V. 1. When Israel was young, I loved him and called him, my son, out of Egypt.
This is connected with the preceding, for it is a prophecy of the same content, only that the Lord here, as he has done several times above, mentions his benefits,
which he has shown to this people from the beginning, so that the ingratitude of the people will be all the more apparent and the punishment will seem all the more just.
It is a lovely picture that he compares this people to a baby, which because of no
1302 L. XXIV, 415-417. interpretations on the prophets. W. VI, IS09-ISI2. 1Z03
Age cannot yet go. For it had very small beginnings, as the Lord also praises this in Isaiah, when he exhorts Cap. 51, 1. 2. He calls them to look at their origin and compares Abraham to a dry rock, but Sarah to a well, a tomb or a spring that cannot be reached to draw water from it.
But especially the word "love" must be heeded, for it indicates that all our hope rests on the fact that God is not cruel or a ruthless tyrant, does not hate, does not discard men, but loves, as we are wont to love those who are descended from us, not for our gain or their merits, but because we cannot hate those who are descended from us. For parents spend both effort and expense on their children. Therefore, if someone wanted to look at the merit, the children are even a burden for the parents; and yet they are loved.
In this passage, God claims this natural affection for Himself, since He says that He loved this people in the beginning and considered them His son, and therefore called them out of Egypt and delivered them from hard bondage. And this is the first blessing, that God, as a father, accepted this people as a son and kindly nurtured and cared for it until it grew into a very large nation.
Here the interpreters torment themselves in many ways. For they see what the opinion of the prophet is, namely that he speaks of the people of the law, which was led over through the Red Sea from Egypt to the land of Canaan. Therefore, if God called His Son out of Egypt when He killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, the question arises how Matthew [Cap. 2, 15.] could say that this prophecy was not fulfilled until the child Christ returned from Egypt to Galilee? For if you wanted to explain the prophet according to the evangelist's saying, a whole new sense would come out. But it is inconsistent that these so great warrantors should argue against each other, as Jerome indicates that the emperor Julianus has brought this up to the Christians as a great shameful deed, and the an
The words of the evangelist are mocked, as if Matthew wanted to deceive the Gentiles by applying to Christ what the prophet had said about the ancient people.
But the matter is easy for such people who are not quarrelsome. It is certain that the prophet speaks of the old people. But he calls it a son, because he looks at Moses, whose words he wanted to follow here, as often elsewhere. For thus says Moses, Deut. 1:31: "The LORD thy God hath borne thee, as a man doth his son, through all the way wherein ye walked, until ye came unto this place."
Why, do you say, does Matthew draw this on Christ? I answer: For no other reason than to show that this JEsus, born of the Virgin Mary and recalled by the angel from Egypt to Galilee, is the true and eternally born Son of GOD, as once the people of Israel were, who were not sons by nature but by mercy, called out of Egypt and brought back to the land of Canaan, which was promised to the fathers, And there is nothing improper in this conception, for it is not something new or uncommon to make general out of particular expressions when the events are the same. This is also what the evangelist did shortly after 1) [Matth. 2, 17. f.], when he transfers the saying of Jeremiah [Cap. 31, 15.] to the lamentation that was caused by the shameful infanticide in Bethlehem.
This is all the more important because Matthew, while the apostles almost always follow the Septuagint translation, wanted to follow the Hebrew Bible at this point. For the seventy interpreters have not the singular, but the plural: Out of Egypt I have called his sons. The evangelist corrects this error and, according to the power he has, wants to show by this testimony that this Jesus, who was born of Mary and called by the angel from Egypt, is the true Son of the eternal God, born from eternity, therefore this testimony of the prophet fits him much better than the old one.
1) Instead of ante in the issues, xost should be read.
People who were not by nature but by adoption (adoptione) 1) a son. This is the simple and right opinion.
V. 2. But now when they are called, they turn away, and sacrifice to Baalim, and burn incense to the images.
Here he begins to reproach them for their disobedience, that the people, having been brought into the land of Canaan and adorned in many ways by the Lord, departed from the word and followed idolatry. In Hebrew, brevity causes some obscurity. The prophet wants one to consider the contrast. Since Israel was a child and I called it, it obeyed and followed the one who called it. Now it is also called by my prophets, it is commanded to stay on the right path, to pay attention to the word, to practice the right worship. But it does not want to do so, it turns its face elsewhere, it does not want to hear those who call it, it does not want to follow them; it neglects me, it serves the Baalim; it despises me, the living God, and worships the idols.
