To the Most Serene Prince and Lord,
Johann Ernst, Duke of Saxony, Landgrave of Thuringia and Margrave of Meissen.
This glorious and beautiful building, the world, heaven and earth, with all that is in it, such as the heavenly bodies, elements, trees and plants, and all kinds of animals, was created for this purpose and very wisely arranged by God, so that we should recognize him as an eternal and almighty creator and right master builder, and understand that he himself also created us for this life, and gave us body and soul, reason and wit, so that he would have served himself with it. And such knowledge would have been beautiful and pure in the hearts of all men, without all doubt and error, if human nature had not fallen into such terrible disruption, blindness and other innumerable miseries through disobedience.
For what blindness and ignorance there is in all men's hearts, in this corrupt and weakened nature, of God, and of His essence and will, of the providence, order and government of God, is evident from the doubtful and unbelieving nature that is in everyone's heart, and of this Plato has rightly and wisely said that men's hearts are more convicted by the orderly and certain movements of heavenly things and other testimonies in nature, that we must confess that this world was built and created by an eternal and omnipotent divine being. And yet we find that such sense and knowledge is greatly obscured and driven back when we look upon and think that all things in the world and this life are so
We find in ourselves that we are often left in great misery and distress without help and salvation, as if there were no God.
Such doubts have given the philosophers cause to fall into many nonsensical and foolish thoughts, and some of them, such as the Epicureans, have entirely held and taught that there is no God at all; but some, such as Aristotle and the Stoics, have had the good sense to conclude that there must be a God, or a spiritual, eternal and omnipotent being. But if a man's heart allows itself to be thus beguiled and charmed by such nonsensical and clumsy thoughts, it can neither ask nor expect anything good from God, since everything that happens and occurs daily is balanced and rhymes with the natural causes that everyone understands. And since the philosophers discussed this, they not only revealed their wrong thoughts, but also the common errors of the human race. Even today, most people look only at the common and ordinary processes of nature, but will not consider looking to God, who governs all this, nor will they look to Him to either abolish natural and common processes, or to restrain, turn around, and alleviate them; as Elijah did to God, when he asked for rain in the greatest heat and drought and received it, but Isaiah drove out and chased the enemies with his prayers.
Therefore, since the fall of the first parents in human nature was followed by such blindness, God once again divested Himself of His divine essence, stepped out of His hidden seat, and immediately revealed Himself through an audible public word and new testimony that the human race was not created in vain, and to death alone and ruin. Creation is indeed an excellent work and great blessing of God, but it is a much richer and greater gift that He has revealed Himself to the human race from the beginning of the world through certain testimonies, and has proclaimed the promise of eternal life, presented and established in a public word, in which after this life there will be a distinction between the pious and the godless. And although the law of nature was known and implanted beforehand, he renewed it with his own voice, and instructed us what the right services of God were, and after that he also showed himself with signs, and that not with bad or small signs and miracles, but which were so designed that they could not be done other than by the abundant power and authority of God, than that he raised the dead, kept the heavens still, and withdrew the course of the sun: all for the sole purpose of disgracing the mad and nonsensical thoughts of human reason, which God so tightly binds to common lusts and natural causes.
Finally, the Son of God Himself took on human nature, allowed Himself to be seen and touched, preached, became a sacrifice for us, overcame death, came to life again and rose from the dead, then showed Himself again to His own, dealt kindly with them, spoke to them and taught and preached in the presence of a large crowd of listeners. And although the world considers such things to be fictitious because they are too great and high, they are nevertheless assured and sealed by certain testimonies and with miraculous works that they are as certain as it is noon when the sun is at its highest.
In addition to all these great benefits, there is also the fact that God has from the beginning
He has had the histories of the human race and the glorious testimonies by which he has revealed himself to them described and always planted and preserved from one time to the next, does not want to be known in any other way than by such testimonies, and does not consider any people or assembly that does not know about these books or accept them to be his church; just as he does not accept the prayers and invocations of those who do not direct them to the same God and address him who has revealed himself in such his testimonies. The Turks and Mahomedists also call upon God as the Creator of heaven and earth and all of nature, but they do not accept His Son and His teachings, saying that this is not the true God who approves and allows the same teachings. But the Son of God, in whom God reveals Himself most of all and of whom He said Matth. 3, 17: "This is My beloved Son, whom you shall hear", they persecute with horrible blasphemy and mock Him.
