V. 1. And now hear, O Israel, the commandments and the statutes etc.
After the narration and short repetition is finished, he has addressed an exhortation to the hearers of the law in this chapter, which he will begin in the following chapter. But it is a very rich exhortation and, as is the nature of this language, also in many words. For here, as elsewhere, he repeats it so often that if a carnal reader were present who did not understand what it was about, he would be annoyed. But it comes to us to hold down our displeasure, because we know that it is God's words that we hear. But to hear God is blessedness, even if He speaks one and the same syllable over and over again, how much more so if He speaks so many and so diligently? Therefore, it is due to us,
to pay attention with fear not only to the words, but much more and above all to the person of the one who speaks, namely God.
But this frequent repetition serves that we, who because of our flesh always fall, are always cold and lazy to do good, always inclined and disposed to evil from our youth, may constantly have a disciplinarian and driver who keeps sin in check. At the same time, this shows the actual nature (virtus) of the law, to which it is peculiar that it persists, presses, and, until grace comes to the rescue, does not cease from weariness, accusation, condemnation, as the apostle says [Rom. 4:15]: "The law only causes wrath."
In Hebrew there are about six or seven words for law: XXXXX, XXXXX,XXXX XXXX,
xxxx, xxxxxx.
Firstly XXXX actually denotes the law, and has its name from teach (XX), therefore it is called teach.
XXX is a commandment, as is often read in Moses, "As the Lord commanded me."
refers to ceremonies, and I like that. For actually it means the custom and the manners in holy things, which I call commandments (statuta), as in the 2nd Psalm, v. 7.I will tell the commandment of the Lord", where in Hebrew it is said: "I will preach the custom and the statute", namely the new way and the right ceremony, which is to believe in Christ, the Son of God, as follows there, in whom all (omnes omnium) ceremonies are fulfilled, and to whom they refer.
XXX, that is actually what the Latins call mandatum, in German: "befehlen". For the verb XXX means to visit, to appoint, to order, to judge (censere) and to command in general. Hence in the 109th Psalm, V, 8th, XXXX, which is called in Greek XXXXXXX or xxxxxxx.
"And his bishopric shall another receive" [Acts 1:20], that is, the office or government commanded him. Our translator renders it almost everywhere by justification.
XXXX is testimony that God testifies by His law and word that He is present and cares for us, so that we have an awareness (conscientiam) of God, whom we otherwise neither see, nor feel, nor recognize.
XXXXX translate it constantly by judgment, and not badly, only that it is necessary to know how far this word extends in Hebrew. For it likewise signifies the office or administration of justice, as in the first Psalm, v. 5: "The wicked shall not stand in judgment," where some would say, in regiment. Likewise in the 72nd Psalm, v. 1. "God, give thy judgment to the king." Hence also the book of judges has its name, which in Latin would be called the book of princes, of regents, of chiefs (consulum) or of persons in authority. Likewise Ps. 110, 6: "He will judge among the nations", that is, he will
1) sk instrusnäo . . vocAtur instrumsiitum.
rule. Secondly, it denotes the work itself and the execution of the judgment. Therefore the word is found everywhere in the Scriptures: to establish judgment and justice [Ps. 103, 6.]: "The Lord establishes judgment to all who suffer injustice," and [Ps. 17, 2.]: "From your face come my judgment," and: "He has spoken judgments with him."
Finally, it actually means what is called in Latin jurisprudence, namely, the laws by which men come to the settlement of their disputes among themselves in civil life in worldly affairs (disponuntur), hence it is also more often taken for custom and usage than, for the law of nations or natural law, as 2 Mos. 22, 17. "According to the law of daughters he shall deal with her," 2) and Ps. 119, 132. "As thou wilt do (secundum judicium) to them that love thy name." This broad meaning of the word creates obscurity and ambiguity everywhere in Scripture. Therefore, it is necessary to be careful.
