The first chapter.

First sermon on the Gospel of John.

Started to preach on Saturday after Visitationis Mariae [July 7, anno 1537. 1)

1 I do not know where our pastor, D. Pommer, has left it with his sermon in the Evangelist John, which he preached on Saturday, I can also inquire it from no one. For this reason, I want to reach in and start interpreting the Evangelist John from the beginning. For this evangelist is to preach and confess in the world, and especially among us in the church, where we have God's word, and remain known, so that we may become accustomed to his language. In the name of the Lord, therefore, let us take his gospel before us and speak of it.

1) This time determination is in the margin of the original. - The text of the first chapter, which is found here in the Erlangen edition, we have, like Walch, omitted. Thus, we also consider it superfluous to print the marginal glosses, which contain nothing essential.

and preach as long as we can, in honor of our Lord Christ, and for our betterment, comfort and salvation, and not worry whether the world does not ask much about it. There will be some who will gladly hear the dear word of God, for whose sake we must also preach. For since God creates people whom He calls to preach, He will also create and send listeners who will take this teaching to heart. This is how the text reads:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. All things were made through the same, and without the Word nothing was made that was also made.

2. the evangelist John teaches and establishes powerfully in the beginning of his Gospel the high article of our holy Christian faith, where we believe and confess that one, true, almighty, eternal God

*These sermons, like those on the 18th to 24th chapters of St. Matthew the Evangelist, were preached during Bugenhagen's absence in Denmark, in the years 1537 to 1540, on Sundays. (Cf. the notes on I, L, Col. 852 f. of this volume? First, the interpretations of the first two chapters were printed in the Eisleben edition, vol. II, p. 393, and Aurifaber provided them with the caption: "Etliche Kapititel S. Johannis des Evangelisten, als das erste, andere, dritte und vierte ausgelegt und gepredigt durch den Mann GOttes, D. Martinum Luther, als D. Johann Bugenhagen, Pomer, Pfarrherr zu Wittenberg, in Dennemark zieht war u. s. w., now by me, Johanne Aurifabro from N. Georgii Porarii, N. Gregorii Solini [Diaconus zu Tangermünde, De Wette, vol. V, p. 307 and vol. VI, p. 5981 and otherwise from a written copy, so in des Herrn Michaelis Cölii, Pfarrherrn zu Mansfeld, Liberer has been found, brought together with diligence." Aurifaber was not able to publish the third and fourth chapters. The manuscript of this, as well as the one on Matthew, Cap. 18-24, came into the library at Wolfenbüttel, which was first printed there in 1817 by the library secretary Dr. Höck. After that, these sermons on the third and fourth chapters of St. John were printed, using the manuscript, in the Erlangen edition, vol. 46, p. 253 and vol. 47, p. 1 ff. The sermons on the first two chapters are found, in addition to the Eisleben edition, in the Altenburger, vol. VI, p. 1122; in the Leipziger, vol. XII, p. 405 and in the Erlanger, vol. 45, p. 290 to vol. 46, p. 252. We reproduce them according to Walch, comparing the Erlanger. The sermons on the third and fourth chapters we insert here according to the Erlanger edition.

but that in the same one divine being there are three different persons: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. The Father begets the Son from eternity, the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son etc. So that there are three different persons, and yet one divine being, of equal glory and majesty.

The middle person, the Son, and not the Father, nor the Holy Spirit, took on human nature, born of Mary the Virgin, when the time of redemption was to begin. This Son of God, born of the Father in eternity, John first calls the Word, and says: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word." Then he speaks of His incarnation, saying, v. 14: "And the Word was made flesh." As St. Paul also says to the Galatians in the 4th chapter, v. 4: "When the time was fulfilled, God sent His Son, born of a woman.

(4) I will give a simple simile to guide you in understanding this birth of the Son of God from the eternal Father, namely this: As a son in the flesh has flesh and blood and his nature from the Father, so also the Son of God, born of the Father, has his divine nature and nature from the Father from eternity. But we cannot reach it by this or any other likeness; it cannot be so complete as in the divine majesty, since the Father gives the whole divine essence to the Son; but the bodily Father cannot give the whole essence to the Son, but only a piece. This is the inequality. Item: A painted wine has a form and likeness of wine, but it is not a true wine, which quenches thirst and gladdens the heart of man [Psalm 104:15]. So a painted water has the appearance of water, but it is not flowing water that one can drink, or that washes and cleanses. In the same way, a physical father gives the essence to his son, but not the whole essence, only a part. But in the Godhead the whole divine essence and nature goes into the Son; and yet the Son remains in the same Godhead with the Father, and is with him One God. So also, the Holy Spirit has just

the divine nature and majesty that the Father and Son have.

This must be believed. With reason, be it as clever, sharp and pointed as it can be, no one will grasp it nor grasp it. If we could attain it through our wisdom, God would not reveal it to us in heaven, nor would he show it to us through the holy Scriptures. Therefore, follow the same and say: I believe and confess that there is one, eternal God, and yet three different persons, even though I cannot grasp or comprehend it; for the Scriptures, if they are the word of God, say so; and I stand by them.

Cerinthus, the heretic, first attacked the article of the divinity of Christ, soon after the time of the apostles. He wanted to measure and grasp it with reason, pretending that the Word was not God. And to confirm this, he quoted the saying from Genesis, Book 5, Cap. 6, 4: "The Lord our God is one God"; item [Ex. 20, 3]: "You shall not have other gods." With this pretense he did great harm, made a strong following for him, so that many Jews fell to him, even from those who believed in Christ.

(7) It was by special grace that he challenged this article while the apostles were still alive. For John, the most prominent of the apostles who were still alive at that time, was caused to write his gospel, in which he strongly proves this article, that Christ, our dear Lord and Savior, is true, natural, eternal God, with the Father and the Holy Spirit. 2c, and does so for good reason from Moses, on which Cerinthus and his followers were very insistent, taking Moses out of his hand, mouth and heart, and leading him against his blasphemous heresy, refuting it mightily; which is then quite a masterpiece. Now let us examine the text, for it 1) is a strange text.

V. 1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word.

(8) This has been a strange, unheard-of sermon and speech, and quite strange and unheard-of.

1) Erlanger: er.

unknown to all wise and sensible people, that St. John thus begins to preach about the eternal divinity of Christ, and speaks clearly and distinctly that God shall be a Word, and the Word shall be with God, even God Himself; as we shall hear hereafter. And St. John speaks of it much more gloriously and clearly; for Moses also speaks such things, and begins his book thus: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And he spoke a word, and there was light" etc. And St. John took it from Moses. But Moses does not go out in the same way as St. John, who says: "In the beginning, before the creation of the world, of heaven and earth, or of any creature, there was the Word, and the same Word was with God, and God was the Word, this Word was from eternity. This, I say, is a strange doctrine, and a strange and unusual saying to reason, especially to the worldly wise, into which no man has been able to judge, but only those to whom the Holy Spirit has stirred and filled the heart, otherwise it cannot be grasped with reason, nor groped with the hands, nor understood.

(9) It is not good to measure and grasp such things with human reason and understanding. For it does not flow from reason that before the creation of the world there was a Word in God, and that the same Word is God. Item, as he says afterwards, that the same Word, the only begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth, was in the Father's bosom or heart, and became flesh, and that no one else has seen or known God. For the Word is the only begotten Son of God, who is in the bosom of the Father, who has proclaimed it to us. Faith is necessary, otherwise it cannot be grasped. And whoever does not want to believe, but wants to investigate it with his five senses and reason, and does not believe first, [before] he understands it, let him always go away. For this doctrine cannot enter into our head; it is too high for reason: faith alone grasps it, as the Scripture shows: he that will not believe, let him leave it. The Holy Spirit must descend from heaven and make listeners and disciples here alone, who accept this teaching and believe that it is true.

Word is God, and the Son of God is the Word, and that the Word became flesh, and is also the light, enlightening all men who come into the world, and without this light all else is darkness.

(10) Further, we are to know that in God there is a word, not like my word or like your word. For we also have a word, especially the word of the heart, as the holy fathers call it; for when a man considers something in himself and diligently investigates it, he has a word or conversation with himself, of which no one knows but he alone, until. Until the same word of the heart is put into a verbal word or speech, so that the man speaks out what he has thought in his heart, and has long argued about it with himself: then it is heard and understood by others, otherwise not; as St. Paul says in the first chapter of Corinthians, v. 11: "No man knows what is in man, except the spirit of the man that is in him. Now as a man has a word, conversation, or thought with himself, he talks with himself without ceasing, is full of words and counsels as to what he will or will not do, without ceasing he talks and disputes with himself, of it, and especially when anything is the matter with him, that he is angry or glad, so the heart is full of wrath and full of gladness, that it also goes out 'unawares with the mouth. For a word is not only called that which the mouth speaks, but much more the thought in the heart, without which the outward word is not spoken; or if it is spoken, it is not valid, for if mouth and heart are in agreement, then the outward word is worth something, otherwise it is worth nothing: thus God also has in eternity in His majesty and divine nature a word, speech, conversation or thought in His divine heart with Himself, unknown to all angels and men. That means his word, which has been in his fatherly heart from eternity, by which God decided to create heaven and earth. But of such will of God no man has ever known until that same Word becomes flesh, and proclaims to us as follows: "The Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has revealed it to us."

But as far as a poor wretched man, who is earth and dust, is under God, and God is immeasurably higher than he, as a Lord and Creator of all creatures, so far the likeness of the word of a mortal man does not rhyme with the word of the eternal, almighty God. There is a great difference between the thoughts, disputations and words of the human heart and God. For God is not created or made as we humans are created, but is from eternity. No one has given him his word, speech and conversation etc. What he is, he is from himself from eternity. But what we are, that we have from Him, and not from us; but He, God, has everything from Himself.

Therefore this likeness, taken from our word, is very dark and obscure; but nevertheless our word, though it is not to be compared with that word, gives a little account, yea, cause, to consider the matter, and the more easily to grasp, even to hold the thoughts and speculation of the human heart against this divine conversation and word, and to learn how the Son of God is a word. For, as I speak a word or hold a conversation with myself, which no one hears, no one knows about it but I alone, and decide in my heart what I want to do, and that same secret, inner word of the heart is such a strong, powerful conversation, as I go about and fight with myself, that if I spoke it out, as I think it, quite a thousand people would have enough to hear it. Yes, such a word fills all ears and houses; it cannot be uttered all that a man thinks in his mind and that he intends in his heart, especially when the heart is inflamed with love or anger, joy or sorrow. If it is true love, then the heart of the same person is so full of thoughts of love that he sees, hears, feels nothing else, yes, often does not know where he is, and that one cannot mean him at all. For he is so ardent in love, and his heart is so thoroughly taken up with vain love, that one could not bring a hair's breadth or a needle's point into it; yes, as great and wide is the heart, so great and wide are the thoughts of love. So, it is

1) the heart is so violently seized that it is so full of thoughts of anger that the person does not feel himself, fights and talks with himself, so that someone who sees him and does not know what is his business thinks that he is not with himself, and therefore sternly says to him: "So how are you? What is the matter with you?

According to this image, God is also pregnant in His majesty, in His nature, with a word or conversation that God has with Himself in His divine essence and is the thought of His heart. It is as full and great and perfect as God Himself. No one sees, hears, or comprehends this same conversation but He alone. He has an invisible and incomprehensible conversation. The word was before all angels and before all creatures; for afterwards, through this conversation and word, he gave being to all creatures. In the conversation, word or thought, God is very fervent, that he thinks of nothing else before it.

14 These are the words of the Holy Spirit, taken from Moses, in the first chapter, v. 3: "God said: Let there be light" etc., which cannot be understood by any human intellect or wisdom, however high it may be. Therefore one must not consult reason here, but give the Holy Spirit the honor that what He speaks is divine truth, and believe His words, although the eyes of reason are blinded, even blinded. But he who will not believe, let him leave it, and let him always go, and see where he will remain.

(15) Many and various heretics have opposed this article, seeking to measure, grasp and master it by reason; but they have fallen to the ground over it: the Holy Spirit has preserved the article against them all; even as the word of God still stands against all the gates of hell.

(16) Therefore let no one be mistaken that John the Evangelist calls the Son of God a word so bad and lowly; but not, as [§ 10] said, such a word as I speak out of my mouth, which soon departs into the air and perishes, which is a bad word.

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Word is. Nor such a word as my heart speaks to me, which is higher and greater than that which is outside the heart; which is greater than that which is in the mouth; the outward word is much less. The word of the heart is often so great and strong that it takes over the heart, and one cannot talk it out. For it is impossible for a man to speak the thoughts of his heart when he is quite happy or quite angry. If we could look into each other's hearts, I into yours, you into mine, we would either share each other's hearts in our bodies out of love, if it were possible, or out of anger one would eat and strangle the other, as they say. If I cannot speak out my thoughts as I have them in my heart, I will be much less able to comprehend or speak out the word or conversation that God has with Himself in His divine essence, in the shrine of His heart.

