I understand it in such a way that the whole chapter is said to those who have obtained mercy, both Gentiles and Jews. I understand the outcast sister to be the unbelieving Jews, so that the voice,
which the prophet commands to speak to the brethren, is the voice of the apostles and the Christians. The word is the word of the Gospel; the synagogue is the mother of the Church. You, my mother, are not the wife of God,
* ) Here and several times in the following the word: Lequitur is placed before the number of the chapter. We have not included this.
of my father. The gospel condemns the works of the law and what the mother puts her trust in; all that the mother uses as a pretext for her ungodliness is void; she is a whore.
V. 2 Speak the judgment (Judicate).
That is, the verdict of condemnation falls against those who say that they want to believe like the fathers. That in which they trust is ungodliness, human statutes against the word of God. Paul says [Rom. 9, 8.]: "These are not the children of God, who are children according to the flesh" etc. - "The breasts" are the ungodly teachers who, as it were, like breasts of a mother 1) nourish the people; but they belong to an ungodly mother who has conceived in adultery.
V. 3. that I do not strip them naked (spoliabo).
I will take away the priesthood, the kingdom, the law, even all earthly things. This has happened, as we see. - "When she was born." Since she had neither kingdom nor priesthood. - "As a dry land." That is, where there shall be no teacher, no prophet, no word of God. Is. 5, 6.: "I will command the clouds "rc. Christ says [Matt. 21:43], "The kingdom shall be taken from you." - "Lest I cause them to die of thirst." Joh. 7, 37. These are all threats if they do not repent.
V. 5. I will run after my wooers.
This is not to be understood of fornication after the future of Christ [but of that which is already present and of that which is far future]. 2) The Hebrew language is very rich. It sometimes says in one word what we can hardly state in many words, and sometimes in many words what could have been expressed in two words, as here. - "They that give me [bread,] water." Scripture punishes the ungodly teachers, the belly servants who teach ungodly things that bring profit. That's what it says here. The papists had abundance, the evangelical ones
1) Erlanger: mortuu instead of: rauterna.
2) Inserted by us according to the following scripture.
Preachers today suffer from lack. One cannot feed them a wife; those were fed so many harlots. This is how it was with the Jews in the past, and with the wicked in the past: What is the law and the teaching of the law for me? Other things must give us bread etc. So also all the people and the princes say to Jeremiah, "We will offer Melecheth of heaven drink offerings," Jer. 44, 17. See also after in the history of the Maccabees [1 Macc. 1, 12.). The belly cannot rely on God; if you hear that, you will fall into adultery. "The pretenders" were the Gentiles, Assyrians, Moabites etc. Whose friendship they could not have unless^they turned to their gods. The godless doctrine finds rich pasture, the godly must suffer want. Virtue is praised, but brings in nothing. 3)
V. 6. I will bequeath your way.
She did say: "I want to -run after my courtesans", but she did not obtain what she wanted. She wanted to be safe from the Assyrians, Ammonites etc. by joining their gods, 4) but thereby she came to fall, as that king [Ahaz] said [2 Chron. 28, 23. Vulg.): "I will reconcile the gods of Syria with sacrifices" etc.
Here the Lord resisted them until they said, as it is read in the book of Judges [Cap. 3, 10. 6, 6: Lord, help me!
V. 7. Since I was better.
For at that time I alone had tribulation in the flesh; but here the flesh and the Spirit are rejected.
V. 8. She does not want to know.
She did not recognize the hand of the giver. The wicked say and confess that they serve the true God, and of the goods (bona) that they have, they say that they have them from the God whom they serve and worship. I am a monk and serve God with vows and ceremonies, and He will give me eternal life for His sake. But who
3) Probably according to duvEnat. I, 73: kroditas taudutur st (Wenn. Ausg.).
4) Erlanger: satiata instead of: koeiatu.
makes you certain that you are worshipping the true God, since he has not commanded this? You have therefore invented a God for yourself who wants this, since there is no true God who requires this or who wants to give eternal life for the sake of these things. What, then, do you worship but an idol of your heart, to whom, you think, the righteousness of your works pleases. Therefore they know not the hand of him that giveth, especially they who most boast that they know it. All Scripture urges that the true God be rightly known. Where this knowledge is not there, there must be this fornication and false thoughts of God. Outward idolatry has also arisen from this. Those pagans or the godless Jews did not say that they worshipped the devils, but God. This Baal is the God who brought us out of Egypt; these golden calves are gods etc. The wicked do not hear this: Trust in God and you will be saved, but: Go to a monastery and do this and that. The people also want to be deceived and attribute everything they receive to the ungodly service of God. - "Baal" is actually called a husband, and the lord of the wife and the house. Those who dream that it is an imperfect life to serve God in faith and love, and a perfect one to keep virginity, poverty and obedience, serve Baal.
