V.1-4. And he called his twelve disciples unto him, and gave them power over unclean spirits, that they should cast them out, and cure all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first Simon, called Peter, and Andrew his brother; Jacob the son of Zebedee, and John his brother. Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew, the tax collector, Jacobus, Alphaei son, Lebbaeus, with the surname Thaddaeus. Simon of Cana and Judas Iscarioth, who betrayed him.
1. 1) This chapter has been very useful and very necessary. For a change was to take place with the whole church, since the synagogue was to be changed into the church of the Gentiles. Therefore, it was most necessary that those who were to bring about such a great change should be called in a glorious way. For to abolish the law and the kingdom of the law was such a change, which was not unlike the flood, by which the old world was changed into a new world. And indeed, the gospel made a new world out of the one that was under the law; therefore, the beginners of this new kingdom had to be called by the Lord Himself.
2. 2) He gave them power and authority to perform miracles; this was because of the renewal.
or change is also a necessary thing. But he equips them, not with weapons, but with miracles, so that they may know that his kingdom is a spiritual and not a physical kingdom. Therefore he gives them spiritual weapons against spiritual evil, that is, against the devil, against sins, against death, against sickness, and against everything that is of the devil, 2c.
3. 3) He teaches them how they should think of themselves. And this whole chapter belongs to the servants of the word, so that they may learn from it what they should think, speak, do and expect. And it is all full of the best instruction with commandments, with wholly divine reminders, encouragements, promises, that is, he prepares and instructs his preachers how they should be skillful, minded and confident.
Judas among the apostles.
4 The apostle Jude is included among the saints for a necessary example, namely, against the Donatists and many others who deny that the holy sacraments, or the grace of God, are communicated by evil ministers of the Word, which is a most harmful error. For if the power of the sacrament depended on the worthiness of the preacher, everything would be uncertain, because
the worthiness of no man can be certain. But surely everything depends on the order and the calling of God, who works everything in everyone, through worthy and unworthy. Therefore, Christ works through Judas exactly what He works through St. Peter.
(5) And let all ministers of the word take note of this passage as the most noble, so that they may be sure that their ministry is of such a nature, that is, divine, that it is not made better by the holiness of any man, nor worse by the unworthiness of any man. Thus peace and harmony remain in the church, which otherwise would be disturbed without cessation, if the worthiness of the preachers were to be considered; and no one would ever presume to perform his office, for he would have to be uncertain even as to his own person.
V. 5 6. These twelve Jesus sent, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, neither go ye into the way of the Samaritans: but go ye to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
6 He commands them to avoid the Gentiles and Samaritans. This had to be done at that time because Christ was promised to the Jews alone; as Paul Rom. 15, 8. says: "Christ was a minister of the circumcision" until the law was abolished by the suffering of Christ, and therefore the apostles were sent out into the whole world by a new command.
7 From this it may be concluded that the churches should not be mixed with one another, and that no one should undertake to teach in each congregation; but that each one should remain in his profession and in his congregation, lest the churches be troubled and the offices be mixed. 2c.
V. 7 But go and preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
(8) He instructs them what doctrine to preach, namely, the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven. This is the preaching of the New Testament, not to preach ceremonies, not to preach worldly laws, nor anything else but the kingdom of heaven, that is, eternal life. Therein it is
The word of God of righteousness, of the forgiveness of sins, the victory over death, over the flesh, over the world, over the devil, over all evil. For the kingdom of heaven is a kingdom of righteousness, of life, of eternal bliss, where there will be no sin, no death, no hell. This command, that is, that the ministers of the Word should teach this, must be observed most carefully, lest they make of the church a worldly regiment, as the pope did, nor a hypocrisy, as the monks did, but that they should stick to that which is their office, that is, that they should teach what belongs to the kingdom of heaven, or eternal life. "The kingdom of heaven is at hand," that is, now the kingdom of heaven is here, which was promised before. This then ye shall teach; let the dead bury their dead [Luc. 9:60.].
V. 8-10: heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils. You received it for free; give it for free. You shall not have gold, nor silver, nor brass in your belts. Neither shall ye have a bag to carry away, nor two coats, nor shoes, nor a stave.
(9) He forbids the vice of avarice, of venality (simoniae), of ambition, that is, that they should teach purely and honestly, not for the sake of honor, profit, favor, but for free, for God's sake. For he knew that there would be godless people who would speak and do everything for the sake of profit; therefore he warns so diligently beforehand that they should only care for the kingdom of God in a pure spirit. The words must be well considered: "For free you have received, for free also give." He hereby reminds us to consider how unworthy we have been of so great an office; therefore, mindful of our unworthiness and His infinite mercy, we should gladly serve Him and teach the people for nothing.
(10) But this does not forbid them to accept a meager subsistence, because it is immediately followed by: "A laborer is worth his wages." Consequently, he allows us to accept wages, and calls us laborers, who
are worthy of their reward. He forbids only the avarice and the splendor of those who want to pride and splurge on the goods of the church. Therefore, according to Christ, it is permissible to live on the Gospel, even with wife, children and family; only avarice, arrogance and indulgence are condemned, because they do not allow the Word to be taught.
(11) Therefore the words, "Ye shall not have gold, nor silver, nor brass, nor purse, nor two coats, nor shoes, neither shall ye have a stave," must be rightly understood. Namely, in the ministry of the word they are to be stripped of all this, that is, in their teaching and preaching ministry they are not to have their hearts set on money, honor and goods; they are not to speak or do anything for the sake of money, favor, honor, as the world is compelled by necessity to seek such things in its kingdom, and also seeks them gladly and excessively. But this office of the Word seeks something else, has something else in mind, namely eternal blessedness and the glory of God. Meanwhile it uses this world (as Paul says [1 Cor. 7, 31]), but so as if it does not need it. In this way, they do not carry ore with them on the way, that is, they do not seek money or abundance from their teaching authority, nor a rod, that is, they do not seek the power to rule or to protect themselves; but they carry the word of God purely and simply, without any desire or effort for honor, wealth or power, because they have their sights set on something else. Therefore, Christ instructs them here in Matthew how their heart should be, and teaches them to set their intention on the word alone. In the meantime, he allows them to use things for their own needs. He approves that they use things for their need, saying Luc. 10, 7: "Effet und tripket, was sie haben; denn ein Arbeiter ist seines Lohnes wert.
(12) But what do Marcus and Lucas say? In Marcus [Cap. 6, 8] it says: "He commanded them that they carry nothing with them on the road, but only a staff and shoes"; and in Lucas [Cap. 10, 4]: "Greet no one on the road." Answer: Lucas refers to the sense of the words in Matthew, namely, that they seek no one's favor with their magisterium, nor care for any man.
or look upon the same. So he does not forbid the usual public greeting, but the desire and inclination to please people. This he indicates by forbidding to greet others, but not to be greeted by others. For he who is publicly saluted by others must necessarily thank them; but to salute others, namely with such a heart, in order to please men more than God, this is what the Gospel prevents. The summa is this: The apostles should not want to please men. "If I were still pleasing men, I would not be Christ's servant," Gal. 1:10.
(13) In Marcus, the stick and the shoes are commanded par excellence and externally, namely, that they should be satisfied with poverty, as with a stick and shoes. And so, in the same way, the effort for wealth is forbidden. For there is no doubt that Christ often taught the same thing, and also presented it at different times under different images. Therefore it does not dispute that in that place and time it was forbidden to carry a stick, and in this place and time it was commanded, because the intention is different, and yet the opinion is the same. For on both sides he rejects avarice in his servants, in such a way that he will not even allow them a stick for avarice, and again he allows them only a stick against avarice. Thus, the same opinion is taught through different images, as he often does where he teaches to leave father and mother at the same time, and yet rebukes those who, under the pretext of sacrifice and gift, do not honor father and mother, Matth. 15, 4. ff.
