V. 1. 2. These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel beyond Jordan, in the wilderness, on the plains, toward the marsh, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Disahab, eleven days' journey from Horeb.
1 Here he indicates the place where Moses preached this sermon, and it is said that this sermon or book was preached beyond the Jordan, because Moses did not cross the Jordan. The Jordan divides the land into two parts: Moses was there in the morning when he struck the two kings, Numbers 21:24, 35, Deut. 2:33, 3:3, and this was the place. First they were at Mount Sinai when they received the law, as it is written in the 20th chapter of the other book of Moses. From that place to Kadeshbarnea is eleven days' journey, or thirty miles, according to our reckoning, for they did not make a long day's journey, because they could not hasten with all their household, their goods and their cattle.
Now this is nothing special for the simple, for we are not interested in it, only that one knows where this book was made. Above the eleventh day's journey, they drew four
umpteen years. But you have heard the reason why they wandered so long. They had eleven days to travel from Sinai to the Promised Land, and yet they had to spend forty years on it, because they had disobeyed God, disobeyed and disbelieved, and disobeyed God's words, would not follow God, and disobeyed Moses: Then they were all punished, and their purpose was turned back, so that eleven days became forty years, until all the fighting men died who had come out of Egypt, except Joshua and Caleb, who came into the promised land from the same whole multitude; the others, who had been begotten and brought up in the meantime, had to go astray and remain there in the wilderness.
(3) Now you have heard what this example means. Moses always points to it as a great example, that he had to deal with it for forty years, which could have been done in eleven days, as if he wanted to say: This should not be thrown to the wind and forgotten, but should always be kept in fresh memory, sung about and said, so that everyone may take offense at it and be pious. For it is a
terrible example against all who disobey God and murmur against Him, so that they may beware, lest they also be punished as the Israelites were punished.
V.3 And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the first day of the eleventh month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel.
4 These words indicate at what time Moses wrote this book, namely after forty years, when they came out of Egypt, not more than two months before Moses died; so that the book is like Moses' testament. These are his last words and sermons, so that he blesses the people and reproposes God's law and commandment to them, which he has recently compiled here, and as if he had wound it onto a small book 1) or put it into a booklet; item, repeats and reproaches God's good deeds, which he proved to them, since he had saved and led them out of Egypt as a merciful father. He also tells them about all kinds of promises that will happen to those who keep God's commandments; in addition, he gives a serious warning about how God will punish the transgressors of his commandments. Especially in the 18th chapter [v. 15] he preaches about Christ, whom he portrays as a teacher and preacher, whom all the world should hear 2c.
(vv. 5-8) On the other side of Jordan, in the land of Moab, Most began to interpret this law, saying, "The LORD our God spoke to us in Mount Horeb, saying: Ye have been long enough in this mountain, turn ye, and go, that ye may come unto the mountain of the Amorites, and unto all their neighbors in the plain, upon the mountains, and in the valleys, toward the south, and toward the fords of the sea, in the land of Canaan, and unto mount Lebanon, unto the great waters. 2c.
(5) You see that this book is an interpretation of the Law and a narration of the previous history. Moses begins to gloss over the laws he had given, saying, "The LORD our God spoke to us at Mount Horeb (that is, Sinai) and said: You have now been long enough at this mountain."
1) Kleuel--Kleuel.
This is the beginning of this sermon, as if to say: "Dear children, you know that we were at Mount Sinai and received the Law, and God commanded us to go straight to the land of Canaan, which He had promised to our fathers, and according to the command we should soon have entered the Promised Land. Moses does not indicate this in vain, but to remind them of what had delayed and prevented them from entering for so long, namely their own wickedness and guilt, that they had disobeyed God; otherwise they would have entered long ago. It has been a long time, but now it will be over; therefore I will tell you how far and wide is the land where you are to dwell. How he describes the land herewith.
7 Lebanon is a great mountain, greater than the Thuringian Forest. So far shall your land be, unto Phrat, unto Lebanon, and unto the ford of the sea. This was the first command. But they became transgressors, and sent in spies to see the land; and they frightened them, that they would not go away, saying, Who shall enter there? There dwell giants within, which have strong and strong cities; we saw giants within, against whom we are as grasshoppers to be looked upon; therefore we will not enter. [So they failed to keep the promise to themselves, so that they had to stay outside for forty years. This sin touches Moses here, and punishes the unbelief and distrust of the children of Israel.
V. 9-12. Then I said to you at that time: I cannot bear you alone, for the LORD your God hath multiplied you, that ye are this day as the multitude of the stars of heaven. The LORD your God, the God of your fathers, make you many thousands more, and bless you as he has spoken to you. How can I alone bear such trouble, burden and strife from you?
(8) We have seen how Moses begins a long narrative of the great sins for which they had to stay so long in the wilderness and wander about; and he sets forth the cause in many words, why they could not take the promised land, namely, because God had commanded them to go into the land, and they had not wanted to.
