First part.
From the blessing, so that God blesses Noah and the whole human race after the Flood.
V. 1. And God blessed Noah and his sons, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
This was truly a necessary consolation after the entire human race, except for eight souls that were preserved, had been destroyed by the Flood. For here Noah recognized that he had a gracious God, because he did not leave it at the first blessing, so that he had blessed the human race in the creation of the world: but here he blessed Noah anew, so that he would by no means have to doubt that he would again give him children and increase his race. And this promise was all the more joyful to him, because God had already clearly promised him that he would not let such severe punishment pass over mankind from now on.
(2) So this chapter finally confirms the marriage state anew, since God, by His word and commandment, gives man and woman together, and does this so that the world may be filled with people. For since God was angered by the sin of fornication before the Flood, it was now necessary, for the sake of the horrible examples of wrath, to show that God is not hostile to the proper union of man and woman, nor does he condemn it, but wants the human race to be propagated by it.
3. from this Noah had a certain proof and sign that God truly loved man, wished him well, and had now put away all wrath, because He wants man to be propagated by the union of male and female.
If he had not put up with this state, he could have raised it from stones, Matth. 3, 9, as the poets fable about the Deucalion. Therefore the marriage state is praised and glorified by this text, that not only the house and world government flows from it, but also the church.
(4) That it is here objected that Noah was already at the age that he was no longer able to beget children, as also the Scripture does not remember that he subsequently begot children, therefore this promise was in vain: to this I answer that this promise did not happen to Noah alone, but also to his children, item, to the whole human generation; and nevertheless this hope of the generation also belongs to the grandfather Noah.
(5) So this text also belongs to us, that we learn from it and take it for granted that children are a gift of God and come only from God's blessing; as also the 127th Psalm v. 3 indicates. The pagans, who are uninstructed in the Word of God, believe that the increase of the human race happens partly by nature and partly by chance, especially because people often do not have children, who are considered most convenient for this purpose. Therefore, they do not thank God for the gift, nor do they accept the children as God's gifts.
V. 2: Let your fear and dread be upon all the beasts of the earth, upon all the fowls of the air, and upon every creeping thing that moveth upon the earth; and let every fish of the sea be delivered into your hand.
These are words by which the dominion of man is increased, and it seems as if it were said for the abundance of comfort. For although after creation all animals were subjected to man, yet the
we do not read that the animals were so afraid of man and fled, as Moses indicates here. But the reason for this is that up to now the animals have not been ordered to death and food for man, but man has only been like a civil lord over the animals and not their strangler or eater.
But here they are subjected to man as a tyrant, who has full power to kill them or to let them live. Because a heavier servitude is imposed on them, but a greater and more serious dominion is granted to man, the animals must be more afraid and terrified of man. As we can see, even the tame animals are not easily taken; for they feel man's serious dominion and their danger goes to their hearts by nature, which did not happen before this command of the Lord, as I believe it to be. For hitherto they have used the animals only for work, for which they have served, and for sacrifices, not for food or nourishment. And this strengthening or increase of dominion also belongs to the fact that God, as by a special privilege which the patriarchs did not have, shows that he is favorable and good to man.
8 Therefore, one should not consider this benefit, by which man is given the rule over the animals, as insignificant. For it is a special gift of God, which the heathen, who do not have God's word, do not know, and we enjoy this gift most of all. For when such a command was spoken to Noah, and this right was given to him, there was no need of it. For then few people had the whole earth, so they had fruits of the earth superfluously enough, and there was no need to add the flesh of animals to it. But now we could not feed on the fruits of the earth alone, if we had not been granted this great blessing, that we might eat the flesh of animals, birds and fish.
009 Therefore this word ordereth the meat-bank, and putteth on the spit rabbits, and fowls, and geese, and adorneth and filleth the table with all manner of dishes. And necessity makes people witty and skillful, so that they do not eat alone.
hunt the wild animals, but also raise other cattle in the Hans with diligent care, which they use for food. God therefore makes himself a butcher in this place, as it were, for he slaughters and strangles the animals that serve as food by his word. So that he repays the great sorrow, which the pious Noah had in the flood, and rewards it with rich comfort; because therefore he intends to take care of him the better.
