1. 1) Content. This is a prophecy how the Gentiles shall be called without the law, and that in a hidden way. According to this calling he abolishes the old law.
V. 1. The earth (terra) is the Lord's.
(2) In order that it may be understood that he is speaking [not only of the promised land, but] of the whole earth, he soon adds in the following part of the verse:
"The Earth Floor" 2c.
3. that it must be called the whole earth. Here he draws the listener into the middle of the matter, so that he sees before his eyes as if the gospel were already revealed now, and hands over to GOD the whole dominion in the whole world.
And what's inside.
4. everything that is inside, kings, princes, peoples, cities, fields, cattle, birds 2c.
The ground and what lives on it.
(5) This is what the earth is called, as far as one can live on it. So God is not only the God of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles, as Paul says to the Romans [Cap. 3, 29, 30].
V. 2. for he founded it on the seas.
(6) That it be heaven and earth, and that which is in them be well reckoned, it is no other king's; he hath founded them. Only the Scriptures have taught this, and no one else. For the philosophers still argue today about what the earth is based on. The Scripture says that it is founded on water, and says this according to the sight of the eyes. For the earth is, as it were, in the water, as it is said in the first book of Moses [Cap. 1, 9]: "Let the water be gathered together" 2c., "that one may see what is dry"; what we see before our eyes.
And prepared by the waters.
(7) These things are done so that the water may not be caught; therefore we see,
1) Note of the original: "September 22".
that cities and villages are not far from the water. Therefore he says that not men but God Himself founded the earth on the waters; that the cities are so divided and built on the waters is the order of our Lord God. Therefore this text goes against the Jews, who think that they alone are God's people, but the Gentiles are a people of the devil; but that is not true, he says here.
V. 3. Who will go to the mountain of the Lord?
This is a strong text against the Jews. Now you know that Paul argues against circumcision and that outward appearance of the person, that the Jews are the seed of Abraham; they have the prophecies, they have the promises, they are entrusted with the testament 2c. Here, the prophet also completely takes off such a veneer, God granting that it is a Gentile or a Jew, God does not ask anything. But that he needs a question, he does it for the sake of emphasis: Dear one, who will go to the mountain of the Lord? Soon the Jew answers, "I"; and the priest and his followers also, "I". But he says: It will not happen like that. "For the sake of ambiguity, however, he calls the mountain of the Lord not only the one in Jerusalem, but also the Oerter everywhere where the word of God is taught in the world.
V. 4. And who will stand in his holy place?
9. that is: who belongs to God's people?
Who has innocent hands.
With this he knocks the Jews before the head; because all hypocrites are bloodthirsty people. You want to be Jews and God's people; but you beat the prophets to death. That rhymes badly. Thus I say of the priest: You want to be the church, but you kill the godly, the Christians; that does not mean to be Christians; "Your hands are full of blood", Is. 1, 15. Thus every hypocrite is necessarily
a slayer of death; for the Scripture connects both with each other, as in the 55th Psalm, v. 24: "The bloodthirsty and false." As soon as the lie comes into the heart, murder follows it; for then they are jealous of their lies.
And is pure in heart.
10. where do you get it? Peter says ^Apost. 15:9]: "By faith the heart is cleansed." A heart that trusts in God is not defiled with another trust. Neither can the hypocrites. But he deliberately calls the work first, then the heart, so that he attacks them where they are most clearly to be attacked, namely in the very work of murder. But where there is no faith, there is necessarily an ungodly heart.
He who has no desire for loose teaching (Qui non levavit in vano animam suam).
This is a dark speech in Hebrew, which I do not know if I understand correctly. It is the same word "vi in the following Psalm [Ps. 25:1], "Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul." I take "lift up the soul" for be proud and blow out. This follows one another in right order: hypocrisy cloaked with lies and murder, and thereafter boasting, as it is said in the 10th Psalm, v. 4. "The wicked is so proud and angry that he asks for no man." For when they have done evil, they rejoice, and are glad when it is most evil; as the sophists are doing now at Augsburg. Secondly, this, "to lift up the soul," may be taken for seeing, delighting in, and indulging in vain and loose things; as it is written in Jeremiah [Cap. 44:14]: The land after which they lift up their souls, that is, for which they have lust and desire, they shall not find. Therefore this would be the mind: They are occupied with the most important things, are busy with it, and strive for it day and night. However, I prefer to follow the first opinion.
And do not swear falsely.
