Of the circumcision of Christ and the Jews.
Luc. 2, 21.
And when eight days were expired for circumcising the child, his name was called Jesus, which was called of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
(1) On today's feast, two things in particular are to be preached. The first is about circumcision. The other, about the name
*) Held in the parish church, morning, 1531.
JEsu, of whom the evangelist especially reports how he was appointed by the angel before the child was conceived in the womb. Therefore, such a name must be very important.
(2) First of all, we will speak of circumcision, and make a distinction, not of the work, but of the person, which is preached today, as being circumcised. Now there is so great a difference between the circumcision of Christ and that of other Jews, as far as heaven and earth are from each other. For the persons are altogether unequal and distinct, as ye shall hear hereafter.
3) Now the circumcision of the Jews has its origin in the Scriptures, which are read in the first book of Moses, Cap. 17, 10. ff. It also has its definite time, how long it should last, namely until Christ. It first began with Abraham. God commanded him and all his household to be circumcised. And all babies born from then on were to be circumcised on the eighth day after birth. Those who had such signs of circumcision on their bodies, he wanted to be their God and take care of them like his people.
4 Now it was not without God's special counsel that not only Abraham, but all his household members who were male, had to be circumcised, so that the Jews would not boast that they were God's people alone. For here God soon accepts Abraham's servants, who were Gentiles, as His people and children in the inheritance, since Abraham's blood children and heirs belonged to it; indeed, they come to it sooner than Isaac, since the promise is made to him; even though they were poor purchased servants of the Gentiles. Therefore the Jews must not boast so highly. For if they make the circumcision equally great, they cannot deny that God also called Gentiles at the same time, who were not Abraham's children, but his purchased servants.
(5) Of this circumcision we have no more today than the mere interpretation and image of faith. Just as other histories, which have passed and been accomplished, serve only to teach us the examples of faith and good works. We must not do works, but we must have the same obedience and faith that those who lived at that time had. So we preach from
of circumcision to this day also, not that we should be circumcised, for such is finished; but that in circumcision we may learn to be obedient to God, as Abraham was obedient. But if Christ had not come, we would still have to be circumcised today, if we wanted to boast otherwise for God's people. For there the command is clear: "Whosoever is not circumcised, 'his soul shall be cut off from among my people.'" This command Christ has abrogated. Now command us further, who are his people, not to be circumcised, but to be baptized, and to believe, if we want to become God's children and be saved.
The example we take from the old circumcision is this: God lets us see here how foolish He is in raising His things, when one wants to judge according to reason. For among the proud pagans it was the most ridiculous and foolish thing that was ever seen on earth, that God, the eternal wisdom, should impose such a ridiculous commandment on man (since we do not like to speak of it), but especially on the elderly. For Abraham was already nine and ninety years old when he received this commandment. Hence the mocking, derisive names that the Gentiles give to the Jews, they are called recutitos, apellas, and the like, only that they mocked them with them.
But this is how it shall be, as your love has also heard in the next Gospel. All that God pretends, no one shall like; everyone shall laugh at it and consider it the greatest foolishness. Again, what he does not pretend to do, and we do for ourselves without his command, that shall please him; so we would like to have it. But God will not do it. So it is that reason is offended and angry, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:21: "Because the world through its wisdom did not know God in His wisdom, it pleased God through foolish preaching to save those who believe in it.
8) What is more foolish, if reason is to judge, which is also less rhyming with it, than that in the Lord's Supper under the bread the body of Christ, and under the wine the blood of Christ is to be used for the forgiveness of sins?
What should be eaten and drunk? What should a drink of wine or a bite of bread help? thinks reason; cannot think otherwise. But God does not want to change it because of that. If reason does not want to believe or accept it, it may leave it alone.
9 It is the same with holy baptism. That a child who is immersed or watered in water according to Christ's command should be washed of sins and moved from the devil's kingdom into God's kingdom; how does that rhyme? How can you believe it, if you want to put the word aside, and measure and understand the matter with reason? Then it would be believable if sin were a black or red stain; but because sin is in the heart, marrow and legs, it seems that the water will slowly come in and wash it away. So Abraham, too, could have thought when he received the command to be circumcised: "Dear man, what good will it do me to be circumcised if I am an old man? What good is a child? Or what is better after circumcision than before? If God had wanted the body to be different, he would have made it so that nothing of it could have been cut. Reason would have said so; can also not say otherwise nor think, if it wants to be smartest.
