V. 1.2 And Adam slept with Eve his wife, and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said: I have overcome 2) the man of the Lord. And she went on, and bare Abel his brother. And Abel became a shepherd, and Cain became a husbandman.
2) Marginal gloss: UeberkommeW. Cain means that one gets or overcomes; Eve means that he should be the seed, since the Lord had said that he would crush the serpent's head.
(1) Now there are also histories and examples in which we see that it is as it was written before. In particular, here is a beautiful history in which we are told what the whole Christian life is like, almost in relation to each other, about the two brothers, Cain and Abel. First of all, someone might ask: What did Moses desire to write to us about how Adam lay with his wife? Therefore it happened that one must read this in
before all the world, as the two have marriage with each other, that the law is begun, which Moses manifoldly indicates afterwards, that before Christ's birth virginity must not remain, yes, was also condemned, because God had said that from the woman should come the seed. As long as the seed had not come, and it was not specified which woman should be the one to bring the seed, no woman had to remain a virgin, but all waited for God to bring the seed.
002 And it is written in Genesis, Cursed be he, or she, that bringeth not forth fruit, or leaveth not seed behind her. Therefore it was a great shame if a woman was not fertile, and was considered a great punishment and plague [Gen. 16:1, 4, 29:31, 30:1]. There we will hear many strange things about the holy wives, that they had the necessary cause that they had to have children. Otherwise there would have been quite a few who would have liked to remain virgins, but they all had to wait for the seed, so that it would not be prevented by someone. Should anyone have gone forth, God had to do it by a special infusion of the Holy Spirit. As one reads of Jeremiah [Jer. 16:2], who did it because God said that he should not have a wife or children; otherwise he should not have remained without marriage.
(3) Now this has served to avoid many sins that would otherwise have occurred, and has undoubtedly been a more chastening life, even among those who have not believed, than now. Christ [Matt. 19:10, 11] left it free, but we have made it mean, and have beaten commandments upon it. What virgins would be, Christians alone should be, for they alone may have such grace; to the rest of the multitude it is not given, they should remain under the commandment, for the sake of many sins and shameful conduct. For those who accept this freedom, if they are not Christians, do it only to escape the punishment that God has laid upon man [1 Mof. 3, 17. 19.], to feed himself in the sweat of his face. But what it helps, you can see well; if you run away from the rain, you come into the middle of the water. It has been good for that, and would still be good,
That a boy and a maid should not go without marriage. But who will do it? Who can now see who are Christians or not Christians?
4 Item, it is also useful that the marriages of the dear fathers and mothers are described, so that the mouths of the future heretics may be shut. For the Holy Spirit saw beforehand that some would come and stand up, some of whom would condemn the marital state, some of whom would forbid it [1 Tim. 4:3]. Like the first Tatian heretics, who saw that the people were corrupt, but that virginity was 1) a precious thing, therefore they wanted to make it 2) so holy that they should live without marriage; pretending that whoever was in the marital state would be condemned. The same was to be met herewith, that Adam and Eve, who were now alive and holy again, nevertheless remained with each other, and begat children naturally.
5 After that, those who forbid marriage appeared, that is, Squire Pabst and his group. He has appointed and confirmed several estates, in which marriage is not permitted, and they are to be a special people of God. Thus he made the world full of spiritual people, that is, of harlots and knaves, and brought about so much that man and woman was not man and woman. They have made it so that it was almost a disgrace for a maid or a boy to marry one another, as if it were not Christian.
6 This is also denied here. No man shall be forbidden conjugal life and virginity; both shall be free in the New Testament, but only to Christians. In the Old Testament virginity was forbidden and marriage compulsory; but where there are not Christians, there is not the Holy Spirit, only do not think that there is chastity, unless there is a natural infirmity.
(7) So Eve becomes pregnant (says Moses) and gives birth to a son. Then she becomes happy, thinks she now has enough, and says: "Now I have overcome the man of God", or with God. She had grasped the word of the seed, which is the devil.
1) "but" is missing in the Erlanger.
2) Wittenberg and Jena: they each other.
106 Erl. ss, 123-125. interpretations on the first book of Moses. , W. m, isi-isi. 107
She was to tread it down; it tasted her in her heart, she lived on it, all her desire was for it. Therefore a great comfort befell her here, that she should have a son; then she thought: This will be the man who will set right what the serpent has corrupted. Therefore she gives him the name Cain, which means "come over". As if she should say: Now he has become mine, or: Now I have won or got the noble jewel. Gives him the noblest name she can always give him. Soon after that she gives birth to another son, whom she does not name in this way; then she worries. 1) The first one took her mother's heart away, he was the dear child; but this one she does not care for so much, does not say what is to become of him, but calls him Abel, which means misery, woe, lamentation and sorrow; the same as the antithesis. Perhaps she will have suffered and become angry at birth that he had to bear such a name.
008 Now behold, how they brought up the two sons, that Abel should be a shepherd, and Cain a husbandman to till the field. It is reasonable to think that Eve and Adam had an eye on the first son and raised him as if he were to do so; they also preached to him the word that God had spoken about the seed. The holy fathers diligently practiced the gospel and taught their children. So Adam had to practice worldly and spiritual ministry. That is why his two sons were also priests, as we will hear.
