V.1-9. Now all the world had one tongue and language. As they journeyed toward the east, they found a plan in the land of Sinear, and dwelt there. And they said one to another, Come, let us make bricks, and let us burn them. And they took brick for stone, and clay for lime, and said: Come, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven, that we may make us a name: for we may be scattered abroad. Then the Lord came down to see the city and tower which the children of men were building. And the Lord said, Behold, there is one people and one language among them all, and they have begun to do this thing; they will not cease from all that they have undertaken to do. Come, let us go down, and there confound their language, that none may hear another's speech. So the Lord scattered them abroad abroad, and they ceased from building the city. Therefore their name is called Babylon, because the Lord there confused the language of all the countries, and scattered them abroad into all the countries.
Here Moses concludes a special piece of divine work, which he did and still does to this day, namely, that he confused, changed and increased the language. It is also a great miraculous sign that everything has been one language and has been so widely divided. Many have also written of the division of languages, and commonly say that two and seventy languages are everywhere in the world. The same number, I think, is taken from the number of the children of the three sons of Noah, Ham, Japheth and Shem; of which so far almost two and seventy are told.
(2) Now this has no reason, neither can we know how many languages there are on earth. For the sons of Canaan, of whom there were eleven, of whom eleven nations came with different rulers, all spoke almost the same language, without a little change; as with
The German language is spoken differently by others, that it changes almost a hundred times. After that, the Arabic, Syriac, Madian and Chaldean languages are almost close to each other. When Abraham went from Chaldea, he understood the people where he was going, and yet he passed through a great country. This is why I say that we should stick to the text and leave the Scriptures pure, and not always give a gloss, as if there had to be just two and seventy languages, because so many of Noah's children are counted. We know that they are many, but how many they are, we cannot say.
3rd Item, of the tower of Babel, of which Moses writes that they wanted to build a city and tower, whose top reached up to heaven, they also lie confidently, and have taken cause from the words to write that the tower was already so high that one could hear the angels singing that it had already gone above the clouds. Item, so they lie further, it still stands today a piece of it; but thus that it sank three miles into the earth, and three miles above away wafted by the wind, and stands still three miles high of it. These are all lies.
(4) It was a well-built city like another, but they did not dare to build something high and great, where God would not have resisted them; and indeed Nimrod started it, of which it is said above [Cap. 10, § 9]. Do not understand the words of Moses in any other way than that he meant to say that they would build a high and mighty city. For it is the way of the Scriptures to speak thus, as in the fifth book of Moses [Cap. 1, 28.]: "Our brethren have said that the people are greater and higher than we, the cities are great and walled up to heaven." Item, again in the same book [Cap. 4, 11.] it is written: "And ye came near, and stood in the lower part of the mountain: and the mountain burned up to the midst of heaven." Thus, according to the Scriptures, everything is called heaven,
what is above and below us, all that blan sees, near and far; as also Christ speaks in Matthew [Cap. 6, 26.]: "Look at the birds of the sky" etc. That is why there is so much talk here; they wanted to raise the top of the tower high up to the blue sky. For that it should have reached into heaven, that was impossible.
(5) Let this be said, that there be no cause to make such gross lies as they have done here, as well as that they should have built the tower, if once more a flood would come, that they might remain before it, when Moses here clearly shows how they said, "Let us make a name, for we may be scattered abroad. They wanted to put their date on the building, so that people would say and sing about it in all the world; they wanted to bear honor and glory from it, so that all people would say: There is a city and a building, the like of which has never been seen or heard. This will serve as a secret interpretation.
Now let us see what he intended to show with this history. It is an example in which one can see what the world is. Above [Cap. 6, § 3 f.] he described God's children; here he describes the children of men. For the book is written for the purpose of learning about both peoples. Thus we find God's children described in such a way that they used the world, but did not roll in it, nor did they seek to rule in it, as if they wanted to remain in it forever; but those have set all their date, defiance and comfort on it. These have not had enough of temporal good, but of spiritual; those have sought only temporal things, that they might have only good and honor.
