(1) To understand the epistle, it is necessary to know that the Scripture speaks of two angels. First, they are pure in spirit, holy, pure, without sin, without strife, and without all infirmities; they have been beautiful and blessed 5,000 years and more, as long as the world has been. The scripture calls them spirits, as in the Psalm (104, 4.) flames of fire. For so they appear, the dear angels, like Mary, item Christo in the desert. The angels are spirits, they do not have flesh and blood, just like the devil, except that he is fallen by his hope, damned and judged. The apostle does not speak of these high spiritual angels, but of angels who have flesh and blood. And to this belongs the article that Jesus Christ, Son of God, is true God and man. Whoever does not believe this, leave the Bible, do not swear by it. For the book alone teaches and points to the Son, who is promised and given. Whoever does not believe this, and has pleasure in it, leave the Bible, understands nothing, the Bible is closed to him, for Christ is the light of the words. Therefore, one must be certain above all things that Christ is true God and man. I have heard a story in the papacy - whether it is true or not? - that the devil struck one on the neck, that
he did not fall down when it was sung: Et verbum caro factum est (and the Word became flesh); and says: If God had given us devils the grace to become a spirit for our sake, we would kiss the earth and you would stand so gnarled etc. Because God the Father has appointed a kingdom and a wedding to the dear Son, whom He loves, says John (5:20), He shall be King and Lord in it; not that the Father is excluded or the Holy Spirit, but Christ shall be Lord and have the name, that He shall be Bridegroom and Regent, and Christianity the Bride. This also is a kingdom of heaven, not in heaven alone, where we may come and rejoice with the dear angels; but there is a difference: the Son shall at the last day deliver up the kingdom of heaven to the Father. There is indeed a kingdom, but a veil is drawn before our eyes; for that which we believe here, we shall see there; preach and believe, and the veil shall be lifted. We now believe that we will live eternally with God and the angels and see God face to face, but we do not yet see it. The realm of faith, of the Word that cannot be seen, will stop there, we will see God as the angels see Him. But the eyes are blinded to us now, will
led by the word, and "are yet already in the kingdom by faith, having the treasure whole, but G sewed up, hid in the sack. This kingdom is one, but distinct, because we do not see it, but hear it. Therefore Christ calls this kingdom, which the Father commanded him, the kingdom of heaven. When he speaks of the kingdom of heaven, he speaks of that in which we humans are, which is in the Word, in faith, and in the sacrament; you only need to wait until the cover is removed. On the last day Christ will come and take away the covering. Then we shall say, Behold, did I not know that I was already in heaven?
2 So now are the kingdom of sight and the kingdom of faith. Here we believe it, there we shall see it; but it is One Lord who reigns. Nevertheless, the dear angels are also with us, for they are Christ's subject creature, knowing well that we are the kingdom of heaven and the bride of Christ.
But here he speaks of angels who have flesh and blood; for throughout the whole book John speaks of Christianity. Peter says (1 Petr. 1, 12.): "We tell you the very things that angels behold, because they delight to behold. Hear that the Son of God has become man. What we now hear, they see; they have no covering like us. If we come to this, we also become sicut angeli Domini (like the angels of God). If we believed that, we would be blessed people. There we come now in the hidden heavenly kingdom into the heavenly kingdom of faith.
(Rev. John 12:7) Do not speak of the kingdom of heaven, where the dear angels behold God, but of the kingdom of faith. For the devil will not return where he was before, he has fallen out, he has also brought us down. Therefore, do not think that the conflict happened in heaven; there is no devil, dragon or serpent. In the beginning, the doctors write, there was also a war in heaven, the angels also had a fight; the devil, the supreme god, had an attachment and sought Christ's divinity; then he fell. They may have taken this also for this fight. But otherwise there can be no war now, but we must understand it from the realm of faith, since
the kingdom is handed over to Christ the Father and lift the cloth.
How does the devil enter heaven in the kingdom of Christ, in Christendom, which Christ has prepared for him by his death? Before the vision comes, Christ has a kingdom of faith, there he is king; in the kingdom there is strife. The dragon is not in the kingdom of heaven, but in Christendom. Now we learn that we are the kingdom of heaven of Christ, as all devout Christians have been from the beginning. In the kingdom of heaven there is war, there is strife; as we have seen how there is a war between false and pious preachers, one time harder than another. But here is a great meeting, not a small beating, because here the great red dragon and his angels are fighting. This quarrel we must understand. Michael has an army, that is his angels; the dragon too. But he could not win, but was thrown out. The dragon is in heaven, warring with Michael. Here he says (v. 9) that he seduces the world. We have to understand this, because after this it is written how the angels won by blood. If they have no blood, Christ did not die for them! Now there is no other warfare, where men fight with the sword, etc. but with the testimony of the word. Such things are not outside of Christianity, they belong to the time, to the church, because they happen among the angels who are saved by faith. Michael is our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the angel. Angels are called Michael, as in Daniel (10:21), but here it is the Son of God. If one also wanted the name German: Michael, Quis sicut Deus? one who is equal to God, like God or Godlike. That belongs to him alone, he is a special man who is equal to God or is as much as God. The name belongs to God's Son alone, who is called God's image in the Scriptures (Hebr. 1, 3.), is equal to God the Father; invisible he is, but the angels see it, we will also see it, how God is in three persons in one Godhead. So he is called angel in Daniel, item is in camino ignis (furnace of fire) (Dan. 3, 25.). No angel is like God, for they are creatures made of nothing, like us; but this is the Creator.
