1-16 Sarai, Abram's wife, bore him nothing; but she had an Egyptian maid, whose name was Hagar, and said unto Abram, Behold, the LORD hath shut me up, that I should bear nothing. Lie with my maidservant, that I may build myself of her, rather than of myself. Abram obeyed the voice of Sarai. Then Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar her Egyptian maid, and gave her to Abram her husband to wife, after they had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. And he lay with Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she was with child, she esteemed her wife little before her. And Sarai said unto Abram, I am wronged for thy sake: I have laid my handmaid with thee, but when she seeth that she is with child, I am contemptible in her sight: let the LORD be a judge between me and thee. And Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thine handmaid is under thy power; do with her as it pleaseth thee. 2) And when she would humble Sarai, she fled before her. But the angel of the LORD found her by a well of water in the wilderness, that is, by the well that is by the way of Sur, which said unto her, Hagar, Sarai's handmaid, whence comest thou? and 3) whither wilt thou go? She said: I have fled from my wife Sarai. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return unto thy wife, and humble thyself under her hand. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, I will take thy
2) The following text to the end of the chapter is missing in the Wittenberg.
3) The words: "where ... and" are missing in the Erlanger.
So multiply the seed, that it shall not be numbered before a great multitude. Then the angel of the LORD said to her, "Behold, you have conceived and will bear a son, whose name you shall call Ishmael, because the LORD has heard your affliction. He shall be a wild man, his hand against every man, and every man's hand against him, and shall dwell against all his brethren. And she called the name of the LORD which spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Surely here have I seen the back of him that saw me. 4) Therefore she called the well a well of the Living One who saw me, 4) which is between Kadesh and Bared. And Hagar bare Abram a son; and Abram called the name of the son which Hagar bare him Ishmael. And Abram was six and fourscore years old when Hagar bare him Ishmael.
What bad histories does he describe? Did he have nothing else to write? I have said before that one should read the Scriptures, God's work and word, and God's judgment with fear, and not pay attention to them as other histories, but always pay attention to the one who speaks the word and does the work, because you will always find God, no matter how small it may seem.
2 So far we have heard how God promised Abram that a great nation would come from his blood and flesh and take over the whole land. He preached this to Sarai, who was five and seventy years old when Ishmael was born:
4) Thus the Erlanger. Jenaer: siehet.
But she waited two, three, four, five, six years to see if God would still make her fruitful; nothing came of it. Since she now sees that she bears no fruit, as the text says, she thought so: My husband has the promise that he is certain to become so rich from the seed of his own womb; but nothing will come of it, perhaps GOD will not have it from me; throws herself down, thinking thus: I am not the woman, God does not consider me to be the mother of the seed; he pardons himself of the honor with great humility, so that it will be highly honored again.
What is she doing? She also wanted the promise to be fulfilled, stood in faith just as Abram did, was also justified by it, gives God the honor that he is true, is content with that, and forgives herself for the other. As if she were to say, "If it is not to be me, let it be another;" yet she does not want to take a stranger, but takes her maidservant. At that time the servants and maids were serfs, like cattle, so that what they bore was the property of the masters and wives, and if they wished they could cast them out and keep the children. Which is now abolished.
(4) So Sarai said, I will not take a stranger, but I will take her whom I have nearest me, who would bear me children, that they may be mine; as she saith, Whether I will build myself of her. In the Old Testament, to build means to beget children, as we will hear more about in this book; and in the other book of Moses, Cap. 1, 21, it is written: "God built houses for the Hebrew women," that is, he gave them fruit so that they bore many children and filled their houses.
005 Now here is a great faith, both of Abram and Sarai. He came into the land when he was five and seventy years old, and Ishmael was born in the tenth year after. There they are nine whole years in the land, to which is added the last promise a year or four or six before, that they shall be abundantly tempted in all places. [They may well think, When will it be? nor have they always held fast to how long God will give them.
has also spoiled. She would also have liked to hurry, as all women do, would have liked to have a child soon, therefore she drives it, gives him her maid; Abram grants this. This seems to be foolish to those who ignore the Scriptures, as if Abram had been a man who gave himself to a maidservant for the sake of lust and vainglory. But God has finely preceded him. If he had had a desire for a handmaid, he would have found another one, the best one in Hebron; but he did not go further, because Sarai wanted to have one and asked him. Therefore it is clear that he has not stinted for another, and seeks no more than the fruit.
