V. 1. All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye keep, and do them; that ye may live, and be multiplied, and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers 2c.
I. This chapter is a new sermon on the first commandment. For Moses, as we know, preached many sermons on this first commandment. But in this chapter he wants to admonish and urge us to remember the first commandment daily and diligently, so that we do not forget God. He therefore commands and binds us to the constant contemplation and diligent practice of the first commandment, so that we may find it in deeds and works, as we live by it, and be multiplied.
(2) Moreover, he wants to strengthen their faith through the imagination of God's previous benefits, so that they will trust in him and not fall away from him in temptations. Therefore, he says, they should look back and consider that he had been their God, since he had led, guided, fed and sustained them for forty years in the wilderness, in which places there was nothing to eat or drink, since there were no bakers, brewers, cobblers or tailors; nor did they have food, drink, clothing and all necessities from God. By this glorious work they were to learn and know that he would be their God once again, and if they trusted in him they would have abundance and sufficiency.
Such examples of the divine care and love for his people he puts before everyone's eyes here, so that one would be caused and urged by the experience to believe in God. So the promise is still present today, in which the Lord has shown Himself enough.
He also does such works every day, which should powerfully provoke us to believe in him; but it is lacking in you that you do not believe. You have the word, and see before your eyes the work in the whole creature, which should be able to make you believe, and drive you to believe that he also wants to do good to you.
4 In this chapter he sets forth a sin that goes against the first commandment, which is called turning away one's heart from God in poverty, hunger, sorrow, adversity and affliction, and not relying on Him. Just as, on the other hand, in wealth, abundance and blissful times, one forgets God. And all this was directed by Moses, so that he would gladly control our unbelief and despair, so that we would learn the comfort that is written in the 33rd Psalm, v. 19, that the Lord feeds his own in the wilderness and does not let them die of hunger, just as he sustained the Israelites in the desert.
For this reason, you too should learn how to view and overcome such hunger, lack and temptation in the future, namely, that it is only a humiliation and temptation from God. It is not that he wants to leave the challenged or suffering Christians, but he wants to know whether they also believe in him or not. That is why Moses says in the text [v. 2, 3]: "The Lord your God led you forty years in the wilderness, humbled you, and tempted you, that he might know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. He humbled thee, and caused thee to hunger, but came in due season, and fed thee with manna."
(6) When the Israelites were in Egypt, having enough food and drink, and when they went out of Egypt, carrying with them their cloths full of dough, they behaved themselves sincerely and holy, and nian could not tell whether they loved, believed and trusted in God with all their hearts, while the sack was still full. But when the sack was emptied, and there was no more flour, dough and bread, they soon realized that they had served God only because of their bellies. For then they thought what they had done, and that they had not done right in leaving Egypt: that they had left the onions and fleshpots, and now had neither food nor bread in the wilderness. They grumbled against Moses because of this, as we heard in the 16th chapter1 of the 2nd book of Moses [v.2.3].
(7) So it is with an unbelieving heart that no longer trusts in God, except because bodily goods are available; but if these are taken away, it turns away from God and blasphemes Him. Moses says: "The fact that the Lord made you hungry should be a humiliation for you to call upon God for food, nourishment and the necessities of life, and to be sure of this from Him. God wants to be your schoolmaster, and teach you to understand the first commandment, that your heart should look to Him and trust in Him when nothing is available, and let it seem as if He wants to leave us altogether.
For God has the way: Before He helps His own, He first causes them to suffer and be afflicted; then, in His own time, He helps them out all the more wonderfully. Here, in the wilderness, He can feed and water the children of Israel for forty years, so that it may be seen that God is able to provide more counsel and do more in all things than all the world; He is also able to do more than all gold, silver, money, goods, food, drink and clothing.
009 For this must be unto me a goodly tailor and cobbler, that can make garments and shoes for forty years: and let this GOOD be a master of a feast, or a father of a house, having such a floor of corn or socle, that out of the air, or stony
1) In the original and in the Erlanger: "im 1g. Cap."