(17) And indeed, he who thinks about the matter must confess that a man's word, especially that of a great, mighty prince, a king, penetrates with force. He is a mortal man, like another; yet the evil word that proceedeth out of his mouth resoundeth in the ears of his subjects, and is so powerful, that they act upon it, and do that which he giveth by his word, that thou mayest say, He spake it, and it was so. And yet the mouth from which the word or command comes is hardly the width of a finger, and yet it should accomplish so much and do so much that everyone will follow it and keep it. If the Lord speaks in anger, it is to those who owe their property, honor, life and limb, and must beware of his displeasure. Much more must you remember that when the eternal, almighty, divine Majesty speaks a word to Himself, or holds a conversation, that heaven, earth, all creatures, visible and invisible, stand there; as also in the third and thirtieth Psalm it is written, v. 6: "The heavens were made by the word of the Lord, and all His host by the spirit of His mouth." But since God has no mouth, and speaks no bodily word, the word (of which the evangelist speaks) must have been before all creatures.

18 So now St. John says that in

God is a conversation or word that takes up the whole of God, and is God Himself, and was before all creatures, even before the angels; no one sees or hears it, not even the angels, who at that time were not yet created. So now it is a word or a conversation, not of any angel or any creature, but of God Himself, the Creator of all creatures. The same we call here "the word"; not a bad word, but which is so great as God is, yes, since the same word is God himself.

(19) We are not yet accustomed to call the thoughts of the heart a word or a conversation; but we are often accustomed to say thus: He speaks to himself, he goes in his thoughts, either with great joy or sadness, love or anger. Item, one says: My heart tells me that this happiness or that misfortune will pass me over. Such saying is the word of the heart; but how high and great it is, even what it is that the heart often thinks, that cannot be reached with the senses, he cannot pour out the heart. But often a man comes forth and speaks out, shows it to others what he has thought, speaks out what he has inwardly in his heart, as the Lord Christ Matthew reports in chapter 12, v. 34: "that when 2) the heart is full, the mouth overflows. Then one can know and understand the heart and word of a man. For one often says, "Did I not suspect this? Didn't my heart tell me? Did I not feel it?

But that God speaks a word, or God has a conversation with Himself, no one wants to think about it, much less believe it, because reason cannot comprehend it. After Moses, only St. John the Evangelist told and indicated it to us. The prophets, and especially David in the 33rd Psalm, also touched on it, but not as clearly and distinctly as Moses and then St. John in this place, where he calls the Son of God the Word. Therefore, we should remain at home with our reason, not wanting to fall down and speculate, but believe in the Holy Spirit, who, through the Word of God, has given us a clear understanding of the Word.

1) Erlanger: Gotü

2) Erlanger: what.

I have had to say this propter phrasin, or for the sake of this kind of speaking, so that you may understand what this vocabulum "word" is, and you may learn to regard it more highly than we do otherwise. This I have had to say propter phrasin, or for the sake of this way of speaking, so that you may understand what this vocabulary "word" is, and you may learn to regard it more highly than we usually use it, namely, that God also has a word or conversation with him. Now what this same word is in him, the evangelist begins to say clearly, saying:

V. i. 2. And God was the Word. All things are made through the same, and without the same nothing is made that is made.

21 Here you should notice two little words which Saint John uses, namely, been and created. What is created has not been before, as: Heaven, earth, sun, moon, stars and all creatures, visible and invisible, have not been, but were created in the beginning. But what has not been, has not begun, has not been created or made, and yet is, and has its being, that has been before. With this, St. John demonstrates and proves powerfully that the Son of God, who is the image of the invisible God, was not created nor made. For before the world, all creatures, and also the angels were created, and before it began, the conversation or word was with God. It follows, then, that by this word or conversation of God all things were created, and without it nothing was made. This word or conversation has been from the creation of the world, before Christ was born and became man, for four thousand years; indeed, it has been in the Father's heart from eternity.

(22) If this is so, then the Word must be higher and greater than all that is created and made, that is, it must be God Himself. For otherwise, excluding only God the Creator, all creatures, angels, heaven, earth, man, and everything that lives, were created. But now John says: Since God created all things in the beginning, "the Word" was already there, and the tabernacle its essence. Does not say, God created the Word; or, The Word became; but: The Word was already essential. From this it follows that the Word was not created nor made, and is not a creature, but that all things were made by it.

as soon follows in the text. Therefore it must be God, if one sets the principium, that the word was before all creatures.

(23) This is to speak very highly of the divine nature and majesty of our dear Lord and Savior Christ Jesus, that he is the Word of the eternal Father in his divine nature. Now there is no doubt, and reason can finely conclude this: If the Word was from the beginning, before all things began, then it must follow that the same Word is God. For reason can make a fine distinction, namely: If something is and has its essence before the world and all creatures were created, it must be God. For apart from the creature nothing can be called but the Creator. For everything that is there is either the Creator Himself or His creature, God, or creature. Now the Holy Spirit speaks through St. John and testifies, "In the beginning was the Word." Item: "All things were made through the same" etc. Thus the Word cannot be counted among the number of creatures, but has its eternal essence in the Godhead, and from this it follows insurmountably and irrefutably that the same Word is God; as St. John thus also concludes.

24 This is the text of the divinity of Christ, so that we may certainly believe and know that our Lord and Savior, born of Mary the Virgin, is also true, natural God, eternally born of the Father, and therefore not to be numbered among the angels, but is the Lord and Creator of them and of all creatures, as Paul says to Colossians in chapter 1, v. 16. Chapter 16: "By him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, both dominions and thrones" etc. If this foundation is laid in the holy Scriptures (which are the Word of God and abide forever), as they clearly testify, that the Word was in the beginning before any creature was created, and that all things were made by Him, then we Christians cannot judge or conclude otherwise than that the Word was not created nor made, but was from eternity. Such a foundation is not laid by any reason.

And the word was with God.

(25) When God created the angels, the heavens, the earth and all that is in them, and all things began to come into being, the Word was already there. How was it then? Where was it? St. John answers as much as can be said about it, and says: "It was with God, and was God Himself. That is, that it was with God, and with God, and God Himself, and the Word of God. And the evangelist clearly distinguishes the Word from the person of the Father; that is, that another person is the Word than God the Father, in whom it was; it is separate from the Father. This is to say: The Word, which was in the beginning, was not alone, but was with God. Just as when I say: He was with me, sits with me, or is my husband, I speak of another, and indicate that ours are two; I alone do not make a husband. So also here: "The word was with God." This is to speak according to reason, as if the Word were something other than God. Therefore he comes around again, closes the ring, and says: "And God was the Word," so that now no one separates the Word from God, that is, the Son from the Father, because he said: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God. This reads as if there were more than one. Yes, right, he says: but thus: God and the Word are distinguished according to the person, that another person is God, another' the Word, nevertheless the Word, that is, the Son, is and remains eternal, true God with the Father.

Reason makes a different conclusion, saying: If the Word is with God, then there are two gods. There St. John wants to distinguish the three persons in the one divine being. But he puts them together again, so that they may not be separated from each other, and not become three gods, but only one God remains, God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, from whom all things were created. As if St. John should say: I will preach of a Word that became flesh, but that same was in the beginning beside and with God. For it could not be elsewhere than with

God, because there was not yet a creature. I set two, namely, God and the Word, that is, the Father and the Son; but the Word was with God, not as a separate God, but was truly eternal God, with the Father of one divine essence, equal power and honor, but so different that the Father is another person, and another the Son. Although he 1) is already another person, he is still the same God as the Father is; and they are two, and still remain one true God with the Father. The two persons are thus distinguished: The Father is he who speaks; and the other person, the Son, is he who is spoken.

This is two different persons, and yet is one, eternal, natural God. So also, the Holy Spirit is another person than the Father and Son; and yet the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one divine being, and remain one God, since there are three persons in the divine being. Thus one must rightly and properly speak of the Holy Trinity: that the Word, which is the Son, and God the Father, are two Persons, and yet one single God, and the Holy Spirit is also one Person in the Godhead; as we shall hear hereafter.

And the same was in the beginning with God.

28. The evangelist again admonishes the reader that the Father and the Son are two distinct persons, coeternal; but so that he may know that the eternal Father is of no one, neither made, created, nor born; but the Son, who is the image of the eternal Father, is born of the Father alone, neither made nor created, but before Jesus Christ was the Son of Mary and became man, he was with God, and with the Father eternal, true God, of one divine essence, but a distinct person from the Father.

(29) We have to use the word "person," as the fathers also used it. For we have no other, and it means nothing else, than a hypostasis, a being or substance that is for itself, and that is God. That there are

1) Erlanger: es.

three distinct persons; but only One God, or one Deity. That there is only one God, and that therefore Jesus Christ with God the Father is one Creator and Sustainer of all things, and then born of Mary the Virgin, is true God and man.

The evangelist St. John alone, and no other evangelist, was able to masterfully describe and describe this article. For it is also the highest art of the Christians, they know and believe it alone. The world otherwise cannot stand this article, Jews, Turks, Tarians and heretics violently oppose it, resent it and take offense at it, laugh and mock us that we Christians are so foolish and foolish to believe in and worship One God. Let them laugh and mock, after all. Whoever considers God's word to be a fable and a fairy tale (in which he has revealed his will and divine nature, that there are three different persons in the Godhead, and yet only one divine being, of equal power and majesty), will certainly not believe this article. But what he [will] gain from it, he will well experience in his time.

(31) It should and must be so, that all the aggravations, impulses and attempts should be directed towards Christ, as Simeon Luke says to Mary in chapter 2, v. 34: "Behold, this man is set for a fall of many in Israel, and also for a sign that is contradicted", so that they should be tempted and run off their foreheads. For it is he that cleaveth to the devil, and bruiseth his head: and the devil cleaveth to him again, and bruiseth his heel: and the controversy Gen. 3:15 (that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head, and that the serpent should bite him in the heel) shall not cease in this world, between Christ and the devil. But Christ with his own has remained until now, and will remain before him, and his word will be preserved from now on.

32 It is this text: "And God was the Word", well martyred by the Jews, the red spirits and the Turks, who all wanted to measure and master it by their reason. And the Jews, first of all, have taken up the article, mocking us, saying: We

Christians are idolaters, blasphemers, honor and worship three gods when there is only one. So the Turks also consider us geese, who have neither reason nor understanding, and do not consider that in one house there cannot be more than one father; much more inconsistent is it that we believe and worship three gods.

The Turks also 1) do not believe in Christ, and Mahomet with his Turkish belief in Christ has also stormed in. Mahomet admits that Christ was born of a virgin, but the Turks say that this is not strange among them. Well, it may happen, and may be true [with them]; but with us the same virgins (who bear children) become women. A virgin who bears a child cannot remain a virgin. They do not enter our houses with it, we do not believe it, otherwise our daughters would all become whores to us. I do not believe that a virgin should have a child and remain a virgin. It is not believable among us. They are rough asses, who pretend to be so. Further, the Turks say that Christ was a great prophet and a great man, praising him more highly than David, Isaiah and all the other prophets, and must confess that Christ is the Word of the Father: yet they pretend that he is not so great as their Mahomet.

34) The heretic Cerinthus, against whom St. John the Evangelist wrote this Gospel, began in the same form, denying that Christ was God, taking Him for a sincere man, and confessing that He was born of Mary the Virgin, and a great prophet and high person, but no more than a man.

So I could lie and blaspheme just like them, if I wanted to leave the Scriptures behind and follow my reason. But we did not devise this text of the eternal divinity of Christ; by the special grace of God it has come down to us, will remain well before all heretics (who will still try their hand at it), and will endure to the ends of the earth. Therefore, let us hear and act upon this text, because it is

1) Erlanger: And.

We are to be comforted and strengthened in our faith, and annoyed by the devil and his enthusiasts.

Arius, the heretic, did it most subtly. In order to make a semblance of his blasphemous lie, that Christ was not true natural God, he pretended that in this place "God was the Word" God did not mean true natural God, but a named God. Just as if a king called a handsome, excellent person a prince, and yet he was not by nature; or I said to one when I traveled away: Be thou a householder. So Christ would only be a named God, to whom God would have given the name: Be you God on earth; but he would not be a true natural God; but he would be called God in the holy scriptures, as a special person above all others. And twisting people's noses and smearing their mouths so that they would not notice his blasphemous lie, he said: "That Christ was the most beautiful and glorious creature, not only more noble and delicious than all visible creatures, such as heaven, earth, sun and moon, but also much higher and more excellent than the angels, through whom God had created them and all other creatures. But he could not avoid the text: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God," for he confessed that the Father and the Son were two distinct persons; but he distinguished them by making one creature out of Christ, as has been said, since this text, on the other hand, stands very firmly: "In the beginning was the Word." For "was" it was not made or created, but was with the Father true, eternal God, of equal power and honor from eternity. Thus Arius was also powerfully convinced, and his blasphemous error refuted by the following text:

All things are made through the same.

