1 Cor. 1, 4-9.
I thank my God always for the grace of God which is given you in Christ Jesus, that through Him you may be enriched in all things, in all doctrine, and in all knowledge. As the preaching of Christ has been strengthened in you, so that you have no lack of any gift, and only wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also keep you steadfast until the end, so that you will be blameless until the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. For God is faithful, by whom you were called to the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
This is the beginning of the epistle to the Corinthians, which St. Paul caused to be written. This is the beginning of the epistle to the Corinthians, which St. Paul caused to be written, because after his departure things were not so good, since some had already caused sectarianism and had thrown everything into desolation, both in doctrine and with life, so that he punished and corrected such vices and infirmities; for this reason it is still necessary and useful to read and practice it today, because the devil never celebrates where the gospel is preached purely, to mingle with God's children and also to sow his seed.
2 Now St. Paul wants to make it a little hard, and he wants to force (wash) them with sharp lye; but he begins neatly, showing them what they have received through the gospel, reminding them that they should be grateful to God for it, and teach and live in unity for His honor and praise, and beware of sectarianism and other trouble. Therefore, he begins thus:
I thank my God always for the grace of God that is given to you in Christ Jesus etc.
3. As if to say: Dear brethren, consider what great grace and gifts are given to you by God, not because of the law or your righteousness, merit, and works, so that you may have no cause to boast of yourselves one before another, or to make sects and divisions; but in Christ alone, and for his sake, all these things have been given to you through the preaching of the gospel, that is, such grace as brings and gives you all kinds of gifts, that you also have been enriched in all things, so that you lack nothing of all that you need from God to give you, only that you still have to wait for the blessed day when Christ himself will visibly reveal himself to you with all the heavenly goods that you now have in faith.
4 Hereby he praises the preaching of the gospel to them (as he does in many other places), that they should esteem it precious and valuable; and he does this by his own example, that he himself thanks God for his person on their behalf, to provoke them the more to gratitude, that they should think back what they had before.
and now have received through the gospel, and beware lest, forgetting their former sorrow and now having received grace, they fall again from the same into former blindness; as has already begun to happen among them through their brethren, who, being weary of the gospel and no longer respecting the great grace, began to seek and choose other things.
5 Here, behold, this happened to the high apostle and highest teacher among the Gentiles in his time, that he had to see and hear in his own church the mobs and sects that arose out of security and ingratitude for the gospel during his life: what wonder if such things happen now, since there are not such excellent preachers and such pious Christians as there were? We see what great gifts are also given to us, but besides this we also see and feel what the devil is doing for trouble and annoyance; which is also the fault of our ingratitude, that we have so soon forgotten all the harm we suffered under the previous blindness of the papacy, how miserably we were deceived and plagued; as then must happen: If one wants to disregard such things or throw them to the wind, then gratitude and honor to God's word cannot follow; for such sated, forgotten Christians go and think that it has always been thus, and will always be thus, as it is now.
(6) Therefore it is necessary to awaken and remind the people to think of what they did not have before, even of what misery they were in, which St. Paul then also clearly exemplifies to his Corinthians (as we have just heard in some parts of this epistle); but here in the beginning with polite, friendly words he gives to understand that they should consider in what they have now obtained through the gospel, what they lacked before and may still be deprived of again.
007 Therefore saith he: Ye have now received grace, that ye are rich in all things (of which ye had none before, neither had ye yet, except the gospel were preached unto you), even in all things that pertain unto that life (for the gospel is not to make rich men here on earth), that ye should have no
If you are lacking in some gifts and need nothing more than the few things that he, the Lord, himself will come, this is what you should still have, and in anticipation of the future of the same, live here of the graces and gifts in which you have been enriched with all things, until you are finally redeemed from this sinful, evil life of the world and all its plagues. You should know this and thank God for it, so that you may not seek other, better or higher gifts or professions, as if you did not yet have everything that you should have, as the rotten ones have given you.
8. For you yourself calculate what better one can have or desire, because a Christian in his gospel and faith, being sure that his sin is forgiven and washed clean in baptism, is justified and sanctified before God, and thus already God's child and heir of eternal life; Afterwards, whether he still has and feels weakness and sin, yes, whether he is also hasty and has fallen, he can be raised up again, absolved, comforted, strengthened by his neighbor through God's word and the ministry of the sacraments, has daily preaching on how he should believe and live in all kinds of circumstances. Item, he can call and pray in times of need, and has the certain promise that God will hear and help him. But what more does a man desire, or what more does he need, than to know that he is God's child through baptism, and has God's word with him for comfort and strength against weakness and sin? Do you think it is a small wealth and treasure to know and have that God Himself speaks with you and works in you through the outward ministry, teaches, admonishes, comforts, helps, yes, gives victory and overcoming against the devil, death and all power on earth.