After that he sets this text. We must look at it, because it is his teaching for the worldly authorities. So he says, "Before we went out, I had the people in a regiment. He does not speak of the spiritual regiment or of the priesthood, of which it is written in the fourth book, but of the temporal authority, that he took heads from the tribes, and set them over a thousand, over a hundred, over fifty, and over ten. And there also the old little words come from, dean, who set over ten to rule; as we also say: four-man, three-man, two-man, there ten-man, 1) hundred-man, thousand-man and fifty-man 2c.
10 Thus he ordered the people, which is a very fine order. Matth. 2, 6. is also taken from this text: "And you Bethlehem are by no means the least among the princes of Judah"; since Micheas speaks Cap. 5, 1.: Among the thousands of Judah, that is, among as many as may rule a thousand men 2). These words of the prophet are also drawn from this. So far 3) has this order gone down to a thousand; then out of every tribe a prince ruled over the thousand men; and over all the princes at last was Moses. It was a fine order beyond measure.
The first is a dean, that is, ten men carry it to one; for one man can well see ten; then the hundred 4) over a hundred. It is from the measure a beautiful way to govern, lovely and fine order. The government was not so difficult then as it is now, since everything is mixed and blended together. There is no such order in the world now, nor will there be again. It was not in the monasteries. If the fifty men could not settle something, the matter was brought before the hundred 5) men. Now one prince alone shall settle it all. This shows the text here, since Moses speaks: "I can you
1) In the editions: "ten men, a hundred men, a thousand men, and fifty men"; but we suppose from the context that ciseurio, esnturio, ste. is meant. Compare the following paragraphs.
2) Erlanger: A Thousand Men.
3) In the original: has.
4) "Hundreds" here stands for: Hundredman.
5) In the original: "mach" instead of: Men.
not bear alone." Necessity drove him to it, and his brother-in-law Jethro instructed him, Ex. 18, 19. ff., that he said, "How can I alone bear such toil, burden and strife from you?"
(12) Take now the text, and let us take it to heart, and let us keep it against all proud and hopeful heads, which would gladly reign; for I would that God would give them enough to reign. It is a great thing for such a one who likes to rule, for he thinks: Moses is a prince, sitting on top; so also: A prince has a fine, splendid castle, wears precious stones, golden chains, velvet; and opens his mouth, holds such against his poverty, little house or thatched roof, and thinks that a prince has it much better than he. So a fool looks at the regiment.
013 But hear how Moses looks, who says here: "I cannot bear you alone; how can I alone bear such toil and burden and strife from you?" As if he should say, "The devil is a ruler!" There is nothing more than toil and labor in it. The more force, the more worry and sorrow. Now I am talking about the regiment itself. Moses says that it is toil and trouble and strife, and that he has nothing to gain from it, because he must be driven and plagued by everyone if he wants to get rid of them in any other way. But if a ruler sees through his fingers and lets evil and vice go unpunished, he is held dear. Therefore, they are great fools who only look at the great splendor and honor, beautiful clothes and golden chains of princes and lords.
014 And if they should consider what is written in the chains of care, and labor, and danger, and toil, they would say, And if they had vain gold, let us take our little hut or our little thatch for it, and let him keep his great castle, saying, God keep me from thy chains of gold and thy pearls. For they are so placed in authority that the tickle passes them by. For whoever wants to be a pious prince, if the world would give him as many gifts, his work is not paid for; a greater reward is due to him.
6) In the original: large.
to it. It is a big thing to govern, and no wise man desires it. Much a bigger thing is it about the spiritual regiment or about the pastoral care.
(15) The peasants do not regard this as such, but as said above [12], they close their eyes to the burden and toil that secular and ecclesiastical rulers have to endure, thinking badly that ruling is nothing else than carrying tame pigeons; but they do not see the burden and displeasure of the people and the devil, whom one must have as an enemy; item, God's judgments, which they must fear. That is why the peasants in the riot said, "We also want to carry marten pigeons and gold chains, and eat partridges. But it is finely made equal on earth. Tell me, how can one have and lead a better, calmer 1) and more peaceful life than that of a citizen or farmer?
16 Our Elector, Duke Frederick, who had also experienced the life of all classes, used to say shortly before his death that the bourgeois life or the peasant life was the best life, because kings and princes had only splendor and appearance, but the subjects had gold. How so? The burghers and peasants sit safely at home, behind the stove, with their fields, house and farm; theirs is well preserved in good peace. What do you think is a small treasure, to have a florin in one's pocket, item, to wear a gray skirt, or a sweaty shirt, or to live in a straw house with peace? It is much better than the prince's treasure, and his collected treasures or golden chains.
