The first part of this prophet is approximately finished. In what follows, he will prophesy of things to come, namely of what follows in the times until Christ and after Christ. However, the first part of this chapter is extraordinarily obscure and is treated in many different ways by all interpreters, and yet this diversity is not yet sufficient for all of them. Some of them take it from Babylon, others from the Maccabees, Jerome refers the whole thing to Christ, and yet all of them do not reach the goal. It is quite clear and plain what the prophet speaks of the burden, for so reads the inscription of the chapter. Therefore, where there is a burden of the word of the Lord, some evil or future tribulation must be foretold and indicated, which happens regularly with all prophets. And yet here also, at the same time as the preannouncement of the distress, he brings in grace, as he records below [v. 7]: "And I will put their blood out of their mouth, and their abominations out of their teeth." In short, this is my opinion about this first part of the chapter, that the prophet wants to prophesy and prophesy that it will happen,
that the neighboring Gentiles who are around Jerusalem, Tyre, Sidon and all the land of the Philistines, will indeed be converted to the gospel of Christ, which has been revealed throughout the whole world, but nevertheless this grace will be preceded by great calamity, disturbance and tribulation, as if to say: It will indeed happen that our neighbors will also go with us, that we will have the same faith with them, but they will not arrive at this grace otherwise than well chastened, they will first suffer the punishments of their ungodliness, and because they have very often afflicted us exceedingly miserably and cruelly. This seems to me to be the right opinion; if this does not fit, I see nothing else by which I can wriggle out of this very great darkness. For everything is said by the prophet in a very dark way, so that the prophecy, which was made dark, was not understood until the Jews saw these things happen. But about Tyre and Sidon, the very rich cities (because they were sea cities, which had abundance of the best goods of every kind), the histories are to be looked up. But these cities were destroyed twice: once by the
the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar. Ezekiel commemorates this destruction [Cap. 29, 19] with many words: "Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, led his army with great difficulty before Tyre" etc. Then this happened also by the king Alexander, who received the epithet "the Great". This history is written by the historians of the Gentiles, and also in the evangelical history this destruction is mentioned, since Christ says [Matth. 11, 21.]: "Woe to you, Chorazin, woe to you, Bethsaida! if such deeds had happened in Tyro and Sidon" etc. In this passage Christ himself testifies that these cities were destroyed and exterminated from the ground up, which happened in the last desolation by Alexander the Great. After the death of Alexander, there was a constant discord, bitter hatred and strife between the kings of Egypt and Syria; there were often fierce battles with changing fortunes, and not without misfortune and great destruction for the cities that lay between them. For whichever of the two was victorious, they were subdued and plundered by him etc. See the history of the Maccabees and Josephus.
V. 1. About the land of Hadrach. 1)
Jerome thinks that this word is composed of two single words, and perhaps not unrhymed. But it is a new word, which the prophet formed for this purpose, so that he would make the prophecy dark. It means "a gift", pincernam, and the prophet used the etymology of the words to describe the customs of those cities, namely the indulgence and the softness and the highest wealth, as if he wanted to say: We are now poor, made low, all our things are sad, we are laboring to the utmost to rebuild the temple and to repair the wretched ruins of our city; you Syrians are gift-givers, there is happy increase in all things, you have a great abundance and plenty of all things, you live according to your pleasure sleepily and securely, you are not at all anxious about any misfortune, but in a little while there will be
1) In both the Erlangen and the Weimar:
that your cities also may be laid waste and your revelry subdued, so that, having thus overcome, you may rejoice with us in the grace revealed through the gospel.
And about Damascus, on which it relies.
Namely, on Syria, that is, on Damascus,] which is the defiance or head of Syria, on which it trusts and relies the most.
For the Lord looks upon men.
(Quia Domini est oculus hominis - for the eye of the Lord is the eye of man) is a scriptural expression that the prophet also used in the third Psalm [v. 9]: Domini est salus, that is, "with thee is help". So here: that the people see and all the tribes of Israel, that is not with them, but with the Lord. It is he who gives sight. But it is the opinion of this passage: Another change is near and imminent, the burden is before the hands, there will soon be another kingdom. The Lord will give sight to all men, that is, the light will dawn from the Lord. For this passage proves that it must be understood by the spiritual eyes.
