First part.
How Sarah gives Abraham the advice to lie down with Hagar.
V. 1. 2. Sarai, Abram's wife, bore him nothing. But she had an Egyptian maid, whose name was Hagar. And she said unto Abram, Behold, the Lord hath shut me up, that I should not be able to bear. Lie with my maidservant, that I may build myself out of her.
When Abraham was concerned that because he did not yet have an heir, his steward of Damascus would take his place in the possession of the promise as a proper and rightful heir, although not a natural one, the Lord promised him clearly that he would have a natural heir born of his own body.
(2) And after he is rid of this temptation, another follows, which befalls Sarah his wife; so that the life of these two godly husbands has been full of temptation and constant tribulation. Rude and unwise people, who are inexperienced in spiritual matters, only see that Abraham takes the maid as his wife. Because they are full of fornication, they do not look at the promise that gives rise to such works, but only at the same filthiness of the flesh, as the Jews also do.
37 Thus I have often heard in schools, not only from lawyers but also from theologians, that nothing else is written in Moses but of the unchastity of the Jews, since he is very diligent in describing the sexes and the marriage state. But such judgments indicate nothing else than impure hearts that judge and speak of the holy works according to their own kind.
4. these holy spouses do not get into this behavior out of pleasure or unchastity, but allow themselves to be challenged about
While they are anxious to have a child for the sake of the promise and are waiting with eagerness and desire for the seed that was promised to Adam in Paradise, Sarah, who now knows that she is barren and obsolete, has doubts, consults Abraham, opens her door to him and gives him the maidservant, so that she may be built from them. For although she has no doubt about the promise, she still doubts what kind of people God would choose for such a work.
5 Therefore the fruits of the marriage state are praised to us here, namely, the increase of the human race, which also the books of the Gentiles praise highly and gloriously. For though the world cannot understand such thoughts as Abraham struggles with, yet it praises and extols the marriage state, and reproves disorderly lust and fornication. And honest parents are so minded that they would rather their children enter into an honest married life than fornicate.
(6) First of all, reason understands the honor and respectability of such a proper union of husband and wife; then it is also caused by the great benefit, for it sees that from this state flow as from a well the worldly and domestic government, both of which would have to dissolve and decay if there were no proper and certain state of marriage.
Now Abraham does not only look at the fact that by this means his family can be multiplied, but also looks at the redemption of the whole world, of which he knew that it should happen to the world through the promised seed; he desires the same that it be promoted, by which it can only happen.
008 He came out of Ur of Chaldea in his seventy-fifth year, but now here is the tenth year of his affliction, and yet no hope of an heir can be found or seen. The promise he has
But the same is mendacious and, as it seems to him, it remains too long. These ten years may have been short enough for him, if we consider what he had accomplished in such a time, namely, so much traveling and wandering, then the war with the four kings. But if we look at the delay of the promise, such time was long enough for him. One month after another, one year after another went by, and still Sarah remained barren.
(9) Therefore it was not lewd thoughts, but an anxious desire for the seed of Abraham, which grieved his heart: and what do we suppose will have been the thoughts, sighings, weeping, and consolations of these holy spouses for these ten years? For the longer the promise was postponed, the heavier the cross became for him and the more unbearable such affliction became.
(10) That is why Moses wanted to portray a special challenge to Sarah in this chapter. The doubt of an heir was now removed from Abraham by the promise, for he knew that he would be born of him. Because he is certain of the heir from his body, he now doubts because of the mother, and there is no small reason for such doubts; for Sarah was naturally barren, and because of her age she was also unable to give birth.
(11) Therefore she is described here as a very wise and understanding woman, faithful to her husband, as an example to other women. For she had followed her husband into misery, had left all her friends and relatives; in misery she bore all hardships and troubles with patient and constant courage; she was obedient to her husband in all things with humility; but now, because she sees from all circumstances that she has no heir to hope for from her body, she nevertheless does not abandon faith, nor does she doubt the promise. For even though she sees that the promise is being kept, and can have no hope, because she is barren and obsolete, that she will be a mother, she still gives up the honor of motherhood with the utmost humility,
and is satisfied when her maid Hagar becomes pregnant by Abraham.
(12) So she keeps faith and hope in God's mercy, and in utmost humility is content with this shame and disgrace of being barren, and willingly hands over such honor and praise to her handmaid. Neither Job's wife, Tobiah's wife, nor David's wife would have done such a thing, but they would have doubted the divine promises, would have been angry and said that they were led and deceived by the devil; they would also have quarreled with Abraham and quarrelled that he had allowed himself to be deceived by the devil and had left his fatherland: but if they had done none of these things, they would at least have doubted God's goodness and mercy and would have considered their barrenness a sign of divine wrath.
But Sarah knows how to make a beautiful distinction among the gifts of God. Even though she is already barren, she still believes that she loves God and therefore willingly leaves the honor of fertility to her maidservant. Thus she is a woman of beautiful and glorious virtues on all sides. That is why she is set as an example by St. Peter to the entire female gender.
In the papacy, such histories were despised because they went against the celibate life, although more virtues can be felt and found in this single wife than in the lives of all priests, monks and nuns. For who can so emphasize and, as it is worthy, praise enough this single piece that she so willingly hands over the honor of motherhood, and in that case gladly wants to be an outcast woman, if she alone remains in God's grace and mercy and the promise is fulfilled by another?
15 There is also a special discipline and holiness in Abraham. Although he could have taken another, and could have justified it by the fact that it was common and customary at that time to have more than one wife, he did not do so until his wife was called to him, which is a special and high example on both sides. Abraham could also have taken a more beautiful, more sedate, more honest and richer wife.
But he is satisfied with his wife's counsel, who therefore puts the maid with him, that she may remain the mother and housewife, and have the promised seed, if not naturally, yet according to the right.
16 In addition, one should also notice here how reasonable and moral words she speaks: "The Lord," she says, "has shut me up so that I cannot give birth"; she is not angry, as we are wont to do, and blames the devil, but recognizes God's work with humility, and says: "The Lord has not yet wanted to give me heirs. She therefore recognizes and believes that marriage is such a state, which is instituted and ordered by God and also governed by Him; therefore she is content with her barrenness; therefore she is not angry with God, whom she would undoubtedly have thanked most highly if He had blessed her womb.
17) And here the Hebrew way of speaking, because it is chaste, is very sweet: "Lie down", or "go in" to Hagar; as the Scripture Ps. 51, 2. also says of David: "He had gone in to Bathsheba."
18 The word "to be built" means to be blessed with children, for where God gives children, the house is built and the household is properly governed, for there the parents know for whom they will work and what they will have for heirs to their goods.
(19) And again the faith of the holy woman is signified, who therefore putteth her handmaid to her husband, that she may beget her children, whose mother she is, though not naturally, yet according to law.
020 And this cause moved Abraham to follow his wife's counsel and persuasion; for since the promise was there, and yet it was naturally impossible that Sarah should bear, they therefore conclude that an heir should be sought with another mother, lest the promise should be hindered. But we should not make an example out of such a work, as if it could also be done by us, because we should consider the circumstances. For the promise of the seed has not come to us, as
Abraham; and even if someone has a barren marriage, there is no danger for him, although his whole family would perish, if God wanted it that way. Abraham not only had the promise of the seed, but also knew that Sarah was barren.
