Luc. 16, 1-9.
And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward, which was reproached before him, as if he had destroyed his goods. And he challenged him, and said unto him, How hear I of thee? Give account of your stewardship, for you cannot be a steward henceforth. The steward said to himself: What shall I do? My lord takes the office from me; I do not like to dig, so I am ashamed to beg. I know well what I will do, when
*) Held in the house, 1533.
I am now set apart from the ministry, that they may take me into their houses. And he called all the debtors of his lord unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? And he said, An hundred tons of oleum. And he said unto him, Take thy letter, and sit down, and write fifty. Then he said to the other: How much do you owe? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy letter, and write eighty. And the Lord praised the unjust steward, because he had done wisely. For the children of this world are wiser than the children of light in their generation. And I say also unto you, Make friends with the unrighteous Mammon, that, when ye now offer, they may receive you into the everlasting tabernacles.
Today's gospel is a sermon about good works, and especially against avarice, that one should not misuse money and goods, but help poor, needy people with them. As the Lord says at the end in clear words: "Make friends of unrighteous mammon", that is, help poor people with your money and goods. For the word "mammon" in German means as much as wealth.
(2) The Lord puts this teaching into a simile, as he likes to do (because it is easier to remember), and says, "We should send ourselves three ways, like this unjust steward. He saw, because he was deposed from office, that he would need the help of other people; therefore he needed his office, because it was still in his hands, so that he left half to one debtor and the fourth part to another, so that they might remember such friendship and also help him when he needed it.
3 Now it is not the Lord's opinion that we should do wrong to one another, and cheat one another out of what is his, and give alms out of it. No, but his opinion is that we should follow this steward in prudence, diligence and prudence, turning money and goods to enjoy them in a different and better life; that we should make friends with our mammon, as the steward made friends with the unjust mammon.
4 Here we are to learn first of all why the Lord gives the name to mammon, that he calls it an unjust mammon. For unjust goods should be given back, and no good should be done to others with them, nor should alms be given. As Isaiah says in chapter 61, v. 8: "I," says the Lord, "am he that loveth righteousness, and hateth robbery or stolen offerings." This is said so much: Who sacrifices, gives alms and wants to do a service to God with the money,
Let him do it from his own, which he has acquired with God and a good conscience, or be satisfied. For one should not do anything else with someone else's property, except to give it back to the one from whom it was unreasonably taken. Now how is it fitting that the Lord should say here: from unrighteous mammon one should make friends, that is, give alms from it and help the poor? Answer: The Lord does not call mammon or goods unjust because they are unjustly gained (for, as I said, unjustly gained goods are to be restored), but because no man has a right need of mammon, except the right, pious Christians who keep the fear of God and the commandments of God. The others need mammon for this purpose, according to the common saying: "Good makes you brave," they flaunt, bank, live in luxury, and let the poor pass by unharmed, whom they could well help. That is why wealth and riches must have and bear the shameful name that they are called unjust.
(5) What pleasure God has in such abuse can be seen in the saying of Ezekiel, where he says Cap. 16:49: "Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodoma: High-mindedness and all fullness, and good peace, which she and her daughters had. But to the poor and needy they would not willingly have given their hand; but were proud, and did abominable things in my sight." There it is, peace and having all sufficiency, that one does not know what to do with it because of great courage, and yet one does not help poor people. That is the pity, and yet the common custom in the world, since the disgraceful name comes from the estate, that it is gained as honestly as it always can, that it is called an unrighteous mammon, a damned money, a stolen good: not because of its kind and nature (for what can the poor penny, florin, jochimsthaler, bread, meat, etc.), but because of its value?
Fish, wine, and other things in addition?), but of the man half, which does not need it quite.
(6) Therefore, the teaching of today's Gospel is primarily that we should not be stingy, but that we should make good use of what God has given us and make friends with it, so that when we die and are in want, that is, when we have to leave everything behind, we will find friends there who will take us into the eternal dwellings. For whatever good we do to poor people here, whatever friendship and charity we show, these works will not only be witnesses on the last day that we have kept ourselves brotherly and Christian, but will also be rewarded or paid for. Then one will come and boast: Lord, he has given me a coat, a florin, a loaf of bread, a drink of water in time of need. Yes, as Christ says in Matthew 25, he himself, the Lord, will come forward and say before his heavenly Father, all the angels and saints, what good we have done him, and how we have thereby proved our faith. These friends will do it and help us to heaven, if we have to live in want and leave everything we have on earth.