V. 3 I took Ephraim by his arms and led him, but they did not see how I helped them.
Here you see that the prophet, as I said above, looks at the sermon of Moses, Deut. 1, 31. The word is formed by
Foot, and means the same thing that we express in German by "to teach to walk, to help on the feet," to guide, as children are guided by hand so that they get used to putting on their feet and walking. By this similitude the Lord shows that he took care of this people with special zeal and care, so that it grew into a great nation. But what thanks did they give him? He says, "They did not notice how I helped them," that is, they did not attribute these benefits to me, they did not thank me, they did not keep my word, they did not worship me, but turned to their idols and to the help of the Gentiles. It is therefore a great blessing that the Lord did not leave them when they were called out of Egypt, but cared for them like a child and taught them to walk,
1) Wittenberger: oxtions.
by graciously standing by them everywhere, helping, protecting, blessing them 2c. But this is not enough for the kind Father.
I made them draw a human yoke, and walk in cords of love, and helped them to bear the yoke on their necks, and gave them food, that he should not return to the land of Egypt.
Now this is an extraordinary and exceedingly great blessing, that he did not let this people go according to their desires, as the rest of the nations did, but bound them with cords, so that they would remain in their duty. But these ropes are also wonderful, XXXXXX XXX XXXX XXXX, ropes of a man, with which men, not animals, are used to be bound, and bands or ropes of love, which are prepared so that love is awakened.
These ropes are nothing other than the law given and indicated to this people by God, by which they were first commanded to recognize God, that is, to pay attention to His word, to trust God and to call upon Him. This is "a human yoke," for man alone was created to learn to know and praise God, and then to love his neighbor. This teaching is an immensely great blessing.
In addition to this, the third benefit is that God has become like those who make the yoke on their necks easy, because he wants to help those with his spirit who pay attention to the word and practice love, according to the saying [Matth. 25, 29.]: "Whoever has, to him will be given." For he not only commands what we are to do, but he also raises up us who are weak by his Spirit, that he may at the same time bear with us the yoke which he has put upon us.
To this is added the fourth benefit, that he gave them food, that is, that he also showered this people with bodily blessings, so that they, irritated by so many benefits, would again show their gratitude to God, recognize him, obey his words, worship him, finally flee to him in all dangers through prayer, and not to men, not to the idols of the heathen. For this is it that he saith, "That he should not return again into the land of Egypt."
As for grammar, almost all derive the word XX from the verbum XXX, which means to incline, and we too have followed these and given it: "I gave them food." But some interpret XX as an adverbium by: in a quiet way, and take for the future tense I will let them eat in a quiet way. But since the sense is not different, the reader may take what he pleases.
V. 5, 6 Thus Assyria has become their king, for they will not repent. Therefore the sword shall come upon their cities, and shall wear out their bars, and devour them, because of their nobleness.
This is now the reward that they despised the so kind GOD and preferred to follow their thoughts and pretensions rather than GOD's word. For the king of Assyria utterly destroyed Israel.
Note the saying XXXX XXXX XX, "because they would not turn," that is, because they did not repent and, being admonished by the Word, did not put away idolatry; for God hates the impenitent and punishes them, but gives grace to those who repent.
V. 7 My people are weary in turning to me; and as they are preached to, so no one rises.
The word means to be in suspense, to be doubtful. But in this way the prophet wanted to indicate the immense contempt of the word, as if he wanted to say: They are convicted of idolatry by the prophets, who reproach them with my word and indicate the right service of God, but although they see and know it, they continue in idolatry, despise my command, and, as rebellious servants are wont to do, are doubtful when something is commanded to them, whether they also want to carry it out. For thus the prophet interprets himself, saying that they are called to the Most High, but that, as if they did not hear and were deaf, they sit idle, do not rise, do not follow the voice of him who calls.
V. 8. What shall I make of you, Ephraim? Shall I protect you, Israel? Shall I not cheaply make thee an adamah, and make thee like Zeboim?
The history of Gen. 19, 24. is well known, how the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire that fell from heaven; and the Lord threatens the transgressors of the law with the same punishment in Deut. 29, 23. The Lord is looking at this threat in this passage. He says: You have deserved with your stubborn idolatry that I should cut you off completely like Adama and Zeboim, but I will deal more mildly with you. For it follows:
V. 8. 9. But my heart is of another mind, my mercy is too fervent, that I will not do according to my fierce anger, nor turn to destroy Ephraim at all; for I am God, and not a man, and am the Holy One among you.
