V. 1. This is the word of the Lord that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.
This is a common entrance among the prophets, but much more sublime than it appears at first sight, namely, that they bring not their thoughts, not their counsels, but the word of God, which the Lord has spoken, and in no way can be hindered or changed. Plato praises very finely the verse of Homer, in which he calls Minos, the lawgiver of the Cretans, άοριστην του Δώς, the hearer of the most high God. But this name we rightly and in truth attach to the prophets, for they do not bring forward sayings which they have devised. That which they have heard from GOD Himself, which the Creator of all things has indicated to them either by dreams or by visions, this they make known and set forth. But this is not of earthly and perishable things, as is what the pagans have to deal with. The prophets awaken the hearts to the fear of God, they instill confidence in the mercy of God in the hearts, they teach us to beware of evil and exhort us to obedience; finally, they make known the way to eternal life, the faith in the Son of God, as true hearers of God. For the eternal and almighty Spirit of God rules their minds and tongues. That is why David praises this benefit most highly, since he also mentions this one after other countless benefits [Ps. 147, 19. 20.]: "He shows Jacob his word, Israel his customs and rights. So he does not do to a Gentile, nor does he let them know his rights." For this alone is
a gift of the Church that she has teachers who are instructed by the Spirit of God, who can teach about the will of God and the right salvation.
Outside the church there are also many excellent minds, but they see nothing except the light of reason. Therefore, they lack the right knowledge of God, yes, they do not even know themselves. They are secure in sins, they certainly despise the judgment of God as long as it is not yet present, but they do not know at all the way to eternal life. For either they ridicule immortality as a vain dream, or they see nothing except the knowledge of the law. If they prove honesty in life and conduct, they hope to receive reward from God for their diligence in the future life. This blindness of the human heart is always present outside the Church, where there are no hearers of God, nor does the voice of God resound.
But since God had chosen a people for Himself and rejected the godless pagans who had rejected His word and followed their pretensions, He granted them for and for this gift, that they had godly teachers instructed by the Holy Spirit. These exhorted their people to the fear of God and to faith. For these are the two main parts in which the whole doctrine of godliness is comprehended. The doctrine of fear includes not only the exhortation to obey the law of God, but also the punishments. And here we see the special gift of the prophets. For from God was given
He indicated to them, either through dreams or through visions (Deut. 12, 9.), by which people, at what time and in what way God would punish the sins of His people. This explicit announcement of the punishments was a special benefit of God, which God granted for the sake of the elect, firstly, so that they would lead their lives more carefully in the common dangers and ask God for forgiveness of past sins, and secondly, so that they would still keep the hope of the future Christ in the event of a disruption of the rulers, and that this church would remain, which God had adorned with circumcision and the law. And this is a great proof of God's mercy, long-suffering and patience, that He does not suddenly attack sinners, but calls them back to the right path through the Word, and, as Paul says [Rom. 2, 4], gives them room for repentance by announcing to them through His prophets so long beforehand the future calamity and the punishments of sin.
The doctrine of faith understands the promises of Christ and his kingdom. Here we also see the special gift of the prophets. For through the Holy Spirit they knew the person, the ministry, the sufferings and the glory of Christ or the Messiah, yes, even the time in which he was to be revealed. But it was most necessary that this doctrine of Christ should be repeated often and by many, for the people of the Jews had been afflicted by so many sad accidents that, if the godly had not been continually raised up by prophecies of Christ, they would easily have given up all hope of his future kingdom. But the prophets fortified the hope of the godly by glorious testimonies of Christ, so that in all dangers they looked to the promised seed and expected eternal blessings from him. This was the office of the prophets, which was very necessary in the church or in the people of God.
Today we have the other part of their ministry of Christ and the hope of eternal glory, which is much more glorious. For what was future for them, we now see fulfilled through the Son of God. We know that sins are forgiven through the death of Christ.
The testimony of the Holy Spirit, which falls into the hearts of the faithful through the word, is also not something small. The other part, that of the prophetic ministry, which concerned the proclamation of the future calamity, is less necessary today. For the kingdom of Christ, which is no longer bound to a certain place, is not threatened by so many changes of dominion as in those days, but is spread throughout the whole world. Therefore, if the church is troubled in one part of the world because of the sins of the people, it flourishes and blossoms in another part, and every day new offspring grows, and it is further propagated, as the histories show. We are all waiting for the Son of God, who will come in the clouds and judge the living and the dead, and give eternal life to the godly, but eternal punishment to the wicked. Then we know that those who do not accept the Word will also be afflicted with bodily punishment. This general prophecy is sufficient for us today, although we do not know the time and manner of the future punishments. Nevertheless, even this gift has not been completely extinguished, and from the time of the apostles there has been a certain foreknowledge of future things in the church, by which the godly have been admonished and have led their lives cautiously, expecting the relief of misfortune from the Father in heaven with certain hope of salvation. For all such gifts God has granted to the world for the sake of the Church and the godly.
