The people who walk in darkness see a great light; on those who dwell in the land of darkness it shines brightly.
(1) As I said, Isaiah speaks of spiritual darkness, which is the greatest calamity and disgrace, and of spiritual light, which is the greatest happiness and grace. For what can be more abominable than blindness of heart and ignorance in divine matters? What can be more lovely and noble than an enlightened heart and knowledge of God? There can be nothing but vain evil, that even good is not good, if it were already there. Here there can be nothing but good, so that even evil is not evil, if it were already there. For what can harm the one who knows and has God Himself? What can harm the pious one who is deprived of God and has the devil? So this great light and bright shining is the holy gospel or the word of God's grace, which is a spiritual light that shows,
what God is, what He does and gives us, what He wants us to do; item, teaches what sin, death, the devil, the world and all things are, what they harm or help us to salvation.
(2) Do you not think that this is an inexpressible light, so that we can see into the heart of God and the depth of the Godhead? item, so that we can also see the thoughts of the devil; item, what sin is and how to get rid of it; what death is and how to get out of it; what man and the world are and how to avoid them? since no one knew before what God is, whether devils are also, what sin and death are, let alone how to get rid of them. So no one knew what man and the world were. For it was thought that there was much honesty, reason and good virtue in it; no one thought that its highest wisdom was foolishness, its noblest virtue wickedness.
3 Such ignorance and blindness is called darkness and dark land by Isaiah,
in it the people dwells, and means with it the Jewish people. Now this light is the cause of strife and displeasure. For though this light went out and was preached over all the people, yet some of them would not accept it; for they would not be blind and dark, but thought their doings were light; as we see in the epistle of the days of the three kings, where Isaias speaks of the same thing, of darkness and darkness.
4 But behold, wherewith men have earned this, that they see such light: here no work, no free will is shown, but rather a captive will; for who can do anything in darkness? Who knows what to do who knows nothing? Does not Christ say in John, Cap. 12, 35: "He that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth"? So it is only grace that a light rises in the darkness and shines brightly over the people. And is not Isaiah to be understood in this way, when he says: "The people who walk in darkness see a great light," as if he distinguishes between two peoples, one that walks in darkness and the other that walks in light, as the Jews distinguish themselves from the Gentiles, as if they walk in light and the Gentiles in darkness. But this is how he is to be understood, that he thereby shows the misery of all the people; as if he should say: God has mercy on the people who sit in great darkness and are in great need of light, and lets a great light shine on them, not by their merit, but by his mercy he comes beforehand, before they ask or seek for it; as St. Luke 1, 78. Lucas Cap. 1, 78. 79. interprets it very well, when Zacharias says: "Through the heartfelt mercy, by which the exit from on high has visited us, to enlighten those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace." With what words, but with a finger, does Lucas here point to Isaiah in this epistle, and John also, since he speaks much of light, Joh. 1, 8. ff., from which it is well to be noticed that he speaks of the Jews primarily and also of the Gentiles. For if the Jews, God's people, sit in darkness, much more do the Gentiles sit in it.
With this, you make little of the pleasures, because you make so much of the pagans.
(5) He has now described the light, the gospel and the doctrine, from whence, whither and why it shines and comes; now he counts the disciples and followers of such light and doctrine, and sets them in two kinds: one that does not accept the light and doctrine, as John Cap. 1, 5. The light shone into the darkness, and the darkness did not understand it." This is what we said above, that the majority of the Jews resented and resented the light, as John v. 11 says: "He came into his own, but his own did not accept him. This means, "You do not make the joy great," or, "the joy is few," which may be understood in two ways: first, that the Jews are few who rejoice in this light, but the majority, as the hardened, have become angry, mad and foolish about it, so that they have pursued it to their end without ceasing; and second, that there is great joy among the saints, where the gospel is well received and many are converted. But the dear apostles had little such joy in the Jewish people, yes, they wept very much over their stubborn faith, as Paul does to the Romans Cap. 9, 2. And Isaiah himself also proclaims in another place, and says: "The angels of peace will weep bitterly", Is. 33, 7. that is, the apostles who preach peace and the gospel will weep very much etc., but the Jews should have had the greatest joy in that they all believed, because such light was promised to them especially before all nations on earth and was brought by Christ Himself.
006 But the first understanding is the best, and rhymes well with the text, because it saith that the rejoicing is few, because so many Gentiles are converted. Now no one was more distressed that many Gentiles came to faith than the hardened Jews, for the apostles rejoiced greatly. But it is politely said that the rejoicing was few, and not many rejoiced in such evangelical fruit among the Gentiles, and this is true: it grieves many out of measure, and makes them unhappy, that so many Gentiles accept the
crucified Christ, and are a small group of the Jews, who are pleased with it, the others are nonsensical about it. Just as if it were said of our time: God makes many people fall for the gospel; but it is a bad joy for the papacy, that is, there are few who rejoice in the papacy, but almost many, and the greatest part, who are annoyed by it, become mad and foolish about it.
7 And this text wants exactly what Moses wants in his song, when he says: "I will make them angry over that which is not my people, and over a people without understanding I will make them jealous", as St. Paul introduces to the Romans Cap. 10, 19. from the 5th Book of Moses Cap. 32, 21. That is, I will accept the Gentiles, who are not my people, moreover without understanding, as they do not have Mosi's law, nor know as much about God as the Jews, who hear it daily. When they will say: Behold, the Gentiles are God's people, this will make them mad and senseless; for they want to be God's people alone, and yet do not consider me to be their God, but have other gods. Because they then forsake me, I will accept others; if they boo there, I boo here. That is, Thou makest a low and evil joy, that thou makest so much of the heathen.
(8) Now this is the way and happiness of the gospel, how it is in the world, that one might ascribe this saying to the gospel as a rhyme and title, that bad joy comes from it when many people accept it. They say, how many people are seduced by heresy: all the world wants to hear such teaching; and they say, as the Jews say in John, "If we let him go, the whole world will believe in him," John 11:48. And in another place, "Behold, the whole world is running after him," John 12:19. 12, 19. So now they also say, "If we were not, all the world would accept the Lutheran heresy: therefore let us fight, burn, murder, hunt, persecute, that we may put a stop to the gospel; for it maketh apostasy of the people, departure of goods, destruction of honor, and violence. Oh yes, defend yourselves quickly, dear fellows, you are starting right; if you do not defend yourselves in this way, your splendor and character would become
remain for a long time. So that you may perish the sooner, help it, fight against God and man, so that God and man may again become enemy to you, and so that you may finally be destroyed like the Jews, and like what has happened to all persecutors of the gospel, amen.