17 Duke John, Elector, no prince has a florin in his custody with peace; if there is a war in other countries, he must ensure that such a war does not also come to his principality. What good are his golden cups if he cannot use or enjoy them? You must not do that at all, but live as if you were lord of the land, and Duke John must be your servant and protect you, so that you may have peace and good quarters, and eat your bread in peace. Yes, he must (to speak with vacation) still
1) In the original: rüglicher.
wipe each one's butt. No one sees or recognizes this, but only one sees: "Oh, I have a house covered with straw, I have to wear a linen smock, I have to lie on hay, and yet I do not see that you are lying behind the stove, I am safe, and I have my quiet life in peace, which no prince has.
(18) Then you should consider that your gray skirt is more beautiful than his marten skirts and other such beautiful garments; so you can sit quietly and not let anyone trample you underfoot and oppress you. Here some other prince writes a useless letter to the Elector; there a courtier gives him a sting; there he may not otherwise eat a good morsel with peace. He has much care, yes, much more care and worry in his marten hood than you have gray threads in your skirt. You are at peace with your wife and children, and drink your coffee more safely than he drinks his malmsey: if you are not at peace, it is your own fault.
Therefore God also commanded that one should honor the authorities, princes and rulers, and pray for them, as St. Paul 1 Tim. 2, 1. 2. says: "I therefore exhort you that first of all one should make supplication, prayer, intercession and thanksgiving for all men, for kings and for all authorities, that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and honesty" 2c. And Jeremiah the prophet exhorts the Jews of Babylon in prison 2) to pray diligently for the king of Babylon; for if it were well with him, the Jews also would have it well, Jer. 29:7. Therefore do not murmur against them, reviling and blaspheming them; for we have more goods than they, though it seems not. For we have more peace in our poverty than they have in their riches. And choose here, whether thou wouldst not rather have one florin with peace, than a hundred with strife.
20. item, tell me if you would not rather have a cow, and eat a bowl full of milk behind the stove, or roast pears with
2) In the original: "the" instead of: "in which", which we have taken over from the old edition.
than nine and ninety cows that are not yours, and you would have to be in the same half of them all the time? Will you not say: I let them have a good year, I will rather enjoy with peace, which gives me a cow. In the prince's hood there are many a worry, many a hair on it, for he must have every evil thing wiped on it. He must fear that he does not have the prince as an enemy, or that he does not enrage him in any way; on the other hand, your gray skirt is a piece of gold for the sake of peace and tranquility. The three pieces are better than gold and all treasures. Therefore write about your house: The house of peace, in silence.
I am very angry with the peasants who want to rule themselves, and who do not recognize their wealth, that they sit in peace through the help and protection of the princes. You faint-hearted peasants and donkeys, will you not hear it? That thunder may smite you! You have the best, namely benefit, custom, juice from the grape, and leave the husks and grains to the princes. You have the marrow, and still you should be so ungrateful, and not pray for the princes, and only want to give them nothing? But those who are sensible peasants and citizens are fine people. I heard a farmer say that if he had two cows, he would give one so that he could keep and use the other in peace.
(22) For when there is war, you gladly give ten florins to a lord for peace; but now you grumble when you are to give a penny for interest and bullets. Therefore God will punish you for such ingratitude. Now the peasants in the marketplace rule and do as they please, not content that God lets them sit in peace and quiet. But once a misfortune comes upon you, it will teach you what peace is. Remember this. Now just confidently collect on the register. Old guilt does not rust. Remember this well.
23. the less one would be, the more cheerful he should be, because he has the best, he has the marrow and the juice of the goods, the for-
1) Here the postscripts seem to be deficient. "The three pieces" are probably (816) "a guilder in a bag, a gray skirt, a straw house" with peace.
sten have only the sleeves. It is the same with a servant, maid, or other servant. The head of the household is always in a more dangerous and troublesome position than the servants, for he must be famulus communi. The master must be his own servant, if he wants to find justice in the house; the wife must be her own maid, if she wants to create counsel in the house. They must bear the care, and so on. The higher a man is, the greater his unwillingness. Moses saw this and said, "I cannot bear all this toil, burden and strife from you.
024 Moses ought not to speak thus, but to say, I am glad that I go forth, and that I wear chains of gold. But he says, "It is a toil, a burden and a trouble, and he complains greatly about it. Who has ever heard that such titles should be given to a regiment or kingdom? Who has made the book that one should put himself into all things and deal with them? Therefore it is a great and dangerous thing about authority, and God has commanded that one should serve the lords with all diligence, and be obedient and submissive to all authority or authority; as St. Paul says, Rom. 13, 1. 2. 4.For the authority that is everywhere is ordained by God," so that "he who opposes authority opposes God's order, for it is God's servant, an avenger of punishment on him who does evil. Item, St. Peter also gives the same in his epistle, that one should be obedient to all authorities, even the unrighteous and evil ones, 1 Petr. 2, 13. 18.
Load.
25 This "burden" has not pressed the pope. "Trouble" in the regiment is that one has a lot to do in a large community or group; there one has beaten another, one has violated his wife 2c. Above this is also "burden," that one must take upon himself all the care, labor, toil and hardship of the regiment, that the subjects may have judgment and justice, protection and protection. This does not come easily to the regents, nor is it sweet; they do not sit there on a collective cushion or pillow; they do not walk on roses, but must leave many a sweat over it.
