V. 1. Samaria shall be desolate, for they have disobeyed their God. They shall fall by the sword, and their young children shall be crushed, and their pregnant women shall be torn in pieces.
Rightly we start here the last chapter, because the prophet wanted to summarize here the epitome of all his sermons.
First of all, he threatens the kingdom of Israel with desolation because of its idolatry, for he expressly speaks of Samaria. Then he exhorts the people to turn to God in this misfortune, and he beautifully teaches what the right repentance is, namely the improvement of life and trust in mercy, through which forgiveness of sins comes.
will be caught. To this exhortation he adds the sweetest and richest promises. Then he returns to the exhortation and closes his sermons in this way.
The threat is short, but very severe. He says: "Samaria will become desolate", that is, the whole kingdom of Israel will be destroyed by the Assyrian. And he adds the cause of this so terrible punishment: "For they have disobeyed their God." This offense Israel no doubt recognized just as little as our Papists today recognize that they were idolaters and blasphemers. For they were precious and difficult worshippers in the kingdom of Israel, of which they also proudly declared that they were worshipping the God who was
saved them from Egypt. Therefore, as the papists, when accused of ungodliness, refer to the heavy burden of vows, the fasts, the vigils, the great expenses spent on the magnificent churches, the quantity of masses, the austere life, and similar things: Israel undoubtedly defended itself against this accusation, and did not want to be considered rebellious, but exceedingly obedient to God, and referred to the so many places that were adorned with churches, and were also formerly kept holy by the fathers.
But the prophet calls them rebellious against God because they had not obeyed the word of God. There was no lack of worship in the kingdom of Israel, but it was sinful and abominable to God because it was contrary to His word. Jacob had sacrificed in Bethel, Isaac and Abraham also in other places, but their descendants were commanded by God's voice that they should sacrifice only in the Temple at Jerusalem. Since the kingdom of Israel did not respect this commandment at all and built churches everywhere as it pleased, was it not in fact disobedient to God?
Even we, when we accuse the papists today, do not deny that they have orders, vows, fasts, masses, prayers, etc., but we condemn the fact that these things are nothing but human ordinances, instituted without the Word, or even contrary to the Word of God. For not those things are divine services which we institute, but those things which God commands by His Word. Those who either set aside this word or act contrary to it are disobedient, and not only do not perform God's service, but also anger God and provoke Him to severe punishments.
But there are four kinds of right worship, which differ from each other in their worthiness and order. The first and highest worship is faith in Christ, according to the voice that sounded from heaven [Matt. 17:5], "Him shall ye hear." This confidence includes the fear of God, air to speak, calling and other things, which the first table indicates, and which Paul calls the "reasonable worship," because it is without hypocrisy and comes from a heart of God.
The Holy Spirit has illuminated the flow of the Spirit. -
The second place is occupied by obedience to the second tablet, or the works of love.
In the third place are the ceremonies that God wanted to have in the church, so that they would not only be exercises, but also testimonies of the divine will. Thus, it was not enough for a Jew to keep the Ten Commandments, he also had to be circumcised, and we today, if we want to be members of the Church, must not set aside or reject Holy Baptism and the Lord's Supper. Now as far as these three kinds are concerned, all Christians are equal in this, for all find themselves equally obliged to perform these services.
The fourth place is occupied by the works of the profession; these also find GOtte pleasant services, although they are different. The authorities serve God when they use their power to maintain justice and equity. A householder, if he works diligently; a housemother, if she takes care of the children and the servants etc. Those, therefore, who do not want to disobey God, but give him the obedience that is due and pleasing, should remain in their career, and be careful not to seek other services after the manner of hypocrites, for in vain is God served by such things, which are nothing but the commandments of men [Matt. 15:9].
What the prophet threatens about the "young children" and the pregnant women is frightening, and one tends to ask for the reason, 1) why the innocent infancy is subjected to such great punishments. But the answer is easy. If these children are in the church, that is, circumcised in the Old Testament, but baptized with us, they suffer no evil; for the flesh is indeed afflicted, but the spirit is saved. But this affliction of the flesh also has its fruit, for this sad sight of wrath serves to instruct others in the fear of God, so that they do not surely sin, but amend their lives in time and ask for forgiveness of sins, whose punishments they also see the innocent infant suffer. This reason, too, is true: because the children are a part of the
Church, they must suffer tribulations with the Church so that they may be conformed to the Son of God.
V. 2. Turn, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have fallen because of your iniquity.
Here begins the exhortation to repentance, and it contains an exceedingly useful lesson about what we should do when we feel the punishments and wrath of God. What the vermin or flesh tends to do is well known; for it flees from God and shrinks from Him as from an enemy. For even when it feels that the punishment comes from Him, it cannot hope for help, but often turns to unauthorized help, as can be seen in Saul, when he realized that he had been rejected by God [1 Sam. 28:7].
But the prophet teaches his people differently. It is true, he says, that you have fallen because of your iniquity, but do not despair because of it. For he who has smitten you will also lay his healing hand upon you. Therefore, do not turn to human help, but turn to the Lord your God. For even though he has smitten you, provoked you by your sins and forced you, he has not ceased to be God for that reason. Therefore, turn to him, but do not, as you did before, turn your back on him when he teaches, admonishes and counsels you through his word. Turn your face to him, hang on his mouth, listen to what he commands and obey, and he will cease to be angry and will not only mitigate the punishments, but also forgive the sins and shower you with eternal goods.
Thus the prophet first indicates in general what repentance is, namely that one turns to the Lord or pays attention to the word. But now he will explain it in detail.
Take these words with you and turn to the Lord, saying to him, "Forgive us all our sins and do us good, so that we may offer up the farrows of our lips.
I understand this in the simplest way: "Take these words with you" means as much as if he said: Obey this admonition of mine. Some think that he was responding to the speech
This is what is alluded to in the first verse of Moses, who calls the law common, so that the opinion would be Keep the law, pay attention to the word, and learn to pray or talk to God in this way, and be careful that you do not do anything against the word. For this is a part of repentance, that one obeys the word and makes up for what one has done contrary to it. But I like the former view better, and the repetition fits very well: "Take these words with you," that is, hear me, "and turn to the Lord.
But he adds how they should repent: "Say unto him, Forgive us all our sins, and do us good." What doctrine of repentance is in the Pabst's church is well known. They preach of a complete repentance (contritione) and a half repentance (attritione), 1) which every one can invent for himself. For they do not hold that this is a movement of the Holy Spirit, which He awakens in believers through the word of the law. After this, they want the auricular confession to follow, in which the offenses for which forgiveness is desired are confessed. Finally, a penance is imposed, which contains the burden of certain works. In these things they have perfect repentance, for they believe that if absolution is added afterwards, which is based not only on the merits of Christ, but also on those of the saints, they would have forgiveness of sins.
But it is not necessary to refute this in detail; we will only compare the present text of the prophet with this teaching, and it will become obvious that Pabst's teaching of this article is completely contradictory to the writings of the prophets.
First of all, notice who the people are to whom Hosea preaches, namely the shameful idolaters, who afterwards (as it must happen once one has strayed from the right path) stained themselves with various sins and shameful deeds. And the most ample evidence of these sins are the terrible punishments with which the people of Israel were punished.
1) Cf. Walch, St. Louis edition, vol. XIX, 1471, thesis 34.
2) Erlanger: aurwularurn instead of: aurieularkM.
is beaten. The prophet has such disciples. But now he has to deal with those who are oppressed with the wrath of God and under the terrible punishments of sins, and show them the way to reconcile God and obtain forgiveness of sins.
