In the third month after the children of Israel came out of Egypt, they came that day into the wilderness of Sinai. For they departed from Raphidim, and went into the wilderness of Sinai, and pitched there in the wilderness toward the mountain. And Moses went up to God.
Moses is here a mediator who carries the words of the people to God and the words of God to the people. This is also indicated by Paul, Gal. 3, 19, where 3) he speaks of the law: "And is delivered (spoken) by the angels through the hand of the mediator." But now we have God Himself as a mediator, as St. Paul says 1 Tim. 2, 5].
V. 3. And the LORD called unto him from the mount, saying, Thus shalt thou say unto the house of Jacob, and proclaim unto the children of Israel 2c.
2. this is the preface and the entrance to the people, so that god may have a
3) Wittenberger and Erlanger: so.
Gedingt does with the people; as if he wanted to speak: Dear people, before I deal with you, I will first talk to you whether you want to accept and keep this. As with us, if one wants to make a law in a city, one calls the people, asks the congregation whether they want to accept the law. The Lord does the same here; he does not want to force them to accept it, but if they accept it, he wants them to keep it, as follows in the text:
V. 4. You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to me.
3 Now it is true: I have not only brought you to myself, but I have also carried you on eagles' wings, you have seen the good deeds, you have seen the miracles, how I brought you out of Egypt, fed you in the desert, preserved you, protected you, provided you with shoes and clothes. Now you have the choice whether you
4) Geding Uebereinkunft, contract.
1012 Eri. ss, 10-12. sermon on Ex. 19:4, 5. w. m, isis-isi7. 1013
to have such a God, or to choose another. Now follow on:
V. 5. If therefore ye will obey my voice, and keep my covenant, ye shall be my possession before all nations 2c.
(4) This saying should be covered with red ink, that one may answer the spirits of the wicked. He says: He wants to have them as a people, as property. Say you to the red spirits: Put the glasses on your nose, look at the text right, he does not speak the words to the Gentiles, but only to the people of Israel. He says, 1) Israel is his people. If I am of the people of Israel, then I will do what Moses says. But the words make a difference. Many have been deceived with Moses; whoever can still resist, let him resist; it is high time. May God grant that the high and proud spirits may learn to understand Moses correctly; but they are running. May God grant that they do not tear down any further.
Will you now obey my voice and keep my covenant.
5 That is, you will accept and keep my law, which I will give you.
So you shall be my possession before all nations, for the whole earth is mine. [And ye shall be unto me a priestly kingdom, and a holy nation.
6 That is, I will adopt you as a special people, whom I will govern outwardly with laws, and no other people; as also David speaks in the Psalter, Ps. 147:19, 20: "He showeth Jacob his word, Israel his statutes and his judgments. He will not do this to a nation, nor will he let them know his judgments. For at that time he let all the Gentiles go as they went; though at times he drew out of the Gentiles some, as, in Arabia, Job, and Naaman the leper in Syria 2c. But he never separated such a multitude as he did with Israel. Therefore saith he, If ye will keep my covenant, then ye shall be my possession, and I will be your God and Lord, and will dwell in the midst of you: though the earth be mine, yet will I be your God and Lord.
1) Wittenberger: does not speak.
I will choose you, I will do something special with you, and you shall be a priestly kingdom and a holy nation to me. Thus God said: Moses, go, tell the people, teach them what they want to do. This was the counsel and theiding, 2) whether they would become one in the matter.
(7) What a fine orator and speaker is God! First, he tells them of the good deeds he has done for them; then he asks them whether they will accept him, recognize him as God, and keep his covenant. He tells them how he led them out of Egypt. This is the first good deed.
The other, that he led them on wings like an eagle; which Moses also indicates in his song in the fifth book Cap. 32, 3) 11.: "Like an eagle wakes up its nest, 4) and hovers over its young. He spread out his wings, and took him, and carried him on his wings." It is a special way of speaking: As the eagle teaches its young to fly 5) so have I dealt with you. I brought you out of Egypt, fed you in the wilderness with the bread of heaven, gave you water out of your rock, drove out the serpents, kept your shoes and garments intact, preserved and protected you from your enemies, rode with you as a father with his child; this I did to you, that I taught you to fly, that is, that you should follow me and believe me.
