he pronounce such a harsh and
severe judgment only upon those who have omitted to do the works of the fifth
commandment? Because these works appear almost the same as those which the
heathen do. For the Turks do more works of this kind and boast more of them
than we who are called Christians. Among them each one regards his neighbor as
his brother and shares with him whatever he has. Nay, they regard it the greatest
unfaithfulness and most shameful vice not to share bread with a neighbor in
times of hunger. Why does he so highly extol these works which shine so
brightly also among the Turks and among the heathen? Certainly he does not mean
to say that those also who are not Christians merit eternal life by reason of
such works?
10. For Christ himself shows that he
is speaking of the works of believing Christians, when he says: ”I was hungry
and ye gave me to eat,” etc.; ”what ye have done unto the least of these my
brethren ye have done unto me.” For there is no doubt that he who performs such
works of mercy to Christians, must himself be a Christian and a believer; but
he who does not believe in Christ, will certainly never be so kind toward a
Christian, much less toward Christ, so that for his sake he would show mercy to
the poor, and needy; therefore he will refer to these works at the judgment,
and accordingly pronounce the verdict to both parties, to those who have done,
and those who have not done these works, as a public testimony of the fruits of
their faith or of their unbelief.
11. It seems as though he meant
hereby to show that many Christians, after receiving the preaching of the
Gospel, of the forgiveness of sins and grace through Christ, become even worse
than the heathen. For he also says in, Mat. 19, 30, ”Many that are first shall
be last; and the last shall be first.” Thus it will also be at the end of the
world; those who should be honest Christians, because they heard the Gospel,
are much worse and more unmerciful than they were before, as we see too many
examples of this even now.
Aforetime
when we were to do good works under the seduction and false worship of the
Papacy, every one was ready and willing; a prince, for example, or a city,
could give more alms and a greater endowment than now all the kings and
emperors are able to give. But now all the world seems to be learning nothing
else than how to estimate values, to rake and scrape, to rob and steal by
lying, deceiving, usury, overcharging, overrating, and the like; and every man
treats his neighbor, not as though he were his friend, much less as his brother
in Christ, but as his mortal enemy, and as though he intended to snatch all
things to himself and begrudge everything to others.
12. This goes on daily, is
constantly increasing, is a very common practice and custom. among all classes
of people, among princes, the nobility, burghers, peasants, in all courts,
cities, villages, yes in almost every home. Tell me, what city is now so strong
and pious as to be able to raise an amount sufficient to support a schoolmaster
or a preacher? Yes, if we did not already have the liberal alms and endowments
of our forefathers, the Gospel would long ago have disappeared in the cities on
account of the burghers, and in the country because of the nobility and
peasants, and poor preachers would have nothing to eat nor to drink. For we do
not love to give, but would rather take even by force what others have given
and endowed. Therefore it is no credit to us that a single pulpit or school is
still maintained. Yea, how many there are among the great, the powerful, and
the rich, especially in the Papacy, who would like to see nothing better than
all preachers, schools, and arts exterminated.
13. Such are the thanks to the
blessed Gospel, by which men have been freed from the bondage and plagues of
the Pope, that they must become so shamefully wicked in these last times. They
are now no more unmerciful, no more in a human, but in a satanic way; they are
not satisfied with being allowed to enjoy the Gospel, and grow fat by robbing
and stealing the revenues of the church, but they must also be scheming with
all their power how they may completely starve out the Gospel. One can easily
count upon his fingers, what they who enjoy the Gospel are doing and giving,
here and elsewhere; and, were it only for us now living, there would long since
have been no preacher or student from whom our children and descendants might
know what we had taught and believed.
