V. 1. Israel is a desolate vine, its fruit is just so.
This is a common image among the prophets, that they compare the holy people to a vineyard, because of the holy and GOtte pleasing fruits, which follow the words of GOtte. But just as Isaiah [Cap. 5, 2.^ and Micah [Cap. 7, 1.] complain about the people of their time, that instead of grapes there grow heaplings, so Hosea compares the people here to a desolate vine, on which no grapes are to be seen, because, as he said in the previous chapter, they do not want to hear the Lord. For just as the word as a fruitful rain is never taught without fruit, but always awakens some to the fear of God and to faith, so without the word there can be no true fruit. For what can reason accomplish that does not have the Word? It does dream of a zeal for godliness, and is not negligent in arranging services. But God does not want to be worshipped in the way that seems good to us; he wants the word to be heard and for us to do what he has commanded, not what we think is good or difficult and costly.
Thus, in the kingdom of Israel there was a great and special zeal for religion, just as in the papacy there are difficult and precious services. But since these services were performed without the Word, God condemned them, for, as Samuel says [1 Sam. 15:22], He holds obedience higher than burnt offerings.
In Hebrew the words are set somewhat differently: Israel is a vine made empty or plundered; its fruit will be made like it or will be like it, that is, as the vine is, so will the fruit be; the vine is plundered, therefore no grapes are found there. Isaiah, cap. 24, 1., used this word: "Behold, the Lord.
XXXX XXXX makes the land empty", that is, he lets it be desolated by the enemies, so that nothing
remains; as he then adds: "and makes it desolate." Likewise Jer. 51, 2:
XXXX-XX XXXX, they shall plunder the land, make it empty. Thus Hosea compares the people in this passage to a vine that is not barren, but whose fruit has been cut off. For both by the examples of ungodly kings and by the ungodly teachings of false prophets, the people were devastated, that they served not their god but rather idols, as the prophet now adds:
As much fruit he had, so many altars he had made; where the land was best, there they endowed the most beautiful churches.
God wanted there to be only one altar in this people, on which the sacrifices were to be made, and that the people prove both their obedience and their gratitude to God. But, he says, Israel does not respect this altar; everywhere in the land it has erected a tremendous amount of altars. God also forbade that image pillars be set up to sacrifice at the same; but Israel, where the fields were most fertile, built both image pillars and churches at great cost. So we see also in the papacy that "there" where are the richest fields and the greatest abundance of all things, are the richest monasteries and foundations of the missal monks. This is what idolatry always does; it has the belly as its god, which it worships and adores.
In Hebrew there is a lovely image in the words XXX 1) and XXXX. And with the verb XXXXX the prophet looks at the noun XXX to indicate that the Israelites founded the churches for the sake of it, so that they rendered a service to God and did something good.
V. 2. Her heart is divided.
Some refer this to the discord that has arisen from the diversity of worship services, like an extraordinary hatred
1) In the editions: derod kstob.
between the different monks, as each one exalted his sect without measure. But it is more appropriate to refer it to the highest commandment of God, Deut. 6, 5: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. For God does not want a part of the heart, but the whole heart. But the idolatrous have a divided heart, since they do not sleep on the word alone, but go after their pretensions. Until now he has told the sin of Israel, now he adds the punishments.
Now shall she find her iniquity; her altars shall be broken down, and her churches shall be desolate.
Some interpret the word XXXXX at this point: they will be destroyed, but it means to be in debt. And it has a special emphasis in this place, which we have indicated by a paraphrase. For this is peculiar to the idolaters, that they do not only firmly hold that they please God, but that they also condemn those who follow a doctrine and worship different from theirs. Since the Israelites could not be persuaded to believe that their worship was displeasing to God, but defended it with fire and sword, as the papists do today, the prophet threatens that they will be convicted by punishment that their worship is displeasing to God; otherwise he would not allow the altars and churches to be destroyed by the Assyrians if he approved of them. Likewise, one would like to say that poor Hungary is now convicted that God does not like the seven-year vows to Aach 1), since it is devastated by the Turk.
V. 3. Then they must say, "We have no king, for we do not fear the Lord, so what can the king do for us?
Truly, the idolaters will not say this, otherwise they would repent, and as they have
has: UHUU8.
If they confess that they have not feared the Lord until now, they would begin to fear the Lord now and would think of serious correction. But what they think and do, the prophet will teach us immediately. Now what is the opinion of this passage? For the words of the prophet are clear: "Then they must say, We have no king" etc.