37 St. Augustine uses these words harshly against the Arians, who have otherwise stretched, perverted, glossed over, and pulled by the hair all the sayings that speak of the divinity of Christ. And St. Augustine makes these words very useful to him. For Arius

could not get past this; even if he twisted and glossed the previous words, these words are so clear that he cannot bypass them in any way, and could not get past the text.

Therefore this text is a sure, strong testimony of the divinity of Christ, and St. John includes all creatures in one heap, even saying: "All things (for he who says all excludes nothing) were made by the Word who was in the beginning. Now makers and powers are two different things. In the beginning, when all things were made, he was already. From this the evangelist concludes that he was not alone before all creatures, but that he was a co-worker and equal creator of all things with the Father. And as a sign, the work proves and praises the Master. For everything that was made was made by him; he is the Creator of all creatures. So that there is no difference between the Father and the Son as far as the divine essence is concerned. For we will speak of the Holy Spirit when the text allows. According to such divine essence, he is more truly God than he was in the beginning and was with God. According to this he is also with the deed, as with the creation. For all creatures, angels, heaven, earth, were made by him. And St. John in the fifth chapter, v. 17, Christ says: "My Father works until now, and I also work." And St. Paul to the Ephesians in the third chapter, v. 9, says: "God created all things through Jesus Christ." Item, to the Colossians in the first chapter, v. 15, 16: "He is the image of the invisible God. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth." And to the Hebrews in the first chapter, v. 2, it is said: "God has made the Son heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

39 By such and such sayings this article of the divinity of Christ has been defended and preserved for and against all heretics in the church, and will also remain safe from the devil and his blasphemers until the end of the world. So that we may not doubt, but know and believe that our dear Lord and Savior, born of Mary the Virgin, is also true,

The Father and the Holy Spirit are the true, natural God and Creator. For the Father creates everything through the Son. Follows:

And without that nothing is made that is made.

40 Before, Saint John said affirmatively: "All things were made by the Word". Now he puts the negatives: "And without these things (before without the Word) nothing is made"; that is, nothing is made, be it what it may, that is not made by the Word. So meet the future error of Arii, so that no one may remember how Arius raved afterwards, namely, that Christ was the highest, mightiest, noblest, wisest creature, through whom all others were created, but nevertheless he was before all others in the beginning.

(41) This blasphemous lie has no foundation; decorate it as you will. For St. John says straight away the contradiction, namely, that the Word, the Son of God, in the beginning, when God created all things and all creatures began to be, was not alone, and God, Creator of all creatures, was watching; but he was a co-worker, as he says to St. John in the 5th, v. 17: "My Father works until now, and I also work." If, then, he is the same Creator, as the text clearly says, "All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made"; and if all things were made by the Word, and without him was not any thing made, then the Word could not have been made.

(42) This article of our salvation and blessedness we can neither understand nor comprehend by human reason, but we must believe it as the Scriptures speak of it, and therefore hold fast that Christ our Lord is true, natural God and man, and equal with the Father in divine nature and essence. For the heretics have attacked both natures in Christ, as [the] divine and [the] human. Cerinthus soon began the game in the apostle's time, as [§ 6] said, pretending he was not God. The Manichaeans challenged his humanity, as some do in our time, insisting that he was conceived by the Holy Spirit alone, therefore he could not be a man like us.

He has not taken the nature of the flesh, which is like our flesh, but as he is a heavenly man, so his flesh is also heavenly.

For this reason I warn you faithfully to beware of such idolatrous spirits. For if Christ does not remain a true, natural God, born of the Father in eternity, and Creator of all creatures, then we are lost. For what would I gain from the suffering and death of the Lord Christ if he were only a man, like me and you? He would not have been able to overcome the devil, death and sin, he would have been far too weak for them, and he would not have been able to help us. Therefore, we must have such a Savior, who is true God, and a Lord over sin, death, the devil and hell. But if we let the devil overthrow this reason that he is not true God, then his suffering, death and resurrection are of no use to us, and we have no hope of attaining eternal life and blessedness; in sum, we cannot take any comfort at all from all the comforting promises of Scripture. But if we are to be saved from the devil's power and murderous stings, and from sin and death, we must have an eternal good that lacks nothing and has no defect in it.

44. it will not do that the Arians will be high-minded: Christ is the noblest, most exalted creature etc. They would thus adorn their shameful error so that people would not notice it, as in our time the pernicious sect of Anabaptists and Sacramentarians also do, to cover up their evil deeds, of which they do much, and to color evil things; so they praise and extol highly Christian love, patience, unity; item, their great persecution, which they suffer. But what is the use of long praising and exalting Christian love and other virtues, while destroying the faith?

(45) If faith is torn apart and violated in the least, it is done with us. And if Christ's divinity is withdrawn, there is no help nor salvation against God's wrath and judgment. For our sin, misery and sorrow are too great; if this is to be countenanced, there must be a higher payment for it than that which is made by

an angel, arch father and prophet etc. can be aligned; God's son must become man, and suffer and shed his blood for it.

Again, if humanity is taken away from him, it is again lost with us. As the heretical Manichaeans did, they pretended it deliciously, saying: God is holy, pure, and undefiled by all things. Therefore it is impossible that he should enter into some creature, even if he were only an angel. For the creature is far too vile for him to enter into it. Christ did not have to be a natural man, nor did he have to take on human nature, and be formed into a man from a drop of blood of a female image, and become a true man from Mary. It would have been too close to the divine majesty, and the divine majesty would have been blasphemed and reviled]. They said, therefore, that he was born of Mary, not that he took flesh and blood from her, but that just as the sun's rays pass through a painted glass and make a figure of blue or red color on the wall, so Christ would have passed through Mary as a shadow, taking nothing from her flesh and blood, and would not have been a natural man. Others said: he would have made him a body in heaven, and drawn it through Mariam the Virgin. But if he had not been a true man, he could not have suffered and died and brought about the redemption of the human race.

Therefore, everything is to the sorrowful devil's detriment that he cannot tolerate this article about the divinity and humanity of Christ. But true God must be Christ, as the Holy Scriptures testify of him powerfully, and especially St. Paul says that the whole fullness of the Godhead dwells in him bodily; or we will remain eternally damned. Thus, according to humanity, he must be a true, natural son of Mary the Virgin, from whom he took flesh and blood, just as another child takes flesh and blood from its mother. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, who came upon her, and the power of the Most High overshadowed her, Luc. 1, 35.

But Mary, the pure virgin, had to do it from her seed and natural blood, which flowed from her heart; so that he took everything from her, what a natural child takes from its mother, but without sin. We must also believe this; if not, we are lost. If, however, he is not a true, natural man born of Mary, as the Manichaeans say, then he is not of our flesh and blood, does not belong to us at all, and we have nothing to rejoice in him.

48 But we do not allow ourselves to be challenged by what the devil blasphemes. We do not allow ourselves to dispute what the devil blasphemes against the Lord Christ with his lying mouths, now his divinity, soon his humanity, and then attacks his ministry and work: But we hold fast to the prophets and apostles of the Scriptures, who, impelled by the Holy Spirit, speak of Christ in clear words, and testify that he is our brother, and we are members of his body, one flesh and bone of his flesh and bones, and that he, Christ our Savior, after humanity, was a true, natural fruit of the virgin body of Mary (of which Elizabeth, full of the Holy Spirit, says to her (Luc. 1, 42.): "Giving is the fruit of your womb") without the help of a man; she also remained a virgin afterwards. Otherwise, what belongs to a mother was done in Mary, the eternal Son of God's mother; so that even the milk he sucked was not created or came from elsewhere, but grew in the breasts of the holy, pure mother. (49) In sum, we must first have such a Savior who can save us from the power of this world of God and princes, of the devil, item, from sin and death, that is, who is the true, eternal God, through whom all who believe in him will be justified and saved. For if he is not more and higher than Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, John the Baptist etc., he is not our Savior. But if he, as the Son of God, sheds his blood for us, that he may redeem us and cleanse us from sins, and we believe it, and hold it up to the devil, when he terrifies and torments us because of sins, then the devil is soon defeated, he must depart, and leave us satisfied. For the Angel, that is, the divinity of Christ, so under the

The earthworm that was hidden under his humanity (which the devil swallowed in his mouth when Christ died and was buried) tore his belly so that he could not hold it properly, but had to give it up again, and he ate death with it; which is our greatest comfort. For as little as he was able to keep Christ in death, so little can he keep those who believe in him in it.

50 Secondly, we must have a Savior, who is also our brother, of our flesh and blood, who has become like us in all things, yet without sin. And this we also sing, confess, and say in our infant faith: "I believe in Jesus Christ, God the Father Almighty's only Son, conceived of the Holy Spirit, not of Joseph, born of Mary, a true, natural man, suffered, crucified, died, rose from the dead the third day, ascended into heaven, seated at the right hand of God, in equal power and glory with the Father. So that I may say with a glad heart: I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, who sits at his right hand and represents me, who is also my flesh and blood, yes, my brother. For the sake of us men, and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, became man, and died for our sins. Thus John also began his gospel of the eternal divinity of Christ, saying: "In the beginning was the Word", and the same Word (he says afterwards) became flesh. From this then further.

(51) I do not say this in so many words for no reason, for everything depends on this article, which serves to make all the other articles of our Christian faith resound through it. That is why the devil challenged it soon in the beginning of Christianity, and afterwards also in our time, through his sects and cults. Otherwise, he can suffer all kinds of abominations and lies, however crude, unsubtle and blasphemous they are. He allowed Venus, Priapus and other more foul, shameful fornications, which I do not want to name for the sake of the dear youth, to be honored and worshipped; but what God speaks, he can do unmastered, unconverted and unblasphemed by his sects.

not leave it. And we should heartily thank God for speaking to us through His Word, revealing His gracious, fatherly will and divine nature, and bringing us to a true knowledge of this and other articles of Christian doctrine, and teaching us what our blessedness is based on.

52 This article is therefore, that Christ, true, natural God and man, is our rock, on which our salvation and blessedness is founded, and on which we are baptized, live and die. And St. John, as a pioneer among the evangelists, has powerfully described the deity of the Lord Christ, as that the world, heaven, earth, all creatures, visible and invisible, were created by the Word, and that nothing was made but by this Word of the Father, and therefore it was from eternity before any creature was created. For what is before time, which has beginning and end, must be eternal. As the Nicene Symbol also describes the Lord Christ, that he was born of the Father before the whole world, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, and that in time he was also born true man from Mary etc. Which symbolism with clear bright words testifies that Christ, our Redeemer, is true, eternal God by nature and kind, and does not only bear the mere name that he is called the Son of God, as Arius blasphemed.

With this beginning of the Gospel of John, and with your Nicene Symbol, the devil and all heretics who have ever been or can still be, can be powerfully cast down to the ground. For even though the heretics took upon themselves to master and pervert this gospel with a delicious semblance of reason, their folly was finally revealed and condemned as a devil's lie by Christendom, and they perished with shame.

Second sermon on the Gospel of John.

Saturday after Margaret [July 14, I637j. 1)

V. 3: All things are made through the same, and without the same nothing is made that is made.

1) "The other sermon on Saturday after Margaret" is written in the original in the margin.

(54) Saint John hereby declares that not only is Christ God, and has been from all eternity, before the world and the beginning of all things, but that God not only created the world and all creatures through the Word, His only begotten Son and divine wisdom, but through the same He also governs and sustains them forever, until the end of the world; that therefore the Son of God is co-creator of heaven and earth with His Father. But he is not a master craftsman, like a carpenter or master builder, who, when he has prepared, finished and straightened a house, ship or other work, whatever it may be, leaves the house to "his" master to dwell in it, or commands the ship to the boatmen and shipwrights to sail in it over the sea, and the carpenter goes away wherever he wants. As all craftsmen do when they have finished their work or business, they go away and "ask" nothing more about their work and labor, it may stand as long as it can. This does not happen here, but God the Father has begun and accomplished the creation of all creatures through His word, and still maintains it for and through the same, remaining so lukewarm about His work, which He creates, 1) until He wills that it should never be. Therefore Christ says John 5:17: "My Father worketh hitherto, and I also work." For as without all our doing and ability we are created by him, so also we cannot be sustained by ourselves. Therefore, as the heavens, the earth, the sun, the moon, the stars, men, and all living things were created by the Word in the beginning, so they are wonderfully governed and sustained by it.

