V. 8. And God the Lord planted a garden in Eden toward the east, and put therein the man whom He had made.
Here is a whole heap of questions about paradise. And first of all, the word paradise, whether it is Hebrew, Chaldean, or Persian (for I do not consider it to be Greek, although Suidas wants to indicate where it was named by the Greeks), means a garden. This garden, says Moses, God has planted in Eden, which word is a
The name of the place and not the generic name is, as the old Latin translation has paradisum voluptatis (pleasure garden). Eden means pleasure, and undoubtedly the Greek word comes from it. But because the preposition stands with it, it is clearly indicated that it is a proper name of a place, as also the description of the location of the place does, that it was situated towards the morning. For the fact that the Latin translation has: a principio, from the beginning, is also badly given; for in Hebrew there is mikkedem, which actually does not mean a principio, but ab ante, from the beginning, that is, as we say, after or toward the morning; for it is an adverbium loci, which indicates the place of paradise, not the time.
(38) Now here it is disputed where the paradise must be, and the interpreters try and quarrel about it in a strange way. Some say that it is under the equator, between the two tropics; others, however, pretend that for such a fertile place the air must be much more temperate than it is under the equator in the tropics. And what do words need? There is no number of speculations here. I answer it recently thus: It is an idle and unnecessary question, as of the thing which is nowhere more present. For Moses writes a history of the things that were before the Fall and the Flood, but we must speak of things according to their form, as they remained after the Fall and the Flood. Therefore I believe that this place was called Eden either by Adam himself or in his time, because of the fertility and great pleasure that Adam saw in it, and has remained the name of the lost thing until the descendants; as one still has the names Rome, Athens, Carthage etc., but of such regiments and cities one hardly sees some footprints. For time and God's curse, which we earn with sins, consume everything.
39 Therefore, since the world was destroyed by the flood with men and cattle, this noble place of pleasure was also destroyed and lost. And Origen and others have vainly disputed many unrhymed things about it. To this also the text says: The-
This place was guarded by an angel so that no one could enter it. Therefore, even if one wanted to say that this garden was not lost by the following curse and punishment of God, nevertheless, the way to come to it is completely blocked and closed to man, that is, one cannot find its place where it was. One could also answer such a question, although I like the first opinion better.
40 But what do we say to the saying in the New Testament Luc. 23, 43: "Today you shall be with me in paradise"; and 2 Cor. 12, 4: "He was raptured into paradise"? I wanted to confess and say without doubt that Christ did not come to a bodily place with the thief. For from Paul the matter is already clear, since he says that he does not know whether he was in the body or out of the body. Therefore, it is my opinion that paradise in both places means the being in which Adam was before the fall, full of all peace, rest, security, and all the grace and gifts that are there where there is no sin. As if Christ wanted to say: you will be with me in paradise, that is, you will be free and safe from sin and death. Without only having to wait for the last day, when all this will be revealed; just as Adam was free and safe from sin, death and all malice in paradise, and yet lived in hope of a future, eternal and spiritual life. So that it is, as it were, an allegorical paradise, just as the Scriptures allegorically call the bosom of Abraham, not Abraham's mantle, but the life that is in those who have fallen asleep in faith. For they have peace, rest and wait in the same rest of the life and glory to come.
41 Therefore this is my answer, that Moses writes a history, and says that there was a kind of morning, in which there was a very merry garden. For, as I have said above, the little word mikkedem actually means a place, and cannot be understood of any time; as yet our text has. Therefore it is common among the Hebrews that they call the wind of the morning kadim, a dry and cold wind, by which the land is dorrt and scorched. At
The same place of the world has been the paradise or garden, in which not lime trees, oaks or such unfruitful trees, but all kinds of noble fruits have been; as we count now for the most glorious and noble, which bear there cinnamon bark, cloves etc. Although in other places the earth has been cultivated and beautiful, for there have not yet been thistles or thorns, yet this place has had its special cultivation and adornment, so that Eden has been a chosen garden above all the beauty and adornment of the whole earth, which, if you want to hold it against the present misery on earth, has also been a paradise.
In this garden, which God the Lord Himself had specially built and planted, He placed man. All this, I say, is a history. Therefore one asks in vain: where or what was paradise? The waters, of which Moses will say, indicate that it was Syria, Mesopotamia, Damascus and Egypt, in the midst of which Jerusalem lies. For since it was ordained for man and all his descendants, it is vain to think that it was a garden only several miles wide. It was the noblest and best part of the earth. And I believe that this garden remained until the Flood: but before the Flood it was kept by God, as Moses says, by the guard of angels. So that the place was well known to Adam's descendants, but they did not come to it until it was torn apart and destroyed by the Flood. This is my opinion, and this is how I would answer all the questions that impertinent people have about the thing that is nowhere after the Fall and the Flood.
Origen is annoyed by the fact that the waters that Moses thinks of are far away from each other, and perhaps he thinks of a garden like the one we have. Therefore he turns to the secret interpretation and says that the sky is paradise, the trees are angels and the water is wisdom. But such foolish work does not befit a theologian; it might not befit a cheeky poet so badly. -That is why Origen did not see Moses writing a history,
and the same of such things as have long since passed and passed away.
(44) It is in this way that our adversaries still argue today that the image and likeness of God remain even in a godless man; whereas, as I think, it is much more reasonable and true for them to say that the image of God is lost after sin, just as the first initial form of the world and paradise are lost. For man was righteous and pious from the beginning: so the world was the most beautiful building from the beginning, but Eden was a garden of all delight and loveliness. After sin all this became unformed, so that all creatures, even the sun and the moon, shine as if they had put on sackcloth; and which before were good, afterwards, after the fall, became evil and harmful. After this, however, a still greater destruction followed through the Flood, which took away paradise and the entire human race. For if now a water, overflowing like this, can do great harm to men, cattle and fields, what should not a flood do to the whole world? Therefore, if we want to speak of paradise now, after the Flood, let us speak of it as a historical paradise, which has been and is no more; just as we must also speak of man's innocence. We may well remember it with sighing and sadness because it is lost; but we are not able to return to it in this life.
(45) Just as Moses distinguished man (who originated from the earth as well as the non-rational animals) from them in many ways, so he also distinguishes him here with a special place and dwelling, which God the Lord planted and built for man with more splendor, diligence and adornment than the rest of the earth. For Moses was very concerned that it should be clearly understood how man was a nobler and better creature than all the others. The unreasonable animals had the earth on which to nourish themselves, but God Himself prepared for man a much more glorious dwelling in which to build,
He should also have his food and be separated from the animals, which he should have under his rule and dominion on the whole earth.
This is why Origen, Jerome and other allegorists are very foolish. Because they do not find the paradise further on the earth, they think that one must look for another understanding and interpretation; since it is much different, if one says: the paradise has been, than if I say: the paradise is. For Moses, as he is wont to do when he speaks historically of a thing, tells this alone, that paradise has been. So also was the dominion over all animals, that Adam could call a lion and command him what he wanted: but it is now no more. For such things are all gone, and are told by Moses only that it may be known that they were.
47) Furthermore, this question has also been discussed: In which place of the earth did God create man? And there have been those who have defended with all seriousness that he was created in the Damascene land, because they heard that the Damascene earth should be red and fertile. But I leave aside such questions, which in truth are useless and futile: for it is enough for us to know that man was created from the earth on the sixth day, after the other animals, and was placed in the Garden of Eden. But what do we need to know, where he was created? He was created outside of paradise. For thus the text says that he was placed in paradise before Eve was created; of whom Moses here says that she was created in paradise. This is enough to know. Now let us proceed to the following.
V. 9: And God the Lord caused to grow up out of the earth all kinds of trees, good to look at and good to eat.
These words actually belong to the description of paradise. For although the whole earth was created and prepared in such a way that it brought forth trees with fruit, herbs and seeds, yet this place Eden had its special cultivation.
How we can take a likeness of our things: The wood and the land bear trees; but if we choose a place and build it specially, that which is begotten and built in the garden is always better than that which grows of itself in the wood. Thus paradise was also created with special cultivation and adorned before the other earth with trees so lovely to see and enjoy. Therefore, he said above in the first chapter v. 29: God said, I have given you all kinds of herbs and all kinds of trees etc., which was food according to need: but paradise also gave food and food according to desire, which was much more tender, better and more lovely than that which the trees on the rest of the earth bore, which also served as food for the animals.
And the tree of life in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge good and evil.
(49) Moses describes Paradise as making God a gardener who, after having planted a garden of his liking with great diligence, chooses some trees which he builds and loves before the others. Among these, one is the tree of life, created so that if a man were to eat of it, he would be preserved in perfect health, without sickness or fatigue.
(50) And here again man is distinguished from the unreasonable animals, not only because of the place, but also because of the advantage of a longer life and that he should always remain in one state and form. For since the bodies of other animals increase and become stronger only in youth, but become weak and fall in old age, man would have had much different opportunity. He would have eaten and drunk, food and drink would also have changed in the body, but not as unpleasantly as now; but this tree of life would have preserved man in constant youth, so that he would never have felt any hardship or burden of old age. The forehead would not have been wrinkled, so that
No foot, hand, or other member of the body would have become weak, feeble, or infirm. And through the help and service of this fruit, man's strength would always have remained perfect for childbearing and all kinds of work, until he was finally transferred from the physical or natural life into the spiritual. And so he would have had nourishment from the other trees, if they had been good, tender and sweet: but this tree would have been as a medicine, by which his life and all his powers would have been preserved in perfect vigor.
(51) But here another question arises: How could a bodily food or fruit have preserved the body, so that it would not have become sicker and weaker with time? To this it is easy to answer: He spoke, and it came to pass. For if God can make bread out of stones, should He not also be able to preserve strength and vigor in the body through a plant or an apple? Let us see now, after the sin, that very great power and effect is also in the smallest herbs and seeds.
52 But let us look at our own bodies. Where does the power come from that bread, when eaten, is digested by natural heat and turned into blood, after which the whole body is strengthened and increases? If you bring whole ovens of fire, you will not be able to turn bread into blood, which a small amount of heat in our bodies can do. Therefore, we should not be surprised that this tree was a tree of life, since it pleased God to plant and make it so. Adam had a natural body that was subject to movement, which begat children, ate, worked, etc., all of which are works that are considered to contribute to decay, or at least to some change, by which man would naturally finally have decayed. But to this natural order God provides a remedy and advice through the tree of life, so that man should have a long and healthy life in constant youth without any loss of his strength.
These are all historical things:
which I order to be diligently noted, so that the imprudent may not be misled by the reputation of the fathers, who abandon the histories and seek allegories. I love Lyra above others, and consider him to be one of the best, because he diligently sticks to history everywhere, even though he allows himself to be moved and overcome by the reputation of the fathers at times, that he, according to their example, turns away from the actual opinion and history to inconvenient allegories.
54 But it is even more strange that it is said here about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. For here it is asked: What kind of tree it was and why it was named so? What would have happened if this tree had not been in paradise? Augustine and the others who follow him rightly say that it was thus named for its future effect. For Adam was created in such a way that if he had felt any deficiency or difficulty in nature, he should have had help and advice against it from the tree of life, which should have preserved his strength and perfect health at all times. Therefore, he would have been completely drowned in the goodness of his Creator, where he would have remained in innocence. He would have recognized God, his Creator, and would have ruled the animals according to his pleasure without any effort and burden, even with the highest pleasure. For everything was created and prepared in such a way that it could not harm man, but could amuse him to the highest.
55. After Adam was created in such a way that he was as it were drunk with joy towards God, and also had his pleasure and joy in the other creatures, a new tree is now created to distinguish between good and evil, so that Adam would have a sure sign of service and honor towards God. For after all things had been given to him, that he might use them as he pleased, either for need or for pleasure, God finally requires of him that he should show reverence and obedience to God on this tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and thus have, as it were, an exercise of worship, and not eat of it.
(56) What has been said about Moses so far belongs either to nature, or to the house and world government, jurisprudence or medicine. But this belongs to theology, that here Adam is presented with a word and commandment from this tree, on which he should also, according to his natural life and nature, have an outward sign to serve God and to render outward obedience; just as the Sabbath, of which we have said above, also belongs primarily to the proof of the inward spiritual services of God, to faith, love, invocation etc.
