Cap. 4:14 But now, thou warrior, prepare thyself: for they shall besiege us, and smite the judge of Israel with the rod upon his cheek.
The prophet has preached gloriously about what will happen after the captivity. Now he returns to the prophecy of the calamities that will take place before these good events occur. As if to say, "I have said that you will be lords of the Gentiles and will take them captive, so that they will leave their idols and worship with you the one and true God. But before this will happen, you will have to fight. For the enemy will come and take Jerusalem
and it will happen that the judge of Israel will be beaten on the cheeks, that is, he will be treated shamefully. For the opinion is to be rejected, as if he prophesies here of Christ, who was beaten by the soldiers of Pilate with cheek strokes, as Jerome and Lyra interpret it.
Here the prophet, as it were dismayed by the misfortune of the captivity, turns in a transition to the more cheerful preaching of the kingdom of Christ. He says: "It is a great thing that the captivity will be the occasion for the Gentiles to turn from idols to the kingdom of Christ.
true God and promote the service of the true God with their possessions. But this is not enough for the goodness of God; He will shower you with even greater goods. For that you may have a certain testimony that God will not forsake you, but will restore you to your fatherland, hear what He has decreed: The despised and small Bethlehem, which is nothing compared to Jerusalem, will not perish, for from it the duke of my people will be born to me, who will be a duke forever.
V. i. And you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the thousands in Judah, from you shall come to me the one who is Lord in Israel, which has been from the beginning and from everlasting.
As to grammar, I do not dislike that the word XXXX is interpreted adverbially by little (parum), so that the opinion agrees with the evangelist who says [Matt. 2:6.], "Thou art by no means least among the princes of Judah." But then the text will have to be translated thus: Bethlehem Ephrathah, it is little that thou art among the thousands of Judah. For he speaks in Mosaic manner of speech. For as the Romans had the centurions into which they divided the people, so the Hebrews divided them into thousands. And it does not contradict that the Septuagint translated: xx xxxx xxxxxxxx, among the princes. For the Hebrews also call XXXXX XXXX the princes over thousands, just as the Latins call the centurions of the centurions.
But even this is not inappropriate if taken adjectivally, for this does not injure the reputation of the evangelist, who wished to follow the Septuagint translation, not the Hebrew text, as the other apostles do, almost throughout the New Testament, certainly not without definite intention.
But the Hebrew text has a contrast at this point, if one looks at the thoughts of the captives. They knew that Jerusalem was desolate and in ashes, so they had nothing to hope for from the rest of the land, for the kingdom of Samaria had already been invaded by the Gentiles.
taken. They had to fear the same for the kingdom of Judah. But the prophet comforts them against these thoughts. Bethlehem, he says, is a small place compared to Jerusalem, and yet I will not allow it to perish or be taken by the Gentiles. It will remain the property of the people, and will remain so until he who is to be the prince of my people is born to me in it.
This saying also serves as a model for the church. Christ is not born in Jerusalem, but in the small and lowly Bethlehem. In this way, the true church does not have great titles, not riches, not high dignities (not many noble and wise according to the flesh are called, says Paul (1 Cor. 1, 26.), "but what is foolish in the sight of the world, that God has chosen"), but is rather despised, poor, rejected, yes, oppressed by cross and sorrow, so that we must consider the word of Christ to be true ]Joh. 18, 36.]: "My kingdom is not of this world."
But that he gives Christ a new name and calls him XXXXXX XXXX seems to have been imitated by the angel Luc. 2, 11. when he says to the shepherds: "Christ the Lord is born to you today". And the apostles also in the same way call Christ everywhere the Lord or the Ruler. For it is he alone who rules over death, sin and the devil, as he preaches John 8:36: "If the Son makes you free, you are free indeed."