But who should be so foolish and senseless that he should not think that in the same case he must follow the prophet as a teacher rather than the popes and the schools? But the prophet does not command that one should go to the priest and then secretly whisper sins in his ear. He commands that one should turn to the Lord, open his mouth and ask for forgiveness of sins. This prayer contains first of all the confession of sin, not one that is made with the mouth against a man, but one that is made against the Lord without hypocrisy and from a true heart. This confession should have been held up to the church and praised as necessary for the forgiveness of sins, even though it does not deserve the forgiveness of sins, as the papists falsely boast of their hypocritical confession.
Thus David confesses of himself [Ps. 32:5], "Therefore I confess my sin unto thee, and hide not my iniquity. I said: I will confess my transgression unto the Lord. Then forgiveest thou me the iniquity of my sin." So also Daniel, Jeremiah and other prophets add a confession of sins to their prayers. Furthermore, this confession is not only the confession of certain offenses or vices, but it comprehends the whole affliction of nature, that even though we are not stained with outward iniquities, as some are, yet there is nothing good in us, as David confesses, Ps. 51:6: "Against thee only have I sinned," or that I render the opinion more clearly: before thee I am nothing but a sinner, and do evil before thee. This confession is the right humiliation and gloriously praises God's grace and mercy that He does not reject people who are so stained, corrupted and lost by sin, but has mercy on them and forgives them.
Therefore, we should remember that repentance begins with the recognition and right confession of sin. But this can
cannot take place without very great pain. For since the heart sees the will of God, and the eternal punishments of sin, that is, death, before its eyes, it is seriously moved, and not only bears sorrow for the sins committed, but also begins to hate sin in truth. Now, whether you call this movement a complete repentance (contritionem) or a half repentance (attritionem), we will not hold with the Sophists that it is a movement of man, but it is a work of the Holy Spirit. For the nature that is without the Holy Spirit does not hate sin, but loves it; does not bear sorrow for sin, but delights in sins and in the occasions of sins, and cannot be satisfied with them.
Therefore, as the Holy Spirit rebuilds man through repentance, he stirs up various movements in the hearts so that they see the shamefulness of sin, that they think of the punishments and the wrath of God. These thoughts are followed by hatred of sin and a fervent desire for forgiveness. However, although sometimes the feeling of punishments moves the hearts to grieve over the sins committed, the proper instrument of the Holy Spirit, I say, is the word of God, by which God indicates that He is angry with sin and that He will subject sinners to both temporal and eternal punishments. When the Holy Spirit sends this consuming fire of divine judgment into the hearts through the Word, what follows are not hypocritical but right and serious movements, sorrow for sin, confession of sin, and the resolution to continue to guard against sin and to flee from it.
But even here one must flee the nonsensical and godless opinions of the sophists. For they hold that this repentance and suffering merits the forgiveness of sins. We say that it is necessary if one desires forgiveness of sins, but we exclude all merit, for this, as will become clear later, is not ours but Christ's.
Therefore, repentance is begun when we recognize our sins and sincerely grieve over them. But then it is completed when, in addition to this repentance and sorrow, trust in mercy is added, and
the hearts, as the prophet teaches here, turn to God and demand forgiveness of sins. The Pabst's schools do not teach anything about this faith, which is the main part of repentance and which alone receives the forgiveness of sins.
This faith or confidence is also the work of the Holy Spirit, not our work. For nature flees from God when it sees Him inflicting punishment, and cannot expect salvation from where it sees wrath coming from. This attitude of our nature is not only corrected by the Holy Spirit through the word of the Gospel, but it is completely abolished and confidence in mercy is instilled in our hearts. For God indicates in it that, although he hates sin, he is not so minded as to want to condemn sinners for that reason. For he gave his Son to the world and commanded that through him one should believe in forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
When the hearts are moved by the Holy Spirit through the Word and see this will of the heavenly Father, they gain hope in their pain and see, as it were, the light of life in the shadow of death. For even though sins terrify them, they do not despair because they see the incomparable ransom for sins, the blood of the Son of God. Even though they resent the fact that they have earned death with their sins, they find rest in the mercy of God, who does not want the death of the sinner, but wants him to repent and live, and therefore did not spare His only begotten Son, but gave Him up to death on the Cross, so that we might be healed by His wounds. In this way repentance becomes complete, from which certain fruits come forth, as we will recall below.
This confidence is clearly indicated by this speech of the prophet. For whoever opens his mouth against God and says, "Pick up," or "Take away," or "Forgive all sin," you cannot believe that he doubts the merciful will of God. This is what we call faith or confidence in mercy, which relies on the sacrifice of the Son of God, and only the forgiveness of sins.
The Lord is the one who receives the forgiveness of sins, or, as Peter says, purifies the heart, for unclean hearts are those that have not yet been purified from sins. But when sin is forgiven, it follows that righteousness is by grace and in vain, and does not happen to us by our works and for their sake, as the papists also lie ungodly.
And the prophet uses here an extraordinarily emphatic word XXX XXX-XX, because it means to be relieved of sin, as bearers of burdens are relieved of their burden. And there is no doubt that the Baptist used this very word, since he calls John 1:29]. Christ is called the Lamb who bears the sins of the world. The Latin translator has generally rendered it by remittere, as in the 32nd Psalm, v. 1, "Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven"/that is, whose transgressions have been taken away or cancelled. How this happens is indicated by the Baptist, who teaches that Christ is the sacrificial lamb who bears our sin and takes it upon Himself. If hearts truly hold this and believe that God is thereby reconciled, this is true faith, the work or gift of the Holy Spirit, which is given through the preaching of the Gospel.
Here it might come to the mind of a reader who is ignorant of holy things, how a mind could hope for forgiveness of sins from God, since God punishes sins severely, as the example of the kingdom of Israel shows. But let him remember that the true punishment of sin is not this bodily misfortune, but eternal death. Therefore, although the bodily punishment is upon us, the hope of the forgiveness of the eternal punishment must be firmly preserved and asked for. By sending His Son, God shows that, although He will punish sinners with certain punishments, He will gladly remit the eternal punishments to those who take hold of the Son in faith and rely on His merit. Therefore, the godly comfort themselves with this hope that the right and eternal punishment of sin is remitted by the Son of God, and overcome all the difficulties of this life, the cause of which is sin.
This is what seemed necessary to us to remember about the first part of this prayer. Now let us look at the rest.
The prophet is not satisfied with having taught that the people should pray for forgiveness of sins and remission of right and eternal punishment, but adds another part, commanding that they should also pray that good may be given to them.
Here the reader must first note that the word is not always taken in the same way. Sometimes it means a bodily blessing, as Ps. 25:13: "His soul shall dwell in goodness." Eccl. 8:13: "It shall not prosper the wicked." Gen. 45, 18.: "I will give you goods in the land of Egypt." Deut. 6:11: "Houses full of all good things." Sometimes it is used for what we commonly call good or right even before God, as Deut. 6, 18: "That you do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord." In the Holy Scriptures, a "good man" is often mentioned instead of a righteous man, as Ecclesiastes 9:2: "There is one like another, the righteous like the wicked, the good and pure like the unclean, the one who sacrifices like the one who does not sacrifice. As it is to the good, so it is to the sinner." Thus Christ says in the Gospel [Matth. 19, 17.]: "No one is good, except the one God."