But this way of outward obedience, which was done for the very best, unfortunately turned out to be the very worst. As we see even today, the word, over which there is nothing more holy or better, is an offence to the wicked. Christ instituted baptism to be an image of regeneration, but has not this given rise to a great deal of trouble from sects and cults? Is not the whole doctrine of baptism miserably falsified? And what has been more necessary to us than such order and institution? So it was also necessary that the natural man should have a natural or outward service of God, so that he might be trained in obedience to God according to the body.
So this text really belongs to the church or theology. For after God has given man police and house rule and made him king and regent of the creatures, He has also given him help and counsel to maintain this temporal life, namely, the tree of life: so He now builds him a church, as it were, so that he may serve and give thanks to God, who has so graciously given him all this. In our churches we have an altar on which we administer the sacrament; we also have preaching stands or pulpits from which we teach the people: all this we have not only for necessity, but also for the sake of solemnity and church adornment. Adam's altar and preaching stand was this tree of the knowledge of good and evil, at which he was to render obligatory obedience to God, recognize God's word and will, and give thanks to Him; indeed, he was also to call upon God against temptation.
(59) Reason is indeed unwilling that this tree was created, because we sinned against it and fell into God's wrath and death. But why is it not equally unwilling that God gave us the law and then revealed the gospel through His Son? For have not innumerable errors and heresies resulted from it? Therefore we are to learn that it was necessary for man, after he was thus created, to have all other living creatures in his hand and power, to recognize and give thanks to his Creator; item, that he have an outward service of God and a sure work of obedience. And if Adam had not fallen, this tree would have been like a common temple and main church, where the people would have gathered; as afterwards in the corrupt nature a certain place was appointed for the service of God, namely, the tabernacle and Jerusalem. But because the tree of knowing good and evil caused such a terrible fall, Moses rightly called it the tree of knowing good and evil, because it became an unfortunate and miserable story.
But here one would like to ask: whether there was only one tree, or more of them? and whether, according to the Scriptures, one is taken for many, as we generally say: one pear, apple etc., and yet mean the whole species or kind of fruit, not individual pieces? It does not seem to me to be almost inconvenient that one understands that the tree of life was a certain place in the middle of paradise, and as it were a forest, in which there were many trees of the same kind and were called by one name the tree of life. For it is possible that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil can be called in general a whole forest, which was like a chapel, in which there were many trees of one kind, namely trees of the knowledge of good and evil, of which God forbade Adam not to eat anything, otherwise he would die of death. But not that the nature or property of the tree was to kill people, but that this was done by the word of God.
God's word was thus proclaimed, which word gives all creatures their effect, also preserves all creatures, so that they do not go out of their way, but each remains in its kind, even though they are infinitely reproduced.
61 Thus it came to pass by the word that out of a rock in the wilderness much water gushed forth, Exodus 17:6; item, that the serpent of brass healed and made whole all those who looked upon it, Exodus 21:9. In the same way this certain tree or certain kinds of such trees in the midst of Paradise strangled Adam, because he disobeyed the word of God; not that the tree was created for this kind and quality, but that it was thus spoken by the word. This we are to understand also of the tree of life, of which God had called Adam to eat, if he wanted to have his strength renewed; which then could happen by power of the word of this tree.
This seems to be very ridiculous to reason, how a single plant could have been so harmful that it could have corrupted and damned the whole human race in an infinite sequence, and that with eternal death. But this power and ability did not exist in the plant or apple. Adam set his teeth on this apple, but in truth he set his teeth on a thorn, which was God's prohibition and disobedience to God. This is the true and real cause of this wailing, namely, that he sins against God, despises His commandment, and follows the devil. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was indeed a good tree, in that it bore the most noble and delicious fruit: but because the prohibition is added to it and man does not obey it, it becomes a tree much more harmful than all poison.
63 Thus, because it is commanded by God's word in Exodus 20:15, "You shall not steal," anyone who touches something that is not his own sins. But since in Egypt the Jews were commanded to steal money from their neighbors and take it away with them, it was not a sin, because they were excused by God's command and commandment, which was obeyed in
all ways and be obedient in all things. If a young man loves a virgin, desires her in marriage and marries her, he does not commit adultery, although the law says that mail should not desire or be lusted after: for the marriage state is instituted by God and commanded to those who cannot live chastely without it. It is the same with these trees. The tree of life gives life by the power of the word, which thus promises and orders it; but the tree of the knowledge of evil and good kills, also by the power of the word, by which it is forbidden to eat of it.
64 The name of the knowledge of good and evil, as Augustine says, comes from the fact that after Adam sinned on it, he not only saw and experienced what good he had lost, but also what great misery he was thrown into through disobedience. Therefore it was in itself a good tree, as also the commandment, so happened to it, was good, that it should be a tree, at which Adam should perform and prove God service and obedience also with an outward work; but because of the following sin it becomes a tree of condemnation. Now Moses describes the garden more extensively.
V. 10. And there went out of Eden a river to water the garden, and there it divided itself into four principal waters.
The Latin text is missing here, that it makes a generic name out of the proper name, namely out of the name Eden; as also here Origenes and those who followed him are guilty of making allegories out of the history. For in truth it happened that in Eden there was a great water, by which the garden was watered; the same water went out from the morning and was divided into four parts, so that no part of the garden remained unwatered. For one must take here before oneself a very wide area on the earth, on which this garden was so created that Adam should have in it with his whole coming generation, which should be large, an own and constant dwelling.
V. 11. 12. The first is called Pison, which fleeth about all the land of Hevila, and there is found gold. And the gold of the land is precious, and there is found bedellion, and the precious stone onyx.
This is one of the greatest annoyances in Moses. For the things that are before the eyes cannot be denied. And so this is actually a description of the land of India, which he calls Hevila, in which the great water is Pison, which is called the Ganges. The other three waters, Gihon, Hiddekel and Phrath, that is, Nile, Tigris and Enphrat, are also known to rise far from each other. Therefore the question is: Since it is known that these waters, which are well known in the whole world, are situated very far from each other, how can it be true that Moses says they all spring from one source, that is, they go and spring in the Garden of Eden towards the morning? For although one cannot really know where the Nile has its origin, there are certain proofs that it rises at the place located at noon; but the Ganges, Tigris and Euphrates flow from midnight, and have an origin that is opposite to this.
For this reason Moses openly contradicts reason and public experience; therefore also many have taken their cause and pretended that Eden was the whole earth. But without the fact that this is publicly wrong, it does not improve Moses' opinion everywhere, who says that these waters have both a beginning and an origin. Although it is plausible that if Adam had remained innocent and his family had been increased, God would also have enlarged this garden, it cannot be said that Eden was the whole earth, for the text clearly separates the Garden of Eden from the other places of the earth. What then shall we say to this text of Moses, which is quite contrary to reason and public experience, and because of which many have been annoyed by it, as Origen and others, who have taken cause from it and invented strange fables and tales? Some of the teachers do not let it be known that they are annoyed by this text, and so they walk through this sea with dry feet, as it were;
which, however, should also not be at a teacher and interpreter.
Therefore this is my opinion, which I have also indicated above, that first of all the paradise was completely closed to man for the sake of sin and then was completely devastated and rejected by the Flood, so that now one can no longer see any footprint of it. For, as I also said above, I think it is completely true that the paradise remained after the fall of Adam and Adam's descendants were known and aware of it; but they were not able to come to it because of the custody of the angel, who kept the garden with a fiery sword, as the text says. But the Flood devastated everything after that; as it is written in Genesis 8:2, that all the springs and depths were broken up and blocked up.
(69) Who would doubt, then, that the source and springs of these waters have not been broken up and mixed together? Just as after the Flood there are mountains where before there was a beautiful and pleasant land, so there is no doubt that now there are springs and fountains where there were none before, and again. For the whole shape of the earth has been changed. And I have no doubt that it is still from the Flood that in places where there are mines, wood is often found that is almost hardened into stones. Thus one finds in the stones various fish forms and other animals pictures. I also believe that the sea, which runs through the middle of the earth and is therefore called the Mediterranean Sea, was not within the earth before the Flood, but that this course, in which it now stands and runs, was made for it by the Flood. Thus the place of the Red Sea was undoubtedly a fertile land and, as is probable, about a piece of this garden; so still from the Flood are the Persian and Arabian gulfs etc.
70 Therefore, one must not think that these waters today still have the same origin that was at that time; but, just as the earth is still and bears trees and herbs, etc. which, however, to be reckoned against the unchanged and undecayed nature, is hardly as
the rest of the rich treasures and goods which the earth, as it was then created, has borne: so these waters are still found as remnants, but not in the places where they were before, much less from the same first springs and wells. How much of our own bodies has been corrupted and lost through sin? Therefore we must speak of the whole of nature as it is after the Fall as a completely new form of all things, which nature took on itself first through sin and then through the common Flood.
And God still does this. When he punishes sins, he also maligns the earth; as he threatens in the prophet Zephaniah 1:3 that he will gather the fish of the sea and the birds of the air into one heap: just as in our time many waters have fewer fish than of old, so the birds are no longer so mean etc. So also Isaiah 13:6, 20, 21. is written of Babylon. For when God takes away the people, the beasts of the land also are lost, and nothing remains there but monstrous, hideous and horrible wild beasts. Thus it is said that the land of Canaan, which was very rich and fertile in ancient times, is now a barren and unfruitful land, as the 107th Psalm v. 34 threatens. If this happens when God punishes and attacks only one country, what do we mean by saying that the punishment that was once inflicted on the whole world has been executed?
Therefore, let no one be offended by the fact that Moses says that the four waters had one origin, and that even now they are very far apart and have different sources. For no one should think that the world is still in the form in which it was before sin. And because Origen was under this delusion and thought, he got into the most clumsy and tasteless allegories.
73. the water Nile is still present, Ganges also etc., but in such a form that one would like to say well, as Virgilius says from Troy, since it was destroyed:
"And the region where Troy stood." For if anyone had seen the Nile and the other waters in their first creation and glory, he would have seen them much differently than they are now, since they not only do not have their former origin and nature, but also do not have their former course: just as the other creatures are all deformed, insane and corrupt. Therefore Peter says Ap. 3:21 that Christ must occupy heaven until the time when all things are brought again. For he indicates, as Paul also says Rom. 8, 20, that the whole creature is subject to vanity, and a restoration of all things, not only of man, but also of heaven, earth, sun, moon etc. is to be hoped for.
(74) Now this is my answer to this text: that the Nile, the Ganges, and the other waters are still, but not as they were. For not only are their rivers and their sources broken up and mixed together, but their forms have also been changed. Just as a man has feet, eyes, ears, and form, so that he was created in paradise; but all these members have been most miserably corrupted and disfigured after sin. Adam, before the fall, had the most clear and sharpest eyes, the most tender and delicate smell, a body very comfortable and obedient for childbearing, but look how far our limbs are from this strength and dexterity. It is the same with these first waters, if you want to see their and the whole creature's first origin.
Therefore we wait for the restoration of all things, not only of the soul, but also of the body, which in that day will be more glorious, noble and beautiful than it was in paradise. For we shall not be placed in a natural life, which by its nature is subject to change, but in a spiritual life, into which Adam also should have been placed if he had lived without sin. For this hope is pointed out to us by Christ, who restores our innocence through the forgiveness of sins, and puts us in a much better state than Adam was in paradise.
(76) The word sad, which Moses uses here, is very emphatic, for it means to go about by rings, as the watchmen go about in the city. Thus the Pison or Ganges is still present, if you look at its name: but if you consider its pleasantness, fertility, power and course, you will find that all this, so it has now, is hardly the dregs and a shadow of the first noble water.
