First part.
About Joseph and his discipline and piety, how his father especially loved him and had a colorful skirt made for him.
V. 1. Now Jacob dwelt in the land where his father had been a stranger, in the land of Canaan.
Now this is the last history of the last patriarch Joseph, so that Moses concluded his first book, the Genesis, with a very beautiful and happy ending or end of all things, so Jacob acted, and especially of his whole life and all his tribulations. For after his house and household had been all confounded, and full of great toil, anxiety and sorrow, with which the very holy patriarch, as we have heard, had to struggle (not both because of the enmity of his brother Esau and the unkindness of his father-in-law Laban, all of which he endured and overcame with great courage, quite undaunted, with firm unconquerable faith, and also with great wonderful patience; but rather because of the tribulations and afflictions that happened in his own house and that he encountered there, such as that his daughter was weakened, that Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died to him and also his dear wife Rachel, that his son Reuben committed such great unspeakable incest by touching and defiling his father's marriage bed); and since in such great and high afflictions he still had some hope and consolation left in his old age, namely in his dear son Joseph, who was the firstborn of his deceased wife Rachel, who with his godly conduct and holy life still somewhat gladdened, comforted and lifted up his old father's heart, which had been afflicted and distressed for all that.
The poor, miserable old father, having first lost his beloved wife, must now also be deprived of his beloved son.
002 For Joseph was sold, and carried away into Egypt, so that he was out of his father's sight. And this was not done by strangers, or by those who might have been enemies, but by the bitterness, hatred and malice of his own brothers. And since these brothers fraudulently concealed their great sin and showed their old father the bloody robe, as if Joseph had been eaten by a wild animal, he, the father, did not mean or know otherwise than that the same would have perished and his son Joseph would have perished in such a miserable way; therefore he was so grieved and saddened in his heart over such a case that he did not want to be comforted by his other sons or daughters.
3 Thus the old aged Jacob is thrown into this fear and distress, even into hell itself, and that through the wickedness and sin of his own children. Therefore, his faith was undoubtedly so severely and seriously challenged and shattered that he could not have kept the promise God had made to him without a great struggle. For his heart was not only troubled and challenged with a fatherly inclination towards his dear son, but also with doubts and unbelief, namely, whether God would keep his promise, or whether he would have rejected him completely for the sake of some special sins; since he must now be deprived of the son of whom he hoped that he would be the rightful heir of the blessing that God had promised him, and of all his goods.
4 So this history and last misery of this holy man Jacob is the most troublesome one.
1022 L n. 42-44. interpretation of Genesis 37, 1. W. n. isvi-isos. 1023
It has been the most difficult and very frightening, and soon has a very heavy and fierce struggle in the beginning. For it is full of grievous and miserable sorrow or lamentation, by which the holy All-Father, previously almost exhausted by so much sorrow, suffering and affliction, is almost completely killed; and on top of all this, the grievous sin of his son Judah, who committed incest with Tamar, his daughter-in-law, has also occurred: which will have greatly increased the old father's sorrow and pain.
(5) However, he still retained good hope and firm confidence with wonderful constancy, and he lifted himself up and comforted himself with so many examples of the manifold and apparent help and salvation he had felt and experienced throughout his life, until at last a new light and comfort appeared and met him again.
(6) For at last a very wonderful and sweet end followed, that his great misery and pain, which had happened unexpectedly, was turned into a very great and unexpected joy. For Joseph, whose death his old father had mourned, was again led out of darkness into the light, out of death into life, and was miraculously preserved by God, and in addition was raised and seated by the king in Egypt to great honor and glory, after Jacob himself was also delivered from many and great tribulations.
(7) Now this is the end of the first book of Moses, and is the sixth and last book after the division of this explanation of ours, as we made it above. Just as there is nothing more beautiful in the whole of Scripture than the whole of Genesis, so among the other histories of the other patriarchs this example is very excellent and noteworthy, and is actually of such a nature that I cannot sufficiently grasp or understand it either in words or in thought. For this reason, I would like it to be interpreted and explained by others who are far more learned and eloquent than I am.
8. however, the order of the
Because the explanation we have begun requires and entails that we say the least, we want to pass over the history, which is truly very wonderful and high, because we cannot act and explain it sufficiently according to its dignity. But first, the order of this story must be repeated from what has been said above. For at the end of the 35th chapter Moses told how the patriarch Isaac, having become old and full of life, died and was gathered to his people, and how his two sons, Esau and Jacob, buried him in the land of Canaan. From then on, he goes on to describe Esau's family, and therefore takes as his reason that Esau was at his father's burial, and undoubtedly with him all his sons and brothers-in-law, who were reconciled to Jacob at that time, since the two brothers were also reunited with each other. Therefore, what now follows up to the 40th chapter, everything happened while the patriarch Isaac was still alive. Therefore, we have also remembered that these stories, according to the proper order of history, must be included in the 35th chapter, namely just before the last part, where v. 28 is said: "And Isaac lived to be a hundred and eighty years old" 2c.
9 And this reminder is very necessary, so that the reader can find his way more easily into this description, which is somewhat confused, and understand it. For all the others who have interpreted this book, and especially Lyra and Augustine, have been very troubled by this passage, so that even Augustine, when he was thus troubled by it, had reason to doubt the holy scripture and its credibility somewhat.
(10) It is the same with the antediluvians, who read the sayings of Scripture together, as if they were against each other, and who try to weaken and overthrow the certainty of Scripture with diligence: when they come to such passages, they get stuck in them, are so confused that they can neither get behind nor in front of them, and then cry out fiercely that the sermons and stories in Scripture do not adhere well to each other, unless
Everything is confused and vainly uncertain. And this is also the cause that such antilogists may never come to the right true light and understanding of divine things.
(11) There is also a rule among the Kabbalists, In lege non esse prius aut posterius, that is, that nothing is written in the law that is described according to the proper order of the time in which it occurred. But this rule is not everywhere and generally true, should and must be drawn also with nothing to that, so all here is told and described. For Isaac was certainly still alive when Joseph was sold into Egypt, and twelve years after that, when he was again delivered from prison and raised to rule and reign over all Egypt.
12 Therefore, the following history, when Tamar was weakened, must also be drawn to the same time. For the sin was committed by Judah, since his grandfather Isaac was still alive. Nevertheless, we will tell the account of the years and persons according to their order. For if any man shall reckon the number of years from the time that Jacob was given in marriage, until he went down into Egypt, he shall find that many great and marvelous things were done in the space of six and forty years. And although the history seems to be quite confused to those who are not very experienced, and who take care that they pick up the vile sayings in the Scriptures too accurately, nevertheless Christian readers, who remember this order, will easily find their way into it and will also understand the right order correctly.
013 And Moses continued in the history of the patriarch Jacob, and wrote how he dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger. For he came to Isaac, dwelling at Hebron in the land of Canaan, and there he appointed his family and household to dwell with him. The land is called foreign because, although it was promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, they still had nothing of their own or certain in it, except the right of burial, which Abraham bought, as we have seen above, Cap. 23,
V. 17. Therefore Jacob, like his fathers, went as a stranger from one place to another, as shepherds are wont to go about from one place to another according to the opportunity of the cattle and the pasture. Nevertheless, Jacob did not leave his old father Isaac in such a pilgrimage, because he brought his daughter Dinah to him, who was weak, and his dearest son Joseph, whom Isaac will undoubtedly have seen and cherished with great heartfelt pleasure and joy even in his old age.
V.2 And these are the generations of Jacob: Joseph was seventeen years old when he became a shepherd of cattle with his brethren: and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah his father's wives, and brought before their father, where there was an evil cry against them.
14. the holy scripture has this usage, that it is used to describe the "families", if it also only mentions one son; as in this place only Joseph is mentioned, and the other sons of Jacob are left out, as if they all did not also belong to the number and as if this Joseph alone was the son, because he is listed before the others in this family register. And this Joseph is also the only one who may be preferred to all the others, justly and with every right. For he was born of the most noble wife of Jacob, and his parents had a great desire for him for a very long time; moreover, by virtue of the marriage between his father and mother, all the dignity and glory of the firstborn is due to him, even though he did not have it at that time, as we shall hear.
(15) What then is the family of Jacob? He has a son named Joseph. What is the fate of this son? What fate has befallen him? Listen to what Moses says: "Joseph was seventeen years old when he became a shepherd of cattle with his brothers. So it was with Joseph, that he was a youth of seventeen years, of such age and strength, that he might well have been a husband as
1026 L. ix. ""-48. interpretation of Genesis 37, 2. w. ii. isos-isos. 1027
His other brothers were also. For Judah, Reuben and the others already had wives and children. But this one still lived alone in his youth, without a wife and without his own household, and he alone was dear to the old father, that he had air and joy in him, because he was born of his most beloved wife, who had died; and his whole life, also everything he did, with all his customs, which were pure and innocent, made him wonderfully dear and pleasant to the father.
016 To whom then did this Joseph cleave? He did not have fellowship with the noblest sons his father had begotten with Leah, namely, Judah, Simeon, Reuben and Levi, because they despised Joseph, the son of Rachel, for the sake of their court: moreover, the good, pious young man sees that the children of the maids were completely despised and mocked, and that they were considered by the four sons of Leah to be the lowest servants. For this reason, he has joined such despised ones in particular. For the others were very proud and defiant; though Reuben was somewhat humbled because of the sin and incest of defiling his father's bed; and I think Judah will also have been somewhat humbler than the others. But Levi and Simeon were very proud warriors and slayers, who also slew Shechem and Hemor his father, with all that were in the city, with the edge of the sword: they were very rude, proud farmers and felts.
(17) And it is indeed a marvelous thing that they have been the hearers of the holy fathers, Isaac, Jacob, Rebekah, and Deborah, their nurse, for so long a time, and yet have not become more pious, nor have they reformed. For Moses has described and pictured them in this way, so that the sin and shame they committed may be considered almost equal to the most shameful deeds and examples of the Gentiles.
18 Therefore we should not be surprised to see that in these last evil times there are so many, alas! so many, who fall away from the right true godliness, who
We have heard so many beautiful and glorious sermons without any fruit and improvement, but we may be content with this and be satisfied that a few are found who still keep the word with pleasure and are improved by it. For we see that the same thing happened to the very holy patriarch Jacob, in whose house and lineage those who were the most distinguished among his sons caused him, the old father, the greatest sorrow, grief and pain.
19 Now in the young man Joseph there was seen a peculiar discipline and piety, that he was able to bear so patiently such unrighteous boorish hopefulness and contempt for himself and the other brothers, born of the maidens, when it would have been more fitting for him, as the firstborn son, than for Simeon and Levi, to have exalted and distinguished himself a little.
20 Therefore, we want to act this history in such a way that we spitefully magnify the pride and pride of these two sons of Jacob, so that God's grace and mercy may be seen and recognized the more, that He can nevertheless make and bring forth the best from the greatest wickedness. We do not want to cover up their shame and misdeed, but make it as great as we can; for it is in all ways unjust and pitiful that the good, pious father should have been treated in such an unjust manner, and should have been mocked and mourned by his own sons; for they have grieved the pious Jacob, their father, too heartily, and have played with the poor old man to such an extent that it is pitiful.
(21) And Joseph also had the same cause, that he would not join them, but dealt principally with the other despised sons of the maidens, and held them in honor; though he was born of a nobler mother, he let the murderers be satisfied with him. From this, then, the excellent good nature and the special understanding of this young man actually emerges; which Moses also wanted to praise in him in particular here. For it is certain
There was a good nature about him, and a fine, gentle, humble mind. In addition, he was God-fearing and chaste, and had fine, honest and quiet manners, so that he would not only have won the heart of his old father, but also of the neighbors, so that they were especially fond of him. It is therefore no wonder that his father loved him dearly, not only because he was his son, but also because of the good nature and beautiful virtue with which he was gifted.
22 So Joseph is like a beautiful bright star and like the morning star in the house of Jacob, with whom the rude peasants could hardly be compared. For this reason he abandons them and joins the despised brothers, tending the cattle with them, as was his father's will and good pleasure, since he was the most noble son and was to become king over all Egypt: the great king in Egypt must tend the sheep in his youth.
23 Joseph is also praised because he brought before his father and reported to him where his brothers had done something that was not right, and were condemned because of it. For he loved justice and respectability, and was full of love and obedience to his father, so that he could not conceal from him anything that his brothers had done that might have injured others, or that might have caused his father's family to cry foul or be reviled. Therefore, when he heard that something evil or shameful had been said about his brothers, he immediately brought it before Jacob, his father, as a judge, and it was his duty to prevent or prevent it in every way, so that the house and the church, which had been so great and glorious, might be protected, which had been adorned and graced with such great and glorious promises, should not be disfigured or tainted by such evil examples or deeds, and that the name of God should not be blasphemed by the strangers or unbelievers, and that at the same time the service of God which Jacob and his household had practiced and of which they had boasted should not be reviled. This
Joseph wanted to have the care of the right worship completely unbroken and unharmed, and also not stained with any kind of anger.
(24) And it grieved him greatly, without a doubt, to see the wantonness and iniquity of his brethren, that they all, together with the whole house of Jacob, were so much reproached among the heathen for it. For this reason he complained several times to his father about the disobedience and unrighteous deeds of his brothers, so that they grieved and offended each other or their neighbors: Behold, dear father, Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, my brethren, are at all times turbulent and unruly men, often making a noise, displeasure, and strife, and thus vexing the nations that dwell near about us, who then also lie in wait quite diligently and exactly for our life and what we have for customs. Now, this nuisance should be eliminated from our house and community, so that we will not be blasphemed by those who are not of our faith.
(25) As in our day we are also surrounded with papists, who have very sharp eyes, look very closely upon us, and have also such sharp noses, that they may easily smell; for they lie in wait for us in a hostile manner, whether they may smell or perceive anything that would be disgraceful from us, yea, whether they may blaspheme or reproach our words or works, which are also honorable and good in themselves. For this reason St. Paul also diligently exhorts and says Eph. 5:15: "Take heed, brethren, how ye walk carefully," and that ye give no cause to blaspheme against the adversary. Item Col. 4, 5: "Walk wisely toward them that are without." For the adversaries are diligent to take hold of even a small and slight cry that may come from us. But what is good in us, they do not see, do not respect, even completely despise, and have only pleasure in what is not good in itself, and if they may only hear an evil cry from us.
26 Therefore the patriarch Jacob had to pay special attention to this as a
1030 D. n. 4S-S1. Interpretation of Genesis 37, 2. W. n. ISI2-1S1L. 1031
Bishop or teacher of the parish, so that a good reputation and a good name may remain in his whole lineage. For it is not proper for a priest or pastor to lead a dishonest life and to govern his servants or household members in a shameful and evil manner. And it is much better to bear or tolerate the contempt and bitter hatred of the adversaries than to fall into disgrace and into the snare of the devil, as St. Paul says in 1 Tim. 3:7.
27 Joseph, this young man, had the same concern and took such care, namely, how he would help prevent all kinds of trouble, by which the house of Jacob, the church and also the promise of God would be despised or blasphemed. And there is no doubt about it, he will have been greatly hated by his brothers because of this, because they could not bear their father's admonition and punishment and became impatient about it. Therefore, when they learned that Joseph had revealed their wrongdoing, they were furiously enraged; they would have said: That all misfortune should befall the traitor, who immediately brings before his father what he hears that we have spoken or done! For they took upon themselves to exercise great courage and to do all kinds of evil deeds without the knowledge of their father, and they interpreted the good and friendly admonition or punishment of other pious people in their generation in this way and considered it treachery; indeed, out of their bitter hatred of them they became more and more angry, piled up their wickedness and sin daily, and did not care whether they would make a good or a bad name for themselves among the heathen around.
In this place Lyra and Burgensis have diligently and very precisely investigated what might have been the great sin and misdeed for which Joseph accused his brothers before his father. For thus it is written in the old translation. But it is nevertheless an unnecessary question, because from the Hebrew text one can take it, what the right simple mind is. The Hebrew word dibbath in itself means clamor, rumor or opinion, which is among the people from
was spread out. When, 4 Mos. 13, 33, Moses sent spies into the land of Canaan, and when all of them come back, they say that an evil cry has gone out from the land, that is, they have made an evil report to the land, for they said: "The land eats its inhabitants" 2c. The same word was also used by Moses in this place, when he says how Joseph brought before their father Jacob, "where there was an evil cry against them."
29. And he kept the four sons of the maidens, Gad, Naphtali, Asher, and Dan, because they were more humble than the other four, who were exceedingly proud of the firstborn, because they were born of Leah their mother, They both made a nasty noise to themselves because of life and evil customs, and did not shy away from their father at all, but thought that they were free to do whatever they wanted according to their own will, because they were the children of a renowned and highly famous patriarch and had such a glorious and great promise.
(30) But Joseph, because he loved discipline, peace, and honor, was grieved at the wickedness of these his brethren, and often brought them before his father, where they had transgressed and sinned, exhorting him, and always entreating him, that he would have a more earnest understanding in the house, and in all the congregation, that discipline and honor, as it is fitting, should be kept.
(31) And this was the only reason that he was so violently hated by them, namely, that Joseph always had such a diligent concern, so that things would go right in his father's house, and that he desired that especially the doctrine would keep its good name unharmed among everyone. He is pious, and for this reason he has also gladly promoted piety and everything that belongs to it; but he also wanted to have aggravation abolished and abolished. He was sorry about this, as the pious are wont to be, and thus incurred the hatred of his brothers and had to let them persecute him for it. But further on in the text there is another reason.
V. 3 Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he begat him in the inner room, and made him a coat of many colors.
(32) At first the great proud nobles found it hard and unpleasant, because they could not bear that Jacob preferred Joseph to the other children, since he was still almost a little boy and the youngest among them. They will have said: We are the rightful masters, as we were born of the mother Leah, who was the first wife of our father Jacob, before Joseph was conceived. I Reuben was born in the first year after the wedding, Simeon in the second, Levi in the third, and so on; but Joseph was born in the very last. Therefore we are the ones on whom the whole being, or the noblest power and also the glory of this house hangs. But Rachel with her children is like an addition or something accidental. Therefore, we deserve the honor, love and favor of the Father, and also of this whole house and lineage.
(33) Because of these causes, a bitter, hostile and terrible hatred arose in them like a fire against their brother Joseph, for they were not in their right mind, but were full of malice and possessed by the devil.
Reason itself, and the common wit or understanding of all men, has it that Joseph was rightly and justly loved by his father Jacob, and also naturally before the others, because Rachel was Jacob's most noble wife, and Joseph was born of her almost in his father's old age, since the parents hoped and waited for him with desire all seven years, moreover, because he was of such a good nature and adorned with all kinds of virtues. I myself would rather have such a son than the others, who was so pious, chaste and obedient in all things, even if he were not the firstborn son.
35 Therefore, I say, this love which Jacob bore to his son Joseph was also by nature wholly just and right, which yet the brothers of Joseph, who were of wicked bitterness, did not love.
They were of such a mind that they themselves wanted to be adored and honored by Joseph; they wanted to hear from him that he should greet and address them in this way: You are lords, the most distinguished nobles and rulers in your father's house; everything that pleases and pleases you shall please me also.
They sought such piety and humility in their brother and wanted it from him. But because Joseph always shied away from his father and showed him due honor, and finally also had a diligent concern that everything in his father's house should be chaste and godly, for this reason they miserably plagued and tortured the pious old father, and they closed the door, and also fraudulently and forcibly pushed the pious boy Joseph out of the house into misery. For they could not suffer that they were persuaded, that they were restrained, and that they would not permit their willfulness; yea, they would have been praised rather than punished for their wickedness.
(37) Just such wickedness and perverse behavior is also now being violently practiced by all classes in the church, in the secular and domestic regimes. For every man rages against him who speaks to him and reminds him of his office. One is vehemently angry with those who punish sin and vice, even with those who are mean and rude. Let no one be persuaded, but let each one do as he pleases; and they may use their iniquity and their wantonness in a glorious way. One may plead his high rank, another his wealth, or another his fatherland, or even his parents, that for the sake of such supposed causes they should be looked through the fingers, and on account of their sins and disgraces they should not be punished or scolded. I, they say, am in the regiment, therefore one should also spare the status and not revile it so. I am a citizen of Wittemberg, of Nuremberg, and therefore I do not unreasonably entitle myself to more justice and freedom than a stranger or a native of Nuremberg.
1034 D IL. S2-S4. Interpretation of I Genesis 37, 3. W. n. IS17-IÜM. 1035
ling. And again, those who are honorable and modest and remain within the bounds of their office and the laws, these are hated by almost everyone; as it also happened to the pious Joseph in his generation.
038 After this, the dislike which Joseph's brethren bore him was increased by the fact that his father loved him above all others. For though Jacob loved the other sons also, when they were born of him, yet the father's affection for Joseph was much more ardent, for good lawful causes; and because they could not bear it, they ought to be justly hostile to them.
(39) And I marvel that they have been tolerated so long in the very holy congregation of Jacob. I would have killed them all or pushed them out of the house. For, dear God, what great nonsense and wickedness is it to be angry with such a father who loves his son, who is pious and godly, and who was born of his most beloved wife? For this reason we have also said that this wickedness must be made great and heavy as much as possible, because they make it too rough.
40 Incidentally, a dispute arose here among the grammarians: Why did Moses explicitly state the cause of the love that Jacob bore Joseph? namely, because Joseph was begotten and born when Jacob, his father, was now old. For one can prove and demonstrate the opposite from many arguments. And furthermore, history itself indicates the opposite. Burgensis has indicated that in the Chaldean text it says: Dilexit eum, quia fuit ei filius sapientiae senum, that is: Joseph was such a son, and in him was such great wisdom and understanding, that he could have done it before any old man in wisdom. V. 20, "The boys of a hundred years old shall die," that is, they shall all become wise beyond their years; the boys shall become as wise as if they were a hundred years old.
Against this Lyra argues and wants to have.
that Joseph is called a son of old age because his father begot him in his old age. But I cannot understand how this understanding rhymes with that which is said of Benjamin, who was born almost thirteen years after Joseph, and is called in like manner a son of old age by Judah his brother before Joseph.
(42) Although I am in the habit of commanding and giving such a disputation to the Hebraists, yet the cause which Lyra follows seems too weak, because Benjamin is thirteen years younger; but Joseph is the seventh son, after Dan and Naphtali, and Gad and Aster were born either after Joseph, or with him at one time. Finally Gad, Aster, Isaschar, Sebulon and Dina were born, and all of them are younger than Joseph. But how does this text stand that Joseph should have been born when his father Jacob was old? Yes, the order of history still indicates that the same may also be said of all of Jacob's sons, since Jacob first began to beget children when he was four and seventy years old. For this reason, I will leave this question to the Hebraists to resolve; for I know that the Hebrew language has many ways of speaking that are almost unknown to us now, and whose original meaning we will hardly be able to establish completely again.
The opinion of the Burgensis is allegorical and very beautiful, that Joseph was a son of the age, that is, he was wise and understanding. But I would like to say this, and the words and the whole history almost sound as if this should be the right understanding, that the patriarch Jacob meant that he was not the father of these two sons alone, namely Joseph and Benjamin, who were born of Rachel: as he himself will say afterwards, Gen. 42, 36: "You rob me of my children. Joseph is no longer there, Simeon is no longer there, Benjamin you want to take away; it all goes over me" 2c. For thus the words which are written in the text must be read, moved, and considered, that they may point to the
1036 D. IX. V4-S6. Interpretation of I Genesis 37, 3rd w. n, IS20-IS2S. 1037
The old father Jacob thought: Rachel was promised and given to me by God, therefore she is also the right mother, and these two sons born of her I will also consider as my right and dearest children: but now she has given birth to Joseph and Benjamin in my old age, therefore I am also particularly fond of the same. This is actually the mind of Jacob, that if he had been given the choice of the children of Rachel and Leah, which he could or would have preferred, he would have undoubtedly preferred these two sons of his own age to all the others.
(44) This is how I have interpreted this text, that is, the affection and love of the father's heart, that Jacob, after so much and so many anguish, crosses and adversities, kept only this son, who was born of the right and most noble mother, who also perished in childbirth and died to his great sorrow. Therefore, he also had his only comfort, pleasure and joy in the same son. For he alone was able to comfort the old father in so many fears and worries, since the other sons troubled and tormented him very much, and even caused him new troubles every day, piling them up as it were.
(45) The father's favor, good will and love increased even more because he saw in the young man peculiar godliness and all kinds of virtue. For Joseph, too, was in truth wise, chaste, pious, godly, and in addition adorned and gifted with high and excellent gifts of special understanding. Therefore he is also Jacob's, his father's, heart, joy and delight. For so parents are wont to do, if one were a father of twenty children, and had but one among all who was pious and obedient, I say, the father would not be otherwise inclined toward the pious child, than if he had none left: he would disinherit the ungodly and disobedient, or at least dispense with all care and trouble for them.
46 But now there is another grammatical impulse, namely, from the colorful dress. But what kind of dress that was, I freely and publicly confess not to know. We have given it in our German translation thus: "a colorful skirt"; as it has otherwise also been commonly interpreted. Lyra says that it was vestis serica, that is, a silk dress. Burgensis passes by this place silently, says nothing about it. The others think that it was a dress woven of more than one yarn, that is, of various colors, since the warp is red and the weft is sky-blue; a shimmer, since two colors appear mixed with each other. But such an opinion does not seem likely to me, although I know nothing to speak against it.
