V. 1. And I said, Hear, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; ye ought to be just, that know the right.
We have heard three sermons of the prophet. The first two preach about the punishments of idolatry and avarice. The third one is a consolation of the kingdom of Christ, which is as a
Shepherd of the sheep will care for and govern his church.
In this chapter, the fourth sermon is presented, which has the same content as the first two. However, because it is entirely concerned with punishing the outward vices, such as avarice, cruelty, and injustice, with which the princes and the priests afflict the people, the sermon is not intended to be a sermon.
If the text is not easy to read, there is nothing to hinder the reader except for the grammar, which is also easy.
But this is a fierce sermon of which Jeremiah speaks in chapter 26, v. 18, and writes that it was preached by Micah in the time of Hezekiah, and yet he was not killed by Hezekiah because of it, while an ungodly king would have killed Jeremiah because of the repetition of this threat, if he had not been protected by the elders. But from this passage it is quite clear that even Micah was not without peril, but was safe only through the assistance of the good king. For tyranny not only cannot stand the truth, but also invents reasons why this freedom must be restricted to the teachers, as, unfortunately, there are all too many examples in our time that show that otherwise reasonably good authorities are annoyed by the truth. For what Aristotle has shown in a very beautiful fable happens, namely, that the lions do not like to have laws prescribed for them by the hares, according to which they are to arrange their counsel and their actions. Therefore, when the hares preach to the lions in godly zeal, they must either suffer the lions' claws with danger to their lives or bring their lives to safety by flight.
Nowadays it is common in the courts to say that the frank sermons, in which the vices of the authorities are punished, are seditious. But if it is seditious to reprove the wrongs of persons in authority, I pray you, what shall we say of Micah, who not only said this, but also wrote and publicly signified that he dealt not with peasants, but with the very princes and heads of the house of Jacob and Israel? But it is a very impudent speech to call Micah and others who have done the same as Micah rebels. Is the truth, which is pleasing to God and especially commanded to the servants of the Word, a cause of rebellion? Scripture and experience abundantly testify that rebellion is a punishment inflicted by God.
not for the sake of truth, which is commanded to the teachers, but because of the sins of the authorities, which must be punished for the sake of certain causes, not to be hidden or concealed; for such concealment awakens God to be an avenger of such sins and to bring them to light.
First of all, since the authorities in a community are like the head of the human body, no medicine can be used for the rest of the body unless the head is healed first. For just as we in general exhort the great multitude to godliness in vain, if the authorities themselves do not care for religion, so the authorities, if they are properly instructed, of their own free will bring back the common people to a chaste life and the practice of virtue by severe punishments. Therefore, a godly teacher must let the authorities be his first concern, that he admonish them of their office, that he bring them away from the ordinary arbitrariness which they take upon themselves because of their power. I ask you, how can this happen if a teacher turns a blind eye to all sins and passes over everything with silence?
Then what the satyric poet said is true:
Omne animi vitium tanto conspectius in se Crimen habet, quanto major, qui peccat, habetur.
[Every fault of the heart has a guilt in it that is the more obvious, the higher he is held who sins.] For as the person is a public one, so also the sins of a person in authority are public sins, and have a much greater importance than those of private persons, not only because of the annoyance that the mob is inclined to imitate the vices of the great (principum), but that the person in authority thereafter becomes more indolent to reprove and punish that in the subordinates which he finds in himself. But this is the tremendous evil that godly teachers, like Micah, must counter with all zeal. For how often does the Lord testify that he has been reconciled, as it were, through strict punishment of the wrongdoers! Where, therefore, the authorities in this matter do not fulfill their office
the Lord himself, who is the judgement, is forced to exercise the judgement. But this almost never happens without a common calamity, as the prophet testifies in this passage [v. 12], that because of such sins of the rulers Zion shall be plowed up like a field, and Jerusalem shall be destroyed to the ground, that it shall be nothing but a heap of stones.
Thirdly, this was the special profession of the prophets, that they faithfully proclaimed what the Lord had revealed by visions or in other ways. But even though this has almost ceased today, the example shows that God does not want the sins of princes to be passed over in silence. And in the New Testament it is a general commandment that repentance should be preached. But how can you preach this to the princes if you do not punish their manifest sins, which they commit to the great annoyance of their subjects? These and similar reasons exempt the prophet from the charge of sedition.
V. 2 But you hate what is good and love what is bad; you flay their skin and the flesh from their legs.
A beautiful image expresses the cruelty they exercised against their subjects. And the Germans use the same image when they want to express the utmost violence, for they say: "He flays his poor people to the ridge."
