Col. 3, 1-7.,
whatever epistle may be read on Easter Tuesday.
So far we have heard the joyful sermon about the resurrection of Christ, how it happened, and how it is to be believed for our benefit, comfort and salvation. But so that we may also be heartily grateful to God for such unspeakable good deeds, and hold and celebrate the resurrection in such a way that He will
We should also hear and keep what the apostles teach us about the fruit that is to be produced in us, so that it may also be manifested in our lives. Therefore we will take the admonition of St. Paul Col. 3, which especially refers to this:
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Seek the things that are above, and not the things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. But when Christ, your life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also be manifested with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, vile concupiscence, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; for which the wrath of God cometh upon the children of unbelief; in which also ye used to walk, when ye lived in them.
(1) In this text we hear St. Paul exhorting Christians to right Christian good works or fruits of faith, and taking the cause of such preaching from the very resurrection of Christ, of which we are told the great grace and consolation that through it we shall have forgiveness of sin and salvation from eternal death. But lest the careless carnal heart should think that all things have been done in us, and that the treasure which is given us thereby is exhausted, if they have but heard it, and so deceive themselves, he preacheth always, that we should prove the resurrection of Christ also in ourselves, whether we have rightly and heartily apprehended it.
2 For it is not to remain in words alone, and Christ is not to be heard and spoken of, but to be felt in our lives. For what does it profit a dead man to be preached much of life, if he be not quickened thereby? or a sinner of righteousness, if he abide in sins? or an erring man and a spirit of the Jews of the truth, if he be not quickened from his error and from his sins?
Does darkness desist? It is not only in vain, but also harmful and damning to hear about the glorious and blessed comfort of the resurrection, if the heart never experiences it, but only the sound remains in the ears or a foam on the tongue, and nothing more follows, than with those who have never heard of it. For, as St. Paul says here, it is supposed to be a good thing. Paul says that the great work and treasure of Christ's resurrection is not a useless, idle and ineffective talk or thought, as a dead image carved in a stone or painted on paper; but such a power and might that works in us through faith also a resurrection; which he calls "rising with Christ," that is, being put away from sins, torn out of the power of death and hell, and having comfort and life in Christ; as he clearly said of this before in the other chapter: "Ye are buried with Christ through baptism, in whom also ye are risen with him through faith, whereby God worketh in you. "etc. Col. 2, 12.
(3) If therefore, saith he, ye have apprehended the resurrection of Christ with faith, and have believed the same.
If you have received power and consolation, and have therefore risen with him, then this must be proven in you, so that you feel it and sense how it has begun to work in you, that it is not only words, but truth and life. For those who do not feel it, Christ has not yet risen, even though he has risen for his own person; for they do not have the same power with them, which is called "rising with Christ," so that they may also be called with truth both dead and risen men. Therefore he wants to show and teach us herewith, that those who want to be Christians should know that this must happen in them, or are not yet believing Christians, as they boast or pretend. For this is to be the test of whether we have been raised in Christ, that is, whether his resurrection in us is powerful, or merely a word, and not also a work and a life.
Now, how do we live and die in this way? How did we die, and yet at the same time we are also resurrected? If we are Christians, we should have died, and yet we should also live; or are not Christians. How do the two rhyme together? Some false teachers, even in the time of the apostles, understood and interpreted these words to mean that the resurrection of Christians had already taken place (as St. Paul himself indicates in 2 Timothy 2:18), so that they would not rise again after bodily death; for whoever believed in Christ, they said, was already risen and alive, and thus in this life the resurrection would be fully realized in all Christians. They wanted to affirm this in St. Paul's own words, and thus refute the article about the resurrection of the dead.
(5) But these we leave aside, as having been punished and condemned by St. Paul himself, and understand these words as St. Paul means them, and interprets himself clearly enough before and after that there can be no doubt that he is speaking of the spiritual resurrection. For this is also certain in itself, if we are to be raised bodily on the last day with this flesh and blood to salvation, we must first also be raised spiritually here on earth; as also St. Paul Rom.