47 The Hebrew word, passim, means a linen skirt or made of linen, which is given in the Greek text, πολυμίτον, that is, having many threads. But whether it was a variegated or a divided garment cannot really be understood from the text, and this word is found in no other place in Scripture, except in the 2nd book of Samuel in the 13th chapter of Tamar, who was weakened by her brother Ammon. For so it is written in the text at the same place v. 18. 19.: "Thamar threw ashes on her head and tore the colorful skirt"; there, I say, is also the word passim in Hebrew, and the text there also says that such skirts (in Hebrew meilim) were worn by the king's daughters because they were virgins. I would have liked to translate it: a beautiful white gown, a white dress, as such clothing was common in the Orient; for in the same countries such white dresses, made of fine linen or white silk, were the most beautiful and honored costume: as also the peoples, who live toward the evening or the setting of the sun, liked to wear purple dresses.
48 Therefore, let me be allowed to think about this, to guess here and interpret it thus: that Jacob will give his dearest son Joseph, as the future heir and priest in his house,
made such a robe so that he would adorn himself in front of his other brothers and thus distinguish himself from them. For it was a priestly garment, as Hannah also brought such a garment to Samuel, 1 Sam. 2, 19, a small skirt (in Hebrew meil), like the one with which Tamar was clothed.
(49) Such a meil, as the Hebrew word reads, I would gladly say, would have been Joseph's garment also. For this is how the garment of angels is painted, snow-white, and made or knitted of many linen yarns or threads; and I will believe that our Lord Christ's garment was also like this, of which the evangelists say it was unstitched, knitted from the top through and through, John 19:23, which his mother Mary would have knitted: a knitted, knitted garment. And there is an almost common word in all of Scripture where the angels appeared; likewise also in the transfiguration of Christ, where Matth. 17, 2. Marc. 9, 2. thus stands: "And his face shone like the sun, and his garments became bright and very white, like the snow." Likewise also the garment of the angel that appeared at the tomb of Christ, of which the evangelist, Matth. 28, 3, also says that it was white like snow. And Solomon also says in his Ecclesiastes, 9 Cap. V. 8: "Let your garments always be white." But Moses also called the authorities by a Hebrew word horim, that is, clothed in white, namely, because they wore white garments. As those of the nobility are called nobilitas torquata, because they wear golden chains around their necks, so that they are adorned.
50 Jacob seems to have adorned Joseph in the same way and shape with a special garment that was white and priestly, so that he indicated how he had a special love for his son, and that the future glory that Joseph would have because of the priesthood would be signified by it. But whoever prefers to keep the previous interpretation, that it was a colorful dress, I do not want to argue hard with him.
51. nevertheless, it appears that
the Thamar dress was white. Because in the same history alone this Hebrew word Passiva stands: she will have worn a beautiful white gown. According to this, I am also moved by the description of the priestly garment 2 Mos. 28, 39, since Moses first assigns the priests an undergarment after the linen shirt, χπων, frock. But the linen skirt was narrow, a petticoat, which covered all the limbs in the whole body up to the thighs, which had not wide but narrow melts, without folds, so that the priests would be so much more ready and skillful to sacrifice and slaughter the cattle, as our butchers.
Third, Moses added the priestly garment or the high priest's robe. Therefore the high priest also had such a garment, which is called in Hebrew because, which was entirely of yellow silk: the beautiful quite yellow silk skirt. And the high priest's skirt alone was yellow or gold-colored, to which also Samuel's skirt was like, which Hannah, his mother, brought to him; although it had a different color: a choir shirt. For that which in Hebrew was called meil was white or silver, which others, not being priests, might have used; but with the garment of yellow silk or gold only the high priests were adorned.
53 Thus it is read of Job that he tore his garment, Job 1:20; item, how David cut a corner of Saul's skirt in the cave, 1 Sam. 24:5; in which places also the same Hebrew word meil is found, from which we can conclude that it was a royal and great lord's adornment. For in the Orient the kings and great lords did not wear gold chains or purple but a white silk robe. The Jews also did not wear silk garments, but furs, following the example of Adam and Eve. Just as in our time children are first clothed in furs; soon adults will also use them. But the kind of clothing that has recently come into use, which is thus shamefully chopped or cut, is not worthy to be called clothes, but are vain strange, un-
natural, terrifying monsters of this last unfortunate evil time.
(54) Last of all, Moses also commanded that the people should not wear garments made of any kind of yarn, or of wool and linen yarn; neither did he command that the seed and the beasts should be mixed together. Therefore, this is simply my thought and simple opinion, that it was a skirt made of one kind of yarn, white and unused, knitted or crocheted.
055 This is said of Joseph's robe, that Jacob might shew the love which he bore to this son, whom he brought up with such hope that he should be a priest in his house. Therefore he set him apart and distinguished him from the rest of his brethren with a special ornament, that they might know that this Joseph was to be the chief ruler and heir of his house.
(56) Hence the great and terrible hatred in the hearts of those whom the devil himself has driven and incited, so that they have been so terribly envious and fiercely angry with their brother in the flesh, without any cause, and have often been admonished by their father and other godly people who were also in Jacob's congregation, and have been reminded to refrain from it. Yes, they did not even consider the manifold benefits with which their most loving father, as his children, showered them every day, and that they had their sustenance with him, both with wife and child, together with all their household in large numbers, in that he nourished them so fatherly: for all these benefits they intend to thank the father and to pay him the same when they push their brother Joseph out of the house, or else kill him together with their old father.
57 But this example is held up to us for our comfort, so that we do not become melancholy or despondent when we also have to experience such things; but that each one of us diligently directs his ministry, each according to his calling, with teaching, punishing, threatening both in the church, and also
in the worldly and domestic regiments. Our work will not be in vain in the Lord. But if some will refuse to follow and obey our Christian admonition, they may finally learn to be wise to their great danger and harm.
V. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him better than all his brothers, they were hostile to him and could not speak a kind word to him.
(58) What a very beautiful and brotherly love is this, which was flushed out in the church, which Jacob had in his house, since without doubt such a fine discipline and order was kept by the patriarchs, and since at the same time with Jacob also the older patriarch Isaac was still alive! For the brothers of Joseph hated him, who was quite innocent, so much that they could not even speak a kind word to him; yes, they snubbed him, knew how to rebuke all his words and deeds. And as he was the most beloved of all to his father, so again his brothers held no one in more contempt than he. They hated him very much and out of pure malice, especially Simeon and Levi. For I consider, nevertheless, that they were all originally and at first not of the same mind. For Reuben was somewhat humbled because he knew himself guilty of the sin he had committed, and the others, I believe, were also more gentle and not so rough. Therefore, this hatred of Joseph's brothers should be understood in the same way as the grumbling of the apostles when they were unwilling that Mary Magdalene anointed the Lord, Matth. 26, 8; because the other disciples were also persuaded and incited by Judah. And that I also add in passing that Jerome thinks that Judas Iscarioth comes from the tribe of Simeon.
59 We do not mean to minimize this sin or to excuse any of these brothers, but have said that their wickedness should be made great in every way, not only out of hatred for sin and the devil, but also for our own comfort, since God in the Lord is the Lord of all things.
The Holy Spirit of the Church and in the lineage of the most holy patriarchs was able to endure such poisonous evil people, whom he graciously forgave of their sin afterwards. For even though they finally repented, it is impossible to conceal the fact that at that time they were inflamed with such malice and bitter hatred against the most innocent people.
(60) Nevertheless, God allows it to happen, and looks through the fingers, as it were, at such unjust and malicious hatred; indeed, He gives them great cause to envy their brother, but to their own destruction. For they do as the Jews did, who also persecuted Christ our Savior out of great hatred, always seeking cause in all his words and works to blaspheme him and to speak evil of him, when he has for all intents and purposes showered and as it were lavished on the whole people great goodness and kindness, and also all kinds of miracles and benefits. For they did not put up with any of it until God finally decreed that they should completely pour out this bitter hatred of theirs and thereby cool their anger by giving His only begotten Son into their hands to be crucified on the cross, thus fulfilling the unjust cruelty and bitter hatred they had against Christ the Lord, and thereby satisfying themselves altogether.
(61) But how wretched and miserable they are, whom God thus gives over to Himself, and whose fury and evil desires He does not resist! Although we are all, alas, of such a nature that we cannot well suffer to be kept in check, woe to those to whom our Lord God is so pleased that they commit sin of their own liking. For it finally follows, as it is commonly said: Qui, quae vult, dicit, quae non vult, audiet, that is: He who says everything that is revealed to him, must in the end also hear what he does not like to hear. So also: He who does everything that he desires must one day also suffer for it, which he would probably have preferred to be overridden. For we do not like to keep ourselves in check, and we also want to keep our lust in check.
and evil desire, as others dictate, forbid, and advise us.
(62) Where God overlooks us, we fall into such foolishness, misery and distress that we, like the Jews, are surrounded with terrible vices and punishments to such an extent that we cannot easily come out again, and that we finally become displeased with ourselves and have to be ashamed of ourselves. It was the same with the Sedomites: they could not be restrained or forced in any way, so that they did not rage against the pious and holy man Lot; but it was not long before they were horribly punished, and suddenly killed and put to death. It had to go as they wanted; in the morning the infernal fire came from heaven and did what they did not want.
(63) So also before the flood no one wanted to hear Noah, but took to wives whom they only wanted: therefore the flood came, and also did what they did not like. So they want to have it. And our people, to whom we now preach and whom we exhort daily to repentance, will certainly feel and experience the same, because they want to have all discipline and respectability completely abolished, and will not allow themselves to be talked into it.
64. So this is certainly a holy, blessed and most secure life, when God does not see through our fingers where we sin and intend to do what is not proper; But if He immediately punishes and chastises us with His rod, with affliction and all other kinds of crosses, or if He sets them right through men who, with diligent admonition, bring us back onto the right path, so that our evil, foolish desires are so overcome that we no longer follow or indulge in them.
But again, this is a very bad sign for a bad boy who always has evil in mind. Everything goes out happily, and as he himself desires. For so also Jeremiah says in 12 Cap. V. 2. of the false prophets: "You let them
You do not chastise them," that is, everything they plan, teach and do is so praised by everyone, is accepted with such eagerness, as if it were decided by God Himself. You do not chastise them," says the prophet, "that is, what they intend to do that is unrighteous and ungodly according to their evil airs, you do not resist it, you do not keep them in check. But what is the final outcome? This follows there in the prophet v. 3: "But you let them go free, like sheep, to be slaughtered; and you spare them to be strangled."
(66) In this way the sons of Jacob also raged, always pursuing their hatred and envy: but at last they also experienced that which they did not like.
67 Therefore I say that nothing can be so pleasing to God, so sweet and pleasing, as to bear with patience when we are chastised and fatherly punished by the Lord; but if we do not want to bear this, to be kept in check, we will finally fall into much more horrible punishment, in which we must then also remain stuck. For it is said: If you escape from me, you will escape, but not from the executioner or the devil. Sometimes some come back to the right path and are converted, but this does not happen without great and terrible punishment, so that they are drawn to repentance.
68 It now appears that Simeon, who was the father of Judah Iscariot, and Levi were the ringleaders and chief instigators of this grave sin, which the sons of Jacob committed against Joseph their brother, and that they also led the others, born of the maidens, along with them, who otherwise, if they had not so led, should never have been subject to it. And this evil counsel and nobleman was not hindered by any means, but happily, as they themselves only desired, they were approached, because God had decreed and permitted that they had captured and sold their brother. Yes, Joseph himself also helped to start this fire and now adds the third cause of his brothers' capture.
Second part.
From the traumas of Joseph.
V. 5-7 Joseph once had a dream and told his brothers about it, and they became even more hostile to him. For he said to them, "Listen, my dear, to what I have dreamed. It seemed to me that we were tending sheaves in the field, and my sheaf rose up and stood still, and your sheaves bent over against my sheaf.
(69) This was the real cause of the enmity, and it seems that Joseph, with deliberate courage, discovered and revealed this cause to his brothers, so that he could immediately oppose their pride and envy. For Simeon and Levi had arrogated to themselves the rule and dominion, because they were still innocent at that time, when Reuben was already somewhat humiliated; therefore each of them would have thought: I am lord over my brethren, therefore will I also arrogate to myself the righteousness and glory of the firstborn, and shall my brethren bow down before me, and bow down before me my mother's sons; as we have said above, Cap. 27. v. 29, in the blessing of Jacob, and afterwards also of Judah, Cap. 49, v. 8, it will be said, "Judah, thou art, thy brethren shall praise thee. Thy hand shall be upon the neck of thine enemies; before thee shall thy father's children bow down."
I say that Simeon has arrogated to himself such dominion and has a strong confidence and good hope that he will certainly get it. That is why Joseph opposed this dream to Simeon's mad arrogance and pride. As if he wanted to say: "I cannot bear that you should go about and drag yourselves with uncertain and vain hope of future rule, as if it would come to you; for I, who am despised and rejected by you, shall at last become your lord: not that I ascribe to myself such rule over you and arrogate it to myself, but I tell you the dream I have had.
He speaks to his brothers in such a friendly manner, as if he were half a fool or, as it were, a child: "Listen, dear, to what I have dreamed" 2c. "I think we were tying sheaves" 2c. The boy told such a strange dream, which no one could have imagined, and he told it quite childlike, out of no envy or evil desire, but out of pure simplicity and innocence. But God has burdened their hearts and increased the cause of hatred so that they have become more and more embittered and inflamed, but to their own great harm. Now the fire is really coming on.
V. 8 Then said his brethren unto him, Shall thou be our king, and reign over us? And they became even more hostile to him because of his dream and his speech.
(71) That Joseph thus told his dream grieved these great nobles greatly. He was supposed to have kept silent, and to have courted and pretended to his brothers, and to have said: Simeon and Levi shall be lords and have dominion; that he had thus confirmed their good and holy desires. But this is the mighty hand of our Lord God, which laid a snare for Simeon and Levi. For while they are thus secretly pursuing the innocent Joseph, God also becomes hostile to them again, and decrees that they run hard, to which their own will drove them, and that they have become their own brother's murderers.
V. 9 And he had another dream, and told it to his brethren, saying, Behold, I have dreamed another dream: the sun and the moon and the eleven stars inclined before me.
The word "worship" actually means the gesture of adoration or reverence and that one moves to another place. For "to worship" is and means to go down to earth or to fall at one's feet, and to show honor to another with such an outward gesture. We have the use of bowing the knee, whether to princes or to God.
We must now say something in general about dreams in this place as well.
And because I know very well that this matter is very rich and extensive, I will therefore help myself recently. For I am not skilled in having dreams or even interpreting them, nor do I desire such skill or art, and I have made a covenant with God my Lord that He will send me no visions or dreams and no angels either. For I am well content with this gift and gladly let myself be satisfied with it, because I have the holy scriptures, which teach me abundantly and report everything that both are necessary to know for this life and also for the life to come. I believe this holy scripture and am satisfied with it, and I am also certain that I cannot be deceived in this; nevertheless, I do not want to deprive others of their gifts, since God might reveal something to someone outside of the scriptures through dreams, visions, or through the angels. I admit that they are gifts, but I do not respect or desire them. For I am moved by the fact that there have been so many countless ghosts, lies, delusions of the face and other deceptions, so that the world has been frighteningly deceived by the devil in the papacy for a long time. Moreover, I also have this reason, that the holy scripture alone is sufficient; and if I would not believe it, then I would certainly not easily believe neither angels, nor visions, nor a dream. But as I said, this is my own cause, but I do not want to prescribe any goal or measure to others, nor do I want to take anything away from anyone with it. For I have enough revelation left, because I know what I should believe, hope, or even advise others, how one should also send oneself, so that one may live this life Christianly and honestly. And I will gladly communicate the same to others according to my small fortune, so that they may also know this for themselves and learn to understand the Ten Commandments, faith and Our Father.
74 Nevertheless, we also want to say something about the teaching and opinion of the holy scriptures about dreams, because in some places they praise dreams, but in other places they also rebuke and reject them. Sirach speaks at the 34th Cap.
V. 7: "Dreams deceive many people, and are lacking in those who rely on them." Item, Solomon in his Ecclesiastes Cap. 5, v. 6. also says: "Where there are many dreams, there is vanity and many words; but fear God."
75 Again, the histories in the Holy Scriptures testify that some patriarchs and prophets also had dreams, such as Jacob, Joseph, Daniel, Pharaoh and other wicked men, which were shown to them by God. And Deut. 12:6, 7, 8 God says to Aaron: "If there is a prophet of the LORD among you, I will make myself known to him in a vision, or I will speak to him in a dream. But not so my servant Moses, who is faithful in all my house; verbally I speak with him." There God confirms the dreams and visions, and is a beautiful and excellent passage, which needs a more diligent and extensive interpretation. Moses, says God, has seen something greater, has other and greater revelations without those, if you have heard of him, who are his disciples, and also have visions and dreams yourselves: I know well what Moses and I are accustomed to do with each other and in what we converse. Moses also saw the suffering of Christ.
76) From this place came the wise men to speak in the prophets of dreams and visions. Thus Joel proclaimed the sending of the Holy Spirit Joel 3:1: "Your young men shall see visions, and your elders shall dream dreams." Therefore, we cannot deny that God used such revelations from the beginning in the Church of the ancient fathers and prophets. And the first consecration of the revelation was the highest and most distinguished, namely, the prophecy or inspiration, like David's and the other prophets', who, through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, presented the teachings and divine promises in bright, clear words and with a clear understanding. Then there are the visions, or some images and outward appearances. Third, the dreams. So the first thing in the New Testament is the teaching or preaching. Then come the holy sacraments as external ceremonies, which
I would also like to call them visions, such as our baptism, the Lord's supper, absolution; I say that these are also some visions, because they are external ceremonies.
Since the Holy Scriptures both praise and reject these three ways, it seems to me that the same rule and judgment must be followed when speaking of dreams, which we use to guide us in visions and prophecies, namely, to see that they are primarily similar to faith.
For it is the same with visions and prophecies as with dreams, that they are sometimes true, and sometimes false and lying. For they do not always or only come from God, but also from the devil, who is, as it were, our Lord God's monkey; and just as he is wont to awaken prophets, so he also arouses and gives visions and dreams, where God thus decrees it for him out of his miraculous counsel. However, the devil looks elsewhere and means something other than God, even though he speaks the truth through dreams. For God gives His word and the signs of it for the salvation and redemption of men: but the devil certainly seeks nothing else than vain harm and destruction of souls, and also that the divine truth may be obscured; therefore he lies, even when he already speaks the truth. Hence it comes that also in the pagan histories some dreams are told; as then the dreams of Brutus, Caesar, Sulla and Hannibal were.
79 Livius writes that Hannibal saw in a dream a young man in divine form, who said: He was sent by Jupiter to Italy to Hannibal, that he should be his commander, whom he should follow straight and whom he should never let out of his sight; and when Hannibal looked around, he is said to have seen behind him a wonderful great serpent, which moved to and fro and thereby caused a mighty and great defeat among the trees and bushes. This is actually and certainly a prophesying dream and which also made an impression on himself. For
The devil knew very well how it was at that time in the whole world, and was easy to conclude and assume from what had gone before and had happened, how it would also go afterwards, and to indicate such to Hannibal in a dream. Lichtenberger's prophecy and Arnold's De villa Dei are of the same kind, which had the spirit of prophecy, which is otherwise called the spirit of divination, and sometimes it is true that it comes as they said before, sometimes not: If it comes, it comes; if it does not, it does not.
80 Further, in the dream of Hannibal, Livius himself and all Italians consider that the serpent should have meant Hannibal, who would devastate Italy. However, this interpretation is closer to the truth, that the devil, or God through the devil, wanted to indicate that Hannibal had a beautiful young man before him, that is, that he would have good luck. As if he should say: Hannibal, you have been happy until now and have done great things; but this happiness will not last forever. For a terrible beast will finally follow you, namely, the Roman Empire, which will wrap itself up and devastate the whole earth. So this dream, which came from Satan as a liar, nevertheless proclaimed the truth before; but he did not understand it, and the Italians, who are very ambitious, do not like to hear that the Roman Empire is to be understood through such a shameful and horrible beast.
But we will look at the pictures in the stories of Daniel, where the kingdoms of this world are not compared to men or angels, but to great horrible animals. Therefore, this serpent does not mean Hannibal, but certainly the future destruction that was to take place through the beast, that is, the Roman Empire. And so the devil wanted to say to Hannibal: "Your happiness and prosperity will not last: you will not complete what you have begun; you will not carry it out.
And for such a revelation the Holy Spirit was not needed. For the devil has well seen the power to destroy the
The will and counsel of the Romans and the Carthaginians was known, and it was revealed to Hannibal in a dream, but it was not interpreted.
There are many such dreams in the histories of the pagans, both certain and uncertain. For as God rules the world through good and evil princes or rulers, so he also needs the service of both good and evil angels. For this reason he sometimes gives the evil godless people true dreams and sometimes false dreams; and the devil also has his prophets, whose prophecies are nevertheless uncertain.
The other kind of dreams is natural, from which doctors sometimes deduce and guess some certain humors, movements of the mind; likewise, how people's bodies are constituted. These dreams are common and anyone can have them. And with such dreams one should keep to the teaching of Cato, who says: Somnia ne cures etc., that is: You should not pay attention to dreams and give nothing to them; although some of them also have their meaning from time to time. But of these I will not dispute, but will have directed the reader to read of them in Macrobius, who wrote of them at length.
The third kind of dreams are the prophetic and true dreams, which are praised in the holy scriptures, and also belong to the salutary government in the church, or to the revelations, both necessary for this and the future life, and are, as it were, prophecies, or divinations, which are not to be despised.
But now it is asked: How can these be distinguished and judged? As far as I am concerned, I am not a dreamer, and I cannot well guess what the dreams mean, as I have said before; therefore I will not judge them, but only according to how the dreams are fulfilled and carried out, and according to other circumstances that concern the church and the souls' salvation, according to the rule and instruction of the divine word. For all dreams, so
They are also certainly fulfilled, so that they must also be useful and beneficial to the world and the human race: for this reason, they are also valued or judged fairly and justly ab effectu, that is, after they gain an outcome or are fulfilled.
(87) And this I say not only of the dreams given to the saints, as Daniel and Joseph, but also of those shown to the wicked, as Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar and others. For the same dreams also gain their outcome and have also had their attached interpretation; which are two true signs that the dreams are also certain, namely, that where God gives the dreams, he also gives the interpretation and fulfillment at the same time.
Thirdly, these dreams are also such that they almost frighten and distress the dreamer, impressing on him the things of which he has had dreams, fierce and hard, as Pharaoh's dream was. For such a terror and trembling has come to his heart that he has been, as it were, enraptured by it, that he has felt and understood that it must certainly be an admonition that has come from God. God did not want an ungodly false prophet to interpret the dream, which was shown to an ungodly man, but gave a righteous true prophet, Joseph or Daniel, who had to give an account through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, what the meaning of the dream actually was.
89. But where the Holy Spirit himself interprets and interprets what he has given, then one must not doubt at all that this will not also gain its certain outcome. But you will find nothing of this kind in the dreams of the heathen, except that they are nevertheless somewhat moved and disturbed by them. But because their dreams come from the devil, who can and does remember future things, they are also generally uncertain and false, and no interpretation is shown, as happens in divine dreams, which the prophets reliably and faithfully tell and explain, as they do the
taught by the Holy Spirit. For so Daniel, Jacob and Joseph, from the dreams shown them, concluded and understood the right doctrine and the holy scripture, since it speaks of great things, not only of the regiments, of which they teach that they are ordered and preserved by God Himself, but also of the kingdom of Christ and the most noble articles of the Christian doctrine. Therefore, it is up to a good interpreter what the German saying is.
90 So this, I say, is the use of the Holy Spirit, that he first gives the dreams, then also indicates the interpretation, and thirdly, then also fulfills them. And this can also be finely applied to the Holy Trinity, namely, that God the Father gives the dreams, God the Son interprets and explains them, but the Holy Spirit fulfills them.
91 And these I call true and prophetic dreams, which are not lacking. But of these, I say, I will not venture to judge, for only after they gain an outcome and are fulfilled. The other dreams, however, of which there are many, I despise completely. I also have some dreams from time to time that move me a little, but I still despise them and have made this agreement with the Lord, my God, that I will believe Moses and the prophets. For I do not desire dreams for this life, nor do I need them for the life to come.
(92) Nevertheless, I will gladly leave their gifts to others, for I know that God has often shown kings and princes many a revelation through dreams. But those who want to interpret such dreams should see what kind of spirit inspired them and where they came from.
The Turks also have both dreams and prophecies about the future and the end of the Turkish empire, but I cannot believe that they come from the Holy Spirit. For neither the Turk nor the pope have true prophets, otherwise they would have to be revealed through the confession of true prophets.
1054. D. IX. ss-71. interpretation of I Moses 37, 9. w. II. IS47-ISS0. 1055
doctrine and faith. But be it as it may, we do not pay attention to such dreams, nor do we pay attention to whom they come from, because they have no attached interpretation, even though they sometimes come to pass and are fulfilled. For the devil is well practiced and equipped with many innumerable examples of divine government; likewise he also knows what the will of men is and what they do; he also knows their counsel and suggestions well and he also governs them: therefore he can also easily see what the counsels and regiments will gain for happiness and for an outcome. He sees that what the people have considered and decided has so far gone out and worked out one way or the other, and that there are no signs at present that God would allow any obstacle to occur that would change or hinder the council that has been made. Therefore, it is easy for him to prophesy about future things.
Thus, the Lichtenberger announced the Bavarian war beforehand. For the devil has well seen what the Emperor Maximilian, the Count Palatine and other princes have advised. He does the same at other times, too, and if God does not oppose it out of special counsel, then what has been proclaimed before is done and fulfilled. But the devil does not care whether such a dream is useful and beneficial for the people or not; even if everything fails, he does not inquire.
