The history of how Christ was buried, John 19; Matthew 27.
We have heard the passion and history of Christ's suffering, except for the last part, how he was laid in the tomb and buried in the grave.
ret. The holy evangelists John and Matthew write about the same piece:
John 19:31-42; Matthew 27:62-66.
The Jews, because it was the preparation day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for the Sabbath of that day was great), asked Pilate to break their bones and take them away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other that was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, seeing that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one of the soldiers opened his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.
And he that hath seen it hath borne witness, and his testimony is true; and he knoweth that he saith the truth, that ye also may believe. For these things have come to pass, that the scripture might be fulfilled: You shall not break his leg. And again another scripture saith, They shall see in whom they have bruised.
Then Pilate asked Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, that he might remove the body of Jesus. And Pilate permitted it. Nicodemus also came, who had come to Jesus by night, and brought myrrh and aloes among them for a hundred pounds. Then they took JEsu's body and bound it in linen cloths with specimens, as the Jews are accustomed to bury. Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein no man was ever laid: and there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews' day of preparation, seeing the sepulchre was near.
The next day, after the preparation day, the chief priests and Pharisees all came to Pilate and said: Lord, we thought that this deceiver spoke while he was still alive: I will rise again after three days: therefore command that the sepulchre be kept until the third day, lest his disciples come and steal him away, and say unto the people that he is risen from the dead, and that the last deception be worse than the first. Pilate said to them: There ye have the keepers, go and keep as ye know. So they went, and covered the sepulcher with guardians, and sealed the stone.
(1) There are two parts: first, that the Jews ask Pilate to remove the body of Jesus and the thief from the crosses; and second, that they ask Pilate to command that the tomb of Jesus be kept until the third day.
(2) First, the reason why the Jews took away the body is twofold. Although the evangelist John sums up everything and says: "They have
*) Held on the afternoon of the Saturday before Easter 1531, in public assembly.
for the sake of the Sabbath, which was glorious and great, but the reason was twofold. First, Moses had commanded that if a man was hanged and hanged on a wood, his body should not be left on the wood overnight, but buried that day before the sun went down. If the body of a hanged man were to remain on the cross overnight, the land would be polluted and sinful, for such a man was cursed by God. Therefore, as the Jews did before, when they presented Jesus to the court, they worked to bring him to the cross.
the death on the cross, which was a cursed death: so they also ask here that he, together with the other murderers, as a cursed one of God, be taken down from the cross and the earth not be polluted because of him. With this, the Jews intend to have a secure protection and shield, and to shut up all people, because they get God's law on their side. Therefore they have no rest until he is crucified, crying out without ceasing, "Crucify, crucify!" For they think that if he is only brought to the cross, then God's law stands for us against all men's judgment, and testifies that a hanged man is cursed by God. But they did not think that God would make a hole through it and cause their thoughts to be missing; they did not think that God would raise up the avenger on the cross, who would publicly testify of Christ and confess that he was innocent, and that he was the Lord of life and the Savior of all the world; much less did they think that God would save his Son.
(3) After this there was also a serious and strict commandment given concerning the Sabbath, which was the greatest and highest feast of all feasts. There was no greater feast than the Sabbath; as Moses says, Deut. 23:3: "The seventh day is the holy great Sabbath, when ye come together." The other three feasts, the Feast of Unleavened Bread or Pascha, the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles were also great and glorious feasts; but yet the Sabbath was greater and more holy. The other feasts were commanded apart from the Ten Commandments, which Moses calls the Ten Words. But the Sabbath is included in the Ten Commandments; therefore it is called the great Sabbath.
4 Whether the Jews mean this, or whether they hurry like this for some other reason, I do not know. Perhaps they thought: He has not yet died, therefore his legs should be broken, so that he may be martyred again and again. Or if they did not seek this, perhaps they could not wait until he died, but hurried so that the body could be removed from the cross and he could be put to death without delay by the governor Pilato. They are not satisfied with the fact that he was taken to the
They ask that his legs be broken or pierced so that he may die soon or that his torture may become greater and more severe. They cannot even fulfill their fierce hatred of him, because they are not satisfied with the fact that he is not only condemned to death, but also that the judgment has already passed over him and he is nailed to the cross, and that he must wait every moment to give up his spirit. But how his body will be added and buried, they do not ask, they only see to it that he is dead; his body will be eaten by birds or wolves afterwards, they do not ask anything about that; if he only died and was taken down from the cross as a cursed man by God, they think they have won; how he will be buried, they do not care about that.
