Matth. 11, 2-10.
And when John heard the works of Christ in prison, he sent two of his disciples, saying, Art thou he that should come, or shall we wait for another? Jesus answered and said unto them: Go and tell John again what you see and hear; the blind see, and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who does not take offense at me. As they went, Jesus began to speak to the people of John, "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? Did you want to see a reed that the wind weaves to and fro? Or what went ye out to see? would ye see a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft garments are in the houses of kings. Or what went ye out to see? would ye see a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, he also is more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my angel before thee, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
In this gospel are two parts: the first, how John sends his disciples out of prison to Christ, that they may hear him, and see his miracles, and receive him as the true Messiah or Christ. And serve us, that we also may gladly hear the word of our dear Lord Christ, and esteem it to be the highest treasure, as in
*) The Wittenberg edition of 1556 has: In 1536, in his house; the Wittenberg and Nuremberg, which Walch also follows: In 1532, in his house.
D. Red.
to whom all our blessedness is due. The other piece is a sermon, so that our dear Lord Christ not only praises and extols St. John to the skies, that he is a paragon above all other preachers, since he so diligently waits for his office, that at that time, when he was in prison and in jail and could not preach himself, he nevertheless sends his disciples to Christ; but he also chides the Jews because of their unbelief, that they hold such a preacher in such low esteem and ask nothing at all about his preaching. Such
serve us to beware of such naughtiness, not to despise God's word, but to hear it gladly and therefore to mend our ways.
2 Now the first thing, that we should diligently hear the word of Christ, is signified by this, that John, while he was already in prison, as soon as he heard of the miraculous works of Christ, sent his disciples to him, with such a command that they should ask him: Whether he was the one who was to come, of whom Moses and all the other prophets had spoken so much, and who was to be preached so much in the New Testament? That is, whether he was the promised Christ, of whom it was written that the kingdom of the Jews and the doctrine of Moses should endure until his future; after which Moses' doctrine and worship should cease, and a new doctrine and worship be established, not only among the Jews, but also among the Gentiles throughout the world.
(3) As these things were foretold plainly and clearly. Therefore, because soon after John was imprisoned, the Lord Christ began to preach about eternal life and the kingdom of God and to perform miracles, John wanted to direct his disciples to him. For this reason he sent them to Christ, so that they might see the miracles with their eyes and hear the sermon with their ears, since the prophets had prophesied so long before that Christ would bring them to earth and thus reveal himself.
(4) Therefore such sending is nothing else, but as if John said thus: I know that he is the true Christ, but the people do not believe it. Therefore go ye now unto him, and hear of him yourselves, that ye may depart from me and from all Judaism, and cleave unto this man, in whom is all that pertaineth to your salvation, and to the salvation of the whole world. This is the final opinion of the message to Christ, that his disciples should see and hear him for themselves, come to know him, and so believe in him and be saved.
Now what does Christ say to such a message? He says neither yes nor no, when they asked him if he is, but only answers with the works, saying, "You see,
hear and know that I am he. For just as Isaiah and other prophets prophesied that Christ would make straight the lame and give sight to the blind, etc. so now you see before your eyes, you must neither give instruction nor answer, if only you would otherwise make yourselves right.
(6) This is a beautiful, glorious and comforting sermon, which sums up very well everything that can be preached about Christ, namely, what kind of king he is and what kind of kingdom he has, namely, a kingdom where the blind, the lame, the lepers, the deaf, the dead, and especially poor sinners and everything that is miserable, meager and nothing can hear and find comfort and help. We should diligently remember this sermon about Christ and his kingdom, and always let it resound among us that Christ has such a kingdom, and is such a king, who wants to help the wretched, poor people in body and soul, since otherwise it is impossible that all the world with all its ability could help. For there never came such an excellent doctor, who could have made a blind man see, a leper clean etc. Just as there has never been a preacher who could have preached the gospel to the poor, that is, who could have pointed out and comforted the sorrowful, miserable, anxious consciences, and made the frightened hearts, which were drowned in gloom and sorrow, cheerful and of good cheer.
