At that time Jesus went through the seed on the Sabbath, and his disciples were hungry, and began to pluck ears of corn, and to eat. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to be done on the sabbath day.
First, an occasion to speak of the Sabbath occurs here, through the disciples of Christ, who were plucking up ears of corn on the Sabbath day. Now the Sabbath was among all things the most holy and the most famous ornament among this people, since it was written in the first tablet of the Ten Commandments with the fingers of God, and had been commanded under so many signs from heaven. Therefore, nothing was more burdensome for them to suffer than when it was either broken or despised, not to mention that they were set apart from the rest of the Gentiles by this day, as if by a distinguishing mark, and could boast that they alone had such a great celebration commanded by God Himself, and the like.
V.3-5. And he said unto them: Have you not read what David did when he and those with him were hungry? How he went into the house of God, and ate the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them that were with him, but for the priests only? Or have ye not read in the law, how the priests break the sabbath in the temple on the sabbath day, and yet are guiltless?
(2) Here Christ comes and shows himself in such a way that it seems as if he not only despises and breaks the Sabbath, but also takes pleasure in provoking them to anger of his own free will. In view of this, it seems as if he is twice more wicked than the heathen, since he not only ridicules the Sabbath, but also the wrath and offense that had arisen from mocking the Sabbath, and shows himself to be a despiser beyond measure, even making himself master of it. This is now the summa of this trade: Christ wants to be a lord of the Sabbath, and demands of the Jews that they should suffer their Sabbath to be broken by him, and he does not want to be bound by its law. They could not suffer this crime worthy of death. Here the Jews have a just cause against him.
(3) Why, then, did he make this deal, and why did he seize this opportunity so eagerly? Answer: This was his office, and for this purpose he had come, that he might make himself and his office known, and fulfill the will of the Father. The will of the Father was that Christ should be accepted as his Son, that his word should be heard, that the law should be abolished, and that faith should be spread throughout the whole world. Therefore, wherever he can, he takes the opportunity to teach and do such things, in order to fulfill the ministry of his profession. Therefore, as his
If, according to the judgment of the Pharisees, the disciples break the Sabbath, he does not stop them and does not bother to refute the accusation. For if he had wanted to refute it, he would have said, "Do not be angry, they did it without my command; likewise, they did it through ignorance; likewise: According to the law, this Sabbath is not a great Sabbath. For, as Lucas records, this happened on an after Sabbath [Luc. 6:1]. And he could have said many such things, which could have served to justly excuse the disciples and to appease them. This he does not do, but, as if he were pleased that they were upset, he seizes the opportunity to provoke them and to vex them with their Sabbath. As if he wanted to say: "Oh yes! You are just right with your Sabbath! You should be heard! You are fine people, too! Tell me, you wise men, why did David break the Sabbath? Why do the priests break it? Go and reproach them and yourselves; leave my disciples in peace and unpunished; they do better than you can teach them. So he resolves the argument by a power saying, as if he wanted to say: Sic volo, sic jubeo, sit pro ratione voluntas [So I will it, so I call it, my will shall be the right]. 1) All this is done, as I have said, so that he may make it known that he is the teacher and lord of all, whom one must hear and follow. Therefore he makes the conclusion:
V. 6. But I say to you (that is, I proclaim and preach to you) that here is He who is also greater than the temple.
4 This is: You shall know that I am to be heard, not you, nor your Moses; it is finished with Moses and your thing. This is the true resolution of the argument. When they say, Behold, thy disciples do that which it is not lawful to do on the sabbath day, he answereth: It is not for you, but for me to judge. It is now a different time. Those who were formerly under Mo-
1) This is how Luther himself translates this saying. Wittenberg edition (1553), vol. IV, p. 432.
If they could be called transgressors of the Sabbath, they shall not be so called now, though they truly break the Sabbath; how much more if they break it only according to your opinion? For the Sabbath and all that pertains to its observance departs from me. On this he adds something more special, putting it in the Scripture mostly.
V. 7. 8. But if you knew what this is: I am pleased with mercy and not with sacrifice, you would not have condemned the innocent. The Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath.
5. it seems as if he deliberately and diligently departs from the Sabbath and the temple, and also talks about the worship of the sacrifices to refute all their things. For if the Sabbath, temple and sacrifices are gone, what is left for them? And so, on the occasion of the Sabbath, he throws their whole religion over and makes them submissive. Are not these defenders of the Sabbath answered that they lose not only the Sabbath, but also the temple and the sacrifice, along with all worship and religion? Well, they have argued badly and got a very bad solution.
Therefore we must treat this passage, which is taken from Hosea Cap. 6, 6: "I delight in love and not in sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God and not in burnt offerings. This is Christ's absolute objection to the worship of the Jews, in which they imagined miraculous things. For they themselves exalted nothing higher than the sacrifice; as we see in Matth. 23, 18. ff. where they preferred the sacrifice to the temple itself and the altar, as well as to the honor of the parents, Matth. 15, 5. Therefore it was a terrible heresy that Christ preferred mercy to sacrifice. So now he says: "You are only sacrificial servants, and only boast about the sacrifices, which God does not respect, nor does he need them. In the meantime, you are so stingy, so cruel, and so devoid of mercy and love, that you will not even admit that my poor disciples, after fasting, eat the grains from the ears of grain that should have been eaten.
should give, according to the law of love and mercy.
(7) Thus it has been from the beginning of the world, that the hypocrites have been completely blinded by the false conceit of their righteousness and religion, and have always been the most cruel and incapable of all good works, doing for and for nothing else but diminishing, judging, condemning others, and despising the sinners, the weak, the poor, the abandoned, and admiring only themselves, thinking that they were saints and children of God. Just as the priest and the Levite passed by before the half-dead man, but the Samaritan took care of him, that is, he showed him mercy, which God had shown to all victims (Luc. 10, 33. ff.).
Yes, Christ says even more, and does not prefer mercy to sacrifice alone, but abolishes sacrifice altogether, citing Hosea 6:6: "I do not like your sacrifice." Because they forsook mercy and chose sacrifice, God, on the other hand, chooses mercy and rejects sacrifice; not that the fault lay in such a holy work, but that the fault lay in those who did the work; as it is written [Proverbs 21:27], "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination"; [Ecclesiastes 4:17], "They know not how much evil they do." For who should not have an abomination in him who rejects and despises God's commandment of mercy, and is stingy, cruel, negligent toward his neighbor, and despises, diminishes, condemns him etc., and who instead of this commandment comes with his sacrifices which he offers out of his own devotion? Hence it is said in Jeremiah, "I told not your fathers the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, neither commanded them of burnt-offerings and other sacrifices; but this I commanded them, saying, Obey my word, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people, and walk in all the ways that I command you" [Jer. 7:22, 23]. Not what you choose and what is pleasing to you, but what I choose and what is pleasing to me, that I will keep. But you do not know this, nor are you concerned about it;
Therefore, you do not understand what the prophet Hosea taught; indeed, you do not know what great sin you are doing, while you imagine that you are doing the very best. For you trample underfoot the commandment of love and mercy through manifold disobedience, and want to propitiate God through your sacrifices, which you have chosen yourselves. This means to ridicule God as a fool, as if he should approve and crown your disobedience for the sake of your sacrifices, and thus prefer you godless ones to himself and his commandments, as if you were everything in everything with your sacrifices, but God should be nothing with his commandments and a buffoon etc.
V. 9, 10: And he departed thence, and entered into their synagogue. And, behold, there was a man there, which had a withered hand. And they asked him, saying: Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? That they might have one thing to say to him.
(9) Now follows another occasion of Sabbath-breaking, and that in a public place, that is, in the synagogue, and in the place where the teachers and hearers were. There they find occasion to watch him in a more detestable way, namely in front of the common people, who were zealous for the Sabbath, just like themselves. For this reason, they summoned him to a public place of the people, so that they might provoke their minds to anger against him and honor themselves if he broke the Sabbath. So these cunning vipers knew how to choose the places and occasions, the people, the time and everything, in order to pursue him, to slander and harm him; and yet they are always deceived, and their plan fails them, as here.