The following piece: "Which origin has been from the beginning", is to be especially noted. For as the other pieces that follow indicate the ministry of Christ, so this piece paints the person, so that we may recognize of which Lord he speaks. Now as to the sense, it agrees entirely with the words of John [Cap. 1, 1.], "In the beginning was the Word." Likewise, John 8:58: "Before Abraham was, I am." Col. 1, 15.: "He is the firstborn before all creatures." For the word XXXXXXX, which we have translated by "origin," need not be adulterated according to the manner of the Jews, so that it means: promised from eternity or from old age. It means the essence (substantiam) and the being (esse) itself, that he was there from
Eternity ago, before time or any creator. For this reason Paul says emphatically [Gal. 4, 4]: Born in time of a woman, to indicate that he was before time. Likewise [Rom. 1, 3.]: After the flesh a son of David, to indicate that he was there before he took on this flesh.
Here, therefore, he first distinguishes this or Lord not only from all men, but also from all angels. For there was a time when neither man nor angels were, but at that time this Lord had his beginning, and did not begin to be only then, when he began to be in the flesh.
But this serves to strengthen our faith. For who is not amazed at the exceedingly great things that Christ has accomplished through the Word alone, as the evangelists tell us? These things are impossible for a man or a creature, but they are not impossible for him whose origin is from eternity. For to him (although he is a creature according to the flesh) all creatures are nevertheless subject as to their Lord.
But this also serves to instruct us about our life. For since the head of this kingdom is eternal, we too must strive for the eternal, not clinging to the world, but living as if we were outside the world, as Paul exhorts in the letter to the Colossians [Cap. 3, 1.]: "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek those things which are above. This would befit the subjects of this king. For it is certain that those who set their mind on the world and on temporal things are not Christ's servants.
V. 2. But he will afflict them until the time that she who is to give birth will give birth; then the rest of his brothers will return to the children of Israel.
Almost everyone interprets this saying of the spiritual birth, that through the gospel preached by the apostles among the Gentiles, a new church was born among the Gentiles. But there is nothing to prevent "she who is to give birth" from being understood simply by the holy virgin who conceived by the Holy Spirit and gave birth to Christ in this world.
has. For the prophet shows a special emphasis and indicates a special birth, the like of which has never been in the world, nor will be. So also Isaiah Cap. 7, 14. uses the same word: "A virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Therefore, this is the opinion: Before this blessed birth happens, the people will be plagued in many ways by the successors of Alexander, by the Romans, by Herod. But this bodily adversity will be made up for when "she who is to give birth", that is, she of whose birth the Holy Spirit prophesies, has given birth. For then it will happen that also "the rest of his brethren," that is, the remnant of the ten tribes of Israel, "will return to the children of Israel," that is, that they will accept the gospel, believe, and be saved. This seems to be the simplest and the correct conception, which also includes the other one, that of the spiritual birth.
But the prophet reminds us here, silently, of the order of God's works, namely, that he is wont to afflict before he comforts, and to oppress before he saves. And to those who are afflicted by misfortune, this reminder is necessary, so that they not only do not despair when they feel the adversity, but then also raise themselves up and draw certain hope that God will help them, and show His power and His goodness in the highest dangers. The flesh, however, tends to do the opposite; when everything turns out as desired, it has good hope, but when fortune seems a little unfavorable, it dreams that God is angry and that doom is at hand.
Therefore, the prophet clearly reminds his people that before this promise is fulfilled, they will be afflicted in many ways, so that they will not despair in tribulations, as if the promises of Christ were not to be fulfilled. But our nature requires such an order of God's works, so that we do not become secure, so that we are not puffed up by prosperity, but live in the fear of God and exercise ourselves in faith and prayer.
V. 3. But he shall appear, and feed in the power of the Lord, and in the victory of the name of his God. And they shall dwell; for he shall be glorious in that day as far as the earth is.
So far he has painted the person. Now he also teaches about the ministry of this Lord and says at the beginning: "He will appear" to indicate that he will not be idle like those who lie idle and snore. What then will he do? "He will feed." What this is can easily be seen from the New Testament, since Christ says [John 10:12], "I am a good shepherd." Likewise [John 21:17], "Feed my sheep." For the office of a shepherd has a wonderful resemblance to the office of Christ.
