of the kingdom and priesthood of our Lord Jesus Christ, prophesied and described by King David.
1. 4) God said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand,
002 Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.
3. the scepter of your power will be given to god.
4) In this interpretation, we could not (as we usually do) keep the verse count of the Bible, but were forced to keep the order that Luther himself followed here, because after the headings "The first verse" etc. he first gives a summary of the verse before he brings the text itself, but nowhere gives the whole verse, but only the parts of a verse one after the other.
Send from Sion, your dominion shall be in the midst of your enemies.
4. thy peoples shall be the volunteers in the day of thy power, in holy adornment; out of the mother of the dawn shall be born unto thee the dew of thy childbearing.
5 God has sworn, and will never repent, that you will be a priest forever, after the manner of Melchizedech.
6 The Lord at thy right hand hath broken the kings in the day of his wrath.
*) In the original: "Der hunderst und neünd Psalm", according to the Vulgate. Between Spalatin's inscription and this superscription, the original text of the psalm is printed in Latin according to the wording of the Vulgate with the superscription: ksalinus 6IX. cke re^no et kaeerckotio Okristi. Only the fourth (according to the Bible the third) verse Luther has given in his own translation so: kopuli tut spontunei in ckis virtutis tnse in clevre kuncto: ex matriee surorne tidi rc" pueritiae tuae, which in the Vulgate reads: Deourn prinoipiurn in <1ie virtutis tun" in splenckoridus kunetorurn: ex utero ante Ineikernrn Zenui te.
7. he will be a judge in the kingdom of the Gentiles, he will fulfill what has fallen apart, he will crush the heads that rule over many people's land.
8 He shall drink of the river of water in his departure, therefore he shall lift up his head.
The entrance? 1)
1) This Psalm is frightening to tyrants, ambitious overlords and prelates, who rise high without being called by God; but comforting to those who are oppressed and suffer violence. For 2) the tyrants follow after the devil, who always wants to ascend high from the beginning of the world. Therefore this psalm calls kings and chiefs the enemies of Christ, and bids them be broken. And finally the opinion is, that all the proud and mighty shall be brought low, and the humble and fallen shall be lifted up; so that all authority shall be given to Christ alone after mankind, and he alone shall reign; therefore he immediately raises up against the ambitious rulers.
The first verse.
This verse avoids the throne and kingdom of Christ, and gives this teaching and instruction that no one should give glory to Himself, but follow the Lord Christ, who has received the rule, the equality of God and the very best spiritual goods not from Himself, but by the command of God the Father.
God said to my Lord,
JEsu Christo [Hebr. 5, 5]. As if one should speak: My Lord Jesus Christ has not exalted Himself to be my Lord, as the arrogant and ambitious do, but by the commandment and requirement of God the Father.
3 Therefore beware, all of you who have exalted yourselves. The head and the spirit are for you.
1) In Luther's handwriting: "Interpretation".
2) In print, "when," and likewise throughout the interpretation; therefore, we do not note this further. In Luther's manuscript, however, we find: "then".
3) In the original: "of all", because "violence" is both masculine and feminine.
4) Isaiah writes [Cap. 2, 11]: Et curvabitur omnis sublimitas hominum, et humiliabitur altitudo virorum, all the height of the rulers will be bowed down, and all the supremacy of the prelates will be pressed down or laid low, and only the Lord will be exalted. Therefore, God says:
Sit down.
That is, you alone be the Lord; the king's seat and buttocks shall be yours and not another's. For the little word "sit down" expresses a kingdom. For thronus or sedes means a chair. Hence comes: Sede, königstuhl dich, be a king, sit on the king's chair.
To my right.
That is, to reign beside me, so far and away as myself, over all creatures in heaven and on earth; according to the words of the 8th Psalm, v. 7: "Thou hast set him over all thy hands' work and creatures, and hast subjected all things unto his feet."
4) And further, that he saith not, To my head, or to my left, he expresseth, first, that Christ is not equal with God after mankind, but is under God, though he be the Lord and head of all things, and none but God's subject, so that the holy apostle interpreteth and saith [1 Cor. 15:27.], "He that put all things under him hath put nothing out; without doubt he alone, 5) that put all things under him."
(5) Secondly, by the rights of God it is understood that the kingdom of the Lord Christ is a spiritual, hidden kingdom. For the visible and corporeal kingdoms or goods are called the left hand of God, though they are all subject to Christ; but his kingdom is not in them, but the kingdom of men in time is in them, yet subject to Christ.
The other verse.
(6) This other verse says full of the power and strife of Christ, and that no man shall avenge himself, but shall deliver up vengeance unto God.
4) In the manuscript: "als dann"; in print: "thus that".
5) So the handwriting. Print: alone, because the.
give. For God will subdue His children's enemies to all creatures forever with weakness.
Until I kill your enemies.
This is again spoken against the tyrants, who not only raise themselves up, but also subjugate their opponents and counterparts by their own power. But Christ, just as he does not exalt himself, so he does not oppress those who oppose him in this exaltation, but God the Father, who exalts him, also oppresses his enemies. In this we are clearly instructed, if Christ does not avenge Himself, 1) how much more should we not avenge ourselves on our enemies, but give this home to God, who says: "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay" [Deut. 32, 35. Rom. 12, 19.]. And now here: "Until I lay your enemies"; not you, but I will lay your enemies. Great comfort is this. 2)
7. you have enemies, but keep silent, I will act for you. Suffer thou, let me avenge. When he speaks through Moses [Ex. 23, 22.], "I will and will be an enemy to your enemies." O blind people! who impatiently seek revenge themselves, and do not hear that God speaks: "I will be your enemies" etc. As if he said: "I am more moved by your enemies than that they should be my enemies. So nearly do I take hold of thee: "He that toucheth thee toucheth the apple of mine eye" [Zech. 2:8]. Therefore he saith not, Till thou put away thine enemies; neither, Till I put away mine enemies; but, Till I put away thine enemies; etc. diligently warning us to be patient, and to return vengeance unto him, and to know his fatherly kindness toward us, and diligent care.
(8) Now the enemies of Christ are all tyrants, all who offer themselves for authority, unappointed by God, and all who do not want to be subject to Him, for God sets Him above all things. Therefore, those who are not obedient to him are disobedient to God, whose will they resist. And so Christ sits and reigns after mankind until the last day;
1) In print: "richt". In Luther's handwriting: "richet".
2) So the manuscript. In print, this last sentence is drawn to the following: "It is a great comfort that you have enemies."
