First part.
Of Noah's condition in the box, and how the flood stopped.
V. 1. Then God remembered Noah, and all the animals, and all the cattle that were with him in the box.
Now that the terrible wrath has come to an end and all flesh has been destroyed with the earth, the promise which God made to Noah and his sons above, that they would be the seed of the human race, has come to pass and will be fulfilled; and there is no doubt that they will have waited very anxiously for this promise. For to live by faith is the very hardest life; as Noah and his sons lived, who simply, as we see, clung to the sky. For the earth was covered with water, that they had no ground to stand on; but there was only the word of promise to hold them up in such power of the water.
(2) When the flesh is out of danger, it considers faith to be a very small thing, as the disputations of the papists also show. Therefore they choose seeming and hard works, and toil in them. But look at Noah, who is surrounded by water and almost covered with it: no works will save him, but only the trust in the mercy of God, to which the words of the promise brought him.
3. this difficult and hard state of Noah is darkly indicated by Moses with the word: "God remembered". For with this he indicates that Noah had been led around in the water for such a long time and had drifted from time to time that it seemed as if God had completely forgotten him. Who then in such a struggle and train of thoughts
(namely, when the splendor of divine grace is removed and we stand in vain darkness or God's oblivion), who experience that living in the word alone or faith is much harder and more difficult than if one were a hermit or a Carthusian monk. '
4 Therefore it is not a vain word that the Holy Spirit says that God remembered Noah. For it indicates that from the day Noah entered the box, nothing was said to him, nothing was revealed. Nor did he see any ray of divine grace shining, but kept only the promise he had received, while the waters raged and frolicked around him, as if he had surely forgotten him. His children, cattle, and all the animals in the box were in such danger for a hundred and fifty days. Although the holy seed overcame all danger through the abundant power of the spirit, it did not happen to him without pain and distress of the flesh, without weeping and great fear and trembling, which even the unreasonable animals felt, as I fully believe.
(5) And thus they were oppressed by two troubles. For the Flood, which swallowed up the whole human race, could not have happened without great anguish and sorrow on the part of the pious, especially since they saw that so few remained. In addition, it was a hard thing to be led around in the water for almost half a year without any comfort from God.
For this is to be considered no small thing, that Moses says that the Lord remembered Noah, which is a figure from grammar and indicates as much as that God has placed Himself as if He had forgotten Noah, when in truth He cannot forget His saints. For to live in such thoughts and thus also to feel as if God had forgotten you is something that a grammarian does not understand,
what it is. It must be the most perfect saints who can understand it and persevere in faith to the forgetful God (that I thus say). That is why the Psalms and the whole Bible are full of such lamentations, in which the saints admonish God to get up, to open his eyes, to hear, to make known.
(7) And at times the monks, who were a little more experienced than others, have experienced this challenge. For they have called it the delay of grace, which one can feel even in light temptations. For where the heat that is in young people is not soothed by God's Word and the Holy Spirit, it is quite unbearable. In the same way, the impatience and revengefulness in the male age cannot be overcome at all, unless God draws it out of your heart. How much easier it is to fall into the darkness of despair or into the ropes and dangerous thoughts of misguidedness in other serious temptations, when the delay of grace is felt!
(8) Therefore we should not be so quick to pass over these words as if they were spoken only according to grammar, as the rabbis think, but we should look at the heart and the emotions: so it will be found that Noah had inexpressible groaning, that he felt despair and yet still kept a little faith and overcame the flesh. As Paul therefore complains in 2 Cor. 12:7 about Satan's angels, we should think that Noah also felt such arrows or thorns in his heart, and often argued with himself in this way: Do you think that God alone loves you so much? Do you think you will finally be rescued, because the waters are continually overflowing and it seems as if these great clouds can never be emptied of water?
(9) What was the crying, lamenting and weeping when such thoughts came into the weak hearts of the poor women? Therefore Noah, even though he himself was grieved and distressed to the point of death, had to comfort and uplift them almost against his own heart and conscience.
10) That it was neither a joke nor a game, that they were so long in the
They have to have locked boxes, see unspeakable violence of rain and water in front of their eyes and now and then be driven in it and swim. Then Noah felt a forgotten God; as Moses indicates when he says that God finally remembered Noah and his children.
(11) And though they have overcome this feeling by faith, yet they have not been able to overcome it without great trouble of the flesh. Just as a young man who lives chastely overcomes his lust, but not without difficulty, effort and work. But because here the danger was greater than all the circumstances forced him to argue with himself whether God would also be merciful and remember them: therefore, even though they overcame such hardship, it did not happen without terrible struggle and effort. For the flesh, being weak in itself, can tolerate nothing less than such a God who does not remember us but has forgotten us. For if we are so minded by nature that we become puffed up and proud when God remembers us. What wonder is it that we become fainthearted and despair when God allows us to see and feel as if he has rejected us and allows us to suffer and experience all kinds of misfortune?
Therefore we should know that in this history an example of faith, patience and constancy is held up to us, so that those who have God's promise should not only learn to believe and trust in God, but also know that constancy is necessary for them. But constancy cannot be without great struggle and strife, and Christ calls us to this in the New Testament, where he says Matth. 24, 13: "He who perseveres will be saved.
(13) And this is the reason why God hides Himself for a time, so that we may think that He has forgotten us, that He has stopped with grace, as is said in schools. But just as in this temptation not only the spirit but also the flesh suffers, so also when God again begins to remember us, the flesh feels His grace, which before, when the temptation was
still lasted, was only in the spirit and very weak.
(14) Therefore, this word, "God remembered," indicates that there was great sorrow in men and animals throughout the time of the Flood. Therefore, there had to be great patience and strong courage so that Noah and the others could endure God's forgetfulness, which is otherwise unbearable for the flesh without the spirit, as well as other temptations, although slight and minor. Although it is true that God always remembers His own, even when He is thought to have forsaken them, Moses wants to indicate here that He has remembered His own, so that they have felt it, that is, with a sign and public proof of what He had promised them beforehand in Word and Spirit. This is the most important lesson of this whole chapter.
