First sermon.*)
Luc. 10, 23-37
And he turned to his disciples, and said in particular, Blessed are the eyes which see that ye see. For I say unto you, That many prophets and kings would see that ye see, and have not seen; and would hear that ye hear, and have not heard. And, behold, a certain scribe stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life? And he said unto him, How is it written in the law? how readest thou? And he answered and said, Thou shalt love thy Lord God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: do this, and thou shalt live. But he, desiring to justify himself, said unto JEsu, Who then is my neighbor? Then answered JEsu, and said, There was a man that went down from Jerusalem
*) Held in the house, 1533.
Jericho, and fell among the murderers; and they stripped him, and smote him, and went away, and left him half dead. And it came to pass about this time, that a priest went down that way, and when he saw him, he passed by. A Levite came to the same place and saw him, and he passed by. And a certain Samaritan journeyed, and came thither: and when he saw him, he lamented him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, and poured oil and wine into them, and lifted him up upon his beast, and brought him to the inn, and nursed him. The next day he traveled and took out two pennies and gave them to the innkeeper, saying to him, "Take care of him, and if you give any more, I will pay you when I come back. Which of these three do you think was the closest to the one who fell among the murderers? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said JESUS unto him, Go thy way, and do likewise.
(1) This is a long gospel, therefore let us take one or two pieces from it, that we may know and learn from it. The first part is that the Lord Christ here praises his word, the holy gospel, very highly, and speaks especially to his disciples:
Blessed are the eyes that see that ye see: for I say unto you, that many prophets and kings would see that ye see, and have not seen; and would hear that ye hear, and have not heard.
2 With this he shows the misery that we now see on earth, that there is no more despised thing in the world than the dear gospel. All other false doctrine, lies of the devil and heresy the world can hear and tolerate; but the gospel it will neither hear nor see, but blasphemes and persecutes it to the utmost, puts the burned heartache on those who preach and hear it. Summa, it is the world's footcloth, princes and lords persecute, wicked boys defile and blaspheme; as the examples are unfortunately more than too many throughout Germany and in many other kingdoms before our eyes. The Lord sees this and therefore comforts his disciples and says: "The world reviles and blasphemes my gospel, but whoever has the grace to have it and to hear it has blessed ears and should thank God from the bottom of his heart that he has come to this and that he can consider it delicious, which the world so highly despises and hates. For surely it is true, you are more blessed than David and all other kings. For this has been the highest desire of all prophets and kings, that they would gladly have experienced this time and gladly have seen and heard me; but it could not be granted to them. You have it, therefore thank God for it,
that such great blessedness has happened to you that you can see and hear me.
For it is true that we are the poorest and most miserable people when the gospel is not there. For there comes one error after another, and it is not possible for anyone to save himself. As we have unfortunately experienced too much in the papacy, since it finally came to the point that we accepted the devil for a preacher and believed him, what he lied through the poltergeists and his lying preachers of masses, pilgrimages, purgatory and other things. There is no other way, where the good word is not, than that one accepts and believes all kinds of error and lies; and if people nevertheless let themselves think that they are on the right path to salvation, then they run straight to hell and to the devil.
4 Again, if the gospel is there, there is a terrible misery, namely, that everyone despises it and the least part accepts it for the better. If it is not there, there is sorrow and misery, and the door and window are open to all kinds of error and lies; but if it is there, it is most shamefully despised. Are we not poor, miserable people? If God does not give us His word, we cannot do without it without harm to our souls' salvation; again, if it is given, no one wants it. For this reason, nothing would be better than for our Lord God to come soon with the last day and smite everything in one heap; for neither punishment nor mercy helps in the ungrateful world. Therefore let the last day come, so that no man remains on earth.
5 This is the first part, where our dear Lord Christ complains that His word of grace, which proclaims and offers forgiveness of sins and eternal life, has been given with such
He turned to his disciples and said, "Blessed are you who have heard the word of God and have not died before the gospel was revealed. I tell you, the greatest and highest prophets and kings would have liked to experience and see it, and yet it did not happen to them; unfortunately, the greatest number in the world is so wicked that they do not ask anything about it, and even despise and blaspheme it. Do not turn to such trouble, but think that you need such grace and will be bettered by it. With this he also wants to entice and admonish us that we should hear his gospel with earnestness and not despise it, as we now unfortunately see in peasants and citizens and in all classes, from the highest to the lowest. Those who cannot follow the gospel despise it; the fewest part accept it with thanksgiving and improve themselves. These are the only ones who have blessed ears and blessed eyes.
