V. 1. Woe to those who seek to do harm, and deal wickedly in their camp, that they may accomplish it early, when it is light, because they have power.
We have finished One Sermon of the Prophet, in which he predicted both the kingdom of Israel and Judah the future calamity by the Assyrian. But he has added the cause, which is quite different from that which could be understood by reason, because reason recognizes only the sins that are done against the second table. Of the works of the first table it has no knowledge at all. Therefore, the word of God is necessary to reveal the sins against the first table.
The people of both kingdoms boasted of worship and a special zeal for religion. But the prophet says that the religion to which they adhere is the foremost cause of all their misfortunes. For since nothing can be called the service of God but what is done according to the word of God, all that men do without the word as the service of God is idolatry, and deserves the utmost punishment. For although other sins that are committed against the second tablet also have their penalties, these services that are performed out of human delusion or human devotion deserve to be punished.
without a revealed word, greater and more certain punishments. Therefore, the prophet punishes idolatry in the first place and shows what its punishments will be, because idolatry is always connected with blasphemy and disrespect for the word.
According to this, idolatry is also the cause of a vicious life. For how can life be rightly arranged or led if no consideration is given to the word? That is why the prophet started this second sermon, in which he also punishes the sins that reason can judge, avarice, injustice, violence, unjust judgment and the like. For these things do not have any semblance of holiness with which to protect themselves, as idolatry does, and yet the ungodly think that this cannot be perceived under the pretense of idolatry.
Thus, a great holiness is pretended by the monks and by the mass priests when they have to say mass as often as something has to be performed in public. But when one comes to the wine, to the whores, to the collection of money, then they only show how much this pretense of holiness is close to their hearts.
It is the same with the popes. Dear God, how holy, how meek, how humble they are when processions or supplications take place.
when indulgences are given to the foolish multitude! But it is nothing to these very people to kill the godly teachers in large numbers all over the world, it is nothing to them to release the subjects from obedience and the oath, as often as the emperors or the princes do not want to comply with their desires, it is nothing to them to entangle whole empires in war and bloodshed. I shall not mention fraudulent actions in courts, insatiable avarice, unspeakable lusts, all of which, of course, even the common people recognize as being worthy of cursing. But nevertheless those who do this think that this is covered by the splendor of religion, and does not stand out so much.
Therefore, this sermon also serves the doctrine of repentance, that we should learn that equal punishments follow equal sins. For if avarice, if fraud and deceit in court dealings were the cause of such great misfortune at that time, what better can we expect now that you see people possessed and taken over by avarice to the greatest misfortune of the poor?
The word the prophet uses here, which we have translated by "harm," is very common. For it is often taken for idolatry, because it is followed by toil and labor, but in this place it is generally taken of any injustice or wrong done by the mighty to the lowly.
But here the prophet speaks of a very strong desire to do harm, saying that even in their beds they cannot rest without thinking how they will do harm, how they will stalk others, how they will make others uncomfortable, just as the 36th Psalm, v. 5, describes this behavior of the wicked very well and almost in the same words: "They seek harm in their camp, and stand firm in their evil way, and do no evil. Woe to such people, says the prophet, for in his time they will suffer unbearable judgment.
Here belong also the circumstances of the time, which he adds, that they commit in the earliest morning what they have devised treacherously in the night to other people's harm. This
is not inappropriately understood by those who are in the highest position in the church and in the state, namely, that the godless teachers investigate with the highest zeal what may well serve to increase and enlarge their wealth; then that those who are in public offices and in the judiciary do not look at what is just, not at what is fair and good, but at what is useful to them, and give and repeal laws for their benefit.
And of course, how can an evil tree bring forth other fruit than evil fruit? Therefore we have a shining example of it in the papacy, which has dealt with nothing else, has been more careful about nothing than how they would bring about wealth and power and not suffer lack. From this arose the cruel tyranny, that for the sake of a few pennies they publicly banished the people. But in time they will have to give an account of all their doings down to the last penny.