(7) Thus is found the presumption of many to build, though it is yet small that presumption is atoned for. But this is punished here, as the text says, that they had undertaken such things, and would not leave them; that is, they were drowned in temporal goods, that they put their confidence and glory in such buildings; they did not seek God. He did not want to suffer such arrogance and defiance, therefore he descended and overthrew everything.
(8) Moses said: "When they were going against
the morning, they found a plan in the land of Sinear, and dwelt there" etc. Sinear was a place or flat field on which they built the city. For so the writers say, that it lies in a delicious country and free, level field, that one can see it everywhere far; has also had many powerful kings, as first of all the Nimrod, item, the Semiramis etc. that one writes so much miracles of it, that I do not know whether it is to be believed all or not. It has been a beginning of the worldly empire, and has stood longer than any city. Aristotle also says that it was not a city, but a country surrounded by walls. Now they learned to paint bricks, but they had no lime, only clay, just as it is still said that in the country they only build with glue.
009 And what is this that he saith, Then the Lord descended, that he might see the city and the tower? Item: "And the Lord said, Come, let us go down, and confound their language there," and speaks of himself as of many. This is not to be interpreted by one person, although the Jews interpret it that way, that God said it to the angels; but it is not sufficient. Of course, it is said that the Lord, of whom Moses says, descended, because he had previously spoken of One Lord. The same One now says: "Let us descend". So he has already indicated the high article from the beginning, as is also heard before [Cap. 1, §§ 13. 53],
and here and afterwards more, that One God is, and yet more than One Person.
But why did the Lord have to come down, if he would have stayed up there? He says through the prophet Jeremiah [Cap. 23, 23]: Non Deus a longe, I am not a God from afar; item, v. 24: Implebo coelum et arida, I fill heaven and earth. Also we say in faith: I believe in God, Creator of heaven and earth. If he has created heaven and earth, he must ever be in all places where his creature is. Yes, he says in the 99th Psalm, v. 1: Qui sedet super Cherub, et intuetur abyssos, he sits on the Cherub, and sees all depths, that one must confess, where the creature is, that there is also God. For no one has the essence of himself, all must be preserved by God's Spirit.
wall. How does it happen, if he is already down there, that he says he wants to come down?
(11) Answer: We also heard in chapter 3, v. 9, how the Lord was looking for Adam in the garden and said, "Where are you? Just as if he did not know where he was. Item, in the fourth, v. 9, he said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" Also he comes down to Noah and talks with him [Cap. 6, 13.]). Thus the Scriptures speak everywhere that God descends from heaven, which cannot be. But if this is exactly what I said above, God descends when He reveals Himself, either inwardly in the heart, or outwardly through a work; as in the Gospel of Matthew, Cap. 3, 16, 17, the Holy Spirit descended on Christ in a bodily form when he was baptized, and a voice fell from heaven, that is, God the Father; in addition, the Holy Spirit also reveals himself through an outward work, so that he had not revealed himself before, although he is everywhere before. Thus he also became man and came from earth, not that he left heaven, but revealed himself to the world in a special work. He still does this when he visits us with good or punishes us. All this is called coming to us, but it is nothing else than that he reveals himself. That is one way.
12 The other is that man also open his eyes and feel this. For God comes to many who do not see Him, nor are they aware of Him. When Christ was revealed, there were few who recognized him, but those who did recognize him saw that God had come down, but the others thought that he was a man like another. Now this piece is higher and deeper than the first. For I have often said that as the conscience holds itself against God, so is he. If you think that he is merciful, he is merciful; if you are afraid of him, as of a terrible judge, he is also, judging you always according to your conscience. Now as such conscience changes against God, so also the language of the Scripture changes, which speaks of just how one feels him. So David often says in the Psalter: "Lord, stand up, why are you sleeping, why are you angry with us?" etc. [Ps. 7, 7. 68, 2. 44, 24.] So it admits GOtte: to see, to hear, to walk, to stand, to talk, to be silent, to sleep and to watch, that we may
Because I feel it this way, and because it changes between me and him, although otherwise God's nature remains unchanged. [But everything is to be done for the sake of faith.