(9) So the first son, Cain, was raised in such a way that he thought to become rich, and to sit down and to send himself into the regiment, as was fitting after the first birth; as Moses wrote afterwards [Gen. 49:3] that the first son was always entitled to two parts of the inheritance before the others, first of all the regiment and priesthood, so that he would be lord of the other brothers; so that [the] priesthood, to sacrifice and preach, would also be the spiritual regiment. Cain inherited 2) first of all, that is why he is so far preferred.
1) "da bekümmert sie sich vor" probably means: about whom she worries. The Jena edition brings the conjecture in the margin: "da bekümmert sie sich nicht vor".
2) Erlanger: da.
(10) Now behold the work of God, of which I have often said how he rules, that he lets holy men go in their delusion, and yet brings it out in a different way than they think. There goes the saying of Solomon [Proverbs 16:1], that man proposes something to him, but God leads it out. They had God's word and faith, but they did not know the person, time and way that God wanted reserved for them. He does the same with us. Although he wants us to rely on him for all our help and comfort, he does not want to tell us the time, the person, or the place, how, where, when, and by what means he wants to accomplish it. So now follows, as it is clearly reversed, against Adam's opinion, who stands on great confidence, that this should be the right seed.
V.3-5. And it came to pass after certain days, that Cain brought offerings unto the LORD of the fruit of the field. And Abel also brought of the firstlings of the sheep, and of their fat. And the LORD kept himself to Abel and to his offering, but to Cain and to his offering he kept not.
11 Then he writes how the brothers both sacrificed. But sacrificing is actually a priesthood, to come before God and serve Him. Therefore, where a sacrifice is made, the person must certainly be a priest, even if he is unanointed and unshorn, as the two undoubtedly were.
12. From whom then did these have it, or who taught them how they should serve and sacrifice to God? From no one but Adam, who preached to them nothing but that they must wait for the seed that would crush the serpent's head. This is what he always did, and it was their gospel; besides this they also prayed and sacrificed.
013 And what did they offer? Cain of the fruit of the field; Abel of sheep and their fat. There you can see where the sacrifices in the law came from. For almost the laws which Moses has originated from the beginning of Adam and the world, and so are kept and confirmed; and the sacrifices, of which he writes afterwards in the third book, are commonly of fruits of the field or of fat. Thus
Cain's sacrifice of grain was in the field and happened as Moses writes in the third book [Cap. 2, 1. ff.], that one should take scorched and dried ears and pound them, and put them on the altar, and burn GOtte, for he says much of the flour offering, baked, roasted, pounded, dried 2c. All this is called in Hebrew mincha, grain offering, which may be eaten as bread. Such the Cain sacrificed of his own, as it gave his food.
14 Likewise Abel also sacrificed of his food, namely of 1) the sheep, and especially of the firstlings or springlings, and of the fat. It is also written in the third book [Moses, Cap. 3, 9. 10.], how one should take the fat from it, the tail with the back, and the fat that covers the intestines, along with all the fat that is inside, and the kidneys with the fat that is on them on the loins, and the net around the liver on the kidneys with it, and should cut off the net around the kidneys, and should lay it on the altar and set it on fire. This is what Abel did, and the way came from him.
Now the question is asked here: Which of these sacrifices was the best? The Jews say that Cain was rejected because he sacrificed too little; they want to condemn the person and justify him according to his works, as they are wont to do. But let us look at the text, we will find how it urges faith against works.
16 First of all, it should not be considered that Cain offered a lesser sacrifice than Abel, for they were the best fruits. And if one looks at the sacrifices in Moses, the grain offerings are almost the noblest among all the sacrifices, but they signify the pure gospel. For this reason [the text] does not say that it should be rejected for the sake of the least sacrifice, for the work of the sacrifice is equal before God, whether it be small or delicious.
(17) Nor is it to be held that Abel pleased God precisely because of the sacrifice, but because of faith; just as Cain was condemned not because of his work, but because of his unbelief. This is clearly inferred from the text, where it says: "GOD
1) "of" is missing in the Erlanger.
He kept Abel and his sacrifice, but he did not keep Cain and his sacrifice. For Moses means to say that God looks first at the person or man, and then at the work he does, and not again. Therefore, a man must first be pious and please God before he can do a good work; otherwise he would have had to say: God was kind to the sacrifice, and then to Abel 2c. He does not want to look at anyone for the sake of his work, but only for the sake of the person: if he is good, the work pleases him; if he is bad, the work is not good either. For they both, according to outward appearance, do one and the same work; each offers his own, and each is as good as the other; indeed, Cain's offering is more glorious and more apparent. Therefore, if God judged according to the works, he would have to either consider Cain's sacrifice good or condemn Abel's as well, so that both would be judged according to the same work.
But behold, what a judge he is. He condemns the work that is most apparent, most beautiful and best, and praises the other. Neither Cain nor Abel, Adam nor Eve could have done this. Cain thought that he was so sure that he could not fail to please God with his sacrifice, much more than his brother. So he thought: I am the first son, I am entitled to the priesthood before God, I am also the regent, I also bring the best sacrifice; therefore God will ever look upon my sacrifice and please him better than Abel, my brother. Again Abel thought thus: I am the least, he is the best, has much advantage over me, has also brought the best sacrifice, therefore God must look upon my sacrifice out of pure grace. So God judges on this side, looks at the small person and sacrifice, the greatest person and best sacrifice he condemns.
