Luc. 18:31-43.
And he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be accomplished which were written by the prophets concerning the Son of man. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles; and he shall be mocked, and reviled, and spit upon; and they shall scourge him, and kill him; and the third day he shall rise again. But they heard none of these things, and the words were hid from them, neither knew they what they spake. Now it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Jericho, that a blind man sat by the way side begging. When he heard the people passing by, he inquired what it was. Then they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he cried out, saying, JEsu, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And they that went before him beset him, that he should hold his peace. But he cried much more, Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus held his peace, and commanded him to be brought unto him. And when they had brought him nigh unto him, he asked him, saying, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may see. And Jesus said unto him, Be thou seen; thy faith hath helped thee. And straightway he saw, and followed him, and glorified God. And all the people who saw these things praised God.
1. this gospel also holds out to us the two things: faith and love, both in that Christ says: he must go to the Lord.
Jerusalem, and let himself be martyred; and in the blind man, whom Christ serves and helps. The first part, faith, is proved by the fact that the Scripture is not fulfilled, because
through Christ's suffering; also the Scripture says of nothing but Christ, and all is to be done for Christ, who must fulfill it with his death. But if his death must do it, our death will do nothing to it; for our death is a sinful and condemned death. But if our death is sinful and condemned, which is the highest and heaviest suffering and misfortune, what should others deserve of our sufferings and tortures? And if our sufferings are nothing and lost, what should our good works do, since suffering is always nobler and better than works? Christ alone must be here, and faith must hold this fast.
(2) But he says these words before he made the suffering, when he was on his way to Jerusalem, as at the feast of Easter, when the disciples were least aware of his suffering and thought they would be glad at the feast. He did this so that they would be all the stronger in their faith when they remembered that he had said these things beforehand and had willingly gone to suffer and would not be crucified by the violence or wit of the Jews, his enemies; as Isaiah Cap. 53:7. The angel of the same also admonished the women on Easter Day, Luc. 24:6, that they should remember these words, which he now says here, so that they would know and believe more firmly how he willingly suffered these things for our good.
3 And this is the right reason to recognize Christ's suffering, if one recognizes and understands not only his suffering, but also his heart and will for suffering. For whoever looks at his suffering in such a way that he does not see his will and heart in it, must rather be frightened by it than rejoice in it. But if one sees his heart and will in it, it gives right comfort, confidence and desire for Christ. Therefore the 40th Psalm v. 8. 9. praises such a will of God and Christ in suffering, when it says: "In the book it is written of me that I should do your will, my God; I also do it gladly." The epistle to the Hebrews Cap. 10, 10. speaks of this: "By such a will are we all sanctified"; does not say: by the suffering and blood of Christ, which is nevertheless also true, but by the will of God, and
Christ, that they both were of one will to sanctify us through the blood of Christ. Such a will to suffer he also shows here in the gospel, since he announces beforehand that he wants to go up to Jerusalem and be crucified; as if he should say: "Look at my heart, that I do it willingly, freely and gladly, so that you will not be frightened or horrified when you see it, and it will seem to you that I do it unwillingly, that I must do it, that I am abandoned and that the Jews do it by force.
4 "But this saying the disciples understood not," saith he, "and the word was hid from them." This much is said: Reason, flesh and blood cannot understand nor grasp that the Scriptures should say how the Son of Man must be crucified; much less does it understand that this is His will and that He likes to do it; for it does not believe that it is necessary for us, wants to act with works before God itself: But God must reveal it in the heart through his Spirit, so that it is proclaimed outwardly with the word in the ears; yes, even those to whom the Spirit reveals it inwardly hardly believe it and fidget about it. It is such a great and wonderful thing that the Son of Man was crucified willingly and gladly to fulfill the Scripture, that is, to make it good for us; it is a mystery and remains a mystery.
(5) It follows, then, how foolishly they do who teach that men should bear their suffering and death patiently, to atone for their sin and obtain mercy; and especially they who comfort those who are to be put away by judgment and sentence, or who are otherwise to die, pretending that if they suffer it willingly, all their sin will therefore be forgiven them. These are deceivers, for they conceal Christ with his death, on which our consolation stands, and make people falsely trust in their own suffering and death. This is the worst thing that can happen to a person in the end, so that he is led straight to hell. But you learn and say: What death! what patience! My death is nothing; neither will I have it nor hear of it for my consolation: Christ's suffering and death is my consolation, and I trust that through it my sins will be forgiven me.
But my death I will suffer to my God for praise, honor, free, and my neighbor's use and service, relying on it for nothing everywhere.
(6) There is much another thing, to die boldly, or to suffer death patiently, or to bear any chastisement willingly; and another thing, by such death or suffering to blot out sin and obtain grace in the sight of God. The first has been done by pagans, and is still done by many a loose boy and rough man; but the second is a poisonous, deadly addition, devised by the devil, like all other lies, so that he may have confidence and comfort in our own deeds and works; from which we must beware. For as nearly as I should resist if someone teaches me that I should go to a monastery if I want to be saved, so nearly should I resist if someone wants to set up my death or suffering for my consolation and hope at the last end, as if only that should be of use for the washing away of my sins. For both are denying God and His Christ, blaspheming His grace and perverting His gospel. But those do much better who hold up a crucifix to the dying and admonish them of the death and suffering of Christ.
