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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadMartin Luther Collection: Luther, Martin - Table Talks: 8. Of Jesus Christ
TOPIC: Luther, Martin - Table Talks (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 8. Of Jesus Christ
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OF JESUS CHRIST
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CLXXXII.
The chief lesson and study in divinity is, that we learn well and rightly to
know Christ, who is therein very graciously pictured forth unto us. We take
pains to conciliate the good will and friendship of men, that so they may
show us a favorable countenance; how much the more ought we to conciliate
our Lord Jesus, that so he may be gracious unto us. St Peter says: "Grow up
in the knowledge of Jesus Christ," of that compassionate Lord and Master,
whom all should learn to know him only out of the Scriptures, where he says:
"Search the Scriptures, for they do testify of me." St John says: "In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God,"
etc. The apostle Thomas also calls Christ, God; were he says: "My Lord and
my God." In like manner St Paul, Rom. ix., speaks of Christ, that he is God;
where he says: "Who is God over all, blessed forever, Amen." And Coloss.
ii., "In Christ dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily;" that is,
substantially.
Christ must needs be true God, seeing he, through himself, fulfilled
and overcame the law; for most certain it is, that no one else could have
vanquished the law, angel or human creature, but Christ only, so that it
cannot hurt those that believe in him; therefore, most certainly he is the
Son of God, and natural God. Now if we comprehend Christ in this manner, as
the Holy Scripture displays him before us, then certain it is, that we can
neither err nor be put to confusion; and may then easily judge what is right
to be held of all manner of divine qualities, religions, and worship, that
are used and practiced in the universal world. Were this picturing of Christ
removed out of our sight, or darkened in us, undeniably there must needs
follow utter disorder. For human and natural religion, wisdom, and
understanding, cannot judge aright or truly the laws of God; therein has
been and still is exhausted the art of all philosophers, all the learned and
worldly-wise among the children of men. For the law rules and governs
mankind; therefore the law judges mankind, and not mankind the law.
If Christ be not God, then neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost is
God; for our article of faith speaks thus: "Christ is God, with the Father
and the Holy Ghost." Many there are who talk much of the Godhead of Christ,
as the pope, and others; but they discourse thereof as a blind man speaks of
colors. Therefore, when I hear Christ speak, and say: "Come to me, all ye
that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest," then do I believe
steadfastly that the whole Godhead speaks in an undivided and unseparated
substance. Wherefore he that preaches a God to me that died not for me the
death on the cross, that God will I not receive.
He that has this article, has the chief and principal article of faith,
though to the world it seems unmeaning and ridiculous. Christ says: The
Comforter which I will send, shall not depart from you, but will remain with
you, and will make you able to endure all manner of tribulations and evil.
When Christ says: I will pray to the Father, then he speaks as a human
creature, or as very man; but when he says: I will do this, or that, as
before he said, I will send the Comforter, then he speaks as very God. In
this manner do I learn my article, "That Christ is both God and man."
I, out of my own experience, am able to witness, that Jesus Christ is
true God; I know full well and have found what the name of Jesus had done
for me. I have often been so near death, that I thought verily now must I
die, because I teach his Word to the wicked world, and acknowledge him; but
always he mercifully put life into me, refreshed and comforted me.
Therefore, let us use diligence only to keep him, and then all is safe,
although the devil were ever so wicked and crafty, and the world ever so
evil and false. Let whatsoever will or can befall me, I will surely cleave
by my sweet Saviour Christ Jesus, for in him am I baptized; I can neither do
nor know anything but only what he has taught me.
The Holy Scriptures, especially St Paul, everywhere ascribe unto Christ
that which he gives to the Father, namely, the divine almighty power; so
that he can give grace, and peace of conscience, forgiveness of sins, life,
victory over sin, and death, and the devil. Now, unless St Paul would rob
God of his honor, and give it to another that is not God, he dared not
ascribe such properties and attributes to Christ, if he were not true God;
and God himself says, Isa. xlii., "I will not give my glory to another."
And, indeed, no man can give that to another which he has not himself; but,
seeing Christ gives grace and peace, the Holy Ghost also, and redeems from
the power of the devil, sin and death, so is it most sure that he has an
endless, immeasurable, almighty power, equal with the father.
Christ brings also peace, but not as the apostles brought it, through
preaching; he gives it as a Creator, as his own proper creature. The Father
creates and gives life, grace, and peace; and even so gives the Son the same
gifts. Now, to give grace, peace, everlasting life, forgiveness of sins, to
justify, to save, to deliver from death and hell, surely these are not the
works of any creature, but of the sole majesty of God, things which the
angels themselves can neither create nor give. Therefore, such works pertain
to the high majesty, honor, and glory of God, who is the only and true
Creator of all things. We must think of no other God than Christ; that God
which speaks not out of Christ's mouth, is not God. God, in the Old
Testament, bound himself to the throne of grace; there was the place where
he would hear, so long as the policy and government of Moses stood and
flourished. In like manner, he will still hear no man or human creature, but
only through Christ. As number of the Jews ran to and fro burning incense,
and offerings here and there, and seeking God in various places, not
regarding the tabernacle, so it goes now; we seek God everywhere; but not
seeking him in Christ, we find him nowhere.
CLXXXIII.
The feast we call Annunciatio Mariae, when the angel came to Mary, and
brought her the message from God, that she should conceive his Son, may be
fitly called the "Feast of Christ's Humanity," for then began our
deliverance. The mystery of the humanity of Christ, that he sunk himself
into our flesh, is beyond all human understanding.
CLXXXIV.
Christ lived three and thirty years, and went up thrice every year to
Jerusalem, making ninety-nine times he went thither. If the pope could show
that Christ had been but once at Rome, what a bragging and boasting would he
make! yet Jerusalem was destroyed to the ground.
CLXXXV.
