Isa. 9, 2-7.
The people that walk in darkness have a great light, and upon them that dwell in the land of darkness it shineth brightly. Thou makest the heathen much, but makest not the joy much. But before thee shall they rejoice, as one rejoiceth in harvest; as one rejoiceth when he divideth the spoil. For thou hast broken the yoke of their burden, and the rod of their shoulder, and the staff of their driver, as in the days of Midian. For all warfare with fierceness and bloody garments shall be burned up, and consumed with fire. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, whose dominion is upon his shoulder; and he is called Wonderful, Counsellor, Power, Hero, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace; that his dominion may be great, and that there be no end of peace, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom; that he may establish and strengthen with judgment and righteousness from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
1 Isaiah, full of spiritual joy, rejoices, yes, he mocks the rage and fury of the wicked and devils in the whole world, saying, "And if you become mad and foolish all you who hate us, you may be the devil.
*) Cf. Erl. A. oxp. var. ar^. VII, 379 syq. D. Red.
or men you want to see us cut off: yet our kingdom shall stand unconquerable forever, but you shall perish; for we have the King of kings, the Lord of lords. You have provided, and he is already born, you cannot resist. (For he speaks of Christ, the
there should be born, as surely as if he were already born before their eyes). We have the king; the kingdom will probably be found; as he soon says: "from the chair of David" etc.
But the first reprint is from the pronoun "us". Who are these "us"? They are those who are oppressed in the world by the devil, flesh and sin, who are not only oppressed by sin and death, but also by the hatred of devils and men, because he [namely Satan] did not want us to be redeemed from his bondage, which is a bondage to eternal destruction.
The other emphasis is on the word natus, "born," namely, that he is of our nature, not an angel or other created being, but a man like unto us, born of a woman; for "he taketh not the angels unto himself, but the seed of Abraha unto himself," etc. This is an unspeakable dignity and joy, to have a king like unto our flesh, and a wholly perfect brother and companion, made partaker of our flesh and blood.
4 The third emphasis is on the word datus, "given," namely that he is our gift and jewel in whom we have everything; Rom. 8:32: "How should he not with him give us
give everything?" This is even greater, that we have everything with this our brother and companion.
The fourth emphasis is that he is a "son", that is, an heir and Lord of all things, here and forever. He is not a servant, like Moses, but he is one who has all things in his hand; as Paul widely impresses Rom. 8, 35, when he says: "Of whom should we be afraid? What should we not endure because we have the Son given to us. Etwan sword, hunger etc.? What does the sword want to say against the Son? What the hunger? What the death? What the hell? Summa Summarum, with this one word, Filius, "Son", both Isaiah and Paul exhaust everything, and make by the so glorious comparison that everything is nothing. Death is a ridiculous thing to him, the raging and raging of the world, the hatred of the devil, the maw of hell. All this is not a trifle, because we have been given the Son, who is infinitely better, greater, higher and stronger than all misfortune and evil. But this we have. But by what merit do we have him? Answer: By no merit, by the grace and love of God alone; for he is born to us, he is given to us. Now follow his names, which have been dealt with diligently enough in the postilion.
On the first Sunday after the Epiphany of Christ. *)
About the boy Christ, how he was found in the temple.
Luc. 2:41-62.
And his parents went up to Jerusalem every year for the feast of Easter. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. And when the days were fulfilled, and they returned home, the child Jesus abode at Jerusalem, and his parents knew it not. But they thought he was among the companions, and came a day's journey, and sought him among their friends and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they went again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass after three days, that they found him sitting in the temple in the midst of the teachers, listening unto them, and asking them questions. And all who listened to him were astonished at his understanding, and
his answer. And when they saw him, they were dismayed. And his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou done this unto us? Behold, thy father and I have sought thee with sorrows. And he said unto them: Why have ye sought me? know ye not that I must be in my father's? And they understood not the word which he spake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them. And his mother kept all these words in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom, age and grace with God and men.
