V. 1. You are children of the Lord your God, you shall not cut yourselves.
After the place of worship is set, here he specifies the persons or the customs that pertain to the person, namely, what they should be like in their bodies. But he forbids three things: cutting, giving gifts because of a dead person, and eating unclean things. By "cutting up" here is not understood the teaching (impressio) of marks, of which he will speak later, but a certain use in funerals. With this cutting, perhaps the Egyptians and other pagans cut and tore their faces; then they also shaved off the eyebrows as a sign of grief and mourning. For he is not speaking here of the shaving of the head, but of the face between the eyes, as the Hebrew text says. With this usage he wants nothing else than that his people should have such customs, which would be quite unlike those of other peoples, as he says: "You are children of the LORD your God." The secret interpretation of this is this, that since Christ has been raised from the dead, and now through faith death and sin have been overcome, we should bear no sign of sadness or death on us, as do others who, through the consciousness of sin, are without hope of life. Therefore, no signs nor words of life are to be seen on them, because death reigns in them through the power of sin, but we, who are children of God, live with it.
Moses then teaches what animals are to be clean and unclean for them, and it is true
It seems that these animals are literally (ad lite- ram) all unclean, that is, harmful and unwholesome for food and for the human body.
But a stronger reason is this, that this people would not only be distinguished from other peoples by the quantity and variety of the laws, from which hatred and persecution would arise for them because of the law of God, but also that they would have to create, so that they would not invent customs and works and laws by their own choice (per sese), being idle and having nothing to do; Then also that this people might be kept in oppression, that through the multitude of sins their pride might be broken, and they might sigh the more fervently for Christ, the promised Savior; at the same time also that by this outward example they might be moved to purity of spirit, and be formed to love and meekness, seeing that only unclean, ravenous, and cruel beasts were forbidden them. Let this be said of the literal mind.
Now follows the allegory, of which we have said that it is most certainly drawn to the office of the Word, since it is invalid (frigida), and rather not a hidden mind; but it is the historical mind that is drawn to customs and works. So also here the uncleanness of the animals means the doctrine of works taught by the teachers of the law and statutes, whose hearts and consciences are never purified, indeed, "to the unclean nothing is pure, but unclean is both their mind and conscience" [Tit. 1, 15.]. For the more they purify themselves by works.
they stain themselves by (false) trust and hopefulness, by unbelief and such an ungodly nature. Therefore Peter also compares the ungodly, who have fallen back from faith into works, to a sow that rolls in the muck again after the flood. But they are ravening and cruel, because their doctrine not only defiles more and more, but also lacerates and devours, because they do not make a calm and cheerful conscience, but a lacerated, torn, desolate, and miserably devoured conscience; moreover, they also deceive very many, and tear them away from the righteous doctrine of faith. Therefore Christ calls them "ravening wolves" [Matth. 7, 15.], and Paul "abominable wolves", who do not spare the flock [Apost. 20, 29.]. Therefore, the ungodly teachers of works are unclean and cruel, defiling hearts more, devouring and tearing them away from Christ.
Here I leave it to idle people to investigate through all these animals what the manners of the godless teachers are. Known is the folly of the ostrich, which thinks it is completely covered when it has covered its neck with some little twig. Thus an ungodly teacher seizes upon some saying of Scripture and thinks that his delusion is beautiful, not seeing that he asserts his cause from all sides, naked and without weapons. The little owl is good for the fowler, because the appearance of piety is wonderfully attractive. The night owl does not see when it is light, at night it sees, because the wicked does not obey the truth, but turns to his fables. The cuckoo swallows the eggs of the warbler and lays his own" in the nest. Afterwards, when his young have grown up, they devour their mother, the warbler, in the nest, for the godless teacher steals the children of the church and pushes in his offspring in exchange, which finally corrupts the church from which it had been nourished. Thus the hoopoe defiles his nest, for the ungodly teachers defile (as I have said) themselves and the church, as Peter (2 Ep. 2, 13. Vulg.) says: "They are filth and stain." The gossiping swallow preys on men, but it is of no use, and if it is ver
last, it takes severe revenge on the cattle. A godless teacher makes many words and is flattering, but has no use, and if he is hurt, he is unforgiving fund does not rest) until he has avenged himself. So may someone who desires do with the eagle and other animals, and he will see that everything fits the godless teachings very well.