(vv. 2-4) Hear this, ye elders, and take heed, all the inhabitants of the land, whether such a thing was done in your days, or in the days of your fathers. Tell your children about it, and let your children tell their children, and their children tell their descendants. Namely, what the caterpillars leave, that the locusts eat; and what the locusts leave, that the beetles eat; and what the beetles leave, that the dung eats.
Almost all commentators, both ancient and modern, hold that this sermon about the noxious worm is to be interpreted spiritually, and some have even gone further and claim that the prophet is not merely indicating the history of a time.
For because different kinds of worms are called, they understand by them different invasions of foreign nations: among the caterpillars the king of Assyria, among the beetles the king of Babylon, among the locusts the descendants of Alexander, among the vermin the Romans. For these kingdoms have afflicted the people of God severely, until at last, because of the contempt of the Gospel and the idolatry among the Romans, it has completely fallen away. If someone wants to accept this opinion, I will not prevent it. But a careful interpreter will everywhere follow what is most suitable for each passage. First of all, I am moved by the reputation of Moses that I think it is historical and not to be taken according to spiritual interpretation. For so he threatens 5 Mos. 28, 38. f.: "You will carry out much seed on the field, and collect little, because the locusts will eat it up. You will plant vineyards and build them, but you will not drink or read wine, for the worms will devour it." Thus the great quantity of noxious worms, by which the grain perishes, is ordered as the plague or punishment of sin; then experience also agrees with Moses. For although this quantity of noxious worms is in itself a punishment of sin, we see that it is also an indication that some more severe punishment will follow. In many parts of Germany, in the year of the Lord 1544, locusts invaded 1) and devastated the fields far and wide. And in the previous year, that is 1546, they attacked the regions of Italy near Trent and the part of Saxony bordering on Silesia in great numbers, and advanced as far as Königsberg in Franconia 2). Therefore, the devastated fields and the seeds eaten down to the roots are in themselves punishments of sin.
The old translator offers: "many innumerable large heaps of unusual locusts, equal as with monk gray, yellow and black" 2c.
2) In Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
den. But since this was an unusual calamity and had not been heard of for many centuries, the godly also took it for a sign by which God wanted to indicate the defeats that would be inflicted by some ungodly and savage multitude. So also among the Jews, this devastation of the fields was followed by a very severe devastation by the king of Babylon, who plagued the land far more severely than this harmful multitude of worms. Therefore, I believe that this is not allegorical, but that in fact the unrepentant people were punished not only in one year with harmful worms, which devoured fields and all fruits and caused famine and pestilence. This was the first, but still mild and bearable punishment, which was followed by a more severe one, of which he says soon after, namely a foreign enemy that devastated everything.
As far as grammar is concerned, as in all languages, also in Hebrew there is a great diversity of opinions about the actual meanings of the words. 3) The word is generally translated by caterpillar from the verb XX, which means to shear off, to gnaw off, and the root word agrees with this little animal, because it eats herbs and leaves with its teeth. XXXX is the grasshopper. This has its name from the fact that it swarms in large numbers.
For when they fly, they fly in such flocks that one might think it was a cloud, but when they have fallen on the fields, they are bound together, as it were, so that one cannot set foot anywhere. is translated by beetles. This animal gets its name from which means to lick. For by licking it harms. I have translated it quite generally by vermin (vermis). And there is no doubt, according to several passages of Scripture, that it is a harmful little animal or worm. But it takes its name from which means to spoil, to devastate. Jerome about-
3) The reading äs propriis nonainidus will hardly be correct. We have assumed propriis si^niLeationibus noiniopi".
It shreds through rubiginem, "the dew of flour" that follows a harmful dew. For when this falls on the leaves and the sun shines on it, it becomes alive and living, and harms the trees and plants in many ways.
But one would like to say: Why does the prophet commemorate the already past misfortune? Because he indicates that this had already happened, and that one had never seen something similar in earlier times. But this is considered to be the actual office of the prophets, that they teach about future things, not about past ones. But just this proves the unbelievable stupor of the people. For although God uses such plagues to punish the sins of men, how many people, when they suffer such plagues, are made to feel their sins? who think that God is seriously angry? who seriously think about putting away their sins? It is truly so, as it is said in the fable, that men run knowingly and with seeing eyes into ruin. Since the blindness of our hearts is so great that we do not recognize the misfortune we feel and suffer, the prophet reproaches the past misfortune, teaches that it is the punishment of sins, and calls the people to repentance, as his office requires, admonishing them to recognize the wrath of God and to be careful to avert it through righteous fruits of repentance.