And to all the tribes of Israel.
As if he wanted to say: You Syrians and Philistines seem to be clever, you think that everything is in the light before you, and that we lie wrapped in darkness. But it is another light, another seeing, than as you think, for it is with the Lord, who will give the eye to all of us and to all the tribes of Israel, that we not only see what is to be seen, but also rejoice in what is seen; for so the Scripture often uses the word see [for: "to see with delight"). But this new light is the gospel, by which hearts are enlightened, and which enlightens the darkest darkness.
V. 2. 3. 2) Also over Hamath, which borders with it; over Tyre and Sidon also, which are almost wise.
2) These verse numbers are missing in the Weimar.
That is, this burden will not only weigh down those drunkards and pleasure-seekers, but also Hamath (this is a city now called Antioch), which is near Damascus. All these, he says, seem to be wise, and they are indeed wise in the eyes of the world, but another wisdom is needed. But he explains this wisdom of the world and of reason, by which this whole region was famous, and points expressly to Tyre, as he adds [v. 3]: "For Tyre builds strong" etc., as if he wanted to say: She is surrounded with very strong walls, riches flow to her everywhere, she thinks she will be safe against all attacks of the enemies. Thus it has many things that give strength to the community, a large amount of silver and gold, but all this will be of no use to it, it will not be able to be preserved. But this city was very rich and prosperous, so the Macedonian Alexander could not overcome it without great danger to his own, so great was the power and wealth of this city. Finally, however, it was defeated, as will be added:
V. 4. See, the Lord will destroy them (possidebit eam).
For on the sea their power will be defeated. Thus I connect the order of the speech, otherwise there is no connection. But I take it in a good sense that the Lord says he will possess Tyre, that the opinion is: The Lord will also dwell in Tyre through his word. But this possession will be preceded by a great calamity; the power that Tyre has on the sea will be struck first, and she herself will be consumed by fire.
V. 5. When the asclone will see, she will be terrified.
Furthermore, he declares that the burden also applies to the other neighboring cities. Appoints but the capitals and the most distinguished cities of the kingdom of the Philistines, which were in the highest flourishing. And however small this kingdom was, it often dared to oppose the mightiest and greatest empires. They have caused much trouble to the Jews; often the Jews have also been beaten by them.
but here he says that their defiance will pass away, for which we read [in the Vulgate]: quoniam confusa est spes (the word ejus is too much), that is, their presumption will be made less, the men will be taken from them who can well counsel for the preservation of the state. If these are lacking in a community, no armed forces, riches or weapons can be sufficient.
V. 6. Strangers will dwell in Ashdod. 1)
Jerome referred this to Christ, but this does not fit at all. In Hebrew, however, it is written thus: And there will dwell, that is, a harlot in Ashdod, that is, after the natives and the right inhabitants are beaten and exterminated, it will be inhabited by strangers and arrivals to whom it did not belong. So completely, he says, they will perish, as it is also said that hardly any remains of these so rich cities are left, which at that time were very strong and populous, so that I also often wonder about the power of those cities, although they were few.
V. 7 And I will put their blood out of their mouths.
This passage promises grace, which I reminded at the beginning of this chapter. Therefore the opinion is: They are murderers and robbers, likewise idolaters and great sinners. All these sins I will take away from them (for this is what he calls "blood," namely, the sins of the flesh), but I will take them away through the gospel. This was done through the preaching of the apostles who passed through these cities.
That they also may remain for our God.
That is, it will also be a part of the remnant of God's people that will be preserved through the gospel.
That they may become like the princes (or teachers) in Judah.
That is, they will be so converted, and so great fruit will the gospel bear,
1) Vulgate: Lt ssüsdit ssparntor in ^^oto.
that there are also teachers of the word who are like the teachers and princes of Judah and can contend with them. Thus is the prophecy obscured, by which the prophet intended to indicate that Christ's kingdom would be only in spiritual hearts instructed and cleansed by the gospel, even among the Gentiles, which the Jews believed would never happen.
