The prophet now repeats the threat of the future desolation, but under a different image. As if he wanted to say: Well then, they will not be moved by these threatening words; therefore I will also make a song of this matter, whether they can be brought to repentance in this way. "The vineyard" is the Jewish people, which God has fenced in with His law. The delicious "vines" are the holy judges and kings, Joshua, David 2c. "The Tower" is the worship and its word, which GOD gave from heaven, and belong to the exercise of faith. "The cellars" is the killing of the old man, of which Rom. 12, 1. is spoken, and which belongs to the use of spiritual killing. It is the same if you take it for the altar of burnt offering on which a bruised spirit is offered 2c. "The host" is the outward gross sins, that they were robbers, adulterers, slayers, who killed the holy prophets and Christ.
2 But he enumerates all this according to the order. First he praises his good deeds, which he has done for the synagogue. Then he says how the synagogue has not behaved properly against such important good deeds. Third, he threatens devastation. Fourth, he makes a register of their sins. But he adds to every sin its punishment. In the fifth place, he returns to the threat, and, in order to add a greater terror to them, he adds a description of the people by whom the synagogue was to be devastated. Accordingly, it is all far more terrible than could be understood of the Babylonian captivity.
V. i. Well, I will sing to my beloved a song of my cousin from his vineyard.
3 He calls Christ his cousin. For Isaiah also was of the tribe of Judah.
My beloved has a vineyard in a fat place (in cornu filio olei).
4. the word cornu [horn] is taken for an elevated and fortified place, of the
same it means so much as a power, an empire, dominion 2c. And by this designation the prophet indicates that the Jewish empire was strong and powerful. But that he adds filio oleii is a Hebrew expression. For the Hebrews often use the name filius when they want to express a possession. Therefore it is suitably explained by the word "have" with the noun to which it refers, as, cornu filio olei, that is, cornu, quod habet oleum [a horn that has oil]. The meaning is therefore this: Christ has his vineyard in a secure place, because of divine protection, furthermore also in a fruitful and fat place. What more, then, could he have given? since he has given them power and abundance. But this one thing is left, that they should make good use of these benefits 2c.
V. 3. 4. Now judge, you citizens of Jerusalem.
5 This is, as it were, a summary: What more could I have done?
V. 5. 6. His wall shall be taken away.
6 He repeats the punishment of the last desolation of the synagogue; it shall come to pass that the priesthood shall be taken away from them, so that nowhere shall be found people who teach the word. For the ministers of the Word are those who prune and hoe the vineyard. Thus the Jews today have neither the Word nor prophets nor the worship of God, and thus they have at the same time lost the worldly rule, which never happened to them before. For during the time of the captivity there was still a spark of the kingdom left. For the king Jechoniah was still alive, and there were still prophets when Daniel, Ezekiel 2c.
That thistles and thorns grow on it.
7. thorns are the best works, according to appearance, as those of the Pharisees were, and with us are those of the monks, by which the foolish common people are knitted. Thus
It cannot be otherwise, where the law is not taught, sins cannot be properly punished and corrected. For the law is the light for the knowledge of sins; if this is not there, the thorns inevitably grow; that is, instead of good works, hypocrisy prevails.
And will command the clouds that they rain not upon it.
The clouds are the apostles and the preaching of the Gospel. But this is the greatest misfortune of all, when the word of God is taken away, in which alone the forgiveness of sins, the favor and grace of God, and eternal life are offered. All this is taken away at the same time as the external word, and nothing remains but accusation and guilt that cannot be forgiven, the wrath and judgment of God, and finally eternal death. Therefore, we must pray that the kingdom of God, for the sake of our ingratitude and sins, may not be taken away from us and given to a people who bring forth its fruits [Matth. 21, 43].
V. 7. He waits for justice.
(9) This is the first kind of the host, namely, the avarice of the authorities. They should judge rightly, but they do nothing but oppress and afflict the subjects with their oppressions and injustices. Nor do they have mercy on the poor, for this is what he calls "justice.
V. 10. For ten acres of vineyard shall yield but one bucket.
(10) It will be a very great harvest. If you count on a rich grape harvest, it will happen that ten fields will hardly yield a jug of wine. Furthermore, notice here that God punishes the stinginess of the people with theurung, as we also experience today. For since the world does not punish stinginess, God punishes it with anger. For the profit does not come from our great labor, but from the divine blessing. When God gives His blessing, everything grows very abundantly; but if
God puts a curse on the land, nothing grows. Therefore, the godly may learn here how to build their fields; namely, first with prayer, then also to be bountiful; then God will bless them.
V. 11: Woe to those who are up early in the morning.
(11) This is the other kind of wickedness, namely drunkenness. Note that almost the same vices are mentioned here that Christ punishes in Matth. 23, 13. ff.
V. 12. They do not look at the work of the Lord.
12. "They do not look at the work of the Lord"; that is, at what God demands and wants from them, namely, that they believe God and fear Him, and do good to their neighbor.
