John 16:5-15.
But now I go to him that sent me; and none of you ask me, Whither goest thou? But because I have spoken these things unto you, your heart is filled with sorrow. But I tell you the truth, it is good for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he cometh, he shall punish the world for sin, and for righteousness, and for judgment. For sin, that they believe not on me. And for righteousness, that I should go unto the Father, and ye should not see me henceforth. For the judgment, that the prince of this world is judged. I still have much to say to you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. For he shall not speak of himself; but what he shall hear, that shall he speak; and what is to come, that shall he declare unto you. The same shall transfigure me: for of mine he shall take, and shall declare unto you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said, He will take it from mine and proclaim it to you.
(1) We have often heard the opinion of this gospel elsewhere, but the fault is still that the words are not understood, that they have the opinion of things we know well; therefore let us explain it a little, so that we may see how the same lies in the words that almost all other gospels contain. It is a fine gospel, but it also includes fine disciples. Now we will leave the first part and go to the one where the Lord says that the Holy Spirit will punish the world for sin, for righteousness, for the sake of the world.
and UM the court, and want to see what all this is.
In the first place, we see here that the world is blamed for blindness and lack of understanding; that is, that all who are without the Holy Spirit, no matter how wise they may be in the world's estimation in outward conduct, rule or dealings, are fools and blind men before God. But they do not like to hear this, they resent it, and they become angry when it is said of them that their things are worthless in the sight of God, since they stand on the fact that they have the reason and the natural light that God created in them. But what can we do about it? The Scriptures and God's word are clear and concise, that the Holy Spirit will come and punish the world,
because she does not know what sin, righteousness and judgment are. That is decided, it is written there, therefore be angry with whoever wants to, Christ does not ask anything.
Now it is a great pity that the world is punished not only because it has sin, is without righteousness, and cannot judge righteously, but because it does not recognize or see it, let alone get rid of it. Oh how all the glory of those is taken away here who want to make other people pious, because they themselves do not yet know what sin is. Let all the high schools and scholars be taken before us this very day, in spite of themselves, to tell us what that little word "sin" means. For who has ever heard that it is sin not to believe in Christ? So they say, "Sin is speaking, coveting, or doing contrary to God's will and commandment." How does this rhyme with this saying that Christ says, "Sin is that they do not believe in me? Therefore they are easily convinced that they do not know what sin is; and if they were still learned, they would not be able to interpret this text.
(4) Item, neither can they know what "righteousness" is. For who ever heard that a man should become righteous and just, that Christ should go to heaven or to the Father, and that we should not see him? Then they must say that a fool has spoken such things, and no wise man thus speaks of them. For thus they say, Righteousness is a virtue that teaches a man what he owes to everyone. Which is true, but it is only because they do not understand their own words: they are such blind fools. Therefore it is not to be wondered at that they rage against the gospel, and persecute the Christians; how should they do otherwise? they know no other way.
(5) Neither do they know what is "judgment" or right, that is, a right judgment, a right good conceit, and sense, as it may be called. For they say that the law is that which is written in books, how to discern and separate things, how to settle disputes and how to end them. But what does Christ say? So he says: "It is right that the world should be judged.
I will." Who understands such speech, and where does it end or end, how does it rhyme with reason? Well, let's see if we can explain it so that it can be understood.
6 First of all, it should be known that God's word does not speak of outward nature and appearance alone, but reaches into the heart and reason of the soul; therefore, it does not judge man according to outward conduct and behavior, but according to the depth of his conscience. Now every man, if he will confess to himself how pious he may be (even if he were a Carthusian and as holy as all men on earth), will find that in his heart he would rather do otherwise than he must outwardly do. As, if I am left to myself, and am a monk, walking along in poverty and chastity, as they boast, I want to confess, as I feel it in my heart, so I must speak: That I do, I would rather not do: if hell were not and I did not fear the shame, I would let the cap have the misfortune and run away; for I have no desire to do it from the heart, but am compelled to do it, and must do it, considering hell, punishment or shame; and it is not possible that I could do it freely and cheerfully. This is what every man finds in his heart who is without mercy. You will find the same in other things from now on. I am never more heartily favorable to my enemy, for it is impossible for nature: and even if I stand differently, I still think: Yes, if it were not for the punishment, I would certainly cool my temper with him and not let myself be unscented. So I still go before the world, and do not do as I would like and am inclined to do, for fear of punishment or disgrace. So if you go through all the commandments, from the first to the last, you will find that there is no man who keeps God's commandments out of his heart.