V.1-3. And he caused the wind to come upon the earth, and the waters fell; and the fountains of the deep were stopped up, and the windows of heaven, and the rain from heaven was poured down; and the waters departed from the earth continually, and abated after an hundred and fifty days.
(15) Above Moses told three ways by which the flood raged; for at the same time the fountains of the deep were opened, and the windows of heaven were opened, and rain fell. When these things ceased on the hundred and fifty-third day, it became calm again, and God remembered Noah again, and he and his sons and their wives and all the animals were refreshed after such great and prolonged fear and terror. For if a tempest on the sea, which lasts for about two days, drives the shipmen to despair, how much more difficult it was for Noah and his family that they had to let themselves drift around for half a year!
(16) Now here is a question: How did the wind come upon the earth while it was still completely covered with water? For it is nothing new that the winds make dry, especially those coming from the morning.
which are called hollow winds and which Virgil calls scorching winds because they dry the spawn; which Hosea also remembers Cap. 13, 15. This is easy to answer. For the text says that the wind came upon the earth, that is, upon the waters, until the waters were dried up and the earth could be seen again; as in the 2nd Book of Moses, Cap. 14, 21, it says that the Red Sea was dried up by a dry wind. For even if God could have done this without wind, he still likes to use the means that are arranged for this.
(17) So Noah lived in darkness until now, and saw nothing but the waters falling in with cruel violence and raging. But now the light of the sun is seen again, and the winds come from all sides to make dry, especially the wind of the morning, which dries up and consumes the water. In addition, there are other means, namely, that the sea does not continue to break out and go over the earth, but takes the waters, which it has given up, back to itself; thus the windows of the sky are also closed again.
These are outward and tangible signs so that God may comfort Noah and prove to him that He has not forgotten him at all, but remembers him. And this is a useful and necessary lesson, that even when we are in danger and need, we should certainly wait for God's help, who will not abandon us if we persevere in faith and wait for His promise.
V. 4. On the seventeenth day of the seventh month, the caste settled on Mount Ararat.
19. forty days the water had grown before the box had gone up. After that it floated in the water for a hundred and fifty days. It floated in the water for a hundred and fifty days and was tossed about by the winds and the waves, as if God had forgotten Noah. Finally the water began to recede and the box rested.
(20) Here the Jews dispute about the number of months: but what is it that one can
What is the reason why we are lukewarm about unnecessary things, especially because the rabbis do not pretend to be very skilful and formal? It is much more necessary that we investigate which is the mountain Ararat. And here almost all the teachers agree that it is the mountain in Armenia near the largest mountains in Asia Minor, Caucasus and Taurus. But it seems to me more credible that it is the highest of all mountains, the Imaus, which separates India. For if one compares this mountain with the other great mountains, they are hardly like warts. And that the box stood on the top of this mountain is a sign that the water sank and decreased for almost three whole months, until the other mountains, which are not so high, were discovered as Lebanon, Taurus, Caucasus, which are, as it were, the feet or roots of Imaus; as the mountains in Greece are, as it were, arms of the Alpine mountains and reach as far as our Harz forest. For whoever looks at it and observes it diligently will find that the mountains are attached to each other in a strange way and reach together.
(21) Josephus writes of the mountains in Armenia, and remembers that pieces of the box were found there in his time. But no one will blame me if I do not believe him everywhere or call me a heretic for it.
V. 5: The waters continued to flow and recede until the tenth moon. On the first day of the tenth moon, the tops of the mountains appeared.
(22) Above (v. 4) he said that on the seventh moon the waters fell in such a way that the box stood on the mountain Ararat. After that, in the third moon, the tops of the smaller mountains began to appear; so that Noah could see from Mount Ararat, as from a high vantage point, the tops of the other mountains, such as Mount Taurus in Asia, Mount Lebanon in Syria etc. These were all signs that God remembered Noah.
After forty days Noah opened the window of the box he had made,
and sent out a raven, which flew back and forth until the water dried up on the ground.
This belongs to the history. The secret interpretation, however, we want to save up to his time. And here a question has caused the negligence of him who translated the text. For in the Hebrew it does not say that the raven did not come again, as Jerome translated it; therefore it would not have been necessary to think of a cause why it did not come again, namely, that it found carrion in all places, and for the sake of such superfluous food it did not come again, as they pretend.
024 And Moses held the contradiction, and said that the raven that was let out came again, though it was not taken again, and shut up in the coop, as the dove was. And Moses says that Noah let the raven out for this reason, so that he could find out whether the animals would again walk on the earth and have food. But the raven did not carry out its discharge diligently, but flew off and on for joy that it had been freed from its prison in the box and could now fly happily in the open sky, and despised Noah. The Jews show their unclean minds everywhere, like pigs. For they say that the raven was afraid because of his wife and was worried about her and suspected Noah because of her. O unclean spirits!
V. 8. 9. Then he sent forth a dove, that he might know whether the waters were fallen upon the earth. But the dove did not find a place to rest its foot, so it came to him in the box, for the water was still on the face of the whole earth. Then he put out his hand and took it into the box.
(25) After Noah lacked hope in the raven, which now flies from time to time out of presumption, but brings no sign of how things are on earth, he takes a dove and thinks that it will deliver his message more diligently. Although the text almost forces us to believe that this is the case,
as if Noah had let these two birds out at the same time for a time, so that he could have two witnesses from whom he would notice and learn what he wanted. But the raven, which now plays with pleasure in the open sky, does not want to go back into the box, although it flies around. The dove, however, who shies away from eagles and unclean eagles, comes back and lets himself be taken. This, as we will hear, will give a fine allegory of the church.