XXXXX means to observe something (observantiam) or to pay attention to it (custodiam), namely a general name that goes beyond all those mentioned before, indeed, if we look at it closely, there will be only two or three words that actually denote the law, namely rPn and XXXX, commandment (statutum) and law, one of which teaches that by which we are instructed (ordinamur) to behave rightly toward God, namely XXX, the other that by which we are instructed to behave rightly toward men, namely XXXX. And these two are sufficient, and this difference seems to me to be proven and constant. For thus also Moses begins in this chapter, "Hear the commandments and the statutes which I teach you," comprehending with these two words, as it were, everything, as if to say: I will teach you how to live rightly before God and man.
Now the other words are all general, indicating the meaning (vim) and essence of the commandments and the rights, namely XXXX that they instruct and instruct us, 3) so that
2) In the Jenaer it says: kamt instead of: kamst.
3) Instead of instruirt and sruäint in the Erlanger is to be read with the Wittenberger and the Jenaer iustruant and sruäiaut.
that we are not animals and act in darkness. XXXX that they bind and compel us, so that we do not insolently (libere) despise what we have been taught. that they are commanded for us to keep, so that we have something to deal with, so that we are not idle. that they are (as I have said) a testimony to us that God takes care of us, and we safely rely on Him being present with us everywhere and always. XXXXX that they require that we be careful and attentive to them, so that we are not sluggish and sleepy in doing them.
Besides these are also these expressions: XXX, XXXX, XXX word, speech, saying; likewise XXX 1) and XXX, but these two are rarely in use, as Ps. 119, 66.The word XXX means "good, and knowledge, for which we have (in the Vulgate) bonitatem et disciplinam, and denotes almost the behavior (gestum) which we call giving and mannered conduct (habitus corporis), as it is said in the 34th Psalm, "David hid his giving before the king Achish," as the title of this Psalm says.
So there are only these two left: XXX and
XXXX, commandments and judgments, which are very frequent in the Scriptures, from which come the judges and the judicial power. But from that word [XXX] comes the master to rule in spiritual things, whom the Scripture calls Gen. 49:10, XXXX, "Yet a prince from his thigh" [Vulg.], where the Hebrew text has, "Yet a teacher from his feet," that is, there will always be such in Judah who teaches divine things and has disciples at his feet, and will not be taken away from them until Shiloh comes.
V. 2. You shall not do anything to it that I command, nor shall you do any of it.
Before Moses commands or teaches anything, he takes care first of all that it is preserved unharmed and unchanged, so that nothing is done to it or from it. And this passage condemns in short all human laws, and decides that in matters of conscience nothing is valid but God's
1) Instead of jnn probably nxn should be read, which is found in Ps. 119, 66. It occurs probably rM, but not snff.
Law and God's Word. And in this the will of God should be sufficient, which so judges, even though reason and necessity require the same. For since we are drowned in blindness through Adam's sin, so that we do not know God at all in all His will and counsel, it is not only foolish, but also impossible for us to make of ourselves the light and the way by which we can reach God and grasp what He wants us to do, as the writer says in the Book of Wisdom, Cap. 9, 14, 13: "The thoughts of mortal men are miserable and uncertain. For what man can know what God wills?" Therefore, if God does not reveal His law by which He makes His will known to us, there remains only this statement about us (nostrum elogium), Ps. 116, 11.: "All men are liars," Ps. 39, 6.:] "all men are nothing at all"; and Isa. 55, 9.: "As much as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways." Therefore it is an exceedingly foolish reason of proof of the Sophists for free will: I have the freedom to govern a cow, to throw away money, therefore I have the freedom to do what pleases GOtte and to serve him. This is the same as saying: I can tread the earth with my feet and walk on the earth, so I can walk in heaven and walk on the clouds.
It is true that man has the knowledge and the ability to rule over that which is inferior to him and to act freely with it, but to rule himself and to do what pleases him who is above him, he does not know, nor is he able to do. There free will ceases; [there it does not rule,] but is necessarily blind, incapable, yes, dead and damned. Therefore, he must not presume on anything here, or choose anything he wants to do, but must base himself solely on the word of God, and do nothing to it or from it, so that if he is not quite sure that God's word is there, he will not do it at all, but if he is sure that God's word is there, he will not depart from it. O a necessary admonition!