This is a glorious passage that must be set against the thoughts of the wrath of God. For just as the Law says that God is favorable to those who obey His will, but threatens the wrath of God to those who deviate from and forsake the Word, so also our hearts hold that God hates sinners and wants to condemn them. Therefore, when we are aware of something evil, we flee from God and fear His judgment, 'just as Adam and Eve, when they realized that God was approaching them in Paradise, sought to hide themselves and fled from His sight. They could not convince themselves that God, after they had sinned, would take care of them in a fatherly way, forgive them and protect them in the future. They knew the certain punishment and judged that it could not be prevented or mitigated in any way.
In this way, all people remember God. Therefore, the hypocrites who dream that they have done enough to God's law are safe, and almost think that they are sitting in God's lap; but God paints Himself with completely different colors at this point.
The sin of Israel is known from the many sermons of this prophet,
and the same is sufficiently illustrated by this one threat that the Lord threatens to inflict the same punishment as on Adama and Zeboim. And yet the Lord says that his heart is of a different mind and is inflamed with mercy. What else is this said than that the heart that is provoked to anger because of the sins of men is not God's right heart; but the right heart of God is that He is moved by our misfortune, that He burns with compassion, that He brings help to men who are falling into their ruin, and that He freely benefits those who have earned the utmost misery. This is truly God's being, that He forgives, that He is moved by our dangers, and that He is eager with great zeal and effort to help the poor sinners and to snatch them away from the punishments they deserve.
God had presented death to the first parents as the punishment for disobedience, for He is not a God who is pleased with ungodly beings [Ps. 5:5]. Although He does not completely remove the punishment from those who fell into sin and death, He does mitigate it and promises that death shall be followed by life through the seed of the woman who crushes the head of the serpent [Gen. 3:15].
Now, what is the cause of this unconscionable good deed, that death, which was imposed because of sin, is annulled by the Son of God, and the eternal punishment becomes only a bodily one? It is absolutely the same cause of which God says here that He would be moved by it not to destroy the people of Israel, who had deserved the punishment of Adama and Zeboim. For his heart becomes of a different mind, that is, he returns to his proper way, he resumes the old way, he is not angry without measure, he is kind, he has a heart that burns, not with anger, but with love and mercy. Therefore, he casts away anger and follows his nature, which is good, gentle, gracious and merciful 2c.
But he adds the cause, "For I am GOD, and not a man, and am the Holy One in the midst of you." This is no different than when he said, "If I have mercy, if I pardon, if I am moved by your
If I am moved by misfortune, I do so because that is rightly God's. Therefore, I have said that in this place God is painted with His proper colors. Whoever has this knowledge of God, even though he has reason to fear because of his sins, will nevertheless be uplifted and comforted by trusting in the mercy of God. On the other hand, those who have lost this knowledge of God must despair like Cain, Saul and Judas.
Therefore, the apostles everywhere exhort the believers to increase in the love of God, that is, that the hearts should certainly believe that they are loved by God, and hold up this infallible testimony of this love, 1) that he did not spare his Son, but gave him to the world, so that through his death life might be restored to the world. This is the highest and most certain testimony of God's love, as Paul says [Rom. 8, 32.]: "If he has given his Son, how will he not with him give us all things?"
But why does he commemorate man here? "For I am God, and not a man." Of course, in order to show that we are so corrupted by sin that we cannot keep a measure of anger and vengeance. This irreconcilability comes from Satan and sin. This evil, he says, I, God, do not have. Therefore, even though I am angry, I temper my anger, and when I chastise, I do it with moderation and not in anger [Jer. 10:24], unless men are such that they will not set a measure to their sins. Then justice demands that such people be restrained, and rather that they be destroyed than that they should destroy countless people. But if they, warned by their misfortune, recognize their sins and ask me for mercy, what else should I do but have mercy and remove all anger from my heart?
This is precisely why he says, "I am the Holy One among you." For just as he says, "I am GOD, and not a man," for man, being corrupted by sin, holds no measure in his wrath; but GOD hath
1) Wittenberger: xroponit instead of: xroponunt.
no sin, therefore he does not let his anger rage without measure: so he says: "I am the holy one among you", as if he wanted to say: You are not holy, but I am holy among you for this reason, for this reason I join myself to you, so that I may make you holy, so that I may forgive your sins, and awaken you to true obedience through my Spirit.