V.10-12 Then he waited another seven days, and again he sent forth a dove out of the box. It came to him at vespers, and behold, it had broken off a leaf of oil, and was deceiving in its mouth. Then Noah heard that the waters had fallen on the earth. But he waited another seven days, and sent out a tan, which came not again to him.
The dove is a faithful messenger, therefore it is sent out once again. And Moses diligently describes how the waters gradually disappeared and fell, until at last the earth with the trees became without water and was stripped bare. That the dove now brings an olive branch, we are not to consider that it did it out of its wit or skill, but that God has thus arranged and ordered it, since he wanted to indicate ever more clearly to Noah that he remembered him and had not forgotten him at all. Therefore, Noah himself and the others who were locked in the box with him had a special sign on this oil leaf, by which they were comforted and received certain hope that they would be released from their prison.
(27) Here the Jews fiercely dispute where the dove found this olive branch, and some say in honor of their fatherland that it was taken from the olive mountain in the land of Israel, which mountain God spared so that it was not washed away by the Flood, like the rest of the earth. Other Jews, however, being wiser and more reasonable, refute such lies and do right by them, and prove it thus: If this should be true, then this olive branch could not have been a sign from which Noah
could have noticed that the waters had decreased. The others fable that the dove was let into the paradise and brought the branch from there.
(28) Now I have given my opinion of paradise, and such talk and lies are not worthy to be more diligently refuted; but it is better that they should be spoken of thus, namely, that it happened miraculously and supernaturally. For a dove has not so much skill that it should break off a branch and lead it to the box, that Noah could understand from it that the waters had become smaller. According to God's order, all this happened. For at the same time other trees also had leaves, especially those that were somewhat long and came out of the water sooner. But if you count an olive tree against other trees, it is short: therefore it served well, so that Noah could have a sign from it, understand and conclude that the waters had fallen, the wrath of God had ceased, and the earth had returned to its state in which it had been before the flood. But he recognizes this more certainly when he lets the dove out for the third time and it does not come back again, because it not only had its food on the earth, but was also able to nest and wander on it.
In the six hundred and one year of Noah's age, on the first day of the first month, the waters of the earth dried up. Then Noah took the roof off the box and saw that the ground was dry. So the earth became completely dry on the seventh and twentieth day of the second month.
29 We see from this that Noah was in the box for a whole year and ten days. For on the seventeenth day of the next moon he went in, and when the year was up, he came out on the seventh and twentieth day of the same moon. Therefore poor Noah had to live longer than a whole half year with his children and the same wives, in the highest sadness and God's oblivion.
After that God showed him with other and other signs one after the other that he had not forgotten him, until finally, when a year and ten days are over, he is again set as Lord over the earth and the sea. For on this day of the other moon, the earth was not only rid of the Flood, but also became dry. This is the story of the Flood and how the waters fell again. After this terrible wrath now follows an abundant light of grace, as indicated by the sermon that God Himself preached to Noah and now follows.
Second part.
We Noah get command to go out of the box; how he sacrificed to God, and how God decided not to curse the earth anymore.
Then God spoke to Noah and said, "Come out of the box, you and your wife, your sons and your sons' wives with you. Every beast that is with thee, of all flesh, of all fowl, and of all cattle, and of all creeping things that creep upon the earth, come out with thee; and be ye moved upon the earth.
So far, Genesis has only narrated and described this divine work. However, although God's works are not silent, but report and paint God's wrath before our eyes, so that we can see it, God comforts us much more powerfully and strongly when he also gives us a verbal word in addition to his works, which the eyes do not see, but the ears hear and the heart understands through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. As God has thus far indicated by his work that he has reconciled and, as it were, turned a wrathful God into a gracious and merciful God, because he drives the water under himself and makes the earth dry, so he now continues and confirms this comfort with his word, and speaks kindly to Noah, and tells him to come out of the box with the other men and animals.
(31) And this is the text that we often use in our teaching, and not without cause, and conclude that it is not proper for us to do anything, especially in the presence of God and in worship, where it is not proper for us, and this is called the word of God. So Noah went into the box above, when God told him to go in: so he goes out again, when he told him to go out. He does not follow superstitious thoughts; as we see in the Jews, who, once they have been commanded to do a temporal thing, want to keep it forever, as if it were necessary for salvation.
(32) Thus Noah might have thought, Behold, I have built the box by God's command, I have also been preserved therein, since all men perished; therefore will I abide therein, or keep it for a temple and place of worship; for it is sanctified by God's word and the indwelling of the saints, or the church. But the godly man does none of these things. For God's word commanded him to go forth, therefore he follows it; and since at the time of the flood the box had done its work, he lets it remain, and considers that he and his children must henceforth dwell on the earth. So we are not to do anything without God's word, but are to keep ourselves in the holy profession, that is, in the one who has God's word and commandment. For whoever undertakes anything without God's commandment works in vain.
(33) But in contrast to this is the example of Noah, which follows soon after, who, without God's command, sets up an altar and offers burnt offerings of clean animals to the Lord. If this was due to Noah, why should it not be due to us to choose some services? And the papacy has proved itself well in this, which has devised works and services without measure and manner above one another, according to its liking in the church. But one should keep this common rule and teaching that everything that is not of faith is sin, Rom. 14:23, but faith cannot be separated from the word; therefore everything that happens without God's word is sin.
(34) There is a certain danger in following the example of what the fathers did. For as the persons are unequal and different, so also is their office or profession unequal, and according to their various professions God also requires various works. That is why the epistle to the Hebrews Cap. II, 3. ff. very masterfully draws the various works of the fathers to one faith, as indicating that each one in his profession should not follow the works of the holy fathers, but their faith.