And Ekron like the Jebusites.
That is, they will be proselytes of the faith, just as the Jebusites were proselytes and fellow believers with the Jews in Jerusalem. They will believe the gospel of Christ as the Jews did etc.
V.8. And I myself will be the camp around my house.
In Hebrew [instead of circumdabo] it says: I will set up camp. The same word is in the Psalm [Ps. 34, 8.]: "The angel of the Lord camps around those who fear him", that means, after the manner of an army of war, he surrounds the godly people with the protection of the angels, and makes the angels their guardians, so that they cannot be hurt from any side. The same way of speaking is also here, as if he wanted to say: I want to fortify this church, which I have gathered from Gentiles and Jews, "so that the driver will no longer pass over them", so that the godly will no longer be hostile to the driver, that is, to the lawgiver, but will be governed and guided by the spirit. Therefore, I will give diligent and vigilant apostles and preachers of the word, who will administer their office well and preserve the flock entrusted to them, so that the wolves do not attack it, so that the false teachers do not rage against it and scatter and destroy the souls. Thus, those who preside over the ministry of the Word are Christ's warriors, who go and sow the Word and constantly fight against the devil, both for the hearers and for the Word, since the devil is always going about seeking whom he may devour, as Peter says, and lead away from Christ by the beaters, that is, by the teachers of works and human righteousness etc.
For I have now looked at it with my eyes.
Now that the law has been destroyed and taken away, I see a spiritual people, and that both the Gentiles and the Jews are gathered together in One Sheepfold.
V. 9. But you daughter of Zion, rejoice greatly.
This is, as I said, the second part of this chapter, in which he gives extremely rich comfort and describes the spread of the kingdom of Christ over the whole world among all Gentiles. But this passage is very well known, also cited by the evangelists and treated by us in detail in the postilion.
Behold, your King is coming to you, a righteous man and a helper.
The description of this king is wonderful. As he is very different from all the kings of the world, so he ascribes to him a very different office and very different royal honors than those befitting a worldly king. Here is no force, no weapons, no violence, no wrath or anger, for all these befit the kings of the world, but only kindness, righteousness, salvation, mercy and all good, in short, he is the servant of the kindness and mercy of God. He is righteous, for he makes righteous; he is a savior, for he makes blessed, which no king could ever accomplish, and it is far too great for any man to accomplish. But it is all spiritual and pictures a spiritual kingdom, which is evident from the coming and the future of this righteous king, since he comes in lowliness and rides on an ass; then not accompanied by the war power of his subjects, but the powers of the people are in the king, not those of the king in the people, which is the case with the worldly kings. But this whole passage stands in a contradiction. For if this king of ours is righteous and comes to save us, it is evident that we are ungodly sinners and condemned, otherwise he would come in vain to save us and make us righteous.
Arm.
The Hebrew word actually does not mean "poor", but more correctly it would be translated as "poor".
by the word humilis, in German: "miserable". This is how Lucas wanted to translate it in the hymn of Mary [Luc. 1, 48.]: "For he looked upon the lowliness of his handmaid." Hence the opinion: your King comes to you to bring you righteousness and blessedness. But all splendor, all royal adornment is lacking; there is no glory or splendor to be seen, but he comes as one lowly and lowly, and as one of the great multitude (έχ τών πολλών), like
some common man who does not distinguish himself from others by any royal insignia. Then he is not followed by horses or chariots, but rides on the smallest animal, a donkey.