The other part is that the Lord shows us the fruits of the gospel, namely, the good works that are to follow when one has heard God's word. He illustrates this with a fine, beautiful example of the man who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among the murderers, who beat him and robbed him and left him for half dead. Meanwhile a priest comes, he sees the poor man, but he does not take care of him, but goes his way. A Levite follows the priest, sees the wounded man lying there, but does not take care of his misery either. Finally a Samaritan comes, who did not have the name that he should be holy, but was a Gentile, who did not belong to the poor man who was a Jew; for he was not of his own kind, like the priest and Levite, but a stranger. The latter sees the poor wounded man, takes his accident to heart, soon gets off his horse, pours oil and wine into his wounds, bandages him up and lays him on his animal; but he goes on foot and leads him to the inn and orders him to the innkeeper, giving him two pennies to wait until he returns.
(7) This is the right painting, in which is delicately portrayed who Christ is, how he loves us, and what the right fruits are of his word and of those who gladly hear his word and gospel, namely, that his word, where it is heard earnestly and accepted with faith, makes such people as the Samaritan is here, soft, compassionate and merciful people, who cannot well see that someone is in need; but when they see it, they dare to do their own good, and help with what they can. Such is Christ's picture in this example. But he is speaking here of such poor, needy people who are not wicked, as this poor wounded man is. To the lazy, useless, idle beggar people, who lie down to beg and do not want to serve anyone, may not herd cows nor do other work, and yet want money, one should give nothing, but let them die of hunger. But where there are really poor people, there a Christian heart should be so skillful that it does as the Samaritan does here. He thinks: This poor man is my neighbor, because he is also a man, has body and soul like me. Yes, he also has the God that I have, therefore he belongs closer to me than an unreasonable animal; he is close enough to me, because he is a man, therefore I cannot leave him lying there and starving. Come on, dear brother! Stop here, let me help you, I will do the best for you. And prove this also by deed; do thus to him as a father does to his child. These are the true saints.
(8) But the other proud saints, who think much and great of themselves, naturally have no mercy on the poor, but are hard, cruel people; for they think that our Lord God is glad that they serve him, and therefore think that they must not do anything to other people, nor serve them. Just as the priest does here. He was holy because of his office and birth. But what does the text say about him? When he saw the poor wounded man, he passed by.
(9) They may be unholy saints who see that their neighbor is in need and could well help him, but do not. On what else do they rely, but that they think they are nothing to our Lord God?
guilty? If they have kept the law outwardly according to the letter and have sacrificed in the temple, and that I also put on the pope's saints, monks and priests (I am talking about the best among them), if they have said mass and sung, they think they have done it all, but do not sing to our Lord God from the hapsack afterwards. These are called cane saints and stone saints, yes, the devil's saints, who let themselves think that our Lord God owes them all things, and they, in turn, owe no one anything.
(10) This likeness is against such shameful saints. For the Lord also has before him such a proud saint, a scribe, who not only wants to be seen to be pious, but also to prove the Lord Christ false, and to be a better doctor than he is. So he thinks: O dear Jesus, if you knew how holy I am, you would be ashamed to open your mouth to me. I will ask you one thing: tell me, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?"
11 Jesus answered him, "Ask yourself this question; what does Moses write in the Law? He saith, Yea, I know that. "Thou shalt love thy Lord God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself." Jesus says: If you know it, do it. He says: I have done it; who is my neighbor? As if to say, I know no man whom I should serve; they owe me, I owe them nothing.
012 Then the Lord smote him with the likeness of the wounded man, saying, A priest saw him, and passed by; and so did a Levite; both of them were as pious as thou. But the Samaritan took care of the poor man. Now tell me, which one was the neighbor of the wounded man? The scholar answered: He who showed mercy to him; he will not name the Samaritan, the hopeless wretch and hypocrite.
013 Wherefore the Lord giveth him a good smite secretly; as if to say, Thou art as pious a saint as the priest and the Levite; thou helpest not thy neighbor with a penny, whether he should die now; and
Do you still ask what you should do to inherit eternal life? Do you not have poor friends, poor neighbors, afflicted people? Are there not enough misfortunes, fears and hardships? And do you first ask who your neighbor is?
(14) Therefore, it is all in this that we learn what it means to love God and our neighbor. It is soon said: I love God. One may not set much of a table before him; but nevertheless, if he were there personally, one would see finely who loved him and dared to do something to him. But now he is not there in person, so that one could see him and serve him, like other people who are with and around us.