(21) Such circumstances have no place with you and are not valid; therefore this special work of these two husbands and wives is not to be used as an example, especially in the New Testament. For the Old Testament allows that a man may have more than one wife for the sake of children, and there is a law in Moses that if one has weakened a maid, he should keep her for a wife, Deut. 22:29. But such ceremonial laws have ceased, and Abraham's work was much different from that which is written in Moses.
V. 2. 3. Abram obeyed the voice of Sarai. Then Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar, her Egyptian maid, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife, after they had lived ten years in the land of Canaan.
Genesis clearly says that Abraham obeys his wife Sarah, and does not say that he did such a work out of lust, and I will take it entirely for that that he followed with displeasure. For he loved her dearly, as the story shows, and yet he accepts her reasons, since she claimed to be barren and old, and does this for his wife's sake and obedience, not in the opinion of those who took two wives, as in the law.
23 And Moses called Sarah Abraham's wife, and him her husband, not without a cause; that he might shew that Abraham was not an adulterer: neither was the former marriage of Abraham and Sarah dissolved or dissolved by this new union of them; but Abraham remained the chaste and gentle husband of his chaste and modest wife. But that he lies down with Hagar, is only of the opinion, so that the divine promise is not prevented.
Second part.
How Abraham lies down with Hagar; how Hagar falls into hopelessness about it, and how Sarah behaves about it.
V. 4 And he lay with Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she was with child, she esteemed her wife little against her.
(24) Here is a new challenge. But we will first say that the Jews take the ten years that Moses mentions here to mean that it is a common rule and custom for a man to live with his wife for ten years, and if she remains barren for ten years, it is right and permissible for him to take another wife so that he does not leave without an heir; but whether this is true or not, I do not know.
(25) But I do not like that they use this history as an example, which, as I said before, has its own special cause and circumstances. And what may the Jews approve of or justify polygamy with Abraham's example, if it was thus commanded in the law, Deut. 25:5? For if a brother departed without children, the other must necessarily take the deceased's wife in marriage, so that he might raise up seed for his brother.
(26) And when we consider such a commandment, we commonly come to such an opinion as if the Jews had been given much liberty to fornicate, because having two or more wives was not only permitted to them, but also commanded.
But I am of a different opinion. For we see how our kind and nature is wont to do. As soon as we are commanded to do something, we do it with reluctance, and pursue that which is forbidden to us. Such a thing is not done without reluctance and harm. For we see that in the female sex there is much and innumerable weakness: they indulge their affections and impulses and let them rule them; one is angry and quarrelsome, the other proud and splendid; the former is unfit for housekeeping; the latter is industrious and careless in her work.
Child rearing etc. Therefore it was a hard thing that one brother had to take another's wife; for this law could not be evaded by any pretense: that therefore by such a law no freedom, nor cause for fornication was given, but by it unpleasantness, toil, work and worry were increased.
(28) And so, through Adam's disobedience, nature has become so stiff-necked, insolent and defiant that it cannot stand any law. Thus, since the married state is commanded, and everyone is to have his own wife, to avoid fornication, we learn that the celibate life is highly praised and extolled by others, and the youth becomes more inclined to immoral fornication and whoredom. As in Terence, the old man says that one cannot hurt a fornicator more than if one gives him a wife. And we have before our eyes innumerable examples, where often husbands and wives who love each other dearly become hostile to each other for little cause, run away from each other, and join other men or wives.
(29) Human nature is so wild and depraved. It needs the marriage state as a remedy against fornication, and through the marriage state God allows one to use a woman, and thereby not only covers sin, which we cannot abstain from, but also blesses such a union and conjugal life; and yet the whole world shuns such a proper state, established by God and pleasing to God, and runs after disorderly fornication and whoredom, from which many and innumerable damages arise. For this deprives one of goods and food; the body suffers serious illnesses and ailments from it; God is irritated by it and causes it to inflict horrible punishments, and what is greatest and most serious, the police and house government is disrupted and prevented by it.
(30) Why then do we not escape so much and so great harm? Why do we not rather seek God's blessing through the marriage state? Therefore we do not do it, because our nature, corrupted by sin, is disobedient and does not want to suffer laws and discipline, nor can it be forced or tamed.
(31) Original sin is such an unspeakable and harmful plague and disease. Therefore, the Greeks and the Latins have come up with sayings and speeches to reject the marriage state and to contradict it because of the unpleasantness it entails. Nevertheless, those who were more understanding among the pagans were more respectable and disciplined and called the marriage state an inseparable union of man and woman.
32. and such a union must take place with two wills and opinions: and where a married couple come together, they then stand together with counsel and action, work together and provide food for themselves and their children, raise the children in the fear of God, govern their servants etc. Where such house discipline is kept, servants are raised up for the church and capable rulers for the land and the people; thus the church is planted and built, which alone has the knowledge of God. This is usefully taught, and the youth should often be admonished to accept and learn in good time what is taught about Christian discipline and respectability.
33 And this text belongs to it. For what the Jews pretend about the ten years, so that they make an example of Abraham's special work, is lies and useless gossip. But Christian and God-fearing hearts can learn something useful from it, when they see how these two pious married couples consult with each other in their temptation, and the husband, Abraham, is satisfied with his wife's advice, which she honestly proposes to him out of fear of God, and thus both remain in hope and faith in God's mercy.
(34) It was a hard thing for Abraham, because he loved his wife dearly and had lived with her for so many years, that he had to join and lie down with an Egyptian maid; and yet he overcame himself and was obedient to Sarah, who admonished him so highly. Such was the great humility of the holy patriarch; but how did it go out and come about?
35. the holy and pious Sarah does not begrudge the maid her husband and lets
The maid willingly and gladly gives her the honor of motherhood, but when she becomes a mother, she begins to despise her wife. This is how it is in the world. It is a necessary and praiseworthy virtue to be glad to help and to do good; but this virtue is much greater and more necessary, that he who does good may not be offended by the ingratitude of men and bear the ingratitude of the ungrateful. For there is no remedy here: in the world is either God's kingdom or the devil's kingdom: God's kingdom is doing good, giving advice, helping, yes, even being subservient and serving; but the devil's kingdom is accepting love and all kinds of service and help and paying ingratitude for it.
Therefore, this rule, which is observed throughout this life, should be well remembered, namely, that if you want to be godly and a good Christian and hope for eternal life, you should do good to all people, take care of and have mercy on all poor people in such a way that you help them with your body and all good things, and yet hope for no thanks in return, but have nothing more certain than that ingratitude and evil will be repaid to you for your good deeds. Whoever does not want to do this, let him look for another world, in which there are all grateful people, and be more wise when he wants to do good to someone, than here the holy Sarah and the humble Abraham.
(37) But we learn that the least of all are those who are so minded. We all do good deeds for no other reason than for the sake of gratitude, and if such gratitude is not found as we would have it, it is followed by lamentation, words of reproach, punishment, anger and displeasure that cannot be reconciled, as is exemplified by the poets and especially by those who have written tragedies.
At the time when I was studying in Erfurt, a mayor was hanged on the gallows by one whom he had previously delivered from the gallows: and in the 41st Psalm v. 10, as everyone knows, it is written that Christ laments: "He who ate my bread tramples me underfoot.