St Paul teaches, that Christ was born, to the end he might restore and
bring everything to the state in which it was created at the beginning of
the world; that is, to bring us to the knowledge of ourselves and our
Creator, that we might learn to know who and what we have been, and who and
what we now are; namely, that we were created after God's likeness, and
afterwards, according to the likeness of man; that we were the devil's
wizard through sin, utterly lost and destroyed; and that now we may be
delivered from sin again, and become pure, justified, and saved.
CLXXXVI.
On the day of the conception of our Saviour Christ, we that are
preachers ought diligently to lay before the people, and thoroughly imprint
in their hearts, the history of this feast, which is given by St Luke in
plain and simple language. And we should joy and delight in these blessed
things, more than in all the treasure on earth, disputing not how it came to
pass, that he, who fills heaven and earth, and whom neither heaven nor earth
is able to comprehend, was enclosed in the pure body of his mother. Such
disputations impede our joys, and give us occasion to doubt.
Bernard occupies a whole sermon upon this feast, in laud of the Virgin
Mary, forgetting the great author of comfort, that this day God was made
man. True, we cannot but extol and praise Mary, who was so highly favored of
the Lord, but when the Creator himself comes, who delivers us from the
devil's power, etc., him, neither we nor angels can sufficiently honor,
praise, worship, and adore.
The Turk himself, who believes there is only once God, who has created
all things, permits Christ to remain a prophet, though he denies that he is
the only begotten, true, and natural Son of God.
But I, God be praised, have learned out of the Holy Scripture, and by
experience in my trials, temptations, and fierce combats against the devil,
that this article of Christ's humanity is most sure and certain; for nothing
has more or better helped me in high spiritual temptations, than my comfort
in this, that Christ, the true everlasting Son of God, is our flesh and
bone, as St Paul says to the Ephesians, chap. v. "We are members of his
body, of his flesh and bone; he sitteth at the right hand of God, and maketh
intercession for us." When I take hold on this shield of faith, then I soon
drive away that wicked one, with all his fiery darts.
God, from the beginning, has held fast to this article, and powerfully
defended the same against all heretics, the pope, and the Turk; and
afterwards confirmed it with many miraculous signs, so that all who have
opposed the same at last have been brought to confusion.
CLXXXVII.
All the wisdom of the world is childish foolishness in comparison with
the acknowledgment of Christ. For what is more wonderful than the
unspeakable mystery, that the Son of God, the image of the eternal Father,
took upon him the nature of man. Doubtless, he helped his supposed father,
Joseph, to build houses; for Joseph was a carpenter. What will they of
Nazareth think at the day of judgment, when they shall see Christ sitting in
his divine majesty; surely they will be astonished, and say: "Lord, thou
helpest build my house, how comest thou now to this high honor?"
When Jesus was born, doubtless, he cried and wept like other children,
and his mother tended him as other mothers tend their children. As he grew
up, he was submissive to his parents, and waited on them, and carried his
supposed father's dinner to him, and when he came back, Mary, no doubt,
often said: "My dear little Jesus, where hast thou been?" He that takes not
offence at the simple, lowly, and mean course of the life of Christ, is
endued with high divine art and wisdom; yea, has a special gift of God in
the Holy Ghost. Let us ever bear in mind, that our blessed Saviour thus
humbled and abased himself, yielding even to the contumelious death of the
cross, for the comfort of us poor, miserable and damned creatures.
CLXXXVIII.
If the emperor should wash a begger's feet, as the French king used to
do on Maunday, Thursday, and the emperor Charles yearly, how would such
humility be extolled and praised! But though the Son of God, Lord of all
emperors, kings, princes, in the deepest measure humbled himself, even to
the death of the cross, yet no man wonders thereat, except only the small
heap of the faithful who acknowledge and worship self, indeed, enough, when
he was held to be the man most despised, plagued, and smitten of God,
(Isaiah liii.,) and for our sakes underwent and suffered shame.
CLXXXIX.
We cannot vex the devil more than by teaching, preaching, singing and
talking of Jesus. Therefore I like it well, when with sounding voice we sing
in the church: Et homo factus est; et verbum caro factum est. The devil
cannot endure these words, and flies away, for he well feels what is
contained therein. Oh, how happy a thing were it, did we find as much joy in
these words as the devil is affrighted at them. But the world condemns God's
words and works, because they are delivered to them in a plain and simple
manner. Well, the good and godly are not offended therewith, for they have
regard to the everlasting celestial treasure and wealth which therein lies
hid, and which is so precious and glorious, that the angels delight in
beholding it. Some there are who take offence, that now, and then in the
pulpits we say: Christ was a carpenter's son, and as a blasphemer and rebel,
he was put on the cross, and hanged between two malefactors.
But seeing we preach continually of this article, and in our children's
creed, say: That our Saviour Christ suffered under Pontius Pilate, was
crucified, dead, and buried, etc., for our sins, why, then, should be not
say Christ was a carpenter's son? especially seeing that he is clearly so
named in the gospel, when the people wondered at his doctrine and wisdom,
and said: "How cometh this to pass? Is not this the carpenter, the son of
Mary?" (Mark, vi.)
CXC.
Christ, our High-priest, is ascended into heaven, and sits on the right
hand of God the Father, where, without ceasing, he makes intercession for
us, (see Romans viii.), where St Paul, with very excellent, glorious words,
pictures Christ to us; as in his death, he is a sacrifice offered up for
sins; in his resurrection, a conqueror; in his ascension, a king; in making
mediation and intercession, a high-priest. For, in the law of Moses, the
high-priest only went into the Most Holiest to pray for the people.
Christ will remain a priest and king, though he was never consecrated
by any papist bishop or greased by any of those shavelings; but he was
ordained, and consecrated by God himself, and by him anointed, where he
says: "Thou art a priest forever." Here the word Thou is bigger than the
stone in the Revelations of John, which was longer than three hundred
leagues. And the second psalm says: "I have set my King upon my holy hill of
Zion." Therefore he will sure remain sitting, and all that believe in him."