Therefore, what the prophet says in this passage, "And do us good," I put together in the simplest way with the previous piece: Take away the sin that is evil, and give us that which is good, that is, the Holy Spirit, who sanctifies us. For it is not enough that the past sin be forgiven; it is necessary that the Holy Spirit 1) strengthen and govern us, lest we, overcome by the devil and the flesh, fall back into the former lusts of the flesh. For we are constantly struggling with this enemy, who is most eager to draw us back into his kingdom and push us out of the kingdom of Christ through disobedience. This, therefore, is the work of the Holy Spirit, not only to sanctify us through faith in Christ and to deliver us from sins, but also to
1) Erlanger: yusrn instead of: yui.
Awaken us also to true obedience, that we may fight against sin and the flesh, resisting the evil air etc.
In Hebrew there is the word XXX, which is commonly translated by "receive". It is the same word that is in the 68th Psalm, v. 19. "Thou hast received gifts for men." Paul translates it as we do [Eph. 4:8.], "He hath given gifts unto men." But I wanted to use the word "Wohlthun" (donandi --- give) for the sake of this, so that the reader would also be reminded here of the Wohlthat, by grace in vain.
You will say, "Are works nothing? Do they not have any place in the doctrine of repentance? I answer: So far we have spoken of the forgiveness of sins and the bestowal of the Holy Spirit; this is entirely by grace and free of charge, and is not in our merit, but absolutely in the inexhaustible goodness and mercy of God. Therefore, when we speak of the forgiveness of sins, we are rightly silent about our works. Because these are done without the Holy Spirit, they cannot and must not be called good, even though they are not evil in a civil sense, because of the impure heart from which they come.
Since we have received the forgiveness of sins through faith and the Holy Spirit at the same time. Since we have received the forgiveness of sins and the Holy Spirit through faith, pure and pleasing works follow from the heart as from a pure source. For even though the obedience of the saints is not completely pure because of the remnants of sin, it is pleasing and acceptable to God because of faith in Christ.
And these works are called the fruits of repentance. Among them, the first is that which the prophet remembers here, that the tongues are loosed in praise of God. For what can we wretched people do but praise such great goodness? Thus it is said in the 116th Psalm, v. 12 ff: "How shall I repay the Lord for all his good deeds that he does for me? I will take the cup of salvation," that is, I will patiently suffer whatever comes my way, "and preach the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows to the Lord, above all his people." What.
Are then these vows, this preaching of the name of God? Certainly this humble confession [Ps. 116, 16. f.]: "O Lord, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your handmaid. You have broken my bonds. Unto thee will I offer thanksgiving, and preach the name of the Lord."
Just as David calls this preaching of the benefits of God a sacrifice, our Hosea says beautifully: "We will sacrifice the bulls of our lips", as if he wanted to say: If the hypocrites are anxious to render the highest service to God, then they sacrifice either an ox or calves, but this is indeed an unreasonable service. In this way one does not serve God. He wants His mercy to be known and preached, and He wants us to rely on it and rejoice in it. This is the reasonable worship that cannot be invented by the hypocrites, therefore pleases GOtte in truth; the hypocritical sacrifices without this worship do not please GOtte.
In this way he compares the services of the Law with the services of the New Testament. Of the latter he says that they are pleasing to God, because they come from faith in the Son of God; but of the latter he shows that they are not pleasing to God, because they are done by hypocrites, who not only have impure hearts, but also want the praise of righteousness and merit to be attached to them by God.
The prophet not only praises the services of the New Testament and prefers them to the services of the law, but also indicates that it will happen that through Christ, who will give the believers forgiveness of sins, the legal priesthood together with the sacrifices will be completely abolished, because the legal priesthood was bound to a certain tribe. But since he says here, "We will offer the bulls of our lips," he indicates that this distinction of persons will be abolished, and priests will be those who are pleasing to God, not those who are born of the tribe of Levi, 1) but those who believe in Christ and in true faith accept Christ.
1) Erlanger: levinnti instead: I^evi nsti.
as Peter says more clearly when he writes to those who believe in these words [1 Pet 2:9.j: "You are the chosen generation, the royal priesthood" etc.
What, therefore, do they have for a sacrifice? Not the opus operatum of the mass, performed without faith, which the pope wants to remain with his shamed and smeared heap alone. For as far as the forgiveness of sins is concerned, the faithful have full sufficiency through the sacrifice of Christ, him alone they acknowledge as the priest who has perfected all the saints through the right sacrifice, but they offer in thanksgiving, as the prophet here beautifully says, "the farrows of their lips." They call upon the name of the Lord, they preach his mercy, they proclaim the death of their priest, and publicly praise his sacrifice to all. But these are priests of the Most High, anointed not by the popes but by the Holy Spirit, and yet they are not only despised by that multitude whom the popes anoint, but are also condemned as heretics, and subjected to every kind of ignominy and torture. But this fruit of repentance is followed by others.
V. 4. Asshur shall not help us, neither shall we ride upon horses any more, nor say any more to the works of our hands: You are our God; but let the fatherless find favor with you.
Perhaps you wonder why he does not remember other works, charity toward his neighbor, chastity, patience, humility? For all these fruits follow true repentance. But the prophet, in a short sermon, indicates the main parts of the first table, which are followed by the works of the second table.
In an excellent way, he has summarized the most noble sins both in the secular regime and in the church, which fight against the first table. For what he says about "Assur" and the "steeds" is a common sin of all kingdoms and commonwealths, namely the trust in human help, dignity, wealth, power, honor etc. Because people rely on these things, they forget to trust in God. In dangers, they do not call upon God, they er-
do not wait for protection from God; as soon as there is fear of danger, they turn to their counsel, seek help from their neighbors, make alliances, put power and weapons together, and think that in this way they will be completely safe.
But because this trust is connected with a dishonor against God, because the creature is preferred to the Creator, it comes that it is unfortunate, and it usually happens that those from whom one thought to obtain salvation serve to ruin, as Isaiah prophesies of the help of the Egyptians [Isa. 36, 6.], that Egypt will be like a reed; if one leans on it, it cannot bear the load, but breaks and injures the hand. And this was a peculiar sin of this people, as is evident from the sermons of the prophets. But it was all the more serious because they abandoned their trust in divine help and thought that there was more help to be had from the heathen, whom they knew to be godless, even though they had great wealth and power. That is why their saviors destroyed them.
Thus, in general, trust in human help overthrows all kingdoms, and yet we, who see and know this, who pride ourselves on the possession of the true religion, also follow these unfortunate footsteps. For what is the use of alliances if princes and commonwealths do not have the confidence that they will be safer in this way? We do not sufficiently believe that God is powerful enough, we do not firmly believe that He will take care of us and our cause, otherwise we would rely on His goodness and power and not be so anxious to obtain carnal help.
But many are under the illusion that this is done without sin, and that it is up to the civil authorities to take care of these attacks, and that this should not be blamed by the church servants, since they have to work in a different area. And I truly admit that this would be quite well asserted if the civil authorities were not also commanded to place all hope for help in God alone.
But, you will say, should one not even make use of weapons to protect one's
protect? That is not the opinion at all. For God has given power to the authorities for this reason. so that they might use it to protect their own. But it is unfortunate when it is alone, that is, when it is without trust in God, and it is blatantly blasphemous to trust in one's own power or that of others. But because this ungodly trust is almost always connected with covenants, the prophets condemn them everywhere, especially when they are entered into with the ungodly, as the prophet says to Jehoshaphat, 2 Chron. 20:37: "Because thou hast joined thyself to Ahaziah, the Lord hath broken thy works," that is, he hath not given thee success.