Nowadays, we experience more frequently that damage is done to the fruits. It is not, as it used to be, intervals of years before the plague rages again; even places where the air is extremely healthy suffer the plague almost every year. I do not want to say anything about war cries and other dangers in which we are becoming more and more entangled from day to day. For in truth we are getting into such times, the like of which the former times have not seen. But behold, we almost all find ourselves numbed, as it were, and do not see what we see with our eyes, what we grasp with our hands, nor do we care about it. Otherwise, if we seriously believed that this was sent to us by God in His wrath, and that it was the punishment of our sins, we would not be able to see it.
we are truly moved in our hearts and intent on repentance. Therefore, it is not enough that God strikes us, that He sends us various plagues, for this must be brought to life through the prophetic ministry and brought before the eyes of the insensate people, otherwise it will happen that this will not be heeded at all, just as we also despise the benefits, if we are not awakened by the Word, quite extraordinarily, and do not believe that they are given to us by the kind Father, and therefore are also quite careless in their use.
And this is the reason why the prophet says: "Hear this, you elders, and take note, all the inhabitants of the land. Tell your children about it" 2c. For first of all it is necessary that through the ministry of the word both the wrath of God and his mercy be impressed upon the hearts. But this is not enough if it is not supported by the domestic discipline of the teachers, and the parents diligently inculcate both the children and their servants at home with what they hear in public or in the churches from godly teachers. If this diligence is lacking, the fruit of the public preaching ministry will be little. But if godly teaching is brought into the individual homes, if these examples of divine wrath are presented to the youthful age and diligently inculcated, they will bear manifold fruit of godliness. Therefore, God demands this care from parents everywhere; He wants the doctrine of godliness to be propagated, so that the youthful age, deterred by the examples of wrath, may beware of sins, and, stimulated by the glorious benefits of God, learn to trust in the mercy of God in all dangers and to hope for salvation. Just as this care of the parents is certainly followed by blessing, for children who are raised in the fear of God are in truth, as Solomon says [Proverbs 10:1], the joy of parents, and are a crown of parents [Proverbs 17:6]: so also, where parents throw off this care and not only do not instruct their children in godliness, but even corrupt them with adversities, the wrath of God follows with necessity.
God and curse of every kind, which includes both parents and children according to the saying [Proverbs 19:13]: "A foolish son is his father's heartache. For so ("fools") the Scripture calls in a practicable manner those who have no knowledge of religion or of the Word, or who do not care for it, as it is, on the contrary, the highest wisdom if one fears God and pays attention to His Word. In public sermons, however, godly teachers must often exhort parents to this care for domestic discipline, and provoke them both by promises and by threats, as well as by examples and by sayings of the holy Scriptures, so that they do not fail in their duties in this respect. For this is truly a planting place of godliness and the main force of discipline, if in this way the young people are faithfully instructed by their own at home. And at this point the so determined admonition of the prophet did not have to be set aside.
V. 5-7 Wake up, you drunkards, and weep, and howl, all you wine drinkers, for the must is taken from before your mouths. For a mighty nation is coming up to my land, without number, with teeth like lions and molars like lionesses. They lay waste my vineyard, and strike my fig tree, and flay it, and cast it down, that the branches thereof stand white.
Above, he remembered the past punishments and commanded that they be diligently considered, so that they might thus awaken themselves to repentance, that is, so that they might recognize their sins and amend themselves. Now he prophesies of another future and greater evil, namely, of the Babylonian enemy, who would not only devastate everything far and wide, but also destroy the worship that the Lord had commanded to be performed in the temple. It is not by chance that he, when he threatens that the fields will be devastated by a foreign enemy, does not address his speech to the idolaters, the adulterers and the miserly, like Hosea and the other prophets, but to the drunkards. For he indicates that God will not tolerate drunkenness and revelry.
which sins in general, as we have also seen in Germany at this time, tend to precede devastation and common misfortune. If you follow the world's judgment, it seems to be something minor if one also drinks a little too much and gets drunk, and according to your opinion, those who accumulate treasures in a miserly way, which deceive others, sin more. For drunkenness is considered to be a sin that affects only one person; although it has its disadvantages, these are considered to be small because they affect only one person. Therefore, this sin is not only not considered a disgrace, but is even desired by all as a kind of permissible relief from worries and labors. This is how the world judges.
But if we consider the matter in the right way, we will think that drunkenness is the greatest sin of all, which brings countless other sins after it. And also the pagans have seen not only the shame, but also the immense damage that this evil brings with it. Hence there are many very honorable sayings in which temperance is praised, but drunkenness is condemned as an exceedingly harmful ruin. For since unreasonable animals do not drink more than is required by their nature, is it not a great shame that man does not know how to keep moderation and, as it were, lays violent hands on himself? To walk naked before the eyes of respectable people, to roll around in a pool, to dance, 1) is not fitting for a man, but it is beastly. But truly, those do no less against nature who overload nature with intemperate drinking. For they lose that which is proper to man, the mind, and degenerate into animals. For all the emotions of drunkards are like those of wild animals. When they are enraged, their anger is not that of a man, but of a wild animal, which cannot be appeased in any way; when they get into merriment (for as natures are different, so also brings the
1) The old translator offers: "to jump over tables and benches"; but it is also to saltars to add from the preceding "udurn.
