Phil. 3, 17-21.
Follow me, brethren, and see them that walk as ye have us for an example. For many walk, of whom I have often told you, but now I also say with weeping, the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is damnation, to whom the belly is their god, and their glory is put to shame, of those who are earthly minded. But our walk is in heaven, from whence we also wait for the Savior Jesus Christ, the Lord, who shall transfigure our vile body, that it may be like unto his glorified body, according to the working, that he may also make all things subject unto him.
. 1 Saint Paul commends the Philippians greatly, because they began well with the holy gospel, and showed themselves honest in the fruits of their faith, when they were in earnest. Therefore he also cares for them so faithfully and heartily that they remain steadfast, and are not deceived and seduced by false preachers of the dissolute Jews, who at that time were much in circulation, and perverted those whom St. Paul had won, pretending to teach much better, and yet leading the people of Christ back to the law, confirming and spreading their Judaism. Because St. Paul sees his joy and pleasure in this church, he is driven by his fatherly concern that they not also be deceived by such, to admonish them that they remain steadfast in what they have received, do not seek anything else, nor let themselves think (as the secure, full spirits are deceived by the devil) that they have even grasped it and have become masters of all things, because he says of himself (hard before these words) that he has not yet grasped it.
(2) And specially he exhorteth them to follow him, and to look to the preachers, which walk and keep themselves after the pattern of doctrine and life, as they have been taught of him.
seen and heard. He sets them an example not only of his person, but also of those who are like him in the same way, as he also names some of them in this epistle. They must have been especially good people, if he commands them to look at them and follow them. But such an example is primarily concerned with doctrine; for this reason it is most important that both the preaching ministry remains pure and that they remain in the right faith; for where this is right, the doctrine and the consequence of the works can also be right afterwards; as he also exhorts about it afterwards Cap. 4, 8: "If there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on it" etc.
(3) Now St. Paul is especially a man of hope, that he may thus boast of himself and make himself an example to all, so that other preachers may say that he alone would exalt and set himself above all. Do you think, then, that our wise spirits would say that you have the Holy Spirit alone? or that others would not also like to have honor as much as you? etc. Just as Miriam and Aaron, Deut. 12:2, murmured against their own brother, "Does the Lord speak through Moses alone? does he not speak through us also?" etc. So this also seems to be held too highly of himself, that he alone sets himself as an example, than that one should look to
Let no one see him, for he who walks as he does; although the others who do not follow him may bring a greater semblance of the Spirit, holiness, humility etc.
4 But he does not speak of his own person alone, but says: "As you have us for an example" etc. So that he does not exclude the other righteous apostles and teachers; but he wants to admonish them with this, as he does everywhere, that they stick to the one teaching, which they first received from him, and do not become too clever here, nor let themselves think they are masters; but beware of those who want to come and pretend something better, as happened with others and many were deceived by such.
005 But as to the manner in which they should follow him, he hath spoken before and since; when in the third chapter, vv. 3-6, he begins, saying, "We are the circumcision, which serve God in the Spirit, and glory in Christ Jesus, and rely not on the flesh: though I also have," saith he, "to glory in the flesh. If another may think to boast of flesh, much more I; who am circumcised the eighth day, one of the people of Israel, of the family of Benjamin, an Ebraean of the Ebraeans," that is, the highest honor a Jew can lead, I can lead that also: "according to the law a Pharisee, according to zeal a persecutor of the church, according to righteousness in the law having been blameless." But still he continues in vv. 7, 8, 9: "What I have gained I have counted as loss for Christ's sake, for I count it all loss against the abundant knowledge of Christ my Lord. For whose sake I have counted all things as harm, and count them as filth, that I might win Christ, and be found in Him; that I might have not my righteousness which is of the law, but that which is by faith in Christ; that is, the righteousness which is imputed of God unto faith." etc.
(6) Behold, this is the image, he saith, which we set before you, and exhort you to follow the same, that ye also may think how ye attain righteousness, and abide therein; which is called a "righteousness not of the law:" for of this he may say, that
He considers them to be filth and filthiness (which comes out of a man's body), even if they are as beautiful and blameless as they can be found on earth, as they were among honest Jews and in Paul before his conversion; who, before their great holiness, considered Christians to be all boys and cursed people, and then confidently helped to persecute and murder them.