That the holy church therefore says in this passage, "Assyria shall not help us," and likewise, "We will no longer ride on horses," is the same as saying, "We will put away hope in all human help, and hope only in the goodness of God, as it is said in Ps. 20:8, 9: "They rely on chariots and horses, but we remember the name of the Lord our God. They have fallen down and fallen, but we stand upright." For even though a godly authority makes use of chariots and horses, it still hopes for victory from God and relies only on the help and blessing of the Lord, not on its horses or armor. In this way, covenants can also take place among the godly. Yes, we are already united with each other by the very closest covenant of confession and hope. But people show their attitude in many ways, that they enter into covenants with a different intention.
Furthermore, this teaching does not only apply to rulers and communities, but it should also be a rule for private people in their whole life and in all business, that they rely completely on God's help, and just as abundance or power should not make us secure or puffed up, so we should not lose courage through poverty or misfortune. For here, too, hearts must be uplifted by trusting in the mercy of God when we are plagued by sickness, poverty, unjust hatred etc. This is the right exercise
of the first commandment, that we firmly believe that God is our God and cling to Him alone, both in misfortune and in happiness.
The other piece "of the works of our hands" goes to the church. For as confidence in one's own power is the chief sin of kingdoms, so in the church the chief sin is confidence in works. For it indicates not only the gross idolatry, that they worshipped the images made by human hands, as even now the abominable idolatry of the godless Pabstry is before our eyes, where in one place the image pillar of Mary, in another that of Anna and other saints are gloriously adorned and worshipped. For there the idolaters fall on their knees, there they make vows, there they think they will be heard through the intercession of such saints, who make them patrons of their affairs, but the prophet also understands the futile trust in their own works or merits. For monasticism is quite rightly called a work of human hands, for at their own will, without God's command, the monks choose a certain status by which they hope to please God. Thus another, when he fasts, when he abstains from certain foods on certain days, thinks that he is doing God a service. These are the works of our hands, which the idolaters worship as a god. For although they are nothing but human statutes, they have confidence that God will be reconciled, honored and glorified in this way.
Thus the Israelites, when they sacrificed in certain places they had chosen, when they slaughtered their children, when they fell down before the images, made gods out of the works of their hands, that is, they thought that in this way they were pleasing to God, that they were doing Him a service, that they deserved forgiveness of sins etc. This, says the Church, we no longer want to do, because we know that the forgiveness of sins is granted to us by grace through the Son of God; therefore, we trust in the mercy of God alone; with this we are content, through it we hope for forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
But the hearts that are enlightened in this way do not follow the flesh or the
They do not fight the lusts of the flesh, but fight against the flesh and look to the word, and do with great diligence everything that they see is commanded by the word. Therefore they are not disobedient to their parents and authorities, they do not kill, they do not bear grudges, they are not unforgiving, they do not break marriage, they do not fornicate, they seek their sustenance with their labor, they are generous to the poor etc. And these are the right fruits that follow repentance and forgiveness of sins. Although they are often overcome by sin and the flesh, God loves this obedience, however imperfect it may be, because of faith in Christ, who takes away all sins, and promises them rich rewards, both physical and spiritual.
This is the prayer for forgiveness of sins, which, as we have said, indicates the right way to repent. -
But the prophet adds a piece: "Let the orphans find grace with you", which is full of the most beautiful trust in God, without which a prayer is in vain. This piece agrees with the saying of Christ [John 14:18]: "I will not leave you orphans. Likewise with the tenth Psalm, v. 14: "Thou art the helper of the fatherless." Likewise, v. 18: "That thou mayest do right to the fatherless and to the poor, that man may no longer be ashamed upon the earth." All these sayings are rich in glorious teaching and comfort when carefully considered.
The doctrine is that they present the image or the correct description of the church, which in the world is like an underage or orphaned child, for whom no one cares, indeed, whom everyone, because the opportunity is favorable, desires to harm, while the world, on the other hand, is equipped with wisdom, goods, power, justice, etc., on which it relies and is hopeful. It is therefore not poor, not an orphan, but has in its hands that on which it relies, and thinks that it is safe against all misfortune and also against God's judgment.
Thus Nebuchadnezzar attributes to his wisdom the kingdom so mighty and great. Haman relies on the king's favor; the Pharisee trusts in his justice. In this way, people everywhere can be associated with carnal
They will see themselves prepared for help, and therefore safe. Therefore, if you compare these people with the church or individual Christians, they will appear like a grown man who can defend himself with his hand against injustice and govern his affairs with reason and counsel, while the church, on the other hand, is like an orphan who is without strength and counsel and therefore exposed to all injustices.
For the temples are before eyes, how one is used to treat the orphans. For since the careful administration of justice, then also the sacred obligation by oath, which in well-ordered communities the authorities are accustomed to use for the benefit of the orphans, cannot prevent the greed and disloyalty of men, what will happen where such barriers either do not exist or are not so carefully observed? For it is a common thing that even those who assume guardianship are more concerned with their own benefit than with that of the orphans. What, therefore, is there to fear from others, since there is so much danger from acquaintances and friends! But even though they are good people who are made guardians, what is their care and distress compared to the care of the parents? Even if you do everything, even if you put all your efforts into it, because the heartfelt affection that God has implanted in parents for their children is not there, even the greatest diligence will be considered nothing but neglect. '
This, says the Prophet, will be the fate and situation of Christians or the Church in this world. They will be orphans, they will have no parents to anxiously care for them and protect them. Yes, they will also have Satan himself as their enemy; he will not cease to plague them with misfortune of every kind through his members. For even though Christians have the blessing of the Lord and possess goods, they possess them in such a way that they are in danger even of their lives because of their confession and faith. Then they do not rely on their wisdom, for they see that it is very little and a weak spark that they cannot safely follow in such great darkness. Therefore, they judge that another, greater light is coming.
that cannot be so easily extinguished by the devil. This is the word of God; they rely on it and believe that they will be safe only through it. But they turn their wisdom to the lesser matters, which the necessities of temporal life bring with them. But when it comes to the dangers of sin and death, they really consider themselves orphans, with no ability to stand against such powerful enemies.
Therefore the prophet interprets exactly by this designation, what he had wanted to say, since he said above: "Assur shall not help us, and we do not want to ride on horses any more, also we do not want to say any more to the works of our hands: You are our God," namely that the Church is deprived of all protection in this world. The godly are generally lacking in the goods of fortune and the splendor of riches, as Paul says [1 Cor. 1, 26.f: "Not many mighty according to the flesh, not many noble" etc., and although some are adorned with the blessing of God, they have it as if they did not have it, as Paul says [1 Cor. 7, 30. ff.
David is a king, adorned with dignity, power and wealth, and yet he says of himself, Ps. 39:13: "Be not silent concerning my tears: for I am both thy pilgrim and thy citizen, as are all my fathers." He calls himself a pilgrim for no other reason than because he believes that even though he has many bodily gifts, they last only for a moment, when they suddenly either leave us or are left by us when we are called away from this life.
We are reminded of this situation by the prophet, who calls us "orphans". For he teaches that we should not lose heart because of impatience, but that when we are in danger, we should think that we are orphans. If you are sick, do not be anxious in your heart, but remember that you are a part of the church and, as it were, an orphan lying in the cradle and in need of help from others. If you suffer any damage to your property, remember: I am an orphan, therefore I am treated badly, not only by strangers, but also by acquaintances and friends.
Those who are close to us. For the judgment is certain (2 Tim. 3, 12.): "All who want to live godly in Christ must suffer persecution." But this must be held even more firmly in the matters of conscience, when you are challenged by sin, by fear of death, by the sensation of God's wrath and judgment: then consider rightly that you are in truth an orphan, but therefore not rejected by God, for here you hear a glorious consolation and an exceedingly beautiful description of God.