But before you one rejoices as one rejoices in the harvest, as one rejoices when one divides the spoils.
9 "Before you," he says, "that is, in spirit and faith, since Christ's kingdom stands within and since he also reigns. Here is also the little group that rejoices, as hard as it is said above. From this it can be seen that it is true that the text: "You make little of the joys", is said so much: You make them unenthusiastic and angry, so that they have no joy, but vain sorrow from it, and is spoken just in this way: There is truly a bad joy there, that is, great displeasure and distaste. For it follows here, and speaks upon it, "But before thee is joy," as if to say, There is bad joy, that is, no joy; but here before thee is great joy. It is also said: "before you", so that no one should think or wait for worldly and temporal joy in the kingdom of Christ; there must be joy in God under the cross, as Christ says: "In the world you will have tribulation, but in me peace", Joh. 16, 33. The heart is always joyful with Christians, even if they have to suffer outwardly in body, goods and honor for the sake of Christ. For the great multitude, to whom it is a bad pleasure, and the devil will probably do so much that the Christians do not have to rejoice outwardly in good and honor. Thus, Isaiah has both met how Christianity stands in sorrow and pleasure, in woe and delight, in strife and peace, because it rejoices before God in spirit, and yet is an abomination to the unbelievers and the devil, whom they cannot stand.
(10) He also sets forth a likeness of the joy of the harvest; for in the autumn is the greatest joy of the year, when there is the cutting and bringing in of all kinds of fruits and enjoyments of the land, wine, corn, oil, figs, fruit, and the like without number, especially when there is well
It is called the rich autumn. For then the land rewards the people who have cultivated it, and gives its interest and fruit for the toil of the whole year; then everyone sings and is happy about the gathering. Therefore also the scripture calls the autumn of the year end or exit; as it speaks 2 Mos. 23, 16.: "If you have collected all your fruits in the exit of the year." For soon after the harvest, work begins again with plowing and preparing the ground so that it will grow again for the next harvest. Thus, the time of the Gospel is also a spiritual harvest, as Christ himself interprets it in John Cap. 4, 35: "Behold, how the land is white for harvest." The prophets who came before built the land, but did not experience the harvest, that is, they preached the law, proclaimed about Christ, prophesied about the gospel, had much trouble with the people and the Scriptures to prepare for Christ's future; but they did not reach the time when it was to happen; as Christ says again Luc. 10:24: "Many kings and prophets would gladly have seen and heard that you see and hear, but they have not seen and heard."
But we, that is, the apostles and all believers, have received the gospel and have come into harvest, that we may gather all the fruits of the gospel, that is, the Holy Spirit with all His gifts; in which we have become so rich that we have grace and forgiveness of sins forever, and salvation from death, dominion and authority over devils and all evil, and recently, the abundance and overflow of all good things in the most abundant way, so that St. Paul calls it unspeakable goods and abundant riches in Christ. Paul calls it unspeakable goods and abundant riches in Christ, Eph. 2, 7. Col. 1, 27. that is, the right rich fall that fills the ground and the barrel.
(12) To this end our beloved prophets have ministered and labored with their ministry, that from that time they preached unto us, and directed and comforted the people, in whom also we have strong testimonies unto our faith; as St. Peter, 1 Ep. 1:12, saith, "They presented not unto themselves, but unto us, the things which they preached of Christ." And now here goes the
Proverb: One sows, the other reaps, as Christ himself says in John, Cap. 4, 37, 38: "You have come in that labor"; just as the people of Israel also came into the land of Canaan, which they had not built, but as it is written in the 105th Psalm, v. 44: "They have taken the labor of the nations." And Moses says in the 5th book Cap. 6, 10: "God will give you cities that you have not built" etc. Now this is the right great joy, to recognize and have such great goods, and to thank, praise, preach and sing to God about them. But even though all this is presented to the whole world, because few recognize and accept it, there are also few who rejoice, unfortunately, because the goods are too great and too high.
(13) The other similitude is of the victory after the quarrel, when the spoil is divided and one also becomes rich. As much as the quarrel is more perilous and sour, so much the more sweet and joyful is the victory and the spoil. There is a joyful journey home, rejoicing, boasting, singing and telling of the journey and work of the battle and of the happiness and salvation of the victory, there is mockery and taunting of the enemies, and the land is full of joy. Much more is it so in the spiritual victory before God, since sin, death and the devil are overcome.' But Isaiah is silent about the victory and speaks of the spoils, for soon after he will speak of the victory and what it is. For it is not ours that we have conquered it; but the power and the fruit of the victory is given to us, that is, the spoil, which is the holy gospel, the word of life; which brings us the fruit of Christ's victory, namely, forgiveness and redemption from sins, as has been said.
14. this makes right, joyful, sure, glad hearts toward god, and undaunted against the devil and all his power and wickedness. For before Christ came, and the prophets lay in the field with the word of God, there was no victory: they tarried, and kept the field, till the right captain of the host should come, and lay down himself with sin, death, and the devil for us, and win, and keep the field; or else without the captain it was as it was with the people of Israel, when they lay in the field against the Philistines; but
When they saw the giant Goliath, they all fled and were afraid, until the true warrior David came and kept the victory, 1 Sam. 17, 24. In the same way we also exist, if we are to fight against sin and death without Christ.
15. But now that our David has overcome death with sins, from which we always had to fear and flee, we are now joyful and secure, sing and are of good cheer, share out the spoils with joy, that is, we preach the gospel, praise and thank God, comfort and strengthen one another, and say: Be glad, no one can harm you anymore, sin is gone and forgiven, death is conquered and all wrath and disgrace is abolished, here is pure grace and peace, the devil is weary, his kingdom lies low; as St. Paul does 1 Cor. Paul does 1 Cor. 15, 55. 57.: "Death, where is your sting? Hell, where is your victory? But thanks be to God, who has given us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord." "With such words," he says, "comfort one another." Now Isaiah himself will go on to speak of the controversy and victory, by which the gospel is divided among us for eternal joy, let him hear:
For the yoke of her burden, and the rod upon her shoulder, and the staff of her driver, hast thou broken, as in the days of Midian.