God says: "Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek."
Therefore let us depend on this priest, for he is faithful and true, given
unto us of God, and loving us more than his own life, as he showed by his
bitter passion and death. Ah! how happy and blessed were the man that could
believe this from his heart.
"The Lord sware and will not repent, thou art a priest." This is the
most glorious sentence in the whole psalms, where God declares unto us, that
this Christ shall be our bishop and high-priest, who, without ceasing, shall
make intercession for those that are his, and none other besides him. It
shall be neither Caiaphas, nor Annas, Peter, Paul, nor the pope, but Christ,
only Christ; therefore let us take our refuge in him. The epistle to the
Hebrews makes good use of this verse.
It is, indeed, a great and a glorious comfort (which every good and
godly Christian would not miss, or be without, for all the honor and wealth
in the world) that we know and believe that Christ, our high-priest, sits on
the right hand of God, praying and mediating for us without ceasing - the
true pastor and bishop of our souls, which the devil cannot tear our of his
hands.
But then what a crafty and mighty spirit the devil must be, who can
affright, and with his fiery darts draw the hearts of good and godly people
from this excelling comfort, and make them entertain other cogitations of
Christ; that he is not their high-priest, but complains of them to God; that
he is not the bishop of their souls, but a stern and an angry judge. The
Lord said to Christ: "Rule in the midst of thine enemies." On the other
hand, the devil claims to be prince and God of the world. He is, therefore,
the sworn enemy of Jesus Christ and of his Word, and of those who follow
that Word, sincerely and without guile. `Tis impossible for Jesus Christ and
the devil ever to remain under the same roof. The one must yield to the
other - the devil to Christ. The Jews and the Apostles were for awhile under
the same roof, and the Jews plagued and persecuted the Apostles and their
followers, but after awhile were themselves thrust out by the Romans. As
little can the Lutherans and the papists hold together. One party must
yield, and by the blessing and aid of God, this will be the papists.
CXCI.
Sheb Linini; that is, "Sit thou on my right hand." This Sheb limini has
many and great enemies, whom we poor, small heap must endure; but `tis no
matter; many of us must suffer and be slain by their fury and rage, yet let
us not be dismayed, but, with a divine resolution and courage, wage and
venture ourselves, our bodies and souls, upon this his word and promise: "I
live, and ye shall also live; and where I am, there shall ye be also."
Christ bears himself as though he took not the part of us his poor,
troubled, persecuted members. For the world rewards God's best and truest
servants very ill; persecuting, condemning, and killing them as heretics and
malefactors, while Christ holds his peace and suffers it to be done, so that
sometimes I have this thought: I know not where I am; whether I preach right
or no. This was also the temptation and trial of St Paul, touching which he,
however, spake not much, neither could, as I think; for who can tell what
those words import: "I die daily."
The Scripture, in many places, calls Christ our priest, bridegroom,
love's delight, etc., and us who believe in him, his bride, virgin,
daughter, etc.; this is a fair, sweet, loving picture, which we always
should have before our eyes. For, first, he has manifested his office of
priesthood in this, that he has preached, made know, and revealed his
Father's will unto us. Secondly, he has also prayed, and will pray for us
true Christians so long as the world endures. Thirdly, he has offered up his
body for our sins upon the cross. He is our bridegroom, and we are his
bride. What he, the loving Saviour Christ has - yea himself, is ours; for we
are members of his body, of his flesh and bone, as St Paul says. And again,
what we have, the same is also his; but the exchange is exceeding unequal;
for he has everlasting innocence, righteousness, life, and salvation, which
he gives to be our own, while what we have is sin, death, damnation, and
hell; these we give unto him, for he has taken our sins upon him, has
delivered us from the power of the devil, and crushed his head, taken him
prisoner, and cast him down to hell; so that now we may, with St Paul,
undauntedly say: "Death, where is thy sting?" Yet, though our loving Saviour
has solemnized this spiritual wedding with us, and endued us with his
eternal, celestial treasure, and sworn to be our everlasting priest, ye the
majority, in the devil's name, run away from him, and worship strange idols,
as the Jews did, and as they in popedom do.
CXCII.
"There is but one God," says St Paul, "and one mediator between God and
man; namely, the man Jesus Christ, who gave himself a ransom for all."
Therefore, let no man think to draw near unto God, or obtain grace of him,
without this mediator, high-priest, and advocate.
It follows that we cannot through our good works, honestly of life,
virtues, deserts, sanctity, or through the works of the law, appease God's
wrath, or obtain forgiveness of sins; and that all deserts of saints are
quite rejected and condemned, so that through them no human creature can be
justified before God. Moreover, we see how fierce God's anger is against
sins, seeing that by none other sacrifice or offering could they be appeased
and stilled, but by the precious blood of the Son of God.
CXCIII.
All heretics have set themselves against Christ. Manicheus opposed
Christ's humanity, for he alleged, Christ was a spirit; "Even," says he, "as
the sun shines through a painted glass, and the sunbeams go through on the
other side, and yet the sun takes nothing away from the substance of the
glass, even so Christ took nothing from the substance and nature of Mary."
Arius assaulted the Godhead of Christ. Nestorius held there were two
persons. Eutychius taught there was but one person; "for," said he, "the
person of the Deity was swallowed up." Helvidius affirmed, the mother of
Christ was not a virgin, so that, according to his wicked allegation, Christ
was born in original sin. Macedonius opposed only the article of the Holy
Ghost, but he soon fell, and was confounded. If this article of Christ
remain, then all blasphemous spirits must vanish and be overthrown. The
Turks and Jews acknowledge God the Father; it is the Son they shoot at.
About this article much blood has been shed. I verily believe that at Rome
more than twenty hundred thousands of martyrs have been put to death. It
began with the beginning of the world - with Cain and Abel, Ishmael and
Isaac, Esau and Jacob, and I am persuaded that `twis about it the devil was
cast from heaven down to hell; he was a fair creature of God, and,
doubtless, strove to be the Son.