The land of Hevila is India, situated after the east, which the Scriptures here and elsewhere praise more as a rich land; as even today Indian gold and precious stones are considered the noblest and most precious. But I think that under this name Hevila, as Moses speaks of it, also belongs the blissful Arabia and other countries near it. What he says about Bedellion and the precious stone Onyx, I understand that he summarizes with it in general all precious stones. For we still see today that India has not only these precious stones in abundance, but also emeralds, rubies, sapphires, turquoises, diamonds, etc., as they are commonly called. And here consider what I have said above, if this country is still at present graced by God with such rich treasures and jewels: how much happier and richer will it have been before sin? For all that we have now, as I said, is hardly worthy to be called the rest.
The other water is called Gihon, which flows around the whole land of the Moors. The third water is called Hiddekel, which flows from Assyria. The fourth water is Phrath.
The other three waters he remembers only by the name Gihon, which is the Nile. Which water, because it flows through Egypt, Moses understands with the name Chus or Aethiopia, also Egypt. Hiddekel is the swiftest water, Tigris (in Armenia). The fourth, he says, is Phrath, close to us. So we have described here the paradise with its waters, which is now completely lost and of which nothing is left, because these four waters, corrupted and made leprous, as it were, first by sin, then by
Now Moses will continue and show how Adam, before Eve was created, was given a law, so that he also had an outward service, so that he proved obedience and gratitude to God.
Third part.
Bold of the introduction of man into the garden, and the prohibition that God gave him, along with the threat that he attached to the prohibition.
V.15. And God the Lord took the man, and put him in the garden of Eden, to build it, and to keep it.
After God had adorned and decorated the whole earth in many ways, He also prepared the garden, which was to be the dwelling place and royal seat of man, to whom He had commanded the rule over all animals. So he put the man in this place as in a castle and temple, from which he could have gone, if he wanted, and walked on the other earth, which was also most fertile and fun, and play with the animals, as often as he wanted.
(80) God commands Adam to take care of two things: first, to work and build in this garden; then, to take care of it and preserve it. We still find many signs and footprints of this command in this misery and sorrow that has remained upon us. For even now these two are to be together, not only to build the land, but also to keep what has been built. But, alas, both of these things are innumerably obscured and broken up; for not only the building, but also the preservation, is full of all kinds of toil, labor, and misery. What the cause is, however, will be sufficiently indicated in the third chapter, for there we will see that this structure of the earth is confused and disfigured with thorns, thistles, sweat of the face, and other things.
the innumerable miseries. For that I keep silent, how much toil and labor the food costs, how hard and sour it becomes and how much toil and labor goes into bringing up a child!
But if Adam had remained in innocence, he would have built the earth and planted little gardens, not only without difficulty, but as it were playing and with the greatest pleasure. Since also children would have been born to him, they would not have needed and needed the mother's milk so long, but would have stepped perhaps soon from their feet and would have looked for their food themselves, without all work and trouble of the parents, as we see at young chicks. Now one sees, however, how with great misery and lamentation our birth and beginning approaches.
And if we were to speak of food or sustenance, we see that not only do other animals have it in common with us, but also one man deprives and steals it from another by fraud. That is why we must have walls, fences and other safeguards; yet we can hardly keep what we have built and acquired with great labor. So we also have building or work, but very unequal to the first: not only because it is done with the greatest difficulty and unwillingness, but also because the earth gives, as it were, with unwillingness and very meagerly what it would have given Adam with the greatest goodwill and superfluously, where he also would have sown either in the garden or outside of it. Thus he would have had nothing to fear from thieves and murderers, but would have had everything in quiet peace and safety.
So we also see in this piece what a pity and shame original sin is, when we look at the thorns, thistles, hedges, sweat of the face etc. For just as man fell through sin in the spirit, so he also fell with the body into punishment; for work is a punishment, which in the state of innocence would have been play and air. And even now, in this wretchedness and misery of nature, we learn that where one has a pleasant garden, sowing, planting, and digging are not alone no punishment.
But it is also done with diligence and pleasure. But how much more perfect this would have been in paradise, in innocence!
Here it is also useful to remind that man was not created for idleness, but for work, even if he had remained in a state of innocence. For this reason, the idle life led by monks and nuns is cheaply cursed and condemned.
(85) But as we have said of the work and cultivation, that it had been without vexation and displeasure: so also the defense or preservation would have been the highest pleasure, since it is now full of all danger. Adam had chased away the bears and lions with a single word, even with a single wave. We, however, still have the preservation, but quite horrible and terrible, as for this we must have swords, spears, guns, walls, fences, ditches, etc., and yet we can hardly remain satisfied with what we have. That is why we have only dark and almost extinct footprints of work and preservation.
86 Others interpret this text to mean that God is to build and preserve. But the text simply speaks of human work and preservation; as it is said below that Cain was a tiller. And in Job and Ecclesiastes the kings are called cultivators, not only for the sake of work, but also for the sake of preservation. But, as I said, to build and to preserve are sad and heavy words with us; but in the beginning they were a game and the highest pleasure of man.
V. 16. 17. And God the Lord commanded the man, saying, Thou shalt eat of every tree of the garden: but of the tree of knowledge, of good and evil, shalt thou not eat.
This is the order and statute of the church, before the house rule and police, because Eve was not yet created. But the church is arranged and ordered without walls and all splendor, in the most spacious and fun place. According to
The house regiment is also confirmed in the established and ordered church, since God creates Adam the Eve to the journeyman. That therefore the church is rather ordered, than the house; as also more is attached to the church.
Before the fall, however, there was no police, nor was it necessary; for the police is a necessary help and remedy for corrupt nature. For the lusts and inner impulses must be restrained by coercion of laws and punishment, so that they do not run too free and wide. Therefore one could call the police a kingdom of sin just like Paul calls Rom. 8, 2. Moses a servant of death and sins. For this alone is the main purpose of the police, that they ward off sin, as Paul Rom. 13, 4. says: "The authorities bear the sword for vengeance against the wicked." Therefore, if men had not become wicked through sin, there would have been no need for police or worldly rule and order, but Adam and his descendants would have lived in the highest joy, peace and security, and with one finger would have been able to defend and do more than all swords, wheels and gallows are able to do now. Nor would there have been a robber or a murderer, a thief, a slanderer, or a liar: what need would there have been of laws or political order, which is like a branding iron and a terrible medicine, by which the harmful members are cut off, so that the others remain healthy?
Therefore, according to the church, Adam would have been commanded to rule the house in paradise. But this is why the church is first ordered, so that God wants to prove with it, as with a sign, that man was created for something different than the other animals. Because it is established and ordered by the Word of God, it is certain that man was created for an eternal and spiritual life, into which Adam would have been called, but without death, after he had lived in the Garden of Eden and on the other earth to satiety, but without burden and unpleasure. There would not have been such a shameful lust pestilence in him, as there is now in man, but the love between man and woman would have been in him.
Woman would have been simple, pure and without all sinful covetousness. Thus, childbearing would have been without sin and would have been obedience. The mothers would have borne and given birth to children without pain, and they would have been brought up without such sorrow and great effort.
But who can reach with words this great glory of innocence that we have lost? There remains in nature the love and covetousness of the man for the woman, item, the fruits of childbearing, but with ghastly stain of fornication and great sorrow and pain of birth. In addition, there is shame, disgrace and confusion, even among husbands and wives, as often as they want to enjoy the pleasured company. Thus, the great and miserable damage of original sin is painted before our eyes everywhere. Although childbearing is not evil, and blessing is also good, these things have become so insane and corrupted by sin that husbands and wives cannot use them without shame. But if Adam had remained in innocence, there would have been none; but as without shame man and woman sit and eat together at table, so also childbearing and childbearing would have been a peculiar honor, and no shame nor blush of shame. But I come back to Moses.
(91) Here, as I have said, the church is ordered before the house was kept. For the Lord here preaches to Adam and sets before him a word which, though brief, is worthy of a more extensive treatment. For this sermon would have been Adam's Bible, and all of ours, if he had persisted in innocence; nor would we have needed paper, ink, pens, and so innumerable books, which we must now have, and yet cannot attain the thousandth part of the wisdom which Adam had in Paradise. But this short sermon would have summarized and concluded the whole study of wisdom, and would have shown us, as if painted on a tablet, God's goodness, who created nature pure and perfect, without all the harm and infirmities that followed sin.
92. and this sermon, which, as the text says
The commandment, which Adam alone heard, was given on the sixth day, and Adam then communicated it to Eve. And if they both had not sinned, Adam would have given this one commandment to all his descendants, who would have become the best theologians, the most learned lawyers and the most experienced physicians. Now we have books that cannot be counted, in which theologians, jurists and physicians are instructed: and yet all that we learn with the help of books can hardly be called a pittance compared to the wisdom that Adam would have drawn from this one word. In fact, everything is corrupted and lost through original sin.
Therefore, this tree of the knowledge of good and evil, or this place where such trees were planted in a large heap, would have been the church, where Adam and his descendants would have gathered on the Sabbath and, after refreshment from the tree of life, would have praised God there and praised him for giving him dominion over all creatures on earth; as the 148th and 149th Psalms almost lead to such a form of thanksgiving, since they describe the sun, moon, stars, fishes, dragons, and the like. and 149. Psalm almost lead and indicate such a form of thanksgiving, since it calls sun and moon, the stars, fishes, dragons etc. No psalm is so high and glorious that each one of us could not have made a better and more perfect one if we had been begotten in innocence by Adam. And Adam would have praised the greatest blessing of God, that he and his entire family were created in the image of God; he would have admonished his descendants to live holy and without sin, to build faithfully in the garden and to keep it diligently, and to guard with the utmost diligence against the tree of knowledge of good and evil. And so, when man had had this outward place, use, word and service, he would have gone back to his work and preservation, until the appointed time had been fulfilled, in which he would have been taken up to heaven with the greatest pleasure and joy.
(94) But now we speak of such goods as of a lost treasure, and we groan with a good heart, and we long for that day when all things shall be restored to us, and we shall know that we have lost them.
will be reimbursed. But it is good that we often think at the same time about the good that we have lost and the evil that we have on us and thus live in all misery; so that we awaken ourselves to hope and maintenance for the redemption of our bodies, of which the apostle Paul says Rom. 8:23. For as far as the soul is concerned, we have already been redeemed through Christ, and we hold this redemption in faith until it is revealed.
It is also useful to consider in this text that God gave Adam the word, worship and religion completely pure and simple, without any special effort or expense. For he did not command him to slaughter oxen, burn incense, make vows, fast, or mortify and afflict his body, but only to praise God, to give thanks to God, to rejoice in Him, and to render this obedience to Him, that he should not eat of the forbidden tree.
In this weakness of our flesh we still have some of this worship left, for which Christ has helped us again, so that we also praise God and thank Him for all kinds of blessings, spiritual and physical; but in truth this is nothing but a remnant. But when we will come to the choirs of angels after this miserable life, then we will perform these services in more holiness and purity. So this is also a remnant of the blessed state in which Adam first was, that through marriage we can guard against adultery and avoid it; item, that this bodily and temporal life not only has nourishment and entertainment, although with great toil and labor, but also has protection and salvation against all kinds of harm and danger, in which we would otherwise have to remain. These are indeed remnants, but very miserable ones, if one wants to look at the first state and opportunity.
Furthermore, I must warn you here against the false prophets, through whom Satan tries to falsify the pure doctrine in many ways. But I will tell you one of my histories, how I was challenged by an ungodly spirit about the beginning of this teaching.
and were afflicted. In the text there is the word of command: vajezav jehova, "the Lord commanded"; nor was he allowed to argue against it: "The law is not given to the righteous", 1 Tim. 1, 9. Adam was then still righteous, therefore no law was given to him. From this he deduced that this was not a law, but only an admonition. But since there is no sin, since there is no law, Rom. 4, 15, he finally came to the point that he said that original sin was nothing, and he made a big deal of it, bragging and triumphing with this mended argument, as if he had found such a treasure, which until then had been hidden and unknown to the whole world. But now it is useful to learn how the devil deals, so that we can meet him wisely.