16) This place, I think, no one can interpret better than St. Paul to the Corinthians, as we have now seen, when he says: "Death, where is your sting? Hell, where is thy victory? But mortal sin is the sting of death, and the law is the power of sins." St. Paul also tells of three things that Christ overcame and redeemed us from, death, sin, and the law, just as Isaiah also tells of three things that God overcame to make us joyful and secure before Him. Now let us see how Isaiah rhymes with St. Paul; for he cannot speak of any other than as St. Paul speaks of, since God's people can have no other peace nor joy without these three things being overcome, death, sin, law. And if these three pieces remained, it would help us
nothing, whether it would be possible for God to give us all things and set them equal in heaven. Who can be happy and satisfied who has and feels death, sin and law above and against him? There must be life, a good conscience and freedom where there should be joy. But now Isaiah speaks that one rejoices before God through the three pieces of conquest and redemption, compelling the mind of faith powerfully enough that it just agrees with St. Paul, who also comforts the Christians with such victory and comforts them against death, sin and law.
17 Now the first is "the yoke of their burden." "Theirs," saith he, "that is, they who rejoice before him, as in the harvest and the spoil; who know and accept the gospel, they have the first cause of their rejoicing, that Christ hath broken the yoke of their burden, which yoke is death. O a great heavy yoke and unbearable burden, which every man dreads and flees from, and yet cannot escape, but must endure and suffer. But I am talking about the death that one feels, as it is when the conscience is terrified and feels God's wrath and judgment in it because of one's sin. This is nothing else than the death that still reigns and is in power apart from Christ's kingdom; as Adam and Eve felt in paradise, Gen. 3, 8, and David when he was punished by Nathan for adultery, 2 Sam. 12, 7. ff. There is nothing but eternal death. But the wicked are not aware of this death until the end, because they go away and do not feel sin: because they do not feel it, they do not feel death either. Therefore St. Paul says that sin is the sting of death, that is, death has no power nor right, no edge, no point, and could not penetrate if there were innocence and no sin; whom would it kill if there were not cause and guilt? A good conscience cannot be afraid of it, nor does it know of any sting, power or right of death: but where there is sin, it penetrates and is powerful; for the sinful conscience must give it room, and say yes to it, that it deserves it. This is why the sinful conscience fears death so terribly, for it feels the sting of death, the
is, the sins, within himself and cannot resist him.
(18) The other is "the rod on her shoulder," that is, sin, which makes death powerful and sharp, as has been said; for death cannot be overcome where sin is not overcome; and it is not possible that death should be without sin, or sin without death. For this reason also death could not remain over Christ, though for a time he held it for our sakes; for in Christ there was no sin which he took upon himself. So also it cannot remain over the Christians, because they are now righteous in Christ and have no sins, even though it holds them up for a short time.
19 For this is called masterly overcoming death and sin: not that they should be taken away by force in a moment and never be felt; but that they should first be deprived of their right and power, and condemned by judgment and right, that they should be destroyed. Whether they still rage and let themselves be felt before they are broken is not important: the judgment has gone over them that they have neither right nor power, but they should and must soon cease and have their end; just as one does to a powerful enemy: when he is captured, one does not put him away so soon, but lets him live until he is condemned in court and then is killed by the judgment. Now his life, which he lives in prison, is also a life, but a poor life, which now has neither right nor power to harm, to rule, to oppress his adversaries; but is condemned to death, and now lives no longer that he should rule, but that he should be damned and put to death.
20 So it is with death and sin. Christ has won them and caught them, so that they can no longer rule or conquer over us as before, when the 68th Psalm v. 19. says: "Thou hast gone up on high, and hast caught them that caught us"; and daily lets the law and judgment go and condemns them by the gospel, as having no law nor power over us, but shall cease and have their end soon; as he says to the Romans Cap. 8, 3. that Christ has condemned sin by sin.
dams. Now that and the rest that they can still be moved and felt is nothing; for they are damned, and have lost the right and the dominion, and cannot do harm, and there is nothing left but that they shall soon receive their end and cease.
(21) What harm then if I feel death or sin for a little while, as if they reigned, when I know that they do not reign, but are damned, and that their rain and feeling are nothing but a wriggling and trembling before their gallows, where they shall be put to death. Again, what is the use of those who do not feel sin and death for a short time, as if death had been taken away by force; yet both sin and death retain right and power over them, and will soon come over them and reign forever?
22 This is why both Isaiah and St. Paul use such words to indicate how sin and death have lost their right and power and will soon have their end, even if they still move for a little while as if they ruled. For St. Paul does not say: Death, where are you? Hell, where art thou? but thus: "Death, where is thy sting? Hell, where is thy victory?" As if to say, "Death and hell, you are still here for a little while, but not for long; but you have lost your right, your power, your victory, your sting, and all your strength. You are angry; but, dear, do not bite me, do not scorch our turnips. I feel you well, but I am not afraid of you; for you can no longer and must also soon go to the gallows and be destroyed.
23 As the Jews mocked Christ on the cross, as if he had lost all power and strength, and would soon die for it: so it is the other way round, that we defy, mock, scoff at, and blaspheme sins and death, as we are sure that they can no longer do anything, but must be held up. Therefore, death and sin are so condemned among Christians and hang on the cross that the rest of their being is of no use to them, because they have to hear how they are mocked and blasphemed: "Death, where is your sting? Hell, where is your victory?" As mighty as you were, so powerless are you now; pooh and vach you great giants, death and sin!
How horribly you have ruled in the world, and defied everyone and throbbed: Hui now, get down now from the cross! If you are giants and great lords, then prove it with one finger; you are hanging on the cross of Christ and must soon die on it, and he whom you hang on it has become free from it with all of us who hang on him. Thus it is that Solomon says, Prov. 11:8, "The righteous is loosed, and the wicked is hanged in his stead."