Until the same God puts down His enemies without ceasing; but then Christ will hand over His regiment to the Father [1 Cor. 15, 28.], and God Himself will reign eternally, and will be in every one of all things. This is nothing different, according to St. Augustine's interpretation, because Christ now reigns after mankind in faith; but then faith will cease, and God Himself will be revealed, in which contemplation blessedness will last forever.
9) In the meantime, the enemies of Christ must be suppressed, and he must contend with them always, and overcome, that is, 3) the Jews, heretics, pagans, and evil Christians, even evil desires in man, all of whom must succumb; some in good, who humbly amend with lightning, some with evil, who hopefully harden and harden themselves.
To the footstool of your feet.
10 This is said according to the proverb, where a despised man is called a footstool. So shall all the proud and mighty be rejected of all creatures that are Christ's subjects. Although they are alive and mighty, and act against Christ and his own, and appear to be so great in the sight of men, and sit as heads, and pervade all things righteously and mightily, and walk freely and securely, yet it is a fearful thing to be a footstool of Christ. For in like manner as a man, 4) being in disgrace before one lord, hath no grace in any thing that is of the same lord, yet hath refuge in another lord; but Christ is a Lord over all things, so that there is nowhere to 5) flee before him; and all things are his, that is, all creatures shall chastise, curse, and be ungracious to his enemies and adversaries;
3) "is" is missing in print.
4) It seems to us that the text here is deficient. We would expect something like the following: "For it is not in the same way as with a man" etc. In Luther's manuscript, this sentence reads: "Then like as a man before a Lord, ynn Ungnaden kehns dingsgnaden hatt, das desselben Herr ißt. doch bei eim anderern Herrn zcuflucht hatt. But Christ" etc. Also in tz 12 "zcugleich" is certainly correctly resolved by "gleicher Weise".
5) In the original: "niendert. In Luther's handwriting in the text: "nyrgen"; in the margin: "nyndert.
and this shall last forever. This means that he says: They shall be a footstool of the seated King of Christ. He does not say, they shall be a block thrust away from His feet; to understand that as long as He sits, they shall be footstools, and at His feet, that is, forever. For his kingdom hath no end; so also, to be a footstool hath no end.
The third verse.
This third verse indicates the dominion of Christ, and that the scepter and royal power of Christ, that is, the Word and Gospel of Christ, is not of man, but of God alone. Therefore, it contains man iin means of temptation.
The scepter of your power.
Because Christ is a King and a Lord, reigning in faith between the last day and fighting with his enemies, one would like to ask: with what strength, ability, scaffolding, 1) or weapons he does this? For to strike down enemies and make footstools out of them must be done with some 2) strength and ability, since his enemies are in great appearance of power, and he appears with his own in all their inabilities and much suffering. Then he answers that Christ's power and ability is not in worldly weapons, not in armor and iron, not in men and horses, not in any bodily strength and ability, for his kingdom is spiritual, spiritual enemies, therefore also spiritual weapons and armor. But 3) his strength and ability is in the scepter, that is, in the unconquerable word of God, in the holy Gospel. For the holy apostle calls the gospel a power or strength of God to all those who believe in it [Rom. 1:16].
12) The word virga, which is written here, is called a rod or staff in Latin, as the judges carry in their hands; but in Hebrew it is called a scepter, such a rod as is written of Jacob the patriarch [Gen. 47:31, Heb. 11:21],
- 1) Scaffolding (handwriting: "sooty") - armor.
2) Print: "yendert"; manuscript: yrgend.
3) Handwriting: "Sundernn"; print: "Harnisch seind darin, wann".
that he worshipped the top or head of the rod that Joseph carried in his hand. This was the scepter over the kingdom of Egypt. For in like manner, 4) as such a rod is a sign, signifying the kingdom which he beareth, so it signifieth the gospel, and is a sign, revealing unto men the kingdom of Christ. It is also written [Esther 5:2] that King Ahasuerus held out to Queen Esther the golden rod, that is, his royal scepter, and she kissed the top, or head, of the same rod. Item, in the 45th Psalm, v. 7, of the same scepter David speaks: "A rod of righteousness is the rod of your kingdom."
13) And this is the rod, which is painted going out of the mouth of Christ, sitting on the rainbow; 5) and both the sword and the rod are the word of God, the royal scepter and the royal sword. And the fact that it is drawn from his mouth and not in his hand means that it is nothing else but the right and sharp word of God, which cuts off everything that is evil and unjust, and judges everything that is crooked. And is taken from the Scripture, Isa. 11, 4: "He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth", that is, punish the earthly people with the word of His mouth. 6) And the holy apostle Paul says [Eph. 6, 16. s.], "Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, above all things."
(14) The other word, "thy strength," strength or fortitude, expresses, not strength, that one may be strong in standing or standing fast, which strength is called cheap fortress or firmness, as a rock, strong castle, or city is strong, and not easily overcome; but here it is called strength or power, that one may be strong and mighty to overcome and subdue others, and to rule over them; as it is written of Nimrod [Gen. 10:8] that he was the first that was strong, that is, that subdued others, and took a dominion over them.
15 Therefore our dear Lord Christ is called by this little word in the Scriptures Dominus potens, Dominus virtutum, a Lord.
4) Handwriting: "then at the same time".
5) So the manuscript; print: "siiesfend".
6) The words: "that is - mouth" are missing in print.
of strength, or mighty [Ps. 24:8]. And the little word "strength," as it stands here, is often taken for his kingdom, or for his mighty governing power. Therefore it is said the rod of thy strength, as much as the scepter of thy kingdom or power.
16 Now the prophet wants Christ to exercise no other power against the world, except the word of God alone, because we see daily that he does not act against sin, sinners and devils other than with words, and yet with the same word he has converted the whole world and brought it under himself. And until the last day, His own resist all temptation with this word, and with it defeat all the devices of the devil, of the flesh, and of the world. Therefore it is a rod of his power, of his kingdom.
God will send out from Sion.
17 That is, the gospel first began in Jerusalem [Isa. 2:3] and from there went out through the apostles into all the world. This is a great word against the wise talkers and dream preachers, who are quick to teach what they think is right, true and good, and are such fools that they think it is enough and fruitful because it is true and right. But recently, if you had all the wisdom of all Scripture and all reason, if it does not come from God and is not sent, it is all nothing. For God does not want one man to teach or master another, for He wants to be master Himself. Nor does God want a man to seek instruction from another as from a man, but only from God.