Now God has devised a counsel for this evil, and has determined to send Christ His Son into the world, to shed His blood, and to die, that He might do sufficient for sin, and take it away; and that then the Holy Spirit might come into the heart,
who made such people, who walk in the works of the law with unwillingness and compulsion, willing to keep God's commandment without compulsion and with a cheerful mind. Otherwise, no other means could help the affliction; for human reason and powers, nor even an angel, could tear us out of it. God has now taken away the sins of all who believe in Christ, so that it is now impossible for anyone to be in sin who has this Savior, who has taken all sin upon himself and destroyed it.
8. Since Christ came and preached that everything we can do, however great it is and however beautiful it seems, is sin (because we do no good willingly and gladly); and that for this reason he stood up for us and took away all sin, that we might receive the Holy Spirit, through whom we might gain love and desire to do what God wants us to do; so that we might not be subject to come before God by our works, but by Christ and his merit: Now this is no longer called sin, doing contrary to the law; for the law has done nothing to help us to become godly, since we can do nothing good.
(9) What sin remains on earth? Nothing else, but that one does not accept this Savior and does not want to have him who puts away sin. For if he were here, there would be no sin; since, as I have said, he brings with him the Holy Spirit, who kindles the heart and makes it glad to do good. Therefore the world is no longer punished or condemned because of other sins, because Christ has done away with them all; but this alone remains sin in the New Testament, that people do not want to recognize or receive him. That is why he speaks here in the gospel:
When the Holy Spirit comes, He will punish the world for sin, for not believing in Me.
010 As if to say, If they believed on me, all that they had done for sin was already given them: for I know that they cannot do otherwise by nature: but that they will not receive me, neither believe that I will help them.
that will condemn them. Therefore, God will pass such a judgment on them at the last judgment: Behold, thou wast in sins, and couldst not help thyself, neither would I condemn thee for them: for I sent mine only Son unto thee, and would have given thee a Saviour to take away sin from thee: whom thou wouldest not receive: therefore shalt thou be condemned for this cause only, that thou hast not Christ.
(11) Thus this saying is set in honor and praise of the great grace that God has given us in the Lord Christ. What reason could ever have been so wise as to fulfill such a thing, so that it would be done for man? Reason cannot bring it higher than to think: I have sinned with works, so I must again do enough with works, remove the sin and pay for it, so that I may thus come upon a gracious God. When reason comes so far, it is at its highest; yet it is nothing but foolishness and blindness.
012 But thus saith God, If thou wilt be free from sin, thou must have other works to pay for them: for with all the works that thou doest thou canst do nothing but sin, even in the works that thou thinkest to make reconciliation against me, and to atone for sin: how then, thou fool, wilt thou blot out sin with sins? For thereby thou sinest even in the best works that thou canst do, not willingly doing them from the heart. For if you were not afraid of the punishment, you would rather let it stand. And so you do no more than to make atonement for small sins with great ones, or to do such great ones that you may put away the other.
013 Wherefore it is ever a great blindness, that a man seeth not what sin is, neither knoweth what good works are; but receiveth sin for good works. Therefore when the Holy Ghost cometh, he reproveth men, saying, The works which thou hast done, and which thou still doest, are but vain sins: therefore it is lost, that thou shouldest be able with thy ability to do sufficient for sin. So they must say, Behold, I did not know this. Then saith he, Yea, therefore am I here to tell thee these things;
If you had known, I should not have come and proclaimed it. How then wilt thou do that thou mayest be saved? You must do this: Believe in the Savior, the Lord Christ, that he has taken away your sin. If thou believest, thou hast him: then must thy sins fall away: if not, thou shalt never be rid of sin, and shalt fall deeper and deeper into it.