55. How long would the sun, the moon, and all the heavens run, which have had their course so surely for so many thousands of years; item, that the sun rises and sets in certain times and places annually, if God, who created them, did not still maintain them daily? It would be impossible for men to be fruitful, to beget children, or for all kinds of animals, one from the other, to live as if they were daily.

1) Erlanger: "so long to."

The earth's form would be renewed every year and give all kinds of fruit, the sea would bring forth all kinds of fish, and in sum, all creatures, animals, and plants, each according to its kind, would multiply and would certainly be renewed every year if they were not preserved by divine power. And if God would let his hand go and depart, the house and everything would soon fall into a heap. All the power and wisdom of angels and men would not be able to preserve them in their essence for a moment; the sun would not long adhere to the sky and shine; no child would be born; no grain, [no] little grass, nor anything would grow from the earth, nor renew itself, where God did not work for and for.

Therefore, God does not create alone, but what he creates, he also keeps by his nature, as long as he himself wants it to be no more; just as the time will come that the sun, moon and stars will be no more. But he lets them shine, creates fresh grass every year, new grain - that we see before our eyes. For if he did not create it, it would remain ungrown. Thus says the Lord Christ: "As the Father works until now, so I also work"; that is: the Father is such a creator, who, after he has begun to create all things, still works for and for, governs and sustains his creature; thus also I. For daily we see before our eyes that new men, young children, are born into the world who were not before, new trees, new animals on earth, new fish in the water, and new birds in the air become, and do not cease to create and nourish until the last day. God the Father, God the Son, with the Holy Spirit, do not cease from their work, as craftsmen, cobblers and tailors, cease from their work when they have made shoes or garments. They do not cease to work on what they have made until the end; and before one thing has its end, 2) they make another in its place, so that their creature lasts forever. As: Before a hundred years we all, as we are gathered here, were nothing; but after that there is a

2) Erlanger: and create.

Each one was born in his own time, and are also now; so of course none of us will be here for over a hundred years, and others will come in our place, who are still nothing, even since no one knows yet who will be father or mother, where house and farm are, from which they shall be fed [Eccl. 1:4]. As Moses speaks of it in detail, when he says in the 90th Psalm v. 3: "You let the people die, and say: Come again, children of men."

(57) As little as all creatures have done to be created in the beginning, so little have they been able to do to remain and be preserved in their essence and perenniality, to be increased and preserved for and for. Item: As we humans did not make ourselves [Ps. 100, 3J, so we cannot preserve ourselves by our powers in life for one hour. That I increase and grow, that does God; otherwise I would have to have died many years ago. If the Creator, who always works, item, his co-worker, would turn away his hand, then everything would go to failure and to ruins very soon. Therefore, in the articles of our Christian faith we confess: "I believe in God the Father, Almighty Creator of heaven and earth. If he did not sustain us, whom he created, we would have been corrupted and died long ago, indeed, probably in the cradle and in birth.

(58) This is also what the apostle Heb 11:3 means when he says: "By faith we know that the world was made by the Word of God, that all things which are seen were made from nothing. In other words, we know that through Christ, who is the Father's Word and wisdom, the world was made, and that through Him the Father produces for and for the invisible things, which are nothing, so that they become visible and something, ut ex invisibilibus visibilia fierent. As we all were an invisible thing a hundred years ago, and those who are yet to be born beyond ten or twenty years are now also an invisible thing, or a filiation that does not yet exist, of which we see nothing but a mere nothingness (that I call it so); yet they shall become visible and something in their time when they are born.

59 Therefore Christ is the man who ex invisibilibus facit visibilia, that is, who makes something visible out of that which is invisible. So heaven and earth, out of that which was invisible and nothing, were brought forth by him and made visible, and so the Lord Christ, when all things were created, was present; not as a bystander, but was the same Creator and Co-creator, and by him all things are still governed and preserved until the end of the world. For he is the beginning, the means and the end of all creatures.

(60) This is the way to think of creation; not, as some heretics and crude people have pretended, that God first created everything, and then let nature do all her will, and now all things become of themselves, giving our Lord God no more than a cobbler or tailor can do. This is not only contrary to the Scriptures, but also contrary to experience. And this is the most noble part of creation, that we know and believe that God holds fast to that which He has created. Therefore, when St. John says, "All things that are made were made by the Word"; let it be understood that by the same Word all things that are made are also preserved in their essence; otherwise they would not long remain made. Follows further:

V. 4. In him was life.

Previously the evangelist said: "All things were made by the word. With this he includes all creatures in one heap, none excluded. Now he remains on the line that he wants to come to human nature, for the sake of which all creatures were created, and yet deceived by the devil and brought to fall, that it transgressed God's commandment, sinned against him, and thus is subject to the devil's power. All other unreasonable creatures, which are not fallen nor have sinned, he leaves aside, runs and remains only on the human nature, for whose sake it is to do everything, also everything else was created and made, and says: "In him was life." That is: The Son of God is not such a creator or worker, who, like a master builder, when he has finished the work, goes away, and, if

his hour comes, dies. No, but he rules and preserves for and for what he has made in the beginning. And although that which is temporal and does not endure passes away with time, dies and comes to nothing, yet he remains forever. For he is God, and in him is life, which cannot die nor perish. Therefore he also makes a difference between this creator and all others who make something. He is far a different worker than a bodily workmaster who is mortal. For he has life from himself and does not die. What lives and remains has its life and essence from him. Otherwise the work and work of other craftsmen, such as blacksmiths, carpenters, shoemakers and tailors, remain, when the master craftsmen have already died, and leave their work behind, or their work often does not remain after their death. But this master does not die. For he has been and will remain before and after all creatures, and he sustains his work without ceasing as long as he wills, and gives and takes life to whom he wills, for there is life in abundance.

62 Therefore Moses says in the 90th Psalm, v. 5: "You let the people die, and say: Come again, children of men. As if he wanted to say: You put all men to death, say they shall die, and where they are gone, you create others in their place. Therefore he does not die according to his divine nature and come to life again, but he is life, not only in himself, but everything that lives has life in him and through him, especially man. Even though all other animals, such as cows and sows, all live through him, but not like man, who was created in the image of God and eternal life, but in paradise, through the fall of Adam, lost such life and came to death, but was to be made alive again through Christ. So John sharpens the cones and makes a corner, so that he wants to come in on the line of the human race. Then he even turns and says:

And life was the light of the people.

63. in him (he wants to say) was life, not for himself alone, because he gives to all

He was the life of creatures, especially of man, that he should live forever. And he was also the light, namely the light of men, that he should give a special light to men. It is a miracle that the evangelist St. John can speak of such high, important things in such poor, simple words. He wants to say: The Son of God comes so close to men that he is their light, which is far different from the light that all unreasonable animals and beasts see. For the cows and sows also have a common light of the sun by day, and the light of the moon by night; but man is specially endowed with the glorious light of reason and understanding. That men have devised and invented so many noble arts, be it wisdom, agility, or skill, comes all from this light, or from the word that was the life of man. Therefore this life, Christ, is not only a light for himself, but he enlightens men with his light, so that all understanding, wit and agility, if they are not false and devilish, flow from this light, which is the eternal Father's wisdom.

64) But without the light, which is common to all men, both pious and wicked, there is still a special light, which God gives to His own, on which remains all that John writes about the Word, namely, that the Word reveals Himself to His elect through the Holy Spirit and through the oral word, and wants to be the light of His people. Sharpen the cone and the corner still more sharply, shine the light on the descendants of Abraha and the following fathers, that is, on the Jews, from whom Christ comes according to the flesh, and thus comes on the line or cord of Christ.

In paradise he revealed himself to Adam and Eve soon after their fall, and let a bright shining of his light shine to them, by which their heart was enlightened and comforted, that they should be refreshed of their suffering, into which the serpent had led them, when he said to them, Gen. 3, 15: "The seed of the woman (that was he) shall bruise the serpent's head." From this light Adam and Eve continued to give to their children and descendants.

preached that it would one day come into the world. So Noah also saw the light and revealed it to the people. And after the flood, he renewed the same promise, and afterwards drew it ever closer, when he spoke to Abraham, Gen. 12, 3, and Cap. 22, 18: "In thee and through thy seed shall all nations or kindreds of the earth be blessed." Likewise also to Isaac and Jacob, Gen. 26, 4. and Cap.

28, 14. And lastly to David: I will set on your throne the fruit of your womb, as Ps. 89, 5. Ps. 132, 11. 2 Sam. 7, 12. Isa. 9, 7.

(66) These were the shining and revelations of this light, which appeared soon after the fall of Adam and Eve (as said) and the other fathers before the flood, and after the flood shone through for and for, in the time of Abraha, after he received the promise. Isaac, Jacob, Moses and the following fathers, who lived in Egypt and afterwards in the land of Canaan, up to David and all other prophets, were enlightened for themselves by this 1) light, and heard the promise, comforted themselves, and believed that this light would come and enlighten all people, and thereafter preached it to others.

This is the light that John is talking about here. For the light or splendor of all virtues, wisdom and arts or skill is given not only to the faithful, but also to the children of the world, who (as the light itself says) are wiser in their generation than the children of light. But by this light the first parents were enlightened, and received comfort, believing that the seed of the woman should help them out of the misery into which the serpent had led them. They preached this to their descendants before the flood, that this light also shone for them and enlightened their hearts to eternal life. The patriarchs after the flood, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, to whom the promise was renewed and made clearer and clearer by the prophets, worked for and on it with the greatest diligence, until the end.

1) Erlanger: the.

the future of Christ, who is Savior and Light to all the world. Follows:

V. 5: And the light shines in the darkness.

(68) John speaks badly and foolishly, like a child, and his words (as the worldly wise regard them) are quite childish. But there is such a majesty hidden underneath, which no man, however highly enlightened he may be, can explore or reason out. That he now speaks: "In him was life, and life was the light of men", these are vain thunderbolts against the light of reason, free will, human powers etc. As if he wanted to say: All men who are apart from Christ lack life before God, are dead and damned. For how could they have life, since they not only walk in darkness, but are darkness itself? Therefore John puts away all other creatures, leaves them aside, and speaks only of men, who are all in darkness, and says: the light has come to men, so that it enlightens them etc. Therefore Isaiah also calls Christ a light of the Gentiles, Cap. 42, 6. 49, 6. 60, 1. And Zacharias, John the Baptist's father, sings joyfully in his canticle (Luc. 1, 79.) that he has appeared to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death. And Christ himself calls himself a light of the world, John 8, v. 12 and Cap. 12, 36.

69. But would anyone say, "How is it that this light has shone in the hearts of the faithful for so long a time, even before and after the flood, through the teachings of the fathers and prophets, and finally shone and shone through the oral word of the Lord Christ Himself and the apostles, and yet has not been accepted, because only by a very few? Yes, the great hand persecuted those who testified of the light, as can be seen in John the Baptist, Christ, the apostles, and before that in the prophets. The light has no continuance in the world, though the world is in great need of it. For it is in darkness, it does not know about God, it does not know and fear God, nor does it accept the light, although it already shines to it. To this John answers:

2) Erlanger: one.

The light shines in the darkness; but the darkness has not understood.

70This is: This light has shone from the beginning of the world, and God's word has been preached in all places, and has soon begun to shine through Adam and the other arch-fathers before the flood. For soon after

They were not able to do anything with their light, but were laughed at. Since the world did not want to believe, but considered the sermons as fables, it had to feel that the flood came and drowned them all.

72.. After the same time, when idolatry violently prevailed in the world, God called Abraham, and promised him that through

His seed (Christ, who came from him according to the flesh) shall bless all nations on earth. The light was not hidden or concealed, but shone through him. For he will have preached with all diligence of the seed that was promised to him, that he would come to enlighten men, to save them from sins and death. But the great multitude remained in darkness at the same time; indeed, Ishmael, his son in the flesh, let the blessed light shine into the darkness, and asked nothing of it, despising it.

73 Thus the same promise was diligently carried out through Isaac. But Esau, his firstborn son, did not desire the light, remained in darkness and valued his firstborn so low that he sold it for food, Gen 25:33 and Heb 12:16.

(74) After this, all the prophets, raised up by God and enlightened by this light, testified of him that death would be swallowed up by him forever. Item: that he was wounded and crushed for our sins, all of which the Lord laid on him, and we were healed by his wounds [Isa. 53:5], so that sin can no longer harm us, because it is reconciled through him, and he has brought eternal righteousness to us. But how her testimony was accepted, and what thanks she deserves for it, her writings show.

