(1) Hitherto the prophet has spoken of individual punishments, namely, insurrection, war, famine, concerning the word 2c.; now he sets forth the last punishment in general: that the king of Assyria will carry them all away with him. This is what we teach; our people will not be moved by famine, war or pestilence, so the Turk or someone else will come and turn everything around.
V. 1. 2. Woe to those who make unjust laws.
2 He puts the sin of the teachers in the first place. I think, however, that especially those are indicated who are called Christian teachers in the evangelists, as the judges and legal scholars are with us. The prophet, however, has used more emphatic words, since he calls the laws "unjust laws" (leges iniquitatis), or laws that only cause misery and trouble. But this is the proper name of human justice. For all life and law, and
All works that are not in the spirit of God make the conscience weary and torture the body without any benefit. For this reason, human statutes are rightly called laborious and burdensome laws. For, first, they exhaust the consciences; second, they afflict the body, for they are not kept without great difficulty; third, they consume even possessions. Therefore, the hypocrites are far more sour in their human statutes than the godly are in the true service of God.
V. 3. 4. What will you do on the day of visitation?
3 This is when the king of Assyria will devastate you. So he attaches the punishment to the sin.
Where will you leave your honor?
He calls the kingdom, the priesthood, holiness, in sum, everything they relied on, "honor.
V. 5. 6. O woe to Assur.
(5) This is a description of the king of Assyria, who was to destroy Israel and Judah. But this word seems to have been spoken when the people were led away from their land by King Salmanasser, who led away ten tribes in about the first years of Hezekiah's reign.
Your hand.
6. namely the Assyrian.
V. 7 Although he does not mean it.
Now he comforts the godly; but when the rut also intends to rage against them, it does so to its own destruction and is destroyed.
V. 8. 9. Are not my princes all kings?
He boasts of his powers against Judah and lists six famous victories that he has achieved, through which he hopes that he will also conquer Jerusalem. Furthermore, this boasting of the enemies troubles the sorrowful souls very much, and one must pay special attention to this affectus at this point. For he wanted to introduce the arrogant and powerful victor in a personal poem, so that he would comfort the godly: for although the enemies were powerful and certain of victory, they would still fail. For Salmanasser had already led away ten tribes to Assyria 1) and Judah alone was left, abandoned from all protection and help. Sanherib promised himself a certain victory over this one as well. Therefore he sings the song of triumph before the victory. Judah, however, realizing that it is no match for the enemy, cries out in despair: "I am lost! Here this word is held out to the despairing people, promising that the threats of the king of Assyria are in vain; the godly will be preserved, and the victory will remain on Judah's side. But this was hard to believe, since they learned the opposite; and yet the godly believed it, and there was a happy outcome.
1) In the Latin editions: in Ladvtoniurn.
9 Thus, in spiritual trials, the forces of sin and death seem insurmountable. But the Word raises up the despondent soul and comforts it because it promises life. "He that believeth on me," saith Christ, "shall not die. "2c. [John 11:26.] When this word is grasped in faith, it saves the conscience, however much it trembles, from despair, and brings with it cheerful victory over all dangers. In this way such passages of Scripture must be applied to comfort. For although the things in which one is challenged are 2) many and varied, and the enemies are different, yet the movements are the same, and the same Spirit works in the godly. Therefore, we must learn not to look at the power of the enemy, nor at our weakness, but to look at the Word without fail. For this will make the heart firm, so that it will not despair, but wait for the help of God. For God wants to overcome our enemies, both spiritual and physical, not through power and force, but through weakness, as the text says: "My power is mighty in the weak" [2 Cor. 12:9].
10. "Calne" 3) is mentioned Gen. 10, 10. "Carchemis", I believe, was located behind Babylon [2 Chron. 35, 20.]. "Hamath" is Antioch.
V. 10. 11. As my hand has found.
Thus he boasts against Judah with six glorious victories. Not only does he claim that his forces are stronger, but also that his gods are more powerful, so that he can deprive them of their trust in God and their spiritual protection and help. But he described the arrogance of the enemies of godliness very well, who frighten the godly in a twofold way, first, by boasting about their powers, second, by depriving them of spiritual protection and help, and of trust in God. And this is the nature of all who are hostile to godliness, whether they be tyrants or heretics; for both boast of religion, and are powerful before the world. If, then, we are deprived of our trust in God
2) Erlanger: tentationem instead of: tsntationnrn.