(39) Therefore this rule should be kept not only in the church but also in the police and in the home, namely, to do good to the ungrateful. For otherwise
This lament of Christ is used as a proverb: "He who eats my bread", that is, to whom I give food and drink, clothes and shoes, and whom I consider the most beloved son and in my bosom, "he tramples me under his feet".
(40) Therefore, one should conduct his life in such a way that first of all he is God's servant, that is, he trusts in Him not only in what concerns this temporal life, but also because He is our God for eternity, whom, if all other things escape and fall away from us, we must have and keep forever.
41 Secondly, that we do good not only to our friends but also to our enemies, Matth. 5, 44. If they thank you, it is good and you have invested your good deeds even better; but if they trample you underfoot and show enmity for gratitude, you have not lost your good deeds altogether, but have followed the example of your Father in heaven, Matth. 5, 44, who lets his sun rise on the righteous and the wicked.
In this life, there is no other way; no one can say that it happens by chance, but it has to happen that way, and it is impossible that it could happen any other way, as Aristotle says.
For what is greater and more glorious than right discipline and instruction? But if you are a schoolmaster or a disciplinarian, what shall you do? Thou shalt faithfully instruct, teach, discipline and admonish the youth whom thou art commanded, in the hope that some will keep themselves right and let themselves be trained, and some will not. For he that will do good must take care that he do it in vain, and that his good deed be evil: for there are always more of them that reject and despise good counsel than of those that accept it. And let us be content that the good deed is not altogether lost; and if among ten lepers one returns and knows the good deed, it is enough, Luc. 17:17. So if among ten disciples there is one who lets himself be drawn and learns diligently, it is enough, for then the good deed is not altogether lost. And call us to Christ, the example
According to his heavenly Father, do good to the grateful and the ungrateful at the same time.
44 The world does not know this, or even if it knows it, it does not want to do it, but waits for gratitude, and thinks that one must buy and redeem good for good, service for service. But if it lacks this hope, it becomes angry, as did Timon, who was at once hostile to all men and did good to none.
(45) Beware of such unkindness, and so do good to others, not hoping that the good will be repaid in this life; as God the heavenly Father does to the ungrateful world. We should follow the same example and not the world; for this is true, which Christ laments, and it will remain true: "He who ate my bread tramples me under his feet," Ps. 41:10.
When a man is about to enter into matrimony, he diligently seeks such a wife as he thinks to be of his mind and manner. But the secret corners of the heart are inscrutable, and when one has come together, one thing gradually follows another, as hope, envy, anger.... Therefore learn what the world is. For just as God is a God, that is, good and always does good, so the world is a world, that is, ungrateful and evil. Therefore, if anyone wants to live under God, let him be helpful and helpful to everyone, and let him get used to suffering and bearing ingratitude.
The monks, knowing neither God nor man, have crawled into the deserts and lived there for themselves, which is not Christian at all; but this is Christian, that you remain in the world and among men, and whatever unpleasantness and trouble the devil causes you in the world, suffer it patiently and do not let your flesh overcome you. For to be able to overcome the wickedness of the world and of men is not only manly, but Christian.
The legends or histories of the saints, which we have dealt with in the papacy, are not described according to the Rule and the Law.
Type of the holy scripture. For what is wearing a cap, fasting, and such austere works as may be seen, to be distinguished from such care, toil, and labor as stewardship entails, and which the saints have borne and overcome in patience? For Sarah was grieved by this injustice, that a purchased maid, who had nothing more in this world than food and clothing, nor for her merit, money, or good, but for the mere favor and love of her wife, should be required and exalted to such honors, that she should conceive and bear children by such an exalted patriarch, should thus puff herself up and exalt herself against her.
(49) And yet the Holy Ghost hath described these troubles and afflictions of the house unto us for our consolation, that we may see what trials the saints have had in this life. For first of all this was a common trouble, that the four kings had plundered and despoiled the whole land of Canaan, and had carried away Lot with all his servants and all his goods in prison. But this, that Sarah is thus despised by her maidservant, is a domestic trouble and a temptation.
50 Although this history is to be considered small and useless, the Holy Spirit has deemed it worthy of being described in detail for the comfort, example and teaching of all believers, so that they may also expect such things, bear them with patience and hope for salvation. For this is the story of Hagar, who is a poor servant, and yet rises above her wife, from whom she has fullness and abundance, yes, I say, life itself. Therefore learn that you do good to anchors and yet send yourself to suffer ingratitude. For we do not get what we want, and what we provide for ourselves and hope for from others, we lack. For nature is corrupt, and the hearts of men are very fickle.
There is no one of such a small and weak mind who does not, when it is well with him, rise up and rebel against whom he can; as the German proverb says, that there is no more trustworthy animal than a louse in a grind: the same shameful and small worm makes a nest for himself on a
Head, in it it rules and governs. So the ungrateful Hagar rebels against her wife. But what does Sarah do?
V. 5 Then said Sarai unto Abram, Thou doest wrong unto me. I have put my maidservant with thee; but now that she hath conceived, I must be inferior to her. Let the Lord be judge between me and thee.
52 This is a domestic complaint that Sarah does not unreasonably reproach her husband with. For she had good reason to be angry, after living with him for so many years and yet remaining without children, and now being despised by a maidservant who had become a mother out of her advice and will; just as a louse, when it gets into trouble, makes itself violent enough.
(53) And Abraham may well have given cause for this, who, after he had been assured of the earth, would undoubtedly have kept the pregnant maid, sat her down at his table, and no longer kept her as his wife's maid, but as her companion.
(54) Abraham did this by natural and divine right; but the maid, as is the way of servants, abused the kindness and beneficence of the holy patriarch, thinking that she would be so well kept that she should no longer recognize her wife as her wife, but should hold her in low esteem and contempt.
(55) For thus she will doubtless (as it is wont to happen among women) at times have said and reproached her: I am Abraham's right wife and you are not, for you are barren: God has rejected you and has not wanted to bless your marriage state, but he has chosen me after I became pregnant. For who would not say that this is a certain sign of divine grace and blessing?
(56) Now Sarah could not bear this, so she blames her husband and says, "You do wrong to me; you cause me such displeasure and unhappiness that you do not keep the maid as a maid should be kept.
57. but why does the Holy Spirit remember
such haders? Did he not have something more important and useful to describe? He is not really concerned here with child's play; nor are these minor matters dealt with here; rather, in this history the Holy Spirit depicts the origin of all harm and danger that occur simultaneously in the domestic regime, in the police and in the church. For in the police or secular government you will find that the most distinguished rulers are those who know least of all how to govern a city or country. Thus, in the church, those who are not in the church take over and rule; as we heard above about Eliezer, Abraham's servant, that he thought he would be an heir to Abraham's blessing; just as Hagar wants to be a wife.
58 Therefore all these things are a comfort to us, that we should not be angry when such things happen to us, that either Hagar despises and oppresses Sarah, or Eliezer Abraham. "For God's counsel," that He may forgive, "is marvelous," Isa. 28:29, and those who trust in His goodness finally triumph and are rewarded with all honors.
(59) It should also be noted that Sarah not only reproaches Abraham with this complaint, but also calls God to judge him. Therefore, they must have been very divided among themselves. But this is how it is among spouses; one cannot avoid all displeasure and unwillingness. As it is also in the secular government and in the church, although there the displeasure and quarrels are more violent and dangerous.
