Col. 1:3-14.
We give thanks to God, and to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and pray for you always, having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love of all the saints, because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard beforehand by the word of truth in the gospel, which came to you, as well as into all the world, and is fruitful, as well as in you, from the day that you heard it, and knew the grace of God in truth. As you have learned from Epaphra, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ to you, who also opened your love in the Spirit to us. Therefore we also, from the day we heard it, do not cease praying and asking for you, that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all spiritual wisdom and understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, to all pleasing, and be fruitful in all good works, and grow in the knowledge of God, and be strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, in all patience and longsuffering with joy; And give thanks to the Father, who hath made us fit for the inheritance of the saints in light, who hath delivered us from the dominion of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son, in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.
1. Saint Paul takes before him in this short epistle many pieces of which he speaks. As especially of faith, love, patience, gratitude etc. For he is rich out of measure to speak of such things, as a chosen vessel or armor of God, as he himself calls it Acts 9, 15, that is, the very best preacher he has had on earth. But he is especially rich in the part where he begins to elaborate on the main part of the gospel or faith of Christ, and exalts Christ both according to His kingdom and His person, as He is all and everything in His church, God, Lord, Head, Master, Exemplar, and whatever divine and good thing may be said and praised.
2. initially he praises the Colossians, and says how he has heard a very good cry from them.
hears that they have faith in Christ and love for all the saints, and hold fast to the hope of eternal life, which is already given them in heaven; That is, that they are righteous Christians who have not allowed themselves to be turned away from the pure word of God, but cling to it with earnestness, and prove to themselves by deeds and fruits that they believe rightly, because they practice love toward the poor Christians, and have suffered much for Christ's sake in the hope of the promised blessedness; therefore set in them an example and mirror of the whole Christian life.
(3) On this he continues, saying, "Because I have heard these things of you, I am glad" that you have so good a beginning. For it seems that he himself had not preached to them at first; as he had preached to them.
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after the 2nd chapter v. 1. says how he cares for them and others who have not seen his face, and also shows here that they have learned the gospel and Christ from Epaphra, his fellow servant etc.
(4) And therefore I also pray for you always, saith he, that ye thus continue, increase, and persevere. For he sees and knows that Christians always need such pleading and exhortation, so that they may steadfastly, unchangingly and immovably persevere in the faith they have begun, against the devil's continual temptations, the wickedness of the world and the weakness of the flesh in the cross and suffering.
That you may be filled (he says) with the knowledge of his will etc.
(5) This is the noblest request and desire, which, when it is attained, there is no need for it. But it is called "to be filled," that is, not only to seize and grasp such knowledge with the ears, but also to become rich in it, and fuller and fuller. You have begun and are beautiful, young, fresh plants; but it is not because you have begun that it is enough, or that at once, when you have heard it and now know it, it is soon learned and exhausted; but it is such a thing that must always be pursued and practiced, because we live here, until it becomes completely round and perfect.
For "to know the will of God" does not mean that one alone knows how to say of God, as Jews and Turks speak of Him, that He created heaven and earth and gave the law; which is indeed revealed, as one can know of God by nature, through the works of creation, Rom. 1:20, and also shows God's will in what we are to do. But because we do not do it, we are not helped by it and remain a futile, single knowledge (if it is only that), after which nothing follows of His will in us; indeed, it finally becomes a damnable knowledge of our own eternal ruin. But where this is now recognized, there must then come another knowledge, if man is to be helped. This is what Christ says Joh. 6, 40: "This is the will of the Father.
that whoever sees the Son and believes in Him has eternal life"; item Matth. 18, 14: "It is not the will of the Father that anyone should perish who believes in Me" etc.
