The prophet has to do in the first chapter with the fact that he tells the simple, small plague of the animals etc., from which he makes the conclusion later on the complete destruction, which was in front of the whole people. He does not call anyone by name, but speaks in general; from this it is clear that he is "one of the old prophets". God rules the world in a very strange way, so that we think that it happens according to human advice, as can be seen in the empire of the Turks, which threatens all peoples. As if someone would prophesy: The Turk will come etc., so Israel had the Assyrian before other kings, who threatened them the most. Of this the prophets prophesied, calling the people to repentance, saying, Amend, amend. etc. The prophets all have in mind the future of Christ and Pa's end of the people etc. All the texts in the histories aim at this. The Holy Spirit sums up the whole thing at once; thus the "whole being" of the whole kingdom of Israel can be summed up in one glance.
The prophet acts in this second chapter alone in such a way that it is a threat: "Beware, beware! it will one day come to ruin." In the third chapter we will have the kingdom of Christ and the judgment.
He describes the plague of all the people, which happened at the hands of the Assyrians and Babylonians.
V. 1. blow with the trumpet to Zion. 1)
He exhorts that they should blow so that the people will be gathered. "Ring all the bells", now is the pleasant time; the time will come when everything will "go to ruin".
1) "Since the Zwickau manuscript shows in this chapter coherent larger exegeses on one column, but on the other short notes written over the text, both had to be merged into one continuous explanation. (Weim. Ausg.) This is a thankful work, which the Weimar edition has done, because what the Erlangen edition offers: first a longer text section, then the glosses belonging to this text, and finally the longer interpretations, presumes to the reader a laborious work, to which probably only very few would understand themselves. We have followed the Weimar edition.
Call on my holy mountain.
Ululate, shout, call loudly, so that the people come together. See the fourth book of Moses [Cap. 10, 2. ff.] about the different ways of blowing the trumpets.
Tremble, all the inhabitants of the land.
Conturbentur, that is, to get into turmoil, "to run together: What is there here? What is there here?
For the day of the Lord is coming.
For it is a great thing. It does not always refer to the last day, but to any day of visitation (as in Peter [1 Ep 2:12]), as often as the Lord visits, either in mercy or in wrath, so that he may humble and cast down.
And is near. 1)
Quia est prope [in the Vulgate] should of course mean: who (qui) is near or soon there. This is what all the prophets have said. All the threats are that the times are at the last end, but by the mercy of the Lord they are postponed.
V. 2. a dark day.
Another construction begins here. 2) Et turbinis ["a misty"], add: "day". Quasi is "like." Mane, that is, "the dawn". It is a similitude: as it is not possible for the mountains to escape before the dawn, so a people will come who will "overrun" so that one cannot escape. What darkness and gloom is, you know. [Scripture calls 3) peace and light, which we call good] 3) Days, "when things are good"; darkness, "when things are bad". Unhappiness is darkness; the day is
1) In the Weimar edition, this is already marked with the number "2. But not only in our Bible, but also in the Vulgate it still belongs to the first verse.
2) In the Vulgate there is no punctuation mark at the end of the first verse.
3) The additions indicated here by square brackets are made by us according to the Altenburg and Hall manuscripts; for even the text of the Weimar edition is not satisfactory here.
4> Instead of Konus we have assumed Konos according to the Hallischrn handwriting.
Well-being. s "A dark day, a gloomy day, a cloudy day, a misty day"? is misery and gloom. The prophet speaks poetically. 5) He speaks this to describe the sad times, 6) not as the time of day, which makes merry s, but as the time of night (Proverbs 31:18), which brings misfortune and makes people sad etc. He wants the power and the impetuosity of the invading!!! People of the Assyrians and Babylonians. It will come "before you know it" 7) etc.
The same was not the case earlier.
He speaks of the final desolation and ruin of this people. The prophet here comprehends the whole nature of the people and of the kingdom of Christ, and sets it before us etc. "To the ground and failure it will once go." Before God these things are sudden that are said etc. Similis ei [Vulg.] or ejus. "Before" (a principio): from the world or of old. "Not to be" or: one has not.
