Rom. 13:11-14.
And because we know this, that the time is at hand, that the hour is come to rise from sleep; because our salvation is now nearer than when we thought it; the night is past, and the day is at hand; let us therefore lay aside the works of darkness, and let us put on the weapons of light. Let us walk uprightly, as in the day, not in eating and drinking, not in chambering and fornication, not in strife and envying; but draw near to the Lord Jesus Christ, and wait for the body, yet so that it be not made lustful.
1 The holy apostle Paul taught the Romans in the preceding words: To be subject to worldly authority and not to deprive anyone of his duty, but to be united and only concerned that they love one another. For "love," he says in v. 10, "is the fulfillment of the law. This is necessary at all times, but it is most necessary now, when through the gospel of Christ error has been cast out and the light of truth has dawned as the bright day, in which it is no longer proper to sleep but to watch. But in order that St. Paul's teaching and exhortation be all the easier and less courageous, he takes before him the most common thing among men: for everyone knows that one must get up from sleep when the night has passed, but the day is coming. From this similitude he begins, saying, "Dear brethren, ye know that when the night is past, and the day is come, it is time to rise from sleep. Since you see that this is the way it is among people who take care of the temporal, how much more
It is time, since our spiritual night is over and the day has dawned, that we also arise from our spiritual sleep, who deal with spiritual things.
2 Although some here understand Paul's words "night," "day," "sleep," "awake" in various ways, his following words sufficiently indicate that he understands allegorically and figuratively by night error and false opinion, by day truth and faith, by sleep sin and the omission of good works, by rising or awakening good works. For he thus declares himself, saying, "Let us lay aside the works of darkness, and put on the weapons of light"; as if to say, Let us not sleep, but watch. So also 1 Thess. 5, 4-10. He speaks in the same way: "But you, dear brethren, are not in darkness; for you are all children of light, and children of the day; we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Let us not sleep therefore, as the rest do, but let us watch and be sober.
For those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk are drunk at night. But we who are of the day must be sober, clothed with the cancer of faith and love, and with the helmet of hope unto salvation. For God hath not set us to wrath, but to possess salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us: that waking or sleeping, we should live with Him." It is obvious that Paul uses the same meaning in both places. For what he calls here the weapons of light, he calls there the cancer of faith and the helmet of hope. After that, what he means by the works of darkness, he explains when he says, "Not in eating and drinking" (for those who are drunk are drunk at night), "not in chambering and growing," which are most works of the night. Behold, how beautifully and wonderfully he mingles both day and night, spiritual and temporal.
But it is clear that Paul is speaking to those who are already righteous and holy through baptism and faith in the gospel, living in Christ. For he says, "The night is past," that is, it is finished. As if he wanted to say, we are now rid of error and live in the approaching light. As he also says to the Thessalonians 1 Ep. 5, 6: "We are children of the day, therefore we shall not sleep nor be drunk." But the night is not complete for anyone, except for those who believe in Christ. This is proved by Paul's words above, when he says: "Our salvation is now nearer than when we believed." Therefore he also speaks to those who are near salvation, which comes through faith and hope. "For we are blessed in hope." Rom. 8, 24.
4 Many are moved here to ask why St. Paul says that our salvation is now nearer than when we believed, when he should more reasonably say that we did not believe before, but only now believe; and that our salvation is now not only near, but even present, which rather then drew near, but now is come. Is not the gospel and faith preached more now?
because before times? Answer: The apostle Paul, as I said, is talking about salvation itself, which has begun, but is kept through faith and hope; which in itself is near, but has not yet come, but will come in death and at the last judgment; just as he teaches us to wait through hope for the redemption of our bodies.
5 Such salvation was promised before time, that it should be fulfilled in Christ in time to come, when God promised the blessing to Abraham and the archfathers; as the holy Virgin Mary reports in her hymn of praise and says Luc. 1, 55: "As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his seed forever. As it was promised at that time, so it was believed that it would be in the future. But now it is no longer believed to be a future thing, but is considered to have begun at the present time, because the promise has begun to be fulfilled. And therefore our salvation is now nearer, that is, it is now already present and available, which was promised before. And now begins its completion and fulfillment, whose beginning was believed before. For this reason there is all the more reason to be courageous in good works and to refrain from evil, because it is more sinful to sin against the salvation that has already been given and is now present and present, than if one still had to hope and wait for it in the promise. Another faith is that which believes the promise, which at the same time is passed away with night and error; another, that we may possess the present salvation, and expect the consummation thereof. Therefore, be careful not to take the words, "Our salvation is nearer," to mean that such salvation is not present and available; but let the word "nearer" be as much as present, so that it may be known that Paul is speaking to those who were and have become Christians through faith in Christ.