(7) I must give you an example and an experience which serves this purpose and is not to be despised. There was a good hermit, also educated in such faith of human merits, who was supposed to comfort an honorable man in his death, and he boldly comforted him thus: "My dear friend, only suffer death patiently and willingly, and I will pledge my soul to you, and you shall be a child of eternal life. Well, he promised him, and thus died patiently on such comfort. But for more than three days the hermit was also fatally ill; then the right master, He *) Newcomer, came and opened his eyes, so that he saw what he had done and taught, lay until he died, and lamented his advice and comfort, which he had given to that one: O woe, what have I advised him! The reckless people laughed at him, as if he had not done it himself, that he had given an outsider.
*) He or Ehr, title of namely spiritual persons.
D. Red.
taught him; he died comforting his soul, and now he himself despaired not only of death, but also of your counsel, which he had given so surely, and now so publicly punished and revoked. But God certainly said to him that which is written in Luc. 4, 23: "Master, help yourself now"; and in the other place, Luc. 12, 21: "So it is with him who is not rich in God" etc. For surely one blind man led another, and both fell into the pit, and both were condemned, Luc. 6, 39. The first because he went on his own patience and death; the other because he despaired of God's grace and did not recognize it, and also because he thought that if he had not sinned, he would have gone on his way; and in both cases Christ remained unknown and denied. Thus some books go astray, in which St. Augustine's and other sayings are puffed up, as if death were a door to life and a remedy against sin; so it is not seen that such is to be understood of Christ's death and suffering. However small this example is, it teaches us masterfully how no work, no suffering, no death can help or exist before God. For one cannot deny here that the first one did the highest work, namely, he suffered death with patience, in which free will certainly did its best; and yet he is lost, as the other one confesses and well proves with his despair. And he who does not believe these two will have to invent it himself.
Let this be said of faith in the suffering of Christ. Now as he gave himself willingly for us, so we also ought to follow the same example of love, giving ourselves also for our neighbor with all that we have. Of which we have said enough elsewhere, that Christ is to be preached in the two ways; but it is a speech that no one will understand: the word is hidden; for "carnal man heareth not that which is divine," etc., 1 Cor. 2:14.
The other piece is the blind man, in which we see the two also shining finely and brightly, love in Christ toward the blind and faith toward the blind.
We believe in Christ in the blind man, and recently we want to see the faith of the blind man.
For the first time he heard Christ say that he would pass by, and he had also heard from him that Jesus of Nazareth was a kind man who would help anyone who called on him. From such hearing he had grown faith and confidence in Christ, so that he did not doubt that he would also help him. But he could not have had such faith in his heart if he had not heard or known about him, for faith does not come without hearing.
11) Secondly, he believes firmly and does not doubt that it is as he hears from him, as the following signs prove. Even though he does not see or know Christ, and even though he knows him, he cannot see or know whether Christ has the heart and will to help him; but he believes as he has heard from him: on such a cry and speech he bases his confidence, therefore he does not fail.
12. thirdly, according to faith he also calls and asks, as St. Paul Rom. 10, 13. 14. describes this order: "How shall they call, if they believe not?" Item: "Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be helped."
13 Fourth, he also freely confesses Christ and shuns no one; his need brings him to this, that he does not inquire of others. For this is also the right kind of faith, that he confesses Christ for him who is able and willing to help, of whom others are ashamed and afraid in the sight of the world.
Fourteenth, he struggles not only with his conscience, which has undoubtedly moved him that he is not worthy of it, but also with those who threatened him and told him to be silent, who wanted to frighten and stupefy his conscience so that he would see his unworthiness and Christ's worthiness and despair. For where faith is concerned, fight and strife also begin.
15 Sixth, he stands firm, pushes through and wins, not letting all the world tear him away from his confidence, not even his own conscience. With this, he receives his plea and comes upon Christ, that he stands and calls him to bring, and offers to do what he wills.
Thus, all those who hold firmly to the Word of God close their eyes and ears against the devil, the world and themselves, as if they and God alone were in heaven and earth.
16. seventh, he follows Christ, that is, he walks in the way of love and the cross as Christ rises, does righteous works, and is in good standing and character, not dealing in foolish works as the works saints do.
17. eighth, he gives thanks and praises God, and does the righteous sacrifice that pleases God, Ps. 50:23: "The sacrifice of praise glorifies me, and this is the way to behold the salvation of God."
18. ninth, he makes many others also praise God in him; for a Christian is useful and better to everyone, and also praiseworthy to God and honest on earth.
19 Finally, we see how Christ provokes us to faith with works and words. First, with works, that he takes such a hard look at the blind man, and shows how well he likes his faith, that he immediately lets himself be caught by it, stands and does what the blind man desires in his faith. On the other hand, he praises his faith with words and says: "Your faith has helped you"; he casts away the honor of the miracle work and gives it to the faith of the blind man. In sum, faith is granted what it asks for, and is our great glory before God.
20 This blind man means the spiritual blind man, which is every man born of Adam, who neither sees nor knows the kingdom of God; but this is a grace, that he feels and knows his blindness, and would gladly be rid of it. These are the holy sinners who feel their error and groan for mercy. But he sits by the way side and begs, that is, he sits among the teachers of the law and desires help; but it is begging, with works he has to make ends meet. And the people pass by and let him sit, that is, the people of the law rush and let themselves be heard with doctrines of works, going before Christ and Christ after them. But when he hears Christ, that is, when such a heart hears the gospel and faith, it cries out and cries out, and has no rest until it hears the gospel and faith.
come to Christ. But those who keep silent and rebuke him are the teachers of works, who want to muffle and quiet the teaching and clamor of the faith, but by doing so they irritate the hearts even more. For the gospel is of a kind that
the more he is resisted, the more it continues. After that, when he has received his sight, all his work and life is praise and glory to God, and he follows Christ with joy, so that all the world wonders and improves.