18) And what do you intend, you presumptuous, wretched man? Behold, 2) Christ, whom God hath set a Lord over all things, yet hath not power to send forth the word of God. For he does not say: The rod of your power you will send out, but: God will send them forth. Therefore he also speaks [Joh. 14, 26.]: "The Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name"; although he speaks in another place [Joh. 15, 26.]: "The Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name".
1) "Teaching" taken by us from the manuscript.
2) In print: "himself"; manuscript: "himself".
I will send you," but adds, "from the Father," as if to say, "The power is not from me, but from the Father. That is why our preachers of lies, who make themselves believe that they are the ones who speak the word and teach the people, are completely opposed to God and reach for his honor. Therefore they reproach and fill the churches with abominable prayers and words, and bear no fruit, but are only a mocking bird for the devil.
(19) But if you ask, "When and how does God send forth His word?" I say, "From Sion," that is, when God sets a man in the proper way of Christianity to the ministry of the word, and he is enlightened with the spirit of the Scriptures, when do I know this? I say, "Ask your experience about this. If the word cuts and strikes, and awakens the heart, it is sent by God. But it does not strike all, nor does it hurt 3) all; whom it strikes, it strikes. But the fact that it truly comes from God is a sure sign, when people begin to live by it with earnestness, and desire to hear it more and more; as it is written [Sir. 24, 28. 29.]: "He who eats me hungers for me more, and he who drinks me thirsts for me more." And so [Matt. 5:6], "For blessed are they that thirst after righteousness."
(20) And therefore it comes to pass, that the most beautiful sermons are preached in our lines, and little fruit comes of them; because they that say these things do not follow God, and they that hear them do not wait for God, (4) but shine out of human reason into human reason; so that it must be grace, and not reason, God, and not man. God will send forth the rod of thy strength; thus it is said, and not otherwise. This is also the word on which all heresies have come, and all stubborn, hopeful talkers, that they may teach boldly, uncalled by God, contenting themselves with it alone, 5) that they alone preach the Scriptures and the gospel, just as if it 6) were the truth.
3) In the manuscript: "vorletzt"; print: "verletzt". It seems to us that the latter reading is preferable.
4) Thus the manuscript; print: "words".
5) Thus the manuscript; print: "benügende".
6) "it" is in the manuscript but missing in print.
even possible that one man should be another's master to God.
For this reason, there is no annual thing on earth that is more dangerous than a highly intelligent mind, 1) especially if it is involved in spiritual things that affect the soul and God. For it is more possible to teach an ass to read, than to blind its reason and lead it to right, 2) if it must be blinded and come to naught.
22. of this kind are our blinded neighbors, the Bohemians, the wretched, miserable people, who, with their bright reason, see all things and understanding, except the understanding: that he who is not blind does not see, which is understanding of all Scripture, as Christ says [John 9:39.], "I am come into this world to judgment, that they who see may become blind, and they who are blind may see."
In short, where a man of the mind of the poor needs one master, a man of the mind of the kingdom needs ten masters; and even as it is said, the learned, the perverse. This is truly true: the more highly learned, the lower the student; the lower the student, the more highly learned. So also, the reasonable the unreasonable, the wise the unwise, and the wise do no small foolishness. So God wills it, and not otherwise; the richer reason, the poorer understanding; the poorer reason, the richer understanding. 3) God, God Himself, wants to send out His word, wisdom, art, help, blessedness, and to leave no man the same honor. Amen, amen, dear Father and gracious Lord, you are just.
Your dominion shall be in the means of your enemies.
24) That is, not among friends, not among roses or lilies, but among thorns and enemies I have placed your kingdom. 4) And from this it flows that all who want to serve God and be Christ's servants must suffer much stinging and repugnance; as Christ Himself says [John 16:33]: "In the world, in the world, in the world, in the world, in the world.
1) In print: highly rich, sensible.
2) Pressure: "dazzle" and "lead".
3) The words: "je armsinniger Vernunft, je reichsinniger Verstand" are missing in print.
4) So the handwriting; print: "dein ruten".
you will have tribulation 5) but in me alone peace." For thus it is decreed by God, and will not be otherwise: Your dominion shall be in the midst of your enemies. Enemies shall be all around you; you alone with your own in their means.
(25) So thorns prick us, which are the evil words and works of men, the evil inspiration of the devil, our own flesh, and the conscience of sins committed. And he that will not suffer these things will not be of the lordship of Christ, but will be in the means of friends, sit in the roses and lilies, be not with evil men, but with godly men. Therefore he hates and flies in the face of the wicked; yea, he flies, promises, 6) and talks after them, seeking and praising the pious alone. He does not sing otherwise than: Benedicite aliqua opera Domini Domino; and: Benedicam Dominum in aliquo tempore. Aliquando laus ejus in ore meo; non omnia, non omni tempore, non semper.
(26) But Christ's true brethren are like him, loving the wicked, praising, excusing and interceding for them, praising and thanking God in all of this. And this is called suppressing spiritual enemies and ruling. They sing [Ps. 103, 22]: Benedicite omnia opera. Domini Domino. Et [Ps. 34, 2.]: Benedicam Dominum in omni tempore: semper laus ejus in ore meo.
(27) These are not like the Picards of Bohemia, the spiritual Jews and wretched heretics, who flee from the evil Christians and crawl into their own corners. O blasphemers and betrayers of Christ! If Christ had done as you 8) do, who would have been saved? He emptied himself of his divinity [Phil. 2, 7], his piety and wisdom, and wanted to be with sinners, men and fools, so that he might fill them; yes, he took them to himself, never wanting to have anything to do with the spiritual pious, the righteous. What are you doing? Absurd!
We are not like the Germans, we do not want to be like the Roman Church for the fear of God. That is so much, we want
5) The handwriting: gedrenge; print: getrang.
6) promises - he talks disparagingly. - Immediately following in the original: "nachredet" instead of: redet nach.
7) Thus the handwriting; print: "guten".
8) "so" from the handwriting.
go to the devil in God's name, and let the Germans go to God in the devil's name. Oh God, where does man want to go with his wisdom? You get rid of other people's sin, you load yourselves with your own righteousness and wisdom, and Christ got rid of his own righteousness and wisdom, and loaded himself with other people's sin and wickedness. Eia, how finely you follow Christ! You say: Miserere mei,2 ) sana animam meam, quia peccavi tibi. You say: Perde illos, quia3 ) peccaverunt tibi; nos sumus populus Dei, illi populus diaboli. Now, dear God the Father, have mercy on the wretched erring people, and do not set their blasphemy to eternal sin.