(9) Therefore, if you are moved by this example to accept me as a god, I will accept you as a priestly kingdom, that is, you shall all be priests and kings. St. Peter 1. Ep. 2, 9. carries out this saying, and points it to all Christians. All Christians are kings and priests, of which you have heard enough in other places and read in 6) books.
2) Wittenberger and Jenaer: "teiding", Erlanger: "Theding". According to the latter reading of the original, the assumption is obvious that "Geding" is to be read. Cf. 2 at the beginning and § 21. Otherwise, Theiding Rede would have to be taken here, as in the St. Louis edition, Vol. VIII, 978, § 23.
3) Wittenberger and Erlanger: Cap. 33.
4) Instead of: "wakes up his nest" the Bible offers: "ausfiihret his young"; here the same is explained immediately following by: "teaches his young to fly."
5) Erlanger: lernet.
6) "in" is missing in the Erlanger.
Be king.
V. 6. You shall be a priestly kingdom to me.
(10) But why does Moses apply this saying to the Jews alone? Answer: This saying was given to the Jews before they received the law: If ye will keep my commandments, and not break my covenant, then shall ye be kings and priests. So that they were not yet a law-keeping people; they were like those who believe according to the law, to whom no law has been given. Whosoever therefore believeth in God without any law shall be a priest and a king, whether he be Jew or Gentile, before or after the law.
(11) But they are not such great kings as the kings of the world are. For these are not true kings; they are only penny-pinchers and painted kings against the faithful, for they reign only temporally and outwardly. But the believers are righteous kings; not that they wear a golden crown on their heads, carry a golden scepter, walk in silk, velvet and golden pieces and purple, but, which is much more glorious, they are lords over death, the devil, hell and all misfortune. The worldly kings alone can handle gold, silver, money and goods, have wealth and power, strangle and torment the people, plunder, abuse and scrape their subjects, but they cannot help themselves; they cannot ward off the slightest ulcer on a finger, or that their belly, head and limbs do not hurt. Much less can they ward off sin, death, the devil, hell, sickness, misfortune 2c. Are therefore kings, as pennies are florins, and painted kings on the map are kings.
For to the true believing kings, who are in the kingdom of Christ, shame is an honor, hell is the kingdom of heaven, death is life, the devil is a brave man, sin is righteousness, misfortune is happiness, poverty is riches 2c. For they are lords over all things, asking after no one, because they are God's children, and have God for a friend, yes, dear Father [Rom. 9, 26.], with whom they find riches, great treasures and all goods, and the abundance of the same. Therefore
No sin, death, devil, hell, hunger, thirst, cold, heat, sword, nor all misfortune harm them; yes, in all this they overcome far, and find in all this the contradiction: in poverty riches, in sin righteousness, in disgrace great honor, in hunger and thirst all abundance, as has been said. Thus, because they have such inward riches, they pay no attention to worldly splendor, despising the golden crowns, purple, silk, gold, silver, money and goods. A golden crown, purple and jewelry belong to the kings at cards, it is all too bad for the children of God.
13. God is not to be portrayed as sitting in heaven on a golden chair, in purple and golden robes, with a golden scepter and crown, but as a Lord who sustains all things, fulfills all things, is present in all creatures, creates and does everything in all things, has everything in his hand; who is a Lord over sin, death, devils, hell, all misfortune and evil. So all those who trust and believe in him are kings. Therefore they have the same authority with their father, inherit all his goods, but still in hope, Rom. 8, 17. 1 Joh. 3, 1. 2.
14th Now therefore the words of Moses, when he saith, If ye shall keep my words, 2c. ye shall be priests and kings, shall not be understood of worldly kings, but of inward and spiritual kings in the faith, which are in the kingdom of Christ, wherein they are all kings, having equal authority with the most high King JESUS CHRIST, in which 2) kingdom every man is king for himself. If therefore ye shall keep, saith he, my covenant, ye shall not be temporal kings, but spiritual, and priests, that is, bishops and popes. God forgive me for mentioning the name here, I should not mention it!
Be a priest.
15) What then is a priest? In which mouth God puts His word, as Malachias [Cap. 2, 7.] speaks: 3) Labia sacerdotis custo-
1) Wittenberger: "Heirs of all his".
2) Jenaer: which.