What does Plato do in this? He does not deal with the thoughts that most other people have, and he also stops and dissuades others from them, namely, that images and idols are not gods; but he pursues God with very wise thoughts, and finally concludes that God is an eternal, omnipotent, divine being, a causer and creator of all good in nature: and yet he still lacks the right God. How then? someone might say; how should Plato have spoken and concluded more accurately about God, what he is in his essence and what he accomplishes? In my opinion, I am not opposed to the fact that these are wisely conceived thoughts, especially that he says that God is a cause of good in nature. But still Plato himself doubts what God's will is, and lets others remain in doubt and argue about God according to human reason from uncertain thoughts. And neither Plato nor Mahomed is certain whether God accepts and listens to the unworthy, and why he accepts them.
Therefore Plato should not only have thought about how God would have revealed Himself with the creation of things, and how He would have formed Himself into nature, so that one can feel and notice Him in it; but he would have
should have looked around to see if God had not revealed Himself in a word and certain testimonies, and how the same word had arisen and had always been propagated. And at the time when he heard the astrologers and mathematicians in Egypt, the Jews, whom he did not have far from him at that time, could easily have been instructed. But so it goes at all times, that in the world the greatest number of people despise God's word and his church.
But where does such a widely sought entrance go and what is meant by it? Answer: This alone, that we should know that the true and real Church of God is nowhere else, but only among those who accept the books of the prophets and apostles, and that God is nowhere truly called upon, except where the teachings written in these books shine and flourish. In this way, one should also consider this special grace and blessing of God, that He willed that the entire history, as it would have been at any time in the Church, be brought together and compiled, and that He Himself preserved and maintained these histories and books; indeed, that for the preservation of these books, the Mosaic police and regiment was primarily established, and was nothing other than a school and library of these books.
Now the origin and original of the same books is the first book of Moses, which has the title: Genesis, the book of the creation; which perhaps unchristian and godless people despise and laugh at, also do not consider a better book than Plato's Timaeus, in which is also described how the world was built and created. But a Christian reader knows that between the same pagan descriptions and this report, which God Himself did and received about the creation of the world, there is a very big difference. For here it is not only said how heaven and earth, sun and moon, stars, leaves and grass, and the whole of nature took its beginning; but also God is described therein, what he is and how he revealed himself. In addition, it is also told how the Church began, for whose sake the other things came into being.
It is necessary to know this, so that one can be sure where the teaching of the church came from and how it is planted.
The pagan false worship and idolatries suddenly appeared among the people, so that no one knew how or where they came from. Afterwards, impious and presumptuous people have sought various causes and opportunities here and there, by which they have been increased. But here we learn that the doctrine of the church was given to our first parents by the mouth of God Himself at the beginning, and has been planted ever since, not without certain testimonies; as Enoch, who was taken up alive into heaven; Noah, who proclaimed the flood to the secure world and was preserved in it afterwards. After these, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, the priests and teachers, were called by God; as we have many signs that very certainly testify that the doctrine they accepted, confessed and taught was a divine doctrine.
Symmachus reproaches the Christians that it is more in accordance with the truth that the doctrine, which is the oldest, is the right doctrine; but the apostle's doctrine, he says, is new and invented. But in this he is far wrong, and it can be clearly proved that the doctrine of the church is the first among all the others. And this is shown and proven here, after the doctrine is told, which God Himself gave to the day, and it is reported next to it, where and how far these peoples have gone and extended, who have fallen away from the first divine and pure doctrine, and have thought up and invented new thoughts of God and idolatry. Therefore, the beginning of the church and the testimonies of how it was spread, and even what its doctrine actually is, are to be based on this and read together.