The prophet describes the church in such a way that its members are orphans who suffer and cannot defend themselves against injustice; that is truly bitter and miserable. But now listen to what he preaches about God and with what colors he paints him. He says: "Let the fatherless find grace with you." So the underage and the orphans have a merciful and gracious GOtt.
Therefore, just as the first description takes away from the godly all the support of the world, which the world greatly esteems, admires, by which it triumphs against the godly and oppresses them, so here he gives them everything, since he says that God has mercy on the orphans. For if God is merciful, if He has a fatherly disposition toward the afflicted Christians, what can we still lack in any thing? We may lack goods, but we have eternal treasures; we may lack power, and tyrants may oppress us, but we have the Lord above all lords, who will redeem us in His time with an eternal salvation. We may lack honor and dignity, and the world may heap shame upon us, but we have Him who will surround us with everlasting glory, for so the prophet comforts us in this passage, saying, "The fatherless shall find grace in thy sight."
If we could take this into our hearts, we could, as Paul says (Rom. 5, 3.), boast even in tribulations. It is a great misfortune that the excellent man, who is distinguished both in doctrine and in godly life, Hieronymus Baumgärtner, when he returned home from the Diet of Speier as a deputy of his city (Nuremberg), was caught before the eyes of the emperor and subjected to long and very hard torture.
is held in captivity'. Therefore, he feels that he is a minor or an orphan, and we are rightly moved by the misfortune of the excellent man who has rendered extraordinary service to his city and to the Church of Christ. But again, we must be comforted by the fact that because he is an orphan, he also has a gracious God who will save him in his time and adorn him with eternal glory in a better life.
But you will say: Why is this mercy not seen? I answer, These things must be joined together, first, that thou thinkest thyself an orphan; secondly, that thou thinkest that God is gracious. And the former is the former in order, but this is the later; the former is harsh, the latter pleasant, the latter heavy, the latter sweet. Hence it is that we desire to enjoy this, not to have that. But this is how it is decided, if you want to obtain mercy, you must first become an orphan, and you must not want to determine how long you want to be an orphan, because even a short delay seems to be very long when the cross presses us. The care of salvation must be left to God, who is a helper in due time (Ps. 9, 10. Vulg.), and is also faithful, therefore he does not let us be tempted above our ability [1 Cor. 10, 13.]. And even though he postpones salvation, he will surely bring it about, for he is our Father. Therefore, if we ask him for bread, he will not offer us a stone, and if we ask him for an egg, he will not offer us a scorpion for it [Luc. 11, 11. f.]. He knows what we need, and will gladly give it to us, as follows. For he is merciful, that is, he has a fatherly disposition toward us, only we do not have to doubt his mercy.
In this way we must take comfort in our own peril and that of others. But we must remember that this comfort is held out to those who repent. The world also feels its adversity, for God does not always turn a blind eye to sins. Therefore, when it is beset by punishments, it expects mercy in vain, as the examples of Absalom, Ahitophel, Ammon show; for they do not repent, therefore they perish in the wrath of God.
V. 5. so I will heal their cessation, gladly will I love them; then my wrath shall turn from them.
A promise is attached to the prayer so that the hearts will be fixed that they will surely be heard when they ask for forgiveness of sins. In other dangers belonging to this life, we add the condition of God's will when we ask for salvation, that God will hear us if it is His will. For indeed we do not know what is good for us, and God is wont to show His power mightily in the weak [2 Cor. 12:9], that is, when we are weak, He shows that we are not preserved and protected by human counsel or our strength, but by divine power. Therefore Paul prays in vain for salvation, that he may not be beaten with fists by Satan's angel [2 Cor. 12:7]. David prays in vain for the life of his son [2 Sam. 12:16, 18]. Jacob prays in vain for his wife, since she was in mortal peril at birth [Gen. 35:17]. These were physical dangers.
But the church in this world is subject to the cross. Although she therefore asks for salvation from such physical misfortune, and also hopes for salvation (for prayer cannot be without faith), she nevertheless commands herself to the will of God and, as Peter says, humbles herself under the mighty hand of God, that is, urges the fulfillment of her will in such a way that she nevertheless prefers the will of God to it. Lazarus, in his so great misery and in so great torments, asks for salvation, and yet decides with himself that he will obey God and endure these tribulations, if it so pleases God. We should do the same in our perils or in our misfortunes.
But if it is necessary to pray for forgiveness of sins, for sanctification by the Holy Spirit and for eternal life, then the condition of God's will need not be added. For God's will is already evident and certain that He wants all people to be saved, that He wants to forgive sins, that He wants to make the
He wants to give us the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we must ask for these things with certain confidence, without adding any condition, because it was for this very reason that he could give us these things by grace that he sent his Son into this world. And the Son of God Himself suffered and died for His sake, rose from the dead and ascended to heaven for His sake, leaving behind the commandment that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name [Luc. 24, 47.]. For this purpose he instituted baptism, gave the keys to the church, and gave us his body and blood as food. Finally, he added the promise that the Father would give us everything we ask in his name [John 16:23].
Therefore, not even our unworthiness and our sins should take away this confidence, but rather our sins should exhort and drive us to pray, as the prophet indicates here. For if our sins prevented us from being heard, truly the prophet would not command the rest of Israel to ask for forgiveness, not for minor sins, but for the most grievous sins of idolatry, denial of God, superstition, blasphemy, murder of the saints etc. But he not only commands them to pray and open their mouths against God who is so offended, but also adds promises. For hear what the Lord himself says here to sinners who repent and hope in his mercy.
"I," he says, "will heal their departing." This is truly the highest sin, that one departs from God, does not care for the word and even rages cruelly against the servants of the word. For it is because of these sins that the ten tribes have been completely devastated. And yet God promises that He will grant mercy to those who ask Him for it for these sins and forgive them. Why, therefore, would you despair? Why would you not straighten up and, trusting in Christ, also ask for forgiveness of sins? For the matter does not rest on your or your prayer's worthiness or merit, but on the Son of God alone. If you
If you take him in faith that he has done enough for you, that God is reconciled to you through him, your prayer is answered.
This is the first part of the promise that the Lord will heal our resignation, by which we are poisoned to death with the most harmful poison.
The other part is that he freely and with great kindness wants to love sinners who repent and pray. For the Hebrew word means both willingness and generosity, as these are also connected with each other by nature. For where there is a right love, not a forced love, not a foolish love, but a love that flows from a certain judgment, there is no measure of service and benevolence.
I beg you, what tongue can properly pronounce this promise? We can certainly use an example from the household, which is known to us, that we remember what kind of heart we have for our spouse and our children, but afterwards we will have trouble convincing ourselves that we too are so loved by God. For our hearts are too narrow to contain such great things. The one whom you love in truth owns all that is yours, even your life, and more than you yourself. Therefore, the love which the Lord promises us in this passage as a voluntary and abundant one brings to us all that God is and has, so that we too are masters of sin, death, hell, the devil and all creatures. For who can be against us if God is for us? [Rom. 8, 31.]
In some places the Scripture ascribes to God such a love as spouses have for each other, as Christ, praising the mercy of God, presents the parable of the wedding [Matth. 22, 2], and Paul calls married life a great mystery [Eph. 5, 32].
But we must be mindful that this love is hidden under the cross in this life; therefore faith is necessary, which firmly holds that these promises are true. For he who follows feelings or appearances will judge that the Church is not loved by God with conjugal love,
1) Jenaer: ktultus; Wittenberger and Erlanger: stnlus.
but it is either neglected or even hated. Therefore one must close the eyes of the flesh and accept this in faith, as Paul says [Rom. 8, 24.]: "We are blessed, but in hope." But this will be revealed when Christ reveals Himself to us, and this flesh, which is full of sin, will be cast off.