(10) Therefore, we should not consider it as if it happened accidentally, as the pagans think and consider that it was the custom to slaughter cattle for and for; but it is ordered, or rather permitted, by God's word. For without sin, no animal could have been strangled if God had not clearly permitted it in His Word. Therefore, it is a great liberty that a man may freely and with impunity strangle all kinds of animals that are useful for food and can be eaten. And if only one kind of animal were ordained for such use, it would still be a great boon. How much greater a gift it is that all animals that are useful for food are generally allowed to man!
(11) The wicked and the heathen understand not these things; neither do the philosophers know them. For they hold that this custom has been at all times. But we should truly value and magnify such things, to make our consciences secure and free over this use of creatures, created and permitted by God, namely, that there is no law forbidding to eat them. Therefore, there can be no sin in its use, as the shameful popes have blasphemed the church in these things as well.
(12) With these words man's dominion is increased and the unreasonable animals are subjected to man's service until death. Therefore they fear and flee from man for the sake of this new and previously uncommon order in the world. For Adam it would have been an abomination to strangle a little bird for food. But now that the Word is added, we understand that it is a
The special blessing of God is that God has thus fed and ordered the kitchen with all kinds of meat. He will also order the cellar after that, when he will show man how he should plant and build wine.
Therefore, these are certain and excellent testimonies that God is no longer hostile to man, but favorable. And this history provides us with examples in both parts, that just as God's wrath is unbearable when it comes to pass, so is His grace and mercy, when it begins to shine again, without measure or end. And God's goodness and mercy are more abundant and abundant because they are of God's nature, since anger is actually a work that is contrary to God's nature and that he does against his nature when man's wickedness causes him to do it.
V. 3 Everything that moves and lives, that is your food; like the green herb I have given you all of it.
14 There is a question here. Earlier (Cap. 7, 2.) Moses indicated the difference between the clean and unclean animals; here, however, he speaks of all animals without distinction and in general. Did God also permit the unclean animals to be eaten by man? For that he says: "Everything that moves and lives on earth" is said in general. Now there are those who believe that the people of Noah's time used all kinds of animals, both clean and unclean, for food. But I understand it differently. For since the distinction between clean and unclean animals has been made above and is diligently repeated in the Law, I believe that, as far as food is concerned, man alone used clean animals, that is, those that were sacrificed.
(15) That therefore these words, spoken generally, may be understood with distinction, "Every living thing that moveth," that is, among clean animals, "shall be your meat. For nature is afraid of snakes, wolves, ravens, mice, and rats, although some peoples have used them for food and enjoyed them. Therefore, the terror and fear of man goes over all the animals on earth, so that they
a man may kill. But from this it does not follow that he eats from all. And it can be seen as if Noah also used only the pure ones, which, as he knew, could be sacrificed alone.
(16) Here, however, something else occurs that makes us think more, namely, how terror and fear of man can go over all animals, because wolves, lions, bears, wild pigs, tigers eat men and men are frightened of them: just as we flee from all snakes as soon as we have seen them. What shall we say to this? Is God's word untrue? Answer: Even if we flee from such animals for the sake of danger and are terrified of them, it is still true that the fear of man remains above them. For when even the wildest animals first see a man, they are frightened by him and flee. But when they are finally angered, they overcome because of the strength of their bodies.
(17) But why are they frightened, one might say, since they are stronger? Answer: They know that man is gifted with reason, which overpowers all animals. For even elephants, lions and tigers can be tamed by man's skill. Therefore, what man cannot accomplish with his strength, he accomplishes with the art, strength and agility of reason. For how else would it be possible for a child of ten years to herd and govern whole herds of cattle, or to steer a horse, which is a particularly brave and strong animal, wherever it wanted to go, and to force it sometimes to run and sometimes to tread slowly? All this can be done by human skill and not by strength. Therefore, these are clear enough signs that the fear of man remains in the animals, whether they do harm to man when they are irritated and enraged, and therefore are feared by man again.