3) "Calne" is found in Gen. 10, 10., also Amos 6, 2. ("Calne"), while here, Isa. 10, 9., "Calno" is found.
224 L. xxn, 112-N5. Brief interpretation on Isaiah, cap. 10, 10. 11. W. v i, Liö-ns. 225
we are lost; but if we keep the same, Satan is defeated.
12 But this is written for our comfort, that we may know that we are not alone, nor the first to suffer this. For the same affliction of the godly remaineth in the world; even as the same enemy remaineth to the godly. But it is a great comfort to know that others also suffer the same. Otherwise, the godly would take such afflictions as a sign of God's wrath, when they do not know that the church suffers in such a way.
(13) Furthermore, it should be noted here that God is called in Scripture a God whom one serves. For God was not merely revealed to us (nudus), but clothed with a service, and this service He Himself prescribed for us. Thus, in the New Testament, baptism and the Lord's Supper are, as it were, God's clothes, in which God shows Himself to us and acts with us. In the Old Testament he was clothed with the Ark of the Covenant, with the promises, with circumcision and the sacrifices 2c. For God can never be known in any other way than by such outward things and services which He Himself has commanded us to serve Him by.
Furthermore, there is a wondrous confusion of religions and worship in the world. This has come about because, since everyone wanted to have and honor one God, they have done so without God's word, according to the opinion of their own hearts. But this is actually idolatry, when we give God Himself a form and clothe Him with a worship service that He Himself has not instituted and that He has not commanded in His Word. For God does not want us to serve Him in any other way than He Himself has commanded. Therefore, those who seek another way to honor God depart from the true God and worship the idol of their heart. Thus, a monk of worship boasts that he worships the true GOtt; but he does not serve the true GOtt. The reason is that he clothes God with another sign that he has invented for himself, and does not serve God with the service with which he wants to be worshipped. For God has nowhere commanded that he be served in such clothing, with such plates, with such apparel.
The monk who observes his rule is an idolater, but he who has and worships the true God, that is, God's lawful service. Therefore, a monk who observes his religious rule in the holiest way is an idolater; but he who has and worships the true God, who has the rightful service of God, that is, the service of God instituted by the Word and by signs of God. In this word and in these signs God clothes himself, as it were, so that he can be understood by us (since he is otherwise incomprehensible).
For no one will comprehend the mere God; and this is the case of Lucifer, if one wants to comprehend God in the spirit without the clothing with which he clothed himself, namely with the flesh of Christ; likewise with the outward signs of baptism and the Lord's Supper; as is now done by the enthusiasts, who deprive God of the word and the signs by which he revealed himself to us, 2c. and deal with the mere God. But we are to be reminded that we do not deal with the mere God or with God in and for Himself (absoluto), but we are to take hold of those forms which He Himself has presented to us, in which He has certainly promised to be found, namely in the man Christ and in the sacraments; just as He was certainly found with the Jews in the temple, in which He had commanded Him to serve.
(16) In this way Salmanasser speaks of the service of God, or of God being served, and mocks the Jews, as if to say: Behold, God has been worshipped in these places with greater splendor than among you, and yet they could not be saved from their gods, much less will you be saved 2c. Furthermore, this is the strongest armor with which Satan assaults the hearts of the godly, so that they should believe that Christ cannot and will not preserve us. For if the worship of so many monks, so many works of men, which are good in appearance, are in vain, so will your idle, weak and futile faith be in vain.
(17) During such attacks and fiery darts of Satan, the soul is in very grave danger, and a very firm faith is required.
He who can stand up against the devilish thoughts and say: Although Christ should leave the whole papacy, yes, the whole world, he will not leave me. For even though I have many and great sins, Christ's suffering is greater; for this I have Christ's word and sign that this suffering is taken over for my sins, and that God has done enough 2c. This judgment of the spirit of the true God overcomes the devil and puts him to flight. And in such battles one finally sees how great a comfort it is to have God not merely (nudum) in the spirit, but who has become flesh and is clothed with baptism and the Lord's Supper. By these signs he testifies that his death has been sufficient for our sins, so that we may have forgiveness of sins, eternal righteousness and eternal life in the name of Christ through faith, amen.