But you will say: Why are so
added many books of the prophets? And David commanded that the tabernacle of Moses should be taken down, and that a temple should be built, and set up the ordinances of the Levites; and Joshua did many things, and commanded the people; and so may be said of many other things. I answer, That is not to add to or add to the words of Moses, if any man teach the same thing in other or more words. This is how Moses taught and interpreted the prophets, not how they themselves were taught and interpreted, and according to his law they judged and punished the kings and the people.
Then Moses says here not of God, but of the people: "You shall not do anything to it" etc. For who doubts that God Himself can add to it or subtract from it according to the circumstances of the time? For He, whether He adds to it or detracts from it, always remains true, and His word is always true, and faithfully guides and protects us. Thus David testifies in the first book of Chronicles [Cap. 28, 6. ff.] that he did not command according to his will (for God had rejected that, although he was praised by the prophet Nathan [1 Chron. 18, 2. ff.]), but at the command of God that the Temple should be built, and appointed the Levites. Thus Joshua had the command of God that he should command what was to be commanded. If all the prophets taught something different in this way, the Lord revealed this to all of them, just as he did to Moses, or as Peter says, they were driven (inspirati sunt) by the Holy Spirit, so that they had to speak.
That you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God.
See Moses here, who asserts that nothing must be added to the words of God, nor must anything be done about them, lest this result in the commandments of God not being kept. By this statement he shows that the statutes of men in holy matters conflict with the words of God, since they oppose them and cause trouble because the commandments of God are not kept. For this reason, Paul also gives them an evil name in Titus 1:14, teaching that they pervert the truth, and Romans 16:18, that they deceive the innocent hearts, and that Christ is the one who is the cause of their disobedience.
commands [Matth. 16, 6.] that we should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and [Matth. 7, 15.] of the wolves in sheep's clothing.
V. 3. 4. Your eyes have seen etc.
Moses composed his admonition from various things, so that they would reject the additions and counterfeits of men and adhere to the pure word of God alone. First [he takes the admonition from] the very obvious example of Baal-Peor; since he [God] corrupted so many children of Israel because of his worship, because it was invented by men over (ultra) the word of God [4 Mos. 25, 9.], he shows sufficiently how he does not want anything added to his commandments.
It is also not valid if someone wants to claim for the statutes of men: The Moabites were idolaters and sacrificed to the devils, but we served the true God with our ceremonies, and they were invented in godly opinion and out of a good zeal, therefore our conduct (studia) is not similar to that of those people.
I answer: The Moabites and other pagans did not serve the devils in such a way that they knew they were devils, but believed that they served the true God, no less than the idolatrous Jews, yes, than all our Papists, even the holiest and most spiritual, but their impiety was that they took the right name of the true God, and worshipped him with customs which God did not command, but which they had invented.
For those who do this think in their hearts that the true God is like this: He wants to be worshipped, and it is pleasing to Him what people, even those who are still godless, do without God's word. But he is not such a God to whom godless beings please, as the fifth Psalm, v. 5, says, but he is the God of the righteous, and wants to be worshipped by godly and righteous people who are justified by his word and grace, not by their own powers. Therefore, the thoughts of those people about God are necessarily a mere fiction and lie, and the God whom they invent and form in such a way is not the true God,
but an idol of their heart, under which they worship the devil, the master and father of this lie. And so, in truth, under the right name of the true God, they worship idols and devils in false conceit.
Therefore, in the Scriptures, "other (alienos) gods" must not be understood as if their worshippers had completely denied the name of the true God, yes, they claimed it for themselves most stubbornly, as we read in the Prophets, but because they, retaining the name of the true God, without a true knowledge of God (which the flesh and man cannot have of themselves), made thoughts of God that seemed to them to be right, as if God could be given a form and were changeable according to the imaginations and conceits (visiones) of their hearts, while He cannot be formed (informabilis) and is unchangeable. Therefore, where the word of God is not, there is no right knowledge of God; where the knowledge of God is not, there is godless ignorance, conceit, delusion of the right God, as if he had pleasure in this and that, which we choose according to our own sense (proprie). But all this is godless worship, by which the true God is not reached, but in His place and under His name the imaginations (phantasmata) and idols of the heart. But these are other gods, namely the devils, who enter this delusion.