8, 11. says: "If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies, because his Spirit dwells in you: Because God has already made you alive, righteous and saved inwardly, he will not leave the body, which is the tabernacle and house of the living Spirit, behind; but because the Spirit has already risen from sin and death here, the tabernacle and the corruptible skirt, which is flesh and blood, must also come forth again from the dust of the earth, because it is the inn and dwelling place of the blessed risen Spirit, so that both will come together again and live forever.
(6) Therefore the apostle does not speak here of the future bodily resurrection, but of the spiritual resurrection, for the sake of which the latter must also take place. And thus the resurrection of the Lord Christ, who took his body out of the grave and entered into eternal life, and our resurrection, which we are also to resurrect by the power of him and according to his example: first, after the soul from the sinful and damnable life into a right divine and blessed life; and afterwards also to come forth again from this sinful and deadly maggot-sack out of the grave with an immortal, glorious body and soul. Thus St. Paul calls the Christians who believe both dead and alive, both spiritually, now in this life; but so that afterwards also this sinful flesh shall die, so that also sin and death shall be consumed and swallowed up in it, and both the body and the spirit shall live forever. Therefore he now says:
If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, at the right hand of God etc.
(7) By this he means that you should prove that you have already been raised spiritually, and by the same power you will also be raised bodily afterwards, that you seek and strive for what is above, that is, divine, heavenly and eternal, not what is earthly, perishable and worldly.
What then is this said? If then we have become Christians, shall we no longer eat and drink, nor till the ground, nor keep house, nor govern, nor do any other work, but lie down as dead and idle, because thou sayest that we shall not seek the things that are on earth, seeing all these things must be? And what do you say to the fact that Christ the Lord himself is also with us on earth, as he said before he ascended into heaven: "Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" etc.? Matth. 28, 20. His baptism is also on earth, as well as the sacrament and preaching of the gospel, through which he himself rules his Christianity on earth.
(9) But soon after he himself explains what he means by these words "that which is on earth" and "that which is above. For by this he does not mean to despise the creatures on earth; for now he is not speaking of that which God created, which is a vain good thing, which he himself considers good and calls good; nor does he call an earthly man who deals with it and who needs creatures: But he who is without the knowledge of God, and has nothing more, nor seeks anything further than what reason gives him and teaches him, as he was born full of father and mother, a blind unbelieving man, who knows nothing of God nor of the life to come, nor asks for it, follows only his natural understanding and will, and seeks nothing but his good, honor, hope, pleasure. This is what the apostles call "earthly" and "worldly" living, since none of God's word is not, or is ever disrespected, and the devil has his rule and will, and drives such to all kinds of vices. He means to say that you must have died to such an earthly nature, after which the heathen and unbelievers strive, who throw God's word to the wind and let the devil lead and drive them according to his will, and thus prove that the resurrection of Christ in you is not vain words, but living power, so that it is shown in you that you have also been resurrected and now live differently than before, according to God's word and will; which is called a divine heavenly life. If this does not happen in you, it is a sign that you are not yet Christians.
but deceive yourselves with vain delusions and thoughts.
(10) St. Paul uses the word "what is on earth" or "earthly" to refer not only to the gross outward vices and sins that are also reprehensible in the eyes of the world, but also to other higher things and all kinds of things that are not in accordance with the pure Word of God and faith and proper Christian conduct. Therefore, so that it may be understood and grasped all the better, let us divide it as St. Paul himself used to divide it.
There are two kinds of being or life on earth or earthly, namely, of the spirit or spiritual and of the flesh or bodily. An earthly being of the spirit is called and is the spiritual vices of false doctrine and conceit, since the soul lives without God's word in God's contempt, unbelief etc.; or, which is even worse, when one misuses God's word and the name of Christ for false doctrine and for the cover and adornment of evil pieces and tricks to deceive people with false pretenses and appearances of truth or Christian love etc. This is called being earthly according to the soul, and is precisely the most evil, most harmful thing, since one not only sins for oneself, but also deceives other people with it; which he also calls above, in the Easter Day epistle, the "old leaven" and "leaven of mischievousness" etc. And in 2 Cor. 7:1 he gives this same division and distinction of the two vices, saying, "Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit" etc. For "defilement of the spirit" he calls these secret subtle vices, so that the spirit or man inwardly defiles and corrupts himself before God, since it does not appear before the world and outwardly, and reason and human wisdom are deceived.
