John 1:35-42.
The next day John stood again, and two of his disciples. And when he saw JEsu walking, he said, Behold, this is the Lamb of God. And two of his disciples heard him speak, and followed JEsu. And Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said unto them: What seek ye? And they said unto him, Rabbi, where art thou lodging? He said to them: Come and see. And they came and saw it, and abode with him the same day: and it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard of John and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simonis Peter's brother. The same found his brother Simon first, and said unto him, We have found the Messiah (which is interpreted, the Anointed). And brought him to JEsu. And when Jesus saw him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jonas; thou shalt be called Cephas (which is interpreted, a rock).
1 Today's gospel, as you have heard, teaches us how Andrew came to the knowledge of Christ and was called to the apostleship. This story is written by all three evangelists, Matthew in chapter 4, Lucas in chapter 5 and John in chapter 1, although they seem to speak about it differently. Matthew says that Peter and Andrew fished with each other when they were called. Lucas reports nothing about Andrew, and says only about Peter, how he fished, and how he recognized Christ during the fishing trip and was very shocked, and that Jacob and John were there. John, however, says how Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist, and was at that time with
He confessed to John that he had seen Christ, pointed to him, and called him the little lamb of God. Because of this, he was moved by such preaching that he left John, followed Christ, and asked him where he could find an inn, so that he could come to him, hear him preach, and be with him. So he stayed with Christ all day, and on the next day he first came to his brother Simon Peter, brought him to Christ, and stayed with him.
(2) But there is no disparity in such history. For from John it is certain that Andrew came to Christ sooner,
because Peter. So it is certain from Luke that Christ accepted Peter as an apostle after the fishing trip. And it is to be believed that Andrew was also present. Since Simon and Andrew are brothers, can be made in the same way, and both come to Christ, Matthew groups them together. For he does not want to show all the circumstances of how the two came to such a profession, as Lucas and John do: Lucas with Petro, Johanne and Jacobo, and John with Andrea. Let this be enough from the Historia, so that no one is offended by it, as if the evangelists were in disagreement.
(3) First of all, we should look at the example of St. Andrew. He is a fisherman and undoubtedly has a wife and child, just like his brother Peter, who is described in the Gospel as having a wife-in-law. Therefore, the care of the house, how he should feed his wife and child, was on his neck. But he did not take such a hard time; when John the Baptist appeared, preached repentance and baptized for the forgiveness of sins, this fisherman Andrew also joined him, heard the sermon and was baptized. Let us take note of this example, I say, and see how he enjoyed it.
(4) If Andrew had done as those who care for food do, and hardly take time to eat and sleep (let alone go to church and preach, for they cannot wait), he might have had a better supply and more good things in the house; but he would never have come to know Christ, and thus have become an excellent man in God's kingdom. But he trusts God for food, and is satisfied with a little; and this is his highest and greatest concern, that he may come to the kingdom of God; this he seeks first. When others pursue their fishing and do not think of the sermon, he finds himself with Johanne, listens to him exhorting to repentance and comforting about the future Christ; he enjoys such diligence and godliness that he not only sees Christ, shown to him by Johanne, but Christ accepts him, keeps him with Himself, and commands him the
preaching office, that he should henceforth be a fisher of men, as Matthew and Lucas say.
(5) Therefore, we should follow this example and diligently keep God's word, being more concerned with it than with food and other things. For we can also enjoy it more and better. Money and goods are not brought higher than to serve the belly, because it is healthy and can accept the food. But where there is sickness, or a man must die, money and goods are of no more use to us than the broken pieces and stones in the street. But God's word is an eternal treasure, through which we come to grace and eternal life, and are delivered from sin, death and hell.
(6) Therefore it is a terrible blindness in people that they regard the word so little, and let themselves be more concerned with their handling, however bad it may be, than with such a great treasure. Therefore, just as St. Andrew is very proud of his godly diligence in keeping his word so faithfully, those who are not so diligent are highly rewarded for their carelessness and have to be wicked people here and there. For here money and goods, care and daily concerns leave them neither day nor night in peace; and when death comes, they find that money and goods do them no good, and yet have nothing else to comfort them.
(7) Therefore it would be highly necessary for us to observe this example. It is a small and laborious food with a fisherman, especially as they were among the Jews, who did not eat all kinds of fish, and without that kept themselves very low in food; that the dear Andrew will have had nothing else. But regardless of this, he is not only called a fisherman; he is also called a disciple of John, that is, his preaching child, his listener. And he is not found alone in his house, making or mending nets, he is not alone in the water, fishing: he is with John, listening to his sermon in such a way that as soon as he hears the word: "Behold, this is the Lamb of God", he quickly follows Jesus. And as Jesus asks him and his companions what they are looking for, he calls him Rabbi, Master, the
He desires to hear him and to be his disciple, and therefore asks where he can find him for lodging. Let us do the same.