There is a darkness here in the grammar. For what we have translated, "Because they have the power," is in Hebrew: For it is xxx their hand. But because the word is often attached to GOtte, therefore Jerome translates: For against GOtte is their hand. But this word is also used appellatively for strong, powerful, and in abstracto for force, strength, as Proverbs 3, 27: If your hand is able (potens est) to do good, then 1) do not refuse to do good to the poor, xxxxx xxx xxx so also Deut. 28, 32: "There will be no strength in your hands, xxx xxxx xxxx. In this way the prophet also speaks here: They are ready to do harm and deal with it day and night because they are powerful. Therefore, the inferiors must be silent about the injustice; they cannot avert it.
V. 2: They take for themselves the fields and the houses they desire, so they do violence to every man's house and every man's inheritance.
The prophet beautifully exalts the avarice of the wicked, and especially that of the
1) Erlanger: neMvs instead of iEM8.
Teachers; as also Christ saith [Matt. 23:14.], "Woe unto you, Christian teachers and Pharisees, hypocrites, which eat widows' houses."
Outstanding examples of such avarice are today the so many monasteries of the priests, the so many monasteries, the so rich incomes, the so great splendor of the buildings. For what ruler has ever been or is today who could equal them in such wealth? They boast of the donations of Constantine and the emperors, but if we look at the truth, these donations must be taken as the prophet says. They have coveted such goods and then stolen them, not with obvious violence, but by deceiving people with the appearance of religion and persuading them to make a ladder to eternal life for themselves in this way. However, there are many well-known examples before our eyes where they also acted with obvious violence. For that is why the bishops have been granted lands and cities that belonged to the empire not so many years ago.
Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I remember evil against this generation, out of which ye shall not draw your necks, neither shall ye walk so proudly: for it shall be an evil time.
The prophet also uses a very fine image here: You, he says, think evil against others, therefore I also think evil against you, by which you shall be bound as by a fetter, so that you cannot pull out your necks.
But he looks beautifully at the thoughts of those who are oppressed by injustice, who are forced to bear the unjust violence. They judge in such a way that those who have great power and riches have a certain loophole against dangers of every kind. If there is theurung, their situation is better, for they have plenty of bread when others are starving. In war, they seem to be able to buy their salvation through their goods. At the time of the pestilence they change the place and guess themselves by the escape. This protection is provided for the rich and powerful in such adversities, which the poor and oppressed do not have. But the Lord threatens that there will be a
that they will not be saved by this protection. Therefore, the prophet comforts the poor and oppressed so that they will not doubt that God sees the injustice and deceitfulness of the powerful and will punish them in His time, so that the poor will beware of revenge and will be accustomed to repentance, since the Lord will strike them with unavoidable punishment in His time.
Thus the pride and arrogance that follow wealth seem to be an unbearable burden. But the prophet indicates that a very great change will follow, so that, just as the lowly will be forced to humble themselves and, as it were, to walk bowed down, weighed down by injustice, so also in his time, when the Lord executes the punishments, those who go in will be straightened up and proudly humbled by the inevitable calamity.
This is a glorious consolation when applied to the examples and to really existing conditions. The arrogance of Egypt was unbearable, for Israel was so weighed down with heavy work that it could not breathe. On the other hand Pharaoh and his people walked proudly in the highest idleness. Here Israel could think that God had forgotten him. But what a sweet change took place! Israel goes safely with the treasures of Egypt to the land of promise, Egypt is humiliated and perishes. As before the necks of the enemies were straightened, so afterwards it was the greatest pleasure to see the enemies surrounded on all sides with such terror of death that there was nowhere to escape.
Therefore this passage belongs to the saying of the 91st Psalm, v. 8: "You will see how the wicked will be repaid. Those who are oppressed and humiliated by tyrants should comfort themselves with this hope and expect the Lord's vengeance, but abstain from their own vengeance.
In that day shall they say of you, It is finished, they shall say, We are forsaken. My people's land will be given to a foreign master. When will he restore to us the fields he has taken from us?