3) "speaks" is missing in the Erlanger.
diunt scientiam [the priest's lips preserve the teachers; item, he offers and asks for the others. Such a priest in faith may come before God, plead for the people, speak their word, and present their best to God, then go forth from God to the people, presenting to them God's answer and command. And such a priest's word shall be as valid as God's word itself, because he does not lead his word, but God's word, which is an honor above all honor, as St. Peter says [1 Ep. 2, 9].
16 This then is the summa summarum of this saying: He that hath my word, and believeth it, is a priest; if ye then be my people, ye have faith. He therefore that hath faith is king and lord over sin, death, the devil, hell, and all calamities; for faith alone doth put you in such goods and glory. He that hath faith hath all things, is able to do all things, overcometh all things [Rom. 8:37, 38], neither temporal nor eternal, neither can the gates of hell hurt him [Matt. 16:18].
(17) Then he who has the word of God is a priest, and he who hears him hears God Himself. Thus, to be a priest and a king is nothing else than to have faith and the Holy Spirit, to preach the grace of God to others, and to come before God in good faith, as a child to its father. It is a small thing to preach, to ask and to plead in a" right faith; but it is a great, mighty thing in the sight of God that a man, a poor, miserable sack of maggots, should come to such honor.
He promises them such honor when they keep his covenant. In addition to the spiritual kingdom and priesthood, he also appointed a physical kingdom and priesthood, of which Moses spoke later 1). Here he deals only with the spiritual priesthood and kingdom, and with the people who kept such a covenant. But those who disbelieved and did not obey his words were not affected by this saying, but were under the kingdom of the flesh. Nevertheless, at the same time God had some who were subject to the spiritual kingdom and priesthood as well as to the 2) physical kingdom and priesthood.
1) Wittenberger: also afterwards.
2) "dem" is found only in the Jenaer.
019 But when the gospel began, he abolished the fleshly priesthood, and the spiritual priesthood was preached throughout the whole world by the apostles. As David was a spiritual and physical king, yet he was subject to the physical priesthood, and yet he was a true spiritual priest; of which priesthood he wrote many beautiful psalms.
20 Therefore every Christian is a king to himself, and a priest to others. The priesthood is higher than the kingdom, it extends further. For the priest ministers the word not for himself alone, but for others; but the faith, by which he first becomes king, he has for himself alone.
These are the words you are to say to the children of Israel.
(21) This is the thing and the covenant that God has given to His people. Now the answer of the people will follow, how they will become one.
V. 7 Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which the LORD had commanded.
22 It is said above, at the end of the eighteenth chapter, how Moses had appointed captains from the council of Jethro his counselor; of whom he has appointed some over a thousand, over a hundred, over fifty, and over ten, whom he here calls the elders, and are the rulers of the council. But he does not call them the elders without cause, for the elders were taken for heads. For the young are foolish, 3) unskilled and inexperienced for the regiment; although they are sometimes pious, they are still unskilled and unfit for the regiment. For it is not enough to be pious for the regiment. A donkey is also pious. It takes skill and experience. One can find a pious man, but he can hardly count five. He who is to rule must not lack reason, wisdom, prudence, sense and wit, if he is not otherwise to do great harm in the regiment. For the regiment is subject to reason.
23. the Gentiles also experienced and used this, both Greeks and Romans, as then
3) Wittenberger: foolish and.
of both their languages. For in Greek and Latin the rulers who are to preside over the others are called presbyteros and senatores, the elders. As if they wanted to speak: Age shall rule, youth shall be ruled; as also St. Peter [1 Ep. 5, 5. 1) exhorts the elders that they should preside over youth, and the young that they should obey the elders and be subjects [1 Tim. 5, 17.].
24 Although 1) God at times gives a young man more wit and understanding than an old man, Timothy and Solomon, the natural order is that wit is with the old, ignorance with the young. And God 2) also considers the world, that the old are more sensible than the young, therefore a common saying goes: One should not rub against old boilers, otherwise one sows crud. And another: If youth were wise and old age strong, it could not be paid for with gold. Youth is strong, and old age wise, sensible and witty; therefore youth should be obedient to old age, so that they need the strength rightly; that is the right way.
(25) Hear an example of a wagoner and horses. The horses, even though they are stronger, must obey the wagoner, and when they do, the wagon goes on its way. For it is much more up to the carter, even though he is weaker than the horses, than to the horses; he is the cleverest, he shows the way and the path. But where the horses do not listen, run over bushes and sticks, they break themselves, the wagon and the driver. In the world, too, things go well when youth is obedient to age. For youth runs easily with its strength; where it is not led in a bridle, everything goes to ruin. Therefore, the world is not well governed, where one wants to pass through with the head, 3) burdi burdi, only through, like the sow through the pen, 4) It does not turn out well. As it is happening now with our great princes.