Next, after the Holy Scripture, we have no stronger argument for the
confirmation of that article, than the sweet and loving cross. For all
kingdoms, all the powerful, have striven against Christ and this article,
but they could not prevail.
CXCIV.
At Rome was a Church called Pantheon, where were collected effigies of
all the gods they were able to bring together out of the whole world. All
these could well accord one with another, for the devil therewith jeered the
world, laughing in his fist; but when Christ came, him they could not
endure, but all the devils, idols, and heretics grew stark mad and full of
rage; for he, the right and true God and man, threw them altogether on a
heap. The pope also sets himself powerfully against Christ, but he must
likewise be put to confusion and destroyed.
CXCV.
The history of the resurrection of Christ, teaching that which human
wit and wisdom of itself cannot believe, that "Christ is risen from the
dead," was declared to the weaker and sillier creatures, women, and such as
were perplexed and troubled.
Silly, indeed, before God, and before the world: first, before God, in
that they "sought the living among the dead;" second, before the world, for
they forgot the "great stone which lay at the mouth of the sepulchre," and
prepared spices to anoint Christ, which was all in vain. But spiritually is
hereby signified this: if the "great stone," namely, the law and human
traditions, whereby the consciences are bound and snared, be not rolled away
from the heart, then we cannot find Christ, or believe that he is risen from
the dead. For through him we are delivered from the power of sin and death,
Rom. viii., so that the hand-writing of the conscience can hurt us no more.
CXCVI.
Is it not a wonder beyond all wonders, that the Son of God, whom all
angels and the heavenly hosts worship, and at whose presence the whole earth
quakes and trembles, should have stood among those wicked wretches, and
suffered himself to be so lamentably tormented, scorned, derided, and
condemned? They spat in his face, struck him in the mouth with a reed, and
said: O, he is a king, he must have a crown and a sceptre. The sweet blessed
Saviour complains not in vain in the Psalm, Diminuerunt omnia ossa mea: now,
it he suffered so much from the rage of men, what must he have felt when
God's wrath was poured out upon him without measure? as St Mark says: "He
began to be sore amazed, and very heavy, and saith unto his disciples, My
soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death:" and St Luke says: "And being in an
agony, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was as it were great drops of
blood falling down to the ground." Ah! our suffering is not worthy the name
of suffering. When I consider my crosses, tribulations, and temptations, I
shame myself almost to death, thinking what are they in comparison of the
sufferings of my blessed Saviour Christ Jesus. And yet we must be
conformable to the express image of the Son of God. And what if we were
conformable to the same, yet were it nothing. He is the Son of God, we are
poor creatures; though we should suffer everlasting death, yet were they of
no value.
CXCVII.
The wrath is fierce and devouring which the devil has against the Son
of God, and against mankind. I beheld once a wolf tearing sheep. When the
wolf comes into a sheep-fold, he eats not any until he has killed all, and
then he begins to eat, thinking to devour all. Even so it is also with the
devil; I have now, thinks he, taken hold on Christ, and in time I will also
snap his disciples. But the devil's folly is that he sees not he has to do
with the Son of God; he knows not that in the end it will be his bane. It
will come to that pass, that the devil must be afraid of a child in the
cradle; for when he but hears the name Jesus, uttered in true faith, then he
cannot stay. The devil would rather run through the fire, than stay where
Christ is; therefore, it is justly said: The seed of the woman shall crush
the serpent's head, that he can neither abide to hear or see Christ Jesus. I
often delight myself with that similitude in Job, of an angel-hook a little
worm; then comes the fish and snatches at the worm, and gets therewith the
hook in his jaws, and the fisher pulls him out of the water. Even so has our
Lord God dealt with the devil; God has cast into the world his only Son, as
the angle, and upon the hook has put Christ's humanity, as the worm; then
comes the devil and snaps at the (man) Christ, and devours him, and
therewith he bites the iron hook, that is, the godhead of Christ, which
chokes him, and all his power thereby is thrown to the ground. This is
called sapientia divina, divine wisdom.
CXCVIII.
The conversation of Christ with his disciples, when he took his leave
of them at his last supper, was most sweet, loving, and friendly, talking
with them lovingly, as a father with his children, when he must depart from
them. He took their weakness in good part, and bore with them, though now
and then their discourse was very full of simplicity; as when Philip said:
"Show us the Father," etc. And Thomas: "We know not the way," etc. And
Peter: "I will go with thee into death." Each freely showing the thoughts of
his heart. Never, since the world began, was a more precious, sweet, and
amiable conversation.
CXCIX.
Christ had neither money, nor riches, nor earthly kingdom, for he gave
the same to kings and princes. But he reserved one thing peculiarly to
himself, which no human creature or angel could do - namely, to conquer sin
and death, the devil and hell, and in the midst of death to deliver and save
those that through his Word believe in him.
CC.
The sweating of blood and other high spiritual sufferings that Christ
endured in the garden, no human creature can know or imagine; if one of us
should but begin to feel the least of those sufferings, he must die
instantly. There are many who die of grief of mind; for sorrow of heart is
death itself. If a man should feel such anguish and pain as Christ had, it
were impossible for the soul to remain in the body and endure it - body and
soul must part asunder. In Christ only it was possible, and from him issued
bloody sweat.
CCI.
Nothing is more sure than this: he that does not take hold on Christ by
faith, and comfort himself herein, that Christ is made a curse for him,
remains under the curse. The more we labor by works to obtain grace, the
less we know how to take hold on Christ; for where he is not known and
comprehended by faith, there is not to be expected either advice, help, or
comfort, though we torment ourselves to death.
CCII.