The following piece: "Then my wrath shall turn from them", seems to be superfluous. Because where there is love, anger and hatred are excluded. But there was a great reason why the Lord added this piece. Because, as we have already said, the love with which the Lord embraces his own, as a bridegroom embraces his bride, is hidden under the cross, and cannot be seen with carnal eyes, so the flesh frets, and thinks, when it feels the temptation and dangers, that it is not loved by God. This piece now serves to remove this annoyance, for it makes a distinction between the cross of the saints and the punishments of the wicked.
The saints, that is, those who believe in Christ, have forgiveness of sins and are loved by God, and yet they are subjected to many misfortunes, to such an extent that their situation seems to be worse than that of the godless, who usually prosper and have abundance of all things. But this happens not because God loves these people, but hates the godly. The Holy Spirit says in this passage, "My wrath shall turn from them." Therefore, just as a father chastises the son whom he loves, so also here the highest love is connected with the rod, but the Lord is angry with the wicked who are well off, and is angry in such a way that his anger has no measure forever, if they do not repent.
Therefore, this piece serves to lift the vexation, so that when we are afflicted by the cross, we do not think that God is afflicting us. He does not hate those who repent and ask for forgiveness of sins, even though He allows them to be afflicted. Wrath and anger are turned away from them, but remain upon those who do not repent, who surely live in sins, and do not seek forgiveness of sins through prayer.
1382 L- xxiv, 501-503. interpretations on the prophets. W. vi, 2019-2022. 1383
What follows now serves to explain the last-mentioned piece of the promise of love.
V. 6-8: I will be to Israel as a dew, and it shall blossom as a rose; and its roots shall shoot forth as Lebanon; and its branches shall spread, and it shall be as beautiful as an olive tree; and it shall give as good a smell as Lebanon. And they shall sit again under his shadow; they shall feed on corn, and blossom as a vine; his memory shall be as the wine of Lebanon.
This also belongs to the promises. For what the prophet had said before simply and without a picture, he says here in pictures and presents as in a painting the description of the church that believes in Christ, how it is constituted before God and with what gifts it is adorned.
The Jews recognize that this is said of the time of the Messiah. Therefore, when they hear that parables of bodily things are presented, they expect from the Messiah benefits for this life, and think that when he will come, he will adorn his people with bodily blessings, that they shall blossom like a rose, like a tree that has driven its roots deep and spread its branches, which is not only lovely to look at, but also firm against the violence of the winds and the storms. Thus the Jews would be an object of wonder to all the Gentiles throughout the earth, and they alone would reign everywhere. They do not even dream of the forgiveness of sins, the gift of the Holy Spirit and eternal life. This blindness comes from the fact that they do not know whose son the Messiah is, because they think that he is only David's son, therefore they expect nothing but human and temporal things from him as a man.
Furthermore, they do not see that this nature is so corrupted by sin that it cannot work itself out of the wrath and judgment of God. For if they believed that, they would look for help from others, which they now so surely miss in this blindness, since it is offered by the Son of God.
negligent. Therefore, they forget the saying that the prophet said just before, comparing the church to an orphan, that it is oppressed in many ways in the world and has no strength against the most powerful enemies, the devil, sin and death. Since the Jews do not see this, it is not surprising that they are only concerned with temporal gain and do not even see the shadow of these promises.
We are better informed. We know that man has fallen into God's wrath and eternal death through sin, but that God had mercy on us and sent His Son, who did not take care of bodies and goods, as the kings of the world do, but brought us forgiveness of sins and reconciled us to the Father, freeing us from eternal death and all the tyranny of Satan, as the prophet said shortly before [v. 5.] that God would heal the resignation of those who convert, and love them, and turn away His wrath from them. These are the goods of which the Church rejoices, and thanks GOtte for them. The blind Jews, however, do not see this at all and are therefore extremely ungrateful to God.
Therefore, the church has both. She is an orphan and yet also the mistress of all things. She is an orphan because, although she has immense eternal gifts, the Word and the knowledge of God, the forgiveness of sins, righteousness, eternal life, yes, also God, who dwells in her and governs her with the Holy Spirit, she is nevertheless subject to the cross by heart, because in the meantime the godless have the kingdoms of the world, the goods, the pleasures, the honor of the world. But again, she is still the mistress of all things, in faith and hope. For though she has no bodily protection in this world, yet as an orphan she expects protection from God, and knows in certain faith that she cannot be destroyed by the tyrants, and obtains glorious salvation in many great perils. Moreover, she also has comfort through the hope of the future glory, as Paul says [Rom. 5:2]: "We boast in the hope of the future glory that God shall give," which will be seen in the eternal
Fellowship with God, with Christ, with the fathers, prophets, apostles and all the elect.
But the godless: do not see this: comfort of faith and hope, not this dominion, which is covered by the cross 1), they only see the hardships and misfortune, and therefore think that God does not care about the church, and judge that it is in truth a miserable orphan and abandoned. But they seek wealth and power for themselves, so that they may be safe or can comfort themselves with the hope of human protection.
Whoever looks at this with the "fleshly eye" will say with David [Ps. 37:35] that the wicked are like a strong tree that is well leafy and green like a laurel tree, like a lovely, beautiful meadow that is adorned with flowers of every kind. If one compares the church with these, it will seem like a withering tree, on which not only no fruits hang, but also not even a few leaves. For even the church, which almost collapses under the burden of sins, testifies sufficiently with its own voice (as it prays [v. 3]: "Forgive us all our sins, and do us good"), in what a situation it is, how afflicted and miserable it is.
This is the first painting of the church, which shows what the church is like in terms of this physical life. The Jews completely forget this painting, because they dream that through the mediation of the Messiah they will seize all the kingdoms and protections of the world. For they do not want to be orphans in this world, they want to rule and have abundance of goods, therefore they turn away from the poor and miserable church.
But if you turn your eyes a little away from this life, and judge the church according to the hope that it receives from the word, then its appearance will seem completely different to you. For it has God, who heals the most serious evil, sin; who embraces it with such love as spouses have for each other, and bestows upon it all the good things that he has and possesses. What tongue can talk out such great goods, such adornment?
1) Erlanger: rectuni instead of: tsotuw.
Therefore, she, who in the eyes of the world and in her own eyes is like an enfeebled and dry tree, blossoms like a rose in the eyes of God, not because of her strength or her righteousness or other gifts, but because the Lord is like a dew to her, that is, because the Lord brings righteousness, takes away sin, gives the Holy Spirit, awakens faith, obedience, hope, patience, charity, and other virtues pleasing to God. For the likeness of the rose includes both the beauty that it is lovely to look at and the fragrance that it spreads far and wide. For the works of the saints are pleasing to God for the sake of faith in Christ, even though they are small and mean in appearance.
But the likeness of the dew that comes from heaven is for you to firmly believe that all these things happen to us from your merciful Father for the sake of the Son who is sent to us, not because of our merits or gifts or because of anything we do.
Furthermore, this heavenly dew of grace is followed by other gifts, namely that the church, like a tree of Lebanon, stands firm by strong roots. For it has the world and the devil as enemies, who constantly attack it. But because it is built on the rock of Christ, even the gates of hell cannot overcome or overthrow it.
The third gift is that its branches spread, that is, not only cannot it be suppressed, but it even increases in the dangers themselves. For the individual members of the church 2) grow daily in the knowledge of God and other exercises of godliness, and the whole church body also grows daily.