I answer: We must look at this according to the heart of the wicked. God sends the punishments with the intention that we should recognize our sins and mend our ways. And the feeling of wrath and punishment also forces the ungodly, as those who have condemned themselves (αυτοχατάχριτοί, as Paul calls them), to condemn themselves and their deeds, and yet to persist in such an ungodly way that they do nothing less than what they have done.
Look at our papists. Now poor Hungary, as I have said, is almost entirely swallowed up by the Turks. The neighboring countries see what they have to fear, and cannot deny that this is the wages of godlessness; and yet, how 2) rare are the princes and bishops who mend the deficiencies of the churches, who see to it that their subjects have godly teachers, that the administration of the sacraments is done according to Christ's institution, that the idolatry is done away with, which is done with the invocation of the saints, with the worship of images etc. Thus the wicked do both; they see that their sins, as they deserve, receive their punishments, and yet they become no better.
In this way the prophet speaks here of the people of Israel: It will happen that you will have no king to defend you. 3) For Hosea, the last king, immediately accepted the conditions set for him by the Assyrian; and after violating them, he was besieged in Samaria, and at last was taken captive, Samaria being conquered in the third year. Then misfortune will convict you that these are the punishments for putting off the fear of God from you.
2) Erlanger: quod instead of: yuana.
3) Erlanger: dekendnnt instead of: deksodat.
1286 L. xxiv, 3V7-400. interpretations on the prophets. W. vi, i887-isso. 1287
that is, that you have not followed the word, but have done contrary to the word. For to fear God is nothing else than to pay attention to His word and to take care that nothing goes against it, whether in worship or in life and morals. And yet no true improvement has taken place. For hear what, as the prophet says, has followed.
V. 4 They swore in vain, and made a covenant; and such counsel grew green upon all the furrows of the field, as gall.
Known is the Hebrew phrase XXXX
XXXX, they speak words, instead of: they counsel fearfully, as Isa. 8, 10.: "Decide on a council, and nothing comes of it; converse, and nothing exists." This is what the idolaters do, who have thrown away the word and hold fast to ungodly worship, so that even when they feel that God is angry, they still do not repent, do not change anything in their usual worship, but resort to human help, deliberate, and try to get out of their misfortune without God, but in vain. For even wisely counseled things have an unhappy outcome if we counsel without God, that is, if we rely on our wisdom and power and do not repent, "such counsel," as the prophet says here, "greets all the furrows of the field like gall. But he calls "counsel" this very counseling without repentance, to which they are forced by the misfortune that oppresses them. This, he says, brings forth nothing but poisonous gall, that is, it only irritates God even more and is the cause of even more terrible punishment.
The word which we have rendered by "gall" is called XXX in Hebrew, which does not mean gall, but a herb. For why else would the prophet add something about the furrows in the field? And also from Moses it appears that it is a herb, Deut. 29, 18. where he says: "Lest there be a man, or a woman, or a servant, or a tribe among you, whose heart hath turned from the Lord our God this day, to go and serve the gods of these nations, and perhaps become a
Root among you that bears gall and wormwood." But Moses has here the trouble in mind, like Paul in the [first] epistle to the Corinthians [Cap. 5, 6.], where he says that a little leaven acidifies the whole dough. Thus Moses says that the danger must not be despised; if there is even one idolater in the whole nation, he will be like a root of gall and wormwood, which is exceedingly fruitful, and fills the whole field, if it is not plucked up in time and by the root.
Hosea undoubtedly looks at this passage and indicates that the people are like a field that has no cultivator, completely corrupted by idolatry and ungodly opinions, and therefore they cannot escape extreme punishment.
The commentators of the Jews add that this herb is poisonous, therefore some have translated it by hemlock. Although this may not be correct, it indicates the species, namely that it is a herb that has been called by this name, and not gall.
Just this word XXX is used in the 69th Psalm, v. 22, where it is prophesied of Christ's suffering: "They give me gall to eat, and vinegar to drink in my great thirst." Therefore, "gall" must be taken for a herb in that passage also. And it is probable that this happened among the Gentiles, that they gave gall mixed with vinegar to those who were condemned to death, so that they might die the sooner. Therefore the evangelists explicitly add that Christ tasted it but did not want to drink it [Matth. 27, 34]. For He suffered, not forced like others, but according to the will of God and His will, and did not wish, overcome by the pain, to end His life sooner than was required by the law of nature.