It is true that both sayings are St. Paul's, that there is no law given to the righteous, 1 Tim. 1, 9, and that there is no transgression where the law is not, Rom. 4, 15. But it is right for a good dialectician to pay attention to the devil's cunning and presumption, which is also used afterwards by his serfs, the poor sophists. They stand on the Scriptures (for it would be ridiculous that they would teach people nothing but their own dreams), but they do not bring them out completely, but always take such sayings that seem to be for them, but that which is against them they either avoid and cunningly conceal, or falsify with devious glosses.
(99) So Matth. 4, 2. 3. when the devil heard that Christ stood on the trust of God in great hunger, he presumed to lead him on the forbidden trust, that is, that he should tempt God; and for this he used the saying from the 91st Psalm, v. 11. 12. which was convenient for him: "He has commanded his angels over you, that they should carry you on their hands, so that you do not strike your foot against a stone. But that which was contrary to his purpose, namely, that the angels should guard us in our ways or in our occupation, he cunningly avoided and left it undone. For in this is the resolution of the whole argument, namely, that the angels may find our guardians and keep us, but so far as we are in our
Because of it. To this resolution Christ points out finely, when he reproached him with the commandment Deut. 6, 16: "Thou shalt not tempt thy Lord God. For with this he indicates that man's way is not to fly in the air, for this is the way of birds, but the steps that descended from the temple and were made so that one could come down through them easily and without any danger. Therefore, when we are in our profession or office by God's command or by the command of men who have the right virtue of the profession, we should believe that we cannot lack the protection of the dear angels.
This is a useful rule when one has to argue with swarm spirits. For careless people are deceived and seduced when they have to deal with cunning and devious people who, according to their habit, argue a divisis ad conjuncta, or use what scholars call fallaciam compositionis et divisionis, that is, they put together what is supposed to be separate and does not belong together, and do not fully present the sayings of Scripture. And this is precisely what happens in this argument: no law is given to the righteous; Adam was righteous, therefore no law was given to him, but only an admonition. Whoever is not careful and prudent here is easily and unawares caught with a terrible conclusion that it was no sin for Adam to have eaten of the apple, because the law had not yet been. For it is true that where there is no law, there is no transgression.
(101) And I was about to say that even some in our time have been deceived by this very argument. For thus they speak of original sin as if it were not a guilt, but only a punishment; just as in one place Erasmus expressly argues that original sin is a punishment of the first parents, which we descendants must also take upon ourselves for the sake of another's guilt, without our merit. Just as a child of a whore must have shame and disgrace upon him, not from his own fault, but from his mother's; for what can he have sinned, he says, who has not yet been born? Such an argument is probably in harmony with reason.
She also likes it, but it is full of sin and blasphemy.
What then is the defect of this argument or conclusion? Just this common defect, that the text is not completely quoted, but mutilated and shortened with the highest infidelity. For the text reads thus: "We know that no law is given to the righteous, but to the disobedient, to the slayers, to the adulterers" etc. What else follows from this, but that Paul speaks of the law given after sin, and not of the law given by God the Lord when Adam was still perfect, pious and righteous. To the righteous, says St. Paul, no law is given, therefore it follows irrefutably that the law is given to the sinful and harmful nature.
(103) But is it not a great sin and confusion that in such important matters the sayings of the Scriptures are thrown together? Adam after the fall is not what he was before the fall in the state of innocence, and yet such enthusiasts make no distinction between the law given before sin and that given after sin; but what Paul says of the law that came after sin, they draw with lies and blasphemy on the law given in paradise. For if sin had not existed, neither would the law, which reproaches sin, have existed; as I said above, that the perfect nature had no need of police and law, which is as a branding iron and, as Paul calls it Gal. 3, v. 24, a disciplinarian. Just as a child, because it is evil, must have a disciplinarian and a rod; and a prince and ruler, because he has disobedient citizens and subjects, must have city slaves and executioners. Therefore Paul actually speaks of such a law, which was necessary after nature had been corrupted by sin.
Now I have also said above for what Adam needed the command from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, namely, that he might have an outward worship and an outward work of obedience to God. The angel Gabriel is also without sin and a pure and innocent person.
134 L. 1, 137-1". Interpretation of Genesis 2, 16. 17. W. 1, 1SK-1SS. 135
Nevertheless, he takes a command from God that he should instruct Daniel in great things, item, that he should announce to the virgin Mary that she should be a mother of the Lord Christ, who was promised to the fathers. These are indeed faithful commandments or orders, which were given to the innocent nature. So also Adam was commanded by the Lord before the fall that he should not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which he would have done willingly and with great pleasure if he had not been deceived and seduced by the devil. But Paul speaks of another law, namely of that, as he himself clearly says, which is not given to the righteous but to the unrighteous. Now who is either so stupid or foolish and nonsensical who would conclude from this that no law was given to Adam, because he heard that Adam was righteous? For nothing else follows from this, but that this law, which is given to the unrighteous, was not given to the righteous Adam; but because a law was nevertheless given to the righteous Adam, it must follow that it was another law than that which is afterwards given to the unrighteous.
(105) Therefore in this argument there is the error or fallacia compositionis et divisionis, as stated above; for the text is not presented whole, but mutilated. Moreover, there is also a double ambiguity here: first, that there is another law before sin, and another after sin; second, that to be righteous is much another thing before sin than after sin. This is useful to remember, and good arts should thus serve and be used in important dealings and disputations. For they were not invented for the useless quarreling that was carried on in schools, but so that by them one could get out of great and difficult affairs. For the devil has a great purpose in this argument, namely, to persuade people that there is no original sin, which in truth is no different than denying the suffering and resurrection of Christ. Therefore St. Paul's saying should not hinder us, but we may boldly conclude with Moses that Adam in his righteousness was given a law and commandment that he should not eat of the tree.
of the knowledge of good and evil; as God gives commandments and orders to the angels. But because he transgressed this commandment, he sinned, and afterwards in sin begat men who are also sinners.
For the day you eat of it, you will die of death.
First, this clear threat also shows that Adam was given a law; second, it also proves that Adam was created in a state of innocence and righteousness; for there was no sin then, because God did not create sin. If Adam had kept this commandment, he would never have died. For death came for the sake of sin; so were all the other trees in paradise created to serve man for this natural life, and to keep it fresh and healthy, without any defect or change.
(107) But it seems to us to be a strange business now, that this natural life should be without death and what tends to cause it, as diseases, pox, and foul and stinking superfluity in the body; (etc.) as in the state of innocence there was nothing unhealthy or stinking in the body of man, nor did it pass away, but everything was most beautiful and without any defect or injury to the limbs and senses, and yet was a natural life. For Adam ate, drank, digested, etc. and would also have done other natural works of this life, if he had remained so, until he had been taken up into a spiritual and eternal life.
(108) For we have also lost this through sin, that now between the temporal and the future or eternal life there is such a terrible means, namely death. In the innocent state, however, such a means would have been sweet and joyful, through which Adam would have been delivered into spiritual life, or, as Christ calls it in the Gospel, Matth. 22:30, into the life of angels, in which all natural works cease. For in the resurrection of the dead we shall neither eat, nor drink, nor be free etc. So such a natural thing would have ceased and would have been followed by a spiritual one.
Life; just as we still believe, through the grace of the Lord Christ, that it will follow. And if Adam had put away childish honor and had put on heavenly honor, he would also have put away all earthly works, which would have been pure and without any unpleasantness or burden, and would have been transferred from this childish innocence (that I call it so) into a manly innocence, which the angels have and we will also have in the life to come.
For this reason I call it childish innocence, that Adam was created in a middle class, that is, in such a state, in which he could be deceived by the devil and fall into this misery, in which he has come. Such danger of sinning and falling will not be in the perfect innocence that we will have in the future and spiritual life, and this also means here the threat of punishment: "Whichever day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die the death. As if he wanted to say: You can indeed remain in the life for which I have created you, but you are nevertheless not immortal, like the angels. You have, as it were, a free hand over your life, you can remain in it and afterwards be raised to an eternal immortality; but again, if you are not obedient, you will fall into death and lose immortality.
Therefore there is a great difference between the spiritual state or life of the angels and Adam's innocence. The angels, as they are now, cannot fall; but Adam could fall, for he was in such a state that he could become immortal (for he was without all sin), and could be transferred from filial glory to an eternal life in which he could no longer sin. Again, he could also fall from this childish innocence into condemnation, sin and death; as also happened. He was immortal, because he had the trees, the fruit of which was to serve vigorously for the preservation of life; but this immortality was so certainly not assured and confirmed to him that it would be impossible for him to fall again into mortality.
But why God wanted to create man in this middle class is not clear.
Do not stop us to discuss or to inquire about it, as also this, that man is created in such a way, that from one all the others are begotten. But angels are not created in this way, for they do not beget, nor are they begotten, but live in a spiritual life. But this is to be wondered at, that God created man with this counsel and purpose, that, after having created him for a natural life and natural and bodily works, he nevertheless gave him the power of understanding that is in the angels; that therefore man is composed of two natures, one which he has in common with the other animals, the other which is angelic.
Since we are about to speak of the nature of angels, we must also say that the Fathers wrote that something similar happened in the creation of man and angels. But this similarity does not refer at all to the reproduction, because there is no such thing in the spiritual nature, but to the imperfection. For as I have said of man that he was given a free hand, as it were, by God, so also the angels, as soon as they were created, were not made so firm and stable in their nature that they could not have sinned. That is why Christ says John 8:44 that Satan did not exist in truth. Therefore the holy fathers thought that there was a fight and a rebellion between the angels, in which some of them stood by the most beautiful angel, who, because of certain gifts, had risen above all the others. This does not seem to be out of keeping with the truth, nor is it out of keeping with the fact that Christ says he did not exist in truth, and that Jude says in his epistle, v. 6, that the angels did not retain their principality, but lost their dwelling place. On this opinion they also drew the text Isa. 14, 12. But as far as this text is concerned, it is certain that the prophet there speaks of the king of Babylon, who wanted to sit on the throne of God, that is, wanted to rule over the holy people and the temple.
113) Now whether there has been a discord among the angels, or whether there has been a discord among the angels, which to me is the same, is not clear.
If the proud angels were more pleased with the great humility of the Son of God and wanted to prefer and exalt themselves above him, it is certain that the angels were also in such a state of innocence, which was changeable. But since the evil angels were thus judged and condemned, the good ones were so confirmed and assured that they could no longer sin; for they were all chosen, just as the evil ones were all rejected. But if the dragon or the evil angels had remained innocent, they would also have been confirmed afterwards, so that they could not have fallen. In this way the fathers say that the angels were created in righteousness and were confirmed in it afterwards, but those who fell did not exist in the truth, as Christ says.
(114) But we should not think that they were few in number, for Christ says in the Gospel Luc. 11:18 that Satan has a kingdom. And as among the highwaymen there is one who rules all things by his counsel and power: so also the evil angels have their prince and chief, Beelzebub, who has been a boaster of this sedition and division among them.
Here we find a question of which all sophists' books make much talk and yet report nothing certain, namely: What is hereditary righteousness? And some make a skill or ability out of it, some something else. But if we want to follow Moses, we can say that hereditary righteousness can be called that, that man has been righteous, truthful, sincere, not only bodily and outwardly, but especially inwardly in the heart, and that he has known God, has been obedient to Him with all his desire, has understood the works of God without instruction from another, from himself. How this is a clear example, that when Adam sleeps a deep sleep and God builds Eve out of his rib, Adam recognizes God's work as soon as he wakes up, and says: this is the bone of my leg. But isn't this an excellent, high mind, that it understands and recognizes God's work as soon as it looks at it?
116. to this hereditary righteousness also belongs the fact that Adam has been
He loved with all his heart and with the purest affections; he lived in peace among the other creatures, without fear of death and without shying away from all diseases; he also had a body sent to all obedience, without all the evil affections and base lust that we now feel in our bodies. How then we can have a beautiful and certain picture of hereditary righteousness in the corruption that we now feel in this nature of ours.