(19) Now we have a certain divine judgment, that one should not judge by works, and only beware of pretty, glittering works; for the prettier, the more annual it is. It does not condemn the coarse pieces, but commonly the highest works. Therefore the text is to be well and strongly grasped, that we do not let our eyes be blinded with something else. If this text does not strike, I do not know,
110 Erl. 33, 138-13". Interpretations on the first book of Moses. W, III, I57-IM. Ill
what is to be done. Now then, see and judge whether it is enough that our saints of works say: If you want to do God a great service, become a priest, monk or nun, establish and hold many masses and services; they think it is enough, however, if it only has the name, and seems to be a service and good work. When they only hear it, they blurt and plump on it as if they were blind, mad and foolish. Here is also a service, as glorious as one can ever do; yet he [God] will not be. Therefore one must go on, and first judge by the person, that this is worship, which comes from faith. The person must first be pious and pleasing to God, after which the service will also be pleasing.
(20) By what then did Abel become righteous? Without doubt by faith, as we do; for he could not have been justified in any other way than all other people. Thus the epistle to the Hebrews [Cap. 11:4] also writes of him: "By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice to God than Cain, by whom he bore witness that he was righteous, when God bore witness to his offering; and by the same he still speaks, though he is dead," that is, this example still speaks and preaches, and is known to all the world, that we all become righteous by faith alone.
21 Therefore, behold how his heart stood. Behold, the Almighty God gave the word and promise to Adam, proclaiming to us that a seed should come from the woman, treading down all the calamities that the devil has brought. Now I am also under the same affliction, having brought it with me from my father and mother, and am naturally a child of wrath and death [Eph. 2:3]. But because I see that God has shown me such grace, and has offered me through his word that he will help me from all misfortune through the seed that is to come, I will consider it with all confidence, praising and thanking him. Then he comes and brings the sacrifice. His heart is happy in God because of the knowledge, he does not stand on any work, but sacrifices so that he can show himself outwardly that he gives thanks to God's grace from the heart. See,
1) "a" is missing in the Erlanger.
God wants to have such a believing heart. That is why he is kind to him and his sacrifice, so that we may learn to recognize how he alone is concerned about faith.
But how this happened, that God kept to His sacrifice, Moses does not express. But it is said that in the days of the ancient fathers fire came down from heaven and lit the sacrifice, which was to be a sure sign that God was pleased with such a sacrifice. As one also reads afterwards in the book of Judges [Cap. 6, 21.] about Gideon's sacrifice. Therefore, the sacrifices of the fathers must be considered to have been instituted by God as a sign by which one would know that God was gracious. As we now have a sign with and beside the word, baptism and the sacrament, so that we may both be sure of God's grace through word and sign, so they also had the word and their sign, that the sacrifice was lighted from heaven, so that their faith might be strong and sure.
(23) Now see also how Cain's mind was, that is, as I said: I am the first son, the dear child, the priesthood is due to me, the Father is on my side, (I) am more and better than Abel; so now I will make an offering to God. So he must have thought without a doubt. For if he had had faith and brought it with him, God would not have rejected him. Since he rejected him, it is certain that there was no faith, without which it is impossible to please God [Heb. 11:6]. For faith does not stand on itself and works. Therefore God judges rightly and condemns both the person with the presumption and the work. This then is the first example of Scripture, wherein we are to learn what is valid and pleasing in the sight of God, and how He judges, not according to works, but according to faith.
V.5-7. Then Cain was very angry, and his mind was changed. Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why is your mind wrong? Is it not so? if thou wert righteous, it would be a sacrifice; but if thou art not righteous, sin shall lie revealed. 2)
2) Marginal gloss: To the revelation. That is, whether dik sin at this time lies still and remains unpunished, so
(24) Now here is the unbelief of Cain with its fruits. Since God was so kind to his brother's sacrifice, but not to his, he becomes angry, strikes down his head, looks sour, and resents him. For Adam and Eve had meant that he should be the right man and please God. Since he lacks this, what he has in his heart bursts out and becomes bitter against God and his brother. For where there is not a right faith, the heart certainly looks at God with displeased eyes, and thinks: I would that God were not God. In fact, all trustworthy saints cannot suffer their works to be rejected; they are all bad to their father. Again, God also cannot suffer them to throw themselves up and condemn other people; their wrath is too small against God. Even though Abel must die because of it, it is still smelled many times.
025 Now when he is angry, grumbling and purring, God says to him, Why are you angry? if you were righteous, the sacrifice would be valid. As if he should say: You should turn it around, and be pious first, then the sacrifice would also be good. Therefore, if thou be not godly, that is, without faith, all that is in thee, and all that thou doest, is sin. Therefore sin, he says, will lie down at the door, or, will lie down for revelation. These words are somewhat dark; but I think that this is the opinion: If you are not pious, then you do nothing but sin, and the punishment will also follow, will not remain outside for long, will come one day, and can hardly wait until you open the door. Thus he strikes his heart with these words: If you disbelieve, you are full of sin; but if you reprove, it will break out; if it breaks out, it will not remain unspotted. This is a simple understanding of this piece, but also stretches further into the conscience.