V. 5. The inhabitants of Samaria provide for the calves at BethAven.
About BethAven we said above [Cap. 4, 15.] that the prophets called BethEl by this name because Jeroboam had erected a calf for idolatry in this place. Just as the people in the wilderness wanted a golden calf to be given to them, so the prophets called it BethEl.
because the calf service was common among the Egyptians, as also the histories of the Greeks testify, and the Apis or Epaphus, the calf, which the Egyptians worshipped as a god, is carefully described by Herodotus in the third book, in the history of Cambyses: so 1) Jeroboam also, because he had lived for a time among the Egyptians as an exile, having been chosen king, had brought the worship of the Egyptians into the kingdom of Israel, that he might fortify the kingdom for himself when the people did not go up to Jerusalem for the ordinary worship, and that in this way he might also make the Egyptians his friends. For equality of worship is no small bond among men, as against it diversities of worship excite hatred.
But someone might wonder how Jeroboam could have done this, since the history of the desert was known to this people, where the calf service had not only been publicly condemned, but also the people had been punished because of it, and twenty-three thousand people had been killed by the Levites in one day according to the will of God. This history was also known to the common people, so it is astonishing that Jeroboam dared to reintroduce the long-rejected worship and that the people allowed it. But this very example reminds us that nothing so inconsistent can be taught that people, if they are without the Word or do not pay attention to the Word, should not approve and accept, especially when godless princes do it and their example is added.
But no doubt Jeroboam defended his actions in a similar way as the papists today defend their godlessness and idolatry, saying that we, who are fewer in number, follow new doctrines that were not known long ago. Thus Jeroboam and the priests of the calves, the Camarim, ridiculed Judah for keeping its peculiar worship among all the peoples and kingdoms of the whole earth. As the kingdom of Egypt was the most prosperous, so it was the most ancient. In this one this calf service was so
1) Erlanger: In instead of: it".
The kingdom has been in prosperity for many centuries and has been approved by God, otherwise it could not have been in prosperity for so long. Its great wealth, peace, power, dignity, was the reward of its godliness etc. Persuaded in this way, the common people approved of the calf service, not unlike the papists now defend the impiety of the masses, the celibate state, the vows etc. with the length of time, long habit and benefit.
But what was the end of it at last? How did Israel fare above the service that had been introduced from Egypt? Of course, Samaria, the capital of the kingdom, was in the greatest danger and was besieged and finally conquered by the king of Assyria.
The word means both, to be in worry or fear and to be in exile. Therefore, it would not be entirely inappropriate if it were also taken here for: to be in exile. The citizens of Samaria will go into exile because of the calves in BethEl, that is, the sin of idolatry will be punished with eternal banishment.
V. 5. 6. for his people mourn for him, over whom his Camarim used to rejoice because of his glory; for he is led away from them. Yes, the calf was brought into Assyria as a gift to the king of Jareb.
Not only Samaria will be in fear and danger, all the people will mourn because of the ungodly calf service, that is, they will be afflicted because of idolatry. Even the Camarim, the priests of the calf, to whom this service brought much profit and honor, will mourn. For the enemy will lay waste the kingdom, carry away the idols, and at the same time carry away captive to Assyria the priests and the people. But they got the name "Camarim" from the fervent zeal in the godless service, just as in the papacy there was a fervent zeal in the highest godlessness, when the sacrificers dreamed that they changed the bread and sacrificed God's son by their own power. This godlessness alone brought the highest dignity to the measuring monkeys, and was extraordinarily profitable, like the calf service for the Camarim. But they too will mourn when the punishment will seize them.
So Ephraim must stand with shame, and Israel must walk shamefully with his nobility.
The calf, he says, will be sent as a gift to the king at Jareb. But how will Ephraim be rewarded for this gift? What will it receive? Disgrace, that is, it will be in danger without help, it will perish. For to come to ruin is actually to have our hope and trust in help deceived. Therefore, shame is the reward of all idolaters, for they are abandoned in dangers and learn that idolatry is the source of all misfortune, whereas those who put their trust in the Lord and hold fast to the right worship, even though they cannot be without dangers, nevertheless experience certain help, as the 25th Psalm, v. 3, says: "No one will be put to shame who waits for you." Ps. 31:2: "In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be put to shame." Likewise, v. 18: "O Lord, let me not be put to shame, for I call upon thee." And Ps. 37:18. f.: "The pious shall not be put to shame in the evil time." But the books of the prophets are full of these sayings.