But when one comes to the question: Why God commanded this or that, the devil has already won; as one can see from Eve in Paradise. She was ordered not to eat from the forbidden tree. But when she let such a command out of her sight, and listened to the devil, why God should have forbidden such things, she went away and fell into the horrible disobedience, which we all still have to bear.
(11) Therefore we are to learn diligently from such a command of circumcision, and we are to live diligently by it: If God says or does anything, you shall shut your mouth and fall on your knees, ask nothing else and say nothing else, but do what He tells you, listen to what He tells you, and let yourself be pleased with what He does. For God wants to be unmastered by us, who are by nature children of wrath, sinners and liars.
For this reason, his counsel, word and work are far too high for us to understand. We are still blind, presumptuous fools who think that they not only understand, but could also do better. That is why Jeremiah says: "Man's heart is so hopeless and treacherous that no one can reason with it. Since we are of such a nature, we should put our wisdom aside and think of God's things and commandments as follows: "If I look foolishly at you, there is no other cause in truth than that I am a great fool who cannot understand or grasp divine wisdom, for my foolishness and blindness hinder me.
(12) So the old circumcision is an example of a fine faith, that Abraham and his servants were not horrified by such a command, but followed it straightforwardly. They did not think: "It is a foolish thing, if we old people let ourselves be circumcised, God will not mean it that way, it must have another mind (just as the sacrament abusers disputing baptism and the Lord's Supper). What did God want to command about the foolish thing of circumcising the body? What was it for? They did not think of such a thing, but immediately obeyed the command and decided: Because God commanded it and so willed it, be it ever so foolish, I will not be saved, but I will follow His command as He commanded. That therefore circumcision is a fine example of a firm, righteous faith, which Abraham and his servants had; from which we are to learn that we also do such things, not letting our wisdom and reason deceive us from the word of God.
013 This is said of the circumcision of the Jews of old, which should stand no longer than the law, that is, until Christ, who put an end to the law. As this is clearly shown in the fact that the infants were first circumcised on the eighth day. For the Scriptures keep the order that after six days is the Sabbath, and the day that follows the Sabbath is the eighth day, when a new week begins. For our dear Lord Christ has with the circumcision
He began to fulfill the preaching that was said about him, that he should be a Savior and a light for the Gentiles, who should not rule in the small corner of Judaism alone, but should reign in all the world through his gospel, and should absolve us from all sin, since he was circumcised, and with his circumcision put an end to the previous one.
(14) Now I said at the beginning that if one wished to speak correctly of the circumcision of Christ, there must be as great a difference between the circumcision of Christ and that of the Jews as between heaven and earth. For here the persons are unequal, although the work is the same. Circumcision, like the law, was given to those who were sinners and guilty of eternal death. But now Christ is without all sin, and is the Lord of the law, with whom the law has nothing to do; for it has to do only with sinners. But he is not a sinner. Because he is circumcised according to the law, just as another sinful child is circumcised, the law takes offense at him and must therefore suffer its punishment and cease. If Christ had wanted to do it, he could have abolished the law by force, for he is the Lord of the law, with whom the law has nothing to do, because he is without all sin. But he did not want to do it by force, but with love and humility. Now this happens to us too well, that we should accept it and be comforted.
(15) For our dear Lord Christ did not need it for his own person, nor did he need it for his own person to become man or to be crucified. He did it for our sake, because we needed such a man, who would be without sin, and would fulfill the law for us and thus appease the wrath of God. For this cause he put himself under the law, giving such victory, which he obtained in the law, to us, that we should need and enjoy it, and henceforth have all the right to the law through him, which he has for a law, that it should no longer condemn nor ensnare us. For whosoever believeth in Christ with a true faith shall be saved from such damnation through him.
016 Therefore mark well this difference; for there is all in it. Abraham had to go under the law and be circumcised, because he was a sinner, and therefore the law had a promise for him. But Christ is not a sinner, and therefore must not be under the law: nevertheless he put himself under the law, that whosoever believeth in him might be saved and delivered from the curse of the law by him.