V. 3. Before him goes a devouring fire?
Ante faciem, "before him". Ignis vorans, a ravenous or "consuming fire". Exurens [flamma]: "a burning flame." "Like a pleasure garden," like the paradise of Eden. As the people or fire devastates, there will be "a desolate wasteland," nor will there be anything left to it that would have been torn out etc. This is a description of desolation. Fire is taken figuratively here, as above. As fire turns to ashes, so this people will be turned to nothing. It indicates the utter desolation of the people. He compares the desolation to the land as it stands in bloom. Now the land stands like a paradise; afterwards the exceedingly beautiful commonwealth will be a desert; everything is prepared for the flame, the fire and the future desolation. This is what happened to your Babylonian tower: it? "had to be built" before it was destroyed. When empires once
5) In our opinion, the Weimar edition has incorrect punctuation here: ealamitas, denskrae, äies, torturm, miseria "Wet-io: poetieus est propketa.
6) Instead of ckeserikit we have assumed cleseriimt.
7) In our template: "ehr sichs mnbgesihett".
have fallen away [, they do not come up again. Israel] has not come back to its former glory. So it went with Rome, Milan, Maguntia [they], Corinth, Syracuse.
V. 4. They are shaped like horses, and run like horsemen. 1)
Quasi aspectus is as much as "how" (8i6ut). There is no one who can escape, that is, by the violence of war everything will be devastated. Instead of eorum, it should read ejus. Et quasi [, that is], and like the horsemen they will run fast. This is a description of the people who are coming: [they] "shall speed along"; so surely shall they go, with so great an army, that they shall fear nothing. They will rejoice that they can destroy the land; so much is lacking that they should fear.
V. 5. therefore they burst forth on the top of the mountains as the chariots rake, and as a flame blazes in the straw, as a mighty people prepared for battle. 2)
Sonitus obervox. Super capita ["on top"], which cannot be resisted. Exilient: ["they blast"] client, "allure." This word is in the Psalm [Ps. 29, 6. Vulg:] ["they lure"] like a calf of Lebanon." "Straw." "So light is the land to him" that - - Velut is as much as sic. He speaks of the power and strength of the people. Fortis or robustus.
V. 6. the nations will be astonished before him (Cruciabuntur).
"Before him," that is, before the enemy and adversary. "The nations will be terrified," "will stand in anguish," will tremble like a woman in childbirth, will be frightened, will be cornered. Not only will you perish, but the kingdom of the Assyrians is such that it will [put] all nations in fear. 3) A woman in birth
1) Vulgate: Huasi N8p66tu8 eqnornrn N8p66tu8 oornin; 6t yns "i 6Huit "8 816 eurrent.
2) Vulgate: 8ieut 8onitu8 quuclriZurum 8Uper eapita montinrn 6X8Ünint, 8ieut 8onitn8 üannnue i^nis Usvoruntm 8tipnlnin, V6lut populns torti8 praepurutu8 aci proslium.
3) Thus supplemented according to the Hall manuscript. - The next addition is taken from the Altenburg manuscript.
Nöthen is to be understood in such a way that she does not know what to expect, what will happen etc. [The word is taken from the pains of birth, that she does not know where from or "in". The word is used very often in the Psalms.
[All faces find as pale as the pots?
Omnes vultus vel facies redigentur in ollam or congregabuntur olla, or I do not know what it is. In Nahum [Cap. 2, 11. according to the Vulgate] it says: 4) The people will become so sad that they walk black with sadness, as those who mourn walk in black clothes. But I would rather that the pot not be taken for blackness. [It is like] in Michal [Cap. 3, 3.]: to be thrown into a pot. [They] "are broken up" as meat which is thrown into a pot. They will be broken up into a pot and boiled and will not escape etc. [The people "will be thrown into a heap" as cut-up meat is thrown into a pot. The people "fall over a heap, not knowing what [they] shall do," as Isaiah says [Cap. 3, 6? "Then one will seize his brother."
V. 7. [They will run like the ridges, and climb the walls like the warriors?
Fortes are "giants". 6) Quasi is "like". "The warriors", warlike people, that is, exceedingly warlike. I will describe to you even abundantly the power of this people. They will not be afraid of the stones, they will climb the walls. "Every man shall go straight before them", "shall press straight", there shall be no one to resist them. "And not fail" ([Et non declinabunt] a semitis suis), "shall not fail, shall run straight."