All the prophets well forsaw in the Spirit, that Christ, by imputation,
would become the greatest sinner upon the face of the earth, and a sacrifice
for the sins of the whole world; would be no more considered an innocent
person and without sin, or the Son of God in glory, but a notorious sinner,
and so be for awhile forsaken (Psal. viii.), and have lying upon his neck
the sins of all mankind; the sins of St Paul who was a blasphemer of God,
and a persecutor of his church; St Peter's sins that denied Christ; David's
sins, who was an adulterer and a murderer, through whom the name of the Lord
among the heathen was blasphemed.
Therefore the law, which Moses gave to be executed upon all malefactors
and murderers in general, took hold on Christ, finding him with and among
sinners and murderers, though in his own person innocent.
This manner of picturing Christ to us, the sophists, robbers of God,
obscure and falsify; for they will not that Christ was made a curse for us,
to the end he might deliver us from the curse of the law, nor that he has
anything to do with sin and poor sinners; though for their sakes alone was
he made man and died, but they set before us merely Christ's examples, which
they say we ought to imitate and follow; and thus they not only steal from
Christ his proper name and title, but also make of him a severe and angry
judge, a fearful and horrible tyrant, full of wrath against poor sinners,
and bent on condemning them.
CCIII.
The riding of our blessed Saviour into Jerusalem was a poor, mean kind
of procession enough, where was seen Christ, king of heaven and earth,
sitting upon a strange ass, his saddle being the clothes of his disciples.
This mean equipage, for so powerful a potentate, was, as the prophecy of the
prophet Zechariah showed, to the end the Scripture might be fulfilled. Yet
`twis an exceeding stately and glorious thing as extolled through the
prophecies, though outwardly to the world it seemed poor and mean.
I hold that Christ himself did not mention this prophecy, but that
rather the apostles and evangelists used it for a witness. Christ, meantime,
preached and wept, but the people honored him with olive branches and palms,
which are signs of peace and victory. Such ceremonies did the heathen
receive of the Jews, and not the Jews of the heathen, as some pretend, for
the nation of the Jews and Jerusalem was much older than the Greeks and
Romans. The Greeks had their beginning about the time of the Babylonish
captivity, but Jerusalem was long before the time of the Persians and
Assyrians, and therefore much before the Greeks and Romans, so that the
heathen receive many ceremonies from the Jews, as the elder nation.
CCIV.
The Jews crucified Christ with words, but the Gentiles have crucified
him with works and deeds. His sufferings were prophetical of our wickedness,
for Christ suffers still to this day in our church much more than in the
synague of the Jews; far greater blaspheming of God, contempt, and tyranny,
is now among us than heretofore among the Jews. In Italy, when mention is
made of the aeticle of faith and of the last day of judgment, then says the
pope with his greases crew: O! dost thou believe that? Pluck thou up a good
heart, and be merry; let such cogitations alone. These and the like
blasphemies are so common in all Italy, that, without fear of punishment,
they openly proclaim them everywhere.
CCVI.
My opinion is, that Christ descended into hell, to the end he might lay
the devil in chains, in order to bring him to the judgment of the great day,
as in the 16th Psalm, and Acts ii. Disputatious spirits allege, that the
word Infernus, Hell, must be taken and understood to be the grave, as in the
first book of Moses, but yet here is written not only the Hebrew word Nabot
- that is pit, but Scola - that is, Gehenna, Hell; for the ancients mande
four different hells.
CCVII.
The resurrection of our Saviour Christ, in the preaching of the gospel,
raises earthquakes in the world now, as when Christ arose out of the
sepulchre bodily. To this day the world is moved, and great tumults arise,
when we preach and confess the righteousness and holiness of Christ, and
that through it only are we justified and saved. But such earthquakes and
tumults are wholesome for us, yea, comfortable, pleasant, and delightful to
such as live in God's fear, and are true Christians; more to be desired than
peace, rest, and quietness, with an evil conscience through sinning against
God.
The Jews flattered themselves that the kingdom of Christ would have
been a temporal kingdom, and the apostles themselves were of this opinion,
as is noted, John xiv.: "Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself to
us, and not to the world?" As much as to say: We thought the whole world
should behold thy glorious state; that thou shouldest be emperor, we twelve
kings, among whom the kingdoms should be divided, and to each of us, for
disciples, six princes, or dukes, etc., making the number of them
seventy-two. In this manner had the loving apostles shared and divided the
kingdoms among themselves, according to the Platonic meaning - that is,
according to the wit and wisdom of human understanding. But Christ describes
his kingdom far otherwise: "He that loveth me, will keep my word, and my
father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with
him," etc.
CCVIII.
The communion or fellowship of our blessed Saviour Christ, was
doubtless most loving and familiar; for he who thought it no dishonor, being
equal with God, to be made man like unto us, yet without sin, served and
waited upon his disciples as they sat at table, as my servant waits on me;
the good disciples, plain, simple people, were at length so accustomed to
it, that they were even content to let him wait. In such wise did Christ
fulfill his office; as is written: "He is come to minister, and not to be
ministered unto." Ah, `tis a high example, that he so deeply humbled himself
and suffered, who created the whole world, heaven and earth, and all that is
therein, and who, with one finger, could have turned it upside down and
destroyed it.
CCIX.
How wonderfully does Christ rule and govern his kingdom, so concealing
himself that his presence is not seen, yet putting to shame emperors, kings,
popes, and all such as think themselves wise, just, and powerful. But
hereunto belongs a Plerophoria - that is, we are sure and certain of it.
Jesus Christ is the only beginning and end of all my divine
cogitations, day and night, yet I find and freely confess that I have
attained but only a small and weak beginning of the height, depth, and
breadth of this immeasurable, incomprehensible, and endless wisdom, and have
scarce got and brought to light a few fragments out of this most deep and
precious profundity.
CCX.
Christ's own proper work and office is to combat the law, sin and
death, for the whole world; taking them all upon himself, and bearing them,
and after he has laden himself therewith, then only to get the victory, and
utterly overcome and destroy them, and so release the desolate from the law
and all evil. That Christ expounds the law, and works miracles, these are
but small benefits, in comparison of the true good, for which he chiefly
came. For the prophets, and especially the apostles, wrought and did as
great miracles as Christ himself.