12. if we want to be true Christians, we should be the first to die to such an earthly nature, that we should neither accept nor suffer such an earthly doctrine and false conceit, which comes from ourselves, be it through reason, philosophy or jurisprudence, without God's word, or even adorned with the name and cover of God's word; for it is no more than an earthly thing, if it is not according to God's will and kingdom and will of God.
The only thing he seeks is his own honor, hope, and glory in wisdom, holiness, or anything else. And even if they boast of the gospel and faith in Christ, they are not serious, and always remain as before, without power and fruit.
13. Again, if we have now also been raised with Christ through faith, we should also strive for that which is not earthly nor corruptible and perishable, but "that which is above", that is, heavenly, divine and eternal, namely, according to the right, pure, true doctrine and what pleases God, so that His glory and the kingdom of Christ may be preserved, and beware of all abuse of His name, false worship, trust and presumption of one's own holiness, thereby defiling and polluting the spirit.
14 The other vices, which St. Paul also calls "earthly," and which he describes here in particular, are gross and bodily, such as adultery, impurity, and avarice, which reason also understands and judges. For by the others it is caught and deceived, yes, blinded, so that it cannot guard against them. For this reason they are called spiritual, not only because they defile the spirit, for the spirit is defiled by all vices, including those of the flesh, but because they are too high and are not understood or recognized by the flesh and blood. But these are called bodily defilements, or defilements of the body, because they are done and committed with the body and its members. Now we should be dead to these as well as to the others, or ever be found on the way, that we always die to them, and only strive to turn our backs on all such earthly beings, but turn our faces toward that which is heavenly and divine being. For he who still strives after his carnal nature and deals with it has not yet died with Christ to the world; therefore also the resurrection of Christ is nothing in him, nor does it work, but Christ is dead to him and nothing, and he again to Christ.
15 This exhortation is especially necessary at this time, because we see that there are many, and the longer the more, who also boast of the gospel, and probably
know that such things stain and condemn man; yet they always go safely to them, and do not think that God is angry about it, or save together what they can on the score. Yes, it has now become quite common for people to do only what they desire, and yet they do not want to have done it, nor to be punished for it; Some also make themselves so pure and blameless that what they do need not be called evil or wrong, pretend to have great Christian love and virtue, and yet do wickedly wicked deeds and deeds, then go and smear people's mouths, can clean themselves and adorn themselves as if they had acted well and rightly, and think that if they make themselves pure before the people, they cannot be punished publicly, God should also allow himself to be deceived in this way. But what he will say about it, they will know. For God does not allow Himself to be deceived and fooled like men, says St. Paul in Gal. 6, 7. And here it is not a matter of thinking and decorating, but of being dead and dead to vice, and now striving for that which is righteous, godly and Christian.
(16) Now here he describes some of the gross, outward, bodily vices, and especially these two, fornication or immorality, and covetousness, of which he also reports Eph. 5:3, 4, 5, and 1 Thess. 4:3-7.As we have heard in the epistles of the second and third Sunday of Lent, and he wants Christians to be diligently on guard against them and even to be dead to them, because they are also punished by the Gentiles; and that we, on the other hand, strive for purity, as those who now belong to Christ in heaven. For it behooves a Christian also to keep his body in discipline and sanctification, or chastity, lest he defile himself, as the world does, with fornication and other immorality.
17 Similarly, he also says of avarice, to which he gives the shameful name that it is called idolatry or idolatry, so that Christians may flee from it all the more than from the most abominable vice, to which God is the greatest enemy. For it is also such a thing that turns a man away from faith and the right worship of God, that he has nothing to do with it.
asks nor seeks after God or His word and eternal heavenly goods; but remains attached to these earthly goods alone, and seeks only such a God as will give him enough here on earth.
