How Christ is delivered to Pilate, and Judas hangs himself, and the chief priests buy a field for the burial of the pilgrims for the thirty pieces of silver.
Matth. 27, 1-10.
On the morrow all the chief priests and the elders of the people held a council against Jesus, and put him to death. And they bound him, and led him away, and delivered him to Pontio Pilato the governor. When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that he was condemned to death, he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying: I have done evil in that I have betrayed innocent blood. They said: What is that to us? Then you watch. And he cast the pieces of silver into the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. But the chief priests took the pieces of silver, saying: It is not fit that we should put them into the treasury; for it is blood money. But they took counsel, and bought a potter's field for it, for the burying of the pilgrims. Therefore, the same field is called the blood field to this day. Then is fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, They took thirty shekels of silver to pay for the sold thing, which they bought of the children of Israel, and gave it for a potter's field, as the Lord commanded me.
is handed over etc. W. xin, Wo-ses. 401
(1) Your beloved have heard how the Lord Christ was first brought before the spiritual authorities, and there lost his case; for those who were plaintiffs were also judges in their own cause. Now follows how he was brought before Pilate and what happened there.
(2) Before we come to this, however, we must first indicate where persecution has its origin. For such a thing is here very finely painted, and the like is still found where persecution goes against the gospel.
(3) As soon as the high priest heard the word from the Lord saying, "From now on you will see the Son of Man at the right hand of power, coming in the clouds," he tore his garment and said, "He has blasphemed God; what further testimony do we need? Now you have heard his blasphemy. What think ye?" But all the others, who were at such a council, said, "He is guilty of death"; and soon after began to deal miserably with the pious Lord JEsu. There was not one man among them who would have stood with him; all of them, in particular, were against him.
4 And yet there was still one thing in their way. The cause they considered worthy of death they knew well, Pilate would not ask much about it; for he was a Gentile, had no order from the Roman emperor to strangle the Jews for their faith; otherwise he would have had to strangle them all. Therefore, as soon as the morning dawned, they met together, and, as Matthew says, they held council about how to kill him, that is, they discussed what kind of accusation they would bring against him before Pilate. For they saw that even though Christ had blasphemed God, Pilate would not kill him. Therefore they had to think of a worldly, respectable accusation, as if before a worldly judge. That would not have broken Christ's neck, that they said he was a blasphemer.
5 Here look and learn how swift and poisonous Satan is, if one needs counsel on how to strangle Christ. The first word Pilate speaks to Christ is to ask him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
From such a word it is enough to assume that they have decided on this in this council, and have indicated to the Lord Jesus before Pilate that he desires to cause a riot and to raise himself up for the king of the Jews. But with what can they bring this upon the Lord? Where did he ever call himself a king? Where has he presented himself as a great lord? They could bear witness to this if they had wanted the people to seize him and make him king, but he would not and hid himself; item, that he had told them to give the emperor what was his and not to withhold it.
Now we have to think about this: Pilate will not have been satisfied with such a mere accusation, they will have had to prove such an accusation. How did this happen? Undoubtedly in this way. They had heard that Christ had confessed to the high priest that he was Christ. On this they took the Scriptures as a witness, and proved from the prophets how Christ would be a king. For thus saith Zechariah, Cap. 9:9, Behold, thy king cometh unto thee meekly; and Hosea 3:8, They shall seek David their king; and in many other places more. Because the Lord confesses that he is Christ, it was also known that he was the king of the Jews. For Christ was to be a king. Behold, the devil can search so accurately.
(7) But he is silent about the things that are against him and that could be a disgrace to the Lord Christ, namely, that Zechariah says: He will be miserable, that is, he will not be a worldly king, he will only deal with consciences, comforting them against sin and God's wrath: but with the body, with money, with goods he will have nothing to do, because God has other kings for them, these are worldly kings. The peelers do not say a word about such things, they put a blue haze over Pilato's eyes and say that he has made himself a king of the Jews. Thus they bring Pilatum into the bargain, who otherwise, if it had remained with the first accusation of heresy or blasphemy, would not have taken care of the matter.