8) The voice of St. John the Baptist is also heard today, testifying that the son of the Virgin Mary, the Lord Jesus, is the little lamb of God; that is, God, the eternal Father, sent His Son Jesus Christ to earth to be a sacrifice, and by His death to atone for all the sins of the world. With such a voice, one can also see the holy finger of St. John, that he alone points to such a little lamb of God, and not like the pope with the devil's finger to monasticism, own works and saintly merit. Therefore it is up to him that we do not let ourselves be hindered in our nourishment and handling; but with dear Andrew follow such a voice and holy finger, and accept Christ as Master, diligently hear and believe his word; then it shall happen to us as we believe. If we believe through Christ, the lamb of God, forgiveness of sins, God's favor and grace, and eternal life, sin shall not hurt us; God will love us and be merciful to us, and neither death nor hell shall hold us. This is the first piece of today's history.
(9) The other part is about the ministry of preaching, what it is, and what manner our dear Lord Christ has kept it, for it is especially important to have certain instruction about it. Among the Jews, when the law was still in force, it was thought that not everyone was fit for church service. For high priests and church ministers had to be of the tribe of Levi; otherwise no one was allowed to be subject to the priesthood and church service. As there are many examples in Scripture that God punished those who sacrificed, burned incense, attacked the sacred vessels, and yet were not of the tribe and did not have the office. Therefore, God ordered it thus: just as the church people were special people, so they also had to have special adornment and clothing; they also had to have special ceremonies.
remonia when they were commanded to bathe them, anoint them with special oil, and do other things. As you will find in the 29th chapter of the other book of Moses. Such things had to be kept strictly, and not to be treated lightly, nor to be regarded as a carnival. For there stood God's expressed command, who had thus commanded it, and no one was allowed to change it.
(10) The pope also followed this example with his consecrators, and in the New Testament made a special feast with the priests, that they should be blessed, anointed with oil, given ropes, keys, books, and other things into their hands; he also consecrated chalices and other vessels, and ordered special garments to be worn in church, as it seemed harmless to him that the Jews had worn priests' and Levites' garments. Therefore, such garments still have the name and are called Levite skirts. Over such things, the pope stands very stiffly and does not like to let a layman touch a chalice.
(11) But if thou askest why he hath thus wrought, he answereth thee, If the priesthood of the Old Testament was so honestly and gloriously held, it is only right that the priesthood of the New Testament should be no less honestly and gloriously held. For there the priests and Levites dealt with cows and sheep; in the New Testament they deal with the body and blood of Christ etc. This is the Pabst's faith and holiness all together: it is not, like those, in the law, on God's command and word; but on man's discretion.
(12) One may think much of it, who does not know better: but a Christian thinks much less than nothing of all that is made without God's word and will; yes, he still thinks it an error and harmful devil's poison, where one wants to praise it for a divine service, as the pope is wont to do with such monkey play. For the Christian church, just as it knows and believes of only one sacrifice, by which the sins of the world are taken away and paid for, so it also knows and believes that there is only one priest, the Son of the eternal God, born of Mary, Christ Jesus. Such
Faith shows God's word. For the name "priest" (in Greek hiereus, who is called a priest because of his office, that he sacrifices) is not assigned to any man in the New Testament, but to the one, right priest, JEsu Christo. But the ministers of the church have other names and are called apostles, evangelists, bishops, presbyteri, shepherds etc. Such names they have not for sacrifice, but for preaching and other services that must be maintained in the church.
Therefore, the name "sacrifice" and "priest" does not belong to the pope and his priests, but to the only Son of God. But he who, like the pope, makes other sacrifices and priests, is an antichrist, and does not belong in God's church, which only knows and believes in one sacrifice and priest, as reported.
Germans keep and call priests. But it is called old, honest people, who have public testimony of their good life and conduct. For such office does not belong to young, inexperienced, fickle and unstable people; there should be age and bravery.
