And when eight days were expired for circumcising the child, his name was called Jesus, which was called of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
(1) On this day the New Year is usually preached in the pulpit, as if there were not enough useful and wholesome things to preach, so that one had to preach such useless fables instead of the divine word, and make a game and a disgrace out of such a serious office. The gospel demands to preach about circumcision and about the name of Jesus; let us look at this.
First of all, let us ask the sibling, Mrs. Isabel, the natural reason: Is it not a foolish, mocking, useless commandment that God demands circumcision? Could he not find a limb in the body but this? If Abraham had followed reason here, he would not have believed that God was the one who demanded it of him; for there is ever such a foolish thing before our eyes that could hardly be more foolish. In addition, the Jews had great shame and disgrace, were despised by all the world and considered an abomination. Above all this, there is no benefit in it; what does it help that the body is destroyed? man does not get better from it, since it all depends on the soul.
(3) But so are and should be all God's commandments and works, that they appear most foolish, most shameful, most useless before our eyes, so that the hopeful reason, which thinks itself wise and prudent, may be defiled and blinded, that it may surrender its conceit and submit to God, give Him glory, and believe that all that He pretends is the most useful, the most honest, the wisest, even though it does not see this and thinks otherwise. If God had given her a sign that would have been appropriate and useful, wise and honest in her conceit, she would have remained in her old skin and would not have abandoned her hope.
would have remained in the habit of seeking and loving vain honor, usefulness and wisdom on earth, and thus would have become more and more deeply rooted in worldly, temporal things. But now he puts foolish, useless, shameful things before her, he pulls her out of the desire for benefit, honor, wisdom, and teaches her to look only at immoral divine wisdom, honor and benefit, and therefore gladly suffer lack of temporal honor, benefit and wisdom, to be a fool, poor, unfit, and disdainful for God's sake. Therefore, God was not concerned with circumcision, but with the humiliation of the proud nature and reason.
(4) So also in the New Testament we have baptism, that we should immerse ourselves in water, and believe that we are cleansed from sins and saved; item, that Christ's body is in the bread of the altar; item, that we worship the crucified man for a Lord and God: all this is immeasurably above and against reason. Thus, all the works and words of God go against reason, and they in turn go against God, and fall apart over the sign of contradiction. It was a foolish speech before men when Noah built the ark and said that the world would sink. Lot must have been a fool to say that Sodom and Gomorrah would perish. A fool was Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh the king. Finally, God's word and its preachers must be fools; as St. Paul says 1 Cor. 1, 21. And in this God seeks no more than humility, that man should give up his reason and be subject to divine truth. Thus the foolish circumcision was given to Abraham and his seed, that they might give glory to God under it, and leave him alone to be wise.
5. the same circumcision was now a
outward signs, so that God's people were recognized before other peoples; just as we see that every ruler gives his people and army his banner and slogan, so that they are recognized among themselves and by foreigners to which lord they belong. Thus God has never left His people without such signs or slogans, so that one could outwardly recognize in the world where His people were. The Jews were recognized by their circumcision, which was their divine motto. Our password is baptism and the body of Christ; therefore, the ancient fathers called such signs characteres, symbola, tesseras, that is, password or army sign, which we now call sacraments, that is, holy signs. For where there is baptism, there are certainly Christians; they are where they want to be in the world, it does not matter if they are not under the pope, as he pretends, and would also like to make himself a sacrament and Christian slogan.
(6) That is enough of the bodily cause of circumcision; now let us also look at the spiritual cause and its meaning. First, why did he not command to circumcise the fingers, hand, foot, ear, or eye, or any other limb; taking that which is not for any work or exercise in human affairs, and was created by God for the birth and increase of nature? If the evil were to be cut off, the hand or the tongue would be cut off before all limbs; since through the tongue and the hand all wickedness is accomplished among men.
(7) Here it is said that it happened because the evil desire showed itself most in the part of the body; therefore Adam and Eve also felt the disobedience of their flesh there and sought cover for their shame. All this is true, but it is also illustrated here that we always say how God does not condemn or save the person for the sake of the works, but the works for the sake of the person. Therefore our infirmity is not in works, but in nature; the person, nature, and whole being is corrupted in us by Adam's fall; therefore no work can be good in us until the nature and personal being is changed and regenerated. The tree is not good, therefore the fruits are evil.