(13) Understand, then, that God descends here by an outward work, namely, by dividing the language, so that no one can hear the other; not only that such a terrible plague and work is done outwardly, but also that their conscience feels that God is ungracious to them, and condemns their banishment, by which they seek glory. As they now feel, so it has been; therefore, through such terror of conscience and outward confusion, they are all divided and separated from one another in the world. The heart was despondent and outwardly confused; therefore they could not remain with one another. For the unity of speech is given because of this, that they keep themselves friendly together. This is how it happened with Adam and Cain, as I said. Therefore all this is no more than that God stirs the heart by outward works; as this feels, so God is called sleeping, rising, working, speaking etc.
(14) How is it that the Lord does not freshly feed them, dividing their speech, and making them astray, but takes counsel concerning it, and first decides it in himself? What need has he of such a thing, that he first of all feigns not to see it? Answer: The sentence is set with diligence against the free judgment. This should offend all those who speak and blow their ears. Although God knew and saw all things, yet he descended to see what they did. Therefore, no judgment should be made, no matter how certain one is of the matter. One should act on it and on it beforehand, inquire into all things, so that the judgment cannot be lacking.
(15) This is a necessary piece, and well to be remembered. For this is now the third time, first in Adam, then with Cain. So we will hear again about Sodom and Gomorrah, where he [Cap. 18, 20. 21.) says: The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah has become much. I will go down and see whether they have done according to the cry that came before me or not, so that I may know.
16. and is therefore necessary to note, because
The devil has always possessed people with poisonous tongues, so that one speaks after the other, and yet presents it so seemingly, as each one adorns his cause and makes it the best, that those who hear it are often caught, and say that it is not right before God. To prevent this, God has written this example, that one should be careful not to condemn anyone, but to hear the other part first. Therefore, if a man speaks of another in his absence, no matter how holy he may be, he should never be believed so soon, so that one should beware of sudden judgments. If you ever want to believe, you may do so; but only shut up, and do not judge; do not go and say that it is as you have heard; do not pass judgment, for you see it for yourself.
(17) Therefore do not base a thing on the words of another. For it is not valid for you to refer to another and say, "This one or that one said it. But if thou doest, thou shalt surely fail, and shalt soon be deceived and made a fool. Oh what misery and misfortune would remain if one did not do this! So we go and rely on man, when we know that he lies, as the Scripture [Ps. 116:11] says. God Himself will not judge, for He has asked before, "Where art thou?" Therefore, let us first hear what the self-guilty man says. When he is publicly overcome, then you may judge. If God would have us form this in the heart, and judge according to it, that we might subdue the tongue, which causes all heartache, that it is hard to counsel again, even by true tongues.
18 Thus we have heard what the history of this chapter teaches us about the tower of Babel. Now it is also to be said of the spiritual interpretation given therein. I have said, then, that in this work the children of men have done nothing so much as to have a name. This is specially put to it, and their presumption is censured and punished for this very reason. But the great multitude and the common evil of the world, which is called false preachers, is thus denounced. For God is most concerned that His holy word remain united in Christianity, without any addition of the doctrine of men. But the word cannot remain, unless Christ is
have alone for the builder, and let him have the name alone. Where this is not, there is no unity, and must certainly also become a Babel; namely, thus:
19. when one preaches of Christ, one gives as much to one man as to another, so that no one has more of Christ than another; St. Peter no more than I, Mary no more than another married woman; for there is no more than one Christ, which is given in full to each. But it is also true that one can grasp it better than the other; but it is one treasure. As when one setteth a jewel in gold, and another in a poor vessel, the vessel may be better and better made, but that which is set therein is no better nor nobler: so one may have special, superior gifts than another, yet Christ remains common; and as the man remains common, so also all the goods which he brings with him. So a young child has just as much as an old man, a scholar no more than a layman, a lord no more than a servant. These names, baptism, gospel and spirit, are all common.