(15) Now let us see what manner Christ held, and afterward the apostles and the first church, when they ordained ministers; and we shall be able to judge aright what reason the pope has for his ordination, whether he follows Christ and his apostles. First of all, the testimony of the twelve apostles is before us, and it is impossible for any papist to deny it. Matthew is sitting at the customs, waiting for his money: Jesus says to him, "Arise, follow me. With this word he makes him an apostle, for he does nothing more than send him out to preach the kingdom of God. So Peter, John, and James fished all night and caught nothing, sitting and mending their nets: there is none of them to think of becoming a preacher. But when Christ comes and
He says to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Then they become preachers from fishermen, and especially great preachers, who preach not with words but also with excellent miraculous signs. This way Christ led on earth, when the preaching ministry was still enclosed and went only among the Jews. But when the apostles were to go among the Gentiles, the Holy Spirit made them into true preachers, so that they could speak with all kinds of tongues and spread the name of Christ among Jews and Gentiles.
16 The apostles also did this. Since Judas was to be substituted for the betrayer, they did nothing more than appoint Barnabam and Matthiam, and asked God to indicate to them which one would be most suitable for this office. Since they saw God's will in their lot, they left it at that, and did not anoint, smear, or circumcise Matthiam, as the pope does with his priests, even though they had both been in the preaching ministry before, for the Lord had had seventy-two other disciples besides the twelve apostles.
It is clear from St. Paul's Scripture that he first teaches Timothy and Titum, before they elect anyone to the preaching or church office, that they should look at life and doctrine, that the doctrine be pure and wholesome, the life unruly, and the person fit to teach. If they found this to be the case with someone of whatever status and character, they appointed him as a church servant, and did no more than call the elders (that is, other church servants) together and lay hands on him; these were all the ceremonies.
18 Now such laying on of hands was not only a public sign of the commanded preaching ministry, but it was prayed that God through His Holy Spirit would enlighten, rule and guide such a chosen person for the welfare of the Christian church. Such prayer has not been in vain. For through such laying on of hands and prayer, the Holy Spirit has at times visibly come upon the ordained ministers of the church, as, Acts 19. 19. and Paul reports it twice from Timothy, how he had been led by such prayer.
1 Tim. 4:14: "Do not neglect the gift given you through prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the elders"; and 2 Tim. 1:6: "Awaken the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands."
19 From such a custom, when there was no lack of doctrine and life, such fit persons were called to the church ministry, and afterwards, through some bishops and parish priests who were the closest, they were publicly commanded to the ministry in the church with the laying on of hands. Thus one reads of Saint Ambrosio. He was a regent in secular office in Milan; and what is more, he had not yet been baptized, although he was a Christian and liked to hear God's word: but regardless of all this, because he was of honorable conduct and had a good understanding of Christian doctrine, he was elected bishop against his thanks and was baptized. It was the same with Augustino at Hippone in Africa. There one hears nowhere of the Bescheeren. There one hears nowhere of the bribery, smearing and other gimmicks that the pope plays with his bishops and priests. But it goes quite well. For because the pope makes such priests, such as have not been in the church before, who are to sacrifice Christ for other people's sins and crucify him anew, he must also use a special way that has not been in the church before.
20 Christians should know that a church servant, bishop, pastor, chaplain, or whatever one wants to call it, does not require more than that he first be of an unruly character and have a good understanding of Christian doctrine and be able to express it clearly. Where such is the case, there is no need for more than that such persons be appointed by the authorities and that they be publicly commanded to preach and other church services. For this one may need the laying on of hands and pray at the same time. And there is no doubt that such prayer, although the Holy Spirit no longer comes visibly, will not go without fruit, but will accomplish that for which it is done, according to Christ's promise: "Where two or three have prayed in my name, I will send them away.
are gathered, what they ask the Father, he will give them."
(21) So shall Christians consecrate their ministers, following the apostles' and the first church's example; and shall ask nothing of the pope's monkey business. He anoints his ministers, and Christ does not call him. He anoints them, but Christ does not call them. He orders them to sacrifice Christ and through this sacrifice to obtain forgiveness of sins for themselves and others; this does not call him Christ either, and is completely contrary to Scripture. Finally, so that there is nothing good about the pope's priests, he forbids them to marry, that they must vow chastity, since all the world knows how they keep it. But who would want such ecclesiastics? Especially because the bishops, with the exception of hardly two or three, accept all the priests they consecrate with the thought that they should hold to the old idolatry, defend public error and not preach God's word. Therefore we have good reason, because they do not want to give us righteous church servants according to their office, that we do not ask for their monkey and priest game, and arrange and choose church servants for ourselves, as Christ, the apostles and the old righteous church chose and arranged them. This is a special service to God, but the devil is annoyed by it: there is nothing to it.