14 This simple explanation pleases me best. For the other, which is brought forward from the allegorical sense, namely, that in Marcus he is commanded to carry a stick and shoes, in order to teach power by the stick, and by the shoes to signify being equipped against offences and aversions, serves more to show astuteness than that it would be useful for teaching. For Christ's special purpose here was to teach his disciples to
He instructs them in integrity, saying that they should not set their hearts on riches, honor and power, nor seek them, and be content with daily necessities, even though they have only a stick, that is, food or sustenance, and shoes, that is, a covering, be it what it may. For to seek riches, honor, and power, that belongs to the world, and to those who cannot take heed to the word of God 2c.
For a worker is worth his food.
(15) At this point it must be noted that, according to divine law, teachers and preachers are to be provided with food and clothing. And those who want to be Christians and yet do not want to contribute anything to the maintenance of the ministers of the Word are hardly sinning today; some, as peasants, noblemen, burghers, 2c. even deprive them of what they are commanded to give by means of endowments. But they will have to give account to the one who says: "A worker is worth his wages"; but those cheat them out of the wages of which they are worth.
16 Secondly, notice that he approves of giving the workers not only food but also wages, namely, so that they can also acquire other necessary things, 2c. because clothing, housing and other things are also necessary.
V. 11: Wherever you go into a city or market, find out if there is anyone there worthy of it, and stay with him until you leave.
(17) Hereby he teaches them that they should not wander and run about. For this is what the false apostles do, and the swarmers, "who creep into the houses, and lead captive the women," as Paul says [2 Tim. 3:6]. These are the vagrants, who also seek their profit, as in our times coiner, agitator, 1) Pellio,
1) Ludwig Hetzer, an Anabaptist, was executed at Constance. Cf. Walch, old edition, vol. XVII, 2484. - Johann Huth (Hut) was executed at Jnnspruck, idiä. 2484. - Because of Hetzer, compare also Walch, old edition, vol. IX, 1149 f.
Huth and many others have been. For wandering about in and of itself is a sign of an uncertain heart and an unsettled doctrine. Therefore he says that they should choose a certain host with whom they would stay until they left the same city. So he also says Luc. 10, 7: "You shall not go from one house to another." For this is what the wandering and fickle preachers are wont to do.
18 And notice that Christ greatly commends those who entertain the ministers of the Word, because he says, "If he is worthy. As if to say, "It is a great gift, a high honor, if anyone is worthy to receive my servants and to entertain them. For such a one entertains me and my Father, and his house is then truly a heavenly dwelling, in which God dwells with all that he has. How great is this dignity above all kings' honor? And yet the world persecutes the servants of Christ, because it is not worthy of this honor; therefore it becomes a host of all devils, and so it remains for and for.
V. 12, 13: Wherever you enter a house, greet that house. And if that house is worthy, your peace will come to it; but if it is not worthy, your peace will return to you.
19 And against this wickedness of the world he comforteth them, saying, Be not offended at it, and be not angry, when ye shall seldom find such hosts. Do what is your duty, greet them, offer them the grace and peace of the gospel. If you find that they are despisers and ungrateful, do not be weary or slacken your efforts, for you know that they are not worthy. If they were worthy, your peace would be accepted by them with all reverence and gratitude, and they themselves, blessed by your peace, would be blessed; but now, because they are not worthy, your peace will return from them to you. And it will be profitable for you that you have labored in vain with them, for you will thereby have all the more honor with God.
20. and one must pay attention to the word that he speaks: "your peace will turn to you again", so that we know that we do not work in vain, although our work is in vain with the ungrateful and despisers. "To you," he says, "it will turn again," that is, it will not be in vain that it has been offered to them, but it will serve you for a house of merit and honor.
21 So righteous ministers of the Word never work without benefit when they teach. For they benefit either others who believe, or themselves if others do not believe. It must be called good whoever preaches that God gives people to believe or not. And this passage serves against the swarming spirits who pretend that our word is not true because many will not be corrected, since Christ here confesses that many will not accept the word and will not be worthy of it and will not take hold of peace.
V. 14, 15: And if any man will not receive you, nor hear your words, come out of that house or city, and shake off the dust of your feet. Truly I say to you, the land of Sodom and Gomorrah will fare worse at the last judgment than that city.
(22) This is the terrible threat that follows, that they will leave those who will not accept them and shake the dust off their feet, and that they will be punished worse than Sodom. Therefore, he wants to say, do not become angry, do not desist, do not become vengeful against such ingrates, but rather have mercy on them, and stop the more diligently and teach, because they themselves are already punished, more than you would wish. Just as Paul also teaches [2 Tim. 4, 2. ff.]: "Preach the word, stop, whether in season or out of season, punish, urge, exhort with all patience and teaching. For there will be a time when they will not suffer sound doctrine" 2c., just as it goes today. The Spirit says clearly: it is impossible that this ingratitude and contempt of the Word remain unpunished.
23. the expression: "Shake off the dust of your feet" means a very great anger, in such a way that God does not even dignify the wicked with this honor, that the dust of the feet hangs on his servants, which nevertheless clings to them without their effort; how much less will he repay them for any other benefit, or a morsel of bread, or a crumb. As if to say, I have offered you the eternal kingdom; but from you I have not received even an hour hanging by the foot, which a single fly could take 2c.
V. 16. Behold, I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves.
(24) Now he teaches that they must patiently endure not only ingratitude and contempt, but also persecution. For in comforting them, he tells them beforehand that persecutions were surely ahead of them. "I am sending you like sheep," he says, that is, you are my messengers, you will have to do in the midst of grave wolves. Now you yourselves know what to expect from the wolves. Therefore prepare and strengthen yourselves against the tyranny of the wolves. Oh how bad it is, where sheep preach to the wolves and speak justice to them! Oh of the foolish nobility! Lions, or other very cruel animals, should be sent in the midst of the wolves. But this is done, as Paul says, "so that our faith may stand, not on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God," 1 Cor. 2:5, by which God wants to preserve His sheep even among wolves and the most hostile enemies. And it is to be expressly noted that we, who are in the teaching office, should certainly consider that we teach among wolves, and that our work is nothing else than if a sheep would judge, punish and provoke the wolves to anger, and bring them to the point that they are not wolves. Just as if I, or one of us, would undertake to judge the pope, the cardinals, the bishops and the like of them, and to put them in order. In sum, the wolves will never be good disciples of the sheep.
1) Instead of Hitta in the Wittenberg we have assumed with the Jena.
Therefore, in their so very bad situation, he gives them a wonderful counsel 2c. by saying:
Therefore, be wise as serpents, and without falsehood as doves.
25 The first is that we should have prudence like serpents. The other, that our sincerity may be without deceit, like that of the doves. For it is necessary for a preacher of the word in persecution to have these two things about him, namely, that he be careful against the false and deceitful, and yet sincere and openhearted against the good and godly. For the devil and the world seek opportunity against the righteous by miraculous tricks, that they may give themselves the appearance of rightly persecuting them. Therefore one must be prudent so that no opportunity is given to them for a rightful persecution, but that they must always be convicted by their own unrighteousness that they hate Christ without any cause. In this way a serpent guards its head very cunningly and avoids with the greatest diligence everything that could harm it, as it is the most cunning of all animals.
(26) After this, if we have not given offense or opportunity to the wicked, and so have been prudent in evil, it is then required that we also be simple in good, that is, that we forbear for no wrong done, but teach, serve, be willing both to the thankful and to the unthankful, without distinction. Just as a dove, according to her simplicity, puts forth young ones without distinction, whether their own or others'.
27 Therefore this allegory of serpents and doves, according to this clear and distinct understanding, is to be explained in such a way that we should be careful against the wicked, that is, unoffending or blameless, so that they may have no just cause against us, and so we can say with a clear conscience: I have given no cause for these troubles and upsets. Furthermore, we should also be kind to all, so that we can boast: The wicked have no just cause to complain against us; the from
But men and all people have a right to be grateful to us. That is, to be wise against the wicked and their wickedness, and to be sincere against all.