020 As long therefore as this doctrine remaineth, so long shall there be unity in the world. For every man must say, I have no more than the least of these; we are all equal in inheritance; one is another's brother; we have all equal right to it. But when other builders come and appear, they so soon make a division and a separation out of the unity. As it goes in: papal, and also must go in all: secular regiments. There one rules so that one people has more than the other. Yes, a prince must rule so that it happens unequally.
21 So also in the papacy, which is called spiritual, there has always arisen one order after another, only that one has always wanted to be better than the other. For they ever publicly ask: Yes, should we not have more than others, what kind of beings do we create? So they always add to it that it should be something special; then it is already separated and separate, and never the same; in addition, vain envy and hatred come from it among them.
022 But if they do not do this, saying, I am no better than the least of them, I am no better than the least of them.
Christ, we all have the same Christ, baptism, gospel and faith [Eph. 4, 5. 6.]: then they would have to confess that their thing is foolishness, and it would fall away from itself. Therefore their being cannot stand, except it set up discord, and depart from unity. So one after another always comes up and says, "My position is the best. [Each one takes something before himself that should be something more delicious, therefore he despises the others. Now where such doctrine and such things are taught and practiced, that we are all equal has been done away with. Therefore the gospel does not suffer itself to be mixed with the doctrines and sects of men. That is why all these things are rejected everywhere in the Scripture; it is still of no use, it has been left lying around as if it did not concern us, when it alone is a living book, full of living words [John 6:68, Hebrews 4:12].
(23) And so it follows one after another. When one departs and establishes a special status, one must soon also raise up another name, so that the name may become diverse, just as the essence is diverse and separate. Therefore they say, "Yes, should I not have another and better name than they all have? We want to be called Benedicter, Franciscer, Carthäuser etc., which we want to lead over Christ's name. These are the ones, so here means, who build the tower, who wanted to make them name, that they did it. It is a great blindness and presumption, yes, sin and shame, that one should suffer and hear such preachers who impudently say: He who follows St. Francis is in a better life and higher state than any other Christian, as if Francis should be holier than Christ, when he has had toil and labor to follow Christ.
24 Thus we have the interpretation of this history, that the builders are preachers. Those who are not in the faith build and preach something great and special before others, so that they have a great name; but the plague and punishment will follow, which is indicated here, that they will be disunited, confused in their language and divided as far as the world is. You will find this in all sects. Where there are true Christians, all things are of one accord, and none can rise above the other, nor be divided, there the language must be reduced to one.
Ways go, and even agree. What you speak and preach, I also preach and speak; and again. Thus one remains one, inwardly in the heart, and outwardly in the life.
But there it is so that they have all said: One must remain under one head, that is the pope, that is still united. But from this flow as many sects as there are monasteries and bishoprics; none is one with the other, each wants to be the best, and one must become the enemy of the other, or even despise it. To this also belong the high schools with their various sects that follow them. No one understands the other's language, no sermon pleases the other; it has never been heard that a monk of the Order of Preachers 1) stood up to exalt the Order of St. Francis, [but every monk praises his Order]. 2) So also no one likes to hear what the other one throws out and praises, or again.
This is the confused and mixed language. From this also follows a divided being, that no one takes care of the other, no one shows love to the other. [It has come to such a point that one priest is not one with the other, indeed, one altarist with the other. Therefore there is no more unskilful people on earth than these people; none of them serves anyone but himself. But Christianity is made so that each one takes care of the other's needs, and cares for him and serves him. That is why such a disunity is called a Babel, that is, a confusion or confounding. It was nothing like the Babylonia, compared to this. Here God drives it much more strongly, that he separates and scatters them, so hurries and drives from each other, that none of them is good to the other. This is a terrible punishment and plague.
The prophets also looked into this chapter and drew much prophecy from it; as in the 5th Psalm, v. 11: "Blame them, God, that they fall from their nobility" or Rathschlagen, "cast them out" etc. There he touches this history finely, as if he should say: They had also proposed to build a tower and to lead high, but what happened?
1) Thus the Jenaer. Wittenberger: a monk of another order. Erlanger: another preacher.