When the sophists speak of original sin, they speak only of the wretched and shameful fornication and lust pestilence. But in fact, original sin is the fall of the whole nature, by which first of all the mind is darkened, so that we can no longer perceive and understand God and His will, nor His works. After that, the will is also wonderfully insane and counterfeited, so that we do not trust in the goodness and mercy of God, do not fear God, but are sure, abandon God's word and will, and follow the lust and stimulation of the flesh; item, that our conscience is no longer quiet and satisfied, but despairs, seeks and follows unseemly and forbidden means and help, when it thinks of God's judgment. Such great and abominable sins are so deeply rooted in nature that they can by no means be completely torn out in this life; and yet they do not touch the wretched sophists with a word. So original sin shows what original righteousness is, and again, if you consider original righteousness, you can understand what original sin is, namely, a loss or deficiency of original righteousness; just as blindness is a deprivation or deficiency of sight.
And this extends much further than the monks think, who understand hereditary righteousness from chastity, when one should first look at the soul and then at the body, which is also thus tainted and defiled with evil desire. In the soul, however, the most noble pity is that it has lost God's knowledge, that we do not thank God everywhere and in all things, that we do not take pleasure in His works and deeds, do not trust Him, become enemies of Him and blaspheme Him when He attacks us with well-deserved punishment.
Item, if we have to deal with our neighbor, we follow our lusts and own affections, rob, steal, find adulterers, death slayers, are tyrannical, unkind, merciless etc. Heat and fornication are also part of original sin, but much greater are the inward sins of the heart, such as unbelief, blindness, despair, enmity and blasphemy; of which spiritual misery and misery Adam in his innocence knew nothing.
119) Therefore, there are also many punishments of original sin, which cannot be called better than to say that original sin is the loss of all perfection, which Adam had in paradise: as that he was of a sharp mind and soon understood that Eve was of his flesh, also had finished and actually knew all creatures, was righteous, upright, of an excellent mind and sincere, but still of an imperfect, will. For perfection was saved after the natural life into the spiritual. That is enough of this text, in which the order of the church is presented to us. Now Moses continues.
Fourth Part.
From the creation of Eve.
V. 18. And God the Lord said, It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helpmeet to be with him.
We have heard of the church that it is included in the word and service of God and that it is appointed with it; for nature, while it was still perfect and without sin, had no need of the police and worldly order. Now also the housekeeping is established here, and God makes a husband out of the lonely Adam, adds a wife to him, whom he needed for the increase of the human race. As I have said above about the creation of man, namely, that Adam was created with well-considered counsel; so we see here also that Eve is made with special counsel. Which Moses therefore indicates once again, that we see that the
Man is a special creature, created to be partaker of divinity and immortality. For a man is a better creature than heaven and earth, with all that is therein.
In particular, Moses speaks of the other part of human nature, that is, of the woman, in such a way that she was created with the special counsel of God, so that he might indicate and prove that the female gender, which was to serve for the increase of the human race, also belonged to this life for which Adam was waiting. And it follows from this that if the woman had not been deceived by the serpent and had sinned, she would have been equal to Adam in all respects. For that she must now be subject to man is a punishment laid upon her after sin and for sin's sake, as well as other hardships and dangers, such as labor and pain in childbirth and other innumerable miseries. Therefore Eve was not as a woman is now, but she was in a far better and more excellent condition than Adam, who was not unequal to any thing, neither in bodily nor spiritual gifts.
(122) Now here is a question, because God says that it is not good that man should be alone: What good is he talking about, since Adam was righteous and had no need of a wife, as we, who have a sinful, corrupt and leprous flesh, do? Answer: God speaks of the common good that affects the whole human race, not of that which affects a person. For the fact that Adam has innocence is a good that pertains to his person alone; but he does not yet have the common good that the other animals have, of which every species multiplies and breeds. For Adam was still alone and had no companion for this noble work of begetting children and preserving his species. Therefore good is called here the increase of the human race. And so Adam, although he was innocent and righteous, did not yet have the good for which he was created, namely immortality, in which, if he had remained innocent, he would have been placed by God in his time. And is this the opinion that Adam is probably the most beautiful creature and, as much as his
He still lacks one thing, namely the gift of multiplication and blessing, because he is still alone.
Now that nature is corrupt, the woman is necessary not only for increase, but also for companionship and the protection of life; for housekeeping requires the servitude of women; indeed, which is to be lamented, the woman is also necessary for the remedy against sin. Therefore both this, namely, the household service and medicine, are to be considered in the woman; as Paul 1 Cor. 7, 2. says: "To avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife." And Magister Sententiarum rightly says that the marriage state was ordered in paradise for service, but after sin also for medicine. So then we must use wives to prevent sin; which is a shameful thing to say, but nevertheless the truth; for those who take wives only for the sake of service are very few.
The other animals, however, do not have this need; therefore they come together only once a year and are satisfied with that, as if they wanted to say and prove by this act that they come together only for the sake of service. But it is different with people: man and woman must come together in marriage to avoid sin. That is why we are conceived and born in sins; for parents come together not only for the sake of service, but also for the sake of the remedy to avoid sin.
(125) Nevertheless, under this medicine and in this miserable state, God the Lord fulfills His blessing that people are conceived and born in sin and with sin, which would not have been the case in Paradise. For the begetting of children would have been a very holy work and without all rutting and fornication (which is to be found nowadays), and if the children had been born in hereditary righteousness and sincerity, they would have immediately recognized God without teaching and admonition, praised Him and thanked Him etc. But these things are now all lost, and yet it is profitable that we should know them, that we may know the difference of the state wherein we are now, which is original sin, and that wherein Adam was, which is hereditary righteousness; whereupon also we may know the difference of the state wherein we are now, which is original sin, and that wherein Adam was, which is hereditary righteousness.
hope when everything will be brought back, Acts. 3, 21.
For the sake of the word "let us make," I have indicated above that Eve is created with special, well-considered counsel, so that one should see that she also belongs to the company of an eternal and better life; for the other animals, which have only a natural life, are without hope of an eternal life.
That the Latin text has simile sibi (a helpmate), who is like him, is in the Hebrew: Quod sit coram eo, "who is around him"; and this word also makes a distinction, so that the woman, as a man, is distinguished from all the females of the other animals, who are not always around their husbands. But the woman in the human race was created to be everywhere and always around her husband; just as the imperial laws call the marriage state an inseparable and indistinguishable society. But the female sex of the other animals desires the man only once in the whole year, and when she has become pregnant, she goes back to her own and takes care of herself, takes no further care of the young that are born of her at the other time, and does not live with the man all the time.
But with the marriage among men it is different. There the woman must commit herself to the man in such a way that she must remain around him and live with him as one flesh. And if Adam had remained in the state of innocence, this would have been the most loving company between man and woman, and the work of childbearing would also have been completely holy and honest, and the shame, which is now and comes from sin, would not have been that man and woman then had to hide themselves. But, as it is now no disgrace to eat, drink and sleep with a woman, etc., so also the conjugal cohabitation would have been an honor and not a disgrace.
But is this not a terrible case? For in truth no work in all nature has been more excellent or more wonderful than childbearing, which is the highest work according to the divine service.
without sin than to praise and thank God without sin. This work still remains in nature, like other remnants of the first creation. But how disgracefully this same work is corrupted and insane by the Fall! Man and woman are honestly given together by the church, but they themselves come together with the utmost shame; that I should not know what filthiness is in the flesh, as the animal lust and heat, which are all manifest signs of original sin.
(130) Thus the woman was given to Adam as a helpmate, for he alone could not beget children, just as the woman alone could not beget children. This is indeed a great praise and glory of man and woman, that in childbearing the man is a father, and the woman a mother and helpmate of the man. But if we look at the state of innocence, childbearing was far better, more sweet and more holy.
Now one finds many people who do not want to have children, and such barbaric cruelty and inhumanity is most common among nobles and great lords, who often abstain from marriage for this one reason, so that they do not have heirs and children. It is even more disgraceful that lords and princes are found who allow themselves to be forced not to take wives, lest their family be multiplied too much. Such people are worthy to have their memory wiped out from the earth. And who would not want to curse such swine and unfaithful people? But, as I said, this is also a sign and fruit of original sin, otherwise we would marvel at childbearing as the highest work of God, and praise it as the greatest gift.
For this reason, it has been found that the female sex has been attacked with insults and blasphemies, which the ungodly illegitimate state of the priests in particular has done a great deal. Now, on the other hand, it is a great blessing that God, as it were against our will, preserves the female sex for us, both to bear children and as a medicine against the sin of fornication. In paradise, the woman would have been the man's helpmate,
Now it is almost primarily and most of all a medicine, of which one can hardly speak without shame; after all, one cannot use it without shame. This is the fault of sins. For in paradise, the lying together of man and woman would have been done without any shame, as a work created and blessed by God, and would have been an honest pleasure, like eating and drinking. Now, unfortunately, it is such a shameful and terrible lust that physicians compare it to the terrible disease, the falling addiction. And it is actually a real disease during and besides the work of childbearing. For since we are in the state of sins and death, we must also bear this punishment in ourselves, that we cannot use the woman without abominable heat and fornication and, as it were, without a terrible falling addiction.
133 And this same thing happens to us in spiritual gifts because of sin. For though we have faith and live by faith, yet we cannot be above doubting and feeling death; and such punishment of original sin the holy fathers have well seen and felt. Therefore the Scripture calls the members of the marital works ervah, which is shame or disgrace. What follows here is, as it were, a repetition, which Moses uses so that he may be able to describe how the woman was created; therefore it is to be read as a thing that happened long ago, thus:
V. 19 For when God the Lord had made of the earth every beast of the field and every fowl of the air, He brought them to man to see what He called them.
(134) As if to say, God would create the woman with certain and wise counsel; for he saw that every one of the other animals had his helper, except Adam, who was still alone. Therefore he brought to him all the animals, which, when Adam had noted and named them all by name, he found none like him. Here we are reminded once again to consider the excellent intellect and wisdom, which are in
Adam was, who, after having been created in innocence and righteousness, looked at all animals and knew, without any special input and new enlightenment or revelation, only by the excellence of his nature, each nature and quality, of which he gave each one a name according to its nature and convenient. To such a knowledge and light was also followed the dominion over all animals, which is also indicated herewith, that Adam gives to every animal a name of his liking. Therefore he was able to rule and force lions, bears, gentle pigs, tigers and all other animals with one word, so that they had to do all kinds of things that were according to their nature. We have also lost this through sin.
Therefore it is no wonder that we have no knowledge of God, because we do not know nor understand the nature of animals, what power and effect they have. There are many books describing the nature and properties of trees and animals, but how much time and how much attention must have gone into them before they were discovered by experience? But in Adam there was another light and knowledge, who, as soon as he looked at an animal, understood its whole nature and power, much better than we do, even if we follow and investigate such things throughout our lives. And as such knowledge was an excellent gift in Adam, so it was also especially pleasing to God. That is why he called him to use such knowledge and to give names to all animals.
V. 19, 20: For as man would call all living creatures, so should they be called. And Adam gave to every beast, and bird of the air, and beast of the field, his name: but for man there was found no helper round about him.
How much knowledge and wisdom there was in the one Adam! Although he lost a great deal of it through the fall, I still believe that everything that is still in all wise people's books, which were written so many hundreds of years ago, is still there.
From the time when the arts were invented, taken together, they could not have been equal to this wisdom, which nevertheless remained in Adam after the sin, but after that was gradually obscured in his descendants and has now almost disappeared altogether.
Further we may note here that Moses is still in the description of the works of the sixth day. For that which he said in brief words in the first chapter, v. 26: "Let us make man," he wanted to emphasize more abundantly and powerfully in this chapter and distinguish man from the other animals with many proofs and arguments. That is why he spends the whole of the other chapter explaining how man was created. He said of man that he was made from the earth and that God had blown a living breath into his face and then brought before him the whole collection of all animals. Since Adam could not find a helper among them, God made the woman a helper and companion for the procreation and preservation of the human race. For God did not want Adam's descendants to be created from the earth in such a way as he was, but wanted man to be begotten like the other animals. For as far as natural life is concerned, we eat, drink, beget and are begotten like other animals. And yet Moses dealt with this with great counsel and concern, that he should separate and distinguish man from the other animals, so that it might be accomplished that man, after his natural life, should be partaker of the spiritual and eternal; but this, as I have said, belongs all to the work of the sixth day. For since God had said, "Grow and multiply," an explanation was needed as to how the woman was related to Adam, made and trusted.