26 Meanwhile you turn behind the stove, and turn the devil a rotten meat; you do not think of the care of your authorities; you live as if you were a squire; you go to your field and to your garden; but Moses and other authorities must take care, and advise how to protect you and become your servant. Otherwise you should have ten guards to watch over you and your house, and keep your sheep, and yet you should not keep any of them; indeed, you should give a hundred guilders for a good escort over the land. But the prince must provide for all this. Behold, thus "toil" and "burden" are with one another; not only is there toil in ordering the things, but there is also burden in carrying them out.
27 Thirdly, there are the troublemakers. These are vain dragons; there is no pleasure among them, but heartache and hell. All rulers and pious fathers of the house feel this well, what a great thing it is to serve or govern others. I would give you an example, and explain to you what the three things, "burden," "trouble," and "strife," mean; then you would see into a prince as into hell, as Moses also does here.
(28) This is why I have acted and interpreted it, so that I may draw you away from the unpleasant ingratitude toward the rulers and overlords, and that you may not only see the benefit and the good in them, but also consider the danger of ruling. Turn the page and look at the good you have and the misfortune a ruler has, then you will lift up your hands and thank God for it, and gladly be satisfied with your happiness and status, and pay no attention to the slate roof against your straw house. Great saints we are, who become impatient over a small boil or swelling in our body, and do not think that our whole body, on the other hand, is strong and healthy. Yes, it should be ordered to you, God will make it according to your will.
29. God has made it so that each class shall bear its own adversity; and not the unpleasantness, but also the good, shall be borne.
1) Rotten -- lazy. (Dietz.)
in our ranks. And notice this: The lower an office or rank is, the better and better is the same rank. That is why Sophocles the pagan says: "If all the people's misfortunes were gathered together in one heap, so that the judge came and distributed them at the same time, each one would say: Give me back my misfortune; I would rather bear my own than have it distributed at once. It is divided equally enough; the only thing that is lacking is that it be recognized on the right. But because [it] does not happen, the holy scripture tells us that even if the authorities, princes and lords would give their necks and bellies for the subjects, the unreasonable, ungrateful ass, the common man, would soon forget it. So they do: The peasant looks at the small things, that he must give interest 2c., and does not consider the great peace, so he has, and the heavy burden and trouble, so the authorities carry for his interest and bullet. The rebellious peasants wanted to make it so that no peasant should have no trouble; but if the trouble had gone out of one place, it would have been caused again in a thousand places.
(30) Thus Moses lamented that he alone could not bear the burden and trouble of governing the people. From this we learn what a great, difficult and dangerous office it is when one man is to govern another, whether in the spiritual or in the temporal government, that it is the prince's, father's and mother's office, or mine, the preacher's office, in whatever office it may be. Therefore, God also wants to honor the authorities and not to insult or revile them, but to be obedient and subject to them.
V. 13. Create wise, knowledgeable, experienced men among your tribes, and I will set them over you as heads.
(31) These are all the prefaces to the interpretation of the Ten Commandments, as we will hear in the third and fourth chapters, which divide the people into two kingdoms. Now,
2) In the original and in the Erlanger: "not" instead of "right": ,right".
"3) Here "man" is of the neuter gender; in the Erlanger incorrectly: "the other".
there is the text: "Pray to me wise, understanding and experienced men" 2c. Where do you take them? Where will they be found, as he requires people for the regiment here? He sets three pieces that belong to the regent. Such regents and chiefs shall be among them.
32 This text is a pattern and rule for all those who are to be appointed to offices. But where men are born to office, and the government is inherited, as it is with princes and lords, and as father and mother leave to their children a household and a government, care must be taken that they are brought up rightly and well; there is the greatest art in this, that a young ruler may be well brought up. In this place, however, he speaks of those who are chosen and elected to be princes, heads, and thus henceforth rulers. They are to be wise, understanding and experienced people. And afterwards [v. 17] he will set a rule for them, that they judge without respect of person, and that they judge rightly. Cause, for the judgment is God's, 2 Chron. 19, 6. 7.
33 Therefore, the first thing that belongs to a minister is that he be "wise," that is, God-fearing, godly. For the 111th Psalm, v. 10, says: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. And after that, that he also knows what concerns his office, and has the rights and laws that belong to it, so that he does not have to learn it first, and does not preside over his office, so that he sits there as a stick or block. For fools should not be set over eggs, they break them. That is why wise and prudent people belong to the princely and governmental state. That is decided right away, who shall rule the world. Force and power will not do it, but wisdom.
No empire has ever existed by force, but it must protect itself with wisdom. If the Roman empire is ruled by force, it will be like the wild forest among the unreasonable animals, where one animal eats another; the fox eats the hare, the wolf eats the fox, and the wolf is torn to pieces by the bear. In the same way it would happen with violent government among men. For he who would be stronger would rise up with his power.
