from the 19th and 20th chapters of the second book of Moses, preached at Wittenberg by D. Martin Luther.*)
1526. Printed in 1528.
In these two chapters you will hear how God gave the Ten Commandments to the people of Israel and practiced them as follows. 1)
1. but I will 2) faithfully warn and admonish all those who want to teach other people, and lead and preach the word of God, that they take care with all diligence and seriousness, that they teach Moses rightly and present him to the people; namely, where he gives commandments, where he demands and drives something, that they let him remain a master, teacher and lawgiver of the Jews, and do not drive him on the Gentiles or Christians, so that their conscience is neither 3) entangled nor confused. For he concerns us no further than to agree with the natural law. We have our Master, Christ Jesus, who has set before us the things which we ought to know, to keep, to do, and to abstain from.
(2) It is true that over the laws Moses also writes beautiful examples, both of faith and unbelief, of the punishment of the wicked and the ungodly, and of the exaltation of the faithful. Above all these, which are the best in Moses, are the kind, lovely promises and assurances, which we are to accept, to which we also belong, which concern and afflict us, as, of the seed, in which all the Gentiles are to receive the
1) Here Luther will have read the text of the 19th and 20th chapters of the second book of Moses.
2) "but" is missing in the Wittenberg.
3) Walch and Erlanger: again.
Blessing 2c. [We have an example in Luke, Cap. 17, 14, of the ten lepers. Now that Christ calls them to go to the priests, and they show themselves to the priests, does not concern me, for he speaks according to the law of Moses, which does not bind us. But the example of their faith concerns me, that I, like them, believe Christ, and, like the certain Samaritan [Luc. 17, 18. 19.] ascribes cleansing and blessing to Christ, praises, glorifies and gives thanks.
(3) Now enough has been said about this above, in the preface [to the first book of Moses] (4) in breadth and length, and it is well to be remembered, for there is power in it. For many great, excellent men have been lacking in it, and also now and many great preachers, who do not take proper care, push themselves hard in this place, do not know how to preach Moses rightly, want to make a Moses out of Christ, a law book out of the Gospel, works out of the word; harness the horses behind the chariots, do not know themselves what they are talking about; are mad and foolish, rush and rage like mad dogs; shout and chatter to the people: God's word, God's word; seduce the poor people, and push them into the pit. There have been many learned people, saints and fathers
4) We have taken the bracketed words from the old edition of Walch. The Jena edition refers in the margin to the "Lessons" which we have included in Col. 2 of this volume. - In the Wittenberg edition, our writing follows immediately after the sermons on the first book of Moses.
*This interpretation belongs to the same sermon cycle as the preceding scripture, as can be seen from ? 22 of this scripture, belongs to the same sermon cycle as the preceding scripture, and will immediately follow in time. The peasants' revolt is mentioned several times as something past, e.g. Cap. 20, §120. 20, §120. In print, it first appeared in 1528 at Wittenberg with Hans Weiß under the title: "Auslegung der Zehen gepot. By Mart. Luther gepredigt zu Wittemberg, Aus dem. xix. und xx. Chapter of the other book Mosi, together with an instruction on how to read Moses. Mart. Luther. Wittemberg 1. 5. 28." Another edition was published without indication of time by Georg Rhaw at Wittenberg; a third at Erfurt in 1529. In the collections: in the Wittenberg (1556s, vol.V, p. 203; in the Jena (1566), vol. IV, pp. 4866: in the Altenburger, vol. IV, p. 580; in the Leipziger, vol. Ill, p. 609; and in the Erlanger, vol. 36, p. 1. We give the text according to the Erlanger edition, which brings the original print, comparing the Wittenberger and the Jenaer.
did not know how far Moses would go, how he should be taught. Origen, Jerome, and their like, have not known how far he serves.
Faith alone is valid before God.
Now let us examine the text, in which we see a fine example, which God sets before us as a mirror, how man is so unskilled to appear or act before God, when he alone has the commandments, reason, human wisdom, prudence, sense and wit, and free will, as when he commanded them [Ex. 19:10, 11] that they should wash their clothes three days before they go up the mountain, be holy and ready for the third day. And Moses added another thing, that they should be holy and clean enough without, that they should abstain from their wives.
(5) We who know, hear and have learned the gospel know that whether the garment is clean, defiled, stained or unclean does not serve for the certain and inward holiness that is to exist before God; yet God wanted them to be adorned and clean at the same time, to walk in beautiful clean garments. Such outward purity was their holiness at that time. They abstained from their wives for three days.
But in the new testament things are different. There Christ reaches deeper, namely into the heart, leg and marrow; there outward cleanliness is no longer valid; the shadow is over, the right body has taken its place. God no longer asks whether the garment is defiled or not, whether the body is clean or unclean, smeared or not smeared. Paul had chains on his feet when he was in prison, Apost. 16, 24, could not almost wash his clothes in the dungeon. The martyrs were full of wounds, bloodstained, drenched with sweat, went in with rags and bad clothes.
7) Christ was presented with an adulteress who was 1) caught in the act, John 8:3 ff. (not to mention that she should be with her husband), yet he does not strike her from him; the adultery does not hinder, but he absolves her and sets her free. Likewise the Jewish lady
1) Thus the Jenaer. Wittmberger and Erlanger: an.
At the well, Joh. 4, 9. 26. 27. who was considered unclean by the Jews, as she herself was surprised that Christ desired to drink from her, and the disciples were also surprised that He spoke to her as to a Gentile: yet He did not despise her, but spoke kindly to her and comforted her, and held a beautiful discourse about the future Messiah.
8. in the old testament, in which everything happened in one figure, he wanted to teach, force and restrain the youth and the coarse people by such outward holiness and purity, and thus show and guide them into inward holiness.