V. 8. Mine will make the other one err?
Unusquisque, any one. They will go along, "finely ordered in a point". In calle, "in his order" (strato). God will
4) In the Weimar edition is so interpungirt: Vkl N686IO qui<f 8it in Nuknin. k'ient Kornin68 6t6.
5) In our original, probably erroneously: Lgaiu.
6) The Weimar edition has still drawn this to v. 6.
give the enemies luck; even though the bullets hit them, 1) it will go out in such a way that they will not be wounded. 2) And before the bullet, or when the bullet comes, they will fall down and not be wounded. These are descriptions of the enemy taking the city.
V. 9. [They will go up to the houses].
Conscendent, "they will rise". "Through the windows" and in the windows, "like a thief" at night.
V. 10. [Borne by him the land trembles, and the heavens are inhabited.
"Before him" the earth and the heaven will tremble. This is spoken according to the heart movement of those who are in terror, 3) to whom everything seems sad; "all that [one] looks at" is death; on the other hand, [everything is] "joy" when I am joyful. Tenebrati sunt, "they become gloomy." Retraxerunt etc., that is, "they restrain their appearance."
V. 11. Bor his army.
That is, before his power, namely before the Assyrians. That this is said of the Assyrians, and not of the locusts, you will know afterward; hitherto you have had no clear place. "For his host is very great and mighty" (quia fortia), because he is angry with us. "The day of the Lord," not their day, as the Assyrians mean. Valde, exceedingly [terrifyingly]. Up to here you have the threat: when everything falls, nothing endures.
He does not speak of the last judgment; they are sublime words with which he indicates the impetuosity of the enemies. Before exceeding terror and despondency all is sad and no comfort in a creature. All this will happen, not because the enemies are able so much, because no
1) Instead of tsrunt in our template, we have assumed Leriunt.
2) This sentence is inserted in the Weimar edition in the middle of the interpretation of the seventh verse (after: "they will climb 4>the walls"). The Erlangen edition has added it to the sixth verse, but with the remark "v. 7." in the margin. But without doubt, as the Altenburg manuscript has done, it must be inserted at this point, in the eighth verse.
3) Zwickau manuscript: putisntiuru; Hall manuscript: pnrisutium, but will read Mventiuni with the Altenburg manuscript.
Hair falls from our head etc. [Luc. 21, 18.], but it will be out of God's anger that makes me have an evil conscience. It is not their strength; they are not mighty through their power, but through our weakness. The prophets take everything away from the people and put it on God; "that hurts". I do not see the Turk, but the wrath of God, by which he wants to lead the people to repentance. Thus he wages war on all the Gentiles, not only on his saints.
V. 12. Thus says [the Lord]: Turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, with wailing.
Because it says, "turn back, it will not be better," [In toto corde should mean:] toto corde ober ex toto corde, "with all your heart." "With fasting," in which the heart humbles itself before God. In planctu, "with lamentations". "Rend your hearts," this he adds [v. 13. 1, to condemn hypocrisy. Scindite, "rend the hearts," this he requires above all things. "And not your garments." Out of displeasure over a matter, the Pharisees and scribes tore their garments. So far we have heard the serious threat of God of future persecution and plague. Now he gives advice and consoles, whether perhaps this plague could be postponed; but it is not averted. This is what the divine majesty is wont to do. We also have an example with Amos, as with Lot and Abraham, that he would have gladly postponed the destruction of Sodom. So now, through the intercession of holy people, 4) [the punishment] is postponed, but not cancelled. Finally the measure of the misdeeds of the Amorites was full [Gen. 15, 16.]. He prescribes a way how this devastation could be countered, namely that Israel converted from the heart and repented. That means: "Turn to me", not in a fictitious way, but in truth. He touches the hypocrisy and the servile fear with which we sometimes use to deceive God. See the 78th Psalm, v. 34: "When he strangled them, they sought him."] So also Nineveh, since Jonah preached. [The repentance "does not come from the heart", indeed, it
4) By interesssiy ganetornva here is not to be understood the intercession of the saints, but of godly people. In the Hallic manuscript: ?ii opponnnt so ste.
does not last. The tree is recognized by its fruits. Faith demands fasting and weeping, but from the heart; then it is the sign of true conversion. Fasting is not not eating at the time, but abstaining and moderating in all pleasures and amusements] and living a life of sorrow, [as] God is earnestly "reconciled." 1) Your fasting and weeping is done in a fictitious manner, since you do not weep from the heart etc.