But let her bow down before you, and be her master.
026 Thou hast sin, saith he, and art full of unbelief, and art angry: but look to thyself, and compel, and hold sin under thee, that it may
It will not last longer than God's judgment, when everything must be revealed and repaid. Therefore, no hypocrisy nor salvation of sin will help.
must bow down before you, and you be her lord. And needs just the words, which he speaks before [Gen. 3, 16.] to the woman: "You shall bow down before your husband, and he shall be your lord." Thus he means: As the woman shall be subject to the man, and let herself be ruled, so also sin shall be at thy feet. Even though you are in sin, be its master; do not let it rule over you, but be its master, and subdue it, so that you do not do what you desire [Rom. 6:12].
(27) From this saying some have tried to prove the doctrine of free will, but there is no reason for it. For the saying is no more than a doctrine or law how one should do; as when one says to one, if you would act rightly, you should do so or so. But it is like another commandment in the Ten Commandments, all of which require that sin and evil desire not be allowed to reign, but be restrained and subdued. Now as free will cannot be proved from the other commandments, so also nothing can be concluded from these words; since all the commandments are given and serve for this very purpose, that we may see how free will and our ability are nothing. For we cannot keep any commandment with our own strength, just as Cain did not keep this one.
28 There is no evil described yet, but the great sin that is in the saints of works, who, though they do many good works, rage and rage inwardly in their hearts.
29 Thus in these two brethren is presented to us an example of both false and righteous saints. Cain is an image, yes, a father of all hypocrites who serve God kindly with beautiful works, but with a false heart; Abel, however, is the noblest of all who walk in righteous faith and serve God from the heart. But these two groups may never be one with each other; it is neither to be hoped nor thought that God's word will be so acted upon that both parts will accept it. The saints of works must persecute the other believers, like Cain. If one rejects their works, they start to rage and get angry against God and their neighbor. As you can see now, how angry they are against the gospel and its preachers.
114 Erl. 33, 133-135. interpretations on the first book of Moses. W. m, un-iM. 115
(30) Now these words which are spoken here to Cain were spoken, as I hold, by Adam, for he was the chief father a long time afterward, even unto the nine hundredth year, that he also lived through the patriarch Lamech, the father of Noah, in the eighth generation after him. Therefore, God preached through him and punished Cain here, as He is doing through us now. I do not think that a voice came down from heaven, but that, just as Christ says in Matt. 19:5, God said [Gen. 2:24], "A man shall leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife"; yet, as we heard above [Cap. 2:37], Adam spoke the same thing. That Christ thus wants to say that God said such things through Adam's mouth. Just as all Scripture says that God spoke what the prophets say. That is why Adam chastised Cain when he stood like this, knocked down his head, and became angry with his brother. Now what did Cain do when he was punished? Says the text:
V. 8. Then 1) Cain talked with his brother Abel.
That is, because of shame, that he was so publicly overcome and punished, he had to be outwardly friendly against him, as if he never wanted to be angry; he straightened his head again, but out of a wrong heart. That the saying is almost drawn from it in the 28th Psalm, v. 3: "They that speak kindly to their neighbor, and have evil in their heart." The Holy Spirit has delicately portrayed the heart, courage and mind of all the false saints, all of whom have this Cainian way about them. What he now intends to do in his heart with his brother, he proves soon after, as follows:
V.8-12. And it came to pass, when they were out of the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. Then said the Lord unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said: I know not; shall I be my brother's keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the earth. And now cursed
1) Marginal gloss: For shame's sake, he had to outwardly face and talk to his brother, because he was punished, even though he intended to kill him in his heart. Thus Cain is of all hypocrites and false saints father.
Be thou upon the earth, which hath opened her mouth, and received thy brother's blood at thy hands. When thou shalt build the field, he shall not give thee away his substance: thou shalt be inactive and fugitive upon the earth.
(32) God spoke these words one after the other through Adam. Behold, such comforting words were already spoken in the beginning of the world, promising help, comfort and assistance to all who suffer for God's sake. How many fine sayings are drawn back and forth in the prophets from this text. Abel walked on the right path of faith, so that he had to leave the life of his closest friend. But what does God do? As soon as he is dead, since Cain thinks that he has won, that he is now alone the dear child, that Abel is forgotten: then he lives stronger and more powerful than ever before. There the high majesty takes care of himself, cannot suffer nor be silent that his own are oppressed. And even though they are oppressed a little, they soon emerge more glorious and stronger than when they lived. That is where Abel is now, that the world becomes too narrow for his murderer without all sword and blows, that he cannot be safe in any place. Thus, in the beginning of the world, there is already a picture of the reward of God for those who do good and for those who do evil; for the comfort of the latter, but for the terror of the latter.