010 There was a man standing here, that is, on the Sabbath, who had a withered hand, and so was in need of help and mercy; and Christ had just before exalted mercy above sacrifice and above the Sabbath. Therefore, those Laurians thought to themselves: "Now we have the place, the person, the time to try him before the people. If he has mercy on this needy person, he will break the Sabbath in the presence of the people. If he does not have mercy on him, he is against himself, as one who does not show mercy for the sake of the people.
for the sake of the Sabbath. Here we will surely catch him, and he will not be able to escape us; for he cannot escape this captious conclusion, he must say yes or no. If he does a work of mercy, he will provoke the people against him; if he does not, he will make his doctrine suspect, that he is a heretic; and so death threatens him on both sides. They did the same with the question of interest to the emperor [Matth. 22, 15. ff.].
11. but he breaks through their nets here, as a camel through a spider's web, and breaks off the one horn of the captious sentence, 1) and breaks off the one quarrel 2) of the fork, and thrusts it into themselves. This is what Matthew writes: They asked him that they had a cause (namely, of death) to him in the sight of the people. But he turns this very question back on them again, and compels them to answer, at least with silence.
V. 11-13. But he said to them: Which of you, if he have a sheep, which shall fall into a pit for him on the sabbath day, shall not take hold of it, and gather it up? How much better is a man than a sheep? Therefore one may do good on the Sabbath. Then said he unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out, and it was restored unto him, even as the other.
(12) By this question he deprives them of the applause of their people, but he frees himself from envy and wins applause for himself through his divine wisdom. There they stand like the pipers who have spoiled the dance, and have themselves courted them. For now the people also admired Christ, but despised those who sought the opposite. 1) Having thus put his enemies to shame, he speaks and works as it were in the open field. He speaks by saying, "One may well do good on the Sabbath," that is, to show mercy.
1) This is spoken with reference to the previously used expression: eornutns sylloNsraus - a horned conclusion, that is, a conclusion that cannot be evaded.
2) Luther himself gave these words in German. In the old editions: "zancken", that is, "Zinke" (of the fork) or "Zacke" (at the deer antlers).
as I have taught above [v. 7]. And so this teaching of his is vindicated, and the misleading of his enemies is refuted; and mercy retains the upper hand over sacrifice etc. 2) He works by making men well, and proves by deed what he had taught and defended. And so he confirms his teaching with words as well as with deeds, and overthrows the teaching that was against him. And both the teaching and the work is a miracle of God. For no one could have taught against the Sabbath like this, nor healed the withered hand, if God Himself had not been present.
V.14. Then the Pharisees went out and held a council over him, how they would kill him.
13. But behold what great power the devil has in the hearts he possesses, and how they cannot be reformed. They are overcome by the divine wisdom of the Word; they are convinced by the manifest power of God, that is, they hear the answer which they cannot deny; they see 'the work which they cannot reject. The answer is: a man is better than a sheep; and if it is permissible to preserve a sheep on the Sabbath day, it is much more permissible to preserve a man. What can be said against this? And yet they are blinded and hardened. The work they see with their eyes, he heals publicly before all a withered hand. What can be thought against it? And yet, not only are these good people not converted or moved in the least, but on the contrary, they become angry and hold counsel, not how to learn and hear from him, but how to kill him. O good people! who, convinced publicly and in conscience by the truth of both word and deed, are nevertheless carried away by their rage against the truth for the lie! What wonder if Satan does something similar nowadays, who always remains the same, although it happens through his different tools? So it shall be, 3) if they are the same
3) Here we have omitted "that" because this disturbs the construction (in this sentence given by Luther himself in German).
themselves must confess that it is the truth, yet they shall stubbornly defend their lies with murder and blood; otherwise they would not be worthy children of their father, the devil, who is the author of lies and death [John 8:44].
V. 15-19 But when Jesus heard this, he departed. And much people followed him, and he healed them all. And he afflicted them, because they reported him not. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet Esaias, saying, Behold, this is my servant, whom I have chosen, and my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall declare judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not quarrel nor cry out, neither shall his cry be heard in the streets.
14 Now follows another story, and Matthew takes occasion to refer to the Scriptures of Christ, saying, Christ forbade the people that followed and adhered to him, that they should not make him manifest. He therefore speaks: When Christ had heard that the Pharisees were counseling against him, he turned away from their anger and went to another place. With this example he teaches that one must avoid the frenzies under certain circumstances, and especially when necessity does not require that one stay, and a greater benefit can be achieved elsewhere. This is how it is here; since the Pharisees seek to kill him and do not want to follow, he gives way and finds others who hear him gladly and accept his benefits. For this is the nature and happiness of the gospel, that though some hate it, there are always others who love it, even to the end of the world. Then he comes to the scripture, and says: "He afflicted them that they reported him not, that the scripture might be fulfilled which foretold that he would be quiet and still in the streets" etc.
(15) But it seems strange that the evangelist should adduce this saying for such a purpose, namely, that Isaias had spoken of this accidental and particular flight of Christ; seeing that Christ in all other places had been
was very famous and not at all silent on the weapons. But Matthew wants to say that Christ did not want to quarrel with the unbelievers or to repay reproach with reproach, but where he does not find a hearing, after he has limited the truth, then he moves away, and does not quarrel with the quarrelsome hypocrites, who make many words, but rather moves away elsewhere etc. For this he cites the 42nd chapter of Isaiah v. 1-4: "Behold, this is my servant, I sustain him, and my chosen, in whom my soul is well pleased. I have given him my spirit. He will bring justice among the Gentiles. He will not cry out nor shout, and his voice will not be heard in the streets. He shall not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoldering wick. He will teach the right to be true. He will not be sullen nor cruel, that he may establish justice on earth, and the islands will wait for his law.
16 This passage not only contains what Matthew says here, but also portrays the whole of Christ. Therefore it is worth to be looked at and understood. "Behold," he says, "this is my servant," that is, you should all know that Christ is my servant, my messenger, my apostle, and the teacher of all men, sent by me to this end. He did not come without a profession, like the thieves and murderers [John 10:8]. He is my servant, sent by me. And whoever hears him hears me, just as Moses was my servant [Deut. 18:18, 19].
17. 1) Therefore, it is to be diligently noted that here the word "servant" is a name that implies a public person [in office]. This is said against the common error in the papacy, where to serve God means as much as: to flee the world, to leave the public offices, in which one should teach, rule, and do what each profession required. Instead, they became monks, separated themselves from the people, led a private life, and imagined that they served God only with their own self-chosen works; for they did not want to bear the public danger and hardships.
18. 2) Thus, the pronoun "my" [in "my servant"], has a glorious glory, namely, that he is certainly God's messenger, and must be heard according to God's command. And just as kings and princes give their plenipotentiaries credentials, that is, letters as witnesses to their mission, so here Isaiah is Christ's witness and authenticator by giving testimony to his mission.
19. 3) Matthew omitted these words from Isaiah: "I will keep him", or, "if I will keep him". This is a comfort for the messenger or servant, that he knows he has God as his protector in his office and mission. Likewise, it indicates that the servants of the Word are in such great danger from the devil, from the world, and from their flesh, that they also need divine help, and cannot be protected in any other way than by God's help alone, when the heathen rage against them and the kings rebel. And what is only something of the world troubles the messengers of God. That is why he promised to be their protector against all of them. And if he did not do this, and we did not know that he wanted to do it, who would take the trouble of teaching and the multiple danger upon himself? For what happened to Christ will happen to all his servants.
The one I mentioned.
20 By this word, Christ is preferred to all messengers of God, including Moses. For he does not speak of Moses in this way in his profession, however great a divine reputation he gives him. It is true that he also calls others, who have no profession, chosen ones; as, in the 105th Psalm v. 6. it says: "You children of Jacob, his chosen one", and" in other places more. But here Christ is called "the chosen one" among the messengers, so that his teaching may be considered chosen over the law and the prophets, and that all other teachings should give way to it (even if they are very good), since it is chosen before the others. And so Christ and the Gospel are also preferred above the Law by God's own pronouncement.
And my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased. .