7. For since we have not done his will according to the first revelation, and therefore would have to be cast out and condemned under his eternal unbearable wrath; Therefore, through his divine wisdom and mercy, he decided such a counsel and will that he would let his one and only Son take our sin and wrath upon himself and become a sacrifice and payment for it, so that the unbearable wrath and condemnation would be taken away from us, forgiveness of sins would be given, and the Holy Spirit would be given into our hearts, so that we would now have pleasure and love for God's commandments. He himself revealed this will through his Son and commanded him to proclaim it to the world; just as he himself instructs us to seek it from him when he says Matth. 3, 17: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; him you shall hear.
8 St. Paul would like to increase such knowledge in us, so that we only become rich and full, that is, completely certain of it. For it is a great and excellent knowledge that a human heart, born in sin, should be able to consider and be certain that God, in the abyss of His majesty and divine heart, has finally and irrevocably decided, and wants everyone to accept and believe, that He will not impute sin, but will forgive and be merciful, and give eternal life for the sake of His dear Son.
9. Such knowledge and certain belief is not so easily learned as other things can be learned, or even as the other knowledge of the law, which without it is written in nature; and where it strikes the heart, it becomes all too strong, so that man all too easily recognizes and feels God's wrath; Indeed, this most of all hinders Christians and saints from this knowledge of God's will in Christ, and without which the heart and conscience must confess themselves guilty and confess that they deserve wrath,
and therefore naturally frightens and flees from God. So the devil also blows and stirs up here, and puts into the heart of man his evil and fiery arrows, horrible and heavy thoughts, and makes him believe nothing but vain horrible images and examples of God's wrath, and fills man with such knowledge that he can neither see nor think anything else. And so this knowledge teaches itself only too well that it becomes difficult and sour for man to unlearn and forget again through the knowledge of Christ. So the evil world also helps confidently with its bitter hatred and poisonous murderous cries against Christians, as the worst people, banished, damned enemies of God etc. Moreover, that it otherwise annoys the weak with its example and our flesh and blood also strives for other things and pulls us back, thinks much of its own wisdom and holiness, from which it may have honor and glory, or safely live in its benefit, avarice, pleasure etc. So that a Christian must stand in a great and difficult battle here, both against the devil and the world, and also against himself, if he wants and is to receive knowledge.
Because this knowledge of the gospel is so difficult and so foreign to nature, it is necessary to ask and work diligently to become fuller and fuller of it, and to know God's will well; for our own experience shows that where it is too weak and not well known, how easily a small misfortune may befall a man, or a small journey and hardship may frighten him, when such thunderbolts quickly storm his heart: O woe, God is hostile to me and will not be mine etc. Where does such a sorrowful "O woe!" come from in a Christian's heart, above a little skull? If you were as full of this realization as you should be and as many safe, satiated spirits seem to be, you would not be so frightened nor cry out. But because you fidget and hesitate: O Lord God, why do you allow this to happen to me? that means that you have not yet recognized his will, or at least have recognized it loosely and weakly; for the "O woe!" is still much greater than the joy, so
This knowledge, where it is strong and complete, brings with it, which should far outweigh all fear and terror, indeed, completely remove and annul it.
(11) Therefore, let us also learn from this and ask with St. Paul, as it is most necessary for us and for all Christians, that we may have such complete knowledge, that is, not to begin alone, and let ourselves think that it is enough, or to stand still in it, as if we had grasped it. It is not enough that the plants are planted, if they are not followed by the watering and bringing forth of both by God's word and prayer, against the devil, who day and night strives to dampen and strike down such little plants where he sees them sprouting, and against the world, which only seeks and drives the contradiction, and thinks against it with its wisdom and reason; that if God did not hold over us here and strengthen such knowledge, then we would well see what the devil could do and how far our art reached.
12. the book of Job also shows us a good example, as in a fine poem, made by a poet, how Satan comes before God, and the Lord said to him, Job 1, 8-11: "Have you not taken heed of my servant Job? for there is none like him in the land, bad and righteous, and godly" etc. "Then answered Satan, Thou hast compassed him about with thy protection, and hast kept him safe, that I cannot come unto him: but let thine hand be stayed, what is the matter, I will soon make him curse thee to thy face. As he did afterwards, when he had filled him, not only with evil swarms, but also with his fiery darts and terrible thoughts of God. So also Christ says to Petro and the apostles: "Satan desired you, that he should sift you and cast you as wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith should not cease", Luc. 22, 31. 32. Summa, if God did not prevent him, he would be allowed to overthrow even the greatest, strongest saints.
