[Cap. 23, 5-8,]
of Christ's kingdom and Christian freedom. *)
Preached in 1526; printed in 1527.
Jeremiah on the 23rd chapter [vv. 5-8.].
Behold, the time cometh, saith the LORD, when I will establish a right plant for David, and a king shall reign, that shall rule wisely, and do justice and righteousness in the earth. In that day Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and he shall be called, O LORD our righteous. Therefore, behold, the time cometh, saith the LORD, when it shall no more be said: As the LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but as the LORD liveth, which brought up the seed of the house of Israel out of the land of the north, and out of all the countries whither I have driven them, and they shall dwell in their own land.
Interpretation of the epistle.
In this epistle or prophecy of Jeremiah, Christ is declared to us who he is, and what his kingdom is, and how he shall reign, and how they that are under his kingdom shall dwell safely. First, the prophet says that Christ is the seed of David. St. Paul also says Rom. 1, 2. ff. that
God promised his gospel of his Sona ) through the prophets in the Scriptures, that he should be such a Lord, coming from the seed of David according to the flesh, and yet be the Son of God, powerfully demonstrated according to the Spirit who sanctifies. This is also such a saying. And now the whole Old Testament serves this purpose, so that we may see that all things which we now preach and believe have come to pass just as they were proclaimed and prophesied before. Let us look at this further.
You have heard that it was said to Abraham in Genesis 22:18: "Through your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. This also is a gospel, that the dear fathers might be comfortedb ) a very long time. But it was not yet come to pass; for he saith, it shall come to pass that all nations shall be blessed. In this saying it is certainly promised to Abraham that this seed should come from his blood, so that he should not gape to and fro, as in Adam's time, when they also held a gospel that was quite
a) let prophesy b) helped
*This sermon was preached by Luther in 1526, as we can conclude from the words in ? 57: "We should not do as the peasants did in the past year. In 1527, it appeared in print under the title: "Ein epistel aus dem Propheten Jeremia, von Christus reich und Christlicher freyheit, gepredigt durch Mar. Luther. Wittemberg 1. 5. 27." Under a similar title, two other editions were published in the same year. The first edition mentioned is in octavo, the other two in quarto. According to what Dietz notes in his Wörterbuche zu Dr. Martin Luthers Schriften 8. v. "entsitzen", that the phrase: "entsitzen einem einen Zorn" (which is found in § 31 of our writing) does not occur in writings whose publication Luther himself was responsible for, we have to assume that this sermon was brought to print by others.' Hence the rather significant number of variants found in the original editions, but all of them are such that they have no influence on the content. The readings of the octavo edition are in the text in the Wittenberg edition and in the Erlangen edition, while the variants of the text included in the Jena edition, which Walch also included, are in the margins in the Erlangen edition. In the collective editions, our writing is found: in the Wittenberg (1556), vol. V, p. 301; in the Jena (1603), vol. Ill, p. 461b; in the Altenburg, vol. Ill, p. 795; in the Leipzig, vol. VII, p. 481 and in the Erlangen, vol. 41, p. 186. To us, the text of the Jena seems to deserve preference, so we retain it from Walch's old edition. What is enclosed in round brackets in the text and what is marked with letters in the margin are the readings of the octavo edition of 1527. What is enclosed in square brackets in the text is missing in the octavo edition just mentioned.
darkly, namely, when God said to the serpent Genesis 3:15: "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bite him in the heel." All these things that are spoken of Christ shall bruise the head of the devil, and all nations shall be blessed through him.
3. in these sayings (all) one finds (now) clearly that Christ must be God and man, must die and rise again, and establish an eternal kingdomc ) here on earth, which happens only through his word. Even though these words are not expressed in these proverbs, they certainly are, and the words make it clear, if you look at the text and think about it. But if one only looks at the words above, and does not pursue them, then it seems as if there is nothing in them. As, in this saying, "By thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." They are few and insignificant words, but if you look at them carefully, you will find that Christ is God and man, and must die and rise again from the dead. For if he is to bless and bless, that is, to take away the curse, he must truly be over the curse; which curse is nothing else than death, sin and all misfortune. If he is to do this, he must have the power and authorityd to take away sin and death and to give life. From this it follows that he is more than a bad man. For no one has power to do such works except God alone, and he who does this work must be God. (Further:) If he is to be Abraham's natural seed, he must ever be a man. If he is a man, he must be truly mortal, otherwise he could not be called Abraham's son. Again, if he is to bring blessing and benediction upon all the nations of the earth, he must live forever and ever. So it follows that he must be true natural God and man. e) So you will find it in all other sayingsf ) of the scripture, if one
c) accept
d) Violence
e) is mortal and alive.
f) Ends
theyg ) rightly and diligently looks at. Let us see from word to word what Jeremiah reproaches us with in this saying, since we will also find this. First, he speaks thus:
V. 5. Behold, the time cometh, saith the LORD, when I will establish a righteous plant for David.
4 These words are certainly spoken by Christ, in which it is written that the prophecy is that he will come from the blood and tribe of David. From this line they had to wait for the Savior. Therefore St. Paul speaks rightly [Rom. 1, 3] that he was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, because the prophet Jeremiah wanted to make the Savior almost sufficiently certain who he would be and from where he would come, for the sake of those who would believe at the same time and would believe afterwards, so that they would not be allowed to grope back and forth and look elsewhere. Therefore he binds him to David's bloodline and tribe, from which he is to be expected. By these words the prophets almost comforted the people, telling them to look to this lineage and believe that he would not come from anywhere but the tribe of David.
5 The Jews knew this from the sayings of the Scriptures, and were as certain of it as we know and believe that Christ will return on the last day. Therefore the angel Gabriel said to Mary Luc. 1, 32. 33: "God the Lord will give him the throne of his father David, and he will be king over Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.