The children of God do not flee the company of the wicked; indeed, they seek them out so that they may help them. They do not want to go to heaven alone, but to bring with them the most sinful, if they want to. 4. But they that will not suffer are servants, and not masters in the means of their enemies, because they yield and are subject to temptation. This is that they do not know the strength of the scepter, and their heart is not right toward God, but crooked, and inclined into temporal chamber and peace from within, and do not stand with Christ inwardly in chamber and peace in God.
(30) But the righteous persevere in right faith, and overcome, though they die, be made poor, or be blasphemed. To them the gospel is a rod of strength and divine power. Therefore the little word "your dominion" rhymes with the word "your power". For the same power (as touched above [§ 11]) makes the reign of Christ. For since the power is to put down and subdue others, his dominion must of necessity be no other than among the enemies who are to be put down.
The fourth verse.
31 This fourth verse indicates that Christ's people are of a free, unrelated will, not by nature but by grace, not in outward appearance but in inner
1) "with" is missing i "i print.
2) In print: Alissrolniui.
3) yuia is inserted from the manuscript.
4) Print: "in", that is, to them.
The first is the dew born from the Mother of the Dawn, that is, the Holy Christian Church.
Your peoples shall be the volunteers.
(32) These are the single-minded, serene people, who are of a single will and do not cling to any thing, but only to the will of God, that is, that they neither desire good nor fear evil, equally respecting death and life, having and having not, honor and weakness; being satisfied and content only with that [it is] the will of God.
(33) Those who serve God out of childish and temporal love and seek for their own sake, for gifts and rewards, whether temporal or eternal, or out of embarrassing and servile fear, in order to escape pain or adversity, temporal or eternal, are excluded here. For if heaven were not, or hell, or if God did not give temporal goods, honor or health, they would not serve Him at all, and would quickly fall from His love. For they do not mean God, but seek themselves also from God, and cling to the goods outside God, the highest good. Therefore, if God is not their good and comfort, they must fear hellish torment and suffering, and cannot be otherwise.
But the children of God, who voluntarily perceive the willing will of God alone in His will, and are pleased with it, and are willing to do and suffer everything for its sake, do not flee, nor do they fear hell, death and suffering; nor do they seek the chamber of life or heaven; on both sides, free, separate and unattached between the two, they press toward the right road to God's will. But this is not possible for nature and Adam's children, but the Holy Spirit must work this in man with grace, and make him a child of Christ. This happens through the Word of God and the firm, true faith.
35 Therefore the Jews, pagans and heretics are not the people of Christ, for they seek their will without God and in their works. Therefore it follows that the kingdom of Christ is in the midst of the enemies, since
5) Pressure: and.
Death, suffering, fear and all kinds of adversity. For who has anything good among enemies, and especially among such enemies, that is, the devils and the whole world, even his own conscience and flesh? Therefore it cannot be otherwise, for the people of Christ must despise all these things and not fear them, nor love the other 1) things, but be free, and accept all these things with joy, and forgive themselves this chamber with joy.
In the day of your power.
36) That is, in the time of grace, in which your power is spent, and human weakness is helped. For the Scripture states two times: one of sickness; 2) which was, and is, in all those who live under the law. For since men kept the commandments of God not voluntarily and out of love, but out of servile fear or childish love, the commandment was only an unmistakable burden and burden to them, and impossible for them to fulfill. For God's commandment must be fulfilled voluntarily, and that is not possible for nature. That is why it has fallen ill and succumbed under the law, and has become incapable of fulfilling it. When the Jews served God for the promise of the Jewish land, and for the fear and dread of losing it. For all these who are not yet fortified with God's power, and are in the day of this powerlessness, and outside of God's graces and cooperation, it is not possible for them not to fear adversity, suffering, death, weakness, and again to love the house, blessedness, life, and honor, and by this disorderly fleeing and seeking not to do and sin against God's will. For they are in Adam's day, under the law, in the time of their inability, left to themselves without the help of grace.
The other time is the time of grace and help, by which man is strengthened to freely keep God's will and commandment out of pure love of God; not to do them for their own sake.
1) Handwriting: "anderweyten"; print: "andern weytern."
2) Pressure: Sick.
3) In print: trowen; manuscript: "drawen."
4) Pressure: confirmed.
Nor to leave it, either by suffering or by dying, for the sake of benefit or reward. Now this is not the work of nature, but of grace. Therefore he does not say, in the day of strength, but "in the day of thy strength," which thou givest them. Now this is the opinion: Your people, with whom you rule among your enemies and manifold sufferings, will yet be free and willing in all this. This does not make their strength, but that they are strengthened in the day of your strength, with the help of your grace.
In sacred adornment.
That is, they will be adorned with inward adornment, which no one sees except God, and he who sees and knows God; as in the 45th Psalm, v. 14: Omnis gloria filiae regis ab intus "all adornment of the King Christ's daughter is inward" and hidden. For in Hebrew also that is called holy, which is hidden and separated from all senses in spiritual darkness. Therefore sacrum is also called quasi secretum in Latin. For outward adornment of the body, in silk, gold and precious stone, white, red, beautiful face, yellow hair, skilful body, good food and drink, splendid and delicious houses, dainty bedsteads and beds, large servants, beautiful wives and children, plus great honor, and dignities, and everything that may adorn and praise a man in time, and make him esteemed and pleasing in the sight of men or in his own sight, 5) even art, wisdom, and godliness, all these are not the ornament nor adornment of the true people of Christ. For none of these are hidden, spiritual, or holy, but may be known by men.
39) But spiritual adornment and holy adornment is so deeply hidden, not only from other people, but also from themselves, that they do not know how beautiful they are in the sight of God, nor would it be good for them to know. 6) Yes, they cannot know it, otherwise it would not be a hidden adornment. And even if they all have the above-mentioned worldly adornment and decoration, it is still as if they had nothing but filth and shapelessness, 5) In the manuscript: "genuine", there- iA declare to be genuine.
6) The words: "how dainty - knew" seemed in print.
before deep immersion of their will and desire in God's will, without which will they neither respect nor know anything. In which they therefore disappeared and went out with Abraham from all things [Gen. 12, 1], so that they no longer respect God. Therefore, as pure as God's will is and beautiful, so they are also 1) beautiful because they have made themselves into it.