(14) Thus, with this sentence, everything that has been preached about atonement for sins and atonement, and everything that has been led and practiced, has been brought straight to the ground. For this reason so many orders and masses were founded, and for this reason we became priests and monks and ran to and fro, so that we might be rid of sin. Therefore it also follows: What is best in the world, which it takes for piety and holiness, that it is nothing but vain sin and a damned being. So we have One Piece from the Gospel.
The Holy Spirit will also punish the world for righteousness, for I am going to the Father," says Christ, "and you will not see me. Righteousness means piety and a good honorable life before God. What then is the same? It is, says Christ, "that I go to the Father." We have often said of the resurrection of the Lord Christ that it was not at all for his sake, but for ours, that we might receive it as our own; for for this cause he rose from death and ascended into heaven, that he might begin a spiritual kingdom, reigning in us through righteousness and truth. Therefore he sits above, neither sleeps nor rests, nor plays with himself; but, as Paul says in Eph. 1:22, is at work here on earth, governing consciences and souls with the gospel.
16 Where Christ is preached and known, he reigns in us from the right hand of the Father, and is himself here in the heart, reigning so that he has power, authority and authority over you and all your enemies, and saves you from sins, death, the devil and hell. So his resurrection and ascension is our comfort, life, salvation, righteousness and salvation.
and all with one another. This is what the Lord means when he says about righteousness, that people become righteous and just before God, that he goes to heaven to the Father and we do not see him. The world does not understand this; therefore the Holy Spirit must come and punish them.
17. how does that work? So, as we have heard. If I am to become pious, it is not enough that I do good works outwardly, but I must do them from the bottom of my heart with joy and love, so that I am unafraid of sin, death and the devil, free and joyful, and can stand before God with a good conscience and all confidence, knowing how I am with Him. No work, no creature can give me this, but Christ alone, who has gone up to heaven, where he cannot be seen, but must be believed that he sits above and wants to help me. Such faith makes me pleasing in the sight of God; then Christ gives me the Holy Spirit in my heart, who makes me joyful and glad for all good. Thus I am justified, and in no other way; for works only make you more and more unpleasant the longer you do them.
(18) But this work, the more you do it and know it, the more joyful it makes your heart; for where such knowledge is, the Holy Spirit cannot remain outside. When he comes, he must make the heart willing, joyful and glad, so that it goes freely and gladly does everything that pleases God with a cheerful heart, and suffers what is to be suffered, and also gladly dies. And the clearer and greater the knowledge, the greater will also be such pleasure and joy. So then God's commandment is fulfilled, and all that is to be done is done, and so you are justified. Who would ever have thought that this would be righteousness and that it would happen in this way? Now this we have heard and done many times before, without any other words being here, and yet the same mind and opinion.
19. thirdly, the Holy Spirit "shall punish the world for judgment", that is, that it does not know what is right. For who has ever heard that this is right, that the prince of the world is judged? The ruler of the world is, of course, the devil, which can be seen in his rule.
(20) If then I have known sin and have been freed from it, and after that have attained righteousness, so that I am now in a new being and life, and have become a different man, and now have the Lord Christ, and know that it takes something else to be freed from sin than our works; then it follows that I can have a right judgment and distinction in all outward things, as to how to judge before God. For by such understanding I know how to reason, conclude, and judge of all things that are in heaven and earth, and to pass a right judgment; and when I have passed judgment, I can also live by it. No one else can do that.