(5) Nor are they worthy to take his body down from the cross and bury it themselves, or to see to it that it is buried by others. Such honor and benefit shall not be done to them, as to those who have been handed over by God, that they would bury his body. The Holy Spirit has called other people to do this, namely, Joseph and Nicodemum; and these also become bold and courageous, so that they may dare to do it: Joseph, to ask Pilatum for the body of Jesus; Nicodemus, to help bury him. Now these are the other disciples, born of the Lord Christ's suffering: who before were fearful and terrified, now they are confident and courageous. For the sacrifice and prayer of Christ on the cross penetrates and bears fruit. The thief on the right hand is the first fruit of Christ's death; Joseph and Nicodemus are the other fruit; they follow the thief, become bold: Joseph goes to Pilato, asks that he may take down the body of JEsu; Nicodemus brings myrrh and aloes -one under the other at a hundred pounds. Before, they were secret disciples, for fear of the Jews; now they become public disciples and confessors.
(6) They were great and glorious men. Joseph was from Arimathea, a citizen and rich man, yes, an honorable councilor in Jerusalem. Nicodemus was a Pharisee.
and chief among the Jews. In the loose crowd of chief priests, scribes, Pharisees, elders and the whole people, Christ nevertheless finds two honest men after his death, who are allowed to bury his body, which is most horribly prepared and hangs in all dishonor on the cross, in the most honest way, even though they are already in danger of life and limb, good and honor. Now they have more faith, strength and courage than before, when the Lord was still alive. This is the fruit and power of Christ's suffering and death.
The other part is that the Jews ask Pilate to keep the body of Jesus, now that it is buried, until the third day. Behold wonders, what a thing it is for the counsel of the wicked! How they rag, mend, and plaster themselves at all times! The chief priests, Pharisees and elders have now brought it to pass that Jesus was crucified, died and was taken down from the cross, as they desired, they have succeeded in what they wanted; nevertheless, they cannot now be satisfied, but become restless, and are afraid of the dead man, since he is now crucified, died and is buried. Before Pilato they pretend that his disciples would steal him and say that he is risen. But in their heart is the word of the Lord Jesus, which he said while he was still alive: I will rise again after three days, a sharp and piercing thorn, so that they will say, "How, if it were true? If he rose from the dead, how would we fare?
(8) Whosoever therefore shall be advised, let him be not sworn with the man whose name is Jesus Christ, and see how the Jews have fared with him, and let their example be a faithful warning unto them. They wanted to confuse themselves with him, so now he leaves them neither peace nor rest.
009 But this counsel is for the Jews. This counsel of the Jews serves to shame them, when they come after, and give money enough to the soldiers, and command them to say, "His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. For because Pilate keeps the tomb safe and hangs the seals on it, 'the Jews, through their
The disciples convinced and overcame their own guardians that they had not stolen him. But what does it help with the hopeless people? They are convicted by their own guardians, yes, by their own counsel, work and seal: yet they remain hard and obdurate, like an anvil. Let this be said of this fifth part of the Passion, how the Lord is buried.
(10) The greatest, most noble and best part of the Passion is to learn and know not only the history, but also the cause and fruit of Christ's suffering, why and for what purpose he suffered. The history should be well kept, so that it remains in the heart and is not forgotten. For in history there are many examples, indications, and testimonies by which pious hearts may be reminded that Christ suffered for us and for our sin, by which examples and testimonies our ancestors (as no doubt many of them have been saved) were preserved, that they heard and learned from the Passion that Christ died for our sin. But besides the history, the benefit of Christ's suffering should also be shown. But the benefit is written in our faith, when we confess and say: I believe in Jesus Christ, suffered, crucified, died and was buried etc. Why was he crucified and died? So that by it you might have forgiveness of sins and be saved; as follows in the third article of faith: I believe forgiveness of sins, resurrection of the flesh, and life everlasting. For all these things have been accomplished through Christ's suffering and death. For the Holy Spirit works that one may know Christ, and through faith in him obtain forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. Therefore, the most important part of the Passion is to preach and learn why Christ suffered and died, namely, for our sins, so that he might redeem us from sins, death and hell.