(13) Therefore, although we have already become Christians and have the beginning of this knowledge, we should walk in fear and humility; not presumptuous, as the fretful, secure spirits think they have.
They are exhausted at once, and know neither measure nor end of their art: which the devil especially loves; for he is mighty with them, as he himself wills, and through them does great harm to others, with their doctrine or examples, so that they also become secure, not thinking that God would let them sink and that the devil is so close to them. Truly, God's word must be acted upon and prayed for with earnestness and diligence, not only that one may learn to know God's will, but also that one may be fulfilled by it, and that each one may always walk and always continue in this rule, and pursue and strive after it, so that he may have more and more comfort and strength against fear and terror, nor let the devil, the world, flesh and blood hinder and endure him.
14 For this fullness of knowledge is such that whoever has it does not become full or weary of it, but is always more and more glad and joyful of it, and the longer the more eager and thirsty for it, as the Scripture says: "Whoever drinks me will thirst for me even more" etc. Sir. 24, 29. For even the dear angels in heaven are not satisfied with it, as St. Peter says, but have their eternal joy and delight in it, that they may behold it revealed and preached to us, 1 Petr. 1, 12. Therefore, if we do not also have this hunger and thirst (as we should rather have neither the angels), to grasp these things abundantly and completely, until we may also see them eternally in that life: there is still no more of it than a mere empty foam, which can neither water nor satisfy, neither comfort nor improve.
15) But in order that this hunger and thirst may be awakened and driven in us, and that full knowledge may be attained, God does very well with His Christians, that He sends them trials, tribulations and sufferings, which keeps them both from carnal excess and teaches them to seek comfort and help; as He did in times past in the time of the martyrs, when He had them taken daily by the head and executed by sword, fire, water, wild beasts etc.So he led them to school, where they had to learn to recognize God's will and thus defy it: No, dear tyrant, world, devil and flesh,
You may hurt me, strangle me, plague me, chase me away, take my life and limb, but you shall not take away my Lord Christ, that is, God's grace and mercy. So faith teaches and strengthens them that this is God's unchanging will, which he has decreed for them and could not change, even if he had a different mind about it, just as he did with Christ himself; and through such practice and experience of faith they were so strengthened that they immediately became accustomed to it and went to death with joy and gladness. Where did such courage and defiance come from, even to the young maidens of thirteen and fourteen years, as Agnes, Agatha etc., that they stood so boldly before the Roman judge, and joked about it, when they were led to death, as if they were going to the dance, without the fine firm faith and certain knowledge having filled their hearts that God was not angry with them, but was vain gracious and merciful will, for their highest, eternal salvation and bliss?
Behold, he has made such excellent, enlightened, strong, courageous people through the exercise of the cross and suffering; whereas we, because we do not want to experience such things, are so weak, even soft and lazy, that where a little smoke bites into our eyes, joy and courage are gone, and this will of God is unrecognized, and it becomes a loud crying out and O woe! Just as Christ's disciples in the ship, when they see a storm coming and the waves beating over the ship, forget this divine will because of trembling and fear, even though they have Christ with them, and there is only fearful lamentation, without them crying out for help: "O Lord, help! We are perishing," Matth. 8, 25. There were also many among the Christians in the time of the martyrs who became soft and first denied, some out of fear of torture, some also because they had been in prison for a long time.
17Therefore he wills that we also learn these things by trial and suffering, when it is already sore under our eyes, and our hearts begin to throb.
and cry out "O woe!" so that we can still it and say: I know God's mind, counsel and will in Christ, which He will not change, because He promised me this through His Son and confirmed it through baptism, that whoever sees and hears the Son shall be free from sin and death and live forever.