V. 13. Therefore my people will have to suffer hunger.
This famine was described by Josephus.
V. 16 But the LORD of hosts will be exalted in judgment.
014 This shall the LORD do, that he may destroy the wicked, and also save the godly. And so by him justice will be exalted when he punishes the ungodly, so that it must be said: The LORD is a righteous judge on earth 2c.
V. 17: Then the lambs will feed.
15 He comforts the godly. The apostles and remnant of the faithful will have the word of God with which they will be pastured superfluously.
Woe to those who tie themselves together with loose cords to do wrong.
16. this is the third type of. Heerlinge. For he speaks against the secure and stiff-necked prophets who comforted the people against these threats of the prophet. They comforted the people against the prophet's threats by relying on their carnal righteousness. Furthermore, it is a Hebrew expression that he says: "they pull at the injustice as at a truck", that is, they lead in
their injustice, they did not want to let themselves be corrected. 2c. He calls the laws and statutes by which they fasten "injustice", that is, the seemingly highest holiness, "ropes".
V. 20: Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.
(17) This fourth kind of host is against the blasphemers who condemned the word of the prophet and extolled their doings and teachings. But for the most part it goes against the masters and teachers. For he does not speak of the good that is in creatures, or of something that is outwardly good, but he speaks of the word that is truly good. First, because it teaches what is right and good, and guides us in peril so that we do not perish. Second, it is a light, because it teaches in tribulations, and does not forsake those who are forsaken by all human help. Thirdly, it is also sweet, because it is life and brings peace to souls. So we should give this honor to the word, thinking that the word is good. But the opposite happens: What is good, they call evil, the light darkness 2c. Therefore they take their human doctrines, teach them and practice them as if they were the most delightful doctrine, because they bring bread into the house. So I take this passage from words, not from gold or from pleasure. For these are only evil when they are misused; but error and ungodly opinions are absolutely evil.
Woe to those who are wise in themselves and think themselves wise.
(18) This can be applied both to the teachers and to the disciples. But they are those of whom also Paul says in the Epistle to the Romans, Cap. 1, 22: "Thinking themselves wise, they became fools." And in the proverbs the xxxxxxxx are often reproved. For the φιλαυτία, or conceit that one is wise oneself, is the most pernicious vice, by which hearts are prevented from accepting punishment or being reformed; but they are intent only on one thing, that they may be admired by others. Thus we see
Heretics never think about whether what they teach is true or not. For they think they are wise, and therefore they cannot err. But we, who want to be true Christians, should be ready to be taught by every child. After that, we should carefully examine what we follow to see if it is in accordance with the faith and the word of God, so that our wisdom is connected with the fear of God; otherwise it will be an unfortunate wisdom.
V. 24: Therefore, as the flame of the fire consumes straw.
19 He describes herewith the exceedingly great speed of the devastation. All yours will be as weak as straw against the flame; you will not be able to resist the punishment. These are figurative speeches; "the root" stands for the noblest, and "the shoots" for the subjects, but especially for the young people.
For they despise the law of the LORD of hosts.
20. the punishments of the other sins are bearable; the blasphemy alone God punishes with the most severe desolation, and exterminates the despisers with stump and handle. Thus Jerusalem and the whole Jewish people, thus Babylon, thus Rome were devastated; the same will happen to Germany.
V. 25. He stretches out his hand over them.
21 Thus the Jews are still miserably scattered to this day.
V. 26. For he will raise a banner.
22. now he also describes the people who will destroy the Jews. But it is all to be understood by the Romans.
Hurriedly and quickly they come along.
(23) The prophet here presents an excellent image (hypotyposin), and he does this because he would like to bring his own to repentance from the bottom of their hearts. And this is the reason that the prophets use various images and ornaments, by which they hope to achieve something with the unrepentant.
24. But a blinded heart cannot recognize its sins, not even when it feels the blows; or, when it recognizes them, it despairs, like Pharaoh. We see the same in the heretics, who cannot be corrected by any punishment. For when they are punished by God because of their sin, they say that they suffered for righteousness. Even today, the Jews say that they have done well by crucifying Christ, even though they are miserably tormented with the most severe punishments. Thus the Anabaptists willingly suffer death because they imagine that their opinion is right and good. For they are possessed; therefore they should not be killed, but rather locked up in a place and kept in check as raging people, and rather prayed for. But keep us from this sin, that we think ourselves righteous [in sins], for it is not forgiven. So the more such
The more people are punished, the more they boast; the more they are praised, the more they rage 2c.
V. 27. No one's belt comes off his loins.
25 That is, they are always ready in arms, they never lay down the sword.
V.30. And will roar over them at that time like the sea.
26. This means the weeping of the Jews, that they will weep for their misfortune.
When you will then look at the country.
That is, the saddest horrors of death will appear everywhere. Everywhere there will be despair and mourning, to such an extent that even this lovely light of heaven will be unpleasant to them.