40 Behold, this purity and inward purity of will from all things is the proper adornment of Christ's people, surpassing all adornment that a man can devise. For in this adornment is eternal and all-embracing adornment, and without this adornment all other adornment is a stinking taint and footcloth. For this is signified in the clear, white and clear appearance of the angels at the tomb [Matth. 28, 3], and in the transfiguration of our Lord and Savior on Mount Thabor [Matth. 17, 2]. Therefore the old text does not speak badly: In splendoribus sanctorum, sive splendoribus sancti, vel claritate rerum sanctarum, that is, in holy clarity, and spiritual inward sincerity, that is, inward and hidden, which is also in far other things than the world's adornment; as, in poor clothing, unhealthy, clumsy body, pale, sorrowful face, evil eating and drinking, unseemly bearing, and in short, as the apostle describes it [2 Cor. 6, 4-6. 11, 27]: "In hunger and thirst, in heat and frost, in fear and sorrow, in affliction and distress" etc. Not that it is always there; 2) but that these things are not a hindrance to it, yea, conducive to it.
In the womb of the mother of the dawn shall be born unto thee the dew of thy childbearing.
The word "mother", in Latin matrix or uterus, does not mean here a very personal mother, as a woman is called mother, but that, as the fruit is conceived in the womb, and is nourished until birth. And that is why it is expressed in this way, so that the future heretics who say that Christ is not a true man will not exist.
1) Pressure: also, too.
2) Thus the manuscript; print: "be".
or Mary's natural son. For that which is conceived and born of the same mother of a woman is undoubtedly not an offspring, but a natural child, truly taken from the flesh and blood of the same woman, grown up and nourished for eight or nine months.
Secondly, that it may be understood that Christ is the only Son of a woman, not taken from a man, but only from the womb of His mother. And all this against the consent of the Jews, who would not that Mary, a virgin, should be the mother. For all other children are described in Scripture as coming from seed and from the loins or womb of men, and are also all ascribed to the father and not to the mother, except Christ our Lord alone, who is ascribed to his mother alone and not to any father, and that he was not taken from seed but from the mother or womb of his mother, as he says Ps. 22, 10.: Extraxisti me de ventre, thou hast taken me out of the womb, not milked me in, as Job says, that he was milked as milk from his father [Job 10, 10.].
Now the tender Virgin Mary is called in many places a dawn, because she brought forth the true day and the eternal light and the sun of righteousness, Christ. From the same dawn mother will come the dew of your childhood, that is, through the heavenly action of the Holy Spirit, your childhood will come from a virgin. For this is why he calls his childhood a dew, that as the dew falls from heaven without human thought, word or work, so the tender humanity of Christ came to this earth from Mary, without man or man's work, wrought from above by the Holy Spirit alone, as it is written in the Psalm: "He shall descend as the rain upon the skin of Gideoni" [Ps. 72, 6. not. 6, 37. 38.].
44 Now, although the words give and suffer this understanding, it is nevertheless forced and driven out. But the birth of Christ's people is described here in a self-flowing sense. Notice that these words are spoken to Christ as
he already is and is a Lord. The little word "you" indicates that he speaks of other children, because of Christ, otherwise it would be enough to say: "Out of the morning mother your childhood will be born. Now he says, your childhood will be born to you. Now this is the opinion that Christ is a Lord and King, and has beautiful people; so he must also have a queen or a bride, and not be barren. For such a king must also have heirs and children. He describes them thus: as his kingdom is spiritual, spiritual people, spiritual power, spiritual adornment, so one should not think that Christ will have a wife and children in the flesh, as the Jews wait for their Messiah, but his wife, bride and queen is called aurora, the dawn, that is, the Christian church, from the same mother or womb come his children. That is why I have Germanized "Kindschaft" and not, childhood, as team means assembly of men, priesthood of priests; so Kindschaft are the whole church, his sons and daughters.
This dawn is a spiritual virgin, figured and signified by Mariam, and conceived of spiritual seed, that is, of the Word of God; which does not take away her virginity, but preserves it more. He calls these same children "the dew," because no soul is converted and changed from Adam's sinful filiation into the gracious filiation of Christ by human work, but only by the action of God from heaven, like the dew, as Micah writes in Cap. 5, 6: "The children of Israel shall be like the dew given by God, which waits not for the hands of man." For man was once created the child of Adam by the work of the flesh; but if he is to become the child of Christ, it must be by the work of the Spirit. "That which is of the flesh is flesh" [John 3:6]. So, he gave them power to become children of God, not those who are born of blood or the pleasure of the flesh, but those who are born of God [John 1:12, 13].
46 Now, the mother of this dawn is love in the heart, in which it receives all men, carries them, nourishes them etc. when Paul to
To the Galatians [Cap. 4:19] he says, "Dear brethren, I bear you but one, until Christ be formed in you"; and to the Corinthians [1 Ep. 4:15], "I have given you birth through the gospel." In these words Paul calls himself a mother, and his uter he shows that [it] is his love, and the seed the gospel.
These words are spoken against the false hope and carnal presumption of the Jews, who think that they alone are the children of God, because they are the children of Abraham and the holy patriarchs, born of the flesh and carnal works. This birth is rejected here, because it is not enough; as the Lord also said to Nicodemus against the same conceit [John 3:3], "Except a man be born again, he shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." Thus one still finds many who have this Jewish sense, and want God to see the person as being of this or that order or life, and to keep the or the saints' 2) rule.
The fifth verse.
This fifth verse speaks of the priesthood of 3) Christ our Lord, and how he is set up by God with an oath as a priest and mediator for an eternal fortification and special comfort, so that all righteousness and peace come through Jesus the man alone.
God has sworn and will never repent.
49) Behold, up to this point he has described the king, his kingdom, his scepter, his enemies and his people; 4) now he describes his priesthood. And it is to be noted here that God does not swear to the kingdom of Christ,
1) Pressure: den.
2) Print: the or the holy rule.
3) "Priesthood" here, as in the superscription, is saeerckotium, priesthood. Luther uses "priesthood" throughout. The change to "PriefterfMt" is either due to Spalatin, who directed the printing in Augsburg, or to the printer!
4) In the manuscript is here still hiWgW-t: ,,his time, his jewelry, his queen, beMDWer. Whether Luther himself had this in the print manuscript WWW, we b "may not determine. [V
but badly says (as touched above [v. 1]): God has said to my Lord. But to institute the priesthood of Christ, God makes an oath, and with an oath confirms Christ as priest, and yet to this: "and shall not repent of him." What is this, or what is it necessary, that God swears, 1) who cannot lie?
(50) First, to distinguish all other priesthoods, which shall finally cease. For their cessation is that God no longer desires or wants them. And this is called "repenting to God", as the priesthood of Aaron and Levi. But Christ's priesthood never ends in eternity, but he offers himself and his own to the Father forever.