(9) What would we have gladly done and given before, that we might have had one in troubles and trials of conscience? It was said that if someone was sad or had a need, he should seek advice from a reasonable, understanding man, and what he was advised by him, he should follow; but such an understanding man was nowhere to be found, who could say or advise something about this. For here
Do not take the advice of a reasonable man, but only the word of God, which you can trust and rely on, as God Himself has revealed to you from heaven.
(10) This is, says St. Paul, the great riches and precious treasure: to have the word of God for certain, and not to doubt that it is the word of God; this is what comforts and sustains the heart. We had none of this before under the Pope's compulsion and darkness. We allowed ourselves to be led and driven by the vain humanity of his commandments, bulls and lies, calling on the saints, indulgences, masses, monasticism; and did everything that was given to us under the name of the church, only so that it would give us comfort and help, so that we would not despair of God's grace; But in order that they should comfort us, they led us to the devil and put us only more in fear and terror; for there was nothing that could make us certain; just as they themselves had to confess from their own teaching that a man could not nor should be certain whether he was in the grace of God.
(11) Yes, they drove the poor, stupid, challenged hearts to fear and tremble before Christ more than before the devil himself; as I have well experienced in myself, and for this I took refuge in the dead, St. Barbara, Anna and other dead saints, as mediators against Christ's wrath; and yet with this I accomplished nothing, nor could I be delivered from the fearful, fleeting conscience. There was no one among all of us, who were praised as highly learned doctors of the holy Scriptures, who could have given proper comfort from God's word and said: This is God's word, this is what God wants from you, so that you may give Him glory, and be comforted, and believe, and know that He forgives your sin and will not be angry with you; and if there had been someone who could have heard this, I would have given everything I have for it; yes, I would have taken such a word and left all kings their honor and crown for it, because it would have refreshed and preserved my heart, yes, my body and life.
12. that should be commemorated and not
forgetting to thank God for it, and therefore counting and reckoning what more one can count of the excellent great goods, so in all things we have become rich; for above the Word we also have the prayer and Our Father, since we know what and how to pray; which now, praise be to God! which now, praise be to God, almost every child knows, since all of us before, especially we monks, toiled with much long reading and singing, and yet prayed nothing, except as the nuns cackle away the psaltery or the geese the straw.
13. I also wanted to be a holy and pious monk, and with great devotion I prepared myself for mass and prayer; but when I was most devout, I went to the altar a doubter, a doubter I went away again: If I had said my penance, I still doubted; if I had not prayed it, I despaired again; for we were under the illusion that we could not pray and would not be heard, that we were completely pure and without sin, like the saints in heaven; that it would be much better to abandon prayer altogether and do something else, than to act in vain in God's name. Nor have we monks (indeed, all that was called spiritual) prayed to people in this way, promising them Our prayer for their money and goods and sold them, which we ourselves did not know whether it was right to pray or pleasing to God. Therefore, praise be to God, we now know and understand not only what and how we should pray and call, so that we do not doubt, but also add a strong Amen, and conclude that he will surely hear us according to his promise.
(14) This is also an unspeakable treasure for a Christian, that he first of all has God's word, which is the word of eternal grace and consolation, baptism, sacrament, the understanding of the Ten Commandments and faith, all of which he can be sure of; in addition, he also has certain refuge and assurance that he will hear us in our distresses when we call upon him; and thus both of these are given to him, as God promises in the prophet Zechariah, Cap. 12, 10, the spirit of grace and prayer. He also has the understanding to be able to judge with certainty what are right good works and deeds that are pleasing to God; on the other hand, he also has the understanding to judge what are other useless, unworthy works and deeds that are pleasing to God.
We had none before, since we did not know what we believed, what we prayed, or what we lived; we sought our salvation and comfort only in our own imaginary deeds, in our repentance, confession, and atonement, in our own works of monasticism and obedience to the pope's commandment, and thought that it was thus accomplished, and considered that alone to be holy works and life; whereas the common Christians were worldly, yearly estates.
(15) As it was also publicly announced to the people (and the pope confirmed it) a great ship in the wild wide sea, in which there were nothing but holy monks, together with the super-holy popes, cardinals, bishops etc. who threw their merits to the others who were swimming in the water and were in distress, or gave their hands, tied their ropes or stoles around their bodies, and thus pulled them out to themselves into the ship etc.