Moses is the highest preacher, but he does not know how to comfort poor sinners; indeed, he does the opposite, for all his sermons are thus: You must and must keep the law, or be damned. Then there arises a lamentation: those who feel their sin, and would gladly be rid of it, become sour, live according to the law, but cannot be satisfied, nor gain a happy heart and conscience by it. As the saints in the Old Testament lament, when they are weary of Moses' regiment and have a hearty longing for the kingdom of grace promised in Christ. Psalm 14:7: "Ah, that help might come upon Israel out of Zion, and that the Lord might redeem his captive people." And Psalm 102, 14: "Thou wouldest make thyself known, and have mercy upon Israel, for it is time that thou shouldest be gracious unto her. "etc. Again the
Hypocrites think that if they keep the law outwardly, they must not believe in the gospel or in Christ, that there is no need, that God must take them to heaven because of their fasting, praying and almsgiving. These are the secure, satisfied spirits who have no need of our Lord God and His grace.
Now it is true that Moses' sermon must be preached, and people must be admonished to such outward discipline and good conduct; just as in the world regiment executioners and beadles must be appointed to punish the wild, raw mob, which does not keep such outward discipline, but hurts, steals, is stingy, usurps etc. But when the hour comes for you to die, tell me, what good are such teachings of Moses to you, if you have kept to them immediately? Isn't it true that you must confess and say: Dear Lord God, even though I have not been an adulterer, thief or murderer, I still desire that you will be merciful and gracious to me, otherwise I will despair even with all my good works.
(9) There is a history of this in Vitis Patrum (Life of the Fathers): One stood three days in a place, always lifting up his eyes to heaven, sighing and lamenting. And when his disciples asked him what was the matter with him, he answered, "I am afraid of death. Then his disciples began to tell him how strictly he had lived and how diligently he had obeyed God's commandments, thinking that they were comforting him. But he said: I tell you that I am very afraid; I have, as you say, diligently kept God's word, yet I cannot be free from such fear; for I know that God's judgments are different from the judgments of men. This one has come so far that he has seen, when the moves come that go before God and His judgment, that God's judgment is so sharp, severe and heavy that our holiness and good works cannot hold the sting, nor can we stand with it.
(10) Therefore, whether one should preach the law at once, and practice good works without ceasing, and judge himself according to the word of God at all times; but when it comes to the point of dying, one must say, like this father, "O God, who will help now? This is
of the miserable also one, since here of stands, but he does not know, to which he is to hold. For this he lacks, since the Lord says here of: "The poor have the gospel preached to them." He sees and has no more than the law; and leaves him stuck in an evil conscience, fear and distress, cannot comfort.
(11) The gospel is such a sermon of Christ, which says to the sinner: "My son, be of good cheer, do not be dismayed; for you should know that Christ has commanded grace to the poor, that is, to the miserable, afflicted hearts, that he would set his purity, which is divine and eternal, for you, make you content with God, wash away and forgive your sin. He means to offer you this grace through his word; therefore do not doubt, as you hear (now believe), so it will be done to you.
(12) So the gospel is called a gracious, blessed doctrine and a comforting message, as if a rich man promised a thousand florins to a poor beggar, that would be a gospel to him, a joyful message, which he would gladly hear and rejoice over with all his heart. But what is money and goods against this comforting and grace-filled sermon that Christ takes care of the miserable and is such a king who wants to help the poor sinners, who are imprisoned under the law, to eternal life and righteousness!
This, Christ says here, is my kingdom, a far different kingdom than the world kingdom is. There it is done in such a way that one helps the strongest, and as the saying goes: He who overpowers the other puts him in a sack. That rules by the sharpness with the sword, strikes and knocks everywhere around itself, can and should suffer also no vice and vice. It must have executioners, rods, swords, water and fire so that it can punish everywhere.