(18) Much could be said about this, if one were to go through all classes and trades; for it is evident how the world, especially at this time, lies drowned in this vice, and cannot be told! how much subtle art avarice can find, and how it knows how to sell itself with splendid ornaments, so that it is not taken for sin and vice, but for great virtue and honor; just as idolatry always does, which is the highest abomination before God, and yet has the splendid appearance and glory before the world, that it does not want to be sin or vice, but is called the highest holiness and service of God. So this idolatry of mammon also has the beautiful cover that it must not be called avarice or striving for unrighteous good; but rather rightly and honestly seeking one's food and well-won good, and can finely adorn itself with God's word that God has commanded man to seek his bread with his toil and labor, and that each one owes it to his house, wife and child to provide for them; that no worldly authority, nor any preacher, can reprove or punish such avarice, unless it be grossly out with robbery and stealing.
19 Therefore, it must be put on each one's conscience, so that he may respond and know that God will not be deceived. For one can see how this vice, under such appearance and cover, is sweeping in and taking over in all the world with such a deluge that it has become a common right, and everyone, unpunished and unprotected, does and does nothing else but vainly sting, scrape and scratch at power: The great and the mighty with daily treasuring, new additions, plucking, plaguing and tormenting the poor, who think they can snatch everything they can by force; then the other common crowd with usury, increasing, overreaching, overproviding etc.and yet no one wants to have done wrong, nor to be called an unchristian because of it.
It has therefore come to pass that even the most public robbery and theft, infidelity and fraud of the lowest day laborers, servants and maids in the house can no longer be prevented anywhere.
20. and who would tell it all, how far such vice goes in all things, actions and beings of the world among each other? But enough is said herewith to every one that would be a Christian, that he should take hold of his bosom, and desist from it, if he be therein, or know how to beware of it; for every man can understand and know for himself what may be done in this Christianly, and with a good conscience; and have the rule which Christ giveth of this, that we take heed to it, as we would have done unto us, that it should be equal and just, Matt. 7:12. 7:12; for where things are unequal, they cannot be without covetousness.
(21) If then thou wilt not be burdened with such vice, know that thou art not a Christian nor a believer, but, as St. Paul calls thee, a vile damned idolater, and hast no part in the kingdom of God; for thou livest still in the world, and thinkest not to rise with Christ. Therefore this sweet sermon will not help you to say: Christ died for sinners and rose again; therefore I also hope for myself. Yes, that's right; but if you always want to stay in the old skin and only need this sermon to cover your shameful avarice, then it is written here: Do not take this comfort. For though he died for all and rose again, he has not yet risen for you, for you have not yet grasped such a resurrection with faith: you have seen the smoke, but have not felt the fire; you have heard the words, but have not received the power of them.
22. but if you want to boast and take comfort in this sermon, that Christ has helped you through his death and resurrection, you must not remain in your old sinful nature, but put on a new skin; for his death and resurrection happened so that you might finally die with him to the world and become like his resurrection, that is, begin to be a new man.
to become like Him above in heaven, who has no desire and love for avarice and deceiving one's neighbor, but is satisfied with what God has given him through his work, being mild, kind and benevolent to those who need him etc.
(23) But that such exhortation may move Christians all the more to guard against such vices, St. Paul also strengthens and concludes it with a serious rebuke and reproach of divine wrath, saying: "For such is the wrath of God upon the children of unbelief. St. Paul also concludes it with a serious rebuke and reproach of divine wrath, saying: "For such the wrath of God comes upon the children of unbelief," that is, upon the unbelieving world, which does not respect God's word, neither fears nor believes, nor strives to be obedient to Him, and yet does not want to be called unbelievers or idolaters, but God's people and pious people. Hereby he shows once again that such a worldly being and life in earthly pleasures, avarice and others, neither suffers nor can stand by faith, and that the power of Christ's resurrection can have no effect on such: therefore he calls such "children of unbelief", who are without faith, and with their unchristian nature bring upon themselves God's wrath, so that they are cast out of God's kingdom and rejected. For it is God's serious judgment that He will not give grace to such beings, but will show His wrath against them and let it go, both with bodily punishment in this life and afterwards with eternal punishment; as He also uses these same words elsewhere, Eph. 5, 6 and Rom. 1, 18: "God's wrath is revealed against all ungodly beings" etc.