(8) Thus God taught in the circumcision of every man for a time, that no man should become righteous by works or laws, and that all works and labor to become righteous or blessed should be in vain, so long as the nature and person are not changed. Behold, if he had now commanded the hand or tongue to be circumcised, it would have been a sign that the infirmity was in the words and works to walk, that he was favorable to the nature and person, and hastened only the words and works. But now he takes the member that has no work at all, for that the nature and personal being comes through it, he clearly indicates that the whole essence of nature is lacking, that its birth and origin is corrupt and sinful. This is the original sin, or natural sin, or personal sin, the real principal sin; if this were not the case, there would be no real sin. This sin is not done, like all other sin; but it is, it lives and does all sin, and is the essential sin, which does not sin for an hour or a time, but where and how long the person is, there is sin also. ,
9 God alone looks upon this natural sin. It cannot be driven away by any law, by any punishment, even if there were a thousand holes; but only the grace of God must sweep it out, which makes nature pure and new. The law only shows it and teaches it, but it does not help it; only the hand and the limbs, the person and the nature may not resist it, so that it is not sinful; for it has already preceded the law from birth, and has become sinful before the law has forbidden it. As little is it in any man's power that he is born and receives the natural being: as little is it in his ability that he should be without this sin, or be rid of it. He who creates us is the only one who must put it away: therefore he first gives the law, so that man may recognize his sin and become merciful; then he gives the gospel and helps him.
10 Secondly: But why does he command to circumcise the male alone, when to nature and birth must also come the female? and the prophet Ps. 51:7.
complains more of the mother than of the father, saying, "Behold, in iniquity was I made, and in sins did my mother conceive me." Of course, it was for the sake of Christ and his mother that it was and could be in the future that a natural man and person would come from a woman without all sin and the cooperation of nature. But that which is conceived of a man sinneth against both man and woman, and cannot come to pass without sin on both sides. Therefore Christ did not want to be conceived by a man, so that his mother would not also have to sin and conceive him in sins. So he used her female flesh and body for natural birth, but not for natural conception, and was conceived and born a true man without sin. Behold, because from a woman might come a pure innocent birth, nature, and person; but from a man might not come, for sinful birth, nature, and person: therefore circumcision is put upon the man's person only, that it might be witnessed how all birth out of man is sinful and damned, to be circumcised and changed; but that which alone comes from a woman without a man, innocent and undamned, ought neither to be circumcised nor changed. And here one would like to draw that which John Cap. 1, 12. 13. writes: "He has given them power to become children of God, who believe in His name, who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of the man, but of God"; if one wants to understand birth from the man through the will of the man. Now if more women could also give birth without a man, then these births would all be pure and holy; but this one mother alone is reserved.
Thirdly: Why did it have to happen on the eighth day? Here again the natural sin is indicated. For the poor child has not yet committed any real sin; it must still be circumcised and receive the sign of cleansing from sins. If he had been commanded to be circumcised after eight years, one would say it was for the sake of the sin he had committed and to avoid the future sin.
sin. Now he lays them both down, that neither for sins past, nor for sins to come, he is called circumcised on the eighth day: without doubt, that a greater sin is born and incarnate there, than there is no real sin.
012 But if any man should say here, Yea, Abraham was circumcised with his servants and his household, when they were great and old, Genesis 17:23; therefore shall circumcision signify the sin which was really committed? Answer: The Scripture comes before and resolves this, that Abraham was not justified by circumcision, but was justified from his sins before, when he received circumcision; for Genesis 15:6 says that he was justified by faith before circumcision, when he was eighty years old, or a little more, and received circumcision when he was nine and ninety years old; but that circumcision came at twenty years after his justification. As St. Paul also concludes from this against the Jews, that it is not circumcision but faith without circumcision that makes one righteous, as Abraham's example compels; therefore circumcision is not a putting away of sin, but a sign of the same putting away; which only happens through faith, as happened to Abraham. Therefore, as in Abraham, so in all men it requires faith, which puts away natural sin and makes the person righteous and acceptable.