(7) Nor have I, says he, who am also a Jew by birth, considered all this more than a harm, that I might be found in the righteousness which God imputes to faith through Christ's will. For this righteousness alone teaches us to know and grasp God rightly, that is, to be sure of His grace, and also to wait for another life to come; that a man may think to come to meet Christ in the resurrection of the dead, that is, not to flee and be afraid of Him in death and on the Day of Judgment, but to go joyfully to meet Him, and to welcome Him as he waited for Him with great longing and yearning. That righteousness of the law cannot make such courage; therefore it has been of no help to me before God, but rather harmful. But this is that God imputes righteousness to us for Christ's sake, through faith, because he proclaims to us through his word, saying, "Whoever believes in my Son shall have my grace and eternal life for his sake. Whoever has such knowledge is now so skilled that he does not fear and flee the last day, but fearlessly expects and hopes for it.
(8) Here, behold, is not this too grossly and contemptuously spoken of the righteousness of the law, that he holds it, and so holds: teaches for such a thing, which not only hinders or profits nothing, but also does harm and is to be held as a disgust and abomination? Who could open his mouth so wide and speak of such a blameless life according to the law, who would not call everyone an apostle and servant of the wicked devil, unless St. Paul himself did so? Or, who wants to keep such righteousness more, if one wants to preach about it?
(9) And that yet he alone said of worldly or heathen righteousness, according to
of reason, which goes through proper authority, law and justice. Now he clearly states the righteousness of God's law or the Ten Commandments, which is much higher than those that only concern this life, and teaches how one should live before God; of which no pagan, legal regiment nor worldly authority knows anything. Should not this preacher be condemned for a heretic, who thus reaches into God's law and may thus reprove it; and in addition admonishes and warns that one should beware of those who walk according to it, that is, who defy such righteousness; and thus praises and extols such saints, calling them enemies of the cross of Christ, and who have the belly for God, and serve him for God? etc.
(10) Yes, he says of himself, I have also been such, even in my highest righteousness according to the law, an enemy and persecutor of the congregation or church of Christ. This was the best fruit of such righteousness, that I thought I had to help persecute Christ and his Christians in the most horrible way, and thus with my holiness I was a real enemy of God and murderer of Christians. For such, of course, makes this self-sanctification, as all the histories of Scripture testify from the beginning, from the first Cain, and is still evident in the best in the world, who do not come to the knowledge of Christ: all princes, authorities, and the wiser, more pious and more honorable life they are, the worse, more bitter and more serious enemies of the Gospel.
For of the rude Popes of Rome, Cardinals, Bishops, Priests etc.., it is not to be said here that they do it too roughly, so that even secular authorities and respectability must say that they are all desperate boys, with their insolent, public life of shame, avarice, courtly conduct, fornication, pillorying, robbery and all wickedness; for they not only live in this way, but also want to defend it insolently, so that they must be considered not only as Christ's, but also as enemies of all respectability and virtue; so that all respectable people are also enemies to them. But, as I said, St. Paul does not speak of such people, but of other great and excellent people, who are the most pious and lead the most refined lives; they become so poisonous and bitterly wicked,
where they come to the Christians, they can forget all the guilt they have on themselves before God, and make our splinters vainly great beams. Summa: The gospel must be called heresy and doctrine of devils, so that their holiness and zeal for God may be seen and praised.
No one would believe such things; I myself would never have believed them, nor would I have been able to understand these words of St. Paul, if I had not seen and experienced them before my eyes. For how could a man think (when St. Paul says it again) that the finest, noblest, most pious, honorable and holy people, who should be trusted to accept God's word above all others, should, I say, be hostile to this teaching? But the examples that come into our hands teach us that they must be such as are called noble, noble princes and nobility, honest citizens, learned, wise and sensible people; but if they could devour the evangelicals, as they are now called, together with the gospel in one bite, they would gladly do so.
13. you ask: Where does this come from? From this, that such things are naturally attached to human righteousness; for there is no one who does not know about Christ, and yet has such righteousness, and believes that it is valid before God. He must rely on it, tickles and reflects himself before God with it, and thinks to please Him well with it. From such pride and hope before God follows contempt for others who do not have it, as the Pharisee Luc. 18, 11. 12. testifies; but rather enmity and bitter anger against the preacher who may attack such righteousness and say that it does not count before God to deserve God's grace and eternal life.
For I myself have been such a one, and others who have wanted to be holy and pious in the papacy must also confess it. Thirty years ago, when I was also a pious, holy monk, if someone had said mass to me every day, and knew no other way than that I was going straight to heaven on the right path; if someone had preached this text to me there, and said that I was going to heaven on the right path, I would not have been able to do it.
all such holiness (which was not according to God's commandment, but human doctrine and public idolatry) would be nothing, and I would be an enemy of the cross of Christ and serve my own belly: then I would also have to help to carry stones and wood at the least, to throw such a Stephanum to death, yes, to destroy the worst heretic with fire.