A shepherd does two things, as we have shown above [Cap. 2, 12]; he feeds and defends. Thus Christ shepherds through the word, since he teaches that God is favorable to us, forgives our sins, and wants to give us eternal life through the Son. The defense is truly admirable, since he throws himself into the jaws of Satan and, as he himself says [John 10:12], lays down his life for his sheep.
But he does this in strength or "in the power of the Lord", that is, by divine power. Therefore, the Christ who is killed lives, the one who is conquered conquers, the one who is oppressed oppresses, the one who is captured captures. For it was impossible, as Peter [Acts 2:24] says, that he should be kept in the pains of death.
But not only in the power of the Lord, but in the glorious and triumphant name of the Lord, his God. Truly, a wonderful way how the Lord administers his kingdom here. He feeds in the power of the Lord, and yet not with weapons, but he simply overcomes in the name of his God. This is indeed the highest thing in this kingdom. But what shall we say that the name of God is other than His word, for this is the true pasture, which was not revealed by Moses, but by Christ, as the saying says [John 1:18]: "No one has ever seen God. The Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared it to us."
But this is a glorious name, that is, it triumphs and overcomes, as Christ says [Matt. 16:18.], "The gates of hell shall not prevail against it," and Isaiah [Cap. 40:8.], "But the word of our God endureth for ever."
However, we are reminded of the danger in this, since this king is held up to us that he is our shepherd. For who does not see the danger that threatens the sheep from the wolves and other wild animals? Thus our weak nature has Satan for an enemy, who walks about like a roaring lion and eagerly seizes every opportunity to harm. But with us there is so little protection against this enemy that a sheep in the midst of wolves seems to be much safer than we are.
What should we do, therefore, so that the enemy does not gain the victory? Certainly this, one must take hold of the name of the Lord, that is, the word of Christ must be accepted in faith, and thus we will gain the victory. If sins afflict you, hear Christ commanding that repentance and remission of sins be preached in his name [Luc. 24:47]. If death is imminent and terrifies you, hear Christ [John 11:25]: "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me shall never die." If the judgment and wrath of God terrify thee, hear Christ saying [John 3:16], "God so loved the world, that he sent his only begotten Son." Will you then be afraid of Him of whom you hear that He so loved you that He gave His Son? In this way, our Shepherd Christ goes before us, feeding and sustaining us in the name of His God. In this way he also speaks in John Cap. 17, 12: "While I was with them 1) in the world, I sustained them in your name. Which thou gavest me" etc.
Therefore the prophet also adds here, "And they shall dwell," XXXX that is, they shall sit securely, as Paul also says Rom. 5:1, "Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace." However, not only is there no help in ourselves, but.
1) Erlanger: graut instead of: graru.
Our enemy also overcomes in that when he accuses us, he never accuses in vain, for we too must confess our sins and that our nature is utterly depraved. Nevertheless, we dwell securely for this reason, because we have such a shepherd who feeds us with such great zeal, diligence and care, yes, with such great power. Therefore, the prophets rightly praise this kingdom so much, and we also set everything back against the Word; as Peter says [John 6:68.], "O Lord, whither shall we go? Thou hast words of eternal life." For there is no victory over death, no victory over sin, except in the name of God, in which this Shepherd feeds, that is, in the name of Christ, in whom alone hearts are at rest, as He says [John 16:33.], "In me ye shall have peace." Likewise [Matth. 11, 29.P- "You will find rest for your souls" etc.
But because safety is promised only in the name or word of God, it follows that if one departs from the word, all must be full of unrest and danger, as Christ says [John 16:33.], "In the world ye fear, but in me ye have peace." For this is connected with each other: Peace and security in the word, which faith grasps, and hope (spes) holds fast, and in the flesh dangers, cross, sin, trepidation etc., against which faith in the saints fights on and on.