(24) Behold, this is the exhortation of St. Paul. Paul to all who want to be called Christians, reminding them of what they are called to do because they have the gospel of Christ, and what the resurrection of Christ should do in them, namely, that they should be dead to all that is not taught or lived according to God's word and will, and if they believe in the risen, living Christ, that they also, as he sits at the right hand of God, seek the same heavenly life as he sits with him, If they believe in the risen, living Christ, they should also, as he is risen with them, seek the same heavenly life where he sits at the right hand of God, where there is no sin and no earthly being, but only eternal life and imperishable goods and glory, which Christians should have and enjoy with him forever.
(25) But no one can understand this sermon except by faith, for what the apostle says here about the life and glory of Christians in the risen Christ does not appear to the world; indeed, it is not yet seen or felt by them even with outward eyes and senses. For the world neither knows nor praises it, but is hostile to it, and cannot bear it that you believe in Christ, and will not keep company with it, and live as it lives, according to earthly lusts. Therefore it is called a hidden life to the world and to the Christians themselves, according to outward appearance and feeling; but yet such a life, which is sure and well kept, and afterward shall shine manifestly in the sight of all the world; as he also saith:
But when Christ, your life, shall be manifested, then shall ye also be manifested with him in glory.
This is the consolation of Christians in this life on earth, when they hear of Christ and believe in him, but their feelings and the world seem to contradict them, since they have to struggle with sin and their own weakness, and are subject to all kinds of tribulation and misfortune, so that they do not feel much life and joy as they would like, but rather death and terror. But Paul comforts them against this, and shows them where they should seek their life and take hold of it with certainty.
(27) Be of good cheer, he says, for you have died to this earthly life, for which you must forgive yourselves; but you have herewith made a delicious change. For this is a blessed death, for which you have obtained much more glorious life; for you have now been redeemed from sin and eternal death through the death of Christ, and have been given incorruptible eternal glory. But you do not yet have such life in yourselves through feeling, but in Christ through faith. And so Christ is called your life, which is not yet manifest in yourselves, but is certain in him, and thus assures that no one can take it away from you, so that you can have it through
The faith of his life must also be preserved, and he must retain the victory over sin, death, and the terror and plagues of the devil, until such time as this life is also manifested in you. For you certainly have it in Christ, and lack nothing more, except that the covering under which it is still hidden, because you live in this mortal flesh and blood, be taken away, and be revealed; then all worldly, earthly being, sin and death shall cease, and there shall be glory in all Christians. Therefore let the Christians, who believe and know that Christ is risen from the dead, take comfort in this, and look forward to living with him in eternal glory, if they also died with him in the world before.
28 St. Paul also did not forget to indicate how it is still done for the Christians and saints in this life, when he says: "Mortify therefore your members which are on earth" etc. For he confesses that with Christ they have already died to the earthly being and have life in him; and yet he says that they should kill their members on earth, which he interprets and calls fornication, covetousness etc. This is a strange speech: to have died and risen with Christ, and thus to be truly holy, and yet to kill the earthly vices in their own bodies and members. This is what the apostle Rom. 7, 5. 8. 23. and elsewhere often shows, that in the saints there still remains all kinds of sinful desire from original sin, which is always stirring up and coming forth.
It is so strong and powerful that it also wants to take a person completely captive and throw him under itself, as St. Paul himself complains, under sin; and it also does this if he does not resist and overcome it through faith and the help of the Holy Spirit.
For this reason there is a strong eternal fight and struggle, so that the saints must fight with themselves, if they do not want to lose God's grace and their faith again; as St. Paul also says Rom. 8:13: "If you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if you die through the spirit of the flesh, you will live. So a Christian has to struggle and fight with himself to keep the spirit and the new divine life he has begun; and this is not done with monkish mendicant works, so that they think they are warding off sin. For this filth does not stick to the garment, or to the skin, so that it can be washed off and scratched, or fasted and mortified; but is inwardly in the blood and flesh, and stirs in the whole man, and must be badly killed, or it will kill you. But it will be killed if you know this through repentance, and are sincerely displeased with it, and seek and receive forgiveness through faith in Christ, and so resist such sinful desire that it does not come into the work and rule over you. More is said about this elsewhere.