For where sin, death and other great miseries in the human race come from, and how such must all be counseled, of this the philosophers know nothing. How often they ask: Where does so much misery and wretchedness come from in the excellent nature of the human race? How often do they complain and cry out about the fact that
a man has such violent and swift inclinations to sins and vices? For they see and find that the inclination to good in man is weak and soon passes away; as can be seen in Pausanias, Alexander, and also in Themistocles and many others. Aristotle goes to the thought that the cause of death is the frailty and weakness of the things that are in man as in other animals. Therefore, he also includes the defects of necessary things and tools in man and animals among the principles of natural things, so that he may, as much as possible, demonstrate and show how corruptible things are always changing, sending and directing themselves to another and yet another form.
But this book shows a very different cause where death and sin come from, namely from the fact that human nature has turned away from God, has rejected God's knowledge and life, and has been a cause for itself, that in it the strength and ability have been set apart and weakened, and consequently the tyranny of the devil and death have overpowered and taken it. The first parents saw such great and terrible misery immediately, since Cain strangled his brother and other terrible things happened, when the human race was still new and in bloom, and therefore nature was still somewhat purer and better than afterwards.
After that, in the description of how the church has been propagated, expanded and renewed at all times, a beautiful picture is presented to us, from which it can be seen that the church is not a worldly kingdom or police force, guarded and surrounded by military power and force; but such a people, now and then divided into many clusters, yet not unrecognizable, but having God's word, about which they meet publicly and honestly, teach about it, and communicate it to kings, princes, lords, and cities, and now and then bring their many to knowledge and true invocation of God, and promote it, even if they should be ridiculed about it, expelled and driven out by the tyrants and the majority of the people.
Melchizedek, of whom the ancient teachers wrote that he was Shem son of Noah, who lived a long life and was famous for wisdom and righteousness in the sight of all who lived in his time, will no doubt have preached in Sodom and thereabouts for a long time. For he dwelt not above eight of our German miles from Sodom, and had a fine congregation there round about, namely, Abraham's and Lot's seed and seedlings, and others more. For though the church is always a small company, yet it is a company that is known and not hidden, and at the same time protects such a school and church as Melchizedek had, God Himself. For there were many great and mighty cities round about, such as Sodom and others, which utterly despised the heavenly doctrine, and hated and persecuted the preachers who punished them for it.
Therefore, this picture of the. Therefore, this picture of the church should be diligently considered here, and in such histories especially note these six pieces:
The first is the teaching of the fathers, that the prophets and apostles took much from these histories, and at the same time the fathers and prophets of the Lord Christ learned benefits first from the promise made to Abraham, and then from other pieces of such histories.
For see how masterly St. Paul Rom. 4, 3. Gal. 3, 6. Hebr. 11, 8. bases the article on the righteousness of faith and builds on the saying Gen. 15, 6.: "Abraham believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness."
David Ps. 110, 4. points the priesthood of Melchizedek to Christ, and thus distinguishes the ministry of blessing, as Melchizedek promised Abraham in Gen. 14, 18. ff. with the most kind and loving words of God's favor and help, from the Levitical priesthood.
This is a rich teaching, as is often shown in this interpretation, and a Christian reader who understands that such histories must be read with a much different mind than the pagan ones will easily notice and find it in the history itself. For the pagans' histories report examples of the world's
They show that good and honest intentions and conduct were well advised at times, but that great sin, injustice, violence and evil deeds were followed by great and terrible punishments and misery; for apart from this, nothing more is found in the pagan histories. But these prophetic histories teach and report of other, much greater things, namely, of God's teachings and divine testimonies, of eternal goods, of the government of the church etc.
For this reason, the miracles and even miraculous works that have taken place in the church should be noted for the rest, not that we want to strengthen human presumption, which always takes pleasure in new things and is astonished by them, but that we may have testimonies that show us what doctrine is revealed by God and what teachers He allows Himself to be pleased with. And such wonderful and unusual works, which are above all nature and reason, are seals of doctrine. For we are not to believe that it was a joke or a diversion on God's part to have preached of the Flood long before, and then, when the Flood came, to have preserved Noah alone with his own. Such excellent and high things were testimonies of God's government and providence, and of the teaching that old Noah led and preached.