What is added: "For He will become glorious at the same time, as far as the world is", first of all makes a great contrast between the times of the Law and the Gospel. For in the time of the Law, the Lord became glorious only among His people and within the borders of the Jewish land; all the rest of the Gentiles did not know God, did not have the Word, did not have the service of God. Therefore, they did not make the true God glorious, but their idols and their godless nature. This, says the prophet, will cease, for the glory of the Lord will be spread throughout the whole world. For by the gospel God is known; this gospel, he says here, will be spread into the whole world.
Therefore, it follows, first of all, that the pagans have to go to the
The kingdom of Christ is to be called. Secondly, it follows that this kingdom is a kingdom of grace, not of merit or works. For how else could the Gentiles be called to it, who not only lack all merit, but are also stained with the most grievous sins? And this is what Paul says [Rom. 3, 21. 22.], that the righteousness that is valid before God is revealed without the help of the law, through faith in Christ.
But how will he become glorious? For it is not only certain that Christ Himself was treated in the most unworthy manner by His own, but also that all believers have the same fate, for [2 Tim. 3:12]: "All who want to live godly in Christ JEsu must suffer persecution." But this does not mean "becoming glorious." It is therefore more in accordance with the truth that the enemies of Christ and the gospel become glorious, but Christ and his gospel are blasphemed, condemned and subjected to torture.
I answer: The saying of Christ is well known: "My kingdom is not of this world. Therefore it follows that the glory of this kingdom is different from that which the kingdoms of the world have. In the world that is called a glory which stands in riches, dignity, power etc. But Christ's kingdom has another glory, namely that it is not only in one place or at one time, but everywhere and all the time. There has not been such a great power in the world that has not been compelled to give place to the Gospel, as the Psalm says [Ps. 19:4, 5]: "There is no speech nor language where its voice is not heard. Their cord goes out into all the earth, and their speech to the end of the world."
Furthermore, just as the. Just as rain never goes without fruit, especially when the fields are thirsty, so it is with the word that it is never taught without fruit. But those who accept the word in faith, with them the Lord also becomes glorious, for they would rather lose their goods, their lives and the whole world than deny Christ and let him be snatched away. The words of Paul are well known, the sermons of the prophets are well known, with which they adorn and praise the goods of this kingdom.
But, you will say, not all believe; the greater part are ungodly, blaspheme the gospel, and persecute it: where then is the glory which you extol? But here this glory is most conspicuous, for there is no power so great that it is not compelled to yield to this kingdom. The riches, the power and the rage of the world are clear in the day; but behold the end, and thou shalt know that the word of God abideth for ever, and is as a rock. [Matth. 21, 44.:] "Whosoever falleth upon this rock shall be broken: but upon whomsoever it falleth, it shall break him in pieces." This is also prophesied by Daniel, Cap. 2, 44, for he says that the stone which falls from heaven without the hands of men and crushes gold, silver, brass, iron and clay is the kingdom of Christ, which will crush all the kingdoms of the world.
But this glory began immediately at the time when it was promised that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent's head. For everything that has opposed Christ and the word of God since that day has perished. Thus, one kingdom after another has been destroyed. And finally it will happen that also the miserable remains, which Daniel compares to feet made of earth, brass and iron, will be completely crushed by our King Christ.
Before this general crushing, the special crushings of the furious princes take place, whom the long peace, wealth and happiness make nonsensical, as we see that some have fallen, who thought that they alone would be sufficient to eradicate our doctrine. But as the Psalm says of Jerusalem [Ps. 47:5], Kings have seen her, and passed by: so the enemies of the church have perished, and shall perish; but the church shall be preserved. This glory of the Lord in the whole world, in the believers and also in the enemies of the gospel, the prophet praises in this passage.
V. 4. 5. For this also shall we have peace before Assyria, which is now fallen into our land, and hath trodden down our houses. For there shall be seven shepherds and eight princes over him.
be awakened, who destroy the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod with their bare weapons. So we will be delivered from Assyria, who has fallen into our land and trampled our border.
It is not necessary that we change [in the first words: Et hic erit pax] the pronoun in the masculine into the neuter. For if it is understood of Christ that he is peace, then the same opinion that is in the Gospel [John 14:27, 16:33] is: In me you will have peace, but not that which the world gives. For this peace is that we know that our sins are forgiven us, and that we are saved from eternal death, through this King Christ. This peace softens the troubles, dangers, troubles and all the troubles of the flesh.