Then they also proceed outwardly and establish ceremonies, doctrines and regiments according to this delusion, to which they give different names; and they call God sometimes Baal, sometimes Astharoth, sometimes Dagon etc., as we have also done by calling Benedictus, Franciscus, Domnncus and above all the pope a god, because we let ourselves think that we please God by all these customs and doctrines. This delusion is the lying idol of the heart, under which Satan sits and is worshipped in the place and name of God.
This is what the apostle touches on Rom. 1, 21: "Knowing that there is one God, they have not praised him as one God, nor given thanks, but have become vain in their imaginations, and their unintelligent heart is lost.
etc. I say that they have known God, that is, they have had knowledge that there is any deity, which is proven by their efforts to worship idols in the place of God. For if they had had no knowledge of God, they would not have been able to attribute the deity (eam) to the idols, nor to claim the name of God. But this was their imprudence, that they did not praise him as a god, that is, they invented him as such a god, who would like to be worshipped by their opinions and efforts, so that they would like to boast about themselves in such a way, (as people) who could accomplish something for GOtte from their own forces, which would be pleasing to him, and deserve his grace. But this is to dishonor God, and not to thank God for what one has received from Him, but to be haughty and presumptuous because of what one has offered to God. This is no different than wanting God to be shaped by us, and that we do not want to be shaped by God; wanting God to adapt His counsel and thoughts to our counsels and thoughts, as He says in Isaiah [Cap. 40, 18. 25.]: "Whom then will you model God after?" and Cap. 55, 9.: "As much as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways."
But the fact that the Moabites served their BaalPeor with food and unchastity does not prove that they worshipped the devils for that reason. For this is the fate (fortuna) of human statutes, that they only raise belly servants (ventris animalia), so that Paul is under the obligation (Phil. 3, 19.) to call the belly their god, and Rom. 16, 18. says that they serve their belly. And all prophets accuse them of eating the people of God. The groves and the high places in the synagogue also testify to this, where they drove their will under the green trees. So also in our kingdom of the pope we see how they openly and unashamedly serve the good life, idleness, eating and boozing and unchastity, but at the same time they murmur their hourly prayers (horas) and crucify the masses.
BaalPeor is the name of a man who has the mouth
1) of which many think it was Priapus, perhaps moved by the fact that the Moabites in his service gave themselves to unchastity. But this proves (movet) nothing, because the unchastity (as I said) is a characteristic which all human statutes and ungodliness have; then also this history of Israel seems to be older and to have happened earlier than Priapus arose in Greece. Therefore, I believe that the true God was honored by the Moabites under this lying name and false worship, as he was called Baalim by the Israelites, as the prophet Hosea testifies. Then I see that Baal means the excellence (primatum) with the Hebrews in compound words. For thus they say balsam (balsamum - XXX XXX), that is, the most excellent oil (for oil they call [W); likewise Beelzebub [XXX XXX], the most excellent fly, as we say: archangel, archcook, archduke, archbishop. Thus the Moabites called BaalPeor the most noble maw (hiatum), for a reason unknown to me, unless you want to take it as a supposition (divinare) that God is terrible and an arch avenger, ready to devour all the wicked and adversaries of his people, if he is not worshipped in this way, as with us the papists have invented that God is a very swift avenger, if someone has done harm to a clergyman by the devil's inspiration. So they also made a kind of BaalPeor out of St. Anthony, Sebastian, Valentine and Rochius to feed their belly.
V. 5. as the Lord my God commanded me etc.
This cause alone should be sufficient that they would gladly do anything, that he teaches God's commandments, not his own, even if no punishment or reward followed. And this is the other part (locus) of the exhortation, which follows in proper order. For the first is about the terror and wrath of God, with which a lawgiver must begin, but then add to it the glory and love of God, so that he may entice the frightened to love.