(14) But here in the kingdom of Christ it is quite different; it does not have to do with strong, holy people, but with weak, poor sinners, as Christ says: "The blind see, the dead rise" etc. Now, to raise the dead is a great miracle; but this miracle is much greater and more glorious, and yet it does not have the appearance, namely, that
God so loves the world that he gives it his Son, whom he has ordained from eternity to be a king of sinners, to preach the gospel. Moses and the law do not preach about such a king and gospel. So it says: Whoever is a sinner belongs to the kingdom of the devil and of death. This reads as if our Lord God is a king of the saints and the pious, who have a much higher piety than the worldly regime demands. And this is also true. For Moses' kingdom is also our Lord God's kingdom, and the sermon he preaches is God's word. Just as the temporal government may also be called God's kingdom. For he wants it to remain and for us to be obedient in it. But it is only the kingdom of the left hand, since he sets father, mother, emperor, king, judge, executioner and commands them the regiment.
15. But his right kingdom, where he himself is and reigns, is this, where the gospel is preached to the poor, in which thou shalt learn, when it cometh to pass that thy godliness can never help, that thou shalt say: Lord, I have done what I could, faithfully served my father, my lord, desecrated no one, not resented, faithfully taught my house, child and servants, and, as much as possible, governed well, not lived to harm my neighbor, not stolen, not broken marriage etc.But where now? For such things do not help me before your judgment, nor do they advance me to your kingdom. But, dear Lord, I will not therefore despair nor despair; for I have heard once in thy gospel, that thy Son, my dear Lord Jesus Christ, hath wrought six miraculous signs. Among them is this, that the gospel should be preached to the poor, that is, that he should be ordained of thee, O heavenly Father, to comfort the troubled heart. I will also accept such preaching, for it belongs to me, because I am so poor and miserable, and can never find help either in myself or in the whole world.
16 Thus the prophet Isaiah prophesies of Christ in chapter 50, v. 4, where he, the Lord Christ, himself speaks: "The Lord has given me linguam discipulam, a learned tongue.
God has put his word on my tongue, that I may know how to speak to the weary in season," that is, to comfort the troubled conscience. The evangelist interprets this here and says: Christ preaches the gospel to the poor. For this reason and for this purpose he was appointed king, that he should evangelize, that is, comfort and strengthen the poor, stupid, afflicted hearts; therefore his kingdom is also called and is a kingdom of comfort and help, in which one should no longer frighten the stupid or leave them in fear, but comfort them and make them happy. This is not done by the preaching of the law, but by the gospel alone. This is the joyful good news that through Christ our sins have been paid for and through his suffering we have been redeemed from eternal death. This sermon is for the poor, says the Lord, that is where I want to go; for I cannot come to the great saints, who do not want to be sinners and do not need the gospel, even persecute it and call it heresy, saying that they forbid good works and preach against Moses and the law.
17 Therefore the Lord says again, "Blessed is he who does not take offense at me. Yes, indeed, blessed. For in this king and his preaching, in which everyone should rejoice, the whole world is offended. As we see in the Historia of the Gospel, the Pharisees, scribes, chief priests, priests, Levites, and all that is high and great, consider Christ a deceiver, and his preaching a heresy, and condemn him. He can nowhere preach rightly to them; it seems to them that he always turns it around and makes it wrong: he wants to cast the pious and righteous (as he does) into hell and not suffer in his kingdom, but lift sinners up to heaven. Just as the papists are doing to us today. Does this mean, they say, to preach rightly, that good works are not to be counted at all, and that heaven is to be opened to the wicked? Our dear Lord Christ also had to suffer this slander from the Jews.
18 But here it is: "Blessed is he who does not take offense at me." Now, if you would hear Christ rightly, accept his word, and enter his kingdom, you would learn that the
The Holy Gospel does not forbid good works, as the papists lie to us, but teaches and exhorts Christians to do good works, so that they take care of them with earnestness, that they do nothing against God's word and conscience; lets worldly authority remain, emperor, king, lets the executioner use sword, rod and other things that belong to discipline. Why then do you take offense at the holy gospel, and blaspheme it, that one should do no good? The gospel neither rejects nor forbids good works. But it forbids this, that if we should die now, and go into another fief, and there be no counsel nor help against it, that we should not then rely nor trust on our life and good works; but look for the Lord Christ, and with firm reliance on his work and merit, that through him we may find grace and everlasting blessedness in that life.