The prince is a single person, and has a great, great crowd, in which there is greater power than in the prince, his kingdom or regiment. The prince is a single person, and he has a great, great multitude, with whom there is greater power than with the prince, his kingdom, or regiment. Therefore the regiment should not be where the greatest power is, as the rebellious peasants thought. So Moses says here: "Provide me with people who are wise, understanding and experienced; not those who have strong fists, not those who are in a mob and want to wield the sword alone, but wise people who rule according to the laws and order that are presented to them.
35 In the same way, Antonius Teucher, Lord of Nuremberg, Emperor Maximilian's high noble memory, answered when he had ridden in there once and a large world of people had rushed to see the Emperor's entry, and the Emperor had asked later: How could this large people be kept in obedience? Then Antonius Teucher, as a wise man, said: Most gracious emperor, by good words and severe punishment. And he spoke wisely, for one must govern with words, with laws and wisdom. Therefore also in the spiritual regime Christ rules through the word, as it is said in the 110th Psalm, v. 2: "The scepter of your kingdom will go out from Sion", that is, the gospel is to be planted and preached from Sion into the world. So the word must also be used in the worldly regime, for there everything proceeds better through wisdom than through force; wisdom is empress in the regime, so that she knows her rights and laws, and judges and passes judgment according to them.
(36) Then they shall also be "prudent," which in Hebrew is Nabon, that is, a diligent man who takes heed that it go according to his wisdom. For so it is in the government, that a man may be hurried by his affections, as, with wrath, envy, jealousy, favor, and go after his own head; and when the blood so rages, it often happens, that one of the laws and rights
1) In the original: the same.
Forgets, rules according to his head, and then says he judges according to the laws, as angry, grim and vengeful judges do, with whom flesh and blood float above. In our spiritual regime, we also feel it finely, since the sects and the spirits of the mobs also preach just as we do; but they preach according to their heads and affects, and yet hide and conceal their affects with some sayings of the holy scriptures. To this then belongs a mind that does not let wisdom be taken from it by hope, envy, favor, and the like, but abides by wisdom, and by the same right judges it.
(37) I distinguish wisdom from understanding thus: Wisdom is a common knowledge of what is right, how one should govern. Prudence, however, or understanding, is its own guardian of wisdom, so that one does not allow oneself to be taken in by affectations, by which one is often deceived. For if a wise ruler is also careful about this, and pays close attention to the affairs, so many pleas, cases, complaints, petitions 2c. are not so careful, and a word never enters a magistrate's ear, if he does not pay the most diligent attention to it, and with his wisdom looks keenly on it. Because everyone who comes before the judge adorns his case as best he can, and each party wants to be right, and so can easily deceive the judge. Therefore it is decreed that a ruler should diligently interrogate the parties, as it is said in the proverb: One man's speech is half a speech. For this reason, they should both be interrogated, because each party would like to capture the judge and bring him over to his side.
38 For this reason, a wise man must have a good mind, so that he can protect himself through prudence. I have often encountered this, and it certainly also happens to those who are ordered to interrogate cases, that the parties deceive the judge. We are most lacking in prudence, wit and sharpness, lest one let his wisdom be turned into foolishness by his own enemies and evil mouths. That is why it is finely written in the Old Testament: One man's word alone shall not be heard. And a man has but one mouth and two ears, that a ruler may hear with one ear the plaintiff, and with the other the defendant; as the mighty king Alexander Magnus heard with one ear the plaintiff, and with the other the defendant.
The court has always listened to the plaintiff, and the other ear has been closed to hear the defendant's excuses and responsibilities.
39 For the world is so desperately wicked and evil. If a man has a cause, he usually comes to the judge with both ears covered, and justifies himself and his cause; but if the opposite comes, it is much different. But it happens much more when a man deceives himself by his wisdom. Therefore it is necessary for him to be prudent, and not to be sure in his wisdom; no one believes and relies too much on his wisdom, but examine all circumstances. Now prudence is a valiant wisdom that looks on the redoubt.
Who are known among your tribes.
40 "Known people" are those who have a good reputation in the city, and are fine respectable people, of a good walk; for he does not want to have bad boys. And this point is as good as the previous two. It would be good for such a rule to be in the whole world, so that no one would suffer in the kingdom, nor be accepted into the same 1) community, unless he had a good testimony. For that is where all the trouble comes from, that this rule is not followed; that, especially under the papacy, all strangers and unknown persons are admitted into the cities as mayors and councilors. No one has thought of the word that Moses uses here, "to be known. No one should suffer in a city if he were known in the city and had a good report from his neighbors; and if he already had all that, it may still be God's and his grace that it will turn out well.