V. 10: For I will take the chariots away from Ephraim.
The singular [quadrigam in the Vulgate] stands for the plural. Here again it includes both tribes, both Israel and Judah. In Ephraim the kingdom was Israel, but in Jerusalem Judah. Therefore this passage is full of comfort and even rich, as if he wanted to say: Although Israel was taken away to Media and never brought back, yet I will accept it at the same time with Judah and make it One Kingdom, namely that in Israel and in Judah the same faith and spirit shall be. But this will be a spiritual kingdom, therefore I will put away all outward weapons, chariots and horses, and everything that belongs to an outward kingdom. All these things do not belong here, just as I do not lead any of these things and do not display anything less than any outward appearance, or weapons, or the image of an outward kingdom. I am a righteous king and a helper, therefore my kingdom will also be like that and will be lowly and lowly in appearance, with nothing royal about it. But I will clothe with spiritual power those who will fight in this kingdom of mine. They will rule, not over men, but over death, sin and hell and the devil, so that there will be no creature that can stand against them. They shall be princes unto salvation. And this is what he calls "removing the chariots from Ephraim". So also says Isaiah [Cap. 2, 4]: "They will turn their swords into plowshares" etc.
The same is what the prophet adds here: "I will turn away the horses from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be broken," that is, there will no longer be any inclination to arms, and the animals will not be armed for battle.
For he will teach peace among the Gentiles.
This is the reason for the preceding. That is, he will preach forgiveness of sins, which reconciles God and men; where this is, it cannot be otherwise than that at the same time there is also love among us, and peace of one with the other. Weapons are easily despised and set aside. Certainly this is the case, for Christians do not fight among themselves, for they are a people of peace. They are like their king: they bless those who curse them, they do good to their enemies, they leave the coat to him who takes their skirts. But he says, "among the Gentiles," because Ephrainl is scattered among the Gentiles. Therefore, the peace preached among the Gentiles will also find Ephraim.
And his dominion will be from sea to sea.
He took this saying from the 72nd Psalm, v. 8: "He will reign from sea to sea" etc. This is a very clear passage of the spiritual kingdom of Christ, by which the Jews can be shut up, who imagine a carnal king, while here it is clearly said that the King Christ will reign over the whole world, but without force and without weapons, which cannot possibly happen in a carnal kingdom.
V. 11. You also let your captives out of the pit by the blood of your covenant.
There is an emphasis on the pronoun "you". After describing the king and the kingdom of peace, he now describes the way in which this kingdom was set up, or how highly the king was to be blamed for setting up this kingdom. And this whole passage is a kind of quarrel, because he explicitly distinguishes the blood of the old testament from the own blood of this
King, as if to say: Moses had blood, but that of goats and calves, but you have your own blood, by which you confirm your testament. The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews explains this passage beautifully [Cap. 9, 12]: "Not by the blood of goats or calves, but by his own blood he entered the holy place once, and found eternal redemption" etc.
This passage of the redeemed prisoners Jerome and Lyra interpret from the fathers who were saved from the outer castle (limbo) of hell. For so [limbus] they call it with a word invented by them. And it is to be wondered at that so great men, out of drowsiness, have often stumbled so exceedingly unrhymed, and that in passages which contain the greatest consolation, where it is a question of the epitome of our blessedness, as this passage also is, telling their dreams of the fathers, while it is said of the salvation of all believers, which is to be prepared by the shedding of the blood of Christ. For if the fathers were not saved and made righteous until they went to hell, they would never be brought back, there would be no salvation left. For salvation must be preceded by the forgiveness of sins, which must be granted to us while we are alive. So it happened also to the fathers, for they were saved while living and preserved by faith, by which we are to be preserved. For "all have eaten one kind of spiritual food, and all have drunk one kind of spiritual drink. "etc. [1 Cor. 10, 3. f.] only that this blood was not yet revealed; but they believed that it should be revealed. Against such quite clear passages the holy fathers often babble most abominably, so that their sleepiness in the holy Scriptures grieves me. Moreover, I do not believe that there is such a prebnrg of hell, which they praise so much, but do not base on any acceptable testimony of the Scriptures. The Scripture says that the dead fathers sleep in the Lord, are preserved in the Lord's hand; it does not say that they are relegated to an outer castle of hell etc. But the prophet is speaking here of the testament of Christ, which does not concern the dead at all, since
they cannot hear, but the living. Therefore, while we are alive, the gospel is proclaimed to us and the forgiveness of sins through the blood of Christ, which was shed for us. And so, in the manner of a contender, he contrasts this own blood of the king with the blood of calves and goats, which Moses used in his testament. But this testament of the king, confirmed by his own blood, is the forgiveness of sins and eternal bliss, as the author of the letter to the Hebrews [Cap. 9, 15] saws. So also is that to be taken which he says of the letting out of the captives, as if to say, In the first testament the bound were let out of Egypt, and led into the land of Canaan; but thou bringest the captives "out of the pit, where there is no water within," that is, out of death, sin, and hell. For those who feel sin, in truth feel death and hell, they have no peace, no refreshment, but eternal thirst. And in this pit we are immediately, as we were born, until death, unless we are brought out by Christ.
