To the rigorous, respectable, and honorable Christoph von Steinberg,
My favorable Junker.
How Moses is to be read and what one is to learn from it is abundantly indicated by the venerable, our dear father, Doctor Luther in many places of his writings, namely, that one is to look in it everywhere especially to the very sweet and comforting promises of the Lord Christ, some of which are written very clearly and distinctly in Moses, as Genesis 3:15: "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He shall bruise your head" etc.; item Gen. 22, 18: "By your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed"; and Deut. 18, 15: "A prophet like me shall the Lord your God raise up for you" etc. Secondly, to the glorious and beautiful examples of faith, love, the cross, patience, invocation and other spiritual exaltations in the saints, as in Adam, Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the others. And how God stood by them, governed them, protected them and heard them. Thirdly, the examples of unbelief in the wicked and of divine wrath and judgment, as in Cain, Ishmael, Esau, in the Flood, the fall of Sodom and Gomorrah. For all these things are nowhere more truly and abundantly described than in Moses; and such examples, if one pays proper attention to them, show how the entire Old Testament is to be put to useful use, namely, that we may learn from the examples of the saints, in which it is presented to us how God took care of them, repented of them, and how they were punished.
The people who have been guided, led and wonderfully protected by God will learn to trust and believe in God, and from the examples of God's wrath and judgment they will fear Him.
And we have such pieces not only now and then in the whole of Moses, but also in the first book alone, about these main pieces: from whence all creatures came, and especially mankind; item, what sin and death are, and how one may get rid of them again, and come to right piety, which everyone strives and strives for, which are the most distinguished main items of the entire holy scripture; item, how the church had its beginning, how it increased, how it often stood in danger and distress and was miraculously preserved by God.
This is what one should know if one wants to read Moses and especially his first book, Genesis. As far as the salutary and useful lectures and interpretations on this first book of Moses by the venerable father D. Martin Luther, of blessed memory, are concerned, I will give a short report. First of all, it is true that this noble man, our dear father and prophet, D. Martin Luther, served the Church in these last times with many and various great works, and with the interpretation of the prophetic and apostolic writings, he explained the doctrine of forgiveness of sins, righteousness before God and eternal blessedness in the most faithful way, as everyone must recognize, and he promoted and taught it.
However, these interpretations about his 'dear Genesin', as he used to call him, are an exception above all his other writings and books, and a very rich treasure, in which an excellent theology is brought together and compiled, as every diligent reader will find for himself. For what is dealt with now and then in many of Luther's writings, comes together here in one work, which one would like to cheaply call D. Martin's Theology. And first of all, you will find in it many useful accounts of all kinds of spiritual and theological matters, as they can always occur, and especially thorough and proper instruction of almost every article of Christian doctrine, as, of God, of the three persons in the divine being, of creation, of sin, of faith and forgiveness of sins; of the Law and the Gospel and how both doctrines are to be distinguished from one another, which is nowhere more abundantly and better dealt with than in this book; item, of the right church, against the papacy at Rome, against which you will find in this quite tremendous storms, almost on every leaf. Against the Jews and all their lies, dreams and fantasies, there are also several powerful disputations and strong refutations of all their condemnations, glosses, falsifications and misunderstandings. Likewise, one finds here correct reports of other pieces of Christian doctrine, too long to tell. In addition, there are also correct interpretations of many difficult sayings in Scripture; as well as strong consolation against all kinds of spiritual distress and challenge, such as against doubt and unbelief, against fear of death and distress, and the like. Item, Against
The book also contains many heresies and aberrations, both old and new. In addition, several fine and useful histories of how the gospel has fared in our time. Item, prophecies of Germany, how it shall fare because of contempt of the word and great ingratitude; of which some have already won their outcome and have come to pass, but some are still to come. Finally, at times, according to the opportunity of the interpretations, there is also a good counsel and report on external and worldly things, which are necessary, useful and pleasant to know.
Therefore, I considered it a sin that such a treasure should remain in the Latin language alone, and that others who were inexperienced in it should be deprived of it, especially because D. Martin the German teacher and prophet has been: and so that everyone and especially the fathers and common people this treasure may also come to use, improvement and comfort, I have, according to my little understanding, the first two parts of such interpretations in the simplest and most faithful German, and Ew. Honourable and Honorable Gestrengigkeit, along with other Christian nobles, who have been Christianly exhorted by E. G. to promote such work, as a testimony and glory that E. E. G. is Christianly and praiseworthily minded and cordially inclined to promote such and such useful church works. Our dear God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ grant that many pious Christians may be served thereby. Hereby E. G. and good-hearted Christians of the praiseworthy nobility command God into His faithful protection and protection.
Date Magdeburg, on the day Michaelis, Anno 1557.
Your E. G.
Basil Faber.