21 This also does not apply to Moses, nor to any other messenger, no matter how much he has been recognized by God Himself, but this glory belongs to this One alone and especially, that God is pleased with this messenger's teaching and work. He was not pleased with Moses, for the law was not kept. Therefore God was compelled to be more angry. For through the law such things happened in which God was displeased, because "the law only causes wrath" etc. [Rom. 4, 15.] But through the ministry of this messenger, that which is pleasing to God occurs, namely the forgiveness of sins, victory over death, peace of heart, life and eternal blessedness, the glory of God and love of man etc., so that one could say that Moses received applause from God, but that he nevertheless had no pleasure in his ministry, because the law did not help anything etc.
22. He also indicates that this messenger of God was not considered by the world to be a servant of God, but a servant of the devil, one who had not been protected by God, but had been abandoned, and who had to be punished by God; not a chosen one of God, but one rejected by God; not one in whom God was pleased, but an abomination. For his teaching is considered in the world to be the word of the devil, which God condemns, hates and abhors as a heresy and hellish poison. Therefore, only faith and the spirit understand these glorious words of Jesus and applaud them.
(23) Whoever wants to unite Matthew with the Hebrew text can say that they both said the same thing, only with changed words. Matthew pronounces it in this way, "Behold, this is my servant, whom I have chosen"; Isaiah, "Behold) this is my servant, I sustain him." Matthew says, "And my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased"; Isaiah, "And my chosen, in whom my soul is well pleased." so that what Matthew says, "Whom I have chosen," is what
Isaiah says, "Whom I will preserve or protect." In these two words alone is the difference. For the words "my chosen one" and "my beloved" can easily be united with each other. For he who wants to protect another can very well say: I want to accept this one, and choose him whom I want to protect. And in this way Matthew and Isaiah will argue with each other only according to the grammatical sound, but they agree with each other according to the theological way of speaking. According to the sense they are the same, but according to the syllables they are different; and this does not hurt.
I want to put my mind on him.
24. according to the Hebrew way it is said that the spirit should be put on him, that is, that the spirit should be given to him, which should rule him, that he should do and speak all things with the spirit ruling him, as it is said in Matth. 4, 1: "Christ was led by the spirit into the wilderness. Likewise, "Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit" [Luc. 10:21]. This is nothing else than that everything that Christ would do and speak should be spirit. And this refers not only to the knowledge, but also to the courage that Christ should not only teach and do everything right, but also go about it courageously and tear through it mightily with teachings and deeds, and not be afraid of any danger. He can do it, and may also dare to do it, against everything that opposes him. Just as Samson dared to kill the lion and David the bear.
(25) For it is not enough to know what to teach, but one must also dare to do it and bravely persevere in what one has taught against the gates of hell. Both of these are judged by the Spirit in us, as it is said in Jer. 1:18: "I will make you a wall of brass" etc. Summa Summarum: Just as this servant whom I have chosen is pleasing to me, so also he shall do all things by my Spirit, and he shall break through like a storm wind and like a tempest that nothing can withstand. He will have a spirit that nothing will be able to resist, even if kings and everything should resist. Therefore, there is an emphasis in
The word "my spirit" indicates that he knows, does and can do everything against the will of all his adversaries.
He is to proclaim judgment to the Gentiles.
26. he will speak judgment to the peoples of the whole earth, that is, he will be a teacher of the whole world. For "to declare judgment" is just as much as to teach the Gentiles, that is, to instruct them in the true doctrine of the faith. This is what the Jews understand by their glory, as if they were ruling over the Gentiles through the Messiah. But Christ does not speak here through Isaiah of a future unlimited dominion over the Gentiles, for He does not glory in weapons, but in the Word; and by the Word He will rule among the Gentiles. Just as all the other prophecies preach that Christ will be Lord over the whole race, that is, through the Word and faith he will rule everywhere, and gather his faithful from all the Gentiles. These seven things are not the main thing that Matthew had in mind, but he included this whole passage for the sake of what follows and serves the purpose in relation to Christ, namely, that he was not a bawler, and that he wanted to be hidden and not publicly argue with anyone, etc. as follows:
V. 19. He will not quarrel nor shout, and his shout will not be heard in the streets.
The Hebrew word "shouting" is very well translated by the word "quarreling". For it does not speak of the shouting of boys or the merriment in the streets, but how angry and offended people are wont to raise a clamor against one another with cries and complaints, that is, to quarrel or make a quarrelsome clamor. Christ rather avoided the Pharisees and got out of their sight; he let them be angry with him, persecute him, shout against him; but he persevered in silence and hope.
28. and for the sake of this piece, as I have
26] Matthew used the saying from Isaiah to portray Christ as a peaceful, calm person,
who tried to avoid all tumult, unrest and uproar of the furious and angry people, and gave room to their anger. The screamers do not hear what is said, nor can they scream any more, for: Away, away with this, crucify, crucify him, as they did before Pilato [Luc. 23, 18. 21.]. Likewise Apost. 22, 22. before Lysias, against Paul: "Away with such a one from the earth, for it is not fair that he should live." Likewise against Paul, Apost. 16, 20.
29 From this we should learn that we too should keep silent against the raging cries of men and get out of their way, because we do not achieve anything among them. Just as our adversaries, the papists, and the swarm spirits today have written, taught, and cried out nothing but: Away, away with this! They teach nothing wholesome at all, nor do they listen to those who teach rightly, but only revile and condemn them. Now these, according to the example of Christ, are to be let go and shunned, lest we be drawn into their clamor, by which we would accomplish nothing. We want to let them cry out until God will judge our cause. For it is of no use to quarrel with them (as Paul says), but to deceive the hearts of the hearers [Rom. 16:18]. Therefore also the preacher in the 9th chapter v. 17. f. speaks very beautifully: the poor man's wisdom is despised among these shouters, but the words of the wise man are heard by the silent, and resound there more than all the shouting of the great lords among the fools, because a few fools spoil much good.
(30) In sum, one must not argue with the quarrelsome. For they are not improved by it, but only more incensed; for they seek not truth, but honor and triumph. Therefore, be judged by the example of Christ. 1) When one has said what is right, and they want to shout and quarrel a lot, go away. As Christ did here, when he had preached of the Sabbath, he departed from it, and let
1) The following up to the end of the paragraph is given in German by Luther himself.
his hostes [enemies] rage and dispute as long as they want, will not wait for their shouting and blasphemy, because there is no end to it.
(31) Cato also advises in worldly matters: Do not argue with a man who speaks a lot. Likewise: Truth is lost through strife. For he who seeks the truth listens in silence and seeks it without shouting and making a noise, but he who makes a noise and shouts shows that he seeks not the truth but honor. Why, then, should one quarrel with such a man who seeks not truth but honor? Neither he himself can ever arrive at the truth, nor will you be able to bring him to the truth, but in vain you will argue with him without end. Thus Christ says to the Jews Joh. 5, 44: "How can you believe, you who take honor from one another?
(32) The cryers are against the truth, therefore let them go. They do not want to learn, but to teach; they do not want to be unlearned, but to know and judge everything perfectly. Such students shall have the devil for their master. For they are never at their best, but remain brawlers and quarrelsome. As it is said in Rom. 2:8, "They that are contentious, and do not obey the truth." There it is very appropriately put together: Those who are quarrelsome; who do not obey the truth. And in this passage they are called "brawlers"; as can be seen today in the papists and the originators of the sects.
He will not shout, and his shouting will not be heard in the streets.
33 This is one and the same with the preceding, namely, "he will not quarrel." For by this accumulation of the words: "He will not cry out nor shout (non levabit, scilicet vocem, he will not raise his voice), and his voice will not be heard among the guests," as it reads according to the Hebrew, the prophet wants to indicate the furious and stiff-necked shouting of the brawlers and the rage of hatred of the Pharisees among the Jewish people against Christ. Christ will not contend with them, he prophesies, but he will be humble and calm, and with all patience he will teach them.