By the way, this whole life in which we live is only a vain dream and like a dark night. For otherwise there is no light shining in the whole world, except this earthly and physical light. The light of the sun is, as it were, a cause of error to us, that we think we are in the light; but in truth we go astray as in a dark night. Therefore, I say, this life is truly a sleep, and spiritually nothing but a night: as in Joseph's dream his parents are likened to the sun and moon, but his brethren to the stars, which shine in the darkness of this life. And Moses testifies to the same thing
Also, when he says Ps. 90:5: "You let them pass like a stream, and they are like a sleep," that is, our life is short, flees, and soon passes away, as the Elbe or any other great water always flows, like a water rushing by. So, says Moses, you also made them like a flowing or rushing water. So also Job Cap. 14. v. 1. 2. says: "Man born of woman lives a short time, and is full of restlessness, rises like a flower, and falls off, flits like a shadow, and does not remain" 2c. And what is even worse, Moses adds: "Men are like a sleep", that is, our life here on earth is nothing else than "like a sleep" compared to eternal life.
Therefore we hang and are stuck in this life as in the middle of the night and the thickest darkness, where the true morning star does not rise and shine for us, of which the 119th Psalm v. 105 says: Lord, "Your word is my foot. Shine, and be a light unto my path." For if we do not have the holy Scriptures to enlighten us and to govern all our works, then all this life and all the light of reason, and all wisdom and counsel of men, is nothing but darkness and chaos.
Augustus, Alexander and Julius Caesar are stuck in a thick fog and do not know what they are doing. So also Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh and all other kings and monarchs; only that they nevertheless let themselves think that they accomplish a great deal and that they are also exceedingly wise. But they are vain dreams, as it is written in Isaiah Cap. 29, v. 7: "As a night vision in a dream, so shall be the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel." So also the stories of all great heroes, which are praised by the poets and otherwise also in the histories of the pagans, as, of Hector and Achilles, are like dreams. "For as a hungry man dreams that he eats, but when he awakens his soul is still empty; and as a thirsty man dreams that he drinks, but when he awakens he is faint and thirsty: so shall be the multitude of all the nations that fight against mount Zion," Isa. 29:8. For this often happens, that one in a dream makes himself believe that he has an
He may find a sack full of money or play with a beautiful virgin, but when he wakes up, he sees and finds that he has been deceived. In the same way, this whole life is nothing but a night and sleep.
This is a blessed dream, when God gives His word and the holy scriptures in such a night, as He gives a special revelation in this natural life or in sleep, as this is what Joseph had in the dream. But for this, as I admonished before, it is necessary that the interpretation of the Holy Spirit is also added and the fulfillment also follows. For this much understanding I have of dreams, namely, that after or if the outcome follows; more and further nothing at all. Therefore, I cannot judge when dreams are to be believed, unless God Himself interprets them.
99. After that it is also to be noted that the unclean spirit also showed dreams, for from manifold knowledge and many an experience he is much better equipped and much better skilled than we are. We do not know what advice princes and other people have, what they deal with and what their intentions are; indeed, I hardly know my own advice. But the devil is very cunning, knows and understands very well all the advice of kings, wise men, lawyers and also theologians, except that he cannot know how my faith and hope stand with God, how I am with God. For faith and God's word are like darkness and a cloud to him, to which he cannot come with his light. As he himself shows this by means of crystals and mirrors called specula mercurialia, in which he shows some city or special person, but which is nevertheless somewhat dark and covered as if with a dark mist or rain; hence it also comes about that what happens there cannot be recognized or seen so clearly. So he scoffs at men, and yet he confesses that he cannot see into the heart of man; he burns his mouth and nose.
100 In the same way the angel says to Mary Luc. 1, 31. 35.
Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. You will conceive in the womb and bear a son. But in such a way, which will be a hidden thing and such overshadowing, that neither angels nor devils can see or understand anything about it. For this reason I say that the devil with the sharpness of his light can see into the word and a believing heart by no means; and for the same reason I have more desire for the word and faith than for dreams, and have also asked the Lord not to give me dreams, for they are commonly lacking. But the word is a certain screen, and is such darkness, wherein the evil spirits cannot see, though they be high.
101 Therefore, although the prophets and dreamers are not to be despised, if their prophecy and dreams are similar to the word of God and faith, it should be insisted upon that we first study Moses and the prophets well and also learn to understand them, that is, that we first and foremost have the word pure and may also understand it correctly. From this we will then easily be able to judge all visions, all dreams and prophecies, and even both good and evil angels.
Now let us return to Joseph's dreams. The dreams he had were two in number, the first of which was about life on the land and farming. For there he dreamed only of his sheaf and of his brothers' sheaves. His sheaf rose up and stood; the others leaned against it. Jacob was not particularly disturbed by this dream, so he did not speak against it, but was silent about it. For it also rhymed with what he himself had intended for Joseph, namely, that he had decided that Joseph should be the most noble heir in his house, because he was also born of his most noble wife, to whom the firstborn was therefore due, along with the regiment and the priesthood, and two parts of the inheritance. Therefore this dream of Joseph again agrees finely with the thoughts of Jacob, his father, and confirms
It is also the beginning and, as it were, a precursor to the right dream. For here the parents are not yet thought of, that they should bow down before him, but only the brothers are thought of. Now it was ordered and commanded by nature and also in the law that the firstborn son should be lord over his brothers; as the other earlier examples also testify.
(103) Now Simeon and Levi had long ago acquired the right of the firstborn; therefore they were inflamed with envy and hatred against Joseph, although they had no right to do so other than the time that they were born into this world earlier than Joseph from their mother Leah, who first mated with their father Jacob, so that poor Jacob was also unjustly deceived by his father-in-law Laban. For the firstborn is not to be counted or estimated according to time. And nevertheless these two have appropriated the glory of the firstborn to themselves and arrogated it to themselves. So Levi hoped that he would be next to it, where Simeon would depart with death. And so they took the other members of the household on their side, and they also had to look to them and follow them. Therefore the other brothers also agree with them and unanimously oppose Joseph; just as the apostles Matt. 36:8 were persuaded by the united Judah, so that they also grumbled against Magdalene and became impatient with her. But these two, Simeon and Levi, were especially more enraged than the others.
Moreover, this dream also caused an almost strong reflection in their hearts, and cannot be counted or counted among common dreams, which are not worth anything special. According to this, the father was not impatient or angry about it, but rather confirmed it in his heart with his judgment and allowed it to be accepted out of paternal authority. And so there is also the father's interpretation itself, which is divine, and a certain sign that the dream will also have to be fulfilled.
The other dream of Joseph is not so mean or low, but is somewhat high and as it were heavenly. For he has his images or parables of the sun, the moon and the stars; he says of no sheaves, which signify the hard work of those who deal with agriculture, and other hard and laborious works of men. And now in the same dream also father and mother are understood together with the brothers, since in the previous dream they were not thought of. Therefore, the father himself is also somewhat moved or angered by this dream and also punishes him for it, as follows in the text.
V.10. 11. And when this was told his father and his brethren, his father rebuked him, saying unto him, What dream is this that thou hast dreamed? Shall I, and thy mother, and thy brethren, come and worship thee? And his brothers envied him. But his father kept these words.
In v. 4 above, it was told how Joseph's brothers hated and envied him. Here, however, they become quite nonsensical. For neither the nature, nor the use or manner of some peoples, whoever they may be, nor even God Himself, can tolerate that parents should bow down before their children. That is why this dream is quite abominable to hear and is against all reason and common sense of all people. Nevertheless, it makes a powerful impression, because the sun, the moon and eleven stars are clearly named, which is exactly the number of the father, the mother and brothers, and no other number occurs in it.
Lyra says that Jacob despised this dream and even rejected it, as it was obviously inconsistent; and that he punished the foolishness of this young man out of paternal authority, who dreamt out of childish recklessness that both parents and brothers should bow down before him. But in the text the opposite is indicated, namely that the father not only does not despise this dream, but diligently keeps these words.
which way of speaking is also used by the evangelist Lucas when he says Luc. 2, 51: Mary kept all the words that were spoken by the shepherds and moved them in her heart.
(108) Jacob did indeed punish his son, for it can indeed be seen at first that it was almost an inconsistent and clumsy thing; but the impression made by the dream was so strong that he could not entirely despise it, even though he contradicted it at first. For he is of the opinion that Joseph is the firstborn of Rachel, who was also first entrusted to him, whom he also loved fiercely, and for whose sake he also did very hard and heavy work for a whole seven years, and bore such servitude, which was quite burdensome for him. This son, however, for whom he had waited a long time, was finally born to him late and in extreme old age. Who would not be moved by these and such important causes, unless something else were revealed to him by God?
Lastly, Jacob also had the promise of the future seed in which all nations would be blessed, Gen. 28:14. All the patriarchs held this in high esteem, and Jacob undoubtedly hoped that the seed would come from Joseph, thinking that he would become such a lord before whom all his brothers would bow down, as well as all the fathers and mothers in his entire family.
Therefore he considered the whole matter most diligently with himself, and thought: Who knows, nevertheless, what the somnium (the dream) would mean? Who knows what this will be for a leaning or worshipping, be it now and present or still in the future? Where the blessed seed is born of Joseph, not only I and the mother, but also all our descendants will bow down and worship; as it was also fulfilled in Christ afterwards. And David, who is also a father, also worshipped this son when he was not yet born, Ps. 110. In the same way did Adam and Eve, and all the dear fathers from the beginning of the world, which
worship this Son even now and for all eternity.
There is no doubt that this also occurred to the patriarch Jacob. Therefore it is a wonderful dream, since father and mother are understood under the sun and moon, but the brothers and subsequent princes and fathers under the stars. After that he will have concluded something more and higher from it, namely, that the most distinguished and highest creatures are signs of us, and not the thing itself, which is indicated by it. We ourselves are the thing, and are so much more excellent, as each thing is more and greater than its sign, by which such thing is signified. Now, if God holds father and mother and brothers in such high esteem that the most beautiful creatures must be their signs, it necessarily follows that human nature must also be held in high esteem by God. The sun is a sign that signifies the Father. Therefore it follows that the household and the worldly government, and much more the church, must be held in the greatest honor and dignity before God. I say that Jacob drew this and much more from the dream of Joseph, his son.
Therefore, this was a very beautiful declaration, so that Jacob first remembered the future seed because of the promise made to him and to the other fathers. My seed, he will have thought, will worship the future Christ: Sun, moon and stars, that is, what is of princes, kings, fathers and mothers in the kingdom and of every government, all these with one another will be subject to his kingdom. Therefore, he did not reject his son as a false prophet or a loose, useless dreamer, but remembered the promise of the future seed and considered how great the majesty and glory of that seed would be. He was a father of the seed, as Abraham was, but necessity required that he should bow down before him and worship that seed. And this is a right thought, even though he was mistaken about the person, the-
1062 n. 76-78. Interpretation of Genesis 37:10. II. W. II, 1SSS-ISS1. 1063
because he thinks that the seed should be born from Joseph. But God subsequently changed the person, yet left the name and the interpretation unchanged, and assigned this honor to the kingdom of Judah; as Jacob will also learn afterwards.
According to this, the interpretation of this dream is also very good according to history. For this is the greatest adornment of the police or worldly government and also of the household, that God honors father and mother, brothers and household more highly than sun, moon and stars. This interpretation praises the household and pleases me very much. And could not the fourth commandment be declared and adorned with greater honor or glory. Lastly, in the church there are also true and high stars, namely, the servants and teachers, who are nevertheless under Christ, that he is supreme and alone king over the whole world.
Up to this point we have explained what belongs to the history. Now, however, the grammarians also give us some trouble. For it is asked here: How or in what way this might be fulfilled, which is said in the dream; as it is given by the Holy Spirit himself, that father, mother and also the brothers should bow down before Joseph, although the mother has died? In this place they all labored, as Rachel bowed down before her son, who had been dead almost two years, or, in my opinion, not yet two years, before Joseph dreamed anything. Therefore, before we give an answer to this, we will first tell you one by one how many years Jacob lived, and especially from the wedding until he went down to Egypt. For all this time he was tossed about by wonderful coincidences, which were so great that they cannot well be expressed in words.
115 Joseph is now seventeen years old, for he was born seven years after the marriage. When he was born, Jacob stayed in Mesopotamia for six years, and after that he lived in Shechem for eight years, as can be seen from our chronicle. After that time he went to Bethel and married Benaiah.
min, since Deborah had already died and Joseph's mother had died in childbirth. Since Joseph was sixteen years old, the sorrow and melancholy were still fresh because of the death of Rachel. For I consider that there was not more than a year and a half between them; and yet God again comforted this man with the hope of the firstborn of this son, since shortly before Deborah, the pious holy matron, the headmistress and advisor of the house, had died, likewise, since also about the same time Dinah weakened, who was a maiden of eleven or twelve years. For at that time the nature of men was stronger and more vigorous; as we shall hear later that Judah took a wife in his twelfth year.
116. Therefore, after so many and so great tribulations, as that those of Shechem were slain and cut off, Dinah weakened, Rachel his wife, and also Deborah the nurse, who had been a pillar and adornment of the whole family, died; likewise, after his son Reuben committed incest: God now gives the patriarch Jacob a new consolation through this son Joseph, whom he certainly thought to be the firstborn; for Benjamin was then still a child of one or two years. And in these dreams Joseph is apparently promised dominion, and also the seed that would bless all nations, as he himself interpreted through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. For this reason, Jacob was awakened from death and hell and came back to life, and is now in heaven again. Behold, he will have thought, God wants this your most beloved son to be the firstborn and the rightful heir of the blessing. That is why he is now so happy, and has rejoiced greatly and thanked God with all his heart. Soon he falls again into the abyss of hell because of such an immense fall, which happened quite unawares.
117. after the high and great consolation wherein it was declared that Joseph should become greater and higher than the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the heavens, and the earth.
Earth; because from him would come the one whom the sun and moon, all patriarchs and kings, yes, even the angels themselves would worship; thinking, now I will also have peace one day: then this beautiful sweet hope along with all these thoughts falls miserably and soon in a moment again, namely, because Joseph was snatched away by the sin and wickedness of his own brothers. For they interpreted this dream in a different way and drew conclusions from it: Rachel, who died, will not be able to bow down to her son: therefore this dream is vain and a deception of the devil. For this reason they laughed out loud at their brother Joseph's foolishness when he made up his own dreams about his dead mother. And so their pride, hopefulness and presumption grew greater and greater because of the regiment, so that it would certainly remain with them.
For such thoughts commonly occur to people when God wants to punish sin in them, namely, that they consider God's word and the right certain truth to be such a thing, which is also detestable to hear. So it shall be.
(119) These brothers, according to the example of their father, should have considered Joseph's dream a little more diligently and kept their forbidden lusts in check. But they fall, as if they were senseless, into great horrible sin, that they become shameful murderers even of their own father, brother and mother. For as much as there is in them, they have in truth killed their old father, who had become quite merry and had special delight and joy in Joseph, his dear son. They could not have hurt him more if they had put a sword or a spear through him: they could not have caused him greater pain.
120 They are sufficiently admonished by the dream, as it has been told by Joseph, your brother, and they have not lacked other important arguments, such as nature, law or justice, the matter itself, the innocence of the pious young man, and finally also the punishment of the father, who
often exhorts them to brotherly love. Through all these things they should have been moved and softened, if they did not have iron hearts. But when God sees that Pharaoh wants to be hardened and obdurate, He lets the devil loose and causes him to become more and more hardened and obdurate.
(121) So these brothers of Joseph have freely despised all admonition, thinking that Joseph is a fool, that the father himself is a feeble-minded old man, that they are rude and clumsy people who lack counsel and good thoughts. But we are the rulers who should rule in our father's house and church. Therefore, let us not pay any attention to this loose dreamer and give nothing to him.
But what answer do we give to the fact that this can be seen as if it would rhyme with nothing, namely that Rachel had already died? Lyra says that the father at first despised this dream. But I am not satisfied with this. For although he initially acted as if he did not pay much attention to the dream, even that he punished it, he kept it afterwards and considered it in his heart, so that he always had it in fresh memory. Augustin lets it get very sour, and also brings in a theological understanding, namely, that all this should be understood by the future Christ and also be fulfilled in him, whom Adam, Eve, and all that is living and dead, even hell itself, worship; as Paul Phil. 2, 10. says: "That at the name of JEsu all their knees should bow, who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth." This is theologically and according to the understanding of the holy scripture rightly spoken and is all therefore also true.
(123) But what shall we answer as it relates to Jacob's household? How can the deceased Rachel bow down to someone? There I follow the answer, so in the holy scripture usual to solve such questions, namely by the figure, synecdoche called. For although Rachel did not live that she could bow for her person, nevertheless she bowed in her sons, in the man
1066 L. ix, so-82. interpretation of I Moses 37, 10. II. W. n, i-M-isss. 1067
and inclined before him in the whole generation; as we also say after the manner of the same figure synecdoche, that all the brethren hated Joseph, though Judah, as I hold, did not hate him, and the others also only consented to hate, yet were not ringleaders like Simeon and Levi.
This is the meaning of the dream: The sun and the moon will bow down to me, and also the stars, that is, the whole family, parents, brothers, all ancestors and descendants together. But afterwards, at the end, we will hear Jacob bowing down before his son Joseph, as he says Cap. 47, v. 29: "If I have found grace in thy sight, put thy hand under my thigh, that thou mayest love me and be faithful unto me, and bury me not in Egypt" 2c. For there he speaks to his son as to a ruler, after the manner of one who pleads with another and asks for something as a subject. For although he speaks such things from a fatherly heart, he has not commanded him, but has asked him as his superior. And in the epistle to the Hebrews in 11 Cap. V. 21. it says: "By faith Jacob blessed both the sons of Joseph, and bowed himself to the head of his scepter." For although this passage could be interpreted in a different way, it can nevertheless be seen that Jacob worshiped his son Joseph, that is, that he bowed down before him. For thus the text says: When Joseph came, Israel bowed down on the bed to the heads, not otherwise than as if a great prince had come to him. And this he did not only for the sake of the rule which Joseph then had over all Egypt, but also for the sake of the blessed seed, which he hoped would come from Joseph, and of which he had also received a revelation beforehand. This is a fine simple and correct answer to resolve this question, namely, by this figure which is common in the holy scriptures.
The other knot that Augustine has to deal with here is in the story that speaks of the death of Isaac, which we have just mentioned in chapter 35, v. 29. V. 29.
But the explanation is also easy, namely, by the figure or manner of speaking called hysteron proteron, which is commonly called in Latin anticipatio or recapitulatio, that is, when one reverses the speech and puts afterwards that which should stand before. This figure is often used in sacred Scripture, as those who describe the histories of the pagans also make much use of it. As when Livius describes the history of a month or year, he cannot at the same time tell everything that happened in other places at the same time. Thus Moses first brought Isaac's life to an end, then Joseph's; and yet several things happened at the same time that could not have been described at the same time. Just as two people sing together, but cannot speak at the same time. Yes, a whole choir sings at the same time as one another, but they cannot all preach at the same time as one another.
For this reason, Lyra and Augustine have correctly calculated that Joseph was sold twelve years before Isaac died; however, they forget the figure that is commonly used in histories, namely, when the first thing is placed after it. For above, Cap. 35, v. 29, his death is also included and described in the order and line of the story of Isaac, in which narrative, however, the things that happened at the same time could not have been told. Therefore Augustin could have easily helped himself out, where he would have understood the death of Isaac, which was told before Joseph was sold, through this above-mentioned figure, hysteron proteron.
For this reason one must not doubt the reputation and credibility of the holy Scriptures, but the reader must know to remember that the Scriptures, according to the manner of the historians, are also used to tell their story; as I have often reminded elsewhere.
(128) Moses has thus far narrated Joseph's two dreams, in which the Holy Spirit has made a prelude, as it were, to the excellent story of the future Revelation.
This is the name of the regiment or dominion that Joseph had in Egypt, or as the Scriptures interpret it in another place, Psalm 105:17, from the man who was sent to Egypt before Israel, so that he might be preserved alive at the time of judgment. From this we should learn to recognize the fatherly care that God has for us, who announces long beforehand and what is to come, and can also wonderfully moderate, send and govern it according to His goodness, so that it must nevertheless come to such an end that we can bear it; as Joseph himself will later interpret it, when he says in Cap. 50, v. 20: "You intended to do evil to me, but God intended to do it well. Likewise in 45. cap. V. 7: "God sent me before you to preserve you on earth, and to save your lives by a great salvation." So it is certain that God will provide for us faithfully and diligently before we can think for ourselves how our affairs will turn out.
129. above this is also punished with such examples of man's foolishness, which we are all so foolish, yes, even so wicked, that we often hinder our own benefit and are our own greatest enemies, unless the gracious God, according to his immeasurable goodness, reverses our counsels and governs them differently than we ourselves thought. For these brothers of Joseph are so foolish as to destroy and completely exterminate their brother, who was to become their savior, as well as the savior of the whole land of Canaan; and if he had perished, they would have died of hunger. But God miraculously turned all the evil that they thought against and before their thoughts to good, and the same was to some extent meant and prepared beforehand by these dreams.
Now let us continue and move on to what follows, and first of all, let us see in Jacob a wonderful example of divine government, and consider the same, namely, how God used to lead His own into hell and out of it again, how He comforted and deceived them, so that we might become accustomed to trusting and adhering to the word of God alone. It must
The godly will come to feel nothing, understand nothing else, see nothing, especially in death, to which they can adhere, but only the word. Therefore we must learn to die according to the flesh and hold fast to the Word, so that even if the whole world should break or fall over, we can still say with firm confidence: "I believe in God the Father, Creator Almighty" 2c. "And in JEsum Christum, His only Son" 2c. Now Jacob has lived in Hebron, has a son of seventeen years, on whom he put his hope and comfort in his old age, and thinks that now the misery is over: so he only starts worse than he has had it all his life.
Third part.
How Jacob's sons go to Shechem to pasture; how Joseph is sent to them by his father; and how this sending was full of danger.
(vv. 12-14) And when his brethren were gone to feed their father's cattle in Shechem, Israel said unto Joseph, Dost not thy brethren feed the cattle in Shechem? Come, I will send thee unto them. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Go, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and with the cattle; and tell me again how it is. And he sent him out of the valley of Hebron to go to Shechem.
(131) From this text it is clear that the pasture was near Hebron until then, where Isaac and Jacob lived with their household. And there is no doubt that these were good, pious people who leased their fields to Jacob and his sons, since they themselves, Jacob and his sons, had nothing of their own in the land; and the sheaves or fields that they cultivated are nevertheless remembered here. It seems, however, that the inhabitants of the land were descendants of the three brothers Aner, Escol and Mamre, who were godly and pious, heard God's word diligently, and also kept to the church or assembly that Abraham and Isaac had.
It seems that the pasture in the fields and meadows of Hebron was almost completely grazed, which was also the reason that they went to Shechem, or they went to another place because they could no longer bear the presence and fellowship of Joseph, against whom they were so inflamed with hatred and envy that they could no longer speak to him in a friendly and peaceful manner, or even see him in front of their eyes. For this can well happen that one flees from another because he is an enemy and envies him; as it is said of Cain, Gen. 4:5: "Then Cain was very angry, and his countenance changed"; he could not look kindly and graciously at his brother Abel, but as soon as he saw him, he was enraged, and showed his face with such sour, unkind countenances that his heart burned with bitter anger. The same cause could have driven these brothers to seek pasture in another place, but Joseph remained at home with his father, since the others had thus departed from him and avoided his company.
133 After this we see that his family was still in Shechem, since they went there to pasture. For when the citizens of Shechem were slain, Jacob and his sons took their place, and the widows of the Shechemites, and some more of the people who remained, undoubtedly stayed there with Jacob in their homeland. And I believe that the neighbors in the land of Canaan were also reconciled with them, namely, through the affinity they had with Judah, as will follow in Cap. 38, v. 2. V. 2. Therefore they also loved the others, who were chaste and pious. But the most wicked boys, Simeon and Levi, the murderers of Shechem, will undoubtedly have detested them.
(134) And Joseph and his descendants took the same place afterward, where he was almost slain by his brothers. For afterwards this land was given to him by his father to possess, which Jacob could not have done if he had not possessed it.
as his own land. Therefore they moved from the field that had been rented to them to Shechem to their own pasture. But again, when they found no more pasture in the same fields, they turned again to Hebron. For they could not and would not stay any longer with the wicked betrayer, who wanted all the others to bow down to him.
(135) Moreover of this land Shechem is called the kingdom of Israel, and Ephraim also the kingdom of Joseph; and the first king Jeroboam was born of this family. For they looked to the prophecy in which the rule of this place would be given to Joseph; which place Jacob, though taken by great tyranny of his sons, nevertheless kept, since God assigned it to him, and thus turned the evil deed of his sons to good. For such civil and temporal goods, of which God has not decreed or commanded anything special, are only incidental, which God distributes to whom He wills. He who has, has. Jacob had no promise or command that those of Shechem should be slain; but since Hemor and his son were slain, he kept the land with the consent of the peoples who lived nearby. Thus it still happens approximately and coincidentally to many that much good happens to them, where God thus decrees it, of which they nevertheless had no special commandment nor promise of God.
The rest of the text is not particularly difficult to understand, neither in terms of history nor grammar. Genesis describes the care of the old father Jacob, concerning the house regiment; who, because he was very old and decrepit, could not be personally with his cattle, but nevertheless cared for his sons and the cattle. This is held up to us by the Holy Spirit, so that we may be guided by it, so that we do not give up all care for this temporal life, as the monks did, who lived only from other people's work and care. For
This is an example of the house rule, and it describes very well the fatherly care by which Jacob was moved to take care of his children and livestock, so that everything would be managed and arranged properly. Therefore he sends Joseph to them, saying, "Go, and see whether it be well." For it is said above, v. 2, that Joseph was brought before his father, where there had been an evil cry against them from his brothers. Not only did he report to his father what his brothers had done wrong, but he also reported where servants and maids had done wrong, and where there had been damage to livestock or the household.