75) Last of all, when the Lord Christ Himself came, who was the life and the true light of men, and lighted the lanterns, which shone and glowed so brightly and clearly that the like of it had never been seen before, He preached with great authority, and far outdistanced the scribes, so that the hearers marveled at the blessed words that proceeded out of His mouth [Luc. 4:22], and confirmed His doctrine with miraculous signs, and the dead.

den: Adam received the promise, he preached that God would give His Son, through whom

the world is created, would send to the

world, who would crush the head of the serpent, enlighten people, and give them eternal life and bliss. This is his

preaching, which he did daily. But the great hemp in his time were darkness, the word shone and shone among them through his preaching; but they despised it, and remained in darkness. Yes, the terrible thing is, Cain, his own son, soon fell away from him, murdered Abeln, his brother, and set up a new church. So that in Adam's time nine hundred years, and afterwards, there was no lack of preaching, and yet little profit and fruit was produced by it, but the excellent preacher, Adam, preached in vain to his son Cain, and to all his descendants.

In Noah's day the light shone strong in the darkness. For the fathers were diligent to make people believe in the promise of the seed of the woman. Moreover, he preached for a hundred and twenty years before the flood; he was a true light, shining and shining in the world with his teaching, exhorting people with the utmost earnestness and diligence to repent, so that they might escape the terrible, horrible punishment. Therefore St. Peter 2 Epist. 2, 5 calls him "a preacher of righteousness". But he did so much with his preaching and light, which God had kindled in him, that God had to drown the world by water, and went to him, as John says here: "The darknesses have not comprehended the light." After that, he preached after the flood for four and a half hundred years and more, and yet the longer the people were angry, the more they rejected it, and asked nothing of what Noah, Shem and Japheth, the old fathers, said, mocked them, and judged them.

The light shines most powerfully in the darkness, but not without fruit. For some were enlightened by it and believed in him for eternal life. But the great multitude was and remained darkness, and they put him to the cross. Not only was he not accepted by them, but he was hung on the cross with lights and lanterns and strangled.

(76) Afterward it was the same with his apostles and disciples, who presented the light to all the world, so that by their shining many also received the true light and were saved. But the emperor and the great rulers of Rome, the chief priests, scribes and councilors of Jerusalem, and other powerful kings and lords, scholars, wise men, and the great crowd despised this same light, considering it to be nothing but fables, folly, and lies of the devil, and persecuted and strangled the witnesses of this same light.

So today we shine our light brightly and clearly into the papacy, so that even our enemies are convinced and must confess that our teaching is divine truth. For it shines mightily under the eyes of the pope, bishops, cardinals, and other knaves, and tells them what darkness they are. But what does it help? The whole papal worm, with its great painted appendage, is not getting better, but only more angry, more blinded, more foolish and more obdurate, striving without ceasing how they may dim the same light, yes, even extinguish it, and completely exterminate us, through whom it shines, is taught and known. For this reason they are and remain darkness, but it does not seem to be without fruit; many are enlightened to salvation by it.

From this we see how the blessed light has always been since the beginning of the world, and still is. The life and light is always in the world, and makes alive, shines, shines, also shines for and for, and brings us to the new birth, and shines, now stronger, soon weaker, tells people how they should believe and live divinely, shows them the way to eternal life and bliss. But how is it accepted and received? No one or even few respect and desire it;

The world does not want to see, know or hear it, but blasphemes it and rewards those through whom it shines. Therefore the Lord Christ Himself laments in the 3rd chapter of John, v. 19, that the light has come into the world, but "men loved darkness rather than light. And St. Paul in the other epistle to the Thessalonians in the 2nd chapter, v. 10, 11, uses a frightening word and says: "Because they have not accepted the love of the truth, that they might be saved, God will send them strong errors, so that they will believe the lie" etc. As if he wanted to say: The world wants to be deceived, wants to have lies, to be and remain darkness, and yet also wants to be light; but it is vain blindness. This must not be taken far as an example; we can see before our eyes that the world does not want to suffer this light; or if it suffers a while to hear the word, it does not last long; some dance or high mass, 1) then it is over. She will soon be tired and weary of it. Because she hears nothing but always one thing about faith in Christ, she thinks: 1) What is faith? If then some red spirit comes with a new doctrine, which is not light, but man's doctrine and darkness, then the world soon confesses itself with it. For like and like gladly meet, and it lets its ears be scratched with it, and does it gently, like a sow that grunts when it is scratched. So she also turns away her ears from the truth, and turns to fables, 2 Tim. 4, 4. But the light stings her in the eyes, they do not want to suffer that.

I say this so that we may know how the light, Christ himself, who is our Creator, has fared since the beginning of the world. He has shined, made alive, given promise, and done much good to the world with creation and his light; it still does not want to accept it. But although the poor, blind world of the dear light does not desire it, indeed cannot suffer it, but persecutes and blasphemes it, yet it seems to be by the special grace of the true, eternal light, for the sake of the small host that is to be enlightened by it, does not perish because of ingratitude and

1) This proverb occurs otherwise in the form: Es währet einen Tanz zur Lochmesse. Cf. Walch, St. Louis Edition, Vol. XIII, 80.

Contempt for the sake of the great godless multitude. As it happened at the time of the flood, since it shone before through Noah, although it was despised to the highest degree; therefore also God led the flood over the world, since it did not want to let itself be punished by the spirit of God in Noah, that everything that had a living breath on earth perished and died, and afterwards such light 'shone and shone again through Noah, Shem and Japheth as before. So also, through Lot this light shone and shone before and after the punishment of the five cities, Sodoma and Gomorrah etc., which the Lord turned back, raining brimstone and fire on them. And such light has remained forever until John the Baptist.

The third sermon on the Gospel of John.

Saturday after Vincula Petri, August 4 [1537]. 1)

This was the beginning of the Gospel of St. John, when the evangelist described our dear Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, as being the Word of the eternal Father, and with Him the true, true God from eternity; for from the beginning, before anything was ever created, He had already been. This is a beautiful, glorious testimony to the divinity of the Lord Christ. Thus the evangelist also distinguished the person of the Son from the Father, when he said: "The Word was with God. The Father and the Son are indeed together One God; but in the persons this is the difference, that the Father is not born of the Son, but the Son is born of the Father, and not created. According to this, the same Word is also a light and life for men, so that everything that lives, especially man, has life from Him, and all men who have been enlightened at all times, and who will be enlightened even more, are and will be enlightened by Him, who is the true eternal light; those who have light and life must all receive it from Him.

1) "The third sermon" and the timing is in the original margin.

until John the Baptist. Therefore the word has neither beginning nor end, as we humans and all other creatures have.

81 Thus he described the divine nature of Christ, that we might know assuredly that he is not a pure man, as Cerinthus blasphemed, who alone had the beginning with mankind, assumed from Mary his afflicted mother, but is also Creator, by whom all things were made, and are preserved, and governed, and are yet to be governed and preserved; only that he was born of the Father, and not the Father of him, wherefore he is called the Son of God.

Now John goes down to the humanity of Christ, saying that the Word, the Creator of all creatures, the life and light of men, became flesh; that is, Christ took on human nature. That therefore two natures, divine and human, are inseparably united in one person. And now the evangelist sees the new testament, the preaching of the gospel of Christ our Savior, before whom John the Baptist goes, and is to be a witness of light, pointing to him with his fingers. Therefore follows:

V. 6. There was a man sent by God named John.

The evangelist, as you see, speaks of John the Baptist very briefly, but Lucas and Matthew describe his miraculous conception and birth more abundantly and superfluously. For Elizabeth, his mother, was barren, and both she and her husband Zacharias were well aged. His birth was announced by the angel Gabriel, and while he was still in his mother's womb, he was filled with the Holy Spirit. And when Mary came to Elizabeth and greeted her, the child leaped with joy in her womb, and she, Elizabeth, full of the Holy Spirit, cried out loudly, saying, "Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb" etc. Mary also began to sing the Magnificat joyfully in the Spirit, and Zacharias then sang the Benedictus when John was born, of which Luc. Cap. 1, 39. ff. is to be read etc. This all skips John the

Evangelist, does not remember with a single word how he was conceived, born or grew up, and how the command of God came to him in the wilderness, and he came to all the region around the Jordan River, doing something special: preaching in the wilderness, not in the temple, and baptizing all who come to him in the Jordan River. Item, how he eats locusts in the desert and wild honey, had a garment of camel hair and a leather belt around his loins, all of which is described at length in Luc. 3, 2. ff. John the Evangelist leaves all this, and begins to speak of the sent John the Baptist, and quickly takes up his office; he begins to speak not of the born John, but of the sent one, and says:

It was a man sent by God.

84) From this time of John the Baptist the eternal kingdom of Christ and the new testament also came into being, and the reign of Moses, the prophets, the priests and the Levites ceased or came to an end; as Christ Himself says in Matt. 11:13: "All the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And because the Lord Christ was now present, Moses, the priests and prophets had done their part, and taught and governed the people of Israel according to the law. For their time was not determined longer than until Christ came; when he came, Moses' regime with its worldly laws (as of judicial affairs, of marriage, item, divorce, of inheritance and succession, of punishments and of all kinds of vices, of church laws, of the temple, priesthood, divine and church service, of circumcision, feasts and sacrifices) was to cease.

The ten commandments, which speak of holy conduct and life toward God and man, cease so that they cannot condemn us who believe in Christ, who put himself under the law, that he might redeem us who were under the law, even that he might become a curse for us, that he might save us from the curse of the law. But the ten commandments remain, and concern all of us Christians, as far as obedience is concerned. For the righteousness required by the law is fulfilled in believers by grace and the help of the

Holy Spirit, which they receive. Therefore, all the exhortations of the prophets in the Old Testament, and of Christ and the apostles in the New Testament, about godly conduct, are beautiful sermons and explanations about the Ten Commandments.

Now Christ has just come to the time, which Jacob determined in Genesis 49:10 and Daniel in Genesis 9:24, which Isaiah in Genesis 49:8 and 61 Cap. 1:1 and St. Paul after him in 2 Corinthians 6:2 call a gracious or pleasant time, "a gracious year of the Lord" and "a day of salvation. Since Christ (before he entered his ministry, began to preach and perform miraculous signs) had himself baptized by John before, John the Baptist had to go before the Lord Christ, so that he would not only have an inward, secret calling of his ministry, for which he was provided before the foundation of the world was laid, but also a public, visible calling, namely, when the divine majesty was revealed at the Jordan above his baptism. The eternal Father makes himself known by his voice, saying, "This is my dear Son." Thus the Son stands in the water, and the Holy Spirit descends upon Him in bodily form, like a dove. For a great and glorious change was to take place, not unlike the Flood, when a new world came out of the old. For the law, together with the Jewish priesthood and kingdom, was to be done away with, and a new world was to be established through the gospel, so that henceforth not only the Jews, but all peoples on earth were to be called and be God's people. John was to begin this new kingdom. God gave him the command, and the office of preaching and baptizing was given to him, as Lucas the Evangelist indicates with many words: "The word of the Lord came to John, the son of Zachariah, who made the change. In him the old testament ends and the new one begins. He no longer preaches the law of Moses, but teaches about the grace that was to come through Christ, after which he soon baptizes. For there was something new and great, which greatly disturbed the Jews.

87. the Jews stood firm and firm.

They also boasted gloriously, saying: We are Abraha's seed, flesh and blood, item, God's people, to whom God promised the Messiah; and for a sign, we have the law, Moses, the prophets, the temple, the holy city, the service of God, fully established and ordered by God through Moses, the circumcision; we also dwell in the land of Canaan, which God promised to our fathers and to us, their descendants, to dwell in forever. They had great glory, the like of which no people on earth had ever had; for this reason they wanted to be God's people alone, who would be blessed, and no one else, because they had been Jews before.

This delusion and glory, on which the Jews have stood for fifteen hundred years and are still standing, God wanted to change at the same time and push to the ground; Christ wanted to take away their honor and glory, saying that all this (told above) should not have lasted longer than until John; then it should have an end, and the eternal, blessed kingdom of Christ should begin, of which the 2nd Psalm sings: "Give thee the Gentiles for an inheritance, and the end of the world for a possession. Psalm, v. 8, sings: "Cry unto me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the end of the world for thine own possession." That now not only the Jews, who were a small, small group, to be counted against all peoples on earth, and had a small, narrow corner in Judea, but also, as before, all Gentiles should be God's people, and thus the kingdom of Christ should be planted and spread in all the world through the gospel, in which Christ would be King and Lord. Then the Jews should have opened their eyes and ears, and believed and followed John, when he preached that Christ also wanted to be the Savior of the Gentiles and of all peoples in the world, and that the Jews would not be cast out if they would only accept Christ and rejoice in his kingdom, which would be much different from the fleshly thoughts they otherwise had about it.