One must not seek misfortune and choose an unknown person as a ruler; one should take the smartest and best-known for this purpose; it should nevertheless become as God wills, and may nevertheless be happy. One should not paint the devil on the wall or ask him to be one's godfather, he comes from himself. Governing is such an office that concerns God; therefore, a ruler should be known and have a good testimony. For the devil is the father of lies [Jn 8:44], and where he can call a ruler, he can call a man a ruler.
ll any - some, any.
If he is the smartest, he will only do it gladly. Let every man who is in the regiment reach into his bosom and feel whether he has not often been made a fool of.
42. he shall have a good testimony, that men may testify of him that he is a wise and prudent man, 1 Tim. 3:7. but thou mayest say, where are such now? Where do you take them? Moses and the prophets are now dead, Peter and Paul also dead. What has happened to those whom Moses himself chose to govern? Are they not all hanged on the gallows afterward, Numbers 25:5, who were wise men, men of understanding and acquaintances? Therefore I say that ruling and being in authority is a difficult thing, and I would like one who likes to rule to have enough of ruling. With fear and trembling one should attack ruling. God wants those who are prudent, wise and learned. But where will they be taken from? Do they have to be so wise, intelligent and knowledgeable? They will not be found who are so completely righteous.
(43) Ambitious people make themselves believe that they have great experience and that they are the wisest of all, but they bankrupt others, disgrace and blaspheme them, and want to do everything and master everyone. We do not want to go there yet. God protect us from preachers who please everyone and who have a good report from everyone. If all people thought I was a good preacher, I would never want to be a preacher. The reason is that those who are the smartest can beat the others and reform them. But if you look at them rightly, there is not a grain of wisdom in them; yet they bear witness to great wisdom.
(44) In a city there must also be such people who judge and master all the others, and yet they themselves are the most foolish, or real fools in their skin. Whoever wants to be a preacher must have judges who have nothing else to do but to judge us and to know what to say; but if they should try it for half an hour, they would be like the piper who spoiled the dance. So there were not many of them who thought anything of Moses, but they grumbled against him, thinking him a madman, and sat down to judge him.
against him at all times, even to stone and slay him and Aaron, Numbers sixteenth chapter, vv. 1. 2.
(45) Therefore, choose for offices in a city people who are pious, skilled, experienced, honorable, married, who raise their children honestly, and who are also peace-loving. Whether they are not as prudent and wise as Solomon and Moses, there is no power in it. It is enough that they have a prominent reputation among sensible people. For others, who want to be wise, are glorious, proud donkeys; and when it comes to choosing a ruler, take the one whom you consider pious, and let the donkey go. You will not find the likes of Solomon, David, Moses and Aaron, but if you have a pious, honest man, whether in the village or in the city, take that same honest, sensible man, who has lived his life well, and put him in charge; God will prosper and bless his government. If such men are not wiser than Solomon, they do not have Venice to govern. What they lack and are lacking, then, let them command our Lord God; and if there are others among them who have no pleasure in it, let them go.
(46) Choose wise men to rule in your village or town. You will soon see which is a pious citizen; you can sense it from his outward appearance, just as a schoolmaster can soon recognize and distinguish a discipuli ingenium. I will soon see what a preacher is up to. The play is set for this reason, so that God will have prevented people from choosing rulers according to wealth, money, goods, friendship, favor or force. If we do not choose according to this rule in spiritual and secular government, God will not give grace to rule.
But so the world does not gravel and choose now. Let God say that he is a heretic, unwise, adulterer, or whatever else he wants 2c., but if he otherwise has great friendship, favor, wealth, he will get through. Where is wisdom then? Oh, no one asks. It is right. In the papacy, no one paid attention to whether a bishop was learned, but only whether he had great wisdom.
Let him be noble, powerful, and of noble lineage. If now in the worldly kingdom wise people are to be chosen for the government, how much more should one not choose in the spiritual kingdom according to nobility, good, friendship, favor and the like! One should primarily see whether he is a God-fearing, reasonable, sincere and honest man. For even a craftsman would rather accept a journeyman who is honest in his trade than one who is rich, the child of great men, and yet a knave 2c. Such a ruler is to be honored and promoted, who is wise, understanding and well-known, even if he is poor; not for the sake of favor. Well, that is this piece.
V. 16. 17. And commanded your judges at the same time [saying]:) Interrogate your brethren, and judge rightly between every man, and his brother, and the stranger. Ye shall not regard persons in judgment, but ye shall hear the small as well as the great, and shun no man's person: for the office of judgment is the LORD's.
The Lord Christ has the inherent grace not to be afraid of anyone or to pretend. He has come to this, as the servants of the Pharisees confessed, Matth. 22, 16, that he was a teacher who came from God and taught the way of God rightly, and did not inquire of anyone, nor did he pay attention to the appearance of people. We humans, however, all have the defect of judging according to the reputation of persons, or of judging according to favor and fear. Therefore, God commands the rulers here not to look at any person, great or small, and not to be afraid of anyone. These are choice, exquisite words, a golden text; [for] this reason, not a rich or powerful man, but a wise and understanding man belongs to the regiment.
