so one reads in the Christmas mass.*)
Isa. 9, 1-7.
The people who walk in darkness see a great light, and on those who dwell in the land of darkness it shines brightly. Thou makest the heathen much, but thou makest not much joy. But before thee shall they rejoice, as one rejoiceth in harvest; as one rejoiceth when he divideth the spoil. For thou hast broken the yoke of their burden, and the rod of their shoulder, and the staff of their driver, as in the days of Midian. For all warfare with fierceness and bloody garments shall be burned up, and consumed with fire. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, whose dominion is upon his shoulder; and he is called Wonderful, Counsellor, Power, Hero, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace; that his dominion may be great, and that there be no end of peace, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom; that he may establish and strengthen with judgment and righteousness from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Preface.
1 This epistle is read on this day of the birth of Christ, because Isaiah says under other words: "A child is born to us"; which is undoubtedly said about Christ. But the whole speech is about the kingdom of the born child of Christ, how he should reign, and what would follow from his reign, namely, that the people of Israel would be annoyed and offended at him, because he is preached to be such a Lord that he rejects the righteousness of the law and accepts the Gentiles without law by faith; which so vexes, blinds and makes the Jews obdurate to this day that they do not want to come here. Of this the whole chapter says, as also Simeon says in Luca, Cap. 2, 34. "Behold, this one is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is contradicted." And he himself Isaiah speaks Cap. 8, 14. that the Lord will be a rock of offense and a stone of stumbling for both houses of Israel; which Peter (1. Ep. 2, 8.) and Paul (Rom. 9, 33.) say in their writings about the Jews.
002 That therefore the sum of this epistle may be, The Jews shall be vexed and hardened.
*This sermon appeared in four separate printings in 1526. Cf. A. 15, 69 f. D. Red.
above the gracious word of the kingdom of Christ, that it is so highly praised, and their works and law should count for nothing at all before God, which they do not like. For this must follow: where God's grace is praised, the saints of works are angry and rage.
3. This opinion and summary are given by the words that precede it, when he says of the darkness that would overtake the Jews, how it would not be a natural darkness, nor a physical darkness, but a spiritual darkness, which would rise above the other people and the Gentiles seeing a great light, and says: "For there shall not be such darkness as distresseth them, as it was in the first time, when it was yet light in the land of Zebulun, and in the land of Naphtali; or when it was afterward heavy in the way of the sea on this side Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles; But this, that the people which walk in darkness may see a great light, and that it may shine upon them which dwell in darkness: lest thou make great joy, because thou makest the Gentiles great" etc.
4th This much is said, There shall pass over this people another darkness and calamity, than that which was when the king of Assyria, Thiglath Pilesser, first possessed the land of Sebu-.
lon and Naphtali, which was a light and small calamity compared to the one when Salmanasser took all the land by the sea and led away the kingdom of Israel, which was a much heavier and greater calamity and darkness; But over the calamities of both will first come the real calamity and darkness in Christ's time, when this people will be angry and hardened against him, so that a great light and bright shining will arise among the people, by which also many Gentiles will be converted, and the law and Moses and all the character of the Jewish people will never apply, but only grace and mercy will be preached in Christ.
5 For you must know well the scripture here, which is in the fifteenth chapter of the other book of Kings, v. 29, how King Tiglath Pilesser of Assyria came up in the days of Pekah king of Israel, and took and carried away Gilead and Galilee, almost the third part of the land of Israel on both sides of Jordan; and in the seventeenth chapter, v. 5, 6, how the king of Assyria, Salmanasser, three years before the king of Assyria, was the king of Israel.
Samaria and carried away all Israel. These were two darknesses, that is, two calamities; for in Hebrew light is called happiness and darkness calamity, because no grace of God nor goodness shines upon them, but vain weather and whirlwinds of divine wrath darken upon them. And Isaiah calls the one still light, when Galilee and Gilead were led away; for it was only a piece of the land and did not last long in the country, but the other was heavier, because the king of Assyria lay three years in the country and fought, at last also leading away the whole country.
These two calamities and darkness were examples of the last calamity, when the Jews lost both, and were spiritually and physically destroyed and led away, namely, that they were led away from God and God's word by the devil in their lies, and after that they were also physically scattered by the Romans into all the world. Isaiah speaks of this destruction in many places. Now, let us go to the epistle, and learn to know our Lord Christ, and help to cradle the little child.