(60) So that this whole history or example is for us to learn from it how things are among us in this life. These words, "Let the Lord be judge between me and thee," are hard enough, but they have taken away from Sarah the great unrighteousness, iniquity and violence of her maid, which, as Sarah well knew, was a great sin.
011 For because she was with child, she desired to have right and authority in the house, and to be an heir of all that Abraham had; and Sarah could not at all shut her mouth.
She was so exalted by this gift that she was with child and gave birth. But look at Abraham, the great patriarch, what he does and what he answers.
Third part.
As Abraham hands over Hagar into Sarah's hand and Sarah wants to humiliate Hagar, "nv how Hagar behaves here.
And Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thine handmaid is under thy power; do with her as thou wilt.
62. Such a husband is to be diligently considered, and to be praised and extolled favorably. He could have said: Dear Sarah, why are you angry then? You should have been patient and not have caused such strife; for you see that she is pregnant by God's grace and gift, and has conceived from me the seed that will possess the promise made to me: therefore be patient with her, and keep the pregnant mother until she has given birth. When this is done, let us continue to talk and discuss with each other. This would have been an honest and fair speech, which I myself, if it had happened to me, would have followed and said: Dear woman, you are barren, God has taken the fruits of the womb from you and given them to this one, therefore suffer something etc.
(63) But Abraham does not do this, but prefers his barren old housemother to the pregnant maid, puts it in her will and pleasure to do what she wants with the maid, regardless of the fact that she is pregnant, and would much rather dispose of the mother with the child than grieve his pious and godly wife.
(64) And this little piece also belongs to the description not only of the danger, trouble and discomfort in marriage and housekeeping, but also of the temptations. Abraham had previously been challenged on account of his servant Eliezer, and had never been challenged in this way.
God alone through His word; now here Sarah is challenged, God comforts her through her husband.
Thus God is always with the marriage state and the domestic regime as an overseer and governor, and indicates that He has great pleasure and favor in such a state. In the domestic regime there is often quarreling and ill will between the spouses; in the secular regime there are many disagreements and discord; in the church there are sects and sects: so that whoever diligently thinks about such things must almost despair of all happiness and welfare.
But against this, such histories teach and admonish us that we should be prepared and accustomed to endure and overcome all kinds of adversity and unpleasantness, and not be among those who want to be unchallenged in the state of marriage or in the worldly regime. For people who are inexperienced in this life take such thoughts in vain. For it is impossible that he who is a husband should not have in his house either a Hagar or an Eliezer, from whom he must have displeasure and temptation.
The same is true of the church government, which sects and other disturbances disrupt. Therefore, let us take good note of this example and also believe and trust God with the faithful Abraham, and keep unity as much as we can. For since we have to live here among ungrateful and wicked people, cause for disunity and discontent will be found and happen everywhere. This is the one meaning of this text, which serves us to see from it how one should behave and keep oneself in this life.
(68) The allegory or interpretation that Paul uses in the epistle to the Galatians, Cap. 4, 29, 30, almost corresponds to the other understanding. 4, 29, 30. For just as Hagar, who was a bought and bonded servant, exalted herself over the gift of God and wanted to be powerful over Sarah, so the false church condemns, despises and persecutes the true church and wants to have the name of being God's people alone.
Such dispute and struggle goes over the church for and for. Those, so the church
But those who are the right church are plagued and oppressed by the wrong one. For Cain, Ham, Ishmael, Esau, all these subjected and exalted themselves to the title of the church, and snatched the promises to themselves, as if they were heirs of the same.
(70) And what was the quarrel among the apostles of Christ but a challenge to the sovereignty and authority of the church? Just as Hagar puffed herself up for the sake of blessing and exalted herself above her wife, and still thinks she is doing it justly, so because the false church surpasses the true church in goods, honor and power, when it has none and is oppressed, it persecutes and condemns it. Moses finely indicates this with the words: "When she saw that she was with child, she regarded her wife with contempt. For the word "see" means to feel God's gift, which is pride and hope.
71 For one to know and feel that he is learned, wise, rich, etc., is not evil; for it would be ingratitude to despise such gifts: but to exalt oneself of such gifts, and to hope with them, is diabolical, and a sin which grows out of original sin.
Thus Adam and Eve had open eyes after sin, and knew good and evil; but those whom the Holy Spirit governs know that the more and higher gifts they have, the more they must undergo labor and diligence to serve others who do not have such gifts. But we are almost all like Hagar, and are defiant and proud of our gifts and blessings against others who are not like us.
73. Now if Hagar had said, "I am with child, thank God, because of this work, but I will not let myself think too much of being a maidservant, but I will be obedient to my wife as before, and therefore I will do this all the more diligently, because it was her will, counsel and command that I should be a mother: she grudges me her husband, so I will again do to her will and favor what I know and can: if, I say, Hagar had done this, she would have done right and well. But she does as the
The woman, who is of a corrupt nature, exalts herself against her wife for the gifts she has. For she is sure in her mind that she will be the mother of the promised seed, through which the blessing shall come to all nations.
Sarah sees such wrongdoing and injustice, but she does not remain silent about it. For although one should show patience and wait for God's help, one should be completely careful not to justify other people's sins.
(75) So deceitful on the neck of the pope is the banishment, hatred, and enmity of the whole world; but for this reason I do not praise the pope, that he does right in that he opposes the right doctrine, and condemns and murders Christ's limbs only for the sake of keeping his kingdom and power.
76 Christ also had to let all authority pass over Him, but He did not keep silent about it, but punished the servant of the high priest freely and publicly, saying, "Why do you strike me? Joh. 18, 23. For patience and confession should be together. For if there be no confession, the cause that is to be maintained against the devil and the world is betrayed and forsaken.
But here we can also see how weak we poor people are. For Sarah is right to complain about the injustice and violence done to her by the maidservant; but as a human being, she is also guilty of weakness in her harsh treatment of her innocent husband and in her appeal to God's judgment against him. For Abraham did not have such a mind as she thought: he was glad of the blessing that God wanted to give him an heir and a mother, and dealt kindly with the mother, even though she was a maid; but he did not disown his old Sarah for that reason.
78, Therefore this is a domestic fight, which often happens between spouses, when one part gives in to his affections and irritations or suspicions. For if Abraham had been such a one as Sarah thinks him to be and accuses him of, he would undoubtedly have taken care of Hagar, defended her and said to Sarah, "What is it to you if I have been a wife?
You have nothing to do with it; remain as you were before, and let me deal well with her, whom I see God has adorned with His joyful blessing.
79 But you do not hear any of these words here, but Abraham simply hands over his power to Sarah and submits the proud maid to her, so that she may do with her as she pleases. Such a deed makes the good, pious patriarch free of all suspicion of unchastity, and proves that he did everything he did in the case at the instigation of his wife, so that the promise would not be hindered: and yet he is so fond of his old housemother, Sarah, that he would rather forgive the hope of the heir than disagree with his dear wife. Where would we find such a man now, who would love his wife so much and who would take domestic unity so seriously?
80 Therefore it is right to rule one's wife in love and to deal with her in reason, as Peter says in 1 Epist. 3, 7. For if he had given word after word and met his angry wife with a harsh answer and had not wanted to give in to his right, all unity and conjugal love would soon have been severed and torn apart. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, thought: "Behold, I am a man, but Sarah is my wife, a weak vessel; therefore I will keep the peace through patience.