(28) Paul does not speak of this opinion in Romans 16:19, where he commands "that they be wise in what is good, but simple in what is evil. For in this passage Paul is not speaking of being careful of the evil that others want to do to us, but of the evil that we ourselves want to do to others, that is, they should be careful not to harm others, but to do good to all without fail, making no distinction between the worthy and the unworthy. But in this passage Christ speaks of being prudentlyware of the evil that others want to do to us, that is, of not giving them the opportunity. Therefore, the evil there has a completely different meaning, namely [here it is spoken of the evil] that one suffers and [there of that] that one does.
(29) This is the very thing that he himself immediately declares this prudence, saying, "But beware of men." That is, beware lest they deceive you by guile, and find a lawful occasion against you, and entice you into the net. For you shall know that they deal only with this, "that they may deliver you up before their council houses." Therefore be like serpents, and take heed to your head, that is, lest you blanch, convicted by your conscience, that you have given occasion or offense.
(30) For our [good] conscience, or faith, is the head and "our glory before God, namely, the testimony of our conscience, that we have (as Paul says [2 Cor. 1:12]) walked in simplicity and godly integrity in the world," when we have given no offense to anyone, but have proved ourselves to be the servants of God, both in doctrine and in life. For the devil and the world strive to make our doctrine a rebellious and heretical one, but to cry out our life as a godless and licentious one. Therefore, we must teach and live wisely in such a way that they cannot punish either doctrine or life for any legitimate reason, but that, if they do
If they punish you in a false way, they must be put to shame at the time of the examination, as Peter says: "Have a good conscience, so that those who speak evil of you, as of evildoers, may be put to shame, because they have reviled your good deeds in Christ. 3, 16. And Paul Tit. 2, 7. f.:] "Set thyself at all times as an example of good works, with unadulterated doctrine, with respectability, with wholesome and blameless speech, that the repugnant may be ashamed, and have nothing to say evil of us." Now this is to teach and live "wisely" that there be no guilt in our consciences when the world and the wolves condemn or kill us. Next, "to be without wrong" is to teach and live without regard to both kinds of people, namely the good and the bad, without hope of honor, and without desire for revenge.
But beware of men. For they will deliver you up to their council houses, and scourge you in their synagogues. And they shall bring you before princes and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them, and against the heathen.
(31) This is a strange warning that we should beware of men. What are men? Are they devils? Answer: In this matter, namely the Gospel, one must rely solely on God alone. For "all men are liars," Ps. 116:11, but God alone is true. Therefore, because all men are changeable, the 146th Psalm, v. 3. says: "Do not rely on princes, they are men, they cannot help", because this is what you will have in men: if they are favorable to you today, they will persecute you tomorrow. Nusquam tuta fides, that is, you cannot rely on anyone for sure, speaks even a poet among men. They are wolves, therefore make yourselves out of it and think as if you were alone in the world, like sheep in the midst of wolves. If some also hear you, they will be sheep with us; of the rest, think that they are wolves, and especially those who are men (that is, wise).
For there is an emphasis in the word "men" who are not fools,
as the faithful and simple, but men, that is, who have much human wisdom, who either despise the doctrine of faith or pretend to believe. For these always hate the preachers, especially when they are told the truth, just as Herod hated John. Therefore it will be just these who "will deliver you up before their council houses, and will scourge you, and will bring you before kings and princes". And the more they are men, that is, the more they are wise, just and good before others, the more they will do this. For the righteousness, wisdom and religion of men cannot patiently suffer the righteousness, wisdom and religion of God. Therefore, do not trust them, even if they present themselves as brothers and friends. For there will also be false brothers, false apostles and prophets among you, namely your worst enemies. Therefore, teach only by trusting in God.
The other council how they should answer in court.
V. 19, 20: When therefore they shall deliver you up, be not anxious how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that hour what ye shall speak. For it is not you who speak, but your Father's Spirit who speaks through you.
Again, this is a prohibition against confidence. As if he wanted to say: Perhaps you will be anxious about what you should answer, and therefore you will be careful in your hearts to speak beforehand, so that you will speak in such and such a way 2c. But do not be anxious about this. First, teach the word which is commanded you, which you have, and which is given you. But then leave off sorrow, how ye shall answer either your accusers or your slanderers. "Then shall be given you a mouth and wisdom, which shall not gainsay, neither resist all your adversaries," Luc. 21:15.
34) The reason why he gives this advice is this: because Satan is a thousandfold artist in inventing new slander after slander, so that no preacher
He is always ready to squeeze new slurs out of every word, and his malice is infinite. For he is always ready to squeeze new accusations out of every word, and his malice is infinite. And so it happens that everything that was thought about beforehand is thwarted, and in the accusation something completely different comes up than we would have provided for. Therefore, the Holy Spirit must be present to catch this Vertumnus and Proteus 1) or at least to keep us safe from his cunning schemes, so that we will not be caught.
In our time we have such examples in many devious and harmful people, who know how to decorate and make honest all their words and deeds, however evil they may be, with extremely apparent arts and beautiful pretenses, and on the other hand to slander the good words and deeds of others by these very tricks, so that not only the listener, but also the defendant himself is almost forced to consider his cause suspicious. Therefore it is quite impossible to foresee their calumnies, and he who seeks to prevent them gives himself vain worry and grief. The Holy Spirit, however, who is with us, will destroy their endless and ever-emerging calumnies; he refutes them and frees us from them.
For this reason, we must remember this passage, what an important office it is to teach against such monsters. That is why we must do everything in trust in Christ and in humility, or else despair of our own strength and cast all care on him, because he himself gives the promise, saying: "It is your Father's Spirit who speaks through you. Therefore we have here a firm comfort that we are assured by this divine promise that our slanderers (even if they can disguise themselves in a thousand different guises, and are still so cunning, and have the greatest appearance) are of no avail, but their foolishness will be revealed to everyone, as Paul speaks [2 Tim.
1) Vertumnus, god of change, god of the seasons, which always change. Proteus, a bteergod and shepherd of Neptune's sea calves, could change into all kinds of shapes.
3, 9], because the Spirit of our Father is with us. In this way Christ has always 'overcome the most cunning plots of the Pharisees,. Peter overcame Simon the sorcerer, Paul his false apostles.
V. 21: And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the son; and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to die.
37 There follows the exceedingly great annoyance, which a teacher must also overcome and confidently despise, namely, that in this matter we will also have as enemies those who are in the highest degree our friends, namely, our brothers, fathers, sisters, sons, wives. Dear, how can we hope for peace and friendship where our neighbors, or these our household members, namely, father, mother, brother, son, are our enemies? As Christ soon after [v. 36.] quotes from the prophet Micah [Cap. 7, 6: "A man's enemies shall be his own household." Therefore the conclusion is correct: If father, mother, brother, son hate one another and help one another to death, how much more will all the others do it! Therefore he speaks:
V.22. And you must be hated by everyone because of my name.
038 For he saith this of all men, that is, of men of every kindred and station, of all with one another, who shall not believe you. For they that believe are members of your body, therefore shall they also be hated with you: and these shall be chosen out of all people, but they are few.
39 And it is to be noted that he says, "For my name's sake." He does not say, "They will hate you for fornication, for death, for theft, and for such evil things, which they will not find in you; but for the highest goods, for the highest virtue, for truth, for righteousness, for eternal life: in sum, "for my name's sake," that is, because you preach and teach about me. I am the cause of your misfortunes and tribulations. If you only deny me, and then also in the
If you would agree to hate me, you would be holy and extremely praiseworthy people, although you would kill all my saints, although you would rob all goods, although you would curse everyone, even if you would finally crucify me. "If you were of the world, the world would love you; but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you from the world, therefore the world hates you" [John 15:19]. All those who hate you cannot sin or are without sin; you alone are sinners.