14. In short, what do you think
Christ will say on that day, seated on his judgment throne, to such unmerciful
Christianity? ”Dear Sir, listen, you have also pretended to be a Christian and
boasted of the Gospel; did you not also hear this sermon, that I myself
preached, in which I told you what my verdict and decision would be: 'Depart
from me, ye cursed?' I was hungry and thirsty, naked and sick, poor and in
prison, and ye gave me no meat, no drink, clothed me not, took me not in, and
visited me not. Why have ye neglected this, and have been more shameless and
unmerciful toward your own brethren than the Turk or heathen?” Will you excuse
yourself by pleading: ”Lord, when saw we thee hungry or thirsty?” etc. Then he
will answer you again through your own conscience: Dear Sir, were there no
people who preached to you; or perhaps poor students who should have at the
time been studying and learning God's Word, or were there no poor, persecuted
Christians whom you ought to have fed, clothed and visited?
15, We ought really to be ashamed of
ourselves, having had the example of parents, ancestors, lords and kings,
princes and others, who gave so liberally and charitably, even in profusion, to
churches, ministers, schools, endowments, hospitals and the like; and by such
liberal giving neither they nor their descendants were made poorer. What would
they have done, had they had the light of the Gospel, that is given unto us?
How did the Apostles and their followers in the beginning bring all they had
for their poor widows, or for those who had nothing, or who were banished and
persecuted, in order that no one among them might suffer for the necessities of
life! In this way poor Christians should at all times support one another.
Otherwise, as I have said, the Gospel, the pulpit, churches and schools would
already be completely exterminated, no matter how much the rest of the world
did.
Were
it not for the grace of God, by which he gives us here and there a pious
prince, or godly government, which preserves the fragments still left, that all
may not be destroyed by the graspers and vultures, thieves and robbers; were it
not for this grace, I say, the poor pastors and preachers would not only be
starved, but also murdered. Nor are there now any other poor people than those
who serve, or are being trained to serve the church; and these can obtain no
support elsewhere, and must leave their poor wives and children die of hunger
because of an indifferent world; on the other hand the world is full of
useless, unfaithful, wicked fellows among day-laborers, lazy mechanics,
servants, maids, and idle, greedy beggars, who everywhere by lying, deceiving,
robbing and stealing, take away the hard-earned bread and butter from those who
are really poor, and yet go unpunished in the midst of their wantonness and
insolence.
16. This I say, that we may see how
Christ will upbraid the false liars and hypocrites among Christians, on the day
of judgment, and having convicted them before all creatures will condemn them,
because they have done none of the works which even the heathen do to their
fellows; who did much more in their false and erroneous religion, and would
have done it even more willingly had they known better.
17. Since now this terrible
condemnation is justly pronounced over those who neglected these works, what
will happen to those who have not only neglected the same, have given nothing
to the poor Christians, nor served them; but robbed them of what they had,
drove them to hunger, thirst and nakedness, furthermore persecuted, scattered,
imprisoned, and murdered them? These are so unutterably wicked, so utterly
condemned to the bottomless pit with the devil and his angels, that Christ will
not think or speak of them. But he will assuredly not forget these robbers,
tyrants, and bloodhounds any more than he will forget or pass over unrewarded
those who have suffered hunger thirst, nakedness, persecution and the like,
especially for his and his Word's sake. He will not forget those to whom mercy
has been shown, even though he speaks only to those who have shown mercy and
have lent their aid; for he highly and nobly commends them, when he says.
”Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did
it unto me.”
18. On account of this judgment fear
and trembling might well seize our great spiritual prelates, as they call
themselves, the popes, cardinals, bishops, canons, priests, and then whole diabolical rabble of the anti-christian
crowd at Rome, and everywhere, in their monasteries and brothels, if they were
not altogether hardened and deliberately given to Satan, body and soul. They
think and act as though they were especially appointed to snatch to themselves
every thing that belongs to the poor church, and in their own wantonness to
consume, spend, waste, squander, in dissipation, gambling and debauchery, in
the most shameful and scandalous manner, whatever has been given for the
maintenance of students, schools and the poor people. They mock God and man, 2
Pet. 2, 13; yea, they publicly murder innocent, pious people.
19. Yea, woe, another and eternal
woe, to them and to all who side with them. For it had been, better for them,
had they never been born, as Christ says of Judas. Therefore they ought rather to
wish that their mothers had drowned them in their first bath, or that they had
never come forth from the womb, than that one of them should have become pope
or cardinal or a popish priest. For they are nothing else than merely desperate
and select ones, not highway robbers, but public country-thieves, who take, not
the goods of the mighty and the powerful that really have something, but of the
poor and wretched, of the parish churches, schools, and hospitals, whose
morsels are snatched from their teeth, and whose drink is torn from their
mouths, so that they are unable to maintain life.