(18) Behold, this is what St. Paul calls "being filled with the knowledge of the divine will in Christ through the faith of the gospel," namely, the faith and comfort of the forgiveness of sins, because we neither have nor can fulfill His will in the Ten Commandments in ourselves. This is not an idle, lazy thought, but a living, active art that stands before God's judgment, fights with the devil, and rules over sin, death, and life.
19. Where there is such knowledge or faith, it follows that the heart, inflamed by the Holy Spirit, takes a liking and love for God's commandments and begins to keep them, praises God by its confession and life, becomes a patient, chaste, chaste, gentle, kind and friendly person; and thus is called rightly fulfilled by such knowledge, that is, equipped and strengthened in every way to stand and prevail against the flesh, the world, the devil and hell.
20 This is also called, as St. Paul explains it further, "all spiritual wisdom and understanding"; this is not the wisdom of the world, because of which one may not argue and have such a challenge, for it deals with other things; nor of reason, which is also subject to judge these divine things, and yet can never understand them; but when it already hears, it quickly falls away from it into its doubt or trembling.
But "wisdom" in St. Paul, where he puts these two words together, is precisely the high, secret, hidden doctrine of the Gospel of Christ, which teaches to know God's will; and a "wise man" is a Christian who understands and knows how to speak both of God's will toward us, and how we are to know and accept it in faith, and also to live according to it in obedience. This is such wisdom that reason has not devised, nor is it found in any man.
The Holy Spirit has revealed the truth of the gospel to those who believe in the gospel, and the gospel has been revealed to them.
(22) To this wisdom (that it may be complete and whole) belongs also the other thing which he calls "understanding," that is, a diligent attention to keep that which one has received. For it can happen, even though a man has wisdom, that he is nevertheless overtaken by the devil with such swift entering of beautiful wise thoughts, or with anger, impatience, yes, also with avarice and such like irritations through good appearances; therefore he must be careful, alert and courageous here, so that he can beware of the devil's cunning stalking, and always take his spiritual wisdom to counsel in everything that comes before him, so that he may remain undeceived. This is what St. Paul and the Scriptures call "understanding," which can make good use of wisdom and notice what is according to it or not, and thus put it to work, judge correctly and distinguish everything that comes to him with the name and appearance of wisdom, and armed with it, defend himself so that he does not go against his wisdom. Therefore, he must always look to God's word, and practice and do the same, so that the devil does not make another noise or error in front of his eyes and deceive him before he knows it; as he can and seeks to do by all kinds of ways and means, where man is not careful and asks God's word for advice; as David Psalm 119:11. 24. teaches us by his example: "I will keep your word in my heart, so that I do not sin against you"; item: "I delight in your commandments, they are my counselors" etc.
(23) It is very easy for a man (though he has heard and knows God's word) either to walk safely and be occupied with other things, or to be challenged and lose sight of God's word, to be seduced and bewitched by the devil's secret wiles and schemes, or to be misled within himself and lose his wisdom because of it, and not know how to counsel or help himself, even in small, minor matters.
Challenges. For both the devil and reason, or human wisdom, can here finely dispute and syllogize to such an extent that one thinks it is the right wisdom, and yet it is not. A wise man is soon mistaken, a man is soon mistaken and mistaken, even a Christian is soon mistaken, yes, even a fine teacher and prophet can soon be deceived by fine wise thoughts of reason. Therefore, this must be learned, and God's word must be diligently pursued and considered.