(24) So also Isaiah speaks of sins and death, not in a bad way, but as they have ruled, and that their dominion, that is, their power, justice and strength, is broken; for he does not speak badly of "their burden," but of "the yoke of their burden. By the yoke he indicates how we have been subjected to death, to bear its burden, and it has ruled over us, as a farmer does over his beast, which he ties into the yoke and loads, as a master of the beast that is imprisoned and bound in the yoke. For the burden that one voluntarily takes upon himself is not called a yoke of burden, but badly a burden. But "yoke of burden" or "burden in the yoke" understands with itself a subjected being, in which one is forced to bear the burden. So we also have to bear death, the heavy burden, forced, as those who are subject to death and its power and right through sin and it rules over us; but the rule Christ has broken and redeemed us from such power, although death still lies on us for a time, but without all right, until it ceases.
(25) So also this, when he speaks, not badly, is "the rod," but, "the rod on its shoulder," as if to say, Sin is not a bad rod to be carried willingly, or to be put on the shoulder; but to be driven with it, and to strike us on the shoulder, to bear the burden, so that this rod is a dominion, and we subjects. For as it is said, if sin did not reign over us, neither could death reign over us. But now that sin reigns over us, and we are subject and captive to it, we are indeed hostile to the burden of death, and would gladly be without it; but sin is behind us.
us as the rod, and drives and forces us to bear the burden, that is, sin drives us to die and be subject to death.
The third is "the rod of the driver," that is, the law; as Paul says to the Romans Cap. 3, 20. and Cap. 7, 7. "The law is the power of sins." But I speak of the law spiritually understood, when it reveals sin; for thus he says, "By the law cometh knowledge of sins": and not carnally, when it makes hypocrites by works, as is said before in the other chapter. For those who do not hear the law spiritually do not feel the rod on their shoulder, that is, sin. The rod is there, but it does not press on their shoulder, that is, they have sin, but they do not feel or care for it; just as the burden, that is, death, is also there, but they do not have the yoke of the burden, because they do not feel how death has them under it and rules over them. So also here: the rod is there, but they do not hear the voice of the driver; so that the rod and the driver are two things, just as the rod and lying on the shoulder are two things, and the yoke and the burden. For we all have death, sin, and the law; but we do not all feel the sting and the victory, that is, the power and dominion of death, sin, and the law over us until the hour comes.
27 Therefore the rod is the law, and the driver is its power and dominion; for where there is no law, there is no sin. But now that the law is there, we would gladly be rid of sins, but we cannot; for the law is there, driving, chasing, convincing, and overcoming us that we are sinners, and so forcing us by force under sin. There is the voice of the driver, that is the dominion and power of the law over us, which makes us slaves of sin; for that is why the power of the law is called a driver or imposer, exactor, that it always demands obedience from us, also leaves the conscience no rest from such demanding and driving. If we cannot do enough to obey such demands, he drives us into sin and judges us to be the servants of sin.
but then immediately gives us over to death. There we lie as captive slaves under death, sin and law, that is, under the yoke of the burden, under the rod on the shoulder, under the rod of the driver.
028 Then we see that Isaiah took his speech from a donkey driver or other cruel tyrant; for there is burden, rod and driver over the poor animal. Well, we would like to be free of the burden; but we are caught in the yoke, that is, the power and dominion of death holds us, so that we must bear its burden and be subject to it. So, we would also like to be rid of the rod; but it lies on our neck, that is, the power and dominion of sin, which has us under it by force. We would also like to be rid of the rod, but the driver is behind us, that is, the voice and power of the law.
29 So we have what Isaiah means by these three things, and that we cannot break them, but must be subject to them, and let them rule over us; but if they rule, we must do what they will. From this it follows that we are not able to do good, but only evil, and that there is no free will. But it is Christ alone who overcomes these things by himself for us all, and divides the joyful spoil, that we, being free and loosed, may praise and sing in all joy and assurance; of whom he says, "Thou hast broken." How does he break them? So that they must cease, as St. Paul speaks of death, "The last enemy, death, shall be broken," 1 Cor. 15:26. So sin also is broken. But how is the law broken? Sin and death, as has been said, have lost their power and right, that they no longer have us under them, and must even cease. But the law is broken in such a way that it no longer drives us, and we are freed from its demands and its driving, because we have done enough for it through Christ our Lord, and now we live and do voluntarily by the Spirit everything that the law wanted to drive away and force upon us. Therefore we are no longer subject to the law, and because its activity and demands have ceased, all its power, right and cause have also ceased, and we live as those who have no law, just as a healthy person does.
lives, eats and drinks without law and activity, so that he has no right to any law. You can read more about this in the Postillen and other books.
As in the time of Midian.
(30) Here it is necessary to know the beautiful, excellent story written in the book of Judges, how the Midianites, Amalekites and Orientals devastated the land of Israel and the children of Israel fled from them; and how Gideon, by God's command, struck them without a sword, by trumpets and lamps, so that they strangled themselves and fled, Judges. 6, 7. ff. For in the story is modeled the victory that Christ retained over the three enemies, and how still with him daily all his Christians retain the victory, even without the sword. For this is why Isaiah wanted to introduce this story as an example, so that he could show with what power Christ had broken and overcome these three pieces or enemies. But it would be too long to tell and interpret the whole story; whoever wants to know it, may read it. This is the summary of the fact that Gideon conquered such a victory in great weakness and lack of strength, because his own citizens and brothers, whom he had angered by breaking the altar of Baal when they should have been the most noble with him, were hostile to him. After that, two and twenty thousand men fell from him at first, then ten thousand, and only three hundred men remained with him; with them he was to win the enemy's army, which was armed with a hundred and five and thirty thousand men in the field. His heart might well have despaired a thousand times and despaired as hard as a rock. What was such an abandoned little group against such violence? Nothing. How many will have scoffed, as the citizens of Sukhoth and Pnuel did, Judges. 8, 15-17, as if he were a foolish man who would do such an impossible thing and take the people with him on a ride. Then his heart had to say with Saint Paul: "When I am weak, then I am strongest; for strength is made perfect in strength," 2 Cor. 12, 10. Such faith struck the Midianites without a sword.
31 So Christ is also weak and too
He became a mockery in his suffering, so that it was impossible and unbelievable that he should accomplish anything with it; but all the same, in such strength he retained the victory against death, sin, the law, hell, the devil and all misfortune, without all human strength and weapons; just as Gideon in his strength was subject to the three nations. And as Gideon was the first and chief to smite the Midianites, and the three hundred men after him: so Christ also is the firstfruits, who overcame sin and death, and the other Christians daily do after him, and with him.