Now the question is, since such people who are Christians do not have works of darkness and do not sleep, why does he command them to rise from sleep? Why does he command them to put away the works of darkness? Answer: First of all, because we are branches of Christ, who are subject to daily purification.
and have the old man, whom we must constantly strip off with his works and renew from day to day, and many similar things. For no one has completely put off the old nature, so that he has nothing more to put off; but we are daily challenged by the works of darkness; as St. Paul says Gal. 5:17: "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit," for it provokes quarrels and devours etc. Therefore, lest they ever snore, nor be secure, as if they were already completely blessed, he always urges them to watch and practice the weapons of light. So also, who had called the Thessalonians children of light, he nevertheless teaches them to be temperate and the like, which he also does in all the other epistles. For we never avoid sins so much that we should no longer avoid them, because they make us lethargic without ceasing; as Peter 1 Ep. 5:8, 9 says, "Brethren, be sober, and watch: for your adversary the devil walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him firmly in the faith."
(7) But we do not herewith greatly object to those who understand the law or the time of the law by night, without the understanding being more difficult. For the law in itself is a good and holy light, but it works and increases error and the works of darkness where grace does not help it. Therefore, where the law is, there is also night and the work of darkness. Again, where there is no law, there is no transgression of the law, Rom. 4:15. But this is too high now, so let us save it until another time.
8'. Now let us also look a little at the understanding of the words and spiritual interpretation. How finely is the sleep of the night interpreted the life of sins? First, because sleep sees nothing of the truth, and he who walks in darkness does not know the goods of the life to come, neither does he feel them or desire them. Just as one in the night of the flesh sees nothing of things of the flesh. Secondly, because a sleeper is deceived by images and dreams of things, but neither enjoys nor feels the things themselves. And by being deceived in this way, he firmly believes that he has
with the true things. So a sinner who lives in sinful lusts dreams only of worldly things, since he swears that it is something, and yet neither feels nor feels the things that he should hope for; as David says in the 76th Psalm, v. 6: Dormierunt somnum suum, et nihil invenerunt in manibus suis omnes viri divitiarum: "The proud must be robbed and fall asleep, and all warriors must let their hand go down." How can he so contemptuously call this life a sleep, because of which people rush and crowd, as if it were the most delicious and excellent.
(9) Neither does he call the works of darkness weapons, as he calls the works of light weapons. Why is this? Answer: Because, as I said, he writes these things to those who are already righteous and devout, so that they may know how to use good works against the devil and sin as weapons.
(10) And that good works are so necessary for the pious that without them they can by no means resist and defend themselves against the evil works of darkness, so that we are challenged everywhere: by this he means that this life should be a war and a battle for the faithful, as Job also says in Cap. 7:1, in which they constantly have to contend with sin. For those who bravely arm themselves with good works, the works of darkness are neither weapons nor a strong defense, for they do not overcome, but are overcome, and therefore are nothing more than mere works that provoke and drive to evil; of which St. Paul says Rom. 6:13: "Do not give your members to be weapons of unrighteousness." As if to say, Let not your members overcome and become weapons of unrighteousness. Again he says 2 Cor. 6:7: "By weapons of righteousness, on the right hand and on the left."
(11) On the right hand, the works of darkness, which come gently to man, such as eating, drinking, carousing, and fornication; on the left hand, the evil works, which come from evil, such as quarreling and strife: all these must be taken off and discarded, regardless of the fact that they continually overtake us, and for this we may also use weapons.
What kind of weapons? Answer: Sobriety, temperance, fasting, vigilance, chastity, modesty on the right; kindness, patience, gentleness, goodness and the like on the left. And this is that he says: "Draw near to the Lord Jesus Christ"; this is, as he explains to the Ephesians Cap. 4:24, the new man; that as we have borne the image of the earthly, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly. 1 Cor. 15, 49. For to put on Christ is nothing else than to be conformed to His image and likeness; as He clearly says in Eph. 4, 22, 23, 24: "Put off after the former manner the old man, which through lusts is corrupt in error. But be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, which is created after God, in righteousness and holiness" etc.
(12) Let us walk uprightly as in the daytime. Let the Christian's life be such that in all that they do, speak and think, they conduct themselves as if they were seen by everyone in broad daylight, as they are true in the sight of God and will be at the last judgment. Thus Christ says John 3:20, 21: "He who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works be punished; but he who does the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be seen, for they are done in God"; and Paul Ephesians 5:9: "Walk as the children of light. The fruit of the Spirit is all manner of goodness and righteousness and truth." He who lives in such a way that he does not like his deeds to be seen in broad daylight lives dishonestly, and not as in the daytime, but as in the night, which is impudent, and, as they say, nobody's friend, and convenient for all loose dealings. Nor can such a one keep a good conscience, of which St. Paul boasts in 2 Cor. 1:12, saying, "Our glory is this, that is, the testimony of our conscience, that we have walked in the world in simplicity and godly integrity, not in carnal wisdom, but in the grace of God"; and Rom. 12:17, "Diligence yourselves to honorableness toward everyone."