(6) Here we should also speak of the question whether a man may have more than one wife. Enough has been said. What has happened and been described here must be left as God's history; no one has the right to punish such history; therefore Abram must not have sinned in this. Further, we have heard that Abram was a true, yes, perfect Christian, living in the most evangelical way in the spirit of God and faith; therefore, we must let his life be an example to follow where it happens in faith itself. So now we ask: Since it was forbidden for him to have more than one wife, how can we account for him that he remained a Christian?
(7) First of all, if one wants to speak plainly about it, one says that it is abolished by the gospel, since Christ says in Matthew [Cap. 19, 8I: "From the beginning it was not so"; item, Paul [1 Cor. 7, 2.]: "Let every man have his wife, and every woman her husband", that one would like to say, Abram did some outward works, which are annulled.
(8) But this will not do, for we must keep ourselves so that he may be justified. For this is ever true, that all things which we find in the Old Testament, done outwardly by the fathers, should be free, not forbidden. Thus circumcision is abolished, but not so that it would be sinful to do it, but free, neither sinful nor well done. So, to eat the paschal lamb, and all such things, without doing it in the name of being justified thereby, is not forbidden.
as the fathers also did not do it for this reason. So also among other examples of the fathers must go, that they took many wives, that it was also free. And Summa Summarum: Abram did not lead it so far, as other patriarchs, does not take the maid sooner, than it calls him his wife and asks. Other examples will penetrate further; this could still go on as a special one before other fathers.
(9) I say therefore, and conclude, Where there are not honorable, but heathen people, I would that the law should be observed concerning divorce, that one should put away a wife, and take another. Christ has abolished it; thus he says in Matthew [Cap. 19:8, 9I: "Moses gave you leave to put away your wives for the hardness of your hearts; but from the beginning it was not so. But I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his 1) wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery." Likewise also Paul to the Corinthians [1 Ep. 7, 10. 11I: "I do not command the married, but the Lord, that the wife should not divorce the husband. But if she divorce him, that she remain without marriage, or be reconciled to him, and that the husband not put away the wife." But those who do not hear Christ would be well enough to obey the law of Moses before they had to suffer the fact that two husbands and wives do not spend a good hour together. But they would have to be told that they were never Christians, but in the pagan regime. But if you are a Christian, you do not have to divorce.
(10) But it is not forbidden for a man to have more than one wife. Even today I could not forbid it, but I would not advise it, for it still remains that a man should not divorce but be attached to his wife. That is why the preceding sayings do not apply to this. But I did not want to bring it up, but therefore I say it: if it would come to the sharpness, that one would know rightly to answer, that one would not reject the father, as if it had not been proper to do; as the Manichaei said.
11 So now we have seen the great
1) Erlanger: one.
Humility of the holy mother Sarai, that she forgave herself the honor and the child, and let another wife have the seed and blessing promised to Abram. He does not speak much about the holy woman; but the example gives enough indication that she was of rich spirit and highly gifted; therefore the Scriptures mention her in more places. jMe] did not exalt herself, but humbled herself, therefore she was also exalted [Matth. 23, 12I.
Now the Historia, although it lays the foundation of a holy life, is not written for this reason alone; Paul [Gal. 4, 22. ffI] has masterfully deleted it. There are also [the] words so set, must be something behind it, not only the history. For otherwise he could have included many things and kept silent about them; but he leaves it, saying how the maid became proud when she saw that she was with child, so that she had to cast out the woman; and how she came to her again and gave birth to the son Ishmael: The angel proclaimed how he would be a wild man, and how he would fight against all his brothers. Therefore it is still considered that the Turk came from this Ishmael, who lived in Arabia, from where they also have origin that one calls HaZnrenos the Saracen.
(13) Therefore we will deal with the figure as history brings it to itself. Thus you have heard that the Scriptures everywhere exemplify the two sermons, the Law and the Gospel; according to the same two sermons they also preach to two kinds of people, the Law and grace. In Ishmael the people who keep the law are shown; therefore he also bears the name, manner and way, in which such people lead, that he is an example of all saints of law and works. For this reason it should also be known to us, because the apostle Paul has especially emphasized what kind of people they are who want to become godly by works, that is, without grace.