V. 9. Therefore I will take my grain and must again.
I will take away the grain and other things, I will spoil them with harmful air and weather and force them to return to me. They boast of works and ceremonies. Therefore the priests have abundance and cherish the ungodly being, as if they were next to God, with whose gifts they fatten themselves; I will take them away. If today the belly of the pope were in want, there would not be so many papists.
V. 10. In the sight of their wooers.
They will be put to shame, beaten by their enemies to whom they had fallen away, seduced by deceivers.
V. 12. This is my reward.
Even hostilely (odiose) the scripture repeats this. - Instead of eam [in the Vulgate), rather eas should be read. - "The beasts" are the hostile heathen.
V. 13. with clasps (inaure).
"With her earrings" [in the Vulgate) is an image taken from virgins or women. Inauris is the word that is ungodly with the ungodly, godly with the godly, and the word of God. - "To whom she offered incense" (addebat). That is, she prayed, for incense in Scripture means prayer.
V. 14. Therefore.
These are all, as I have said, words put into the mouths of the apostles, and the verba which preceded in the future tense should rather be conjunctive. - "I will entice them" (lactabo - I will nourish them). I will teach you through my apostles a lovely doctrine, one other than the law is. - "Into a wilderness." Not into a land which is temporally in bloom, that is, not where carnal things are in view. - "And speak kindly to it" (loqui ad cor). "Speak to the heart" is a Hebrew idiom for speak kindly to. Isa. 40, 2. 1)
V. 15. their vineyards (vinitores).
[In the Vulgate: "vinedressers" or "vineyards". Here 2) faith will be necessary, and that the Father draws with the kind words of the Gospel, for who could otherwise suppose "vineyards" or vinedressers, that is abundance, in the desert? - "From the same place," that is, in the wilderness-"the valley of Achor." Jos. 7, 24. ff: "Achor," that is, of affliction. It seems that among the Hebrews "the valley of Achor" had become a proverb, so that the valley of Achor is called when someone is oppressed by troubles, as we say: a valley of lamentation or a valley of tears. I," he says, "will talk to her and turn her misery into good hope.
1) In both editions, this note comes after the following one, and is labeled "V. 15."
2) Weimarsche: Noe. Here we have adopted with the Erlanger liic.
ren. - Instead of "hope", however, one would rather like to read waiting or patience. But this seems to be rather the opinion: I will give her the Valley of Achor, that is, the cross and visitation with misfortune, so that she will be prepared for me as a wife through patience. The Valley of Achor will be better for her than the riches of Baal. - "And she shall sing." This is the praise of God in the New Testament, that we are delivered from death and all misery.
V. 16. Then.
This is said of the new testament and the preaching of the gospel. This is not understood by those who do not know what the gospel is.-"Then," namely, when I shall have enticed her and led her into the wilderness [v. 16.], when I shall have changed the carnal kingdom into a spiritual one etc.-"My Baal." That is, my spouse [will no longer call me my Baal] . 1) This worship and confidence I will take away, on which she has relied, that I am a husband especially to her for works' sake etc. All other confidence and wrong opinion I will take away and reveal myself in truth. Here note that the outward worship was not done to the wood, stone etc. but to GOtte. For GOtte clearly says here that he is called "Baal" by them. - "Baal" and "Baalim." Jointly for both sexes (promiscue) they used these words "spouse" or "spouses". Ahab together with Jezebel were exceedingly clever people according to the flesh, in comparison to which our princes are lumps. These set up an outward service before other kings by accepting priests who were to confirm this service from the law of Moses. Therefore, Jehu must have had a very excellent enlightenment from God, who had these things.
V. 17: I will put away the names of Baalim from their mouths.
That is, I will show them this grace, that one shall no longer teach fictitious things, but my truth. This is certainly a great promise etc.
1) Inserted by us according to the following scripture.