V. 13. sAnd turn to the Lord your God.]
And in such a way convert yourselves, "then you come rightly to God". This verse is the way to turn to God, to God the Lord. Benignus is gracious, favorable, who averts punishment, "gracious", "who wails" of our misery. "Patient," long-suffering. "And of great kindness," he is rich in goodness, showing mercy, praestabilis, inclined to do good, who lets himself be sorry (poenitens) for [the punishment], who easily repents of the evil, namely, which he has intended, "soon desists from the misfortune he wants to do." Thus it is said in Jeremiah [Cap. 18, 8]: "So shall I also repent of the calamity" etc. God repents of misfortune when He changes the judgment that He does not want to impose the misfortune. He is easily willing to revoke the evil that has been inflicted, as if to say: easily willing to repent (poenitibilis), easily willing to forgive. It is a glorious promise: through the temptations he drives to the promises, to the contemplation of the divine mercy. This is the wrath of God, that he [wrath] does not want to destroy sinners, but to make them blessed. This human wrath does not do. Thus it is said in Proverbs [Cap. 27, 4. Vulg.], "Anger hath no mercy, neither hath wrath that proceedeth forth; and who can suffer the impetuosity of a zealot?" The wrath of God serves to kill and put away evil. In the threats strike
tum non oornoänt [sä yuoä ndstinoat st luAudreva vitani änont, sorio äous vorsuhnet wird." Our additions are after the corresponding passage in the Altenburg manuscript, which is found there, however, only in v. 16.
sthe prophets] 2) with the harshest words; immediately the most salutary and sweetest promises follow. By the wrath the godly are bowed down, by the promise they are raised up. The wicked are quite hard anvils. They grasp only the goodness of God, not the threat, "do not grasp it rightly". He adds a consolation so that the godly do not become too fainthearted and despair because of the threats. This is understood only by the godly. The threat is for the sake of the wicked, but they do not accept it; for the sake of the godly is the consolation, who hardly grasp it for fear and terror. These promises serve to comfort consciences etc. A frightened conscience prefers to hear nothing. "Oh if it would listen to the evil" etc. God does not like to inflict evil. Against all too great tribulation serves this consolation, that he easily repents of evil etc. An excellent word to raise sorrowful consciences. [He is "heartily sorry" that he has to inflict evil.
V. 14. Who knows, he may repent again.
He speaks in the manner of a frightened conscience that can hardly be raised. Here it begins to breathe again after hope. Instead of convertatur, it would be better to say: he wants to turn back (vertatur). Ignoscat, "he wants to repent". Relinquat, "to desist." "Who knows, he may change it," that he does not strike. He may not pour out his wrath in such a way that he does not still have remnants of mercy. Notice the Cananaean woman: we are to take something of mercy in every way. "And leave a blessing behind." He may "hereafter" give one more blessing, lest there be wrath, but he will add some more blessings. This is a general exhortation and a prize of divine mercy. They hang between hope and despair. "To offer grain offerings and drink offerings," namely, that we may yet offer grain offerings and drink offerings to GOtte. Mvoda s "grain offering"] is the sacrifice of solid things, "drink offering" of liquid ones. The words
2) Supplemented by us according to the Altenburg manuscript.
are spoken in the person of God: "Your God." He speaks according to the customs of this people; we have in spiritual manner (mystice) the sacrifice of praise.
V. 15. Blow with the trumpet to Zion, sanctify a fast.
"Sets a fast" etc., by which is indicated: Fasting is sacred to God; it is a fasting, but one that is right (perfecta) and done from the heart.
V. 16. Gather the people.
"Stand as if [it were] serious." "The infants," 1) as if to say, "all toward."