V. 12. Return therefore to the fortress.
This is an exhortation and a comfort, as if he wanted to say: Since the King Christ, the Savior, has already been revealed, also the gospel has been heard, return to the fortress. But he does not indicate a certain place of the fortress, but still persists in the strife. The first testament had a place held out to them, to which they aspired, namely the land of Canaan. But many of them murmured in the wilderness and here and there elsewhere, so they perished and did not obtain what they wanted, as this is also abundantly interpreted in the epistle to the Hebrews. Therefore, lest anything like this happen to you, take hold of the gospel and believe, now that you have been brought out of the pit, so that you may not be deprived of comfort southward, as they were deprived of the land of Canaan, which was most certainly destined for them to seek. And to this certain place he opposes here the "fortress", but he does not name a certain place, as if he wanted to say:
This is the nature of this fortress: if you seize it, you will be safe against all attempts of sin, death and hell.
You who lie imprisoned on hope (Vincti spei).
This piece answers an objection of the flesh, which cannot see this dominion over all creatures in the Christians, yes, it seems to him to be completely the opposite. For Christians are exposed to all evils, wretched and despised by the world, they suffer persecution, they feel sin, the fear of death etc. Against this thought he answers as if to say: It does not seem to be a fortress; you are still imprisoned and it does not seem otherwise, as if you were still under death and sin. But be of good cheer, ye are "captives of hope," that is, ye are blessed indeed, but in hope, as the apostle [Rom. 8:24] saith. This salvation from the pit by the blood of Christ is in hope; it is not seen; the blessedness and righteousness is hidden. But it is a Hebrew way of speaking, since he calls them prisoners of hope (vinctos spei), as Paul also calls himself [Eph. 3, 1.] a prisoner of Christ, and his bonds he calls Christ's and the gospel's bonds [Phil. 1, 13.], that is, which he suffers for the sake of Christ and the gospel.
For this day also will I proclaim, and repay thee for double.
This "today" is also wonderfully interpreted in the epistle to the Hebrews [Cap. 3, 7. 4, 7.]. This dividing could be understood by the multiplication of the people or the Spirit from the preaching of the Gospel, as if he said: "You were one thing to me, and a small herd in the land of Judah, but by the preaching of the Gospel I will cause you to be divided unto me, that with you also Israel may believe, and all the peoples of the whole world. But I like more the other opinion, which is also in Isaiah [Cap. 40, 2.]: "She hath received double from the hand of the Lord for all her sin." So here: "This day will I declare, and repay thee for double." There the word "repay" does not entail merit, that not
It is pure grace, because instead of the sins that were taken away, he has restored twofold grace, that is, he takes away from us the law and sin, which are the two greatest evils. And sin and death constantly accompany the law, because the power of sin is the law, and sin is the sting of death. It was not enough that we should be delivered from sin, if the author of sin were not also taken away, namely the law, which causes sin to become more powerful [Rom. 5, 20.], and 1) it demands and accuses us, that the conscience can never be joyful. But this redemption is through the blood of the King. In sum, the prophet deals with it: he describes the way in which the king attains to this kingdom of blessedness and righteousness. Through the Word we are made righteous and delivered, we are transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light through the power of the blood of Christ, and then we live in hope.