(18) And I doubt not that in the days of Noah, and of the fathers after him, the terror of the beasts was greater, because righteousness had gone forth, and sins were fewer. Since the
Since the holiness of life and piety fell, and sins increased, this blessing also departed, and the animals almost began to be the punishment of sins; as Moses in the 5th book Cap. 32, 24, God threatens to send the teeth of the beasts among them. And how has been such a cruel plague in the wilderness of the fiery serpents half, 4 Mos. 21, 6! In the 2nd book of Kings in 2 Cap. V. 24, it says that bears tore apart the boys who mocked the prophet Elisha. Why did not the fear of man remain in the animals? Why did they rage so against man? Was not sin one of the causes?
(19) As I also said above that new punishments are found when new sins increase; as in our time there are unusual diseases and plagues, such as the sweat addiction and similar new plagues. In 1542 locusts did great damage in the countryside in Poland and Silesia etc.
20 Thus God has promised seed time and harvest, heat and frost, and yet He thus decrees our sins, that in lines the seed and harvest are disturbed and spoiled by uncomfortable weather; as in the year 1540 there was a great drought, and for the next two years after that there was almost uninterrupted rain. Because of this, the world is now the worst, what wonder is it that blessings are taken away from us, and in their place come curses and calamities, that the animals that should be terrified of us men if we were pious, now frighten and harm us?
021 The land of the Sodomites was in times past as a paradise, but because of sin it is become a lake of sulfur. And they that have seen the same place say that there grow the most beautiful apples; but when they are cut open, they are full of ashes and a foul stench within. The cause is that they have not recognized the gifts and blessings of God, but have misused them according to their will and pleasure. To this end, puffed up by such blessings and goods, they have blasphemed God, and
persecuted his saints. Therefore the blessing has been taken away from them, and everything has become full of cursing. This is the correct answer and resolution of this question, that although there are some signs of terror before man in the wild animals, we are rather afraid of them and they harm us.
(22) I have no doubt that in this land around Wittenberg the very worst people lived in ancient times. For where else would the sandy and barren soil have come from? And the names of the towns and villages indicate that Jews have lived here. For where wicked men dwell, there also the earth corrupts in time by God's malediction.
In Bruges, in Flanders, there was a famous port in the past, but since the time when they held King Maximilian prisoner, the sea has receded, so that there is no longer a port. The same is now said of Venice. And it is no great wonder that, in addition to the innumerable sins of the great and mighty cities, there is also the protection and defense of idolatry and the persecution of the Gospel.
V. 4. Eat not the flesh alone, which yet liveth in his blood.
(24) What we have heard so far has been a purely domestic matter. Now here the Lord gives a commandment concerning the police and the common law. For since it should be as little a sin to slaughter an ox or a sheep for food as it would be to break off a flower or a herb in the field, one had to be concerned that men would abuse such freedom, which God had granted them over the animals, and would also take advantage to shed men's blood. Therefore, God gives a new law that one should not shed the blood of men, and also restricts the freedom from eating flesh, for he does not want one to eat flesh unless he has first been cleansed of the blood.
(25) But this text is very obscure in Hebrew: therefore the teachers also had many thoughts, which are superfluous to relate here. For this rule
I am absolutely convinced that in the holy scriptures the words should serve the things and not the things the words. Therefore, I do not dispute the judgment and discretion of those who interpret the words according to their affects and want them to serve the thoughts so that they can read the Scriptures.
Therefore, let us first look at the grammar. Nephesh actually means a life
animal, as there are oxen, sheep, men etc. For it means not only something corporeal, but something that has body and life; as when Christ says John 10:15, "I lay down my life for my sheep," by which he means nothing other than the bodily or natural life. But bazaar is called flesh, which is a piece of a gross element, and yet has its life and pulse, not of the body, but of the soul. For flesh, or the body in itself without the soul, is nothing but a block or stone; but when it is animated and moved by the soul, the moisture and all that is in the animal is moved.