One of the rabbis wrote that in the time of Messiah Jerusalem should be so wide, broad and long that its walls should reach to the end of the world; so gloriously great should the city be. But how is it possible that the whole world should become one city? There must be streams, large and small

Water, forests, fields, meadows, gardens, meadows, mountains and valleys, where else would the people get food, clothing and everything that serves to maintain this temporal life? From where and on what should the cattle live, if grass and all kinds of feed did not grow annually? etc. Therefore the opinion that the fleshly Jerusalem should become so great, which forty years after the resurrection of Christ was so torn and pulled down by the Romans that not one stone was left upon another, does not lie. But the spiritual Jerusalem, that is, the kingdom of Christ was to be spread out into all the world through the gospel, which first came out of the physical Jerusalem, Is. 2, 3. 4, 2. This also came to pass, that the gospel was preached, and thereby the kingdom of Christ was greatly established in all places under heaven, so that it now extends to the ends of the earth, where we also, by the grace and mercy of God, are citizens and dwellers, having the Bible, hearing the blessed gospel of Christ, and being called Christians of Him, are His brethren, and joint heirs of all His eternal, heavenly goods; In such heavenly walls of the city of Jerusalem we also dwell, and all cities also are shut up therein, which hear the word of God, and have the same citizenship.

90) Before the future of Messiah, the Jews were to adhere to their priests and Levites, who preached to them Moses and the prophets, and on all Sabbaths read the priesthood with its laws and rights, established and ordered by God through Moses; who also admonished them to wait patiently for the future of Messiah, preached about the future Christ, and said: He will come, wait, be patient, wait, he will not remain outside, but will certainly come at a certain time. For this purpose Moses and the prophets were to bear witness of the Messiah who was to come and be born. As we do now, preach and comfort the devout Christians, who are being afflicted and persecuted by the devil and the evil world, both within and without, to have patience and wait for the blessed day of their salvation, when Christ the Lord will come to judge.

the living and the dead, and then put an end to all miseries and misery.

The Jews did not want to accept this, but insisted that the earthly Jerusalem should be the seat and dwelling place of the Messiah. As the apostles themselves were still under the fleshly delusion, after Christ had risen from the dead, as if the Messiah would raise a worldly kingdom, and when he came, he would come with great splendor and glory, as an emperor, and force all the world under him by might, 1) making the Jews vain princes and lords, and the Gentiles mere servants. Thus they understood the sayings of the prophets, which prophesied gloriously of the kingdom of Christ. As they still comfort and admonish one another, saying: "Dear brothers, wait for the Messiah, who will surely come as he is promised to us, and rebuild the old Jerusalem, establish the law, the priesthood, the temple, and the service of God anew. etc. Therefore, we want to span the kingdom of Messiah and bind it to the earthly Jerusalem, where he shall dwell, and from there send the Jews into all the world and make them great rulers in Rome, Babylon, Constantinople etc. They will make them rulers there and bring treasures, gold and silver to Jerusalem, which will be the court of their Messiah (as they dream), the most powerful king and lord over all the world, and there he will have a beautiful woman's room, according to the 45th Psalm, v. 15. There he will sit, as Solomon did in the past, and the Jews will ride there abundantly, bringing in customs, interest and the womb of the Gentiles everywhere. So they wanted it, and did not object, because it was written in clear words that Messiah should suffer and die. How they still persist in the delusion and superstition until the fifteenth year, and yet have had no sign from God that he would have taken care of them and saved them from the power of their enemies, as before; but Jerusalem, together with the temple, is now destroyed, and they have had no prophet since that time. God leaves them without

1) Erlanger: and.

2) Erlanger; hundred.

The harder God punishes them, the more hardened they become, and they still console themselves with the fact that they are Abraham's seed and God's people.

Because this false delusion and opinion was so deep in the hearts of the Jews, that Messiah's kingdom should be a fleshly, worldly kingdom, which their fathers and prophets had never said nor taught, much less believed, and Christ came with no such outward splendor as they hoped, John the Baptist was sent to warn them and to talk the people out of this fleshly thought, which was deeply ingrained in them, so that they would not miss the future of the Messiah, nor 3) sleep through it.

For Christ was not to come, as Cyrus, Alexander, Julius, with worldly splendor, armor, silver, gold; but came poor, as the prophet Zacharias had proclaimed, riding into Jerusalem on a strange donkey (as he had nothing of his own), and yet brought all grace and blessedness. Therefore, with beautiful, glorious, comforting words, the prophet promises the people of Israel (who, tired of the old heavy life under the law, had a heartfelt desire and longing for Christ and his kingdom of grace): O daughter of Zion, rejoice greatly, and O daughter of Jerusalem, exult: behold, thy King cometh unto thee, a just man and a helper [Zech. 9:9]. As if to say, "Do not be misled or disbelieve that he comes so poorly and has nothing, but see that he comes to you to save you from sins and eternal death, and to give you eternal righteousness and blessedness.

94. Because Christ should come so badly and simple, without all appearance and splendor, on which carnal hearts have special respect, to win the world by word and miraculous signs, not by guns, sword or bodily force, after Moses, all prophets, priests and Levites, not an angel but a man named John was sent by God, priests and Levites, not an angel, but a man called John, who was more than a prophet (as Christ testifies of him), sent by God (not from himself, not called) before the Lord to knock and wake up the Jews and testify of the Lord,

3) Erlanger: and.

who was promised to them, saying: "Open the door, your Savior is here, for whom you have waited so long; wake up! Behold, the new light, which was from the beginning with God and eternal God, and has now become man, is present; see that you do not let it pass by; that is, Christ, the Lord, for whom you have waited so long and sighed for him, is at the door, yes, in the midst of you. Only go out to meet him, receive and accept your Lord; and you will have no excuse to make that you would gladly have accepted him, if someone had told you, but it is now abundantly told and testified to you, first of all with the new miracle of baptism, and by the dear, worthy one, John the Baptist, whom the Jewish people held in great honor.

95 And he was also an excellent holy man, who had the reputation of being Christ among the people, Luc. 3:15, Joh. 1:20. And even though he did not perform a miracle, the angel sent by God to Zacharias gave him this glorious testimony before he was conceived, that he would be great in the sight of the Lord; he was filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother's womb; he was miraculously conceived by Elizabeth and born of her, who was barren and old; so the father was mute because he did not believe the angel's words, and he spoke again when the child was born. All of which came to pass among the Jewish people and became notorious, as Lucas the Evangelist writes, Cap. 1, 65. 66. So he also has a precious name, called John, that is, Kingdom of Grace, which the angel himself gave him before he was born; did not have to be called by a random name, like other people, but by such a name, which would bring with it that which he is called. He did not have to be called by a random name like other people, but by such a name that would bring with it what he reads, like all names that God makes and gives, just as his beloved Son was not called Jesus in vain, so that he should help his people from sins. So John does not bear this name for his own sake, but for the sake of his ministry and testimony. For he was not to testify of himself, of his food, clothing, etc. but of Christ, and to preach that

he would be present, not only for the comfort and salvation of the Jews, but also for the whole world. Therefore he points to him with his fingers and says: "Behold, this is the Lamb of God, who bears the sin of the world. Because of this testimony and preaching, he is called a loving, gracious preacher, who does not preach the law (by which sin is recognized and strengthened, causing terror and wrath), but the gospel, that God is gracious to us for Christ's sake, who bore our sin and was sufficient for it.

96 Thus the evangelist describes John the Baptist in his ministry, to which he soon takes hold, as said. From this we see that Christ's kingdom did not begin at his, the Lord Christ's, nor John's birth, but in the thirtieth year of both their ages, although John was half a year older than Christ. Then came the command of God from heaven to John in the wilderness, that he should stand forth before the people of Israel, and testify that the consolation and Savior was present to all the world, and admonish them that they should look to him, and take good heed, and not suffer him to pass by, or neglect him. Item, that he should baptize all who hear his preaching and desire his baptism.

97 After this command, he immediately appeared and preached in all the region around the Jordan River, where there were many towns and villages on both sides. For to him it is said, "Go, my John, and preach of the presence of the Messiah, and awaken them by new baptism from the shadow of death, and bring them to Christ. Therefore he says: "Repent, the. The kingdom of heaven is at hand. I baptize you with water unto repentance, but he that cometh after me shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost." What he preached further, read Matthäi [Cap. 3, 1. f.] and Lucä at the 3rd chapter, v. 3. ff. So he preached at the Jordan, where on both sides of the water lay many cities, towns and villages, and said: Christ is there; and consecrated to the Lamb of God. Just as we would say: This man preaches on the Elbe, that is, he preaches at Wittenberg, Torgau, or Magdeburg; and many people came to St. John's, and heard his sermon, especially

the Pharisees, 1) scribes and priests; as Lucas indicates.

98 St. John also led a strict life, was in the desert from his youth, Luc. 1, 80. 15. [Matth. 3, 4.], drank water, needed no other food than locusts and wild honey, ate no other cooked food, and wore no linen shirt, nor any clothing, had no shoes on, walked strangely: Summa, he led such an outward nature and peculiar life that everyone wondered about it. Not that he wanted to be something special, but so that his sermon would be more respected by the people. The Jews were to be moved by it and think, "What will be behind this man? and wonder at his teaching. As they did, saying, "John is a good man, God did not send him in vain, the man's teaching must not be in vain. And St. John's special life and character, by command of God and as it was proclaimed by the angel, had to serve his baptism and the sermon he preached, so that it would have the greater reputation among the people. It was also so that the Jews would have no excuse to say, "If it had been announced to us by a prophet or other holy man that Christ was present, we would have received him cheerfully, with all reverence and gratitude.

99) Not long after this, the Lord Christ Himself showed Himself, and came not armed, nor rumbling in with many thousands on horseback and on foot, nor with some armor of war, like a worldly king, with many people, horses and chariots, but as a spiritual king and preacher, appointed by God Himself on His holy mountain Zion, who was to preach "in such a way that the Lord said to Him: Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee", Ps. 2, 7. This was much different preaching than they had heard from their priests and Levites. This teaching began in Zion and then spread throughout the world.

1) Erlanger: and.

2) Erlanger: his.

(100) And the Lord proved this doctrine of his with great and marvelous miraculous signs, such as no man had seen or heard before that time. For whomever he touched, whether he was sick, blind, deaf, lame, crippled or leprous, etc. was soon healed. He also raised the dead, such as Lazarum, who had been in the grave four days, and two others, the son of the widow of Nain, and Jairi, the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue. These works and miracles of Christ were so that the people would believe his preaching. The same miraculous signs and much more were done by the apostles afterward, as St. Peter's shadow healed and made people whole [Acts 5:15], which were such great miraculous deeds that no emperor, king, ruler or lord in the world, indeed no man, could have done.

All these things moved the common people, so that many from Jerusalem and from all the land of Judea and other countries near the Jordan went out to John, heard his preaching, and were baptized by him into Christ, to whom he pointed out that he would soon follow him, forgive their sins, and baptize them with the Holy Spirit. This is what Lucas means when he says, Cap. 7, 29: "All the people who heard him, and also the tax collectors, justified God and were baptized with the baptism of John." But the great Hanses, the Pharisees, chief priests and scribes, would not listen, but remained stiff-necked in their minds, saying: We are Abraham's and the fathers' descendants, to whom God has promised the Messiah; therefore we are the chief heads and rulers of God's people. If God wants to bring about a change, He will let us, the great princes and rulers, know about it beforehand through a prophet, and will not need such a poor beggar as John to do it. Yes, one should order it to them.

102 But our Lord God is pleased not to do as we suggest; therefore they remained obstinate, "despising God's counsel, to their great hurt, and would not be baptized by Him," Luc. 7:30. So also John 7:45-49, when the servants of the chief priests and Pharisees, whom they had sent out, returned.

had to take hold of Christ, and they said, "Why did you not bring him? And the servants answered: No man ever spoke like this man. Then said the Pharisees unto them, Are ye also deceived? Does any Pharisee or ruler believe in him? but the people who know nothing of the law are accursed." But it is a great wonder that John, Christ and the apostles' future, preaching and miraculous works they could thus despise and throw to the winds. They should ever have been moved by these great and high people to believe their doctrine. Because they did not do so, the Jews will have so many misfortunes, miseries and hardships for fifteen hundred years. But they are still mad and foolish to this day, blaspheming the Virgin Mary, saying that she is a harlot, and that the Lord Christ is a harlot, and a murderer or an avenger etc.