For this reason, the individual and special works of the holy fathers should not be held up as examples, so that everyone would think that he should also do them; just as the monks want to imitate St. Benedict's fasting, St. Francis' dress, and St. Dominic's shoes etc. For this is to make monkeys, who can do one thing, but without understanding. Thus they pretend these works, but know nothing of faith.
In Genesis 22:2 Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his son. The descendants then took this as an example to follow and therefore made the world full of innocent blood. In the same way, the serpent of brass was worshipped and sacrificed before it, 2 Kings 18:4, and both parts protected themselves with the example of the ancestors and answered for it: but because they did such services to God without the Word, they were condemned.
(37) Therefore, we should know that without God's commandment we should not do or perform anything. For since the profession is various, we cannot and should not all do the same work. How foolish would I be if I let myself be heard to say that I must follow the emperor's example and prescribe laws for others? How ungodly would I act if I wanted to argue that I had to follow a judge's example and condemn some to the gallows or the sword? Therefore, one should not look at each man's work, but at his faith. For the faith of all the saints is a common faith and one and the same, even though the
Works are quite diverse and very because of each other.
(38) Therefore, beware that you think that because Noah built an altar, it is fitting for you to do so. But follow the faith of Noah, who thought it right to show himself to a God so kind and gracious as to understand his good deed and be grateful to him for it. So do not follow Abraham in sacrificing your son, but in believing God's promise and obeying His commandments; as in this opinion the epistle to the Hebrews masterfully draws the examples or works of the fathers to faith, and indicates that we should also follow it, Heb. 11:2 ff.
39. there is another way to answer this, namely that Noah had a command to build the altar and sacrifice on it. For this way of sacrificing God considered it good that he had brought pure animals, which served for sacrifices, in great numbers hot into the box. So also Noah did not have to withdraw from the priesthood, which in the previous world, as considered good by God, had come to him through the right of inheritance of the firstborn. Thus Adam, Seth, Enos and others had also been priests, from whom the priesthood had inherited and fallen from Noah.
40 Therefore Noah not only had the power and freedom to sacrifice as a priest and prophet, but he also had to do it because of necessity, and because of his profession he did what he did. But since the profession is not without the word, he erected an altar according to the word and command of God and sacrificed on it. If, in the same way, a monk can show that his office and profession make it possible for him to put on a cap, call on the Mother of God, pray a rosary, and do such things, we will also praise his life. But because he has no profession of it, because the word does not precede and he is not in office, then all monks' lives and all their deeds are rightly reproached and condemned.
Finally, since there is a lack of everything else, there is still the argument a posteriori (from success), that is, that God was pleased with Noah's work. Although these arguments and proofs a posteriori are not so certain and strong, they can still be valid in the case of such excellent and special men. For though it may be seen that they do something of which they have no commandment, yet they are not rejected by God, but please him, and are certain in their minds that they do not sin in it. However, this is not seen until God makes it clear that he is not displeased with them. Such examples are many, and we also see that God has put up with some of the works of the Gentiles.
Therefore, this opinion should remain firm and certain, that one should do everything according to God's commandment, so that we can actually conclude in our conscience that we are commanded by God to do such things. Those who run in such a state or profession, which pleases God, do not run in vain, nor do they fall into the air, as those who have no barriers in which they are commanded to run, and therefore have no hope of small death, 1 Cor. 9, 24. ff. But now I come back to the text. Noah, together with his sons and their wives, is commanded to go out of the box and to lead all kinds of animals to the earth, so that all his works may be sanctified and put into the Word. Now follows primarily from the animals.
V. 17-19 Be fruitful and multiply on the earth. So Noah went out with his sons, and with his wife, and with his sons' wives; and with them all manner of beasts, and all manner of creeping things, and all manner of birds, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, came forth out of the box, every one to his own kind.
43 Because the Lord says afterwards in the 9th chapter v. 1, how Noah and his sons should multiply and be fruitful, therefore I consider it that he speaks here only of the multiplication of the unreasonable animals. And concludes here from these words Lyra foolish thing, namely, that at the time of the Flood the intercourse forbidden, but now after
Noah had come out of the box, had been allowed again, because the Lord says here: "Go out of the box, you and your wife." Such are the thoughts of the monks, not of God, who does not look at fornication, but at procreation. For the same is God's creation. But fornication is a poison, poured into nature by the devil because of sin.
(44) Moses has many words here just to show and illustrate how joyful Noah's heart and the hearts of his people were after God told them to leave the box and return to the wide earth. But in this narration of the animals and their kind he keeps a different order and distinguishes them according to their kind, so that one may see how God alone looks at the increase or production of fruit. And no doubt this will have been a lovely spectacle, that among the animals, when they were all let out of the box, each one knew its species or its kind and afterwards found itself again in its usual place: Wolves, bears, lions etc. into the woods and groves; but the sheep, goats and pigs to the field; dogs, chickens, cats etc. to the people.
V. 20 Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings upon the altar.
(45) This is a clear text, showing that Moses did not make the sacrifices at first, but gathered them together and put them in order, as they were used by the fathers, and were inherited from one to another: even as the law of circumcision was not written by Moses at first, but came and was taken from the fathers.
46 Since he remembers the sacrifice of Abel and Cain above (Cap. 4, 4. 5.), he gives the same sacrifice a name and says that it was a minchah, a sacrifice. Here, however, the burnt offering is remembered for the first time, which was completely set on fire. This, I say, is a clear proof that the law of sacrifices was also before Moses. But therefore remember
The first thing Moses says here is that he wants to bring such ways and customs, kept by the fathers, into order.
V. 21. And the Lord smelled the sweet odor.
47 Here it is indicated that God accepted Noah's sacrifice, which he did as a priest according to the example of the holy fathers. But one should diligently note the difference in the way of speaking. For above he spoke of the sacrifice in such a way that the Lord had held himself to it or had looked at it; here he speaks that the Lord had smelled a sweet odor, and afterwards Moses often uses this way of speaking. And the heathen also have reproached them, as when Lucian laughed at Jupiter, that he had been amused with your steam, or with the smell of roasting flesh.