Punish, threaten and admonish, as Paul instructs Timothy [2 Epist 4:2]. For here Christ is not forbidden not to punish, threaten, condemn, and judge the ungodly, for this is required by the necessity of the ministry and doctrine; But the quarreling, the biting, the raging and blustering is forbidden herewith, and that one should not, as such people are wont to do, merely blaspheme and injure others with abusive words, slander, invective, hatred and envy, caring nothing for the doctrine or punishment of vices or correction of life, either in the church or in their own; but they are only anxious that they may vent their vengeance and anger, and thereby defend their opinions, customs, and statutes.
(34) But these three phrases, crying out, raising one's voice, making one's voice heard, can be taken as three pieces of shouting or quarreling. For the first thing that such furious people do is to quarrel, that is, to listen to no one, to yield to no one, but to quarrel endlessly and defend their own. For they leave the word
because their heart is hardened in such a way, and their eyes are blinded, and their ears are thick, Isa. 6, 10.
The other is that they not only establish their own, but also suppress the truth, which is against them. Here they cry out, and bring many things against the word, which in truth is nothing but crying and vehement words against the truth. They do not respect this; only in order to win, they write, preach, read; help what may, so that God's word does not win or remain right.
The third is that they want their voice to be heard; they also want to boast, to triumph and to be seen as victors. Then their voice is heard: church, church, fathers, fathers, concilio, custom, obedience etc., as also the Jews cry out: temple, temple! Jerusalem, [God's] people, law, patriarchs! as Paul tells their glory Rom. 9, 4. 5.: "To those of Israel belongs the adoption, and the glory, and the covenant,
and the law, and the service, and the promise. Which also are the fathers." And Apost. 6, 13. 14.: "This man speaks against this holy place, against the temple, against the law, against the people" etc.
(37) With such vehemence, or rather frenzy, a godly teacher should not present or assert his doctrine, but when he has taught, punished and judged, he should let them go, so that they bite, quarrel, brawl, revile, cry, shout, rage and rage, until they are rooted out. "There is one who seeks and judges", Joh. 8, 50. Therefore he should avoid such frenzies, as Christ did.
V.20. He will not break the crushed reed, nor quench the smoldering wick.
The most beautiful painting of Christ is adorned with the loveliest images, so that the consolation may be quite complete, and that for the sake of the images it may be all the more pleasant and adhere all the more firmly.
First, this whole verse is an allegory, or a constant simile. For the reed, the wick rc, mean something else, namely a contrite and humbled heart. The meaning of these words is the same as above [Cap. 11, 28.]: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden." Likewise the same with [Cap. 11, 5.]: "To the poor the gospel is preached." But it is pronounced more delicately and emphatically or forcefully by these figures and paintings.
40 Similarly, there is also another figure in these words, namely the
or the emphatic speech, which says less than it means. As, he will not quench; he will not break; that is, he will set it very on fire, and he will make it firm. And this figure is very sweet and powerful when used in the right place to comfort. As, if one is fainthearted, and for fear shuns to go to the Sacrament etc., he might be persuaded by this figure: Why are you afraid? Go to it. For Christ will
1) Instead of HUM in the issues, which does not fit, we have assumed.
do not give you poison. Likewise: It's not like he's standing behind you with a club. Likewise: He will not eat you. Such negative speeches are very uplifting, for they exclude with the greatest emphasis the evil of which one is afraid, and at the same time, in an affirmative way, they contain in abundance the good of which one desires. Thus one might say to one who is afraid to accept an office: "Well, it doesn't bite you; it's not the devil, that is, it's not only a harmless work, but also an admirably good and useful one.
41 Thus Christ is beautifully portrayed here as a king of the poor, the weary, the miserable, the contrite, the frightened. For no reed cares for him if it is not crushed; and no wick bears a longing for him, but that which is there only glows. Nor does he ask for another reed and another wick, [that is, for people] who are whole and strong, who shine, and have no need of him at all, because they are righteous enough, wise enough, and strong enough themselves, as he says, "The strong have no need of the physician." "I am not come to call the righteous" [Matth. 9, 12. 13.]. Likewise here also it may be said, I am not come to make whole a reed that is whole; I am not come to kindle a light that shineth; but I am come not to break the bruised reed, that is, to strengthen and make strong; not to quench the smoldering wick, that is, to kindle and enlighten.
(42) Under these words he shows the cruelty of the drivers, that is, the tyranny of the law and of the teachers of the law, who do nothing but afflict the consciences, which are already afflicted enough. For they impose unbearable burdens on men, which they themselves do not even touch with a finger; from others they demand everything strictly, which they themselves do not keep at all. But nature brings it about that no one is so afraid of death as the fearful; no one is so afraid of the law as this crushed reed; no one is so afraid of sins as such a smoldering wick. On the other hand, the spiritual
The tyrannies of the world have no one more than these fearful hearts. For they take pleasure in being so terrible that both their speeches and their deeds are so honored that the people are subjected to their feet in such a way. Therefore, they continue to increase the laws and statutes without end, and so they break the broken reed completely and extinguish the smoldering wick, that is, they drive to despair and hell.
43 We have experienced this sufficiently under the papacy. And in Ezekiel Cap. 34, 3. ff. the Lord complains that they have scattered and destroyed his army by their tyranny, because they ruled over them with violence and severity. And in the 13th chapter v. 22. he says: "You grieve the heart of the righteous falsely, whom I have not grieved." So also in the worldly regime only the afflicted, especially the Christians, are afflicted. In sum, they suffer both spiritual and worldly tyranny, and are crushed by both, so that there is a crushed reed around and around, which each one bends, bends, presses down where he can, as the wind drives a reed back and forth and pushes it as if it wanted to break it etc.
44. what follows is a wavy different in Hebrew, and Matthew omits some. In Isaiah Cap. 42, 3. 4. the words are: "He will truly teach the law. He will not be sullen nor cruel, that he may establish justice in the earth, and the isles will wait for his law." Instead, Matthew states:
V. 21. until he executes judgment in victory; and the Gentiles will hope in his name.
It seems as if the author of this text wanted to understand the words: "He will not be sullen nor cruel"; among these: "He will not break the bruised reed, and he will not extinguish the smoldering wick"; likewise the words: "He will teach to keep the law truly", with these words: "That he may establish justice on earth".
But that he says, "The Gentiles shall hope in his name," is not very different from those, "The isles shall wait for his law."
46 Therefore the words, "He will truly teach righteousness," are to be understood as being directed against the righteousness of the law, against the righteousness of the works of the hypocrites, in this way: They have made themselves sore, and are still making themselves sore, to attain righteousness apart from Christ; but in this they strive in vain. They are always learning, and yet never come to the knowledge of the truth; nothing comes of it. He alone will break forth and fulfill the law by his obedience unto death; therefore he alone will accomplish true, certain, and thorough righteousness. The others (no matter how hard they try) lack the truth. For they are hypocrites, false righteousnesses, and can never have a confident conscience of their works. Now this one will one day gain the victory over sin and the law, under which all men have overcome and remained closed [Gal. 3:23]. He will break through and triumph by a manifest victory against sin and against the law, for himself and for all who believe in him.
47 And so Christ is praised by these words as the Savior, who alone would satisfy the law for all others and take away sin, wrath and death. This is what Matthew meant when he refers to judgment for victory. For judgment here is a name of a thing, that is, it means righteousness or a just cause, not merely the word or doctrine, He will bring it to pass, and that it may be called right according to the truth, not fictitious nor hypocritical.
He will not be sullen nor cruel.
(48) This is spoken of his manner and example, that he should not see sore, as the hypocrites are sore. For because they think that their righteousness consists in little clothing, a sad face, and other such peculiar and quite unusual habits, they will not be angry.
They can do nothing but judge, bite, punish, and despise others who live in a common way and do not behave like them in dress, food, and drink, and in the rest of their behavior. etc.
(49) Christ, on the other hand, will be kind and gentle, not punishing, judging, or biting anyone for such things, but pleasing all who believe in him, without distinction of outward appearance, clothing, food, or customs. For he lived in the most extraordinary manner, and endured all with the greatest patience; except the hypocrites, because they would not be carried nor believe, but, as such sourpusses are, punish all etc. There is a kind of people who are born, made, educated and carved to be sourpusses and to punish everything, of which there are also many among us today.
That he may establish justice on earth.