Thirdly, one should look at how God governs and protects His Church; although it is outwardly regarded as not respecting God, it has in its teachings and histories many glorious and apparent testimonies that God is with it and cares for it.
Emperor Augustus rules the world by order, right and laws, has his war people now and then lying in the country, by which these are ordered and kept in custody, has also money and property, from which he can maintain such crews and orders. Such a secular government is established and maintained by human laws, order, wisdom, and suggestions. But it is much different with the government of the church.
For Abraham, Isaac, Jacob move in the
They are strangers in the land, having neither command nor office, and bring God together a church through His Word and the Holy Spirit; and even though they have to endure great danger, misery and hardship because of this, they still find and experience that God stands by them, protects and saves them.
When Jacob is to pass through his brother Esau's land with his household, possessions and goods, he stands in worry and fear, and at that time lets himself look at the matter as if there were neither counsel nor help to be found: but when he has wrestled with the angel in the night, he is strengthened and thereafter finds protection.
There are many such examples in this first book of Moses, small as it is, that teach us that God helps His church and that we can confidently ask for help and protection and wait for it. And all these things are described and held up to us and our descendants, so that we may draw strength and courage from such examples and believe that God will not abandon us with His help and protection.
The fourth part to be considered here is what should be considered of the proper succession, preference and precedence of one over the other, of the parents, and of the places where they were seated, fame and profession; of which human reason holds much and great. For Cain, Ishmael, Esau arrogated to themselves the rule of the church, because they were born earlier than their brothers. The Babylonians alone want to have the right doctrine of God, because there the fathers had their seat from time immemorial and Babel had been the capital of the regime on earth; just as now the bishops and high schools, for the sake of the proper succession, gain this glory and honor, so that they cannot err, and they alone are the ones in whom the truth is kept and preserved.
But that such thoughts and judgments are punished and refuted in this first book of Moses is proven to us by Paul Rom. 9, 6. ff., where he strongly argues that the church is not founded and planted on any advantage of gender or place, but on the calling and the word of God. Thus Jacob's house is the church, because it adheres to the doctrine of
of the Word revealed from heaven, but Esau does not abide by it.
And since the church in the Jewish land has fallen and been destroyed, it will be restored again through Abraham, whom God raises up as a teacher there, renews the promise and hangs testimonies on it. Which example and history testifies that God takes care of His Church, cares for it, and when it suffers hardship and is in danger, always restores and renews it; as St. Paul says in Eph. 4:8, 11: "He gave gifts to men, and appointed some to be prophets, some to be apostles, some to be pastors and teachers."
Therefore, neither the high titles of office or dignities, nor the place and orderly succession, should enable or induce us to take for the church those who are contrary to the gospel, and to kill pious and honest people for the sake of the confession of Christian doctrine, as Cain did.
Fifth, in these histories one should look at the life and outward walk of the saints. Previously we said about the doctrine of the church and how it is governed: to which pieces one should pay special attention. But those who do not pay attention to them cannot think much of the books of the Holy Scriptures. For they seek nothing else in the histories than how uprisings have taken place in countries, cities and regiments, how lords and princes have kept themselves, how wars have gone out in a strange way etc. But when they read this book of Moses, they regard it as if it were not a much better book than Virgil's Bucolica, because it allows itself to be regarded by disgruntled and industrious readers as if it dealt with nothing special, except how men and women have intermarried, lived together, begotten children, and how women have quarreled among themselves. But such disgusting and hopeful people are very far lacking, and do not have so much sense that they could see that here in this book the church is depicted and described; which, although it is low and contemptible, and not equal to the regiments in the world, it nevertheless goes on in this life with domestic and external worldly values.
ken around according to their profession, need and opportunity.
Abraham teaches and instructs those who shelter him about God, as they themselves confess that he is an angel of God. Now it is truly a great work, yes, the highest of all, to teach about God. For this purpose, he also wages war when necessity demands it, puts the great warrior people of the Chaldeans to flight with a small number, and thus proves that right strength and manhood are an inspiration from God. He is also a father of the house, kind-hearted and fatherly-minded, loves his wife and child dearly, keeps house well and diligently, looks after his own, cares for and tills the livestock, demonstrates justice and fairness in buying and selling with special diligence, and understands that equal and cheap means in the exchange of things, buying and selling, are ordered by God. He directs his outward and domestic life primarily so that his faith and confession may be revealed and shine through such works. In addition, he practices the fear of God, his faith, patience, invocation and prayer, even in common misfortunes and sorrows that tend to follow this life, and finds and experiences that God helps and saves him.