(15) So does nature and the world at all times, and cannot do otherwise when this sermon comes from heaven and says: You are a holy man, a great, learned, pious lawyer, a strict ruler and praiseworthy prince, an honest citizen etc.But with your rule and fine life you are going to hell, and everything you do stinks and is condemned before God, and you must become a different man, have a different mind and heart, if you want to be saved. etc. Then the fire rises and the Rhine is kindled; for they cannot bear it, that such a beautiful, praiseworthy being and life should be publicly punished and condemned by such preaching of some lesser despised people, so that it is called harm, and as St. Paul calls it, dung or filth, and all hindrance to eternal life.
16 Here you speak: How then do you forbid good works? Is it not right to live honorably and virtuously? Must you not yourself confess that one should have worldly law and authority, and keep it so that people live modestly, peacefully and honorably? yes, that God himself also commands such things and wants them to be kept seriously, and punish those who do against them? Rather, he wants people to keep his own law and commandments and not to despise them. Why then may you say that such righteousness is harmful and a hindrance to eternal life? How does it add up that one should teach, do and be righteous, and yet also, as condemned before God, punish? How can it at the same time be called a good, delicious thing, and yet also a harm and a disgrace?
17 Answer: St. Paul knows well that the world stands on this and makes such contradictions. But whoever will, let him speak to him why he speaks so clearly and publicly? For they are not ours, but
his words. It is true and St. Paul himself confesses that it should and must be so on earth, and God wants everyone to live honorably and obediently. Yes, he has decreed that he should also be kept among the Turks and the Gentiles: and yet it is certain that these, even though they are the best and most pious and live the most honestly, are naturally and from the heart enemies of Christ, and their mind and thoughts are directed toward exterminating God's people. Here everyone must say: The Turk is of the devil with all his regiment, obedient and strict life, where they lead it and keep it according to their Alkoran, even stricter than we Christians. That is to say, at the same time they condemn with all their justice, and yet say that they do right when they punish thieves, murderers, robbers, drunkards, etc.; yes, that even the Christians, where they live under the Turk, are obliged to give their interest to him and serve him with body and goods. Just as we must also say of our rulers who persecute the gospel and are public enemies of Christ, that they are to be obedient to them, give their due interest and service; and yet must consider such, with all who keep it with them and are obedient to them (where they also consent to the persecution of the gospel), to be condemned before God.
(18) St. Paul also speaks of the righteousness of all Jews and pious saints who are not Christians, opening his mouth wide enough to pass such a judgment, blaming them and lamenting with weeping eyes over those who lead people and point to the righteousness of the law, and yet do nothing with it but make enemies of the cross of Christ.
(19) Item, give them also the price, that their end is damnation. They are, he says, damned people, if they have taught and practiced such righteousness to the highest degree all their lives. On earth it is a precious thing and a beautiful, noble treasure, and has great praise and honor, to be called a pious, honest prince, ruler, citizen, item, a pious, chaste woman or virgin. Who would not praise and extol this? Is it also in the world a strange treasure. Well, he says, let it be so beautiful, delicious
and praiseworthy thing; but yet it is finally damned and does not belong to heaven.
(20) Yea, he maketh it more grievous, saying, Whose belly is their god. There you hear how far such human justice goes, when it brings it to the highest, that it is no longer called, neither the belly served. Here take all wisdom, law, jurisprudence and arts, and highest virtue in addition on earth; what virtues are they? They worship a god called the belly. For all this is of no avail to them, for this life lasts, and goes only so that one may have one's belly full here: if this has an end, then this also has its end and its servants with it; and in short, everything dies and corrupts at the same time, justice, virtue, law and their god belly, whom they have served. For they know nothing of the true eternal God, how to serve Him and come to eternal life; therefore such a life is basically nothing but idolatry and an idolatrous life, so that nothing more can be sought, neither the preservation of this mortal belly, peace and honor.
21) Fourthly, he says: "Which honor becomes shame. This is the last of it: if the wise philosophers, pious pagans and wise jurists are praised and honored in the highest and most honest way, it is still shameful. They may use these words: Amore virtutis, boast of great love of virtue and justice, and may also mean it with great seriousness and consider it so; but when one looks at it in the end, such fame is nothing, and in the end exists with vain shame. For they can take it no further than that it is called praiseworthy and honest here on earth before the world; but it is not valid before God, and cannot attain that life, and in the end leaves man shamefully stuck, so that death eats him away and hell snatches him away.