But this belongs to the fact that we remain firm and certain on this opinion that there were actually six days in which God created everything, against the understanding of Augustine and Hilarius, who are in this delusion, as if everything was created in a moment.
That is why they come far from history, follow allegories and invent I do not know what kind of dreams. I do not want to say this to disgrace or diminish the holy fathers, whose effort and work we should honestly keep and recognize, but I say it to confirm the truth and to comfort us. It is true that they were great men, but still they were men who could have erred and erred and erred; that we do not exalt them as highly as the monks did, who so worshipped all their things (and thought them to be vain sanctities) as if they could not have erred. But I consider this a great consolation, that one sees and finds that they have erred and missed the mark at times. For so I think: if God has been able to credit and forgive them for the same error and sin, why would I doubt His grace and forgiveness? But again this brings despair, if you believe that they have not suffered the very thing you suffer. Now it is certain that there is a great difference between the apostles' and the fathers' profession. Why then do we want to make the fathers' writings equal to the apostles'?
(139) And as for this text, tell me, how is it possible that six days can be an hour or a moment? For neither reason nor faith, which relies on the Word, admits of such a thing. Therefore we are to know that there were differences of time in creation; that is, that Adam alone was created first, and after that the animals were brought to him and tried whether he could find or see his equal and a helper in the same heap of the animals. After all this Eve was ultimately created. And truly, because these words: "You shall eat of all kinds of trees" etc., Adam actually heard, they indicate that they were spoken with time and time. Unless someone wanted to turn to the most absurd allegories, as Origen has done. For God, before whose eyes everything past and future is present, is not spoken of here: but Adam is spoken of, who was and lived in time, in whom also, as in a creature, there is a difference between the time and the future.
past and future. I have recently wanted to repeat this here. Now let us look at the text further.
V. 21 Then God the Lord caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he fell asleep. And he took one of his ribs, and closed up the place with flesh.
Here again, not only faith, but also reason and necessity require that there be another time to sleep and another time to watch, for all these things must take their time. Now that Adam was created on the sixth day, that the animals were brought to him, that he also heard the Lord, who gave him a commandment from the tree of knowledge of evil and good, item, that the Lord caused a sleep to fall on him, all this is clear and in the day, that it belongs to time and a natural life. Therefore these six days must be understood as true (natural) days, contrary to the opinion of the holy fathers. For if we see that the opinion and thoughts of the fathers do not agree with the Scriptures, we bear with them in patience and acknowledge them in all reverence for our fathers and forefathers: but for their sake we do not depart from the prestige of the Scriptures.
And Aristotle has rightly and finely said that it is much better to follow the truth than to cling too firmly to those who are dear to us and our friends, and that this is especially proper for a philosopher to do: for if both truth and friend are dear to us, we should prefer the truth to the friend and respect it more. Now if a pagan is to do this in worldly matters, how much more is it to be done in matters which have the manifest testimony of Scripture, that we should not prefer the reputation of men to the holy Scriptures! For men can be lacking, but God's word is the wisdom of God Himself and the most certain truth.
But as far as this history is concerned, tell me, what could be more fabulous and said, if one would follow reason? Would there also be someone who would believe this history, how Eve is created, where it is not reported so clearly and expressed in the Scriptures? Because here
you see the contradiction in all other animals. For that which is begotten alive is begotten of a man and a woman, and born of the woman into the world; but here the woman herself is created out of the man: which is as strange a work as that Adam should be made a living man out of a lump of earth. If you were to ignore the Scriptures and follow the judgment of reason, these would have to be the greatest and most monstrous lies and fables. As Aristotle says that one can neither put the first nor the last man; which reason would also force us to say, where this text would not be. For if you suppose that this is true, as it is in the whole creature, that nothing living can be born except from male and female, then the first man cannot be made.
The same should be said of the world, of which the philosophers have therefore concluded that it is eternal, according to which opinion reason directs itself with all its force, even though there are causes and proofs to prove that it is not eternal. For what will reason find a beginning in that which is nothing? Now if you say that the world began and is a time in which the world has not yet been, it follows immediately that nothing was before the world. Other infinite absurdities follow, which have moved the philosophers and caused them to think that the world is eternal. But if you wanted to say that the world was infinite, then a new infinite thing is found from hour to hour, that always men would have to come and follow one another. But philosophy does not admit many infinite things (infinita) and yet must admit them, because it knows of no beginning of the world and of men. Such contradiction and darkness gave the Epicureans cause to say that the world and men would be approximately and without certain cause, and would also perish approximately (and accidentally), as cattle fall and die, as if they had never been. From this, then, other things follow, namely, that either there is no God or God is not.
He does not take care of the world and people. Behold, reason is led astray when it pursues its judgment and thoughts without a word.
Therefore it is useful to see how our reason or wisdom cannot come far enough when it wants to measure and observe the creature. For what can a philosopher know of heaven or of the world, since he does not know where it comes from or where it finally wants to go? In ourselves we see and feel that we are human beings; but that we have this father and this mother we can by no means know, we must believe it. Thus all our knowledge and wisdom go no further than matter and form extend (that is, as far as they can think and see), although at times we are also shamefully mistaken and lacking in this. But what causa efficiens and finalis are (that is, what initially drives and causes a thing, and how or where it ends, and for what purpose it is to serve), we cannot indicate at all, especially when we speak (which is to be pitied) of the world in which we are and live, item, when we are to dispute or think of ourselves. But is this not a rather miserable and poor wisdom?
Aristotle says: Man and the sun produce man. This is well said, but if you follow this wisdom, you will finally come to the conclusion that man and the sun are eternal and infinite. For you will never find a man who is either the beginning or the end; just as I cannot find the beginning or the end of my own person if I know it for certain and do not rather want to believe it. But what wisdom or science is this, if one does not understand end and beginning? For that we know the form and shape of a thing is not much different than how a cow knows its house and, as they say in the German proverb, looks at a gate. Therefore, it can be seen from this that original sin is a terrible case, because we have lost this knowledge, that we can neither know the beginning of ourselves nor the end.
146. that Plato, Cicero and other philosophers, who are the best, disputes, the
Let man walk straight, and bear up his head, as the other animals strike it down to the earth; item, that they praise the power in man, by which he can understand, distinguish, and judge; also, finally, conclude that man is a peculiar creature, made for immortality: Dear, is it not a small and sheer futile thing? for it is all because one knows and knows the form of man. But if you want to understand the matter of man, will not reason force you to conclude that this nature must be dissolved again and cannot be immortal?
Therefore we should learn that the right wisdom is in the holy Scriptures and in the Word of God. For the latter not only teaches about the matter and form of the whole creature, but also shows at the beginning and end of all things who created them and for what purpose they were created. And if we do not know these two causes, our wisdom is not much better than that of the unreasoning animals, which can also hear and see, but of the beginning and end they know nothing.
For this reason, this is an excellent text, which is all the more worthy of notice and certain belief, because it seems to be completely contrary to all experience and reason. For here we are told of the beginning of man, namely, that the first man was not naturally begotten, as the others were begotten of him, as Aristotle and the other philosophers, who let themselves be deceived by reason, dreamed. The procreation of the offspring is done by procreation; but the first man is made and formed from an earthen vessel, the first woman from the rib of the sleeping man. Therefore we find here the beginning of man, which one will never find in the philosophy of Aristotle.
When this beginning has been set, procreation follows, that one human being is begotten and born from another through the union and mingling of male and female. Which is also a strange creature, namely, that from a droplet of the human body the whole human race is begotten; as Paul from this text at Athens with the philosophers finely describes.
disputirt, Apost. Hist. 17:25, 26, 27: "God Himself gives life and breath to all men everywhere, and makes that of one blood all generations of men may dwell on the face of the whole earth, that they may seek the Lord, whether they may feel Him or find Him, though He is not far from every one of us. Here Paul says how the whole human race was created and came from the first man; as he says: from one blood. Now if man is begotten from a little drop of blood, as the experience of all men on the face of the earth testifies, then this is truly no less wondrous, that the first man was created from a lump of earth, and the first woman from the rib of man.
How is it that the creation of Adam and Eve seems so incredible and wonderful to us, but the other work, how we are conceived and born of each other, which we know and see, we do not wonder so much? Undoubtedly because God's works and miracles become small with us, because they are, as Augustine says, common and go on daily. So we are not surprised at the miraculous sunlight, because it is daily, nor are we surprised at other innumerable gifts of creation. For we have become deaf to all these works and no longer pay attention to them; as Pythagoras probably said that the equal and orderly movement of the heavenly bodies under the firmament gives off a beautiful and lovely song; but because people hear it daily, they become deaf to it: just as the people who live near the waters of the Nile pay no attention to the great roaring and roaring of the water, because they hear it daily, which would be offensive to others who are not accustomed to it. Pythagoras undoubtedly took this saying from the teachings of the Fathers, who did not want the movements of the celestial spheres to make a sound; but this they did want, that their order, nature and quality be very lovely and quite wonderful, but not respected nor noticed by us ingrates and insensitive, nor is God thanked for such a wonderful state and preservation of the creature.
It is a great wonder that a small seed falls into the earth and grows into a great oak tree, but because all this is common and daily, it has become small, as is the way of our reproduction. For why should this not be worthy of all wonder, that a woman conceives male seed, which then grows together and, as Job Cap. 10, 10. finely says, coagulates together, and after that is formed into a child in the womb, lives and increases, until it can bear the air. When the child is born, it does not find new nourishment, but nourishment comes to it by a new way and in a new manner, namely, that milk flows from both of the mother's breasts, as from a well, so that the child is nourished. All these things are highly miraculous and completely incomprehensible, but are disregarded by us because they are mean and we have become quite deaf to this most beautiful and lovely song of nature.
But if in true faith they were regarded and respected by us as they are, they would truly be no less than what Moses says here: God took a rib from the sleeping side of Adam and created Eve from it. Yes, if it had pleased God to make us in just this way, like Adam, from a lump of earth, we would no longer consider it a miracle, but would be more astonished at this way that men are begotten of one another from the seed of the man. For it is true what is said in a barbarous verse, but not without cause: omne rarum carum, vilescit quotidianum, what is strange is held dear, but what is common and daily is held in low esteem. If the stars did not go out every night or in every place, how could they be seen in the places where they were?
For this reason, our ingratitude is justly reproached and punished. For if we believed that God was causa finalis and efficiens (i.e., wisely ordered and created all things), then should we not also think ourselves above
wonder at his works, delight in them, and praise and extol them always and everywhere? But how many are those who do this from the heart? When we hear that God took a lump of earth and made a man out of it, we are so astonished that we think it is a fable; but that He now takes a drop of the Father's blood and makes a man out of it, we are not astonished. For this happens every day, but that has happened once; yet both works One Master, equally artificial and mighty, performs. For he who made a man from the earth still creates men from the blood of the parents every day.
For this reason Aristotle engages in useless and futile talk, saying that man is begotten by the sun and by a man. For although the bodies are preserved by heat, the procreation of man has much another cause, namely God's word, which thus gives and says to the man: Now shall thy drops of blood become a male, a female. Which word the reason does not know, therefore it must lead childish speeches of the cause of so great things. Thus the physicians who follow the philosophers base procreation on the right mixture of forces, the effect of which goes into matter that has been previously disposed and prepared. And although reason cannot deny this, for it sees that cold and dry natures are incapable of procreation, while those that are moist and not too hot are convenient for it, it still does not reach the first and foremost cause. For the Holy Spirit leads us higher than nature and the qualities and their mixtures, when he presents to us the Word by which all things are created and preserved.
The fact that a human being is born from a drop of blood, and not a cow or a donkey, happens by virtue of the word that God has spoken. Therefore, as Christ teaches us in prayer, we call God our Father, and our Creator, as we speak in faith. And if we want to look at this cause, we can speak of such things chastely, purely and with joy, otherwise we would not be able to speak of these things when we speak of them.
The reason for this is that we cannot think without insolence and disgrace.