14. first, he is not born of the right matron, who has the rule, but of the maidservant; though she also is legitimate with Abram, yet there is a great difference. For the other son, Isaac, is not of the maidservant, nor bondwoman, but of the free woman, as Paul says to the Galatians [Cap. 4, 22I, who is the right woman and rules in the house.
And, which is the greatest, he is born of the woman, since the promise of God points to. This is apt; and St. Paul [Gal. 4, 23.] carries it out with great force, that Ishmael was indeed born of Abram's blood and flesh; but it happened without God's word; but Isaac by God's word.
015 For when Sarai said, Behold, I cannot bear fruit. Dear, take my maidservant, if I may beget children with her," there is no word of God nor command, but no more, for a work of love, that she depart, forsaking her honor, which she would gladly have had; so he is at her will. In addition she, the Hagar, is a young woman that the birth is quite natural. But afterwards j^Cap. 17, 16] God's word comes to Sarai and says: "You shall have a son, whom I will bless. This was a miracle of God. This must now be noted that Paul leads mightily, as Ishmael was born by the handmaid, without God's promise; Isaac by Sarai, by the promise. Now we have said that it is very great to throb, since God's word is; where that is, there is a precious thing; for it is an eternal thing. If it were not for the jewel and treasure, Isaac would be no more than another.
(16) It is the same in the New Testament and from the beginning of the world; in the spiritual regime everything is born either from God's law or by grace. Since the law people rule, they are like Ishmael, also receive right seed from God, as Ishmael is received from Abram; hear the word and preaching, wash more of it than the right Christians, but do not become righteous, fall on works, attack it with free will, rely on it, have God's commandment before. There they go in an apparent life before the world, that no one can reprove. These are all the children of the handmaid. For there is still no word of God of the promise, but only flesh and blood, natural things; God's grace does not work, there is neither faith nor spirit, through which they become free from the law, therefore nothing but Ishmael comes of it.
17 But Ishmael is called in German a hearer of God. The title has the people everything, especially the Jews, they are finely painted with it.
have heard the word of God, how Christ will come; they had both ears full, were highly gifted with many prophets, have diligently practiced the law of Moses through and through, are the people who had God's law before all the world all the days; therefore, they have such rain that they hear much from God, but do not see Him. Just as when one walks on the road, he hears and sees what is before him, but in the straight 1) walk he cannot see what is behind him. So it was here also. Christ was to come after Abram; they heard it, but did not see it; indeed, since he was present, and still is, they remain only Ishmael, hearing forever.
(18) All are of this kind who deal in works, not knowing or seeing God, who is hidden from them, hearing only of Him, and standing in delusion and resolution to live thus in their works until God comes and gives grace. He has not yet come to them, indeed, he never comes. But they always hear that he will come, so that he always remains behind them, like the Jews. Thus the people are masterfully painted with names and all things. We Christians, however, have him before our eyes, and know him, thus saying: With works I trust to gain nothing; but I know that Christ is there, who has purchased everything for me, I see him before me in the mirror, I am no longer an Ishmael. This is a piece of this character.
19. but the mother's name is Hagar. Hagar means a guest; therefore Hagareni the guests. So Paul says [Gal. 4, 3O], all those who work are guests and strangers, not children in the house. He that is a sojourner, of whom neither house nor goods are his own, eateth and drinketh, and departeth again. So are all temporal saints of works; God pays for their good life with temporal goods; when he gave the land of Canaan to the Jewish people, he exalted them for being a famous and powerful people, as indeed they were. Since we were outwardly pious, he gave us a belly full of food, great goods and honor in the sight of the world. To such saints, who deal in temporal, corruptible things, temporal reward is due. But the Christian reward of righteousness is eternal, as the prophet j^Jes. 32, 17.] says.
1) Wittenberg and Jena: starcken.
Now when we die, it will be all the more true: death will be gone, and in its place will be life and bliss. On earth they do not have the reward, but all misfortune, shame and disgrace. Therefore we are no longer guests and strangers, as Paul says, but citizens with the saints and members of God's household, yes, the children and the inheritance.