22) But here you say again: "Is this true, what is the use of such things? So much more let us live confidently, as we desire, that no one may be a pious, honest man, nor a youthful, honest woman, nor a virgin etc. any more? Answer: No, that is not the opinion at all; for you have heard that God has commanded and wills such things, even among Turks and Gentiles, and St. Paul himself will soon say
Then in this epistle Cap. 4:8, exhorts Christians to consider and seek what is true, what is honorable, what is just, what is chaste, what is praiseworthy, what is good, where there is virtue or praise; and in this he also sets before his own example: "Which also ye," saith he v. 9, "have learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me.
(23) For in those who believe in Christ and now have their righteousness in Him, these fruits shall also follow in this life on earth, in obedience to God, and are also good works that please God, and which He will also reward in the life to come because of their faith in Christ. St. Paul speaks here of those who, apart from Christ and faith, consider their life and work, which they do according to their own strength and according to God's law, to be righteousness in the sight of God; they know nothing of Christ, for whose sake righteousness is imputed to us by God without our merit, if we believe in him. For this reason he became man, died for our sins and rose from the dead, so that in him we might be freed from our sins and also attain and possess his resurrection and life. This is what we should strive for, and live and walk by; as he concludes here and says: "Our walk is not earthly, or directed solely to this temporal life, but "in heaven, from which we also wait for the Savior Jesus Christ" etc. Where one does not know and have this, then let that human, earthly righteousness be as beautiful and honest as it wants to be, then it is truly no more than a hindrance and harm. For flesh and blood cannot leave it, it must rely on it, become hopeful and boast: We are nevertheless something, more honest, more pious and better than others, we Jews are God's people and keep His law etc. Yes, even those who are Christians are not yet completely free of evil, always wanting to bring their own work and merit before God; for I know with myself what suffering is caused to man by the unrighteous wisdom and conceit of righteousness, and what effort it takes before the serpent's head is crushed.
24. So now the verdict is, and must be, either to go to hell, or to consider this human righteousness of our own as damage and dung, and to work to be found in it, not before God and his judgment to stand at the last end, but in the righteousness which is Christ's and draws us into Christ, that we may meet in the garment of the resurrection from sin and death, saying: Welcome, my dear Lord and Savior, who redeems me from the wretched body of sins and death, and makes me like and equal to your holy, pure, clear, glorious body etc.
(25) But because we walk in the faith of his righteousness, he also has patience with the poor weak righteousness of this life on earth, which is otherwise a filth before him; to which he also does honor, that he carries and sustains it for the time that we are here. Just as we honor and adorn our maggot sack and unflattering belly, we hang a beautiful, exquisite dress and golden chain around it, lay it on cushions and in warm beds; there lies the stink and filth, covered with flesh and skin, and comes to the highest honors on earth. For his sake all things must be done, ordered, governed, built, worked, and God himself gives him sun and moon to shine and warm, and makes everything on earth grow and serve. And what is the body of man, neither a beautiful monstrance, in which the foul-smelling saint sits, the belly, which he must daily carry and suffer, yes, must also fill and nourish it, in addition decorate and clean, and be glad, that he only makes himself foul enough.
26. God also does this: if he wants to give eternal life to man, he suffers and endures the filthy holiness of this life, in which we must live here until the last day, for the sake of his elect, until they fill up their number. For because the day does not come, they are not all born who belong to heaven. But when the time will be over and the number will be fulfilled, then he will also suddenly abolish all this, the world, the government, the lawyers, the authorities, the estates, and summa, nothing more of this earthly justice will remain; but all these things will be abolished.
with the belly, and destroy the belly with it. For all things are condemned and doomed to destruction; but for the sake of the Christians, to whom eternal life is destined, it must continue until they all come here and the last saint is born. For even if they were all born except one, the world would still have to stand and be stopped for the sake of that one; for God respects and has no need of the whole world, except for the sake of His Christians.
27 Therefore, when God commands to be obedient to the emperor, to live piously and honorably on earth, it is not the opinion that it should remain so and so alone; but he wants and has to feed, clothe, adorn and honor the poor belly, or, as he says here, this wretched body with power, dominion etc.Yet he says that it is a disgrace that God has no need of for his kingdom, and that he is condemned before him with his honor and glory, so that all the world may cast down their eyes before him and acknowledge their guilt before him. Paul says Rom. 3, 27. and 4, 2. also about the high, great, holy fathers, Abraham and others, who, even if they had the glory of righteousness of works before the world, they can have no glory before God with it etc.; much less will the glory of the world be before him of those who are called praiseworthy, pious, honorable, chaste people, lords, princes, women and men, and who want to boast about such righteousness.