This terrible picture shows how great a sin avarice is in the eyes of God. The authorities often think that even if they do wrong to their subjects, it is not a great sin if they extort a florin or two over the ordinary burdens. But here listen to the prophet, who in a frightening way makes this sin great, for he says that it is the same as if you flay their skin, as if you bare the bones of flesh, and as if you finally inhumanly break and crush the bones that have been bared. Dear, who will say that this is something small? Who will not consider this the highest tyranny and inhumanity? Therefore, this passage, if any in the whole of Scripture, contains the most grievous of all.
Censure of avarice; not alone that it sets before us the exceedingly severe penalty, as will follow, but that it also makes the greatness of sin itself so frightfully great.
V. 3. And eat the flesh of my people, and when ye have flayed off their skin, break ye their legs also, and cut them as into a pot, and as meat into a cauldron.
He persists in the description of violent and tyrannical avarice, because in fact avarice is connected with tyranny and unjust violence.
Furthermore, this detailed description of avarice and tyranny does not only serve the purpose that those who were in the secular and spiritual government at the time of Micah should mend their ways and turn their concern away from the increase of their private wealth and focus it on healing the church and helping it, but this is, as it were, a kind of revelation, which is also useful for our times, that those who are in authority, whether secular or spiritual, should know that this is also a temptation by which Satan wants to lead us astray and plunge us into sin, so that we may learn to flee both unjust violence and avarice with all the greater diligence.
In our time, the splendor of the courts has grown inordinately. Since the ordinary income is not sufficient to pay for such great expenses, we see that the subjects are burdened with new and unusual treasuries. Although public dangers are being raised, everyone can see that the cause of such exactions is that the princes make greater expenditures than the means allow. Therefore, this sermon of Micah should be a reminder to godly princes that they should flee all occasions, that they should not abuse their power by force to suck their subjects dry.
It is not very necessary to make an admonition about the clergy we have in our churches. For they are almost everywhere kept by their own so meagerly and filthily that they are far from all suspicion of avarice, for they have scarcely so much that they can afford to be
and their own. And if, nevertheless, some seek opportunity to acquire goods, let them be mindful that they take account of their preaching ministry, lest they dishonor it by seeking their own or misuse it for gain.
By the way, here the Pabst's crowd has its place, which in truth lives from robbery. For although they now boast of the rightful title of ownership, yet look at the beginnings, in which way they started to become great. If they had not made people foolish with ungodly and untruthful teachings, they would never have attained such great riches. And not even they themselves can deny that they are in no way useful to the church, unless we think that it is useful to the church that they keep whores, ride horses, feast, gamble, drink, and the like. But we will leave them to their master, who can kill the soul and cast the body into hell, for they do not hear us. If, however, there are some more decent people among them, it is to be wondered at if they are not troubled in heart when they see that such great goods are offered for idleness, and that they enjoy the benefice without rendering any service to the church. But now let us hear the punishment.
V. 4. Therefore, when you cry out to the Lord, he will not hear you, but will hide his face from you at the same time that you have earned it with your evil ways.
The prophets use to imitate Moses when appropriate, as this is also a Mosaic way of speaking, which is taken from the Song of Moses. But it means "to hide the face" or to turn away: to be angry, as on the other hand to show the face, to illuminate the face means: to look upon graciously, to be favorable and benevolent, as in the 80th Psalm, v. 20: "Let your face shine, and we will recover", because the right recovery is when he is favorable, when he loves and looks upon us graciously, according to the well-known saying of Paul [Rom. 8, 31.]: "If God is for us, who may be against us?"
Furthermore, one must carefully note this text. He has above the so unjust and stingy
The people were threatened with imprisonment and destruction. Since this is already something heavy in and of itself, he doubles the punishment here, since he also denies them all help in their misfortune. And this punishment actually refers to the impenitent, who, reminded by the word of God, still do not refrain from acting evil. In addition to the physical punishment, God will not hear them when they pray, because they do not want to hear God when He calls them to repentance. Thus, not only do they lose the goods they obtained through stinginess and impiety, and become involved in misfortune, but at the same time they also lose the promise of salvation; not only because God does not want to hear them, since they did not want to hear God, who preached and exhorted them in vain for so long, but also because they themselves, when they pray, made ashamed by their conscience, do not dare to hope for salvation.
This cross is arranged for the stingy overlords, so that they shall have nothing to hope for in misfortune. For this is a hard judgment: "They will cry to the Lord, and he will not hear them. From where will they be able to ask or hope for help if the Lord does not look at them in their misfortune, but oppresses the oppressed even more like an angry enemy?
We should think this and believe these threats, then we would be less willing to sin, and the fear of the Lord would drive the security out of our hearts. And there are certainly some who are moved by these prophecies and threats, although the greater part, captivated and senseless by their goods, power and air, do not believe this until they experience it.