1) Wittenberg and Jena: Wiewohl aber.
2) We consider that this reading of the editions is hardly correct. Instead of "And God" would be to be read: And so" or: "And such".
3) In the old editions: unsun.
4) Jenaer: Kobe. Wittenberger and Erlanger: Kober.
26 Moses called the elders, because it was too much for him to interrogate such a large people, namely six times a hundred thousand men. 5) Therefore he divided the regiment among the chiefs, who were to present it to the people and bring back an answer from the people. Therefore, he divided the regiment among the chiefs, who were to present it to the people, and again bring an answer from the people.
V. 8 And all the people answered at once, and said: All that the Lord has spoken we will do.
27 Drive on nicely, dear fellows, it is too high and too much presumptuous. This is how it happened: The captains, each one in particular, asked their subjects if they would accept the covenant, and when they all agreed at the same time and agreed to the matter, the captains came back to Moses, and at the same time they all told him how the people were willing to accept the covenant. Then the covenant began, and Moses carried it before God as a mediator.
V. 9. And Moses told the people's words again unto the LORD. And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, I will come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear my words which I speak unto thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses declared unto the LORD the words of the people.
28 Moses spoke to the people: You have now joined yourselves, you will hear the LORD himself speak; he will come in a thick cloud, that is, with lightning, 7) thunder, and cruel tempest. Now follows the text:
That the people may hear my words that I speak to you, and believe you (Mosi) forever.
(29) How this was done will follow hereafter. The people heard God and Moses speaking on the mountain. God spoke, and Moses answered him; and the people heard the speech and the answer.
That it believes you.
030 This is that thou, Moses, mayest obtain a name and a reputation before the people, that they may know that thou thyself didst receive it from me.
5) Erlanger: was.
6) "nun" is missing in the Wittenberger.
7) Wittenberger: "and thunder". - Since there are many such insignificant variants in the Wittenberg, we will not note them hereafter.
and not conceived from their own heads and presumptions. So they have become one in the matter; now it starts as follows:
V. 10 The LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow.
This is the third message of God through Moses to the people. But what the holy is, is dealt with enough above, at the beginning of this chapter. Continue in the text:
V. 11: That they wash their clothes and be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down before all the people on Mount Sinai.
32) That is, that they should be beautifully dressed and adorned in their best clothes; as is also shown in chapter 33, vv. 4, 5, where the Lord, angry because of their stubbornness, commands them to take off their jewelry and to put on common, everyday clothes: this they did, and they suffered, and no one wore his jewelry, because the Lord was angry. But here the Lord commands them to appear before him adorned and decorated.
V. 12 And put signs round about the people, and say unto them: Beware that ye go not up into the mountain, nor touch the end thereof.
033 Now this is a piece: when they are sanctified and adorned, put marks with barriers about the mountain, that they go not too far. But let it not be understood that the people hasted almost to go up into the mountain; for they feared, and would rather have been over all the mountains: but before the LORD came down, and descended into the mountain, they went. For when he came down in fire and thunder, there was no need for him to forbid them not to go. So they fled as the devil chased them; they trembled and were almost dead from great terror, and would rather have been over a hundred miles than stood at the bottom of the mountain.
34 Now this is the opinion of this text: Thou shalt sanctify it, and shut it up, before I come down into the mountain: otherwise the people would be so forward as to see what was in the mountain. So I will sanctify the mountain three days; on the third day I will sanctify it.
I will prevent them from coming near. For when they hear the voice, and the thunder, and the lightning, and the trumpets, they will not come near: otherwise the people 1) would have been so bold as to go up before the time. So he put a fear in them, that he would have the mountain honored as a place or place where God should come. Just as if a householder were told: Keep your house clean, for three days a prince will come to you, then he would keep his house clean, and prepare a beautiful dwelling place for the Lord, and make sure that no pig, horse, ox or animal enters. So God would have kept the mountain holy for him, so that no one would enter before him.
V. 13: For whosoever toucheth the mountain shall surely be put to death. No hand shall touch it, but it shall be stoned or shot with a bullet 2); whether it be animal or man, it shall not live.