Now here the Lord forbids that one should not eat such a body, which still has a living soul that moves and stirs, as the pond eats the chicks, the wolf the sheep, not slaughtered, but alive. God forbids cruelty here, and thus restricts the freedom to strangle, so that it should not be done unreasonably, as animals strangle one another, since one eats the bodies or their limbs alive: but that the slaughter should be done as it is done in sacrifices before the altar, since an animal was slaughtered without cruelty, and was sacrificed to the Lord, when it was well washed off from the blood. This, I think, is the simple and right opinion, which is also followed by some "from the masters of the Jews, namely, that we should not eat raw meat, with the limbs still wriggling; as it is fabled of the monstrous blasphemers and Cyclopes that they eat living animals and men.
V. 5 For I will also avenge the blood of your body, and will avenge it on all animals; and I will avenge the life of man on every man that is his brother.
The Hebrew text is darker here than in the previous pieces; and here Lyra sets the mind of the rabbis according to many kinds of murder; for he divides this saying into two parts, and interprets each in two ways. The first part of this saying he applies to those who empty themselves. And if this opinion is true, then immortality is confirmed here in this text. For how could God take care of him who was dead and nothing more? Therefore, the punishments of sins after this life are meant here. But against this opinion, methinks, is the grammar. For although I do not consider myself a perfect Hebrew, yet it seems to me that the words do not give such an understanding and opinion.
The second death is when people are thrown to wild animals, as was done in theaters in the past, but these were cruel and inhumane spectacles. The third, when someone strangles someone who has been ordered and prepared by someone else. The fourth, when a close friend is strangled by another etc. I would not like this division at all if it could be proven from the text. But it is a Jewish poem, which came from the fact that the Jews were hostile to the Roman laws.
(30) Therefore this opinion is more simple, if you understand this text to mean that it generally forbids all kinds of murder and death; just as the fifth commandment also says, "Thou shalt not kill. For God does not want you to strangle an animal, 'except for sacrifice, or for the benefit and use of men. Much less does he want a man to be put to death, unless it is by divine commandment or order.
First, it is forbidden to kill wantonly and inhumanely. For discipline means that one should not, out of carelessness and without cause, strangle the animals one wants, nor eat their flesh raw and uncleaned. After this he forbids that one man should not kill another, in whatever way he pleases. For if God requires the blood from the hand of the beast that slays a man, he shall not require it.
how much more seriously will he demand it from the hand of man? Intestine" this text belongs to the fifth commandment that no one should shed human blood.
Second part.
From the law about the death beaters; from the covenant of God with Noah and from the rainbow.
V. 6: Whoever spills the blood of man, his blood shall also be spilled by man.
The Latin interpreter has omitted the necessary word baadam, "by men," out of negligence, which is not to be praised in him. For it indicates the difference of the time before the Flood and after. For Cain had slain his brother Abel before, but at that time God had threatened sevenfold punishment for the honor of human blood to the one who would slay Cain again. Therefore he did not want that a man who had been slain should be slain again in a judicial way. And although Adam severely punished the sin of his death by putting him under ban, he was not allowed to put him to death again.
But here the Lord ordains a new law, and wills that the slayers of men shall be slain again, which until now had not been customary in the world. For God Himself had reserved all judgment for Himself. Because he saw that the world was getting worse day by day, he finally punished the ungodly world with the Flood. But here he also shares his power with man, to whom he gives power over life and death among men, but so that one would be guilty of shed blood. For whoever does not have the right to kill a man and kills him nevertheless, God subjects him not only to his judgment, but also to the sword of man. Therefore, when he is killed, it is rightly said that he is punished and killed by God, even though he is killed by the sword of man. For if
If it were without this commandment of God, it would be just as little right to strangle a murderer as it was not right before the Flood.