24 Therefore, it was also said of St. Martino that he did not want to get involved with the heretics. Martino, that he did not want to engage in dispute with the heretics, for the sole reason that he would not also enter into this quarrel, to argue with them, or to exaggerate and overmaster them by reason, from which alone they sharpened and adorned their things, as the world always does against God's word; when now the clever papists, as they think, very sharply pretend to confirm and strengthen all their end-christry, abominations and tyranny under the name of the church; slavering that no change must be made nor suffered in what is commonly accepted everywhere in Christendom. For one must ever believe that the Christian church is always governed by the Holy Spirit, and be obedient to it and follow it. Here you hear the name of the church, of which your spiritual wisdom teaches you in the article: I believe a holy Christian church etc.; but led and drawn thither (as one also does with God's name), thereby to confirm the pabstry's lies and idolatry; therefore the mind belongs to this, that is, a brave and sharp judgment, so that in this it can give right difference, so that its wisdom is not maddened and falsified, and it is deceived under the same name and appearance.
(25) For if you look at these things rightly and hold them against God's word, which is the judge and touchstone, you can well judge and prove that the papacy is not the church of Christ, but of Satan's mob, because they are full of public idolatry, lies and murder, and still want to defend them. The church of Christ does not do this, and it is done violence and injustice to it, if one wants to impose upon it that it should
I have decided, set or commanded such things and demanded obedience that are not according to God's word.
The world is now wisely and prudently disputing and settling the dispute and discord over doctrine and faith: Let the scholars, wise men, bishops, emperors, and princes come to an amicable agreement; let both sides yield somewhat, and let it be better that some things be conceded and conceded, which can be helped by good sense and interpretation, than that so much persecution, bloodshed, war, and horrible, unending disruption and destruction be allowed to take place. But there is also a lack of understanding here, which shows from God's Word that God does not want such patchwork, but to keep the doctrine, faith and worship pure and true according to His Word, and not to add any man's judgment, own discretion or cleverness to it etc. Thus the Scripture gives us this rule: "One should obey God more than men", Acts 5, 29.
(27) Therefore, it is not necessary to consider or follow what human wisdom or counsel dictates, but to have God's will before our eyes, shown to us in His word, to follow it and to stick to it, whether it concerns death or life, evil or good. If war or other misfortune arises over it, then speak to him about it, whoever wants to and is thus called to teach and believe. For it is not our own doing, nor is it of our own devising or doing; so we are not required to dispute about his will, whether it is right or to be kept? If he will let persecution and other things go to the temptation and experience of those who are righteous Christians, and to the punishment of the unthankful, then let it go: if not, he has so much marrow in his fists that he can defend and preserve it, so that it does not have to perish, so that it can be seen that it is from him; as he has hitherto, praise God! and helped us so that our adversaries did not have to do to us what they would have liked to do; since we, if we had yielded to them and obeyed them, would also have been led into their lies and ruin. So he can and would still do well, where we righteously and faithfully deal with the matter.
went, promoted and honored God's word, and did not become ungrateful, nor sought other things under the appearance and name of God's word.
(28) I say this as an example, that one may understand what St. Paul means by both wisdom and understanding, to know God's will; and that one may see how it is necessary to have both, and therefore must be practiced in Christianity, not only the teaching that gives wisdom, but also the exhortation and caution. For if it were not thus practiced and practiced, we would be deceived by false wisdom and conceit, and take the appearance and glitter of it for true gold, as has always happened to many in the church.
The Galatians had also received the wisdom from St. Paul that they would be justified before God through faith alone in Christ, but even though they knew this, they were still deceived; and because of this, they would have lost their wisdom by the false apostles' pretense that one must nevertheless keep the law given by God, if St. Paul had not awakened their understanding and thus withdrawn them from error. The Corinthians also knew from their spiritual wisdom the article of Christian liberty, that the sacrifice to idols was nothing; but they lacked this, that they continued in this with lack of understanding, began to use carnality against the wisdom of their liberty and to annoy others; then St. Paul must also remind them again that this was not according to his teaching and wisdom etc.
(30) The Scriptures also show many examples of this, especially 1 Kings 13:19.of an old prophet of the kingdom of Judah, who preached publicly before King Jeroboam against his idolatry, and confirmed his preaching and prophecy with a miracle: He was commanded by God that he should by no means remain in the same place, nor eat or drink there, but go straight home by another way; and yet he was persuaded on the way by another prophet, who said that God had openly told him so.