And all this is described so that people's false faith and fictitious useless devotion and spirituality may be punished and refuted as unjust. As superstitious people at all times have invented ceremonies and strange special works, which they have praised and extolled to the people under the title and name of religion and spiritual devotion. For not to be married, not to eat meat on special days, to mortify and torture one's body, to see sour things and to devote oneself devoutly, these things have been considered special holiness and spirituality from time immemorial. On the other hand, against the foolish and nonsensical pretensions of the fathers, one should keep a common life in one's profession and home practice, which is full of all kinds of examples of faith, love and all honorableness, service to the people and heartfelt loyalty to one's own. Even though they were not so devoid of all ceremonies, but rather had
They had their sacrifices, read the Scriptures on certain prescribed days, and engaged in other practices and church discipline. For as far as church doctrine and good arts are concerned, all this has been with these people. And we have received from them as much as we have instruction in theology, history and medicine. It follows, then, that they must have had much domestic training, by which the youth was educated to virtue and good arts.
Sixthly, in such high people we should also consider what infirmities and weaknesses they have had. Since we find this, that they take great care and guard themselves so that they do not fall into sins that are against their conscience. But still it happens to them that at times they go against their will or ignorantly and sin; as Lot in his great sorrow and heartache, having drunk too much wine, falls into the shame of putting his own daughters to sleep.
But here we must look at this difference. The saints, as I said, are careful not to sin against their conscience: But if they nevertheless fall from weakness, they lament and weep over such weakness and frailty of the human race, learn what God has promised for help and good deeds for the sake of the future Savior, and also recognize that God, out of mercy that He has promised for the sake of the same Savior, accepts those who turn to Him out of trust in the same promised grace and mercy. Therefore they come to grace and are redeemed from sins and the same punishment: as Jacob boasts of the angel, that is, of the Son of God, and confesses that through him he is redeemed from all evil, that is, from sin and eternal punishment. On the other hand, the wicked, as Cain, the tyrants and Sodomites, who in public contempt of God stain themselves with many gross sins, fall into eternal damnation. Such inequality of sins and punishments on both sides should also be taken into account.
For the sake of those who have not yet been informed of such things, I have recently indicated and reminded them of this at the beginning, since
so that they may know that in such short histories a very rich doctrine of great and important things has been written; as then these interpretations will sufficiently explain and even masterfully expound such doctrine: and let those who will read them always look at these pieces, as I have told them so far, and direct everything to awaken them to the fear of God, to faith and prayer under the thoughts and contemplations of such examples.
Since none of the old teachers has given such a correct and complete interpretation of this first book of Moses, and since it is useful and necessary that this book be well known and understood by everyone, I thank at the same time for myself and other pious Christians much more the venerable Doctor Martin Luther, our father and most beloved teacher, that he has undertaken such lectures and interpretations of this book: so that he not only does a very useful work for us and our descendants by explaining such high and useful things, but also serves the honor of those excellent people and high lights of the world, as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, whose gifts and virtues are made more knowable and manifest by this interpretation and explanation.
For before that time, when the common people heard such people called, they did not think that there was anything praiseworthy or special about them, nor did they hold them much higher than common shepherds. But now let it be known by them that God stood by them, governed and guided them; let it give thanks to God for their profession and for the same wonderful government and preservation of His Church. Learn also from them examples of the fear of God, of faith and confession, of patience and other virtues. Look upon them as outstanding heroes and high lights; follow their teachings to strengthen your faith. In sum, honor them as our fathers, that is, teachers of those who call on Christ, and understand that they do not find fathers of murderers, Jews, and others who mock, revile, and daily crucify the Lord Christ.