(40) So today with the papists, who rage against us, everything they do, even if it were against their own canons, let alone against God, is nothing; indeed, they make an honor of it. But this is a virtue above all virtues with them, that they hate us, kill us, chase us away, when we are not guilty of it through fornication, death or theft, but because we preach the name of Christ.
41 Therefore this also is for our comfort, and that we may be bold and of good courage, that we may be sure that Christ is the cause of our afflictions, as Paul says: "Our glory is this, that is, the testimony of our conscience, that we have walked in the world in simplicity and godly integrity and truth" [2 Cor. 1:12], that is, that we suffer without cause. For we have done no harm to anyone; indeed, we have benefited everyone; we have received evil for good. For we have been hated for the name of Christ.
But he who perseveres to the end will be saved.
For this reason, he concludes that in the midst of such great afflictions and perpetual tribulations, the heart must be strengthened for perseverance, for at first the teaching of the gospel seems to be pleasing even to the flesh, and many accept it in the hope of gaining honor, riches and favor through it, "who think that godliness is a trade" [1 Tim. 6:5]. But when they realize that they receive nothing but hatred, persecutions and tribulations as a reward, they fall away and usually also become enemies. So Christ wants to say: Many who
but few will persevere. For they begin in a carnal way, that is, they seek what is theirs, not what is God's; therefore, if it does not go according to their desire, they become of another mind and do not persevere. Therefore, those who persevere are blessed, for they alone will be blessed. Here we can cite the simile [Luc. 8, 6. 7.] of the seed that fell on a stony land and was choked among the thorns. For they begin joyfully, but they choke under the thorns. Therefore one says in the proverb: Principium fervet, Medium tepet, Finis abhorret [in the beginning heat, in the middle lukewarmness, at the end disgust]. This is how it goes in all states.
V. 23 But if they persecute you in one city, flee to another. Truly I say to you, you will not align the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes.
43 This is another advice and comfort. If you were to say: But what is to be done if we cannot persevere because they will not tolerate us in their territory? To this he replies, "This will not prevent you from persevering. For I am not speaking of perseverance in one place, but of spiritual perseverance, that is, that you should not lose heart, not cease to preach the word, not run from the ministry, but persevere and teach; if it cannot be in this place, then in another. Only persevere, and do not stop teaching.
44. but again you may say, How if we were not allowed in any place, but were cast out everywhere in the whole world, so that we could not persevere? 2c. To this serves for the answer: Do not worry about it; before that will happen, that the word should find no more place, then I will be there with my future. So there will always be a place where you can teach until I come. If you only keep it, you will be saved. "You will not align the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes" 2c.
V. 24. 25. The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above the master. It is
Enough for the disciple to be like his master, and the servant like his master. If they called the father of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call his household members.
45 To this comfort he adds two parables, one of a disciple and one of a servant, so that if they remembered these two examples, they would be all the more courageous to endure persecution. It must be a shameful wretch who would leave his master lying in the dirt, and meanwhile he would sleep in bed or sit behind the stove. As if he wanted to say: Just remember that I am your master and lord, then your heart will soon say with confidence: If my lord was crucified for me in this matter, what should I, his very lowly servant, not suffer? What wonder should I be that some misfortune should befall me, since so much has affected my Master? The cause for which I suffer is the very best; the example according to which I suffer is incomparable. If I now consider who this [master] is, and what I am, what he suffers, and what I suffer: then my suffering is already pure delight, yes, to be regarded as nothing at all. O be silent, thou servant and disciple, of thy! Suffering; behold, what suffers your Lord and Master! We must be ashamed of our suffering, if we hold it against his suffering. If, then, the relationship of the Lord to the servant, of the Master to the disciple, is rightly considered, there is in it a great impulse and a great power to comfort and encourage us.
Therefore, teachers and preachers must always have these sayings in their mouths and hearts, as if they were very common sayings, so that when they encounter something for the sake of the word, they are immediately ready to say, "The disciple shall not be above his master, nor the servant above his lord. If I am a servant, why should I be better than my master?
47 By these words Christ makes his servants unconquerable against all evil, arrogant, so that they despise it, rejoice, laugh at the devil, the world, and all misfortune. The reason is this: if one has owed reverence and honor to any saint, it was due [yet before
all] the father of the house himself and the holy of holies, namely Christ. But not only has he not been shown the same, but he has also been called Beelzebub; how much more will they call his household members. If the master of the house is despised, his servants will not count for much. He that reproacheth the prince shall not highly honor his officers. But it will not go unpunished to them. Therefore he decides:
Therefore do not be afraid of them. There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and there is nothing secret that will not be known. What I tell you in darkness, speak in light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.
(48) Here begins another consolation, which is that their anger will not last forever, but in its time it will be smelled; and you will not remain unsmelled, just as you will not be without reward. But while they afflict you, and God is silent, they think that all this is hidden from God, and that it has been forgotten. What they do evil, they think, no one will punish it, and so it shall remain forgotten and unsmelled, as that which is hidden shall never come to light. As it is said in the 83rd Psalm, v. 1 ff: "God, do not be so silent, and do not be so still. God, do not pause so. For behold, your enemies rage, and those who attack you lift up their heads." How should God know? The God of Jacob does not know; no, God knows nothing about it, he does not pay attention to our rage. And as Habakkuk Cap. 3, v. 14, it says: "They rejoice as if they were eating the wretched in secret."
(49) Not only do they hope that they will go unpunished, but they consider the cover and the concealment to be so great that they think they are doing God a service. How surely they boast under this cover that they call the church and we heretics. They still do well when they kill you; you suffer justly who are killed. So they boast in secret; but a day will come when this cover will be taken away and it will be shown that under the cover of righteousness they have committed terrible abominations.
are. This is it that he says, "There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and there is nothing secret that will not be known." As if he wanted to say, "Let them adorn and adorn themselves, let them boast that they serve God and are called Ecclesia; let them blaspheme you; I will well uncover the adornment in time, so that all the world will see them. As Paul also says, "Her foolishness will be revealed to everyone" [2 Tim. 3:9]. When he says, "It will be revealed," he is indicating that it has been hidden for a while and is still hidden. So today the abominations of the pope, which were worshipped in secret for piety, will now be revealed as abominations of the devil.
50 But you shall do the opposite. They hide their abominable things, and cover them up with an outward appearance; but ye teach publicly, even that which is hidden in the inmost parts, that ye make no deceit, as they do, that ye may show yourselves also outwardly before men, as ye are inwardly before me; so that, when all things shall be revealed, ye shall be found to be true inwardly and outwardly, even as they shall be found to have been liars everywhere, both before me, and before the world. This is what he says: "What you hear from me in darkness, speak in light"; that is: Do not be misled to teach publicly what you have heard in secret, like those who act hypocritically in the outward teaching of what they hear inwardly from their teacher, Satan; therefore they will be compelled to adorn their inward lies outwardly with the appearance of truth, of worship, of the church. But in vain. For the lie is finally revealed. They know that their inward lies are not valid by heart, if they are not covered with these words and covers, as, truth, church, righteousness 2c. Therefore, they hide their lies under these titles. But you do not need such deception of the hypocrites, if you are outwardly as you are inwardly, that is, if you teach, with Paul [2 Cor. 1, 12], as before God, and in Christ, with a clear conscience, and have nothing else in your heart than you say in your words.
V. 28. And do not fear those who kill the body and do not like the soul, but rather fear him who may destroy both body and soul in hell.
The last consolation is against death. Here he commands us to despise our death-slayers with arrogant faith in God, and thereby makes the raging and violence of the world very bad and low; he mocks, as it were, their raging, and says: "Dear, what can those who kill you do? 2c. Certainly, they can kill the body, which would have to die without it. But this is a very great power, to kill that which should die but is already dead. Who would be afraid of such death-blowers, who cannot take away life, but can only hasten death, and that only the death of the part that dies anyway? Therefore, do not be afraid of them, because they cannot kill the soul.