If you look at the people who drink the wine (which produces various emotions in the mind), you cannot see anything more exuberant; without any shame they subject themselves to any thing and do it. Therefore, the pagans rightly detested drunkenness, which in so many ways is contrary to the nature of man and harms it.
1) Erlanger: pluriuni instead of: plui-imi.
drunkards without effort with all the evil he wants. And after that there remains an even greater evil, namely that, as Paul says, drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God. Therefore, we must not only flee drunkenness, but, as Christ exhorts [Matt. 26:41], watch and pray without ceasing, lest we fall into temptation.
Here you have how the holy scripture preaches about drunkenness. But it is useful to consider the other damages to the body and goods. Drunkenness causes sudden 2) and fatal illnesses, makes the body unskilled even for the smallest works, completely corrupts the mind, and it happens, as Seneca says, that the infirmities brought on by wine persist even without 3) the wine. Therefore Pythagoras rightly said that drunkenness is an exercise in nonsense (της μανίας μελέτην). For this is what happens to drunkards, that they are constantly regarded as being nonsensical. It is said of Sophocles that he used to punish Aeschylus because of his constant drunkenness. For although he (he says) writes good verses, he still deserves no praise, because he does this ignorantly. For these are his words that are quoted: Εί χαί δέοντα ποιεί άλλ' ουχ εϊδώς γε [though he does what is proper, yet he does not do it with knowledge. For indeed the drunken are like unreasoning animals without understanding; they cannot bring their minds to consider important matters seriously. Therefore, when they do something in the right way, it is more by chance or luck than by diligence, which cannot exist in drunkards. But this also causes damage to their fortune. For, as Sirach says, Cap. 19, 1: "A laborer who likes to get drunk does not become rich," not only because these people generally do not bear the expenses, but also because they do not have the money to pay for it.
2) Erlanger: suditas instead of: suditos.
3) The Erlanger brings in the text sino instead of sins, with a sie! in the margin. This surely means to take the criticism to the extreme! In contrast, it is otherwise somewhat weak with the ""Es (Lrl. XXV, p. 129), as the last two notes show, which we have made about two errors occurring on the same page (p. 154).
but also because the Lord cannot suffer such a shameful abuse of His very good and wholesome gift.
It is therefore the blindness, nonsense and godlessness of our people that they so eagerly seize this evil, which is harmful in many ways, and also incite others to it in every possible way, taking no account of their eternal blessedness, none of their bodies and goods, which are certainly in the utmost danger. But the godly will keep these sayings in mind, and since they hear from the prophet that the drunkards will be punished with a bad harvest, they may use the gift of God with thanksgiving, moderately and soberly, not for indulgence, but for the body's need. In this way, they will not only escape the exceedingly sad punishments, but also receive certain rewards for their godliness, and rejoice and be glad in the blessings of God. The others, who despise these so serious sermons of Christ, the apostles and the prophets, and follow this nonsensical vice, no one will consider them Christians.
V. 8-10: "Howl like a virgin who puts on sackcloth for her bridegroom. For the grain offering and the drink offering are gone from the house of the LORD. The grain is spoiled, the wine is miserable, and the oil is pitiful. The husbandmen see miserably, and the husbandmen weep for the wheat and for the barley, that nothing can come of the harvest in the field.
The opinion is clear, but he enlivens it beautifully, as it were, with magnificent images. The scripture mentions among the most noble pains the grief that arises for parents from the death of their children, and for spouses from the departure of their spouses. And in both cases the female sex stands in the first place, as the more delicate, the weaker to bear such a tremendous pain. Thus, at this point, the prophet compares the people to a girl who, although not yet married, already has the hope of marriage. And suddenly, the hope is lost.
1) Erlanger: kolita kadita instead of: Kairita.
taken away, because she sees that the one she loved so much is prevented by death [from taking her home]. This picture fits the matter exceedingly well. The word does not mean a husband, but a lover, as we have also said in Hosea, and there is no doubt that this is where the German word "Buhle" and "buhlen" came from. The marital alliance was reserved for the New Testament, in which God, through the mediator Christ, showed Himself to His Church, as it were, as a bridegroom. The love, however, or the union that was under the law between God and the people of the law, was similar to the love that is there before the wedding. God loved this people, the people also loved God very much, who did them good in so many ways, and the wedding, that I say so, was in prospect, because the people grew up, and like a girl who is not yet manly, became ripe for the husband. But what happens? Before Christ appears, the people are devastated for their sins and led away captive by the Babylonians. Whole seventy years it lives in captivity, without worship, without the paternal laws. Therefore the prophet calls it howling like a maiden who has lost her beloved and is now completely deprived of the hope of marriage. For it was difficult to hope for the return and for the restoration of the previous paternal worship and customs. Therefore, at the same time, the expectation of Christ, about whom there were testimonies that he would be born in Judea itself, while the paternal laws and worship still existed, was in danger; and yet the godly held on to this hope. But this is what I wanted to remember about this parable, because it contains an excellent indication of the difference between the law and the gospel. God also shows Himself kind and gracious in the law, but this love is nothing compared to the conjugal love that is shown in the gospel through Christ.