As for the rest of the text, Assyria is known. But "the land of Nimrod" is the Babylonian kingdom. For these two kingdoms did the most harm to the Jews. The Assyrian Salmanasser led away the ten tribes of Israel. The Babylonian Nebuchadnezzar led away the tribe of Judah.
Although Lyra and others refer this to history, that the power of the Assyrians as well as that of the Babylonians was transferred to the Medes and Persians, yet, since we must necessarily understand the following from the kingdom of Christ, why should we make an unnecessary transition here? I now hold that by the Assyrians and Babylonians are meant the enemies in general, which the church has had at all times. For just as the people of Israel suffered these enemies, so the church must also suffer its enemies.
Against these, he promises, seven shepherds and eight princes shall be raised up from among the common people, that is, a great multitude of teachers. For this is a Hebrew way of speaking, by which a great multitude and a great number are indicated, as also Solomon speaks in Ecclesiastes, Cap. 11, 2: "Divide out among seven and among eight," that is, give abundantly, not scantily. So he says here: The church will have a great multitude of evangelists, who will teach among the Gentiles, and either humble them, that they may give to the Pre-.
For those who oppose the word must perish by arms, as we have said above. For those who oppose the word must perish by weapons, as we also said above.
The word comes from which means to set as ruler, to decree etc. Therefore we have given it by "raised up" to indicate the apostles, who were chosen from among people of the lowest estate to teach and rule the world by word. The same word is used by David in the 2nd Psalm, v. 6: But "I have appointed my King". For the word has a peculiar power to indicate the commanding of the ministry of preaching.
V. 6 The remnant of Jacob shall be among many nations, as the dew of the Lord, and as the droplets of the grass, waiting for no man, nor for men.
This has the same opinion as the previous one, although the images are different. He has said of seven shepherds and eight princes, who by the gospel will destroy Assyria and Nimrod, that is, all the enemies of the church.
Here he uses another simile to indicate both the dignity and the fruit of the preaching ministry in the New Testament. For he compares the rest of Jacob among the nations, that is, the apostles and their successors in the preaching ministry, with the dew from heaven and the rain. This must first be related to the dignity of the preaching ministry, for the gospel is a heavenly gift that far surpasses all other gifts, as the Baptist says [John 1:18]: "No one has ever seen God. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared it unto us." Rightly, therefore, it must be preferred to all things.
Then the similitude must also be related to the fruit of the preaching ministry. For just as the earth is refreshed by the dew from heaven and by the rain, and everything grows and prospers, so a certain fruit follows the word, just as Isaiah uses this same simile in the same way (Cap.
55, 10.]. The fruits of this heavenly gift are the Holy Spirit, who descends into the hearts of men through the word of the Gospel and awakens faith in them. Through faith, the forgiveness of sins and eternal life are obtained, as Christ says [John 6:40, 8:51]: "He who believes in me will never die.
Furthermore, the Holy Spirit is not idle in the hearts of believers, for He contends against the flesh, killing the flesh with its lusts, and inciting to obedience to God. But since this can never be perfect in the weakness of our flesh, hearts are straightened daily by the Holy Spirit against this weakness and other sins, through faith, that is, through confidence in the mercy shown for Christ's sake.
But just as the prophet says that the grass, which is refreshed by dew from heaven and fruitful rain, waits for no one, nor puts its trust in man (for dew and rain are not man's, but God's and truly heavenly gifts), so these fruits are sought in vain by the efforts, undertakings and works of men. There is only one way to attain them, namely to keep to the Word and to be obedient to it. The efforts of the monks in the papacy are well known, through which the simple-minded people believed they could attain these fruits. But everything was done in vain, because it was what the prophet says here: "waiting for someone and waiting for people". And Christ says [Matt. 15:9], "In vain do they serve me with the commandments of men." The dew from heaven and heavenly rain are necessary, that is, good and godly church ministers who teach the word of Christ purely.