(6) So all the Scriptures are always pressing on David, as you also hear here in the prophecy of Jeremiah: "The time is coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up a righteous plant for David. He says, "I will raise it up," that is, I will set it and make it stand firm. As if he wanted to say: The Jewish people have patched and flapped themselves with the kings until now; if I have raised up a pious king for them at times, as Ezechiam, then they have had ten evil ones against it. I want once a
g) the sayings
I will raise up and establish a king, and he shall remain. I will not set him up to be challenged, but he will be challenged and touched by the world, by the devil, and by all that is great and mighty in the world. But I will set it up; it shall stand strong and sure; the enemies shall not prevail against it.
007 And saith that he will raise up a righteous increase for David. Zechariah also says that he will come righteously, Cap. 9, 9: "Behold," he says, "your king is coming [to you], that he may be a righteous man and a helper." h) In this way the prophets regarded Christ, as we also regard him, namely, 1) a king who makes the world righteous. For the world is nothing else than a stable full of bad boys; the world is the devil's kingdom, and blood and flesh are its servants. All the saints have complained about the misfortune that is upon us, and all the saints must also complain, as Paul shows in Rom. 7:18, 19. For this reason, the dear fathers and prophets coveted and cried out without ceasing for the righteous plant, for this Christ, who would make them righteous and just, who would take away sin and death. All pious, good hearts still desire this, yes, even the evil ones. For who would not rather have life than death, and rather have righteousness than sin? Therefore St. Paul cries out [Rom. 7:24], "I wretched man, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" But not all men cry out in this way, for not all feel it; the devil possesses many hearts and deceives them so that they cannot remember it.
(8) This then is the sum and main saying of this epistle or prophecy, that this king should be righteous and just, that is, without all sin, by which he is set apart and excluded from all other men, who are all unjust, wicked and sinners. Now if he is to be righteous, he must ever not be born in the way that other human children are born. Therefore it follows that his mother must be a virgin. For it is written of all other men by the prophet
h) Justifier and a Savior.
1) In the original edition: "one"; in the Jena: "for one".
David Ps. 51, 7. thus said: "Behold, I am made in iniquity, and my mother conceived me in sins." Therefore, this king must be conceived and born in another way, that is, without sin. For, if he is to be righteous,i ) and not guilty of death, he must not be born of a woman, as we are, by the help of a man, but must have been conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the holy pure virgin Mary. j)
(9) But how is it that he is pure and not subject to death? Where does this come from? He is said to come from David. Is David's lineage also in the corruption? Right; but only one virgin from the tribe of David is to be used for this. The other thing was done by the Holy Spirit, who made this birth pure, as the angel said to Mary the Virgin, Luc. 1, 35: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore also the holy one who is born will be called the Son of God. Therefore we have such a king, who has a name above all other kings, that he is righteous and just, so that he also makes others blessedk ) and just. And so these words imply that he must be God and man, and born of a virgin; although these words do not say it openly and clearly, yet they bring so much with them, where they are basically seen.
010 But when he calls it a plant, he speaks according to the manner of the Hebrew language, which calls children plants, as herbs, shrubs, and trees grow. Now this does not sound so well in our ears as in the ears of the Jews. So God also says of the Babylonian empire: "I will cut off the name of Babylon with its seed,l ) its growth and its lineage. For the children come from the parents, as the branches and twigs from the trees. Therefore also Isaiah Cap. 11, 1. says: "From the rootm ) Jesse
i) have had another master, that he was conceived and born without sin. For, if he was pious and of death 2c.
j) he must be pure from this birth, k) pious
l) its remnants,
m) the block
a little branch or twig will spring forth." From a trunk,n ) which is now dead, he says, a plant will grow, that is, from an old dead trunk, because one does not think that something should grow out more and more. For David had died, and his lineage lay even under and in ashes. Pilate was at Jerusalem instead of David's kingdom, and the Romans were now in charge, so that little more was known of David's lineage and tribe, and it was hardly hidden in two or three persons than in Joseph and Mary, who were at Nazareth. Now therefore, saith God, Let the tribe wax old unto me, and wither, and I will raise it up: when ye think least that it shall come, then it shall come: when they think that the tribe of David is done, and is fallen, and shall not come to any thing, then will I come, and will make it green, and it shall shoot forth, and bring forth fruit.
(11) Then you see how the prophets agree with one another, and all go to David, that from the tribe and lineage of David should come the pious and righteous king [and helper], who saved his own from sins, death, the devil, hell and from all misfortune, and made them blessed forever. Jeremiah now goes on to say:
And let a king reign who will rule wisely and establish justice and righteousness on earth.
(12) The words are always as if to show that there is no righteousness on earth; not only do I speak of the righteousness that is valid before God, but also of the worldly, external righteousness, which is nothing but a beggar's cloak. For the world is a real school of the devil, which is why God has set up and decreed the sword and worldly authority (o ), so that there may be a little of righteousness on earth, for with the righteousness that applies before God, there is nothing. There is only injustice on earth, also in the worldly government. In the spiritual regime there is only blasphemy. For thus says the 14th Psalm, v. 2. 3: "The
n) Block,
o) the executioner
The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if any had understanding, and asked after God; but they were gone astray, and were all together unfit. There was no one who did good, not even one. Then he makes a short judgment and says that not even one is pious. Well, that is certain, if you look at the world from heaven, you will see nothing but blindness, wickedness, unrighteousness and foolishness, and nothing but a stable full of bad boys, not much better than it was in the time of Noah, when God wiped out all men by the flood of sin, except the eighth. But such blindness and unrighteousness feel (you) almost little, because only those who are taught and instructed by the law, as at that time the pious heartsp ) felt the burden of the law. The common people go like cattle.