12. This is he who does not falsely call on the name of the LORD. "Swear" is the voice of false prophets, whose custom is to teach under the name of the LORD, and sell their lies: that is, "falsely
swear." Therefore [one must do away with] killing, being idolatrous, being proud, teaching evil and wrong; these must be done away with if it is in the way; thus the right name of God, the right calling, humility and love remain. Neither a Jew nor a priest has these things, but a godly man. That is why Judaism and Pabbism are at a standstill here; only that one has pure faith and righteous humility; all the rest is worthless.
V. 5. He will receive blessings from the Lord.
(13) There is an emphasis on "he", that is, anyone who does this will be blessed by God, regardless of whether he is a Jew or not. So that he will badly take away the blessing from all who have a reputation. This is a great promise, that he who has an innocent life and innocent hands shall be sure that he has a God, likewise that he shall have enough here and there. But this is part of it, that he who is blessed by the Lord shall bear the curse of the world and of men. Nevertheless it says here: "The blessing is as strong as the curse.
And righteousness from the GOD of his salvation.
14. He shall have the Holy Spirit and the grace of God for this. Here is the word ^Hos. 6, 6.]: "I delight in love and not in sacrifice." This is the righteousness not of law, or of public office, but which one owes to another among us, for it is all kinds of good deeds, done to our neighbor, which we owe to him. So now he says: He will receive "righteousness", that is, benefits and mercy from the God of his salvation. Here he also confesses that men do him evil and curse him. These are very strong promises, but in the time of trial they do not want to be seen.
V. 6: This is the generation that asks for him.
Here "generation" means a people that remains forever. So he says: "So must we inquire of God, that we may have the right word, and faith, and innocent hands. Being of the seed of Abraham, being circumcised, being a pope or a bishop is nothing.
This one seeks your face, Jacob.
16 "Jacob" I understand for Christ, that he wants to direct the whole people to Christ himself, whom he therefore calls Jacob, because he is a seed of Jacob; but it is also uncertain. Therefore you can understand it like this: These are people who seek your face, that is, the appearance of God Himself, as it is said in Moses [Ex. 33:14], "Your face go before us." For God must make Himself known to us in some visible sign, as He did in the pillar and other revelations; that is, God's faces, that is, things that are seen, by which God indicates that He is with us and favorable to us.
You, Jacob, have God's face. But who seeks it? No one, except those who have innocent hands 2c. Thus, in the Gospel there are three faces: baptism, in which God makes known that he is present; also, the visible word, and the sacrament of the altar.
V. 7. Make the gates wide (Attollite, portae, capita vestra).
18) After the prophecy, how the kingdom of the Lord Christ shall be revealed, there follows an exhortation: "Gentlemen, because it is about to happen that the king will come in, open the windows, the doors and the gates, and let him in. "The gates," he says, "that is where only gates are in all cities of all kingdoms. Through the gates are the public offices. Where there are gates, he says, lift up your heads, open them wide, make room. He wants to show how great this kingdom is, namely, that no gate is so wide that it can contain him. And he exhorted them to prepare the way for him, and to know that the greatest king of all was coming to them, greater than all the kingdoms of the world, that their gates were far too small.
And the doors in the world high.
That is where only doors are in the whole world.
That the king of honors moves in.
20 For honor is hidden, so the gates are closed to him, and no one desires to let him in. The authorities also oppose him, but it is of no avail. He is a mighty king of the cross, and yet glory is hidden under the cross.
V. 8. Who is the same king of honors?
This is how it will be for him: Who? say they, the heretic, the rebel? That is what they call the king. Who is the king of honors? This is spoken most contemptuously, and it shows the most certain contempt of this king; as he is also now despised at Augsburg. It is a ridiculous thing to them that he is called "a king of honor. Therefore he says further:
He is the LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
He is a mighty and powerful Lord, who has a great and mighty kingdom. But he does not speak of physical warfare, but rather he speaks in a fanciful way, as if the power to keep peace is based on laws, but the power to wage war is based on armor and weapons. These two things are with this king, and he also wars against the spirits under heaven.
V. 9. Open wide the gates 2c.
(23) He does not desist when he is once rejected, but repeats this verse only in defiance. The more they resist, the more he persists, because he wants to reign in the midst of his enemies.
V. 10. It is the LORD of hosts. He is the King of honors.
24. Christ is the LORD of hosts, for he is in daily armor and training. This must be said all the more often in this way, because it cannot be seen before the eyes.