That he says, "the grain offering and drink offering is gone," I also refer to the great famine and the lack of grain. The "mourning of the priests" means the same. For because they were fed by the tithes, and did not live from the cultivation of their
1506 L. xxv, 1S7-IS9. Interpretations on the prophets. W. vi, Asi-siss. 1507
If they had a livelihood like the other tribes, they felt the pressure of famine before others. But in what he adds: "Der Wein stehet jämmerlich" (mustum erubescit = the must is ashamed), I have been forced to retain the image, because although it is somewhat, harsh in our language, it is still very suitable and beautiful. When there is a great quantity of grapes, the vines are beautifully adorned, and it is thought that they are, as it were, proud of their bounty, as the poet says that the meadows laugh when, through the favor of the weather, the grasses and flowers grow forth. But here the prophet indicates the opposite, as he says: XXXX XXXXX, the wine has become disgraced, the vines are disfigured because they are without fruit. And therefore they are covered with redness of shame, they suffer it unwillingly that one looks at them, they flee as it were the sight of men 2c. We Germans use the same image: "The wine is disgracefully bad" 2c. This image is often repeated in this place.
V.11-13. The husbandmen look miserable, and the vinedressers weep for the wine and for the barley, because nothing can come of the harvest in the field. The vine also is pitiful, and the fig tree miserable, and the pomegranate tree, and the palm tree, and the apple tree, and all the trees of the field are withered: for the joy of men is turned into mourning. Gird yourselves and lament, ye priests; hay, ye ministers of the altar; go in and lie in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God; for it is both meat offering and drink offering gone from the house of your God.
It seems as if this long and very wordy appeal to tears and mourning would be almost idle, because we judge that it happens by nature that misfortune brings mourning with it. Therefore, it should rather have been done so that the hearts bowed down by misfortune would be raised and strengthened. But we must look at what the prophet is dealing with. For he deals with it, since the desolation of the people by the Babylonians was already imminent, that he would like to move the people to repentance. But this is the first stage of repentance, that one mourns, the
is not sure, knows the wrath of God, fears the judgment of God, mourns over sin, improves his life 2c. Joel calls for such mourning in this passage, commanding that one lay aside security, commanding that one consider the wrath of God and the future punishments that would occur if there were no improvement in life.
But here you can see the strange perversity of hearts. For the closer the misfortune is, the safer we are in general. Therefore we give ourselves over to laughter and joy when tears would be necessary. Look at Pharaoh: when he was nearest to destruction, he surely mocked Israel and was eager to slaughter it. But how much more right would he have acted if he had sighed over his sin, that, having been admonished so many times, he would not have despised God's word, and would have let go of God's people! Nebuchadnezzar, too, since that lamentable calamity was in store for him, which all kings should have constantly before their eyes, how secure he was! how pleased he was because of his wealth and his well-being. The same can be seen in Haman. Since he was closest to the rope, he was safe for his own sake and thought only of bringing Mordecai to the gallows. These and similar examples illustrate the security of human hearts, which is always greatest when destruction is closest. Thus also Solomon says [Proverbs 16:18], "He that shall go to the bottom first becometh proud; and proud courage cometh before the fall."
The same thing happened to the people of the Jews. The devastation and long captivity by the Babylonians was imminent. Even before that, due to the immense amount of harmful worms, there had been a lack of grain. But the secure hearts easily forgot the past calamities and were not concerned about the future ones threatened by the prophet. They lived in revelry, they made merrymaking, they held splendid parades, as if there was no danger anywhere and as if they had certainly escaped all misfortune. That's why the enemy attacked them without a care in the world. We also learn today that
1) Here we have inserted a non.
the same. The places that are close to the Turk, that see the enemy as it were at the door, how nothing they fear! How eagerly they follow the known and usual pleasures and amusements and keep them! In this way the world always remains the same. If they are called to repentance, to sorrow for their sins, to fear the wrath and judgment of God, they will surely play their games and give themselves up to pleasures. Therefore, when she is subsequently oppressed by misfortune and beset by dangers, and now her heart should be uplifted by trust in the mercy of God, there is no end or measure to her tears, and she falls straight into despair. Why does she not listen to the godly admonitions of the prophets? Why does she so surely despise the threats? Therefore, this eloquent exhortation to tears and sorrow is not idle. It is highly necessary, although it is almost futile for the majority of people. For they cling to their security, which is most contrary to true repentance. For the beginning of repentance is that one recognizes the sin, that one is frightened by God's judgment and stands in fear of the deserved punishment and is intent on correction, as the prophet 1) will explain more fully. That he says: "The joy of the people has become a misery", understands in general the theurge of the grain, which is not only caused by the weather, but even more by the raging of the numerous and cruel enemy, who devastates and devastates everything far and wide. For no more pleasant joy can befall the cultivator than when he sees that his fields are adorned by the blessing of the Lord. But this joy has completely gone to ruin. Why? Because you have surely lived in sins, not heeding the godly admonitions of the prophets. In addition to this, there was the immense abuse of the gifts and innumerable aversions. These sins deserve this punishment. But it is an even greater punishment that the foreign enemy also abolishes the divine service.