(48) But actually this word does not mean a smell of sweetness, but a smell of rest. For the word nichoach, which means rest, comes from the word nuach, which Moses used above when he said (v. 4) that the casket had stood or rested on Mount Ararat. Therefore, the smell of rest means that God had rested from His wrath at that time, had let go of the wrath and had been reconciled or, as we say, had been well satisfied.
(49) Here one might ask: Why did Moses not say that God had kept to Noah and his burnt offering, but simply said that the Lord had smelled a smell of rest? which is truly annoying and shameful, since it does not praise the person for his faith, but praises only his work. To this, all others answer almost in the same way, that the Scripture here speaks of God in a human way; for men delight in a sweet smell. But it seems to me that this way of speaking has another cause, namely, that God was so near that he smelled the odor. For Moses wants to indicate that this sacrifice was pleasing to God. Solomon Proverbs 27:9 says, "A pleasant odor gladdens the heart"; and physicians sometimes make the half-dead recover through a pleasant odor; as again
to a horrible stench of nature is very repugnant and often beats them down.
50 Thus one can say here that God was angered by the horrible stench of sins and godlessness, and was now, as it were, refreshed again, since he saw that this single priest had sent himself to sacrifice, and proved with a sign that he was grateful, and also testified with a public work that he was not godless, but had a God whom he feared and honored; for this is where the sacrifices actually went etc. Just as God has hitherto been pleased to destroy the human race, so now he is pleased to increase it again. Thus Moses uses such a way of speaking for our sake, that we may take hold of God's grace and learn that he is such a God who delights to do us good.
And spoke in his heart.
51 Moses wants to indicate that God did not speak this negligently or above, but most sincerely; for in Hebrew it reads thus, that God spoke to his heart.
I will no longer curse the earth for the sake of mankind.
God speaks here as if He were repentant of the punishment He had inflicted on the earth for man's sake, and as if He were punishing Himself for having raged against him in such an abominable manner; as Moses says above that He was repentant for having made man. But this is not to be understood as if there could be a change in God's will or counsel, but it is a comfort to us. For this is why he blames and punishes himself, so that he may again encourage and guide the small group, so that they may be sure that God will be merciful again.
(53) And such consolation was very necessary for the frightened hearts that had now seen God's great and terrible wrath. Because it could not have been without it, their faith will often have become weak over the contemplation of such great wrath, so God is forced, as it were, to give His blessings to the people.
He will not use his words and deeds in such a way that their hearts can expect nothing but grace and mercy. Therefore, he now speaks to them, is with their sacrifice, shows that he is pleased with it, punishes his counsel and agrees that he will no longer do such things; and in sum, he now takes on and is a different God than he had been before: not that God is changeable, but that he wants men, who were now engulfed in almost the same thoughts of wrath, to have a different mind and spirit.
(54) And they that have been in spiritual temptations know well how much it is needful that certain and strong consolation should be persuaded into the hearts, that they may at last be brought to the hope of grace, and forget wrath. Often a whole day, or even a whole month, cannot be sufficient for this; but just as a disease cannot soon be cured, but requires a long time: so also such wounded hearts are not helped so soon, nor with one word alone. Because God sees this, he tries many ways to bring the frightened hearts back to a certain hope of grace, and also punishes himself and speaks to his heart; as Jer. 18:8 says, where he promises that he will repent of the misfortune he thought to do to them when they turn from their wickedness.
55) It should also be noted that he says, "I will no longer curse the earth," for he is speaking of a general curse or destruction, and not of a partial destruction, when he destroys countries, cities or kingdoms. For he does this as a warning to others; as Mary sings Luc. 1, 52: "He pushes the mighty off the throne."
Third part.
Of original sin and the natural powers of man.
V. 21: For the thoughts of man's heart are evil from his youth.
This is a clear and bright text about original sin. And which the same small
They truly err, like blind men in bright sunshine, and do not see what they do daily and experience in themselves. For behold the youth, how strangely sin comes forth at the earliest age! What a multitude of rods we must have before we can be put in order and kept in discipline!
When one has grown a little too old, he soon becomes more unruly, and we feel such a pestilence in ourselves that can neither be controlled nor resisted, namely, a fierce fornication and lust pestilence. If one now takes a wife, it follows that he becomes tired of her and desires others with rage. If one is commanded to an office or a regiment, there is soon a great multitude of all kinds of vices, such as envy, ambition, arrogance, greed, avarice, anger, and ill will.
58) As it is said in the German proverb that sins grow up with the years and that the longer one gets the angrier, the older one gets the poorer (and are these all such gross and clumsy sins that one can easily recognize and grasp them): what then shall we say of the inward sins, that there grows in the heart unbelief, certainty, contempt of God's word, false and godless delusions and thoughts etc.?
(59) And yet they are thought to be excellent theologians, and want to be, who sophistically diminish original sin. But it is true that so many and so great sins and vices cannot be spoken of so lightly, for it is not a minor disease or affliction, but the very highest disorder and naughtiness, which the rest of the creature, except the devils, does not have.
(60) But have they who make original sin base a testimony of the Scriptures, on which they can defy it? Here let us look at Moses; he does not say here, as I also indicated above in chapter 6, that fornication, tyranny or other sins are evil, but he says that the reasoning of the human heart is evil, that is, all skill, wisdom, human reason with all its faculty, which reason uses when it wants to be and act best. For though we do not condemn domestic and political works, we do not condemn them.
The same good works, however, are used by the human heart for its own glory, self-interest or tyranny, either against the neighbor or against God.
(61) Thus, one cannot paint this text with such a color that one would want to say that the people who perished in the Flood were like this; rather, God says in general that the human heart is like this. Thus there were no other people at that time but those who were preserved in the box, and yet God says that the mind of man is evil.