But I have said that the prophet threatens this to the impenitent, that is, to those who hear the word but do not obey it, and who sin surely until they are seized with punishment. For this is that he adds: "He will hide his face from you at the same time," as of such people who have done evil with their works, that is, who have not ceased from sinning until they were seized by God in his wrath with the punishments.
Therefore, this passage admonishes all overlords that they should not let their lusts take the reins and not be a burden to their subjects, but preserve justice and righteousness, otherwise it will happen that they will be overtaken by the utmost misfortune without any hope of hiding and will perish.
Furthermore, so that I may also remind you of it, this is a saying of the Law that threatens certain and inevitable misfortune to the impenitent. Thus, Manasseh could not avert exile and captivity by his prayer, and yet, when he subsequently recognized his sin and asked for forgiveness, he was not cast out by God. So we too should believe that, although punishment cannot be avoided, the return to grace is open to all through repentance and faith, as the Gospel teaches.
Thus saith the Lord against the prophets that deceive my people: They preach that it shall be well where they are fed; but where they are not fed in the mouth, they preach that war must come. 1)
So far he has been talking about worldly authorities. Now he preaches about the prophets and teachers, who do not use their office for the blessedness of the people nor for God's glory, but for their profit.
But here, too, he uses frightening imagery when he says that the godless teachers tear the people apart with their teeth. This does not only refer to the damage to goods that the audience suffers through the stinginess of the teachers, but even more to the damage to soul and blessedness. Therefore, they are called "wolves" by the prophets as well as by Christ himself and the apostles, who tear and tear apart the sheep commanded to their loyalty by seducing them.
Furthermore, in it is a beautiful image that is added: "They cry out: Peace. But if someone does not give them anything in the mouth, against him they start war." The word "peace" is familiar because it indicates that the false pro-
1) The Latin text to which the interpretation refers reads thus: Sic dicit Dominus contra prophetas, qui seducunt populum meum, eumque lacerant dentibus suis et clamant: pax. Si quis autem non dederit eis, quod vorent, parant contra eum bellum.
The prophets comforted the people against the threats of the holy prophets and promised that everything would go well and happily. But this, says the prophet, they did because they saw" that the people and the princes were pleased with such preaching. As therefore your Micah and his comrades hated the truth, so these were esteemed and held precious for the sake of the lie. For it has always happened that lying prophets were heard with pleasure and were pleasant to the people, whereas the godly and true prophets were not respected and had to suffer hunger and were hated, especially by authorities and princes.
Furthermore, the Prophet's way of speaking must be noted at this point. For he does not say, as we have translated it, that they make war, but he says that they "sanctify" war, XXXXXX XXX XXXX as if one said:
They do not fight with the sword against those who do not want to give anything (as the civil authorities do, who wield the sword); they have their special war, that they banish such people from the church, that they condemn them as heretics etc. And they do this under the title that they are holy, that they are the church, that they are priests, Levites etc. This way of speaking cannot be rendered quite clearly in Latin.
This agrees very well with the artifices of the papists. For just as the false prophets exhorted the Jews to offer sacrifices frequently, and, overlooking all other sins, prophesied that all would be well if they sacrificed freely and often, so it has not yet escaped the memory of men with what efforts, with what artifices, the papists have induced people to buy indulgences, to decorate the churches. To pledge masses, as it is called. In all these things there was a very great gain.
But if anyone spoke against it, or did not want to be persuaded of these things, tell me, were they not, as the prophet says here, waged war against, and did they not have to face certain dangers? If still today in the places where our gospel is condemned by the authorities, someone does not command that his deceased father or
If a mother keeps a companion according to her ways, if he does not buy masses and other things customary in the papacy for a certain amount of money, he is immediately taken for a Lutheran, and the monks, the executioners' slaves of the tyrants, are prepared for him. In this way, godliness always remains the same, even though there is a great disparity of manners and times. But what judgment will await these godless teachers and seducers? Certainly this:
V. 6 Therefore your vision shall become night, and your divination darkness. The sun shall go down upon the prophets, and the day shall be dark upon them.
That is, because the ungodly teachers abuse their office for gain, it will happen that they will be caught, and not only will they be found to have prophesied and taught falsely, but even if they want to teach the truth and desire to do so, yet they cannot.
The contrast is well known, XXX means "a face", that is, the gift of divination, as it is common to call the prophets "seers". To this he opposes "the night", which shrouds everything in darkness and puts it to shame, so that it indicates the utmost blindness. Thus we see many who in the beginning not only did not dislike our doctrine, but were also considered by them to be the highest treasure; after these had united with the adversaries for the sake of greater gain, they could not but be blasphemers and speak and think of us in the most hateful way. This reward awaits those who abuse their service or office for their gain. This is one part of the punishment.