V. 13 For I have made Judah my bow, and I have made Ephraim my armor.
Then follows the multiplication and spreading, the benefit of this thing. For from Judah and Ephraim, he says, this grace should also be propagated among all the Gentiles. But this honor he gives to Judah and Ephraim, that he first names them, deun to them actually belonged Christ, because he was promised to them. "Salvation comes from the Jews," says John [Cap. 4:22]. And Paul everywhere puts the Jews first when he speaks of the justified Jews and Gentiles [Rom. 1:16.]: "The Jews first and also the Greeks." But this, which now follows, seems to dispute with the preceding, since he says [v. 10.] that he will put away the bows and chariots of Ephraim, also the horses of Jerusalem, and has ordered the whole kingdom in word and spirit, and here again remembers the weapons, bows, and swords. I answer: The former statement is the summa and the real condition, since the lowly king described
1) Weimarsche: ut; Erlanger: 6t. We have followed the latter reading.
how he walks along without any royal adornment. For so he also went, and therefore he also described his kingdom as such, and those who belong to this kingdom. This he said with clear words and without any picture, so that it cannot be understood differently. Therefore these figurative speeches are to be referred to the preceding simple representation. And so the sword, the bow and the other things are to be understood figuratively, so that they do not seem to argue with the previous revealed saying. Therefore the opinion is: These two kingdoms, both Judah and Ephraim, I will seize; but I will make use of their conversion, not only among the Jews, but for the conversion of all peoples in the whole world, because through them I will spread the gospel in the world and use their ministry, that they also should proclaim to the Gentiles the salvation offered to them through my blood. I will draw Judah as my bow, that is, through it I will hurl the preaching of the gospel like arrows, so that many Gentiles, struck by this bow of mine, will be subjected to me. Thus it is also said in the Psalm [Ps. 45:6]: "Sharp are your arrows, that the nations fall down before you" etc.
And Ephraim equipped.
That is, the apostles and other disciples I will fill with the Holy Spirit, that they may hurl arrows among the Gentiles by the word of grace. And this is the interpretation of what he said above [v. 10.], "He shall teach peace among the Gentiles, and his dominion shall be from sea to sea."
And will set you as a sword of giants.
That is, the word of the gospel will be effective, it will break through and bear abundant fruit among the Gentiles.
V. 14. And the Lord will appear over them.
That is, the disciples, the apostles, and the preachers of the gospel will make known and confirm the power of the word by miracles and their constancy, so that, after he has seen the signs and the strength of heart at
No one can deny that the power of God is in them, that the Lord uses their ministry in His cause, as His instruments.
And his arrows will go out like lightning.
That is, the word will not be able to be hindered, it will run quickly and break through, like the lightning from the exit to the setting of the sun, without anyone being able to hinder it, runs and shines. Therefore, no one will be able to stop the effectiveness and the course of the word.
And the Lord HEART will blow the trumpet.
That is, let the gospel resound.
And will step in closer than the weather of noon.
The storm from the noon region is the strongest of all, through it, therefore, it indicates the power of the preached gospel, that is, the word will go forth with great power, it will seize the Gentiles as with a whirlwind and weather, and thus humble and strike down the captured peoples, so that it may make alive and blessed those who were thus first killed and damned, for this is the way of the Holy Spirit in the conversion of the ungodly.
V. 15. the Lord of hosts will protect them, that they may devour etc.
The prophet takes pleasure in a lovely desire for images and figurative speeches, through all of which he describes the power of the preached gospel and praises its glory and honor. But he indicates that the ministers of the word are exposed to many dangers in persecution, destined to the slaughter, as it is said in the Psalm [Ps. 44, 23.]. They are prisoners in hope [v. 12.], therefore they need the protection of the Lord, and he also protects them, as he says [Matt. 10, 30.]: "The very hairs of your head are all numbered." Likewise [Zech. 2:8], "He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye." He not only protects the body, but when the body is killed, he causes the word to be strong and to stand against Satan and all adversaries, which is to his glory.
That they eat and bring under themselves with sling stones.