V. 17. Let the priests, the Lord's servants, weep between the hall and the altar.
Inter vestibulum, elsewhere porticum, "the hall, porch of the temple", plorabunt: "let them weep", a word of exhortation. Ministri who serve the Lord. Dicent: "let them say". I will indicate not only the manner, but also the words, (Parce vor populo tuo [in the Vulgate] he [Luther] deletes, for it is superfluous). "To shame," elsewhere in the Psalm [Ps. 69, 12]: to fairy tale (in fabulam [Job 30, 9.]). Nationes, "the heathen." Quare dicunt should mean dicent [why should they say?]. God smites His people to take vengeance, but not the whole land; the rest will be saved. So says Paul [Rom. 11, 1.] etc. And he preserves his honor, lest the Gentiles say, "Where is now their GOt?" etc. Spare your honor if you will not spare ours. Here you have quite evidently a text that the prophet is not speaking of the caterpillars and locusts, but of nations, namely the Assyrians, "that [there] may be an end" etc. before the kingdom of Christ. It is a general exhortation to the people of all his time. Of the bodily disturbance of the land this chapter says. It is a strong prayer, as he "presses upon" GOtte his honor, like Moses in the wilderness [Ex. 32, 12.]: "Oh, yes", only destroy, then the Egyptians will say etc. He immediately holds up his honor to him. He will
1) In our template only: ubsra instead of: 8UA6nt68 ukvru.
forced not to rage against the people etc. When the godly were taken out, he raged etc.
V. 18. So then the Lord will be jealous for his land.
What follows are more words expressing a wish than reality, or rather they express the possibility or stand conditionally: If you do so etc., so, he would zeal and spare.
V. 19. [And the Lord will answer and say to his people].
Jerome has indicative speeches [in the Vulgate: respondit et dixit, instead of] et responderet et diceret [he would answer and say; as if they had converted. But I do not believe that they did all this etc. because one did not lie that this history had happened by the Assyrian, that he had been [v. 20.] "cast out into hasty desolate land" etc. 2) - Vinum, "must." It indicates what the Lord would do if he were sorry for the evil, if they were converted. It shows that this conversion would not be in vain 3) if they were converted: You will come to know by experience that you have not hoped in vain. - "To shame," lest they rule over you and boast against me and against you.
V. 20. And will the one from midnight etc.
[He calls the enemy] by a very general name. "I will drive him far from you," "if only you will become pious." Inviam: arid. "Desolate," desolate. "The sea toward morning," where 4) Sodom perished. Extremum, that is, the tail or "the end." The sea toward evening is to be understood by the "uttermost sea". Putredo or stink. Quia superbe egit, that is, for the Lord is able to do great things. If ye humble yourselves and repent, etc. as if to say, "If ye will but be converted"; if
2) The preceding is in the Weimar edition incorrectly still connected with the interpretation of the 18th verse. In the Altenburg manuscript it is found only in the 2V. Verse, where it can very well be brought. Likewise in the Hall manuscript.
3) Instead of krustra msaru, read krustruneaM, 4) Instead of ut, we have assumed ubi.
also the enemy comes, "will well muffle him, throwing one piece there, the other there" etc., "will bring him far enough from you", he shall not know where to stay. Between these two seas is the land of Judea. [I] "will put him into" the sea toward the morning "with his head, with his legs into" that toward the evening. It cannot be understood of Hezekiah's 1) [salvation] etc. in the days of Sanherib, but the prophet will make them safe because of the enemies etc. If they repent etc. he will do something gloriously, "will do a righteous thing to him [the enemy]." The Lord "is able to do great things" and he will do them splendidly if you are converted.
V. 21. The Lord can do great things.
Magnificavit, that is, he has done in a glorious way. He again comforts all [land, people and livestock] in turn, just as he has terrified before. Everything is to be taken in the conjunctive, rather conditionally.
V. 22. For the dwellings in the wilderness shall be green.
Speciosa deserti, that is the huts, wooden dwellings, where shepherds are, Attulit: will bear abundant and full fruit. Virtutem suam dederunt, that is, they will give their ability, their strength, that is, all they can. The fruit, whether of men or of God, of trees, of animals, the Hebrew language calls power. The trees give what they are able. In the 78th Psalm, v. 51: "The first heirs" (primitias) etc.
V. 23. Rejoice and be glad.
You will rejoice and be glad. For he has given (dedit), that is, he will give. A teacher of righteousness; better, a rain of mercy or grace. XXXX 3) giving much trouble to the translators. It means "teacher" and "rain." He speaks
1) Instead of LsäseNias in our template will read Luseliias.
2) In our original, certainly erroneously: "heil". Compare our note to the first relation (Col. 1451).