(51) Secondly, for the inexpressible sweet comfort of us poor sinful men, that we may the more boldly believe and hope that Christ is a priest. For it is easier 2) to believe that Christ is Lord over all things, so that man may fear him because of his great power. But that he is a priest is difficult 3) to believe, because of our stupid and sinful conscience, which despairs and is easily frightened by God's power, and hardly trusts that his sins are forgiven. God raises up this stupid despondency and makes it comforting to His mercy, in that He calls Christ a priest, that is, a patron, intercessor, mediator, payer of all sin; and that with oaths, with greater diligence, His mercy is shown: Proclaiming his mercy more diligently than his power, that he may raise up more confidence than fear in man. Therefore, this verse 4) should be covered with gold and vain precious stones, so that it sounds so comforting and gracious.
You shall be a priest forever.
52. it belongs to a priest, says the apostle St. Paul [Heb. 5:1-3], that he should
1) Pressure: swears.
2) Pressure: is.
3) Pressure: heavier.
4) In the manuscript: "^s."; in print: "Vers. It seems to us that the print has correctly resolved the abbreviation "Vs- , which we encounter three times in the manuscript, namely here, § 59 and 866, by "verse"; especially the last passage shows it clearly. "Psalm," for which the Weimar edition has taken it, is given by Luther throughout by "ps." ps.
5) "vain" is missing in print.
pray and sacrifice for those who err and sin, and be a good mediator against God. Now says God, you shall be the same, no one else but you alone. So, for whom you mediate, he shall be blessed; otherwise no one shall be saved by his works, or be able to do enough. Thus God directs us from ourselves to Christ, as Pharaoh directed the Egyptians to Joseph [Gen. 41:55]. And through Him alone, and without Him no one shall be saved. 6) Therefore the apostle says [Rom. 3, 25.] that God has set him as a propitiator, that is, as a throne of grace, before whom every man obtains grace and salvation. There are still many more hopeful saints, who drive with their righteousness, and want to be priests for themselves, and do not hear that God does not say to them, but to Christ, "You shall be a priest."
According to the way or order of Melchizedech.
53) Melchizedech was a king and priest, and sacrificed wine and bread, also for the holy patriarch Abraham and for his servants. 7) In which figure is meant that no saint is so pious, if Christ did not sacrifice for him, he would be 8) condemned. For he alone is priest for all men. 9) Therefore he is rightly called, Melchi Zedech; Melchi a king, Zedech righteousness. He is the king, the head of righteousness, from whom it must flow into all his limbs; all other righteousness or piety is wickedness against it.
54) So he is also called sol justitiae, that he is the fountain, origin, head, sun and beginning of justice [Mal. 4, 2]. And here it is not called righteousness, so that God judges the damned, as is now common in the custom against the Scriptures, which call this righteousness, which is given by grace and mercy to the faithful of Christ; as it is said: Qui justificat impium, id est, dat peccatori justitiam, who justifies the sinner.
makes [Proverbs 17:15].
6) Thus the manuscript; print: none shall be saved.
7) In the manuscript is added here: "das doch Wohl [gejthan had]."
8) "yet" is missing in print.
9) Handwriting: allzumal; print: all people.
55) About the name Melchi Zedech 1) he was also called Melchisalem, id est rex pacificus,2 ) rex pacis, that is, a king of peace [Hebr. 7, 2]. For true peace of conscience cannot be where sin is. Therefore righteousness is before peace, and both of Christ, the true Melchi Zedech and Melchisalem. For his place 3) and kingdom is in peace, as the Psalm says: Et factus est in Salem locus ejus, et habitatio ejus in Sion, his dwelling is in peace [Ps. 76, 3.], for Salem was called 4) the city where the king was, which is now called Jerusalem, visio pacis, that is, sonication in peace. Also Zion is called visio pacis. Therefore Zion and Salem are put together from the: Verse, and is now called Jerusalem for Zion's Salem; for it means the same as one.
But peace is not external; otherwise the other verse, interpreted above, would be wrong. In the midst of his enemies, and in strife, is this peace; the more strife, the more peace; the more man's enmity, the more God's friendship; and again.
Now what is that he offers bread and wine for Abraham? This expresses 5) the priesthood of Christ in this time until the last day, that he offers the hidden sacrament of the altar, his holy body and his precious blood, in Christianity. Which hidden his body means, that also all his people are inwardly and hidden, also from themselves, as above 38 f.] and especially that he himself reigns and dwells in them.
The sixth verse.
This sixth verse tells of the rejection of the Jews, and that God protects Christ and the church on the right hand, that is, in spiritual things, and thus destroys their opponents and the repugnant on the left, and especially the trusting Jews in the day of His wrath.
1) Print: is called; handwriting: "hot", that is, was called.
2) I-2X paoiticus is missing from the manuscript.
3) Handwriting: "sein stete"; print: "stat".
4) Print: means; handwriting: hot.
5) In the handwriting: expresses.
The Lord who is at your right hand.
59) This is when in the first verse 5] 6) it is said, God is with you in the hidden goods, when also in the 16th Psalm, v. 8, it is said, "God is on my right side, therefore I will not be moved"; and in the 20th Psalm, v. 7: "The blessedness of His right hand, it is in strength and power." So Christ and His people are on the left side, according to the outer man, among the enemies, in suffering and strife; and God is not with Him there, but leaves Him there. But to the right side, to the inner man, he is among friends, in comfort and peace, and God is there with him, and stands by him there. This is what he says here: God, who stands by you on the right side and is with you, does not leave you or yours. But he 7)
Has broken the kings in the day of his wrath.
(60) That is, all who are against you, for they also are against him. But none so nearly 8) oppose Christ, as kings and mighty men, who will not that all authority should be Christ's. But if he break the kings, rather the others that are not so mighty.
61) Now notice here that Christ does not avenge himself, 9) but God does it for him, as said above in the other verse. The day of God's wrath is this time of grace. For just as grace begins in the pious and endures forever, so wrath and judgment begin in the wicked and unbelievers. And the kings that were in the land of Judea are utterly destroyed 11) by the Romans: so that the people of Judaea can have no more kings. They are broken; for the people are scattered, therefore also the princes, lords, and kings with their kingdom and principality. This is what the Lord is doing on your right side with you and for you.
6) Thus set by us. The print offers: "als am ersten gesagt ist"; the manuscript: "alh ym ersten ^s. gesagt ist." Compare the note to K 51. >
7) In the handwriting: "rc." instead of: er. '
8) Print: as; handwriting: but so.