137 And this care is certainly not to be despised by those who are called and appointed to preside over others in the church, in the world, and also in the household; that they also be bishops and overseers at home in their own houses, and take diligent care of their fields, cattle, and other things; as Jacob did here.
The pope has made a distinction between worldly or carnal things and spiritual things, and has taught that one should beware of stewardship, which God has not particularly respected, even rejected; thus he has wanted his clergy to be entirely above such stewardship. For they have said: We serve God in heavenly and spiritual things; therefore we will leave the pagan and worldly things 2c. But what shall we do now, said the spiritual lords? Well, meanwhile we will read our septence, matins and vespers, and eat and devour the world's goods, and rule and reign over kings and princes 2c.
For this reason, pious, godly fathers of the house should know that their works are all pleasing to God; they care for the livestock, cultivate the field, or work in the manure or the dung pit; but the housemother milks the goats and cows. 2c. These works are all to be considered spiritual or proper if they are done by people who believe in Christ. For otherwise where are we all from
The papists despise this, as if they were born of blocks and stones. If mothers did not bear children, nurse them, wipe them and feed them, the entire human race would inevitably perish.
Because God Himself established and ordained these positions and works, one should not think that worship is hindered by them, but rather that they are very good and pleasing practices of godliness toward God and man. For God wants the fruit to be borne, nursed and nourished in the womb, and for it to be nourished and raised by the diligence and care of the mothers, and to always increase. And that is why he also gave milk into the breasts.
If, however, the gift of chastity has been bestowed upon someone and given to him, so that he can live without household cares and burdens, he may make use of these gifts. But it is another thing to be free from some such burdens of this estate, and another thing to condemn and reject the estate or life itself, as if it were ungodly and heathen.
But if we will consider this matter aright, we shall truly find that nothing is more ungodly or worldly, as the papists are wont to speak, than the whole estate of the papal bishops; though they can deceive simple unlearned men by the title or name of calling themselves ecclesiastical persons; yea, they themselves are rather to be condemned for the perverse and ungodly judgment, that they may condemn the order of God, which they hold to be full of peril and trouble.
143. and one should and must always diligently look at the one who established this domestic status, namely, that God Himself established such domestic works, praises, rewards and adorns them. For thus the Holy Scriptures in the histories of the Fathers have always compared these seemingly minor, foolish, despised and worldly works with the great works of faith and the cross, and other spiritual works.
It is a mixture of the two, so that it indicates and testifies that God cares for both the greatest and the least things. For there is One Lord both of the great and the lowly, of kings and servants, of men and women 2c. We all have the same one God, and we are also one, in unity and in one way, to serve this one God; although our works and occupations are unequal.
But let every man do in his profession what he ought to do there. Just as Jacob is a holy and spiritual man, speaking the law of the Lord, praying, ruling and teaching the church, but in the meantime he has not despised other small domestic works concerning the fields and cattle, or even left them alone. This is held up to us as an example, so that we should know that all our works in the household are pleasing to God, and that they are necessary for this life, in which it is incumbent on everyone to serve the one God, who is the Lord of us all, according to his ability and in his profession.
This should often be done diligently and should be impressed upon the tender age right away, so that it may learn to judge these things better than some shysters and papists, who cannot stop preferring the orders and rules of the monks and nuns to the works that belong to housekeeping and worldly government, however highly they are praised and adorned by God. The youth should know that God is just as pleased with a woman who nurses her child, or with a maid who sweeps the house, as with a lazy nun or a Carthusian monk who has good lazy days. This, I still say, is to be known against the abomination of the pope, so introduced into the church before this time, when they called all other estates worldly and useless, and praised and extolled their plates and caps alone. We, they said, are the clergy, we pray for the others: you citizens, peasants, princes, nobility and all worldly people cannot serve God. Therefore, give us gold, silver, your castles, cities and lands, and we will pray for you day and night, while you are cultivating the land.
You build, govern your household and your subjects. For this is what I myself taught when I was still a monk. But God, according to His great grace and mercy, has forgiven my sin.
However, it should often be remembered how frightfully the whole world has been deceived and deceived by the shameful papists, canonists and sophists, who bound the invocation and other divine services to the monasteries alone, as if God could not also be invoked in common life. For they do not cease, the unholy people, lawyers and monks, to strive and still use all diligence, so that once again this terrible abomination may be set up in monasteries, so that the works that God Himself commanded may be thus obscured and destroyed, as there are: domestic works that women perform in the home; or also those that belong to the worldly regiment; which are in truth God's works, since the woman, a citizen, prince, nobleman are God's creatures and everyone among us is created for a special work or office, so that those who perform such works diligently in their office should know that they are pleasing God with them, as long as they only guard against sins and refrain from them.
This light has been completely taken away from the Christian church; and this has been done by the popes, so that no knowledge, neither of the Creator nor of the creatures, has remained among the people. And the bishops and monks will still try to extinguish such light again, unless their ungodly counsels and presidencies are prevented by God at the imperial diet that is now being held. For they will pursue this with all their might, so that the papacy and the monasteries with all papal decrees may again be erected; even though they themselves despise and mock such decrees. For they do not fast and pray, but feast and dim, live day and night in a frenzy; but they will nevertheless try to deceive the emperor, because they know how to praise their great divine services so highly that they must again be erected in monasteries.
As if the most impure boys, the monks, were the only ones who could do God a good turn with their howling and roaring in the church.
Against such strange and monstrous abominations of the Pabst, this and other similar passages should be well remembered, namely, of the life and works of the dear patriarchs, whom God sometimes led very high. When Jacob wrestled with the angel, that was one of the highest works; for there was not room or time to milk the goats, but to wrestle and conquer against sin and death, and this by faith and hope. Sometimes, however, God leads them outside of such high works; just as the same Jacob was also worldly and domestic, waiting on the cattle, the servants and the servants. For godly people are not only appointed to one kind of work, as the monks have bound and committed themselves to special works of their own choosing; but they sometimes wait for spiritual exercise, sometimes they also have to deal with civil or domestic matters.
149 In addition to this, Joseph's obedience is also praised in this place, in that he is immediately there when his father calls him. For this obedience the Holy Spirit has told in many words, not only for the sake of the following histories, but that he might praise such childlike virtue in this young man Joseph; which, however, in the eyes of the papists are only bodily and foolish works, as if there were no human weakness at all in their lives. Nevertheless, these works, which are despised by them, are the most delicious and best in the sight of God.
V. 15-17 Then a man found him going astray in the field; and he asked him, saying, Whom seekest thou? He answered: I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed. And the man said, They are departed thence: for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. So Joseph followed his brothers and found them in Dothan.
150 Joseph departs and hurries to his brothers with a very inclined and willing heart.
And when he had gone astray in the field for some time, a man whom he met in the field showed him the way; but he did not know how great danger he would encounter and how near his doom was. For no one has warned him of it, and God Himself has decreed that he should fall into the hands of his brothers, who were cruel beyond measure. So God, as it seems, does not pay much attention to either of them, namely, the father, Jacob, and Joseph, his son, and pretends not to see what Joseph's brothers had in mind long ago, that they also let themselves be heard publicly; and thus allows the boy to be sent there by the father and thus to be pushed into destruction. Where then are the holy angels, the Mahanaim, from whom above, Cap. 32, v. 1. 2. are praised that they fought for Jacob against Esau? No one appears here to warn Jacob and say: Beware, do not send your son Joseph to your other sons, for they will kill him and then you will be deprived of your heart's desire. All the angels and God Himself are silent. All this is truly very wonderful and quite unheard of, which I can neither reach nor express with thoughts or words. For God decrees here that both Jacob, the father, and Joseph, his son, have fallen into the present ruin.
This is a great comfort to us, that we see that God does not lead and govern the most holy patriarchs differently than He does us. For He did not only lead this patriarch Jacob through vain miracles and high spiritual exercises, which would surpass the common sense of pious godly people; but He also throws him into common dangers and accidents, as they can happen to any of us. Joseph was a good, pious, innocent youth of seventeen years, has the Holy Spirit, God is gracious to him and is pleased with him; he also led a very holy life in the congregation of Jacob, his father: and yet he is weighed down with this miserable case, which, although it may not seem unpleasant to us, is so very hard for him.
to be ordinary, although this holy man did not deserve at all.
For this reason, this example is written here for our comfort, reminding us that we should remember that we are poor people, and that we should therefore take it for granted that everything that is human can also happen to us. For if this affliction befell the holy patriarch, who was full of the Holy Ghost, what wonder shall we be, and be angry or impatient at it, if we also have to experience the like? Why do we not rather rejoice in it and thank God for it, when we feel that we are also thus exercised and driven about with equal danger, so that God has also tempted the most holy people from the beginning?
In this great distress and danger, however, we see that God and the angels are completely silent about it, allowing Joseph to be plunged into the most sorrowful misery, even into death itself. They see that the father will be very miserable and saddened by the death of his dear son, and yet they have not prevented these brothers from taking action.
Therefore, let us exhort one another to patience with the examples of these people, who were like us in the cross they carried. And if these examples are closer and more comprehensible to us, they also move us more than the example of the Son of God Himself, because the latter is higher and has no comparison at all; although He also says of Himself Matth. 26, 24."The Son of Man is passing away as it is written of Him," as if neither the heavenly Father nor the angels were watching over Him, since He was handed over to the very cruel Jews and accused that they tore Him apart, wounded Him and crucified Him.
In the same way, these two also enter into death, and God is silent about it, the angels are also silent, yes, they still rejoiced about it. For it was not done to destroy Joseph or Jacob, but for the salvation of many. But this counsel of God is still secret and hidden, even though it is very good.
and useful. For by this temptation and punishment God will prevent Jacob and his children from dying of hunger, and will also ensure that Egypt will be converted and come to the true knowledge of God, and that many people will be won and saved.
This is indeed a very salutary counsel, but it has been completely hidden from their eyes. For thus God has thought: I will first kill them both; for I will not only do them good, but I will also counsel and help the whole land of Egypt through them. This was the opinion of our Lord God at that time, and it pleased Him, as a miserable and disgraceful figure or reputation, to be so despised and abandoned by God.
157 Therefore, as often as we are afflicted and challenged, we should look at this example and think that we will manfully resist our flesh when it is angry and impatient in temptation, and thus say: "Why God has so forsaken me now, I do not know; but I do not doubt it at all, the dear merciful Father will do it out of good wise counsel, so that it will also finally be useful and good for me. Although my sinful flesh does not see it, but grumbles and strives against the spirit, this cross must nevertheless be borne and overcome with faith and patience; for I also see in the holy fathers such wonderful counsel of God, so that he led and governed them. For thus all these three died at the same time, Isaac the grandfather, Jacob the father, and Joseph the son. But see and notice how much good our Lord God has wrought out of this; how gloriously he handles this grave case and wickedness of the devil, that he makes this poor and, as it were, dead shepherd, Joseph, king in Egypt and lord of many other nations, and what is still most noble, that thus the right doctrine of God is spread through the same whole kingdom; all this comes out of the little temptation. Therefore, I say, we ourselves should also conclude thus: Well then, God has now also provided me with this or another
What is the reason for this? I will suffer this with patience. The flesh is weak, sighs, howls and laments, but God says: "You know nothing of this, you are a fool; my counsel and will is to bring forth great good from this cross of yours.
So also Christ says in the New Testament about His saints and believers Luc. 18, 7. 8.: "But should God not also save His elect who call to Him day and night?" 2c. "I say unto you, He will save them in a little while." O! if we could believe it, and hold fast to these words of Christ, the Son of GOD, and have such a spirit as to say with joy: Well, my life and limb, and my goods may be taken from me, and all may perish; I am sure that God Himself is doing this, and has decreed this upon me, and means it very well with me. If we could say that we are good Christians and overcomers of the whole world. And that would also mean to surrender to God in His obedience and good pleasure; as St. Paul exhorts Rom. 12, 2: "Change your mind by renovation. But the renovamini (renew your minds) hurts. But why this? Follows: "That ye may prove which is the good, the acceptable, and the perfect will of God." There you will learn with suffering, lamentation, groaning, what God intends for you and has decided for you.
So there is no doubt in my mind that the heartfelt sighing in our hearts and in the hearts of many godly people against the pope, the Turks, and the terrible blasphemies of the adversaries, which we have to hear with great pain in our hearts, when we sigh and cry: Come, dear Lord! that such sighing and crying, I say, should not bring about so much that the redemption of the godly children should soon approach and hasten. What matters, the gemitus (sigh) shall tear the world apart. God will no longer be able to bear patience, says Christ Luc. 18, 7. 8. but will soon save his elect. He will come, he will not stay away; and when he will begin
He will find and make such a way that the adversaries and blasphemers will be destroyed and his church will still be preserved. Thus he destroyed the whole human race by the Flood, since the people were most certain and certainly thought that now there would be no punishment or misfortune at all, so that nevertheless there were still some pious, holy and wise people among them, as it seemed. So also the kingdom of Babylon perished; item, Sodom, Jerusalem and Rome were also devastated and destroyed. Who destroyed and destroyed them? This is what the groaning and the tears in the hearts of the saints did. Moses also cried out to the Lord at the Red Sea, but what happened there? The sea was divided from one another, and when Pharaoh went into it, he was drowned; but the people of Israel were miraculously delivered, Exodus 14:15 ff.
160 Therefore it would be very useful and good if we could learn and become accustomed to comforting ourselves with such examples even in our misery and affliction, and that we could certainly conclude from this that out of our misery and calamity God the Lord wants to gather and bring a great heap of goods upon us, and that he can also do this well. Let us only bear His hand and follow His counsel for a time; let us not grumble and be angry with God, as the Jews did in the wilderness, of which the 106th Psalm v. 13 says: "But they soon forgot His works, they did not wait for His counsel." He intended to help them, but they could not wait, they wanted it without delay. Therefore they remained in the wilderness, did not come into the land of Canaan; for they despised the dear land, did not believe the word of the Lord, and murmured in their tents.
In this way, the holy patriarch Jacob was also in great distress and anxiety, and could not have wriggled out of it if he had not heard comfort from his old father Isaac and the other members of his household, who reminded him of the divine promise and gave him the opportunity to be with God.
until he received his son Joseph again, who was then raised to great honor and glory. For this is a very high and great thing, that Joseph is thus raised to rule over all Egypt; and where the same God had previously revealed to Jacob and said: I will provide that the loss of your son shall be a cause of much great benefit and piety to you: then he would certainly have let the son go with good will and joy. But God hid this from him and concealed everything from him, so that he could first kill the old man and then please the new man again and make him drunk and fill him with countless new benefits.
In the meantime, it has become necessary to awaken the heart to faith, to hope, to wait for divine help, according to the teaching found in Psalm 27, v. 14: "Wait for the Lord, be confident and undaunted, and wait for the Lord. God knows well what end and outcome the temptation is to gain, which you yourself cannot see. Hold fast; I will mix it with sugar in such a way that even if you have to die immediately, you will be crowned again with eternal joy in the resurrection of the dead.
The purpose of these exercises is to help us understand God's grace and mercy, the mystery of faith and right hope, and to help us understand God's inscrutable counsel over us; as it says in Psalm 4:4, "The Lord leads His saints astray"; Psalm 16:3, "I am well pleased with the saints. Psalm v. 4: "The Lord leads His saints in a strange way"; item Ps. 16, 3: "I am well pleased with the saints"; likewise in Psalm 17, v. 7: "Prove Your strange goodness, You Savior of those who trust in You." God's grace and mercy, and His promise is certainly present; but it is wonderfully fulfilled above all our thoughts, wills and desires.
164 Therefore one should say with the dear Job Cap. 13, V. 15: "Even if he kills me, I will still hope in him"; and with St. Paul 2 Cor. 4, 8. 9. since he speaks quite gloriously of this matter as a skillful speaker: "We have everywhere
Affliction, but we do not fear. We are afraid; but we do not despair. We suffer persecution; but we are not forsaken. We are oppressed; but we do not perish." Our life is all miserable and wretched, full of great misfortune and affliction; yet we are not forsaken. And so a Christian heart also thinks and concludes in adversity: "I know that I shall not be put to shame; my hope and my faith and trust in God shall not fail me. For I cannot lack God Himself, His promise, Sacrament and absolution; for they are also God Himself. Therefore, even if I die, I will live again; even if I perish, I will be preserved and saved.
For Jacob is also rejected, as it seems, but is still not abandoned; he is challenged, but nevertheless does not despair; and finally he still remains God's child and God remains in him, but in a completely hidden and wonderful way. And finally, when this game comes to an end, when Jacob sees that his son is still alive and has become such a great ruler, he is very happy about it and rejoices that he had been so troubled before and had suffered so much misfortune; he thinks: "Behold, such great joy would never have happened to me if my house and community had been ruled according to my counsel and will; Joseph would have remained a shepherd like my other sons: but now he will be raised to royal glory and through him many other people will also receive help in body and soul.
166 When we are afflicted, challenged, and thus driven about, we should awaken our hearts against the leading of misfortune, and thus say, "I will not die, but live," Ps. 118:17, even though the opposite may already be seen. And even though I must completely despair of myself, I will still hope in him who makes everything out of nothing; and if I have even come to ruin, he can certainly help me up again and do the same for me and others for the very best.
167 Therefore, the more cruel suffering is, the greater and more wonderful thing it works in the saints and believers; and is a ge-
This is a sure sign of divine grace and goodness when the faithful are challenged and burdened with crosses and adversity. For if they persevere in faith in the divine promises and remain steadfast, great unbelievable goods soon follow; as the saying of St. James Cap. 1, v. 12 reads: "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for after he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which God hath promised to them that love him." And John 12:24 says Christ: "Unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." Therefore, if the grain rots and dies, it soon grows and produces a beautiful stalk, which afterward bears fruit thirtyfold here and sixtyfold there.
This is such a doctrine, which is taught for and for in the Holy Scriptures; and it is also the will of God, that we should be put to death according to the flesh, and made alive again according to the spirit. For St. Paul means the same thing when he says in 2 Cor. 4:11: "For we which are alive are for ever given unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also might be manifested in our mortal flesh." There, soon after v. 16, 17, 18, he says: "For this reason we do not grow weary; but though our outward man decays, yet the inward man is renewed from day to day. For our affliction, which is temporal and light, creates an eternal and exceeding glory, for us who do not look at the visible but at the invisible" 2c.
This, then, is the true and proper art of Christians, for which they are called and chosen by Christ; as he said to his disciples John 15:16, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain. Therefore he also trains them and kills them, so that their fruit may be the more abundant and greater.
170. in this way he also dealt with these very holy patriarchs, as if he did not know them; and yet he showed his grace and mercy over the
grandfather Isaac, poured out so abundantly on Jacob the father and Joseph his son; for they were, without a doubt, very pleasing and dear to God. But such love and mercy of God is kept so hidden and secret that God never punished any of His enemies more cruelly and severely, not even the patricides themselves here, who sold Joseph, nor the Ishmaelites or Midianites, who bought him.
Thus he awakens and accustoms his saints and believers to his marvelous counsel; but the rest of the multitude he allows to grow and become great, to live in their lusts, to practice all kinds of usury and robbery in all security, leaving them all their will to do whatever they desire, not chastising them, not hindering them, not forbidding them what they undertake ungodly things in utmost security. But what a sorrowful and unfortunate indulgence is this, when God allows them to do whatever they want!
On the other hand, those are much more blessed whom God throws into affliction, misery and death, and yet to whom He gives His promise, saying: "You have My promise, be content with it. If I had rejected you or cast you out, I would not give you my promise and would not call you to trust me; if I wanted you to be eternally damned, I would not absolve you and absolve you of your sins, I would not baptize you and would not call you to the fellowship of my dear Son Jesus Christ. But because you hold the holy sacrament and gospel, remember my words Matth. 5, 4: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted"; item V. 11. 12: "Blessed are you when men revile and persecute you because of me, and speak all kinds of evil against you, when they lie about it. Be glad and of good cheer, for you will be well rewarded in heaven" 2c.
Now Joseph received not only heavenly and eternal reward, but also temporal reward, which far surpassed all hope and thought. For he became a father of the king in Egypt through this short and easy challenge, and
who was also a bishop and teacher of many nations. This is also a fleshly and excellent great reward of patience and constancy in tribulation and adversity. And so God is wont to hide His face and to withdraw His hand from His saints and beloved children, letting them suffer, be sold and thrown into prison and die; not differently than if they were God's enemies, to whom He pays more attention than to these His beloved ones; not that He is in truth so minded, as it outwardly appears, but that He is, as it were, pleased to play this game in the works of His hands. For thus he himself says in Revelation 3:19, "Those I love, I also chasten."
174 Let us diligently observe and consider this, that now that we have begun to believe and hope in eternal life, which has already been given to us through the Word and Holy Baptism, we will also learn to bear with patience all the misfortunes that will befall us thereafter; and that we will certainly believe that all this does not happen by chance or in vain, but out of God's fatherly counsel and will for our salvation and happiness, which we will only understand when the temptation comes to an end. In the midst of adversity, when the struggle with temptation is at its fiercest, it is not understood, because the feelings of our flesh tear us away from the promise. And does this not occur to a man who is in anguish and distress, that he should think: I am nevertheless baptized, having the promise of God: but the heart is completely overloaded with lamentations, weeping and weeping according to the flesh.
But now the flesh must be crucified and put to death, for it hinders us from rightly understanding the promise and truth of God's word, which is rinsed out in temptation, when we hold fast to it with firm faith, and then follows also what is written in Psalm 34, v. 9: "Taste and see how kind the Lord is. God thus allows us to be challenged, so that He may have room to satisfy us again afterwards, to comfort us and to make us drunk, when we are completely powerless and exhausted, and
There is no help or comfort to be found in ourselves. For otherwise we are very sleepy. And so, when we hear God's word with overindulgence, we become quite lazy and secure about it. Sour makes you eat, they say. Hunger is a good cook.
Fourth Part.
From the bloody attacks of the sons of Jacob on their brother Joseph.
V.18-20. When they saw him from afar, before he came near them, they struck to kill him, saying one to another, Behold, the dreamer cometh. Now therefore come, and let us slay him, and cast him into a pit, and say that an evil beast hath devoured him; and it shall be seen what his dreams are.
God is silent about the ungodly and bloody plots, the evil counsel and the scheming of these brothers of Joseph, does not destroy or hinder them, is blind and deaf, as it seems, does not see or hear, does not understand what they are doing, and yet has said to Jacob: I will be your protection 2c.
177. Now it is truly a great pity that one should see such shameful and adventurous fruit in the house and the congregation, which at that time alone was the holiest in the whole world, in which congregation the great patriarch Isaac was pastor and teacher, God's word and promise of Christ has been especially active, the Holy Spirit reigns, moreover, many beautiful examples of godliness, discipline and a fine domestic conduct have shone, that nevertheless out of it such frightening monsters have come. For Jacob, with his whole church and congregation, is subject to the devil and all his angels, to the extent that not strangers, not enemies or heretics, but his own children, born of his womb, whom he diligently raised and instructed in God's Word, killed their poor innocent brother.
178 This is truly a wonderful
A thing so high and heavy that no one, no matter how eloquent he may be, can talk it out, indeed, no man can think it out. Methinks it is worse than Cain and his brother, and that these brothers were far more cruel than Cain the fratricide. For so many brothers have envied and hated the young man Joseph, who has not yet reached the years of his right youth, in such an unjust and inhuman way, and that without any cause or even without any fault on his part. For, dear God, what sin can it be that he had two dreams, that he was especially dear to his father and brought him before him, where there was an evil cry against his brothers? There was nothing wrong with him, because he was innocent and godly, bad and right, and without all falsehood, which are all right causes that they themselves should have loved him. What can he do for having had dreams? 2c. Nevertheless these brothers, born and brought up in such a holy house of the patriarch Jacob, whom he kept in serious discipline, were so bewitched that they killed their brother, who was so pious and godly, and at the same time also their old father. These are actually patricides, matricides and fratricides, of which Paul says 1 Tim. 1:9.
The good old father Jacob sits in Hebron, is well content in his heart, and does not think otherwise than that all things are well. As he sits in such peace and good hope, his dear son Joseph is killed by the hatred of his brothers, and he himself, the father, is also killed. What should we poor, miserable people not have to expect in this life, since more harm and misfortune can befall us from members of the household, from children and from our own flesh than from neighbors or strangers? Zacharias, Luc. 1, 71, sings in his hymn of praise: "That he saved us from our enemies"; but Jacob would rather wish and ask for salvation from his dearest friends and children. For our life is described and portrayed in such a way that it is subjected to vanity, the devil and everything else.
We must also fear that our dear friends, children, and household members will be a cause of death or constant lamentation, which is even more burdensome than death itself.
For the children of Jacob have had the most excellent teachers of the church and prophets, from whom they have daily heard God's word, promise, law and other things, in whom they have always seen good morals and many examples of all respectability; and yet these poisonous spiders have sucked nothing but poison from such beautiful little flowers and fine roses. And since they would not have wanted to mend their ways by admonition or example and be deterred from such horrible sin, they should have spared their pious father and holy grandfather. But the god of this world has blinded them so that they can neither hear nor see.
181] In addition to this, there was also the great and serious trouble that arose from this vice of theirs among their neighbors, the Ishmaelites, Midianites and others, to whom this cry must have come. For to these people Joseph was sold by his brethren, therefore they will doubtless have thought: Behold, these are the children of blessing, but we are utterly cast out of the church or congregation of Abraham, are as the rejected, and are aliens from the promise and church of God; but these are the fair heirs thereto, who have committed this great sin.