16. Against this, see and reckon whether this is not a great wealth and value, to be held high and glorious, that you now know what your heart should comfort itself with, and seek help in times of need, and how you should live in your state, and thus be provided for everywhere, whether you cannot grasp it enough by yourself at all times, that you can nevertheless always come to it and keep yourself to it through the common service and office of the church and with your nearest Christian; item, that thou mayest live rightly in the common works of the estates, as God has ordained, and know that thou doest better thereby and more pleasing to God, than if thou buy the works and merit of all monks and hermits from them?
(17) This is what St. Paul calls "being rich," first, "in all doctrine or wisdom," which is the high spiritual understanding of the word, concerning eternal life, that is, the comfort of faith in Christ; item, of calling and praying. And "in all knowledge," that is, right understanding and discernment of the whole outward bodily life and being on earth. For in these two items is comprehended all that a Christian should know and have. These are such great treasures and goods that no one can speak of them; and whoever can speak of them in exchange for the lack or harm that we have previously experienced.
He cannot refrain from it; he must be happy and thankful for it. I myself think of the time when I studied the holy scriptures with all diligence, what I would have gladly given for someone to have interpreted a psalm correctly for me, and when I began to understand a verse, I thought I was born again.
18 Therefore, we should now thank God most highly for the great grace and gifts that we again have the light of both the right understanding of the Scriptures and the knowledge of all things; but it also goes and will, unfortunately, go in this way, just as it did with the Corinthians, who had been abundantly abused by St. Paul, but honestly and disgracefully ungrateful. Paul, who abounded abundantly in St. Paul's, but honestly abused it and became shamefully ungrateful, for which reason they were also subsequently punished, first by false teaching and seduction, until finally the beautiful church, with its land and people, was completely devastated and destroyed. Rather, such punishment is threatened, and is already at the door and knocking, in the most terrible way through the Turks and other troubles and plagues; so that we may also pray with a thankful heart and right earnestness, as here St. Paul gives thanks for his Corinthians and prays that God may keep us firm in what He has given us and keep us blameless until the day of our Lord Jesus Christ etc.
19 Therefore he exhorts us to remain in such knowledge and gratitude of the graces and gifts of God, and because we are so rich and blessed with them that we need nothing more, that we only wait for the Lord to make manifest to us such things as have been promised to us and already given to us in faith, by his coming.
(20) Hitherto much has been written and great art has been given concerning how one should prepare himself for death and wait for the last day, but this has made the stupid consciences much more sorrowful, for they have not been able to show anything of the consolation of the great riches of grace and blessedness in Christ, but have only instructed people to stand against death and God's judgment by their own work and good life. For this also the great grace is now seen, that he who has the word of the gospel goes and does his commanded office and work, be he of any standing.
He comforts himself that he has been incorporated into Christ through baptism, receives absolution, and needs the sacrament to strengthen his faith; he commends his body and soul to Christ; why should such a man fear death? Whatever the hour, through pestilence or some other sudden accident, sleeping or awake, he is always ready and well prepared, for he is always found in Christ.
(21) For this also a Christian may happily thank and praise God; for he himself sees that he needs nothing more, and will attain nothing better, neither does he have anything ready, through the forgiveness of sins and the Holy Spirit's gift and obedience of his profession, without daily increasing and persevering in such faith and calling upon his Lord; but no better nor other doctrine, faith, spirit, prayer, sacrament, blessedness etc. he cannot have, neither all the saints, St. John the Baptist, Peter, Paul, and every now baptized Christian has; therefore I must not deal with other fool's work, so that one wants to make people ready and bold for death, with remembrance and narration of so many daily accidents, evils and dangers of this life. It does not do so, death cannot be deterred by it and fear does not go away from it. But the gospel teaches thus: Believe in Christ, and besides this pray and live according to God's word; and if in this death attacks you and hastens you, then you know that you are of the Lord Christ; as St. Paul Rom. 14:8 says: "Whether we live or die, we are of the Lord." For this reason we are Christians and live on earth, so that we can have certain comfort, salvation and victory against sin, death and hell.
(22) St. Paul reminds us of this here, and then goes into great detail in this epistle, so that we may be thankful for such great grace, and keep ourselves Christian and brotherly among ourselves in doctrine and life, forsaking and shunning the wild and naughty behavior that the Romans or other wild-hearted people bring about. For he who rightly recognizes such grace and gift must in turn love and give thanks to God, and also live rightly toward his neighbor; and if he lacks anything in this respect, he will also find it through God.