But that we may know the more fully the power and fruit of the passion of Christ, and be strengthened therein, let us hear the text from the 53rd chapter of the prophet Isaiah, concerning the passion and resurrection of the Lord Christ.
Isa. 52, 13. to S3, 12.
Behold, my servant shall do wisely, and shall be exalted, and very highly exalted; that many shall be offended at thee, because his form is more ugly than other men's, and his countenance than the children of men. But so shall he sprinkle many nations, that even kings shall shut their mouths against him. For to whom nothing has been preached, they will see it with delight; and to those who have heard nothing, they will see it. But who will believe our preaching? and to whom will the arm of the Lord be revealed? For he shooteth up before him as rice, and as a root out of dry ground. He had no form nor beauty; we saw him, but there was no form to please us. He was the most despised and unworthy, full of pain and sickness. He was so despised that people hid their faces from him; therefore we did not respect him. Indeed, He bore our sickness and took upon Himself our pain. But we took him for one who was afflicted and smitten and martyred by God. But he is wounded for our iniquity, and bruised for our sin. The punishment is upon him that we might have peace, and by his wounds we are healed. We all went astray like sheep, each looking to his own way; but the Lord cast all our sin upon him. When he was punished and martyred, he did not open his mouth, like a lamb being led to the slaughter, and like a sheep falling silent before its shearer, not opening its mouth. But he is taken out of fear and judgment; who will speak the length of his life? For he is taken out of the land of the living, being afflicted for the iniquity of my people. And he was buried like the wicked, and died like a rich man: though he did no man wrong, neither was there deceit in his mouth. But the Lord wanted to crush him with sickness. When he has given his life for a trespass offering, he shall have seed, and shall live for a long time; and the purpose of the Lord shall continue by his hand. Because his soul has labored, he shall see his delight, and have fullness. And by his knowledge he, my servant the righteous, shall justify many; for he beareth their sin. Therefore will I give him great multitude for a prey, and he shall have the strong for a prey; because he hath given his life unto death, and is counted like unto the transgressors, and hath borne the sin of many, and prayed for the transgressors.
(12) Then we hear how the prophet Isaiah prophesied long before about the suffering of the Lord Christ, and particularly clearly indicated that such suffering was ordained and directed to be a sacrifice, so that our sin might be paid for and the redemption of the human race purchased. And the prophet of the Lord described the suffering more clearly than the evangelists in the New Testament. In all the holy scriptures of the Old Testament, there is no place where the cause of Christ's suffering is described so clearly and so clearly as in this text. Summa, in the Old Testament, this chapter is the covenant, just as in the New Testament, the covenant is St. Paul's Epistles. Therefore, every householder should read it to his children so that they may learn it by heart, so that it may become known among the young people to strengthen and practice their faith.
Behold, my servant shall rule wisely, and shall be exalted and very high. That many shall be angry with thee, because his coun
His appearance is uglier than other people's, and his reputation than the children of men.
(13) Christ will be a great, glorious, excellent king, but he will be such a man that many will be offended and angry with him. He will be a glorious king, and yet a displeasing king, for his gift will have no reputation. The prophet puts both at the same time: a great king he will be, and yet so ugly to look at that no one will grant him the eyes. With this, the prophet wants to warn both Jews and everyone against the ugly appearance of Christ, and thus say: "See to it that you do not become angry with this king. For he will hang miserably on the cross, die an ignominious death, and take on a very evil appearance. Therefore beware and be warned.
But so shall he sprinkle many nations, that even kings shall shut their mouths against him.