This was indeed a very great trouble in their hearts, from which they could conclude nothing else, but that the glory of the blessing promised to Abraham must be in vain, and that they would rather be the right church with their own, since in it such cruel examples of such shameful sin would not be found. For the tree is to be recognized by its fruit, and the trouble that had previously resulted from Dina's weakening was not much less. For this reason, such distress undoubtedly grieved Jacob himself more than the misfortune itself; just as in our time we are also more distressed by the
and we also lament more over the fact that in our churches, unfortunately, so many aversions are aroused as over the persecution of the papists and tyrants. For the papists do not harm the church as much as the false brethren, who also boast of the same faith, doctrine, hope and invocation with us, also use the same sacraments with us and are almost equal to us in all these things. Therefore the papists are also moved and caused by such astonishments that they mock us and say: There are boys in the skin, they bite each other, and will certainly be consumed among themselves.
183. Jacob, then, is an example of the patience and thought that one should have of the wonderful counsel of God over us; and God willed that this should be written and read and taught in the church, so that we might learn from it how he leads his saints so wonderfully, and governs them in such a way that even the saints themselves cannot understand or comprehend such counsel of God by which they are led; And this for no other reason than that our flesh, sense and understanding, and also our wisdom, are thus killed, and that we become accustomed to simply closing our eyes and trusting in God's promises, even though he presents himself as if he did not respect us, even though the opposite can be seen. As the bride in the Song of Solomon Cap. 2, 9: "He is behind the wall," he hides himself behind the cloth; and as the child Jesus, when he was twelve years old, also withdrew from his parents, Luc. 2, 43. He behaves in the same way toward the godly and pious, so that it seems as if he did not know us at all, even though he had made us a great promise before; and after he has certainly established his covenant with us, he lets us perish as if he had forgotten his promise, and as if he did not respect us and had rejected us.
184 This then is the wisdom of Christians, to hold fast to such divine counsel, and in faith to the promise which he hath given us.
persevere. For such a promise is sure and constant enough, and the covenant of the Lord is also firm, as the 121st Psalm v. 4. says: "The guardian of Israel neither sleeps nor slumbers."
But to this human reason answers thus: All this is well said, but I experience and feel the opposite. For he not only sleeps, but also snores; indeed, there is no God at all who would care for us or take care of us. So Jacob is certain of the divine promise, and also knows that the covenant of God will stand firm; and yet God deals with him in such a way that it seems as if neither he himself, nor his son Joseph, have the holy angels as guardians who would resist the fierce anger of his brothers: they all keep silent, and let the devil storm the holy church and congregation, raging and raging against it. Where then is God?
For this reason, we are often reminded that we are taught from such an example that one must grasp the divine promise with firm faith, and that one should not doubt God at all where he promises something. For just as God cannot lie, so he cannot refrain from lying; he must take care of us, especially when we hold fast to his promise. For where this is firmly held, it is impossible that we should be forsaken, because God is true. For this reason, when he decrees that we are to be challenged, led into hell and killed, as we see in this example of Jacob, we should always take refuge in his promise, and put far from our eyes the terrible distress, so that we may be crucified and afflicted in this way.
187 Jacob and his son Joseph were very severely tempted and afflicted, which was completely contrary to the divine promise, and seems nothing less than that God should take care of them and provide for them. For he does not send them an angel, nor even a leaf from the tree, so that the devil may be stopped and driven back; but he still does good to him.
and windows, that he may rage and rage against father and son in the most horrible way.
Jacob has a very great and rich promise, and the fulfillment and living experience of it, namely, in the blessing shown to him by the fact that he has twelve sons. But he still has to struggle with many troubles that occur to him, as if he had no God or no promise. However, we must conclude and still consider it that he has nevertheless not been abandoned by God. For the promise still stands, Isa. 49, 15. 16.: "Can a woman forget her child, and not have mercy on the son of her womb? Though she forget him, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, in the hands I have marked you" 2c.
Why do we nevertheless encounter so many frightening things from our own flesh, children and generations? Answer: This is the way of divine government, and this is also the way of the life of the saints and believers in this world. Therefore, there is such wisdom and doctrine that surpasses all reason and human understanding, that by such wisdom I can say: I have been baptized, absolved from my sins and declared free; I have eaten my Lord Christ's body and drunk his blood; I have the most certain word of God, who will not lie to me or deceive me, even though it might seem as if everything were going out contrary to one another.
190 For so Jacob also thought, Though it seem as if I were forsaken, because my son was taken from me, of whom I understood especially the promise which is now in doubt, yet it is only a temptation. But how many do you think could be found who could do the same?
Therefore, I say, it is necessary that our flesh be killed and the understanding of the flesh and reason with all human wisdom be destroyed. It must come to this. Everything is made by the word, must also be made again by it.
We are created by the word and must also turn back to the word. So the Sophists also spoke, but did not understand it themselves: Ad principium, a quo processimus, est redeundum, bas ift: that is: We must return to the beginning from whence we came. This is easily said, so that one can speculate about it; but where one is to practice it in deed, and thus come to ruin, die, and even perish, so that it seems as if there is nothing left of life or feeling in the flesh but only the word, this has trouble and work. When I die, I go down to hell and perish. What shall I do then? There is no help left but the word: "I believe in God" 2c. I hold fast to this, no matter how fiercely he is angry, leaves me, kills me, even leads me into hell. But why do I hold on to the word? Because I have been baptized and absolved, and have used Holy Communion. I believe in the word. God grant that heaven and earth may be broken, but I do not have to reject or deny the word, the promise and the sacraments, even if I should be thrown into hell.
These are not things to be speculated about in vain, but are taken from life and experience, and should not be heard or considered only once while we are alive, but should be repeated and practiced often. I am baptized once, I am accepted into the divine promise, I am absolved daily, and I hear that forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to me, I am raised up and comforted with God's word, I am in the kingdom of grace and blessedness. But what happens? Every day I encounter so many and such great misfortunes and miracles that if I had no other help or advice than my own reason and flesh, I would soon kill myself with a rope or other means of defense. So full of innumerable cunning is the devil, and all corners are full of various kinds of death, of stalking, of the sword 2c. But no matter how much clouds and darkness lie in the way, one must nevertheless enter into the light of the word and divine power.
The Lord's promise is to break into the faith and say: "Now, in the name of God, I have sinned, I confess it; but I believe that I am baptized and that my Lord Christ is seated at the right hand of God 2c.
This is the groaning that God wants to awaken in the hearts of believers, so that they do not become secure and sluggish, and perish and perish from weariness and spiritual laziness. For thus the spirit is awakened, the faith is sharpened; the knowledge of God grows and the new man is always renewed from day to day, and one learns about the good and perfect will of God.
This is what happened to the man. For this holy man will now die, and this has been the last and most extreme challenge, which will undoubtedly have killed him. For otherwise he spent his previous life in the greatest sorrow, in darkness, misfortune and the shadow of death. How then such a life, spent in constant and sorrowful lamentation, is not life but death, since the sun becomes black, since neither sleep, nor food, nor drink tastes good, since one has no desire for the things that otherwise usually make a man happy. This is truly the right and constant death; that is why Jacob perishes here. Here the last temptation hit and entered him, and it also killed him, because he lost his most beloved son, who was the firstborn of his first wife. At the same time, the heavy grief he had before that the Shechemites were slain and his daughter Dinah was weakened will be renewed for him. And the grief he received over the miserable death of Joseph's mother, and finally that Reuben had weakened Bilhah and thus caused the horrible incest, was also renewed in him. These four severe afflictions soon followed each other, one after the other within three years, without stopping. This is a poor man, in whose house he had been completely holy, and since God's word and the Holy Spirit reign, nevertheless such great power of the devil should still have the upper hand, that not easily
even a shameful pagan could have suffered greater heartache. I do not know how it should be worse for someone who is a pagan; and if such a thing were to happen to Julius Caesar, Octavius, or Alexander the Great, it would be truly frightening and cruel enough.
These are indeed great and frightening things, which I cannot deal with even according to their dignity: it is too high for me. Therefore, we should not be afraid; come what may, it cannot be as bad for us as it was for the holy man. No, I say, it cannot be harder and more difficult for us. We have not yet come to such heavy sufferings and crucifixions as this patriarch's sufferings were. If the Turk came, robbed and devastated everything, and strangled us to boot, such misery would still be nowhere comparable to the misery and affliction that Jacob suffered. Yes, even the great agony or torment that the dear martyrs suffered cannot be compared to this. For they suffered when they were full of the Holy Spirit and full of joy, without lamentation and sadness, and were able to defy even the tyrants and mock them. Their suffering lasted a little while, but here it was a continuous death that lasted for two and twenty years, until he went down to Egypt.
So God's counsel is very wonderful, by which the saints or believers are governed, since Satan is raging and raging, and yet the Holy Spirit is also present there at the same time, who preserves, teaches, admonishes and keeps the holy Christian church against the devil. For although here both Father and Son are forsaken, nevertheless, as said before, they have kept the Word for a whole twenty years, in which they have both lived even in the midst of death, that is, only in the promise and in the Word.
This is a very miserable life according to the flesh. For the poor father dies in truth, seeing nothing before his eyes but the death of his son and of himself. That is why he says afterwards in v. 35: "I will go down with suffering into the
Pit." Joseph was thrown into prison and accused of adultery, as if it had not been misfortune enough that he had to live in misery and servitude, and thus had to be torn away from his dearest father and his whole family and separated from them. So death fell upon death, hell upon hell upon him; and yet Joseph is still alive. Why or how did he live? Because he heard the promise of God and the sermons of his father: God promised Abraham, Isaac, my father, that He would be their seed and children of God forever. These promises have preserved and established Jacob the father, and in addition his son, Joseph. For Joseph was like a good tinder that catches fire easily, and never departed from his father's words: he diligently kept his teaching. I, he will have thought, am Jacob's son, to whom God promised that he would take care of me; I firmly believe this, even though everything goes against the grain.
But the wretched papists do not understand such a life and example of the dear fathers. They hear that Jacob had a wife and cows and other livestock, and they despise this as a vain carnal thing. Well, gentlemen, let us look at this example a little more closely, namely, what a poor, miserable man Jacob was according to the flesh, and also look at the beautiful lamp that shines before the eyes of Joseph and Jacob in the dark place. For this they hold: hence it is that they lived so long a time, all of twenty years, in misery and even in hell. Although Joseph had been delivered from hell ten years before, he had been deprived of the sweet fellowship of his dear father in the meantime. For this reason, the promises of God and the faith in them should be seen in the dear fathers, so that they were able to bear and endure such great sorrow and misery through no other help, but only because they had this word: I, the Lord, am your God, your protection; do not be afraid; only put your trust in me, I am with you, I will protect and save you.
199. like us also in the holy baptism,
Absolution and Communion: I am the Lord, your God; do not be troubled, I will provide counsel; only cast your cares and concerns upon me; for you have in me such a God, who promised you that he would take care of you in a fatherly way. Yes, says a poor sorrowful heart, I nevertheless see the opposite. God then answers again: "It is true, dear child, you do see the opposite; but this is only a temptation, which is useful and good for you, so that you may learn from it and experience how kind the Lord is. For if this temptation had not come, you would remain quite coarse and without understanding in your flesh, and would never be able to understand what it is that I have said: I am the Lord, your God. So you, dear child, must be chastened and taught, so that through such training and experience you may learn to recognize, through so many temptations, that I am the Lord your God, as it is written in Deut. 8:3: "He fed you with man, that he might make known to you that man does not live on bread alone, but on everything that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.
There is no opinion that you should be lost or condemned. For the baptism is sure enough, the promise and absolution you can also not lack. What now? This opinion has it, and God deals with it, that you should learn how powerful life is in the Word, and that you should certainly conclude with yourself: "Although I am hard-pressed and frightened, so that I even perish, it is only because I should remember my dear baptism and divine promise. For I have such a gracious God who cares for me, of which I have no doubt. Although it may seem as if everything is repugnant to me, these are only temptations that test and prove my faith, whether I also firmly believe that God is my protection and shield.
These are the examples of the dear fathers, of which I said that in them one should pay attention to the promise and their faith, so that they kept such promises, and then also to the cross that they carried, because these are the most distinguished pieces in the legends of the saints. After that
God can also suffer them to deal with housekeeping and other small things, which the world and the papists despise. For they were also men like other men, and do such works as are like other men's works, which may well be done by ungodly men; so that there was no special difference at all between Jacob and any other shepherd. But this alone is the difference, which every carnal man cannot soon see, namely, that Jacob has the promise, is God's child, is under His protection and shield, and can trust in God; therefore everything he does, that he begets children, milks the goats, has been pleasing and pleasant to God. Why is that? Because the promise reigns here: he is under the heaven of divine promise and believes it.
But when the temptations come in heaps, then one sees what true virtue the saints have had in themselves: how here no goat is milked, but both father and son are killed, the whole house is broken up, and the church or congregation of God is even distressed. What happens there? There is a great crying and wailing: Oh, how we are nothing at all, we are lost people! But against this faith says: You are not lost; remember that you still have divine promise, which is spread over you as far as heaven is. God still cares for you, even though you neither see nor feel it. Only a small cloud has passed over you, which God seems to have swallowed up the Lord.
These things should be said and often repeated in the histories of the fathers, so that we may learn to stand bravely in the faith, and also greatly esteem the promise that we receive from God. You should not regard yourself lightly; if you have been baptized, have God's word, have been absolved, have been called: then consider that the kingdom of heaven is spread out over you, and not only God Himself, but also all the angels have their eyes fixed on you. If now already everything is destroyed, heaven and earth over one
When the people of the world are in a heap, and all the infernal gates are stirring, and the pope, emperor, and Turk are raging and raging in the most dreadful way, then you say: I am baptized; then you will have it. With such faith and trust you will be victorious. For since God cares for you, He will not abandon you, nor will any harm befall you that may hinder your salvation.
204 The Hebrew word, nachal, I will let the Hebrews be commanded to explain and investigate what it actually means. As much as I can understand it, it means, where one wants to accomplish something with cunning, which we commonly call practiciren, to make strange practices; as in our times the court practices are, indeed, with which now almost all farmers and citizens know how to deal. These brothers made their plots with cunning counsel, deceitfully and deceitfully, so that they would kill Joseph with cunning and treacherous ways, so that the father would not be aware of such counsel and that they would not have to bear the guilt. Malachi at the 1. Cap. V. 14, it is written: "Cursed be the good man that hath a male in his host, and when he voweth, he offereth a vile one unto the Lord. The Hebrew word nochel means in German cunning, treacherous, deceitful, as the bishop of Mainz and such other wicked old peelers, who deal in cunning, and know how to ensnare everything with such their deceit, can also cover it cunningly and treacherously. We use to say in German: Sie wischen das Maul 2c. Who did it? The nobody, the mischievous one. It is no one who confuses and destroys everything in the domestic and world regiment.
These fellows do the same here, kill the very pious young man, and yet do it in such a way that they may nevertheless be taken for the innocent, who have no guilt at all. Above this, they can also pretend that their father's suffering goes very much to their hearts and is quite painful. They could not have killed him with obvious violence, because the father would have found out, from whom they wanted to conceal this deed with diligence. For this reason they now conclude this
They want to kill him, and yet they are not considered or thought to be the ones who caused this death. They will have thought that we want to strangle him and say that a wild animal, a lion, bear or wolf tore him apart. We do not know anything about his death, but we will say that we found the bloody garment on the way; we will send it to our father so that he can see whether it is Joseph's garment or not. But we really do not know where or when he may have perished.
This is a very beautiful mystery and image of the Israelite people. For the Jews are actually such nochlim, as can be seen in King Saul and the Jews who stood before Pilate, who said John 18:31: "We must not kill anyone. These are, I say, the true norlims and the shalks-nobodies who do harm, and yet seek nothing else but to be highly praised for their innocence and piety. This seems to me to be the meaning and emphasis of the word.
But see if these brothers have not been possessed by the evil devil, because they have dealt so treacherously with it, as they would kill their brother Joseph and so wickedly deceive their old father. Although I may believe without sin that they have not all been so wicked at the same time, but that the chief ringleaders of this sin will have been Simeon and Levi. For it seems as if Judah and Reuben would not willingly consent to this horrible sin. As then in the narration, where Moses tells, how it all happened, Reuben is excused, and that Juda advised, one should rather sell him 2c. But these two, Simeon and Levi, have decided in their hearts that they will kill and destroy their brother Joseph; but the others, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Naphtali, and Issachar, have their excuse because they were still young. For this was done when Joseph was seventeen years old, and Judah was twenty years old, Levi one and twenty, Simeon two and twenty, Reuben three and twenty: and the rest of Joseph were yet a little younger.
were the first. But these were two great men and lords, Simeon and Levi, who are the nobles of the court, yes, the most wicked boys in the house of Jacob. The others have not resisted them and are therefore also involved in the same sin through these evil desperate boys. Yes, dear Lord God, it often happens that one boy can make a whole town go astray.
(208) Reuben did object that they should not do this unjust thing, but his brothers despised him. For he had now lost his reputation among them because of the incest he had committed; and the others were all the more defiant and presumptuous because they boasted that they were pious and holy, and that therefore the rule of the house and church belonged to them.
209. But it is useful and good that this sin of Joseph's brothers be made great enough that the Christian church may be improved and comforted by it; Because the children of this excellent, great holy man thought of and committed such a terrible evil deed with such certainty, and at the same time brought their other brothers into line with them and mixed them in the same sin, that they had to join them in killing Joseph only for the reason that he told his two dreams that he had and that he was especially dear to the father. All the good deeds they had done in the first and second table, which were of no value to them, were completely undone and lost. There was nothing left in them but the utmost barbarity and vain unkindness, which even the most shameful pagans might have had in themselves. God is not feared, he is even mocked and crucified.
After that, such fellows can be called mother murderers, father murderers, grandfather murderers and great-grandfather murderers with all rights. For I believe that Isaac could have lived much longer, where he would have been without this tribulation. So also the pious honest matrons, Rachel, Rebecca and Deborah, where they were
If they had still been alive at that time, they would have had to die of great heartache; and it was very well for them that they took their leave of this life before such sorrow. For if they had lived that year, it would not have been possible for them to endure such great pain and sadness; they would have torn the hairs from their heads with their hot tears and would soon have died of sorrow and sadness. Thus, with this one sin they committed against their brother, the disobedient children wrapped themselves in many other great and grave sins at the same time, making themselves guilty of them.
211 Therefore learn here, you bachelors, to be obedient to your parents, schoolmasters and other elders. For this is a great and grievous sin, and a cause of much and innumerable misfortune, where children are disobedient; for this same sin kills parents, brothers, grandfathers, and the whole generation, and crucifies the Son of God. Beware!
How Simeon and Levi repented is not clear from the Scriptures, but I will believe that the greater part of their repentance and punishment was that the infants in Egypt were drowned. And God was able to punish and afflict each one of them in his own time, so that they also cried and wept, and had to pull out their hair, and perhaps suffered more severe punishment than we can imagine, which is not described. However, it seems likely that God inflicted a punishment on them that was equal or similar to their sin, namely, that the king in Egypt issued a commandment that all the infants of the people of Israel, when they were born, were to be thrown into the water and drowned. As if God wanted to say, "You threw your brother Joseph into a pit in which there was no water; now I will let it happen again that your children will be thrown into the water and perish in it.
For in the end, after the sin, payment usually follows; not, I say, a Papist satisfaction,
but the punishment of God. For God forgives and pardons sin, but lest the sinner fall asleep over it and become secure, and boast of his sins as if he had done it well and everything had been done well, God comes with a rod of iron, searches out and punishes the sin of the fathers against the children in the third and fourth generation.
But why does he do this? He does not do it as if one could do enough with such punishment for sin; for he is not satisfied with our punishment, does not consider such our satisfaction: But he punishes so that the sinner may not snore and become secure, or boast of his wickedness and sins; but that the sin committed may bite us, kill us, and force us to realize how great and grave the sin is; that we may therefore weep over it, groan, and call upon God for mercy, so that it may be forgiven us without merit, by grace, for Christ's sake, since such mercy is promised by God to those who weep over their sins, confess them, feel sorry for them, and thus truly repent.
And if God did not punish sin in this way, we would not only snore and despise sin, but we would also accumulate it daily and make it more and greater than the previous ones. Sin may lie at the door and sleep, as is said of Cain in Genesis 4:7; but it does not remain safely hidden, but will one day suddenly awaken and torment you and crucify you; yet not to destruction or damnation, but that you may come to repentance and amend yourself by confessing your sin, sighing and crying out to God, and calling on him for mercy. So they will have paid well. So, I say, the Israelites will undoubtedly have suffered punishments for their sins, which were severe enough, as is indicated in the history 2 Mos. 1, 11. ff. For as they killed their brother, father and mother, so again they suffered many countless misfortunes and plagues in Egypt under Pharaoh's tyranny. Pharaoh
He judged them rightly in Egypt, so that they would remember what a great sin they had committed, and that they would not consider sin such a small thing.
For if we do not diligently consider the greatness of sin, God Himself will consider it great. If we do not judge ourselves, the Lord will judge us. And it is still a great blessing that God judges and punishes us for our own salvation, and not for condemnation, as Judas and Saul are judged. But will you be sure and think: What is the matter, if I have already angered my parents? I tell you, your sin is asleep and still hidden. But it will surely come out, and drive thee to say at last: Alas for me poor sinner, what have I done? Why have I so despised God in my father and mother and schoolmaster? Why have I not been obedient to them in what they have commanded me? This will come at last, it cannot fail.
217 Thus we have often earnestly admonished against secret betrothals, that they should be avoided on both sides, and that virgins and bachelors should beware of them. But there are many who, as if blinded by love, go against their own conscience, so that bachelors do not marry properly and in obedience to their parents, nor do virgins allow themselves to marry freely, but one part steals from the other, as it were by force, whether their parents like it or not. What else do they do, then, but stain themselves with terrible mortal sin, which may lie dormant and hidden for a time? For the maiden pleases the bachelor well, and his heart is completely inflamed with love for the maiden, so that he thinks of nothing else day or night, nor does he dream of anything else. But if only a month or two pass, then at last a miserable groaning and lamenting follows; as Abigail says to David, 1 Sam. 25, 29. 31: "The soul of my Lord will be bound in the bundle of the living with the Lord your God" 2c. "So shall not the heart of my Lord be troubled.
It should not be an offense, nor an annoyance, that you have not shed blood without a cause. Such offences and annoyances tend to grieve the conscience for and for, since one thinks: I have taken this maiden against the will of her parents. After that comes the crawling in the neck, the black evil dog, the newcomer, that bites your whole life, does not stop, even if the sin is already forgiven.
But with those, the pain or sadness of conscience will be somewhat greater and heavier, who now know the will of God, that one should not marry or enter into marriage without the consent of one's parents. For before, not knowing God's commandment, such ignorance might have its excuse; but how much better it would be now, with the knowledge and will of the parents, to become married, so that when you sleep with the maiden, you may also touch her with joy and a good conscience, without all offense and annoyance, so that both God and the parents may well grant you the same, and laugh and rejoice over it. This, I say, would be much better than that you should mix with her in such a thievish and secret way, since your own heart, which accuses you of this, will grumble against you with constant sadness: If only I could have had this maiden and kept myself to her, that her parents would also have given their will to it, and would have been happy and in good spirits with us about it. Why then have I so grieved and angered my dear God and also the people with it? For the little black dog, the newcomer, who at last comes, does not stop barking and biting your conscience, even though you know that your sins are forgiven.
219 And we preachers, who are to administer the church government, often have much to do with such confused consciences, which are burdened with such sins, until we again straighten and comfort them. For this reason we may be justly angry with the jurists and their canons, who have actually caused and created this confusion. They set fire to the houses so that they burn, and then let us see to it that we put them out again. We, however, do what we can, absolve and comfort them.
The black dog does not stay away: the pain comes again and is renewed as often as there is a misfortune or damage in the household, for example, when a child falls ill, when the woman is unwell in childbirth, or when she dies. 2c. This is the cause of all misfortune, namely, the contempt of the parents; with which contempt the black little dog soon barks under your eyes and presses the same upon you; and if this were not present, we could more patiently suffer and endure all kinds of troubles and accidents. For there the heart is quiet and well satisfied, knows that this state pleases God, plays or jokes in good peace with his dear spouse, and is certain that all his works are pleasing and pleasant to God. And even if something unpleasant were to happen, the heart would not be easily moved or frightened.
220 I say this as an example, but it should also be applied to all other sins, which will undoubtedly be followed by such pain of conscience, even in the people who are the most wicked and also very cruel and inhuman. For it is such a mood that it is difficult to separate from the person who is so tuned. Therefore, dear children, beware, it is coming, beware. You are still young, you do not yet know what a horrible beast an evil conscience is. Accustom your hearts to be obedient to your parents and schoolmasters. It is a fine thing, as Juvenal says, that one may not become pale or ashen because of any sin. There is nothing better and for which one should have more desire than that one may lead such a life that is pleasant and pleasing to God, and in which even pious parents may have pleasure and joy. I could well cite many examples here, both of which I have experienced myself and have also seen in others what a great misfortune an evil conscience is; but I will pass over them for the sake of brevity.
221 For it is to be considered certain that sin is certainly death and condemnation to death. But there are two things
Condemnation: one of wrath and the other of grace. Where there is a condemnation of wrath, one feels such great power and force of sin that it overtakes the conscience without all help and comfort and even destroys it to the core, as happened to Judah, Saul and all other despairing people. May God graciously deliver us from such damnation and protect us from it. The other condemnation is a condemnation of grace; Paul says 1 Cor. II, 31: "If we judge ourselves, we will not be judged by the Lord. God preserves those who are thus judged through the word and promise, through the comfort of the word and ministry.