2) The bracketed words are missing in the Erlanger, but are in the Wittenberger and in the Jenaer.
They had to desist and leave with shame. Item, so he also says in another Psalm: Lord, devour and cut off their tongues [Ps. 55:10].
(28) We should also make such prayers against our Babylon, saying, O Lord, have mercy on their divisions and sects, that they may fall away; separate and divide them; only make them disunited, that they may fall to the ground, because they have provoked thee to anger in so many ways with their sects, and have corrupted thy one people, doctrine, and name. There are many more such prophecies in the Scriptures, which come to pass to those who have regard for them.
029 And what is it that causeth them to build iniquity in the place, in the place of Sinear, where they found a fine fat field? It is never forgotten in the Scripture that it always blames them for being belly servants and stingy vultures. These two things are certainly found in them, avarice and 1) belly. This is the very reason why they do everything they do. Thus Paul says of them Phil. 3, 19: Quorum Deus venter est, belly is their god; and Col. 3, 5: Avaritia idolorum cultus, he who is stingy is idolatrous. They all have that about them, do not believe in God, therefore they worry and fear, they cannot feed themselves. That is why they use their tongues, hands, and works to fleece people and to make them rich, so that they may fill their bellies first and have enough before they serve God. And this is the sum of it, that they build the tower on the best place, where a fat, full lard pit is, there they want to live and stay.
These are the births of Shem: Shem was a hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood, and lived five hundred years after that, and begat sons and daughters. Arphachad was five and thirty years old, and begat Salah, and lived after that four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. Salah was thirty years old, and begat Eber, and lived thereafter four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. Eber was four and thirty years old, and begat Peleg, and lived four hundred and thirty years after that, and begat sons and daughters. Peleg was
1) Wittenberg and Erlanger: or.
was thirty years old, and begat Regu, and lived two hundred and nine years after that, and begat sons and daughters. Regu was two and thirty years old, and begat Serug, and lived two hundred and seven years after that, and begat sons and daughters. Serug was thirty years old, and begat Nahor, and lived two hundred years after that, and begat sons and daughters. Nahor was nine and twenty years old, and begat Tarah, and lived afterward an hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters. Tharah was seventy years old, and begat Abram, Nahor and Haran.
(30) Moses describes ten members one after another, from Shem to Abraham, the line from which Christ was to come. These are truly great, holy people. How fine the world must have been, since everyone lived so long, and saw so many children and children's children, and everything was governed by fatherly authority. For here you do not see a world regiment, therefore it has stood deliciously on this side. The holy father Noah still lived through Abraham; Shem, his son, also saw ten children after him, and ruled among them, so that if one counts the years, it is found that he lived up to Jacob, yes, almost up to Joseph, into the eleventh generation.
(31) Thus the fathers all kept one another in a fine spiritual regiment. Moses describes it, however, that he wants to lead the line of Christ one after the other; also that he would keep the marriage state in honor, because he is allowed to do so, especially now. God has enough to do to keep it in honor against our clergy, who have not only despised and belittled it, but have also blasphemed it. I think that none of them who have kept the virginity is as holy as one of the archfathers. For they are not to be regarded as bad men, because Moses brought them forth by the Holy Spirit. If it has pleased them that they have had wives and begotten children, let us do likewise with all honor.
V. 27-32. These are the births of Tharah. Tharah begat Abram, Nahor and Haran. But Haran begat Lot. But Haran died before his father Tharah in his father's land, at Ur in Chaldea. Then Abram and Nahor took Wei-
ber. Abram's wife's name is Sarai, and Nahor's wife's name is Milcah, Haran's daughter, who was a father to Milcah and Jezca. But Sarai was unbreakable, and had no child. So Tarah took Abram his son, and Lot his son Haran's son, and Sarai his son Abram's wife's cord, and brought them from Ur out of Chaldea, that he might go into the land of Canaan. And they came to Haran, and dwelt there. And Tharah was two hundred and five years old, and died in Haran.