It is a great virtue for such a great man to give way and yield to his wife so kindly that the devil may not gain the upper hand in his house. Inexperienced and coarse people, who consider such things their glory and praise when they prove themselves earnest and hard against their wives and children, give room to their anger when they encounter such a challenge and help Satan to drive his little wheel with it. Therefore it is good for a householder to remember this domestic example often and diligently. For without such displeasure and unwillingness it is impossible to lead a marriage and a household; just as such misfortune and mischief neither the
Church can still be overtaken by the police. But one should keep the consolation that finally the angel of the Lord will protect and preserve us.
Now that she wanted to humiliate Sarai, she fled from her.
The Hebrew word anali means to humble, to torment, to afflict; therefore in the prophet Zechariah, Cap. 9, v. 9, Christ is called ani, poor and afflicted; and this is also said of Moses, Deut. 12, 3. Therefore this is the opinion of this text: Hagar had exalted herself, and wanted to sit in the place of her wife, Sarah, and have everything in her possession: but Sarah could not be well pleased with this, and humiliated her, made her wait for her service and work, and perhaps (according to the way of the same people, which is unknown to me) she might also have imposed a punishment on her. But now it is very painful when one, having previously sat high and in honor, is to be humiliated again and kept in discipline.
(83) Therefore this humiliation will have hurt Hagar more than all punishments, and yet she will not be improved by it. The body had been humbled, but the heart not only remained hardened in hope, but also in anger and enmity.
For the puffed-up, proud and furious maid now thinks how she can take revenge and deprive her wife not only of her body but also of the child. For she thinks that she has a good pledge with her, which will force Abraham to seek her out voluntarily and lead her home again with honor, from which she thought she had been unjustly cast out.
The righteousness of the law is really like this. For where the law is alone, it blows out and makes angry and fierce people. For where God will not let happen what we want, but will put us under the cross, the heart is aroused and embittered against God. That is why Paul says Rom. 4, 15: "The law causes wrath." Now the law includes worldly punishment and the sword. For with it the wicked are compelled to do what they have been forced to do.
The fools who come must do against their will; as the scripture Proverbs 19:29, Cap. 23, 13. also says: One should punish the fools with blows and rods. But just as children cannot bear the rod and the punishment without weeping, so it is impossible that adults and old men should bear the punishment without grumbling and enmity.
At the present time the Turks are masters of almost the whole world; they keep their own under strict and severe discipline, so that they must do what is their due; they give the prisoners water and black bread, and yet not enough of it; but the work has its certain goal: but if they are tardy in it, or keep still, they are driven with cudgels.
(87) Though dishonorable and servile natures cannot be dealt with in any other way, nor should they be kept in any other way, yet it is certain that they will not be advised in this way. Hagar had been pious and well to suffer before, but now she has showered her wife with so much kindness, she is exalted and becomes the worst of all. Since Sarah wants to advise her and prevent other unpleasantness that might result, she runs away.
(88) Therefore we have here also painted as on a tablet how it is in the world and how it is about it, namely, that people are taught and admonished in vain; for also the punishment is in vain, as Isaiah Cap. 49, 4. complains about his Jews. This is what we do when we feel blows and punishment, we cry, weep and lament; but we should first lament and weep over our sins, which provoke God to anger and punishment.
(89) Since the people of Israel had to be imprisoned and in misery among the Gentiles in Babylon for seventy years, there was no lack of lamentation, weeping, sighing and praying; but what do the prophets, even God Himself through the prophets, say about it? I, saith Jer. 7, 25. cap. 35, 15, sent to you my prophets, crying and weeping that I might restore you, but you killed them. Therefore I will also make you weep in vain.
Today, Germany has never cried out, never wept, never lamented over the horrible sins we have committed.
But when the punishments come and begin, we begin to weep and wail; but we should have done so long before that time. For if the punishment is already present, we cry and weep in vain; but those who mourn and weep over their sin before the punishment comes, God will move their sighs and make the punishment lighter and easier; as He promises in Ezekiel chap. 9:4, when God will bring a punishment upon the priests and the people, He will take out and save those who sigh and weep over the abominations and idolatries, so that they will not perish with the wicked.
91 Thus Hagar is an example of the carnal man, who can neither be punished nor helped. For when Sarah did good to her maid, she puffed herself up and became proud; but when she was chastised, she ran out of the door: and yet the following text reports an example of divine grace and mercy.
Fourth Part.
How Hagar is called back by the angel from her flight, and the promise of Ishmael is given to her.
V. 7, 8, 9: But the angel of the Lord found her by a well of water in the wilderness, that is, by the well of the way to Snr. He said unto her, Hagar, Sarai's handmaid, whence comest thou, and whither wilt thou go? She said: I have fled from my wife Sarai. And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return unto thy wife, and humble thyself under her hand.
This is a very beautiful and mighty example, that God loves the marriage state and the household regiment and preserves it through the ministry of the angels. That Hagar, out of anger and excitement, had run away into the wilderness and left her wife was Satan's doing; but the angels, whom God had given to this father of the house as servants and guardians, bring Hagar back, so that the promise, by which God had promised Abraham that He would be his and his seed's God, might be kept.
93) Without a doubt, Abraham and Sarah prayed for Hagar at the same time, after she had fallen into such a great sin, because she had not only taken her body from her wife, but had also stolen and kidnapped Abraham's son.
The desert Sur lies between Judea and Egypt, therefore she thought how she wanted to flee again to Egypt, to her fatherland: and it cannot be missing, such a mischievous advice and nobility must have grieved and distressed the pious married couple very much. Sarah must have been sorry that she had been a little too hard on the pregnant maid: so Abraham must also have blamed himself for allowing and indulging his wife so much right over the maid.
Now this is a strange change and reversal: those who are holy and without guilt are conscience-stricken about other people's sins; but Hagar, who alone was the cause of all sins, is safe as if she had sinned nothing. And such error and misfortune is common not only in the domestic regime, but also in the secular and ecclesiastical regime, namely, that those who have sinned also excuse themselves and do not recognize the sin.
Who the angel was that spoke to Hagar, Moses does not indicate. Hilarius thinks that it was God Himself, and is almost inclined to this opinion, that he would like to refer such appearances of the angels to the mystery of the Holy Trinity. Although men are also called angels, I believe that this angel appeared to Hagar in the form of a man; for when angels appear to men, they take on the form of the body, so that they appear.
97) So the angel who was appointed as the guardian of paradise, Gen. 3, 24, was seen with eyes; also the two who led Lot out of Sodom, Gen. 19, 15, 16; also those who sat at the tomb of the Lord, Joh. 20, 12, and those who were seen when Christ was taken up and told the disciples how Christ would come again from heaven, Act. 1, 10. 11.
For this is how the angels appear, whether in the form of a young man or an old man. For just as we do not always wear the same garment, but put on one thing and another, and yet do not lose or change anything in our bodies, so the angels remain the same spirits, even though they do not always appear to men in the same form, but change, as it were, with their garments.