Furthermore, it was highly necessary that John the Baptist (who had a great reputation among all the people) went before the Lord and testified that he was the Messiah. For when Christ came, stood up and began to preach, he had a contemptible, lowly appearance, having been a carpenter until then, as Marcus writes Cap. 6, 3. that many were astonished at his teaching, wisdom and deeds, and said: 1) "Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary? and were offended at him." Therefore, although in him was the life and light of men, and the light was not hidden, but kindled, and gave forth a bright shining, and shined unto men with miracles and words (as the two disciples say, Luc. 24:19, "He 2) was a prophet mighty in deeds and words"), yet there was none, or very few of them, that took heed to the Lord Christ. Since he had no reputation, St. John the Baptist had to come and point to him with his finger and say, v. 27: "This is he"; item, v. 26, 27: "I baptize with water, but he has come among you whom you do not know. This is the one who

1) Erlanger: say.

2) So set by us according to the Bible. Erlanger: It.

I will come (that is, before I die I will stand up and preach), who was before me, that I am not worthy to loose his shoe laces." Item v. 16: "From his fullness we have all received grace for grace." That now the evangelist speaks:

V. 6. 7. There was a man sent by God etc. He came to testify.

This is once again a strong thunderclap against the pagans and enthusiasts of our time, who despise the oral word. But mark these words well, in honor of the outward word. The desperate peelers, the enthusiasts, would like to bring us to the point that the light, Christ, should remain hidden from us, saying: the spirit, the spirit must do it. If this is the case, as they claim, it would have been unnecessary for John, sent by God, to come to testify. For the Spirit would have moved all the people (especially since Christ himself was present, preaching in the midst of the people and performing miraculous signs) to accept him as the Messiah. But it did not happen, because the people were offended by his contemptible appearance. Therefore John had to come with an outward word or testimony, and stretch out his fingers, and say, There he goes. Otherwise there was no remedy nor counsel.

For though (as I said) the Lord Christ himself shone forth with works and words, and wrought wonders before their eyes, that he helped all the sick that were brought unto him, and taught and preached so mightily that the people marveled at it, yet it did not help. But these spirits of the rotten can soon advise and help people to be converted, but not to God, but to the wretched devil. That is why they, who are so full of the swarm spirit, do not know how much it costs to reject and overcome one's own thoughts, good conceit and opinion. It takes effort and work to get people to believe by means that God Himself ordains, such as preaching, absolution, sacrament. Thus, John was not able to bring it about that all who heard him believed his

3) Erlanger: to be opposed.

They believed the testimony, saw Christ and knew that he was the life and light of men and the Savior of the world. Yes, his disciples themselves did not want it at first, so he had to send two of them to the Lord Christ and let them ask him: "Are you the one who is to come? [Luc. 7, 19] so that they could hear him for themselves and see the miraculous deeds he was doing at the same time, and then show them to the others. If John, who was sent by God and had no equal among all those born of women, could not have made all the Jews believe his testimony, then what do the blasphemous prophets pretend that the Spirit, the Spirit must do it? It is a spirit that rides them and speaks through them, but from hell. Therefore beware of them.

Not all of those who heard John's testimony and listened to him remained steadfast; many will have been offended when Herod seized him, put him in prison and finally beheaded him, which happened in time, Matth. 4, 12, and Luc. 3, 20. 12, and Luc. 3, 20. They will have been much more offended at Christ, when they saw that he died such an ignominious death, hanged between two murderers, as a blasphemer and rebel, and will have thrown John's testimony to the wind. Yes, many who received the Lord on Palm Day with joy and great reverence, and joyfully sang [Matth. 21, 9.]: "Hosanna, praise be to him who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest" etc., will have been of a different mind on Char Friday. Therefore he does not say in vain [Matth. 11, 6.], "Blessed is he who does not take offense at me." He who does not hold firmly to the word of God, who soon allows himself to be challenged in this and that (for what evil happens, the devil uses his blasphemers to stir up and blames it on the blessed Gospel), who sees so much of the aggravations that he goes astray, and thinks: I want to stay with the old faith. And there are many of them in our time.

V. 7. The same came to testify that he testified of the light.

107 The evangelist gives a low praise to John the Baptist, keeping thus to reckon,

nothing, or even little of him, does not give him more than that he should be a witness, who should testify and preach to the Jews about him who is the life and light of men; Do not say that he taught them of his hard, severe life, how he drank water, wore a garment of camel's hair, ate forest honey and locusts, so that he then started a new sect, that people should follow his example and think to be saved by it, and thus he attracted people to himself, started a new doctrine and sect. No, he does not do that, but he comes to testify, that is, his office is to point his finger at Christ and testify that he is the Lamb of God; thus he points the people, even his own disciples, away from him to the Lord Christ. As if he wanted to say: I am not Christ, I am not the light, I cannot enlighten you nor give you life, but believe and follow him, of whom I am a witness. I shall preach and testify of Christ, and not of my camel skin, or any other of my stern life. But I am to encourage and awaken you with these my hideous gestures, so that you may listen to me all the more diligently, who testify of Christ, of the life and light of men, who has been God and Creator of heaven and earth from all eternity, and has now taken on human nature, is in your midst; he is the bridegroom, to him belongs the bride.

108. If John the Baptist, the great holy man, as Christ himself calls him, was the only witness who testified of Christ, what are we to think of Francisco, Dominico and others who have created a peculiar being, founded new orders, They have separated themselves from the people with their brothers in all things, for clothing and food, and have even undertaken a new way of life, pretending that they are holy orders and right ways to salvation, have not consecrated the people to Christ, as John did, but have drawn them to themselves and led them to their orders and rule.

The pope confirmed all this and called it a spiritual, perfect state, and also blessed and praised for two-fold saints those who follow their rule and their way of life,

They have given themselves to the order. Through this pretense, so many people, high and low, indeed, all the world, have been deceived, who have fallen for it and thought: Let this be something great; the dear fathers lead a strict life, serve God with praying, singing, singing, singing. They serve God by praying, singing, fasting, reading day and night. Yes, if you want to bring people up, you have to do something special. If you want to catch birds, you have to set them up, grain them and lure them, even put birds of prey on the flock of finches. If you want to catch mice, you must tie bacon to the traps. Then everyone has been inclined and willing to give abundantly and with hands, so that now and then in the whole of Christendom innumerable monasteries have sprung up, and many, even of high dynasties, have become monks and nuns. The others have relied on the good works and other merits of the holy fathers. This means that they have been led to the fool's seat, because people have broken their necks.

But John did not do this: he did not urge the people to follow his example, to put on a camel's skin, to have a leather belt around their loins, but to point with his finger to Christ, the eternal Father's Word, life and light of men, and testify of him that he is the Lamb of God who bears the sin of the world. So Franciscus should also have done, and said: "Dear friends, I will gladly be poor, wear a gray cap, a rope around my body, but you should not do the same to me, much less think to attain salvation through it. All that I do is done for your sake, that I, free from all business and cares, may preach to you without hindrance; not of my rule or order, but of Christ, the Savior of the world, who took your sin upon himself, bore it, and sacrificed it in his body on the wood: the word and gospel of this man shall you hear from my mouth; for I alone teach Christ, who is our true abbot and Lord. So Dominicus also should have consecrated the people to Christ, the true Lord, bishop and shepherd of souls.

But they have proclaimed their rules and orders sacred, and they have attached the people to themselves, saying, "Whoever keeps their rule?

Be in the way of blessedness. Which is vain error, blindness, darkness, yes, horrible idolatry, if you look at it right. The pope has given a great indulgence for this and commanded the angels to carry the souls of those who die on the way to St. James to heaven, and has only led and drawn the people to himself and to their holy life. As St. Paul also warns against this in the 20th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, v. 29 f., when he says: "I know that after my departure there will arise from among you men who speak perverse doctrine, to draw the disciples after yourselves. For this is the true sign and characteristic by which false teachers are to be recognized, because they draw the hearers to themselves and to their life, and do not point to Christ from themselves.

I believe, however, that the monks mentioned above recognized and confessed this error before their end, and relied on Christ, who is the only true light, by which alone, and by no one else, men are enlightened, and thus God, who is merciful, forgave their sin for Christ's sake. As we also read of St. Bernard that he also had to do this: when it was time for him to die, he let go of these words: I have spent my life shamefully and lost it; but I take comfort in knowing that Jesus Christ, my Lord, has a twofold right to the kingdom of heaven. First, he has it for himself, because he is a true, natural Son of God, and reigns with the Father in eternity, so heaven is due to him hereditarily from eternity; I do not have to console myself about this; but secondly, he has acquired heaven through his holy suffering and death, and has given it to me; so I also get heaven in this way. If he had not differed in this faith, he would have gone to the devil in the abyss of hell with his monasticism and monastic life.

So, all monks in the papacy, however holy and strict a life they have led, must (if they have been otherwise blessed) come here, that they must also confess: I have spent my life shamefully, I cannot rely on my cap, rule, order, but I believe in Jesus.

Christ, who died for my sins and for the sins of all the world; to him I cling, and go to his comforting word [Matth. 11, 28.]: "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. According to this, I hope, Franciscus, Dominicus etc. will also have kept; if not, then I would not like to go to heaven, where they have gone.

So St. John the Baptist begat of Christ and consecrated everyone to him. Therefore he is called a gracious teacher, a gracious preacher, who preaches loving grace and favor from Christ, that he may be our light. And tell us nothing of his locusts or camel-skin. Just as we still testify of Christ today, that he alone is the Well Savior and the Lamb of God, yes, he is our Shepherd, our Abbot, our Bridegroom and Messiah; acting solely from this gracious preaching. Follows:

That they all might believe through him.

The evangelist does not exclude the Jews, as if they should no longer be God's people, but groups both Jews and Gentiles together, so that they should all believe in this Christ. John the Baptist lifts up the kingdom of Christ, makes a being, and testifies of the light, for this cause, that they all, Jews and Gentiles, might believe through him. And should the glory of the Jews no longer count for anything, that they alone were God's people; as they also were in truth, as in the 5th chapter of Moses Cap. 4, v. 7. 20. and in the 147th Psalm, v. 19. The Gentiles should now also be God's people; for John the Baptist brings a new testimony, which reads thus: Whoever believes in the Son of God, who is the true light, is a child of Abraha, belongs among the multitude that is God's people, whether one is a Jew or a Gentile. For now such a kingdom begins, in which nothing is counted, whether Abraham's seed, Abraham's flesh and blood, or Abraham's breeches and lambs, but only faith in the Son of God, that whoever believes in the light shall be saved and shall abide forever, as John the Baptist testifies, John 3:36: "Whoever believes in all the light of God shall be saved and shall abide forever.

Son, he has eternal life. He who does not believe in the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."

But the greater part of the Jews, especially their spiritual prelates and chief rulers, rejected John's testimony, cast it from them, and did not desire the eternal life of which he testified. Therefore it is their own fault that they were rejected, and later the Gentiles came in their place and became God's people, because they believed the testimony of John, which was preached to them by the apostles and their disciples, and thus through the same testimony Christ's kingdom was planted and established in all the world, since there is even a new service of God, for which we do not need circumcision, temple, Jerusalem, or anything else, but only faith is necessary.

Here we must also diligently remember this word, that John was sent by God to bear witness to the light, because they all believed through him. For the Anabaptists, and their like, harmful, poisonous enthusiasts, pretend, as you often hear, and it is highly necessary that you be warned to beware of them: The spirit, the spirit must do it; for what is the use of hearing the outward word and relying on it, as if it were the way and means by which we come to faith and receive the spirit, when it is written with ink and feathers, and when it is spoken it goes up into the air and soon passes away? Thus they mock the blessed word to which John was called and sent by God Himself to testify, as if John were a monster whose testimony should not be allowed.

The evangelist praises John the Baptist and says that his ministry is indispensable. For he testifies of Christ, and points to him, who is the life and light that enlightens all men. So that he indicates that the outward word serves to make one come to faith through it and receive the Holy Spirit. For God has decreed that no one should or can believe or receive the Holy Spirit without the Gospel, which is preached or taught orally; as experience with Jews and

Pagans it proves. The Holy Scripture also testifies to this. To Romans 10, v. 17, Paul says: "Faith comes from preaching, preaching by the word of God." To Galatians Cap. 3, 2. "Ye have received the Spirit through the preaching of faith." In Acts, 10th chapter, v. 44: "While Peter was still speaking these words of Christ (that all who believe in him receive forgiveness of sins etc.), the Holy Spirit fell on all who listened to the word." Therefore it is also called a word of grace, peace, life and salvation.

119 Therefore, do not be offended when the fools say, "The scribes of Wittenberg can do nothing but preach, exalting the outward word; therefore neither faith, love, patience, nor other good fruits follow with them. But we have the Spirit (they say), who works in us faith, love, patience, contempt for temporal honor and goods, constancy in all kinds of tribulations, hardship and death. They are hopeful, presumptuous hypocrites, who can judge and judge anyone, see the mote in our eye, but are not aware of the beam in theirs. Therefore let them go, and judge according to these words, "That they may all believe through him." For it is said in short: Either John's testimony is heard, or you remain without faith forever.

