V.1-4. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, which all the mothers of the children of Israel bring forth, both of men and of cattle: for they are mine. Then Moses said unto the people, Remember this
The day ye came out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, that the LORD had brought you forth with a mighty hand: therefore shalt thou not eat leaven. Today you went out in the month of Abib.
(1) Next we have heard, in part, what the firstborn are, namely, that they are the Jews, who with their outward holiness sat on high, and were the chiefest on the earth; even as they must be spiritually slain by the sword of the gospel, they must otherwise go up to heaven with the Lord Christ, that all their nature and law may be done, and become the last, yea, the most despised on the earth; whereas the Gentiles became the first. The other part of this text is about the firstborn, whom God called to sanctify and not to kill. Which means those who would come to the Christian faith from the Jews and Gentiles. So the firstborn was killed, but the other firstborn remains alive and is kept. And in this is the gospel fulfilled, when the Lord Christ saith [Matt. 20:16], The first shall be last, and the last first.
(2) Moses sings the same in his song [Deut. 32:21]: 'I will provoke them again against that which is not a people, against a foolish people will I provoke them to anger;' for they have provoked me to anger and to zeal." As if to say, "As you have forsaken me, the true God, that I should not be your God, and have chosen other gods, so will I forsake you, if you have been my people, and will accept and choose for my own those who were not my people before," (Hos. 2:23) which will make you angry. Just as the Jews are still angry about this to this day; they are gone with all their glory. God has caused the strife. They are not favorable to any people of God, but only to themselves; but it is over, it is no longer valid to be Jews, but to be Christians [Eph. 2, 13. 19. Col. 3, 11.].
So it may also be interpreted to all who are of their kind. For the papists still want to be God's people today. It is about the name that everyone ascribes this name to him, and they want to have this boasted of them: Invocatum est nomen tuum super nos [we are indeed called by your name]. Then the true Christians and people of God, or the firstfruits and firstborns, must be despised and succumbed, also be called heretics, but
The others must be true, and be called the Christian Church, and have the Holy Spirit. No one can separate them, but God alone, with the revelation of his gospel, strikes among them and judges which are the true or false Christians.
4 This will remain until the end of the world. For the world wants to be beautiful and holy, and to be praised for being worthy of heaven and eternal bliss, and persecutes other people for wanting to be the church; therefore the true Christians must be called the last. But our dear Lord God considers those who are so despised in the world to be the first. And this is prescribed for us as an example, so that we may know that it must be so for all those who want to be first and foremost, and that those who are tormented and persecuted for a while for the sake of the divine word and the Christian name may also be comforted. But how did the saints come to be? The text speaks:
V.11-13. When the LORD has brought you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and to your fathers, and has given it to you, then you shall separate to the LORD everything that breaks its mother, and the firstborn among the cattle that is male. The firstborn of the ass thou shalt redeem with a sheep; but if thou redeem it not, break his neck. But all the firstborn among your children you shall redeem.
In the 12th chapter above, we heard how God gave and established a law and commandment to eat the paschal lamb annually, so that the glorious deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt would not be forgotten.
6th Now follows the other law, of the offering or sanctification of the first birth, in remembrance that the first birth of the children of Israel was obtained in Egypt. The sanctified thing was given to the priest, it was from cattle or other fruits; this our Lord God took to Himself, and it was delivered to the priests. For teaching the Law and doing the word of God, the firstborn was to be their food; otherwise, the tribe of Levi had not received any land in the distribution of the Canaanite land, such as
other tribes. When a child was born, it also belonged to the Lord, but he allowed it to be redeemed with a place of the guilder. 1) And this was to do for the preachers of the divine word, that they might supply the people with the divine word. But as they omitted many other laws and ordinances of God, so they did not keep this commandment of God, and the priests were despised; they were given nothing, so that they had to suffer hunger. Therefore the priests also sought false worship, and were also attached to idolatry [Mal. 1, 7. 8.], so the people gave money and goods enough.
(7) Just as in the past in the priesthood much alms was given, and the priests were made rich, and the money for indulgences was thrown away. For when there were false prophets in the world, who led people by the nose, and deprived us of body and soul, and also of goods, they were given money enough. The queen Isabel was able to feed 800 prophets from her table, because Elijah had to be in flight and exile, and other hundred prophets were fed with water and bread by Abdia [Obadiah], the king's chamberlain, hidden in a cave [1 Kings 18:4]. This can be seen as annoying and foolish in the eyes of reason, but I judge for myself that God would be foolish to hurl his gospel in this way, and that his preachers in the world would have to suffer the greatest poverty.