Therefore, the present passage contains a glorious praise of the ministry of preaching. But we must remember that the Holy Spirit speaks in this way of the Word and of the ministers of the Word. He alone adorns them with these exceedingly beautiful names, calling them "dew from the Lord" and "rain. But the world judges differently. For look at the pope and the whole church of the Antichrist. These ver-
equates the godly teachers with the poison that has been slithered into the world from hell. It condemns and curses the [right] teaching as the most harmful plague. Hence come the curses, the persecutions and the so many tortures of the godly. Therefore it is necessary that we strengthen ourselves against these judgments of the world, and wish ourselves happiness in this praise of the Holy Spirit, who compares the godly ministers of the gospel with the dew from heaven and the fertilizing rain. For we should esteem this one judgment higher than the whole world.
V. 7 Yes, the remnant of Jacob will be among the nations of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among a flock of sheep, whom no one can resist when he goes through, treading and tearing.
This is another simile, which also serves as a prize for the ministry of preaching. Of course, this ministry is entirely designed to heal, as Christ says (Matth. 20, 28.j: "The Son of Man came to serve, and to give his life for the salvation of many. Therefore, the ministers of the Gospel are rightly compared to a gentle and fruitful rain. What, you will say, does it occur to the prophet that he compares the rest of Jacob to a lion raging in the forest among the wild beasts, and to a young lion who, because of his youth, is cruel and strikes down the defenseless sheep with hideous ferocity? Is this not contrary to each other?
That is certainly true. But there are also completely opposite people with whom the word has to do. For those who accept the word in faith, it is in truth a heavenly dew and rain, as Christ says [Matth. 11, 28]: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. But those who oppose the word, who not only do not accept it in faith, but want it persecuted and destroyed, as the ungodly synagogue did, as the Roman Empire did, to them the word and the whole ministry becomes a lion that tears and scatters.
Therefore this parable has the same meaning that Christ expresses in Matth. 16, 18: "On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Examples of this are before our eyes. The synagogue has set itself against the apostles with all its might, but the apostles have been preserved. The synagogue has been destroyed from the ground up.
But, you will say, the Romans destroyed them, they were the lion that tore and trampled, not the apostles. But listen to Christ, who says in Luc. 19:44, "Not one stone shall be left upon another, because thou knewest not the time wherein thou wast visited." Has not the synagogue been destroyed from the bottom up by this very ministry of the gospel, through which the faithful have been saved? In the same way it has happened to all enemies of the gospel from the beginning, since the gospel was preached.
Therefore, this parable serves to comfort the church in the world, which is like a ship on the wide sea, tossed about by a terrifying storm. For Satan is not idle; he knows what fruits this very fruitful rain will bring forth. Therefore he endeavors to choke either the rain, which he cannot prevent, or the seed. He equips people with power, wealth, wisdom, dignity, and urges them to use these gifts to suppress the word. On the other hand, the church is almost without these gifts, for it lies like poor Lazarus in front of the rich man's house in the highest contempt, hatred, misery, in the highest dangers and hardships. When the godly consider this according to their, that is, according to human opinion, they judge that the church will perish. For how can she, the One, be a match for so many enemies, the world and the devils?
But the prophet comforts us: it will happen that the church will be victorious, like a lion among the rest of the wild animals, and like a young lion among the sheep. But this victory will not be achieved in a human way, for he who is superior in strength will be victorious and defeat his adversary; but the Church, when defeated, will not be victorious by weapons or human strength, but in the
Glory to the name of their God, that is, in the Word that is almighty and abides forever, as the prophet concludes here.
V. 8 For thy hand shall prevail against all thine enemies, and all thine enemies shall be cut off.
You clearly see that the church, which is triumphant, is in such a condition in the world that it is plagued, that it has many enemies. Why do we fools anxiously strive that the church has no enemies and that harmony is established everywhere? But it would be bearable if the church had only enemies, and the enemies were not also its fearful ones, who plague the church in many ways. Therefore it must suffer tribulation and fear, but at the same time victory must be hoped for, not only the fall of the enemies of the Word, but their extermination.