Here a somewhat freer translation is necessary, because the Hebrew language has a certain peculiar way of speaking here, and moreover the brevity increases the darkness. Your misfortune, he says, will be celebrated with speeches and public songs. But this will be the song: "It's over, we're lost." The land and the people, which until now had the name that it was God's people, will now have another master, namely the Assyrian. For he has so disturbed the kingdom of Israel that he did not give the fields to the people again, but to his warriors, as is known from history.
Because he says here of a final disturbance, I think that he speaks only of the kingdom of Israel, not of the kingdom of Judah, which, although it was also devastated by the Assyrian, the Assyrian has not so seized; rather, he was subsequently so affected by adversities in his homeland that he never returned to Judah, as is clear from the prophecy of Isaiah. For at that time the power of the Babylonians began to grow, and they finally conquered the Assyrians and took control.
V. 5: Yea, ye shall have no part in the congregation of the Lord.
This also belongs to the song. And here again it becomes clear that he speaks of the final desolation, that the citizens of the kingdom of Israel are to be taken away in such a way that they will not return afterwards, nor will they have any part in the congregation of the Lord, that is, in the people of Israel. For the fact that the prophets also preach that Israel is to be restored refers to the spiritual kingdom of Christ, in which the Israelites are called to the kingdom of God through the gospel, who lived in misery among the Gentiles and were also degenerated into Gentiles; it does not refer to the physical kingdom, of which the prophet speaks here.
These are the thoughts of God against the godless, who abuse both doctrine and their power to oppress others and to increase their goods. The same judgment will await the godless papacy, which, because of its insatiable avarice and immoderate desire for money, has no end in sight.
with its idolatry and godless worship.
Some take this part: "You will not keep a portion" to mean that it is the same as what Paul says [Eph. 5:5]: "A miser does not have an inheritance in the Kingdom of God. This view is certainly true, but the other seems to be more in accordance with history and actual.
V. 6. They say not to be baptized; for such baptism does not befall us, we will not be so put to shame. 1) .
This [ne stilletis] is not good Latin, and yet the expression had to be retained, which the Scriptures also use in other places. For it is common for the Hebrews to use the word "stillavit" for teaching, prophesying, preaching, as in general the Scriptures use the same image to denote teaching by rain, as Ps. 68:10: "But now you, God, give your inheritance a gracious rain," where it speaks of the teaching of the Gospel to be spread throughout the world by the apostles.
Furthermore, here the prophet begins a new doctrine or a new sermon, which actually concerns the authorities, both in the spiritual and in the temporal state, who worked against the prophets, who exhorted the people to repentance and threatened the future destruction, holding out to them the promises that had been made to this people of the eternal kingdom of David, and accusing the prophets of lying, in imitative speech (xxxxxxxxx). One must take this closer
The prophets have spoken in the person of those wicked rulers who surely despised the threats of the prophets, being presumptuous of the promises made to this people, as we also said at the beginning of this prophet. Therefore they say: Do not call, do not preach such things.
The prophet answers in the name of God and the Church: Yes, they shall cry. This threat will not be in vain; we will not be frightened by your reputation.
1) In Latin: Na stiilatis. Iirio stiNabunt. Na stiiiatis illis, from anim tanta appraüanäat aos iZvominia. This is what the interpretation refers to.
Here the godless authorities again put their prestige before and do not want this to be taught by the prophet. They say: Do not call these, that is, do not threaten this people. They add the reason: The shame will not seize these, that is: You, Micah, and others, you lie, you prophesy destruction, but God has promised that he will establish the kingdom of David forever; therefore the shame will not hit this people.
But it is useful to see in the prophet these examples of presumption, for often this certainty of the wicked breaks the courage of the weak. Look at the papists today; they do not act differently against us than if they were made certain by God's voice that their idolatry is pleasing to God, but our teaching is false and not pleasing to God. This certainty is also punished by Christ in the Gospel [John 16:2], when he says of the synagogue: "The time is coming when he who kills you will think he is doing God service." And John the Baptist says [Matt. 3:7], "Who then hath shewed you that ye shall escape the wrath to come?" As if to say, "You are as certain that God's judgment will not come upon you as if this were indicated to you by God Himself through a voice from heaven. In the same way, they call the prophet silent, as if they were sure that he was lying and that the evil he threatened the wicked would not come.