V. 7. And the showers shall be put to shame, and the diviners to scorn, and must all cover their mouths, because there shall be no word of God.
It is such a terrible blindness as the prophet threatens, and we see it today in the papist seducers, a great and severe punishment, but it is not small in that. Also shame and disgrace will accompany this blindness, that they, because it comes quite differently than they have promised, public
can be convicted of the lie. Therefore, before the fulfillment, the false prophets can boast against Micah and comfort their own with the hope of success. But when the Assyrian had devastated Israel and brought his army to the gates of Jerusalem, the circumstances proved that Micah had taught the truth, but they had taught falsehood. There they were forced, as Micah speaks in a beautiful image, "to cover their mouths," that is, they did not even dare to protest, while before they had filled the temple and all the streets with their shouting.
This image is also taken from Moses, who in the third book, Cap. 13, 45, says of a leper that he should cover his lips with his garment. And in German we indicate the shame with almost the same image when we say that a man who is convicted of lying does not dare to open his mouth or show himself before the people. And according to Roman custom, those who were convicted in court covered their heads.
Furthermore, the last piece is especially remarkable, in which the prophet indicates the cause of the blindness and the falling into ruin. However, he uses a very delicate brevity: XXXXX XXXXX XXX XX, "for there is no answer.
word of the Lord there", that is, because what they taught and promised was not the word of the Lord.
He does not say anything about the office and the profession, because he concedes it to them, just as we do not refuse obedience to the popes and bishops today for the sake of it, as if they had no legitimate profession and office, since Paul [2 Thess. 2, 4.] expressly says that the Antichrist will have his seat in the church. And Christ says of the false prophets of his time [Matth. 23, 2.]: "They sit on Mosi's chair." Therefore the prophet allows the false prophets the office and the profession, and does not accuse these things, nor does he condemn them. But this he condemns, that although they are in office, they do not use the office rightly, because they teach, but not the word of the Lord, because they promise and comfort, but not from God's word.
Now this falsity has been with the false prophets at all times, that when they have
they were accused of not administering their office properly, yet they protected themselves with the prestige of the office. For what else do the popes and bishops have today that they would like to oppose us with, but that they are in their profession and office? This, they think, is the reason why they can give us laws and why we should accept them. But we have never argued about the office. We punish the abuse of office, but they want to defend this abuse with the prestige of office.
But who would not laugh at, yes, curse a prince who commits many unworthy and wicked things in the worldly regiment, and nevertheless wanted to excuse his sins afterwards by pretending his office? Should he not, because he is a prince, therefore have guarded himself against what his evil desire instills in him? For he is a prince for this reason, that he may do justice. If he does not do this, or even does the opposite, he is convicted by his own testimony that he does not do what is in his office, and cannot excuse himself by protecting his office. Thus it is quite inconsistent and contrary to common sense what the foolish papists do. Because they are in office, they want everything to be up to them.
But we do not quarrel about the office any more than the prophet did, but the quarrel is about how the office is administered. For because they have no answer from the Lord, that is, because they teach, instruct and command everything without God's word, they are rightly punished by us; rightly we consider their reputation to be nothing, which we would hold in high honor if they held fast to the word and did not want to protect themselves against the word. Therefore, what is affirmed in Isaiah [Isa. 40:8]: "The word of God endures forever," the prophet expresses here in a negative way, namely, that where there is no answer or the word of God, there is nothing lasting or eternal, but blindness and falling away must follow, as Christ indicates in the beautiful parable of the house built on sand. It is true that ungodliness often has a glorious appearance, that it seems as if it could not be overthrown by any force;
as it stood when we look back in thought to the form of the church. We can see that the masses and other ungodly ceremonies were so high that no one could have hoped for the present change. There we saw that the masses and other ungodly ceremonies stood in such high dignity that no one could have hoped for the present change. But because those ceremonies were performed without the Word, even against the Word, it happened that that house, when the storm of the Word and the wind of the Spirit broke in, became shaky and began to collapse at the bottom. For it is true: "God's word endures forever." Therefore, where God's word is not, there can be nothing permanent, even if it seems to be demant in appearance.
V. 8. But I am full of power and the Spirit of the Lord, full of justice and strength, so that I may denounce Jacob's transgression and Israel's sin.
This is a glorious contrast, in which the prophet not only praises his office and profession, but also the direction of his office against the false prophets and excellently adorns the right office of the word. Why it is used is clear from the well-known saying of Christ [John 16:8], where he says that the Holy Spirit will punish the world for sin, for righteousness and for judgment, so that people will not only learn to recognize their sin, but also obtain forgiveness of sin and righteousness through Christ, and with great courage despise the threats and rages of both Satan and the world.