9) In print "richt". Because of our Utzflöfung compare above p 6. - In the manuscript steÜM: "vechenet."
10) In print: "sacht"; m der HandWst: "fetzt".
11) Handwriting: broken.
tend, because they fought and contended against thee on thy left hand, and would have laid down thy kingdom; therefore their kingdom is laid down. And so now he reigns in the midst of his enemies.
The seventh verse.
This seventh verse says of the acceptance of the Gentiles, and that God judges the Gentiles, and fulfills their infirmities, and destroys their power, and submits them to the Lord Christ in faith.
He will be a judge in the Gentiles.
(63) The Jews with their kings did not want him, and were destroyed and devastated. Therefore the Gentiles received him, and he accepted them as a nation, and left the Jews.
He is a judge, as the Psalms often say, and judges and rules the Gentiles. This judgment is that he acts in the Gentiles the cross with them, mortifies 1) and forces the old man with his vices, so that the inner man is kept. He should be a judge of the Jews; so they want to remain in the old man.
He will fulfill what has fallen apart.
65 That is, he will fill the humble with grace; he will make alive those who are dead. For he that is fallen spiritually is humble, and findeth nothing in him that standeth, or is whole, but all things are broken down and fall to pieces: therefore is he worthy to be edified. Therefore the Jews are forsaken, that they would not be ruined; they would not be blind and sick, but would stand whole, and see, and be godly. He cannot fill the full, they become empty; as the Psalm says: "He has filled the wretched and hungry souls" [Ps. 107:9].
He will crush or bruise the heads that have risen on earth.
66) This verse 2) is unintelligible because of the bad language, one into the other. 3) Triple
1) Jni print: "köstigt", that is, kasteiet (vustißut), - In Luther's handwriting: "casteyget".
2) In the handwriting ,,^s." for "verse". Compare the note to ? 51.
3) Pressure: other.
lei must be interpreted for the same half. First of all: The chiefs are the powerful ones in the whole Gentile community, especially the Romans, who were the chiefs of the bets at that time. If now the text stands thus, as St. Jerome holds: Percutiet caput in terra multorum, 4) then it is certainly the city of Rome, which was the head over many countries, but not all. For it was against the city that Christ was most set, 5) so that the devil, as in the head of the world, was most powerful. As also Daniel signifies in his interpretation of the great image which the king had seen, smitten with a stone at the bottom of the feet which were iron [Dan. 2, 45.], which all the doctors interpret, and the Jews 6) of the Roman empire.
Now, he will strike the head over many lands, that is, the kingdom, which is a head over many lands and earths. This battle is given to Christ, therefore it is a gracious battle, according to the outward nature. For Rome is outwardly contrite, but spiritually greatly edified. Therefore the smiting 7) is not in the day of wrath, like the kings, but has become another head of Christianity. Therefore Job stands on the 40th [v. 26.^s, that the dragon's head should come in a little fish. The dragon is the devil; his body is the world; the head is Rome; who rules the world and has under her, has become small and closed in St. Peter's little fish. 8) Our text may also give this: Conquassabit capita in terra multorum, he has crushed, who are heads of many people, land and earth; and the land, which many have had, has all come under the Romans, and they are also crushed. So the power is broken, both of the Jews and of the Gentiles, and Christ alone reigns. This mind pleases me well.
68. to the eavesdropping: He has smashed the
4) Thus the manuscript according to the Vulgate; print: multu.
5) The words: "yet not - laid" are missing in print.
6) "and the Jews" is added in print.
7) Print: "beaten".
8) In print, "geschloffen. Likewise in the Wittenberg and Jena. More appropriate to the context seems Walch's reading: "geschlossen" ("closed"), which also the Erlangen and Weimar ones have adopted, but Luther's manuscript offers: "geschlüffen," that is, geschlüpft. '
Heads on the earth of many, that is, not all who are mighty on the earth, he has contrite, but of the many. For he hath not humbled them all among himself 1) in all countries; some and many, but not all.
69 Thirdly: He has crushed the heads on earth of many, that is, the heads that have made themselves much on earth, and raised themselves up. And this mind would be that all heads were crushed, that would have to be understood in anger.
The eighth verse.
70 This eighth verse tells of the suffering of Christ our Lord, through which he came to touching glory and power, and through the temporal suffering became the head of all things.
He will drink in his departure from the stream of water.
71 All these things will happen to him for the merit of his suffering. "Water" in the Scripture means suffering, as in the 69th Psalm, v. 1: "The waters have gone into me even to my life" etc. "Water stream" is swift and strong great suffering. He does not say that he will drink up everything, but that he will "drink of it" and let others drink of it as well.
(72) And "in his departure," that is, in his life, which is a course or way to death; but after the end of that course he shall suffer nothing, but rejoice forever. And his enemies, who rejoice in their departure, will have to drink of the river of water eternally after this life, that is, eternal suffering.
Therefore he will lift up his head.
This is why he will become a Lord and head of all creatures, as the apostle says [Phil. 2:8, 9], that he emptied himself and became obedient to the death of the cross. Therefore God has exalted him and given him a name that is above every name, that is, that he is called Lord and is above all creatures. And everything that has a name and is something, that is
1) Print: "in", that is, him; handwriting: himself.
subject to him; so that in his name all knees are bent in heaven, earth and hell, except for him who is unnamed and without a name, and who is also apart from all beings, God himself.
And so Christ is a Lord over the Jews and the Gentiles, in whom") he has broken all authority over both of them, as the 46th Psalm says. Psalm, v. 11, says: Exaltabor in gentibus, exaltabor in terra, that is, "I will be exalted in the Gentiles, and will be exalted in the land of the Jews". But if he was to be exalted in both, then those who were exalted in both had to be humbled. And these were the kings and the chiefs that were abased; some with violence and in wrath, and some with will and goodness. Therefore the Scripture calls him a king of the Jews, and also a king of the Gentiles. This also the 67th Psalm, v. 5. holds: Laetentur et exultent gentes etc., that is, the Gentiles shall rejoice and leap, because thou art a judge of the Jewish people in the rightness, and a judge 4) or duke of the Gentiles in the earth.
75 The other psalm, v. 1, also agrees with this, saying, "Why are the heathen so fierce, and the men of the Jews so useless in counsel?" that is, why do they strive against, and intend not to be under Christ, but in their power to press him down, which is a vain and useless undertaking. V. 2: "The kings have come together, and the princes have come together against God, and against His Christ," that is, the enemies who are made Christ's footstool, who did not want to have God's King, Christ; therefore they are also against God. What did they mean by their presumption? V. 3: "Let us break their bands, and let us cast away their burdens," that is: Ye brethren, God's and his Christ's bands, violence and the scepter of his strength we will not suffer, he shall not reign in the midst of Us his enemies. But what follows? V. 4. 5.: "He who is in heaven will laugh at them, and God will not let them go.