32) But that the Midianites had to kill themselves with their own sword means that death, which wanted to strangle Christ, has strangled itself with the same strangulation. For Christ is risen and has swallowed up death in his death. The sins that lay upon him also wanted to condemn him to death and be the sting of death; but his innocence was too great, and condemned sin by sin, as St. Paul says to the Romans Cap. 8, 3, that sin sinned against him in such a way that it must die and be dead. The law also drove him and made him a sinner because he was under it, and had to be cursed according to the law, like all those who are hanged, as St. Paul says to the Galatians Cap. 3, 13. But because it had no right to him, and he was guilty of nothing, he was wronged, and now he again drives the law, that it has sin and wrong, and must also die. As for the other parts of this story, it would make a special book, so rich, full and fine is it; but we will leave it here with the most important part of the interpretation, which concerns Christ, in the opinion of Jesus.
To whom all warfare that proceeds with impetuosity, and bloody garment shall be burned, consumed by fire.
(33) How Christ kept his victory without sword and bodily strength, he has now said from the example of Gideon. Now here he prophesies that this will be the new way of warfare in the kingdom of Christ: there will be no warfare in the flesh, nor one for the body.
But each one must overcome death, sin and the law for himself alone, through faith and the Spirit, as Christ did, and in short must rely on no one, without standing on Christ alone, for he cannot know who is a believer or an unbeliever. Therefore, it is a miraculous struggle in Christendom that a single man should stand against all devils, against the whole world, against death, sin and the law, and yet retain the victory.
Isaiah is saying that there will no longer be such warfare among the Christians, which will be carried out with rumor and weapons, so that there will be blood and bloody clothes; but Christ's certain victory will prevail in all His own, and the warfare will be carried out in such a way that one will suffer, be defeated and be powerless, that is, it will be a spiritual warfare. The words that Isaiah says in another place, Cap. 2, 4. and Cap. 11.: "They shall no more take up sword against sword, nor learn war any more; but shall turn their swords into pruning hooks, and their spears into plowshares"; for Christ's kingdom shall be a kingdom of peace, as will follow.
(35) When he says, "All wars with violence and bloody clothing will be burned up, consumed by fire," he is referring to two kinds of wars. One is fought with stabbing and breaking, with slashing and shouting, with raging and bursting, and with bloodshed on both sides, that is a physical war. The other one comes with silence, suffering, and not moving at all, not even opening the mouth, like a sheep on the flesh bench, Is. 53, 7. Rom. 8, 36. For he uses the word "impetuous warfare" to describe a battlefield before the eyes, where everything moves and waves: here the drum, here the trumpet; here the shout, here the horse; here the clash, here the clatter; here the sword looks, there the spear shines, and goes wildly into one another; there blood flows over clothes and there is a horrible sight; whoever wants to see something quiet and peaceful must not watch a war. But such boisterous noise and war should no longer be seen in Christianity.
The fire of the Holy Spirit shall consume all these things and devour them purely, that there may be peace among them. But if there is peace, they should not make it, but suffer it from others, quietly and patiently, and so follow their Head Christ, who also fought spiritually in this way, being outwardly quiet and peaceful, patiently suffering all that was done to him, and yet winning all things, and retaining the victory over death, the devil, hell and everything. 1 Pet. 2:21 ff.
(36) And it is not surprising that he says, "Fire shall burn up and consume such physical warfare. For with such words he actually wants to describe how and by what the outward warfare among Christians is to cease. And in this he follows the Psalmist, who also says of these things: "Come and see what wonders the Lord does on earth; he breaks bows and shatters weapons, and burns shields with fire," Psalm 46:9, 10. Fire is a powerful element, as it is said: "It turns everything to ashes, and what it burns does not come back again; neither water, nor air, nor any creature does this; and if one wants to make something pure from, pure from, pure through, one uses fire for this; that God Himself will also sweep and cleanse the whole world, heaven and earth, with fire at the last day, 2 Petr. 3, 12. Thus the fire of the Holy Spirit, which is Christian love, shall purify and purge away all strife and causes of strife, that nothing of it remain, nor come again for ever.
(37) For to ward off war and strife with commandments, or to control them by force, is neither warlike nor eternal, because the warlike spirit is not changed; time and space are always found to start strife and war before force can ward it off; therefore in the world's government war and strife cannot be consumed with fire, nor can they be stopped, that there may be a sure and lasting peace; as it is said, I cannot have peace longer than my neighbor wills. But this is the right masterpiece to keep peace eternally, which Christ needs in his kingdom, namely: that he makes hearts one, and not with commandments and force alone the
Fist resists and lays down his arms, but takes away the warrior's courage and the heart of strife. But when this happens, the fist and the weapons are already too powerful. For why and over what should Christians war and quarrel, if they are so minded that they want to suffer everything at all costs, gladly forsaking goods, honor, life and limb? That is, they have no reason to fight ever again, because for the sake of such things the secular authorities must fight to protect property, honor and life and to keep the peace. And about this they also quarrel, but not among the Christians. So Christ did not fight, but suffered, and through suffering became the highest and noblest knight. It is right to consume war by fire and to suffer everything with love, not to quarrel or fight for our own sake. But how war is good for others, I have said enough in the booklet of the secular authorities.
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.
Here Isaiah goes out and paints the captain or king of this kingdom. From this text the fine song is taken, which one sings now at cradle night (Christmas): A little child as light is born to us today etc. A strange king, who shall accomplish such great things, of which it is said above, that he shall overcome death, sin, law, rule without sword and make the world full of joy. For Isaiah here clearly says that all these things are because of this and because a child has been born to us and the Son has been given to us, as if to say, "Through the child and the Son all these things come about; he is the mediator who is to accomplish them. For in this text the little word "us" is well to be noticed, as the power lies with. All children who are born are born to themselves or to their parents; only this one child bears the name that it is born to us; it is called us, us, us. All of us is the child, born to us too well. For for himself he would not have had to be born at all. Therefore everything that he is, has and does from birth or after mankind,
that is, and is ours, and is ministered to us, which is to be our salvation and blessedness. The word "us" now demands firm faith. For even if he were born a thousand times and a thousand times, and yet had not been born "to us" and become our own, this would not help us. What does it help us that so many thousands of people have been born and are born every day from the beginning of the world?