8 Spiritual sanctification or sacrifice means that one should be in the office of preaching. For whoever wants to interpret, let him draw the greater part of it to the ministry of preaching, for that is what it is all about. For God wills to establish all things by the gospel, and so all things shall be established and drawn to it. When I preach, I should preach nothing but faith in Christ, for this alone is valid before God. For in this way I put to death the old firstborn, and the other firstborn I sanctify to God; that is, this firstborn is pleasing to Him, He accepts it, it is assigned to God, and teaches people about God. After that [shall
1) Place of the guilder = a quarter guilder.
I] say that those are God's children who believe in Christ from the heart, who is also the firstborn before all creatures, 2) as St. Paul says [Col. 1:15], and also makes us firstborn and children of God. And even if these are the last in the world, and others are considered the highest and most distinguished, God's judgment is still there, and considers them blessed, but the others as condemned.
(9) Therefore, whoever accepts the gospel and follows it, the same sacrifices with it, that they may confess with their heart and with their mouth that these are God's children who believe in Christ. So all sacrifices should be directed to praise and honor God. Everything should be a sacrifice of praise. For in the 50th Psalm, v. 23, it is said: "He who brings me sacrifices of thanksgiving praises me." This is the very best sacrifice that may happen to GOD. That is why God now and then tells us in the Psalms to bring Him sacrifices of praise. This appeals to Him very much. When we preach and confess that our works are nothing, but we must have our Lord God's works of grace, His favor, goodness and mercy, that is sacrifice. When I confess this with my mouth, I am sacrificing with it. This is not done with money, but by believing with the heart that our works are nothing, but God's mercy and grace, given to us in Christ, do it. If I praise God in the world and confess Him before the people, I am a priest and offer the most beautiful sacrifice.
(10) Now this is the firstborn sacrifice and sanctification. Those who trust in their works and rely on their good, holy lives, praise and extol themselves, and set up an idol, as if God wanted to be praised by their works, and ascribe to their works as if they could help them, which honor belongs to the Lord Christ alone. Now they honor the Lord Christ with their mouths, but in their hearts they blaspheme and disgrace Him [Is. 29, 13. Matth. 15, 8. Marc. 7, 6.f.]. This means to appropriate, sanctify or sacrifice the firstborn to God.
(11) What is the right of the firstborn? Otherwise, two parts of the father's inheritance, twice as much, would belong to the firstborn son,
2) Eisleben: of all creatures.
than to any other child. After that he was also entitled to the rule, the dominion and the priesthood, that he was priest and preacher in the house; the most property, the greatest power and the greatest honor; he was king and priest, emperor and pope.
(12) We Christians have such goods, all of them spiritual. We also have two parts. First, we are priests, that we may have sufficiency of soul, inwardly, that we may obtain salvation and blessedness of soul through Christ, preaching and confessing him, praising, glorifying, and calling upon him in all our afflictions. After this we have the promise that we shall not die of hunger; and though at times there is no food or supply, yet before the ravens came flying and brought food, as happened to Elijah [1 Kings 17:6], or bread rained down from heaven, as manna fell in the wilderness [Exodus 16:4], if we believed alone.
A Christian heart has much to do and much to suffer [Ps. 34, 20], but it is without worry, so certain and secure, as if it had the whole world full of goods [Ps. 73, 25. 26]. For it remembers: My God can always create more than there is in the world. Even if one takes away his goods, one cannot take away God from him. If he needs something later, God can give him more than the goods of the world are his. But we Christians are so troubled and tormented by this worry of the belly, or temporal nourishment, that we do not grasp this comfort firmly enough. Therefore a Christian is also a king, that is, a Christian is a lord over everything, and all creatures must be obedient to him, but spiritually.
14 His life and goods can be taken from him by heart, but he works and does what he is commanded. And even though everything is taken from him, he always improves, and his faith always grows and increases, and so rules in his heart that neither riches nor poverty grieve him, nor make him sadder or happier. If he is rich, having money and goods, he is nothing more cheerful; neither is he anything more sorrowful if he is poor [Phil. 4:12]. If he is scolded or praised, it is of equal value to him. This is the courage he has; this is the joyful, sure faith, so that he clings to God.