That is, they will bite and punish sinners, as Christ says [John 16:8], "The Holy Spirit will punish the world for sin." Then they will devour those thus killed, that is, incorporate them by faith in the gospel. The same is what he says here of the "sling stones," as if to say, "They shall hurl my gospel among the Gentiles, and shall hit, and their preaching shall be effectual.
That they drink and rumble as from wine.
Inebriabuntur or rumor. He indicates with all this the happy progress of the Gospel among the Gentiles, that is, they will rejoice over the conversion of the Gentiles, as a drinker of wine rejoices when he drinks to the sufficiency and cheerfulness.
And become full as the basin, and as the corners of the altar.
This is another image, which is taken from the "basins" (phialis) (but phiala is "a bowl"), which were used at the sacrifices for the wine and the blood of the sacrificed animals, as if he wanted to say: They will have their play with the Gentiles, as the priests had their play with the basins and other sacrificial devices, they will sacrifice and slay the Gentiles by their preaching. And this is what Paul says [Rom. 15, 16]: 1) "I offer the gospel, that the Gentiles may become a sacrifice acceptable to God", as if he wanted to say: Through the gospel I sacrifice the Gentiles, and thus I cause the Gentiles thus sacrificed to become an acceptable sacrifice to the Lord. Thus all preachers of the Word sacrifice sinners and the ungodly to the Lord, killing them with the Word and driving them to despair, so that they may turn to righteousness. Thus the apostle Paul was full of the blood of many Gentiles. And here the prophet has explained with this One Word the reason of all the sacrifices of the Old Testament, namely what all of them aim at and what they go for, namely the ministry of the Word. -
1) Not "?LiI. 2, 17.", which the Weimar one in the notes biüet.
V. 16. And the Lord their God will help them at that time.
That is, this alone is the way to salvation; there is no other salvation to be expected, but it will happen through the word of the gospel, of which we are now speaking. But its revelation will take place; now only the prelude is given with all these things until salvation is made known. Thus the prophet uses many and various images, which are quite harsh in our language, but very appropriate in the Hebrew language, since the Jewish people had the use of sacrifices; and therefore they could easily take images from there, which we cannot. But the imagery of eating and drinking, which he here commemorates, is common among other peoples. So also in Job [Cap. 5, 5.] it is said, "His goods shall the mighty ones sow." Likewise in the Psalm [Ps. 79, 7.], "They have eaten up Jacob." Likewise [Ps. 14, 4.]: "They devour my people" etc., that is, they have sucked them dry, flayed them, for so also the Latins say: Exhausti sunt toti etc..
Like a herd (oves) of his people.
Christ and the apostles considered this prophet very well. For they use many words that are taken from this prophet and also quote some passages from it here and there. Thus Christ has everywhere the word "sheep" in his mouth, since he calls the Christians his sheep.
For holy stones will be set up in his land.
The use of the Nazarene is known from the sixth chapter of the fourth book of Moses, how the Nazarene were sanctified to the Lord, how they never shaved themselves and went bareheaded etc. And this use is called in Hebrew Neser [XXX]; this word we have given in the German translation by "Zucht". But it was a voluntary abstinence in which they served God, lest they should fall into idolatry, since it pleased them to be in such spirituality. And on this custom of the Nazarene, yes, on all sacrifices, meals, feasts, in short, on all ceremonies of the law plays.