14 "Sprinkle" here means to preach, as Moses also needs the word thus, Deut. 5.
32:2: "Let my doctrine drop as the rain, and my speech flow as the dew; as the rain upon the grass, and as the drops upon the herb." As the rain and the dew sprinkle drops on the grass and the herb, so also the word sprinkles drops on the people. Therefore the prophet wants to say: Even though this King Christ will have such a shameful and annoying form, he will still sprinkle many Gentiles, that is, his annoying form will be preached throughout the whole world. He will be preached among the Gentiles that he is so ugly and ugly in appearance, and so miserably crucified, and that his people have been disgracefully offended and vexed by him. Kings also shall hold their peace, and cast their wisdom under this king's feet; this king that is to be crucified shall come up so high that kings shall be glad to hear his wisdom.
For those to whom nothing has been proclaimed will see it with pleasure, and those who have not heard of it will notice it.
15 Because the Jews are offended at this king, the Gentiles will be called; they will accept him.
But who believes our sermon? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
How wonderful this sermon will be! Few people will believe it. The Jewish people will not, but will be angry. For they think that the promised Messiah will be a worldly king. But because they do not find a worldly kingdom in this king, they do not want to believe that he is the promised Messiah. But this king will be exalted and his kingdom will sprinkle the Gentiles. For by the word he will reign, and not otherwise. Then it will be revealed to the Gentiles that he is the arm of the Lord; they will understand how strong he is, that is, that he destroys death, overcomes the devil and takes him captive. The Jews say: He died, how could he help others? but the Gentiles will know and believe that he is the only Savior and Helper against sin, death and the devil.
For he springs up before him like a rice, and like a root out of dry ground.
(17) Therefore it grows, and its kingdom comes up like a fine branch, and becomes a great tree; but before God. It had no rich soil and no moisture, yet it shoots up. The gospel and kingdom of Christ grows in the midst of fear and distress. Like a dry, thirsty land, where nothing can grow, so the Christian people are despised and limp before the world; yet it shoots up, but before God. Christ is both, in his person and in his kingdom, so made up that he has no standing before the world. The gospel is blasphemed, that it has no glory, but goes in plainly, and suffers persecution; yet it goes on. So now all the world looks at us as if we would be nothing after three days; yet we remain and live.
He had no form nor beauty. We saw him, but there was no form to please us. He was the most despised and unworthy, full of pain and sickness. He was so despised that people hid their faces from him; therefore we did not respect him.
018 Because this king goeth in so plainly, and suffereth persecution, therefore they desire his nothing everywhere, but flee from him, as from the devil. Then the Jews seek an evasion, saying, Let it be written in the holy scriptures of two Messiahs; of one that suffereth, and of one that suffereth not, but is glorious. And they do not draw this text of the prophet from a single person, but invent two Messiahs: one who came long ago as a beggar, and the other who is said to be a glorious king, whom they are still waiting for today. But the words are too bright and clear, and the Jews will be violently reproached with this text. For here both miserable form and glory are clearly indicated, and yet both are from one person.
19 The Jews cannot rhyme the two together, the wretched form and glory. Therefore they leave the wretched Messiah and beggar, and cling to the one who is
shall be a mighty, glorious king. But they are convicted and convinced. For the words are clear that both the despised and the glorious Messiah and King are one person. The prophet clearly says that the Messiah and King will be the most despised and unworthy, and yet also glorious. This is not speaking of two Messiahs, two persons, two kings; but of One Messiah and King and of One Person. The Messiah will be despised, so that people will turn their mouths and say, "I don't like the King." This is how it is with the Gospel now, it can neither be heard nor seen nor suffered: yet the prophet says that he will be glorious, even though he is already despised. Devils, the world, death cling to him; yet they cannot hinder his kingdom.
Truly, he bore our sickness and took upon himself our pain.
20 Thus the prophet describes this king as a suffering person. But what is the cause of his suffering? Why will he suffer? That is why he will suffer, "He bore our sickness." This is a clear, powerful text. This king's suffering is our pain and sickness. That which we should have borne for ever, that he bears; the pains which we have deserved, that we should die for ever, hunger, thirst, suffer etc., all this is upon him. His suffering is for me and for you and for all of us, because it has happened too well for us.