15. now tell me what rule
Is it better for a man to fence and fight with the sword, or to have such courage? Whether you overcome one with the sword, he will do what you want; but a Christian heart is such a lord, whom no one can change or grieve; he always remains for himself. He makes such lords out of us (as St. Paul Rom. 8, 35-39. also says: "Who wants to separate us from the love of God? Neither high nor low, principality nor mighty" 2c.), so that nothing can trouble us. But where are these firstborn found, and where are such Christians? St. Paul was one of them.
16) Thirdly, he is also a priest; he has the authority to preach God's word, and to pray before God, to teach the unintelligent people, go up to God through prayer. For we are certain, if we are baptized, that our prayer is acceptable; and if we all pray, we are all priests, we can all teach God's word, which is proclaimed to us from heaven. This is God's work, that each one preach when it is necessary. Now this is the figure and meaning of the same glory. Christians are firstborn in the spirit; those have had the bodily glory of the firstborn.
17 Now the question arises, of which we also said something before: Since neither here in the text nor elsewhere nothing is reported about the restitution of the stolen goods from the Egyptians, whether the Israelites also did right in carrying away their silverware from the Egyptians? Did they not commit theft with it? They borrowed it for their feast, and since it was lent to them, they go in the night and take it away. Do they have the right to do so, or is it theft, or have they stolen it? Has not God commanded in the Ten Commandments that one should not steal? Above [Cap. 11, ยง 4 f.] is also answered: Such things are not called stolen, but given to them by God, for this cause: Our Lord God's is all. Now he commanded them from heaven to borrow it from the Egyptians and take it with them. Stealing is when I take from another what is his, when I take from another something that he does not give to me, but I steal or alienate it.
secretly. God gave the Egyptians the silverware; now he goes and takes it back from them and gives it to the Israelites; he borrows it from them and deceives them, saying, "So I will have it. Perhaps because they had done hard labor in Egypt, and received no reward for it. But God cut it on a piece of wood and wanted to pay for their work.
So this is what happened according to history. But what does it mean in the New Testament? It is supposed to be an indication of the world's prosperity and wisdom, that wise people with sayings take and draw the Christians to themselves 2c. Now, God does not give us much worldly wisdom. We should leave the beautiful sayings and teachings of the pagan scribes in the external world kingdom, and separate the kingdom of God, where Christians are, from the external world kingdom, and say: To the kingdom of God belongs nothing of worldly wisdom. Nothing else rules and reigns here, but only the pure, pure word of God.
(19) If there are other wise and prudent sayings in reason, let them come out into this outward life, so that one may have more reason and understanding than another. Therefore we have many beautiful sayings in all tongues and languages, for this outward life and being. So one is also better and more skillful than the other to lead a government, because he has a higher reason and understanding, which is the worldly wisdom, which God also gives and gives. Another may also take an example of this, borrowing doctrine and sayings from him; after which example his country and people may also remain in peace, and improve themselves from it; as the pagans have done for the improvement of the police or the world regime, to which the histories bear witness.
The histories rhyme well with such reason or understanding, for they have everything to do with experience; just as the Germans also say in the proverb: Good courage is half the body. This is a fine saying, drawn from reason, and is used when one is distressed, so that one says to him: "Take good courage, and you will get through it. But it is an outward consolation, because out of reason
one comforts the other; which then is also a gift and present of God, and it should be recognized that such comes from God; just as He otherwise also gives wealth. So it is also a special art to wage war; item, to prepare horses; they are all gifts of God, which he has cast into the Rapuse, so that we should govern ourselves. But in the things that are over us, where conscience is to be governed, these sayings apply nothing at all; but there only the clear, bright and pure word of God must govern.
21 Therefore, this meaning is not valid, because the Christian church has been polluted with pagan sayings, even destroyed by them, as the papists have done. But the devil thanks them for this, for this means that Christianity has been pushed to the ground by human wisdom. For worldly wisdom cannot and does not know more than how to have peace on earth; but God wants you to be a Christian and know how to have a gracious God and eternal life, which you will not learn from reason, but God's Word teaches such.