33 Know therefore that this example is not written in vain. First, that it will and must happen that for the sake of the gospel we must await the hostility, not only of strangers, but of our closest friends and brothers. Christ also said before in the Gospel: "I am come to kindle a fire upon the earth: what would I rather that it were kindled? There will be five in one house, three against two, and two against three. The father will sit down against the son, and the mother against the daughter" 2c. [These things are proclaimed and written, first in this place in the beginning of the world, and much more afterwards proved by manifold examples. Therefore we Christians must confidently consider this and sing like the bride in the Song of Solomon [Cap. 1, 6]: "My mother's children are angry with me. They have made me
I have not kept my vineyard, which I had." As if he should say: They wanted me to guard and keep outward statutes, so I wanted to be free; they wanted to force me, so I preached against it, therefore I must suffer myself.
(34) This is a thing that we must consider, and be glad of, when they that are nearest to us become hostile to us, who ought to protect us, and to handle us. For it is a good sign that the gospel is right, as we see even now where it is despised and persecuted; though it is not good for those who scoff at it. The certain sign is that it is felt in the heart, that one becomes certain of it; after that, that beats to it. Otherwise, if it were not so, one would be weary in preaching the gospel. Therefore, if one does not like to hear it, he should like to see it and preach it freshly.
The other piece we are to see here is: As soon as a man dies for God's sake, that he may be praised and live in God. There is already 1) indicated the resurrection of the dead, that Abel must come forth again and live, more gloriously than before. For God cannot and will not forget him. Hence the saying of Christ in Matthew [Cap. 22, 32.]: "God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." Now as He is Abraham's GOOD, so He is also Abel's GOOD. Because God must not have a dead people, but a living people, he must also live. For he takes care of him here as his servant, so that one can see how he not only lives, but how God also fights for him. He does not want to leave the blood unscented, it must come forth again. But it is not yet fulfilled, it is still going on until the last day. For the fact that Abel is sleeping now is a short time, that when the resurrection will be, he and all of us will think that we have died only now. There is a semblance of life now, that it will last one or two thousand years, but there it is all in an hour. So Abel lies now, yet he must go forth, and the voice still goes, and will not cease to call until the last day.
1) Erlanger: beautiful.
Thirdly, the terrible judgment is presented here, and the reward given to the wicked and the persecutors of the faith, to frighten them into turning away. For behold, how horribly God leads and speaks with Cain here. First, he asks, "Where is Abel, your brother?" But he gives an insolent and proud answer, "I know not; shall I be my brother's keeper?" Is not this a great contempt of divine majesty? So one sin begets another and greater, until one comes to the end. He is so stubborn: he has strangled his brother, and not only wants to deny it, but also to defy and insist against God; he thinks he is not guilty of taking care of his brother. If there were a speck of love in his heart, he should take care of his brother as himself; but he has fallen so deeply into blindness that he thinks he is doing well by answering in this way.
But this does not last longer, because until the rebuke comes, and God says, "What have you done?" then he sees what he has done, and cries out when the wickedness is revealed to him and put before his eyes; as the prophet [Ps. 50:21] says, "I will punish you, and put myself before you"; so also of Babylon [Isa. 47:3], "I will expose you, and all the world will see your shame. Now there is no consolation, but only fear and trembling. Thus he exposes Cain here, so that he feels that he is condemned and shall be cast into hell. Just as Judas, when he cried out [Matt. 27:4], saying, "O, I have sinned, and betrayed the innocent blood." When the plague comes, it is over, there is no salvation, but hell is there, that one can never come out, and must despair, where the gospel does not help out, and God gives comfort to those who are to be helped.
But here follows no consolation nor sweet words. You see, he says, "Your brother's blood cries out to me. In this he remains stuck, to this he is also condemned, and the punishment also follows bodily, when he says: "Cursed be you on earth" 2c. Whether this punishment still lasts over all the wicked, we do not want to fight out here. But this is what the text wants, that Cain is punished on his goods, body and soul. The soul is given to the devil, in addition the food is to become sour and heavy for him; as also
Even to all unbelievers, when it is seen that their labor and food become much more sour than to those who believe. There is much toil and labor, and little fruit follows; again, these do lighter work, and much fruit follows. There the work and care is greater, because it carries, which pays the cost and trouble; those have well work, but have neither care nor fear.
039 Of these things saith the Lord, Thou shalt be iniquitous and fugitive upon the earth: and his conscience is shown to be foolish and desponding. So shall it be with all who disbelieve, and have such wicked pieces upon them that they are never safe; as also it is written in the third book of Moses [Cap. 26, 36]: Thou shalt be afraid of a rustling leaf on a tree; so stupid and despondent is it, especially when it knows something on it; as also in many places more is written; than once Moses [Deut. 28:67.] says, "In the evening thou shalt say, Alas, if it were morning! and in the morning, Alas, if it were evening!" and thy life shall stamp and hang before thee, that thou shalt never be safe. Item, in [the] Proverbs [Cap. 28, 1.] Solomon thus says: "The wicked flieth when no man chaseth him"; flieth before his own star and thoughts; "but the righteous standeth as a brave lion." Such sayings are all drawn here. For he also saith here, Cain shall never be safe, not from him that chaseth after him, but from his own conscience. This is the punishment that no one can escape. What then does Cain do? Follow:
And Cain said unto the Lord, My iniquity is greater than this, that it should be forgiven me. Behold, thou shalt drive me from the face of the earth this day, and I will hide myself from thy face, and be iniquitous and fugitive upon the earth. So it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall find me shall strike me dead.