35 He rebukes them so severely that they do not approach the mountain, that he forbids them, that whoever approaches will be stoned 2c. All this is done to make them timid and fearful. Are these the holy people who have thus adorned themselves, adorned and sanctified themselves, washed their robes, and in other outward holiness made themselves most excellent? Why do they not go there? They do not ask for anything.
When the horn sounds, let them climb the mountain.
(36) Then remove the marks and the barriers, and let them come and go up. Earlier he frightened them with words, now he will do the outward signs. There you see how the Lord drew in the people in an outward way and drove them, so that they also had to be astonished before the mountain, which was nothing else but stone and earth. Now follow how the people come near and God descends on the mountain 2c.
1) "Volk" is missing in the Wittenberg; in the Jena it stands as a conjecture in the margin.
2) In the old editions: "schos".
V.14-25 Moses came down from the mountain to the people, and sanctified them, and they washed their clothes; and he said unto them, Be ye ready for the third day; and let no man draw nigh unto a wife. And it came to pass, when the third day was come, and it was morning, that there arose thunder and lightning, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the sound of a very great trumpet: and the people that were in the camp were afraid. And Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God, and they came down to the mountain. And all mount Sinai smoked, and the LORD descended upon it with fire; and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, so that all the mountain was sore afraid. And the sound of the trumpet was strong. Moses spoke, and God answered him loudly. When the LORD had come down to Mount Sinai, to the top of it, he called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. And the LORD said unto him, Go down, and testify unto the people, lest they break forth unto the LORD, and see him, and many fall from them. And the priests that come near unto the LORD shall sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break them. And Moses said unto the LORD, The people cannot go up into mount Sinai: for thou hast testified unto us, saying, Put signs round about the mountain, and sanctify it. And the LORD said unto him, Go up, get thee down: thou and Aaron with thee shall go up; but the priests and the people shall not go up, to go up unto the LORD, lest he break them in pieces. And Moses went down unto the people, and told them.
In this text we are told how it happened when Moses brought the people to hear the voice of God from heaven, as was said earlier. Now there is a special part here about the priests, of which the text speaks, that they should sanctify themselves beforehand, so that God does not break them: You and Aaron, says the Lord, go up; but the others are to remain below.
038 If any man ask, How is it that he remembereth the priests, when the priests were not yet at that time? For it will follow in the third book Cap. 1, 5. 3, 2. ff. how God chose the tribe of Levi and Aaron to be Levites and priests.
The priests should be those who were not yet ordered at the same time. How then does he call them priests here? Answer: This must be understood in this way: In the first book of Moses you often read that priests were before the old testament, that is, the law of Moses was given to the Jews, as also now and in the new testament priests are, namely, who have the word of God, understand, and preach to the others, as Adam, Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob also were, have preached 2c.
39] But they have not been smeared priests, like our papist monks and priests, who are shorn, wear plates, enter in robes and long skirts, say mass, sing vigils, read and mumble their seven tides; do not care much about the ministry of preaching, which is their right office alone; only think that they are and remain great lords. But that the poor souls perish, suffer hunger at the word of God, they do not care much about it; [they] eat, drink, and do not live like the common man, thinking thereby to be of a holier and higher status and merit before God than other people who do not follow their monkey game.
40 But Adam, Noah, Enoch, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob 2c. were not such idols and moles, but lived like other people, ate and drank like other people, wore clothes like other people. But because of this they were called priests and prophets, that they preached the word of God, led the people, taught and admonished 2c. So such priests remained among the people, who led the word of God and such priesthood, until the hour when they ascended Mount Sinai, and one of the twelve families of Israel, namely the house of Levi, was chosen and appointed by God to lead the outward priesthood, Deut. 3, 6. which priesthood is so much better than the papal priesthood, that it has a command from God, and a reason from the divine word, but that one does not have a letter.
41. But the right office of the priests is that they lead the word of God; this was before the Old Testament, in, and also after. The other way, which Mosi's and the pope's priests use, is only an outward larva.
and children's play; however, the former is appointed by God to the figure of the right priesthood, but the latter is a mere monkey play.
