Just as the prophet described Christ as the head of the kingdom in the previous chapter, so here he will describe his body, that is, the church, which is oppressed, barren and abandoned under the cross. But he comforts her and promises her great descendants.
V. 1. Boast, you barren one who does not give birth!
He calls the church "barren" in comparison with the synagogue, which is a fruitful people, has many disciples, and is famous for the teaching of the law and works; therefore, it is like a kingdom that is in the highest bloom. In contrast, the church is despised, barren, without disciples,
3) But the reason is this, because the gospel is such a doctrine, which is not, like
the doctrine of the law, is understood by reason, but departs from reason altogether. For the forgiveness of sins for the sake of an alien merit, likewise an alien righteousness, cannot be grasped by reason. And even among the saints this knowledge is not firm enough. For even though we reject trust in works and superstition, we cannot completely remove it from our hearts, but it is, as it were, an inherent disease of the flesh, which afflicts the spirit far more violently than any evil desire afflicts the flesh. To this must be added the habit and instruction that we were not only born to superstition, but were also made and instructed to it under the pope. Because the gospel is contrary to this, and all trust apart from Christ
Therefore, it finds very few disciples, and it is contradicted by the whole world. This is the cause of the barrenness that the prophet is talking about here.
4 Furthermore, this whole passage must be taken from the abrogation of the Old Testament, that it is a confirmation of the new people, who are without law and live by faith in Christ; as it is cited by Paul in the epistle to the Galatians [Cap. 4, 27]. For the people of the Old Testament were inwardly bound in conscience, and were servants of sin; but outwardly they seemed to be the very freest, and were beautifully adorned with all manner of purities. On the other hand, the new people are inwardly, in spirit, free and a king over all laws and over all works, but outwardly there is nothing weaker and nothing more despised; in spirit they have freedom, in the flesh persecution. For this reason, glorious consolations and encouragements are needed, so that it will not be offended by the outward appearance and despair, or think that it has been rejected.
For the lone woman has more children than she who has a husband, says the Lord.
5 This is an excellent and glorious promise, and the prophet wants us to take it for granted, because he adds: "says the Lord". But it does not only refer to the times of the apostles, but it endures to all times. For God's word remains forever. Therefore, our small number and the number and power of our enemies should not worry us today. Nor should we be moved by the wretched reputation of the church, that with such great diversity of opinion, with such great discord among princes and great men, there seems to be no hope of harmony left. For although a pious heart cannot look upon these things without great sorrow, one must not throw away all hope on that account. For the church here has the promise that it will be propagated far and wide.
V. 2. Make the space of your hut wide.
6 These are images by which he magnifies the promise. But he indicates that the gospel will reach the ends of the earth.
and that it will not be hidden like the synagogue alone in the One Corner of the Jewish Land.
V. 3. Your seed will inherit the Gentiles.
7 This is not to be understood of the bodily inheritance (for it is unfruitful), but of the spiritual, namely through the word. This is a clear scripture of the profession of the Gentiles.
V. 4. Fear not, for you shall not be put to shame.
(8) This means that she is close to being put to shame. For the church is said to be in this danger,v ) that she has very few children, and all things threaten her ruin; but though there be fear, yet let her not be afraid, because it follows:
But you will forget the shame of your virginity.
He calls the shame of virginity that she is without a husband and therefore without children. You will forget this disgrace.
V. 5. For he who made you is your husband.
10 [Instead of: Quia dominabitur tui, qui fecit te etc. in the Vulgate] translate: "For he who made you is your husband" etc., that is, you will have a husband; not Moses, not Peter, not Paul, not the pope etc., but the Lord who made you. Therefore, this marriage will be followed by an uncountable offspring.
V. 6. for as a woman forsaken and sorrowful in heart 1) etc.
This is the appearance of the church, and thus the glorious promises are fulfilled, that Christ is the man of the church. Therefore faith is necessary, which relies on things not seen, that is, on the Word alone. Moerentem spiritu is the same as when we say in German, "Von Herzen betrübt." Thus we often read in the Gospel that Christ rejoiced in spirit etc.
v) The 1532 edition has to the end of this paragraph only the words: but not remain in it.
1) Erlanger: uiuli^rsrn ut instead of: ut muliererli.