The extraordinary brevity that is in this passage causes obscurity, so the commentators have different opinions here. I think that this view is the simplest one.
V. 7 The house of Jacob comforts itself: "Do you think that the spirit of the Lord is shortened?
This also belongs to the foregoing, for I take it to be said in imitation in the person of the wicked, who accuse the prophet of lying, and comfort themselves that this calamity will not come.
Therefore there is an emphasis on the name "the house of Jacob", as if they wanted to say: Do not believe the prophet. Have you
Have you forgotten that you are the house of Jacob? To whom has the Lord given such rich promises? May the prophet threaten the Gentiles who do not have such promises and live in sins. We are the people of God, therefore we will keep this hope, the Spirit of the Lord is not shortened; if He promises something, He can also fulfill it. And the works of God are known, by which he has testified that he always wants us well. He delivers us from Egypt and does not drown us in the Red Sea, for that is Pharaoh's due. He sets us in the land of Canaan, does not push us out, for that is due to the godless heathen. God's works for this people are therefore: to save, to deliver, to adorn; it is not God's works to destroy, to abandon, to disgrace, as Micah mendaciously threatens.
This is truly an excellent picture of the godless, who are extraordinarily presumptuous of God's favor, even when misfortune is near. Hence it is that they do not accept the doctrine of repentance, as our papists, when they hear that their masses and other ungodly ceremonies are condemned, not only do not change and reject them, but hope even more stubbornly for them, whereas the godly, as Job [Cap. 9, 28. Vulg.] fear all their works, even the good ones, and cannot have such confidence in the promises and mercy as the wicked have, even when they do the most fearful things. Therefore, the arts of Satan must be countered: the godly hearts must be established with consolations, while the secure ones must be disgraced and broken with threats.
We, who nowadays adhere to the pure doctrine, can by no means stand up in the face of such great rages of the world and Satan as the papists stand up with the comfort that the church will not perish. For wherever we turn our eyes, we are frightened in many ways. The raging of the world and of Satan is extremely great, through which he seeks to eradicate this doctrine. Those with whom there seemed to be some protection also suffer from their infirmities, for either they flatter the popes to have an opportunity for gain, or they have not so
The people of the country have a lot of courage to oppose the unjust tyranny; therefore we see how there is almost no help from the authorities.
How many weaknesses and damages are there among us who, by God's grace, have pure doctrine! There are quite clear signs that our churches will suffer an unbelievable lack of teachers; I will gladly keep silent about other damages. Since all this is before our eyes, our hearts cannot help but fear it all. But look at the papists 1). In their obvious idolatry, in vices and sins of every kind, they nevertheless retain hope and shout with all their might that the church will not perish. Why do we not do the same, who, though we are weak, nevertheless have forgiveness of sins through Christ and confess the pure doctrine?
But with these things it is like this: it is useful for Satan that the papists are as safe as possible, because then they do not improve, nor do they repent. On the other hand, he is pleased that we are frightened and stand in fear, and let ourselves be moved more by the images of terror that he holds before us than by the consolation and promises of our victor and savior Christ. Thus the Scriptures everywhere hold up to us the bitterest lamentations of the prophets against the triumph of the wicked, who should shortly suffer the utmost calamity.
It is true, my speeches are kind to the pious.
Here the prophet answers and refutes with a few words everything that can be held up by the wicked. Certainly, he says, I do not say that the spirit of God is shortened, I do not say that it is God's work that he perishes. But this refers to those who are pious; there no such great calamity can occur that the Lord should not stop it by his Spirit and save his own. But where men do not walk righteously, God truly punishes and heaps calamities of every kind upon them.
1) Instead of pontiü668 in our template, pontitieios will have to be read.
2) Erlanger: terrieula rnentis instead of: terricuIaruentiZ.