He is at the end, has a judgment that he himself confirms; there is no faith nor comfort. The gospel is taken from him, and he is deprived of the knowledge of God; he sees nothing but the terrible seriousness of God and his sin, therefore he must despair and perish. This is what all the damned must say and feel. And yet behold what he does. For such a despondent heart looks to and fro, does not know
where it shall abide, [it] becomes the world too narrow for him, that he must say, "Behold, you drive me from the face of the earth." These are vain desperate words. How should he push him from the face of the earth, since the world was so wide? but conscience makes a thousand worlds too narrow for him. Item, how should he hide himself from God's eyes? Who can escape from God? It is all the fault of the conscience, which is in such fear, and would gladly run away from the world and flee from God's face, if it could. This is the real, highest fear of evil consciences, which will actually be the hellish torment, that the damned want to flee and hide themselves, so that they do not see God, and cannot.
41 Item, about which he is even more afraid: "I will be ingenuous and fugitive. So it will happen to me that whoever finds me will kill me. Then his conscience itself pronounces a verdict on him, that he will be strangled as he strangled his brother. And it is truly a horrible, miserable plague, of which we know little. O, how is the murder so hard smelt and paid for! We still worry that God has abandoned us. We should gladly die ten times, because we see how horribly he punishes the murderers, and so richly repays us for our suffering; and we should not desire to avenge them, but to give God home, yes, gladly pray for our enemies, as high as we can, so that God will not let them fall into such fear. We should pity their sorrow as much as we can; just as Abel would have done, without a doubt, had he lived, and would have gladly died again to save his brother.
When Cain was in such fear, God lifted the plague a little, but not completely, and consumed it. For if he had let himself be seen as Cain feared, he would have had to become powder so soon. Therefore he gives him a bodily salvation, but does not give him a gospel and security, and says:
V.15. And the LORD said unto him, Whosoever killeth Cain shall smell sevenfold. And the LORD made a sign unto Cain, that whosoever found him should not slay him.
In these words God removes the temporal punishment and makes him sure that he will not be strangled, putting a commandment on it.
But everything happened through Adam, as said above [30]. And God has undoubtedly forbidden the death stroke so severely, so that it does not tear so deeply among the people, as it has done. Now here the teachers argue about when and how this punishment is fulfilled. Answer recently: There is no power in it, if one does not know it; they probably think that Lamech, who slew Cain [v. 23, 24], was punished in this way, that seven of his family were strangled. [But there is no reason in the Scriptures; God will have found the punishment. [It is enough that we know the reason why God forbade it.
44. But what is the sign that God puts on him? The Jewish masters write thus: it was such, that he always went trembling and shaking. [It is well to be believed, but I do not know it, because the text does not give it; although they draw it from the fact that God said, "He shall be inactive and fugitive." Therefore it is possible that God set a sign in his body, that as he trembled inwardly and trembled, so also did he go outwardly, when people saw him, that they should say: Behold, this is Cain, who slew his brother; let no man put him to death. So he had to bear the shame of body and soul. This is a terrible punishment. Therefore it is well said to the Hebrews [Cap. 10, 31]: "Terrible is it to fall into the hands of the living God." It is still merciful and gentle when God punishes through men, but it is horrible when he himself punishes body and soul.
V. 16 So Cain departed from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, beyond Eden, toward the east.
(45) How did Cain depart from the presence of God, when no one can escape from him? Answer: It is said this much: He fled from his father into misery and came to a strange land where no one lived. That is, fled from God's presence. For where there are Christians who have God's word and preach it, there God is present, there He looks, as the Scripture says many times. So he had to flee from Adam and the assembly of believers, as many as there were of them; so he also fled without love and friendship.
fled, and came to a land of Nod. There is a doubt whether the word Nod means fugitive, or whether it is a name of the country to which he fled. But I take it for the name of the land that is beyond Eden. For we have heard above [Cap. 2, § 19 ff.] that paradise was planted in Eden, that it wants to penetrate there, that paradise was in a special place. Well, what is dark, let it remain dark; we do not want to make much of it.
46 Thus we have the two examples of Cain and Abel from the beginning of the world and still strong until the end, what Christians and unbelievers are, how God takes care of and rewards those who believe in Him, and how cruelly He punishes the unbelievers. Now follow on:
V. 17, 18: And Cain slept with his wife, and she conceived, and bare Hanoch. And he built a city, and called it Hanoch, after the name of his son. And Hanoch begat Jrad. Irad begat Mahujael, Mahujael begat Methusael, Methusael begat Lamech.
(47) Moses describes Cain's lineage to the seventh generation; specifically, he says that Cain built a city. He built this city as a citizen of the earth. For if it were so that we were all Christians, we should not have the worldly sword and protection. Those who remained with Adam did not build a city, nor did they think to protect and defend themselves. But he built for the reason that he might be somewhat secure, because he was afraid and timid. This shows what the world is doing; they must be described first, and they must rise high. For that which is God's people comes forth slowly, is low; the other breaks forth, and soon rises high, builds, keeps, and increases in time.