To eat such things is to believe and follow them, as to eat the flesh of Christ is to believe in Him, John 6:54, 56. Not to eat is to avoid these abominations. But to divide the claws is (as Paul teaches Timothy) to rightly divide the word of God [2 Tim. 2, 15.That is, to teach that you may rightly apply the gospel and the law, to establish the conscience with the gospel, to make it alive and free, and not to oppress and burden it with the law or works and sins; again, not to make the flesh free through the gospel, but to oppress and kill it with the law and works, as is fitting for the old man and the body of sin to be destroyed. But to chew the cud is to "receive the word with the heart, and consider it with the utmost diligence," so that one does not (as the proverb says) let it fall in at one ear and out at the other, but keeps it persistently in the heart, and swallows it down, and makes it his flesh and blood (viscera).
Therefore, he who sets either the gospel alone or the law alone above the twofold (utrumque) man, that is, the inward and the outward, does not cleave (that is, he does not rightly exercise the office of teaching), because by the gospel alone he teaches all freedom, that is, freedom both of the spirit and of the flesh, so that at the same time the conscience rejoices and is freed from works, and also the body is idle in the service of love; Again, by the law alone teaches all captivity, that is, both of the spirit and of the flesh, so that at the same time the conscience is troubled with scrupulis and restlessness, and the body with toil and labor. Both are unclean and defiled, indicating that the teacher is not truly justified by faith. Let the heart therefore be set free by the word of grace, and let the body be a servant.
by the law of love, the claw will be rightly split.
Again, there are animals that cleave the claw and do not chew the cud, like the sow or the pig. These are the ones who teach both rightly, but while they preach to others, they themselves become reprobate [1 Cor. 9:27], because they do not discipline their bodies, nor bring them into bondage, because they are dead with the widow who lives in lusts [1 Tim. 5:6], and choke the word under thorns and lusts, so that it does not bear fruit [Matt. 13:22]. They draw the word, but soon they drop it, nor do they wholeheartedly notice it or think about it. These are swine in the lake of sin. Others, however, chew the cud again, but they do not cleave the claws. These are the ones who either accept the gospel alone or the law alone with all their heart, cling to it constantly and hold on to it, but either torment the conscience alone or make the body free alone, and these are thus unclean like the camel, the hare and the rabbit.
The same is to be said of the water animals, which are without raft feathers and scales. For they have the raft feathers instead of the wings with which they steer their course. By them is signified the doctrine of faith, which, through the Word of God, governs and guides the hearts in this world. The scales, however, are as it were the weapons and the ornament of their body, without which the other swimming animals are as it were naked. They mean that faith is not idle, but active through the spirit of love. Therefore, if some have scales, but are without raft feathers, they signify the toilers, without faith and word; as the serpents. But if they have raft feathers without having scales, they mean those who have the word, without fruit and work; as, the eels and the morays. Others have neither feathers nor scales; they have neither faith nor works; as, worms, blood urchins 2c. All of these must not be eaten, nor must they be communicated with. Thus, among the birds, those that creep and have feathers are unclean, and signify the hypocrites who have the doctrine of the word only in appearance, as
whether they could fly; yet they crawl altogether, and are earthly minded.
The carrion is not to be eaten; elsewhere he says not to touch it either, but to sell or give it to the stranger. That is, let the dead bury their dead [Matt. 8:22]. Neither shall we have fellowship with them that are without the word of life. And if they once had it, but, having lost the word, have died, as the heretics, we are to give them to strangers, that is, they are to be to us as Gentiles. We shall let them join them and put them away from us. "For thou art a holy nation unto the Lord thy God," that is, thou art sanctified by his word; therefore thou shalt not make thyself partaker of strange sins.