And this saying is as it were an interpretation of all legal promises. For these are conditional, as the promise 3) of the kingdom of David in the 132nd Psalm indicates. David is promised descendants, the confirmation of the priesthood, peace, abundant food and good things of every kind, but with this condition [v. 12]: "If your children will keep my covenant and my testimony, which I will teach them." The godless Jews did not heed this condition; they set up certain services without God's commandment, they gave free rein to their lusts and took no heed of the word. Since the prophets then punished these sins and threatened destruction, the wicked held the promises against them. Quite right, says the prophet, the promises are true, they will not lie; but to those who are pious; for to the wicked God promises nothing but wrath and destruction.
Thus, since the papists boast of the promises made to the church, I do not deny that the promises are true, but I do deny that they are the church, since they persecute the church and its head, Christ, with such great cruelty, and persistently defend their idolatry and ungodly doctrine. Therefore, it follows that God speaks good against His church, but against those who are not the church He speaks very evil, as the prophet soon adds with regard to His people.
Furthermore, we have often recalled the difference between the promises of the Law and the Gospel. The prophet speaks here in a legal way that God is good and speaks good against the good, that is, against those who do the law and follow the word of God, because that is called "being pious". But Christ speaks differently [Matth. 9, 13.P. "I have not come to call the pious to repentance, but sinners." For forgiveness of sins and eternal life are not promised to us because of our worthiness or our works, but for the sake of the Son of God, if we recognize our sins and believe that they have been atoned for and forgiven through Christ.
3) Wittenberger: prorm88io; Jenaer and Erlanger: promisso. We have followed the former reading.
Since fearful minds want to apply such sermons as the prophet's here to the promises of the Gospel, and think that God will forgive sins only when we are pious, they must be reminded that we have nothing to add to the promises of the Gospel but faith, that we believe that what was done through Christ was done for us, and for Christ's sake hope for forgiveness of sins and eternal life. This hope or confidence must be held fast even when our sins come before us. For whoever allows this hope or confidence to be snatched away because of his sins, adds to these sins the sin that he does not value the blood of the Son of God more highly than his sins, and remains in unbelief against the commandment of God.
Furthermore, the gospel not only demands obedience to the law, but also promises believers the Holy Spirit, through whom they can fulfill the law. But because of this fulfillment, sins are not forgiven, nor is eternal life granted, but because of faith in Christ, who died for our sins and rose again for our righteousness [Rom. 4:25]. Therefore we must be careful here not to make the law into the gospel, and not to transfer the prophet who speaks of the law to the promises of the gospel, which are offered to sinners and belong to sinners, as Christ says [Matth. 9, I3.]: "I, am not come to call the pious, but sinners."
V. 8. For my people have risen up like an enemy; for they steal both skirts and coats from those who go safely, as well as from those who come out of war.
Because the wicked held out against the promises and comforted themselves with them, but left repentance in abeyance, the prophet made a very necessary distinction and said that they only apply to those who walk rightly, that is, who follow the word and are godly. But now he shows that the people of Jacob were not like this.
For, he says, it holds itself hostile, it exercises an intolerable tyranny over those whose brethren it should spare. Therefore, let them consider that not the promises, but the threats, which are held out to such sinners, belong to them.
Jerome followed a different opinion: Those who were simple-minded or safe, you have stirred up to war; that is, you sow discord where there is no discord. Thus the popes have often driven princes, who were very good friends, by their lies and calumnies to corrupt one another. But our view is the true one, and agrees with the grammar.
V. 9 You drive the wives of my people from their dear homes and always take my jewelry from their young children.
This also belongs to the description of the violence against the poor, which he also punished at the beginning of this chapter, because idolatry is always connected with avarice.
But it is a great cruelty to deprive widows and orphans of their goods, just as Christ condemns this cruelty to the Pharisees [Matt. 23:14]: "Woe to you who devour widows' houses." For since they are the most exposed to injustice, they should be taken care of protectively, especially those who are in a magisterial office. But, he says, "you drive them out of their dear homes," that is, out of the dwellings that are dear and pleasant to them, as the Greeks say: xxxx xxxxx, xxxxx
xxxxxxx, because the best house is the one in which one likes to be. Thus, the widows and orphans have their houses as nests "dear houses", even if they are not splendid, because they like to be there and, as we say in the Dentin, they are at home. The prophet wanted to express this movement of the heart in order to make the cruelty of the miserly people great.