Here, the prophet refers to the spiritual interpretation of everything to Christ, which is also done by the true preachers of the word and the apostles. For this is what the apostle Paul [1 Cor. 3:12] calls building gold and silver and precious stones on this foundation. The apostle Paul did the same in the letter to the Galatians, where he interprets the story of the two brothers Ishmael and Isaac according to the spiritual interpretation, in the fourth chapter of the letter to the Galatians [v. 22. ff]. Thus the prophet speaks here with many dark images and figures of Christ, although he acted above with quite clear and distinct words the same. Therefore the consecrated stones (Nazarei) are the apostles and preachers of the gospel, of whom he says that they shall be set up in his country. But the Hebrew word does not actually mean to raise up, but here it means to be raised up, as a sign or flag is raised up in war, as is clearly seen in the second book of Moses [Cap. 17, 15.] at the building of the altar, where Moses adds: "And called him, The HErr Nissi" [XXX ---- my panier], that is, my standard or sign of war, which attracts the eyes of those who look. Thus he calls the apostles and ministers of the Word consecrated stones (lapides Nazareos), which should be erected like a banner, that is, that the apostles and preachers of the Word should be the foundation of the Church, but consecrated and sanctified to the Lord like the Nazarenes, that is, completely pure they should teach the Gospel and the faith, not staining it with human doctrines, and not mixing in the leaven of the hypocrites. Such were the apostles, as Zechariah prophesies about them.
"They shall be raised up," namely, by the Holy Spirit, in the land as a guide and as a banner to which the hearers of the Gospel looked. For wherever the Gospel is preached, there is a struggle; the world and Christ cannot come to an agreement. Therefore, they fight, and the godly who trust in the writings of the apostles sit down against the enemies of godliness and shut them up. This is how the Holy Spirit does great things when faithful preachers of the gospel are given,
Who do not seek their own, do not seek the favor of others, do not seek riches and honor, but only seek to win for Christ [1 Cor. 9:19], and to give back the received pound with very rich usury; and thus they alone are consecrated and sanctified to Christ. Then they are right Nazarenes, since they teach the gospel of Christ purely, without admixture of their dreams and human doctrines, as follows. Here one can see a wonderful consequence and reason of the foregoing. He says [v. 15.], "The Lord their God will help at that time," etc. "For holy stones (lapides nezer) will be raised up" etc. But the prophet goes on to indicate in what way or how he will help, namely through the word, that is, through the sending of the apostles who are to preach Christ. Through their preaching, those are to be drawn to Christ in whom the gospel is effective. Only they must be stones of the Lord, that is, consecrated to the Lord, only they must teach the gospel truthfully, otherwise they are not stones of the Lord.
V. 17. for what good do they have above others? etc.
This passage has been extremely badly twisted to the sacrament of the Holy Communion, which comes from the fact that here the grain and the wine are mentioned. Namely, so great has been the intolerable drowsiness of the sacred writers, whereas it would have befitted them to be extremely vigilant and careful etc. Jerome with his Jews accuses the seventy interpreters of ignorance because they translated: frumentum juvenum et mustum etc. But I hold that Jerome translated badly, and subscribe to the Septuagint translation and read [instead of] frumentum electorum et vinum germinans virgines [in the Vulgate, frumentum juvenum et mustum germinans etc.]. 1) It is therefore the opinion of the passage: Christ will save his people, not by armies of war, not by bodily armor, not by martial impetuosity, but by beauty and
1) Without this addition made by us, the passage seems meaningless to us. The Zwickau manuscript agrees with us. - Instead of mustuna we have put vinum according to the Vulgate.
lovely being, not by the cruel weapons, but by adornment and beauty, as it is said in the Psalm [Ps. 45, 5.].And this he calls here grain and wine, namely, by the gospel, which is Christ's highest honor and adornment, by which the hearts are attracted, which taste this sweetness of the gospel. For the gospel is the light and splendor in which Christ is glorified, so that the psalms call it praise, praise, splendor, adornment, beauty, and a thousand other names when they describe the adornment of Christ. This gospel, he says, will be something lovely, namely, through it he will beget for himself strong young men and virgins, not helpless little children, as they are born of weak carnal procreation, but they will be born immediately.
strong young men and beautiful virgins, as manly virgins and young men tend to be when they are in their prime, so that this birth will be wonderful. In short, it indicates that the people of the gospel will be strong, lively and joyful in spirit and faith. For in Christ there is not old age, but a constant blossoming of youth, not the sad old age, which begins to be troubled by various sorrows, which also happens to those who have come out of youth and have reached the right manly age. Youthful age does not have all this, which makes the hearts of young people free, lively and free from all sadness and sorrow; and so are the girls who are still in their prime etc.