013 Now this child that shall be born of David, righteous and upright, without sin, he shall be the king that shall stand and reign for ever. If then he is the offspring and branch of David's tribe, he must ever be mortal, for he is born in the flesh into the temporal life, and therefore he must die. But because he shall stand forever and reign forever, he must ever be immortal; how then will it be? So he must rise again from the dead. This is what St. Peter wants, since he says in the stories of the apostles from the prophet David that it was impossible for him to be raised from death, Apost. 2, 24. Ps. 16, 10. What was the cause? For he shall remain a king, and reign forever. So in these words you see the resurrection of Christ indicated everywhere, that he had to be born and die, and yet reign forever; therefore he had to rise from the dead.
14 Furthermore, the prophet says that this king will rule wisely, that is, he will rule with understanding and reason; as it says of David in 1 Sam. 18:5, "He was wise in all his doings," that is, he was the most prudent and the most judicious of all who were in Saul's court. Jeremiah also says of this king, "He will be prudent.
p) the dear VLters and prophets. The common 2c.
He will attack it wisely, that is. So far we have heard about the person of the king, namely, that he should come from David's tribe, should be a man, and be born of a pure virgin, and should be a righteous king; which all goes to his person. Now it follows, that what the king has, he shall not keep for himself, but shall invest it, and give it to men. And this is what the prophet means here, "he will rule wisely," that is, he will rule with pure wisdom; as if to speak: He will leave all weapons, armor, swords, guns, bows and spears; he will begin a special way to make the people devout; not with the wheel or gallows, but with or through the gospel; he will seize the people where they can be seized best, namely, by the heart, and not by the neck, so that they will willingly submit and gladly follow him. You see that he is a king for this reason, that he helps the people, and does this without the stroke of the sword, only through the gospel; for this reason he also rose from the dead, and has his gospel preached through the Holy Spirit into all the world.
15 After this the prophet says, "that this king will establish justice and righteousness on earth. These two words, "justice and righteousness," you read very often together in the Scriptures; as Isaiah 9:7: "Upon the throne of David and his kingdom, to establish and strengthen it with judgment and righteousness from henceforth even for ever"; since he also speaks of the kingdom of Christ. So we Germans say it: To judge rightly. The Jews pronounce it with two words, and yet mean no more than that which we say: righteousness. But these two words are meant by it: Forsake evil, and do good; for these are the two things which belong to righteousness. And because there are no more than these two things, the Scripture uses these two words, judicium and justitia. By judgment or justice, God punishes, that is, He removes what is evil; by righteousness, He makes people righteous, preserves and protects innocence.
16Now, this king is not pious and righteous in himself alone, but he [also] judges.
that which the world with its righteousness and works cannot accomplish, namely, that people become devout. Who has ever heard of such a king? q) He sits at the right hand of God, his heavenly Father, and is to make people righteous and just; and this is to happen here on earth, which is even more wonderful. But how does this work? So: Christ's kingdom is a spiritual kingdom, it starts here on earth, and yet it is not earthly, but heavenly. No king has ever been able to set up a kingdom that is on earth and yet is not earthly but heavenly.
Therefore this work shows that this king must be more than a bad pure man. For whoever can do the art and has the power to be over sin and to justify sinners 1) must surely be God, for God alone justifies the ungodly, as St. Paul says Rom. 4, 5. But because this king does and accomplishes such things, it follows that he is true [natural] God, since he has the honor and does the work that is due to God alone. If he can then bring about that people are saved from sins, and thus make them pious, he can also (immediately) save from death. For where there is no sin, death has no power; for the sting of death is sin, as St. Paul says in 1 Cor. 15:56; for if there were no sin, death would have neither power nor authority. So this King delivers us from sin and death, from the tyranny of the devil, from hell and from all misfortune, and gives us eternal righteousness and eternal life, reconciles us to God the Father,s ) and gives us heaven and eternal bliss]. This cannot be done by any saint or angel, whoever and whatever he may be called;t ) not even Mary, the Mother of God, but only by God. From this it follows that this king must be God; and although it is not expressed in clear words, the words and the
q) Who has seen more of the same king?
1) The Jena one alone has the reading: "sinners", in all other editions: Sin.
r) death is also gone.
s) makes GOtt a father to us,
t) now no man, neither angels nor saints do,
the understanding of this saying that he is true (natural) God and man. The prophets have spoken so finely of Christ, depicted him so gloriouslyu , that it is to be wondered at, so that we may never lack him.
(18) Now here is a question. You have now said that all [men, even the] saints [are sinners, and] must cry out with St. Paul over sin, and over death (and lament), "I wretched man, who will deliver me from the body of this death?" (Rom. 7:24.) So also we see that Christians die; yea, the greater Christians, the more grievous death they suffer. What is this to me? Does it mean to save from death and sin? That is what I said: It is a spiritual kingdom, and a kingdom of faith, it wants to stand in faith; and one must also look at it with the eyes of faith, otherwise no one will ever understand it. For that remains (all there), that death devours us. The emperors (kings) and tyrants cut off the heads of the apostles and holy martyrs, St. Paul had to take the head. So also the lusts and affections remain sins; also there are many rotteries and sects, which all rebel against the Christians. Where is life? Where is the victory and the conquest of death that is preached in this kingdom?
(19) To this I answer thus: We have dominion and power over sin and over death; but we have not yet overcome it, nor are we yet rid of it. For the text says that the king is still in the work, for he still always establishes godliness, still makes pious and righteous. Just as a tailor who makes a skirt, while he is making the skirt, so he is in the work, and it must not be said that the skirt is made wholly true. So Christ's kingdom on earth is still at work, he is still making and judging it daily, and it will last until the last day, when it will be truly perfect. However, Christians still fall into sin, though unwillingly. But a Christian has the advantage that even though he feels sin, he is still its master. But there he brings it
u) and us the so pretty
not to be rid of sin everywhere, until the old rascal dies and perishes.