13. Now if Abraham's faith had not been described before circumcision, it would certainly have been a sign of the original sin in him, as it is in the children, which faith is not described beforehand; therefore the Scripture has arranged it in this way, that Abraham believed beforehand and was circumcised afterwards, and the others were circumcised beforehand and believed afterwards; so that the two things might stand: The first, that circumcision is only a sign of justification, and that no one is justified by it; the second, that faith alone justifies without the help of circumcision, and thus faith and its sign are clearly distinguished from presumptuous righteousness in works.
14 The eighth day is also appointed for this reason, perhaps for a physical reason, so that the child may become a little hard before it is born, and so that it would not appear to have died from weakness if it were circumcised soon after birth.
15 But the spiritual interpretation is more important. Seven days signify this transitory time until the last day; therefore the same time is measured by the weeks or seven days described in Genesis 1. The eighth day is the youngest day, after this time, when the weeks, months and years will cease and be only one eternal day. On the same day this circumcision will be completed, when not only the soul but also the body will be redeemed from sins, death and all uncleanness, shining like the sun; but the soul will be circumcised by faith from sin and evil conscience.
16 Thus we see how the Scriptures urge faith in all places, but only the faith of Christ. Therefore circumcision was not given to the fathers by the law of Moses, nor before Abraham, but to Abraham, to whom Christ, his seed, was promised as a blessing, so that physical circumcision would always be in harmony with spiritual circumcision.
(17) Why then has it ceased, since the same faith of Christ that it shows still continues and remains? Answer: God has always kept One faith in Christ from the beginning of the world to the end, but He has not given One sign of it. If all the signs that go to faith were to remain, who would keep them? But since faith is inward and unseen, God has presented it to man with many outward signs, so that he would be tempted to believe by them, as by many examples, and has let each one go on for its time. How many signs did Moses alone perform in Egypt and in the wilderness, all of which have passed and lasted their time, and all of which were signs of faith? So when he promised Abraham the blessing in his seed and gave him a sign of it, circumcision, it could not last longer by virtue of the same promise than until the fulfillment of the same promise.
name. But when Christ, the blessed seed, came, the promise was finished and fulfilled, so that it was no longer necessary to wait for it; therefore the sign also had to be finished and cease, for what could it remain, since its promise, on which it depended, was finished? But the faith, its meaning, remains always, the promise goes or remains with its sign.
18) But circumcision is not such that it is a sin to circumcise, as St. Jerome and many others hold; but it has become free for whoever wishes to circumcise or not to circumcise, provided he does not do so in the opinion that it is necessary and commanded, or that the promise of God to Abraham is still to be expected and unfulfilled, or that he is thereby presuming to be pious; for none of these opinions is acceptable to faith. Therefore, it is not the work, but the delusion and opinion in the work. He who circumcises his opinion, as one circumcises his hair, beard, or skin, for love and service, does not sin; for he does so unbound by the law and without need of justification, nor contrary to the fulfilled promise of God, but of his own free will and choice, because the promise is fulfilled and the sign attached to it is completed with it.
19 God has never had the custom of setting up a sign again when it has come to its end, but always sets up new and different ones. Thus, after the fulfillment of His promise, after Christ's future, He established another new sign for Abraham's seed, namely, baptism; which, of course, is the last sign established before the last day, because He established it through Himself. Nevertheless, the same faith of Christ remains that was in Abraham, for he knows neither of day nor night, nor of any external transformation. Now the same baptism means the circumcision, which is to be said of it in its time.
20 Lastly, the custom was to name the child in circumcision, as we see here and in John Baptist, who was also given his name in his circumcision. However,
Just as Christ was not guilty of circumcision, and the same sign was empty in him; so also his name was given to him beforehand through the angel, so that he also did not gain it from circumcision. Which was done and described so that he might be free from the law and sin before all other men, and only serve us by putting himself under the law and becoming like us to redeem us from it, as St. Paul says in the previous epistle: "He was put under the law to redeem those who were under the law," Gal. 4:4, 5.