For this very reason God has given us such a body, with so many useful limbs, that we should not be idle here on earth, but should walk with our feet, take hold with our hands, speak with our mouths, see with our eyes etc. Above this he has also given his word, the Ten Commandments, that we should judge all our deeds according to them, and not do anything against his honor and our neighbor's benefit. The gospel not only allows this to happen, but also tells us to do it diligently. But if man is now alone and alone, and is to come out of this world before God's judgment, then the gospel calls you to look for another consolation, where you can set your hope and heart.
20. Therefore you have lived well: is right and good, thank God for it; but do not rely on it when you die, as if God were to give you heaven for it; but draw near to this King, our Lord Christ Jesus, who, as the evangelist reports here, is to lead the ministry of making the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers clean, the deaf hear, the dead rise, and to preach the gospel to the poor, that is, to comfort the miserable, anxious, afflicted hearts. For he was not set apart by his Father to save us from our sins.
He is not to be executed or punished for his own sake, but to counsel the poor consciences, to raise them up, to comfort them, and to help them forever.
(21) Those who do not regard him for this, nor have such grace toward him, but are offended by him and his teaching and despise him, as the Jews did and the hypocrites are still doing today, he will control them in his time. And this is one of the things that offends the world, that it takes offense at the teachings of Christ, that it does not want to rely on God's grace, but on its own work and merit. Therefore, rebuke the holy gospel, saying that it is a seductive doctrine that forbids good works and makes people reprobate and wild.
(22) Secondly, the world also resents Christ because he is so poor and miserable; item, that just as he bears the cross and lets himself be hanged on it, so he also exhorts his Christians to take up their cross and thus follow him through all kinds of trials and tribulations. The world is especially hostile to such things, shying away from them, and just as can be seen when we confess the gospel and are to dare or suffer something for its sake, that many fall with heaps, like the worm-eaten fruit in summer.
23) Thirdly, this is also called trouble, when we turn more to our hearts and consciences, as we feel, than to the gospel of Christ; that is, when we are more troubled by our doings than comforted by the grace of our dear Lord Jesus Christ proclaimed in the gospel. This trouble is not so common as the first two, for only the true Christians are challenged by it. But it is exceedingly grievous; and if it were without the help and assistance of the Holy Ghost, none of us could stand in such affliction.
(24) So the dear Lord Christ is an angry preacher everywhere in the world; as he soon after this gospel reports even more clearly, that people are offended by this preaching, and will despise and persecute it. But what judgment the world must endure because of this is shown by the terrible sermon against the three cities, Capernaum, Chora-
zin and Bethsaida; item, the serious complaint of Christ against the Jews, where he says: John was a strict preacher, ate only wild honey and locusts, drank nothing but water, led a very hard life, but what did it help? You blamed him all the same, that he had the devil. I," he says, "eat and drink with everyone, and am most friendly to people; so I must be to you a glutton and a winebibber, who is a publican and a sinner. So no one can get along with the poisonous snakes, the hypocrites and the works saints. If one lives freely and is friendly to people, it is no good. If another leads a strict and hard life, it is no good. How should one still do it to the shameful world? It would please it to praise everything it does when it does nothing right.
(25) Such afflictions must be suffered. For if at that time the Lord Christ himself preached, and rained and snowed with miraculous signs, so that the blind received sight, the deaf heard, the lame were made straight, the lepers were cleansed, and the dead were restored to life, he did not want to help, but the word was still despised, and he, the dear Lord Christ, was struck on the cross for it, and the apostles were driven out of the Jewish country, and nowhere in the whole world could be safe because of this preaching: what shall we greatly lament? And what wonder is it that the world so despises the holy gospel and righteous preachers in our time and runs over them with its feet? It was no different with Christ our Lord himself and the apostles, who not only spoke the word, but also performed great miraculous signs, which we do not do, but only speak the mere, annoying word.