(50) Hitherto the saying of Isaiah has actually referred to the people of the law, who wanted to be justified by their works and had Christ promised to them. Now he extends this to the Gentiles, who also, though they did not have the written law, were themselves a law, Rom. 2:14, and sought wisdom and righteousness, as is evident from the example of Cicero and other very good men. This, he says, Christ will do, that true righteousness may triumph, first among the Jews, then also among the Gentiles, through the gospel etc. For thus Paul understands the prophetic prophecies, first of the Jews, and then also of the Gentiles; as is evident from the first three chapters of the epistle to the Romans. For the fact that he says: "on earth" is an emphasis that the true righteousness will not only be with his own, with the reed that was crushed by the law, but also on earth, and everywhere on earth.
51 And here one must notice the emphasis that lies in these words. With the Jews he says [Is. 42, 3.]: "He will truly teach the right." But with the Gentiles it says [Isa. 42, 4.], "He will establish justice in the earth." For with
It was difficult for the Jews to establish the righteousness of faith because of the prestige of the law and the custom of the people (as Paul's writings testify), but also because of the conceit and hypocrisy of the Jews, who boasted of the righteousness of the law against the Gentiles. Therefore "judgment" or true righteousness had to be executed there with the greatest force, as if they were to be led out of Egypt by new miracles. For even the apostles were led slowly out of that Egypt; but among the Gentiles, where there was no religion confirmed by divine miracles, the righteousness of faith was more easily accepted, being established there, as it were, in an empty place, where before there was no other righteousness than civil etc. Therefore righteousness is established here on earth; but there it is set in motion by truth against hypocrisy. This is confirmed by the following words, which are of the same content:
And the Gentiles will hope in his name.
Here only the righteousness itself is described more clearly, namely, that it consists in hoping or trusting in his name, as I said above. For, as Paul speaks, Christian righteousness consists in putting one's trust in the name of Christ. And this is exactly what the Hebrew text says: "And the isles will wait for his law," as if to say: Not for the law of Moses will they wait. He himself will have his law, and for this law, that is, the law of faith, the Gentiles will wait, that is, they will have a desire for it, and receive it with great eagerness of heart, and want to have it, that is, they will gladly take it. With this word he implies at the same time that it will happen that the Jews will despise this Lord and his law and think as if they were much better through the Mosaic law etc. Therefore, it only remains that the Gentiles will gladly accept it by rejecting it.
53And there is no doubt that St. Paul, who refers to this prophet in particular
The same God of the Gentiles, who justifies circumcision by faith, and the foreskin by faith," v. 29, 30. Otherwise it does not read well to say, "the law of faith," and it is not common to say, "of faith," and "by faith." But,.because he saw that here in Isaiah faith in Christ and the gospel are called the law of Christ, and that it was to be made known not only to the Jews but also to the Gentiles, therefore he ventures to call it a law, but the law of Christ, in his epistles to the Romans and to the Galatians, but never otherwise. And because it was to be preached first to the Jews, and afterwards to the Gentiles, therefore, he says, it came to those "by faith," since it was promised to them; but to these, "by faith," since nothing of it was promised to them before etc.
From the blind, deaf and dumb possessed.
V.22-26. Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb: and he healed him, so that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. And all the people were amazed, saying: Is not this the son of David? But the Pharisees, when they heard it, said, He casteth out devils no other way, but by Beelzebub, the chief of the devils. But Jesus heard their thoughts, and said unto them: Every kingdom, if it be divided against itself, shall be desolate. And every city or house, if it be divided against itself, shall not stand. If then one Satan casts out another, he must be at variance with himself; how then can his kingdom stand?
Here follows the third miracle of the blind, deaf and dumb possessed man, which is similar to the one we read above in Cap. 9, 32. ff. Therefore, we must say here what was said above [Cap. 9, § 62. ff.], except that Christ answers the blasphemies of the Pharisees, which Matthew does not touch on above, and Marcus [Cap. 3, 22. ff.] deals with more extensively.
(55) He now answers first by a similitude which includes an impossibility, namely, when a kingdom (a city or a Han) is at variance with itself. From this impossibility he draws this conclusion: It is impossible that one Satan can be cast out by another, but by me he is cast out; consequently it does not happen by Satan. But if it were done by Satan, he would cast himself out, which is impossible. It would be just as if a prince or king himself expelled his envoys or officials from their offices and yet at the same time wanted them to be honored by the subjects. For that would be to ruin oneself if one wanted to appoint an official and deprive him of the obedience of the subjects. For the lower power must be protected by the higher, not thrown over; otherwise the empire cannot exist and no government can exist.
But here a question arises, which is not to be despised: How, if the devils only pretended to be cast out? as this has been done so far in many places and by many evil-doers etc. under the name of St. Cyriacus and others. For by this reason Christ's conclusion is nullified, which follows from this sentence: if Satan is cast out, then it must follow that this does not happen from Satan, because he allows himself to be cast out fraudulently. Here one must insist on the word "his kingdom," namely Satan's kingdom, as the final cause of the casting out. Therefore, distinguish the final cause. If it is about the confirmation of the kingdom of Christ, about faith, about the word of God, Satan does not give way and cannot be expelled by any power other than God's. But if it is a lie, an error, a lie, a lie, a lie, a lie, a lie, a lie, a lie, a lie, a lie, a lie, a lie. But if a lie, an error, an idolatry and the kingdom of the devil are to be confirmed, then he gladly poses as if he were to be cast out bodily, so that he may be fortified sevenfold in the spiritual possession. So he pretends to be cast out by the ungodly conjurors, so that he strengthens them in the error against Christ. Therefore, one must be careful whether it is about Christ's kingdom or about the devil's kingdom. For Christ speaks here of the
realm of the devil, not from his dissimulation. And these lying signs were foretold by Christ and Paul, so that we would not believe that it is true when we see devils being cast out, but would pay attention to the cause for which he is being cast out or is leaving, so that we would not be so deceived. Because we did not pay attention to this, we were deceived into believing that all the casting out of devils was a divine power, when everything was a deception of the devils, who come and go and go again.
V. 27 But if I cast out devils by Beelzebub, by whom do they cast out your children? Therefore they will be your judges.
57. Secondly. He takes the answer from their children, and thus he appeals to the rightful summoners who were in the Jewish people. For this people has never been without faith. Of which I have dealt elsewhere etc.
V. 28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has ever come to you.
Thirdly. Hereby he shows the greatness of the power to cast out devils, namely that it is a change of the kingdom of Satan into the kingdom of God. As if he wanted to say: You should not consider it such a small thing to cast out the devil. It is not such a thing as making one rich, healing one, making one a king, but it is making a son and servant of God out of a child, even a servant of the devil. Therefore I tell you, when I cast out devils by the finger or Spirit of God, an eternal thing is going on; death, sin, wrath, the devil's power and servitude are brought to nothing. Here one can explain by describing, dividing, summarizing etc. what the bondage of the devil is, which is completely taken away by Christ when he casts out the devil.
59 And especially it is to be noted here that Christ speaks in the past time (praeterito): "Thus the kingdom of God has ever come to you". As if he wanted to say: After Satan has been cast out, so will
you will not be alone in the future, but are already children of God; through me, the mediator and overcomer of the devil, you will soon be God's kingdom; so that you may know that it pleased your Father to give you the kingdom, so that no one may presume to earn it by his works.
60. how praiseworthy and sweet it is that a Christian is certain that as soon as the devil is cast out, he is already a child and heir of the kingdom, as if he were already in heaven; just as Paul also says Rom. 8, 17. and Gal. 4, 7.: "Heirs of God, and joint heirs of Christ. And John 5:24: "He that believeth on Him shall not come into judgment"; and 1 Cor. 6:3: "Know ye not that we shall judge the angels?" These and similar things, which the kingdom of God communicates to us, we will not only have in the future, but we also have them already now, but in faith. For he says: "The kingdom of God has come to you", when you have become free through me, who cast out devils.
V. 29. Or how can anyone enter a strong man's house and rob him of his household goods, unless he first binds the strong man and then robs him of his house?