From this disputation it can be seen once again what a terrible case original sin is, since the whole human race does not know its beginning or origin. We see that a man and a woman are made familiar with each other and are given together; we also see that a woman becomes pregnant from a drop of male blood and then gives birth to a child in her own time. All these things, I say, we have before our eyes and are well acquainted with them; but where the Word does not remind and teach you, you do not understand and do not know the things you know and see yourself, as the philosophers' disputations, of which we have now said, sufficiently prove. But is this not a terrible blindness and shameful ignorance?
157 If therefore Adam had stood and remained innocent, it would not have been necessary for him to inform his descendants of their origin; just as it was unnecessary to inform Adam how his Eve was created: but he himself knew her as soon as he looked at her, that she was bone of his legs, and flesh of his flesh. Such a knowledge of himself and of the other creatures would also have remained on the descendants of Adam, who would all have known and understood causam efficientem and finalem, that is, whence and for what purpose they were created, of which we now know not much more than cattle:
Therefore this was a beautiful and lovely fable to the ears of reason, which the philosophers used for all their pleasure when they heard it. As some of them have heard it, especially those who have learned the Egyptian arts and wisdom. But to us it is a precious and inexpressible wisdom that we know, as this mocking and ridiculous fable (as the world considers it) shows us, that the beginning of the human race is by the word of God. For God takes an earthen lump and says, "Let us make man"; then He takes Adam's rib and says, "Let us make him a helpmeet." Now let us look at the words and consider them, after we have read the
The teaching, which has been necessary, has been sufficiently indicated.
159. "God the Lord," says Moses, "caused Adam to fall thardemah," that is, "a deep sleep. For the word radam means to be overcome with a sleep, as when one sleeps unknowingly and nods his head. For there is a difference in sleep. Some are deep or heavy sleeps, which cannot be prevented by dreams, and these are healthy sleeps; for they moisten the body well and serve the digestion, and do not cause any major pain. Some, however, are light sleeps, in which one is half awake and has many dreams, but they harm the head and are an indication that the body is not too healthy and strong.
(160) Moses says that Adam was overcome with a deep sleep, so that he stretched himself out on a green place and drew his breath slowly, as those who sleep well and sweetly do. This sleep, he says, the Lord let fall upon him. For sleep is actually a very beautiful gift of God, which falls on a man like a dew and moistens the whole body.
161 While Adam slept, the Lord took one of his ribs. The Hebrew word zela means the ribs and sides. Therefore I understand that he did not take a bare rib, but a rib covered and clothed with flesh; as Adam says afterwards, "This is bone of my legs, and flesh of my flesh. This is also what God did by His word, so that we do not think that He cut or divided the body, like a surgeon, but He said, "Let this leg be clothed with flesh and become a woman," and so it was done, after which He closed up the open place of the side with flesh.
162 Here a disputation arises among the useless gloss poets, who engage in so much useless talk. They say that the man has more ribs in one side than in the other. But the physicians who understand anatomy know this best. Lyra disputes and asks: "Was there too much ribbing left in Adam's body? But if this was the case, he says, then it is
was an unnatural and unusual thing; but if it was not so, it follows that Adam had one ribbe less afterwards. Now this, he says, is also monstrous and unusual. Finally, he answers and concludes that, as much as Adam's body alone was found, the same rib was so superior that, when it was taken away, Adam's body nevertheless remained whole and perfect, and yet Adam needed such a rib beforehand, so that a woman could be built from it.
To all this I answer with the word: "God spoke", which word resolves all these arguments. For what is it necessary to dispute from where God took the other matter, who in one word is able and creates everything? But these questions arise from philosophy and medicine, in which one disputes about God's works without the Word, and thereby accomplishes so much that one loses the honor and glory of the holy Scriptures and the majesty of the Creator. Therefore, let us leave these disputes and simply stick to the simple history as told by Moses, namely, that Eve was created from Adam's rib and that the same place of the womb was closed up again with flesh, just as Adam was made from a lump of earth and I from a drop of my father's blood. But how my mother conceived me and how I was formed, grew and increased in her body, I leave to the honor of my creator. For although it is unbelievable in truth that a man should be born from a drop of blood, it is nevertheless true. If a drop of blood has the power to beget a human being, why should God not be able to build and create a human being from an earthen vessel or a ribbon?
The fact that Adam sleeps in this way, that he does not feel, that he is treated and acted upon in this way, is an example of the change that would have taken place in the state of innocence. For if nature had remained innocent, it would not have felt death, but would have lived in the highest pleasure, in obedience to God and wonder at his works, until the time of change came.
Adam would have found something similar to this sleep, which he had while lying under roses and the most beautiful trees. In the same sleep he would have been changed and transferred into the spiritual life, and would just as little have experienced some pain and sorrow, as little he feels here that his body is opened and a rib of flesh is taken from it. Now the corrupt nature must suffer death and body and soul must be separated from each other, but this is followed by a very sweet sleep for the pious and faithful, until we awake to a new life. Just as Adam here says with amazement, this is the leg of my legs, when he was overcome with such a sweet and gentle sleep that he did not feel it coming out of his side, so we will say in that day, behold, how to a great glory suddenly stands my body, which is eaten and devoured by worms etc.
So far we have said far enough how Eve was created, which, although it may seem like a fable to reason, is nevertheless the most certain truth. For it is revealed and indicated in the Word of God, which, as I have said, teaches correctly only of the two primary causes, the active cause and the purpose cause, the knowledge of which, even in natural things, if it can be had, is and serves much good. For what is the use of knowing how beautiful a creature man is, if you do not know what he was created for, namely, to serve God and to live with him for eternity?
Aristotle says something when he says that man was created for a blessed state, which is to practice and prove virtue. But who, in this frailty and weakness of nature, can attain such a goal, because even the most pious and best have to contend with many a misfortune and evil, caused partly by accident, partly by people's malice and stupidity? For this perfect and blessed state, of which Aristotle says, wants to have a quiet and calm heart, which a man cannot always keep in so many temptations and troubles of misfortune. Therefore, man is given a
such goal, which he is not able to attain, prescribed in vain.
The primary and ultimate cause for which man was created is this, as Scripture tells us, namely, that man was created to be like God and to live with Him forever. Here on this earth, however, he should praise and glorify God, give thanks to Him, and be obedient to His word in patience. This goal we grasp to some extent, though weakly, in this life, but in the life to come we will reach it fully. The philosophers do not know such things; therefore the world is most foolish, since it wants to be most clever, if it does not have the holy scripture or theology. For men know neither their beginning nor their end, if they do not have God's word; that I do not know of the other creatures, let alone of the world.
Fifth part.
From establishment of domestic and marital status.
V. 22. And God the Lord made a woman of the rib which He took from man, and brought her unto him.
This is a new and unheard-of way of speaking, that Moses no longer uses the word "to make" or "to create", as happened above (Cap. 1, v. 26.), but says: God built; which has moved and caused all the teachers to think that there must be a secret under this word. Lyra with his Rabbi Salomon thinks it is seen with this word from the new form of the female body. For just as the shape of buildings is broad at the bottom and narrow at the top, so, he says, the body of women is also somewhat broad and thick at the bottom, but narrow and indented at the top, while men have broad shoulders and breasts. But these are accidental things of the body (which can be in some and not in some). The Scriptures speak of the whole body of man as a building, just as Christ called the body of man a house (Matth. 12, 44).
The Others Seek a Secret Deu
They say that therefore the woman is called a building, that she is a figure or likeness of the church. For as in a house there are various parts, as the walls, beams or rafters, the roof, etc., so, they say, in the church there are various services and offices, which for the sake of various members is compared to a body. What is interpreted and drawn from this to Christ and the church, I do not take amiss, but because it is definitely a vain allegorical thing, one must stick to the historical and proper meaning of this text and keep it. For a woman, especially one who has a husband, is called a building not in the allegorical but in the historical sense; as Scripture uses this kind of speech everywhere. For example, Rachel says to Jacob, "Take my maid, that I may be built up by her," Gen. 30:3; similarly, the Scripture says of Sarah, Cap. 16:2. And in the 2nd book of Moses, Cap. 1, 21, it is said of the mothers of sorrow: "The Lord built them houses," that is, forgave their family by his blessing for the good deeds that had been done to the people of Israel against the king's command. In the story of David, when he wanted to build a house for the Lord, he was told: "You should know that God wants to build you a house," 2 Sam. 7:11.
It is also a common way in the Scriptures that the woman is called a domestic building for the sake of childbearing and rearing. Which building form, which it should have had in paradise, we have so completely lost through sin that we cannot even grasp it with thoughts. But as I said above, that our present life is only a small and miserable remnant of the original care and protection, item of the rule over the animals (for sheep, cows, geese, chickens we still rule, but wild pigs, bears, lions, etc.), we do not ask anything about our rule. ask nothing of our regiment): so we also still have a dark image of this building, that is, that he who takes a wife has the same as a nest or house, to which he adheres as a certain place, as birds dwell with their young in a little nest. Such dwelling have
not those who live without marriage, as the impure and unchaste papists.
This cohabitation between man and woman, that they live with each other, keep house with each other, bear and raise children, is a dark image and remnant of the blessed cohabitation in paradise, for the sake of which Moses calls the woman a building. For if Adam had remained innocent, his descendants, if they had married, would have moved from him into a little garden of their own, would have lived there with their wives, would have built the earth with each other and begotten children, would have needed no large walled houses, no kitchen, nor cellar, as we do now; but, as the nests of birds are, they would have dwelt now and then in the work and occupation of God; and the woman would have been the noblest cause that the men had their certain seats and dwellings. But in this misery of sins, since we now have to have houses for the sake of cold, rain, snow and wind, we cannot even conceive with thought a picture of the blessed state: and yet this same miserable remnant, if we still have it, is an excellent gift of God, which to use without thanksgiving is a great sin.
We all feel how much of the dominion that man had in paradise is lost, now that we are so miserably disguised and defiled by sin; but is it not still a great blessing that the same dominion is given to man and not to the devil? For how would we stand against the invisible enemy if he had the ability as well as the will to do harm? For if he only set the wild beasts on us and provoked them, we would all die in an hour, in a moment. Even though this dominion is almost completely lost, it is still a great gift and blessing from God that we still have a little of it; just as we still have something of childbearing; even though the women in the innocent state would not only have borne and given birth to children without all pain and suffering, but would also have been much more fertile. Now there are a thousand diseases which prevent procreation, and
often comes that either the fruit is not lasting, or the marriage comes off barren; which are all infirmities and punishments of the terrible fall of Adam and the original sin. So the woman is still a house of the man, to which the man keeps himself, where he lives and with which he takes care and labor to raise children and to feed them; as it will be said later: "The man will leave his father and mother, and cling to his wife" etc.
In addition to other misfortunes and miseries, of which there are innumerable in the state of marriage for the sake of sin, domestic attendance is also disguised and corrupted by perverse people. As one finds not only those who consider it wisdom to blaspheme the female sex and to despise marriage, but also those who leave taken wives and throw away all care for the children. All of these, by their wickedness and perverse ways, tear down this building of God and are, in truth, abominable monsters of nature. Therefore, we should be obedient to God's commandment and recognize our wives as God's buildings, by which not only the house is built up through child rearing and other services and help necessary in housekeeping, but also the men are built up through them, to whom the wives are like a nest and dwelling place, where they keep themselves and live with pleasure.
The fact that Moses adds: "and brought her to him" is a fine description of the betrothal or wedding ceremony, so that it is to be especially noted. For Adam does not go to his pleasure and attack the created Eve, but waits for God to bring her to him; as Christ also says Matt. 19:6: "What God has joined together, let not man put asunder." For that man and woman come together in an orderly manner is God's order and appointment; therefore Moses retains his peculiar and own way of speaking. "He brought her to him," he says. Who? Jehovah elohim, that is, the whole divine Being, God Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These say unto Adam, Behold, this is thy bride, with whom thou shalt dwell, and with whom thou shalt beget fruit. And without a doubt, she gave Adam the greatest pleasure and joy.