The fourth is that the church is beautiful as an olive tree, and spreads its good smell far and wide like Mount Lebanon. This agrees with what we have said above about the rose, only that here also an increase in gifts is indicated. For the oil tree is very fruitful, and the fruitfulness of Lebanon is also known from pagan writings.
2) Erlanger: eatüssia instead of: eeetesiae.
The fifth is that the church, like a tree, will also give shade to those who are weary in the heat. This is a special and glorious gift, that the church alone has true comfort against sin and death and all the wiles of the devil. Therefore we rest in her as under a shady tree and breathe again, because the word XXXX, convertentur, is to be taken in this place as in the 19th Psalm, v. 8: "The law of the Lord is without change", XXX XXXX, con
vertens animas, that is, "that restores the soul", makes it alive again, as we also use to say in German: "Er ist wieder zu sich kommen"; likewise: "Er kehret wieder", when those who are lifeless breathe again. For this is peculiar to the word, that it sets the heart right, and shows the hope of salvation and help in temptation and danger itself, as the Psalm says more clearly shortly after [v. 9]: "The commands of the Lord are right, and gladden the heart."
Therefore, the Holy Spirit understands not only the Word, but also the visible and outward signs, baptism and the Lord's Supper, which Christ instituted so that through them we might have comfort against sin, death and the devil. For when you are baptized, it is for this reason that you may believe that you have been adopted by God as a child through Christ's death; but when we partake of Holy Communion, we are not only reminded of the forgiveness of sins obtained through Christ's death, but the ransom itself, with which the forgiveness of sins is purchased, is given to us, namely the body of Christ to eat and the blood of Christ to drink, so that we may firmly believe that the forgiveness of sins belongs to us. Therefore, hearts that are afraid of God's wrath and eternal punishment because of sin rest here as under a shadow.
The sixth is that they should feed on grain. Here, too, the teaching and the word are praised, through which the hearts are richly fed and strengthened. Thus Christ comforts the apostles [Luc. 22, 30.): "Ye shall eat and drink above my table in my kingdom." But it means certain knowledge of God,
which the word shows. But for this reason he says, "Let them feed on grain," to indicate that the world, which does not have the Word, though it boasts of worship and concern for religion, feeds, as it were, on chaff, but the church has the right pasture by which hearts are strengthened and richly nourished.
The seventh is that the church should blossom like a vine. This actually refers to the fruits that grow in the church from the constant use of the word. The world does not admire these fruits, but does not pay attention to them, but occupies itself with other things that have a greater appearance. Thus the papists despise domesticity and worldly rule, and choose another state, that they live individually in monasteries. But God makes a different judgment: these self-chosen works and services are an abomination to Him, but He loves what He has commanded, even if it is of little importance.
The eighth is that he says that the memory of the church should be like the wine of Lebanon, that is, become famous. This piece also belongs to the price of the church, and it is necessary because of the immense astonishment with which the church is so oppressed that it can hardly be recognized. For look at the patriarchs, look at the prophets and apostles, how they are kept in the world. Yes, Christ, the Son of God and the Head of the Church, how shamefully he is treated by his people! They cry out that he is possessed by the devil, a winebibber, a rebel, a blasphemer.
Today, as even the adversaries testify, we have the sacraments again in their entirety, and a doctrine that agrees with the writings of the apostles; these are the most distinguished signs of the true church. And yet, what a judgment we have to suffer! We are condemned as heretics, we are blasphemed as a ruin of the church, and as destroyers of all respectability and discipline. These, however, are the most dreadful of invectives, which, no doubt, so move the hearts of many that they have a horror even of our name. But, as I said, if you read the histories of Christ, the Son of God, the Baptist, the
If you look at the apostles, the prophets, we suffer nothing new.
And it is not by chance that the prophet uses the parable of wine in this passage, when he speaks of the memory or name of the church and the saints. For this is a price, not of must or new wine, but of old wine, that it may be fragrant. Only the noblest wines can grow old. In this way, the church and all its members are for a time without odor in the world; indeed, they stink before the world, for they are defiled with abominable revilings. But what does the Psalm say: "The righteous is never forgotten" [Ps. 112, 6], while the memory of the wicked perishes with them, Ps. 9, 6. Thus the situation of Paul, Peter and other apostles was a miserable one, considering the power, dignity and wealth of the adversaries, but just as noble wines produce fragrance from themselves with age, so the glory of the godly grows after death, according to the saying [Ps. 116, 15]: "The death of his saints is worthy in the sight of the Lord," but the wicked perish like bad wine.
This is therefore a glorious consolation and an exceedingly lovely description of the church, not as it is in the world or in appearance, but as it is in spirit and before God. For if you follow the appearance, you will find the opposite in everything. She is like a tree without sap, scrawny, weak, shapeless, and also full of ailments; therefore the world, which has riches and dignities, and for that reason is esteemed like a rose that blossoms and has sprouted deep roots, has an abomination against her, as if she were a corpse that stinks for miles around.
But be careful not to be deceived by appearances. For from the word one must form his judgment and bring these things out of the world before God's face, then it will come to light that those who do not have the word and 1) the right knowledge of God, and therefore are without the Holy Spirit, and are still in their sins, even though they have power and riches, nevertheless grow old like a tree, wither, and die in the
1) Erlanger: ex statt: st.
Root corrupt, for in the eyes of God they stink, but in themselves they are not only weak but also restless.
But this is indicated by the prophets for this reason, so that the church may take comfort in the face of both adversities and not be troubled or despondent either by its misery or by the welfare of the adversaries, but look to the end. For in this way it will happen that she will be able to bear the present adversity with equanimity and will even suffer over the misfortune of the wicked, who are more moved by the small comfort of such a short time than by the eternal torments. The prophet now summarizes this, as it were, in a bundle and speaks:
V. 9. Ephraim, what shall the idols be to me? I will listen to him and lead him; I will be like a green fir tree; in me your fruit will be found.
Because the frequent change of persons, which is found in the Hebrew, makes the thing dark, I wanted to use the second person everywhere. But here is a glorious and truly prophetic movement of the heart. For, inflamed as it were by the mention of the benefits of the New Testament and the abundant grace that is to be granted to the faithful through the Son of God, he now turns to his people and finally admonishes them that they should renounce idolatry and follow the word of God.
As if he wanted to say: What a great misfortune it is that you cannot be dissuaded from the false worship and the godless teaching! Why do you not realize that you are deceived by worshipping such gods, who neither hear you in danger nor look at you, but abandon you and let you perish completely? Why do you not rather turn to him who hears his own and leads them out of dangers, yes, even adorns his own with various gifts?
Therefore, this passage also contains a glorious description of God, that God is in truth one who hears, protects and adorns His own. Hearing presupposes dangers, for these provoke prayer. Therefore, the Church has this promise that, even though it is not
will be without danger, but God will hear them. However, this comfort is connected with an annoyance that offends the flesh. For God tends to postpone the answer so that He may prove our faith and show His power and glory, since He saves when we despair of salvation.
The second is the government, the protection, the defense. For the word XXX means to look at something with attentive and unblinking eyes, "to look carefully and diligently at a thing. Thus the prophet used this word in the thirteenth chapter, v. 7: "I will watch for them like a hawk on the road," that is, I will take care that they do not escape. And Jer. 5:26: "For wicked men are found among my people, setting traps for the people," that is, they are diligent to do harm, like the bird-catchers when they follow the birds.