Fourth. He adds a simile or example of a strong man who is overcome and robbed by another strong man. For he wants to reinforce the previous answer against the Pharisees; as if he wanted to say: You have already heard that a kingdom, if it is at odds with itself, cannot exist, therefore no devil can be cast out by its ruler/ without only pretense, as was said above [§ 56.]. Now I make this conclusion further: A strong man is not overcome, unless a stronger man comes over him; therefore it is evident that the devils are subject to me, and that in me there is a stronger power than even in the chief of the devils, and in all devils. If this power were not in me, he would not leave me as a conqueror and the kingdom of God would not come to you. So you must admit, even according to common sense, that a strong man only gives way to one who is stronger than he. Therefore it cannot be true
I am sure that the devils have been cast out from me by Beelzebub.
But Christ is pleased with this likeness of a conqueror and conquered, because he sees himself and his suffering depicted in it. For the devil is strong and unconquerable, and possesses the whole human race in all security etc. But he who is uniquely stronger than he comes and overcomes him and deprives him of his possessions and tyranny, but by miraculous power, which was namely hidden under weaknesses. For he did not drive out violence by force, but by a mysterious counsel he destroyed his power by allowing himself to be killed by him and rose again by the power of God. And so he threw him to the ground under the weakness and devoured him.
(63) Two things must be noted here. Namely, first, that we are born as captives under the kingdom of Satan and live as subjects according to his will, that is, that human nature, powers, free will, justice, wisdom cannot free themselves from the devil, but they are certainly possessed by him, and he does everything he pleases through them. The devil makes use of our highest wisdom, justice, the best gifts and creatures of God for our eternal destruction, just as a highwayman uses a healthy, strong and beautiful horse (which is held captive under him) for its destruction and for all his courage, and forces it to carry his tyrant even through thousands of dangers. Nevertheless, the horse thinks itself healthy and strong, because it does not know that it serves such a shameful master, and indeed to his greatest harm. In the same way, a man thinks himself to be just, wise and strong, just like such a horse and mule, and yet does not know that he serves as a slave to a terrible tyrant to his destruction.
64 Secondly, that Christ alone is the conqueror of our tyrant, who by his merits sets us free and throws the devil off our neck. Just as when a sovereign throws the highwayman off his horse,
and freed the horse, but captured and killed the highwayman, the horse does not free itself. So we are freed, preserved and triumph through the power of Christ. He alone overcomes the strong, binds and deprives him etc. Just this is confirmed by the following saying:
V. 30. He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.
(65) As if to say: Here is no middle road, here is no name that does not belong to one of these two kinds, but we are necessarily either under your strong tyrant, the devil, in his prison, or under the Savior, Christ, in heaven. Therefore, to be with Christ means to be in his church or in faith in him; that is, to be against the devil and against the kingdom of ungodliness, and to be set apart from it, not to hold with the devil or his kingdom, nor to be of his opinion, since his kingdom is a kingdom of lies and murder; but to be of his mind against it,' and to hold it with truth and with life.
In summary: Christ distinguishes here a twofold church: one, the church of God, the other, the church of the devil. And these, he says, without any mediation, are irreconcilably at odds with each other. Therefore, it is impossible for one Satan to be cast out by the other Satan, just as it is impossible for the Church of the Devil to become hostile to itself for the Church of God. Therefore, every man lives either with Christ against the devil or with the devil against Christ.
But from the outside, from the outward appearance, the church of the devil seems to be holy and wants to be regarded as if it stands for Christ against the devil. On the other hand, the church of Christ seems to be heretical and to stand for the devil against Christ. Therefore Christ does well, who by the word makes the statement, and teaches it to be grasped by faith, that the true church is against the church of the devil. For to the senses and outward appearance it seems to be far different. For it happens to Christ Himself that it is thought to be so, as if
he would be for the devil against God, and on the other hand the Pharisees would be for God against the devil.
Therefore, God grant us grace to believe that our church, as the true one, is for God against the devil. For without faith, no one can hold on to the true church; it is even obscured by aversions and weaknesses. On the other hand, the church of the devil shines through its appearance and hypocrisy, so that it is impossible for reason to distinguish them. Therefore he says to himself and to his own, "He that is not with me is against me." The Pharisees do not believe etc. Just the opinion it has also with the following words:
He who does not gather with me scatters.
(69) That is, all that I and mine do with me is wholesome and profitable for life; and he that is not with me does no good, but does all in vain for destruction.
This is a terrible and very severe sentence against the hypocrites, in which the serious saying is made that all the very beautiful, great, holy, endless works, yes, even the ways of life, are completely lost, yes, harmful and detrimental, if they are without glory. On the other hand, they that are with Christ, though they be scattered, that is, sin and fall, yet all that they do, suffer etc., is wholesome and profitable, very good, holy, and divine. O, an unspeakable comfort to Christians! though they are weak, yet they gather with Christ. On the other hand, this is a terrifying threat against the wicked, that all theirs is scattering and destruction.
(71) But this is again false in appearance, if it is not grasped in faith. For the wicked make believe that they are gathering infinite and eternal treasures in heaven, and that no one is gathering them but they alone. On the other hand, the godly scatter and ruin everything in the most miserable way, and no one has less in heaven than the godly. These alone belong in hell, the wicked alone fill heaven. But here the Holy Spirit says in word against word: that the godly gather,
and scatter the wicked etc. And this happens in that the wicked do not notice it, and certainly think something more arid.
Having done this, he now attacks these blasphemers and deluded devils with fury:
Therefore I say to you: All sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever shall speak against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the next.
All blasphemy is forgiven men. Not only of common sins, but also of blasphemy, he says that they can all be forgiven, except blasphemy against the Spirit. This means that if one blasphemes against men, even against the Son of God, it can be forgiven; but if one blasphemes against the Spirit, it cannot be forgiven.
Here arises the question of the sin against the Holy Spirit. Although we have dealt with it elsewhere, we will also say a little about it now.
Of the sin against the Holy Spirit.
(75) Six sins against the Holy Spirit are counted, which, although they are almost the same in substance, differ in their deeds or rather iniquities: spiritual pride, disputing against the known truth, obstinacy, despair, envying the brethren for grace, impenitence to the end. These follow one another or are set in motion, namely, in the time of security and peace: spiritual pride, disputing [against the known truth), stubbornness; in the time of tribulation and unrest: despair, envy and impenitence.
For in the time of safety the wicked is full of confidence, is presumptuous, and thinks himself sure that he and his works please God, and wants to be wickedly righteous, like the Pharisees. When he is punished, he becomes hopeful and resists the truth that is against him, although he knows,
that it is truth, yet he will not yield, out of presumption, and so he disputes the truth that he has known. In this presumption and arguing [against the truth] he stubbornly persists; and so he dies in his sins as a hardened, hardened man, and as an incorrigible man.
On the other hand, when the wicked begin to feel the wrath of God, like Cain and Judas, they first despair and do not trust that their sins will be forgiven, but think that their iniquity is greater than God's mercy. When they see that they are rejected, they begrudge all men salvation and want none to be saved, and all to perish with them. In this resentment and despair they persist and will not be converted. And just as stubbornness is impenitence to the end in the time of assurance, that is, in their arrogance and disputing against the truth: so impenitence to the end is stubbornness in the time of tribulation, that is, in despair and resentment. etc.
From Fegfuer.
78 But here St. Gregory has made a great error in interpreting this passage as referring to purgatory, namely, that it says, "He shall not be forgiven, neither in this world, nor in that world." Thus, he says, some sins are forgiven in that world, namely in purgatory; otherwise Christ would not say, "Nor in that world. "etc.
The good man is very sleepy here. For Christ speaks here of the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, that it will not be forgiven either in this world or in the next. Therefore, if only blasphemy is not forgiven in that world, then, according to this same conclusion, it would follow that all sins could be forgiven in that world; and thus forgiveness in this life would not be necessary, because it could be obtained in the life to come, if only one abstained from blasphemy.