32 Here he lists the lineage of Tarah, the father of Abram, and states that he had three sons, which must also be known for the sake of the following histories. According to the account, Abram must have been the youngest son, although Moses claims him to be the first. I can therefore judge that he survives Haran, his brother, and two daughters and a son. For Lot was Abram's brother's son; his two sisters were Sarai and Milcah. So the two brothers, Abram and Nahor, took two sisters, their brother's daughters.
(33) From these things it can be concluded, and has never been abolished, and no one can prevent anyone from taking his brother's daughter with God and honor, because Abram and Nahor, who are praised in the Scriptures, did it, and we are to believe that they were more holy than we are. If it had not been right nor godly, neither Abram nor Sarai would have done it. But it is forbidden that a man should not take his wife, though it be in like manner.
34 We will hear later about Abram's brother-son, Lvt, and also about the two sisters. For Milcah will also become a friend and a mother, Gen 22:20, 21. The Jews say of the others, whether it is true or not, that Jisca was Sarai, Abram's wife, and had two names. If this is so, the account shows that Abram was much younger than Haran. For it is clearly stated that he was a hundred years old when Isaac was born to him, and Sarai his wife was ninety years old. That is, Abram was ten years older than his wife.
35 If Haran is the father of Sarai, and Abram is older, he must have begotten the daughter in the eighth or ninth year, and given her to his brother in the tenth year. Therefore we say that it is not certain that Sarai and Jisca are one wife. But if it is a woman, then Abram must be the youngest son, and yet the honor is done to him that Moses separates him first, because God wanted to make something special of him.
Thirty-six: Thus saith the text: Tharah and his three sons dwelt in Ehaldea, that is, in their own land, when they built the tower of Babylon; for Babylonia is in the land of Chaldüa. There was a city called Ur, in which they dwelt. But one brother, Haran, died in it; and Tarah, with the other two sons, would have gone into the land of Canaan; and they came and sat down in Haran, that is, in the land of Syria, which is toward the promised land eastward, and is often spoken of in the Scriptures.
(37) Here the Jews make out strange things, and I do not know whether they are to be believed. They think that Haran was martyred by the Chaldeans because he would not worship fire; that is why Tarah fled with the other sons. But I wished to make Abram a sinner first, before I made him righteous; and that for this reason, for so it is read in the book of Joshua [Cap. 24, 2. 3.], that he says to the people: "Beyond the water your fathers, Tarah, the father of Abraham and Nahor, have been accustomed, and have served strange gods; therefore I have taken your father Abraham out of Mesopotamia, and brought him into the land of Canaan" etc., so that Abraham must also have been idolatrous, lest the patriarch be exalted of his holiness and free will. He was as deep in the mud as we are; but that he became such a man, he has well learned, that it was out of pure calling, grace and goodness that God led him out into the land of Canaan. Therefore I cannot well believe that they should have fled from Chaldea, lest they should have worshipped idols, unless there had been some other idol than fire.
(38) I have left the word Ur as it is, and hold with those who say it is the name of a city in Chaldea or Babylonia. Some say that it is called fire, because the Babylonians called it that for their god and honored it, as some pagan books say. So it is not yet certain. Ur does not actually mean fire, but light, although it is almost one; therefore, I think, they gave the city a name. Similarly, we still have several named among us Germans, as Lichtenstein, Lichtenfels, Lichtenberg etc.
(39) I do not think that the Babylonians there were such rude people that they should have known nothing of God, who created all things, or that they considered fire to be a true God; but it may be that they called and honored God, who created heaven and earth, by name. Just as the Jews gave God many names, as Baal, that is, a man, because they wanted to be as close to him as a bride or wife to her husband. Item, Moloch, that is, a king, and others more, always dealt with it, so that they would honor the right God.
40 We have also done this, and have given our God many names, such as Augustinum, Benedictum, Franciscum etc. For as we think of God, so he is to us, so he also has a name. So when I look at him, and think of him as making me blessed through my spiritual state, I have already made myself an idol, and think that the true God, who created heaven and earth, is such a man as I respect him, and should look at me as keeping such obedience, praying and fasting. So I paint him, and paint him a color as if he had a Carthusian or Augustinian cap on, and think: "Oh, how fine it is about the cap. So everyone who is without faith puts on his own clothes, makes a PotzmannH out of him, gives him a name and shape in his heart, as seems good to him.