The word XXX means adornment and splendor, which is in the suit or clothing. But in this place he calls so the inheritance which has fallen to the children who have lost the father; to this, he says, you are straggling, inflicting a damage on the poor children of the widows which can never be repaired.
V.10. Therefore arise, you must leave, you shall not remain here; because of their uncleanness they must be rudely destroyed.
Here he concludes the sermon preached against the avarice of the godless teachers and authorities. Because you have treated the poor widows and their underage children so cruelly, you will be repaid in kind, for you too will be expelled. Therefore, you hope in vain that you will have permanent homes here. This will not be your rest; you will have to wander among the Gentiles, 1) and there bear all the hardships of captivity.
I take this piece therefore also in such a way that it goes on the Neich Israel, which should be completely devastated by the Assyrian, both because of the idolatry and because of the avarice and other sins, which the prophet has told. But because everywhere an immoderate avarice reigns among all classes, so I should think that these sermons also go to the people of our time, because the same sins are paid with the same punishments.
V. ii. If I were a false spirit, and a preacher of lies, and preached how they should drink and revel; that would be a preacher to this people.
The shortness is always a cause of the darkness, therefore about this saying the one has this, the other another opinion. Jerome has translated the little word XX by utinam, 2) but thereby brings out a not at all suitable sense. This opinion of ours is simpler and more appropriate to the intention of the prophet. For the prophet complained that he not only could not lead the Jews to repentance by these threats of future misfortune, but that they actually tried to prevent him from teaching. This piece also belongs to this complaint. As if he wanted to say: In vain do I preach to you when I predict future misfortune. But if I promise you abundance of fruit, peace, riches, glorious victories, if I promise your
1) In the Wittenberg and Erlangen: 6INI, Zranäuna instead of: emiAranUnna.
2) In the Vulgate: Utinum non essoin vir dudons spirituln - O that I were not a man who has the spirit.
If I were to eat and drink and approve of your indulgence, I would be a pleasant prophet to you.
But he uses a delicate image, which we cannot render in Latin, for he calls a vain (vanum) man, and he who promises vain things, XXX XXX XXX a man who walks in the wind. He indicates that there were many such teachers among the people at that time, who turned a blind eye to the sins of the people, comforted them, promised them victories against the Gentiles: such teachers, he says, are pleasant to you, but you cannot stand me, but such people walk in the wind, that is, they promise futile things.
This is zero the second sermon, in which he condemns the avarice, especially of those who were the rulers in the church, and threatens the disturbance. For after the manner of the prophets, he now turns away from the present so wicked people and comforts the godly with a glorious sermon about the kingdom of Christ.
V.12. But I will gather thee, O Jacob, altogether, and will gather the remnant of Israel together: I will put them as an herd together into a strong stall, and as an herd into his hurdles, and they shall sound as of men.
So far, the prophet has exhorted the people to repentance and has contrasted the thoughts of God with the thoughts of the godless and secure people who seized power and did whatever they pleased without hesitation.
Now he uses a transition, because he turns the speech from your present people and the physical kingdom to the spiritual kingdom of Christ. For this is the way of the prophets, that after they have punished the ungodly, who surely sin, and prophesied of the future destruction, they finally also preach of the eternal kingdom of Christ, and that for the sake of the godly, not only that they may comfort them in this way, but also that they may increase their hope, so that they may not despair of the kingdom of Christ for fear of the physical calamity.
However, when reading the prophets, it is important to pay careful attention to these transitions, because they are often very sudden,
so that one can hardly believe that the prophets depart so quickly from the discussion they have begun without any reason. Therefore, if you want to connect this following passage with the previous one and understand it to be about the outward or bodily restoration of the people, you will be completely in error. When was the kingdom of Israel restored? But if it has not been restored, what does the prophet who 1) says that it shall be restored want? It is true that the Jews, moved by these promises, stubbornly hope for a bodily salvation, but in vain. For the prophet does not speak of a physical salvation, but of a spiritual salvation, which takes place through the gospel of Christ, which has been proclaimed in the whole world. There is scattered all Jacob and the rest of Israel, who accept the gospel by faith, and believe through Christ to obtain forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Because the Jews do not understand this "gathering together", it happens that the longer they wait and hope, the less hope remains.