39 Now look at the words, what kind of person this king is, and how masterfully Isaiah sets and weighs his words. First of all, he is a born child, that is, a natural man; for jeled in Hebrew is infans, a young-born child, as it is born of woman. This proves that Christ is a natural man, born of a woman, having flesh, blood, bone, marrow, skin and hair, living, walking, standing and doing like another man, and yet born without sin, above all others. For as this text compels that he be born in the right natural man: so the former text compels that he be born without all sin, as Isaias saith, that he hath broken the burden, the rod, the beater, that is, sin, death, the law. For it does not rhyme that he should be born in sins, who breaks and subdues sin; otherwise sin would have broken and subdued him, as happens to all other men who are born.
(40) So then we have that this child is a natural but innocent holy man, and that the same is all ours, what he is, has, does, and is able to do. For that he is holy and innocent is ours, because he was born to us; therefore his holiness and innocence is ours, as if we had it ourselves, and we adorn and clothe ourselves in it before God, as in our adornment, which is given to us, if we believe otherwise. So we are innocent and holy in the innocence and holiness of this child.
41 Secondly, he is the Son, and is given to us. Here he does not say: the Son is born to us, but "given"; these are fine, sweet words. He calls him "Son" so that he proves that this king is not only man, but also a true natural God. He must be a different son than all other sons of men are, because he is such a natural God.
Do the things that have been said. Even if all the sons were our own, it would not help us, because there is no one who is not broken by sin, death and law. Now if he is to break death, sin, and law, he must truly have divine power with him, especially because he is not to do it for himself, but for us, and it is given to us; for to help other people from sins, death, and law, is vain God's power.
If then he is both Son and God, he has all things in his hands and must be like God, but such divinity is not born to us, for he did not receive it for our sake; he received it from the Father for himself from all eternity, but it was given to us that it might be ours also. But if the same is ours, what is there that is not ours? As St. Paul says to the Romans Cap. 8, 32: "How should he not have given us all things with him, if he gave the Son for us?"
43 Therefore we have the person of this king, that he should be a true God and man, born of a virgin; for everything that is born of man and woman is sinful, as John Cap. 3:6, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh," and again John 1:13, "Who are born, not of the blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." Now if he should break sin and death, he had not to be born of flesh nor blood, and yet should be right natural man born of woman, as here Isaiah says: "A child is born to us."
44 Here the means had to be found and taken that he would be born of woman and yet not of flesh. This meant that he had to be born of his mother not by the power and implanted nature of the flesh, but supernaturally, by the special power of the Holy Spirit, that is, his mother had to become a virgin and conceive without the help of a man, as we confess in faith: He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of Mary of virgins. So it could be that he would be man without sin and lord over sin, and sin would never have had him under itself from the first moment of his
Mankind. For so it was also fitting that God's Son should be born, because it could not be that God's Son should be under sin; otherwise God Himself would have become a sinner and would have needed a Savior like us: who then would have helped us?
And his dominion will be on his shoulder.
This saying is painted as the infant Christ carrying the cross on his shoulder when he was sent by God to Mary. And even though it does not show it adequately, I do not dislike such a painting for the sake of the simple; for it hits something and does not miss at all. First, it is obvious enough that the kingdom of the secular kings is painted differently, not on the shoulders, but the crown on the head, the apple in the left hand, the scepter in the right hand. We will now leave aside what this means.
46 Christ's kingdom are His Christians, as St. Peter says: "You are the royal priesthood and property, 1 Petr. 2, 9. Item, in the Psalter it says: "I will give you the Gentiles for an inheritance," Ps. 2, 8. And there are many more sayings. Isaiah paints such a kingdom on his shoulder: first because he took us and our sin upon himself and carried it on the trunk of the cross, and still carries it daily in all our infirmities; as St. Peter says in the 1st Epistle Cap. 2, 24. says, "He bore our sin in His body on the wood." And John the Baptist says, "Behold, this is the Lamb of God, which bareth the sin of the world," Joh. 1, 29.; and in Luke, Cap. 10, 34. the Samaritan bears the half-dead man on his beast. Item, he is the shepherd who brings home the lost sheep on his shoulder, Luc. 15, 5. This is the cross that is painted on the shoulder of the child Christ.
47 From this you see what a sweet and comforting word it is when Isaiah says, "His dominion is on his shoulder. He does not say, "His dominion is at Jerusalem, or in Syria, or Asia, or India, or any place in the world;" but on his shoulder. Where he is, there it is also, free from all things, in no place, time, or person.
They are not bound to him, but to himself alone. For this reason he bears them with all their infirmities, as a father bears his children, as a shepherd bears his lambs, and does not cast them away because of sin, but heals them and helps them. For his kingdom is a kingdom of grace, a kingdom of help, a kingdom of comfort to all poor sinners. And is ever wonderfully spoken of, that he should bear his kingdom upon his shoulder, and yet be in all the world: for he shall reign in all places by the gospel, and yet bear the same in all places upon his shoulder. Worldly princes may be lifted up and carried, led and guided by their kingdom, but this King lifts up, carries, leads, lays, guides his own.
(48) It cannot be otherwise than this: At the cross he bore us all at once; but now he bears us through the gospel, that is, it is preached how he bore us at that time, and obtained forgiveness for all the sins we had done, do, or will do. O what a fine title is this, what a comforting saying of Christ, that he carries his kingdom on his shoulder. In the same way Moses speaks in his song in the fifth book Cap. 32, 11. that God carried the people of Israel on his shoulder, that is, as with young children he dealt with them, nursed them, tolerated their ways and helped them etc., as Christ also does to us.
49 Secondly, this is called a dominion on his shoulder, indicating that it is a kingdom in faith. For we see him from behind his back, not from the front of his face; as he also says to Moses, Ex. 33:23: "Thou canst not see my face, but from behind thou shalt see me when I depart." St. Paul also says in 1 Cor. 13:12: "We see now by a dark word, but then face to face." So he carries us in faith, that we do not see him, and yet feel his power, so that he carries us, redeems us, helps us and keeps us. Follow as he shall be called:
And his name is Pele, Jogetz, El, Gibbor, Abigad, Sarsalom.