3) In our original: vorn; Hallische Handschrift correctly: "mor""; however, the Weimar edition seems to have regarded this as the ablative of mos.
not from a teacher, but from a rain that the Lord will give to the land, that is, mercifully, graciously, "to do gladly and kindly." Ps. 24:5 [Vulg.], "He shall receive blessings from the Lord, and mercy. "etc. Descendere faciet, that is, "he will send down" etc. These two rains the Scripture has; he indicates the early rain and the latter rain, that is, alternately he will send rain so that the land will not be dried up by drought. That is, he will give rain "in due season." "Early," when it must grow, and after, that it may not wither etc. Sicut in principio, that is, "as before."
V. 24: That the threshing floors be full of grain.
Namely, when you convert. A declaration of the promise.
V. 25 [Who were my great army, which I sent among you] 4)
[Fortitudo mea] magna, add "will be". Misi: which I will send. I will not only destroy the enemy, but will compensate you exceedingly abundantly for the damage you have suffered. I will restore to you the power, exceedingly rich fortune, my great fortune will be among you.
V. 26. that you should have enough to eat (Et5 ) comedetis comedentes).
And if ye be converted, ye shall have enough to eat. [The doubling of the verb is] a Hebrew way of speaking, [as] ridens ri-
4) Vulgate: I'ortituäo mea ma^na smeine Kraft Wird groß seines, yuaru misi in vos.
5) In the Erlangen edition, a sie is added after Dt, both in the rendering of the Vulgate text and in the keyword to the gloss: si eonversi kusritis. What the Erlanger read as st sie, the Weimar edition makes the first keyword of the 27th verse and offers: Ltkmetis with addition of both the gloss just quoted and what the Erlanger says is the first gloss to senapitöruum, namely: huain Perpetua sit statura ista keneäiotio. Then follows in the Weimar sempiternurn as a keyword, which nevertheless belongs to the 26th verse etc. We have followed the Altenburg manuscript in the overall arrangement, because here the matter seems to us to be rather in a mess. Although the sro of the Erlangen edition is not in the Vulgate, it could serve here as a clue as to where the gloss belongs.
debit [he will laugh very much], gaudens gaudebit [he will rejoice very much] etc. God punishes in such a way that he wants his remnant to be blessed etc. He uses the threat to make them convert if they do not convert etc. - Sempiternum [eternal, indicates) how permanent this blessing will remain. Sempiternum is set for an indefinite time. He means to say this, "And my people shall be put to shame no more." It is understood of this time, "because this kingdom endureth," and this prophet etc. Non ultra 1) is written in the history of Elisha [2 Kings 6:23], "Since that time the men of war came no more." [This is said] of the temporal destruction (if they do not repent) and the restoration (if they repent).
V. 27. And no one more.
There is no other besides me. All the prophets used to add this restriction, Moses [5th book, 4, 35. 39.), the Psalms, Peter. 2) - ["My people] shall be put to shame no more." He repeats the same.
Cap. 3, 1. and after this.
This does not have to be related to the Assyrians. 3)
This passage has been treated by Peter in the Acts of the Apostles, Cap. 2, 17. ff., by Peter. The prophets are familiar with the fact that the thing of which they prophesy (as we speak of the last judgment) refers to Christ, although they are all sent to proclaim temporal punishment or blessing. Joel has the people before, which etc. now he passes from the present people to the future etc. He leaves aside what has happened in the meantime etc. First of all, it should be noted that the Holy Spirit is poured out in two ways: in manifestation and in hidden inspiration. Here he speaks of the Holy Spirit, who is manifestly poured out, who is proved by signs and wonders, and who is tangibly manifested, for he wants to speak of the raising up of the
1) The Weimar has amplius as an addition for the gap in the Erlanger, but the Vulgate has uitra.
2) The preceding is inserted into the previous section in the Weimar edition after the gloss to sempitsrnuin.
3) The Weimar edition has drawn this to v. 27.