020 Therefore, when Christians fall, Christ is there, ruling by his Spirit, overcoming sin, and always raising it up again, saying, Arise, brother, be of good cheer; there is no need. So Christ is always in the battle and in the work, fighting [without ceasing] with the enemies: they lay themselves against him, but at last he wins, and they must be defeated. So it is also with His own, in whom God triumphs and conquers through Christ. Therefore St. Paul says in 1 Cor. 15, 57: "But thanks be to God, who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ"; and in 2 Cor. 2, 14 he says: "Thanks be to God, who always helps us to keep the field in Christ." Although one of the lines has fallen, Christ is there and raises him up again, saying, "Up, brother, up, there is no need; keep at it, it must have passed through, it cannot happen without falling; only see that you do not remain lying down. It is a matter of falling down and getting up again, because we live here.
021 Therefore, as Christ overcame sin, so he overcomes death. If death is there, and holds fast, and wants to strangle you, then Christ is there, and says: Fresh on, he cannot harm you, and even if he strangles you, it will not happen to you differently, as if you went to sleep; only boldly through, it is about a little to do, about a short hour it will get better. You can feel that death is bitter and harsh, but it cannot prevail or triumph over you. For Christ has weakened it, its sting or spear has become too blunt, it has run to Christ, who has overcome it and trodden under its feet.
(22) So it is with the rotteries and sects, or heresies, and with all other calamities. None of these things can harm us, for we have one in heaven who is powerful over all these things, and can keep watch over us so that nothing happens to us without his will. Therefore I say that the outward temptations remain, but our faith still remains intact; for there still remains in our heart a power against the
Sin, and courage against death and all calamities. This means that Christ remains in his office and carries on his work, bluing himself with sins and struggling with death until his kingdom is accomplished, that is, until the last day.
(23) Now we have heard how the prophet Jeremiah proclaimed Christ, what his person is, and what his office is to be, namely, that his office is to rule wisely and to reign wisely, and so to establish godliness and righteousness on earth. And this office or government is described in such words, from which it seems clear that his kingdom is not visible and physical, but must be an invisible and spiritual kingdom; but that it is here on earth, that is, among the people who live here. Therefore it follows that it is a kingdom of faith and cannot be grasped with physical eyes. You have now heard enough of this. Now continue in the prophet:
V. 6: In those days Judah shall be helped, and Israel shall dwell safely.
024 That is, in the same time of the seed of David, when this king shall reign, Judah shall be righteously helped, there shall be a round and speedy help, as we say in German, In that day or that day will I help thee out of all trouble; so that this shall be a help and salvation from all calamity and from all peril.
025 These two sayings also show that this kingdom is not a fleshly kingdom. For ye know that the kingdom of Judah was divided into two kingdoms, the kingdom of Judah, and the kingdom of Israel: The ten families had their own king, which was called the kingdom of Israel. After this was the small kingdom of Judah and Benjamin, which was called the kingdom of Judah. For the people were divided, and had every one his own king. Now God rejected the great kingdom because of sin and idolatry, and made it desolate and destroyed it, so that he never raised it up again, but let it remain scattered among the nations, among the Medes and the Affyrians. Therefore he never sent them any prophets, nor did he raise up any among them.
So this kingdom has come to an end in the flesh, and has never come again.
026 The other kingdom also, Judah, he made desolate for their sin, and carried them captive into Babylon: but unto this kingdom he had mercy, that he destroyed it not altogether: he forsook them not altogether, but suffered the poor common man and the husbandmen to remain in the land, that they might build it: but the mighty and the rich, the great men, he carried away out of the land, with their goods and chattels, as the Turk doeth. God did this so that the seed might remain in Judah, and gave them prophets at all times to comfort them and tell them that God would keep His promise; He also performed miraculous signs among them. Likewise he also preserved the royal tribe: though Jechonias the king was captive, yet he remained king; so that the king of Babylon raised him up again, and set him at his table. For the saying stood firm, that David's tribe, line and royal familyv ) should remain, out of which the Messiah should come. This also remained, although it was different, and everyone despaired of it.
27 Thus God has always upheld the lineage of Judah, according to the glorious divine promises in all the prophets,w , that it should remain until Christ. Therefore one could still say: David's family is still alive. Moreover,x ) after seventy years, he again rescued Judah from prison and brought it back into the land of Judah. For because of this promise that Christ should come from David's lineage, God did not allow it to be said: Judah would be as shattered and destroyed as Israel.
28 Since Judah and Israel have come apart and will never come together to become one kingdom again, how does the prophet say here, "Judah shall be helped, and Israel shall dwell safely"? thus binds Judah and Israel together, and the text reads as if it should become one kingdom and one people. That is
v) Blood
w) for they hold strong promises in their hands, that it 2c.
x) Therefore
Not to be understood bodily, that Judah and Israel should again both come together bodily in the land, but this happened under Christ, spiritually, in faith, as he is preached through the gospel. For when Christ was preached in Jerusalem, many Jews were converted and believed in Christ, both of the tribe of Judah and of Israel. For on the day of Pentecost [Acts 2:41] there were at Jerusalem of Assyria, Cilicia, Persia, Media, and of all countries, among whom out of one day three thousand were converted, and believed on Christ, the seed of David. Therefore this text cannot be understood of the physical kingdom, but of Christ's spiritual kingdom. For Judah and Israel to come together again and become one kingdom could not have happened under any physical king. Therefore, when the prophets put these two nations, Judah and Israel, together, they want to indicate Christ's kingdom at all times. So also here the prophet Jeremiah says, "that Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely," which happened under Christ. For otherwise [as said,] they did not come together, nor will they ever come together again.