But how does God do this? Certainly through His Word, in which He instructs us about His mercy and about His love for us, which He made known by sending His Son. Through this preaching, the Holy Spirit enkindles hearts to trust in the goodness of God, to be sorry for the sins they have committed, and to firmly believe that they have been forgiven and given by the merciful God through His Son; then to come to wholeheartedly obey God and to subdue the flesh. -Thus God sanctifies us by dwelling among us through the word of the Gospel of His Son.
The sum of this passage is therefore that the Lord promises that even though the kingdom of Israel is to be devastated and scattered among the Gentiles, it will still happen that God will not destroy it completely, but will call it back in its time to the kingdom of Christ through the gospel, that he will have mercy on it and forgive its sins or make it holy. But he adds a strange condition:
But I don't want to come to the city.
What does this mean? Many things have been drawn here, but it seems to me that the most simple and the one that best fits the prophet's opinion is that Mari understands that God wants to have mercy on the kingdom of Israel, which was scattered among the Gentiles, in such a way that the Israelites should not return to the worldly regime and the Mosaic church, which remained with the kingdom of Judah until the time of the Gospel.
Christ uses this very image when He says in the parable Luc. 14, 16. ff. that those who were in the city were invited to the great supper, but that the lame, the blind and other miserable people were not invited.
When no one wanted to come, the Lord of the Supper finally commanded that those who were outside the city on the country roads should also be invited.
In this way the Lord says here in the prophet: I will bring Israel to the kingdom of grace, I will sanctify its remnants, but in such a way that I will not enter the city, that is, I will leave them among the Gentiles, and among the Gentiles I will have mercy on them. Therefore, the abolition of the worldly regime and the Mosaic worship is included here, since the sanctification is promised to those who are outside the city among the Gentiles, not circumcised in the flesh, not instructed in the Law 2c.
V. 10. Then one will follow the Lord.
This will finally be the fruit that will follow the words of the Gospel and sanctification, that while they have hitherto walked according to the desires of their heart, considering their sacrifices, their ceremonies and other things to be righteousness before God, they will at the same time throw all this away, and rely only on the righteousness and merits of the Son of God, of whom they will hear in the Gospel that He was given up for our sins. For this saying excludes tremendously all works and services which are not "the Lord". As great as the variety of divine services and works is in the papacy, neither a monk will dare to call his vows, nor a sacristan his mass, nor a hypocrite his fasts, nor a rich man his alms by the name that they are "the Lord.
That he therefore says, "One will follow the Lord," is the same as saying, "They will throw away trust in all human works, and rely and trust in God's grace and goodness alone. For whoever believes that God's Son became the sacrifice for his sins, he will not rely on any work that is his own, for he sees that our works cannot be likened to the death of God's Son. Therefore, he will raise himself up through Him alone, will stand firm for it-
that through him alone he is reconciled to God, has obtained forgiveness of sins and eternal life. This means in truth "to follow the Lord". And on this faith follows the endeavor to be obedient to the law, for those who are freed from sins desire to retain this innocence. Therefore, even if they fall because of weakness, through this trust they straighten up again and then walk more carefully.
V. 10, 11: And he shall roar like a lion; and when he shall roar, they that are toward the west shall be afraid. And they also that are in Egypt shall be afraid as a bird, and they that are in the land of Assyria as doves: and I will put them in their houses, saith the LORD.
The roar of the lion is often cited, more than the voice of any other animal, because it has the strongest sound and by nature frightens man. And in general, it emits its roar when it has obtained a prey, as Amos Cap. 3, 4: "Does a lion roar in the forest when it has no prey? Does a young lion roar out of his den when he has caught something?
Therefore, the preaching of the Gospel is compared to the roaring of the lion, because it is heard everywhere in the whole world, and it is such a teaching by which hearts are moved, are no longer secure, but look anxiously for their salvation, as can be seen from the passage Apost. 2, 37. f., where they say to Peter: "Men, dear brethren, what shall we do? But Peter said to them: Repent, and be baptized every man for the remission of sins."
In this way the prophet also says here: "When he shall roar, they shall be afraid that are toward the evening." Likewise the Egyptians and the Assyrians. For when sure hearts hear that salvation is given only to those who are baptized and believe in the name of Christ, they are truly terrified and anxious for their salvation.
But also in this the likeness fits very well, that the lion does not roar differently than when he has a prey in his claws and tears it apart. For our Lord Jesus Christ, having conquered death, has conquered the devil.
overcame and destroyed hell, let this roar of his gospel be heard, as he commanded the apostles to go to all nations and preach repentance and forgiveness of sins in his name [Luc. 24, 47.].