CCXI.
That our Saviour, Christ, is come, nothing avails hypocrites, who live
confident, not fearing God, nor condemners nor reprobates, who think there
is no grace or comfort to be expected, and who by the law are affrighted.
But he comes to the profit and comfort of those whom for a time the law has
plagued and affrighted; these despair not in their trials and affrights, but
with comfortable confidence step to Christ, the throne of grace, who
delivers them.
CCXII.
Is it not a shame that we are always afraid of Christ, whereas there
was never in heaven or earth a more loving, familiar, or milder man, in
words, works, and demeanor, especially towards poor, sorrowful, and
tormented consciences? Hence the prophet Jeremiah prays, saying: "O Lord,
grant that we be not afraid of thee."
CCXIII.
It is written in Psalm li.: "Behold, thou requirest truth in the inward
parts, and shalt make me to understand wisdom secretly." This is that
mystery which is hidden from the world, and will remain hidden; it is the
truth that lies in the inward parts, and the secret wisdom; not the wisdom
of the lawyers, of the physicians, philosophers, and of the crafty ones of
the world; no; but thy wisdom. O Lord! which thou hast made me to
understand. This is that golden art which Sadoleto had not, though he wrote
much of this Psalm.
CCXIV.
The preaching of the apostles went forth, and powerfully sounded
through the whole world, after Christ's resurrection, when he had sent the
Holy Ghost. This master, the Holy Ghost, worked through the apostles, and
showed the doctrine of Christ clearly, so that their preaching produced more
fruit than when Christ preached, as he himself before had declared, saying:
"He that believeth in me, shall do also the works that I do, and shall do
greater than these."
Christ, by force would not break through with his preaching, as he
might have done, for he preached so powerfully that the people were
astonished at his doctrine, but proceeded softly and mildly in regard to the
fathers, to whom he was promised, and of those that much esteemed them, to
the end he might take away and abolish the ceremonial law, together with its
service and worship.
CCXV.
Christ preached without wages, yet the godly women, whom he had
cleansed and made whole, and delivered from wicked spirits and diseases,
ministered unto him of that which they had, (Luke viii.) They gave him
supply, and he also took and received that which others freely and willingly
gave him, (John xix.)
When he sent the apostles forth to preach, he said: Freely ye have
received, therefore freely give, etc., wherein he forbids them not to take
something for their pains and work, but that they should not take care and
sorrow for food and rainment, etc., for whithersoever they went, they should
find some people that would not see them want.
CCXVI.
The prophecies that the Son of God should take human nature upon him,
are given so obscurely, that I think the devil knew not that Christ should
be conceived b the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary.
Hence, when he tempted Christ in the wilderness, he said to him: "If
thou art the Son of God?" He calls him the Son of God, not that he held him
so to be by descent and nature, but according to the manner of the
Scripture, which names human creatures the children of God: "Ye are all the
children of the Most highest," etc. It was not desired that these prophecies
of Christ's passion, resurrection, and kingdom, should be revealed before
the time of his coming, save only to his prophet's and other high
enlightened people; it was reserved for the coming of Christ, the right and
only doctor that should open the understanding.
CCXVII.
The reason why Peter and the other apostles did not expressly call
Christ the Son of God, was that they would not give occasion to the godly
Jews, who as yet were weak in faith, to shun and persecute their preaching,
by appearing to declare a new God, and to reject the God of their fathers.
Yet they mention, with express words, the office of Christ and his works;
that he is a prince of life; that he raises from the dead, justifies and
forgives sins, hears prayers, enlightens and comforts hearts, etc.,
wherewith they clearly and sufficiently show and acknowledge that he is the
true God; for no creature can perform such works but God only.
CCXVIII.
The devil assaults the Christian world with highest power and subtlety,
vexing true Christians through tyrants, heretics, and false brethren, and
instigating the whole world against them.
On the contrary, Christ resists the devil and his kingdom, with a few
simple and condemned people, as they seem in the world, weak, and foolish,
and yet he gets the victory.
Now, it were a very unequal war for one poor sheep to encounter a
hundred wolves, as it befell the apostles, when Christ sent them out into
the world, when one after another was made away with and slain. Against
wolves we should rather send out lions, or more fierce and horrible beasts.
But Christ has pleasure therein, to show his highest wisdom and power in our
greatest weakness and foolishness, as the world conceives, and so proceeds
that all shall eat their own bane, and go to the devil, who set themselves
against his servants and disciples.
For he alone, the Lord of Hosts, does wonders; he preserves his sheep
in the midst of wolves, and himself so afflicts them, that we plainly see
our faith consists not in the power of human wisdom, but in the power of
God, for although Christ permit one of his sheep to be devoured, yet he
sends ten or more others in his place.
CCXIX.
Many say that Christ having by force driven the buyers and sellers out
of the temple, we also may use force against the popish bishops and enemies
of God's Word, as Munzer and other seducers. But Christ did many things
which we neither may nor can do after him. He walked upon the water, he
fasted forty days and forty nights, he raised Lazarus from death, after he
had lain four days in the grave, etc.; such and the like we must leave
undone. Much less will Christ consent that we by force assail the enemies of
the truth; he commands the contrary: "Love your enemies, pray for them that
vex and persecute you;" "Be merciful, as your Father is merciful;" "Take my
yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and humble in heart;" "He that
will follow me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me."
CCXX.
`Tis a great wonder how the name of Christ has remained in popedom,
where, for hundreds of years, nothing was delivered to the people but the
pope's laws and decrees, that is, doctrines and commandments of men, so that
it had been no marvel if the name of Christ and his Word had been forgotten.
But God wonderfully preserved his gospel in the church, which now from
the pulpits is taught to the people, word by word. In like manner, it is a
special great work of God, that the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, Baptism, and
the Lord's Supper, have remained and cleaved to the hearts of those who were
ordained to receive them in the midst of popedom.