029 Why then saith he even now, Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely? Therefore, as if he wanted to speak: Because these kingdoms are established, they will be challenged, and in the end they will be destroyed, and the royal family will be taken away; but they will have help. Woe is now unto Judah, they are carried away into a strange land, and there they must be subject unto others, and serve; but I will set up a help in time to come, that my people may be always on high, and that all the world may be mad and foolish over it. But the Jews did not understand this.
(30) This shows that Christ's kingdom is subject to the holy cross. For this is never lacking, where Christ's kingdom is planted through the gospely ), the cross and persecution certainly follow from the beginning. This is shown by the similitude in Luc. 11, 21. 22. where the Lord Christ says: "If a strong man keeps his house, he will not be able to keep his house.
y) preached
But if a stronger man comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor, on which he relied, and divides the plunder. How does this work? So, if the gospel does not go, the devil is in the world and reigns mightily with good peace and quiet, and all men go to hell asleep; as we have seen so far under the papacy; there was an outward peace, but a dangerous and corrupt peace. z) But in the gospel true peace is preached, under which there is vain strife, for the sake of tyrants and sects. Therefore, because the gospel now arises that attacks the devil's kingdom and showsa ) what a fellow the devil is, how black he is, and that his kingdom, however holy and pious it always seems, only leads to hell and damnation, all the world sets itself against it, what is great and holy, attaches itself to it, and hurts the devil that he and his kingdom are put to shame. Therefore he hastens on it all he can muster, saying, "I am asleep, and have been sitting in good peace for a long time, but you want to destroy my sleep: wait, I will again break your sleep, and will make enough trouble for you. If you have a desire for strife, you shall have your fill of it. He does this very well, as we see; for as soon as we accept the gospel, we have peace, and at the same time we have strife. It preaches peace, and yet is [outwardly seen] the highest strife there.
Where Christ reigns through his gospel and word, there shall be help. This is what he preaches and proclaims to us. The devil may raise up tyrants and sects, and cause the whole world to oppose the gospel; but let them rage and rage, and they shall not prevail against it, of that be sure. For the Scriptures are full of these sayings and promises: as the 33rd Psalm, v. 10, says: "The Lord brings to nought the counsel of the heathen, and hinders the thoughts of the nations." And Psalm 2, 1- says David, that the heathen rage, and the people speak, and the kings of the land rebel.
z) but it was not a righteous peace.
a) that is subject to touch and denounce the devil's kingdom,
and the councilors argue with each other against the Lord and his anointed, but he adds a word that means "in vain" and says: "He who dwells in heaven will laugh at her, and the Lord will mock her. Why? Because he is too strong and mighty for them; he can certainly show them anger, even if there were a thousand times as many of them, they will certainly not win anything against him. But this requires a strong faith and a sharp face that can recognize such things.
32 Therefore these are good words, that the prophet saith, Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely. If you do not look at them with faith, you will surely find the contradiction. For is it help, or is it peace, when Christ the King himself is hanged on the cross? when the heads of the apostles are cut off, and the Christians are driven from house and home, and chased from one city to another? Item, when Christ, as he himself says, Matth. 10, 16, sends the apostles and preachers like sheep among wolves? There should truly be a fine peace. Shakers and spears or dogs should be sent among them. I also think that this is called a kingdom of peace, in which help is given; it might well be called a kingdom of strife, in which there is nothing but strangling and killing. Yes, that is what I said, it is a different kingdom than the one you see before your eyes. Outwardly it seems as if it were condemned, as if it were forsaken, as if it were delivered up, but inwardly there is peace and help; there one gets the victory by faith. In the eyes of the world it seems as if the Christians are doomed, for they are killed and strangled like slaughtered cattle, and the wicked float above, the mobs and sects are right and triumphant. But what is it? It will not be long before everything will be turned around; the wicked will perish, and the teachings of the spirits of the wicked will be forgotten. Then it will be seen how Christ helped his own, and how they were masters of death, sin and the devil, which now seems nothing.
33 Thus it was in Arii's time: there were scarcely three bishops in all Christendom who preached rightly; the whole world was seduced with this heresy, even the emperor.
itself. There was a great persecution of the Christians because of this heresy, so that many of them were driven out of the cities and countries everywhere, so much so that one does not read of a greater persecution than that which was in Arius' time. It seemed as if Christ was at the bottom and Arius was at the top; people thought, now it is over with Christ and his Christians, the gospel is gone, it is over with them. Yes, it is over; nevertheless Christ and the faith remained. Where are the same heretics now? Arius and the emperor perished, so that their name now also stinks before the world, and their teaching is no longer valid; they have all gone to the devil. But Christ is still alive, and his kingdom is still established.
034 So to this day, when it is said, There are many sects, and there are many rebellions against the gospel, and it is to be feared that the gospel shall perish. Rather, let them go, they will not leap over the saying to me, "Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely." The saying must remain true,b ) be it as it may. Satan and the world want to hinder it, want to take away the faith; but he says: I will let them run, nevertheless I will help them, and they shall dwell safely with me; in spite of him who forbids me. Although there is no security (for what security is there under the cross?), and the world is still seeking life, and Satan wants to take away faith, yet they shall dwell safely with me. And this will certainly happen. For where the gospel is, there is such a wall, fiery and iron, and thicker than heaven and earth, and a thousand emperors may not overthrow this wall of a Christian. For the word of God endures forever. Therefore Christians have happy consciences, and the more the world rages, the bolder and more defiant they become, the more certain this certainty and defiance stands. Thus the tyranny of the world and the sects strengthen the hearts of Christians.