The most distinguished article and part of this gospel is about the greatest temptation of the spirit, which is called the abandonment of grace. And here even the Mother of God must become an example of this temptation. However, this matter is higher than can be expressed and comprehended above. Therefore let us take our thoughts from common experience, namely, how distressing it is for parents when they think for even one hour that their child is lost; how there is no comfort, peace, rest, sleep, food, drink, and nothing but death, or such a coincidence, which is even more bitter than death: what should not be found for weeping, distress, pain and fear when the child is lost for a whole night or day? Now hold all this against this mother: she has lost a son; not one of many, but one only; not a son alone (like other mothers), but her only son, who was without a father. But even this is still too little, she has lost the only begotten son of God, and who was thus a son that he had been entrusted to her faithfulness by God, than to such a mother, whom God has especially honored to entrust such a son. These circumstances make this incident and case very terrible and unspeakable. And what do you think that this was a pain, to have lost such a great and such a son, not one hour, not one night, but whole three days, that is, permanently and eternally. What could she think of here but that through her fault the Son of God was lost? and that she seemed unworthy of God the Father, that He should burden her anew with the son once entrusted to her. It would have been better that she had not become a mother than that he had been snatched away from her unawares. These are signs of a terrible anger. If now these thoughts have come to this,
that through her fault and negligence the Son was taken away, she prevented the world from being redeemed. And which sinner has been greater among men (as the conscience is the most tender thing) than the mother of God herself is here. And yet it is only a temptation of sin without sin. So if God allows and tempts, no sin becomes all sin; as you see here.
(2) This example should therefore comfort all those who think that they have lost Christ, the faith, and the grace of God, and that they have been utterly rejected and cast out by God; so that they may know that God is not angry, but that they are only being tempted. For though Christ seems to be lost, yet he is in the temple, and in that which is his Father's, that is, he takes care of us before God; of which matter enough has been said in public sermons. The rest is found in experience.
The other article is historical and to be driven by questions and reflection. First: With whom did he stay these three days in Jerusalem? For he necessarily had to stay with someone and receive sustenance. Here one can imagine that he had some relatives in Jerusalem; likewise that he had eaten with a commoner who was his host; likewise that he had been with a Levite or priest; likewise that he had been in the temple with the keepers and rulers of the temple. For who would believe that he remained in the streets or in the gates? How easy it is in a small town for a son to stay in other people's houses without his parents knowing it; how much more so in this great city!
004 Secondly, with whom was he? For he undoubtedly had some who were of the same age as him, like another boy. And how to do the boys
If Christ had not been in the habit of taking care of himself, he might have gone with his companions to another boy's house. For it must not be said that Christ did not have that which is common to other boys. For he was not a stone, but was like them; did like them, suffered without sin: played with them, walked with them, and did other childish things, like a true man and a true boy.
(5) Thirdly, how could he knowingly do this, knowing that it would grieve his mother greatly? For this is contrary to the obedience due to parents; just as the mother also reproaches him, saying, "Why have you done this to us?" But Lucas writes this as a proof that Christ was not only man, but also God, as he, if he wanted to, should not have obeyed the parents, but commanded them; so that he would not appear to be badly a man. Therefore he writes here that he went down with them and was subject to them; as if he wanted to say: In that place he was not subject to them, but was exalted above them; but afterward he submitted himself to them, and did no such thing again until the day of baptism, when he was called of his Father at Jordan.
6. the third article is moral, full of examples of good works, namely: first, that he went to Jerusalem for the service of God and for obedience to God; namely, that we gladly hear God's word.
(7) Secondly, that he disputes, and asks, and hears, [shall serve us to] persevere in learning the word.
Thirdly, that one should also forget and lose one's parents for the sake of the word of God, and for the sake of the word not be troubled about the house or any other thing.
(9) Fourthly, that where we have honored the word, then we also do not despise the parents, but that each one (according to the word) is committed to his profession. For no state or order of God is abrogated by the word, but only the word is preferred.
Fifth, parents are told to care for their children, but to know that divine help is necessary to preserve and keep them and to govern them; likewise, they are told to be accustomed to endure pain on account of the children, if they are either lost or otherwise act contrary to the vow etc. Yet Mary had to go without her son and let him be lost.