Earth can immediately bring forth grain and bread, even water from the rocks. Ps. 65, 10. ff. Ps. 145, 15. 16. Ps. 147, 9. ff. If I should seek bread by reason, I would seek it of the baker, and corn of the castles; so God bringeth it out of the still air. Since there is no craft nor stock, there must be bread and all sufficiency. This is a masterpiece that must be remembered. God could still prove it every moment. Is. 50, 2. 3.
(10) Therefore, we see that all believers who trust in God and love His word must have enough; although there would be no bodily means of food and drink, God knows how to send help; as He fed Eliam in the wilderness by the ravens, and afterwards had him fed by the widow in Sarepta [1 Kings. 17, 4. 15.], and that time the Jews were fed by a new food, as the manna, which they never thought of, nor did their clothes get old or torn.
(11) We should hold this consolation up to our god, the belly, so that we learn the first commandment, trust God and His words and promise in time of need. But the whole world wants to understand the first commandment of God very well; but if they were to recite it, they would not know anything about it, since they wanted to be doctors and masters beforehand. Now I have long been a preacher, a doctor and an old fighter; but if I am to recite the first commandment, I have honestly grasped and grasped it by a silk bevel. The devil can soon teach my listeners another one, if need and poverty arise.
012 As the children of Israel said also unto Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, The devil told you to bring us out of Egypt. So their faith died out. When the belly of the god no longer saw the sack full of flour, all preaching and the first commandment were forgotten. But Moses told them the reason: "God made you lack, so that you might become his child and disciple, and learn to understand the first commandment correctly, and say: Although the sack is empty, the flour is out, and the dough is eaten up, I still believe him; for he has said to me: "I am your God", you shall have enough; although there is no
If there is sack, dough, flour 2c., I still have our Lord God with me for provision.
013 But the children of Israel said otherwise, that the devil, and not God, had brought them out of Egypt. So do we also, grumbling against God without cause, regardless of his saying, "I will be your God and feed you; or, am I not so strong and important that I could give you ten florins, a bushel of flour and grain? All this makes it so that no one can recite the first commandment correctly; no one even thinks of learning it, or of taking it seriously.
014 But no man understandeth the first commandment aright, except he come first into want and trouble, that it seemeth as if God forgot thee, as if he would have thee stuck. Then you cry out: Oh God! Where shall I go? Where shall I find comfort and help? Shall I look in the cellar, on the floor, in the kitchen, in the closet, and pull out my treasure? but I have none. Then comes the first commandment, and cries unto thee and to all men, I am the LORD thy God. This householder will give you food and drink.
(15) It must be baked and spun from the first commandment. If you want to have a thread on your skin and a piece of bread in your mouth, the first commandment must give it to you, otherwise you will never get anything; mock it as much as you want, you godless boy! The word: "I am your God", I have sworn to you to do good, that gives the hungry bread and flour in sackcloth, also gives health in sickness, and everything else that one needs; just as here from heaven, from the pure air, bread falls down. The Israelites would not have sought bread in the air, but from a rich baker; nor could God give and provide it. Should he not still be able to do such things? Fie on our sorrowful unbelief!
16. remember this work, for it is in accordance with the word and commandment of God, which says, "I am your God. For there it is written that he does good and gives bread, which no one could have expected from that place. But the dear Jews were little enough grateful to God for this; nor does he give it freely and by grace, so that
that such a work be known to everyone, and that the word always remain true that he is our God, and that we trust in him. Who would have thought at that time that He would give bread from the clouds? And yet God did it, so that no one would say, "I proposed it to God, asked Him for it, and thought that He would give it to me out of the air, but He does it out of pure goodness, so that it may be known to you that man does not live by bread alone. 2c.
(17) This saying is also used by the Lord Christ in the fourth chapter of Matthew, v. 4, and confronts the devil with it, who plagued him with the worry of his stomach when he fasted forty days and nights in the desert; he would also have liked to drive Christ into mistrust of God. The Lord Christ answered: "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God"; as if he wanted to say: "Even if these stones are like bread, man does not live on them, but on the word of God.
(18) If there is no bread, nevertheless, if a man keeps the word of God and takes hold of it by faith, then bread will come in due time, even if it is sent down out of desire; and before there is a lack of drink, water must flow out of the rocks. Moses teaches this wonderful art, so that one may have enough in need and sorrow. Even if one had nothing more than the mere word of God, which is thus: "I am the Lord, your God", nevertheless from this word food, drink, bread, grain, wool, body and life, and all necessities would have to be provided.