V. 7 For the king of Samaria is gone, as the foam upon the waters.
Here he explains what he wants to be understood by "shame". But he uses the parable of the foam that runs on the water, not only to indicate that this kingdom should be scattered like foam, but also to illustrate the greatness of wrath and misfortune. Nothing is weaker than the foam; it is carried away with great impetuosity, and cannot rule over the water, but is carried away by the water. Thus, he indicates, the king of Samaria will be swept away, and he will not be able to defend himself against the power of the enemies who rage with great impetuosity in the kingdom of Israel.
V. 8 The high places of Aven are destroyed, so that Israel sinned; thistles and thorns grow on their altars. And they shall say, O mountains, cover us; and ye hills, fall upon us.
Above he called BethEl "BethAven", here he calls it only "Aven", which means godlessness, as he calls the sin of Israel either the "calves" or the "churches". Everything will be devastated by the enemy and thereafter lie desolate. But the people will be struck with such terrible misfortune that they will desire what they now abhor, namely the collapse of their houses, so that they may perish immediately with their children, spouses, household members and all their own. But in vain will they desire this, for they will be preserved for harsher evils. This was the end of the kingdom of Israel and of idolatry and contempt for the word of God.
Christ uses these words of the prophet when he prophesies about the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, whose causes were the same that destroyed the kingdom of Israel. And how much more desirable it would be to perish suddenly than to be a spectator of such terrible woe! Therefore, let us encourage ourselves to fear God, flee idolatry, adorn the Word with holy living, and pray, as Christ says [Luc. 21:36], that we may be worthy to escape from all that these histories threaten the despisers of the Word and the idolaters.
V. 9. Israel, you have sinned since the time of Gibeah, and they have continued to do so; but let them not be like the strife of Gibeah, which was against the wicked men.
What follows now is somewhat darker because of the images. But as far as the meaning is concerned, it is certain that this is also connected with the preceding and belongs to the threat that the kingdom of Israel will be completely destroyed because of idolatry. And also in the previous chapter [v. 9] the prophet remembers the sin of Gibeah, which is told in the book of Judges, chap. 19. From that time on, he says, Israel has always sinned and continued to do so until this day.
In Hebrew person and numerus is changed: "Israel, you have sinned since the time of Gibeah, so they have remained", but we
have rendered the meaning. 1) But the Lord threatens that they will be more severely afflicted than the children of Benjamin, who protected the sin of the Gibeonites. For although almost the whole tribe of Benjamin was killed because of the sin of Gibeah, they were reconciled to the brethren and remained among the people of God, and the rest had their dwelling place in the land of promise. This, says the Lord, will not happen to the kingdom of Israel; they will be led away captive to Assyria and never return.
Others explain this passage a little differently, and what the prophet of Gibeah mentions, they do not refer to the misfortune of the children of Benjamin, which is somewhat alleviated afterwards, but to the other tribes of Israel. For these also fought twice with misfortune in a righteous cause, so that before they could execute the punishment on the others, they themselves also had to suffer the punishment for the idolatry that was common on Mount Ephraim for a long time. But the third conflict was finally happy. In this way, perhaps, Israel could comfort itself that, though it was sorely afflicted for a time, yet at last it would come to pass that things would go better with it, as Israel had twice fought unhappily, but in the third battle defeated the children of Benjamin. But the prophet says that now they will not fight with such luck. Although the two views do not conflict, for either threatens Israel with destruction, the former seems the more appropriate; but the reader is at liberty to decide which of the two he will follow.
The piece that he adds: "So against the wicked people happen", serves to make the sin great. For if Israel is to be punished more severely than Gibeah, it follows that the sin is also more severe, while it is certain that the sin of the Gibeahites was exceedingly severe.
V.10. But I will chasten them according to my desire, and nations shall be gathered against them, when I shall punish them for their two sins.
1) This remark refers to Luther's Latin translation, the last part of which reads: "dabei bist du auch geblieben".
See what sin does! God's nature is such that He desires to help, to do good, to benefit mankind, but sin changes this will and forces God to be harsher against His nature, so that He must punish sinners, as He says here that He delights in the punishments that the pagans will inflict on stubborn idolaters.
The following piece is translated differently by some, because the word is interpreted by eyes, others by furrows. Both explanations are inconsistent. Pagninus 3) has the right one, who says that the word was derived from XXX, which means sin, so that the opinion is: "for their two sins", that is, because of the two calves at Dan and BethEl, "I will punish them". For he alludes to the similitude of the calf.