V. 14. Sanctify a fast, call the congregation together, assemble the elders, and
1) Erlanger: xroxUetae instead of: propUeta.
all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God and cry out to the LORD.
This is the second part of the doctrine of repentance. The Jews had a different way of fasting than we do. For as all other services are nothing but hypocrisy, so also fasting. They abstain from meat dishes and do not take supper, but they have lunch lines prepared most deliciously from all kinds of fish, and fill their bellies so full that they can wait for the following day's lunch without complaint. Isn't this an excellent service? Among the Jews, fasting was to abstain from all food and drink throughout the day. Since this is difficult in itself, they called it rightly [Is. 58, 5.]: "to do evil to the body". But it was customary that in great dangers fasts were publicly commanded. Thus Saul, when the army was in danger, ordered a fast. So also Esther demands that a fast be announced, since she wanted to go to act with the king because of the liberation 2) of her people. And we see that the same is commanded here by the prophet, since the Babylonian captivity was now imminent. But in the second chapter we will deal in more detail with the fasts and other ceremonies. Now let us finish what we have undertaken and summarize the whole doctrine of repentance. After he had given the command to cease from mourning, and by fasting, by which the hearts were to be prepared as it were for holy things, forbade the taking of pleasure and eating and drinking, he exhorted all the people that they should frequently come together in the temple, and cry unto the Lord. This is the other part that makes repentance complete, namely, trust in the mercy of God. For prayer includes faith. For if there were no hope of obtaining forgiveness, why should one pray? But he who prays earnestly holds in his heart that a fruit of prayer will follow, that is, that God will have mercy on us and save us according to His
2) Erlanger: äsliUsranäo instead of: äs Uksrando.
Mercy. There you have what repentance is: that one fears God because of the sins committed, mourns over the sin, hates the sin, is earnestly intent on improving his life; this is the one part. The other part is to hold on to the hope of forgiveness because of God's mercy, which he showed in his Son, first by promising him, then by giving him up to be a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. This is the most pleasing service to God. For he is pleased, first, with humiliation, and then with this certain confidence in his goodness, which is obtained through the Son.
But it is useful if we, each one of us, send ourselves in such a way, as is commanded here by the prophet to all the people in general, that they should first mourn, then pray in the temple when we are in danger and feel the wrath of God or his rod. Although it is customary to mourn and cry out in misfortune, the prophet speaks of another kind of mourning, which arises not only from feeling the punishment, but from seeing the sins, namely, when you seriously mourn over the fact that you have brought such great misfortune upon yourself through your sins; then, when you turn your eyes to Christ, and through this sacrifice, which is presented to you by God, learn to rely with confidence on the mercy of God, and ask Him for forgiveness, that is, that you hope not only for bodily salvation, but also for forgiveness of guilt and for the gift of the Holy Spirit, who will continue to govern you, so that you will not fall again into similar snares of Satan. This is the right and some way to get out of danger, but few follow it. For when they are overtaken by misfortune, they either abandon all hope or take refuge not in God but in illicit means, as Saul did [1 Sam. 28:7]. Therefore, they usually perish in the midst of misfortune. What follows is a form of prayer.
V. 15-20. O woe to the day! For the day of the LORD is at hand, and cometh as one
Destruction from the Almighty. Then shall the food be taken away from before our eyes, and from the house of our God joy and gladness. The seed is rotten under the earth, the granaries are desolate, the sheds are decayed; for the grain is corrupt. O how the cattle groan! The oxen look miserable, for they have no pasture, and the sheep languish. O LORD, I cry unto thee: for the fire hath burned up the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath kindled all the trees of the field. The wild beasts also cry unto thee: for the rivers of water are dried up, and the fire hath burned up the pastures of the wilderness.
To the teaching or exhortation to repentance, the prophet adds a long and extraordinarily fervent prayer. But it is useful that such examples of prayer are present in the prophets, against the ungodly imaginings that those who have no knowledge of holy things invent. For some are in the error of thinking that it is enough if they think only of their misfortune. But they consider prayer or the recitation of certain words to be idle and superfluous, since God looks at the heart and understands our thoughts. But if this opinion is true, why did Christ himself teach the holy Our Father? Why did he himself, when he was wrestling with death [Matth. 26, 39, 42, 44], repeat the prayer with the same words three times? Why did he make a prayer for himself and the church with so many words at the Last Supper? Therefore, we are to believe that the prayer with the mouth is commanded and does not go without certain fruit, since it was commanded and used by the Son of God Himself.