V. 21: Do not boil the kid, because it is still nursing its mother.
Just as he decrees civil purity for unclean animals, he also decrees civil mercy for the little goat, so that through this outward gentleness and leniency they will become accustomed to have mercy on people and to spare them, so that they will also abandon their right. Then, since he is talking about worship, he does not want an immature goat to be sacrificed, but a yearling (as he commands elsewhere [Ex 12:5]), so that they do not sacrifice unfit and useless things. This is the meaning of the word of the apostle Rom. 14, 1.: "Take up the weak in faith", so that we do not spoil those who need milk with solid food, and do not cook or kill them through martyrdom or other strong temptations, before they have attained firmness in life and certainty in doctrine. For God does not let us be tempted beyond our ability. Therefore, we must also believe and teach in this way. For in the kingdom of Christ there is only one law: "Bear one another's burdens", Gal. 6, 2.
V. 22. ff. You shall tithe every year 2c.
God imposed three tithes on this people. First, that which they gave to the Levites every year from all the fruits of the land. Second, that which they tithed every third year, above
the aforementioned, from all the same fruits of the land, which was to be used, as it were, for a common box and for public alms, both for the Levites and for the strangers, also for the orphans and widows, because he did not want the poor to be in the land, as he says in the following chapter. He speaks of these two tithes in this chapter. The third tithe was imposed on the Levites, so that they would also tithe from their tithes to the priests; this is mentioned in the third book of Moses. To these priests God also gave all the firstborn, so that the firstborn of the people was redeemed with money. Thus, the ordinary income of the priests was the firstborn or firstlings and the tithes they received from the Levites, to which were added the sacrifices and gifts of all the people. The income of the Levites was the tithes they received from the people and a portion of the sacrifices when they served the priests. And would God that all the other treasures, which nowadays consume the land and the people, which must also be necessarily unreasonable, were taken away, and [in their place] the tithes were put in; if one was not enough, three, four or five could be added. In this way a people could live under their masters. This would be the most honorable and just way to raise income (redituum), which would depend solely on the goodness of God. For if God were to give abundant blessings in a year, the people would have abundant income, and the authorities would have abundant tithes. But if God gave little blessing, the authorities would bear the same burden as the subjects and receive less. But now that the annual taxes are fixed and certain, and the years of blessing rare, the subjects are forced to pay the full taxes, even though they do not have a year of blessing in ten years in a row or longer, yes, what is even more miserable, they are forced to pay the full taxes, even though they have received in that year either hardly as much or not as much from the land as they have to pay, namely with money they have borrowed elsewhere, from which they either pay the taxes or from which they live in that year.
Is this not more than barbarism? yes, a kind of animal and cruel rapacity? Could it be said, then, that these taxes are just? that these laws are just? What wonder is it if the people are sucked dry and driven out of all places? What is the rule in Germany today but a mere tyranny? Of foreign empires I speak nothing, I know nothing of them; because of ours I am grieved. Which of the princes or persons in authority do you think can be blessed today, if he suffers or does this knowingly or willingly, if he could help the cause (as befits a prince)? You see how much here the reason (ratio) of blessedness urges that the princes consult with each other, work together and set to work so that all other estimates may by all means be taken away and turned into tithes (as much as may be necessary for them), and they thus preserve the people and govern the world with other laws. I confess that the common people are sunk in lavishness and frivolity when they have abundance, but this evil (rebus) must be remedied otherwise than by unjust estimations, and not cure sin with sin. Then the blame for the fact that the populace is so depraved lies with the princes, who rule without law, without care, without rigor, and are concerned only with laying up treasuries and having pleasure. 1)
But let us return to Moses. Behold, how beautiful an order is in it. First he deals with the annual tithes and the daily first fruits, by which the priests and the Levites are provided for, then only with the tithes in every third year, by which any poor should be helped, so that we realize that in the first place the servants of the word are to be provided for, by which not the belly, but the heart and the spirit are to be provided for.