28. outwardly you may be beautiful and adorned before the world, but inwardly before God you are nothing but a stinking filth. Just as the example says of a nun who was held holy before all, who did not want to have fellowship with others, who sat alone in her cell in great devotion and prayed without ceasing, boasting of special revelations and visions, so that she knew nothing else but that the dear angels were around her and put a golden crown on her head; but those who were outside and also wanted to see this, saw a cow dung on her head through holes and crevices and laughed at her.
29) Behold, this is that St. Paul calls his righteousness under the law a dung.
and filth, that he will lay down the glory and defiance thereof before God, though he honors it before the world and calls it righteousness; but where thou wilt defy him hereupon, he hereby pronounces judgment, and in his judgment he holds thee to be an abomination and an enemy of the cross of Christ, and will disgrace such honor of thine, and finally cast it into everlasting damnation. But of the righteousness of faith, which is valid before God in Christ, he speaks thus:
Our citizenship (or walk) is in heaven, from where we also worship the Savior Jesus Christ, the Lord, who will transfigure our True Body to be like His transfigured Body.
30. We," he says, "who have been baptized into Christ and believe, have not set our being and comfort on this righteousness of temporal or worldly life on earth; But have such a righteousness, which through faith in Christ abideth in heaven, and standeth and abideth in him only (otherwise it would be nothing in the sight of God, nor stand), and seeketh only that we may be in Christ for ever, and that by his coming in that life he may make an end of this earthly life also, and of this body another life, that it may be new, pure, holy, and conformed to the life and body of Christ.
(31) Therefore we are no longer called citizens on earth, but he who is a baptized Christian is a born citizen in heaven through baptism. Therefore we should keep and walk as those who belong there and are at home, and comfort ourselves now that God accepts us in this way and wants to put us there, but wait for the Savior who will bring us eternal righteousness, life, honor and glory from heaven.
(32) For we were not baptized and made Christians to have great honor, glory of righteousness, or dominion, power, or goods on earth; and though we have it for the life of this belly, yet shall we count it but dung, to adorn this filthy belly as we may, for them also which shall be born of us, or after us. But for us we shall only wait and see, when the Savior comes, who shall and will come: not to us, but to us.
We are not as wretched as others, but for the sake of our vile or wretched body, which even in this life is a wretched, poor body, but much more when it lies dead in the ground and is consumed.
(33) But as he is wretched, miserable, and shameful, both in life and in death, so by his future he will make him beautiful, pure, bright, and clear, and full of honor, that he shall be like and equal to his own immortal body: not as he hung on the cross, and was laid in the grave, bloodthirsty, and the color of death, in shame and dishonor; but as he is now glorified at the right hand of the Father. Therefore let us not be afraid that we must lay aside this body, and be deprived of His glory, righteousness, and life, and be executed and eaten by death and the grave (before which the enemies of Christ are terrified); but let us cheerfully hope and expect that He will only soon come and deliver us from this poor, stinking filth.
By the effect that he came also make all things subservient to him.
See what honor and glory this righteousness of Christ brings to our bodies. Where does this poor, sinful, wretched, corrupt, depraved body come to be like and similar to the body of the Son of God, the Lord of Majesty? What are you, or what is your and all men's power and ability, that this should be done to you? Well, says St. Paul, human righteousness, merit, glory, and power do nothing here, but remain vile, shameful, and damnable things: but there is another power and effect here, namely, of Him who is the Lord Christ, and can make all things subject to Him. If he can make all things obedient to him as he pleases, he can also glorify the filth and stink, and the maggots and worms and dust of the wretched body. For he is in his hands as the clay of a potter, that he may make of this stinking earthen cesspool a beautiful, bright, new, pure pot or body, clearer and more beautiful than the sun.
35. for through baptism he has baptized us.
He has taken us into his hands for the very purpose of creating and giving us a new incorruptible righteousness and life in body and soul for this sinful, damned, mortal life of the body. This is the power and effect that brings and lifts us to such glory, which no earthly righteousness of the law is able to give, but leaves man with this life in disgrace and ruin.
and can go no further, because the belly lives and endures. But this righteousness of Christ works such power that we see that we do not have the belly, but the true, living God, who does not leave us in shame and death, but helps us out of sin, death and condemnation, and also wants to set this mortal body in eternal honor and glory.