35 Therefore this text compels one to speak of a spiritual kingdom. For there is no kingdom so mighty, which can only serve its under-
b) be,
thanen with [physical power or] the sword could have provided such security and peace. The Romans have been the most powerful lords, yet they have often been slain, and have never been able to bring about peace and security; now four thousand, now ten thousand, 2c. have been slain of them, and thus have always had strife and offence. Now continue in the prophet:
And he shall be called, O Lord, our righteous.
(36) He described the person, the ministry, and the fruit of the ministry, that he would establish justice and righteousness, and that the people would have salvation and dwell safely under the cross and persecution. Now the prophet says what his name shall be called, saying, "He shall be called, O Lord, our Righteous One." The Jews think much of the name in the Hebrew language, as we have rendered "HErr," and say, "He cannot be called; neither do they call him. So they hold it in great honor, they do not write it on any paper; and when they write it on it, they change the letters, and make scarcely two letters, neither do they allow the Christians to see it written. Some wicked men among the Jews have also deceived many princes and lords with this name, to whom they have given it written, saying, Whoever carries it with him cannot be shot, and serves for other such things. Just as many Christians, who learned it from the Jews, use to wear this name, engraved in gold or silver, on their necks, so that they will not be shot or wounded 2c.
(37) That the Jews think so highly of this name, and honor it so highly, is due to this: for where the name "Lord" is found in Scripture, it signifies God in His divine nature and majesty, and is said of the true God. The Hebrew language has almost ten names to call God, among which there are many, to call God by His works. But this name "Jehovah", "Lord", means only God as He is in His divine essence. We cannot make this distinction in our language.
We Germans call it all Lord, and cannot force the word "Lord" to be called God alone; for we call a prince Lord, a householder is also called a Lord; it is almost common to us Germans. But that we also call God a "Lord", we get from the evangelists, who call him Dominum, "Lord"; we follow them, and let it stay that way. The other names in Hebrew are not only attributed to God, but are also said to (other) people; but this name "Jehovah", "HErr", belongs only to the true God.
38 Since the holy Scriptures and the Jews themselves, as well as the holy fathers and all writers, agree that this name alone and actually belongs to the divine majesty and essence, we have here in the prophet Jeremiah a mighty, strong push against the Jews, and even an excellent, great comfort for us Christians; for there this article of our faith is quite powerfully established, that Christ is true, natural God. I have spoken of this myself to the Jews, even to the most learned, who knew the Bible so well that there was not a letter in it; they understood it, and have held this saying against me; but they could raise nothing against me. At last they gave this answer, saying: They believed their Talmud, that is, their interpretation, which said nothing of Christ; and the same interpretation they must follow. That is why they do not stay with the text and seek excuses, because if they stayed with this text alone, they would be overcome. For this saying concludes too strongly that this seed of David is a true and natural God; for he is to be called by name, that the true, right God may be called.
(39) In the other book of Moses, Cap. 22, 28, the judges are called "Elohim", gods, because of their office, because they sit in God's place and are God's servants. Likewise, all Christians are also called gods, as Christ draws from the 82nd Psalm, v. 6, Joh. 10, 34. when he said to the Jews: "Is it not written in your law? I said you are gods?" But this word, "Jehovah," you will nowhere find to any other than to the divine majesty alone. The other names, there-
with which God is also called in the Hebrew language, as the Jews themselves say, have cause from some work that God does. As, Pachad is called, from the fear that one fears him. Thus Jacob swore by his father's fear [Gen. 31:54]. God is also called Shadhai, because he feeds and cares for all things, and all the other names. So that every name brings with it a work that it does, from which it is thus called; as we also say, and call it a God of truth, because it is true, yes, it is truth itself, and makes true, righteous people. Item, a faithful God, that he is faithful and keeps what he promises. Item, a God of peace, a God of patience, a God of comfort, as St. Paul often calls him from his work, according to the occasion of the thing of which he speaks. But this name, since he is called Jehovah (the Jews speak themselves), no cause nor arrival is indicated, nor is any work expressed, whereof he is thus called, but only that he understands the mere Godhead and divine majesty. And therefore, when the Jews read this text here, they do not read Jehovah, but Adonai. So we Christians can confidently conclude from this saying of Jeremiah that Christ should be recognized as a true and natural God.
Therefore, let us remember this text, so that when the heretics and sects rise up and challenge this article of our faith, that Christ is not a true and natural God (as this heresy will surely come), we will be prepared to hold this saying up to their noses, so that they will not be able to easily oppose it. With such certain, strong sayings they must be seen, otherwise they will slip away from us and pass through, like fish wiping through a net. It is a slippery thing around the heretics, one can hold them with difficulty, and are frivolous to act in divine writing. All this makes them carry their conceit into the Scriptures, and the Scriptures must be guided, bent, and directed according to their head and mind.
41 Therefore, we should hear God's word with fear and act with humility in it.
thine, and not plump with our conceit. You would rather fall into all sin than into your own conceit, such a dangerous, harmful thing it is. For the word of God is not to be trifled with. If you cannot understand it, take your hat off to it. It suffers no reproach, nor any human interpretation, but it is in earnest, and wants to be honored and restrained. Therefore beware lest you fall with your conceit. For if you fall in with your arrogance, you will stoop down, like our gang spirits, and will not know whether you are in the back or in the front, and it will be difficult to advise you. For if one falls into his conceit, he cannot easily be helped out again. So it also happened to the Jews; they could not hear it, and still cannot hear it today, that Christ is to be a natural, true God. For they are hardened and captives of the devil, who keeps them in his power; with hearing they do not hear, and with seeing they do not see, as Isaiah Cap. 6, 10. prophesied about them. This is what happened to all heretics: when the truth was presented to them so clearly that they could grasp it, they still did not see it or want to understand it.