62 Therefore no one is excluded here, not even the saints. For what this evil thinking is, is shown afterwards in the third son Ham; so the other brothers were also nothing better by nature; but this is the only difference, that the others keep the hope of forgiveness of sins through faith in the promised seed, and do not follow the evil thinking of their heart, but resist it through the Holy Spirit, who is then given to fight against this wickedness and naughtiness of nature and to overcome it. Therefore, because Ham follows after this nature, he is completely evil and becomes completely lost. But because Shem and Japheth fight against it in the spirit, they are not so evil, though they are evil; for they have the Holy Spirit to fight against the wickedness, and therefore are holy.
Furthermore, it seems here as if God could be accused of being unstable. For when he wants to punish man above, he shows the cause of his counsel and will, and says that the reasoning of the human heart is evil: but here, when he wants to promise man mercy, so that he will not use such anger against him henceforth, he refers to the very same cause. Therefore this seems to a wise man to be a foolish action and not to rhyme with divine wisdom at all.
But I like to avoid such a high thing and let the idle spirits worry about it. Therefore, I will gladly be content with the fact that this is said here according to how we are minded and can understand it, namely, that God herewith wants to indicate that he has already
be reconciled and not be angry any more. For this is what parents do: when they have punished the disobedient children according to their merit, they then give them good words again and reconcile them, so to speak. And such inconstancy is not only not to be punished, but also praiseworthy; for it serves for the children, that they do not therefore, because they are afraid of the rod, also become hostile to the parents. I am content with this solution, because it encourages us to believe. Whoever knows something better, may also present it.
Therefore, this text should be diligently remembered, because it clearly shows that man's nature is corrupt. For such knowledge of the corrupt nature is especially necessary and cannot be rightly understood without the grace and mercy of God. And for this reason the sophists are worthy of being enemies. So we also justly complain about the one who translated this text and gave cause for such error by translating that the thoughts or thoughts of the human heart are not evil, but inclined to evil. For from this the sophists take cause; they falsify the sayings of Paul, in which he says that we are all children of wrath, Eph. 2, 3, that we all sin, Rom. 5, 12, and are under sin, Rom. 3, 9. For this is how they conclude from this text: Moses does not say that nature is evil, but inclined to evil. This inclination or inclination is in the power of free will and does not force or, as they say, coerce man to evil.
Then they seek cause and proof for this opinion and say that in man, even after the fall, the will is good and reason is right; for the natural powers have remained intact not only in man, but also in the devil; and finally they direct to this opinion the saying of Aristotle: Reason strives for the best. Thus one finds a trace of such thoughts also in the Fathers, who, from the 4th Psalm, where the prophet says v. 7: "Lord, raise above us the light of your countenance," make a distinction between the higher part of reason, which reflects on God, and the lower part, which is concerned with external and worldly affairs.
bypasses. And Augustine also feels like making such a difference, as I said above, when I discussed the fall of man.
But if a little of God's knowledge had remained unchanged and whole in man, we would be much different people than we are now. Therefore, the blindness of the sophists is exceedingly great, who forge such clear sayings of St. Paul. For if they would think about this saying, as it is in the Latin Bible, and consider it with a Christian heart, they would truly stop applauding such an evil thing. For he who says that the senses and thoughts of the human heart are inclined to evil from youth, says neither a bad thing nor a small thing, especially because Moses said in the 6th chapter (v. 5.) that all the thoughts and aspirations of the heart are only evil forever, that is, they are busy with evil and all the intentions, thoughts, aspirations and aspirations of the heart are directed toward evil; just as an adulterer who burns with fornication feels no less evil desire and stimulation and can strive for nothing else with his thoughts, even if he lacks opportunity, person, time and space. Thus, says Moses, nature is always directed toward evil. How then can the natural powers be intact, if man is always inclined and directed to evil?
68 If, therefore, the sophists were as favorable to the holy doctrine revealed in the writings of the prophets and apostles as they are to their teachers, who pretend to free will and the merit of good works, they would certainly not have allowed themselves to be led away from the truth for so little cause, namely, for the sake of a little word, and conclude and pretend against the Scriptures that the natural powers are perfect, and that man by his nature is not under wrath and condemnation. Yet it is evident from them that they have also seen and understood such an unskilful thing. For although they pretend that the natural powers are intact, they say that grace must be added to them, which makes pleasant, that is, they have taught that God is not satisfied with such natural piety or perfection of man.
It is not possible to let it be, because it was determined and ennobled by love.
(69) But what need is there to argue any longer against its nonsense, since we know that the Hebrew text does not say that the mind or thought of the human heart is inclined to evil, but that the mind of the human heart is evil from youth?
70. But Moses calls reason, as I have said above, with the will and understanding as it is, even though it thinks about God, and also practices the most honest works, whether in housekeeping or policing. For it is always contrary to God's law, is in sin, is under God's wrath, and cannot by its own powers be delivered from this affliction; as Christ says John 8:36: "If the Son makes you free, you are free."
If you want to describe man correctly, take the definition and description from this text and say that a man is a rational being, endowed with reason, and has a heart that writes poetry. But what does it seal? Moses answers: It writes evil, namely against God or God's commandment and the people. Thus the holy scripture gives people a reason that is not idle, but is always writing something. This same writing, however, is called evil and godless; on the other hand, the philosophers call it good, the sophists call it intact and perfect natural powers.
(72) Let this text be diligently remembered, and against the blasphemers, the sophists, let it be well set forth, that Moses saith that the imagination of the human heart is evil. For it clearly follows that if it is evil, the natural powers are not perfect or intact, but insane and corrupt. For God did not create man evil, but completely pure, healthy, holy, who knows God, with right reason and good will toward God.