(19) Learn this art also, that thou mayest trust in God. If you have nothing more than the first commandment, all the rest will come from it, even if the clouds rain bread or the rocks give drink. For he who has the first commandment has everything, and the world must confess, if it is to speak rightly, that it has everything it has from the God who says in the first commandment, "I will be your God.
20. learn this first commandment for the sake of the cause, so that God may be pleased with it, to be your God and helper, and to feed you, as he has done mightily in this example.
with the children of Israel, with the manna, and still wants to prove it to all his own. For thus says the 37th Psalm, v. 19: "He will feed them in the torment." Item, David speaks in the same Psalm, v. 25: "he has been young and grown old, he has never seen the righteous forsaken, or his seed going after bread. Other abundant promises of God testify to this, as in the 34th Psalm, v. 10, where it is said: "Those who fear the Lord will not lack any good. And St. Peter in his epistle says: "Cast all your care upon the Lord, for he careth for you" [1 Pet 5:7].
The Lord Christ in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 6, v. 28 ff., also gives us his examples of divine care for his own, saying how he clothes the lilies of the field that do not sew or spin, and feeds the birds of the air that do not sow or plant; much more will he feed, nourish, preserve and protect his Christians, who are many more than the lilies and sparrows. But Moshe's example is also excellent and important, that God gave bread from heaven out of the air and made water flow from the stones to feed and water the children of Israel for forty years. And it serves us exceedingly well to align our faith with it, and to study and learn the first commandment diligently, so that we remain with the dear words of God, and continue with earnest, Christian prayer; for in this way God still wants to help all believers, and give them what they need in this life.
Our own experience also agrees with this miracle and commandment of God, which should ever move us to trust God all the more. For the God (who was able to perform these great miracles, such as keeping clothes and shoes intact for forty years, not letting them wear out and be used, even though they were worn on the body every day; item, who gave bread from above for forty years, so that he could feed and provide for so many hundreds of thousands of people every day) is also our God. Why then will we not heartily commit ourselves and all our possessions to his fatherly hands?
(23) These words which Moses used here, "Remember all the ways by which the Lord led thee these forty years," and "Remember him, and know that the Lord hath drawn thee, as a man draweth his son," apply also to me and to thee. We are to remember this text and let it be our command throughout our lives. But especially this saying, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God," we are to take it to heart, to hold it dear and of value; for it commands us to hold the oral word or ministry high and great, to hear and learn diligently.
(24) We should not think that it is enough to hear the ten commandments and the divine word once or twice, but it must be heard and acted upon for and for. For this is the way with external, bodily bread, that if you eat today, you do not leave it at that, but tomorrow you eat again, and continue such eating from day to day, for and for, so that the body may have its food, nourishment and abstinence from it. So do not let it be enough that you have heard and learned the Ten Commandments and God's Word once, but you must learn them all your life, for you can never know them enough nor learn them enough.
Therefore St. Paul also teaches that one should grow and increase in the knowledge of the Lord Christ, which must be done by daily hearing and acting on the divine word. So also the first Psalm, v. 2, teaches that one should delight in the law of the Lord day and night. And John 5:39, the Lord Christ says: "Search the Scriptures, for they testify of me"; he wants us to diligently search and contemplate God's word. One must not become weary or tired of it, let it go, or put it under the bench, but always listen to it, drive it, and bring it out of the way again.
26. we hear here of a beautiful encomium, praise and honor, which Moses gives and ascribes to the divine word and commandments, namely, that there is life in this world, and also in that life; they sustain a man for time and for ever, Ps. 107:9, 20.
Weish. 16, 12. Of which St. Paul also speaks to Timothy: "Godliness (that is, when one believes in God) has the promise of present and future life" [1 Tim. 4, 8]. For whoever places his trust in God has the promise that God will assist and nourish him in this world, and make him blessed in eternal life. For Moses expressly says that God's word makes man live temporally, strengthens him in this life and for the life to come.