He asked an angel to take him home with him and give him food and drink. But as he sat at table with him, the word of the Lord came to the same prophet who had invited him, telling him that he would not return home alive. And when he departed from him, he was killed on the way by a lion, which nevertheless stood by his body and his ass, and did nothing to them until the other prophet came and found the lion beside him, and led him home on his ass, and buried him, and commanded that he himself should be laid in the same grave after his death. This was the punishment of God on this prophet, who had allowed himself to be deceived and had not followed the command given to him by God, even though it did not harm his soul, which God indicated that he must not be eaten by the lion, but defended. Now what did this prophet lack? Not of wisdom, for he had the word of God; but of understanding, that he allowed himself to be deceived, that the other said, He also was a prophet, and the angel of the Lord had spoken to him; when he should have kept the word that was given him, and said to the other: If thou art a prophet, let it be so; but this God hath commanded me, I know it, I will keep it etc., and will not look upon angels or God's name.
31. Thus it often happens, not only in the controversy of doctrine against the brethren, but also to each one in his own life and affairs, office and government, that he sometimes stumbles in this and lacks understanding, where he does not well presume nor perceive how his precepts, counsel or thoughts rhyme with the wisdom of God's word; especially when he is moved by the devil or otherwise to anger, impatience, sadness, melancholy, or other temptations; as can sometimes happen to those who are well tried and trained, that they go astray even in small temptations, that they cannot counsel themselves etc. Here it is necessary that a man look around, and not judge or proceed according to what he thinks or feels; but remember, or say to himself
Let and consult the word of God. For because a man is challenged, he cannot judge rightly according to his thoughts. Therefore, he should not follow his own way, or move quickly, conclude or do as he thinks, but keep everything suspect, and beware of the devil's cunning, who wants to entice, provoke, frighten or distress man with his beautiful arguments; and first bring forth the understanding of his wisdom of the gospel, which his faith, love, hope, patience, and in sum, God's will teaches him abundantly in all places and in all things, if he alone stands and works according to it, and asks that such knowledge may be fulfilled.
For this reason St. Paul calls it spiritual wisdom and understanding, which makes us wise and prudent against the devil and his temptations and cunning attempts (as St. Paul calls them in Eph. 6:11), and governs and guides, feeds and directs, teaches and protects both of us, so that we may be right in the spiritual matters of faith and conscience before God and in the outward life (since no reason can advise and teach), as St. Paul now goes on to say:
That ye may walk worthy of the Lord, and be fruitful in all good works, and grow in the knowledge of God, and be strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, in all patience and longsuffering, with joy; and give thanks unto the Father, which hath made us fit for the inheritance of the saints in light.
(33) What is meant by "walking worthy of the Lord" we have just heard in other epistles, namely, believing and confessing the faith with doctrine and life, as such people who are worthy of the Lord, and of whom the Lord may boast and say, "These are my people; these are Christians who live and abide in what they have been taught through the Word, knowing my will, doing and suffering therefore what they ought to do. etc.
(34) For this purpose our wisdom and understanding in the knowledge of God shall serve and profit us, that we may become such people as are a glory and praise to God, that He may be glorified through us, and so live to please God in all things, or please Him in all ways, according to His word; that in our life, estate, or occupation, we may be a people of God.
We must not be unfruitful or harmful (like the other false Christians) hypocrites and unbelievers, but do much good and be useful people, in honor of God's kingdom. And besides this, always continue and grow in the knowledge of God that we have begun, so that we are not led away from it, or driven away by the wiles of the devil, who always and everywhere assaults Christians, and seeks to lead them astray from the Word and the will of God, as he first did Adam and Eve in Paradise.