God has also often awakened pious learned men, who revealed his Word,
and gave them courage openly to reprove the false doctrines and abuses that
were crept into the church, as John Huss, and others.
CCXXI.
The kingdom of Christ is a kingdom of grace, mercy, and of all comfort:
Psalm cxvii: "His grace and truth is ever more and more towards us." The
kingdom of Antichrist, the pope, is a kingdom of lies and destruction; Psalm
x.: "His mouth is full of cursing, fraud, and deceit; under his tongue is
ungodliness and vanity." The kingdom of Mohammed is a kingdom of revenge, of
wrath, and desolation, Ezek. xxxviii.
CCXXII.
The weak in faith also belong to the kingdom Christ; otherwise the Lord
would not have said to Peter, "Strengthen thy brethren," Luke xxii.: and
Rom. xiv.: "Receive the weak in faith;" also 1 Thess. v." "Comfort the
feeble-minded, support the weak." If the weak in faith did not belong to
Christ, where, then, would the apostles have been whom the Lord oftentimes,
as after his resurrection, Mark xvi., reproved because of their unbelief?
CCXXIII.
A cup of water, if a man have no better, is good to quench the thirst.
A morsel of bread stills the hunger, and he that needs it seeks it
earnestly. Christ is the best, surest, and only physic against the most
fearful enemy of mankind, the devil; but men believe it not with their
hearts. If they want a physician, living a hundred miles off, who, they
think, can drive away temporal death, oh, how diligently is he sent for - no
money or cost is spared! But the small and little heap only stick fast to
the true physician, and by his art learn that which the holy Simeon well
knew by reason of which he joyfully sang: "Lord, now lettest thou thy
servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation!" Whence came
his great joy? Because that with spiritual and corporal eyes he say the
Saviour of the world, the true physician against sin and death. `Tis a great
pain to behold how desirous a thirsty man is of drink, or a hungry man of
foot, though a cup of water or a morsel of bread can still hunger and thirst
no longer than two or three hours, while no man, or very few, desires or
longs after the most precious of all physicians, though he lovingly calls us
to come unto him, saying, "He that is athirst, let him come to me and
drink," John vii.
CCXXIV.
Even as Christ is now invisible and unknown to the world, so are we
Christians also invisible and unknown therein. "Your life," says St Paul,
Coloss. iii., "is hid with Christ in God." Therefore the world knows us not,
much less does it see Christ in us. But we and the world are easily parted;
they care nothing for us, and we nothing for them; through Christ the world
is crucified unto us, and we to the world. Let them go with their wealth,
and leave us to our minds and manners.
When we have our sweet and loving Saviour Christ, we are rich and happy
more than enough; we care nothing for their state, honor, and wealth. But we
often lose our Saviour Christ, and little think that he is in us, and we in
him; that he is ours, and we are his. Yet although he hide from us, as we
think, in the time of need, for a moment, yet are we comforted in his
promise, where he says, "I am daily with you to the world's end;" this is
our richest treasure.
CCXXV.
Christ desires nothing more of us than that we speak of him. But thou
wilt say: If I speak or preach of him, then the Word freezes upon my lips.
O, regard not that, but hear what Christ says: "Ask, and it shall be given
unto you," etc.; and "I am with him in trouble," "I will deliver him, and
bring him to honor," etc. Also: "Call upon me in the time of trouble, so
will I hear thee, and thou shalt praise me," etc., Psa_1:1-6. How could we
perform a more easy service of God, without all labor or charge? There is no
work on earth easier than the true service of God: he loads us with no heavy
burdens, but only asks that we believe in him and preach of him. True, thou
mayest be sure thou shalt be persecuted for this, but our sweet Saviour
gives us a comfortable promise: "I will be with you in the time of trouble,
and will help you out," etc., Luke xii. 7. I make no such promise to my
servant when I set him to work, either to plough or to cart, as Christ to
me, that he will help me in my need. We only fail in belief: if I had faith
according as the Scripture requires of me, I alone would drive the Turk out
of Constantinople, and the pope out of Rome; but it comes far short; I must
rest satisfied with that which Christ spake to St Paul: "My grace is
sufficient for thee, for my power is strong in weakness."
CCXXVI.
From these words, John xiii., which Christ spake to Peter: "If I wash
thee not, thou hast no part in me," it is not to be understood that Christ,
at the same time, baptized his disciples; for in John iv., it is clearly
expressed that he himself baptized none, but that his disciples, at his
command, baptized each other. Neither did the Lord speak these words only of
water washing, but of spiritual washing, through which he, and none other,
washes and cleanses Peter, the other disciples and all true believers, from
their sins, and justifies and saves them; as if he would say: I am the true
bather, therefore if I wash thee not, Peter, thou remainest unclean, and
dead in thy sins.
The reason that Christ washed not his own, but his disciples feet,
whereas the high-priests in the law washed not others but his own, was this:
the high-priest in the law was unclean, and a sinner like other men,
therefore he washed his own feet, and offered not only for the sins of the
people, but also for his own. But our everlasting High-priest is holy,
innocent, unstained, and separate from sin; therefore it was needless for
him to wash his feet, but he washed and cleansed us, through his blood, from
all our sins.
Moreover, by this his washing of feet he would show, that his new
kingdom which he would establish should be no temporal and outward kingdom,
where respect of persons was to be held, as in Moses kingdom, one higher and
greater than the other, but where one should serve another in humility, as
he says: "He that is greatest among you, let him be your servant;" which he
himself showed by this example, as he says, John xiii.: "If I your Lord and
Master have washed your feet, then ought ye to wash one another's feet.
CCXXVII.