V. 7. I left you for a little moment.
This is an excellent consolation, by which it is promised that the tribulation will be short and last only a moment, which in the future will work "a glory beyond all measure" [2 Cor. 4:17].
(13) But it must be remembered here that the spirit speaks. For reason cannot believe that the challenge is only a moment and a point, but it considers it to be eternal and infinite, because it is only attached to the present sensation; it feels nothing, it sees nothing, it hears nothing, it thinks of nothing, it understands nothing but the present pain and the present evil.
(14) Therefore this is the spiritual exercise, that we put away all terrors which we see, and accustom our hearts to that which we do not see; that is, that we hold fast in faith to the word. For the word alone teaches against our senses, and promises that the evil will not be eternal, but only a momentary and punctual one, that I say so.
But with great mercy I will gather you.
The feeling of the wrath of God in the temptation, the feeling of the tribulation is as it were the center; but my mercy is as it were the circle (sphaera). Wrath is only a minute of time, whereas mercy is like the whole time of eternity. But here again one must remember that this is not a material but a spiritual circle, that is, that these are words of faith, that if one were to follow reason and the judgment of the senses, it would seem as if the contradiction were true, and that mercy is the center, while wrath and the perception of evil are an infinite circle. But this is to be applied to other things also. What are the Turk, the pope, against Christ? Certainly that which is a point of time against eternity. What are our heretics against the church? Certainly that which is the center against the periphery.
V. 9 For such shall be to me as the waters of Noah (Sicut in diebus Noe).
This is a confirmation by a likeness. Just as I did not leave the promise made to Noah [Gen. 8:21, 9:11] unfulfilled: so also that which I now promise will be strong and lasting. It will have the appearance of wrath with you, but in fact it will not be wrath; just as it sometimes rains that it appears as if a flood is coming, but the flood does not come again.
(17) Furthermore, these rich consolations show us how difficult it is to comfort and raise up a heart that is frightened by the wrath of God. For as often as they see a single cloud rising, they immediately think that the flood of sin will come again; that is, a slight temptation takes away our courage, but we must increase by faith in faith [Rom. 1:17], and when we have been strengthened by one experience after another, we gain an ever greater courage to despise other dangers; for if a desperate situation did not occur from time to time, we would not truly learn to believe. "To hide one's face" [v. 9] is as much as to be angry; this is a moment, he says etc.; just as "to look upon" is as much as to be gracious and favored.
V. 10. For mountains shall surely depart.
18. Your adversaries, both spiritual and physical, of whom you fear as of insurmountable mountains, will tremble. But you, who are trembling in your eyes, wavering and uncertain, will stand like an immovable rock. The cause is because the mercy with which I have received you will not depart from you, but will stand immovable over you. Therefore, only believe my word and let go of your feelings, and you will realize that it is so etc. We see from this abundance of prophecy that it is just as difficult to raise up a troubled heart as it is to soften the hard and defiant heart.
V. 11. You wretch, over whom all weathers pass, and you desolate etc.
19. so he calls them, because the church is showered with all kinds of misfortune, and equally-.
As Christ is a sign that is contradicted [Luc. 2, 34.], so is the church. For other doctrines and religions, however inconsistent, yet find their disciples, and are in good peace. This religion alone is exposed to the hatred and ravings of the world and to all sin. That is why it comforts them: The tribulation will not only last for a moment, but will also help to increase the church, so that the more it is pressed, the more it will bear fruit, and the more it is restricted, the more it will be planted. Therefore, it is also compared to a palm tree [Ps. 92:13], which does not yield to the burden, but rises up against it.
Behold, I will lay your stones like an ornament.
20. This is a great promise that God will build the church as a kingdom of precious stones and gems. But these precious stones are those of which he will say in a moment [v. 13] that they are taught by the Lord. He sets various kinds of precious stones, because of the various gifts that are in the church. About these see Paul, 1 Cor. 12, 4.ff. and Eph. 4, 4. ff. etc.
V. 13. and all your children taught by the Lord.
These are the precious stones. Furthermore, this saying is quoted Joh. 6, 45. But he calls them taught by God because the doctrine of the Christians is such a doctrine, which reason alone cannot find, but even if it is found and taught, it cannot understand. And what is more, it is necessarily forced to hate and condemn it, because it is a doctrine of such things as are not seen, contrary to the judgment and sense of reason. Therefore, Christians are ridiculed as asses, because they teach about things that are nowhere and deduct from those things that really are.