1) vir Nistus. Cf. St. Louis edition, vol. XIX, 688, K 4S.
V. 6. for this is your wisdom etc.
The third piece is taken from the preference (excellentia) and the dignity they will have over all nations, which follows from this. "Whoever honors me (says he [1 Sam. 2, 30.)), him I will also honor." If they glorified God in such a way that they kept those commandments and laws, it would happen that the Lord would glorify them in turn by spreading throughout the world the rumor of the holiness of the laws and the people who kept them. Through this rumor many would be drawn to the true God. And so also through this honor with which GOtt glorified them among the nations, GOtt Himself would be glorified more. For so also all the works of God, niwith which He glorifies His saints, serve to the ungodly that they may also be converted. This is the love that turns (kamt) and accepts all that is ours for the benefit of our neighbor.
"Wisdom" and "understanding" (intelligentia), I believe, differ in such a way that wisdom belongs to the knowledge of things, understanding to judgment; so that he is wise who knows what belongs to faith and reverence (religionis) toward God, and to justice and love toward one's neighbor, but that he is understanding who in both things (toward God and toward one's neighbor) is perceptive, wise, and prudent, so that he may walk rightly in them and not be deceived by any deceit; in German: "wise and prudent".
But consider this much more, with how few words Moses rejects and condemns all the wisdom and knowledge (scientiam) of men, showing that the wisdom and understanding of the people of God does not consist in the subtle researches (speculationes) of the sophists, nor in the splendid decrees (sanctiones) of princes and wise men, but in the knowledge and observance of the law of God. "This is (he says) your wisdom and understanding." Therefore, even though one may be wise in governing the affairs of this world (as they are wise to do evil), the people of God shall not seek wisdom anywhere, nor know any other than from the law of their God; there they will find abundant and blissful knowledge of how to behave toward God and man.
The only way to behave is shyly, as in fortune and misfortune, as in peace and war. For wisdom taken from elsewhere is nothing but foolishness before God. Therefore, by this word Moses makes all men fools before God in all their wisdom and prudence.
V. 7. 8. to whom gods thus draw near etc.
The honor and glory of this people is greater than that of all the nations of the earth, because their God is near them, and also because He has righteous rights and commandments; if they kept them, the nations would marvel at them and receive salvation from them. This is a beautiful and sweet comfort and a reliable promise that God is near. This doctrine (locum) was often mentioned by David in his Psalms and by the other prophets everywhere. But at the same time he includes and indicates the cross of God's people. For the fact that He is near to those who call upon Him proves that those who call upon Him are in tribulation, which forces them to call upon Him, just as this people was always in tribulation, and all who want to live godly suffer persecution [2 Tim. 3, 12], so that the faith that calls upon Him has room and there is an opportunity to come close to God.
The worship of other peoples, however, as they have ungodly statutes against God and unjust rights against their neighbor, so they also have gods that are far from them, which cannot make blessed, yes, which let themselves be provided for and defended by their worshippers.
V. 9-11. And thou shalt make known the day to thy children and thy children's children etc.
This day of the or assembly Moses often inculcates, because at the same the people had heard the law of God at the mountain Sinai under thunderstorm and frightening thunder, where not a man spoke, but the highest majesty by the service of the angels, and from this one day the reputation of Mosis began, as in the second book of Mosis, Cap. 19, is said, and the whole order (institutio) of the people.
V. 12-19. You heard the voice of his words, but you saw no likeness except the voice etc.
This passage rejects not only the outward images of God, which he wanted to be forbidden to the crude and childish people, but above all and most of all the inward ones, which (as we said above) are the delusions and thoughts that we have invented out of ourselves, without the voice of God. Here, surely, the voice of His words alone is praised, and everything that is spoken or thought about God that is not this voice of His words is utterly ungodly and condemned. For it is by his word alone that he has willed his will, his counsels, to be presented to us, not by our imaginations or conceits. Therefore, God does not like or dislike what you think pleases or displeases him, no matter how holy and godly it seems to you, what you think (as the originators and teachers of the spiritual orders [religionum] and the sects have done), but what he himself declares through the voice of his word that it pleases or 1) displeases him. For no one can indicate or declare God's will except God Himself, indeed, everyone errs in an ungodly manner when he subjects himself to it, since no one knows the depths of God except the Holy Spirit who is in God. Therefore, it is impossible for people to think, preach, or worship God properly without a certain word from God. The saying stands firm, "You have heard His voice."