V.19-22. And Lamech took two wives; the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. And Adah bare Jabal, from whom came they that dwelt in tents, and had cattle. And his brother's name was Jubal; from him came those who handled harps and pipes. Zilla also gave birth to Thubalcain, who was a polisher of all the masterpieces of brass and iron. And the sister of the Thubalkain was called Naema.
(48) But here our teachers have been wise to say that Lamech was the first adulterer (as they respect the digamos, that is, those who have two wives). I do not think that this is the opinion. Because the text says badly, he had two wives. Whether he was also the first, I do not know. But with it is not concluded that he did wrong, having two wives; because one reads the same afterwards from many, also holy people. But it is only indicated as much as the betting people break out, before the children of light [Luc. 16, 8.], want to spread out soon and make themselves great; for this they are always more skillful than God's children.
(49) So he says, as Jabal son of Lamech was a man prepared and sent for food, he dealt with it that he might be rich, thinking of provisions, that he might lay aside and have enough of cattle and all manner of possessions. Adam and Eve did not bother with this. But the other son, Thubalkain, became a master, who dealt with ore and ironwork; dug it from the first out of the earth, became a man of war, the first, who thought to force the people with sword and iron and to bring them under himself; thinks on people and land to submit to him, like that on the food. The third son, by the other woman, has gone about dancing, jumping and courting, has set his date on good days, pleasure and joy. This is the course of the world. This is how it is with each other: to seek great food and wealth, to subdue land and people, to have power and honor, and to live in pleasure and good days.
50 It is also said of the sister Naema, how she invented silk embroidery, sewing and knitting, that both men and women became skilled people. All this was written before God's children were born, as a mirror of what the world is; as it began, so it continues to do; God does not deny, so it does not let go of its kind. Thus it is described how the worldly rule came from Cain, and his children became skilful and skillful men, and sat down on the wager, and kept themselves with cities and all things. There was no longer a spirit, although outwardly there was a great, glorious appearance of an honorable man.
Life, as we will see from the following text. For so he writes of Lamech, when they now sat in the regiment:
V. 23, 24: And Lamech said unto Ada and Zillah his wives, Wives Lamech, hear my voice, let my words come into your ears. I have slain a man for a wound, and a young man for a bruise. Cain shall be smelled seven times, but Lamech seven and seventy times.
(51) There are now few men so pious as this Lamech, especially among princes and great lords. For you see that he condemns himself and judges that the death stroke is not right, even though he is of the worldly lineage, in which there was no spirit. It is to be noted that those of Cain kept a fine outward nature and rule, much better than is now always kept, so that it may stand, as said above [§ 50]: Outwardly pious, inwardly husks; in fine works, but without faith walked.
The text does not tell how this story happened, but it does tell that Lamech killed Cain, because he himself confessed it with his words. Now we have heard above [§§ 43. 44] how Cain said that whoever struck him dead should be smelled sevenfold. The word went among them, and they took it for a common law. For they also had the word of God; but not the true, wholesome gospel, but only the law. But Adam and Eve had the gospel. As God always rules the world, that he keeps many people under the law, but few under the gospel. So the word spoken to Cain is also the word of God, but not a gracious word; not a promise, but only a commandment to do what one should not do. According to this they acted and carried out the same, which was well known to everyone in the generation.
(53) Since we do not know from the text how it happened that Cain was slain by Lamech, we must leave it in doubt. The Jewish scribes say that it happened in this way, that Lamech once went hunting with a boy that he had with him, and Lamech
was blind; that he shot nowhere, except where he was directed. Now Cain crawled in the forest and atoned there, and when he was rough, he is said to have been shot by Lamech, as his boy instructed him, for a deer; but when he realized this, he also killed the boy in anger. But it says so; I do not want to say it for truth, because the Jews also use to do good, strong lies.
(54) Now be it as it may, the text is clear that Lamech slew Cain and committed the murder; we may trust it. [It does not matter much if one does not know how it happened. But this is the reason why it is written, namely, that God wanted to show with this example how pious people we are when we are governed by the law, when the gospel does not beat us to it. For no one has ever become pious before God through the law, hardly even before the people. In the sight of God, not only is wickedness unresisted, but it only grows stronger and greater. Thus nature, if one holds the commandments against it alone, does nothing more, that one may see how it has been from the beginning, that no one is helped by laws. For Lamech ever had God's commandment, as said, that he should do no harm to Cain, just as Cain had before not to do evil to his brother; 1) nor has it helped anyone. For the Jews to say that Lamech did it by chance is not to be believed, since afterwards in the law of Moses such a death stroke, which happens unknowingly, is punished very gently, so that some cities are set apart to flee there and be safe [Deut. 35, 11. 15. Deut. 19, 5.].