042 And when they were ready, and had washed and arrayed themselves, as Moses commanded them, on the third day, there came a great and terrible weather upon mount Sinai. You know that it is frightening to all people when a great, violent weather comes suddenly, as if it wants to tear down everything, heaven and earth collapse, one thunder and lightning follows the other. The world becomes too narrow, one does not know where he is safe, where he should flee to. The Jews were terrified because they were in the desert and had no houses. In addition, the storm came quickly and unexpectedly, with thunder and lightning, and with such fire as is written in the fifth book of Moses, Cap. 4, 11, that the fire reached to heaven, as it is wont to do when such great storms come. In addition, there was a great darkness, clouds and 1) darkness, and thunder, and a great downpour. In sum, it seemed as if heaven and earth were about to fall in a heap, so that they thought, and could not help thinking, that they would all perish at once. He adds something greater, and says:
And a note of a very strong trombone 2c.
(43) They heard that it was something more and greater than a bad weather, and that there was a great, thick smoke and steam around the mountain, like smoke from a furnace, that is, a black cloud, like black pitch smoke. Then think every man for himself, what fun there was in such a cruel weather, with thunder, lightning, smoke and trumpets. There was laughter to bite. This was the glory of God, when he showed his power in his future on Mount Sinai.
44 Now Moses leads them to hear God speak for themselves, but there was no heart, no courage, no love, no desire for them to go to God. And the text, namely, when he says, "And the people that were in the camp were afraid," is well to be remembered, for Moses has made him
1) "and" is missing in the Wittenberg and in the Jena.
not written in vain. For God wants to indicate with it how we are sent against Him. It is a dear, pious God when he is silent and keeps still. He also speaks through the tongues of men, but there is neither fear nor fright; indeed, they are mocked, beheaded and drowned who speak the word of God. But if God should speak again in this way, then no emperor, king, prince or lord would be so powerful, his heart would falter and fall away, [he] would not be allowed to tremble.
45. Therefore, once God lets Himself be heard, no one's heart can stand before Him. The three disciples on Mount Thabor, when they heard God's voice, fell down as if they were dead [Matth. 17, 6]. And the Jews, who wanted to hash Christ in the garden, were overthrown with one word of Christ [John 18:6]. Our dear papists also boast much about free will, and good works and merits. They boast well, because God does not speak; but if He should speak to them as He did to the Jews, they would probably run back, crawl into a corner, and forget their boasting.
The Jews were pure and ready, as has been said, but when they were to go up, they were frightened and terrified. They were outwardly ready to the best of their ability, more than all the papists, monks, priests and nuns could prepare: yet it was impossible for them to stand before God. Is this not a great shame and a miserable plague, that we should flee from God, who gives us life and limb and everything we have? Where do we want to go, if we do not want to run to Him, yes, to whom we cannot escape? as David indicates in the Psalter, Ps. 139, 7-12: "Where shall I go before Your Spirit? and where shall I flee before Your face? If I go to heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there also. If I take the wings of the dawn, and abide at the uttermost sea, yet thine hand shall lead me there, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, "Let darkness cover me," the night is also light around me. For even darkness is not dark with thee, and the night shineth as the day; darkness is as the light" 2c.
47 Therefore, you see what the man for
is a creature, that where he is without faith, there is only anger and hatred in him against God. And this is an important text, which shows brightly how man is skillful against God. He flees Him, is an enemy of God, blasphemes Him. Because he is afraid of Him and fears Him as a severe judge, he cannot think of anything good to do to Him. Therefore we conclude from this text that all men are enemies of God, cannot stand him, hate his law. And even though they speak it with their mouths, they want to do and accept what God gives, like the Jews here, it is only hypocrisy, the heart never experiences it. And as the weather roars outwardly, making them afraid and despondent, so it was even worse in the hearts of the Jews; their hearts were writhing as if they were to be strangled and perish every hour.
Mount Sinai shows, and God through the mountain, what the heart feels when the Law is opened to it and it is moved by the judgment of God. Ask a man who is without faith and is now to die, what thoughts he has and what is before his eyes? He would certainly answer: Nothing but death. For just as the Jews saw lightning, thunder, smoke, downpour, so that their heart stood as if they were about to die, they were not safe for a moment, there was no other image before their eyes but death, they saw their executioner from heaven, they thought God was a cane-master and executioner, standing behind them with a club, and wanted to strike them on the head; so also a heart that is left to itself thinks 2) God is an executioner and cane-master.