(15) Therefore, if you want to know who loves God rightly, pay attention to how the children honor their father and mother, how the servants obey their masters and wives, and you will know who loves God and who does not love Him. For of the children, God's command and word is written: You shall honor father and mother. Yes, says a monk and a nun, I will leave father and mother; it is better that I honor and love you, God in Heaven. No, says God, I want you to honor your father and mother. There is my word; now if you want to love and honor me, honor and love your father and mother, that is then God loved.
But what happens? The spiritless crowd in the papacy abandons this love and seeks something better. The others, who want to be evangelical, go their own way; the children wish that their parents were already dead and under the earth, that they would only have their courage. In other states it is the same. A prince has his officials, whom he commands to preside over their commanded office rightly and faithfully. If you now ask them whether they also love God, not one of them will say no, but all will boast: Yes, I love God; why should I be an enemy of God? Yes, dear one, say to them: Why are you disobedient and unfaithful to your prince? If you loved God with all your heart, yes, with half your heart, yes, only the tenth part, you would serve your prince much more diligently.
(17) So also, if servants and maids loved God, they would follow His word and be obedient, saying Eph.
6, 5. 6.: "You servants, be obedient to your physical masters, with fear and trembling, in simplicity of heart, as to Christ; not with service alone in mind, as to please men, but as the servants of Christ." Likewise, if husbands and wives loved God, they would keep God's word, as He says Eph. 5:22: "Let wives be subject to their husbands, as to the Lord;" item, Cap. 5:25: "Husbands, love your wives," etc., and so on. Each one in his state would prove by deed that he loves God. But how finely they love God can be seen in their fruits; for each one wants to have his will, let God's love remain where it will.
(18) Therefore, the world is not only without God's love, but is also full of hatred towards God, so that it would be almost too painful for it not to love Him, if only it were not at enmity with Him. Oh no, says everyone, God forbid; should I be an enemy of God? Yes, indeed, you are an enemy to him; for if you grumble against your father and mother, against your lord and wives, or authorities, and do not do what you are commanded to do, you despise God, hate him, and are an enemy to him. For it is his command that you honor them, be subject and obedient to them, serve them faithfully and diligently in your profession etc. You are hostile to the same command; you do not want to do it, nor do you want to hear it. Is this called loving God? It means God hated and envied.
(19) So citizens and peasants and bad boys also love God, when they hear that it is God's command, they should not be stingy, not sell too cheaply, act faithfully etc. The more one preaches, the more mad and biting they become, and they only do more to defy God out of sheer courage. Castles and officials also do this; when the priest admonishes them and says, "This is God's commandment," they say: Now I will not do it, because the priest says so; what is the priest's business how I keep house? should he rule me? Well, if it is not the priest's business, it is God's business; before you know it, he will reward you with pestilence, with a long time, with fire, with water, with the Turk, with the mercenaries, with the Spaniards, and with other plagues. These will
Take away your thalers and guilders purely and know no thanks for them; otherwise, if you were a Christian, you could earn favor and thanks from God and the people, and would increase in wealth from day to day.
20 Thus one sees everywhere that one not only does not want to hear the word of our Lord God, but one also persecutes it. Not only the pope, the bishops and tyrants, who blaspheme and condemn it, H. G. should keep priests who preach it, but he does not want to suffer it at all; but also on our part citizens, peasants, those of the nobility and others in all classes. They should honor God's word and adhere to it, live kindly with their neighbor, and especially give to their pastors: but if they could take much from them, they would do it with cheerful courage, let themselves think that they had only done well.
(21) Therefore, let us learn diligently and remember that he who has the word of God should also love God, that is, he should hear what works God requires of us, follow Him and say: O Lord Jesus Christ, You have opened my eyes to see how You have redeemed me from sins by Your death and made me an heir to the kingdom of heaven and eternal life by Your resurrection. Now, dear Lord, I thank you for such great, unspeakable grace, and I will gladly do what I know you want me to do. You have commanded me to honor my father and mother: I will gladly do it with all my will and be obedient. Thou hast commanded me to serve my lord and my wives faithfully, to work diligently, and to be obedient: I will do it gladly. Thou hast made me a housemother, a householder: O God, I will be godly, I will do with pleasure and love what I ought, and I will rather live over it than not follow thee, and not faithfully preside over my children and my servants, or vex them. This is the right fruit that should follow from the word, and is called loving God rightly. That God should not honor such pious, obedient Christians, who honor and love God and His word, and should not give them happiness and salvation again, that is not possible.