Since there is clear evidence that man is evil and turned away from God, who would be so foolish as to say that the natural powers in man have remained intact? For that is just as much as saying that the nature of man is
still intact and good, since we learn from so many examples and experience in ourselves that it is highly corrupt.
(74) From this vile and ungodly saying have come many other dangerous sayings, some of which are also obviously false and ungodly. For example, they say that if a man does as much as is in him, God will give his grace without fail. With this teaching they have awakened the people, as if with an army drum, to prayer, fasting, mortification, pilgrimages and the like. For this is what the world was persuaded to do: if people did as much as they could by nature, they would deserve mercy, si non de condigno, tamen de congruo, that is, even if God did not owe them eternal life, he would still have to be merciful and kind to them. For they called meritum congrui a good work that was not done against but according to God's law. For a wicked man does not deserve reward for his evil works, but punishment. But they called meritum condigni not a mere good work, but one that a man does when he has come into grace with God and God must reward him by right for his good works with heaven and eternal life.
(75) Like this is also the saying of Scotus, that man can love God above all things by the ability of his mere natural powers alone. For the reason and summa of this saying is that the natural powers are intact. And so he concludes: "A young man loves a maiden who is a creature; he loves her so fiercely that he puts himself and his life in danger for her. So a merchant loves money and goods so diligently and fiercely that he subjects himself to innumerable dangers of death for the sole purpose of gaining something. Therefore, if one loves creatures so great, which are far below God, how much more can a man love God, who is the highest good! Therefore, one can love God even with mere natural powers.
This is a beautiful consequence, and even a Franciscan monk cannot know or do it better. For it indicates that such a great Doctor is still
does not know what it is to love God. For nature is so corrupt that it no longer knows God unless it is enlightened by the Word and the Holy Spirit. How can it love God without the Holy Spirit? For it is true, as it is said: What one does not know, one does not love or desire. Therefore, nature cannot love God whom it does not know, but it loves the idol and the dreams of its heart. Moreover, it is so entangled and caught up in the love of creatures that even though it has already recognized God from the Word, it still does not respect His Word and despises it, as we see in people now and in our times.
Therefore, such clumsy and blasphemous sayings are a certain sign that scholastic theology is completely transformed into a philosophy that has no true knowledge; but because it does not know the Word, it also knows nothing of God and is in darkness. For just as Aristotle and Cicero, who are the highest in this way, teach much about virtue and praise it greatly because of its civil purpose, that is, because they see that it is of great use in the domestic and worldly regiment, but of God they teach nothing, that one should mean his will or commandment more than one's own or the common good (for those who do not have the Word know nothing about such a will of God): Thus the scholastics have been caught up in philosophical dreams alone and have made them their own, but have retained neither knowledge of God nor of themselves; that is why they have fallen into such terrible errors.
78 And certainly the fall is easy and soon, if one has gone away from the word. For the splendor and appearance of outward political virtue pleases and pleases people exceedingly well: as Erasmus makes Socrates almost a perfect Christian; and Augustine praises Marcus Attilius Negulus beyond measure because he kept faith even with his enemies. For truth is the most beautiful of all virtues, and is praised most highly in this person because he also showed love for his fatherland.
which is also a special virtue and is to be praised greatly.
79 For one finds many excellent people who do not have such praise of truth: as indeed Themistocles did not have it, although he was a heroic man and also very useful to his country and served it much. That is why Augustine admires Regulus; for he sees that reason and right will are in the highest degree in the man, that is, as high and great as they can be in this nature. What then is lacking, or what is evil in this? The work in itself can truly not be punished.
Answer: First, there is no knowledge of God in Regulus. And even if he does right, a theologian can still punish the reason why he does it. For under this nobility of serving and helping his fatherland, there is also ambition and the desire for fame, so that he may despise his life in such a way that he may thereby have eternal fame and honor among his descendants. If one wants to look at the outward appearance and appearance, then it is a glorious, praiseworthy and beautiful work; but before God it is a shameful idolatry, because he attributes the honor of this work to himself; and who wants to doubt that there were not also other vices in this ambition? Therefore Attilius cannot prove this highest virtue of truth, love and service against his fatherland otherwise than in full and senseless lust for evil. For that he robs God of his honor and ascribes it to himself is evil and wicked: but that it is called God stolen and robbed, reason cannot see.
Therefore, the virtues of the pagans should be distinguished from the virtues of the Christians. It is true that in both parts God moves and drives the hearts to goodness; but such divine movements are corrupted in pagan men of virtue by the craving for fame and ambition. Now, if an eloquent man were to emphasize the active cause here, but pass over and conceal the evil or final cause, he could truly give the matter a good shape and greatly adorn and decorate this miserable froth and shadow of virtue, especially if he were to speak of the
The actual essence and purpose of the action is not taken into account.
But a dialectician can easily see that it is a false and colored thing. For he sees that causa formalis (i.e. the cause that gives the action its value) is missing. For where God is not recognized, there is also no righteous will against God. Thus he also sees that the final cause is bad and evil; for there the end, toward which every good work should be directed, is not rightly considered, namely obedience to God and love for one's neighbor. But what kind of virtue is this that lacks all other motives except the natural one, which is only suffering, in that the heart is moved and driven to believe the enemy? For, as I have said, even the wicked have such impulses, and they are virtues if they are done for the benefit and service of the fatherland; but if they are done for its harm and hindrance, they are vices, as Aristotle teaches.
I say this so that those who are in charge of theology may take careful note of this text, because it says so clearly and so baldly that nature is corrupt. For it seems to us that what appears and is regarded as virtue in the pagans is hardly a shadow and dead image of it, as if it were a contradiction, namely, that in nature something has remained unchanged and perfect. Therefore, one must diligently see to it that these things are properly distinguished.