(8) It is the same today, for secular authorities have a common bad habit of not caring much about God's kingdom and religion. When kings and princes have their obedience, their interest and glory, they ask no further, and so Christ would well remain before Pilato. But the high priests and elders of the people, that is, the bloodthirsty crowd, pope, cardinals, bishops, monks, priests, come to accuse Christ before Pilate, they incite kings and princes against the gospel, accuse it, just as the Jews accused Christ before Pilate: It is a rebellious doctrine; if one lets them go and does not defend them in time, they will not keep their obedience with the subjects for long. Indeed, if they do not seriously oppose it, they will have neither happiness nor salvation in the regiment. That the Turk thus breaks in, that we have no luck against him, that there is so much misgrowth in fruits, and that misfortune is found on all sides: all this the wretched clergy preach to the great lords, that it is the fault of the gospel. This wakes up Pilate, who otherwise would not ask anything about Christ and his preaching, so that he presents him and finally calls for him to be crucified.
9 Now it is no less true that such lies and poisonous slander do grievous harm. But for this very reason the evangelists have left this story behind them, so that when such things happen to us, we may suffer and speak patiently: My Lord Christ also suffered the same. The servant is no better than his master. Pilate would have had him preach and perform miraculous signs all his life, and would have asked nothing of him: but the chief priests, the spiritual crowd, accomplish so much that Pilate is joined together as a judge and Christ as an evildoer.
So it still goes; the worst enemies of the Lord Christ are: The pope, bishops, monks and clergy. If they have decided that it is heresy, what they do not like, or what is against them, they try to incite kings and princes against the gospel; they must become their executioners, and defile themselves with innocent blood on their accusation and arrest,
like Pilate. You suffer this, devout Christian. With your Lord Christ it was played out in the same way, and thank God that you are worthy to suffer for His name's sake, as Lucas says of the apostles, Acts 5:41. 5, 41. This is the first part of today's text.
(11) The other is the terrible example of Judah, which is therefore so diligently painted by the evangelists, that we may know there, as in a painting, the nature and manner of sin, and learn to beware of it. For in Judah we see both how sin creeps in so smoothly at first, but then causes such a terrible end.
12. your love have heard above, how a small beginning such an abominable sin had, that Judas was stingy by nature and loved the money to him. Therefore, now that this opportunity has passed, so that he can get money from the Lord Jesus, he considers it a very small thing to betray the innocent man. Again, he considers it a great gain that he can get such a sum of money so soon.
13 Now the Lord preaches and warns him as faithfully as he wants, as he does especially often in the last supper, and so roughly that he could have grabbed it: but it does not help, he stays in his thoughts and looks at the thirty pieces of silver. What an excellent, strong and serious warning this was, when he says: "He who dips his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. Well, the Son of Man is going, as it is written of him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It were better for him that the same man were never yet born." Should Judas not have heeded such a word? Should he not have struck fine within himself and said: Oh God forbid, what have I poor man let the devil preach to my heart? But nothing comes of it; he still asks about such words, whether the Lord knows what he has in mind. "Rabbi," he says, "is it I?" And the Lord answers him: "You say it", that is: Yes, it is you. But, as I said, it is an easy, carefree trade for him, because he can get so much money through such a means.
14 Note this, for this is the first color with which one should paint sin, if one paints it right and proper, so that it seems to be a light, bad, harmless thing. One does not worry about God's wrath, one is not afraid of misfortune, it does not seem to be a burden, but a light feather, which one can weigh with one's breath and push forward. Therefore, when it comes upon us, we are not afraid of it, we still have desire and love for it, and we think that we could not do our thing better, because we would be full of sin. As you may take an example from a miserly usurer, or adulterer, or drunkard. St. Paul passes a very harsh sentence against such, I Cor. 6:9: "Be not deceived," he says, "neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, etc., nor covetous, nor drunkards, shall inherit the kingdom of God." This is written here and is preached; those who are afflicted with such vices hear it, but they accept it just like Judas: if they could come to a purchase, where the hundred would be 20 or 30 to usury, if they could only atone for their lust, if they could have companions all day, be mad and full; then they would think they had done well, they would not worry about it nor grieve, but be of good cheer and completely happy.