(21) The world stands on its holiness, that righteousness means doing good works, and thereby atoning for sin and reconciling God. All the high schools have taught this; they think it is right and well done, if only they do many good works. So now the Holy Spirit comes and says: "Not so, you err and fail, your judgment is wrong; therefore there must be another judgment. You should therefore judge that everything your reason concludes is wrong and false; that you are a fool.
(22) Reason may well know how to judge in human affairs and worldly matters, to build cities and houses, to govern well, and the like; one may well judge more intelligently and better than another. But that is not what we are talking about here, but about such judgments we say how one should conclude from all things what is right or wrong before God; then the Holy Spirit concludes thus: Everything that reason judges before God is wrong and good for nothing; everything that is innate to man and not newborn must be destroyed and killed, so that no one may boast of it or rely on it. So also further: What the world considers wisdom, so that everyone says it was wisely or sensibly acted and done, is foolishness before God. In short, whatever they do is useless and condemned, unless it comes from the Lord Christ, and is his Word and Spirit, so that he teaches us: if it does not come from him, it is certainly blindness and no good.
(23) Therefore everything that the world considers good lies low, and is called evil, because it does not flow from the Word and the Spirit, but comes from the old Adam, who is nothing more than a blind fool and a sinner. Why is that? Therefore, shall not your wisdom and reason be foolishness and count for nothing? For the Most High is condemned, who has the power and wisdom of all the world in the highest degree. For without doubt there is no one in the world as wise, prudent, and understanding as the devil, nor can there be anyone more pious; and all wisdom and holiness that does not flow from God, in addition to being the most beautiful thing in the world, is most powerful in the devil; for because he is a prince and head of the world, all the wisdom and righteousness of the world must flow from him, since he rules with all authority. Therefore Christ says: "Because the same prince of the world is condemned with all that he intends and can do, the world is ever blind to consider good that which is already condemned, namely, his wisdom and piety.
(24) Therefore we must make the right judgment that Christ makes, so that we know to beware of all that the world thinks is good, and all that it pretends to be, so that it will be wise, prudent and pious before God. For if people want to teach and govern who do not have Christ's word and spirit, then everything is already condemned; for with this one does no more than that the old Adam becomes stronger, and remains in the sense that his works, his piety and wisdom are to be valid before God; so he must then fall deeper and deeper into the devil's kingdom.
(25) Now because the prince of the world and the Holy Spirit, Christ and the kingdom of the devil, are directly opposed to one another, and the Holy Spirit cannot suffer anyone to reproach him for what he has done and to boast of it, the holy cross must follow immediately. For the world also will not suffer to be punished for being blind. Therefore one must freely surrender to be martyred for it. For if we have righteous faith in our hearts, we must also open our mouths and confess righteousness and make sin known.
The world's doings, and it must come out that everything it does is condemned. Then we must be heretics and into the fire. For they will say: This is against the holy councils and the holy father Pabst's law. Then you must answer: What can I do about it? Here it is clear: the text does not say that the Holy Spirit should hypocrite to the pope, bishops and princes, but should punish and say that it is error, blindness and the devil's rule; so they want to be unpunished, they should be called gracious nobles. That is why one must put one's neck on the line.
26 These are the three pieces we have here in the gospel. Sin is unbelief; righteousness is faith; judgment is the holy cross. Therefore look upon it, and learn that you hold all things without the Spirit to be nothing, and condemn them, and then wait for the holy cross, that you may suffer for them. Now the gospel continues:
I still have much to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when that one, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.
(27) These words are to be understood in the simplest way, that the Lord may say thus much: These three things which I have now told you, you understand nothing everywhere now, if I would already transfigure it. I would have much to say about it, so that I could interpret it better, as it happens; but you are still too deep in the coarse carnal mind that you cannot grasp it. Therefore I will leave it until the Holy Spirit comes; he will enlighten your hearts so that you can understand it, and will remind you of everything; for I am telling you now so that you will remember it then. So the words give nothing but this simple understanding, just as if I spoke something like this to someone else and said, "I still have much to say about this, but it is too difficult for you, you cannot yet understand and grasp it.