Reason thinks that perdition threatens those who have to fight with a more powerful enemy. But the Holy Spirit says that this is the only and certain way to inevitable destruction if you are among the enemies of the Church. Why then do we allow ourselves to be moved by this when we see kings and princes making alliances to corrupt the Church? Why do we wish evil upon them?
For should one not have pity on those who pierce themselves with their own sword? For they cannot harm the church and have here their judgment, which is firmly decided: it will happen that they will be exterminated. The greater the reverence for the word and the greater the zeal for it should be among kings and princes, who, after all, are united in their efforts to ensure that the gospel cannot be preached freely anywhere. Therefore, Germany is facing a certain devastation. O Lord, grant peace in our time. Amen.
V. 9, 10: In that day, saith the Lord, will I put away thy horses from thee, and destroy thy chariots; and I will cut off the cities of thy land, and break down all thy strongholds.
Above the prophet has set a general prophecy, it will happen that all the
Enemies of the church and the word will be exterminated. Now he adds a special prophecy about the Jews and the synagogue, that it will be completely destroyed because it opposes the gospel. Therefore, although the Romans had their worldly causes for besieging and conquering Jerusalem, yet the real and certain cause of their calamity was that the synagogue opposed the apostles and the gospel, as Christ also says [Luc. 19:44], "Not one stone shall be left upon another, because thou knewest not the time wherein thou wast visited," that is, because thou believedst not the gospel. Through the Romans, therefore, the horses were destroyed and the chariots broken, that is, the kingdom and all the power of this people was broken.
As this began with the Jewish people, so it has happened with the Gentiles until this day. For wherever the word was preached and not received, sure destruction followed. The Roman Empire serves as an example; after that, almost all of Asia; furthermore, the misfortune of Greece, Thrace and other neighboring peoples, over whom the inhuman Turks now rule, is before our eyes.
Therefore, this admonition is necessary wherever the gospel is preached, that all should accept and grasp it with reverence. But we see that God did not want the gospel to be preached by angels; it is men to whom He entrusts this task. But just as they are strictly forbidden to abuse their office in order to gain power and wealth, so the church is commanded to hold these ministers of the word in honor, to feed them generously, and to show them reverence. And it is for this reason that the Scriptures praise the ministry of the Word so gloriously. Isaiah says Cap. 52, 7: "How lovely are the feet of the messengers who proclaim peace," and our Micah compares them in a very beautiful image to the dew from heaven and a fruitful rain; elsewhere they are called angels. The Holy Spirit makes use of such praise with the certain intention that he also inspires us to reverence the ministers of the Word.
And there are also examples available, as
God has inflicted the most severe punishments on the despisers of the servants of the Word. I will be silent about the flood of sin, about the fall of Sodom, about the earth swallowing Korah and his comrades. When Elisha was mocked by the boys, the bears came and tore forty-two of the children [2 Kings 2:24]. And these reproached the old man only for his bald head, and the youthful age would have deserved an excuse, - but how much more severely will God punish the contempt of the preaching office on the adults, who believe that they can cover their shameful deeds with it, if they bring the preaching office into contempt by trumped-up accusations. The Jews tormented the apostles in many ways; they poked them with rods, they threatened them, they threw them into bands, they killed them. Through this tyranny, as the prophet says, they lost their horses and chariots, and their strongholds and cities were destroyed.
V. 11. And I will cut off thy sorcerers from among thee, that no diviners of signs shall abide with thee. >
As he threatened the kingdom or the worldly regiment with destruction, so he threatens here also the priesthood, which he compares for a certain reason with the prophesying from birdcalls (auguriis) and sign interpretations, as we will say later. Furthermore, the Hebrews have many names for the pagan divinations (divinorum), which Moses has listed almost all in the 5th book Cap. 18. In this place is XXXXX, which is almost everywhere rendered by the word "sorcerer", for it denotes those who use witchcraft or sorcery. The other word is XXXXXXX, by which sign interpreters are understood, who either prophesy from birdcalls or follow astronomical observations.