This passage is full of consolation and worthy of note, namely, that Christ here evidently confesses that his faithful live and cannot be killed for eternity, even if they are killed according to the body. Your soul, he says, lives; yes, you live even when your body is killed. For, saith he, "they cannot kill the soul." But now the soul is the life of the body. What then can they that kill you? They can separate the soul, that is, the life, from the body, but they cannot kill it completely. They may want to or not, the soul lives and cannot be killed. Just as when the emperor punishes a subject with civil death (as in Ovid), that is, when he sends him to misery, so it is not the person who is killed according to his essence, but the body, that is, according to civil intercourse, that is, he is separated from his home, from his wife, from his children, from his friends, 2c. The house is dead to him, not the subject himself; the house is abandoned, but he himself lives. Thus Paul says: he desires to live apart from the body and to be with the Lord [Phil. 1, 23. 2 Cor. 5, 8.], that is, he wants to be dead according to the body and live with Christ according to the soul.
(53) But how it is with this life, when the body is killed, can be believed, but not understood. And it should not be understood either. It is enough that we know we are alive, even if the body is dead. But how we are to live, we do not know now. For "this life is hidden in God" [Col. 3:3], just as Abel lived, although he was killed, and accused Cain, who was still alive. So Abraham lives, who nevertheless died, Matth. 22, 32. for "GOtt is not a GOtt of the dead, but of the living." For to Him all things live. Therefore, even though we are killed, yet we live unto him. Since this is so, what are we afraid of death, we who cannot die, but are necessarily immortal? And our death-strikers can do nothing but separate our soul, that is, our life, from its home, namely from the body, and drive it out of this world, as from a dungeon, to its place, where it lives in God forever. Therefore you should be proud and strike a cliff at those who kill you, who threaten more than they can do, namely death; since they cannot do death, and cannot take life, but can only transfer life to another house. Here one can cite the examples and speeches of the saints who ridiculed death, such as Vincentius. St. Agatha, Athanasia, Lucia. For St. Vincent mocked his murderers, saying that death and crosses were only a joke and a game to Christians; and when he walked on the burning coals, he boasted that he was walking on roses. When St. Agatha went to prison and torture, she said she was going to a feast and wedding. And so did many others.
54. Among this comfort he also mixes a threat, admitting something to them, saying: "Even if one had to fear and avoid those who kill the body, what good is this fear? Yes, should it not harm? In the first place, it makes of the larva of death a true death, and by killing the body it brings with it the killing of the soul; and thus makes of death, which lasts but a moment and is
is a pretended death, the eternal and true death. Therefore I advise you to turn your eyes away from the tyrant who kills you and look at the one who can kill both for eternity. If you look at him, the one who killed you in appearance and for a moment will be nothing in your eyes. Thus said Saint Polycarpus to his tormentors. This fire (with which he was browned) goes out, but the future fire will not be extinguished 2c. Therefore, since you have righteous cause and a gracious God, and your life shall certainly be eternal, be strong and despise everything, lest, denying your cause, you incur God's wrath and eternal death. For what can your murderers help you if you insult God to please them, since they can grant neither you nor themselves a single moment of life, but every moment the life of both your body and your souls is in God's hands alone, as is the life of those? Why then would you make an enemy of Him who can make you alive and kill you for eternity, for the sake of those who can only kill you for a moment and not make you alive for a moment? Thus we read of one who, along with forty other martyrs, endured the torture, but at last fell away and denied the Christian religion, that soon after the denial he gave up the ghost.
55) Along with this consolation against death, there is another consolation against the annoyance that Christians die and are killed in such a miserable way, as if God did not care so much for anything as for his confessors, because he allows them not only to be killed, but also to die in disgrace, so that their murderers rejoice, have good fortune, and mock them. He meets this annoyance by saying:
V. 29. Do you not buy two sparrows for a penny? nor does one of them fall to the earth without your father.
(56) As if to say, It seems that you are very much like the sparrows who are born to it and are given up to it,
They are killed and sacrificed (as it is also said in the 44th Psalm, v. 23: "We are esteemed like sheep for slaughter"), they are killed miserably. So you also are slaughtered quite miserably, and you are quite like them. But behold, if it were not for the will of God your Father, not a single sparrow could be caught by all men, much less killed. But because it is God's will that gives the sparrows away, therefore they are caught 2c. If then God also counts all sparrows and takes care of them so that, where he himself does not want, not even a single one would be caught, how much more does he count you and also certainly take care of you, not only as men, but also as my servants and believers. And he does not let anything bad happen to any of you without his exact foreknowledge and without his will, although it seems as if he does not know about you and does not care about you. Certainly, since he does not disregard a completely unworthy sparrow, he will much less neglect one of you.
V. 30 But now all the hairs of your head are numbered.
(57) Yes, I say even more: Not only are you numbered with Him and He takes care of you, but also all your limbs, all your fingers, all the members of them, finally even the nails, yes, even the hairs on your head (which are the least of your body and a completely dead part of it) are all numbered. And there is not a single one of them that God is not concerned about or does not know about.
(58) In truth, this is a glorious consolation, which is made exceedingly great and important to us, that not only the body and the soul with all parts and members, but also all hairs are numbered in such a way that the devil and the world cannot take even one hair from us without the will of our Father. Thus we say in German: Not to harm a single hair.
59. O what is this unspeakable care of such a father? O what a wretched and impotent devil is this, who does not have power and authority over even a single hair on the body of the faithful! O how cursed is our unbelief, we who have such, so
rich, so glorious promises of God. How could fear, sorrow, sadness, even in the midst of hell, find a place where this is believed? That is, to be arrogant with Paul, and to say, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" [Rom. 8, 31.] Thus the fearful sheep had to be encouraged and made stout-hearted, who were sent in the midst of the wolves. So the weak sinners had to be made proud, who should destroy the kingdom of the devil and the world, tread death, sin, and all evil under their feet and overcome it, and bring eternal life 2c.
Since it is certain that we suffer everything with the full knowledge and will of our Father, we must grasp this fatherly will with a joyful and glad heart, and set this glorious fatherly care of God against all ills and sufferings, however small they may be, yes, devour all tribulations, and drown them like a spark in this sea of God's infinite love and care for us, and speak of them with derision.
V. 31. Therefore do not be afraid; you are better than many sparrows.
(61) But he seems to say little in that he praises his saints no more than that they are better than many sparrows; as if even one godless man were not much better than all the sparrows in the world. But, one must understand this word of Christ figuratively, as less is said, and something greater is implied. As if it were said: Rather, St. Peter is as good as a sparrow; item, the emperor has as much a penny as you poor beggar, by which figure it is indicated that the comparison made does not correspond to the matter at all. As if, because it does not rhyme, that a sparrow should be esteemed equal to men, Christ says, O dear, you will be better to me than a sparrow, even many sparrows. As if to say, There is no comparison between you and the whole world; how much more is this true when you are compared with sparrows. So the image in this word must be judged by the heart of the one who speaks, and not by the books.
The word "sparrow" is a word that means "sparrow" and the thing that it means. But Christ indicates that he cares for them most of all, since the sparrows, so useless, would not be caught without him taking care of them.
V. 32. Therefore, whoever confesses me before men, I will confess him before my heavenly Father.
62 This is another consolation, which is taken from the very glorious and praiseworthy reward. Behold, saith he, ye do a little work, that ye should confess me before men, and be my preachers before a few, and in the corner, and before little creatures that are on the earth: but I will be your confessor and preacher in heaven, and will boast of you before my Father and the angels. But how much more glorious it is to be confessed and praised by Christ in heaven before His Father and the angels, than to be preached by us sinners on earth before men.