34 Therefore, this is the origin from which all worldly rights flow. For as God gives man power over life and death, so He also gives him power over that which is less than these: Goods, house and farm, wife, children and servants, fields etc. God wants all these things to be under the control of some people, so that the wrongdoers may be punished.
(35) For this is the difference between God's power and man's power: God has power and authority to kill us, even though the world cannot accuse us of anything, but we are innocent before it. For the sin that is born with us makes us all guilty before God. But men have no power to kill until we are guilty before the world and the sin is certain. For this reason, courts of law have been established and proper judicial processes have been determined, so that the crime must be investigated and proven before the verdict is passed on the life.
(36) Therefore, this text should be diligently noted, in which God established and ordained the authorities not only to judge life, but also lesser things than life, such as that the authorities should punish the disobedience of children, theft, adultery, false swearing, and, in sum, all the sins forbidden in the other tablet. For he who allows the judgment of life also allows the judgment of other things, which are less than and beneath life.
37 Therefore, this is a glorious text, and worthy of note, that God has ordered the authorities and given them the sword in their hands, so that they should resist the will to anger, lest cruelty and other sins take over too much. And if God had not given and commanded this divine power to man, dear, what kind of life would we lead? Because God saw that there would be much unhappiness and unpleasantness in the world at all times, He has given this external means.
The world had not yet had such an order, so that wickedness would not multiply beyond all measure. And has thus, as it were, circumscribed our life and property and kept them with walls.
38 And this is no less a proof of God's supreme love for man that he promises him that he will stop with the flood and no longer destroy everything with it, and allows him to eat flesh to preserve this life.
Dem GOtt hat den Menschen zu seinem Bild gemacht.
39 This is a great reason why he does not want a man to be strangled wantonly, namely, that he is the most noble creature, not made like other animals, but in the image of God. Although man has lost this image through sin, as indicated above, it can be regained through the Word and the Holy Spirit. God wants this image to be honored by one person to another, and does not want us to be tyrannical among ourselves and shed blood. But whoever does not want to honor this image in man, nor shun it, but wants to follow his wrath and pain or irritation, as the most shameful counselors, as someone calls them, God hands his life over to the authorities, and says that his blood should be shed again.
40 And so this text establishes and orders a police force in the world that did not exist before the Flood, as Cain's and Lamech's examples show, who were not killed again, since the holy fathers were judges over such public acts. But here God commands that those who have the sword should use it against those who have shed blood.
41 And so here also the argument is dissolved, with which Plato and all wise men were concerned. For they conclude that a regiment cannot be run without injustice: the reason is that men are of equal status and dignity among themselves. For why is the emperor a ruler of the world? Why are others obedient to him, since he is both a ruler and a ruler?
He is a man who is better and stronger than other men, and who can die as soon as another man? for he is everywhere like other men. Therefore it seems to be a tyranny that he, while he is equal to other men, is subject to the rule over other men; for if he is equal to other men, he exercises the highest power and injustice, that he does not want to be like other men, but prefers himself to others with tyranny.
Reason therefore concludes and finds nothing else that is contrary to it. But we, who have the word, see that God's commandment is contrary to it, who thus orders and establishes it. Therefore, it behooves us to submit to the divine order and tolerate it, so that this sin is not added to other sins, so that we disobey God's will in this matter, which, as we can see and understand for ourselves, serves and benefits our lives in so many ways.
43 Thus this text permits the slaughter of animals in a spiritual and secular way, that is, for sacrifices and daily needs. But it forbids the strangling of man altogether, for man was created in God's image. Whoever does not obey this will of God, God hands him over to the authorities to be killed again.
V. 7 Be fruitful and multiply, and be active on the earth, so that you may become many.
44 Because God has permitted the slaughter of cattle and animals, not only for sacrifice, but also for human consumption, but has forbidden the killing of humans, here is the reason why God so seriously forbids the killing of humans and is hostile to it, namely, because He wants humans to multiply on earth. Death strikes, however, make the earth desolate and lonely, as we see happening in wars. So because God did not create the earth in vain, but that it might be inhabited, as Isaiah Cap. 45, 18, and therefore makes it fertile with rain and sun, He is therefore hostile to those who take away those who are to dwell on it; for His
Will and desire is life and not death, Ps. 30, 6.