But the prophet has shown above how the world cannot stand the truth and the punishment of sin; therefore it rages with all kinds of tortures against the godly teachers, as the examples of all prophets, apostles and teachers show. But those who close their eyes and flatter the world are held in high esteem and are glorified. And there is a greater supply of such people at all times, because not all have such strength of mind that they can despise the hatred and rage of the world. Then they are also generally overcome by a brilliant life and by their desire for riches.
These infirmities of the false prophets Micah very cleverly pulls off by setting his example against them and saying: "But I am full of the power of the Spirit of the Lord", that is, I do not bring my wisdom, I do not rely on my powers, otherwise I would be like you, who are full of the spirit of man, and are subject to temptation, since you, in order to obtain goods and dignities for yourselves and to gain the favor of the people, look through your fingers at the sins of the people.
But the power of the Spirit of God, which dwells in me, proves itself in two ways, in "justice" and in "strength". "Right" means here, according to the usual way of the Scriptures, when the misdeeds that are done are punished and condemned, as the prophet interprets himself, since he adds: "I am so full of right that I may denounce Jacob his transgression and Israel his sin."
But since justice is not without danger, because the world can suffer nothing less than that sins be punished, so also in this the spirit of God is shown, that I am "full of strength" and can despise those dangers. This is the glorious gift that Christ so often promises when he comforts his disciples, commanding them not to worry about what to say, even when they are led to torture [Matth. 10, 17. ff.], especially since they are not alone, but have the Comforter with them, who fills the hearts with all the more certain hope, the closer and more severe all dangers seem to be.
The prophet says that he is full of this gift, so that even though everything is threatening, he will not deviate in any way from the commandment of the Lord. By this gift the apostles, even when they were beheaded, went away rejoicing that they had been worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ [Acts 5:40 ff]. Although those who do not have this gift are very insolent apart from danger, yet they give way at the first struggle, and rather speak and do everything according to favor than to stand in danger because of the truth and to incur the hatred of men. But what the end of these people is, has been shown above, namely that the sun sets on them, that is to say, that they go into the
The people of the world will fall into extreme blindness and finally also become disgraced.
V. 9 Hear this, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and ye rulers of the house of Israel, who despise judgment, and pervert all that is upright.
He returns again to reproaching the princes in the secular government, who, since they were supposed to be the guardians of justice, left the care of the commonwealth and the subjects to themselves, and cared only for their own advantage. Thus we have also said above that avarice is a peculiar snare of Satan, with which he pursues the rulers, so that they, lured by their advantage, throw away the care for the commonwealth, set aside justice, and oppress the citizens by unjust administration, who suffer injustice and must keep silent about it because of the power of the princes.
But the Prophet has used very expressive words. He calls them XXXXXXXX, ver
ous guardians of the law who see what is just and right, but let their lusts take the reins and do not want to do what they recognize, as the poet says: Sit pro ratione voluntas [Instead of a rational reason, let my will prevail].
Then there is also a beautiful contrast: "All that is upright you pervert" or corrupt. For it indicates that they are intentionally bent on not doing right just so they can get rich.
V: 10. Ye that build Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.
The change of person is common among the Hebrews. Here, however, the participle nQ, which is in the singular, has the meaning of a collective noun. For it wants to indicate that each individual builds in this way.
Furthermore, this is also a Hebrew way of saying that Zion will be built with blood, for it means that they will build magnificently, but from the sweat and blood of the poor, just as today-
1) In the preceding, the verb in Hebrew was in the plural, but here it is in the singular. So instead of "person" it should actually be "numerus".
An unusual splendor has broken out at the courts of all princes. The buildings are not the same, the clothes are not the same, the way of life is not the same as before; everything is decorated in the most exquisite way. But in fact the princes also build and decorate their courts with blood, because they load their subjects with new and unusual treasures, so that they are not compelled to give up anything of their splendor and magnificence: Glamor and their splendor to leave. In the past, the princes lived frugally, so they could bear the expenses without burdening the subjects, and in common need they had access to the goods of private individuals. But now, when the subjects are plundered because of the splendor, the princes leave themselves no help to avert common dangers. And in addition to this, there is a more serious harm, that through these unjust extortions the hearts of the subjects are also alienated from them, and the way is paved, as it were, for rebellion and other evils. But these are punishments for sins, which will be replaced and recompensed by other punishments.
V.11. Their heads judge for gifts, their priests teach for wages, and their prophets prophesy for money.