(50) He gives six names to this king, which are called in Hebrew, as it is written:
Pele, Jogetz, EI, Gibbor, Abigad, Sarsalom; in German: Wunderbar, Rath, Kraft, Held, Immer-Vater, Pfriedefürst. Here you must not think that he is to be called by his name or called by his person, as someone else is called by his name, because it would become a long tale, where one should always count the six names, as often as one would call him: but these are names, which one will preach, praise and boast about him, because of his deeds, works and office. For in Hebrew this text may also read thus: And his name shall be preached; for "to call," "to call," "to preach," is a word in Hebrew, as David is called, "gentle," "humble," "contending," "wise," etc., that is, one praises his virtue and work or quality with such names, so that he may be specially recognized and set apart before others, which names in German we call the surnames, which one uses for the right name. As, there are many who are called Peter; but if one says Peter, the apostle of Christ, who honored Christ with his death, then one gives him a surname from his virtue, office or quality. There are many who are called Hans, but when they say Hans Schreiber, they call him that because of his own office. Now, in the Hebrew language, the surnames are called names as well as the right names, and the names of praise are the same; for God is called good, gracious, judge of the poor, helper of the needy, father of the fatherless, and so on.
Pele, Wonderful.
The first name shows what kind of ways this king has to rule his kingdom, and says that he makes it strange and weird that all reason, nature and wisdom surpasses and cannot be comprehended. How so? He rules us as he himself was ruled by the Father. This happened as the 118th Psalm v. 22. 23. sings: "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This was done by the Lord, and is marvelous in our sight." Was it not a strange thing that, desiring to enter into eternal life, he went to death; and desiring to enter into the glory of the Father, he came into all shame, even to the cross?
Hanged among the murderers in the most shameful manner; when he was to make many people and the whole world subject, his own people also fell from him, so that they not only denied him, but also betrayed him, sold him, handed him over, crucified him and blasphemed him? Is this not a strange and wondrous thing, that the stone, rejected so high and low, should become a cornerstone? In sum, no more foolish, impossible, desperate thing has ever been heard or seen on earth, than that a dying man should not only be alive, but also be the Lord and the Extinguisher of life, and the Resurrector of all the dead; that death should come among him whom he kills, and again be killed by him eternally; item, that he should become a king of honors, whom his own people forsook, betrayed, persecuted, murdered, blasphemed, and profaned, and so on in all other things, which are vain unspeakable wonders. But we are used to hearing it every day, so we no longer wonder about it, because we do not think about it, nor do we believe it seriously, otherwise we would wonder about it without ceasing.
52 He does the same with his own, that is, with his kingdom. A worldly king rules in such a way that he keeps his people to himself and to himself and puts away foreigners or enemies. This one turns it around: he leaves his own people, the Jews, and accepts the Gentiles, his enemies, breaks and destroys Judaism to the ground, and builds the Gentiles into his kingdom as far as the world is. How fine should one praise the prince who leaves his people and takes his enemies into the country, yet pretends that he wants to rule deliciously? He would be considered nonsensical, mad and foolish, as would be the case if worldly government were carried out in this way. So, whom he wants to make pious, he makes a desperate sinner; whom he wants to make wise, he makes a fool; whom he wants to make strong, he makes weak; whom he wants to make alive, he puts in the jaws of death; whom he wants to lead to heaven, he sinks into the abyss of hell; and so on. Whom he wills to bring to honor, to blessedness, to dominion, high and great, he makes to all shame, condemned, a servant,
low and small. The saying goes: "The first are last and the last are first", Matth. 19, 30. Whoever wants to be great, let him be small, Luc. 22, 26; whoever wants to go in front, let him go behind.
Now this is the wondrous and strange king, who is nearest when he is farthest, and farthest when he is nearest. That null does not seem strange to us makes it so that we do not experience it and are also untried inside, but hear and hear the words of it every day until we get tired of them and never come to the deed; but those who are inside and are practiced, they see and feel what a strange being it is and how cheaply he is called Wonderful. And this is the sum: He is wonderful because his being, kingdom and rule stands in suffering and killing the old Adam, and leaves nothing good, everything that he does, knows and can.
Jogetz, Rath.
The other name shows how he stands by us in such suffering, death and crosses, so that we do not despair or perish under them. And is also wonderful in this same support; for he does not stand by us as the world and the old Adam stand by; as he says, John 14:27 and Cap. 16:33: "Peace I leave with you, and my peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth: for in the world ye shall have tribulation, but in me ye shall have peace." So the world helps itself to flee from suffering and hardship, or resists by force to get rid of it, because it exercises physical power against it, or suffers it with displeasure where it must. But Christ lets His own remain under it and stands by them without bodily power, but with the word, as He says in Isaiah Cap. 50, 4: "The Lord has given me a wise tongue, that with the word I may strengthen him who is weary." Such a word, so that we may be comforted in suffering, is good counsel, and he who is able to do this is good counsel; that is why Christ is appropriately called "counsel." So he advised the apostles in Joh. 16, 33: "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world"; item Cap. 14, 1. 28: "Do not let your heart be troubled or afraid. You have heard that I have saved you.
If you loved me, you would rejoice that I said I was going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I." etc. And all these evening sermons and vespers, what else are they but vain counsels and words of comfort in suffering? In the same way, the Lord Christ and His own say in Psalm 16, v. 7: "The Lord has counseled me"; item Prov. 2, 6: "The Lord gives me understanding" etc., that is, He leaves me without physical strength in suffering, but He does not leave me with advice and understanding on how I should conduct myself in it.
55 Thus it is in Christ's kingdom that we are ruled by the word of God alone, which here Isaiah praises with the virtue that it can give good counsel and comfort; no other king or lord can do this. For where they are overcome in body or their land is ruined, their counsel and comfort are gone; for their counsel and comfort is when the bag is full, and power is above, and honor remains whole. But here it is best to counsel and comfort when everything is corrupt and desperate. That is why faith belongs to it; for it is a counsel of faith, because it comes when there is nothing left and only the invisible is to be hoped for. Who else could stand when the Lord, according to His first name, leads us so strangely that we have nothing to hold on to? There must be at least one word to counsel and comfort us. Summa: He is called "Counsel" for this reason, that with the gospel he comforts his own in the world, who are forsaken and in all kinds of tribulation.
El, force.
The word el in the Hebrew is assigned to God, and God is also often called el; from this it is to be concluded against the Jews that Christ is God, and they lead this saying of Jesus. So the Jews resist, and have their subterfuge as they can. But to say briefly, because the word el is not assigned to God alone in Scripture, nor does it mean deity of any kind, one cannot force from it that it should and must be called God here; just as when God is called "good" and "righteous," one cannot take from it that such words are
"good" and "righteous" where it is written must mean God; because both words are attributed to God and many others.