(27) In these words Moses speaks all these things of the outward, oral word, against the sects and the spirits that despise the preaching ministry. These are to be held up to their noses. The Jews had the outward word of God, which is thus: I will be your God, therefore you shall believe me; this was a certain promise, also concerning the bodily food; Moses, who leads this word, held this up to them faithfully enough, and through his preaching they received food. Therefore this example is also given, that the children of Israel were tempted with hunger in the wilderness; but because they adhered to the word of God and held fast to God, bread had to come, and so they were abundantly supplied, fed and satisfied in the wilderness.
This miracle still happens daily to Christians, so that they do not have to suffer lack in bodily needs; for St. Paul [1 Tim. 4:8] says that they should have enough here in this life. Even though they must often lack a little, it is only a temptation, and it comes about so that one should run to the word of God and know that the first commandment makes one alive. For if we were not tempted, we would not remember this commandment, nor would we ever learn God's word. The first commandment is a fountain of life; therefore, in time of need, either bread must come, or in its place other food to nourish us; just as in the wilderness the manna came down from heaven and out of the air, without their doing, where no one had sown it. Also the water had to come out of the gorges of stone; their shoes, and everything, held fast and endured well.
29 If anyone now wants to know and have a report of what all these unchanged things are.
Moses himself answers: "The word has done it, in which they trusted. They did not have to tear their old clothes, but to hold them as tightly as if they had been made new, because they received the word that Moses preached among them: I will be your God; by which word they held fast. And this miraculous work, in addition to the attached promises, we should also diligently take to heart and learn to make use of it, for we also have the same word and promise of God, so this deed of God is painted before our eyes in His word. But there it hangs, and will not go away with us either; which Moses complains very much of the children of Israel, that they have not driven it long; it has granted the devotion and godliness with them (as one says) a dance and a high mass.
V. 5, 6 ff. Know thou in thine heart that the LORD thy God hath drawn thee, as a man draweth his son. Keep therefore the commandments of the LORD thy God, that thou walk in his ways, and fear him: for the LORD thy God leadeth thee into a good land, a land wherein are rivers and fountains and deeps within 2c.
Luther read this text until the end of the eighth chapter.
(30) Moses is a very diligent preacher, always chastening and urging the Jews to learn the first commandment, and he did not preach it in one day. But first he says, "God has drawn you as a man draws his son." God dealt with them in a fatherly way, he brought them up tenderly. A father sometimes chides his child, and keeps it hard, scolds and punishes it; but soon the father's anger is over, he gives it an apple or a pear again, takes it from it again, wants to see whether the child loves him as its father, and whether it is good to him: he plays with it, takes from the child and gives it back to it, wants to accustom it to himself, so that it gains a childlike confidence in its father.
God does the same with us. He often takes away our possessions and goods, our health and loved ones, so that when we are in hunger, poverty, sickness, sorrow and heartache, we may run to him, plead with him and ask him. For forgiveness
He sends us to the search, not as an enemy, or as our executioner and executioner, but as our dear Father. He wants you to call and knock and say to him, "Give, dear Father," and to desire this with heartfelt longing and desire. This is what the Jews had to do with their desert and arduous journeys, and that when they were led out of the desert, had endured danger and hardship, and were sitting in wealth and abundance, they would not then become secure, forget God, and run after other gods, but would thank God for such benefits, and recognize that they had it all from Him; and, in turn, did not look elsewhere for help in their troubles, which they should expect from God, and look into His hands. Thus God can deal with us in such a way that we know how to keep ourselves right against Him in lack and abundance; and so He must, as a right father, draw us and accustom us according to His hand and way.
(32) Nevertheless, look at the ungodly nature of the Jews, even to this day in the whole world. The Jews thought they had everything by their own strength; therefore, when they were well off and had everything they needed, from that time on they forgot our Lord God. We find such ingratitude even today against the divine word. In what misery and blindness we have been under the pabstry, when we turned all our possessions and goods to the same false worship. Truly, if we were to recognize such distress, there would be no one so poor and unable who would not give away his skirts and cows, or whatever else he had, so that he might be free of this constraint.