(20) The saints of works also have the name of Abram's children and Christians, and yet they remain in temporal holiness, which does not last forever. But the faith that God's word takes hold of is an eternal thing, namely in Christ who does not die. Thus the name Hagar is called the whole company of saints of works; they are sojourners, they do not finally remain with us in Christendom, but fall on works that perish. But we cling to Christ, who is eternal. The text goes on to say:
V. 12. Behold, he shall be a fierce man, his hand against every man, and every man's hand against him, and shall dwell against all his brethren.
This is the right way and color, so these saints lead, who do not walk in faith. The more beautiful their conduct, the more wicked they are; hopeful, proud and ill-tempered people are not to be found on earth, nor impudent, crude and unrighteous. For they think they are pure, therefore they cannot suffer anyone, nor have mercy on others; they cannot refrain from judging and judging everyone, but they can least of all not suffer that their cause should not be heard and exalted.
22) We have also done this, we have said: We are spiritual, the other crowd is the world; we have become such puffed up people that they would have driven in an emperor before a shabby monk. If one touched one, then one had touched 2) God's eye; if also someone has subjected himself, they have banished him to hell. That is it, which the text calls, that they are insolent and disobedient, want to be right and must be right; one laughs or weeps,
1) Erlanger: still.
2) Jenaer: has.
ask or dräue, so] they remain with the head harder than no anvil, as Job [Cap. 41, 15J says that if one forges for the same length of time, it does not become soft, but rather softens other irons.
Thus Christ says in the Gospel [Matth. 11, 18.lü.]: "John came, did not eat and did not drink, so they say: He has the devil. The Son of man is come, eateth and drinketh, they say, Behold, how he is a glutton and a winebibber." As one does with them, one cannot do them right: "If one whistles, they do not dance; if one laments, they do not weep" [Matth. 11, 17.]. [It] counts for nothing, except what seems good to them, and what pleases them; if not, it shall not please God. These are true Ishmael, unruly, stubborn and unruly; a people that cannot be controlled nor bent; how one wants to catch them with God's word, they know how to turn out. Such must be suffered among themselves, we] cannot resist that they have the name that we have; as Abram must suffer Jsmael in the house.
24. further: "His hand against everyone, and everyone's hand against him. One still says that the same people, from Ishmael come, a desolate, unfriendly people fei, which feeds itself only with robbery, snatches to itself what it seizes. Such will have fulfilled now Ishmael. These also follow ours. The hands are the works, they must be other than the Christians. What is to become of it? There are many worldly-wise people who say that the gospel should be preached so that there would be no turmoil and discontent in the world, otherwise the people would go astray. But we have our preachers to thank for that. Why did they not preach the gospel so that people would know what was right or wrong? After all, it is commanded that everyone listen and know how to judge; they] have just taken away our right. Because they have heard this, there is no uproar. But if one is to follow the judgment whether the pope and his teachings are right, God has instituted strife, so that it cannot and should not go any other way.
(25) Therefore let no man think after resting: if the gospel come to pass, it is right to lie down confidently against it. We who
3) Erlanger: could.
If we live with Ishmael, we must surrender to him and gladly consider that his hand is against us; then he will have to suffer that our hand is also against him; we must put our necks to it and not be silent, but always resist. So he is impudent and insolent, does not let him be told, becomes angry, and strangles us at last; so we die in God's name for the sake of God's word. So let no one be dismayed, but still rejoice when we see how shamefully the gospel is persecuted. For it has been said before that we may take comfort in it and fs] venture freshly upon it. One must lie here in the army, there no man will be judge, neither Pabst nor eonbilia, but God himself wants to be judge, he says s^Ps. 82,l.], therefore nothing will come of it, that the thing will be judged; smarf thue was man will, so will Ishmael on his side be stronger and close.
(26) It is not possible that there should be a concilium which closes with one accord, without flesh and leaven. I have never seen a concilium among all where the Holy Spirit reigned. There may have been a Christian piece or two in some, but I have not read that it was entirely pure. Therefore it is nothing that one still wants to refer to a concilium, nothing good is done. It went exactly with the Concilio to Jerusalem that it went off purely. [There were only three men there who kept it pure, all the other Christians closed their eyes against Christ; no one but Peter, Paul and Barnabas kept it pure, nor did they allow anything to happen; if it had not been for them, it would have all been falsified. Who has blinded us, [that what we set and do must be right?