99. And Hagar soon recognized the angel when he called her by her name. For because she had been a long time in Abraham's house, she had often heard from him that the works of men were governed by the ministry of the dear angels. Therefore, she somewhat retracts her courage and defiance, so that she had rebelled against her wife in Abraham's house; and when the angel asks her where she is going, she answers that she is fleeing from her wife.
(100) Thus she accuses herself of her disobedience and robbery, confessing that she is fleeing and that Sarah is her wife. So the angel also judges her from her own words: If Sarai is your wife, he says, return to her and humble yourself under her hand, for this is the duty of a maid.
101 Therefore this is a sharp sermon of the law, which is powerful to cause terror and fear. For when Hagar is frightened, she speaks the truth that she would never have confessed if she had not been frightened. When Sarah spoke to her, Moses' face was still covered, but when the angel spoke, horns and rays of an unpleasant light burst out of Moses' face, causing the poor maid to tremble and be frightened, and she would have died of sorrow and fear if the angel had not lifted her up and comforted her.
(102) This is what the law does: when it strikes the hearts with its rays and penetrates them, it drives them to despair, as we see with Judah and Saul. Therefore, this is God's unspeakable goodness, that He not only frightens through the preaching of the law, but also restores and comforts through His promise.
103. and does this text also belong to the confirmation of the house regiment, that it is GOtt
He does not want anyone to change his profession or to leave it, as it was considered very holy in the papacy if someone left his profession and hid in a monastery. Hagar could have stayed in the desert, but the Lord wanted her to stay in her profession and be a servant to her wife. Therefore, no one should change his status out of his own discretion and nobility. For God will change it for you by death, or by the counsel and will of those who are set over you; but where this does not happen, those who leave their profession sin.
104 Thus Hagar, when she is not frightened by the covered but by the shining face of Moses, speaks with St. Paul, Acts 9:6: "Lord, what do you want me to do? Before this fright, however, she despises in hope and defiance her wife Sarah's commandment. Now follow further wonderful and beautiful sermons of comfort, which do not belong to Hagar for the sake of her piety, but belong to Abraham for the sake of the promise, which seed was Ishmael.
V. 10 And the angel of the Lord said unto her: I will so multiply thy seed, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.
This is an excellent promise, by which the frightened Hagar will be restored. For this is the change God makes with us: after sorrow comes comfort, after despair comes hope, after death comes life. Satan, however, turns it around and plays the opposite game: first he gives joy, then sadness, and finally despair follows security in sins.
Therefore, no one should be so distressed and saddened when he feels terror and danger, but should encourage himself and hope that God will comfort and raise him up again; and because such hope is certain among the faithful, they so earnestly and diligently call upon God for help and comfort.
(107) Now as far as this promise is concerned, it is not equal to the other one made by Isaac, but it is still considered by the people.
Hagarenes, who call themselves the Saracens, are praised very well and preferred to the one that is from Isaac. For they rely on this and exalt themselves above all peoples on earth, and in their Alcoran they tell a great lie, how Abraham spared his son Isaac and wanted to sacrifice Ishmael in his place etc. They invent such lies only to draw to themselves the promises made to Abraham and to prove that they are Abraham's true children.
So the popes also lie and boast that all the promises of Christ fell in all the apostles and remained and were confirmed in Petro alone. Such vanity is in the hearts of men, from which such loose fame of the Saracens and popes has come.
Since the name of the Turks was still unknown to the world, the Saracens were very powerful and plagued Greece, Italy and Africa hard, until they were forced and made subservient by the Turks for the sake of their splendor and court and finally became one nation with them.
Therefore, we see here that when the hope of the flesh can defend itself and its actions with God's word, it shamefully abuses it and blows itself up. Therefore God is provoked to oppress those who exalt themselves, and to humiliate the hopeful Hagarenes, who preferred themselves to the true lineage of Abraham, because Ishmael was the firstborn son of Abraham. But Paul in the epistle to the Galatians Cap. 4, v. 23, disputes this finely, namely, that not those who are born of Abraham's flesh, but according to the promise, are Abraham's children. The ungodly Gentiles did not see this, but boasted of the firstborn, on which they drew the promises, and therefore certainly made themselves believe that they could never fall.
(111) But this bodily promise was fulfilled long ago; for out of Ishmael were born twelve kings, and he gave them power for a long time. For they held the whole Orient until finally Gog and Magog, that is, the Turks, humiliated them.
V.11. Then the angel of the Lord said to her, "Behold, you have conceived and will bear a son, and you shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has heard your affliction.
(112) From this text the Jews have invented strange and foolish lies. They say that Hagar was weary from her journey, and that in the desert she was troubled and weakened with worry and fear, so that she gave birth prematurely; but after that she conceived again and gave birth in due time; and that the angel was sent to her to tell her of this miracle, so that the poor woman might be comforted. On this poem they draw what the angel says: "God has heard your misery", that is, that the fruit in your womb has died. But such lies are not worth talking about.
For "misery" the angel undoubtedly calls that which Hagar felt as misery, namely that she was a maidservant and had been chastised by Sarah. For on such an opinion the angel speaks to her: "Do not complain about being a maidservant, for God loves the servants just as much as the free, there is no respect of the person with Him, Eph. 6, 9. Therefore suffer this patiently and submit to your wife, even if you are pregnant: God loves Sarah, so He also loves you, and with God such servitude does not harm you at all; for behold, He repays you for such misery with a very happy blessing; to this you adhere etc.
This is my opinion of this text. Whoever wants to understand this about misery from the humility and terror of the law may well do so, but this understanding is more simple: God hears, the angel wants to say, that you complain, that you are a servant and bondwoman and have nothing of your own; but he has seen your misery and wants to bless you: therefore be of good cheer and do not despair. So we should also comfort one another: the classes in this life are very unequal; the poor Lazarus suffers hunger and pain, but the rich man lives gloriously and in joy, Luc. 16:19, 20; so a king or other high person seems to have it better, because
a private person. Such inequality grieves us and often drives hearts astray that they change their profession and status with sins.
(115) But you should take this comfort, which the angel shows here, and think: Behold, you are a servant, a maidservant, afflicted with poverty and burdened with work; but let this be a good comfort to you, that your God looks upon both masters and servants, rich and poor, sinners and the pious. For he is this God of all, and wills that all men should take comfort in his grace and favor and rely upon it. The difference that exists among men in this life makes no distinction among persons before God, but he hears one in service or servitude as well as another in freedom.
Such consolation is necessary and should often be impressed upon people, for it makes hearts certain and serves against the dangerous abandonment of the profession, which one never undertakes without sin. For men's hearts by nature flee the cross and strive for high things out of blind ambition.
The name Ishmael means God hears or God hears, and is a very beautiful name, at which no doubt the Saracens have become proud and puffed themselves up; for Abraham, Isaac, Jacob are not such praiseworthy names. But here we are also held up to this teaching that God also scatters and distributes His very best gifts among the wicked. God takes care of the miserable and sorrowful Hagar in such a way that He forgets Abraham and Sarah, as it can be seen; yes, He not only takes care of Ishmael, since he is not yet born, but also honors him with a very rich and glorious promise.
(118) But lest it be regarded as equal to the promise made to Abraham and his true seed, it is limited, and the Holy Spirit does not leave it at that, saying, "I will multiply thy seed," but also describes what manner of man Ishmael shall be, and what manner of nation shall be born of him. All this is to be diligently considered and contemplated.