V. 11: Ephraim is a calf, accustomed to thresh. I will ride over his beautiful neck; I will ride Ephraim, Judah shall plow and Jacob shall harrow.
This is a very beautiful saying, although it is somewhat obscure because of the image. The Jews had a different way of threshing the grain than we do, because they used oxen for it. These were driven around on the threshing floor and kicked out the seed with their hooves. This work was pleasant for the animals, because they were not tied, not with the yoke, not weighed down with a load, but, they ran around freely and had their food, according to the commandment of the Lord in the law [5 Mos. 25, 4.]: "You shall not bind the mouth of the ox that threshes", that is, you shall not prevent him from eating, if he gets hungry under the threshing.
Here the prophet looks at this and compares the kingdom of Israel not to an ox, but to a calf, which has grown stubborn because of its age, and is not yet accustomed to the yoke, and says: Israel, like a calf, loves threshing, that is, it loves such work or worship, from
2) Thus in the Kethib. In the Keri OMUL" When translated by "eyes" it is derived from PL; "furrow" is M'iL; the correct derivation and punctation that Luther followed is from PL.
3) Sanctes Pagninus, a learned grammarian. Compare Walch, St. Louis Edition, vol. XX, 2107, note 2.
It does not want to follow the word, it chases after the profit and serves the belly. But what will I do? I will mount its strong neck like a horseman and ride on Ephraim like on a horse, that is, I will push it, I will not let it run around freely, but I will force it, like a horse, to go wherever I want. Of course, against its will it will go to Assyria, 1) but it will be forced by force.
What he says about Judah's plowing refers to the kingdom of Judah, which at that time was severely plagued by the Assyrian, although it was not completely devastated.
V. 12. Therefore sow righteousness for yourselves, and reap love, and plow differently, because it is time to seek the Lord until he comes and rains righteousness on you.
It moves the prophet the simile which he used to add an admonition to the threat. He threatened the calf or the kingdom of Israel that it would no longer be used for easy and profitable work, for threshing, but that it would have to offer its back to the horseman who would force it, like a horse, to go to Assyria. But of the kingdom of Judah he said that it would happen that it would have to plow and crush the clods. Although this is hard work, it is bearable and does not last forever. Therefore, by this image he indicates that Judah will receive a lighter punishment. For although it was afflicted by the Assyrians, it was not completely devastated, but rather saw that by a miracle of God the enemy was removed, who did not return afterwards, as Isaiah [Cap. 37, 29] promises.
This, says the prophet, happens to you through your fault. Why do you not pay attention to the word and live holy? Why do you not turn to the Lord, because it is the time when he can be found? For then you would escape this calamity and be adorned with many blessings etc. This
1) The words: Invitus sank idit in ^ssvriarri are missing in the Wittenberg.
is the occasion for this exhortation, and it is very much connected with the threat. But we will elaborate on it, for it is worthy of careful consideration, since it shows the right way of repentance.
The prophet demands justice and love, as he taught above in the sixth chapter, v. 6, that love must be connected with the knowledge of God. But it is known what righteousness is, namely the forgiveness of sins. For since we are so corrupted by sin that we cannot be without sin as long as we have flesh and blood on us (according to the saying [1 John 1:8.], "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us"), our righteousness can be no other than that the sins we have are not imputed to us, but are forgiven, as Paul [Rom. 7, 4. f.] describes the blessedness from the 32nd Psalm, v. 1. f., describes.
We are therefore righteous, not as if we had no sin, for at every moment we have need of this prayer, "Forgive us our trespasses," but because the sins we have are not imputed, but rather forgiven for the sake of faith in Christ. For Christ is the source and origin of this righteousness. For when sinners, like those in the wilderness, when they were bitten by poisonous serpents, look at the serpent of brass, when they firmly believe that Christ has paid the penalty of their sin in his body, and that God will accept us for his sake, they are declared righteous, that is, their sins are not imputed to them, and they are considered righteous. Yes, they are indeed righteous, because their sins are no longer on them, but on Christ, according to John's saying [John 1:29], "Behold, this is God's Lamb, which bears the sin of the world."