V. 18. And I will make them a covenant.
That is, I will take care that nothing can harm him [the Christian]. For even the wild beasts will be with us, and everything will be under our feet. This is not an outward covenant; the believer has everything. If I speak to this mountain etc. [Matth. 17, 20.], if I said to a wild beast, Come, it will come etc. Everything is ours, everything is for salvation. See Isa. 2, 4. [11, 6. ff.] Ps. 46, 10.: "He who controls the wars" etc. This is to be understood of the kingdom of Christians and their behavior toward one another. Rom. 5, 1: "Now then we have been justified" etc. If we have peace with God, we have [everything,] 2) even against the will of the devil and the whole kingdom of sin and hell. - Instead of fiducialiter [in the Vulgate], rather, "surely" should be placed, as follows.
V. 19. I will betroth myself to you.
These are glorious words. He does not say, I will make a covenant, as to the fathers [Gen. 9:9, 11.], but, "I will betroth myself to thee." There is no more ardent love on earth than between bridegroom and bride. The bridegroom does not give a gift, but gives himself to the bride, and the most intimate affection of the heart, and all that he has; he comes before the bride and claims her etc. - "Righteousness" is the righteousness by which we are made righteous; by "judgment" we condemn what is ours and error, and are lords over all, so that even sin cannot accuse us after we have overcome that righteousness. - In misericordia, that is, "in grace" or through goodness (beneficio), Greek:
χάρις, Hence, "in grace" (gratiosus), that is, who has obtained grace (misericordiam). Also among the Greeks 3) Ελεημοσύνη is a.
The act of kindness done to one's neighbor. - And mercy. Imperfection will cling to you, but I will not impute it to you. I will bear your way (mores), I will help you, I will have compassion on you.
2) Added by us.
3) Instead of et, "st" should be read. After that we have translated.
V. 20. In faith.
The Hebrew language is very rich; it often repeats the same thing. Now here he interprets himself: Can we, for instance, grasp this engagement with our hands? Will it be a carnal righteousness? No, but it will be a marriage and a kingdom of faith. In the Gospel it is said [Matt. 22:2], "The king made marriage to his son." In the Hebrew it says [instead of: "in faith"]: in truth, but it is the same, only that the Jews nowadays, as well as some of ours, like to quarrel about words, which also happened in the time of the apostles. Set all this against works; she becomes a bride by righteousness, judgment, grace, mercy, faith, that is, not by works. - "And thou shalt know." Here is the increase in faith from day to day that Paul everywhere wishes us to have.
V. 21. At the same time.
Paul also says [2 Cor. 6, 2.] from Isaiah [Cap. 49, 8.], "I have heard thee in the pleasant time." Likewise [Isa. 65, 24.], "And it shall come to pass, before they call, that I will answer." The glory of the Christian is that we are heard when we call in trouble, and the Spirit pleads for us. [John 16. 24...] "Ask, and ye shall receive" etc. Let us pray for the word against the heretics, against Satan for the need of this life etc. - "I will hear." You shall not pray in vain. This must be understood par excellence, lest we deal ill with the Scriptures. Jezreel will desire grain, oil etc. The grain will desire to be there, the earth will hear the desire of the grain; the earth will desire rain from heaven, heaven will desire it from me. All creatures will serve all believers, and I will serve them in all creatures. But if it is the will of God
1 Petr. 1, 6. that we suffer hardship, God will not leave us so that His creatures are not present etc.
V. 22. Jezreel.
This is added to darken the prophecy, as said above [Cap. 1, 11.]. As the churches of Jerusalem are named, so these of Jezreel the capital, as above. - It would have been clearer if instead of exaudiam [in the Vulgate] it had been said: respondebo, respondebunt etc.
V. 23. and I will keep them on earth for seed. 1)
You see that the Lord alludes to the name Jezreel, as if he wanted to say: She will be Jezreel to me in truth, that is, the seed or sowing of God, that is, in her shall be the right word of God. Therefore, one can quite certainly follow this spiritual interpretation of the name of the church, since the Lord also interprets it in this way. And besides, he said above [Cap. 1, 6. f.]: "I will not have mercy on Israel, 2) but on the house of Judah", so Jezreel is spiritual, as also at the end of the previous chapter. From both kinds of people the church is gathered [, from the spiritual and the bodily Jezreel], 3) which before had not yet obtained mercy. Since Christ says: "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved," what is this but saying to the believers: "You are my people"?
1) In Latin: sernlnapo kam, ut sit rnitii terra. But the interpretation fits just as well to the text of our Bible.
2) "Israel" put by us (according to the Vulgate) instead of: ^esrael in our template.
3) This addition is made by us; without it, the false doctrine would come out as if at some time the Church had not yet attained mercy.