90g L. s, 295-297. on the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. W. xii. iioz-iiss. 909
If you are not of this mind, you have certainly not recognized or grasped God's grace, otherwise you would correct yourself and live differently.
23) Here you may ask: Why St. Paul so gloriously boasts about the Corinthians, how they are so rich in all things, that they do not have some deficiency etc.: when afterwards he himself confesses that they had divisions and sects among themselves: some over baptism, some in the sacrament, some in the faith of the resurrection from the dead, some in the abuse of liberty, item, that some otherwise lived as they wished etc. Does not this mean that they have deficiency and infirmity? How then may he say that in all spiritual things they have all things abundantly, that they lack not one thing?
(24) Now, here it is necessary to know that I have often said: Christianity can nowhere be so pure that there are not also some false and evil ones among them; just as the weeds, the brambles, the grasses, the hedgehogs *) always want to be among the pure grain. Therefore, whoever wants to look at the church and find something unhealthy or even unclean among the group called Christians, will be lacking in the church, in the gospel and in Christ, and will never find or meet with a church.
(25) Therefore we are comforted by this: If we have the gospel purely, we have the treasure that God gives to His church, so that we cannot lack nor be in want. But it is not yet so strong and perfect that those who hear it have fully grasped it, or are pure in faith and life; but there are always some who do not believe, and some who are still weak and imperfect; but still the treasure and riches of doctrine and knowledge are certainly there, and lacking nothing in them, they also work much power and fruit. But the fact that some do not believe does not harm baptism or the gospel or the church, but they themselves. In sum, where the word remains, the church certainly remains; for where the doctrine is pure, baptism can be baptized,
*) Hederich, wild mustard, a plant growing in panicles, especially in fields sown with oats.
D. Red.
Sacrament, absolution, Ten Commandments, Our Father, good works, all estates and everything kept pure, and where something is lacking or not righteous, to be punished, corrected and set right by the Word.
For there must be some who have the Word and Sacrament rightly and purely and believe, pray rightly, keep God's commandment, etc., as, praise God, we have with us, so that one can certainly conclude: If the true church were not here, none would be here; therefore there must be true members of the church and saints among us. Whether the children of the world (as happens everywhere and at all times), who neither believe nor live a Christian life, perish beside them, neither faith, nor baptism, nor doctrine, nor the church perish because of it; but the treasure nevertheless remains there, whole and unweakened, and God can give grace that some may renounce their unbelief and evil life, and also come here and amend themselves.
(27) Again, those who do not have this treasure, namely, the word or doctrine and knowledge, cannot be the Christian church, nor members of it, therefore they cannot rightly believe, nor pray, nor do good works that please God. And thus all their life is lost and condemned before God, even though they boast much about God and the church, and have much greater appearance and glory before the world of a but holy life, or great virtue and honor, neither do righteous Christians; for it is decided that apart from the church of Christ there is no God, no grace, nor blessedness; as St. Paul said in the next epistle Eph. 4, 5: "One Lord, One baptism, One faith, One God" etc.; item Acts 4, 12: "There is none other name given among men, whereby we are saved."
28 Therefore St. Paul, when he praises the Corinthians, does not look at the seditionists, epicureans, or others who publicly cause trouble among them, as he who had taken his stepmother; but he looks at the fact that nevertheless there is the little group that has the pure Word of God, faith, baptism, and sacrament (although there are some false and evil ones among them); in order that they may have the same
For as few as they are, there is the unspeakable riches of which he spoke, whether in threes or fours (if there were not more of them), or in hundreds or thousands. For that many have it not, is not the fault of the gospel, nor of the preachers, nor of the church, but of themselves, who stop their ears and hearts at it.
(29) Behold, St. Paul has thus gloriously praised and described the Christian church, where it is on earth, and what unspeakable goods and gifts it has from Christ, for which it should thank and praise him, both with its confession and its life. He now concludes this and says:
For God is faithful, through whom you were called to the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
(30) Which Christ hath begun in you, and hath already given, whereby he will surely preserve you unto the end, and for evermore, if ye will not yourselves by unbelief fall away, or be cast away: for his word or promise which is given unto you, and his work which he worketh in you, is not changeable, as the word and work of men, but is fixed, certain, and divine immovable truth. Because you have such a divine calling, you should take comfort in it and firmly rely on it.