028 But these words have our doctors and scholars also drawn upon their dalliance, and laid it to their foundation, saying, One must have something more than the gospel and the scriptures; therefore shall
one also hears what Concilio and the pope conclude and set. And want to prove this therefore: Christ speaks here: "I have yet many things to say unto you, which ye cannot bear now"; therefore, because he has not said all, it must ever follow that he has commanded it to the Conciliis, the pope and bishops, who are to teach it fully.
29 Here, watch the fools, what they say. So Christ says, "I have many things to say to you." What does "you" mean? To whom is he speaking? Undoubtedly to the apostles, to whom he says, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot take them, neither bear them: but when the Spirit of truth shall come, he shall guide you into all truth." Therefore, if Christ is not lying, his word must have been fulfilled at the time when the Holy Spirit came; he must have told them everything and directed them to everything that the Lord says here, and certainly guided them into all truth. How then do we get the idea that Christ did not say it all, but left much behind, which the Concilia were to teach and conclude? on which understanding the words do not run at all. For Christ urges that the Holy Spirit will soon tell them everything and transfigure it, so that the apostles will then teach everything and bring it into the world through them, which they have learned from the Holy Spirit; thus they speak as they have yet to say, teach and command at the end of the world.
30. item, further Christ says: "He will guide you into all truth." Here we conclude: If it is true that the Conciliar teaches how one should wear plates and caps and keep virginity, then the apostles never came into the truth, since none of them ever entered a monastery, nor kept any of the foolish laws. And Christ, verily, hath finely deceived us, saying that the Holy Ghost shall lead us into all truth, when it is so much as to say, that he shall teach us to be priests and monks, and not to eat flesh for some days, and such foolish works.
31. for that is called without doubt "Wayr-.
*) (b)
heit" before God, if one walks along in a righteous and fundamentally good nature. If we now look at our spiritual state, popes, bishops, priests, and monks, we see nothing but vain carnival larvae, who pose with outward gestures as if they were pious, and are boys at heart. For which popes, bishops and orders have ever led us into this truth, which is supposed to come from within the heart? But all their things stand only on outward appearances, so that they make a noise before the eyes of the people.
32 Thus they have masterfully perverted this text and strengthened their lies with it; nor shall we call them gracious nobles. It is displeasing to hear this, and it should grieve us in our hearts that we should suffer such a mighty outrage, that people should act so brazenly against the holy word of God and make the Holy Spirit a liar. Should the one saying alone be strong enough against the pope and the concilia, if we had no others in Scripture.
33. third, Christ says, "Ye cannot bear it now." Here we ask: Dearly beloved, would it have been too hard for the apostles to understand or bear such a law, that they should not eat flesh, and the like? For in the law of Moses they had been accustomed to keep many such outward laws, and had been trained in them all their lives, so that it would have been child's play to them.
also better than we. Is it such a difficult thing to say that a monk must wear a black or gray cap, a pope three crowns, a bishop a pointed hat, and how he should consecrate churches and altars, or baptize bells, that the Holy Spirit must therefore come from heaven and teach such things? If this is not enough fooling, that one thus scolds with these noble words, I do not know how one can fool more grossly.
Therefore beware of these liars, and understand the words rightly, so that Christ will speak of the inward righteousness, not of the outward deceitfulness: he will make the heart devout and justified in the sight of God, that it may first recognize its sin, and then recognize him as the one who forgives sin, and then let himself be sacrificed on the cross. This is the "truth"; the apostles could not yet bear and understand it at that time. This outward thing makes no one righteous, brings no one to the truth, but only makes hypocrites and a pretense to deceive people.
(35) So we have a right understanding of this saying, from which we see how the fools who want to base their deeds on it sit on the adversary and base themselves on a sand, because there is almost no saying that concludes more strongly against them than this one. So we have recently transfigured the gospel, so that one can see how it teaches the very thing we have always preached.