Kingdom of Christ and the end of the present people. It will be a new synagogue that will be ruled more wonderfully than the other one; it will be a kingdom without any respect of persons; they will be ruled by God through the Holy Spirit. It will be a far different kingdom than the previous one; it will be a spiritual kingdom, which the Holy Spirit shall rule; therefore it is necessary that it be made known by signs and wonders. The old synagogue was ruled by a worldly order. [Jer. 31, 33.:) "I will put my law in their hearts" etc. "They shall all be taught of God" [John 6:45]. 4) Herewith this prophecy is true. What is not the Holy Spirit is not of God. This text speaks of the manifest bestowal of the Spirit; this is fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. Now that the church is established and the world is filled with the gospel (as it says in the letter to the Ephesians [Cap. 1, 10. Rom. 15, 19.]), the signs and wonders cease. But this text does not have to refer to our times, not to me and you etc. What God does between me and Himself is not signs and wonders. To each one the Spirit is given, but the public manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of others [1 Cor. 12:7.), "that [it] may break forth." God gave it then for a sign to confirm His word, Kingdom etc. He is talking about the Holy Spirit being shown publicly. All the time the Holy Spirit was there, but He is not all the time publicly proved. This revelation and outpouring of the Holy Spirit came upon all flesh, but not the gift itself; all the world saw the Spirit in the apostles. And [Isa. 40, 5. 52, 10.) all flesh shall see the salvation of God, which thou hast prepared before all nations [Luc. 2, 31.]. "Preach the gospel to every creature" [Marc. 16. 15.]. Christ is revealed that all flesh should behold him. So the Holy Spirit is poured out and revealed that all might see Him. He speaks of the public manifestation of the Holy Spirit, who was poured out. He is both publicly shown and poured in for the benefit of others. Our [prophets]
4) Weimar edition: "fl.Düess. 4, 9)".
boast of their spirit. It is not enough to have the infused Spirit; that is sufficient for you; but in order to teach, you must prove the Spirit with certain signs. I can prove it to you in the Scriptures. We have no other manifestation of the Holy Spirit than that which is in the Scriptures. I cannot say anything about me.
This text expressly speaks of another kingdom, etc., the Holy Spirit is sent, and it is publicly demonstrated in the world. So says Augustine.
And they shall prophesy.
This is said against the reputation of the persons. "The" Holy Spirit "will come along"; he will hit whoever he wants, not only the priests and Levites. Before it was not permitted for the women to speak etc. Paul says [1 Cor. 14, 34. f.], the women shall not be permitted to speak etc.; "yea," when the men are present in their house, they may do it etc. There are three kinds of divine illumination: divination, dreams and visions. And this is the summa: "prophecy" is where loud and clear the mysteries of Christ are proclaimed "dreams" [as] in Daniel, where pictures are darkly sketched which cannot be understood except by an interpreter etc.; "visions" as here in Joel and Amos etc. In this way, God enlightens the human heart either by a clear prophecy or by a dream or by a vision.
Cap. 3:2 [I will also pour out my spirit on both servants and maids at the same time].
"My servants" [is in the Vulgate]. "My" is not in the Hebrew. 2) - As if to say, Now you have distinctions of persons. But this difference I will abolish, and will make a priest of a servant, and a maid etc. "That is" "spoken against" the priests. He that speaketh the mysteries of Christ hath the Holy One.
1) Instead of propketartz, it would be better to read xroxtietantur.
2) This gloss is already at the beginning of the previous verse in our original.
Spirit; yet we have erected distinctions of persons. He wants to give the spirit to be seen publicly, because he says:
Cap. 3, 3. and will give miraculous signs.
With this one piece "we want to endure our prophets well long enough". This must be held against them. They will not do that; "will leave it" etc. This public manifestation of the Spirit must not be separated from the inward infusion of the Spirit. In the Old Testament there was "a mirror fencing," not as in the establishment of this new kingdom and people etc. [As it is written in Haggai 3) [Cap. 2, 7.] he moved the whole earth and heaven etc. at the establishment of the new kingdom, so that our faith would be exceedingly firm and certain, yes, he proved it by signs and wonders. He confirmed the new word by new and unheard-of signs, wonders and extraordinary things. Notice how it happened with the law etc. [Ex. 19, likewise] with the gospel. All this serves to put to shame the masters of lies, who will indeed come with signs and wonders etc. The whole earth and heaven "shall be moved" so that all creatures will know that there is a new word and that there is no one who does not know this event etc.
Blood etc. 4)
Where these signs happened, I do not know with certainty. It is certain that they happened at the time of the Passion of Christ, and when the Gospel was present. The smoke, I believe, occurred at the sending of the Spirit etc. There, I believe, the "vapor of smoke" 5) was the glorious miracle and sign by which the presence of the Holy Spirit was indicated. As Peter preached, he fell upon the Gentiles etc. [Apost. 10, 44.], just as he fell on us visibly [v. 47.], namely in the form of fire.