(63) Now consider every word, and go on to say what a great difference there is between Christ who praises and confesses us, and us who preach Christ; and what a difference there is between the place where this preaching takes place, that is, between heaven and earth, and what a difference there is between the hearers, that is, between God and the angels (who hear Christ preaching from us) and the wretched people who listen to us when we preach about Christ. Accordingly, Christ preaches from us in glory; but Christ is preached from us poor worms in your place of shame. Who, then, can exalt or understand this glory and comfort of Christ's servants gloriously enough? Who should not bear a fervent desire and wish with joy not only to confess Christ, but also to die over the confession of Christ? These words, which Christ speaks here to strengthen His own, are quite priceless. Knowing our weakness and the greatness of the persecution in the world that we suffer from the flesh and from the devil, he opposes this plague with all his majesty, and boasts that he himself wants to preach about us, that his
heavenly Father and the angels his listeners that heaven would be the church or the place where this sermon should take place.
V. 33. But whoever denies me before men, I will also deny him before my heavenly Father.
Again, what can be said against those who deny Christ in this world that is more frightening than this? They deny the Lord of glory in a corner, before few men; but he denies them before his heavenly Father, and before the angels in the exceeding wide heaven? How unlike [the earthly deniers] is the denial, the denier, the place of denial, and those who listen to the one who denies! Our denial does no harm to Christ whom we deny, the hearers of our denial help us nothing, the place of denial passes away. But his denial plunges us into eternal ruin and makes the heavenly Father, the angels, heaven, all the saints and all creatures hostile to us. As Paul says [2 Tim. 2:12, 13], "If we deny, he will also deny us: if we believe not, he abideth faithful." What then do we gain by denying Christ for the sake of men, that is, by making Christ our accuser, since if we confess Him we can have Him as our spokesman?
However, these words must be understood as a punishment and not misused for presumption or despair. For Christ does not mean that if anyone denies him, he cannot be helped again in eternity; but this is his opinion: that if anyone persists in denial, he will also deny him continually; but if anyone turns back from denial to confession, he will also turn back to confession, and vice versa. Just as St. Peter and many other holy martyrs returned from denying Christ to confessing him. Only we should not persist in denial. Just as many turn back from the confession to the denial, which we also do in our lines to
many examples. And in the 18th Psalm, v. 26, it says: "With the saints you are holy, and with the perverse you are perverse."
V. 34. Do not think that I have come to send peace on earth. I have not come to send peace, but the sword.
Now follows a warning against the soft and tender martyrs who seek honor, riches, favor, peace and tranquility of the flesh and the world from the gospel. Just as nowadays most of them touch the gospel because it is soft. Namely, they seek the freedom of the flesh and want it to be good for them, but they do not want to do good and suffer evil. Therefore Christ here rejects this carnal freedom, and teaches that from within, before God, we have peace, honor, riches; but from without, in the world, the sword, that is, persecution and war 2c. As if he wanted to say, "Prepare your hearts for this and expect nothing more certain than this: as soon as you have begun to teach the gospel in one place, war will immediately arise against you, and the sword will make itself known. Just as David also says in the 120th Psalm, v. 7: "I keep peace; but when I speak, they look upon war." And in the 119th Psalm, v. 161. "The princes persecute me without a cause, and my heart is afraid of thy words." And in the 116th Psalm, v. 10. "I believe, therefore I speak; but I am greatly afflicted," that is, I must suffer much 2c.
67 And here it is to be noted that the words of Christ are very stirring, since he speaks that he has come to send the sword. Who would tolerate such a preacher? But Christ speaks of the sword passively, not actively, that is, he does not give us the right of the sword to kill others with it; just as Mahomet snatched the sword to himself and gave it to his own; just as the pope himself snatched it to himself, and wants to appear as if he had given it to the emperor. Christ does not want it to be understood in this way, but that it should be suffered. "He sends the sword," namely, against us, not for us; so that we ourselves must suffer the sword. But by "sword" he understands all kinds of persecution.
68 But you may say: You are nevertheless rebels, because you arouse the princes to the sword against you; you nevertheless cause disturbances in the kingdoms and nations, and disturb the peace by the gospel, which, if mau were silent about the gospel, would remain well; but now, because you attack the religions, the services of the gods, the righteousness of the works, and make the hearts of all men restless by new doctrine 2c.., you are in fact and truth disturbers of the peace. Just as Apost. 16, 20 [of Paul and Silas]: "These men make our city to err"; and of Paul Apost. 24, 5. 1): "We have found this man harmful, and the sedition arouses all the Jews on the whole face of the earth"; and as Ahab said to Elijah, "Are you the one who confuses Israel?" [1 Kings 18:17] The answer to this is, "This is what Christ wants, this is what He commands to be done, and we boast that it is done through us, and in this way Christ sends the sword. Thus Paul boasts that he proved himself to be a servant of God in riots, 2 Cor. 6:5, not which he himself had stirred up, but which he had endured when they had been stirred up by others for the sake of the Gospel. In this way Christ was crucified as a rebel, he was accused as one who would have troubled many people from Galilee to Jerusalem. But by whose fault is this sedition stirred up? Not through our guilt, nor through the guilt of the word, but of the world, of the flesh and of the devil, who do not want to hear the word of peace, life and salvation, but take up the sword and try to eradicate it with it. But it cannot be eradicated because it is the word of the eternal God. And because those cannot rest, a tumult inevitably arises, namely between those who persecute and kill and those who tolerate it and die over it. Thus, St. Stephen caused a serious uproar among the Jews, since he did not do anything evil, but only
1) In Latin, these two passages are combined: "Those who confound the whole earth have also come here."
He did good and spoke what they could not tolerate [Acts 7:54].
69 Christ therefore strengthens us against this clamor and senseless noise of foolish men who pretend: Peace is disturbed, the world is agitated, men are misled in heart and mind, religion falls upon the Hansen, worship is destroyed, lawful obedience is abolished; and, as they say, "What good has come from the gospel? before it was all better. Truly, these are very grave calumnies, and a very vexatious cry. But Christ commands us to confidently despise and laugh at such things, and to say, "You complain that the world is stirred up by our gospel. The answer to this is: "Thank God for that! This I have desired; and, O woe is me, if such were not done! For if it were received in peace, it would not be the true gospel, because Christ says: "He sends the sword" by sending the gospel.
(70) The word "sword" is also used here in a figurative or metaphorical sense, namely, that the sword signifies separation, because, as will follow shortly, Christ separates father and son, mother and daughter, by his word; just as the sword, according to its literal meaning, separates, so the word of Christ separates spiritually. This opinion is beautiful, however, it ultimately boils down to one thing. For when hearts are divided, there cometh the sword, that is, persecution, as he said above [v. 21.], "that the children shall deliver up the parents unto death." Hence the sword, if taken in the figurative sense, is a cause of the bodily sword, which is aroused against the gospel by its separation. As he also soon after says, "A man's enemies are his own household." For when hearts are inflamed with hatred, it is no other thing than that they are filled with death-smiting, which they set to work wherever they can; as John saith [1 Epist. 3:15.], "He that hateth his brother is a death-slayer."
71) Both senses of this word can be distinguished from each other in our German language, namely by the article "das".
and "a". For if one says: "the sword", then in German a physical certain sword is understood. But if one says: "a sword", then a sword is implied, the meaning of which, however, is uncertain and not yet determined, just as if it were without an article. However, the latter meaning, according to Christ's intention, is the actual one, although it brings the former along as a necessary consequence. For he also speaks elsewhere by a similar figure [Luc. 12, 49]: "I am come to kindle a fire upon the earth," that is, discord. And Lucas in this place expressly puts "discord" instead of the sword, saying [v. 51.], "Think ye that I am come to bring peace on earth? I say, no, but discord." So what Matthew calls "a sword" in the figurative sense, Lucas calls "discord" without figure. Just as, on the contrary, when Lucas writes in the 11th chapter, v. 20, that Christ casts out devils by the fingers of God, in the figurative sense, so Matthew pronounces this, cap. 12, 18, without figure, that he casts out devils by the Spirit of God. However, the former understanding is not to be rejected, because it is very comforting against the terrifying clamor of senseless and frenzied men, who attribute their frenzy to the Gospel; as we have said above 69]. And especially because Christ says that he has this sword in his hand, and that the devil can do nothing against us unless Christ himself sends and orders it, so that we may be sure that we will not be tempted according to the hatred of men and the rage of the devil, but according to the good and gracious will of God.