On the other hand, others, because it is forbidden [Matth. 6, 7.) to make many words, hold that it is a sin if they use a large number of words in prayer. But these do not recognize the reason why Christ condemns it if one makes many words. For if the matter be rightly considered, he condemns not the length of prayer, but unbelief. For those who, for this reason, make a very long prayer, as if God were like an unbeliever, do not believe.
The judge, who is constant, either does not understand the matter or does not want to hear of his own free will, unless he is driven and provoked, as it were, by a long prayer, who sin. For hearts must hold both: first, that (as Christ [Matt. 6:32.] speaks) our heavenly Father knows what we need; secondly, that he will freely and gladly hear us, as Christ says, Luc. 11:13: "If ye then, being evil, are able to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall the Father which is in heaven give the Holy Ghost to them that ask him?" A negligent and harsh judge needs long instruction to learn the matter, and is not immediately changed at the first word; this, says Christ, is not the nature of your heavenly Father. Therefore, it will be sufficient if you state in a few words what you want, for he knows this before you pray, and because he is merciful, he freely desires to give. Those who do not give God this praise of wisdom and mercy, and for this reason say many words when they pray, do not pray correctly. In general, all the prayers of the monks are like this, in which they do not emphasize the promises of God, which would be beneficial, but the sufferings of Christ on the cross and the like.
The prophet is indeed very wordy in this passage, but not that he wanted to teach God, not that he thought he wanted to move God in this way, but he is urged by his heart movement that he cannot be short, and precisely by the careful consideration of the present evils he encourages himself to pray all the more fervently. Daniel does the same [Cap. 9, 4. ff.] in his long prayer for the salvation of the people. The same does the 79th 1) Psalm, v. 3. since he also adds these sad words: "They shed blood around Jerusalem like water, and there was no one to bury" 2c. This is not said as if God did not know this or had to be provoked in this way to help and did not want to help His people of His own free will. The feeling of evil is so deeply imprinted in the hearts of the godly,
1) Erlanger: psalmus 18th, although the correct reading of the Jenaer is noted in the margin.
that it can be seen as if it could not be expressed by any prayer, however long.
It is a pitiful picture in this passage, since he says that everything that is lovely in the fields is consumed by fire, and that the trees are burned by the flames. But what more suitable picture of war can be drawn than by comparing it with your conflagration? The cities, the villages flourish at the time of peace, are adorned and provided with all necessary things in abundance. But just as, when a conflagration has arisen, everything is destroyed, and a miserable sight of desolation presents itself, since everything, reduced to ashes, lies there in confusion: so also war takes away all adornment and leaves a shapeless desolation behind. Thus the prophet says shortly after, full of the Babylonian enemy [Cap. 2, 3.]: "The land is before him like a garden of pleasure, but after him like a desolate wasteland." But why does the prophet make use of this painting in prayer? Why was it not enough for him to say that the enemy had taken away all adornment at home and without? Did not God see, know and understand all this, as it would be, if the prophet did not make it so great? He did know it, and the prophet does not pray like this for the sake of instructing God, but his fierce heart movement and the immense desire for the hoped-for help makes him such an eloquent and fierce pray-er. For it is not fitting that prayer should be slack; faith must shine forth in it. But the more frightening the misfortune is made, the easier it is to expect it to be answered. For you will not be a talker if, while praying against the Turkish tyrant, you turn your eyes in your heart to Hungary, Macedonia, Greece, Asia, so many glorious churches, so many thousands of people who have either perished by the sword or fallen into the Turkish godlessness. For in this way the heart is awakened to all the more diligent prayer, and to all the more certain confidence in the answer, since God is merciful and good, and can no longer bear such great cruelty.
But here it is also necessary to note the emphasis which lies in the prophet's saying, "O Lord, to thee do I call." For in this way he distinguishes his prayer and that of his people from the prayers of the Gentiles. If you look at the words, also the Turks, also the Jews today pray in this way, that they say, "Lord, I call upon you. And also they understand by it the eternal Godhead, from whom all things were created. But this does not yet mean to know God rightly, if you know that he is the Creator of all things; for this is like a man whom you do not yet know, if you know his dress or his face. For these things even unreasoning beasts observe and know; but if thou knowest his disposition, then thou knowest him aright. In this way, those who know no more about God than that He is the Creator of heaven and earth do not know God, nor can they call upon Him in truth. For since they do not know the mind of God, what it is like, they must also doubt when they pray, and cannot determine anything certain about the answer.
But the invocation of the prophet is different. For in truth he knows God, whom he calls upon, not only from this work of his, which shows that he is the Creator and Sustainer of all creatures, but from other things that are closer and that show his mind more clearly. For he knows that this people is specially called, that it is the people of God; he knows that it has been rescued from Egypt; he knows that after the expulsion of the Gentiles it has been given the possession of the land of Canaan and has been adorned with the word and service of God. These are all certain signs that this people is loved by GOD. In praying, therefore, he certainly considers that he is not praying in vain, for he knows that he is asking a kind and gracious Father. These works show God closer, as it were, and provide certain proofs of the benevolence that has been given to this people in particular. But even this 1) is not a perfect knowledge of God. For they do indeed prove the advocacy of
1) Erlanger: kao instead of: Vase.