(7) Whoever follows this teaching and gives money and goods, which God has given him, to the poor, who cannot gain their own bread, for taxation and help, would make a right mammon out of the wrong one, because he would turn it from abuse to the right use. For this is by no means the case with Christians, that they want to use money and goods only for themselves, for their splendor, honor, pleasure and pride. As can be seen in the case of citizens and peasants, and the common saying that such felons carry in their mouths: I have grain and bread for myself; if you also want to have it, get it for yourself. This means an unjust grain and bread, an unjust mammon, which they use for sins and their eternal ruin, when they could well use it and serve and please God, if they served their neighbor with it.
8 But if some have unrighteous mammon and do not help others with it: Dear, what will be the unrighteousness of those who steal and take in addition? As there are almost all hands
merchants and traders, servants and maids, since one always translates, misrepresents, deceives and lies to the other. They will not only not make friends, but many enemies, all of whom will accuse them on the last day before God's court and judgment, because they suffer injustice here, keep quiet about it and call such enemies grace-junkies.
9 But in that day it will be different; they will open their mouths and say, "Lord, there was a great time, and this man had many boxes of grain and cellars full of wine; but he would not have given out a grain or a drop, because he would have been paid in cash as he wished. He has been my landlord, has increased me from year to year with the interest. From him I have taken my bread, beer, meat, fish; but there has seldom happened to me and my kind the right weight and measure, nor otherwise the same. Yes, in that day not only the saints, who have suffered hardship and lack here, and the Lord Christ Himself, but also all creatures that have ever had and enjoyed them, will lament and cry out for eternity over their necks, that they have misused them so badly to their eternal harm and damnation. How do you think, you wretched servant of idols and mammon, that when this judgment comes upon you, you will stand? For if those who do not come through without punishment, who do not harm others with increases, but do not give to the poor, how do you think it will be for those who not only do not give, but who, as real thieves and robbers of stools, make a fuss with their avarice, usury, stealing and robbery, and weigh down the dear poor, just so that they scrape together a lot of money and become rich, and yet have no conscience about it?
(10) This is the sermon against stinginess, that he who wants to be a Christian should not always open his hand to take, and to give so hard that not a penny drips from it; but he should gladly, willingly and charitably help the needy and give where he can. This means serving God, who will finally reward you. Whereas the
Misers and usurers, who can do nothing but scrape up everything for themselves, give nothing or even meagerly to no one, serve the wretched devil, who will also reward them.
11. but especially all the saints will cry out over them in that day and say: This farmer, citizen, merchant, nobleman etc. could do nothing but scratch, scrape and scrape; I would have needed his help often, but he would not have helped me with a word, let alone that he should have helped me with money and goods etc. The Lord makes such a prosopopeiam here, that he makes it so before the eyes, how the poor saints will stand before the Lord Christ on that day, and complain about the rich, meager felts.
(12) On the other hand, the rich, who have been mild with their goods and have gladly helped others, will be greatly honored, will find many friends (and above all the Lord Christ), who will praise their good deeds. From this we are to learn to begin with right earnestness, to be pious, mild, kind, charitable, etc., thus proving our faith, and [those, if we have done good,*] may have its witnesses before Christ at the last day, that we have abstained from shameful vice, which does no more than scratch at itself, let others besides have it as they will.
13. **) Now it says here: The Lord has praised the unjust steward. This must not be interpreted as if he should put up with us doing wrong to other people, but only praises speed and prudence, and wants us to use the same earnestness and diligence in a good matter that this steward used in an evil matter, for his own benefit and to the detriment of his Lord.
14 As when thou seest a lewd woman adorning herself most beautifully for the purpose of fornication, poor gold, silk, and silk cannot help but be used for fornication. But nevertheless I can praise it and say to you: Do you also see how this woman knows how to use her fornication?
*) [c] D. Red.
**) Held publicly 1533; after a b c: 1532.
D. Red.
send? Why do you not also need such diligence to please your bridegroom, our dear Lord Christ? With these words I do not praise fornication, but diligence, care and prudence, that we should use it in good, honorable, honest things.
