V. 1. the word of the Lord.
It is known that the Hebrews and the prophets have this habit of beginning their books with superscriptions. God always calls to repentance before His wrath comes, as can be seen in Jonah among the Ninevites and in Christ among the Jews.
But here the prophet starts the word in a ridiculous way, at the 1) time when the feisty
1) Instead of etiam in the Erlanger we have assumed with the Weimarschen so.
and fat kingdom of Israel under Jeroboam was in its highest bloom, 2) so that 3) they thought Hosea was nonsensical, and moreover the words [v. 2.], "Take a harlot woman," etc. are foolishness, especially in such a learned and wise people. There is no doubt that he
2) In the Erlanger, the comma after üorsbat is to be deleted.
3) Instead of st in the Erlanger ut will have to be read, because otherwise the following conjunctive would have no rsZsns. The Weimar version offers the latter reading.
"This writing was found by G. Buchwald in the Rathsschulbibliothek in Zwickau in the year 1883. They are notes which Stephan Roth, later town clerk in Zwickau, collected from Luther's lectures on Hosea. From the fact that in the book in which Roth noted these notes, they are preceded by a sermon of Luther, which was held on Palm Sunday 1524, but immediately after our writing follows another sermon of Luther, which he held on Trinity Sunday 1524, V. Linke concludes that the lectures took place between Easter and Pentecost 1524. But the Weimar edition notes that it can be concluded from the better writing that we are not dealing here with a postscript produced in the college. With respect to the time, it limits itself to saying (Vol. XIII, Einl. p. XXXII1): "Towards March 1524, the lessons on Hosea began, and at the end of July, he was in Joel. We also leave it at that. Buchwald copied our writing from the original and gave it to D. Joh. Linke, Archdeacon in Altenburg, for publication. The latter included it in 1884 in the Latin edition of Erlangen, sxsK. opp., tom. XXIV, p. 6. While Roth only put as title: In Orsas propöetinm Voe: Mar: I^n:, Linke has given the writing the title: ^<Inotntion68 in Oream kropftstam ex p^neleetione V. Martini Imtfteri VnittemperAae anno MVXXIV. exeeptae. - Already after a few years, namely in 1889, a new reprint of our writing appeared in the Weimar edition, vol. XIII, p. 1, after repeated comparison of the original, with the aid of a manuscript in the Marienbibliothek in Halle, the only one that contains the lectures on all twelve minor prophets. This work, which was written with great care as far as the comparison of the manuscripts is concerned (the Bible is not so diligently consulted), and in which innumerable errors of the original edition have been corrected, we owe to the licentiate Gustav Koffmane, pastor at Kunitz in Silesia. In the Weimar edition, the next following scripture in this volume is added to the present one at the foot of the pages in the form of notes. We have translated according to the Weimar edition. One will encounter many words and phrases in this manuscript, which we have placed in speech marks to indicate that they are found in the manuscript in German. - We have preferred to give the key words according to the text of our Bible rather than in a new translation, so that the reader can recognize with certainty what verse or verse is interpreted each time, because even the editors of both the Erlangen and the Weimar editions have repeatedly failed to recognize what the interpretation refers to, even though they had the original text before their eyes. This can be seen from the annotations we have made.
was taken for a fool and a heretic. But this is the nature of the word, namely, that it acts foolishly with the most wise; and also another nature, which the word has in itself, is the cross. This could not be omitted for him, especially because he alone argues against all prophets, also against Moses, as it seems. Moses says that Israel is the people of God; the latter denies that God is the God of Israel. The latter promises that God is merciful; the latter says that Israel's sin cannot be forgiven. Therefore it follows with necessity that he was an outright heretic for the priests and the scribes.
It seems that the prophet, in his old age, still lived in the captivity that he predicted.
Here one raises great questions because of that whore-wife: whether the prophet had fornicated out of dispensation of God, or whether he had taken a whore to wife. This is not enough for me, what some say, not even the words of Jerome. Further down [v. 4. 6. 9.] the children with their names represent the people, what kind of people the Israelites would be. I think that the same must be said of the harlot, that she was called a harlot woman, to mean the people who now whored against God and would do the same in the future. So also the children begotten with her are called harlot children. Therefore, do not understand it to mean that the woman has been involved in fornication, that is, do not take uxorem fornicationum in an active way, but understand it to mean that the woman has suffered it, that she and her children and her husband are so called for the sake of the people and against the people. "I am called a harlot, and my husband a fornicator, because ye are harlots and knaves." Behold, how great a cross they have suffered for the sake of the word of God by these defamatory names. He prophesies not only with words, but also with his sensations and sensually perceptible 2) things.