(42) So do all the sects and all the spiritual groups, as many as they are; they will not be persuaded, even if it were clearly written in the Scriptures. Is this not the devil, that one does not hear nor see that which is before his eyes? But this is what the 109th Psalm, v. 18, says: "It has passed like oil through their marrow and bones, and like water into their inward parts." If thou hast drunk water, and it is turned into flesh and blood unto thee, thou canst, bring it forth. So also with oil, if it has flowed in at all, it cannot easily be brought out. It is the same with heresy, with our own good faith; if this pestilence is ingrained, the devil will tear it out, but I will not. That is why St. Paul speaks to Tito Cap. 3, 10: "Avoid an apostate man, when he has been admonished once and again, and know that such a one is perverse and sins as he who has condemned himself." Therefore
so beware of the cults. It is easy to get in, but difficult to get out. Believe me, you cannot get out as easily as you can get in. I have said all this for the sake of the Jews, who do not want to be persuaded by this public text that Christ is the natural and true God.
43) It cannot be said that God gives him this name as man, as it is written in the first book of Moses, Cap. 1, 26: "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness"; but that man is called a true, natural God, this does not happen. For God speaks in Isaiah Cap. 42, 8: "My glory I will give to no other." But this name he truly gives to this man Christ, the seed or offspring of David, of whom he said before, because he is also a natural God. And so one Lord speaks of the other Lord, that is, the true, natural God of another true, natural God (for the prophet speaks here of their two), and says: "I Lord and true God will raise up a plant for David, who shall also be called Lord and true God. Now a faith belongs to it, which grasps such things. As I have said [§ 40], there is still heresy against this article of our faith, that Christ is the true and natural God. God grant that we do not experience it.
44 Furthermore, the prophet says that this seed of David will also be called "our righteous one" or "righteousness. The first name, that he is called "Lord," refers to his divine person, in which he neither gives nor communicates anything to us. But the other name, that he is called our Righteous One, refers to his office, that he may serve us, for in this name is comprehended his whole office, and the fruit or benefit of this King. We have such a king, who is truly GOD, and not only truly GOD, but he concerns us, because he is our righteous one. This is our greatest comfort, that this King and Lord is ours. He has become ours, having taken on our flesh and blood,c ) so that
c) by the humanity he has attracted, so that 2c.
He will take care of us as his flesh. Such names should be written with golden letters, yes, not only with golden letters, but with drops of blood in the bottom of the heart.
Here you see that this King, Christ, is not only God, but also "our righteous one," or "our righteousness," who makes us pious and righteous. As St. Paul also interprets it in many ways, and especially 1 Cor. 1, 30, where he says: "Christ was made for us by God for wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption."
(46) I have often said that a Christian life consists of these two things. First, that our sins which we have committed are wholly forgiven and forgiven us through Christ, if we believe in him. Next, that not only are our sins forgiven us, and there is righteousness, but there is also sanctification from the rest of our sins, so that the rest of our sins do not harm me. For Christ is the truest righteousness of all, and is altogether righteous and clean, and cleanseth me also from the sins that are yet in my flesh: for this righteousness of Christ is mine, and is imputed unto me, that I am without sin; not because of me, but because of the righteousness of Christ. If then I believe in Christ, Christ shall stand with his righteousness before the face of God in heaven and answer for me. Therefore we should and must accept his righteousness as if it were our own, and we should look forward to it as to our [eternal] inheritance. For these words here, that he is called "our righteous one," are not a joke.
(47) Now behold the riches of a Christian who can never die, for he has Christ himself. What then will death or sin do to a Christian in mortal peril? Nothing; death becomes laughter before him. Nor does he ask about sin. For neither sin nor death, neither devil nor hell, can bring anything against Christ, whom [every] Christian has with him.
(48) Now when death comes to a believing Christian, the Christian says: Bene veneritis, 1) dear death, what good do you bring?
1) That is: Be welcome.
What are you looking for here? Do you not know whom I have with me? Christ is my righteousness; dear one, go and take it from me. If thou takest it from me, I will follow thee; but thou wilt not. So Christians defy death, and say with St. Paul 1 Cor. 15:55: "Death, where is thy sting? Hell, where is thy victory?" and as he says Phil. 1, 21. "Christ is my life, and dying is my gain." If I die, I gain; for I come to life the sooner. There you see what death does to Christians. It is only their gain, they lose nothing in it; but it bites them to death.
(49) In the same way, the sin that is left and still clings to us cannot harm us or condemn us, for Christ is with us, sweeping and cleansing us so that from day to day we become more and more holy and more and more hostile to sin, desiring to die and seeking blessedness and eternal life. This then is called our sanctification. Therefore, because Christ's righteousness is ours, do not celebrate it, but sweep and cleanse us as long as we live here, until we also become pure and holy, as Christ is holy. But all this comes from him.
(50) Thus the prophet signified the ministry of Christ in these words, that he is our king, our bishop or priest, and our righteousness, and also our deliverer from sins, death, the devil, and hell, and that he delivers us out of all troubles, and is our life, salvation, and blessedness. Therefore, if I have him by faith, the whole world cannot bring anything against me, nor do me any harm. For he is too great, and sitteth at the right hand of God, there shall he abide in the sight of all: in spite of him that casteth him down unto me. He holds fast; let us hold fast to him and to his righteousness, and there will be no need. Now continue in Jeremiah:
V. 7. 8. Therefore, behold, the time cometh, saith the LORD, when it shall no more be said: As the Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but as the Lord liveth, which brought up the seed of the house of Israel out of the land of Egypt.
Land of the Midnight, and from all the lands whither I have driven them, and they shall dwell in their land.