49. A dying man, who is without faith, has nothing but thunder, lightning, hell, hellish fire, the wrath of God before his eyes; feels nothing but death. Why? God speaks to him and holds the law before him. There he recognizes what he has done, and the conscience knows what it has come to, because God has opened the law to him. There is no rest, but only fleeing, trembling and fidgeting; like Adam in paradise, when he heard God speak, Gen. 3, 9. 10, he would have gladly fled over a hundred miles, over all the mountains, if he had
1) Erlanger: People without faith, the now.
2) Wittenberg and Erlanger: has.
The whole paradise was too narrow for him, but he could not escape God.
(50) We know it, but we do not believe it, for we have not experienced it. But those who have experienced it, who have sometimes been in misfortune, in great hardships of water, fire or death, know how to tell what kind of heart such a person has against God, how it does not trust him at all, but flees from him as from the wretched devil. From this powerful text we are to conclude that there is nothing good in man.
(51) Where, then, is the doctrine of preparation for grace, since they speak: We shall do as much as is in us? They speak of the matter as a blind man speaks of the color, they do not know what they are talking about; for if they prepare and send themselves in the best way when it comes to the meeting, the world will be too narrow for them. To prepare oneself from one's own strength cannot stand before God, cannot hold the sting. When death snorts under our eyes, it all falls away, stands like butter on the sun. We must be taught differently how to go to meet God and stand before Him. And (as it is written in 1 John 2:28) 3) it is very important that we may stand and not be ashamed when he comes. I would be a bad Christian if I wanted God to remain outside with the last day, when Christ Luc. 21, 30. comforts His own with the last day, as with the summer.
Now, what do works, caps, plates, spiritual status help us? If I sweat blood and torture myself to death, it will fall away; if death comes, it will not stop the fear and wrath of God. What is it then that I torture myself long and to death, if I am not corrected? Nothing helps, neither our word nor our work. It is Christ alone whom I must recognize as a brother and friend, and say to God: Lord, I know of no one, neither in heaven nor on earth, to whom I may have a comforting refuge, but to you, through Christ. I must strip myself naked, from all friends, works and deeds.
3) "geschrieben steht" and immediately following: "gar" is missing in the Erlanger.
service. Lord, I have no refuge but in thy divine bosom, wherein the Son sitteth. If I do not have hope, it is lost.
This text has been put under the bench. Had it been pulled out, we would have known what man is capable of before God, and the doctrine of works and free will would not have been so torn down, which cannot hold a candle. Therefore, the devil dares to use it; and if it does not help, or if it persists, when it comes to the meeting, then God grant a good night to all priests, monks, plates, caps, works, merits, and all good life. For it must be another and much higher thing that leads me to God than a lousy cap or plate. In short, there must be such a courage and heart that does not fear the wrath of God, sin, death, the devil and hell; and where it already fears and is terrified that it will finally break through freely. But no cap can give me such courage; there must be something higher and better than the merit and work of all monks and nuns.
(54) I have admonished you, and do so again, that ye consider the text well, for it is mighty; and the true Christians also know what it is able to do, how mighty it is, as David, who also was therein, hath well known.
55 The epistle to the Hebrews, Cap. 12, 20. 21, shows from this place of the other
1) Instead of "so" should probably read "there".
Book of Moses, that Moses was also terrified, together with the other Jews. For as the epistle there tells us, he said at Mount Sinai, "I am afraid, and tremble." 2) And the terror was because there went out a smoke as of a furnace, and a sound of a trumpet was heard in terror 2c. Summa Summarum: There is no saint who would not be frightened by this, because he would be completely perfect and accomplished.
(56) This then shall be our work, that we may come to it by faith and the word of God, that we may grow stronger and bolder day by day, the longer the more we learn to know Christ, not only with the ears and tongue, but that it may come into the heart also. For the greater the knowledge, the less the fear; and the less the knowledge, the greater the fear. There is condemned all our being, with works, masses, vigils 2c.
57) And the next thing that follows, how the Lord called Moses to go down and testify to the people, 2c., is not yet the ten commandments, but a preface; and though the people did not understand the language, yet they heard the voice; and when God spoke to them, the thunder and the lightning and the trumpet kept silence, that they might hear and understand the voice; but the fire and the thick cloud stood for and for, that the voice of the ten commandments might be heard.
2) Erlanger: I am fearful and trembling.