20. Therefore let every man beware
of the Pope, the bishops, and the priesthood, as he would beware of those who
have already been condemned alive to the abyss of perdition. Truly Paul did not
prophesy in vain, 2 Tim. 3, 1, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
Yet all the world moves along indifferently and gives no heed to this terrible
judgment that has already been decided against such unmerciful robbers, thieves,
and murderers of poor Christians, but especially against those who pretend to
be Christians, who after having received grace slide back again, and like a dog
eat their own vomit, or as the swine wallow in their own
21. The second reason why Christ especially
mentions these works of mercy and their omission, from the fifth commandment,
is, that he wishes to remind us, who have been called to be Christians, have
received mercy through our Lord, have been redeemed from the wrath of God and
the guilt of the fifth commandment and from eternal death, and on the contrary
have a gracious God, who is good to us in time and in eternity, to remind us, I
say, to look upon all this and regard it as having been done not only for our
salvation but also for an example. For, since he has shown us such mercy as to
save us, we are also to act toward our neighbor in a manner as not to
transgress against the fifth fifth commandment, which especially demands love
and mercy.
And
we are not to do these things simply because of the commandment and of the
threatening of judgment, but for the sake of the example of the excellent and
great goodness God has shown. For this example cannot be without blessed
results, as God's work of redemption is not without power and good fruit. Although
most people become worse from having heard the Gospel, there must nevertheless
be some who rightly understand it and remain faithful to it; for he says that
he will separate them into two flocks; therefore there must also be pious ones
who have kept this commandment.
22. Therefore see to it that you are
among those who are kind and merciful here upon earth for Christ's sake, or who
even suffer for his sake, then you may joyfully await the last day, and need
not be afraid of the judgment; for he has already selected you and placed you
among those who shall stand at his right hand.
23. For we, who are Christians,
should hope for the coming of this judgment and desire it with our whole heart;
as we pray for it in the words: Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, deliver us
from evil; so that we may also hear the glad and welcome words: Come, ye
blessed, into the kingdom of my Father. This is the verdict we await; for this
reason we are Christians, and just for the sake of this hope we are so severely
oppressed, first by Satan and by our own flesh, which would not have us believe
this and rejoice over it; then by the tyranny and enmity of the world. For we
must constantly see and hear the maliciousness which Satan and the world
practice against the Gospel. There is so much misery upon earth that we ought
to be tired of this life and cry aloud: Come, dear Lord, and deliver us.
24. For there are certainly souls
who are joyfully and with a good conscience awaiting the judgement of Christ;
for they are in the rank and fellowship of those who believe in Christ, and who
show fruits of faith through charity and beneficence toward the poor, or
through patience in suffering with them. For, as I have said, he who does not
have faith will not do works of mercy to Christians, but he who does them, will
do them because he believes that he has a faithful Savior and Redeemer in
Christ, who has reconciled him to God. Therefore he must have also a kind,
loving heart toward his neighbors, even toward his enemies, and serve them in
every time of need. Yea, he endures also, as I have just said, those things
which come upon him from the world and the devil on account of his faith.
Whosoever
is thus minded, I say, let him be joyful and of good courage; for he has
already the blessed and joyful verdict: Come, thou blessed one, for thou hast
also been one of the least of my brethren, who hast thyself suffered hunger and
thirst, or who hast served the other hungry and thirsty ones, and hast shown
mercy, as I have done.
25. Behold, therefore, the
separation of the sheep and goats is already made in this life, so that every
one can experience it internally and must indicate and show it also externally.
For they who have not faith will surely do none of these things - they
will neither comfort themselves with the grace of Christ, nor think of
exercising mercy; they pass by the Word of God and their neighbor, as though
they neither saw nor heard anything; they do not care to know that there is a
Lord whom they are to serve and who will demand such service from them. For if
they would consider that they must die, and appear before this judgment seat,
they would not at the time defraud any one of a farthing. But, on the contrary,
they think best to turn their eyes away from death and to keep the heart from
thinking of it.