But as nowadays our adversaries indicate a different way to bring about righteousness, even inventing a completely different righteousness, since they claim that it is a nature that we have and not an imputation [of foreign righteousness], so also the Israelites did not believe that the con-
The prophet is attacking the root of godlessness because he is commanding that they sow righteousness. Therefore, the prophet is attacking the root of wickedness, commanding that they sow righteousness.
But why does he command to "sow righteousness"? Would it not have been enough to say: Make sure that you are righteous? But the prophet here expressly punishes the doctrine. For what is the seed of righteousness but the pure doctrine that God is merciful and pardons sin, since He promised the seed that would crush Satan's head and free us from his tyranny? For it is impossible for this righteousness to be known unless it is shown by the Word, just as it is impossible for the earth to bring forth anything good of itself without good seed.
Therefore, the prophet commands the Israelites to pay attention to the word above all things and to learn what the word declares to be true righteousness. For when reason comes to the highest, it holds that righteousness is when one renounces evil and does good. But who does not see that we are stuck on both sides? For we cannot strip off the flesh, and it is necessary that you first celebrate good before you can do anything good. But the hypocrites see neither, and falsely dream that they are righteous when they do what is not outwardly evil.
But the Scriptures show us another righteousness, and that is that you know that there is nothing good in you, and that through the beneficence of the once promised, but now appeared, seed, the evil that is in you, in your flesh, and in your heart and spirit, and that stubbornly has its abode there, will not be imputed to you by the merciful Father in heaven. Evil, which is in you, in your flesh, in your heart and spirit, and which stubbornly resides there, will not be imputed to you by the merciful Father in heaven, for the sake of His only begotten Son, who took our sins upon Himself and made atonement for them.
This righteousness, says the prophet, teach, and do from you the common opinions, as if by obedience to the law, by sacrifice, and by a good life, you were to destroy your ungodly
beings. Sin is too great an evil to be cured in this way. It requires the sacrifice of the Son of God, whom you worship in the firm belief that God wants to forgive you for His sake. Through this faith, hearts are cleansed in truth, for sins are taken away, and another fruit, "love," grows from the seed of righteousness. This fruit reaps, because it is a right fruit without hypocrisy.
But there is an excellent teaching in the word "reap"; the harvest does not precede, but follows the sowing. If, therefore, righteousness is the seed, what frenzy, what blindness there is in our adversaries, that they condemn and reject this seed and urge the people to reap! In all pulpits are heard glorious praises of good works. These, they falsely cry, would be neglected by us, while we are everywhere anxious about this one thing, that we keep the right seed of the church, from which love grows. But they not only do not treat this whole part of the doctrine, but do not understand it at all, because, imprisoned by their opinions, they think that righteousness is not an imputation, but a condition. Therefore, they only exhort that one should do good works, but they do not indicate where the ability to do so comes from.
The prophet now keeps a different order in the teaching. He wants righteousness to be sown; 1) the doctrine of righteousness through Christ, not through works or our actions, he wants to be taught first, and shows that after this sowing a harvest will follow, not of such works as the hypocrites invent, so that they may obtain forgiveness of sins through them, as in the law there were the sacrifices, the oblationes, the observance of the legal customs. But in the pabstics are: the impious sacrifice of the mass, the vows, the celibate life, the distinction of food, the peculiar manner of dress, the invocation and veneration of the saints, the worship of images. But the true
1) Erlanger: keri instead of: seri.
1298 L. XXIV, 410-413. interpretations on the prophets. W. VI, IS03-IS0S. 1299
Good works are those of love, which he calls here XXX or good deeds, because in these the service of God consists.
For all worship consists in these two things: first, that you pay attention to the word and listen to the Son of God, who preaches of the Father's mercy and love for us, and of his merit. This is the highest service, which he called "the knowledge of God" in the sixth chapter, v. 6, and preferred it to burnt offerings. Here, however, he calls it "righteousness," for what else can we do to God but accept the gifts he offers us with a grateful heart and not turn away from them, as the Pharisees and hypocrites do in the Gospel.
After this service, the next is to help your neighbor, that is, all those who need your help. This is the love that Paul calls "the fulfillment of the law", because the whole second table has to do only with works of love. But just as the world despises the grace that God offers in His Son, and seeks other ways to forgive sins than faith in Christ, so it neglects these works of love as easy and small, and chooses more precious ones that seem more difficult. She does not want to help those who are in misery with her money and goods, but GOtte, therefore the godless Jews made many sacrifices. Those of us in the papacy waste their goods without measure on the decoration of the churches. But this is not the right way to serve God; he does not need our gold and silver, the neighbor has need of it. If we help him, God will receive it as if we had helped him, as Christ says [Matth. 25, 40.]: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
But the world cannot be persuaded in the best way, therefore it not only neglects the salutary doctrine, but also condemns it, and spends great expenses on trivial things, but neglects the poor, in regard to whom the Lord has so urgently commanded us that we should take care of them. But what punishments will follow, we can learn from the example of the Israelites.