3) In the original: In Hiaeuk.
4) Here the Weimar edition has by mistake already the number of the following verse, which is repeated on the next page.
5) In both the Erlangen and Weimar editions: "vorpoten lumi"; but in the original (we presume) will be found vnporern kurai, which is in the Vulgate. According to this we have translated.
I do not know what "blood" is, whether it is said of real blood or of blood in figurative speech, as it is often used. I would like to explain it by redness, if I dare. The Hebrew word often means redness, as in the Song of Songs. Otherwise I read nothing of blood at this time. A bold interpretation uses this of the blood of Christ and the martyrs. Here [at the sending of the Holy Spirit) was redness and wind [Apost. 2, 2. 3.); this indicated the ardent love. Whoever wants to "look further", let him draw the signs to the last day, which will be preceded by these signs, as Christ prophesies to Luke in the 19th or rather in the 21st chapter [v. 11]. But I would rather interpret all this from the time of the sending of the Holy Spirit, and that that day etc. is the day of the revealed gospel.
Cap. 3, 4. [The moon shall be turned into blood.) 1)
That the moon is turned into blood and becomes like blood is a Hebrew way of speaking, as in the Revelation of John [Cap. 6, 12.), where we would say it becomes like blood etc. - "The terrible [day of the Lord"] is the one to be feared, the one to be held in reverence, as [also] God is called in Scripture, [Gen. 28, 17. says Jacob:) "How holy [terribilis - terrible] is this place!" that is, to hold in great honor, namely with filial reverence.
Cap. 3, 5 [And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved].
Et erit is as much as: This is how it will happen. - This text moves me to understand the foregoing from the day of the revelation of the Gospel. He who shone forth, the great light of righteousness, is Christ. These signs are given to confirm that the Spirit was given and sent etc. And it will come to pass at the time when these signs shall be, and when the Spirit shall have descended [that the name of the
1) Only at the following keyword, "der schreckliche," does the Weimar edition have the new verse number.
will call upon the Lord) 2) etc. "Is it not" before [also] "done? Yes." But he is speaking here of the public manifestation of the invocation. [Ps. 145, 18.:) "The Lord is near unto all them that call upon him." This invocation is to be revealed to the whole world, the revealed ministry of the Spirit is to be displayed to the whole world etc. This saying nullifies everything there is only ever human power etc. The prophet does not place salvation in our righteousness, but in the invocation of the name. But what is "being saved"? It is to be delivered from sin, death and all evils, and to pass from this life into another life. This comes from the Holy Spirit, who is poured out on all flesh. He shall cause the name of the Lord to be called upon etc. See Paul Rom. 10, 14. f.: From the sending of the Spirit comes preaching, from preaching comes hearing, from hearing comes faith, from faith comes calling etc. Our blessedness is in the power of God who sends His Spirit, and not in our merits. "Calling" is standing in line for mercy. "The name of the Lord," he says, indicating the kingdom of Christ. Our blessedness stands in the mercy that is pleaded and invoked etc. Death, sin, and therefore the need to call upon the name of the Lord always remain.
[For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be salvation etc.]
"For in Mount Zion," there will be the foundation of salvation; so say all the prophets. Thus says Isaiah [Cap. 2, 3.), "From Zion shall go forth the law," etc. "The forgiveness of sins had to be preached, and lift up at Jerusalem" etc., says Lucas [Cap. 24, 47.). God took great care with His people to make them certain of the place, the time, the persons, the signs, even though it is not necessary for salvation; but He did it in order to confirm His teaching and His word etc. "He is so hostile to the flying spirits.
2) This addition is inserted by us according to the Altenburg manuscript. - The following words read in our original: "ist dem nicht ante geschehen? Iha."
being. This had to be Zion" so that it could be written: The word of the Lord lifted up from Jerusalem. In the beginning it was necessary that the word was bound; now it is no longer bound etc. He explicitly adds: "As the Lord promised", as if he wanted to say: Because the Lord wants the word to begin there, it is something great, otherwise it would not be necessary etc.
[Also with the rest whom the Lord will call.]
In residuis, that is, "among the rest. The Lord has raised up teachers and ministers of the Word among the rest of the earth. They will make no distinction among the people etc. This is the main part of this prophecy.