1) This whole paragraph ifi been omitted in the Latin Wittenberg edition and inserted instead by the editors(>Vitt. Dom. III(I549f, col. 57k): "But these things are disputed in vain nowadays, for if the tithe were assigned to necessary use, avarice would easily invent the ninth, eighth, seventh, fifth or third part of the fruits. Therefore the children of Israel complain that they were oppressed under Solomon and ask Rehoboam for relief, 1 Kings 12:4."
After that also the belly of the poor must be supplied. For faith and the word are more than charity and good works; therefore it is necessary to provide for faith and the word rather than charity and good works. But it is not provided otherwise than that those who are to teach may be nourished. Indeed, if faith and the word were to perish, nothing would remain of love and good works. But law is law; it is spoken, but not done. For just as the people of Moses left this law standing and did not feed their priests and Levites, so they were forced either to leave the word and service of God, to feed themselves with their hands' work, or to set up new doctrines and idolatry; here the people fed their deceivers abundantly, which neglected the right shepherds, because they too turned their ears away from the truth and turned to fables: So it happens also now; the servants of the word no one feeds, so that they are forced by lack of bread to leave the preaching ministry, to cultivate the land and to learn a trade, while they have not only fed the godless deceivers up to now, but have also filled the world with bishoprics and monasteries, which are equal to the riches of kings and princes. This has happened out of God's righteous judgment, that those who have not given a servant of God and messenger of salvation even one loaf of bread, waste whole kingdoms and principalities on the servants of the devil and the messengers of death.
You see with what care Paul urges 1 Cor. 9, 7. ff. 1 Tim. 5, 17. f. Gal. 6, 6. f. and elsewhere insists on feeding the ministers of the word, so that it is disgraceful that in this very small matter in such a great and glorious people one has to hear so many words from such a great apostle, where on the other hand love should be so burning that it would be necessary to keep the people from giving, as Ex. 36, 5. f., since according to the example of the Galatians [Gal. 4, 15.] (if it were possible) we should also pluck out our eyes and give to such servants. Therefore also here Moses adds, after he had spoken of the tithes and the firstborn [v. 23.]: "That thou mayest learn
nest fear the LORD your GOD all your life," namely, that feeding the servants of the Word is the first and supreme usus of honoring GOD and fearing Him. For he who does not feed [the servants of the Word], how should he care for GOD's Word? But whoever does not care for GOD's word, how should he care for GOD? He who does not care about GOD, how should he fear Him? So, if one neglects and despises the servant of the Word, it is the same as despising GOD and His Word. "He who hears you hears me, and he who despises you despises me," is what Moses so carefully inculcates here and elsewhere, lest they abandon the Levites, who had no other inheritance.
That which he says of the too-wide way and the distance of the place of God, of the sale of the firstborn and the tithes, and that other things should be bought for this money, is explained above in a previous chapter [Cap. 12) that it was not permitted in other cities to slaughter and eat what had to be sacrificed, or if it was eaten, other things had to be bought in its place for money and replaced.
The secret interpretation of the firstfruits can be understood from the spiritual understanding (mysterio) of the killing of the firstborn in Egypt. I think that this firstborn means the first fruit of the law, that is, the righteousness from the works. For the law first compels to works, and if it is taken in a carnal sense, it produces seeming hypocrites, who make themselves believe that they are the first of all, and that everything is due to them. This righteousness Christ has killed by his passage, that is, by his death, by which he taught that by the works of the law no flesh can be righteous in the sight of God, Rom. 3:20. But the firstborn of Israel, which is sanctified to the Lord, is the righteousness of faith, which is owed entirely to him who condemned the righteousness of works. Therefore, to offer the firstborn and the firstfruits is to confess that the righteousness of faith received was brought about by His grace, not by our powers. For the first fruit of the Gospel is faith in the
Spirit, who also makes us firstborn and makes us heirs according to a twofold right, both of the kingdom and of the priesthood; but the tithes are, as it were, the last fruit, the goods of love and of the priesthood.
of the Spirit, which we also offer and pay, confessing that they are given to us by His grace through faith, that we did not receive them by our merits.