Therefore, this is not only a glorious admonition, but also a useful teaching that so clearly indicates service against God.
a plowing, and do not sow under the hedges. But it is customary among the Hebrews, when they want to indicate an emphasis, to double the words. Therefore we have given it sin the Latin translation] by: diligent plowing. Jerome has: Innovate vobis novale [plow yourselves a new field. But even if one reads in this way, the same sense remains which Jeremiah indicates when he adds that one should not sow under the hedges.
For the prophet has in mind the remnants of sin, which also remain with the godly and are stirred up by the tempter, Satan. For even though they have received the Holy Spirit through the Word and are justified by faith, they have received only the firstfruits of the Spirit, but flesh and blood hold on to the old nature, and if we do not, as Paul speaks [Rom. 8:13], kill business through the spirit of the flesh, the flesh will quench the spirit.
Christians therefore also need this commandment to plow diligently, that is, to kill their flesh diligently, to sweep out the old leaven, that they may be a new dough [1 Cor. 5:7], so that, as Paul quotes 2 Cor. 5:17 from Isa. 43:19, everything may be new, but the old may be removed.
Therefore, see if the prophet did not teach his own about the true religion in a masterly way and yet in wonderful simplicity. For if you wanted to paint a Christian, how could you paint him with more actual colors than how the prophet painted him, since he calls him sowing, reaping and plowing? Therefore, these are his tools: the seed in his bosom, the sickle in his right hand, the plow in his left, the constant handling of the word, the love for the neighbor and the killing of the flesh. In this is the Christian life, and it will happen that those who are committed in this way to
To practice the field of godliness, to find the Lord who rains down righteousness, who forgives sins, and who adorns his own with every kind of spiritual good, according to the words of Christ [Matt. 25:29], "To him that hath shall be given." For it is not fitting for Christians to be idle; one must work diligently, and the Lord will assist those who work with his Spirit.
The verb "to rain," XXX, also means "to teach," as in Isa. 28:9: XXX XXXX "whom
shall he teach knowledge?" And also here it would not be inappropriate to translate: And the Lord shall teach righteousness; but it seemed good to us to keep the picture which the prophet presents here of the field and rural pursuits.
One must also pay attention to the idiom in this passage: "sow yourselves," "plow yourselves," XXX that is, for your good; it will profit you if you sow righteousness, if you plow diligently etc.
V. 13. 14. For you plow evil, and reap mischief, and eat the fruit of lies. Because you trust in your nature and the multitude of your heroes etc.
"Evil" should have been rooted out with the plow, but you fortify it so that it takes root. Out of it have grown exceedingly wicked fruits, and a harvest of sin followed, for the whole service of God is nothing but hypocrisy. On this they rely, through this they hope to be safe, but their hope will lie to them.
"Heroes" he calls either the teachers who took the idolatry in defense, or the kings and princes. For we have often said,
that at the time Hosea prophesied, the kingdom of Israel was very powerful.
And there shall be a tumult among thy people, and all thy strongholds shall be destroyed. Just as Salman destroyed the house of Arbeel at the time of the quarrel, when the mother fell to pieces over the children.
The history, which the prophet remembers in this place, is nowhere present. But he indicates that it was an extraordinary misery, in which not the sex, not the age, not even the fruit in the womb was spared. Such a misery, he says, will also come upon you. For so he continues:
V. 15. And so it shall be with you at Beth-El, because of your great wickedness, that the king of Israel shall go down early in the morning.
He calls here the BethEl, which he had called above BethAven, where the calf service was caused by the first Jeroboam. For though the whole kingdom of Israel was laid waste by the Assyrians, yet the Lord willed that the places which were distinguished by the ungodly services should be most severely afflicted.
It is well known that he says that the king of Israel should go down early in the morning, because it indicates that the downfall will happen suddenly and unawares.
This is the end of idolatry and godless worship, and there is no doubt that Germany will one day be overtaken by similar misery, if the godless bunch of bishops and mass priests do not get comfortable with the word and the right doctrine.