(6) There we see what comfort we have. Blessed are we who are seated in the kingdom of heaven, but even so it is such a kingdom that the devil is among God's children, waging war against Word and Sacrament. Read the histories, what kind of war is being waged in the church. We have had a war now for 20 years with enthusiasts, Pabst; but the war is not ours, but Christ is captain, the dragon is enemy, lie hard against each other, as now, meet hard. The devil seeks various plots to destroy the doctrine; he does not respect the pope and the Turk much more, but wants to reign in the kingdom of heaven. Those who want to be in the kingdom may dare to be at war, to lie in the field, as in the prophet, Ps. 68:21. There is no end to it, there is and remains war between Christ and the devil. Now we are called to the army, since Christ is the captain of the field, among whom we are inscribed. Therefore he is called in the Scriptures: Dominus exercituum (Lord of hosts); you may boldly draw it on Christ, although the Father may also be called so.
Now John speaks about the dispute. Both lie in the field, rise above the word, sacrament and right faith. We are arguing against the pope, the Turk, and the fanatics about the right faith. The devil does not want to suffer this, seeks dispute everywhere. The dear angels win it with the testimony of the word. The devil does not strike me with a sword, but he can shoot a fiery, slanderous, poisonous arrow into my heart. Now that I am armed, I can do it again. Even though Christ himself is powerful enough for the devil, the angels are also there, as they were in the birth of Christ. But here the angels are the Christians, especially those who are in the forefront, although all of you must be angels. This means that Christ our Lord is the invisible image of God; the Christians are the angels. They are involved in the work, because the devil means all of us, especially the preachers. For if the banner lies, the field is lost. But because Christ is in the field with us, we have won the cause. The devil has evil angels," false preachers; they are
also devils, because they have a master, Satan, of whom they are angels, just as we are Christ's angels and men of war against the devil, if we remain constant in the Word. Whoever wants to read this book must understand that angels here are called elders, bishops, pastors and who guide God's word.
So we are angels of faith; those above are angels of sight, although they are also with us and help us. Whereas the devil also has his angels, heretics and false preachers. As the great angel Arius was, who took over the whole world; Christ let himself be seen as lost, Athanasius, item Hilarius held against, but Arius was a strong Pascha, a bad enemy.
Now we can understand the text all the better. Because there is such a war, item because we are still in faith, not in sight, we must watch and be careful, because the evil angels are not in hell, not only in Turkey or in Rome - there he has caught them - but he is also, and especially, in heaven. Therefore our captain warns us, prepare and muster his angels here. Beware, you are in heaven, but be warned; beware, for the devil is also in the kingdom of heaven, creeping about. Therefore, stay with the Word; where we have that, the victory remains, Christ must prevail. So this life is nothing else but a war; Christ has taken us to be men of war and leads us to the field. Who then could believe that Christ has come so near to us, that he calls us his angels, baptizes us, preaches and absolves us; how could he come nearer to me? over which he took my flesh and blood, still dwells with us, teaches, baptizes us; could^rms not come nearer, only that we do not see him, but hear him preach and baptize etc.;-who could believe this, be sure that our word is Christ's word and that he is so near to us, would ever be glad. But because it does not happen, we are weak in faith. This is what the devil does, that people preach with contempt and do not believe. This does not mean to pierce with spears, but to shoot the hearts with fiery arrows. Therefore see that you are not hit. But if the field is kept
1088 V. 20b, 217; 19,1.2. sermon on Michclelist day, according to Wolfenb. manuscript W. X, 1307.1308. 1089
When the kingdom of Christ comes, there is rejoicing and exultation; it is said, "Here is the kingdom of his Christ" (v. 10). For us it is in faith, but it shall come in sight. But the song of praise shall follow after the battle: Praise be to God! The devil is defeated, the lies flee, the truth retains the victory. Arius is defeated. You, Christians, be joyful, because you have won. By what? By the blood of the Lamb. By what is it proved? By the word of testimony. By the word the devil is cast out of heaven, not by the spear or the sword, but the blood of the Lamb must be in your heart. Stand fast therefore, and hold fast by faith, and thou shalt have victory: for he asketh not thy sword, nor thy righteousness; but with the blood thou shalt smite.
you him. It is written of Mechtildis, the nun, that when she was challenged, she said: Christiana sum (I am a Christian), that is, I rely on the blood of the lamb. Where this is spoken from the heart, you have won. But it says here that nevertheless above the article life and limb must be dared. The pope persecutes whoever confesses the name. Yes, so the argument is won: the blood freely confessed and therefore left life and limb. He cannot stand this war. The war has begun in the papacy. In semine tuo etc. (In your seed etc.) Now let us also keep that we remain steadfast with the Lord Christ and his word, so there will be no need. But if we become sure, then it is provided for us.
Several treatises of the holy angels are:
I. Part, 1. B. Mos., 2. Cap., § 112-114.
I. Part, 1. B. Mos., 19. cap., § 113-122.
I. Part, 1. B. Mos., 22. cap., § 126-149,
Of the Appearance of Angels and New Revelations. I. Part, 1. B. Mos., 24. Cap., § 136-155, of the service of the holy angels at the marriage. Angels in the marriage state.
II. part, 1. b. Mos., 32. cap., § 4-29, treatise of the angels.
XIIIa&b. Theil, Pred. am Tage St. Michael, von den guten und bösen Engel.
XXII. part, table speeches; XXIII. cap., of the angels.