13. have here eight also a beautiful order
The words of Paul. He that would arise from the sleep of sins, and put away the works of darkness, must first begin to put away devouring and drunkenness. For he who has given himself up to devouring and drinking is never safe from chambers and fornication. I never believe that a drunkard is chaste, says St. Jerome. He who does not tame his belly, much less will he tame the members of his belly. Therefore, a man should first force and overcome his own wickedness, that is, the evil desire; then he may also force the foreign one, that is, the repugnance of other people, that is, strife and envy. And so the evil desire is subdued by the opposite of the things that nourish and strengthen it. For the beast has four feet and four abodes, namely, eating, drinking, chambering, and fornication; and where it must do without the four, it cannot exist. What eating and drinking is, one knows well, namely, an abundance of eating and drinking. Little good is written of either in the Bible; especially Ezekiel Cap. 16, 49. says that the Sodomite sin had such roots. "Behold," says the prophet, "this was thy sister Sodom's iniquity, hopefulness, and all full of it"; this is soon followed by "good peace," idleness, and fornication. For a drunkard must also sleep and sloth for a long time: but where one sleeps and sloths, there is soon found lechery, tickling and raging rut of carnal air, yes, the whole host of carnal desires. And so the lust of the flesh reigns in the works of darkness and in the sleep of sins. Against these are weapons: Temperance, fasting, hunger, thirst. But against the chambers and sluggishness: work, labor, activity, watchfulness, prayer, contemplation of the divine word, remembrance of the suffering of Christ and the saints. By these weapons are cast out evil thoughts, lewd deeds, sight and speech, and the like, which are here understood by "fornication" (for this is the Greek word), which is widely spoken of in the Scriptures and other books.
14 But notice that St. Paul does not write a single letter here about the superstitious works that are now known under the papacy.
He does not speak here of certain holy days, but of fasting and abstaining from the works of darkness, not for one day or more, but always. He does not say here about certain holy days to fast otherwise or so; but badly, one should give up the works of darkness, and not one or more days, but always abstain from eating and drinking. For those seek nothing less with their fasting than that they may resist the works of darkness; but when they have fasted their time, they again drink and revel in it most recklessly and shamefully. Neither does he praise those who do violence to their bodies by excessive hunger and fasting for a few days, and then devour again with the wolf; but he wants us to keep ourselves in constant hunger and thirst, so that we will never be found devouring and drinking. As Christ says Luc. 21, 34: "Beware lest your hearts be weighed down with gluttony and drunkenness, and that day come upon you quickly." Notice, he says with diligence, that the heart of man is weighed down with eating and drinking.
(15) The other sin, anger and hatred, is nourished in strife and envy. Now everyone knows what strife is, but for the sake of the simple I must show both with examples. "Strife" is when two people quarrel about a thing, that they may obtain it or protect it, and it actually happens with words and with the tongue; for the mouth and tongue are directed sometimes here, sometimes there, on both sides, as man wills. The little word aemulatio, however, which is sometimes translated by "envy," I think is a pleasure of quarrelsome people, since one always seeks to repay the other with evil, and even to make things worse, so that no one follows the other in evil things, as one curse and word of reproach is always over the other. Now, we are daily challenged by these works of darkness, therefore we should put them aside and put on the weapons of light, and on the other hand be patient, gentle and kind, break our wills, bless those who curse us, do good to those who offend us, Matth. 5, 44, and thus overcome evil with good; and in this way clarify the meaning of this book.
We must prove that the weapons of light are stronger than the works of darkness that challenge us.
And wait for the body, but so that it does not become horny.
(16) In these words, St. Paul punishes too great severity against one's own body and, again, too great indulgence of others, thus setting a right measure to mortify the flesh. We should care for our bodies with food and clothing, so that they can live and work, and not become ill and unfit for work through hard constraint; but we should be moderate in this, so that we do not follow our desires: we should tame the body so that it is serviceable, and yield to it so far that it remains alive. That is why St. Paul says in 1 Cor. 9:27, "I stupefy my body and tame it." He does not say, I martyre him sick and to death; but I tame him. And Sirach Cap. 33, 25: "To the ass belongs his fodder, scourge, and burden; so to the servant his bread, punishment, and labor."
(17) The reason why this epistle is read during Advent is that it was thought to be written. St. Paul wrote it to those who are not yet pious and righteous. To this end they were moved by the word: "Our salvation is now at hand," etc., which, they think, indicates Advent; but which rather indicates that salvation has already come and is present. For he says, "The night is past, but the day is coming," that is, it is present and now here, in which we are to walk honorably, just as one usually walks honorably on earthly day. And speaks entirely of things past and present. But this may also be applied to the future, so that salvation, of which he now says it has come and is present, is to be completed in the future, namely, at the second future. After that, too, since salvation was promised and believed before, but now fulfilled and begun, the memory of the old promise and the then future salvation is still kept. For since we live, as it were, in the middle of both Advent times, we should praise both God's mercy,
who promised it in the past, and God's truth, who has kept his promise and finally wants to fulfill it in eternal life. For this is the time in which the goodness of the promise and the truth of the fulfillment will be in harmony.
And thus understands the present time in itself, both the future and the past. Let this be said recently of the reason why the epistle is read in Advent.