But, you will say, why is this not more clearly indicated by the prophets? I answer [John 1:18], "The Son which is in the bosom of the Father hath declared it unto us." For this had to be veiled, so that the clarity of the Gospel might be distinguished from the clarity of the Law and surpass it. The sermons of Christ and of the apostles interpret all these mysteries in the clearest way. Since the Jews do not want to recognize them, they are rightly kept in this frightening blindness.
Now as to the words of the prophet, he expressly says that Jacob shall be gathered gauz, and the remnant in Israel shall come in multitude, even as the promise of Abraham is a general one [Gen. 12:3.], "In thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed."
Here careless readers start again and refer the general promises to a fulfillment (eventum), which is only a partial one. For not all believe, therefore not all will be saved. Therefore must
one holds the Unterschieb, because it is something different:. "In you all nations shall be blessed", as: All nations are to accept this promise of blessing. For although the Gospel offers to all the forgiveness of sins and eternal life through Christ, not all accept this promise of the Gospel. Thus the prophet says in this passage: "I will gather you, Jacob, completely," and yet the fulfillment teaches that the majority of the people did not believe the gospel and were therefore rejected. So the prophet indicates the same thing when he says of the "remnant of Israel.
Why, you will say, are the sayings so general? Of course, so that no one may be excluded from the promise of the gospel. For Christ is not the treasure of one people or of one time, 1) but is offered to all through the word. But the fact that not all accept Christ is due to their own fault, because they do not believe and abandon themselves to their unbelief. Meanwhile, God's saying and promise remains general, that God wants all men to be saved.
In this way the prophet says that all Jacob should be gathered together, because God wants Christ to be the common treasure of all, as Christ says: "God so loved the world that he gave his Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. Behold His zeal in gathering all into One sheepfold, to One grace, through Christ. But the unbelievers resist this will, because they do not want to obey the word and accept it. Therefore, only the rest of Israel will be gathered and saved.
But the prophet uses a simile that is taken from a shepherd and his sheep, which is often used not only in the prophets but also in the New Testament. For it comprehends much in itself that clarifies Christ's ministry and also teaches us about the fate of the church. For Christ himself in more than one place attaches to himself the name of a shepherd, in order to indicate that his kingdom
2) Erlanger: tükWiiros instead of: tüssaurus.
3) Erlanger: orrinia instead of': oraiüs.
not by force or in the flesh, but by feeding the sheep with the word, as he expressly says [John 10:27]: "My sheep hear my voice." And in the Psalm it is said [Ps.23, 4.], "Thy rod and thy staff comfort me." By these tools of a shepherd the word is signified, which is suitable both to teach the church and to keep away the wolves.
Thus the church has the name of sheep or a flock, not only because it proves innocence, does violence to no one, is gentle and kind, but even more because it shows that it is subject to tribulations and exposed to injustice, as the prophet says of Christ [Is.53, 7.]: "Like a lamb led to the slaughter." And in the Psalm it says [Ps.44, 23.]: "We are esteemed like sheep for slaughter." And here belongs the great danger that threatens the sheep from the wolf, that is, first from Satan himself, then from Satan's servants, that is, from false teachers and tyrants. For these combine their efforts to snatch the sheep from their right shepherd and plunge them into damnation.
Because the ministry of preaching remedies these ills, the church ministers are also called "shepherds. But the one and right shepherd is our Lord Christ Jesus, for he alone lays down his life for his sheep. For he reproaches Satan for devouring and killing him, so that in this way safety and eternal life may be brought to the sheep. Because this consolation is true and certain, the prophet here presents it to the godly, so that through this hope they may soothe and overcome the adversity of captivity. In this way we also comfort people in tribulations, so that they may remember that they will be repaid with eternal goods, which Christ the shepherd earned for his sheep by laying down his life for them.