41 But when faith comes, it produces
1) Potzmann - doll, popanz, scarecrow.
He says: "God looks neither at this nor at that, but only at the Lord Jesus Christ; whoever believes in the dear child has the right God, and sees Him as He is.
Forty-two: So these also have done. But they were not yet such great fools as we are, they wanted to be so wise and prudent that one should not say that they worshiped wood and stones; nevertheless, they take God's right name and honor, draw him to themselves, and give him another one; he must keep this one in the world, so he must still let himself be led in all the sermons in the mummery the whole year through. Thus they have taught zero, where one sees the light, there one should worship God; as one has preached to us, where a Crucifix or other image stands, there one should 2) worship Christ. They are not yet such great fools that they think that this light or image is God; but they are such fools that they worship God there, and think that he desires it and sees it. And so they teach: Where you come before a light and worship all, you will meet God, and it will please Him. There was also a fine, apparent worship, which no one could have overthrown but the spirit, as in our times. Who would have been so wise as to say that such things were wrong, which we have done with our worship, masses and spiritual life? But the Spirit comes and says: God has not commanded it, it is contrary to faith, therefore it is unjust and idolatrous.
(43) Even then the holy fathers did so, and preached against it: Not so, God has not commanded it, you have no testimony of it by God's word, do it out of your own head and presumption, that you thus bind God all such place and your work. And so you shall do: God has promised us (Gen. 3:15) a seed that shall bruise the serpent's head; 3) you shall cling to it and believe in it. But they did not want to hear this, they scolded the patriarchs for heretics and threatened them with death. Therefore it is also said that they have burned the people with fire, as now, in the last
2) In the editions: shall.
3) Wittenberg and Jena: sollt.
Babylon, our clergy also do. For this regiment, as it is written, liked to handle fire.
(44) Thus it is written of the three being put into the fiery furnace in the prophet Daniel [Cap. 3:22]. Therefore some have written, as it was said, that Haran, Abram's brother, died in the land for faith's sake, and was burned with fire; item, that Abram therefore fled, that he might escape clear fire. How nuy dem fei, we have no text. But this much we have sIos. 24, 3.], that Abram was also idolatrous, and Haran, together with the third brother. Then God came and enlightened Abram by special grace, so that he might see how faith alone was valid before God for the future seed; then he came to the right understanding of what the right service of God was.
45 Therefore there is a fine saying in the prophet Isaiah [Cap. 50:2, 40:25, 46:5, 9]: Behold, I am such a God as maketh the sea dry, and there is none other but I; to whom then do ye liken me, that I should be like me? As if he should say: I have such great power that I have all things in my hand, nor are you so foolish that you want to grasp me in a small work, and I am so great that the whole sea cannot grasp me. What is this but to deal with distant dreams, and to worship those who stretch God so close as we think one should
lift above all creatures, which faith alone does?
46 I have spoken this so that one may understand Moses correctly, who describes how Abram is torn from God out of the idolatrous nature, but not yet called, as it is written in the following chapter. Therefore I will let him remain a poor sinner until God comes and calls him to leave his father's house [Gen. 12, 1]. etc. This is all for our comfort, that we may see how God lifts up few people to heaven who are pure, but all are lifted up out of the mud.
47) Finally, a great question arises over the text, when one comes to the twelfth chapter: how does it rhyme together, which is written here: Tharah was two hundred and fifty years old, and died in Haran; and after that [Cap. 12, 4.] it follows, how Abram went out of the country; as if he had endured his father's death, before he went out? But it is easy to report, so that this is said per antwiprUiouom, and before that it is written how old his father became. Now it is said above [v. 26F] that Tharah was over seventy years old when he begat the three sons; and it follows hereafter [chap. 12, 4.] that Abram was five and seventy years old when he came into the land of Canaan; which is not yet two hundred years; therefore he must have gone out a year or thirty before his father's death.