V. 11-13. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, and herb yielding seed, and fruitful trees, every one of them.
1) Wittenberg and Erlangen: den.
2) Erlanger: "and" instead of: which.
34 Erl. 33, 3S-4L. Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, 44-46. 35
after his kind bear fruit, and have his own seed with himself on the earth. And it came to pass thus. And the earth brought forth grass and herbage, every herb after his kind, and trees bearing fruit, 1) and having their own seed by themselves, every one after his kind. And God saw it good. Then the evening and the morning became the third day.
(24) After the heavens have been prepared in the two days, God takes the earth before Him on the third day and prepares it properly. For before it was covered and lay in the water, and there was no one on it, but was completely desolate and of no use. But now, when he speaks the word: "The earth comes forth, and the waters under heaven are divided, here into the sea, there into pools or lakes, so that the land and islands are seen, so that here a piece and there a piece of the earth comes forth: Now the earth ceases to be so desolate and clumsy, and comes to light and takes on a true form, so that it is something different from what it was before; so that it is never empty, but is given a power that it should have in itself, so that it gives forth and brings forth grass, herbs and trees, and all kinds of plants. This is what happened, and it pleased God well, and then he gave it a proper name. From this it is clear that he did not give her the right name on the first day. For now it is worthy of its name, because it is no longer desolate or empty, but is prepared and worked as it should be, and receives its strength so that it produces all kinds of growth.
(25) Now these are all excellent words for Moses to shut the mouths of all philosophers, and those who have studied in the high schools, and called themselves doctors and magistrates, and have taught the natural art, even natural folly. They have discussed much and have held many delusions, from which the earth and all things have come, and yet no one has hit it. Therefore, here Moses puts all this down in a nutshell, saying that by the eternal word of God it was decreed that on the third day of the world the earth and all things would be destroyed.
1) Erlanger: deceive.
Days the earth should come forth and be dressed.
(26) Now, if we compare everything with each other, we see that the creatures do not have their essence from themselves; and even if the essence is given to them, they have no power from themselves. For the earth and the heaven, being desolate, empty, and dark, could neither give nor bring forth anything of themselves, but were a poor, miserable, mere being. But if it should become light, then God had to give it and create it, from themselves they could not. Therefore it was neither the power nor the ability of heaven that it became firm. In the same way, the earth has none of its own, but everything had to be planted anew in it, so that it would bear grain, grass, herbs and trees; as we see when we dig it up, that it brings forth all kinds of growth, even that which is neither sown nor planted. It is indeed her ability, but she did not have it from herself, but God implanted it in her through the Word, so that no one can see or understand how it happens, and yet see how it grows; just as we cannot understand how she was created. Therefore we must shut up our reason and only believe, as Moses teaches here, that God thus creates it through the Word, that it grows without ceasing, and yet we do not know how. So it must also be said of heaven, whence it has the light and stands firm, which it has none from itself. For God could well make it heavier, neither the earth, as the clouds hover above, which are heavier neither the air. That it is nothing Aristotle says: What is light, that goes up. You cannot understand any of these things unless you believe.
27. and beware when you hear these words, "And God spoke," that you do not think of them as transient words, as we humans speak, but know that they are eternal words, spoken from eternity and will always be spoken. As little as God's being ceases, so little does the speaking cease, without the creatures having begun through it. But he still speaks, and continues to speak without ceasing, for no creature is able to have its being from itself. Therefore, as long as a creature lasts.
As long as the earth bears or is able to bear, the speaking continues without ceasing. So understand Moses, how he holds up God to us in all creatures and leads us to God through them. As soon as we look at the creatures, we think: Behold, God is so, that all creatures in their nature and works are driven and controlled by the Word without ceasing.
(28) For it is well to be tested that the earth alone has its strength from God's word, that one still sees earth, on which nothing grows; nor is it earth and dry land, but it is empty, for God does not give his word or commandment there, that it might bear and something grow there. Therefore, the fact that all land does not bear fruit in the same way is because such property is not from the land, but from God's word. Where this is, there also follows the power to be fruitful, so that the whole world is full of word, which drives all things, gives power and sustains them. That is why God says to Adam afterwards [Cap. 3, 17. 18.]: "The earth shall not give you its wealth", since he puts a curse on it; he takes away the word and leaves it in its nature. So we have the earth, prepared that it is never desolate and empty, but full of sap and power and ability, not from its nature, but by God's giving and speaking.
029 Besides this, thou must also be accustomed to the language, that the text saith, The gathering of the waters was called the sea." For the Hebrew language calls all things sea where there is water, even lakes and pools; therefore many seas are now and then in the Scripture; but where there is dry land, it calls all things earth.
(30) So the earth is adorned, and the waters are separated from it, which before went round about it, so that it floated in the midst of them. See how easy it would be for God to drown the world, for it is its nature for water to go around and over it; but by God's word and command it is preserved contrary to its nature, otherwise it would remain unrestrained, and all would go in one lump. So he says in Job [Cap. 38, 8-11]: "Who closed the sea with its doors when it burst forth as from its mother's womb? When I clothed it with clouds, and wrapped it in darkness, as in swaddling clothes. Since I gave it the course
broke with my dam, and set a bar and a door upon it, and said, Thou shalt come hither, and no further. Here shall thy proud waves lie down." When the waters beat down, no one protects that the sea does not drown everything, because God's word, which has 2) everything powerfully in its hand.
(31) Thus the holy Scriptures paint God and the creatures, that they may cast down reason, which thinks that he is away from the creatures, and has nothing to do with them. There is not one little stick or drop that God does not have to do with, and that he does not do.
Thirty-two But here we are to beware lest we run aground. For it is also dangerous for an unclean soul to fall on it, and to seek it highly, lest it perish. Therefore, the piece does not belong to children. To those who taste what Moses says: "God saw it as good," 2c. it is useful to them to strive for it and to write poetry. 3. They are the ones who recognize God in the creatures, so that they must say: Well, what a kind, fine God this is? He is nothing but sweetness and goodness, so that he feeds us, sustains us and nourishes us. These see nothing else in the creatures, but that God sees in them. But he sees nothing in them but good. Therefore they have all the air and joy of it. But the others, who have evil consciences and do not believe, should be frightened by the slightest rustling leaf, when they feel that God is so near, and they do not like to suffer any creature, as it always is. Therefore it is a high and great thing who comes to this core and understands it. Of which is also said above [ยง 14 in the preface], and therefore I have repeated it here, that one may always need it, and remember it through this whole chapter.
(33) In the first three days he adorned and decorated the heavens and the earth; the heavens with feast and light, the earth with grass and herbage, and all kinds of wood or trees. Will now follow, as God did in the other three days, both heaven and earth,
Wittenberg and Erlangen: bracht.
2) So the Jenaer. Erlanger: "the it". Wittenberger: which one.
3) "it" is missing in the Erlanger.
more, further, better adorns and makes rich. And he keeps the same order as in the previous days, that he first 1) decorates the sky with lights and stars; then the earth, that he puts in it all kinds of animals, birds, fish and men.