(9) But in this is the right knot, that God wants to show that before Him there is no help nor any holiness, be it as great as it always wants to be. For what he gives, he will give out of pure grace; he will keep the prize alone. The Jews were not so holy, strong and mighty that they could hear God speak, but were completely despondent, thought they would die, fled from God, and said to Moses, "Speak to us, and do not let God speak to us, or we will die.
This is their free will, this is their purity and holiness. When God begins to speak, they are overtaken by fear, they are completely in despair and distress; they flee from God, in whom they should seek all comfort, and run to a poor sinner who, like them, is flesh and blood; they seek more friendship, comfort and love from a man than from God. What kind of holiness and purity is this, which does nothing good to God? If it were righteous, it would keep the sting, not shy away from GOD. But this 3) holiness speaks to God impudently: I do not want yours, I do not like to hear you, I want to hear Moses, I prefer Moses.
11 To hell with such holiness! Man's heart should seek more good from God, should seek more help and comfort there, than from all angels, holy men and creatures; as a righteous Christian does. But the holy hypocrites flee from God, not wanting Him. What is this but speaking to God?
2) of some kind, any kind.
3) Thus the Jena. Wittenberg and Erlangen: the.
You are a cane-master, judge and executioner, who comes behind with a club, want to strike it to the head. If I can't stand God, who is so kind, who is our Savior and Beatificator, what devil can I stand?
There nature is depicted to us, how it is condemned and flees from God. Where is now the free will and the human powers? Where are the laws of man and the preachers of works who speak to man? Do your best, we must also do ours, send yourself to the grace of God, and you will become a child of blessedness? Yes, yes, it is unready and unskillful with our ability; when it goes to the meeting, it does not hold the sting.
With this text we may push all free will to the ground. How would they reconcile with God, whom they do not like to hear, fleeing from Him to a man, providing themselves more loyalty and love to a sinner than to God. What a fine reconciliation this is to me! If a son did not want to hear his father, who would be kind to him, but turned to a servant who was a bad boy, sought more friendship from the servant than from the father, without doubt, it would greatly annoy the father and hurt him that the son would forget all his father's loyalty and turn to a bad boy. So it is here also. But this shows that nature and free will cannot and cannot stand before God, for they are afraid that he will strike them with a club and consider him no other than a devil, an executioner and a master of sticks, who could do nothing but be angry.
14) From this we conclude 1) that where the Holy Spirit does not model the Gospel promise to the heart, man considers God to be a devil, an executioner, a cane-master and a judge, and does more good to the worst of boys than to God. Where such a heart flees from God, and cannot stand Him, only freely conclude that it blasphemes God, and is of the devil as it stands and goes. It is not to flee, but to come near, for he is a father. Whoever then flees, he is chased into hell, and is the devil's game.
1) Erlanger: resolve.
15 Now Moses writes here that it was done by the most holy ones, who prepared themselves three days before. If it were done by a sinner who was full of sins, it would be all right; but the holy ones abstained from their wives for three days beforehand, which was not unjust; they did what they liked, washed themselves, and prepared themselves in the best way, with all kinds of works, fasting, and whatever they could do. The same dear saints who were not tainted with fornication, pure from their own wives, adorned in the best and highest way that reason can, could not hear God, despaired and desponded of their own holiness. Therefore, this is an excellent text, which brings all holiness to the ground 2c. Thus it is indicated that we boys are in the skin where we are best and holiest 2c.
(16) So also our clergy, the holy people, have blued themselves with great holiness, and driven themselves, that they have become mad and senseless; and yet there is no more stupid and desponding people than they. [They vowed chastity, wore hard shirts, slept badly, fasted so that their breath stank, crawled into sackcloth, did this and that. But all this did not help them. Let us take St. Bernard as an example, whom I like to dress before other monks. For if ever there was a pious monk, it was St. Bernard. When he once lay so hard ill that he had ventured to die, 2) he had now kept virginity all his days, tortured himself with fasting and vigils that his breath stank; so that his brothers did not like to suffer him, he led a beautiful life, and did many beautiful sermons, was full of good works. When he saw the judgment of God, he said, "O Lord, I have spent my life wickedly and my time shamefully.
What have you done, dear St. Bernard, since you have been a monk, have preached beautiful sermons, have not been an adulterer, have taken nothing from anyone? Who will take away St. Bernard's works? The judgment of God. For when this is revealed to man, all man's righteousness has no place, may not stand; as David Ps. 143, 2. desires that God not be with him.
2) audacious --- devoted, prepared for.
I will enter into judgment, for before him no living man shall stand, nor be found righteous.
If then St. Bernard did not pass the judgment of God, how would other monks and priests pass? I hold St. Bernard higher than all monks and priests on earth; I have not heard nor 1) read his like. Therefore, God wants to indicate that all works are lost before His eyes, namely, if they are done in the opinion that one wants to stand before God with them.
19 Thus also St. John the Baptist with all his holiness must be a disgrace to all saints of works, because he testifies that he has it all from above, and points to Christ who takes away sin, Joh. 1, 29. 3, 27. not his holy life. I do not say about the works that are done for the benefit of the neighbor, and from
1) Wittenberg and Jena: and.
But that one should not come before God's judgment with such works to propitiate and befriend God, as the saints of works who roll up, bring their works, are hung therewith as with great sacks of hops, may speak to God: Pay me; as if he were a dawdler selling his kingdom of heaven.
20 Now this is written not only of the Jews, that they were not allowed to go, but also of all saints of works, who are well equipped with works; nor will they be dismayed when God's judgment approaches. How much less may those be added who are laden with sins. Much is said. He who has no more than good works, let him go to hell, he will gain nothing; it must be something greater than our holy life. The text of the 19th chapter follows. 2)
2) In the old editions, the last words form the heading of the following.