(22) On the other hand, worldly wisdom, jurisprudence, and all the other arts that are concerned with action teach about things that are present and fall into the senses. Therefore
They prefer your gospel to reason. Since reason is opposed to the gospel, it is impossible for a Christian to be taught by men; and those who adhere to the word do so not by their own efforts, but by God's gift, and because they are taught by God.
(23) These are hateful people who misuse this glorious saying against the oral word. For if the oral word is ineffective, why do they not refrain from teaching themselves? Why do they not refrain from writing books? Or where do they get what they teach? The prophet acts more correctly, who connects both, the oral word and the spirit, with each other. He calls the church a mother who gives birth to children; and yet it is known that the church cannot give the Holy Spirit. Therefore, she gives birth through the outward preaching ministry, with which the Lord is, as it is said in the Acts of the Apostles [Cap. 14, 3. Marc. 16, 20.]: "The Lord worked with them, confirming the word by signs following." Therefore, because he says they were children of the church, he indicates that the oral word was there. Again, because he says their children were taught by God, he indicates that the spiritual word is also present.
(24) Now these things must be distinguished: The hearing we have from the church, the faith from the Lord; the word from the mother, the spirit from the father; the voice from the preachers, the power and effect from the Holy Spirit. The voice gathers us, the Holy Spirit enlightens us and unites us with God etc. Therefore, whoever has the Word and believes the Word is a child of God, and has both the oral and the spiritual Word. And neither can be without the other, because God has so ordered it.
And great peace to your children.
(25) As it is written in Romans 5:1, "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ. Therefore, when the heart is strengthened by faith that God is for us, it says, "Who can be against us?" [Rom. 8, 31.] Of whom shall I be afraid? Bor
the world? But what is the world against God? What is the creature against the Creator? Am I supposed to be afraid of death? But what is death against the life that is in Christ? Or of sin? But what is sin against the eternal righteousness that is in us? etc. But this certainty cannot be in the heart if God does not first teach the Word and create peace in the heart through the Word.
V. 14. You shall be prepared by righteousness.
26 This follows faith: peace of heart and good works. For to them that believe is offered, above that they have peace, also the ability (materia) to do good, that they may teach, comfort, answer doubtful things, serve the cities and households, pray, communicate to others, govern etc.
You will be far from violence and injustice.
27 [Instead of: Recede procul a calumnia] translate: "You will be far from injustice." Not that calumnies and wrongs are not present, for they hang on the backs of Christians, but they will be removed from your conscience. For evil only approaches the flesh, and does not enter the conscience; but the Spirit also knows how to make use of evil, and overcomes evil by patience. Thus he says, let not terror approach thee; not that Christians are without fear and danger, but that no one will harm them. For they have God for their Teacher and Father, and the Church for their Mother; these do not let peace be snatched from us.
V. 15. Behold, who shall rise up against thee, and overtake thee, if they rise up without me? (Ecce, accola veniet, qui etc. )
The grammar here is dark. However, the meaning can be given thus: Behold, what neighbor shall come against thee, that he may
you raids, since he will come without me? He comforts the church against the violence of the tyrants. But when he adds: "Without me", he cancels the unbearable glorification of the adversaries, that they boast that they are doing God a service by persecuting the godly; they fight for the church and for the faith against the heretics. For this is what they do: they adorn the violence they do to the godly with the title of the divine name and the church. But Christ strengthens us here, and says that they do this, but "without me".
V. 16. Behold, I make it that the blacksmith etc.
29 He promises that this will also happen, that the heretics will perish, who shake and shake the church far more violently than the outward violence of the tyrants. That is why he calls them "smiths who blow out the fire" to set the whole world on fire. I create them, he says, to their work, that is, to destruction, that they perish. They themselves will bring about their ruin etc. Our time has produced many such smiths, but we see that they too are created "for their work".
V. 17 For all the stuff that is prepared against you.
(30) He confesses that things are prepared against us, and that tongues are set against us. But he adds, Non dirigentur, that is, they will have no happiness nor blessing, and will perish. Thus, although the enemies have determined many things against us, although the spirits of the wicked have written many things against us, yet they have accomplished nothing, but have vanished away like the wind.
And their justice from me.
31 For the world does not see them, but condemns them as heresy and seditious doctrine. But I approve their righteousness and their life.