Fifth part.
Of Ishmael and his descendants, and how Hagar is converted.
V. 12. He will be a wild man; his hand against everyone, and everyone's hand against him; and will dwell against all his brethren.
119 This is a description of the Arabs, who do not live in a certain and permanent place, but carry all their goods around with them in wagons and generally live by robbery. The Hebrew word pere is almost like the Latin word ferus, wild; for those who have become accustomed to deserts and forests are commonly wild. The Jews say that pere is an animal called onager (wild ass), but what kind of animal it is I do not know, nor have I seen it. In our German Bible we call pere in general, wild. So we see here first of all that Ishmael does not have a certain and permanent place on earth, like Abraham, whose family is expressly promised the land of Canaan.
120 Therefore it is rightly said here that Ishmael's manner and way of life is against everyone. For others stay in certain cities and villages; but Ishmael loves the deserts, is wild and wild; today he stays with his family under this tree, tomorrow under that tree; as today the Arabs and Troglodytes do, who, as Breitenbach writes, consider it right that they live and support themselves by robbing and stealing. The angel points to this by calling him pere, a wild man, who will not ask much about cities, laws and orders, which are necessary for the preservation of the society of the human race.
But since the gospel has been preached to the whole world, it has nevertheless come to such a region and God has had a numerous church there. For in such deserts the hermits or anachoretes have settled down, of which Jerome writes a great deal; for through them this savage people, who alone were inclined to war and unrest, has finally come to an end.
The Romans and Persians, however, have often attacked them with their robberies.
The lies of the Jews, of which I have spoken above, show that they know nothing of the right understanding of the holy Scriptures and divine things; and yet they draw after them great and high men, as Lyra and others, who in our time are the most learned in their language, and yet think much of such lies. But this happens to the Jews because they have lost the knowledge of the matter.
For knowledge is twofold, one of words, the other of things. Whoever does not have the knowledge of the thing, the knowledge of the words will not help him. According to an old saying, it is customary to say: "What one does not understand and know well, he will not be able to speak well about. Our time has brought many such examples to light. For many very learned and eloquent people pretend to be extremely foolish and ridiculous, because they dare to speak of such things that they have never understood.
124 For as often as Erasmus, who is an excellently learned and eloquent man, presumes to speak of justification and matters of faith, he bumps miserably and produces foolish things; yet when he is to speak of other matters, he speaks very fully and well.
The same can be seen in Sadoletus. But he who knows and understands the matter teaches rightly and strikes the heart, even if he is not eloquent and not finished in words. So Cato did to Cicero before, when he spoke in the council, even though he brought up such things roughly and without all adornment and decoration, which were not suitable for anyone's mind and no one thought of them.
(126) It is the same with the Jews, for they have nothing but the understanding of words, but they have lost the thing. A grammarian, when he hears the proverb: Lupus in fabula (The wolf in the fable), and does not understand the matter, thinks that the fable is in the mouth; if then the wolf is in the fable, it follows that the wolf is in the mouth. Who would want such a doctrine
Do you not laugh at them? And yet one notices such things among great people in the most important disputations and dealings. The Jews, because they do not know the true meaning of the holy scriptures, namely, that God wants the subjects to humble themselves under their overlords, tell shameful lies about Hagar's misery, and invent a new and unheard-of miracle in such a matter, in which no miracle is necessary. But how much better and more useful it would be to teach that God loves and is kind to those who understand that they are being chastised!
For Hagar is chastised by her wife, and does not accept such chastisement with patience, but plans to use it to escape, and even though she sins in doing so, God sees her misery and comforts her. What could be said here that is more friendly?
Therefore, we should also become accustomed to patience and make do with our punishment and discipline, the children from their parents, the subjects from the authorities, the students from their schoolmaster; for such obedience, when we allow ourselves to be chastened, is pleasing to God. Our nature, however, when it feels the punishment, not only becomes impatient and grumbles, but also despairs of God's grace and mercy. Such distress arises from ignorance of holy things. For those who know that God will take care of them when they are under discipline and are punished by their parents or by their masters or authorities, will comfort themselves with this hope in their misery and wait for the blessing of the Lord, which was also granted to Hagar, although she did wrong to flee.
Thus the understanding of words or grammar becomes easy when the matter is rightly understood; as Horace also teaches that words follow easily when the matter is rightly conceived, known, and considered: but where one does not have the understanding of the matter, the knowledge of the words is also in vain.
130 But for this reason I am giving you this account in so many words, so that you may know when you read the rabbis what masters you have before you: the
They understand words, but they know nothing about the matter, therefore they cannot do anything righteous.
But of God's goodness and grace we have knowledge and understanding of things; but they are blinded. Therefore, although they know the grammar, they do not have the right understanding of the Scriptures; rather, as Isaiah Cap. 29:12, the Scriptures are to them as a book which they cannot read. Who then would follow them?
Now, let this not be interpreted or understood as if I were rejecting grammar, which is quite necessary; but this much I say: If a man does not study the things of Scripture along with grammar, he will never become a good teacher. For as he said, the speech of a teacher or preacher should follow and grow from the heart and not in the mouth.
133 We have now seen who Ishmael is and what kind of a people he is the father of, namely one that lives without law and is used to deserts, hunting, robbing and stealing etc. For in this way Isaiah interprets the word pere, when he calls this people a torn and mangled, a robbing and stolen people: it has robbed all the lands that were around it, finally it has been robbed by the Turk himself, who is also an Ishmaelite; for his hand is against all.
V. 13. 14. And she called the name of the Lord which spake unto her, Thou God seest me. For she said, Surely here I have seen him that looked on me afterward. And she called the well a well of the Living One that looked on me; which well is between Kadesh and Bared.
Without fruit, God's word never departs; therefore, here too, the rebellious, proud and disobedient Hagar is converted by the angel's preaching, returns to her wife and patiently suffers her violence over her: yes, she not only does this, but recognizes God's mercy, praises God and calls Him by a new name to praise His good deed, so that He had shown Himself against her.
In the New Testament we call Christ a redeemer of His work, so that He revealed Himself to us; we call the Holy Spirit a comforter; Hagar calls God a seer, as He looked upon her humility or misery. And such an example is also useful to us for teaching, so that everyone in his profession may learn to recognize God's benefits, be grateful for them and boast about them; item, that we patiently suffer the discipline of those who are set over us, because God delights in such patience and sends us help.
Thus the Scriptures, as St. Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:16, are useful for teaching, and are not a useless grammar in which we argue about letters, punctuation and words. For by this example of Hagar we are also taught to give glory to God, who comforted us, and to say: Lord, you have helped me from my sickness, you have given me goods, you have given me a godly wife etc.
This is the sacrifice of praise and the most pleasing service of God, namely, when you recognize and praise His good deeds, and call Him roi, that is, He who sees me. As if Hagar wanted to say: I thought God had abandoned me, but now I see that He has looked upon me and has not rejected me, poor and miserable maid.
This is a lovely and beautiful name of God; and if God wanted us all to give it to Him, that is, if we could conclude that He looks at us and pays the most attention to us, when we think that He has forgotten us and abandoned us. For he who in his suffering and distress can say so much: God sees me; he has a righteous faith, and can do and suffer all things, yea, he compels and overcomes all things.