For I am come to provoke a man against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the cord against her inlaws. And man's enemies will be his own household.
But this is a wonderful separation, which not only seems to be rebellious, as I have already said 67. 68], but also blasphemous and ungodly, because it is against the fourth commandment of God. For in such a way the teaching of Christ must seem vexatious,
both against God and against men, that it is a curse and an abomination to the world, as the 22nd Psalm, v. 7, says: "A mockery of men, and contempt of the people." So now God commands: The son shall obey the father, the daughter the mother, the daughter-in-law the sister-in-law, the members of the household the master of the house. On the other hand, Christ says: "The son shall obey your father, the daughter your mother, the daughter your in-law, the members of your household your master. Does not this mean to dissolve the obedience of the children and the obedience of the members of the household, and consequently to dissolve the household and the secular government, not to mention religion? But he refers, without naming him, to the prophet Micah, who, in the 7th chapter, v. 6, speaks thus: "The son despises the father, the daughter sets herself against the mother, and the cord is against the in-law, and a man's enemies are his own household."
The answer to this is that the first tablet is above the second, and God is above the creatures. Therefore, if the case arises that either God or the creatures must be denied, then the creatures, rather than God, must be denied. Since the commandments of the second tablet apply to the creatures, the latter must give way, and one must let it go, if it is in conflict with the first tablet. This must be noted against our present devils (diabolos), who cry out: one must listen to the church and the authorities, above and against the holy scriptures and the word of God; as all papists cry out today. This is a frightening frenzy, that one prefers the second table to the first, and a man or creature to the Creator, and teaches: one must listen to the church, even if it obviously commands something against the word of God 2c. But it remains with the saying [Apost. 5, 29.]: "One must obey God more than men", and as Christ speaks here: "I will stir up the son against the father", that is, I want that one prefers me also to the obedience of the parents, and the commandments of all kings 2c.
V. 37: He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Here the emphasis lies on the word "more", because he does not abolish the power of the parents, but confirms it; namely, parents should be loved and honored, but not more than me. If it concerns the matter of the divine word, the parents must be put inferior. Except in this case, however, parents must be honored without fail.
This is an objectionable doctrine, first of all, because children in and of themselves despise their parents and hate them; how much more will they, under the pretext of this doctrine, hate their parents still more, and say: I am obliged to love Christ more than the parents. Just as under the papacy this trouble gave rise to so many monasteries, since the children, against the will of their parents, ran into the monasteries as if they were going to Christ.
But this is the most important thing, that Christ makes himself equal to God with these words, because he says: one must obey the parents for his sake; but this honor belongs to God alone, that 1) he is preferred to the parents. For he alone, who commanded that one should obey one's parents, can cancel this obedience. Consequently, Christ here shows himself to be God, which was frightening for the Jews to hear. For the prophets did not speak in this way, nor did they presume to prefer themselves to parents or authorities, but they preached that God must be preferred to all things; but of themselves they boasted that they were his servants. So did the apostles, especially Paul, who says [2 Cor. 4:5], "He preaches Jesus Christ, not himself. All these words indicate that this crucified man is true God. This is an offense above all offense among the Jews and all Gentiles. It still goes through, and must remain so forever, that for his sake, as for the sake of the true God, everything must be put aside, and he must be raised above everything, as the true God. Thus his infinite majesty makes itself known to the faithful in few words. The godless pass over it with deaf ears. Now follow seven sentences
1) Instead of st in the Wittenberg we have adopted nt with the Jena.
of the divine majesty of Christ just mentioned.
77. 1) He subdues the children, that they should not love their parents more than him. And this is rightly the first, because this glory is the highest in the world, that one speaks: The fathers, the forefathers, the authorities, the church, so, so they believed, so they lived; and they were certainly no fools. Especially the children of the Jews have boasted of this, who were strengthened in this opinion by the law of Moses. Therefore also the 45th Psalm, v. 11. 12. prophesies: "Listen, daughter, look at it, and incline your ears; forget your people, and your father's house. Then shall the king delight in thy beauty: for he is thy Lord, and thou shalt worship him." Now this very great reason of proof, that it is not lawful to depart from the commandments of the forefathers, from the statutes of the church, from the custom of the countries, and among the Jews, from the law of Moses: this reason of proof, I say, holds men alike as bound with an iron and demented chain 2c. But Christ dissolves it with powerful and emphatic words, saying: "However great the power of parents may be, I must have the preference, not only according to the outward show of honor, but also according to the inmost and highest affection of the heart, namely in love, that is, I should and must be preferred to everything.
Look at the words that are full of majesty, when he says: "He is not worthy of me"; as if it were something great that one should not be worthy of this most wretched man, who was crucified and blasphemed in the whole world? yes, who should not wish to be far, far away from this so wretched man? So much is lacking that someone should consider it a great thing that he is worthy of this man. He should rather have reversed the saying and said: Blessed am I, if I were worth one man. For who should have a desire for me, who am a beggar, a crucified, a rebel, a damned? Who has need of me? Or, rather, what need have I not of an exceedingly wretched man? I must
rather seek people of whom I am worthy, and keep silent about those who are to be worthy of me. But, as I have said, he indicates herewith that he is the majesty of which all are in need, and those would be blessed who would be worthy of him, however miserable he is and appears without majesty. He thinks much of himself that he esteems it so dear who should be worthy of him. As if he wanted to say, "No one is worth more to me than he who prefers me to all that he is worth and that is worth more to him," the cross must become the highest treasure, which is the worst thing in the sight of the world. Just as Paul says: "It pleased God to make blessed those who believe in it through foolish preaching. To the wise the cross of Christ is foolishness, but to us it is divine power and wisdom" [1 Cor. 1:21, 23, 24].
And whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
79. 2) He subjugates the parents so that they should not love the children more than him, for the very reasons that I have mentioned above [73. ff.] in the case of the children. For he wants to be what he is, that is, a Lord over parents and children, and wants to rule over the fourth commandment and over the whole second table, as the true God, as he is equal to God in the first table, as he is glorious and must be honored above all.
V. 38. And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
80. 3) He also submits to Himself every man in every state, saying: "Even you, though you are neither father nor son, or in any office, I will have you under Me, that you may hate yourself in regard to Me, and for Me submit yourself to death and all misfortune; that is, that you may bear the cross, and follow Me, that even your life and your body may be at the service of Me, as your God, and be put inferior.
This saying extends very far against all works saints who imagine they are something with their merits, like the monks and many heretics. For here he speaks
of all, none excepted: no one is worthy of him, unless he denies himself and is nothing in his eyes, and who alone can boast of this, not that he has done many and great things, but that he was worthy to suffer, be crucified, and die for his sake.
Truly, nothing of glory remains here, except this one glory of dishonor, that is, that we can boast of nothing because of our virtues, but only of the cross, that is, of the destruction and annihilation of our person, which we assume for His sake. There may be works, there may be merits, there may be glory, but this should and must be the sole and thorough glory, that for Christ's sake one perishes, perishes, is despised, trampled under foot, laughed at, hissed out, and becomes nothing at all; just as he himself became nothing for us, and gave us an example. Here it must be repeated again, "He is worthy of me," namely, that it is such a great dignity to be worthy of the cross, that is, of all evil for Christ's sake.