So long as Jupiter, Mars, Apollo, Saturn, Juno, Diana, Passas, and
Venus ruled among the heathen - that is, were held and worshipped for gods,
the Jews having also very many idols which they served, - it was necessary
that first Christ, and after him the apostles, should do many miracles,
corporal and spiritual, both among the Jews and Gentiles, to confirm this
doctrine of faith in Christ, and to take away and root out all worshipping
in idols. The visible and bodily wonders flourished until the doctrine of
the gospel was planted and received, and baptism and the Lord's Supper
established. But the spiritual miracles, which our Saviour Christ holds for
miracles indeed, are daily wrought, and will remain to the world's end, as
that of the centurion in Matt. viii., and that of the Canaanitish woman.
CCXXVIII.
The greatest wonder ever on earth is, that the Son of God die! the
shameful death of the cross. It is astonishing, that the Father should say
to his only Son, who by nature is God: Go, let them hang thee on the
gallows. The love of the everlasting Father was immeasurably greater towards
his only begotten Son than the love of Abraham towards Isaac; for the Father
testifies from heaven: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased;"
yet he was cast away so lamentably, like a worm, a scorn of men, and outcast
of the people.
At this the blind understanding of man stumbles, saying, Is this the
only begotten Son of the everlasting Father - how, then, deals he so
unmercifully with him? he showed himself more kind to Caiaphas, Herod, and
Pilate, than towards his only begotten Son. But to us true Christians, it is
the greatest comfort; for we therein recognize that the merciful Lord God
and Father so loved the poor condemned world, that he spared not his only
begotten Son, but gave him up for us all, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life.
They who are tormented with high spiritual temptations, which every one
is not able to endure, should have this example before their eyes, when they
are in sorrow and heaviness of spirit, fearing God's wrath, the day of
judgment, and everlasting death, and such like fiery darts of the devil. Let
them comfort themselves, that although they often feel such intolerable
sufferings, yet are they never the more rejected of God, but are of him
better beloved, seeing he makes them like unto his only begotten Son; and
let them believe that as they suffer with him, so will he also deliver them
out of their sufferings. For such as will live godly in Christ Jesus, must
suffer persecution; yet one more than another, according to every one's
strength or weakness in faith: "For God is true, who will not suffer us to
be tempted above that we are able to bear."
CCXXIX.
It was a wonderful thing when our Saviour Christ ascended up into
heaven, in full view of his disciples. Some, no doubt, thought in
themselves: We did eat and drink with him, and now he is taken from us, and
carried up into heaven; are all these things right? Such reasonings,
doubtless, some of them had, for they were not all alike strong in faith, as
St Matthew writes: When the eleven saw the Lord, they worshipped, but some
doubted. And during those forty days, from the resurrection until the
ascension, the Lord taught them by manifold arguments, and instructed them
in all necessary things; he strengthened their faith, and put them in mind
of what he had told them before, to the end they should in nowise doubt of
his person.
Yet his words made little impression, for when the Lord appeared in the
midst of them, on Easter-day, at evening, and said: "Peace be with you,"
they were perplexed and affrighted, supposing they saw a spirit; nor would
Thomas believe that the other disciples had seen the Lord, until he saw the
print of the nails in his hands. And though for the space of forty days he
had communed with them concerning the kingdom of God, and was even ready to
ascend, yet, notwithstanding, they asked him, Lord! wilt thou at this time
restore again the kingdom to Israel?"
But after this, on Whitsunday, when they had received the Holy Ghost,
then they were of another mind; they then stood no more in fear of the Jews,
but rose up boldly, and with great joyfulness preached Christ to the people.
And Peter said to the lame man: Silver and gold have I none, but what I
have, that give I thee; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and
walk. Yet notwithstanding all this, the Lord was fain to show unto him,
through a vision, that the Gentiles should be partakers of the promise of
life, although, before his ascension, he had heard this command from the
Lord himself: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every
creature." And "Teach all nations."
The apostles themselves did not know every thing, even after they had
received the Holy Ghost; yea, and sometimes they were weak in faith. When
all Asia turned from St Paul, and some of his own disciples had departed
from him, and many false spirits that were in high esteem set themselves
against him, then with sorrow of heart he said: "I was with you in weakness,
fear, and in much trembling." And "We were troubled on every side; without
were fightings, and within were fears." Hereby it is evident that he was
fain to comfort him, saying: "My grace is sufficient for thee, for my power
is strong in weakness."
This is to me, and to all true Christians, a comfortable doctrine; for
I persuade myself also that I have faith, though it is but so so, and might
well be better; yet I teach the faith to others, and know, that my teaching
is right. Sometimes I commune thus with myself: Thou preachest indeed God's
Word; this office is committed to thee, and thou art called thereunto
without thy seeking, which is not fruitless, for many thereby are reformed;
but when I consider and behold my own weakness, that I eat, drink, sometimes
am merry, yea, also, now and then am overtaken, being off my guard, then I
begin to doubt and say: Ah! that we could but only believe.
Therefore, confident professors are troublesome and dangerous people;
who, when they have but only looked on the outside of the Bible, or heard a
few sermons, presently think they have the Holy Ghost, and understand and
know all. But good and godly hearts are of another mind, and pray daily:
"Lord, strengthen our faith."
CCXXX.
When Jesus Christ utters a word, he opens his mouth so wide that it
embraces all heaven and earth, even though that word be but in a whisper.
The word of the emperor is powerful, but that of Jesus Christ governs the
whole universe.
CCXXXI.
I expect more goodness from Kate my wife, from Philip Melancthon, and
from other friends, than from my sweet and blessed Saviour Christ Jesus; and
yet I know for certain, that neither she nor any other person on earth, will
or can suffer that for me which he has suffered; why then should I be afraid
of him? This, my foolish weakness, grieves me very much. We plainly see in
the gospel, how mild and gentle he showed himself towards his disciples; how
kindly he passed over their weakness, their presumption, yea, their
foolishness. He checked their unbelief, and in all gentleness admonished
them. Moreover, the Scripture, which is most sure, says: "Well are all they
that put their trust in him." Fie on our unbelieving hearts, that we should
be afraid of this man, who is more l