(22) I have often spoken of this, and would very much like us to separate these two kingdoms. For reason, no matter how beautiful and glorious it is, belongs to the world kingdom alone, where it has its dominion and territory. But in the kingdom of Christ, only God's word has the upper hand. Nevertheless, the devil always wants to rule in the church with reason, to have a hand in the sod, and to reign with beautiful pagan sayings and proposals. But the gold and silver, the beautiful jewels, which were stolen in Egypt, are the holy scriptures. For as soon as the apostles separated themselves from the Jews, and they became new people and God's people, the Jews had lost the holy Scriptures; the letter and the parchment they have kept, but the right understanding and opinion or sense they have not [2 Cor. 3:3].
23 Therefore the holy scripture abideth with the true Israelites, and they owed it unto them. There we have fine sayings, beautiful histories and examples, which we use for eternal life.
We are finely instructed by Proverbs; item, see how God has worked faith in Christians. For everything depends on faith; the whole Christian life is based on it. This is the gold and the precious jewels that were stolen from the Egyptians, just as we have stolen the Holy Scriptures from the high schools. Although they carry many books, we have the pure understanding of the Scriptures and adorn ourselves with them, that is, strengthen and improve ourselves in the faith by such sayings. In the prophet Ezekiel [Cap. 16, 10. 13.] God also says: "I have given you my gold and silk", that is, my holy scripture, and the right understanding, which I gave through the prophets, you have perverted, and made a waxen nose on it, according to all your will.
V.18. And the children of Israel went armed out of the land of Egypt.
24 They also wore armor. What was the point, since they were much weaker and inferior in strength and power than the king of Egypt, and God wanted to execute them by his power, so that he alone would have the glory of it? He still calls them to arm themselves and to prepare their army, as if they wanted to fight with the heathen; but it is because of this that we do not tempt God. The means are God's larvae and mummery, in which he runs from the earth. He wants to help me in all things, in body and soul, and that I trust in his word alone; yet he also wants me to do my part, to have horse, spear, sword and chariot, and to make spearheads, as if one wanted to overcome by the sword, when it was not God's opinion. David in the 20th Psalm, v. 8, says: I do not rely on my horse, sword or bow 2c.
(25) What is the purpose of all this? Under this armor and warfare, God wants to be with you and hide under it, so that other people will think that you are doing it with your armor and your own power, when God alone is doing it [Psalm 60:14, Psalm 144:1 ff]. God does the same with other things. He tells us to pray, to work 2c., which is all just a mirror
is to be respected. For where God did not bless, not a hair would grow, nor a few straws, but all things would be finished. Nevertheless, he wants me to stand like this: if I did not plow or sow, I would have nothing at all. 1)
For without my work he will not let it be done, and yet it shall not be done by my work. He does not want me to sit at home and be lazy and command God, and wait until a roasted chicken flies into my mouth. That is God's temptation, that he should let something grow for me, since nothing else grows; he does not want that. Therefore it is well said that the ancients said: Dat Deus omne bonum, sed non per cornua taurum. And so we must keep ourselves in heart, knowing that nothing will come of it unless he does it, that God may have room, and that he may get a tabernacle with thee, wherein he may hide himself. So they used their armor of war, as if they were skilled in battle and warlike. As if God wanted to say: I will use you for a pretense in this matter alone.
V.20-22. So they departed from Sukhoth, and pitched tents in Etham, which is before the wilderness. And the LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them in the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light to walk by day and by night. The pillar of cloud and pillar of fire never departed from the people.
(27) This is also a marvelous miracle, that God has placed a pillar of white cloud in the sky by day and a pillar of fire in the sky by night, according to which the children of Israel should travel. This miracle is often remembered in the Holy Scriptures, as in the fourteenth chapter of Exodus, v. 14, and also in Nehemiah, v. 12. For God wanted to indicate that He wanted to be present with His people, to protect them from their adversaries, and not to abandon them with counsel and action in all kinds of dangers, but to provide for their survival in the darkness.
1) The meaning of the last sentence will be: God wants me to stand as if I would have nothing at all if I did not plow or sow.
sal that it may be endured [1 Cor. 10:13].
028 We Christians also walk out of Egypt, out of the kingdom of the devil and of sins, toward the promised land, that is, toward eternal life; and come into the wilderness, that is, into all kinds of tribulation, distress, and trouble; not knowing the way, that we might
and overcome them. But God gives us guides, as the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, that is, the preaching of the divine word and the custom of the reverend sacraments; which shine and shine before us, that we may meet the way in the desert and find it to eternal life.