What he says of the princes serves to interpret what he said just before, "They build with blood." For although the tyranny: defend their avarice with the blood of pious men, as Naboth was slain because he would not sell his garden to the godless king, and the tyrant seized the garden, yet this also means "to build with blood," or to circumvent, when the subjects are too much oppressed, and the princes do not administer justice equally, but, as the prophet says here, "judge for gifts," that is, when they award justice even in an unjust matter to those who give them gifts, but do not award justice even in the most just matter to those who give them nothing.
But this is a very great folly, though it is very common in all courts. Well known is the saying of the very good prince Jehoshaphat, who, when he heard the
After he had appointed the secular government and the church in the best way and had chosen suitable people, he admonished the secular authorities in the most serious way and said [2 Chron. 19:6]: "Watch what you are doing, because you are not judging men, but the Lord. All that ye shall therefore judge shall come upon you. This saying teaches that the power to judge is not human, nor is it merely commanded by men, but by God Himself. Therefore, for the sake of God and for the sake of God's commandment, this work of God should have been rightly directed. But, says the prophet, our princes not only do not look to God, but prefer gifts to God, to the commandment of God and to the work of God. Do you think that this contempt will go unpunished? Therefore, this evil will come upon you, so that you will again be despised and rejected, just as you despise and reject God's work and commandment.
Furthermore, this does not only refer to the judges themselves or to the persons in authority, but also to those whose services are used by the authorities in the administration of justice, such as legal scholars, advocates, procurators and others of the kind. Since it would be their duty Since it would be their duty to defend justice and equity, they often defend unjust matters, tempted by a richer profit. Often they cover up good things and only confuse them more, because delaying brings them profit. Often they beat off the: Often they knock off the shell of the poor, even in good matters, when action must be taken against more powerful ones, because they look more to the favor and grace of men than to the commandment of the Lord and the direction of their office.
But who could denounce all such deceit and trickery? Although nothing is more painful than to be defeated in a good and just cause because of other people's unfaithfulness or ignorance (for even the sinful ones who approach these trades while they are not yet sufficiently informed), nevertheless, because the judgment is the Lord's, one must keep silent about the injustice and leave the vengeance to your Lord, who in his time will demand severe punishments from the stingy despisers and perverters of justice, as the prophet will remind us at the end.
And their priests for wages etc.
Now the prophet also preaches against the spiritual authorities to show that he is full of justice and strength. But he also chastises them that they, infected by avarice, deviate from their office and have their profit in mind by setting aside the commandment of God.
Some use this saying very clumsily against the godly teachers, as if it were not permissible to live on the salary that is set aside for the church servants. They cite the word of Christ [Matth. 10, 8.]: "For free you have received, for free also give." They also hold up the example of St. Paul [Acts 20:34], who, while teaching the churches, did not want to burden the churches, but earned his living with his hands.
This, whether it be called a complaint or a slander, arises from a diabolical hatred of the ministry of the word. For what else do godless people do, who deafen the ears of the simple with such speeches, but that they bring into contempt not only the persons of the church ministers, but also the office of preaching itself, since one should rather take all care that the church ministers have their dignity restored for the sake of the honor of the Word.
It is true that Christ says, "In vain have ye received, in vain also give." For he wants this to be the main purpose of the ministry of preaching, that the glory of God and the salvation of men be served. For it is because of these two things primarily that the ministry of the word is instituted in the world. But it does not follow that it is ungodly for the church to feed its ministers. It would be ungodly if the ministers of the church were to lose sight of the ultimate purpose of the ministry of preaching and look only to the reward, or if they were not to administer the teaching ministry properly for the sake of the reward.
Therefore, just as a church servant is required by God's commandment to serve the glory of God and the salvation of mankind, so the congregations in turn have the commandment that they should feed the church servants. For so says Christ [Luc. 10, 7. Matth. 10, 10.]: "A laborer is worthy of his wages." If he is
now worthy, no one need reproach the teacher for his wages, 1) as St. Paul explains this saying more clearly, 1 Cor. 9:14, saying, "The Lord hath commanded," or decreed, "that they which preach the gospel should feed on the gospel." But he adduces the office of the law [v. 13.], "They that sacrifice," he says, "do they not eat of the sacrifice? and they that minister of the altar, do they not enjoy of the altar?" He also uses other parables exceedingly suited to this trade, saying [v. 7.], "What man ever goeth to war upon his own pay? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof?" But especially remarkable is the glorious comparison which he also uses in the Epistle to the Galatians [1 Cor. 9, 11.]: "If we sow you spiritual things, is it so great a thing whether we reap your bodily things?" [Gal. 6, 6.)
As for Paul's example, he himself publicly testifies that he does this not because it is unreasonable to receive a living from the church, but so that in this way he promotes the course of the word and cuts off the cause of blasphemy that disgraceful people might bring up in a new cause.