21 For at the same time as death fell upon him, and slew him, and yet had no right nor cause against him, and he willingly and innocently submitted himself, and was put to death; so that death became guilty against him, wronged him, and sinned against him, and made himself a neglect of all things, that Christ had a just claim against him. So great is the wrong he has forfeited against him that death cannot pay nor atone. Therefore he must be under Christ and in his power forever. And so death is conquered and strangled in Christ. Now this Christ did not do for himself, but for us, and gave us the same conquest of death in baptism: so all who believe in Christ must also be masters of death, death their subject, even their malefactor, whom they must judge and put away, as they do in death and the last day. For by the gift of Christ, death has also forfeited itself to all to whom Christ makes such a gift. Behold, that is, sweetly and merrily redeemed from death by Christ; that is, the spiritual wars of Joshua against the heathen of Canaan, before the five kings, whom the princes of Israel trod upon their necks by his command. Jos. 10.
22 Therefore also the circumcision did wrong to Christ, he was not guilty of it; therefore it was justly subject to Christ, and he became mighty over it, overcame it, and honored us with it, that it must cease, and has no more right over those who believe in Christ; so he also made us free from the circumcision, only by giving himself innocent under it, and giving us his right against it.
23) See, but this is called Christ under
He did the law to redeem those who were under it, Gal. 4:5. Further, he also put himself under all other laws, of which he was guilty of none, as one Lord and God over all; therefore they all fell to him, wronged him and now must rightly also be subject to him.
24. now he has given the same to us; therefore, if we believe in Christ, and the law would punish us as sinners, and death would press upon it, and so drive the wretched conscience to hell; and you again hold up to them their sin and wrong which they have done against Christ, your Lord: do you not think that they also will be ashamed and more afraid of you than you are of them? Death will feel its guilt and flee with shame; the law will have to let go of its terror and laugh kindly with Christ. So sin must be expelled with sin. The sins they have committed in Christ and now also in you for the sake of your faith are greater than those you have committed against them. God, the right judge, will not suffer a great thief to hang a little one, but if the great one is to be loosed, the little one must be loosed. St. Paul says about this in 1 Cor. 15, 55, 56, 57: "Death, where is your sting? Sin is the sting of death; but thanks be to God, who has given us this victory through Jesus Christ our Lord, for death is swallowed up in victory." Behold, is not this a sweet redemption from the law through him who innocently put himself under the law?
Help God, how abundantly rich and powerful is faith! It makes man a God to whom nothing is impossible, as Christ says: "Can you believe? All things are possible to him who believes." Therefore also the 82nd Psalm v. 6. says: "You are gods, and all children of the Most High" etc.
26. today his name is called Jesus, that is in German, Heiland; because in German we call him Heiland, who helps, redeems, makes blessed and is completely healable for everyone; the Hebrew language calls him Jesus. So the angel Gabriel spoke to Joseph in his sleep Matth. 1, 21.
And thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. There the angel himself explains why he is called Savior, Jesus, namely that he is a salvation and blessedness for his people. We have now heard how this comes about through faith, to which he gives all his right and good, which he has over sin, death and the law, making him righteous, free and blessed.
27 Now, as circumcision signifies our faith, as we have heard: so the calling of children signifies that we are named and known before God by faith. For all who do not believe do not know God, as Ps. 1:6 says: "God knows the ways of the righteous, and the way of the righteous is the way of the righteous.
the loose will perish." And Matth. 25, 12: "Verily I say unto you, I know not your name." What then is our name? Without doubt, as Christ gives us all His own, so He also gives us His name; therefore we are all called Christians by Him, all God's children by Him, all Jesus by Him, all Saviors by Him, and as He is called, so are we called; as St. Paul writes Rom. 8:24: "Ye have been saved in hope; for ye are Jesus or Saviors." Behold, therefore there is no measure of the Christian estate and honor; these are the superfluous riches of his goodness, which he pours upon us, that our hearts may be free, glad, at peace, and undaunted, and so keep the law willingly and cheerfully, amen.