When the priest, or any other minister of the Word, comes and delivers such a frightened conscience, it usually comes, even though it is raised up and comforted, that the sighing always comes again, even against the will and all feeling of such comfort. I know well what I will encounter when I consider how I led my entire previous life. For even though I know that my sins are forgiven, the pukah, that is, the offense, still comes back: without the offense I cannot be, I must become ashamed and say: Fie on you, what have I done! I do not know myself guilty, as if I had committed fornication with another's wife, or had beaten someone to death, or such other gross sins, I do not know myself guilty; the little black dog cannot bite me; but for other sins it bites me, since my conscience is now also already satisfied, and the scar is covered and healed.
(223) So sin awakens some to condemnation, but in others it awakens to chastening and repentance, that they may be chastened and converted, that they may cry out to God and finally be saved: just as Manasseh the king had his sin awakened and revealed to him, but to his mercy and salvation. Likewise also to Peter, Paul and Magdalene.
224. but they have it still a little better and are the more blessed, who live there without offence and sighing because of heavy sin, so they
1108 L. ix, in. iis. Interpretation of Genesis 37:18-20. w. n, issv-isss. 1109
They have committed more crimes than pious and godly husbands and wives, who are sure that they have been married with the consent of their parents. They say that they can bear and overcome all kinds of misfortune much more easily and with a clear conscience than others who have despised the authority of their parents.
(225) But this sin, which is still so small, is now still hidden, because they are dealing with it, so that they may carry out this horrible sin. And this example is thus held up to us, both to comfort us and also to frighten the wicked and the secure with it. For these brothers of Joseph did indeed obtain mercy, since they finally groaned, suffered and atoned, not according to papist but divine repentance, which is indeed a condemnation to death, but nevertheless in such a way that the sinner is awakened by crying out to God and calling for the mercy that He shows in Christ, His dear Son. Thus the Ninivites were converted and fasted; but such fasting was not their true repentance and satisfaction, but the groaning, when they said, "Lest we perish," Ion. 3:9, was a salvation to them, that it was not a condemnation to death.
226 But they do not leave it at that, but also let themselves be heard with bitter and unkind words: "Behold," they say, "the dreamer comes along" 2c. That they say "the dreamer" even means a bitter contempt. For both their hearts and tongues have been full of devilish malice and bitterness. And the bishop in our neighborhood, who himself entertained and heard preach at his court the pious, godly preacher M. Georg, whom he then had murderously and miserably killed, can well be compared with these people. And now that he had been strangled and killed, the bishop posed as if he knew nothing about the death blow, and let himself be heard outwardly as if he were heartily sorry that the pious man had perished in such an unjust manner.
227 As soon as they saw their brother, whom they should ever have loved, received kindly and protected, especially because
he was still young and also quite innocent, they immediately began to speak of him in a hostile and poisonous manner, saying: Ecce iste Baal somniorum; for so it is written in the Hebrew text: This is the lord and master of dreams; the shameful poet, the dreamer is coming. They blame him for having thought up or composed the dreams.
Baal means a master, a husband, or actually a householder: Isa. 1, 3: "An ox knows its master"; and in the 5th book of Moses: "When you see your brother's donkey going astray, you shall lead him back to his master. Hence the Baal service, which idolatry found the widest spread, has its name. For the idolatrous Jews themselves chose such a worship, which should be excellent, and much more delicious and better than the common way of worship. For they also wanted to have such a householder to be their baalah. Baalah means a paramour. We cannot be satisfied with that, they will have said, that God is our Lord, as he is also the Lord of other nations; but they want him to be our Baal, that is, our Buhle, because we want to be better than others. That is why they have established feast days and certain sacrifices. As the monks did in our country, who were not satisfied with the proper spiritual worship of faith, love and hope, but thought up new special ways of dress, differences of food, time and place: they called this perfection, as if they were no longer common Christians, but like angels, far above the common crowd of Christians.
229 So we see here in these brothers of Joseph, how very sourly and unkindly they have interpreted or interpreted the dreams of the simple pious youth; as if he had invented them with cunning, that he would thus take away and deprive the others of the regency and priesthood. Thus the hatred which they unjustly cast upon him was kindled in them and always increased. For Simeon and Levi could not bear it; but Reuben, because of the sin which he had committed, was utterly destroyed.
respected, and Judah was the youngest among them. Therefore they will have said: The reign will ever belong to no one else but to us two, and when I, Simeon, die, the reign will come to Levi. These are the real mischievous masters who have acted out this tragedy. And for this reason they will be cut off by the patriarch Jacob with their right colors and painted with due punishment, Cap. 49, 5. 6. 7.: "The brothers Simeon and Levi; their swords are murderous weapons. Let not my soul enter into their council, neither let my honor be in their church. "2c. "I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel." The whole tribe of Levi had nothing of its own, and in the tribe of Simeon there were only poor scribes and schoolmasters; as now the Jews still say that there is no scribe in the whole nation except in the tribe of Simeon. Therefore this punishment of poverty and mendicancy fell on both tribes, even though their sin was forgiven when they repented.
(230) And so, desiring to be on top and to have the royal rule over the others alone, they were miserably cast down and brought into perpetual poverty. For the quarrel has been over the firstborn or over the royal and priestly dignity. This was the cause of the great quarrel and bitter hatred that drove these brothers to commit such an inhuman sin, far surpassing the murder that Cain also committed against his brother. For the same Cain, for the same reason, also strangled his brother Abel: because God accepted Abel's sacrifice, but rejected Cain's, therefore he must die. So Joseph dreamed that he should be the prince and priest of the house, and the interpretation of the dreams is manifest in itself; wherefore they were so fiercely enraged and enraged, that they said unto him, "Shall thou be our king, and reign over us?"
In the same way, it is customary among brothers to divide the inheritance with each other. For brothers are seldom at one with each other, and strangers can unite with each other much more easily than brothers.
Joseph had to die for the sake of this privilege, which was rightfully his by all rights, because he was the firstborn of the most noble wife of Jacob, whom he had first desired and loved. For Leah was fraudulently, as it were by force, thrust upon him and given to him, when he never desired or loved her. Yet, all this notwithstanding, these two boys seek to usurp and arrogate to themselves such glory, when, according to their father's will and by reason of their birth, it belonged to Joseph. For this reason they were truly worse than Cain, and the sins they committed are far more heinous than Cain's murder. For they think not that they shall grieve their poor old father, who for their sakes hath suffered so much misfortune from the beginning of his married state. There must have been no mind and no thoughts in them. They want to go through it badly with their heads: he must die. That is the devil. Their descendants, the Jews, did the same. For regardless of the many miracles that Christ the Lord performed, they always repeated the word and said, Luc. 19:14: "We do not want this man to rule over us. He wants to teach us, wants to be our high priest and king, says he is the Son of God. "Away with him, crucify him." The same hardening is always with those who resist divine truth and order. For the same thing is heard from the papists in our time: In short, we do not want to be governed or taught by anyone 2c.
The other brothers of Joseph, however, did not first instigate or conceive this diabolical plot, but nevertheless got involved in the game, as it is wont to happen in the world. And since they decided with each other in their hearts to strangle their brother, they also decided on a very cunning plan, namely, how they would conceal their evil deed and the body of their slain brother. And, dear, see how frighteningly deluded they must have been and how they must have been possessed by the devil. For they have added to this that they have committed the murder of their brother.
They have not committed any sin, especially against the other and first tablets, with the exception of the sixth commandment concerning adultery.
233 Therefore, whoever would magnify their sins would have ample material here. For they transgressed all the Ten Commandments, robbing the father of all his descendants of his inheritance and good, and of his honor; and if they could, they would have robbed him of the promise. They did not sin against the sixth commandment, but in all the other sins forbidden by God in the Ten Commandments they were completely drowned, up to their ears in them. In the same way they grieved the whole family and led them into miserable sorrow and lamentation, and especially their father and grandfather, who saw the misery in which his son's children had fallen, and yet did not know who had caused such misery. The Ishmaelites and Midianites knew it well, but to the great sorrow of the whole church.
234 Therefore these brothers knew how to decorate themselves in a subtle way, saying, "Let us throw him into a pit and say that an evil animal ate him. They did not pay any attention to the fact that he was their brother. It would have occurred to the most cruel enemy that he would have thought that he was his brother, and in that case one brother would have to spare the other and not attack him. But these fellows strangle their brother and then throw him into a pit, invent a supposed excuse for this evil deed against his father and others, saying: "We did not kill him, but a wild animal ate him.
Here again is such a place to remember how wonderful is the counsel of our Lord God, which we cannot see and understand at all, or only a little and in the dark. For where it seems that God is angry, He is not angry from the heart, but still keeps His mercy and faithfulness over us, as the Scriptures testify of Him everywhere. Such promises
The light of the sun always shines in this darkness of gloom.
236] Then here is another counsel of God, that he allows these brothers to secretly pursue Joseph, and with great wisdom conceal the murder they committed against him; just as Cain thought that it was hidden that he strangled his brother Abel, and that neither God nor men knew anything about it. So these fellows do not doubt that it can be prevented that their father does not find out about what they have done to Joseph. But in their advice and cunning tricks, which they take great pleasure in themselves, they are completely deceived and blinded.
As in our time, God also allows the Turks and the Popes to be wise and to use cunning, giving them marvelous good fortune. But in this way he makes them mad and foolish, when they make themselves believe that they are the wisest. But who is he that understandeth these things? For we are rather weak, we are fools and even despised in the world. We are always suffering and mourning, but they are joyful and confident because of the glory they have, namely, that they alone are wise and powerful, even that they have the rule over the whole world. But they that have the Holy Ghost, and know the mind of the Lord, judge it, as it is written in the 73rd Psalm, v. 18, 19: "O Lord, thou puttest them in the slippery place, and bringest them down. How do they come to nothing so suddenly" 2c. Therefore, all those who rely on such wisdom and cunning are mistaken in heart. The bishops and cardinals have become vain fools with all their secret practices; but there is no one who can see it. We can see that they are foolish and nonsensical in all their counsels and nobles, but we will not persuade them that this is so for a long time yet.
238 Therefore, when the wicked fiercely threaten us with death, the gallows, fire and the sword, so that they may think to kill us and even bury us, we should know for certain that God, who has said: I will be your protection, will laugh at their foolishness and do the opposite. For this is what these brothers of Joseph thought: "Come, let us
strangle him"; but God says thus: "Let him live for me, and keep him unharmed. They said, "We will bury him in the pit," but God says, "You shall raise him to me from the dead. They hope to gain the praise of righteousness and innocence; but God says, "Accuse yourselves and plunge into eternal damnation. For this is how God changes and perverts the advice of men. And this is understood only by those who have the Holy Spirit and have felt and experienced divine help and salvation from adversity.
239 And this is also the teaching of the 2nd Psalm, v. 2, 3, 4, which illustrates the counsel and nobility of both. The kings and princes of the land rage and cry, "Let us break their bands, and cast away their cords from us"; we will not look upon their Christ. "But he that dwelleth in heaven laugheth at them, and the LORD mocketh at them." Dear lords, he says, your casting away and tearing asunder is my exalting, raising up, crowning, and setting as king. That is their gain from it. Your burying or burying is my raising out of hell, and the excuse of your sin is your eternal damnation.
240 Because of this, that these brothers say with great defiance, "So it will be seen what his dreams are," they have seen this to their great detriment, since they had already long ago fulfilled such bitter hatred against their brother with the horrible murder. For God saw their raging and fierce anger, even though they thought they could conceal it from Him. Therefore, let us learn to despise the threats and cruel counsels of our enemies, and take it for granted that God has already decided the opposite in heaven, and that He is already laughing at them; but that He is playing a friendly game with us, that He may test and prove our faith and hope; even though it is not very pleasant for us, but a sourly unfriendly game. But whom God thus laughs at, and who laugh even now, to them such will be a sour and sorrowful laughter.
Fifth part.
How Joseph is thrown into a pit, and how he is finally knotted don his brothers.
V. 21, 22: And when Reuben heard it, he would have delivered him out of their hand, saying, Let us not kill him. And Reuben said to them: Shed not blood, but cast him into the pit that is in the wilderness, and lay not your hand upon him. But he would deliver him out of their hand, that he might bring him again unto his father.
241 Moses excused Reuben, saying that he had not conspired with the other brothers to kill Joseph, but that he had resisted their fierce anger to the best of his ability, and though he had not been able to save him completely, he had managed so much that he had not been killed. For he did not seek or mean that Joseph should be thrown into the pit, though it seems that he did so; but he took pains to keep his brother alive. For this reason, God also counted this to him for the deed and perfect salvation that was in him, since he had a good inclination and perfect will for this, and would have gladly prevented both, namely, that Joseph would not be killed, nor thrown into the pit. For on this opinion also Augustin says: Deus coronat intus voluntatem, ubi foris non invenit facultatem, that is: God crowns the good will within, where he does not find the ability by heart. And Christ himself also interprets the fifth commandment thus Matth. 5, 22: "Whoever is angry with his brother is guilty of judgment." "He who hates his brother is a murderer," 1 John 3:15, for there is a perfect will that desires nothing else but that the brother may be worn down and killed. For then a work is already complete when the will to accomplish it is complete, whether for good or for evil.
242 Therefore, Reuben is innocent of his brother's blood, even though these
1116 L. IX. 124. 128. interpretation of Genesis 37: 21. 22. w. n. IS3S-1S4I. 1117
He was not freed from the incest he had committed before, and it seems as if he had wanted to escape or alleviate the punishment he had forfeited with this deed, whether he could perhaps ingratiate himself with his father again. But the father did not pay attention to such diligence and humility in Reuben, and even though he forgave him the sin, the punishment still remained on him; as the German saying goes: Old guilt does not rust.
The other brothers also suffered their well-deserved punishment for the sin of murdering their brother, and this was the punishment that their descendants and children had to bear the heavy servitude in Egypt, and that their young children, who were babies, had to be drowned in the water and killed; but especially the two tribes Simeon and Levi were especially cursed by the Father. For sin is not so completely forgiven and remitted that the punishment of the transgression committed and of an evil, troubled conscience should not still remain. So, even though David's sin was forgiven, for he heard Nathan say in 2 Sam. 12, 13: "The Lord has taken away your sin," nevertheless, the same sin was followed by a severe punishment from God, namely, the rebellion of his son Absalom, who robbed his father of his kingdom and all his goods and also slept with all his concubines.
244 Therefore, we should be on guard against sins with all diligence and vigilance, for they will never go unpunished unless the punishment is lifted by great sincere repentance and the mercy of God; otherwise it is said: Old guilt does not rust. And where there is great need and danger, we pray: O God, do not avenge old guilt! Remember not, O Lord, our iniquity! So Simeon and Levi sinned freely and without any shame, and their sin was kept secret for a while; but it sleeps at the door, so that it will be awakened again one day after the punishment. Then it soon finds itself and bites in such a way that the sinner begins to cry out: Alas woe
to me poor man! I have, alas, well deserved the punishment with this or that sin! Oh, I have deserved it! Therefore I still say that it is a very frightening, distressing and miserable thing about sin, which is certainly always followed by divine vengeance, especially where we do not judge ourselves: just as again the good deeds or good works never remain unrewarded.
So Rubens' blood shame was still asleep at that time, and now he desires to be reconciled with his father because of it; but it is not yet time to reconcile the father. That is why he has not been able to obtain anything from him. Before, when he might well have abstained from the abominable sin, he did not do so: now that he wants to earn merit with the Father, he will not accept it from him. It was nevertheless a good deed in the sight of God that he took care to save his brother and thus be excused, as Judah also does; but the two very wicked boys, Simeon and Levi, were the real initiators and ringleaders of this great misdeed; and for this reason Simeon also had to atone most severely. For he will be thrown into prison afterwards, because he was the foremost one who started this sin. And I hold that Christ was killed by none other than these two tribes, the chief rulers and scribes. The chief priests were of the tribe of Levi, but the scribes were of the tribe of Simeon. Therefore, as they afflicted and martyred their brother Joseph, so their descendants also crucified Christ, and these two with all their descendants were the most wicked.
Jerome says in one place that in the story of the twelve families Simeon is omitted because of Judas the betrayer. Of the chief priests it is certain that they came from the tribe of Levi; but Hannah and Caiaphas came from Simeon, and also Judas, their predecessor, as Peter calls him. 1, 16. Now this is the excuse of Reuben, who asked for Joseph, that they would not kill him. Do not take his life, he said.
So Isaschar, Sebulon, Gad, Ässer are also innocent; but since they are seduced by the reputation and violence of their oldest brothers, they have also consented. As in the time of Christ, the chief priests also hanged the common people of the Jews, and brought them to their opinion, that they cried out that he should be crucified after all. But now the real hard fight follows, so they held with Joseph.
V. 23, 24: Now when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his tunic with the coat of many colors that he had on, and took it and threw it into a pit; but that pit was empty, and there was no water in it.
The brothers follow Reuben's advice and throw Joseph into the empty pit, in which there was no water, which is recently described in this place by Moses. Afterwards, however, when they have come out of Egypt, Reuben himself will repeat it a little more extensively with the attached serious punishment of his brothers, which reads thus Gen. 42:22: "Did I not tell you when I said, 'Do not sin against the boy,' and you would not listen?" Joseph was undoubtedly a very beautiful youth of seventeen years, which is the true bloom of youth and the most beautiful time of life. But suddenly, not caring, his brothers carried him away and rushed upon him. You traitor, they will have said, you villain, you must die. And even though he fell at their feet, bowed down before them, sighed and wept piteously with folded hands, pleaded with them, begged them for God's sake and, as they say, from heaven to earth, and also for the love and respect that children owe their parents, he still saw that neither his pleading nor his bitter tears found a place with them; as they themselves confessed afterwards, when they spoke among themselves, Genesis 42:21. 42:21: "This we did unto our brother, that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear him: therefore is this tribulation come upon us." V. 22: "Now his blood is required."
248 Consider what a wretched figure that was, when the boy put his hands
He lifted up his eyes to heaven and pleaded with his brothers with bitter tears and heartfelt sighs when he saw that he was surrounded by them and was about to be slain. For what a great pity it is to fall and be slain, not at the hands of strangers or enemies, but at the hands of his own brothers! But these brothers are even harder than a pebble or a diamond: they do not let themselves be softened by the fear or the sighing or howling of the boy, since it is known that often enemies have been moved and softened by this.
For this reason, the cruelty of these two brothers, who raged and raged against their own flesh and blood, cannot be magnified enough. It is true that the suffering and cross of our Lord Christ was sad and cruel enough, although we know that such suffering was inflicted on him according to the good will of his heavenly Father, but the cruelty of these brothers is much greater. For it would have been fitting for them to have allowed their natural affection for their brother to move them. Reuben nevertheless tried to rekindle this affection and love, which had been extinguished among them, by pleading for his brother that they would let him live and not kill him, but he was unable to do anything with them. For although they did not immediately strangle the boy, as they had decided, they nevertheless threw him into the pit, which is much more grievous and horrible. For they intend to kill him in the desert with hunger and thirst. How much more tolerable would it have been for him to be killed immediately than to be thrown into so much prolonged torment and torture? except that their intentions and plots were prevented by God. For we otherwise see that those who are too severely tormented also desire that they only be killed soon, so that the sooner the better they may be freed from the torment they suffer.
For this reason Satan exercised the utmost cruelty in these brothers, who were to become high priests in the future. For
Joseph was a figure of Christ, and here in this place the descent to hell was signified, or as Zechariah Cap. 9, 11. says, to the "pit where there is no water in it," that by the blood of his covenant he might deliver and redeem the captives in the pit.
251 First of all, they took off his colored or unsewn skirt, not that they had any great desire for such robbery, but to deceive and mock their father, the pious old man. For this skirt, which before was a sign of the love his father bore him, must now also become a hard and evil sign to grieve and torture the poor father with it, who had great joy in the skirt and adorned his son Joseph with it with special diligence; in the same skirt he was now also to be killed. For so he will say afterwards, "It is my son's coat, a wicked beast has eaten it" 2c.
252 And when they had stripped him of his skirt, they cast him into the pit, and left him there, thinking, Now is he dead. For this was their intention, that he should die in the pit from hunger and thirst, and from stink and filth. And it was indeed by God's providence that there was no water in the pit, that he was not immediately covered with water: otherwise he would have suffocated and died at the same moment. But they accept the advice of Reuben, that they may torture him for several days, and that they may only fulfill their conceived malice and hatred.
In this way the devil rules in the house of the very holy patriarch Jacob among the children of God, as Job says. In the meantime Benjamin was a small child and still lay in the cradle. For within two years all these things happened, namely, that Dinah was weakened, Rachel and Deborah died, Reuben committed incest, and Joseph was sold. Thus one misfortune has always come upon another. Reuben can well be excused, as was said above, and the others also, as Naphtali, Issachar 2c. And I believe that they were also innocent. But Annas, Caiphas, Judas, these are the right masters and founders of this
Sin, who also rejoiced in themselves and thanked their Lord, Satan, that their advice went so well, are happy and confident about such very bad things, meanwhile they do not even think about their old father and Joseph, their brother, who is miserably sighing and crying, yes, is martyred in death and hell without any comfort or hope of salvation. For there is no one to comfort the afflicted boy and exhort him to rely on God's goodness, help and assistance, who would certainly be his protection and shield in the greatest fear and distress; but he has had to remain stuck in the extreme misery of loneliness and hell. But they took the skirt with them, so that it would still be the poison and fatal destruction of the pious father, who had so often and so sweetly delighted him before.
254 But nothing is said here in the text about whether or not they cut or tore the garment before they dipped it in the blood. For if they have not torn it, then they have truly acted very foolishly, and it has happened to them, as it commonly happens and as it is said in the common proverb, that always sin or godless beings are attached to foolishness. And Hilarius says: Where the godless being could advise itself as wisely as it is boldly, it would be difficult to accept the truth and protect it. That is why it is said in the proverb: Mendacem oportet esse memorem et intelligentem, that is: He who wants to lie must have a good memory and must be intelligent. But if they have left the skirt they wanted to dip in the blood completely, it was a great folly, so that they betrayed themselves. For the father could have concluded thus: Behold, they say that an evil wild beast has devoured Joseph; how is it that it has not torn his skirt also? or if the skirt had been torn, he might have thought that one should have searched or investigated fairly whether the beast had not left some of its bones or flesh.
255. So, I say, the godless being must be
and the lie always betrays itself. And if Jacob had been content and confident in his heart, this would undoubtedly have occurred to him. But the good man was so frightened and, as it were, out of his mind, as if he were about to die; just as people, when they are suddenly delighted or saddened, are not at all themselves, so that all their senses and understanding disappear, and they are so frightened and frozen that they can neither see nor think. This is exactly what happened to Jacob when he first heard the news of the death of his son Joseph, and he was overcome with lamentation and great sadness, as if he had been swallowed up. He was not with himself, that he would have said also out of melancholy: O Lord God! he is dead! Otherwise he might have asked when the skirt was brought to him: If there was nothing left of Joseph's corpse, and how it could have happened that the garment remained whole, since the evil wild beasts are wont to tear the body with the garment. Yes, he would also have asked to be led to the place where some traces of such a horrible death would be found. But a heart that is frightened does not consider such things and cannot pay attention to them.
For this reason, this is a good example of the great foolishness of liars, who are never at one with themselves, and therefore can easily be seized and punished by those who diligently take care of their affairs. These brothers think they have invented a very fine and wise council here; but if you think about it, it is a very foolish council and it was connected with much danger. They should have lost life and limb over it, if the good old father had not been too gullible.
V. 25 And they sat down to eat. And they lifted up their eyes, and saw a company of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead with their camels, bearing spices and balm and myrrh, and going down into Egypt.
They sat down to eat," says Moses, as if they had arranged it well. Their conscience is quite sure, the sin is asleep and still hidden: God, however, has wonderfully arranged and ordered it all. The poor wretched father sits at home, not knowing how things stand with his son: so Joseph himself cannot see what outcome or end his misfortune will gain. But God sees everything, and thus plays with the father and also with his son in the most friendly way; for it is actually such a game, which is full of divine mercy and goodness; but for us it is a very difficult and sorrowful game, even though it creates in us an eternal and exceedingly important glory, 2 Cor. 4, 17.
While they were sitting there, God Himself offered an opportunity to rescue Joseph from the pit and, as it were, to call him back from hell and death. Although the misfortune remains on him that he is still imprisoned and has died worldly or civilly; because he is separated and torn from his most beloved father, as the father himself almost dies because of such misfortune, namely, because he must be deprived of his son, whom he loved especially. For if only his son had remained healthy and alive, he would have been able to bear the accident or damage to the other sons and all his possessions and welfare all the more easily. For he was the firstborn, in whom the father had every hope and welfare, and of whom it was hoped that many heirs and descendants would be born, so that both the church and the external government would grow and increase greatly. For this reason, the entire family of Jacob was burdened and afflicted with miserable lamentation and great sadness, more bitter and harder than death itself.
259 Further, the Ishmaelites who bought Joseph were blood friends of Joseph and his brothers, for Ishmael and Isaac were brothers. Therefore these also are brothers and cousins in the third and fourth generation; they are cousins and near friends. So also the Midianites were their cousins in the same degree, and seems to be
It was as if the old hatred still prevailed among these blood relatives. For they bought Joseph soon and with great eagerness, and were merchants who handled and traded in spices, balsam and myrrh.
But what these three words actually mean in the Hebrew language, we would not be able to understand, if we could not conclude it from 2 Mos. 30, 23. ff. to some extent. They made a trade in spices, and the land was especially blessed by God at that time, that it had much balsam, myrrh and cinnamon, 2c., as can be seen in Ex 30:23 ff, where the delicious or holy anointing oil is described, which was made from balsam, cinnamon, calamus and casia. But how these words are to be distinguished, and which actually mean the genus and which the species, is not known to me.