But what resemblance have these to the priesthood? For also in the other prophets it is common to compare the godless teachers with the sorcerers. Such passages almost all look at the sermon of Samuel, which he preached to Saul 1 Sam. 15, 23. where he says: "For disobedience is a sorcerer's sin, and reluctance is idolatry and idolatry."
Sorcery is an obvious renunciation of God, because the trust in God's help, which should only be expected from God, is transferred to the creatures and to God's adversary, Satan. The prophet compares the Jewish priesthood with this sin. Because it was commanded from heaven [Luc. 9, 35]: "You shall hear him", but the priests do not want to hear and persecute the gospel, God judges that all their sacrifices, all services, prayers and practices are, as it were, an abominable sorcery and a renunciation of God. For, as Samuel says [1 Sam. 15, 22], obedience is better than sacrifice, and attention better than offering the fat of rams.
In this way, our adversaries utterly hate the gospel, condemn it as a heresy, and strive to destroy it. Meanwhile, they insist on vows, masses, fasts, pilgrimages, and other trivial things. But we rightly compare this to sorcery, that God abhors all these things, as He abhors sorcery, in which is a manifest impiety and a renunciation of God. For they throw away the highest service of God, namely obedience to the Word, and meanwhile think that they are holy through their human statutes.
Therefore, both the secular government and the priesthood of the Jews were disturbed and destroyed, because the Jews stubbornly kept the law and despised the gospel and persecuted it with hostile hatred.
I will cut off from you your images and your idols, and you will no longer worship the work of your hands. And I will break down thy groves, and destroy thy cities.
A similar passage is above in the first chapter [v. 6, 7]. But I said there that these threats serve to make the people realize that this idolatry is not only futile, but also highly offensive to God. For what is the point of threatening the stones and the wood? Therefore, since he says that these shall perish, he instructs the people so that they will not place any hope in the service of them, but will come out of the
The people were to take away the punishment and learn that God had been severely offended by this idolatry.
But it has been discussed above [Cap. 1, 7.], which images can be tolerated and which have to be removed. For the prophet also expressly indicates the same here, saying, "Thou shalt not worship the works of thy hands." Therefore, worship and service are condemned, but images are not rejected outright, 1) if they are only proper and not annoying images; for even the annoyance must be taken into account. This is what Hezekiah did when he destroyed the bronze serpent after it had been burned with incense, 2 Kings 18:4.
But the text indicates not indistinctly that the godly king did this against the will of the people and the priests, because therefore it is added: "The king trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, and called the serpent Nehusthan," that is, ore. For he knew, though it was made by the command of God, that it was not made for worship, but that those who were injured by the serpents might be healed. Outside of this use, he says, the ore is only ore. Therefore it was an impiety that divine honors were paid to it, and it is broken and crushed by Hezekiah out of very good intention. In this way, a godly authority should cut off everywhere what is annoying, so that
1) Erlanger: üawuatur instead of: üamnamur.
The remains of the papacy should not once cause new damage to the descendants.
V. 14. And I will take vengeance with fury and wrath on all the nations that will not obey.
This is a glorious sentence, which includes the last judgment. For just as it was to the Jews' destruction that they had set themselves against the gospel, so the same will happen to the rest of the nations, until at last on the last day general vengeance will be executed against all who have not obeyed the gospel.
But it is especially to be noted that he remembers no sin, but that they would not have obeyed. But this is because it was commanded from heaven, "Him you shall hear." Those who do not obey this commandment are preparing their own destruction.
This is the glorious prophecy of the kingdom of Christ, in which he describes the king himself in the first place, that he is God. Likewise, his ministry, that he will pasture in the glory of the name of his God. Thirdly, he also indicates the power and dignity of the evangelical preaching ministry. And finally, he prophesies that all, whether Jews or Gentiles, who do not obey this teaching will be lost. We are to be mindful of this threat and accept the word with all reverence. Now follows another sermon.