But we have now forgotten. If we were to give a bushel of grain to a priest or other poor people at the time of the Gospel, we would be impoverished. Everybody is stingy and scrounges, and gives nothing to nobody. People know how to say: I have earned it with my bloodthirsty work and diligence, should I give it away like this? They always rob, scrape, steal to themselves, not remembering that we have everything from God. We do not have life from ourselves; death is daily on our necks. Our life hangs in another's hand and
Nor does anyone do as he pleases, as if he were master of his life and goods, fearing neither God nor His wrath.
Therefore God must come and make us weary of this life, for the people are hardened and harder than the Adamants. They are still to be found when they are threatened; those who still wish and want the Turk to come hope for him. But, you powerless peasants, you must not hope for him, even if you pretend to: He will make us all free, so that we will not be allowed to give interest, treasury, bullets and tribute. Yes, when the Turk comes, he will cut off your head, he will cut you off in the middle, he will take you away captive with your wife and child. So he makes everything free. But it is no better than always going to the devil with you old people. We still preach for the sake of the young people, whose hearts are not yet poisoned, whether God will give them grace to improve themselves. With the old people it is lost, they are stingy and usurious, they live as if they had the life of themselves, and as if they were masters over life and limb.
(35) As the present world does nothing else, but that ruler and subject, great and small, collect money and goods, and are in contempt of God, serve mammon as their god, and lie in sorrowful security [2 Cor. 4:4]. For this is the thanks and reward of God, when he gives the world everything enough and superfluous, so that nothing is asked about God; no one believes in him, or trusts in him, or calls upon him, or worships him, or even forgets about him. We have another God, namely, our work and our craft. Everybody thinks: I am a rich citizen, a rich farmer, I don't need anybody. Therefore God may send him another people. 1)
(36) When God blesses a land and makes it rich, it is soon forgotten. So do citizens, peasants and noblemen, yes, everyone; they are all beaten over a bar, and all do according to the rule, which is written in the song of Moses [Deut. 32, 15]: Dilectus meus incrassatus et impinguatus, recalcitravit, when the people were cowardly, then they lied against God. This is the
1) This will probably mean: Therefore God may prepare for Himself another people.
Thanksgiving for the divine benefits towards us, and the fine, praiseworthy, honest virtue that, when one has pulled one out of the mud and dirt, that the same one (with leave) afterwards again courts him on the mouth, or again pushes him into the dirt. Thus one forgets God and one's neighbor, one depends solely on the creatures and gifts of God.
37. But God will also avenge and punish this ingratitude, so that all kinds of God's plagues will follow it. For if we forget God, our Lord, we must perish; if we are hardened and hardened, he has hellish fire and heavy hammers enough, and so much that he can soften and melt your heart [Jer. 23:29]. Otherwise God will be Father and our gracious Lord, and will deal with us as a father deals with his son or child. He wants to be your faithful dear God, but do not despise him, and do not be stingy, do not forget him [Hebr. 13, 5. 1. For if you would do that, as gracious, kind and fatherly he would have been otherwise, so angry and abominable he would show himself against you [Sir. 5, 7.]. He would have the devil punish you and lead you astray, and destroy your body, goods and soul, and destroy you through the devil's cunning and deceit.
Thus Moses warns and forewarns, so that each one may beware of himself, and not trust in himself, and not forget God (when he is well), or defy His power and might. For when God removes the lack and gives goods, and one becomes ungrateful to God, God's wrath, pestilence, evil time and war soon follow. He who seeks only how to seek the penny soon forgets God and becomes God's enemy.
(39) Therefore, let each one stand here and pray diligently, recognizing the gifts he has received, that his house, farm, land, wife and children, money and goods and livestock are God's, that he has given them, and that they did not come from his hands; he did not obtain them by his own efforts. So remain in the fear of God, that you may say, "Dear Father, it is yours; my hands did not acquire it, your promise and promise gave it. I see these things with my eyes, but I have them from thee, and not by my hands.
(40) But with the wicked there is no fear of God, there one does not give thanks to God, but the idol, presumption, is there, that one has no trust in God; yes, one thinks: There I have my treasure, my grain and my beer in the house. Item, my handicraft and agriculture, that I have acquired; another also send it to him, I will feed myself well on it [Luc. 12, 19.]. This is the thanksgiving and praise or trust of God. In the same way, one gathers treasures to the detriment of the neighbor, defies and insists on the goods, exults over them, does not remember God, does not help other people, prides, robs, steals, lies and deceives others, and thinks that he has his possessions and goods from his sour work.
