Held on the 3rd Sunday of Advent 151k.
I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness: Direct the way of the Lord. Joh. i, 23.
(1) Here John again shows the spiritual understanding of the law in a marvelous way, but the gospel*) is still far deeper and more unfathomable than we could sufficiently express in words. He says he is the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Direct the way of the Lord; he says he baptizes with water, he is neither Elijah, nor a prophet, nor Christ, neither does he baptize with the Spirit. And to note this here, the Hebrew expression, I baptize "in" water, is the same as that which is Latin, I baptize aqua, (by water) or cum aqua (with water). Therefore, it would be better to omit the conjunct "in", as Apost. 1, 5. It says: "John indeed baptized with water (aqua), but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit (spiritu sancto)." Also, the meaning here is lighter, lest someone think he must be in water while he baptizes. For in distinction from Christ, he says he baptizes with water; yea, he saith, I baptize with water, but he standeth in the midst of you, which baptizeth with fire: as it is said in Luc 3:16, Though I baptize with water, yet there cometh a stronger after me, to whom I am not worthy to loose the thongs of his shoes; and he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." That is why he calls himself the voice of one who calls, that is, one who sounds and resounds loudly, in contrast to the Word, which is Christ, who is completely hidden.
These are mysteries, for the spiritual understanding of the law, which is the gospel, instructs men to the most perfect knowledge of sin and of themselves, so that it shows them that grace is absolutely necessary. And he who has this knowledge is the closest to grace, for God is the one who is closest.
gives grace to the humble (1 Pet 5:5). But the law of the letter, as it puffs up and makes proud, so it also humbles when it is understood spiritually, and thus prepares for grace and points to Christ. E.G.: "Thou shalt not commit adultery" inflates, according to its letter, those who abstain from adultery by works and deeds, as if they were already pure because they do not break the marriage. But such an inflated pride destroys just this spiritual mind: you shall not commit adultery neither in your heart nor with any of your powers. But when one has heard this, then everyone knows that he is an adulterer before God; for he feels in himself the striving and desire for evil lust, and is humbled by it and flees sighing to grace, that is, to the baptism of fire after this baptism of water. For it is cold water and makes cold, that is, it teaches to acknowledge that one is empty of fire and spirit, so that one should flee to the fire. That is why in the old Scriptures the uprightness and purity of the heart is always praised, as for example Ps. 23 [24], 4: "He who is innocent of hands and pure of heart"; as if he wanted to say: it is not enough that you are pure in hands, that is, in works, from evil desire, but also in heart. Then follows the hard question: Who will boast that he has a pure heart? Therefore no one will step on the mountain of the Lord except Christ. And Ps. 94 [95], 10. it says: "I said: there are people who always err in their heart"; and again Ps. 51, 12.: "Create in me, God, a clean heart"; and again Ps. 24 [25], 7."Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions, O Lord"; the sins of youth are here the hidden sins, for the same word which in Hebrew means "youth," namely almut, also means "the hidden."
3. now it follows further, how he is a voice and indeed the voice of one calling? He
1214 L-B. Of the Christian faith in particular - third article. W. x, i4S7-i4ss. 1215
For here he calls out: "Judge the way of the Lord", as if he wanted to say: the law of the Lord, which is the way of the Lord - as is clear from Ps. 118 [119] - you judge wrongly, you who bend and twist the law by the literal sense; judge it straight by the spiritual understanding, so that the crooked becomes straight and the crooked becomes even ways. But for this a voice and a cry is needed, for they are fast asleep, that they may be awakened to this understanding. But in what way? If you ask, How then shall I walk and fulfill it, when the way of the Lord is so narrow, and his straightness is required even to the very last movement? he answers, Behold, he stands in the midst of you. He will baptize you with fire; he will be the word whose voice I alone am, a hidden word, that is, which will teach you inwardly and bring it to pass. For the word of God is almighty, it does everything. But ye know not, saith he, how proud and hypocritical ye are: for they that were sent, it is said, were priests and Levites of the Pharisees. This is a species of men who pervert the law of God, even to our time. For behold, how they flatter John and persecute him, to get him on their side.
This is what many are doing, even now with Herod, to cut off John's head, so that the fornicating soul and its loose daughter, the evil desire, may be free and unbound with its works and desires. John resists this, that is, the spiritual law. They say that the commandments are not given, that it is necessary to fulfill them, but only as a predetermined goal, how man must be improved.
(4) This is also how St. Jerome is interpreted when he says that a spiritual man is not obliged to be in the state of perfection, but only to strive for it. And in order that the matter may be rightly understood, it is true that we are not obliged to be perfect, but only to become perfect under the penalty of mortal sin; but those, thus made sure, also refrain from the attempt, considering it sufficient if only in the last moment of their life they are found in this striving for perfection. That is, of course, to cut off the head of John and to kill him in secret and in the dungeon, that is, in a secret, wrong mind. These, therefore, are the Pharisees, self-righteous men and priests, who also presume to make others righteous.
Of this can also be read in:
IV. Theil, Ausleg. der 22 ersten Ps.; 19 Ps., § 56 bis 97, von dem Gesetz des HErrn.
VIII. part, two sermons on the 15th and 16th chapters of the Acts of the Apostles; the 15th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, about the controversy of the freedom of conscience and the attitude of the Law of Moses.
- Explan. Explanation of the Epistle to the Galatians, § 428, a treatise on the office and work of the law, on Gal. 3, 19. ff.
IX. Theil, V. Auslegung von der Hauptsumma GOttes Gebots, und v. Mißbrauch u. rechten Gebrauch des Gesetzes, über 1 Tim. 1, 3. ff.
XI. Theil, 2. Pred. am Sonnt. nach Ostern, von dem Gesetz.
XI. Theil, Pred. am 13. Sonnt, n. Trin., von der Predigt des Gesetzes.
- Sermon on the 17th of Sunday, Trinity, on the law and the right use of it.
XII. Theil, Kirchenpost; Pred. am Neujahrstage, vom Gesetz und dessen Werken.
Xlllb. part, 2. sermon on the 13th Sunday n. Trin., § 9 ff, of the law.
- 1. sermon on the 18th Sunday after Trinity, on the doctrine of the law.
Cf. also in this volume under the 1st Commandment: b. Another Theological Disputation on the Secret of the Holy Trinity and the Law, Th. 29 ff. Trinity and the Law, Th. 29 ff.