Therefore the feast of the circumcision of Christ is a very comforting feast, because we should praise and thank God that even though we have fallen under the law through our sin, this does not harm us in our salvation, but through Christ we shall be free and delivered from the curse of the law, who for our sake bore the curse of the law and submitted to the law.
18) But that it was necessary for us to get rid of the law and become free is taught by St. Paul, when he says in 1 Cor. 7:19: "Circumcision is nothing, but keeping God's commandments. These are very proud words, offensive to the Jews; for so much is said: no one who is circumcised fulfills God's commandment or keeps the law. But what is this but, that they which are circumcised are not circumcised; or, that I may say it more plainly, By circumcision no man fulfilleth the law; neither is any man thereby absolved from sins. For although the Jews have allowed themselves to be circumcised, God's commandment and commandment still stands: "You shall love God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. Give me a man who can boast that he has done or can do something. The law says, "Thou shalt not be lusted after." Give me a man who can boast that he has done or can do. In sum, if you take a commandment before you that you want, you must confess that there is no one who has kept it perfectly.
(19) But what judgment belongs to such people who do not keep God's commandment, even though they are circumcised? St. Paul shows this from the fifth book of Moses, where it says: "Cursed be every man that continueth not in all things which are written in this book.
Book of the Law, that he may do it." Concludes, therefore, that all those who deal with the works of the law are under the curse. Cause, they cannot keep it. For if one could keep the law, there would be no need. But because it cannot be kept, it follows that the law accuses us, chokes us, gives us to the devil, and casts us into hell.
(20) Therefore there must be a higher and better preaching, which gives us more than the law, which cannot do more than command: We are to love God with all our heart, and our neighbor as ourselves, even if he harms us and we would like to avenge ourselves. But nothing comes of it. Nature stirs itself up with anger, ill-will, impatience, hatred, envy, hopefulness etc. Therefore there is no one who can follow such preaching. And even if we do as much as is possible, we cannot stand before God with it.
This is the reason that a higher and greater one comes, namely Christ, the Son of God, who is without all sin, yet allows himself to be circumcised like other sinners, and thus in all humility submits to the law, so that it may even abolish it and make us free from it, who could not bear such a burden and therefore had to remain under the curse and wrath of God. As not only our experience but also the testimony of the holy prophets shows. For what else would have concerned the holy prophet David Noth, since he says in the 19th Psalm v. 13: Delicta quis intelligit? "Who can tell how often he is mistaken? Forgive me the hidden faults," since I know nothing of them; item, Ps. 143, 2: "Enter not into judgment with thy servant; for before thee no living man is righteous"; item, Ps. 130, 3: "If thou wilt, O Lord, impute sin, O Lord, who shall stand?"
(22) Such sayings and others testify sufficiently that it is impossible for a man to say that he has done enough for the law and has escaped the wrath of God because of his works. Since the law holds us captive and does not allow us to stand before God, but rather hinders the confidence we should have in God, it follows that if we want to stand before God, we must have something higher than the preaching of the law, namely, the preaching of the holy gospel, in which
Our dear Lord Christ proclaims to the Jews and to us that we are condemned because of our sins. And it does not help the Jews that they are circumcised, for such circumcision does not absolve them from sins; as the prophets say, though they are circumcised in the body, yet the heart is uncircumcised and unclean. But this settles it for us, that the gospel preaches further, how our dear Lord Christ, who was not guilty of the law, but without sin, nevertheless gave himself up under the law, and was circumcised, that he might gain a cause for the law, and say unto him, Hear, O law, thou makest me a servant, when I am thy lord: therefore must thou serve me again, and be my servant and prisoner again.
(23) Now the right which our dear Lord Christ has to the law for his own person, he gives to me and to you, and takes away the right of the law which it has against us, as poor sinners, and makes us free and absolved from it. But not that we should do nothing and live as we please, but that where we have not done what we ought, it should be forgiven us and not imputed to us, and should not harm our salvation.