41. But a godly man thinks: What I have of goods, that I have not from myself; I have not my life also from the parents, if another workmaster had not come to it; for a hundred years ago I had neither skin nor hair. But, dear God, it is all yours, my wealth, my honor and strength. And because God proves so much good in me, He promises with words and testifies with deeds that He is my God, therefore I should say: I will not anger Him, I will do what He wants me to do; why would I steal? why would I cheat my neighbor? God has more than he has ever forgiven; why would I deal falsely with people? I will have enough; for he says here that he will be my strength, my wealth, my money and goods, and will feed me. He wants to be my procurator and food master, just as he was the procurator of the children of Israel in the desert for forty years. God alone does it. Such a man must be pious inwardly and outwardly; God also loves him, and he is useful to others, and does not live for himself alone.
(42) From this manifold stopping, you can see what a rich preacher Moses is. He diligently practices the first commandment, to set the heart before God, that it may believe Him, and trust in His word and promise. So we should also consider his commandment, his promise, and these deeds or examples described.
43: About all this, we Christians should be
think that God sent His Son, the Lord Christ Jesus, into the world and crucified Him for us. We should preach about this daily, for this work is higher than all the treasures and goods of the world. But we also let it pass by and do not ask anything about it, since this love of God, demonstrated to us in Christ, is the most abundant work and highest example of God's grace and mercy toward us, which fills heaven and earth. For we have in the New Testament a much greater sign of God's love for us than those in the Old Testament.
V. 11. Take heed therefore that thou forget not the LORD thy God, lest thou keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which I command thee this day 2c.
(44) Moses diligently enforces the first commandment, saying, "Though the world be foolish about it, yet all that we have is of him who says he is our God. Do we not have it all from God? For in that he has scattered his goods and gifts to the whole world, he indicates that this first commandment has been fulfilled. But we use them as if we did not have them from God. So Moses will not cease to inculcate this, and to sing this uneven little song to us, namely: Beware that you do not think that you have it by yourself, your craft, your care, your livestock, but know that you have it from God, from his hand, grace and mercy. Therefore beware of this sin, and of idolatry, presumption; lest thou think that thou hast it all from thyself. Nay, thou hast it not by thy wit, neither hast thou it by thy toil and labor, plow and cow; but by the word of God thou art fed, and therefore it is given thee, not that thou shouldest labor, but that he should be thy God. Know this, and use His with thanksgiving, and He will bless you more; if not, you will have neither happiness nor salvation with your goods.
45 In sum, all goods on earth are works of the first commandment, by which God proves that He is our God. Even if you do not give God
praise, nor know him, yet I cannot, Moses will say, leave it, I must rub it in your ears, and tell you who does good to you; now you know this, or not, in his time 1) you will also be spoken to for it. Therefore, if you knew that you had it from me, you would enjoy it everywhere; but if you do not know it, and do not give thanks for it, you will have to pay for it again. For if God is no longer your God, you will no longer be considered His.
46 Therefore thus saith God, I will also do away with my first commandment; I have been your God long enough: but if thou wilt no more take me for thy God, then thou shalt no more be my people: for when the Turk cometh, or any other distemper, they shall teach thee right manners. For whoever does not believe that everything we have and possess comes from God and is given to us, but trusts in creatures, God will louse him up with his great harm.
47 Therefore learn, while ye have time and space, that ye may come to the understanding and experience of the first commandment, and in no wise forget God, of whom ye have all sufficiency; neither despair when ye have nothing; for with him alone are all treasures found, and there let us seek what each lacks. So then, if there is anything, let us fear him, and let a godly man stand firm on the promises and the examples, and know that God loves him and will not forsake him.
(48) This is the long and glorious exposition of the first commandment, where Moses also told all the hindrances that draw us away from the first commandment. For the first commandment is all about a man taking heed to nothing, and leaving him with nothing but God; then he cannot be deceived. For God is also our God, and one Lord and God of the Old and New Testaments; therefore He will also provide for us here in this life and also in the life to come, amen.
1) "Time" is missing in the original.