And this is truly no small improvement in Christian doctrine and godly life, that one knows what teachers one has in Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and holds such people in high esteem.
So that this interpretation may be useful to many and especially to our descendants, but D. Luther did not have so much leisure to write it himself, I have colligated it, as I heard it here in this school in Wittemberg from D. Luther, with all my diligence and with the helpful assistance of my friends, D. Caspar Creutziger and M. Georg Rörer, and with all fidelity I have brought it together and put it into print. I therefore hope that pious Christians who read such interpretations will take pleasure in my diligence and service and accept it with good thanks.
But attribute, Most Serene Prince and Lord, such useful and glorious work to E. F. G., and do not doubt. They will esteem it more highly and prefer it to other golden or silver jewels. For I know that it is E. F. G.'s will and opinion that this book be in print for the benefit and betterment of the church, which E. F. G. loves and promotes out of a Christian spirit. I have also found that E. F. G. loves and values the dear man of God, D. Martin Luther. And in this E. F. G. does it according to the example of His Lord Father, the Sublime Prince of Saxony and Elector Johann Friedrich, whom we praise and praise as a Christian prince endowed with high virtues.
For although he is not at all like the heroes I have told before, Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, we may count him among the Egyptian king Pharaoh, whom Joseph instructed in the true knowledge of God, and who allowed Jacob to dwell in his land with his church and servants in peace and comfort. For this is how E.,F. G. Herr Vater learned and meant the Gospel with all seriousness; and in order to serve God, he helped, honored and promoted the churches, and at the same time, with the highest wisdom and modesty, directed his proposals to the common peace and prosperity of the German country.
Therefore, E. F. G. should accept such veneration, so that when she runs into such wonderful histories of government, need, danger and protection of the church, she can also govern and comfort her heart from them.
But the fact that this book is not completely finished at one time is the cause and obstacle that the collecting and rewriting costs a lot of work, and we do not have as much leisure in our office and business as those think who value and esteem their work alone. However, I had hoped that I would do pious Christians all the more favors, and that they would also accept it, as this was meant faithfully and sincerely, if I did not delay them too long with this wonderful treasure, but rather, the sooner the better, shared a fair portion of this Christian work with them. But I am of the opinion that the rest should follow shortly. For as a pagan poet says there: Vicit iter durum pietas (love and faithfulness overcome a difficult path).
Thus, in the church, for the sake of God's glory and our blessedness, we must not only bear this work of teaching and writing, but also endure and overcome much greater hardships with strong courage.
And for my own part, I am not deterred by this, neither by the fact that there are some who judge such work unequally and unfairly, and who do not want us to write at all; nor by our opponents who are hostile to and blaspheme this doctrine, which, thanks be to God, is so widespread in our churches. For God wants to be praised by His church with the mouth, words and writings; as it is said of the oral confession in the 8th Psalm, v. 3: "Out of the mouth of babes Thou hast prepared praise for Thee." But of the Scriptures Ps. 102, v. 19: "Let this be written on the descendants." For God wants us to pass on faithfully and purely to our descendants the teaching that He has revealed to us, and also wants us to imprint it on ourselves with thoughts, words and writings, to make it known and common. And such reflection and diligent writing brings much benefit and improvement to a Christian.
What could we think and write more usefully than of such divine dealings? What others put for diligence on good arts, I praise everything and let it please me. Praise also those who write about the properties and effects of herbs and plants, and praise and spread other arts that God has given. But even so, it is not necessary to write and teach about such things as herbs and plants or the nature of the limbs in a man's body, nor is it more due to men than that which God has revealed to us of Himself through certain testimonies and given to day with a Christian spirit.
The first line is to read together with effort and diligence. As before the pagan priests, when they wanted to attack their victims, said beforehand: Here one must do no other than holy works, and say what is praiseworthy.
But that our adversaries and enemies of our churches punish and blaspheme the doctrine which we lead in them, all this is refuted in this book by the very wisest and truest witnesses, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who are like-minded with us in religion, indeed, are our teachers; therefore we should not allow ourselves to be challenged by such blasphemies and blasphemies of godless people.
God commanded.
Datde on Christmas Day, Anno 1544.