35 Item: "That we also may be strengthened," he says, "by his glorious power," etc. that we may maintain and overcome such a battle against the devil, world and flesh. This is not our own power, nor is it the power of all men; but it must be his own divine glorious power and might, that he may prevail against the devil, and bring glory and honor against the gates of hell: as Christ hath proved by himself, who hath put down all his devices and might against the devil, which he hath sought to exalt in him, and hath prevailed in him.
36. By such strength and power we must also be strengthened in faith, strive for it and persevere through God's word, and pray that it will not only be a beginning, but a pressing on and penetrating, and thus become stronger and stronger in his power; What we do, we do not undertake of ourselves or by ourselves, and boast as if we had done it, but on Him and His strength and help; for it is certainly not ours, but His divine power and might, where anyone remains a Christian in the knowledge of God, undeceived and unconquered by the devil.
(37) But to be strengthened and overcome, this must also be done "in all patience," he says, so that you may be able to endure such perseverance and persecution of the devil, the world and the flesh; indeed, not only patience, but also long-suffering is required. This he distinguishes from patience as being something greater and stronger. For the devil is of such a nature that when he cannot overcome a heart with sorrow and plagues, he attacks it with length, so that patience becomes too much and too long, and seems as if he wants to
There will be no end to it. This is his art and cunning: what he cannot do by the greatness and quantity of the temptations, he does with incessant perseverance, so that in the end he softens and wearies man and takes away his courage and hope to overcome. On the other hand, patience is also necessary for longsuffering, which has held firm and steadfast against it and continues in suffering, and is thus minded: "Now you shall not make it too much nor too long for me, even if it should last until the end of the world. This is the right chivalrous Christian strength, which in the high struggle and suffering is not only able to withstand great, many and various storms of the devil, but also all the length of them. But for this we are most in need of God's strength and power through prayer, so that we do not succumb in such a difficult battle, but also endure the end of the world.
(38) And such patience and longsuffering shall ye have and exercise, saith he, "with joy," that in such great, many, and long temptations ye leave not your heavy sorrowful thoughts, but be confident and cheerful, despising the devil with all his and the world's plagues and ravings. Rejoice that you have the knowledge of the divine will in Christ and his power and glorious might with you, and do not doubt that he will help you through it.
39. At last he speaks: "Give thanks" also, or be thankful, do not forget the unspeakable benefits and gifts of God, which were given to you before all men on earth, how he made you so blessed, and delivered you from sins, death, hell and the devil's power and authority (in which you were also put, and for your sake should have remained in it forever), and set you apart for eternal glory; since you are joint heirs with all his saints, whom he has chosen for his kingdom, and are partakers of all eternal, divine, heavenly goods etc. In your suffering and struggle you should consider and think that these things have been decreed for you and given to you, and that you will be all the more glad and joyful to struggle and suffer for them, so that you may also possess and enjoy these things that have already been assigned to you in word and faith etc.
40. but he calls it "an inheritance of the saints in light" or the light saints, that is, the righteous saints; these he hereby separates from the other false ones, and thus makes two kinds of saints: the one, which is a great multitude in the world, who also want to be holy, as especially the Jews with their holiness of the law, and the whole world, philosophers, lawyers etc. with their righteousness; and yet they are not light, but dark, impious, even abominable saints; as he regards Phil. 3, 8. such righteousness for harm and filth. Similarly, among the Christians who have the gospel, there are many false, hypocritical saints, who also hear the gospel, go to the sacrament, but remain in darkness and obscurity, and neither taste nor experience the wisdom and understanding of the knowledge of the divine will. But those who practice this in faith, love and patience, through temptation, and recognize the great grace and blessing of God, given through the gospel, are and may be called with honor such saints, who belong and are already set apart for eternal light and joy in his kingdom etc.
Who has saved us from the dominion of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son, in whom we have redemption through His blood, namely, the forgiveness of sins.