1) Here the Erlanger still asked: etc.
2) In the original: diiidns. Instead, we have assumed sensidiiidns. The Weimar edition did the same, but it erased sonsikns st, which is in the original.
V. 2. Since the Lord began (Initium etc.).3)
"The beginning" is more correctly understood as "when the Lord began 4) to speak through Hosea."
For the land runs after fornication from the Lord. 5)
He uses a common expression. The right seed by which your souls are made chaste is the word of God. If you deviate from it, you are hurting. This is transferred to the spirit by a simile taken from the flesh. But "to whore" means to practice idolatry. Idolatry is trusting in works, and fornication is sinning against the first commandment through unbelief. And really, to fornicate is to do against the first commandment in the name of God, that is, not to do in faith what you pretend to do in the service of God.
V. 4. Jezreel. 6)
This was once the capital of the kingdom [1 Kings 18:45].
We must take care that we understand the history in the most simple way, from which alone can be recognized how reliable (quanta fide) the prophet had been here. For Jehu had turned to godlessness after he had behaved well. This began under Zechariah, the great-grandson of Jehu (2 Kings 15:11), and the visitation of the kingdom lasted until the captivity.
V. 5. at the same time.
Here he prophesies a word of faith by which they should have been led to repentance. He proclaims desolation, and God gives blessings. So he is a heretic; to the fire with him! But still the word of God is alive etc.
3) In the Vulgate; Drindxinin ioynenäi Domino in 0866.
4) Erlanger: oopit instead of: coopit.
5) In the Erlangen edition: "Hnia kornioaris:". Instead, as it says in the Vulgate and in the next following scripture, should be read: tznia kornioans lornioaditnr.
6) Instead of: IsraUtzi in the Erlanger mußge
will read. Immediately following motroxolis instead of metraxoiis.
V. 4. About the house of Jehu.
We do not know whether this must be taken in an active or in a suffering way, and the histories do not help us whether this house shed blood or suffered its blood to be shed. Jehu was a good king, but neither he, nor any of the other kings of Israel did away with the golden calves with their service, without which, they thought, the kingdom could not stand etc. The meaning will now be this: Jehu had shed his blood for the calves' sake in Jezreel. This prophecy was unbelievable, namely that the kingdom which God had promised to Jehu should be taken away because of 1) the godless kings. They could not believe it until they felt it. But, you say, even to Jeroboam the kingdom of Israel was given by God. I answer: That is true, but always with the condition attached to it: if you do my will. The kingdom of Judah is David's kingdom, which came to Christ as an eternal one; but the kingdom of Israel was transferred to the Assyrians and never returned. 2) The names [of the children, which are translated in the Vulgate] 3) should have remained Hebrew:
V. 6. LoRyhamo (Absque misericordia).
That is, it meant 4) the people whose God will never have mercy on. Before [v. 4. f.] he says he will make the kingdom desolate, but here he will never restore it. Ps. [28, 5. Vulg.]: 5) "Thou wilt break it, and not build it" etc. He does not, therefore, speak here of the evangelical mercy of which he says afterwards [v. 7.], but that he will not restore the kingdom. But it follows of the enduring kingdom, "Yet will I have mercy upon the house of Judah," etc. This had to remain until Christ, who fortified it for eternity.
1) Weimarsche: propter; in the Zwickau manuscript: per.
2) This sentence has put the Weimar after adeyue nnseriooräia.
3) Added by us.
4) Weimarsche: sisniüoadat instead of: sixniüeadit in the Zwickau manuscript.
5) Erlanger:?sa1lnn8. vestrues eto.
But 6) in the fact that ten tribes were led away, and two of the Assyrians could not be led away, one obviously sees the effectiveness of the power 7) of God and His word, which He thus expresses in clear words:
V. 7. And I will help them rc. 8)
With wonderful words (see 2 Kings 19:30) all prophets point to the kingdom of Christ. And notice that it must be true that Israel will never return, and yet Israel will be one kingdom with Judah.