49 So the pagans also said, when, the wise man Bias: When one comes into the regiment, there one sees what kind of man he is. Magistratus ostendit virum. One does not find out what a man is like until he enters the regiment. Before that he is
1) "und sprach" is missing in the Eisleben and Erlangen editions.
wise and prudent, yea, wiser than a hundred Solomon, in his mind; yea, he hath in one finger thirty Solomon sitting, knoweth and can govern a whole city; but when he is called, he is neither fit to boil nor to fry, in one thing he cannot find a hair's breadth that would be honest and serviceable.
(50) This text is necessary for a ruler to prepare himself and walk along the road, not looking in fear or love or at anyone's person, but walking straight through, putting all circumstances out of sight, putting fear and love aside, and thinking as if no man lived on earth who could harm or serve you. As the matter is, so judge. But there must be a man's heart that stands firm and stiff, just as a stone cliff or rock in the sea stands immovable, where all the bulges, waves and water waves strike and squeeze against the rock. Otherwise, if one lies in hatred, he soon bends justice; and if one judges by love, he lets another enjoy favor and friendship 2c. And there the right must win a waxen nose, there one then also takes a handful of favor, and leaves one a sackful of art or right. So now a man belongs to it, who can stand in the middle, and can let creep there favor, hatred, clamor, harm, and sit free 2) and not respect any of them. But there must be a man's heart. That is why it is necessary for him to have helpers who sit with him in the government and also keep faithfully.
51 But who will help? Moses says: "The office of judgment is the Lord's"; and in the 32nd chapter, v. 35, God also says: "Vengeance is mine, I will repay. This shall be your comfort. In every council house this text should be written, that the Lord says: "I take care of it; the office that one holds is God's office, and those who sit in office sit in God's place, and their judgment is even as that which God Himself judges from heaven; as St. Paul also says to Romans Cap. 13, 2: "All authority is from God, and whoever resists it resists God Himself." And Daniel speaks Cap. 2, 21. , 4, 22.:
2) In Walch's old edition and in the Erlanger: Schaden und Freisitzen, and 2c.
God orders and changes the regiments, and gives them to whom He wills. And where there is no comfort, what should one do? That is the wall, the rampart and the defense, which holds the regiment, whether spiritual or physical; otherwise it would be against the devil and the world, who storm and rage against it, unruly. How could a mayor stand against so many people's hatred and anger without this word? Therefore they do not hold the reign, but the text that is written here: "The office of judge is the Lord's." God is the foundation of all courts and authorities.
This text should be dearer to me than four thousand satellites, for it is first of all a wall and defense of the regiments; a regiment should also groan and rely on it. The devil may oppose it, as has often happened, and would like to throw it all over, but it will return to its former state. This sentence, that the judgment is of the Lord, has protected kings, emperors, princes and lords until now, otherwise they would all have been slain long ago. This should now frighten the subjects and urge them 1) to be heartily obedient to their overlords and to remember: If you disobey them, you interfere with God and sin, not against the mayor or your ordinary authorities, but against God. Therefore the pagans have called disobedience against the authorities crimen laesae majestatis, that [it] is a sin against 2) the majesty, and have not unjustly pretended it, and have also snatched away the heads of the rebels and wanton boys who have set themselves against the authorities.
(53) Secondly, the text is also set for the comfort of princes and all pious authorities, that they may know where their comfort is. If I were a prince, I would rather have this text than four hundred thousand soldiers in armor, which we must have, but we should trust and rely on this text, because God has taken the reins and said, "It is his. And if anyone hears this, he should drop his hands and feet.
1) Erlanger: stopped."
2) Erlanger: in.
and do no wrong in the reign. Therefore the princes have no other protection than the Lord, otherwise they must perish; when through the peasants' rebellion the devil intended to overthrow and kill them from their offices.
(54) Therefore let him who is a ruler know that his office is the office of God. Therefore let every man rule in such a way that he looks at no one, and does not judge out of love or hatred, fearing no one, being afraid of no one, but saying, "He who commanded me to rule is greater than all men. Ye are indeed kings, mighty, rich 2c. but there is another that saith, "The judgment is mine." He will be strong enough for me. All authority comfort, defiance, terror and admonition is in this text. It is short, but it reaches out and reaches far. And whoever is to rule or wants to rule in the world, may well rejoice in this text, which tells him that he leads a divine state, office and profession, is God's servant, and performs divine works. In sum, not one alone, but all rulers everywhere are in a blessed state. This is the text which Moses spoke of the authorities, and which precedes the interpretation of the Ten Commandments, that he might have fasted the people in spiritual and bodily government, that they might have good rulers and overlords before all things, and afterward be more skillful to hear the Ten Commandments.