(15) Now this is Adam preaching to his son Cain, warning him against sin, Genesis 4, when he perceives how he had taken a bitter heart against Abel his brother. "Is it not true," he says, "that if you are pious, you are pleasant; but if you are not pious, sin rests at the door?" As if he wanted to say, "Get to know sin properly; for this is its nature: when it sets upon people, it is like a wild, ravening beast that sleeps there; one is not afraid of it; it lets itself be grasped and stroked in its sleep, and does nothing to anyone. It also seems to be a harmless thing around sin. It is a fine, smooth little cat that lets itself be stroked and handled. But beware, says Adam, she sleeps well, but will not sleep forever. Cause, she lies in the door, in a restless place, where everyone goes in and out: therefore can she sleep.
It is very easy for it to wake up. Then it becomes a raging lion, an angry bear that tears and bites everything it comes across.
(16) As Adam foretold Cain, so it came to pass. Adam told him to rule over sin and not to let it rule or guide him. But Cain did not do it, he left her the bridle, slew his brother. Sin did not lie there long, it had soon slept off, and it so tormented Cain that he did not know where he should stay. He was not allowed to stay with his father and mother, and otherwise he was not sure of life or limb.
This is the other kind of sin, which notice diligently. Initially it sleeps, and it seems to be an easy, harmless thing. But it does not sleep long, and when it awakens, it becomes an unmistakable burden, since it is impossible for you to bear it unless God helps you greatly. See this in poor Judah. Since sin was still asleep, it was impossible for him to be afraid of it; the smooth bellows deceived him, so that he was not aware of the sharp, poisonous rattles. But she could not sleep long; she lay before the door, and was dissolute to wake up. Before no preaching nor warning would help, now comes a moment that frightens him so much that he does not know where to stay.
18 For when he sees the Lord leading him to Pilate, and must now fear that life will be his, he is filled with remorse, and first sees what he has done. Then the sin wakes up, and according to its kind and nature it is so fierce and horrible that he cannot tolerate it. Before, he had so loved the money, the thirty pieces of silver, that it was a bad thing for him to betray and sell the Lord Christ; now it is turned around: if he had all the money and goods of the world, he would give everything for it, only that the life of the Lord Christ might be saved.
19 But because the love of money had brought him into such trouble, and because he had incurred such sin on account of money, he became so hostile to money that he could have neither rest nor rest from it; he ran after the chief priests into the temple, confessed that he had done evil, and wanted to get rid of it.
He will gladly give them their money back, but they must leave Jesus alone. And since they do not want it, he throws it at their feet, so that he only gets his money back. Now this is the right kind of sin, when it awakens, that it so vehemently persuades the conscience, it starts such a terrible sermon that the heart does not know from anxiety what it should do or not do.
20 And there is still a pity. For as little comfort as the poor man has in himself, so little comfort does he find in other people. He faithfully laments his misery to the chief priests. Ah, he says, I have done evil, I have sold innocent blood. But how do they comfort him? "What is that to us? You watch," they say. Blaming it all on his neck, they leave such an unmistakable burden, and do not like to touch it with a finger, that they might be comforting or advising to the poor frightened man.
21 Then follows the third and last woe. For where sin continues to preach to the conscience, the devil does not tarry long, he scares and blows into the fire so that it becomes ablaze and all salvation seems to be in vain. He drives Judas so that he walks on the footsteps in such fear and torture and hangs himself from grief. This is the end that the devil initially sought through sin. Whoever could think of or believe in such an end soon in the beginning would bless and guard himself against it. But it is hidden; sin sleeps and does not let itself be seen at the beginning, where it ultimately wants to go. This is the story of the wretched, poor man Judas, who sold the Lord Jesus for a small amount of money, and not only does he not enjoy this money, but he also loses his life, body, soul and everything.
22 Therefore learn this example diligently, and let it never depart from your heart. For it shall serve thee, and me, and all of us, that we may actually know sin, and learn to guard against it. We can be deceived on both sides and be damaged by sin if we do not perceive this example well and learn to know sin from it: first with this.
that sin has a smooth bellow like a fine kitten; it can be stroked and patted, one has desire and love for it. But it does not last any longer until it wakes up. Then its poisonous, sharp claws come out; when it strikes them right, then toil, work, fear and distress are lifted up. Learn these two things from Judah, and do not let the smooth brat deceive you, as the world does, and neither saying nor admonishing helps.