261 Some have interpreted the word nechot to mean spice, some to mean a desired delicious thing, and some others to mean wax.
The word zeri means resin and is a common word for everything that shoots or drips from the trees, as can be seen on our cherry trees. But this is wild resin, while frankincense and myrrh are the most delicious. Pitch is the coarsest of all, for watering the barrels. Our agtstein or amber is also resin; for it also oozes from a tree and becomes hard. How many kinds they have had, we do not know.
The balsam is the king of all resins or gums, whatever they may be. Scripture calls it cut balsam, that is, balsam that has not flowed from the tree by opening or cutting. Physicians and historians also make a distinction, and say of this balsam that it flows out by itself because of the very great fertility of the tree.
The balsamic sap, or the first balsam that flows out of the tree by itself and without opening, is the most delicious and noble balsam. Thus, in the Song of Solomon, the chosen myrrh is called,
This is the ointment that first comes out, that is not pressed out, but flows out through the bark of the tree and is not forced out by force. And the same word is also in the prophet Jeremiah Cap. 8, v. 22: "Is there no ointment in Gilead? Or is there no physician? Why then is not the daughter of my people healed?" The others gave: Drops of incense or balm. But the prophet understands there the spice or medicine that came from the trees, so that Jerusalem could have been healed, as in 51 Cap. V. 8, where he mocks the Babylonians and says, "Take also ointments for her wounds, whether she may be healed."
The word loth also has more than one meaning. For sometimes they interpret it to mean a string, in which sense it is often used in the Psalms; sometimes it is also interpreted to mean an acorn or chestnut 2c. Be it so, what it may, we understand it from a noble sap, which flows from the trees, and let us be content with the common knowledge or understanding of these things, namely, that these people were herbalists, who brought to Egypt delicious ointments and other fragrant things, which are used for medicine; as our agtstein or amber has great power when the women are to give birth, and against the stone and blow. If such juice, which is somewhat coarser, has such great power in our country, how much more has the spice and juice of these lands been useful and good for people's health. And afterwards Jacob commanded his sons to take some of the fruits of the land and bring them to the chief ruler in Egypt, Gen 43:11, which fruits either did not grow at all in Egypt or grew less, and were therefore all the more pleasant there. In the same way, the three wise men, Matth. 2, 11, gave gold, frankincense and myrrh to the infant Jesus. We have none of these things in Germany, or what we have of them is all adulterated and corrupted.
266. now follows also further in the text the excuse of Judas, which the Gelegen-
The Lord used the power or the means that was offered and truly saved his brother from death.
V. 26, 37 Judah said to his brothers: What good is it for us to slay our brother and hide his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, that our hands may not touch him; for he is our brother, our flesh and blood. And they obeyed him.
Judah has to some extent soothed the fierce anger of his brothers. He may have repented somewhat that he consented to Joseph's death beforehand, though it is a bad piety that he pretended to. He freely confesses that Joseph is their brother, and their flesh and blood; and yet with such rhetoric he has persuaded them that they have dealt with him somewhat more leniently. "He is," he says, "our brother, our flesh and blood," and is the Son who is especially dear to our Father. These are truly very great and strong arguments, so that it would be hard to find other stronger ones in the whole world among reasonable people who still have common sense and understanding. For they understand in themselves all the natural affection or love implanted in human nature.
268 And therefore these brothers should have been moved and softened by this rhetoric and dialectic, so that they would have renounced their evil intentions. But this moved them more, that he said: "Let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, that our hands do not tamper with him" 2c. He was not able to calm them down or to persuade them to change their minds and to renounce their nobility. They have admitted so much that they want to change something about it, but only insofar as bodily death may be changed into civil death. For they still stick to this plan, that he who is born free should be led away, brought to servitude and sold and thus torn away from his parents. Now often one would like to bear bodily death much easier than such a civil death, because it is still uncertain what misfortune would befall him in such a civil death.
It is a constant cross, an endless misery and servitude that such a person must finally be torn away from his dear parents, brothers and whole family. It would be much more painful for me to be punished in life and limb than to live in eternal servitude and misery.
In this anguish and distress these holy patriarchs, Jacob and his son Joseph, are thrown; such a heavy cross is made for them by the secret deceit and cunning of these brothers. It sinks shameful carpenters, who carve and forge this heavy cross for their own father and brother Joseph. No one shall suffer this but such pious holy parents.
God is still silent about this, as if he does not see it, as if he himself helps the authors of this advice, and yet he sees that they intend such evil. But why does he suffer this? Why does he not strike them with thunder and lightning, and trample such ungodly intentions underfoot along with those who instigated and started them? Or rather, why does he not let murderers, adulterers and tyrants be tormented and martyred in this way, and yet spare such holy people? Answer: God wants us to consider and learn how great the love is that parents bear to their children, so that we may also learn from it and understand how great the love of God is, so that He loved us, that He also allowed His only begotten Son to suffer and be crucified for us. For Joseph is an image of the Son of God.
271 However, one must not conceal the hypocrisy that is still found in Judah. For he does indeed present a theological and divine argument, which is nevertheless clumsy, indeed, hypocritical and devilish. "That," he says, "our hands should not meddle with him. "2c. This hypocritical Pharisaic theology has granted and governed from the beginning of the world. For so Cain also did not want to be taken for the one who had strangled his brother Abel, since he says Gen. 4, 9. "Shall I be my brother's keeper?" Who would want to do this to his brother? In the same way Saul also says
of David, 1 Sam. 18, 17: "My hand shall not be on him, but the hand of the Philistines." It is also written in the history of the passion of Christ, John 18:28, that the Jews did not want to go into the judgment house, so that they would not become unclean; or that they would not want to be considered as people who would kill a man against justice and equity.
That is why these Talmudic and Pharisaic opinions remained from the beginning in this holy house and congregation of Jacob. For there were such theologians who held that he who abstained from the deathblow with his hand was not a deathblower. Yes, these brothers nevertheless threw Joseph into the pit with their hands; why do they still give themselves such comfort and great pretense of holiness? Because they did not lay hands on their brother, but only sold him. What a beautiful justice is this to me, when you kill one not with your hand, but nevertheless with your will and desire, with counsel, help and consent! Let us sell him, they say, and we shall be innocent. O Judah, you are not yet pure. That is only in good Talmudic or Jewish terms.
But this is what happens in the world. There must still be hypocrites in the holy church and congregation. It is therefore no wonder that even in our time there are still so many of them; and yet Christ our Lord, as can be seen in the history of the Gospels, did not punish any people more severely than the hypocrites. "Woe to you hypocrites" 2c., he says Matth. 23, 13. ff. But with the poor sinners he ate and drank, spoke and dealt kindly with them, did miraculous works among them; but with the hypocrites he has no fellowship at all. "Behold," says David in the 51st Psalm, v. 8, "thou delightest in truth," thou art an enemy to hypocrisy. Christ himself was killed by the hypocrites.
Yes, so finely they repent, these holy fathers: they change the bodily death stroke into a civil one, and draw a Mosaic blanket before the eyes with this
His appearance, that they did not lay their hands on him, because they sinned much more grievously, and added to Joseph's sorrow and grief. So it is with the wicked, when they want to adorn themselves, that they make it seven times worse. For according to their own pleasure they are those who alone want to be wise. God does not understand their hypocrisy, he cannot see so clearly, their father Jacob does not see it either, he will never realize it. So they flatter themselves; and the more they adorn themselves and try to cover their cruel sin, the more they show their own cruelty.
But Moses does not say at all how Joseph was in such great danger and what he spoke: he does not speak of him differently than of a mute, or of a stone or block, who did not speak, did not ask, did not cry out, who did nothing at all, so that he could have quieted and reconciled his brothers; but Moses wanted to command the reader to understand all this, so that even with words not everything could be sufficiently expressed or described. But what the sorrowful, miserable gestures, the miserable weeping, the sad words of lamentation, and the sighing and sobbing of Joseph, so that he pleaded with them, may have been, each one may think and consider for himself. For he was by nature almost tender, and had especially a great affection and love for his father, from whom he must therefore suddenly and unawares be carried away; is robbed of the garment which his father gave him; is thrown into the pit; is again pulled out and sold, and has been taken far from the eyes and arms of his very dear parents, so that he no longer had any hope at all that he might come to them again. Dear God, what groaning and weeping must have been there? Oh my dear father, how do I feel! Oh how you will cry and lament!
These pieces are very sad in the history of Joseph and should have been given to the day. But Moses passes by, indicating that God Himself was silent about it. Afterwards
1130 L. ix. I3K-IS8. Interpretation of Genesis 37:26, 27. w. ii. issv-isso. 1131
but such pieces will be told by Joseph's brothers themselves with great pain, because they say, Gen. 42, 21. 22.: "We saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear him; therefore now this tribulation cometh upon us" 2c. "Now his blood is required" 2c. He truly posed miserably, did not laugh at it or keep quiet.
And this was truly a very frightening tragedy without all help and hope of redemption. Jacob, the father, is not present and knows nothing of the things that have happened there, even though all this misery finally wanted to come upon him alone. So the misfortune becomes greater and greater and Joseph has had to die in many ways. Behold," he will have said, "I will be carried away, and must leave Hebron, and my poor wretched father, who will now also be deprived of me! For Joseph will have already foreseen what sorrow Jacob, his father, would bear for him and what grief he would have. Thus God covers and burdens the saints and believers, and those whom He loves most of all, with great sorrow and grief. And this is to be drawn to Christ, that we may know what it is that God gave His Son for us, that He was thrown into the pit where there is no water, Zech. 9:11. The prophets did not praise these things in vain, and marveled that the Son was thus given into the hands of Egypt.
278 After this, one must also deal with a question in this place that belongs to grammar, namely: Whether the Ishmaelites are the same as those who are also called Midianites? This question has been dealt with here by Augustin and others without need. I would rather that other questions be raised that are more important and useful, namely, about God's will and His wonderful works, about the cross and faith of the dear fathers, and what God means by the fact that He always practices the saints and believers with such great sorrow, namely, that He wants to comfort us and that He also wants to portray the suffering of Christ with it. But let us also look at the same thing.
Lyra says, according to the Jews, Joseph was sold three times. First, his brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites, second, he was sold by the Ishmaelites to the Midianites, and third, he was sold to Potiphar in Egypt. And I take it that the devilish wickedness is only made great enough for the contempt of the hypocrites, and to make the envy of these brothers abominable with it. But I believe that he was sold only twice, as it is easy to understand from the history that Potiphar bought Joseph from the Ishmaelites. But I do not want to reject the other opinion, that he should have been sold three times. For it will also be said of the Midianites that they sold him to Potiphar. But the question of Keturah and Hagar, whether it was a woman, has been explained above.
279 Moses has mixed it under each other, that he calls the Midianites soon, but soon the Ishmaelites. I think that it was one company, yet it was called by two names; as it is usual with merchants. And I am especially moved by this reason that Moses said before that they did not see Ishmaelites, but a bunch of Ishmaelites. For the Hebrew word, orchah, actually means those who travel overland, or rather a bunch of wanderers or companions, as Luc. 2, 44. says of Christ: "But they thought that he was among the companions. And it often happens that people from various classes and nations come together and travel with each other over land. Such a company was that of the Ishmaelites and Midianites, who traded, bought and sold with each other, as happens among various peoples who live far from each other. Now the same or others have sold Joseph, it is of little consequence; but it is known and evident that he was actually sold.
280 And is not so much concerned with this grammatical question as with that which is otherwise to be considered in this place, namely, How did the Ishmaelites or Midianites Jo-.
seph from his brothers? Did they also inquire of Judas, that is, of Simeon the traitor, and of Levi, that is, of Caiphas and Annas, who this boy was that they were about to sell, or whence he had come into their hands, whether he had been stolen, or whether someone had kidnapped him? For there is no doubt that, according to the common practice of merchants, they will not only have inquired about the purchase price, but also about the condition of the goods and how large they were. And if so, Judas, Annas, and Caiphas will doubtless have come out and accused Joseph, their brother, fiercely and severely. And if the merchants asked, Is this your brother, why then will ye sell him? they will have given this answer: If this one were not an evildoer, we would not have given him to you. So they charged him with all kinds of sin and iniquity, just as the Jews did to the Lord Christ before Caiphas. In the same way, these fellows would have cried out that this Joseph was a wicked, desperate boy who had always opposed his brothers, had disobeyed his parents, had confused, thrown together and corrupted everything at home, and finally had secretly stalked the pious, had stood after his father for the reign and his brothers also for their succession or inheritance; and if he had suppressed them, then he wanted to have the reign alone. So if the Ishmaelites or Midianites have heard this, and have put up with such unlawful and false accusations, they have truly conspired against the flesh and blood of Jacob.
281 Now the brethren, no doubt, would have rejoiced greatly over such purchasers as were the enemies of the house and congregation of Jacob. For the Canaanites and Amorites were also in the neighborhood; they could have sold Joseph to them, but they preferred to give him to those who would take him away from his parents and treat him more harshly and unkindly than the neighbors. In this way I wanted to
like to make the works of Satan and the outrageous wickedness of these brothers only big enough. If we were to sell him to the neighbors, they thought, even though they are also enemies of our family and would have been just as eager to buy him, there is still the danger that the father would soon find out and then take him home again. Therefore, this is a very fine opportunity to sell this restless, rebellious man far away to distant lands, so that he will not cause any more noise and will no longer stand in his father's house according to the regiment.
This is the alliance of Pilate and Caiphas against Joseph: and it is right in my eyes that the Holy Spirit, through David, has made this passage into the second Psalm, when he says in v. 2: "The kings of the land rise up, and the lords contend with one another against the Lord and his anointed. Jews and Gentiles, the Midianites and the Ishmaelites, Herod, Pilate, Caiphas, Annas, who were at enmity with each other before, have contended with each other at the same time. For we have heard above, Gen. 21, 14. 25, 1. ff., how Ishmael was cast out of Abraham's house, and that also the Midianites together with the children of Keturah were cut off with their gifts and had no part in the paternal inheritance: therefore such hatred arose among these peoples, so for and for granted, although they were all born and came from one blood.
Thus the nations and all peoples have always been heated with constant hatred and anger against the glorious holy house and lineage of Abraham, which house still retains the divine promise; as witnessed by the miserable lamentation and fervent prayer in the 83rd Psalm vv. 6-9.For they have joined themselves together, and made a league against thee, the tents of the Edomites, and the Ishmaelites, and the Moabites, and the Hagarites, and the Gebalites, and the Ammonites, and the Amalekites, and the Philistines, with them that are at Tyre; Assyria also is joined unto them, and helpeth the children of Lot." And here also the brethren of Joseph united themselves in like manner, and made a covenant with one another with their enemies, and with their father's enemies, and
have also rejoiced among themselves for the sake of this covenant.
If it is because such words were not spoken between them and they did not make a covenant with each other, the Ishmaelites and Midianites may be excused to some extent. But I hold that they also consented and joined with the brethren of Joseph against him. Otherwise they would have punished such an atrocious deed of these brothers and turned away from them, as they were displeased and disgusted with it. For this reason Joseph was sold to his own blood friends and cousins, against whom he also undoubtedly folded his hands, and whom he implored, begged and pleaded for mercy and help, so that they would spare him and lead him back to his father, because they were so closely related to him by blood. Oh dear ones, I am your cousin, help save me. I am the brother of those who sold me to you! But he does not find them less than his brothers. So the Ishmaelites and Midianites join Israel and kill the Son of God, as described in the 2nd Psalm.
Moses did not relate the miserable crying and weeping of Joseph in this place, but there is no doubt that he wept piteously and pleaded with humility and supplication that he might be saved and that his brothers' anger and hatred toward him might be somewhat relieved. Oh no, he will have said, oh hurt my brothers! Then these Ishmaelites and Midianites should have resisted his brothers and fed them, so that they would not rage so cruelly against this so pious young man, should not have bought such badly won goods, or at least have brought the bought boy back to his father. They should have said: "Dear, what are you doing now? Simeon and Levi, why do you want to rage and rage against your own flesh and blood? This is an unrighteous deed, contrary to all human kindness and love, which you are justified in practicing and demonstrating toward your brother by virtue of your name and faith.
should. That would have suited the Ishmaelites.
But the world does not have to do this. For it is not worthy to do anything good, but rather to do harm to others, or, when it sees others doing evil, to see through its fingers and to help such sins and continue them, so that it may fully serve its Lord and the God of this world. So, I say, neither the brothers nor the friends, the Ishmaelites and Midianites, wanted to hear Joseph, since he cried so miserably, begged and pleaded. Yes, God Himself does not hear him either.
This example, as has often been said before, serves and belongs to our consolation, so that we are strengthened in our distress and affliction and do not lose heart so soon when harm or danger occurs. For we do not have to fear more terrible misfortunes from the Turks or other enemies, whoever they may be; and those who suffer an attack from the Turks in our time do not yet experience or feel anything that would be equal to the misery and grief of these dear fathers, and our suffering is still much less than that of the same poor people who have to expect an attack from the Turks every day. For this is one of the most serious of all misfortunes, when children are torn from their dear parents, or parents are torn from their dear children. This is death itself, and it is much harder than the most terrible plagues suffered by the dear martyrs, which may have lasted only one hour or two at the most. But God wanted His saints and His church to suffer such terrible tribulations, so that their hearts would be awakened to the meaning of how great a thing it was that the Son of God Himself, for our sake, was also carried away for a time, that I call it, sent into misery and thrown into hell, so that He might redeem us from the misery of very grave sin and eternal damnation.
Therefore Moses does not call the Midianites and the Ishmaelites by name in vain. Because he does not say the merchants, the Amorites 2c., is silent from
1136 D. ix. i4i-i4s. Interpretation of Genesis 37:26-30. w. n. isss-isio. 1137
He does not mention the names of his closest neighbors, but he diligently names relatives, so that he may show how they all consented to the destruction of their cousin, and that everyone may learn from this example how great the wickedness of the world is. For this is what the Jews did afterward, even though they were friends and cousins of our Lord Jesus Christ, they raved and raged against him and were not moved by any plea or mercy. And these were not Ishmaelites, but Israelites, so that it would be fulfilled what was said by the prophet Micah, 7, 6, Matth. 10, 36: "A man's enemies will be his own household. For since Pilate and the Gentiles had mercy on the Lord Jesus and had compassion on him, considering him innocent, we see that his cousins, the Jews, are more horrible than serpents and the cruelest wild animals.
This is now the true image of the Christian Church at all times, which God has thus modeled in His Son Christ and His saints. If you want to be Christians, send yourselves into it. Therefore, let us learn to be obedient to God in such tribulation and adversity and turn our eyes toward heaven. For God does not delight in our destruction, misery and other misfortunes; but this is a strong consolation that endures forever, as it says in Psalm 36, v. 6: "O Lord, your goodness reaches as far as the heavens, and your truth as far as the clouds go," 2c.; and v. 9: "They become drunk with the riches of your house; and you water them with gladness, as with a river." And in the 37th Psalm v. 18: "The LORD knoweth the days of the upright, and their goods shall endure for ever" 2c.
And this was also the opinion of our Lord God at that time with Joseph and Jacob. My dear Jacob, my dear Joseph, I see well what misfortune you have on your necks that weighs you down. I do not sleep, but I do not want to take away such misfortune and comfort you. For the time of salvation has not yet come, but you must first learn what the devil is, what the world is, what children are, what brothers are, and even what death is, so that my grace may be all the sweeter and more pleasant to you.
and that you see that I have nevertheless still cared for you, even in adversity and in the midst of death. For not a hair will fall from your head without my will, provided you do not become despondent but learn patience and bear the cross. I will surely and faithfully keep the promise I have made to you. I have promised to bless you: I will also keep this promise, I will not lie to you. Your flesh will grumble and become impatient, but resist it and reign in faith and wait for salvation.
V.28. And when the Midianites, the merchants, were passing by, they drew him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver; and they brought him into Egypt.
Joseph is sold for even less money than Christ; and I believe that this purchase money was twenty talers. For I do not like to dispute too precisely about these silver pieces: but Zechariah undoubtedly took his prophecy of Christ from this text, since he says Zech. 11, 12: "And they weighed how much I was worth, thirty pieces of silver." For the matter and all the circumstances rhyme very well, and there can be no greater similarity than between Christ crucified and Joseph. The selling and the death of both of them coincide finely with each other. For as Isaiah Cap. 53, v. 8, says of Christ, "He departed from the land of the living," so Joseph was also taken from the land and out of his father's sight, not unlike the fact that he would never return to see his father.
Sixth part.
How Reuben behaved when he did not find Joseph in the pit; how Jacob's sons sent Joseph's skirt to their father, and how the father was helped.
V. 29, 30: When Reuben returned to the pit and did not find Joseph in it, he tore up
1138 n. 14S-I45. Interpretation of Genesis 37, 29. 30. W. N. ie7o-is7s. 1139
his garment, and came again to his brethren, and said, The lad is not there; where shall I go?
The Hebrew word means a little child, as Is 9:6 says: "A child is born to us. Now this is another exhortation that came through Reuben, who truly showed himself and let himself be heard as if he were serious, and for this reason he may also be justly excused. For he was not at all afraid of his brothers' hatred or displeasure, but protected the boy Joseph to the best of his ability, and was angry when he saw that he had been led away. Where is the boy? he says; "he is not there!"
293 But it occurred to him that he might have been taken away by others, since the brothers had spared him and had not wanted to kill him, either by the devil or by murderers, or by the neighbors, the Amorites or Cananites, who had also secretly stalked Jacob's household; or that some shepherd had found him and handed him over to the Shechemites or other pagans who lived with them, to be put to death. So he thought that the boy had perished after the time his brothers threw him into the pit. For it seems as if Reuben was afraid of the unreasonable violence and hatred of the neighbors; and yet he confesses that he wanted to keep Joseph alive, and also condemns the evil deed of his brothers; yes, he also accuses himself, saying, "Where shall I go?" and will repeat the same punishment afterwards. Not that in this way he has atoned for the sin of the incest committed, for he is still under severe punishment, namely, that he has lost the firstborn and is deprived of other great liberties: but because he recognizes this sin, and is careful not to consent to the other sin and make himself a party to it, he deals primarily with it by testifying that Joseph is innocent, and that he may therefore save him and keep him alive. But Simeon and Levi have even despised him because of the sin of the committed incest: therefore they break through and continue with their presumption.
294 But the punishment that Reuben inflicted on his brothers was just and right, because he said, "What have you done? Look, the boy is now out of our hands and power, and even if we all wanted him to be healthy, free and free, we could not redeem him with any money, no matter how much it might be. For where the Canaanites might find him, they will undoubtedly take him away to distant lands, and either kill him, or else afflict him with miserable and eternal servitude.
Therefore Moses excused Reuben, but did not report what his brothers answered him. But it seems that he secretly indicated that Simeon and Levi had persuaded him to keep silent and to consent with the brothers to the atrocious murder of their brother Joseph. But all this came from the cursed theology, which the Jews always kept afterwards, namely, that they thought that he who does not kill with his hand is not a killer. With this argument they persuaded him that he should only keep quiet, so that he would not make the noise so much greater with his intercession, where perhaps his words and this cry would be brought before their father, and threatened him that if he would not keep this deed secret with them, he would also have to experience just such violence and constant hatred of his brothers. And it would have been no wonder if they had wounded or slain each other over it. Which the devil would have undoubtedly sought with all diligence; he would also have brought about such a thing, where God had not pleased him. For this reason, Reuben kept silent and agreed, since he saw that the others also wanted to keep silent and conceal this, so that he would not give cause for his father to become even more confused or distressed, and so that his brothers would not get into further quarrels among themselves. But in this way, he has now also made himself complicit in this murder, which they both committed against their father and brother.
296 Although this was not done by Moses in this way, the
Although it is not explicitly described, it is nevertheless not indistinctly indicated in the text. For he tears his garment and grieves vehemently about such danger and death of his brother. But because he was afraid of a greater noise or death blow and also of his brothers themselves, he kept silent. The Lord Sharioth, Simeon and Levi, Caiaphas and Annas might have struck him on the mouth and said, "Silence, help cover, or all misfortune will take you. Remember, this deed of ours must be kept secret from the Father, lest we be thought to have killed our brother. For if he should find out, he would immediately cast us all out of the house and congregation together, and put us under banishment, as he will do afterward.
For this reason, it is a great wisdom that we see bestowed upon them by God, that they have concealed this deed from their father in this way. For everything else in history is evil and shameful. This one piece of advice is good (although there could have been some good in this great sin), namely, that they might persuade their old father that Joseph had been torn apart by a wicked animal. Therefore they came to their father, and stood and showed themselves as if they themselves were grieved for his sorrow and lamentation, and testified how they had a great desire for their deceased brother. Yes, they will have pretended and said: Oh, if we still had our dear brother! God would want him to be alive! But it was all falsehood and hypocrisy with them; and yet this hypocrisy of theirs was not so evil as if they had revealed the whole bargain to the Father.
But with Reuben it seems as if he has his excuse, although it is very weak. As he himself spoke harshly to the others: "Did I not tell you when I said, 'Do not sin against the boy,' and you would not listen? 2c., Gen. 42, 22. And it certainly seems as if he advised them wisely and well. But there is hypocrisy
I have said before that they thought it was no other death but that which is done or committed with the hand. If Reuben had wanted to be completely blameless, he would have secretly run to his father and reminded him that he wanted to diligently investigate among his sons themselves, who might be the one who had committed this murder against Joseph. But he was too afraid of them and let their threats overcome him, so that he finally agreed with the lords, Simeon and Levi, with Judas, the traitor, and Caiphas. For they also ruled over the others, commanding and forbidding them.
Therefore Judah and Reuben, and the others, were not allowed to open their mouths to this evil deed, and Reuben, along with the others, has polluted and stained his soul and conscience with this horrible death of both his father and brother Joseph. In the meantime, they were able to decorate their cause and deceive their father so that he would not find out about this deal.