V. 12: But when the Lord has finished all his works.
018 He speaketh of the work of judgment, that he chastened his children in judgment, and not in wrath. For I understand the following words of Sanherib, who was smitten, but the preceding ones of Salmanahser. For though they were different kings, yet they were in the same people.
V. 13. 14. I have established it by the power of my hands.
19 He describes the arrogance of Sanherib. z) As if to say: All that I have done, I have done by my power and wisdom. What will the good Hezekiah, the poor sinner, do against such an opponent who is mighty and wise? But as the help of God is closest when the godly are closest to despair, so also the downfall of the godless is closest when they are most secure and at the highest level of arrogance, because of certain success. The reason is that God does not suffer arrogance.
z) From here to the end of the paragraph, the 1532 edition has only the following: But there is also comfort in this, that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
can. God bestows gifts without measure, but if we walk along hopefully, "and make haste ego [I] and a feci [I did it] out of it, it's already over," because God does not want to nor cannot stand it. Therefore, God would gladly make us rich, and give each one a whole kingdom; but because we immediately, after we have become rich, add this detestable little word Feci [I have done it], therefore He is compelled to chastise us with poverty, disgrace, persecutions, sword 2c., "and yet can hardly take the ego and the Feci from us with all necessity".
[Instead of what is commanded in the Vulgate: Quoniam si elevetur virga] translate this passage thus:
V. 15. 16. May an axe boast against him who cuts with it, or a saw defy him who cuts with it, as he who guides the stick can boast, and lifts and guides it as easily as if it were not wood.
20 Therefore the opinion is this: The king of Assyria is my saw and my axe, which I use to chastise my people. Therefore he acts foolishly in boasting of his powers and of his fortune, as if this were done by his counsel and not by mine. For I raise such a monarch with less effort than if someone lifts up a straw 2c.
21 But this passage also serves to comfort us, so that we know that God guides the hearts of kings and princes, like a saw or a rod, who can do nothing by their own power if God does not allow it. Therefore, when they are angry with us and threaten us, let us pray, and wait for our ministry, as we do, with writing, reading, comforting, etc., in the hope that God will have all their plots, even their hands, in His hand. If it pleases him to humiliate us through them, let us say, "Blessed be I, O Lord, that thou hast humbled me;" but if it pleases him not, all that they undertake will be in vain.
22 Furthermore, this parable teaches us that we can do absolutely nothing, neither truly good nor evil; 1) against those who claim free will. For the saw does not make itself, and the work is not done.
1) A distinguishing mark is missing here in the Erlanger.
of the saw is not the work of the saw, but the work of the one who pulls it. When he stops pulling it, it rusts. Thus we are God's works, which God sets in motion. And the objection they make that the saw is an inanimate thing is not valid, therefore this is a clumsy simile. For God compares the most powerful monarch, with all his power and wisdom, to a saw. He is certainly a living tool, and yet he is compared to a dead tool. And one should make no distinction among the creatures against the Creator. For when one looks at the Creator, human wisdom and power are no more than a stick or a straw. But there is a difference of creatures among themselves; there one surpasses the other 2c. The pope has also used this passage in the chapter Solide, where he makes the emperor a saw, but himself the one who pulls it. There, this manifest beast calls itself a god.
V. 17-19. And the light of Israel.
That is, God in His temple at Jerusalem. For thus did God destroy Sanherib in One Night by the angel. Thus our God, who is our God in worship, is our light and happiness, our salvation and comfort. But he will be a fire against our enemies.
And will consume its thorns.
024 Thus he scornfully calleth Sanherib. As if to say: Because of the multitude of your people, you think you are a forest, yes, Mount Carmel, and a well-cultivated field. But thou deceivest thyself; thou art as it were a thorn, which I will burn with light trouble 2c. This is the end of the wicked. God is very weak among us, and for a time allows Himself to be mocked and oppressed, but at last He comes and becomes a consuming fire to His enemies. This will also be experienced by those who cause us so much trouble today.