(139) Therefore I think that Hagar should be counted among the holy women. For the fact that Paul compares her to Sarah in Gal. 4:30, and calls her a maid who has no place in the house, does not hinder anything. For it is common in Scripture that even the saints are an image of the wicked; just as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Hosea are an image of the wicked synagogue, yet they themselves are holy and pious. Thus
I also consider that Ishmael and many others from his descendants have been blessed, and it does not harm him that his mother is an image of the synagogue.
For the whole church also bears the image of the eternal curse, for it is afflicted and cruelly slain by its enemies, yet it is not abandoned. Thus Simeon Luc. 2, 34. calls the Lord Christ a sign from the 8th Cap. Isaiah v. 14, 18, item, a stone of offense and annoyance for the fall. So Hagar, who is justified and sanctified by God's word without suffering harm, bears the image of the wicked.
These words: "Certainly, here I have seen the one who looked at me afterwards," cause a lot of trouble for the grammarians. But before I tell the thoughts and understanding of others about this, I will have faithfully warned them that those who read the interpretations of the rabbis do not believe them. Grammar is certainly necessary and right; however, it should not govern things, but serve them. But the blinded Jews have lost all knowledge of things and argue only about the words of grammar. Rabbi Salomon says that Hagar was surprised at the angel with these words, after she had previously seen angels in Abraham's house.
But Lyra follows Rabbi Kimalthi and gives these words: I saw him according to my appearance, that is, first of all I did not know the angel; but when he suddenly disappeared before my eyes, then I recognized at first that it had been an angel.
143] So they hang only on the understanding of the words, because they have no knowledge of the things; but the right reason and understanding they do not reach, and do not see that Hagar, who before was grieved and frightened and is again comforted by the angel, thanks God and is of good cheer.
For this reason one should first look at the matter. You, God, she says, see me, do not leave me in my misery, but visit and comfort me. Therefore, whenever I come to this well or remember it, I will praise this great good deed.
that I have seen him here who looked at me.
Therefore, these are the words of a person who is amazed and happy about something. Oh, how I have been so faithless, she will say! I did not think that God would take care of me, and I did not think that I would see God in his face, but would see him from behind, that is, I thought that God had turned away from me. But now I understand that the back he showed me was his face. He also saw me before; but I, who was swallowed up by my misery and sorrow, could not recognize him; but now I recognize him, that he loves me, that he takes care of me etc.
146. so this is as it were a general song of all God-fearers- for when there is distress and affliction, we see God from behind, that is, we think that God has turned away from us; as He says in the prophet Isaiah Cap. 54, 8.: "I have hid my face from thee a little in the moment of wrath; but with everlasting mercy I will have mercy on you," that is, at first I showed myself as if I did not know you, as if I had rejected you (for that is, to look back at God when we feel nothing but gloom and terror), but afterwards, when the temptation is gone, it seems that by turning his back on us, God has shown us his face, and has not cast us off, but has turned his eyes a little from us. Thus Peter 1 Epist. 1, 11. says: "The prophets, by the Spirit of Christ which was in them, testified beforehand of the sufferings which are in Christ, and of the glory hereafter."
Therefore, this is the song of the whole church, which sings with Hagar: "I have seen him who looked upon me afterwards," that is, God first turned his back on me. For in temptations we take it for granted that God has abandoned us and does not respect us; but at last we learn that such looking afterwards has been God's face, and God has not only seen us Himself, but we have also seen Him.
Whoever does not learn this in his cross falls into despair. For therefore
These words are in the 31st Psalm, v. 23: "I am cast out of your sight", that is, God does not look at me, he does not respect me; item, v. 17: "Lord, show us your face, let your face go before us". When therefore one feels God's wrath, let the heart encourage itself in faith and not weaken or break, but hope that it will one day come to sing with Hagar this song: "I have seen him who looked upon me afterward." For these are words of a joyful and rejoicing heart, which before was overloaded with fear, almost fallen into despair.
Now if anyone wants to look for allegories and something secret in this, let him do so; I am content with this literal understanding, which history itself brings along. Lyra says that the back means an imperfect knowledge, but the face means the perfect knowledge of God. But it is much more simple that you understand that the back is a sign of anger, namely, when God turns away from us and does not want to look at us, that is, when our heart thinks that God is angry with us; but the face is a sign of grace. So Hagar says: "I never understood that my service and servitude was pleasing to God, but now I see that the back that God showed me was His right face and that He took care of me.
(150) This understanding is not given to us by grammar, which the rabbis alone have, but by the knowledge of things in the holy Scriptures; and because the rabbis do not have it, they are to be utterly despised.
. 451 But let us take care that we first become knowledgeable and experienced in these things, and then grammar will become easy. For he who sins in this does no mortal sin; but he who lacks the matter and errs in it does a mortal sin.
Now I call the knowledge of things nothing else than the knowledge and understanding of the New Testament; which, if it be rightly understood, the Scriptures of the whole Old Testament also become light and clear. But because the rabbis not only do not know Christ, but they also do not know Him.
nor know, but reject him altogether; what then can we learn from them? And yet today one finds many great and learned people who consider it great wisdom when they have read through all the rabbis' talk and lies.
The rhetors call a speaker who is not only rich in words, but also has a rich knowledge of things; as they say, The heart makes eloquent. For those whose mouths are full of words are able to wash a lot, but they do not speak anything wise or understandable. The rabbis are all like them, none excepted; for they have nothing more than a deceitful and vain semblance of words.
Therefore let us keep the right opinion of this text, which is not reported to us by its grammar but by the understanding of the things, namely, that this is a song, set forth for the teaching of all of us, who, when we are in trouble and temptation, think that we have been rejected by God, and that he does not look upon us nor take care of us; therefore we should finally sing with joy: I have seen him who looked upon me before, that is, God has not rejected me nor despised me, as I thought, but he has looked upon me: this I have seen after he has seen me, that is, since he took away my misery from me.
Accordingly, as a sign of gratitude that she wants to praise God and prove her service to Him for the benefit He had shown her, she gives a name to God and to the same place, and calls it a fountain of the Living One who has seen her.
And both names are full of comfort. For if God is a living God, then we who are His people will also be granted such a life as He, that is, an eternal life. And because this is a great gift and benefit, one thing is compared with another; namely, that the living God is also a looking God, who does not abandon those who are in distress and misery, but looks at them and helps them.
157. with such glory and praise the holy Hagar adorns God the Lord and makes this well famous; and is such-
This is the proper service we should render to God, who is so gracious and kind.
158 Kadesh is located toward the south of the holy land, in the place that was later given to the tribe of Judah, and through it the road from the holy land to Egypt passes. Now Moses, by remembering such a desolate place where this well had been, wanted to praise and extol such a glorious good deed to his people.
And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called the name of the son that Hagar bare him Ishmael. And Abram was six and fourscore years old when Hagar bare him Ishmael.
Here you see that after this revelation the disobedient Hagar, who before did not want to suffer any compulsion, has now become completely different. Therefore she comes home again and is obedient to her wife Sarah, and tells Abraham what the angel spoke to her, and how he had given a name to the child that was not yet born: Abraham puts up with this and does not change the name.
160 And Moses remembered the age of Abraham, that we should know that he had yet thirteen years to wait, until Isaac the promised son should be born to him of Sarah.