(300) Now I would very much like to know what these brothers have been thinking in their hearts all these two and twenty years? For that is how many years it was from the time Joseph was sold until Jacob went down to Egypt. It was indeed a very great distress, and I believe that all this time they did no good at all, nor could they in good conscience have let themselves be heard to sigh a little with invocation and prayer to God, the Father in heaven; that is certain. For the blood of Joseph, the death of their father, and the lamentations of the whole family were always in their hearts. But where the conscience is weighed down with such a great burden, it cannot call upon God or pray.
If I were guilty of a small injury or envy, I would not be able to pray. Therefore, the heart must be completely free from all dislike, hatred and envy toward one's neighbor, so that it will not grant evil to anyone, but rather good to everyone and gladly forgive. For where our ministry thus
If we have to punish the vices of people whom we would like to bring to repentance with such punishment, it should not be thought that love stops there. For such punishments are not inflicted out of hatred, or because we want to harm someone, but only because we want people to be improved by them.
Therefore, I say, if one wants to pray and call upon God, the heart must be free from all hatred, although we must hate and detest the sin and vice of men. So we also pray rightly for the godless bishops. For we should not be so inclined as to wish them evil, that is, their ruin or damnation; but we punish their ungodly nature and sin only in the opinion and to the end that they may be improved thereby.
For this reason I would really like to know what these brothers may have done during the two and twenty years in which they saw their father always sitting in sackcloth and ashes, miserably weeping and wailing for the sake of the death of his dear son. I would not have been able to watch the great and so pitiful lamentation for so long, I would not have been able to refrain from saying: Oh, we poor unfortunate people, what have we done! But now these fellows hear their father teach and preach daily, and are also considered members of the church and of the house of Jacob: and yet there is none of them who can call upon God to do something good; or even if they would like to do something good, such a thing is vainly ungodly and rejected. For they are still deep in grave mortal sin, namely, the murder they committed against their father, brother and grandfather. Such a shameful thing can raise and drive hypocrisy; yes, hypocrisy, I say, can do such terrible things and still persist in such great wickedness.
If Reuben had died within the same years, he might have recognized the sin, confessed it to his father and asked for mercy and forgiveness. But the rest of the people would have concealed the sin and would have died like that. For in so long a time no one has repented of them, and
have been hardened more and more over time, since they felt the sin in their conscience. Although the horror of the conscience often returned, which they could not erase or suppress, so that they could forget the sin, because the lamentation and the bitter tears of their old father stood daily before their eyes and hearts: These sons, harder than a pebble or a diamond, have despised such terror, for they have been possessed and hardened by the chief of the devils, since they have been able to endure such a long time that their conscience itself has always accused them of such sin.
Now there is no doubt about it, as the Scriptures testify elsewhere, that God must have been very angry about it, and must have detested those who began and committed such great and horrible sins, namely, killing their own father and brother. It is therefore a hard and frightening thing to read and understand such things from the great noble men and rulers in the church, from the children and heirs of God's promises, which they had heard and learned in their father's house from their youth with great diligence and earnestness from their grandfather Isaac and Jacob their father; it still happens.
306 We are also corrupted by original sin, so that, alas, we are also inclined to sin. But we should do one thing, and take care that in such great weakness of our corrupt nature we may still retain a brotherly and childlike heart and natural affection or love, so that we do not burden ourselves with punishment and destruction. For these brothers, since they take pains to oppress their innocent brother, because they hate him so intensely, have become their own fierce enemies and devils, so much so that they have done themselves more harm than Joseph could have done if he had become their master.
V. 31-33 Then they took Joseph's skirt, and slew a kid, and dipped the
And they sent the coat of many colors, and brought it to their father, saying, We have found this coat; see whether it be thy son's coat or not. But he knew it, and said, It is my son's tunic: an evil beast hath eaten it, a ravening beast hath torn Joseph.
307 They tried another deceit and trick, so that they could cover up their evil deed all the more easily, and so that they could grieve and torture their father all the more severely and harshly. They took Joseph's skirt, and after dipping it in the blood of a goat, they sent it to his father to convince him that Joseph had been torn by a wild animal.
How far is God from their eyes? How surely and without any fear do they arrange all this? They do not think that they would have thought how the good old father would have been when such sad news came to him unexpectedly. They alone should have been careful not to frighten him with such an unusual and cruel sight of the bloody garment, since otherwise nothing more distressing and miserable could have been brought to the poor old man. It would have been a little easier if they had told him that the boy had been attacked and led away by the murderers on the way, or that they had not seen him and did not know how he might have perished: he might have fallen into the hands of the enemies who lived nearby, or of the Ishmaelites or Midianites, to whom they had sold him. But none of these things occurred to them, and they did not spare their old father at all, but increased and increased the pain of his heart with such a sad and frightening object.
Therefore, this is a great and utterly diabolical wickedness, in which Satan takes pleasure, so that he would like to pour out all cruelty and rage on the pious old man. But they will be drowned in horrible, terrible sins, and
They remain stuck in it against their own conscience, without all repentance, without all feeling of love, and have lived thereafter for the whole two and twenty years without true invocation, without fear of God and all spiritual exercises, which they could not do godly, unless they had first recognized their sin and reconciled themselves with their father and brothers.
But now what does our Lord God do about it? Where are the great glorious promises, Gen. 15, 1: "I am your shield and your very great reward"; Cap. 35, 11.: "Be fruitful and multiply"; Cap. 31, 3.: "I will be with you"? Is it not true that everything here seems quite contrary to these great promises? For it seems as if our Lord God does not know Jacob and Joseph and does not respect them at all, but rather as if he has thrown them to the devil, since he allows the very holy father Jacob to be so miserably martyred and afflicted by the rage of his fierce sons. Shall we say that God was thinking of His promise? One cannot say or judge anything less than this. But David saw it and spoke of it only after the fact, which otherwise could not have been seen in the real struggle of the heavy challenge. For so he says in the 105th Psalm v. 17: "He sent a man before them", who should help Jacob.
But what kind of sending is this? What kind of speaking is this: to send a helper or savior to Egypt to help Jacob and his whole house? How is he sent, after all? He is thrown into the pit, is sold, his father is also killed. Does this mean sending a savior? Yes, it does, but in the way our Lord God used to speak. For Joseph is set to be a great king. But God alone sees it, Jacob and Joseph do not see it; they are in the greatest fear and bear only sorrow. Therefore this is a special and heavenly language, to send a savior or helper and to make him a king just so that he will be thrown into the pit and into hell. We must accustom our hearts to this language,
1146 D- n. isa-isr. Interpretation of Genesis 37:31-33. w. n, issi-iest. 1147
That we may understand what David says in another place, Ps. 37:12, 13: "The wicked dreads the righteous, and gnasheth his teeth at him. But the LORD laugheth at him: for he standeth to see his day come," in which he shall perish and go down to the ground 2c. We cannot do this, we cannot see so far and hold on to faith, but only with great weakness; but God holds very firmly over His promises, so that He does not forget them alone, but is also intent on their fulfillment, and the adversary laughs. And about this he also pronounces judgment on them, as the 2nd Psalm v. 4. says: "He that dwelleth in heaven laugheth at them, and the LORD mocketh at them."
(312) Yea, saith thou, do I not see it? This is also true: therefore these examples are held up to us, that we should also think in our temptations that our adversaries are now also being laughed at and that a punishment has already been decided upon them; but that we, although we are afflicted and afflicted, are nevertheless loved by God, and that he certainly cares for us and takes great care of us, but in a very hidden way, as Isaiah Cap. 45, 15. says: "Truly you are a hidden God, you God of Israel, the Savior."
For this reason we should be content with the fact that we have the Word and the holy sacraments, in which God reveals Himself to us, but the fruit and the end of such signs of grace will also follow in its time. In the meantime, we should uphold and comfort ourselves with these thoughts: I have the sign of grace, and with it the word, and I will hold fast to it, however fiercely the world and Satan rage and rage against me, and shower me with all manner of misery and calamity; only that we watch and take care that we suffer all these things, whatever they are, with a good conscience. For there is no doubt about it, we are certainly in very great favor with God, and He holds us very dear and valuable, but the adversaries are ridiculed and mocked by God, and kept so that they will finally suffer the heaviest punishment and plague. For the laughter of our Lord God gives the hellish fire, as follows in the 2nd Psalm v. 5: "He once weaved with them
speak in his wrath, and with his fury he will terrify them." Yes, beware of such laughter.
So Jacob and Joseph are children of grace before God. But these sellers are children of scorn, wrath and condemnation. And would God that we could learn this and keep it only to a certain extent. For the flesh is always in our way, and yet it is certain that such a life, in which one must always suffer so much, is the very best and most delicious life, so also that no forgiveness of sins is necessary for it. For it is without sin. But this I say of the pious and godly, that is, of those who suffer in the right faith in Christ. For they do not sin with it, but bear it and suffer for the sake of other people's sins, and this is well said by Socrates: It is better to suffer wrong than to do wrong. For he who suffers does not sin by it; but he who wrongs others and grieves them sins. He who knows himself innocent, and realizes that he is unfairly afflicted and afflicted, can hold on to his innocence, and at the same time also looks to the promise of redemption. Therefore he is not afraid, nor does he fail in his heart; for he knows that he offends no one, but only bears other people's wrong and sin. If the rupes and petra, that is, the rock, stands there, namely, a good conscience, nothing can hurt; even if Caiphas and Iscarioth come and are angry, we still have won. A good conscience is like the hardest rock, on which the pious and godly rely in their affliction, and with great and high courage despise the threat of all adversaries; as it is written 1 Peter 3:13, 14: "And who is there that can hurt you, if ye do good? Even if you suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. But do not be afraid of their defiance, and do not be dismayed."
Again, when those who have unjustly offended others are afflicted and punished, they fear and are terrified, and as the poet says, they turn pale and are terrified when they see even a flash of lightning. Alas, they cry, woe is me,
I have deserved this punishment with my wickedness, my willfulness and my disobedience. What shall I do now? Where shall I turn or go? This is truly a miserable torture of the conscience, which thus accuses and condemns itself.
For this reason Jacob and Joseph are very well off, even though they cannot laugh or realize happiness and well-being as long as the heavy tribulation is with them. For he is truly blessed who is so minded in adversity that he can consider himself to be so: If the highest should be turned down, and the world should crash and fall over a heap, yes, how fiercely the world rages and rages with its prince and all infernal gates, what is it to me? I know myself innocent here; for I bear other people's crosses, by which I am unjustly afflicted. I am not sorry for anyone, I do not sin. I have my absolution and the holy sacraments. Let me go, I will not be moved nor frightened. But woe to those who sin in this way and afflict me! For it behooves Christians not to be angry or impatient when they are afflicted. Though the flesh, after its own manner, is always apt to murmur; but the spirit is not angry, but rather thinks thus: Woe unto thee! thou hast not done it unto me, thou hast done it unto thyself; thou hast not offended me, but thyself most of all. So Jacob and Joseph also could have said: You do not sell, reject and kill me, but yourselves. The flesh understands it much differently: but the spirit is actually so minded.
But now someone might ask: What should we do now? Should we therefore leave the bridle and reins to the ungodly nature, and not control or ward off the anger and malice of men at all, neither with laws nor punishments; but moreover thank a bad boy for having done us harm, and say to him: You have done me no harm at all, only do what you like, I will gladly suffer anything? In this way the wicked are tempted to increase their sins and to heap them up, since we teach,
that the harm done to us by others should be suffered with joy and a good conscience.
318 Answer: We are commanded the ministry of the law and the gospel according to the teaching of Paul, 2 Timothy 4:2: "Punish, rebuke, whether in season or out of season. To rebuke and punish, even to be angry and displeased with sins, belongs to the office of the law, and is also the office of the fathers, schoolmasters and authorities. Yes, it is also due to common private persons for the sake of the brotherly punishment and admonition, which is especially commanded to us all by God, namely, that we should, to the best of our ability, each in his own place, control and ward off the evil, and prevent the bad boys from going freely unpunished, raging and raging against us and other people. If this has been done and still will not help, then I shall be content and say: You will not punish me, who taught you, but yourself. And if we can do nothing with all this, we still have this before us, that we may be content in our hearts and wait only for the divine punishment; for the wicked wilful knaves will learn to their great hurt that they offend not others but themselves most grievously. The devil will torture them well enough.
But we have this consolation: the more they trouble, afflict and torture us, the greater they make our honor and crown in heaven. In the meantime, however, they must be admonished and punished; not that we harm them with this, but that we may bring such wicked people to the right path, so that they may mend their ways and not fall into God's severe wrath and displeasure, which is a worshipful fire to impenitent men. In this way, we resist evil, namely, through the office of the word and worldly sword, and yet suffer the misfortune that we cannot resist; which will be of great benefit and piety to us, but harm and destruction to them.
This is the theology and wisdom of Christians, and even though we have not yet attained it, we should daily
be exercised in this, and accustom ourselves so that in the spiritual struggle and tribulation we suffer, we can say with a steady and quiet heart: You can do me no harm, I am a Christian, you do me no harm, you promote me; look to yourself. What harm did it do Joseph, since he was sold and driven into misery? indeed, to what end was it not useful and good for him? or how could his brothers have brought him to greater honor and glory? for just so that they tried to hinder and oppress him, they finely exalted him to the majesty of becoming a great lord; as he had dreamed shortly before.
321 On this opinion the saying of Gregory is also praised: The godless do us good, even if they do evil. And Augustine says about the underage children killed by Herod: The enemy Herod, with all the power and supreme fortune of his kingdom, could not have done these children any greater good than by killing them.
So God humbles His own, that He may exalt them; He kills them, that He may revive them; He disgraces them, that He may honor them; He throws them down, that He may exalt them. But it is an art above all arts, and wisdom above all wisdom, which is not without great labor, and is learned and understood by so few; yet it is true and certain, as this example testifies. For God has truly, as it says in Psalm 105, v. 21, made Joseph king in Egypt and lord and helper of her many. How then? That he was sold, rejected and killed; these are God's works, which cannot be understood unless they are fulfilled and accomplished. But when they are done, they cannot be understood or comprehended except by faith alone. For this must be simply adhered to, that we say, "I believe in GOD the Father, Almighty Creator of heaven and earth."
In the same way, when I pass away from this life, I will hold on to this comfort, that I believe in the Son of God. Yes, I will be buried in the earth,
I am eaten by worms, and must rot and be consumed in the flesh; as Job Cap. 17, v. 14. says: "I call decay my father, and worms my mother and my sister"; I do not see God's counsel that even though I must die and rot, I should come to life once again. But God has promised and said: You will live again; for "I live, and you also shall live", Joh. 14, 19. I am the Lord, your God. But how will we live? Answer: In eternal life, and in such a body more beautiful and clear than the sun. This I do not see or feel now, but I believe it and endure this very slight delay. For life is already prepared, and in the meantime also the crown of the kingdom and glory is prepared, "which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me in that day, not to me alone, but also to all who love his appearing," as Paul says 2 Tim. 4:8.
324 But all this is done in secret; therefore one should suffer and endure with patience that God thus conceals Himself wonderfully. Jacob and Joseph did not see the crown of the kingdom, nor did his brothers bow down to him, as will happen afterwards in Egypt; but with this selling the future is prepared. And with our Lord God it is just as if it had happened; it will surely come.
This is written for our instruction, that we may learn to understand and practice the faith which can suffer death and all misfortune, and yet in all things wait for life and salvation, which faith, I say, can endure the violence and injustice which others inflict on us; although it severely reproves and punishes them, yet it hates no one, but gladly forgives, blesses, hopes, desires, and does good without all desire for revenge. For we see this clearly in the example of Joseph, who remembers no injustice done to him, desires no revenge, but does all the good he can to the most wicked boys who sold him and killed him.
In this way their hearts shall be accustomed to patience, faith and love the-
Those who have the power to chastise and punish others, whether with the word, or with the sword, or with the rod. "Patience," says St. James, Cap. 1, 4, "shall stand firm to the end." For he that is patient sinneth not. "He that is dead is justified from sin," Rom. 6:7. A patient man is truly holy in the faith of Christ, there is no sin left in him; for all that he suffers is pure righteousness.
327 These things were written and happened in the histories of the dear saints, but everything happened very weakly and imperfectly, as can be seen in Jacob and Joseph. They neither wished nor did anything bad to their sons and brothers, but it can be assumed that there must have been a great conflict in both of them against the weakness of the flesh. For how often do you think Joseph will have looked with weeping eyes toward Hebron, where his father lived, as he passed by? How miserable he will have been, when he was suddenly and unawares taken out of his father's sight and out of his house, and came into the power of other people! The flesh will not have been able to refrain from grumbling, but the spirit, which fought and sighed against it, has won and kept the victory, has endured the unreasonable violence of his brothers without all vengeance, since the very bad boys have been quite senseless, and have always hung on and followed their hatred, which they conceived against him.
328 And Moses also added this, how they miserably and unjustly martyred the wretched old man by falsely inventing what had happened to Joseph. For this is evidenced by the miserable and deadly lamentation Jacob made when he said, "It is my son's skirt; a wicked beast has eaten him" 2c. This he took from the words of his sons, which they spoke when they showed him the bloody garment. Then he adds that this must be an argument and sign that Joseph was torn by an evil animal. Now it was much more likely that a human being must have strangled him; and where the father was a little more diligent in the matter
If he had investigated through all and every circumstance, he would soon have found out the deception. For he might have said: How is it that the skirt has remained whole? And where did you get it? There is no sign of teeth or claws of any wild animal? For if a wicked beast had torn him, it would not have taken off his skirt beforehand, nor would it have left it whole, but would have torn it off with his body. But the good father did not think of that. For he was drowned and swallowed up in great heartfelt pain and lamentation. That is why he was easily persuaded in such great sadness and the heaviest temptation.
(vv. 34-36) And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son a long time. And all his sons and daughters came up to comfort him; but he would not be comforted, and said: I will go down with sorrow into the pit, to my son. And his father wept over him. But the Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharaoh's steward and chamberlain.
Now they have done well, the nobles. Since they sold and killed their brother, they also became the cause of their poor old father's suffering and torture to death; indeed, they plagued him even more horribly than their brother. For they make him suffer two and twenty years in succession, and for a long time they have always seen him walking in sackcloth and great miserable sadness, always sighing, sobbing and weeping miserably. For I believe that after that time he never used cheerful clothes nor had a cheerful face. Help God! How rash and cruel people must have been, that they could have seen that their old father had to mourn and suffer so unreasonably and for such a long time! How that the people should be so full of devils!
I would not have believed that a man could ever have committed such a great sin that he could knowingly and deliberately see his old, weak father die before his eyes and go down into the pit, for which he had given cause with his sins, and in all of which he should have no compassion for him, indeed, should feel or feel no human kindness, or natural inclination or love, even though all animals are implanted by God, toward father and grandfather. Does this mean to honor father and mother? And in addition the old father Isaac must also see this. For his pain and lamentation was also added, who, after Joseph was sold, lived twelve more years, and at last, without a doubt, died of heartfelt melancholy, because he had lost his son. This excellent man, who should be called the prize of betting, should still weep and mourn to death?
Nothing is more wonderful than that such fellows have heard the word of divine promise and blessing for so many years, and yet not a single one of these brothers has improved, since they have often been admonished by the sincere teaching and godliness of their father and grandfather, and have not been moved by such miserable sadness of the pious old holy men, that they would have had compassion on them and taken pity on them. You are hard, dear fellows; so you should serve the devil. But they did not harm their father, their grandfather, or Joseph, but themselves most of all. Simeon and Levi were driven to this by the hope of the firstborn and the desire for it; Simeon was a priest, Levi a cardinal; Judah is a little more sincere, but was still afraid of the power and authority of the two brothers; Reuben had no standing at all with them, but was even despised because of the disgrace he had committed, therefore he had to keep quiet for the sake of Iscarioth and Caiphas. It would have been no wonder if our Lord God had let them become Sodom and Gomorrah, and if fire had fallen from heaven, and they had thus been made an example of.
Sodomites would have been destroyed. And they would undoubtedly have perished and perished in just such a way, if it had not been for a few pious, godly people who still kept up this lineage, namely Isaac, the grandfather, and Jacob, the father, and Joseph, his son. These were the right three atlases at that time; the three men bear it, otherwise God would have struck them with brimstone and pitch.
332 So their sin, as much as possible, must only be made great and heavy enough to comfort us. For since they have finally obtained forgiveness for such sin, we should not despair even for the sake of our sin. But so that you do not tempt God at the same time. For Judas, despairing, put a rope around his own neck, and so in despair died horribly. Therefore see to it that you do not bring disaster and destruction on yourself. But if such a case arises that a man is overtaken by a fault, as Paul says in Gal. 6:1, then such examples are necessary that you consider that the holy patriarchs were also poor sinners and fell terribly. I do not know myself guilty of such horrible sins, except that I served the Antichrist for fifteen years, since I held the abominable sacrificial masses daily. But where my conscience frightens me, I had such examples and promises of the gospel and console myself with them. It is true that no incest could have been as severe as the unrighteous evil deed of these brothers, so that they martyred and killed their father and brother, as well as their grandfather, through sadness and heartfelt pain. And at last, no doubt, they will have felt a great horror of their conscience, as they looked upon their brother and the king in Egypt, and were terrified before them. And above all this, all the misfortune they and their descendants suffered under Pharaoh was the right punishment God inflicted on them for these sins. They will have felt it in Egypt.
333. Until now, therefore, we have heard how Joseph was led into Egypt, and of the
Ishmaelites and Midianites were sold to Potiphar, the kitchen master or courtier of the king. God allows this to happen, and is silent about it, sleeps, is deaf and completely hard of hearing, has no compassion at all, and acts as if he does not know such a dear son. All the angels are also silent, and such a great treasure is snatched away to Egypt and sold for a small amount of money, namely twenty pieces of silver, who was supposed to become such a great patriarch, prophet and regent. What does our Lord God do with His chosen ones? What kind of a wonderful government is this, so that the chosen children of God are led and governed? What is it that He thus abandons them and afflicts them so miserably?
The poor wretched Joseph was carried away by his buyers and had to pass by Hebron, since it must have occurred to him that he had thought: "Behold, my dear father lives there, he does not know how it is with me now, and I cannot speak to him, nor can I look at him, or say my last goodbyes to him. This has truly been a great and miserable misery. I will keep silent about the old father, who, when he heard about the deal, cried out with weeping eyes and said, "I will go down with sorrow into the pit, to my son," and let myself be buried with him, and because I have lost this son, this life will now no longer be dear or pleasant to me.
335. But these are also called merchants, who pass such a precious treasure by Hebron and bring it to Egypt, which will then be the salvation of the whole kingdom, so that the people will be helped in body and soul. For he will establish there a church and a right doctrine of God, and will accomplish great things that will be beneficial and good for the whole kingdom. For this reason he had to be crucified and killed before the day of his resurrection and glory came, so that he would not become proud, but would consider what he had been before and from where he had been raised to such great glory.
So this is described for our consolation. For in this terrible cross
of the Father and the Son, God has been deaf and dumb, does not think, does not know about the things that have happened. But faith is still there, and God speaks to him inwardly in his heart and says: Dear Joseph, wait, believe and do not despair, hold fast to the promise, so you heard from your father. So, I say, God speaks to him through the word of his father: God promised a seed to the great-grandfather and grandfather, and to your father as well; now remember that you persevere in the same promise with firm faith and remain steadfast. But he speaks these things to him by miraculous silence, seeing or hearing nothing. For God is as if he were blind and dead, and Joseph lives and abides by the common promise alone: God promised Abraham a seed 2c. I believe in GOD, in whom my fathers also believed. After that he will speak to him gloriously and in deed, when he will make him king and helper over all Egypt. But now Joseph is buried and dead, and has his Char Friday and Sabbath; his father also dies: but they shall both rise again by divine power, which is able to quicken the dead. The heart of a believer must live and rise again from the dead, even if it were oppressed by the immense burden of the whole world.
These examples are held up to us so that we may become accustomed to patience in tribulation, so that we may not be impatient and grumble against God, no matter how much and how great the tribulation, anguish and distress may be that weighs us down. It is a woe; as it will undoubtedly have been a woe to the young heart. It is true that a human heart cannot bear such things, let alone overcome them, without great pain and anguish. Just as Joseph undoubtedly suffered great pain and was greatly distressed when he felt that he had been so unjustly torn from his father and thrown to strangers, and that he had thus been given over to eternal servitude, since he could never get anything of his own or hope for freedom and redemption, but had to be servus servorum, a servant of his father.
1158 n> 162-164. interpretation of Gen. 37, 34-36. cap. 38, I-5. W. n. 16S7-1702. H5K
Be a servant. For servitude is difficult and miserable enough in itself, if other burdens are not added to it. But it was so much more vexatious to this pious youth that he had to be deprived of his parents and all the comforts and advantages of this temporal life even in the time of his blossoming youth. If our Lord God allows such things to happen to his children, let us also bear with a patient heart when we encounter sad and disgusting things. For these are not signs of wrath, or that God has forsaken us, but rather signs of grace and tests of our faith.
Therefore, such a life is the most important of all.
The most holy, in which also the highest patriarchs lived, with whom our monks and papist bishops are not to be compared at all. It is nothing with the fasting and with the miraculous works, so in the legends of our saints, as, the Franciscus, Ambrosius, Augustinus 2c., are told. That means lived: that is vain child's play. These, I say, are examples that teach and indicate what a right Christian life is, what the right true exercises of godliness and Christian patience are. Well, Joseph is gone; let us leave him to rest in the pit. He is now buried; let us leave him to rest in the pit, in the scheol, as his father says, in his school.