V. 8. Since she had weaned him (Ablactavit).
This is perhaps a secret, that the whole people, concerning the outward service, should be left (not only Israel), 9) since they became one man [1 Cor. 13, 11.] etc. The third child (tertia proles) therefore connects the prophecy of the temporal kingdom with the eternal kingdom etc. Henceforth I will no longer cherish the synagogue, I will procure another people. If this people will go over to the same, it will be blessed; if not, it shall not be my people etc. This people must be rejected and a new one 10) adopted, so that all the prophecies are true 11) which seem to be contrary to each other, even in this passage. He says there will not be one people, and yet etc.
V. 10. But there will be the number of the children of Israel etc.
Here you see what Paul says Rom. 1, 1. f.: "The gospel which is promised in the prophets." See Paul's interpretation of this passage [Rom. 9, 23. ff]. The Kingdom of Judah
6) Weimarsche: vero instead of verdo in the Zwickau manuscript.
7) In the Erlanger there is a dot after virtudis by mistake.
8) Instead of: Ron salvado in the Erlanger must: Ltsalvado must be read. The same error is also in the Weimar edition, which is due to the fact that the second 8a1vado in this verse was taken as the keyword instead of the first.
9) These brackets are set by us. The Erlanger has a punctum after Israel.
10) Erlanger: camouflage instead of: novurn.
11) Instead of vere in the Erlanger, we have assumed verae.
has never been eradicated, but transformed into a better one. The kingdom of Christ is the preservation of the kingdom of Judah. - "Their number shall be as the sand of the sea." Likewise it is said in Isaiah [Cap. 10, 22.]. That this people had greatly increased in the time of Christ, and could not be numbered, the histories testify. Their land was full, and almost in all the cities of the Gentiles, even at Rome, were Jews. - "In the place." Not in Jerusalem, 1) not in Judea, but where hitherto the people of God were not, that is: the kingdom of God will be preached, the victory over death, sin, 2) hell; otherwise they could not be called "children of God" in a place that is not Jewish but Gentile. They will be a different people, not bound to a place and to external things.
V. 11. One head.
This must be understood with necessity of the kingdom of Christ. 3) After the division of the kingdom according to Solomon, they never had "one head", that is, a temporal king. These words: 4) "They shall be utterly cast away" [v. 6.] and: "They shall be the people and the children of God" [v. 11.], cannot exist at the same time 5), if
1) Instead of ^ssrast in the Erlanger and in the Weimarschen we have assumed leruLaiem, which offers the following writing.
2) In the Erlanger there is no comma after psooati.
3) Instead of: intsUiZit in the Erlanger will be after what the following writing offers: oportet quoci intolliLatnr, to read: intslliAitur. This has the Weimar edition.
4) Instead of vsrda in the Zwickau manuscript, the Weimar one has: vera. The sense is the same in both readings.
5) Instead of soluiL in the Erlanger we have assumed Äinul. This has also the Weimar edition.
It is not to be understood in such a way that the physical is thrown away, and the spiritual is done with - "And coming up out of the land" (Et ascendent [de terra]). They shall not set this kingdom on earth, 6) but shall ascend day by day more and more from the earth, from the earthy to the heavenly. [Col. 3:2:] "Seek that which is above" etc. - "For the day of Jezreel shall be a great day." I believe this is added to obscure the prophecy to unbelievers, so that it cannot be seen until it is fulfilled, as is the case with all prophecies. For "the great day" is when God will enlighten the hearts of men to be "children of God." No longer is the bodily "Jezreel" understood, but the heavenly one, [as by "Israel"] often not the bodily one returned, so also not the Israel according to the flesh, or [by "Zion" the bodily) Zion is expressed, but the spiritual one. We hardly find names in the Hebrews which do not have the name of God "El" or "Yes" at the end, as Michael, Isaiah, Jeremiah. Thus 8) Jerusalem is a vision of peace, that is, where one can see peace and abundance of all things; so "Jezreel" is the seed of God, because there everything is in abundance. What is the seed of God is known, Luc. 8, 11. 9) Hence comes "children of God" [v. 10].
6) pouent and sxtollsutur. So the Zwickau manuscript; instead the Weimar one has: xonit and extolIstur.
7) These additions find added by us to give sense.
8) In Latin erZo instead of [st.
9) Hone 8. is missing in the Zwickau manuscript.