But we took him for the one who would be afflicted by God, and beaten and martyred. But he is wounded for our iniquity, and bruised for our sin.
(21) This is true. For, as we have heard, Moses himself says: "Cursed be every man that hangeth on the wood. Therefore was he reproached as a damned and accursed man. He cannot help himself; how then can he help others? But they did not look at him with right eyes. For he bears our sorrows. Outwardly he seems to be cursed, but in spirit he bears my pain and yours and all ours.
carries. The prophet repeats the reason why Christ suffered, saying: "That he was afflicted and beaten as if he had been rejected by God, this happened for our sins. We are to remember this diligently. But alas, that we in the papacy have so obscured the suffering of Christ: what the prophet Isaiah and the apostle Paul wrote, all this has been forgotten among us; and we have been led away from the suffering of Christ into our own works. Therefore let us write these words of the prophet in our hearts, saying, "He is wounded for our iniquity, and bruised for our sin."
The punishment is upon him that we might have peace, and by his wounds we are healed.
He is punished; we have peace. I and you and all of us have angered God; he must atone for this, so that we, redeemed from sins, may come to peace. He must suffer; we go out free. And our unholy drips and coarse bacchants, the indulgence merchants, pretended that the pabst's indulgence delivered us from all chastisement and punishment, and instructed us to believe that our soul would have to suffer in purgatory, when it was already departed with grace and love (as they spoke of it). But the prophet says: "The punishment is on him", so that we may be well and have good days. This great love and mercy should not be so shamefully forgotten. The great harm that the devil brought us in paradise has been healed by his wounds.
We all went astray like sheep, each looking to his own way. But the Lord cast all our sins upon him.
(23) None of us walked in the right way, but we all went astray like sheep. There was no way against sin, no salvation, no salvation; but we all went astray. The right way to salvation is through Christ's punishment and suffering; that our sin is upon him and he is punished for our sin. Whoever lacks this way and does not seek peace in Christ is going astray. Set these words against the pope and all works saints.
It is a wonder that one has been so blind and has not looked at this text, even though it has been sung almost every day in the responsories. Although the papists still sing it today, they do not look at it properly. The prophet clearly says that the Lord did not cast on him one man's sin, but all men's sin. You cannot help yourself from the smallest sin. But if you want to be helped, you must have this man's wounds before you. It was very bad that one did not see this in the terrible darkness of the papacy. But it is much worse that now, in the bright light, they do not want to see it either.
When he was punished and martyred, he did not open his mouth, like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that falls silent before its shearer and does not open its mouth.
24 Then the prophet shows how Christ suffered, namely, so patiently that he did not say a word against it. St. Peter, 1 Peter 2:23, interprets this as follows: "Who did not reproach when he was reproached, nor grieve when he suffered, but brought it home to him who judges aright. There the apostle indicates what it means not to open one's mouth. Not that Christ did not speak in his suffering (for the history of the Passion testifies that he prayed to his heavenly Father on the cross, and spoke to the mother Mary and to the disciple John), but that he did not scold, curse, or threaten, nor did he say, "Wait, you desperate Jews, you will be paid. He did not seek vengeance, he did not say, "Father, punish them again who crucify me, mock me and spit on me;" but he suffered like a sheep that does not cry out against its slaughterer. A pig and other animals cry out, but a sheep cries out and does not curse with the slaughterer and shearer. Christ's suffering is a great, great and grievous suffering, so that he would have had cause to scold and threaten, but he did not scold or threaten. It would have been worth it if he had scolded those who scolded him. But here are vain
Words of patience, mercy, kindness, love and gentleness; there is no sign of anger, impatience or vengefulness. He suffered for our sake with all his heart, wished no harm to anyone, and took no revenge because of it. This is what the prophet says: "He did not open his mouth.
However, he is taken out of fear and judgment.