80 And at the same time, see how dangerous it is to cite the Scriptures if one does not understand them correctly. For through this
In the first place, the good man has confirmed the error of Purgatory throughout the world, from which have sprung an infinite number of other errors and adventures, namely, the apparitions of spirits for the sake of men's souls; likewise, pilgrimages, idolatry with the saints, and the appalling desecration of the Sacrament by the selling of masses, and, as it were, the sharing of the good work in which the Pabstacy consists. And this sacrament has been placed entirely at the service of the dead, while the living have been deprived of it. Certainly, here the elect have been led astray and miraculously preserved.
81. But Christ declares himself in Marcus, Cap: 3, 29.: "He that blasphemeth the Holy Ghost hath no forgiveness for ever, but is guilty of eternal judgment." These words show that the words of Matthew, "neither in this world nor in that world," are not to be understood in a divided way (divisim) of any forgiveness, but in a combined way (conjunctim), simply denying that there is no forgiveness of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
82) This is also ridiculous, that they assign to this world or to purgatory alone the forgiveness of venial sins, or at least the satisfaction for those mortal sins which have been forgiven here. For they say that whoever dies in a mortal sin is absolutely damned. Is this not a frenzy, then, that one teaches that Christ in this life has instituted the forgiveness of all sins, even of the infinite and greatest sins, and has spared the minor sins, or temporal satisfaction, until purgatory? As if he who forgives his debtor a hundred thousand pounds would not also forgive him a few pennies. What blindness and frightful lies! And yet they have been more feared and honored than the word of God Himself. For they have ruled over the whole world.
(83) And purgatory is a true blasphemy against the keys of the kingdom of heaven given by Christ. For he says thus: "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.
All that thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed also in heaven" [Matth. 16, 19]. He saith not, Some things shall be loosed in that world: but all things that shall be loosed on earth shall be loosed in heaven. In the same way it is against the saying, "Forgive, and you will be forgiven" [Luc. 6:37]. He does not say, "Forgive, and some things here will be forgiven you, and some things in the next world. Purgatory also disputes the holy Lord's Prayer, the Christian creed, and the Ten Commandments. For in all three one has forgiveness of sin, as it is said, "Forgive us our trespasses." Likewise, "I believe forgiveness of sins." Likewise, "I am the Lord your God" etc.
Therefore, it is obvious that Purgatory is one of the greatest abominations and effects of Satan. And it has terrified the whole world, and devoured the goods of all men, and made the pope king over all kings, even over God and His Word. For we have feared the Pabst and his purgatory more than we have feared God with his hell. And we have placed greater trust in the Pabst's absolution from Purgatory than in the true absolution of God from Hell.
V. 33, 34: Either plant a good tree, and the fruit will be good; or plant a rotten tree, and the fruit will be rotten. For the tree is known by its fruit. You vipers, how can you speak good, because you are evil? When the heart is full, the mouth overflows.
Christ continues in his anger against the blaspheming Pharisees, and cites a simile or proverb, which is called: "A good tree brings forth good fruit," of which Christ himself spoke more extensively in the 7th chapter, v. 17 ff. For it is clear enough that Christ often taught and repeated the same. Therefore, it should not be a disgrace to us if we often say and hear the same thing.
86 But Christ here actually interprets this saying to the Pharisees, saying, "A tree must be either good or evil; so you must be either good or evil.
be. You are not good, and this can be seen from your fruits, that you are evil; for you blaspheme the Holy Spirit. This is not the fruit of good men, though in other things ye set yourselves as the best etc. This is when he continues to speak:
V. 34. You vipers, how can you speak good, because you are evil?
This is a strange conclusion, but it is a certain one, that a wicked man cannot speak or do anything good, even if he does and speaks the best. For if the heart and the will are evil, it is impossible for the thoughts, sayings and deeds to be good.
(88) And this is the controversy in the world between God and the devil, and between the rich of both. For the devil speaks and acts wickedly, even of good things, both in word and deed; indeed, he alone, with his own, boasts the most of both good words and good deeds. For he leads God's words and works lyingly to destruction. But Christ with His own speaks and acts of good words and works truly and for salvation. Thus the devil praises the special works with clothes, food, strict way of life, not to create benefit by it, but to bring them to ruin by these apparent works. He leads the sayings of the Scriptures in a lying way, in order to fortify that thereby, but it is all evil, because the heart and the will are evil. Therefore he now says the exceedingly beautiful saying:
When the heart is full, the mouth overflows.
That is, an evil heart cannot help but speak evil, even when it speaks good. A good heart cannot help but speak well, even when it speaks evil.
(90) Here some understand the words of Christ in a superstitious and frivolous way, wanting to take the words as they are. I have heard such people, and when they were sharply rebuked or their opinion was disagreed with, they would immediately conclude, "You are an enemy to me because you speak evil against me. Says
the other: But I speak out of good opinion. Then says he, Thou deceivest me not: for when the heart is full, the mouth overflows.
Such people are more rude and crude than is proper. For I could say in the same way of all heretics and flatterers, "Well, you speak right. If someone were to remember that he was speaking good out of a bad opinion, I could still stick to it and say, "You are not deceiving me; when the heart is full, the mouth overflows. Therefore this is great foolishness [to take the words of Christ in this way], as if an upright man could not out of a very upright heart reprove, rebuke, and say what is against us, and again, as if the worst wicked man could not out of a very wicked heart praise, and tell us the very best. Therefore, the question is not of the words or syllables, but the words of Christ are to be understood from the sense and opinion of the heart, in this way: An evil man can never speak good, that is, from a good heart, from a good opinion or right movement of the mind. On the other hand, a good man cannot speak evil, that is, out of an evil heart or an evil opinion; but, as the heart is, so is speech, according to the common saying: Speech is the image of the heart. 1)
(92) But this also happens to wicked men, that they cannot always remember what they have spoken, and therefore cannot prevent themselves from speaking their own words. For a liar must have a good memory. They may lie for a while and in some pieces, but they cannot always make everything fit together. The lie finally betrays itself completely, especially in those who listen carefully and pay attention to everything. For now and then a word escapes them by which they are caught, just as here the Pharisees profess that the devils are cast out, and yet lie that it is done by Beelzebub. By this word they are caught, that they confess that the devils are cast out, because they are in
1) This is how Luther himself translates the saying: Oratio est eduraoter uninü.
have truly been put to shame in their hearts; and yet the wickedness of their heart, which their heart overflowed, compels them to say, "Let it be done by Beelzebub".
They also reproach Christ on the cross: "He helped others" [Matth. 27, 42]. Here they carelessly confess that Christ's miraculous works were true miraculous works, and are caught and condemned by their own words; and yet they blaspheme them out of malice, of which their hearts were full, "He did not help himself. Therefore he rightly calls them "viper-breeds For quite properly and appropriately he so calls this poisonous kind of slanderous people, because in truth they are vipers or serpents, that is, full of poisonous blasphemies. The following words are of the same content:
V. 35. A good man brings forth good from his good shah of heart, and an evil man brings forth evil from his evil treasure.
94. that is, when a heart is full of evil, it also speaks evil etc. For a treasure he calls a fullness (abundantiam). An evil heart is full of all wickedness; a good heart is full of all goodness. Therefore an evil man also blasphemes good things, and speaks of them in the very worst way. For he is so full of the treasures of wickedness that he cannot bear even the very best deeds and words, but makes them bad, and in the very worst way makes them bad and diminishes them. For, as he himself is, so are all things to him, even God himself, that is, evil, as he is evil; as it is said in the eighteenth Psalm v. 27. "With the pure thou art pure, and with the perverse thou art perverse." For everything that God Himself speaks and does, a godless man blasphemes, and accuses it of being devilish. As it was then with Christ, and afterwards with the Gospel, so it is to this day, and so it will be to the end of the world.
(95) Therefore, an evil heart is a well of poison and a poisoned fountain, from which nothing good comes forth, either in words or deeds, no matter how good it may appear to be on the surface. After that, not only does it itself bring no good
but also infects what is said and done good by others and poisons it, that is, it condemns and slandered it. It is the colorful newt (as the Germans say), since all poisonous worms fetch poison, which in Latin is called stellio.