55 Now see what he does. So evil he repays the old man, his ancestor, who had now reached the sixth generation, and was almost five or six hundred years old, and was held in high esteem by everyone from this side, as the highest and the wisest. Therefore, Lamech must have committed a great wickedness against him, because it so exposes the scripture to others. For he does not report that more murder has been done here; and yet, because
1) Wittenberg and Jena: "gethan" instead of: zu thun.
his son, Thubalkain, first invented and made ore and iron, that is, armor and guns, there must have been much envy and hatred among them, so that there was cause to make swords, that one thought to bring the other from life; as the other brother gave himself to avarice, and Naema gave himself to jewelry, from which hope grew up, also envy and anger, and a quite worldly being, as one still sees it.
56 When Lamech had committed the evil deed, the evil conscience also came and bit him, so that he was much more afraid, fidgety and timid than Cain. Therefore he goes to his wives and tells them, showing them how he has been despondent; no one else wants to tell them that he was also afraid that everyone would kill him. For it was a great thing that he should slay such a man, his old lord and father, against God's commandment, who had the rule among them, and was honored of all; that even the natural law condemned him; wherefore he saith, "Cain shall be smoked seven times, but Lamech seven and seventy times."
The text does not say that God spoke this, nor do I believe it to be true. Therefore it is vain for us to be concerned about how he smelled seven and seventy times. Which some draw to the seventieth part, unto the flood, in which not only they that came of Cain, but also of Adam and Seth, perished, that only eight souls were left, when the children of God were also made flesh and blood. This is the most certain thing, because the Scriptures do not say that we let God command it; He could have revealed it if something had been involved. But that is certainly what happened, that Lamech was punished sevenfold, because it was God's word.
(58) So far we have heard about Cain's members. He writes no more about them, and from now on he refers to the other gender, and divides them both, as we will hear in the sixth chapter, that he calls them "children of men" in one part, and "children of God" in the other. Thus we have seen how the children of the world have positioned themselves, as they still do, that they do all wickedness, and yet pretend to be God's law. Now God's children are not
without husband and wife, because it was not valid to be without marriage. So they both spread out; but God's children did not have the law alone, but also the gospel, from which they also became and are called God's children. More about this hereafter.
Adam slept with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son, whom she named Seth; for God has given me, she said, another seed for Abel, whom Cain slew. And Seth also begat a son, and called his name Enos. At the same time people began to call 1) on the name of the Lord.
(59) Moses describes what the children of God have done on the other side, which is absurd. For the children of men build cities, focus on food, on fighting, think how they sit down here, want to have good courage here and live well, yet pretend they are pious.
But here Adam begets another son, whom he calls Seth, who shall lead another being, and gives cause for the name, that Eve said: "God has set me another seed for Abel. Here St. Augustine (who deceived him) says that the word should be resurrectio, that is, resurrection. But it actually means "set," as one lays or sets a foundation, so there it should stand.
61 He also begat a son, and called him Enos. What this means, we want to hear; first of all, that the text says: "At that time people began to call on God's name"; that is, that at that time the service began. Do not take this to mean that it had not been before; for this must be left undone, that since the Word of God came to the woman, faith has never ceased, for the Word has not ceased nor fallen. The Christian congregation must always remain, even if there are only two people on earth; for the sake of those who believe, he lets it go forth alone. Therefore there is no doubt that it has never perished.
1) Marginal note: They began. Not that God's name had not been invoked before, but after the worship service had fallen through Cain's wickedness, it was reestablished, and some altar was built, where they gathered to hear God's word and to pray.
gone. However, it suffers a break-off at times; nevertheless, it remains standing.
(62) What does Moses mean by this word? Answer: This much is said, that the gospel, as Adam was told, has come again and has been preached publicly. For the children of men, Cain with his servants, when they became tyrants and oppressed the people, made it impossible for the gospel to be preached or confessed, until God was again pleased with Enos, and he began to gather a small group of believers together in one place to preach the word of God, and perhaps also to set up an altar, where they praised God, gave thanks, and prayed. Which means to call on God's name, as Paul says [Rom. 10:13]: "Whoever calls on God's name will be saved." Item, v. 14: "How will they call without a preacher?" So that the calling must follow after faith, but with it also to bring others to it.
63) If it should come about, as the text sounds here, that God's name was publicly called upon, it had to happen in such a way that Adam and his descendants had to preach in several places. Therefore it must be understood from the outward service of God; not as we now do jiggery-pokery, but as David says in the 102nd Psalm, v. 22, 23: "That they may preach His name in Zion, and His praise in Jerusalem, when the nations come together, and the kingdoms to serve the Lord"; that is, that they preach, baptize, perform the sacrament, and pray together. Thus we have heard that the fathers had neither baptism nor sacrament, but another sign, namely the sacrifice, when fire came down from heaven and kindled the same. Such worship has been reestablished, not in one place, but in more places, where they have been, that worship has increased again, and been improved.
Therefore I think that Enos must have the name, because Enosh means Hebrew "a man". The same language has probably three words and more which mean "man". Isch means a man, but often in the common sense any man. The other is Adam,
2) Jenaer and Erlanger: would have to.
has the name of the earth, as a reddish earth. So Enosh is also called a man, but especially from the misery and heartache that the man suffers, so that one would like to call it a troubled, miserable, afflicted man, so that it means his misery and poor being.
So he had to be called that he was a miserable, wretched man. And all who call upon God's name must be according to the outward character in the holy cross, which he had to bear and first lay the foundation for.