Therefore, as from all Christians, so above all from the ministers of the Word every suspicion of avarice and greed should be kept away. But this does not mean that it is wrong to accept from the congregations what is necessary for a sufficient living, as some take pleasure in these strange opinions because of the appearance of a special holiness. Some, out of undoubted ill-will and satanic malice against the preaching ministry, censure it because in some places, 1) where the congregations are able, more generous salaries have been decreed.
For if we look to the benefit of the churches, we shall not rather declare ourselves in favor of keeping the ministers of the churches well, than that in many places they and theirs should scarcely escape hunger
1) Erlanger: sxprodars instead of: 6xprodrar6.
2) Instead of Midi in the editions we have assumed Mieudi, which is found soon after, Col. 1050, in a similar connection.
can? For this barrenness deters the most gifted minds from the service of the church. For not all of them have the strength of mind and the constancy to accept only hatred and hunger for the very hardest work. And especially a "husband" can encounter nothing more difficult than to see his wife and children starving, whom he could feed splendidly if he took up another profession. For although access to the study of law and medicine is not open to all, because of the great expense; how many occupations can be performed in a community with all honors, even by an only moderately gifted person, all of which open the way to a brilliant life and wealth? Truly, young people will want to take these up, even for their own sake, rather than knowingly and willingly push their wives and children into beggary.
Will not, therefore, a certain danger arise to the church from this barrenness which it shows toward the ministers of the church, since there will be a lack of skillful people, and it will be depressed by the unskillful and dangerous government of unlearned people who cannot aspire to anything higher? There are examples of this before our eyes, which show not only with how great darkness religion has been darkened by the government of unlearned people, but also with how great crudeness all good arts have been suppressed.
Therefore, no one should take offense at the fact that in some places, through the godly zeal of pious princes, the servants of the church are kept somewhat more honest. On the contrary, we should all lament the fact that the majority of princes and secular regiments do not take care of their descendants, who will have either no leaders or completely unlearned leaders in the face of such great barrenness. A particularly grave and intolerable sin and judgment will come upon those who rob the churches and touch the goods of the church servants, as the unruly nobility in the countryside and the more powerful families in the cities are wont to do. For both of them, lured by the hope of a
1) Erlanger: yuoä instead of: yuot.
small profit, the churches into certain ruin, which they should promote and adorn also by their generosity after the example of their, ancestors.
But I return to Micah. He does not condemn the priests and prophets because they accept wages and money, for godly teachers deserve their wages. But he condemns them for misusing their preaching ministry for profit, for turning a blind eye to the sins of the people that they should have punished. Thus Balaam allowed himself to be bought by cursing those whom the Lord had commanded him to bless. In this way, says the prophet, the wickedness of this people should have been punished. But for the sake of profit, the false prophets even assist the sinners and promise them good things.
Relying on the Lord, and saying: Is not the Lord among us? No evil can come upon us.
This is a splendid passage, which is not only useful for the interpretation of the other prophets, but also contains, as it were, an excellent portrait of our adversaries. There is no one who, looking carefully at everything, would not wonder very much where the great certainty and obstinacy of the pope and his followers come from. They profess a doctrine that is flatly contrary to the teaching of the Gospel. The ceremonies that Christ Himself instituted, they have either corrupted or sullied with unrighteous additions, and put new ones in their place without a word of God. But it is not necessary to say anything about their life, because the higher they stand, the more unrestrainedly they sin, so that already before times the saying was true that the closer one is to Rome, the more distant is Christianity. 2) And yet, with such great godlessness, they fear far less than those whose doctrine and life are holier and better. Who should not wonder where this certainty comes from?
Thus, the prophet sufficiently indicates how much his priests and prophets deviate from their office, since they look more at profit than
2) Erlanger: Otn-istianiösinans instead of: Oüristianismu8.
They are not so sure of their office, and because of the money they overlook what they should be severely punished for by their office. And yet, he says, even though they are such people, they rely on the Lord and trust in his goodness. "Is not the Lord among us?" For we shall suffer no evil etc.
Furthermore, the same cause of presumption is on both sides, that the wicked, blinded by their hypocrisy, seize the promises and, trusting in them, despise all threats. Thus the Jews had glorious promises that the people and the kingdom should be preserved until Christ. Since the prophets were punishing the sins of the people and threatening destruction, they countered those promises. They boasted of their father Abraham, their office or profession, their worship and their sacrifices that God had instituted. Trusting in this, as in certain protection, they were safe from punishment.
Thus, the church of the New Testament has glorious promises. But because the popes have seized the highest position in the church by force, they think that everything that is always promised to the church is promised to them and their state. Therefore, even in the most extreme dangers, they have this word in their mouths, that the little ship of Peter may be tossed about by the floods, but it cannot be sunk.