2) Thus Luther's manuscript and the Zmavr. The first" print: "wölche".
3) Print: "in suffering".
4) Handwriting: More correct.
will mock them for doing such useless things. For so shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and in his anger shall he destroy them." This is what the sixth verse here says: "The Lord, who is with you at your right hand, destroyed the kings in the day of his wrath. Further follows, v. 6: "But I am set by him a king in his holy mountain Sion." This is what is said here: "God has said to my Lord, 'Sit at my right hand.'"
76) And that he also should be a judge in the Gentiles, and not be set over Sion alone, in the place of the kings and princes that were destroyed, saith he, and concordireth, v. 7, 8: "God hath said unto me, Thou art my Son, this day have I born thee. Ask of me, and I will give thee the Gentiles for an earth, and for an inheritance all the ends of the earth," that is, that he will smite the heads in many lands of the Gentiles, for the one land of the Jews that rejected and rejected him.
Now there is one more thing that may move one: how does the fourth verse of this Psalm, according to our text, concord and coincide with the Hebrew text? Thus ours says: 1) With thee the beginning in the day of thy strength, in the clear shining of the saints, out of the mother; before the morning star I gave thee birth. This verse or text is very incomprehensible. But the Hebrew text is as above, "Thy people are the volunteers in the day of thy strength, in spiritual adornment; out of the morning star mother shall come to thee the dew of thy childbearing." The two pieces in the middle of the psalm concord, especially the: "in the day of your strength". And the other: "in holy adornment", with this: "in clarities or shining of the saints"; as is said above. For the holy clearness or purity, that is the holy adornment, which is proper to the saints, and holy things.
But how does the first: "With you is the beginning" rhyme against the: "Your people are the volunteers"? The cause of these ambiguous texts is finely seen in the Hebrew tongue. Now, in order to concord this, one has to get it far away from-
1) See the text of the Vulgate, above Col. 890 f., note.
We have to bear, yes, we have to let go of the glosses that are forcefully applied to our text. For the dear fathers of old were inclined, for the sake of the heretics, to interpret the Scriptures concerning the divinity of Christ, where it would have suffered, even though the text thoroughly did not. So they did here and glossed: "With you the beginning", that is: O you the beginning of Christ, who are the beginning and the end after the Godhead, with you I am in the day etc. So the last also: "Out of the mother before the morning star I have born you"; that is, out of the secret nature of my Godhead, before the morning star was created, I have born you. Although there are also some who interpret this last one according to humanity: "Out of the mother etc., that is, out of the womb and uterus of Mary, before the morning star rose in the night, I gave birth to you. Now, these 2) are completely forced and cunning 3) interpretations.
79 Thus they have also interpreted that in the other Psalm, v. 7, of his Godhead: God has said to me: "You are my son, today I have born you"; as this is said after mankind. Likewise [Ps. 89, 27.], "He shall call me: my Father, and he shall be my Son." Item [Phil. 2, 9.], "He hath given him a name above every name," though he speaks there of the man Christ, who is exalted. For according to the Godhead he is not exalted, neither has he received a name from God.
80 Now, we will leave aside these words, although it cannot be concorded without force, thus: "With you is the beginning," that is, God is with you, Christ, and with all of yours in grace, therefore you and yours are strong and free. For with whom God, who is the beginning of all, is not, he is not free, nor does he fulfill the commandment of God; for he is left to himself, and is not free of his own will, but is captive to his own will. Therefore in this Concordance the word "with thee" must be spoken [to Christ], not for himself, but for his own.
2) In print: "So diß sind", but in the manuscript "So" is crossed out.
3) "geweltigete" - violent. Print: violent.
So "with you"] 1), that is, with your people, as in the 68th Psalm, v. 19: Accepisti dona in hominibus: "you have received the gifts in men", which some interpret thus: Your people have received the gifts. But the right understanding is that St. Peter gives [Apost. 2, 33.]: Accepta promissione Spiritus Sancti, effudit, id est, accepisti dona in homines; id est, potestatem dandi dona hominibus. And 2) Paul [Eph. 4, 8]: Dedit dona hominibus.
It follows that our text expresses the origin from which the people of Christ come voluntarily; namely, that is the origin, that the beginning, God Himself, is with them, and thus makes them voluntary. Therefore one often finds that our text goes higher than the Hebrew, but in the same opinion. So now this: "From the Uter before the morning star I have born you." "Thee," that is, thine own, thy filiation, thy children, as above [§80] "with thee" 3) is interpreted. "Have I born," that is, that no work of man, nor 4) flesh or blood, makes Christ's children, but God gives them birth, and makes them, even as the dew falls from God, and without work of man. Therefore John also says: "Who are born of God" [John 1:3]. Now both of these are true: "I have born thee," and this: "unto thee shall come the dew of thy childbearing."
82) Further: "From the Uter before the morning star", that is, from the love of Christianity, as said above [§ 46], that the Uter is the love of God in the souls of Christians, from which God gives birth to the children of Christ, and teaches through the Uter, as that the children of Christ are born of God, but through fellow-
1) These words in brackets are missing in all editions, but are in Luther's handwriting.
2) Print: Ünäe, instead of: And.
3) "with you" is missing in print.
4) In print: kein Menschen Werk, Fleisch etc.
The effect and the cooperation of Christianity, but without carnal work; but with the love and teaching of the word of God, that is, from the dawn mother, in Hebrew. And in this, however, our text goes higher than the Hebrew. For by the little word "thy childship" it expresses the origin and giver and master of the same childship. Just as he expresses above, v. 3, by the little word "the volunteers" also the beginning and origin of the same.
Now there is still: "Before 6) the morning star. There is no doubt that the morning star comes before the dawn and brings it with it. The dawn is Christianity, the same also the morning star from Christianity love; and yet, before it [it] knows or works, 7) God has born from it; as in Isaiah [Cap. 49, 21.]: "I am forsaken and barren, where do all these children come from me?" Thus, not without her, and yet without her, GOtt works pious people. Just as in nature, not without the mothers, and yet without the mothers, he creates children from their bodies, precedes them in themselves. 8) So also in every man he comes beforehand with grace, and works before we call for grace or cooperate. These are called the Doctores gratiam primam et praevenientem, that is, the first and preceding grace.