There are many a burgher, farmer, nobleman, who has sent himself into a brave nourishment. If he sells something, he sees how he can get the highest price. If he buys something, he sees how he can get it most cheaply. If he has houses or other things that he lends, he does not leave the old thing, increases the interest etc. This is very right in the world; it is pleasing to everyone: if he can bring in a hundred, two hundred, three hundred guilders, more or less (depending on the deal), in this way or another, and put it behind him, he has fished well. That is why you see how everyone sends himself for food and practices all kinds of speed. This is now the Judas sin, since he is first entered over.
(24) But as Judas was not afraid of it, or thought it a dangerous thing to do, so does the world to-day. Why? Sin sleeps, it does not let itself be seen soon in the beginning, as it is; it colors and adorns itself, puts on a beautiful young coat, so that one does not see anything abominable about it; this makes that everyone gains pleasure from it. But whoever could soon pull off her Schembart and wash off the color with a sharp lye, would flee from her as from the devil. No one would put up with usury, nor would he indulge in avarice, if he knew what would ultimately come of it, when sin begins to preach to the conscience and repentance comes. For there are examples before one's eyes that such people, who stand alone according to money and goods, cannot resist ordinary thoughts at their last. If
When they are comforted with God's word, they do not want to accept it, meanwhile they walk with their thoughts into the office, the market, into the vaults, thinking of this, that guilt etc. In sum, the thorns have taken such hold of them that they cannot come out; or the consciences are so weighed down that they cannot accept any consolation.
(25) This is to be understood not only of Judah's penny or of avarice, but of all sins. For where sin goes to sleep, it finally awakens and causes such misery, as we see in Judah. Especially, however, where the right Judas pennies are, since one has acted against God's word for the sake of money and good, persecuted the gospel and given cause for false doctrine and idolatry, as the pope, his cardinals, bishops, buffoons, priests, monks, doctors and the like, press and tear themselves very hard for the Judas penny. That makes it not prickly or pointed, it is finely smooth and gentle in attack; and seems to be a very fine thing in the eyes of the world, who can bring his cause there, and thus create for him good, calm, glorious days.
(26) Again, it may be regarded as a small thing whether one goes against God's word, against confession, and against conscience in this or that; it seems as if it is easy to justify a canon standing in the choir, a preacher holding to himself, and not wanting to come out freely with the truth. For he who does so can very well enjoy this with the world and the devil. But in the truth the rebuke will not remain outside at last, and the reward will be to you just as it was to Judah, that sin will preach to you at your last, you will find no righteous comfort in anyone, and the devil will bring you to despair.
Therefore, it would be good for you to consider such journeys in time, to let go of the bishopric, the cathedral, the good life, one with the other, and to consider being a Christian, to promote God's word, to confess it, to keep yourself in good conscience. God would still provide you with daily bread and not let you die of hunger, as he says: "Seek first the kingdom of God, and all the rest will be yours.
Therefore, this is the lesson of this history: because sin sleeps at first, but then awakens and causes all sorrow in the conscience, and Satan thereby drives to despair; that you should beware of sin, do nothing against your conscience, and besides ask God daily, yes, every moment for His Holy Spirit, that He will not lead you into temptation, but will graciously lead you out and protect you from sins. For, as I said, because sin is not awake in the beginning, it sleeps, so that we cannot be afraid of it, it is very easy for us to be deceived and tempted. That is why we need to pray diligently, and also to be careful and watchful in all places, so that it does not creep up on us.
29 Secondly, when the fall has happened and you have been deceived, and sin, which was asleep at first, now wakes up and confronts you and accuses you, you must also be prepared, and here you can learn from Judas how you should prepare yourself. For you ever see what he lacks. Satan makes such a big, high mountain out of sin that he cannot see God, His word, promise or grace in front of it, therefore he falls into despair. But where did such evil come from in the beginning? Is it not true that if he had not thrown God's word to the wind, had been more diligent in keeping it, he would have been able to comfort himself even in such distress? But because he despised the word and listened to it diligently, it is no wonder that now that he needs it, he cannot find it anywhere.
30 Therefore, just as on the one hand you must guard against sleeping sin with the fear of God and diligent prayer, lest you be deceived and seduced; so when sin awakens, preaches to you and makes you restless, you must defend yourself and endure with the holy gospel, which portrays Christ to you as having suffered and paid for all the sin of the world. God, the almighty Creator and Father, portrays it in such a way that he does not take pleasure in the death of sinners; but he does take pleasure in the sinner's conversion and life, that is, that he recognizes his sin, is sorry for it, and hopes for forgiveness through him.