(45) Such and such sayings are taken from such promises as this, that God commands man to multiply. For by this he clearly indicates that he is more inclined to make alive and to do good than to anger and to kill. For why else would he so earnestly forbid the striking of death? And why else should pestilences be so rare? For a common pestilence or death of the land hardly occurs once in ten years. But people are born every day, so animals multiply daily and countless fruits grow.
46 All this testifies that God does not love death, but life, just as He created man for this purpose in the beginning. But death came into the world through the devil's envy, Wis. 2, 24. 2, 24. And yet, even after sin, the rest of the blessing is preserved in such a way that we can clearly conclude from God's will toward us that He loves life more than death. And it is good that such thoughts should be much used, for with them we will surely, as Solomon says, Proverbs 18:22, draw pleasure from the Lord.
V. 8-11. And God said to Noah and to his sons with him, "Behold, I establish a covenant with you, and with your seed after you, and with every living creature that is with you, of birds, and of cattle, and of all the beasts of the earth with you, of all that are gone out of the casket, of whatsoever beasts they be upon the earth. And establish my covenant with you, that henceforth all flesh shall no more be destroyed with the waters of the flood, neither shall there any more come a flood to destroy the earth.
(47) What is the reason why Moses is so rich and of many words in this description, I have said above several times. For the Holy Spirit does not make many words in vain. He who therefore considers in what great trembling, fear, sorrow and danger Noah stood with his own.
He will easily be able to recognize that the highest necessity required that God so often repeats and imagines the same speech.
(48) Since the covenant of which he speaks here does not concern man alone, but includes all living creatures, it must be understood not of the promise of the seed, but of this bodily or natural life, which the unreasoning animals have in addition to us, that God will no longer destroy it with the flood.
V. 12-16. And God said, This is the sign of the covenant which I have made between me and you, and every living creature among you for ever: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. And when it comes that I will lead will over the earth, then my bow shall be seen in the clouds. Then I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures in all flesh, so that there will no longer be a flood to destroy all flesh. Therefore my bow shall be in the clouds, that I may behold it, and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature in all flesh that is upon the earth.
(49) This word, "forevermore," should be diligently remembered; for it comprehends not only men and animals that have been, but all the descendants who will be until the end of the world. And this text also teaches us how God always uses a sign for his promises; as I also indicated above in the 3rd chapter of the skirts made of skins, which he had put on the bare human beings, Adam and Eve, as a sign that he wanted to handle, protect and preserve them.
50 And is not the allegory or secret interpretation that some make here uncomfortable: that as the skin of a dead sheep warms the body, so Christ, after he has died, warms us also with his spirit and will raise us up on the last day and make us alive. Some say that he put the skins on them as a sign that they were mortal. But this is to them
not so necessary, because without it our whole life admonishes and warns us that we are mortal; but this was more necessary to them, that they might have a sign of life, by which they might learn God's favor and blessing. For this is actually the sign's nature, that it comforts, not that it frightens. And on this opinion, God also created the sign of the rainbow and attached it to His promise.
(51) For this reason God speaks to Himself above (Cap. 8, 21, 22.) that such a terrible punishment grieves Him, and promises that He will no longer allow such punishment to take place, because the thinking of the human heart is evil from youth, and if He wanted to punish the evil always, He would have to have a new Flood every day: so He promises here by a word, which is either spoken by an angel, or (as is possible) by the mouth of Noah to man: "There shall no more Flood come upon the earth. The fact that the same thing is repeated so often is a sign of a special love for man, to whom he wanted to persuade that he should no longer worry about such punishment, but should be provided with blessings and all kinds of kindness to him.