He will die, and yet he will live. He is raptured from life, when people feared, judged, condemned and blasphemed him, and put him into another life. Even though he has already died and been buried, he has not remained in the earth, in the grave, in fear, judgment, death and blasphemy; all these things have not been able to keep him. He is gone, and shall be praised above all judgments. He is taken out of fear, out of miserable, blasphemous judgment, trial and death, and has come to live and be in all honor. For the Holy Spirit will transfigure him in all the world through the word of the Gospel. And this has happened abundantly, until he also came to us in these last times.
Who wants to talk out of his life long
(26) Now the prophet has said that Christ died, yet he lives. Now someone would ask and say: How long shall he live? So the prophet says: He will live so long that no one will be able to excuse the length of his life, that is, he has eternal life. He says both about Christ: that he dies, and yet has eternal life. So the apostles teach that the holy Scriptures testify that Christ should die and rise again from the dead; as St. Paul says, 1 Cor. 15:3, 4: "I gave you first of all, which I also received, that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures." So the prophet also says here: Messiah shall die, and yet shall live such a life as cannot be spoken of; that is, his life shall be eternal.
For he is taken away from the land of the living, being afflicted for the iniquity of my people.
27 This is spoken after the manner of the Hebrew language. "Life" in Hebrew means to have good courage. Therefore when the prophet says, He is cut off from the land of the living, he means, He is no longer with the people who have good courage and good days, but he is in another land and life. And this happened just at the time when he was punished for the iniquity of my people. When he is punished for the iniquity of my people, shortly after that he shall be taken away out of the land of the living. The prophet Isaiah wants to wedge the cause of Christ's suffering into our hearts, which is why he repeats so often: "At the time when he is punished for the iniquity of my people, he shall depart from this life.
And he was buried like the wicked, and died like a rich man; though he wronged no man, neither was deceit in his mouth.
028 This much is said, He is judged and slain as an ungodly man. For the Hebrew language calls a rich man an ungodly man. The epitaph and epitaph of the rich is, as Christ says, Matth. 19, 23: "A rich man will hardly enter the kingdom of heaven"; for the rich place their confidence and comfort in riches, and are commonly godless people. David, though already a king in Judah, is not rich; as the 132nd Psalm testifies, v. 1: "Remember, O Lord, David, and all his afflictions." The people, who have so much suffering and affliction, are not rich. Our Elector Duke John, even though he is already a prince in the empire, is still not a rich man. But H. G. and M. J. and B. V. M. are rich.
(29) Therefore, in the Scriptures, rich man is called an ungodly man, one who forsakes his riches. And so the prophet means to say that Christ died as one worthy of death and destruction, even though he was not an ungodly man. In his
In all his life there is no evil thing, and in all his preaching there is no false word; but in his doctrine there is all truth, and in his life there is all innocence and holiness. For he died not for his own sake, neither did he forfeit death; but is innocent and righteous in all his preaching and works.
But the Lord wanted to smite him with sickness.
(30) That he was thus crushed was God the Father's gracious and good will. He was not guilty, nor did he deserve it. But so it pleased God, who wanted such an innocent death and cross of His Son, so that our sins might be blotted out and we might be saved. So also Christ says, praying in the garden, "Not my will, but thine be done." The law of God, the judge Pilate had no right to him; but it was the will of the Lord.
If he has given his life for a guilt offering, he will have seed and live to a length.
So far the prophet has indicated the cause of Christ's suffering, namely, that he suffered for us and for our sins. Now he also indicates the power and fruit of such suffering, so that many will accept the same suffering, enjoy it, be glad that Christ suffered for them, and thank him for it from the heart throughout the whole world. "Trespass offering" means a sacrifice to pay the debt. "Seed" means heirs and children. So now the prophet wants to say: Christ will pay our debt with his suffering and death, and thereby get much seed. Although he will have neither wife nor household, he will have children in abundance. He also says in Cap. 9, 6: Messiah will be called "Everlasting Father". If he is to always be and remain a father, he must also always have enough heirs and children.
But lest the Jews should say: Our Messiah has no wife, how can he have children?" the prophet adds, "Messiah will have many children when he lives his life.