Lord Christ. Judah lacks this here and therefore despairs.
(31) Again, Peter had also fallen miserably and was like Judah. The sin that was asleep at first (for it seemed to him to be no special journey when he denied Christ immediately) finally woke up and tormented his heart, so that he could not weep enough, as the evangelist says: "Peter went out and wept bitterly. How is it, then, that Peter does not also hang himself, as Judas did? Peter undoubtedly remembered the word of the Lord Christ and saved himself, because the Lord first foretold such a fall and then comforted him, as Luc. 22 says, where the Lord speaks to him in particular, vv. 31, 32: "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired to sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not cease. And if thou be converted some day, strengthen thy brethren."
32 Peter heard and kept this sermon. Such a word was the rod by which he held on, so that sin could not press him to the ground; otherwise sin would have done to him as it did to Judah. But with the word he saves himself. Learn this diligently, and in time apply yourself to it; hear God's word diligently, do not lie down in bed, do not get up, for you have spoken to your heart a beautiful saying, two, three or four. As, Matth. 9, 13. Christ says: "I have come to call sinners to repentance, and not the pious"; Matth. 11, 28-30.: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me: for I am gentle and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is sweet, and my burden is easy"; John 3:16-18: "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son to judge the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. Whoever believes in Him will not be judged"; John 5:24: "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes Him, he will be saved.
has sent me, he has eternal life, and will not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life"; Joh. 11, 25: "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live"; 1 Joh. 2:1, 2: "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, who is righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. "etc. If you practice these and similar sayings daily and make them known to yourself through such practice, you will have the right medicine for your soul, since the wicked Judah lacks this.
33 There are more such examples. David commits a terrible, horrible fall, and sins more grievously than Saul, the king, when he first began to fall. How is it that Saul cuts his own neck, but David is saved? Saul did not have God's word; therefore, when sin came alive and preached to him, he could not defend himself against it; he had nothing to hold on to. Sin also preached to David, when it awoke, so that he passed the sentence on himself, that he was guilty of death. But in such distress he kept the word of Nathan the prophet, who assured him that God was merciful and would not impute such sin to him.
34 Let this be the other lesson, that you not only guard against sin, but also, when it awakens, fight against it and protect yourself. But you should prepare yourself for such distress throughout your life and be ready with God's word; otherwise there will be neither help nor counsel, as the example of Jude is before your eyes. He first rejoiced in the thirty pieces of silver; it was, as they say, a mown meadow to him; for sin was still asleep. But when it awoke, the thirty pieces of silver became an unmistakable burden to him, and he hanged himself for it, only that he should no longer bear such a conscience. But by doing so, he caused it to be carried for eternity. Beware of this, do not let sin creep in, keep the fear of God and a good conscience, and listen diligently to God's word, and you will have comfort in all distress.
35. now the evangelists further report how
The chief priests held half a council about the money, did not want to put it into the treasury, but bought a trough for it and made a burial place for the pilgrims out of it. Such a thing seems to be nothing special; and yet, because the evangelist prophesied it so long before in the prophet Zechariah, such a trade must not be in vain, but have its own interpretation. This is now without doubt this:
The citizens of Jerusalem had their own burials, the foreigners, as we see, had none. If we now look at the right Jerusalem, the Christian Church, the Jews are the people of God, we Gentiles are strangers and do not belong to the Kingdom of God. But the thirty pieces of silver, when our dear Lord Christ is sold, also bring a burial for the pilgrims.
That is, through the innocent suffering and death of Christ, we Gentiles also come to the hope of eternal life. For this cost the Lord Christ his blood and death, like the thirty pieces of silver.
(37) Thus the evangelists always point out to us in history that we should not forget why the Lord was sold, suffered and died, not only because of his people to whom he was promised, but also because of our Gentiles, who had no burial place in the right Jerusalem. But through the thirty pieces of silver, which Judas redeemed from Christ, we also come to a grave of God and such a grave, where our Lord Christ will call us out on the last day and make us eternally blessed. May our dear Father in heaven, through his Holy Spirit, grant us this, amen.