26. The world is so blind and
hardened, that it can see before its eyes the great mass of men of all kinds
who have passed away, and who are daily passing away, but is unwilling to
behold it with seeing eyes, and to heed it, but continues securely and gaily in
its wickedness. Furthermore, when it hears of the terrible judgment and
condemnation that shall come upon it, it gives no heed to the consolation and
example offered through Christ, but practices all kinds of unmercifulness,
strives to hear and will have nothing else than the terrible, irrevocable
verdict pronounced upon it from the judgment seat of Christ, and immediately
after be cast from his presence into eternal hell-fire.
27. Wherefore he who may yet be
converted and is ready to listen, will have enough, both to frighten and warn
him, and to animate and persuade him to accommodate himself to the Word and
example of Christ, while there is time and opportunity, so that he need not
hear with the world this dreadful judgment, but may have joy and comfort in
mercy with all Christians. Nor did Christ spare his Apostles, but earnestly
admonished them, when he said in Luke 21, 34-36: ”Take heed to yourselves, lest
haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of
this life,” which, he shows, will be most prevalent at the end of the world,
”and that day come on you suddenly as a snare; but watch ye at every season,
making supplication, that ye may prevail to escape all these things that shall come
to pass, and to stand before the Son of man,” etc.
28. Notice, however, as I said, that
he wishes to distinguish the good works of the Christians from the works of the
Turks and the heathen. For he speaks of the works done unto him, of which both
parties claim to be ignorant, the wicked
excusing themselves, because they had not seen him, etc. But herewith he has
most beautifully explained the fifth commandment, that it means, he who
fulfills it can be none else than a believing Christian, who did it unto
Christ. Thus the woman who anointed his head and feet, Mat. 26, 10-13,
fulfilled this commandment and is praised by him when he says: ”She has wrought
a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you, and if ye wish ye
can always do good unto them, but me ye have not always. Verily I say unto you,
wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world, that also which
this woman hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.” Again in Mat.
10, 42: ”And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones, who
believe in me, a cup of cold water, he shall in no wise lose his reward.”
29. We should therefore impress the
fact upon our hearts and consider that it is a great and fine thing to do good
to a Christian; but on the contrary also, what it is to do evil to him, as I
said of the Pope, the bishops, the tyrants, and feudal nobility, who take from
the feet of Christ what they have not given him the food, the drink, the
lodging and the support of the poor, who are poor for Christ's sake, because
they are not in the position, as ministers, sextons and school masters, to rule
the world; nor are they able to engage, in any other business in which they
might gain a livelihood; for then they would also have been made the partakers of
power and would receive enough. But since they have no part in the government,
the world gives them nothing for their services. As they receive nothing for
God's nor Christ's sake, they can have nothing, and must leave behind them
poor, wretched widows and orphans.
30. Those in other positions and
offices, who have plenty in all respects, do not wish and cannot attend to the
duties and the services of the church, neither do they know how. And when
ministers and pastors engage in worldly trades and pursuits, they step outside
of their proper calling. Therefore they must be supported, if they are to have
anything to eat, from beggary, of which Christ here speaks; but he makes it so
precious that whosoever gives meat or drink to the least of his members on earth,
he recognizes the same as though it had been done and given to himself. Do we
wish then to be Christians, and expect from Christ the honor to be praised and
rewarded in the presence of all creatures, we must, indeed, cheerfully and
gratuitously give to those who are to perform the duties of their office
gratuitously, because they can have no share in secular matters. This we are to
do in order to escape the curse and wrath that will come upon those who would
not have mercy on their poor brethren, who had to suffer hunger, thirst,
misery, and imprisonment in the world in order to bring us to Christ.
31. But how does it happen that the
righteous do not recognize and know that they have done their works unto
Christ? They say: Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or athirst, etc.? The reason
is, that to give something to a poor minister, chaplain, teacher, sexton is
regarded as a matter altogether of too small significance to be so precious in
the sight of God. Yea, the world looks upon it as so much money thrown away.