But why does he use the parable of the birds and doves that are frightened? For this reason, that he might show, as it were in a painting, what the state of the world was before this roaring. For before the preaching of the Gospel, the world was like the birds and the doves sitting safely in the pasture. For though there are different religions, yet each holds that he follows that which is true and wholesome. The worship of the Greeks was different from that of the Romans, and that of the Egyptians was different from both. For each people had its own religion, and they were never concerned whether they were in error or not.
Thus happened what Christ says in the Gospel [Luc. 11, 21. f.]: "If a strong man keeps his palace, his own remains in peace. But if a stronger man comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him his armor on which he relied, and divides the spoil." As long as the birds sit in the pasture, they are safe, graze, and do not leave a place so situated of their own free will, but return daily. But if they suddenly hear the roar of a lion or the bang of a gun, they forget their food, fly up in flocks and leave their feed.
In this way, says the prophet, the gospel will frighten the whole world, move the pagans to rise from their pasture like frightened birds, leave their idols and religions, and accept the teaching of the gospel.
Look at the time of the pope. Before the gospel of Christ became known, there were many orders of monks, many services, and indeed each had his own special ways in which he believed to be saved. For how great was the multitude of saints, yes, how great the variety of services! And yet no one thought that he was mistaken; each one thought that he had grasped what was right; therefore they were like the birds that surely gather the seeds.
But behold, by God's special grace the lion roars, the gospel resounds; we are taught that it is the only sacrifice of Christ on which we should rely, that everything else is far too small to be able to free us from even one, even the lightest sin. By this voice Germany is moved, the monks and nuns throw away their ungodly vows in which they had trusted until then, accept the Son of God as the sacrifice offered for their sins, and take a stand in which they can serve their neighbor.
Thus, those who had trusted in the ungodly sacrifice of the mass throw it away and accept Christ the priest. Those who had hoped for forgiveness of sins by fasting, pilgrimages, buying indulgences, now abhor this lying hope and go to Christ's sacrifice. What need is there of many words? The earth has been moved by this roar, and all of us, like birds that previously sat safely in the pasture, have suddenly departed from idolatry, terrified, and followed the voice of the right shepherd, with whom there is no deceit.
But, you will say, what is this voice? Certainly this one, of which Christ says John 16:8: "The Holy Spirit will punish the world for sin, and for righteousness, and for judgment." That is, he will punish the world for sin, for lack of righteousness, for being judged and condemned. But let it be freed from sin, let it attain righteousness, let it escape damnation, if it believes in Christ, who has gone to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God, and has judged or condemned Satan, as the 110th Psalm says [v. 1]: "Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool."
This voice of the gospel does not allow any security in the hearts. For no one wants to be eternally damned, no one wants to be under the wrath of God. We flee from the wrath of God, and we desire eternal life. Therefore, all leave, seeing that this way to life is held out to us,
their own ways, from which they see that they will be damned, and step onto this path of faith, which alone leads to eternal life.
Therefore it was not enough for the prophet to say that before the roaring those will be frightened who are in the evening, the Egyptians and Assyrians, but he adds: "The Lord will set them in their houses", that is, after they, thus frightened by the gospel, have left the idolatry in which they lived safely before, the Lord will assign them nests in which they can safely dwell. For the gospel not only punishes the world for sin, but also teaches true righteousness, holds up the Son of God, who became the sacrifice for our sins according to the will of the Father, and rose again for the sake of our righteousness. Through this message, hearts are uplifted, for they see that they are loved by God, they see that God does not delight in their death, but wants them to believe and be saved. Therefore, they comfort themselves with this will of God, and triumph even in dangers and tribulations. For it is a small thing that they suffer tribulation here for a time; the hope of eternal life is much more powerful for them; through this they overcome everything that the world and the devil throw in their way in terms of troubles and dangers. It is this that he promises that it will happen that they will dwell safely in their houses, as if he wanted to say: I will not leave those who are so troubled, I will comfort them and show them the right way to life.
But you must notice that he calls the Gentiles to the fellowship of the gospel, as he said before about the rest of the kingdom of Israel, because he remembers those who are in the evening and in Egypt and Assyria, where the kingdom of Israel lay captive. It has often been said that the calling of the Gentiles to the kingdom of Christ includes the renunciation of the Law and the Mosaic worship, and confirms the righteousness that does not come from the works of the Law, but from faith in Christ, by grace, freely.