In the same way, both the godless Jews and the papists deceive themselves. Not as if God does not want to keep His promises or to reject His people and His Church, but because the hypocrites, although they have the office, nevertheless abuse their office, and therefore cease to be both the people of God and the Church, because the saying given above [Cap. 2, 7.] remains:. "My sayings are kind, but to the pious." Those who therefore do not walk righteously are not presented with the promises, but with the threats that they will either mend their ways or perish in their sins. For with God there is no respect for the person. The popes and bishops are appointed to govern the churches properly. But since they do not perform their office, their dignity and the position they occupy do not count before God.
so much weight that they could sin unpunished for this reason. Rather, the saying of the Gospel [Luc. 1, 52] applies: "He pushes the mighty from the throne", and [Luc. 16, 15]: "What is high among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
Here the examples serve that the firstborn are generally rejected people, as Cain, Ishmael, Esau. Thus the unbelieving synagogue with its sacrifices and even the temple were rejected, but the remnant are saved. In this way, Christ's Church, after the popes, the bishops and the whole army of the Antichrist have been cast out and rejected, remains small, despised in the world, oppressed, poor and disgraced.
Therefore, the prophet's opinion is that the sure hypocrites blow themselves out with their office and usurp the promises, which are not given to those who are in truth God's people or the church, but with a condition, not to those who live without fear of God, even though they live in great dignities. The Lord was in the midst of His people at the time of Micah, but because of this He would not spare the ungodly transgressors; because of this He would not tolerate the ungodly abusing the holy preaching ministry for gain, and promising futile things to those who were to be converted to repentance by the threats of God's wrath. Since Satan set himself against the Son of God through arrogance, it did not help him that he was created as an angel. It did not help Judas, since he sinned, that he was an apostle. And shall our papists be allowed to sin with impunity because they are popes and bishops? Rather, they will have to suffer the punishments of which their impiety is worthy, and the church will be preserved even without these popes and bishops, as the prophet now adds:
V. 12. For your sake Zion will be cut up like a field, and Jerusalem will become a heap of stones, and the mountain of the temple will become a wild height.
This is the prophecy for which Jeremiah, when he repeated it, would have been killed by the godless king if
had not the elders intervened and defended him with the example of Micah. For no blasphemy against God seemed so offensive to the Jews as that Jerusalem should be destroyed and the temple laid waste. For there were clear prophecies that this kingdom and people should be preserved and protected. Then, because the worship was bound to the temple, no one could say anything less credible than that God wanted to destroy and desecrate the worship that He Himself had ordained. Therefore, Micah undoubtedly incurred the hatred of very many through this sermon, and if 1) he had been without the care and protection of the godly king Hezekiah, he would have been killed by the godless, presumptuous people, because he no longer threatened only the sinners, as before, but even the Temple, which had been chosen by God Himself to perform the sacrifices. But as far as the grammar is concerned, the understanding is easy. For he indicates utter desolation and destruction, since he says that the city itself shall be plowed up like a field, and the mountain of the Lord, which then shone gloriously with sacrifices and services that God had instituted, shall become like the mountains that are in desolate and wooded places. But this saying has a great amount of the most important things in its wake. For here we see the severity of judgment and the greatness of God's wrath against sin, that those who live in sins without the fear of God cannot be saved by their power, by the dignity of office, nor by any privilege in spiritual things. For if the Lord
1) Erlanger: stsi instead of: stsi.
for sin's sake spared not his people, not the temple, nor even his worship: what then shall it be that we can hope to oppose the wrath of God?
Therefore, all presumption must be discarded, and even we must not be presumptuous that we are Christians and baptized, so that we might sin all the more surely because of it. Not only will this not lessen the punishment, but it will only increase it for the impenitent, as Christ says [Matt. 11:23 ff] that Sodom will be judged more tolerably than those who have heard the gospel and seen the miracles. The Jews also had circumcision, the sign of the covenant and the seal of righteousness, they had the glorious promises of Christ, of the preservation of the kingdom and the priesthood. They trusted in what God had spoken etc. [But after they had departed from the fear of God and abused these privileges in order to sin all the more unrestrainedly, they not only lost these gifts and this glory, but also perished themselves.
Therefore, this sermon belongs to the doctrine of repentance, that we, each one among us, live in the fear of God and obey the word; otherwise it will happen that we perish. For God does not want us to be safe or to decay. He wants us to fear Him, so that we will not sin; He also wants us to put our hope in His mercy through Christ, not in our worthiness, wisdom or righteousness. Those who do not do this will fall all the more heavily, on a higher level of dignity they stand, and will be subjected to all the more terrible punishments, as the horrible example of the Jews sufficiently shows.