V. 39. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.
83. 4) Because the cross is very hard, and the flesh cannot bear it, that it should become nothing, therefore he puts here in the fourth saying, besides threats, at the same time also a promise. As if he wanted to say: I know that what I teach is hard for the flesh, but you should also know this: Whoever does not want to do it, it will happen to him that, while he wants to preserve his life, he will lose it just by this; if he is afraid of the cross and denies me, just by this he is already eternally dead, because he leaves me who am the life. Here Christ again boasts of himself as a God for whose sake they live, and that those who do not worship him, the crucified, shall die. Therefore he speaks quite beautifully: "Whoever finds his life", that is, who is happy as he himself wants and seeks it, but despises or denies me, he has already been lost for a long time.
But he that perisheth for my sake shall prosper, as he himself will and seeketh. There is faith involved, that is certainly true; the flesh does not understand it, nor will it desire it.
V. 40. He who receives you receives me; and he who receives me receives also him who sent me.
84. 5) This is a wonderful comfort, that he awakens us to faith through this unheard-of and glorious honor, namely, that we should be sure that when we hear the word of God full of the apostles and servants of Christ and receive it, it is just as much as when we hear and receive Christ, yes, "Himself (he says) who sent me". This honor Paul extols everywhere. In Gal. 4:14 he says, "As an angel of God ye receive me, yea, as Christ JEsum"; and 1 Thess. 2:13, "When ye receive from us the word of divine preaching, ye receive it, not as the word of men, but (as it is truly) as the word of God."
Therefore, this honor of the word must be magnified as much as possible according to the art of speaking, namely, that when one hears the Gospel in church or reads it in the book, it is just as much as when we hear God Himself in heaven among the angels. And even if it were no longer of any use, it would still be something great to hear God Himself and the voice of God with one's ears. For what can be higher than to hear God speak? This glory and honor cannot be expressed in any words. But the world despises this majesty of Him who speaks and of His word, hears and wonders about human things. Therefore, God leaves them again, because they are disgusted to hear Him speak, and He gives them to hear fables and lies. But it is a gift. It does not want to be anything else, because: "Blessed is the one who hears God's word and keeps it" [Luc. 11, 28].
(86) Again, it is an honor and comfort for us who preach the word of God to be certain that we are God's instrument, that our tongue is God's tongue, and that our voice is God's voice. For then can-
With great confidence we can despise the scorners of the word and say to the scoffers, "You are not scoffing at me, the Teacher, but at yourself; you are not scorning me, a man, but the Holy Spirit; you are not scorning my word but God's; what is it to me? Then you watch. So he says to Samuel, "They have not rejected you, but me, that I should not be king over them" [1 Sam. 8:7], and Peter to Ananias, "You have not lied to men, but to God" [Acts 5:4]. We, on the other hand, can comfort the brethren in the most certain way, saying, "It is not I who speak to you, but Christ through me; my word is not my word, but Christ's word: accept then the comfort through me, not as mine, but as your God's comfort, who created you, who sustains you, and who has redeemed you. Fear not; he himself saith, He that receiveth you receiveth me; he that heareth you heareth me." Summa Summarum, this is a priceless glory of our conscience against all contempt in the world, that Christ even makes His preachers gods and like Him, saying, "He that receiveth you receiveth Me and My Father." Now may we be despised or honored, it is not we who are despised but GOD who is honored in us. For if it is so in the world that a servant or messenger may boast of his contempt as a contempt of his Lord with all high pride, how much more shall we boast with all high pride that not we, nor our word, but our Lord, and our GOD's word has been despised.
V. 41: Whoever receives a prophet in a prophet's name will receive a prophet's reward. 1)
87. 6) It is a Hebrew expression: "He will receive the reward of a prophet", that is, he will be like a prophet, as he is like Christ who preaches Christ's word. And he who hears a preacher hears Christ, so that the difference is not in the
1) Luther's marginal gloss: He shall have it as good as the prophet.
Hearing exists because the word is the same and one, which Christ Himself and His servants teach.
With this word Christ wants to comfort all who hear and teach the word. As if he wanted to say: Some might say, "Yes, if I heard Christ myself, I would easily believe. To these he answers: "He who hears you," that is, you apostles, "hears me. For a Jew could say: Yes, if I heard God himself. To this Christ answers, "He who receives me receives GOD." So now also, thirdly, one might say, O, if I were worthy to hear an apostle, I would easily believe. To this he answers, Hear a prophet, that is, an interpreter of the Divine Word, that is, a teacher, a bishop, a shepherd of souls, who is in the public office of the Word (for "prophet" is a name of a public person, and a disciple of the apostles in the Church), and one who is truly an apostle: then you have heard me and GOD, yes, you will be like the prophet whom you have heard.
89. here a distinction can be made among the ranks in the church, of which we read in 1 Cor. 12, 28: "God has placed in the church, first, the apostles, second, the prophets, third, the teachers, then the miracle workers, then the gifts of healing, helpers, governors, various languages." For all received from the apostles, these from Christ, Christ from God. After that from the prophets, that is, from those who teach the Scriptures, come other shepherds and teachers, as now are the chaplains, the preachers, the lecturers 2c.
Whoever receives a righteous man in a righteous man's name will receive a righteous man's reward.
90. 7) This is the same saying, "He who receives a righteous man in a righteous man's name," that is, if you also hear a common Christian when he teaches, admonishes, punishes, comforts, you are righteous and like him, hearing in his person the prophets, the apostles, myself, and the Father 2c.
91. according to these seven sayings, which in such a way proceed from the hearing of the Word.
The word "receive" must be made clear that it refers not only to the word but also to the works, because we receive the servants of Christ not only by hearing them but also by loving them; indeed, everyone who receives them in truth by hearing them also receives them by loving them. And he who despises them when he hears them, despises them also by refusing to perform the services of love; as experience clearly proves by all examples. That is why he makes this conclusion:
V. 42. And whosoever shall water one of these little ones with a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, it shall not go unrewarded unto him.
In these words, too, there is a great power of speech, by which he incites all men to receive the servants of the word, and shows what a great honor it is to receive them. For he gives the smallest service of love that can be given, namely "a cup of cold water". Furthermore he says: If this service of love would be performed, not in the name of Christ, nor of an apostle, nor of a prophet, but in the name of one who is the least of all, namely "in the name of a disciple". Finally he also says: if such a service of love would not even be done to Christ himself, but "to one of the very least among his own"; so that this service of love cannot be made less by any art of speech. And yet he says, "Verily such a cup of cold water shall not go unrewarded." What do you think one will have to hope for, if one serves, clothes, feeds, not disciples, but apostles and Christ Himself? Christ considers it such a great thing when the least and most despised of His own are honored, so that we may understand from this that all this is done to Christ Himself, whether it is something great or little, which is done either to the great or to the little of His own.
93. through the contrast one can
He also understands that he will not let even the smallest deed and word, which are directed against the least of his own, go unpunished, if one even neglects to give them a drink of cold water or to speak a word to comfort them. Therefore (says Augustine) no evil will go unpunished and no good unrewarded. Everything is directed so that we may be exhorted to reverence for the Word and its ministers, and on the other hand be admonished from their contempt and disrespect and ingratitude.
(94) But it is to be noted that the words, "In the name of a disciple," are meant here in truth, that is, that he who gives the water believes that he is a disciple of Christ; and that he gives it to him for that reason, because he is a disciple, however small; that is, when good is done to a Christian, provided he is a Christian. Otherwise, if they are pagan good deeds, and they are done in another name, it does not matter, as the friends of the world honor themselves among themselves, and persecute Christ and his followers most fiercely, or love one another under the false name of Christ, as the heretics do. For Christ speaks of true disciples and of the true name. By this he implies that his true disciples would be meager and lacking, in such a way that they would sometimes need cold water, that is, some very little service of love, and yet would not find it in the world. But blessed is he with whom they find it. Just as we see that the world does not grant us the morsel of bread we must have, but would much rather deprive us of the same. Therefore, those who grant even this cup of cold water to true Christians are rare. Although they boast that they would do infinite good if the godly were in need of it, it is all deception and false, because they do not believe that those are godly who are, but they consider only those to be godly whom they themselves want and love.