(15) We must also pay attention to the fact that Christ speaks a very terrible word here, when he says: "The children of this world are wiser than the children of light in their generation. This does not need much interpretation; we see it before our eyes every day, unfortunately more than is good, how the world searches so exceedingly precisely when it sees its advantage, and does not let any effort or work be put off. How much trouble, worry and danger have the shrub thieves who make do in hedges? They have neither day nor night to rest, if they are in danger of being killed by a blade or a rope; nor do they love their devilish life, so that they cannot tire of it. So a thief, a fencher, an adulterer, all of them lead a hard life and a hard order, need all kinds of cunning and trickery, intrigue and advantage, so that they can carry out their mischievousness and fornication; and they get mad beyond measure, until they give the devil his joyful service.
(16) On the other hand, we see how the children of light, that is, the true Christians, are lazy, discontented, careless and industrious in the things of God, knowing that God is well pleased with them and that they may enjoy them for eternity. So the good comes to them sourly. Thus, according to the common saying, it is twice as sour for the wicked to deserve hell, since they serve the devil so diligently, and do and suffer everything for his sake, as the godly do for heaven; and this is well said, if one understands it correctly. God must pull his Christians by the hair and force them to do what they are supposed to do.
(17) Therefore this is a very fine similitude which the Lord here holds up to us. If we are Christians and want to do what we are supposed to do, we must not look into the books; every man must look into his own house, like evil children, evil servants, maidservants, etc. on evil, mischievousness and everything that is dear to the devil,
are so sweaty, trained and ready. There you will feel such great diligence, that people are so cursed with mischievousness that they do not know how to be sufficiently nasty and wanton. Then learn that you do such things against God and His Word, and to the good of your salvation, and take a useful lesson and example from such wickedness. Remember, can the peasant, the burgher, the merchant, the sheriff, this woman, maid, etc. serve the devil with such diligence, and let no effort be spared: why would I not also serve my Lord, whom I am to enjoy for eternity, in this way? They run, as if they were senseless, after their eternal harm and destruction: how am I then so sleepy and lazy, since it concerns my soul's bliss, that God must still drag me to it with my hair? I should spit at myself, so that I do not crawl to heaven, since those run and run to hell!
18. But especially the children of the world set a fine example to the children of light in the case the Lord says here. For behold one whom covetousness hath rightly possessed, thou shalt find that he hath no rest day nor night from his own thoughts; all his care and mind is for money. If he finds an empty corner in the house, he makes a little room or a little shop out of it, so that he can take an interest from it; now he makes this trade, soon another, and tries which one will bring the most profit. In sum, he leaves not a penny behind, and takes no trouble nor work where he sees money.
(19) Then we should learn that as a miser takes care of money, so we also take care of eternity with seriousness. But where will you find a Christian who does so? who rejoices when he finds a poor person whom he can help with ten florins, more or less, according to his fortune and that need; as a rich usurer rejoices when he knows how to make a great profit with his money? Here everyone runs to, and would like to bring the hundred to ten, twenty or more guilders.
20. but what is that against the usury, which our money shall certainly bear, if
we help the poor with it? For thus saith Solomon: "He that hath mercy on the poor lendeth to God by usury." O how a certain debtor, o how a faithful payer we would have, if only we ourselves wanted! But the devil will not let us believe such things and earnestly seek such rich usury, which brings more than the main sum. That is why it is right for us, because we prefer usury with men than with God, that not only great, horrible sin, but also great accident and misfortune is involved, and we lose body and soul with the shameful mammon.
Therefore Christ decides rightly and says that the children of the world are much more diligent and clever than his children. For thus it is found in the work, that the devil hath a hundred ministries with his own, whereas Christ hath scarcely one. What shall we do about it? We cannot change it, for the world will not let us tell it. We may preach, and always persist with punishments, threats, and admonitions, if we could free some of the world's children from the devil's snares; We may also confidently promise the lazy, careless Christians, yes, all of us, that we may take an example of such diligence, which the world needs in the service of the devil, that we also practice good, as the children of Adam practice evil, if we may obtain a little of such an example; especially because we have the advantage (no matter how difficult it may be) that we are children of light.
(22) If we keep this name, that we belong to the light, though we are not so industrious, not so clever, as the children of the world, there is no need but that we do something, and are thus found to have begun to be among the least of the company that is called "children of light.