(22) But let each one go home into his heart and see how he loves God. For loving God is not a matter of thought, as the mad monks think; but loving God means, as the Lord says in another place, loving one's neighbor. God says: If you want to love me, think and love your father and mother, your child, your husband, your wife, your master, your wife; this is what I want from you. Then, I say, let each one look around him to see whether he is doing this everywhere, and he will find out whether he loves God or is an enemy of God.
(23) He will certainly find that there are many more who hate God than who love God; indeed, that there is no one who loves God, except the Christians alone, who have God's word and love Christ, though not as fully as they ought. They say: Because Christ loved me, I will love my neighbor again, and with all my heart do what I ought to do; but if at times I am hurried with anger, impatience, and other infirmities, I am heartily sorry and will return. Christians do this; others, who are not Christians, do not.
(24) From this we can conclude that citizens and peasants, husband and wife, children and servants, princes, officials and subjects, are all of the devil. For they are enemies of God, hate and envy Him, because, as is unfortunately more evident than is good, they do not respect His word and command. God created them, gave them body and soul, gives them food and drink, yes, gives them his only begotten son; in return, the beautiful, tender world sings him a little song, which means: Odium (hate), I don't like you, I don't want you; and where they could, they should probably still tear him down from heaven: they are so fond of his word and command. Now, love in the devil's name! Does that mean to love God, to be so bitterly hostile to God and his word; and on the other hand to love the wretched devil, and to follow his instigation to avarice, usury and all kinds of vice, who pursues us day and night, and has thrown us and daily throws us into fear, distress, sickness, poverty, sin and death, and takes all pleasure in our being so disobedient to God?
(25) So the world in general is a servant of the wicked evil in hell, who has the air of being an enemy of God and not doing what he has commanded to be done. The shameful enemy has already poured sin and death down our throats, and if he could spoil grain and wine this very hour and cause us all to die of hunger, he would gladly do so. Nevertheless, we serve this worst enemy of ours, who means us so evil and poisonously, and meanwhile we let the gracious God in heaven, who has given us everything and especially his Son, and with him has given us eternal life, preach to us in vain, and do not want to heed his command, love what God hates, and hate what God loves and wants to have, let God go with his service and serve the devil.
(26) Now strike it with lightning, thunder, pestilence and hellish fire, as will surely happen. Dear God, is this not blindness beyond all blindness, that we should not love you, who shower us with all kinds of temporal and spiritual gifts? On the other hand, shall we gladly serve the infernal dragon, the devil, with love and will, who inflicts all plagues on us here and gives us eternal death as a reward there?
Therefore, learn what it means to love God. This Samaritan loved God, not that he gave anything to God, but that he helped the poor wounded man as much as he could. For thus says God: If thou wilt love me and serve me, do it to thy neighbor; he needs it, I need it not. Therefore this Samaritan serves our Lord God in heaven with his money, animal, oil and wine: not that our Lord God needs it for his person, or that he does it for our Lord God, but that he does it for his neighbor; but it is called done for God and served for God with it, because God has thus commanded and ordained it.
(28) He has not commanded anything else that the world should serve God with, except to run to St. James or to Rome, to build churches and other such things. He wants one to serve and help the other. We must not look for him in Rome; we will find him at home in our own house, in our wives, children and servants,
Lords, wives, authorities; item, in our neighbor's house, in the street, in the market and everywhere. There we shall do what we can do for friendship, love and service to anyone; then he will consider it and boast that we have done it for him. How could he lay it closer to us? But the devil blinds the world so that it cannot see what it really means to love God and be an enemy of the devil.
29 Therefore let us strive to learn. This Samaritan does to the poor man as he would have done to his own body. He would have wanted to be bandaged if he had been wounded. As he loves himself, so he loves the poor man, and thus brings praise that he loved God and his neighbor. We should do likewise.
For this fruit should follow in Christians who have God's word; if it does not follow, then they are false Christians, like this priest and Levite, who are saints of the sticks, yes, saints of the devil. For he who passes by his neighbor also passes by God. Let us beware of the world's example, which is hostile to both God and neighbor. For God is more than the evil world, evil princes, evil officials, evil citizens and peasants. Whoever loves God and his neighbor will not go unrewarded. He who does not love God, that is, who does not come to the aid of his neighbor in his need according to God's command, but passes by and does not take care of his need, will not go unrewarded. May God help us to love him through Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.