In this way, the Lord promises in this passage that he will look upon his own with unwavering eyes and rule in such a way that nothing bad will happen to them. But even to this promise an annoyance is attached, for the godly are treated as if God did not see it, as the 94th Psalm, v. 6. f., says: "Widows and strangers they strangle, and slay the fatherless, saying, The Lord seeth it not, and the God of Jacob respecteth it not." And Ps. 64:6: "They make designs how they will lay cords, and say: Who can see them 1)?" Therefore, not only do the godly consider that they are missed by God in dangers, but the security of the godless becomes so great through this restraint of God that they convince themselves that God does not care about the godly who oppress them, nor do they see what they are doing. But what does the Lord say in this passage? I look upon him with great care.
Therefore, faith should comfort itself with this word, 2) should firmly hold that it will not be neglected, even though for a time it is as it were before one's eyes that God will certainly
1) Instead of nos we have assumed kos according to our Bible and the Vulgate.
2) Jenaer: oonsoletur, Wittenberger and Erlanger: eon8olatur. We have followed the former reading.
Do not worry about him, as his lot in Sodom is a good example. The inhabitants of Sodom treat him in the most shameful way, and there is already a danger that the doors will be broken down by force. Who would believe that the Lord would have his eyes open and see this, since he is silent to the utmost of the wicked? And yet he sees it, for when the danger is greatest, Lot is seized by the angels, and the wicked are struck with blindness, finally also consumed by fire that fell from heaven. Therefore, the Lord sees both the danger of Lot and the wickedness of the wicked. In this way, we too should wait and persevere for the Lord, who does not close his eyes completely, but keeps a watchful eye on his own and preserves them, as he promises here.
The third is of the fruit: "I will be like a green fir tree; in me shall thy fruit be found." This saying agrees with Christ's saying [John 4:5], "I am the vine, ye are the branches." [V. 4.:] "As the branch cannot bring forth fruit of itself, but abideth in the vine; so neither can ye, but abideth in me."
First, however, the fruits of which the prophet speaks must be described. These are not vain endeavors and hypocritical works, but the true knowledge of God and the right obedience to the law and eternal life. These fruits, says the Lord, are found in him. Therefore, free will, our mind, our reason, our will, our intentions, though it is best if they are alone, that is, if we have not received the Holy Spirit, are like a barren tree on which no fruit is found.
On the other hand, in those who remain in Christ as branches on the vine, that is, who believe in Christ and firmly believe that through Christ their sins have been paid for and they are reconciled to God, the Holy Spirit is powerful, so that they are obedient to the Word and obtain the fruit of their faith, eternal life.
Therefore, two conclusions are drawn at this point, which the pope condemns as certain heresy. The first is that the
Man, insofar as he is man, without the Holy Spirit, is a barren tree and cannot attain salvation. The second is that we attain eternal life through faith in Christ without our merit only by grace. For the saying is clear: "In me your fruit shall be found," and John 15:4: "Unless you abide in me, you cannot bear fruit.
These are wonderful consolations that should move us to unite with the true church, which firmly holds that we are granted forgiveness of sins and eternal life only by grace through faith in Christ. But this church has God, who hears it in dangers, looks after it, and adorns His own with various gifts, while the others, who rely on their righteousness and their merits, even though they flourish for a time (for the beginnings of idolatry are brilliant and happy), will be like a tree whose leaves wither, and like a garden that has no water, as Isaiah Cap. 1, 30. threatens.
V. 10 Who is wise that understandeth these things, and prudent that knoweth them? For the ways of the Lord are right, and the righteous walk therein, but the transgressors fall therein.
This is a wonderful and almost unusual conclusion to these sermons, but extraordinarily clever and appropriate, considering the nature of the word and the customs of the people. It is clear that Hosea was the first to bring the message that the kingdom of Israel would be devastated by the Assyrians. But because under Jeroboam, a happy king, the kingdom of Israel flourished, the people were deafened by the prosperity, and dreamed that this happy state would last permanently, but in great certainty despised the threats of the prophet.
The prophet sees this and, consoling himself against this certainty of his people, he breaks out into these words: "Who is wise who understands this? As if he wanted to say: The largest part of the people are fools, they let themselves be beguiled by the present happiness, they despise the threats, they reject the teachings. These may perish after all, since they do not want to be taught. But who
There will be some wise people who will understand that these threats are not in vain. Therefore, they will humble themselves under the mighty hand of God, ask for forgiveness of sins, and comfort themselves with the hope of the future sacrifice for sins in common misfortune.
However, it is customary in Scripture to call those wise and prudent who accept and honor the word or fear the Lord, as opposed to those who reject the fear of God and the word and safely give themselves over to the lusts and doings of this world, completely unconcerned about the wrath and judgment of God. But if anyone wants to make a distinction between wisdom and prudence, let him attach prudence to the life and customs established according to God's word, but wisdom to faith and the right knowledge of God. For these are connected with each other, and a holy life pleasing to God always follows true faith.
Therefore, this is the opinion: Those who fear God, of course, do not despise these threats, but will improve their lives and strive to obey God, will no longer provoke him with ungodly life and ungodly worship. But because the rest of the people are fools, they will continue in their godlessness.
But why does this happen? Why does not the greater part accept the word? Is not the doctrine good because of this? As our adversaries do nowadays, because there are many aversions among us, and few lead a life worthy of their profession, accuse the doctrine and condemn it as evil, and as if it gave rise to these aversions. The doctrine, says the prophet, need not therefore be accused, "for the ways of the Lord are right," that is, the doctrine is holy and godly, and those who accept it walk aright. "The righteous," he says, "walk in it." For those who accept the word are justified and live, because they believe GOtte, who promises forgiveness of sins and eternal life through the future seed. But the wicked, who reject the word, "fall within", not because of guilt
1394 L xxiv. 514-517. interpretations on the prophets. W. vi. E-E. 1395
of doctrine, which can do nothing but save and justify, but by their own fault. For those who reject salvation must necessarily perish.
Therefore this saying agrees with the words of Simeon [Luc. 2, 34.]: "This one is set for a fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is contradicted." Likewise with the words of Christ [Joh. 12, 47. f.]: "I am not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He that despiseth me, and receiveth not my words, hath already he that judgeth him; the. The word which I have spoken, the same shall judge him at the last day." And John 3:18: "He that believeth not is judged already." For as the prophet here names the right ways of the Lord for the righteous to walk in, so Christ says that by his word he brings life to those who believe. But those who do not believe, but like the Pharisees and priests either reject it or despise it, must be deprived of life and be plunged into eternal death and damnation.
In this way, the holy prophet consoles himself against the violent and immense anger that so few take the floor and follow him. And by his example he also wants to strengthen us, so that we do not throw away the right doctrine or begin to hate it because the greater part sins all the more unrestrainedly. For this does not happen through the guilt of the doctrine, as if it were evil, but
This is the work of Satan, who incites the hearts against the word, as Christ teaches about the weeds in the good field, which grow up under the good seed [Matth. 13, 26].
Therefore, we should not lose heart, but remember that the same troubles followed those holy prophets whose disciples we can hardly be called. As they comforted themselves against these troubles, so shall we also comfort ourselves, and it shall be enough for us that there are at least a few wise and prudent ones who do not neglect the Word with the rest of the great multitude, but recognize their sins, amend and ask for forgiveness of sins, and are content with the promises given by the Son of God to all who believe in him. Let it be enough for us to rise from death and from sins; let the rest go, because they do not want to be saved from destruction. For why do they not accept the word? Why do they not rely on Christ, the Son of God, who was set by the Father Himself to be the resurrection and the life for us who fall and lie down because of sin?
But we want to give thanks to the merciful and eternal Father of our Savior and Mediator JEsu Christ for this supreme gift, that he has revealed this right way to us, and we pray that he may govern us, who walk on it, through his Holy Spirit and sustain us for eternity. Amen.
End of the interpretation on the prophet Hosea.