Yet will any one say that the world would be so much richer, were there no
pupils, schools, hospitals? Or that it is on their account any poorer, unless
it were entirely heathen, or it were, as heretofore, compelled to give enough
for the devil's sake, and allow itself to be flayed to the bone by those who
have cheated it of body and soul. In short, the churches and schools receive
the very least from the world; yet it is jealous, complains bitterly, and makes
a great cry about what they already have, although it gives nothing, and claims
to make much better use of its means, when at other times it gives a hundred
times as much to shameless, dissolute villains and jugglers; it soon forgets of
how much it allows brother Guy to be robbed, and then even it takes a beating
in the bargain. It never enters the brain of the world to think and believe
that this means to give to Christ; nor is it easy for us to see it ourselves.
32. But Christ is able to speak and judge
rightly in this matter, and he knows how much depends upon it. For it is truly
impossible to bring up the young in the
33. The same conditions now exist
everywhere. Every peasant, burgher, nobleman is simply gathering dollars, waits
and saves, eats and drinks, is insolent and mischievous as though God were
nothing at all. No one cares for the despised Jesus in his poverty; nay, he is
even tread under foot, until all obedience, discipline and honor are destroyed among
us, as they were in Sodom and Gomorrah, and matters become so bad, as to become
unbearable, because all admonition and preaching seem to be of no avail.
34. Right unwillingly do I prophesy;
for I have often experienced how it came true; but the same conditions, alas,
prevail now everywhere; and I fear and must almost resign myself that Germany
may have the same experience as Sodom and Jerusalem, and will be a thing of the
past; it will either be destroyed by the Turks or it will crumble by its own hand,
unless the last day overtake it soon. For the present conditions are altogether
unbearable and so exceedingly bad that they cannot become worse; and if there
be still a God, he cannot thus let matters go on unpunished.
35. And now the world will not take
heed, nor recognize that it must die and stand before God in judgment, but it
rages against recognized truth. Let us give heed and take it to heart, that the
wrath of God may not also sweep us away. For what else would God need to do to
that end, than let loose both the Turks and Satan against us. The Turk would be
compelled to cease doing what he has done and is still doing, were we not so
hardened in blindness and impenitence, and so completely ripe for judgment. The
reason is that we rage so blasphemously against God's Word and his proffered
help, and then in addition make our boast against the Turk.
36. And I hold that, if we
Lutherans, as they call us, were only dead, the whole world would immediately
cry, ”Victory,” as though they had already devoured every single Turk. But it
shall happen to them also that a hundred shall be slain by one Turk. And when
the cry of murder is once heard, how unmercifully the Turks will cut in pieces
all people, men, women, and children. Then shall we also begin to cry and
lament. It shall come to pass that we shall do as did the Jews, put Christ out
of the way. When he has been crucified, we shall be able to take care of the
Turk, as Squire Caiaphas and the Jews took care of the Romans; thus the
younkers at Jerusalem thought, if they could only put the prophet Jeremiah out
of the way, they would surely be safe from the king of Babylon. What happened?
After they had cast Jeremiah into the dungeon, the king came and led them all
into captivity.
Thus
I can also see that God has spun a web over Germany as it is determined to be
guilty in the same manner of wilful blindness, defiance, wickedness, contempt,
and ungratefulness in opposing the precious Gospel. It is determined to be
guilty of foolishness before God, for which it will have to pay dearly. May God
preserve us, and grant us and our little flock that we may escape this terrible
wrath, and be found among those who honor and serve our dear Christ, and await
the judgment at his right hand joyously and blissfully. Amen.
To THE READER: If It should happen
that another Sunday after Trinity should follow the 26th, which is very seldom
the case, then it might be well to use the last preceding Epistle and Gospel
for the 27th Sunday after Trinity, and on the Sunday preceding the 27th take
the following text for the Epistle and the Gospel: Epistle, 2 Peter 3, 3;
Gospel, Matthew 24,37-51.