(41) Here he goes on to describe the things for which we should give thanks to God the Father, and presents the entire sermon and summary of the Gospel, which shows us what we have in Christ, and describes both His benefits and His person in the best and most comforting way. But first, he says, we should give thanks to God for this knowledge and revelation of the Gospel. For in it we have not a small treasure, nor such a good, to which all gold, silver, and all the riches, joy, and comfort of the world and of this life are to be compared; but such salvation from eternal irreparable harm and ruin, under God's eternal unbearable wrath and condemnation, for sin's sake, in which we have already lain, without all help and without all hope.
Salvation; yes, caught in such blindness and darkness that we ourselves did not know of such misery, much less could we strive for it, or find counsel and ways how we might get out of it. For this we have now certainly, without all our preparation or merit, counsel or action, yes, without our thought, out of God's causeless grace and mercy, received salvation, which is the forgiveness of sins.
(42) How great such goodness and benevolence is, no tongue can express; indeed, no man can understand in this life. In hell, the wicked will know it by their damnation and the eternal wrath of the eternal divine majesty and all creatures, none of which they will be able to look upon with joy, but will see their unceasing, sorrowful heartache, terror and despair without end. Just as the creatures do not like to look at them, but are also afraid of them and will frighten and condemn them with the sight of them. Without God's unspeakable goodness commanding her that in this life she must be subject to vanity (says St. Paul Rom. 8, 20. 21.), and serve such, yet against her will; that she is anxious about it like a woman in childish distress, and would like nothing better than to be relieved of such service of the godless "damned" world; but must have patience in the hope of salvation for the sake of God's children, who shall yet come to Christ and finally be brought to glory; otherwise she is as hostile to sin as God Himself etc.
(43) Since there is an eternal, unchangeable sentence of condemnation passed over sin, for God cannot and will not be pleased with sin, and therefore His wrath remains eternal and irrevocable over it, this redemption could not have taken place without a treasure and validity that would have made atonement for sin, would have taken the wrath upon itself and paid for it, and thus would have taken away and erased sin.
44 No creature has been able to do this, nor has there been any counsel or help for this, except this: that God's only Son should therefore come into our distress, and himself become a man who would vent such serious eternal wrath upon himself.
and sacrificed his own body and blood for it. He did this out of great immeasurable mercy and love toward us, and gave himself up to bear the judgment of eternal wrath and death.
45. such payment and sacrifice is so precious and delicious with God, because it is his one and only dear Son, who is with him in united divinity and majesty, that he, thereby reconciled, takes to grace and forgives the sin of all who believe in this his Son etc. So we alone enjoy the great payment and merit of Christ, acquired and given to us out of causeless unspeakable love, that we have nothing at all to boast about ourselves here; but with all joy we should eternally give thanks and praise to him, who dedicated such food and treasure to redeem us damned lost sinners.
46) Where this main part of redemption is, namely, the forgiveness of sins, everything follows immediately, by which our salvation is completed; for by this also eternal death is taken away (as the wages of sins), and eternal righteousness and life are given, as Saint Paul Rom. 6, 23. says: "God's grace or gift is eternal life" etc. For now that we are reconciled to God, washed in Christ's blood, we are also reconciled to all things in heaven and on earth," Paul says again in Eph. 1, 10, "that they are not against us, but are friends with us, and laugh at us, so that we may have joy and life in God and His creatures.
47 This is and should be the preaching of the gospel, which shows us both sin and forgiveness, wrath and grace, death and life, how we have lain in darkness and have been delivered from it. For it does not make us sinners first, as the law does, or instruct us to earn and acquire grace; but shows how, already condemned, under the power of sins, death and the devil, we are to receive and recognize the redemption given through faith, and then be thankful for it.
(48) Paul then goes on to describe who the person is who shed blood for us, so that we may see how precious and great such blood is.
treasure and salvation, namely, that it is the blood of the Son of God, who is the image of the invisible God, who was before all creatures, and through whom all things were created, that is, the true, eternal God.
with the Father, so that it is truly called and is God's own blood etc. And thus clearly and powerfully establishes the article of the deity of Christ; but to this belongs a separate and special sermon.