Now Isaiah speaks here of such names, which do not indicate the person, but the office of Christ and the nature of his kingdom, and we must have more certain sayings, as we also have to prove Christ's divinity; so I will remain with the natural interpretation of the word, what it means by nature. But it means nothing of kind but power or ability; as we have in the fifth book of Moses Cap. 28, 32, where Moses speaks of the Jews' misfortune: "And there shall be no power in thy hands," as we read: "There shall be no power in thy hands" to resist or save thee from such misfortune. So we also have the name in German lands that some are called Kraft or Kraftmann, which is copied or borrowed from the Hebrew. Let "Kraft" or "Kraftmann" be the third name of this king. But that I do not say Jogetz, as it is in Hebrew, I do so because we do not like to give the letter Ain without the letter G; as St. Marcus also does in the word bnehargem, since it is bneharem in Hebrew.
58 "Strength" now indicates how the counsel is strong; for we Germans also put the two together and say: counsel and help; for where there is counsel alone, it is words, but if there is no emphasis, nothing comes of it in the end. But Christ, by counseling and comforting us with the word of the gospel, also gives us strength to believe it, to abide and persevere in it, and finally to push through it, to gain the victory, and to keep the field. For this is not the opinion of Christ, when he leads us whimsically and brings us into suffering and the cross, that we should always remain in it and have enough of the counsel and word alone, and should be finished with it: no, not so. The counsel and the word shall be there as long as the suffering lasts, and shall sustain us, so that we do not sink from weakness; but it shall also now at last have an end, and through our patience be overcome and let go.
59 Take St. Paul as an example. How often has he been caught in the lion's jaws?
that is, in all kinds of tribulation? But with what does he counsel and comfort himself? With the counsel and word of God; but he still comes through and wins in the end, as he amply describes in the other epistle to the Corinthians, Cap. 11. So, although we have many tribulations, one after the other, sometimes with each other, now sin, now death, now the world, now the devil etc., but these are all works of Pele. Among all these, he is there with his counsel and word, comforting us that we may suffer. In the end, he also carries it out and makes the weather beautiful again, so that we may keep the field; as St. Paul says in 2 Cor. 1:3: "Praise be to God, who always lets us keep the field through Christ. For he is called strength, and is not only able to counsel and comfort us, but also to help us and to cast suffering under us; he has the power and is a rock, so that even the gates of hell may not overpower us, Matth. 16, 18.
Gibbor, Hero.
(60) How finely the names follow one another, and cleave one to another, even as all things do in the kingdom of Christ. For the first is to kill the old Adam, with all kinds of suffering and crosses; but there is comfort and counsel in the word. So there is not enough counsel and comfort, there must also be power to get us through. That is half of the names. And we see that they all three apply to us, and that he is called this for our sake, for our service and benefit, not for his own. Now, with the three names, we are governed, ruled, preserved and defended, and he, the king, has to deal with his own in the three offices.
61 But how he now also attacks the enemies and deals with them is indicated by the fourth name. For this is a right lord, who first provides, prepares and prepares his land and people, then attacks the enemies and makes his kingdom larger. But this is also a strange thing; for everything about this king must be strange, as the first name says: strangely he kills, strangely he advises and comforts, strangely he helps to win and conquer, all in suffering.
and strength. So he also fights and quarrels, and brings the people whimsically under him; for he is a hero and a man of war, yes, a giant, without sword and armor, as St. Paul speaks 2 Cor. 10, 4-6."The weapons of our knighthood are not carnal, but mighty in the sight of God to disturb the fortification, that we may disturb the plots and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and take captive all reason under the obedience of Christ; and be ready to avenge all disobedience." So also the 110th Psalm v. 2. says: "Thou shalt reign in the midst of thine enemies"; and in the 45th Psalm v. 6. says: "Thine arrows are sharp; nations shall come under thee in the midst of the king's enemies."
62. he does all these things with the holy gospel, which is his sword, his arrows, and his weapons, that he may cut in pieces and destroy all wisdom, understanding, power, and holiness. Is it not a strange thing? Nothing but to lead the word, and with it to win the world without all the stroke of the sword, yes, with much suffering and cross; and not only to win, but also to resist and stand against all heresy and error, and at last to strike down and retain the victory? No king on earth can do this, for his word is too small; he must do it with might and power. Here is the same thing that he says in Matthew 12:29, how a strong man possesses his house in peace until a stronger man comes upon him and overcomes him, taking all that he has and dividing the spoils. This is the victorious strong hero, of whom Isaiah says here that he is to be called Gibbor; and is indeed quite a masterpiece, such fighting and winning. He first attacks the heart with the word; for he preaches that all works, wit and reason are nothing but vain sin in the sight of God; so that all holiness, wisdom, power, riches and what the world has falls away. For then presumption is gone, and man must despair of himself and surrender, and confess that it is so. But where the heart is despondent and won over, what will or can a man resist or contend? But those who do not yet despair are not yet won, with
The hero still fights them by the word until he wins them, or the judgment of God's home.
63) So the dear apostles did, they confidently struck out with the word of God, where the devil was thickest and strongest with his kingdom, and tore and took much from him, cut off and destroyed his kingdom in all lands; as we read in their stories, how Saint Paul fought with the devil and fought chivalrously, and won everywhere; therefore he also used to call such preaching a fight, quarrel, fencing and jousting etc. So we do now, and all Christians until the last day, to cut off many people from the devil and snatch them out of his jaws. For we are not satisfied that we are saved and have strength; but we also serve the Gibbor, the hero of Christ, that he may gain much through us and that his kingdom may become great.
For this reason a Christian is so equipped that he lies daily in the field and fights with the enemies, and for this reason God is also called Deus Zebaoth by the prophets, that is, God of the hosts. For he is a true prince of war, since his word cannot be idle, it attacks the devil and the world freshly. The devil cannot stand this, he defends himself confidently, sets up mobs and heresy and incites princes and lords against it; then it rises, there it goes plitz, platz, who lies there, that lies. But where the word of God is not, war does not cease, and the devil sits again in his kingdom with peace, seven times worse than before, as the Lord says in Matthew 12:45.