What he says about the one sheepfold agrees with what Christ says in the Gospel, John 10:16. For those who believe in Christ are gathered together in the same word, in the same spirit, in the same hope, in the same forgiveness of sins.
and the same life, whether they be Jews or Gentiles.
But the prophet uses the word "with one another" (uniendi) because the kingdom of Israel was completely alienated from the kingdom of Judah. These enmities, he says, will cease when the gospel will be preached, because all will be like sheep enclosed in One sheepfold, being fed at the same time, under the same Shepherd.
That it should sound of people.
In Hebrew it is said: 07^? it shall roar before the crowd. But we understand the raving generally from the movement, as it is in a riot. But the word XXX actually denotes raving, as Virgil used this word (fremere) almost everywhere, when in a large gathering of voices sounding in confusion cause a great noise, as he also calls the raging of the sea (fremitum maris) the roar that the waves produce when they crash against the cliffs. 1) Thus it is said, Proverbs 1:21: XXXXX XXXXX in the head of the meetings, that is, in the assemblies, where there is a great crowd and causes a roar.
Therefore, there is no doubt about the meaning, that the prophet wants this, that the gospel should be proclaimed in the whole world, and that the crowd and abundance of believers will be so great that it seems to be a riot. For where there is a great crowd, the voices sound confusedly one after the other and represent, as it were, a riot. Therefore, this piece belongs to the conversion of the Gentiles and to the ministry of the Word, which is therefore also compared to the voices of riotous people, because it arouses the world and the world opposes it.
V. 13. a breaker shall come up before them, they shall break through and go out to the gate; and their king shall go before them, and the Lord in front.
What Jerome translates: one who opens the way, that is a breaker, a disperser who breaks through by force.
1) VirZ. XkLkis, lib. IX, v. 717 and lib. XI, v. 299.
But this passage is very beautiful and extremely comforting. For first of all, the word "breaker" contains the indication that there is a cross and obstacles, then also a certain salvation. As if he wanted to say: I give eternal life to weeping sheep and lead them to the right pasture, but this comes at a high price. For the way is not passable or prepared; many things stand in the way, which seek to hinder the elect, namely Satan, death, sin, the law; in short, the whole old Adam opposes it. But I will make it so that even though there are obstacles, they will not hold you up. I will send the breaker Christ before you, who will break through and take away every obstacle; he will prepare the way for you by taking away the power of the devil and death, so that afterwards the passage will be easy for those whom my spirit helps.
By the way, as I said, this way seems to be very rough for the flesh. Therefore Christ says in the gospel of the kingdom of God [Matth. 11, 12], that the xxxxxxx, that is, those who do violence, will snatch it to themselves, as the prophet says here: XXXX, they will also go to the kingdom of God.
break through by the power of their leader. For the flesh must be killed and oppose the whole world and Satan, who seeks to hinder and stop us, that we should not follow this breaker.
But in these difficulties Christ comforts us by saying [John 16:33], "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world," that is, I have passed through. You shall
break through to the kingdom of God under my guidance, so that it may be open to you, so that you may enter through the gate, that is, so that you may also lead others to the kingdom of God through the ministry of the gospel. Furthermore, it is not hidden with what force Satan sets himself against the ministry of the gospel. Therefore, it is necessary that those who are in the ministry of preaching are in truth breakthroughs who fear no unjust force, no dangers, but break through with great, steady courage.
I have said above about the word "break through" that it indicates the cross, that one has to pass through thousands of dangers. Therefore, in stating that Christ is the or breaker, it indicates that he is a true Meush and wrestles with dangers as a man, as the struggles in death and on the cross testify. But because he overcomes these dangers, and through this victory establishes a people and a kingdom for himself, he is called our King.
But the same is called here also "the Lord" (Jehovah), which name alone is attached to the true God. Therefore, those who study the Holy Scriptures must pay attention to this testimony, by which the divinity of Christ is certainly confirmed, as the prophet will also indicate the same in clear and undoubted words in the fifth chapter below.
The prophet has woven this short sermon about our Savior Christ and his kingdom like a beautiful gemstone. Now he returns to his people.