V. 20. 21. At that time the remnant of Israel will no longer abandon themselves 2c.
25. not only will Sanherib be defeated, but the people will be defeated as well, after they have been so
1) Erlanger: omnixotentia instead of: omni potontia.
will be chastened, will mend their ways and become righteous. "They will no longer rely on the one who smites them," that is, they will no longer make covenants, as Ahaz did, but they will put their trust in their God. But notice here the description of human trust, that relying on men is really nothing other than relying on the one who smites us. For we see this in all the histories of all peoples/ and in the daily examples of our times. Thus the Frenchman, after he had entered into an alliance with Pope Julius, covered Julius with war and beat him. Thus Pompey was overcome by Caesar, from whose kinship he expected protection and help. Therefore, let us place our hope in God, who does not lie nor deceive. People can do nothing but lie and deceive. Therefore, it happens that one is beaten by the one on whom he relies, as the Holy Spirit says here.
V. 22. for when corruption is controlled 2c. (consummatio abbreviata etc.).
(26) This is a general saying; that is, God always punishes in such a way that He nevertheless leaves remnants among His people. "Destruction" is that he executes his chastisement and punishes, that he needs the scourge. But in this destruction he "steers", that is, he does not destroy the whole people, but then, when it seems to be badly done for us, he stands by, helps and straightens up again. Thus, in disgrace, in death, and, to put it briefly, in all dangers, when ruin seems to be there, steering comes. Thus it is said in Job [Cap. 11, 17, Vulg.]: When you think you are lost, you will be like the morning star.
27 Paul keeps this saying in the epistle to the Romans, only that he made the general one special [Rom. 9, 27, 28]. But he takes great pains to show that the tax had already been paid and the promises had been kept to the rest of Israel.
28 Furthermore, the Holy Spirit speaks according to the sense of the weak, because he calls the punishment a destruction. For so it seems
In the time of temptation, it is as if it were a perpetual ruin, and one cannot see an end to the chastisement, but the souls think that they are utterly damned and lost. In this despair, which is truly ruin, the Holy Spirit moves the heart through the Word, thus creating a tax.
029 Now this was a very hard trial, because the remnant saw that all the people were rejected and perishing. Here, with difficulty and difficulty, they were able to believe in a tax; just as we also, each one for himself, when destruction is before our eyes, can hardly be raised to believe that a tax will happen; that although all our works are defiled and unrighteous, yet God will preserve us, for the sake of an alien righteousness, which is in Christ, but which becomes ours through faith 2c. Therefore one must turn away his eyes from the "sand by the sea" [Rom. 9, 27.], and believe that the rest will be saved by grace.
(30) The fact that he adds, "Then righteousness comes abundantly," is nothing other than that the rest will be saved.
31. Paul followed the seventy interpreters, and gave it [Rom. 9, 28.]: verbum consummans [ζό^ον συντεΛών, when he will lead out the word^, and transferred it to the word of the gospel, which struck this people and converted some few. But this Hebrew phrase might be better translated res consummans [when he will put an end to these things]. Some attribute the destruction that is being controlled not to the punishment but to the people, that God would cut the people short, choose some few, reject the rest, and that through these few righteousness would come abundantly, that is, that the apostles, the remnant of Israel, would spread the word of the gospel. This opinion is also good, but I prefer to follow the former.
V. 23 For the LORD of hosts will cause destruction to come.
This is as it were a proverb, as if he wanted to say: God always does this, that he also provides remedy for the punishment. He always helps in trouble, he straightens up, he protects 2c.
V. 24. As happened in Egypt.
033 After Sanherib had conquered a part of Judea, he went out to meet the king of Egypt and struck him; then he came again before Jerusalem and besieged it, but when he returned he laid Judea waste. But he calls it "a staff," that is, a rod, which he used in his return by the Red Sea, after he had smitten the king of Egypt.
V. 25. 26. As in the battle of Midian.
34 He hereby implies that the army of Sanherib was not to be defeated by human forces or weapons, but by God. This was a great faith that could have believed this.
V. 27. For the yoke will rot before the fat.
35. jugum a facie olei is a Hebrew expression, that is, "before the fat".
V. 28-32. He comes to Ajath.
36 All this is to be taken in imitation (mimitice). For he relates the various rumors of Sanherib's arrival before Jerusalem. Yesterday he stood here, today he will be in that place 2c. By such rumors the inhabitants of Jerusalem have been put into the greater fear; as it is wont to happen.
V. 33. 34. But behold, the LORD of hosts.
Here he strengthens his people against the rumors of the approach of Sanherib. But these are figurative sayings with which he indicates that the army of the enemies should be killed by an angel.