Noah and his people were in great need of such comfort. For a man humbled by God cannot forget his suffering and pain. For the punishment clings much more firmly than the good deed; as we also see in children when they are punished with the rod: although the mother then gives good words and applies all kinds of reconciliation, the suffering is still so deep in their hearts that they often have to sigh and sob long afterwards. How much more difficult is consolation for a conscience that has experienced God's wrath and the terror of death, which then sticks so firmly and deeply in the heart that it still trembles and fears even in the face of consolation and good deeds!
Therefore, God shows His goodwill here in many ways, pours out His mercy with special joy, like a mother who gives the angry child so many good words and jokes sweetly with it, until it finally forgets to cry and must laugh at her again.
This is a real rhetorical and rich consolation, so variously expressed according to the need of the poor people who had seen the terrible and unspeakable wrath of God for a whole year. Therefore, the great fear and terror could not have been put out of their minds with one or two words, but many words had to be spoken before they could forget the weeping and sorrow. For though they were holy, yet they were also flesh, as we are.
55 And we need such comfort now, so that in many a storm and trial we do not doubt that the windows of heaven and the fountains of the deep are closed by God's word. For this is why the rainbow is still seen, so that it may be a sure sign that there will no longer be a common flood. Therefore, this promise demands such faith from us that we believe that God has had mercy on the human race and will no longer allow a general flood to pass over us.
(56) Further, it is disputed here whether there are natural causes in the rainbow that signify this? and what the philosophers dispute about this is known, especially Aristotle On the Meteors, about the color of the rainbow, and the nature of the cloud by which it is produced, and about its curvature. And they do not make a clumsy likeness of the mirror in which the face or image is refracted, as the rays of the sun paint themselves and make an arc when they fall into a watery and hollow cloud. For in such things reason sees what is most like truth, although it cannot see truth everywhere, nor recognize it, for this does not belong to the creature but to the Creator. All my life I have believed no book less than this "On the Meteors," because it is based on this reason, as if everything in nature happens from natural causes.
57. from the rainbow it is certain (as-
They say that it means three days of rain, which I also admit), that it means that there will be no more flood. And yet it does not mean this from a natural cause, but only from God's word, that God has decreed it so and determined it by his word. For just as circumcision was a sign that the same people were God's people, who did not show circumcision for themselves, but only by God's word, which was done for them; and just as the skirts of skins signified life and preservation, not that they could do the same by nature, but because God had promised it so: so the rainbow in the clouds signifies that there shall be no more flood, not from a natural cause, but because of God's word.
(58) What are natural thoughts and speculations about this, I do not despise either, but because they are not certain and consistent proofs, I do not trust them much. And the causes that Aristotle indicates of a watery and hollow cloud are not certain. For such clouds may well be, if no rainbow is formed; just as the rainbow may become larger or smaller from the medium, depending on whether it is thick or thin. Thus I have seen a rainbow here in Wittenberg, which was quite round and closed into each other, not cut off on the plane of the earth, as it usually appears. How is it then that rainbows are seen differently and differently? Here a philosopher, who considers it a disgrace that he should not know how to indicate the causes of all things, may well devise something: but he will not pretend it to me, nor persuade me to believe that he is speaking the truth.
(59) The only, constant and most certain proof is that the same fire signs in the air, or impressions, as they are called, are all the works of God, or of the devil. As I have no doubt that the leaping lights, flying dragons, spears and the like are works of the evil spirits, who play together in the air in such a way that they either frighten or deceive people. The
Pagans have taken the flames of fire that one sees above the ships for Castor and Pollux. So one sees at times a lunar image on horses above the ears, which is certainly nothing else than the devil's mockery in the air. Although Aristotle considers it to be inflamed air, he also disputes that the comet is a vapor that ignites in the air.
But it seems much safer and more certain to me that we speak of such things a priori, that is, according to the first order of God, namely, that when God wills, a comet burns for a sign of terror; just as the rainbow shines in the sky when it wills, for a sign of grace. For who can grasp all the causes or understand how it happens that the rainbow appears with such beautifully mixed colors and as a complete semicircle? which really does not come from the position of the clouds. That is why the arch stands there out of God's will and promise, for the assurance of men and animals at the same time, that there shall be no Flood at any time.