The prophet does not want to forget anything, but wants to teach completely and thoroughly righteous what is to be preached in the New Testament, and thus wants to say: It would not be enough if one preached this immediately as you have heard, because one would still find some weak consciences who still wanted to cling to the Old Testament and believe the same. Here the prophet preempts them, speaks of Christian freedom, and abolishes the Old Testament altogether, because he wants to teach a new one. So the new cannot be taught unless the old is abolished, as it is written in Heb. 8:13. As if the prophet wanted to say: A new preaching will arise, Moses, and the old testament will no longer apply in the new testament, but will cease and be done away with. This is what the prophet wants in this last saying.
52 This then is the doctrine which we practice,d ) and which we received from St. Paul, namely, that no law or commandment should be external to Christians. For thus he says Gal. 2, 19: "I died to the law through the law"; that is, through the new law in the New Testament I died to the old law in the Old Testament. Moses is no longer valid for me, since I have Christ. The Old Testament held that the Jews had to keep the laws that God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai, namely, how they should keep the holidays or feasts, how they should dwell in such and such a land, how they should keep themselves with food and clothing, and what the laws and commandments were more, so that all their things were fixed and bound to person, time, place and gift, so that they had a fixed regiment, just as other kingdoms have their orders and laws, as the Saxons have the Saxon seal, according to which they judge and keep. But such compulsion as the Jews had, the Christians shall not have, for they shall not be bound by any law, so that they must do something compelled and urged, and by
(d) teach.
The people are not bound by time, person, place, or gift, as the Jews are; but they are to be a free and unbound people, willing to do anything with pleasure and love; therefore the 110th Psalm, v. 3, says: "Your people will be willing."
053 Now what is the cause that Christians should not be bound by the law? This is the cause: For this King has come to establish righteousness on earth, that is, to make people righteous. Now if he wants to make people righteous, what is the law for? If the people were righteous and pious, they should not be made righteous or pious. "He who is well has no need of a physician," says Christ in the Gospel [Matt. 9:12].
54 Since the prophet said before that this king is a just and righteous king, not only for himself but also to make others righteous and just, we who are in his kingdom are not bound by any law, nor may we become righteous by it. For if the world were righteous, we should have no emperor, nor prince, nor mayor, nor judge, nor executioner, nor wheel, nor gallows, nor fire, nor water, nor sword, nor spear; for every man would willingly do of himself what he ought to do, as one eateth and drinketh willingly and without compunction. But because it is a stable full of bad boys, it is necessary to have laws and authorities, judges, executioners, swords, gallows, and all the rest, so that the bad boys can be resisted. For as St. Paul says in 1 Tim. 1:9: "No law is given to the righteous, but to the unrighteous and disobedient, to the wicked and sinners, to the unholy and unclean, to murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, to the slayers, and to the covetous." But in Christianity they are pious and just, each one does what he should do, willingly and gladly; there is no power or dominion of one over the other; but there are brothers of one mind, and one serves the other, helps him, counsels him, and takes care of his neighbor as of his brother, yes, as of himself, let alone that one should offend the other; there neither judge nor executioner, neither sword nor gallows, everything is done brotherly. For even Christ is not ashamed to call us his brothers.
when after his resurrection he said to Mary Magdalene Joh. 20, 17: "Go to my brothers and tell them: I ascend to my Father and to your Father, to my God and to your God."
55 Therefore the prophet says here that at the time when this righteous and pious king reigns, the law of Moses will no longer apply. Which he expresses in these words, saying, "They shall say no more, As the LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt." For this was the oath or swearing among the Jews, that they said, By the living GOD, who brought us out of Egypt. This is also the way of swearing to the Scriptures, as we see from time to time in the prophets, so that they want to make people certain and sure that they teach and preach under God's name and in His command. As if they wanted to say: "This is the truth and the word of God, by the living God; or, as God the Lord lives. In the same way, all preachers should be sure that they can say: God speaks it, it is God's word; and when I preach the word of God, it is as much as I swear. He who is not sure of this, and cannot say, "God speaks," may well leave off preaching, for he will not do any good.
(56) This is the opinion of the prophet: The Old Testament will no longer be preached nor taught to bind, but only for the purpose of taking examples of faith from it, so that we may know how God keeps His promises. But now they will preach about him who abolished the Old Testament, and that no one becomes righteous or saved through laws, as the Jews did, but Christ alone is the one who makes righteous and just through his righteousness. And this sermon will not be preached in Judah alone, or in one or two countries, but throughout the whole world. Summa Summarum, the old testament will no longer be preached, but only the new, so that this righteousness will be spread as far as the whole world.
(57) These are our letters and seals, that we are a free people, without law and without restraint, but for Christians alone, who know well the need of Christian liberty. We
should not do as the peasants did in the past year. But where are such Christians who need Christian freedom, who do everything willingly and gladly, who thus serve their neighbor and give goods to another, and do as God has done and befallen them? Where are they who gladly suffer the cross? It is a strange bird a Christian. There are few of them who know what Christian freedom is. Most of the people put it on the body, and do not know that it is a freedom of the conscience and in the soul, namely, that you are not pure in heart and conscience, nor righteous, but if you want to become pure and righteous, you must realize that you become pure, righteous and blessed through this King, Christ Jesus alone, by means of his blood, which he shed for you on the cross, and that makes you free, but the law of Moses, of Caesar, and other things more, do not make you free.
58. When I preach, I do not mean that one should not be obedient to the authorities, serve them and give them what is due to them; for Christian freedom does not concern the body and the outward being, but the soul. Therefore, if you serve the authorities and are obedient, it is as much as if you gave a coat to a naked man or fed a hungry man, for it is also a work of love that flows from faith; not that you want to become godly through the work, but that it proves your faith. So this is the sum: Before God you shall be righteous without works, without all laws, through Christ alone.
(59) Then you see how masterfully and powerfully the prophets were able to portray Christ and His kingdom, so that they might ever make us certain and certain of our salvation. May God grant that we may thus understand and believe [Amen]. Praise to God.