(24) Therefore those who believe in Christ do not need to be circumcised at all. For they are not only exempt from these and other burdens of the law, but have forgiveness of all sins and the promise of eternal life through Christ. Therefore they can boast and say, "The law does not help me, neither does circumcision; but this helps me, that I believe that Christ is circumcised; for this was done for my sake, that I might have a guarantor to stand in debt for me, to which debt the law, because of my sins, can commit me. Therefore I will take comfort in his innocence and say: The law was for a time like a lord in heaven; for it accused us men before God, and so we had to suffer it. We were not wronged because we could not deny our sins. But now it is the other way around, because through the circumcision of Christ we are redeemed from the circumcision and the curse of the law.
(25) My circumcision, my love for God and for man, my obedience, are not in order; I do not want to rest on them, nor do I want to rely on them. But all my confidence, comfort and defiance shall be that Christ is obedient, innocent and holy. Such confidence and hope I shall not lack; for it is a certain comfort and firm shield. Before I had it, I thought it was my turn to fulfill the law or be damned. But now I know that it is an impossible thing for me and for all men who cannot bear such a burden. But Christ took it upon Himself, threw Himself under the law, and there began circumcision, that He might fulfill it everywhere, leaving nothing behind that God has laid on us poor sinners to obey; such is my heart and comfort.
026 I ought to tame my old Adam, and to keep him to do what he ought: for otherwise I should be a disobedient child. But there is much disobedience in the measure of it. We do many things that we ought not to do; we leave many things undone that we ought to do; sometimes we even fall into gross, horrible sin. Here is no other consolation, but that we may flee under this shelter, which is called, "Christ hath put himself under the law"; and we shall take comfort in what our obedience lacks, that Christ hath fulfilled it. For we shall never come to do all that we ought, as St. Paul says: "I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see another law in my members, which is contrary to the law in my mind, and taketh me captive into the law of sins, which is in my members. This is said: I must do what the flesh wants, but I do not do it by faith, but I am sorry, I do not like to be caught like that.
(27) So now Christian righteousness is complete, that I know myself to be a poor sinner, who can never do enough for the law. But I do not despair because of this. For here I see that my Lord Christ took care of me, and gave himself up for me under the law, and was sufficient for the law.
has done. Then it follows that such a heart must say: Did my God do this for my sake? Should I not also love such a gracious God? Should I not do his will with all my heart, and in turn do what is dear to him? Thus one becomes cheerful and friendly toward God, and follows the right fulfillment of the law, which is not forced, but willing. Even though such fulfillment is not yet complete and imperfect because of the flesh, God is pleased with it for the sake of faith in Christ. For what is still unclean and imperfect belongs under the cover and umbrella of the forgiveness of sins.
So your love has heard of two kinds of circumcision. God commanded the first, and until Christ the Jews had to submit to such circumcision with obedience, just as they did to the law. But with this they have not yet been saved. For no one has ever been able to do enough for the law. Therefore, even though circumcision existed, the law still condemned all Jews and condemned them before God. But by this we are saved and sanctified, because we have Christ, who gave himself under the law and took away the curse from us. Now the Jews who believed this and placed their salvation in the promised Seed, the outward circumcision was a seal to them that they were righteous before God, not because of circumcision, but because of faith in Christ.
29 Therefore the feast of the circumcision of Christ is a comforting feast, by which we learn, when we come before God, to say, "O Lord, you commanded the Jews to be circumcised; you commanded the Jews and all of us to love you with all our hearts, and to love our neighbor as ourselves; but, dear Lord, I have not done it, and cannot do it, for that reason, according to my merit, I should be lost and eternally damned. But this is my only consolation and shield, behind which I flee and hide myself: Your dear Son Christ Jesus, my Lord, has given Himself under the law, and has given Himself up to the law.
He allowed himself to be circumcised like another sinner, and thus did your will completely; otherwise he would not have allowed himself to be circumcised on the eighth day like another child. This was done for my sake and for the sake of all sinners, and was given to us as a gift and as our own. For on account of his person he would not have needed it. Therefore I accept it, and
I beg you, dear heavenly Father, to be merciful to me for his sake and to let me enjoy his piety and holiness. So that everyone may learn to trust in the holiness and innocence of our dear Lord Christ; then we may be sure, and neither sin nor death may prevail against us. May our dear Lord Christ grant us this, amen.