(23) But let no man suppose that we shall bring it where the children of the world bring it in their generation. It would be well if we were far ahead of them, because we have the promise that we will receive the eternal crown; but there are too many obstacles in our way. Nevertheless
We are to be diligent to continue from day to day in discipline, patience, meekness, gentleness, mercy, and other Christian virtues. For if we are and remain only in lifting up and on the right way, the step, however slow and narrow it may be, will be fine for us to follow. But we must not let ourselves think that we have even taken the wrong path.
24 Our consolation, then, is that where we thus begin, God will not judge us like the children of the world, who surely run to hell and get angry; but He will say to us in all grace: You should have served me more faithfully and been more diligent, because you are a child of light; but it did not happen. Therefore I must cover it with the mantle called grace and forgiveness of sins. This must be thrown into our lives, yes, drawn up above, so that we walk under it, as under the free, wide sky. So we will still find a friend or two there, but especially the right friend who can give heaven and make us blessed, our dear Lord Jesus Christ.
(25) This is the lesson of today's gospel, that we should learn to deal rightly with unrighteous mammon and make friends with it, that is, serve people with it; just as this steward made friends with other people's money.
(26) Here it is asked how such a doctrine rhymes with the doctrine of faith. And especially the papists make much ado about it, pointing out that one can earn heaven by works, but faith alone does not do it; for the Lord says here, "The friends will take you into the eternal tabernacles. Although they are not worthy to be told of these or other questions (for they do not accept them, but blaspheme and persecute more and more), we will nevertheless, for the sake of the pious, briefly answer such a question.
First, the papists themselves must confess that the friends the Lord speaks of here are people who live with and around us. For how else could we give them?
On the other hand, they must also confess this: Because these friends are human beings like us, they cannot give heaven. For God alone, as the right householder, is mighty in heaven. Why then does the Lord say, "Make friends of the unrighteous mammon, so that when you offer, they may take you into the eternal mansions"? How can this be? We are to take the interpretation from the words of Christ, Matth. 25, where he says that he will boast at the last day what we have done good to our brothers here on earth, that it has happened to him, and that he will give us eternal life etc. These words show you who is the right friend who wants to give heaven, namely, Christ. The poor beggars, whom we help with a florin or a penny here on earth, will not do so; whether they can serve and benefit us again with their intercession, prayer and other things.
(28) Therefore, the answer to this question is whether we can buy heaven and eternal life by almsgiving. This is to be answered soon. Paul says: "Whatever does not come from faith is sin", Rom. 14, 23. Therefore it must follow that God has no pleasure in the alms of unbelievers, much less will he give them heaven and eternal life. But those who believe in Christ and prove their faith with works, their works are pleasing to God for the sake of faith. God also wants to pay or reward such works in that life. But it does not follow from this that eternal life is given for the sake of works, which alone is promised to him who believes in Christ; as Christ very often testifies: "He who believes in me shall never see death." "I am the way, the truth, and the life." "God gave his Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. "etc.
This report is certain and thorough. For there is the judgment of St. Paul: "What does not come from faith is sin. Therefore, if almsgiving is to be a work pleasing to God, faith in Christ must first be present. The same faith brings with it eternal life and receives forgiveness.
and makes all our doings pleasing to God, even though they are frail and imperfect in themselves; and God will reward them in the life to come. As Christ says in Matthew 25, and as Paul says: "That the sufferings and afflictions of Christians may be paid for in the life to come, and that they may be refreshed in return.
(30) Now that Christ says, "Make friends of unrighteous mammon, so that when you give, they may take you into the eternal tabernacles," the words can do no more than this, because if we are disciples of Christ and do good works, God will pay for those good works in that life. But what does Paul say? If they are to be good works, they must come from faith. And Christ says that it is through faith that we come to forgiveness of sins and eternal life. You must believe such sayings as well as this one, that they are true and not lies.
(31) But how is it to be put together? Nothing else, but that through faith in Christ we have forgiveness of sins and eternal life; and that God, for the sake of such faith, will be pleased with our almsgiving and other good works, and will pay and repay us abundantly in that life; so that, although it is a sore matter for us to serve God and do good works, we may be all the more willing and glad to do so, for the sake of the hope that is set before us in heaven; as Paul says to the Colossians, Cap. 1:5. 1, 5. This is the right and proper understanding of this saying, and correct, thorough answer to the question of good works. May God impart His grace to us for the sake of His Son Christ Jesus, and through the Holy Spirit awaken our hearts in such a way that such faithful, beautiful promises and admonitions may also bear fruit in us, and we may live our lives according to them, and finally be saved, amen.