55 Thus far we have heard from his own words what kind of man Moses is, how he begins this book, in which he will explain the Ten Commandments, and before this, how he considers the need of both regiments; namely, that first, before he gives the Ten Commandments, he appoints the persons, princes, mayors, councillors or judges, who are to receive justice, and gives them this rule, that they should be wise, prudent [people] and known among the people. And when they take up the office afterwards, that they close their eyes, and do not look at any person, be he equally mighty, rich, of great standing, 2c., and go through with the judgment straightway; as he also shall not judge anyone to love, sorrow, friendship or disadvantage, but know that rights and judgments are not his, but commanded him by God, for it is said: "The office of judgment is the Lord's."
56. so he has taught and taught how to
The leaders who are to act and administer such laws and order must be skilled. For this must also be in the regiment, that the persons or heads be so composed, that is, wise, prudent and known; after that, that they also have good laws and rights. Neither of these can be lacking in a regiment, and where one is lacking, it does not go right. If I have pious judges and wise lords, and on the other hand unjust laws and ordinances, it is no good at all; and again, where there are good laws, and there is no one to enforce them and keep them, that there is a lack of judges and diligent authorities, there again it is lost.
57 Because Moses is sure of the first thing, that he has given the best laws, he is most anxious that he should appoint men who would be diligent to keep the laws; therefore he appoints rulers before he repeats and interprets the laws. And it is a fine, fine order that one should seek first of all for people and good persons to do it. For what does it help that a house is finely arranged, and a brewer comes in after it and says, "Oh, it is an old house? If it does not have a householder to keep it structurally sound, it will soon fall apart; but a good householder can fix it up in a year and rebuild it.
So it is up to people, also in the secular regime, who do it. It must be the law, and then also the executio juris. And that is the complaint of the whole world, that there are not enough skilled people for the regiments. In this life there will never be a lack of money, good things, cities, laws, but of people who will enforce the laws. The same will happen in the spiritual office. What is the use of having the gospel and all the books full, if one does not have Christian, good, learned and proven preachers beside them? There must truly be a bishop who is well taught, and who therefore also diligently stands and holds above the correct doctrine, because it does not remain unchallenged.
(59) Therefore, it depends on having good laws, and then pious rulers who enforce them; then a city and good police will be formed. Where there are no wise people, laws do not work. For one must first
After you have the man, you must put the sword at his side. You must first have the head of the house before you set up the house. Moses also appointed wise judges and leaders for the people before he 1) gave them the law.
V. 20. 21. Then I said to you: You have come to the mountain of the Amorites, which the LORD our GOD will give us. Behold, the land before thee, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, go up, and possess it, as the LORD thy fathers' God hath spoken unto thee. Fear not, neither be dismayed.
(60) When the children of Israel came to the borders of the land of Carwan, Moses showed them the land and told them to take it. Remind them also of God's word, or of the divine promise they had of the land, by which their faith should have been strengthened, so that they would have taken the land the more confidently. But the children of Israel fall into sorrowful unbelief, forsaking God's promise and His previous help and benefits. The devil snatches the word and promise of God from their hearts, so that they do not want to believe, but rather feel and see; for this reason he sends spies into the land, who inquire about the way and investigate the land and the people's opportunities. When they returned and made them afraid, they did not want to leave, but were afraid that they would be too weak for the Gentiles, and they angered God so that they had to go back and wander in the desert for eight and thirty years and perish there.
61 This damage was done by unbelief, because human reason and wisdom do not want to be guided and led by God's word, but go on their bridle, want to know and do everything better than God; want to calculate everything, whether it is possible or impossible; are then in the midst of fear, and yet do not hit it, but bridle the horse in the wrong place. For reason, human wisdom and advice, or trust in human powers must be lacking, if they want to take hold of God's regiment.
1) Erlanger: because ehe.
the punishments as in this place. The children of Israel do not have to be brought to the Promised Land this time. They fall into God's wrath and disgrace, who withdraws his promise; they become water, as it is said in the 95th Psalm, v. 11: He swore to them in his wrath that they should not come into his rest, soon after they fall into despair and blasphemy, that they say [v. 27]: "The Lord is angry with us" 2c., know nothing more of the miraculous deeds of God, shown to them before. Moses must also repay such unbelief of the Israelites and not enter the promised land, because he, as the commander and captain of this people, also fell into unbelief at the Haderwasser, because of their, the Israelites, grumbling, manifold temptation of God, impatience and unbelief.
62. And lastly, God is also after the Israelites with corporal punishment. Because there
When the children of Israel recognized their sin of unbelief, repented and lamented it, and were heartily sorry for it, they took up their weapons and arms, and now wanted to attack and strike the enemies, the Amorites, against God's commandment, out of unseasonable boldness, they were chased by the Amorites and shamefully beaten. This was the reward and drink of unbelief, which we may be told as a warning to beware of unbelief, and to believe and follow God's word. For faith and godliness by God's power turns all adversity, as Moses says here: "Do not be afraid, do not be dismayed. But again, unbelief leads to all misfortune.
The other and third chapters of this fifth book of Moses are to be left as they are only repetitions of what has been said in the two preceding books.