The reason Moses adds "from youth" is that wickedness is hidden in youth and, as it were, sleeps. For the same time of youth, reason and the will are asleep, and we have only animal and unreasonable desires and stimulations, which pass away like sleep. For when we have scarcely passed the age of five, we seek idleness, play, lewdness, and all manner of pleasure: but discipline we flee, obedience we cast from us, and are hostile to all virtue, especially to those most noble and highest, truth and justice. For at this time reason awakens, as it were, from a deep sleep, and stands up some pleasure, but still
not the right pleasure; also sees some vices, but they are not yet the highest, to which she gains pleasure.
But when reason has grown up, as it were, and some vices have come to some strength, there is also fornication and the shameful burning of the flesh, gluttony, gambling, quarreling, brawling and fighting, murder, theft and all kinds of sins. And just as the parents needed a rod, so the authorities must have bonds and prisons to ward off the evil nature.
But who does not see what vices are found and displayed when one has grown up and reached manhood? Because there fall over a heap to: Avarice, greed, pride, infidelity, envy etc. And the same vices are all the more harmful, as much as this age is more cunning to cover and adorn such vices. Therefore, it is not enough for the authorities to have the sword, but they must have hellish fire to punish so many and such great sins. That is why it is said in chapter 6, v. 5, that the heart of man, or the thoughts of man, are evil forever, or every day and at all times; and here it is said that they are "evil from their youth.
Although the Latin translation uses a mild word, it says enough, because it says that man's heart is inclined to evil; as Terentius says that the nature of all men is not inclined to work, but to laziness and vice. But those who want to use this word to diminish original sin with it, the experience of all men reproves them, but of the heathen and the ungodly much more. For if spiritual people, who have divine help from above, can hardly ward off their sins and keep them in check, what can a man do without such help? And if divine help fights and struggles against the prison of the law of sins, Rom. 7:22, 23, what folly is it to dream that the natural powers are intact and perfect without God's help?
Therefore reason in itself does not point and drive to the good, so also the
The will does not know for itself what is right, as the blind philosophy disputes, which does not know where these horrible temptations to sin come from in boys, young fellows, and old people; therefore it excuses them, and calls them only hastiness or affects and passions, does not call them malice, which is in nature.
(89) After this, it calls the same stimuli in great men, who moderate and govern them, virtues; but in others, who let their lusts run riot and indulge in them, it calls the same vices, which really means not knowing that nature is evil. But the holy scripture agrees with experience and says that the heart of man is evil from his youth. For experience teaches and shows that even the saints can hardly keep themselves and often fall into gross sins, precipitated by such wickedness of nature.
90 The word neurim means the age when man first begins to use reason, which is almost the sixth year. Just as neurim means young men and boys who serve their parents and teachers until they reach manhood. But it is good that we all remember the same age of youth, and consider how gladly we have obeyed parents and teachers, and how diligent we have been in learning; or how patient we have been when parents have punished us for our courage. For who is there among us who has not preferred to go for a walk, to play, to engage in idle chatter, rather than to go to church at the command of parents?
91. But though such a thing may be changed by discipline, or may be resisted to some extent, yet it cannot be entirely torn out of the heart, as it proves to be when we are grown up. For this old verse is true: He who is an angel in youth becomes a devil in old age. God does indeed drive some to natural good movements, but the same happens through nature: as that Cyrus is driven to restore the services and preserve the church. But this does not come from nature. For where God is with His Holy Spirit, there is no longer the poetry of the
human heart, but the mind of God, for God dwells there through the Word and the Holy Spirit. Moses does not speak of such here, but only of men apart from the Holy Spirit, who are evil even where they are best.
And I will no more smite all that liveth, as I have done.
He speaks here clearly of the general smiting, as happened through the Flood. But it does not follow from this that he also wants to refrain from a partial smiting and to remain silent about everyone's sin. So the last day also has its exception, in which not only everything that lives there will be struck, but also the whole creature will be destroyed by fire.
V. 22: As long as the earth stands, seed and harvest, frost and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall not cease.
From this text, the Jews divide the year into six parts and count two moons to each part, as Lyra also indicates here in this text. But methinks that Moses speaks simply of the promise that one should not fear a general Flood from now on. For at the time of the flood there was such confusion that there was neither sowing time nor harvest, and in such darkness of rain and clouds one could not well distinguish day and night; for we see that when dark clouds go up in the sky, it also becomes dark on the earth. But how much darker it must have been, since one saw in the water, as in a mirror, the darkness of the clouds everywhere!
94Therefore this is the simple opinion that God promised Noah here that it should come to pass again that the earth in its
The first thing is that the land will be used as it was, that the devastation of the sinlstulh will cease, and that the land will be sown again; that the rows will go in their order, and that the harvest will follow the seed, and the summer will be followed by winter, and the heat by cold, according to due order.
95 And this text is also to be remembered against the common delusion of the signs that are to come before the last day. For they make eclipses, not knowing for how many days; they also fantasize that a whole seven years before no woman will bear children anymore etc. But here the text says: "It shall not cease day or night, summer or winter." Therefore the natural changes will remain and will never be darkened by an eclipse a whole day absolutely.
The fact that he also adds, "As long as the earth stands," is not in vain. Because with it he wants to indicate that these days of the earth will once end and will follow days of the sky. As long as the days of the earth stand, the earth will also stand and these changes of the times will remain. But when the days of the earth shall cease, all things shall also cease, and the days of heaven shall follow, that is, the eternal days, which shall be one Sabbath after another, Isa. 66:23, in which we shall not be permitted to do bodily work or to prepare food, for we shall be as the angels of God, Marc. 12:25. But our life shall be: To know God, to delight in God's wisdom and to see God Himself before our eyes. This life we attain through faith in Christ, in which the eternal Father, through the merit of His Son and our Savior Jesus Christ, with the help and assistance of the Holy Spirit, graciously sustains us. Amen, Amen.