V. 20. From the iron furnace.
With a strong expression he calls the bondage in Egypt an iron furnace, not only because of the frightfulness of history, but also because of the misery of the consciences, which were oppressed under the wrath of the law and the tyranny of the statutes, of which the people of Israel were the model in their Egyptian furnace.
V. 24. 25. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire and a zealous God.
This phrase is often used in the epistle to the Hebrews, and it is worthy to be used often to terrify and humble the wicked. But there are two things: "a devouring fire" and: "a
1) In the editions: ot instead of: ant.
zealous God". He is called a fire because he consumes completely and leaves nothing for the wicked, nor is there anything that can withstand his wrath; a zealot because he has such a mind that he will not spare. Who should not fear him, who is known not to spare and has such a way (virtutem) that he is unforgiving and never stops taking revenge? Furthermore, he exercises this wrath in two ways; first spiritually and suddenly, by withdrawing his spirit from the wicked, so that the devil devastates everything; then also bodily and slowly, by also killing the bodies, devastating the lands and destroying everything.
And notice especially that God is described by Moses as a fire and a zealot with regard to the first commandment, in which he is most despised, when he should be most feared and revered, so that you may see which commandment he himself insists on, namely that we should hold him as our God, so that we do not put our trust in works, but base ourselves on his mercy alone, although in no matter does he seem to see through his fingers more than in this ungodliness, since he lets the ungodly have the upper hand and rule with impunity and deceives very many, so that there seems to be neither fire nor zeal, but coldness and sluggishness with God, just as many psalms complain that he sleeps and ask him to rise.
V. 26-29. So I call to witness this day etc.
The last part of this exhortation is the threat. For this is how we admonish, by taking our reasons from what is useful, what is necessary, what is honorable, what is godly, finally from the danger etc., which Moses also does here.
V. 30-40. In the last days etc.
This "in the last days" is generally spoken, for which we say: later. For Moses wants to describe such wrath of God that He always leaves room for repentance for those who come to terms afterward. This has also been proved by the events in history, where God
Israel so often punished, and yet, when it returned, always accepted it again afterwards. So he is not only talking about the last days before the day of judgment, in which, as one thinks, the Jews are still to be converted, but generally about all the time (as I said) in which they repented after sin and recognized the punishment.
And to encourage this repentance and to condemn despair, he adds the most sweet and faithful promise, on which the prayer of Manasseh, king of Judah, is beautifully based, namely, that God, your Lord, is merciful, who will not abandon you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant he swore to your fathers [Deut. 4:31]. By this he indicates at the same time what true repentance is, namely a burning thirst for mercy in the anguish of the conscience. For only to these is the sweet mercy held out, but not to the hypocrites.
V. 41-43. Then Moses separated three cities etc.
This thing Moses mixes into the speech by keeping the order of the history. For he certainly did not finish these speeches of Deuteronomy in one day, but perhaps barely in ten days, or on each individual day barely two or three chapters; and in the meantime he had to deal with things among the people, as they just happened, like this separation of the cities to places of refuge.
V. 44. ff. This is the law etc.
This is the end of the speech, as Mosi's way is. Furthermore, the mountain Hermon, which is called here [v. 48.] Sion, is another than the one in Jerusalem. For the latter is written with a Zade, Zion; the latter with a Sin, Sion. Above Cap. 3 we said that "the springs of Pisgah" were to be taken for the proper name of a city (dici), (namely) Assedoth, which Jerome translated: "at the foot" [of the mountain], 1) but in the book "of the Hebrew localities" he makes it the name of a city.
1) In the old translation this reads: "das Hieronymus, wurzeln sraäiossl, verdolmetschet has."