But what is the purpose of such church ministry? Christ shows this finely in Matthew 4 and Luke 5, when he says, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Mark these words well. He does not say that they should sacrifice him, but that they should catch men from the sea and the devil's kingdom into God's kingdom and eternal life.
(23) With what then is this done? He who wants to catch fish must have yarn or nets. But with what do you catch people? There also belongs a net (as the Lord speaks of, Matthew 13), the holy gospel. For we men are like fishes in a vast sea, where one eats another, and there is much strife and unrest. But especially in such a sea is the great Leviathan, the devil, who has his rant, and plagues the poor fish very well. Sol-
Our dear Lord Christ wants to control this misery through the apostles, and gives them the yarn in their hands, his dear gospel, in which repentance and forgiveness of sins are preached in the name of Christ, so that whoever believes and is baptized shall be blessed. The poor sinners hear this word and accept it with joy, and are thus caught out of the vast sea of the devil into our Lord God's container, and believe through Christ for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
(24) For not only the word, but also the holy sacraments, which Christ commanded and left to his church as a treasure, serve for such faith. For as the word points us to Christ, that he died for us, and by his death paid for our sins, and so saved us from eternal death and the tyranny of the devil: so hear thou in baptism, that the death of Christ is for thee, and that thou shalt comfort thyself, and receive him, and hope for salvation. In the Lord's Supper you also hear that the body of Christ (which you receive in the bread, according to the words of Christ) is given for you, and his blood (which you drink in the wine, according to the words of Jesus Christ) is poured out for the forgiveness of your sins. Thus we are caught out of the devil's kingdom by the Word and the Holy Sacraments, so that we may be under God's grace and keep the hope of eternal life through Christ.
(25) Therefore the devil is exceedingly hostile to such a net; if he can, he tears a hole through it, so that the fish come out again in heaps, that is, he falsifies the doctrine, sends mobs and heretics who do not keep the word right; this does not go off without harm, as we see. Or if he cannot break the doctrine, he sets about the fishermen, whether he can hinder them in such work, let them go and make them workless, or lead them away to some other action. As we see in the case of the papacy, he has done both things, the wicked enemy, in that the pope and his preachers do not think about how to catch people from the devil through right doctrine to eternal life; but all their fishing is done so that they can catch land and people, money and goods, honor and power.
to bring about. And since they should catch people with the word, they have other nets, that is, monasticism, own works, indulgences, keeping mass, fasting etc.
For this reason, the pope and all his preachers can be called loose fishermen with the truth, who send themselves to such work, which the Lord has commanded Andrew and Peter here, as if someone wanted to fish with a bowl basket: he would not catch much, yes, everyone should laugh at such foolish presumption. But the pope does not want it to be laughter, but still wants to persuade all the world that he is a right fisherman and handles the craft properly. But here it is: Whoever wants to be a real fisherman must have a net, that alone is the preaching of the holy gospel. The pope does not want to suffer such a net, persecutes and blasphemes it as if it were useless for catching fish, and comes rolling along with an old bowl basket, with his own holiness, with monasticism, vows and other things; he wants everyone to fish with him and be caught with him.
(27) Therefore, we should thank God from the bottom of our hearts that He has given us righteous fishermen who have the right kind of yarn in their hands, as Christ says of Luke the last, that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name. With such yarn we are caught from the devil's kingdom and sins, and placed in God's kingdom, which is a kingdom of grace and life. And furthermore, it is only up to us that we remain in such yarn and do not hop out again, as one can see that it is unfortunately all too common. For God offers us all His grace, He lets us all come to blessed baptism, lets His word be preached to us, and does not want to exclude anyone. But what do we do? We let ourselves love the world more than God's kingdom. He is addicted to avarice, and all his thoughts and actions are no more than how to gain money and goods; he lets himself love fornication, indulges and drinks, and does what he desires; so from then on with other sins also. So they wilfully jump out of this yarn of grace into the devil's kingdom and damnation. As Paul says in 1 Cor. 6, 10: "Let yourselves
deceive not; neither the covetous, nor the drunken, nor the blasphemers, nor the robbers shall inherit the kingdom of God."
(28) Therefore, let every man have good respect for himself, and see that if God has caught him to His kingdom through the gospel, he remains within it, and does not fall out again through wilful sins. But if a case has happened, do not lie still,
but to pick himself up again through repentance and right trust in God's goodness and swim again to this net. For whoever remains in this net will be blessed; whoever does not remain in it will be condemned. May God, the Father of all graces, who has allowed us to come to such blessed fishing, graciously keep us in such grace until the end, through His Holy Spirit, for Christ's sake, amen.