(27) There will never be a concilium when people should agree together by the Holy Spirit. God allows this to happen precisely because he himself wants to be the judge and not suffer men to judge. That is why he commands everyone to know what he believes. It will not help that you say you have heard or heard preached; the devil will not inquire. But if you have God's word, you can say: Here I have the word, what else may I ask, what the Concilio say? So he must go back.
28. because now God wants to have when we have
see that his word shall suffer no judge but him, then let no man depart here, neither can there be any rest. And, since God is for, if there were silence and stillness, the gospel would be over. It must rumble where it comes; if it does not, it is not right. Therefore Christ [Luc. 12, 49. 51.] says: "I have come to kindle a fire on earth; what would I rather that it were already kindled? Do you think that I have come here to give peace? I say no to that, but discord." If this is to work, Ishmael must move his hand, and that again. That is where the Holy Spirit separates us. When people want to separate, it only gets worse.
(29) I say all this so that one may be accustomed to what God's word is, that one may not regard it as if it were a quiet and calm thing, as is suggested by the highest reason, which finds it so hard that it goes on in such a tumultuous way; I would so gladly help the matter that there might be unity after all. I can let it be done, but if it comes to that, Ishmael will always lay his hand against us, if we already offer ourselves in the most friendly way. So they must remain mixed together, some Ishmael, some Isaac, and always let hand go against hand. Since we see this illustrated in the Scriptures, we should be confident and thank God, who assures us that it is right. God is so wise that he soon makes fools of such wise people, as he will also do. [He is able to let His word be preached through despised little people, to whom no one thinks of going. His judgments are high, hidden and incomprehensible. The world wants to look only at the person; if he is wise and seems holy, then everyone wants to fall to him, and again, he does not only hang on the word of God, as the believers do. So this remains the office and manner of Ishmael and his crowd, that they are insolent and proud, judge everyone, are unruly, unconquerable, do not stop rumbling against the gospel and the right Christians.
The other people is a people of grace; they are also born of Abram, but also have the promise of it, and are called Äii promissionis [Rom. 9, 8.], over whom God's word passes, and says: You are it. These are the ones who, according to the holy gospel, are marked with the Spirit.
will, as Paul writes Rom. 8, 16, trust in Christ, not in works, hold on to their salvation; they are not born of the flesh, but of the Word and the Spirit [Joh. 3, 5. 6.], you cannot see who they are, but God has decided that they are the ones He 2) wants. One preaches publicly to everyone, but he knows which ones he wants to touch and make born again. These are they who are not bound by works, but are finely tempered, neither proud nor insolent, able to suffer all things, condemning no one, having their goods and treasure in heaven; as their righteousness is eternal, so is their reward eternal. They are not born of Abram's blood and flesh alone, but of the woman and the free woman, of which Paul says [Gal. 4:23].
(31) The liberty which Christ hath purchased and set us free, that neither works nor laws should bind the conscience. For Christ has done enough for all things; through the Holy Spirit we have it all; henceforth we owe nothing, but to love and serve one another. This is the right mother, and these are 3) the right children. For '7^ Sarai, as we shall hear hereafter, is called a woman who rules in the house,
1) Instead of the preceding words, the Erlanger: "they are not born by the preaching", one can read 2c.
2) "it the" is missing in the Erlanger.
3) "that are" is missing in the Erlanger.
to whom all things are subject, as the man is called a lord. So Paul wants to say: She is a maid and a guest, she is a woman in the house: House, there she has the name after.
(32) These are the two kinds of people, but under one rule, all flowing from the word of God. For it is not said of rude, impudent people who belong under the worldly sword, but of the very best, most pious and wise of the earth; but before God it is not valid, unless otherwise born of the Holy Spirit, and become a new man. It is evident that many a pious man, monk and nun live in such a way that no one can reproach them. Of such people he says here, these are the righteous; when they hear that their thing is nothing, they want to become senseless; these are the real devil's kingdom and his scales, through which he does the greatest harm. The others belong among the executioners and princes, but these also want to be ruled by the Holy Spirit; but it is only appearance and glitter. One should get used to understanding such things. Reason and human conceit are so deep in us that few people see it and approach it. It is hard to despise such brave, great people; no one can do it, because he who has the spirit, it fits reason and all people's sense.