26 For this reason, we must live and let it happen. For the gospel can never be otherwise. It is and remains a sermon that is not rejected by few people, but by the holiest, most pious, wisest, and most powerful on earth, as experience shows. But to those who know and believe that it is God's word; to those who know and believe that it is God's word.
are recovered, comforted, and strengthened against all such offenses. But those who do not know it are puffed up because of their good works, fall from this word to their own righteousness, and consider it an annoying and rebellious doctrine. This is what it means to be offended and annoyed. And this is done, as I said, by those who are considered the greatest saints and the wisest men in the eyes of the world. Therefore we may well lament with the Lord Christ over the blind world, saying, "We whistled to you, and you would not dance; we lamented to you, and you would not weep." If we preach the gospel, it does not help; if we preach the law, it does not help. The wicked world can neither be made truly happy nor truly sad, that is, it neither wants to be made sinners nor to be comforted against sin; it neither wants to be blind nor to see, as the example of our adversaries, the papists, is before our eyes.
(27) Now this is the other thing that is to be noted here: that the gospel is a doctrine and a sermon for the poor, that is, for the afflicted, anxious consciences, who feel their misery and sorrow, and are terrified and afraid of God's wrath and judgment; not for the rich, who direct all their actions and thoughts so that they may have great honor and good here, and live in joy and pleasure. Therefore it is a strange and strange sermon to their ears when Christ the Lord says: "The poor have the gospel preached to them," which they neither desire to know nor to learn, and even consider it foolishness; they not only resent it, but persecute and blaspheme it as heresy. As we can see from the pope and his spiritless cardinals, bishops, and most of the greatest and most powerful secular rulers and potentates who adhere to him. So that everything that is pious, holy, great and powerful in the world is opposed to the gospel.
028 Against such vexation, as I have said, Christ warns his company, saying, Blessed is he that taketh not offense at me. As if to say, "If therefore you see and know that the world is offended at my word, and that you, who confess it, are offended at it
Do not be deceived or disbelieved, but remember that this is what happened to Christ, the Son of God, our Lord. And even though he preached so powerfully and performed so many great miraculous signs, it still did not help him. And that we should be careful not to be moved by the world's wisdom, glory, power and great multitude, he has faithfully warned and admonished us to hold fast to him and his word, saying, "Blessed is he who does not take offense at me.
29 Because it happened to our dear Lord Christ Himself that His own people, to whom He was promised and sent to be a Savior, were displeased with Him, and even though they saw His glorious and great miraculous signs which He performed before their eyes, yet they were not moved to believe His preaching and accept Him, and even crucified and murdered Him etc.So we may be silent and not complain if we are also despised, laughed at and persecuted for the sake of the gospel. Such a doctrine of reproach is highly needed, especially in our day, when everyone blasphemes the dear gospel and is offended by it.
(30) So your love has from today's gospel excellent high teaching, on which our salvation and eternal life depend, namely, that we may learn how Christ is a kopeck.
He is the King of graces and of all comfort, who will speak kindly to the poor afflicted consciences through his gospel, comfort them in their sins, and help them to eternal life. For although the strict worldly regime is also God's kingdom, it is only his left kingdom that is to cease. But this is his right and eternal kingdom, which comes to us through the word, if we, who are oppressed by sin and death (because it is preached to such), accept and believe it. This comforts and assures us, then, that we should certainly go to Christ, and say with certain confidence, "I believe in my Lord Jesus Christ, who has made the blind to see, the lame to walk, the lepers to be clean, the deaf to hear, and the dead to live. I have this word, and for this reason I am certain that he will not leave me in my greatest need, but will lead me out of death and the devil's kingdom into eternal life and the kingdom of heaven. For this reason he became man and came to me on earth, that he might comfort me, a poor, miserable sinner, through his gospel, and help me from sin and death for eternity. etc. All who believe this from the heart will go from this pit of misery to eternal joy and bliss. May our dear Lord Christ grant us this, amen.