61 And such signs should remind us that we should be grateful to God. For as often as the rainbow is seen, it preaches to the whole world about the wrath in which God destroyed the whole world through the Flood, and comforts us that we should henceforth believe that God is good and merciful to us and will henceforth no longer use such terrible punishment. Thus he teaches at the same time the fear of God and faith, which are the highest virtues, of which philosophy knows nothing and only disputes de materiali et formali causa, that is, from what he becomes and what he is in himself. But causam finalem, that is, why and for what purpose God let see such a beautiful creature in the sky, it does not know, but theology shows it.
(62) So here they also dispute whether the rainbow was also before the Flood. And they are very serious here. For since it is written above (Cap. 2, 2. 3.) that God created heaven and earth in six days and then rested from all his works on the seventh day, they conclude that the rainbow was there from the beginning.
otherwise it would follow that God had created something new outside these six days. But this had happened in Noah's time, that God had taken the rainbow, which had been created from the beginning, and had made it a special sign by a new word, after it had been before but had meant nothing. In support of this opinion they used the saying of Solomon, Ecclesiastes 1:9: "There is nothing new under the sun"; therefore they say that after the six days no creature was created anew.
But it seems to me that the contradiction is true, namely, that the rainbow never existed before and was created here for the very first time; just as the skirts of skins, with which God clothed Adam and Eve, were not created in the six days, but were made after the fall of Adam and Eve. That is why they were new creatures. For the fact that the Scripture says that God rested is not to be understood as meaning that He created nothing more after that; for Christ John 5:17 says: "My Father works until now, and I also work."
64. Although theologians have struggled a lot over Solomon's saying: "There is nothing new under the sun", it is easy for everyone to see that he is not talking about God's works, but about original sin, that the reason which was in Adam after the fall, the teaching and disputations of morals, of vices, of virtue, of food, of government are still all in man; as a poet also says in a saying: Nothing is ever said that was not said before. For, in truth, there is nothing new in the works and all the doings of men; but the very words, thoughts, doings, affections, sorrows, loves, and all manner of cases, which were ever before, are still. Therefore it is a foolish thing that one wants to interpret this saying to God's work and creatures.
(65) Accordingly, I hold that the rainbow was a new creature, never before seen in the world, so that the world would first be reminded of the past wrath, which sign and footprint the rainbow indicates; secondly, that it would also have comfort and reassurance from
of God's grace: for the rainbow is like a book or painted tablet, wherein is displayed at once the past wrath and present grace.
66 There is also a dispute about the colors, which some make four: one fiery, the other yellow, the third green, the fourth water blue. But I believe that there are only two of them, namely, one is the color of fire, the other the color of water; and the color of fire is uppermost before the bow breaks back and makes a reflection under itself; for thus the uppermost is reversed with the lowermost, as we see in the mirror. But where the fire and water colors come together and are mixed into one another, a yellow or pale color also breaks out.
But this kind of colors is ordered by God out of special counsel, so that not only the water color should be a reminder of the past wrath, but that also the fire color should hold up and foreshadow the future judgment. The line that is blue or watercolor on the inside has its place and measure, so that one can see how far it goes: but the line that is blue or watercolor on the outside floats around and has no measured or finished place. For the first world perished by the flood; but the wrath had a measure, because something remained and was preserved, out of which afterwards another world was made, which also has an end. But when God destroys the world with fire, this bodily life will not be restored, but the wicked will have to face an eternal judgment of death in the fire, but the pious will be raised to a new and eternal life, which will not be bodily, but spiritual, whether it will be in a bodily form.
Therefore, let us remember this sign and learn to fear God and trust in Him, so that just as we escaped the punishment of the flood, we may also escape the punishment of the fire. Such thoughts about the rainbow are far more useful and better than the philosophical disputations about how or by what it is caused and made.