He has given himself as a guilt offering. The fact that he has children is because he gives himself as a guilt offering. He lives, and his children shall live with him. He begets children through baptism and the gospel. We and all believers are his seed and children, born through Word and Sacrament. We do not deserve to be his seed and children of God, but he has earned and deserved it by taking our guilt upon himself and bearing it.
And the Lord's nobility will go away by his hand.
What God Almighty has in mind will be accomplished through this King. That God wants to help the world from sins, death and hell by his hand, that shall be well done. Although emperor, king, Turk, pope, world, devil, death and hell will oppose it, they shall not prevent it. God will give it into his hand, will also lead it out by his hand, not by the emperor's hand and sword, nor by the pope's work and holiness. Christ, the Son of God, shall do it. For he alone died for us, he alone bore our sin.
Dam that his soul has worked, he will see his pleasure and have the fullness.
I will repay him," says God, "for letting himself become angry. Because he has suffered so, he shall see his pleasure after his death; I will raise him from the dead, and make him full of joy, and give him abundance forever.
And by his knowledge he, my servant the righteous, will make many righteous.
(35) This text is the main part of this chapter, therefore it should be diligently noted, especially against the pope and all teachers of works. For it clearly shows how one should take hold of the salvation acquired through Christ. We humans are all sinners and lost. If we are to be justified and saved, it must be through Christ. But since we are justified and saved through Christ alone
he must be more than a pure human being. For human hands and power cannot make anyone righteous and blessed; God must do it Himself. Since the prophet testifies of Christ that he will justify all who believe in him, he confesses that Christ is not only truly man, but also truly God.
(36) He says that Christ will make many righteous "through his knowledge," not through their works, strength, wisdom and holiness, but through his being known by them. It says that our righteousness lies solely in knowing Christ, that is, in recognizing that He died for our sins and that the punishment of God was laid upon Him. We should firmly believe this and not despair in our sins. If we take comfort in his suffering and death, and believe that he, the righteous and innocent, paid for our sin, we will know him rightly. This is a strong thunderclap against the righteousness of works; there all monasticism, monastic life and human holiness has fallen down. But here we must use the art that is called: bene definire et dividere: to speak and divide rightly. To know Christ is not my cap, plate, mass, pilgrimage, work, merit etc.; but to hear what the prophets' Scripture says about Christ, and to accept and take comfort in it. For the pope and the devil also hears these things, but he does not accept them. But if I know and accept it, it will help me against sin and death.
37 The prophet says that Christ will give his word, knowledge and the Holy Spirit, who will write these things in our hearts, so that they will be the truth. The right-handed thief was very capable of such knowledge, as we heard in the Passion. For he could do nothing more than recognize in his heart that Christ is Lord over death and life, call Him Lord of death and life, and say, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." So shall I, and thou, and every man, do, and know what Christ's suffering is worth, and shall abide in it.
For he bears their sin.
(38) By what does he make them righteous? He makes them righteous by taking their sin upon himself. So St. John the Baptist also says of him, "Behold, this is the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. Those who believe that he bears their sins know him well. Christian righteousness is not my work, merit, or obedience to the law; but that I hear of Christ who bore my sin, and firmly believe this.
Therefore I will give him great multitude for a prey, and he shall have the strong for a prey.
39. I will give him many nations, says God. Many mighty, wise and strong shall be robbed of the devil through him. And the devil shall not resist me.
Because he has given his life to death and is counted equal to the transgressors,
and he has borne many sins, and prayed for the transgressors.
(40) We have heard about this in the history of the Passion of the Cross, how Christ was crucified between two murderers and prayed for the poor sinners on the Cross. Because he did this, says God, he is to be Lord over all. Now it says both that Christ died and that he is still Lord. If he is to die, he must be a true, natural man. But if he is to bring the people to his knowledge, and have great multitudes for a prey, and the strong for a prey, he must be truly God. But the prophet cannot speak enough of this; therefore he repeats so often: Christ died for us, bore our sin, and was shamefully killed as the worst of evildoers. Because he has done this, says God, I will make him great. So we have recently passed over this chapter, which Christians should read often and remember diligently.