God's care, but only a temporal one and only for this fiefdom. But the true knowledge of God is that the prophets knew that God had promised in heaven the female seed that would crush the head of the serpent, that it would turn away the curse in which the whole human race is because of sin, and that it would bring blessing upon us, as God said to Abraham: "In your seed all nations shall be blessed. This is the right characteristic; those who know this know God rightly, that is, they know His heart and will, that He does not hate the human race for the sake of sin, but loves it and will certainly save it through His Son, from eternal death, from sin and from the tyranny of the devil. This knowledge is followed by faith, which is certain; for how could the heart doubt God's benevolence any longer? Or should he who promises and gives his Son let himself be asked in vain for that which is far less, and belongs only to this life 2)? This right knowledge has been in the church at all times, and is the only source of true invocation. Since it arises from the word alone, it is certain that not the Turks, not the Jews, not any pagans pray, yes, not even the unbelievers who are in the church. For though they proclaim the words, they know not him whom they invoke; therefore they must doubt how it will come to pass, or whether it will be answered.
But this knowledge of God does not only kindle faith; the church has at all times had the certain promise that it would be heard. For in the law there was a certain word that God would hear those who prayed in the temple. For since God had chosen this place for His worship, and promised that He would dwell there and hear the prayers of those who prayed to Him, the godly who were lured by this promise could not doubt the gracious will of God. In the New Testament, the church is not bound to a certain place, as in the Old. For, as Christ says [Joh. 4, 21. 23.], neither on this
2) Erlanger: vita instead of: vitas.
nor on that mountain is God worshipped, but the true worshippers worship Him in spirit, that is, they are not bound to a certain place, but the mind looks at Christ, and by calling on God in this way, it is heard according to Christ's word [John 16:23]: "If you ask the Father anything in My name, He will give it to you. [Matth. 7, 7.:] "Ask, and it shall be given you." Such promise the Turks do not have, not the Jews, not the Papists. Therefore, their prayer is entirely without faith and does not deserve the name of a prayer; it is rather a mockery or blasphemy against God. If there were a promise that God would hear those who call upon Him in Mahomet's name, that God would hear those who deny Christ, who would call upon Him in the name of Mary, Peter, Paul and other saints, then the Turks, Jews and Papists could attach something to their invocation. But since the Turks and Jews reject Christ, but the Papists put their hope in the invocation of the saints, they must doubt as often as they pray; for faith is based on the promise. Therefore, where there is no promise, there can be no faith.
Therefore the prophet explicitly says: "Lord, I call upon you", namely you, who made yourself known to us, not only by the glorious bodily benefits, but by the promise of the seed of the woman, who was to crush the head of the serpent; then you, who at this point commanded that one should call upon you, and attached the certain promise to it that it would happen that you would hear those who call upon you here: to you, he says, I call. The Gentiles also call upon you, but they do not know you, and they call without the promise of an answer, so they must necessarily doubt, and rather blaspheme you than pray. For he who doubts the answer takes away from God the glory that he is good and merciful. Therefore, we should be mindful, reminded by this passage, that in every true invocation, the first thing is for the mind to look at God, and to recognize that God's will is such that He wants to help us, to help us, to help us, to help us, and to help us.
He promised us salvation from eternal evil through his Son. Then that it may also look at the promise, which speaks of the answer in particular. For in this way the heart will be strengthened, so that it will pray with certain confidence and doubt will be excluded. For although it is right for us to submit to the will of God in bodily troubles, and it is not necessary to insist on the answer, because when it seems so good to God, we gladly want to obey His will and bow under His mighty hand, nevertheless faith is quite rightly connected with this obedience. For the heart has become certain of eternal salvation through the Son of God, and firmly holds that we will not lack the mercy of God even in lesser things, namely when His honor and our salvation require it.
But what is this that it is not enough for the prophet to say, "Thee do I call," but that he also adds something about the unreasonable beasts? He says, "The wild beasts also cry unto thee." Is there then also in the animals any sense of God or knowledge of God? In this way the Psalm [Ps. 147, 9.] says that the young ravens call upon the Lord, although they are unreasonable animals and without the feeling of such emotions. I answer: This is certain, that even the unreasonable animals recognize their misfortune. For they are painfully affected by hunger, thirst and blows, and show their pain and danger by howling. Since the Scriptures clearly state that animals also cry out to God, it is obvious that, although the unreasonable animals are without understanding and knowledge of God, God is nevertheless moved by their cries. Therefore, this manner of speaking serves to provoke us to faith. For since Scripture testifies that God is moved even by the cries of animals, why should we think that he will despise our tears and sighs, since we see his mind and will not be silent in thanksgiving, in which he takes special delight as in the most excellent service of God?