How then still in this depraved nature the bride and bridegroom's love for each other is cordial and great. But without this epileptic and apoplectic lust, which is now in the state of marriage, it was a chaste, very friendly and airy love: so also the giving together was very honest and holy. Now, however, sin creeps and creeps into the eyes, ears and all the senses at the same time.
For this reason, this text should be especially noted, not only against the terrible abuse of desires and lust, but also so that the marriage state can be affirmed and defended against the ungodly blasphemy and abuse with which the pabstry has disguised and defiled it. For is it not a great thing that God has ordered and instituted marriage even in the state of innocence? But now we need such order and institution so much more, how much more this flesh is weakened and corrupted by sin. Therefore, this consolation stands firm against all doctrine of the devil, namely, that the marriage state is a divine state, that is, ordered by God Himself.
What must have occurred to the devils and the enemies of Christ that they said that marriage is an unchaste state and that those who do not have wives are the most suitable for church offices, since the Scripture says in Deut. 11:44 that "you shall be clean"? Are husbands and wives unclean? So God is a founder and instigator of uncleanness, who himself gives his Eve to Adam? And did Adam do evil because of this, that he let himself be persuaded to impurity, who in the innocent nature of marriage could have done without it? For the sake of such blasphemies, is not the godless priesthood justly punished, not only because it is defiled by the multitude of fornicators and harlots, but also because it indulges in other abominable and horrible sins to the point of disgust and revulsion, so that it has long been ripe for the punishment of Sodom and Gomorrah and has well deserved it?
177 Since I was a boy, I know that because of the ungodly and impure conjugal life, the married state was so infamous that I thought I could live without sin.
not think well of the conjugal life. For this had been inculcated in all men, and all believed that whoever wished to live in a holy state pleasing to God would not have to become a spouse, but would have to live outside of marriage and take the vow of celibacy. For this reason, many of those who were married still became monks or priests after the death of their wives. For this reason, all those who have been diligent in this work have undertaken and done a very necessary and useful work in the Church, so that the married state would again be honored by God's word and, as is only right, praised and glorified. Therefore, praise God, it has now come about that everyone considers it good and holy where one lives united and peacefully with a wife, even if one has a barren wife or one who is burdened with other deficiencies.
178 But I am not against it, nor do I deny that there are some who can live chastely without marriage. But because they have a greater gift than other common people, they may use it and, as they say, sail with its wind. But this chastity, which the pope praises in his monks, nuns and priests, is stained and sullied with terrible sins, without which the celibate life is conceived and instituted without the word of God, yes, as this present history testifies, against the word of God. For how would they triumph and rejoice if they could prove their illegitimacy from God's Word in the same way that we can prove that the married state is ordered by God? What diligence and force would they use to force everyone to their celibate state? Now the whole celibate life of the clergy and monks has this certain glory and praise, that it is a human statute or, to speak with St. Paul 1 Tim. 4, 1. 3, a "doctrine of the devil".
V.23. And the man said, This is bone of my legs, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called a woman, because she is taken from a man.
The saying that soon follows this text: "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother" etc., is thus drawn from Christ Matth. 19, 5. as if it were from
God Himself and not by Adam. But this is not difficult to understand. For because Adam is pure and holy, his words are rightly called the word of God; for God spoke through him, and in the state of innocence all of Adam's words and works were truly God's word and works. Thus Eve is also brought to him by God Himself. And as therefore God's will is ready to establish the marriage state, so also Adam is ready with all lust and holiness to take Eve to himself; just as a bridegroom's heartfelt lust and love for his bride still is; but it is still tainted by the leprous lust of the flesh, which was not in Adam when he was still righteous.
(160) But it is astonishing that Adam, as soon as he sees Eve as a building from him, recognizes her and says: "This is bone of my legs, and flesh of my flesh. These are not the words of a foolish or sinful man who does not understand God's work and creation, but of a just and wise man, full of the Holy Spirit, who reveals such wisdom as is still unknown to the world, namely, that the active cause of woman and marriage is God; but the final cause is this, that the man has a worldly building and dwelling in the woman. Such wisdom and knowledge does not simply come from the five senses and reason, but is a revelation of the Holy Spirit.
The word happaam, "now", or "for this time", or "yet", does not stand here in vain, as it seems here, but finely expresses the male affect, who desires and looks around for such lovely company or attendance of the female, which is not only full of love, but also of holiness. As if he wanted to say: I have looked at all the animals and considered the females that God has given to each animal for the increase and preservation of its kind, but all of these are none of my business; however, this is flesh of my flesh and bone of my legs, with which I desire to live and to be obedient to God's will in the increase and edification of my race. Such a full affect of love is indicated by the little word "once". But we
have lost such pure affections and innocence. There is still a joy and heartfelt longing of the bridegroom for the bride, but it is very impure and frail, for the sake of sin. But Adam has had the very purest, holiest and most pleasing to God affections, from which he is caused and driven, that he says: "This is at last once bone of my legs"; not of wood or of stones, not even of an earthen vessel, but it belongs more closely to me; for it is made of my flesh and legs. And speaks further thus:
Mau will be her name, because she is taken from the man.
(182) Just as Adam, through the Holy Spirit, recognized the past things he had not seen, praises and glorifies God for building him a helpmate and companion out of his body, so here he prophesies what will happen in the future, because he says that she should be called a woman. But here we cannot comply at all with the purity and niceness of the Hebrew language. Isch means a man: but now Adam says here that Eve should be called ischah, as if one wanted to say: a manly brave woman who can do manly things.
183 This word is a wonderful and lovely description of the marriage state, in which the woman, as the lawyers also say, shines through the man's rays. For everything that the man has, the woman also has and possesses, and so they have in common not only their goods, but also the children, food, food and drink, bed, house and farm. They are also of the same mind and will towards each other. So that the man is not differentiated in any other thing than sex; otherwise the woman is completely like the man. For whatever a man has in his house and is in it, that also a woman has and is, except that there is a difference in the sex. Therefore, as Paul indicates in 1 Timothy 2:13, she is male from her origin, because she came and was taken from the man and not the man from the woman.
184 We still have something of such a married community.
But this is very miserable, if we want to look at the first beginning. For in the married state, the woman, if she is only honest, demure, pious and God-fearing, shares equally with the man in care, food and all kinds of household duties and housework. For this is what she was created for in the beginning, and for this reason she is called a male, so that she is distinguished from the father of the house only by her sex, since she was taken from the flesh of a man.
(185) For though this might be said of Eve alone, who was created in this way, yet Christ (Matt. 19:5) applies it to all women, saying that man and woman are one flesh. So although your wife is not made of your legs and flesh, yet because she is your wife, she is a master in the house as well as you, without the law, which is given after the fall, making the woman subject to the man. Which then is a punishment, like others more, that diminishes the honor and glory that man had in paradise, of which this text reminds us. For Moses does not speak here of the present miserable and wretched life of the spouses. For Moses does not speak of the present miserable and wretched life of the spouses, but of the life of innocence in paradise, in which the man and the woman would have been equal and one thing. As Adam prophesies here that she should be called woman for the sake of equal rule and housekeeping. But now the labor and sweat of the man's face is laid upon him, and the woman is commanded to be the servant of her husband; and yet there remaineth something residual, and as it were a remnant of the same dominion, that the woman might yet be called woman, because of the companionship or fellowship of the goods and possessions.
V. 24 Therefore a man will leave his father and mother and cling to his wife.
186. Matth. 19, 5. and Paul 1 Cor. 6, 16. also apply this as a common rule to our marriage after the lost innocence. And if Adam had therefore been innocent, his children would also have become husbands and wives, leaving their parents' table and home, and having their own children.
They would have had trees, under which they would have lived especially from their parents. At times they would have come to their father Adam and praised and glorified God with him, but after that they would have gone back to their own. But now, after the fall, although everything else has changed, this union and bond between husband and wife remains firm, so that the man leaves his father and mother before his wife. But since this does not happen, as at times husbands and wives leave each other, this is not only contrary to this commandment of God, but it is also a sign of the horrible madness and corruption that has come upon mankind through sin and is fostered by the devil, who is the father of all discord and disunity.
The Gentiles have also seen that nothing is more convenient or useful than this union and companionship of husband and wife; therefore they say that it is naturally decided that one cannot do without a wife, but that it is necessary for her to keep her husband company until death. And Christ also says in Matth. 19, 8 that Moses allowed divorce because of the hardness of the hearts of the Jews, but from the beginning it was not like that, but such evil and mischief, as adultery, sorcery and the like, which happens at times between married couples, arose afterwards from sin. Therefore, hardly the thousandth part of the first order and institution has remained with us, and yet, for the sake of the children, husband and wife still have their own little nest, according to this saying, so that this estate and conjugal life may be gloriously and powerfully confirmed by our first Father, even by God Himself, as Christ attracts.
This "abandonment" is not to be understood in the sense that the children, who would have entered the marriage state, would not have visited their parents at all; but that the children, after they had become married, would have had their own seat and nest. Now, in this wretchedness of sin, it is also found that the children have to feed their parents in their poverty and old age;
170 s i, 174-177. interpretation of i Genesis 2:24, 25. w.i. "i-"รถ. 171
But in paradise it would have been different and much better for us, and there this would also have been kept so, that the man would have chosen his own nest, like the birds, for the love of the woman and would have left the dwelling with the parents. And this saying also belongs to prophecy; for there was neither father, nor mother, nor children, and yet Adam prophesied of the life of the husband and wife, of their own dwelling, of a distinct territory or dominion through the whole world, that each sex in particular should have its own place and nest to dwell in.
V. 25. And they were both naked, the man and his wife; and were not ashamed.
Here it can be seen as if Moses could have kept silent and omitted this clause, if it did not indicate a particularly necessary thing. For what does it matter whether Adam and Eve were naked or clothed in Paradise? But it is truly an excellent and necessary clause, which in such a thing, which we regard as bad and small, shows us and reproaches us with how much misery and misfortune nature has fallen into through original sin.
190 All peoples, especially those who live after midnight, shy away from walking naked. Hence it also comes that what modest and serious people are, in young fellows not only punish and scold short and warlike mutilated coats, but also stay away from public bathing; but in such places both men and women diligently cover the shame. This is a wisdom and discipline that is to be praised. For what father could uncover himself in the presence of his son without great sin and annoyance? But Adam and Eve, says Moses, went naked and were not ashamed. Therefore, going naked in those days was not only not a disgrace, but was also praiseworthy, honest and sweet.
We have now lost this through sin. We are born naked and with smooth skin, because the other animals bring all their skin, hair, feathers, scales etc. with them. Therefore we must
Against the heat of the sun we have the shade of the houses, against rain, snow, hail etc. various clothing. Adam would not have felt any of these, but just as the eyes of man's body have this kind that neither frost nor heat particularly affects them, so the whole body would have remained safe from the cold. And if Eve, our mother, had sat with us naked in many ways better, also our none would have been annoyed by the bare shape of the breasts and other limbs on the body, of which one must be ashamed now and which ignite evil desire and covetousness for the sake of sin.
Therefore this text teaches us finely how much misfortune and misery followed Adam's sin, for now it would be considered the greatest nonsense if someone walked around naked. So now it is our greatest shame, which would have been our highest honor and adornment at that time. For while all animals, in order to cover their bare limbs, would have had to have hair, feathers, scales, etc., it would have been very honest for man that he alone would have been created with such a glorious and beautiful body that he could have walked in smooth and bare skin. But we have now lost such honor. For we must cover our bodies with more diligence and care, not only for the sake of necessity, but rather to prevent disgrace, than other animals, which are covered and protected by nature.
193. So this chapter emphasizes the work of the sixth day somewhat more clearly, namely, how man was created with special, well-considered counsel; and how a garden was made in Eden, in which man would like to dwell and walk with pleasure; how also ultimately, with the prohibition of the tree of knowledge, good and evil of the future church is decreed and ordered by God Himself, an outward service, by which they would have proven their obedience to God, if it had remained without Satan's deceit and cunning, so as it was made. And so Adam, as some think, was the same night with his Eve in paradise until the following Sabbath. But what happened on the same day will be reported in the following chapter.