Who can believe it, and who can understand it, that the human heart is condemned by such a terrible judgment in heaven with God? namely, that it is a treasure full of evil, a fountain full of poison, a head and source of all iniquity. A man should be afraid of his own heart, who is called a man, when he hears that in the midst of his body such a pestilence, such a poison, such a treasure of evil and poison is kept, that he speaks and does nothing good; then he lets nothing good that is spoken and done by others be good, but makes himself, even out of good, a poison, out of God the devil, out of life death, out of righteousness sin. Just as here the Pharisees make of God's work a work of the devil, of God's kingdom a servitude of Beelzebub, of the most righteous work of Christ the very worst sin. Fie on the shameful pit of murder that is in the human heart!
On the other hand, a good heart is so abundantly full of goodness, and even a fountain, spring, and treasure of goodness, that it not only speaks and does good things, and not only praises what others speak and do out of God as something good, but also what evil is spoken and done out of the devil and out of an even poisoned heart, can turn itself to good, and from it take opportunity for growth in good.
For example, when it sees a man who has been beaten to death, or a man who has committed a similar grave sin, it is moved to mercy, it has compassion, it prays for him, it sighs and laments over the misery of the man, while it admonishes, punishes, and corrects him as much as it can. Secondly, it humbles itself, remembering: Yesterday you, today me; remembering human weakness. Third, it prays to God that it may be preserved from such a fall, and praises Him for His preservation. Behold, how much good
makes such a heart out of a single evil that another does. Do we not see here that in such a heart there is truly a treasure of goodness, which is outwardly manifested in words, signs, works and patience? A terrible threat follows:
V. 36. But I say to you that men will have to give an account at the last judgment for every useless word they have spoken.
The wicked are sure that the whole pile of their wickedness will not only go unpunished by God, but that it also deserves something from God and must be crowned with a reward. Therefore, Christ passes a very strict sentence by saying that no useless word should remain unpunished. He does not say, "No poisonous word or blasphemy," which is what is being spoken of here; indeed, he says, "These vipers will be given nothing at all from their blasphemies, so that even their useless words will be judged. In sum, no mercy will be granted to them, all their words and works will be judged most severely, because their heart is so full of evil, according to which even their useless words (as you can see) will be considered evil and poisonous.
(100) There have been innumerable disputations about what is a useless word? And with this they have troubled the consciences exceedingly, because they have described the useless words only from the outside, that is, as they are from the outside with the people. But Christ describes them from the inside, saying: "Nothing but good can come from a good heart. Even if something evil or useless should come out by mistake, it will still be forgiven by grace, and will not become evil or useless; yes, it will be useful for humiliation, for confession, for correction, for the glory of God.
Therefore, the useless words must be described from within, according to the heart. Where the heart is evil, the words are also evil, even if they do not seem to be evil, but only useless or spoken in jest. An evil heart about is an unbelieving one.
Heart that knows nothing of God and blasphemes. As it says in Rom. 14, 23: "What does not come from faith is sin. Summa: Christ will not let anything be good for them, because they will not let anything be good for him, that is, for those who deny him. On the other hand, he will leave everything good for everyone who leaves everything good for him, that is, for those who believe in him.
V. 37. By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.
This must be understood in two ways. First, according to the wording of this passage, namely: Every useless word shall be condemned, therefore your words will condemn you. On the other hand: A useful word shall be justified, therefore your words will justify you. If thou hast spoken evil, thou shalt be judged according to it; if thou hast spoken good, thou shalt be blessed according to it. And this is the opinion. Each one will be rewarded according to his works. Namely, nothing will go unpunished, and nothing will remain unrewarded. And so the emphasis is in the speech: "from your words." As if he wanted to say: Not even the words (let alone the works) will go unpunished.
Secondly, in justifying their nature, the wicked condemn themselves, as happens here; by making Christ the devil, but themselves saints, they betray themselves by confessing that the devil was cast out by him. Likewise, by mocking him on the cross [Matth. 27, 42]: "He helped others and cannot help himself," they confess that others were helped by him, and yet they crucified him. Likewise Cain, in justifying himself, Genesis 4:9: "Shall I be my brother's keeper?" accuses himself precisely by saying that he is not guilty of loving his brother etc. On the other hand, he who accuses himself and confesses his sin gains grace through this and is justified [Proverbs 28:13].
V. 38-42. Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered and said: Master, we desired to see a sign from thee. And he answered and said unto them: The wicked and adulterous kind seeketh a sign, and no sign shall be given unto it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the midst of the earth. The people of Nineveh will come out at the last judgment with this generation and will condemn it, because they repented after the preaching of Jonah. And behold, here is more than Jonah. The queen of the south will appear at the last judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the end of the earth to hear Solomon's wisdom. And behold, here is more than Solomon.
104 Then they ask for a sign, but they do it at the wrong time. For he is already angry at their blasphemies, and does not do what they want. He is not at home now. Therefore he saith, Shall I give a sign unto such men, which have so shamefully dealt with me? Yea, I will give a sign, that shall be a sign unto them etc. And they are truly hateful people, who want to have signs in such a way according to their will, so that they can blaspheme what they like, but what they demand must be done. Yes, it should be ordered to them in this way, says Christ. Rather, such a sign shall be given to these people, that they may stumble and fall, as the sign of Jonah is, that is, my death and resurrection. By this sign they shall be dealt with as they are worthy: namely, that it shall be given and preached to them, but they shall not believe it, but shall persecute it, and so become worse than the people of Nineveh. Yes, the people of Nineveh will be holy people, and the queen of Sheba will be a saint, because they have seen and heard less than these, and yet have believed. But these do not believe the signs of the present Christ, nor his resurrection.
V. 43-45. When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, but does not find it.
Then he says: I will return to my house from whence I came. And when he cometh, he findeth it idle, swept, and adorned. So he goes and takes with him seven other spirits worse than himself, and when they come in, they dwell there, and the same man is worse afterwards than he was before. This is what will happen to this evil generation.
He continues in an angry way, prophesying evil to them, saying: "I have already expelled the devil's kingdom from this people, but because they are unthankful and secure while I reign among them, the time will come that when I leave, the devil will return to them and make them seven times worse than they were before. Indeed, as long as I am present, the devil will be forced to go out and wander through desolate places where he will find nothing to do. And there he thirsts, because he cannot let out his desires by deceiving and doing harm, until he comes back to the house he left, and then he rages seven times more than before.
(106) So it is with every person in particular; when one falls from grace, he is always made worse. This is exactly what Peter threatens in 2 Peter 2:20: "If they have escaped from the filth of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but are again caught up in it and overcome, the last has become worse with them than the first. And history proves this in the case of the Anabaptists, Sacramentarians etc.
(107) These words, "idle, swept, adorned," can be taken in this sense, that the devil sees such a house standing idle, that is, unoccupied. As if he wanted to say: Oh, how busy it was in this house under me, because it served me faithfully; now, after I have been driven out of it, it stands idle and does not serve me at all; yes, it has also been swept away, so that nothing of me, not even a trace, is left. It is also adorned, namely with new works that are against me. So that these are the words of the devil, who mourns that he has been cast out; as when a pope mourns that we have been cast out of the
They are free of Pabst's teachings and purified of his doctrines, and moreover adorned with new doctrine and customs, which he nevertheless blasphemes as the worst and most frightening evils.
(108) It can also be understood in another way, correctly and according to the mind of Christ; that Hans is empty means as much as that he is safe and idle after the devil has been cast out, because he is purified and adorned with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and with the forgiveness of sins. Therefore, worse devils are necessary, although this security is dangerous and harmful.
V. 46-50 While he was still speaking to the people, his mother and brothers were standing outside wanting to talk to him. And one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. And he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And stretched out his hand over
his disciples, and said, Behold, this is my mother, and my brethren. For he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
109. At last his mother comes and wants to talk to him etc. No doubt she had an important cause. But because he is now taken by the movement of anger against the blasphemers and by the zeal for the honor of his father, he hears nothing, not even his mother. Thus he teaches that the teachers of the word should also not even respect the honor of the parents above the service of the word. Therefore Christ says: What mother! The word of God is far preferable to mother, brothers and everything. Whoever hears this is mother, brother, sister and everything. Hereby he shows that he has an unspeakable love for God above all things, and that one must have such a love and not regard anything above or beside God as equal.