(120) Though not all believe the word, or come to faith by the word, nor receive the Holy Ghost, yet the gospel is not unrighteous. Therefore behold Christ and John, both of whom testify and preach with great power; but how many are converted thereby, or who steadfastly hold to their testimony, and let no trouble turn away from it? I am led to believe that God's word goes forth and bears fruit almost as powerfully and mightily in our time as it did in their time and in the time of the apostles. There have always been few righteous disciples of the gospel. Many are indeed called, and the great multitude hears it, and knows much to speak of it; but few are chosen, who bear fruit in patience. For faith is not for everyone. If they all believed, no one would pursue the gospel.

Therefore, where these hypocrites want to go with their spirit, I do not intend to go. The merciful God protects me from the Christian church, in which all are saints. I want to be and remain in the church and among the small group, in which there are the fainthearted, the weak and the sick, who recognize and feel their sin, misery and sorrow, and who also sigh and cry to God without ceasing for consolation and help, and who believe in the forgiveness of sins and suffer persecution for the sake of the Word (which they teach and confess purely and unadulterated). Satan is a cunning mischief-maker; he wants to make the simple think, by means of his enthusiasts, that there is nothing wrong with the preaching of the gospel, that we must attack ourselves in some other way than by leading a holy life, bearing the cross and suffering much persecution; and by such false pretenses of self-chosen holiness (which is contrary to God's word) many are deceived. But our holiness and righteousness is Christ, in whom, and not in us, we are perfect, Coloss. 2, 10. And there I take comfort and hold to the word of St. Paul, when he says 1 Cor. 1, 30: "Let Christ be made unto us of God for wisdom, for righteousness, for sanctification, and for redemption."

There is therefore no other way or means by which we can come to faith than to hear, learn and contemplate the gospel, so that we may be able to counter the spirits of the Gentiles when they claim that the Spirit must be present so that man can preach, confess and suffer. No, here you hear the contradiction that John was sent by God to testify about Christ, so that all may believe through him, that is, through his testimony. For this reason, one should not despise the oral word, but hold it high, great, dear and valuable. For this reason God has established the ministry of reconciliation and the word of reconciliation, that is, the gospel, among us, 2 Cor. 5:19, so that it may be diligently practiced and heard.

This is the beginning of the Christian Church in the New Testament, or the Kingdom of Christ, since John was sent by God and began to testify, not of himself, but of the Light, that is, of the Son of God, that he might be of the Eternal Father.

Word, which was in the beginning with God, and all things were created through him, he also being the life and light of men. And so John is a servant and guide to the light, which is Christ, our dear Savior. As his whole testimony and all the apostles' preaching is directed to this end, that we may learn to recognize him who is the true light. And this was also highly necessary, that he should testify of the light, that the whole world might know where it should abide, and to whom it should cleave, and accept him. And follows:

The fourth sermon on the Gospel of John.

On Saturday after Laurentii [August 11, 1537]. 1)

V. 8. He was not the light, but that he might bear witness to the light.

It is a beautiful text that leads us to the one Savior, Christ, and John the Evangelist takes great pains, placing all his words very carefully, so that each one has something special behind it. He would have liked to portray the man Christ, who is the true light and life, also true God and man, and to separate him purely, and to persuade all the world that it should see itself well and know of no other light but the true light, Christ, from whom all creatures have life and their whole being, and thus remain pure from all sects. For the world always has the heartache that it is full of masters and clever ones, full of wise men and lights, who seek their own ways to heaven, and want to be lights for the world, and teach them and lead them to God, which John warns against. And there were many false prophets among the Jews, who wanted to be vain lights, who had a greater reputation among the kings and the people of Israel than the pious, righteous prophets. They were soon found to be liars and perished with shame, as you can read in the first book of Kings, Cap. 18, 40, and in the first book of Kings, Cap. 22 [2 Kings 10:25] and Jeremiah, chapter 28, v. 12 ff.

1) "The fourth sermon" and the timing is in the margin in the original.

So John also saw that in the future time many would come and pretend to be lights and teachers, as soon, while he was still alive, Cerinthus began to dispute the Lord Christ's divinity; and after that the world became full of redness, and one foolish, senseless saint after another arose, wanting to be master and teacher, and to shine, so that people would find the right way to God. As the apostle St. Peter also proclaims in the other epistle in chapter 2, v. 1, where he says: "Just as there were false prophets among the people, so there will also be false teachers among you. And indeed the Lord Christ himself warns his Christians against such false prophets Matth. 24, 24. when he says: "There will arise false Christs and false prophets" etc., that is, they will pretend: "Here or there is Christ"; my order is holy, my rule is the way to heaven. "Behold," saith he, "I have told you before." John the Evangelist also saw this; therefore he comes before, and, warning all men, that they be not deceived, nor turned away from thy one light, Christo.

For this reason he casts far behind John the Baptist, not wanting to let him be the light, who has the testimony and praise of Christ himself, that among all those born of women there does not arise one greater than he; since the Lord excludes no one who comes from man or woman, whether prophet or apostle, but says: they are all under John, except himself alone, who was born of a virgin and not of a woman in the common way. And now the evangelist John takes the honor of light from the Baptist (the chosen and most distinguished of all the saints), when he says: "He was not the light", that is, he could not help people out of darkness by himself, nor enlighten them, nor give them eternal life, who nevertheless led such a holy, strict life, but he was sent by God to turn people away from him to Christ, and witness that he alone was the true light.

127.' What then shall we say of those who draw people to themselves from Christ, and

have claimed to be teachers and lux mundi? Soon after the time of the apostles, one after the other arose, until the world was completely filled with them, and each of them promised to lead people out of darkness onto the right path of light, and through their rules promised eternal life and bliss to all who kept them. We cannot say anything else of them, except that they have been deceivers and deceivers, and both master and disciple have gone to the devil; for some of them have recognized their error, and have taken hold of Christ, the one true light, through faith; as I said above [§ 112] of St. Bernard.

But above all others, the blasphemous See of Rome, that is, one pope after the other, now some hundred years ago, has arrogated itself to be the highest light and head of Christendom, as it boasts in all bulls, books and spiritual laws; for this reason it has also wanted to shine. But I mean, he has shone, namely, like a dirt in the lantern. For he has put the gospel under the bench and buried it, and in its place the world, with its filth, stink and filth, that is, with false and devilish doctrine, nasty decrees and decrees, idolatries, idolatry, abominations, and an arch- and chief heretic, filled and flooded with innumerable sects and rotteries, as with a flood of sin, and made everything necessary for blessedness, proclaimed blessed those who obeyed him, kept his laws and commandments of men; Again, all those who were not obedient nor subject to him, banished and cursed. And yet all his light has been darkness, foolishness and idolatry. Idolatry. And I mean, he shone so brightly that we were all almost blinded together with him, and we went groping, not knowing where to go.

Thus, when one despises God's word, people believe the lie to their eternal destruction. For, dear God, what lights are lit under the papacy, who would seek and count them all together? St. John looks at these lights here, and needs very good and bold words to keep us from all the other lights that have arisen, be it in the Old Testament or among the prophets,

or afterwards in the New Testament, at the time of the apostles.

130 For we should seek no other light than this one light, Christ. And we should diligently keep this and similar texts that point us to Christ, that he alone is the life, light of men, and Savior of the world, and well imagine them, for they serve against all sects, false appearances, and hypocrisy. For whoever reports that St. John, the greatest man, by his strict, holy life could not help people to salvation, nor did he want to: a thousand times less will another saint do it than Franciscus, Dominic, or the Pope with his hard orders, caps, cords or rules, all of which cannot hold a candle to St. John the Baptist. For they are vain filth in the lantern, and nothing else. And if they remained with their own and peculiar filth in the lantern, and did not take hold of the one true light, Christ, at their last end, then they have gone into the abyss of hell. That is why the pope and all the others, they call themselves whatever they want, as devout and spiritual as they can be, hide themselves away, who show people a different way to salvation than the Lord Christ.

131, The world has no more light than the sun, which makes the day; no other physical light can illuminate, make, or govern the day than the one visible sun, as the Lord Christ also calls it, when he says in the Gospel of John, 11 Capital 9, 10: "He that walketh by day walketh safely, because he seeth the light of this world: but he that walketh by night stumbleth. 2c, For though other lights are more than the moon and all the stars, which also shine, yet if they shine most brightly, and all their light were together, they could not make a quarter of an hour of day, or make the fourth part of the light of the sun; yea, they still take all their light and brightness from the sun, so that the sun alone makes and rules the day: Much more can there be no other light in the Christian church and in the spiritual kingdom of Christ, but one, which is Christ, the eternal Sun of righteousness, who alone is the true light of men, and who alone is the light of the world.

1600 Erl. 45, 366-368. luther's interpretation on john cap. 1-4. w. VII, 1478-1481. ' 1601.

nothing else. Therefore, whoever is not enlightened by him remains in darkness forever.

132 Therefore, when the Christian church is scattered to and fro from all nations throughout the world, from the beginning and the end, from noon and midnight, let it be equal and united in this matter, that it may know and hold Christ alone as its light, and know and preach of Christ alone; as we (praise God!) do here, and direct all our teaching, writing, and preaching to this end.

Reason may exalt and boast of its light, and even be wise with it in worldly transitory things; but it certainly does not climb up to heaven with it, or be taken to counsel in this matter concerning salvation. For the world and reason are quite blind, remain in darkness, and do not shine or shine for eternity. But the only light is Christ alone, he can and will advise and help.

If this were to happen, and we were to continue to do so, Christians would have the same knowledge, doctrine and faith, and would teach and preach the same in all places of the world. Just as we are of the same mind here, so would our brothers who live in the Orient be of the same mind. If someone from Babylon came here and heard our lecture or sermon, he would say, "I believe just as you teach; I hold to the one light, Christ," and would confess, "that we both preach from the light, Christ. And if I came to Turkey to a Christian, and heard him speak of Christian doctrine and faith from the Scriptures, I would also say, So do I believe and hold. Therefore we are all called Christians by our Lord Christ, that we, according to our name, should know that he alone is our light, life, way, hope and salvation etc. Anchors may be called Franciscans, Dominicans, Augustinians, Carthusians, Mahometans and Papists, or whatever they like, but they are not light but darkness. For if I had all the lights in one heap, which otherwise call themselves lights; they are nevertheless vain wizards and field devils, which are seen at night, and lead one that he falls at last into a water and drowns, [or else perishes in quarries or glue pits.

From this we see which are true or false teachers. Pious, Christian teachers point people away from themselves to Christ; as St. John also does here, and leads his testimony; as we (praise God!) and others do much more. For all our sermons are to the effect that you and we should all know and believe that Christ alone is the only Savior and Consoler of the world, Shepherd and Bishop of our souls; as the Gospel definitely points to Christ, therefore nothing is different from St. John's testimony. Therefore we do not draw people to ourselves, but lead them to Christ, who is the way, the truth and the life. Again, false teachers are all those who preach and testify not about Christ but about themselves; As the wicked pope does before all other heretics and false teachers, who makes all his laws and statutes of men and commandments necessary for salvation, also raises and sets his authority over all bishops, kings, emperors, even angels, whom he has to command, and in his letters of excommunication so flashes and thunders with threats that whoever does not obey him and his laws shall know that he will fall from God's grace. Item, speaks in the mandamus, aggravamus, reaggravamus, excommunicamus, etc. Thus terrifyingly roars the cruel, three-horned ox. 1)

136. Because the pope blasphemes God so horribly through his lies and devilish teachings, has deceived countless thousands of souls with them for so long, and now curses and condemns the pure doctrine with all power through himself and his powerful followers, and persecutes it as the worst heresy, subordinates himself to eradicate it, together with all those who spread it, teach it, recognize it, and are attached to it, and in short defends and wants to preserve its blasphemous abominations as right and holy: then he is the greatest bear-wolf and soul-murderer, the like of which has never come on earth. We should therefore thank the dear God from the bottom of our hearts that He has graciously delivered us from His heavy prison and iron yoke, and has allowed the blessed light of the Gospel to shine so clearly and brightly for us at this last time, which will lead us to the right, eternal light.

1) i.e. the pope with his triple crown.

points. And we are now sure that the pope is the real Antichrist, and all his teachings, which he has praised for the light of the world, are devilish lies, stink and filth. Therefore damn them to the abyss of hell, and hope that our dear Lord Christ will put an end to his blasphemous, accursed reign by the appearance of his blessed future. Amen.

But if anyone should think, how can the evangelist so boldly say, "John was not the light," when the Lord himself calls him a burning and shining light, John 5:35? Both are true. He is not the light by which men are enlightened to eternal life; as he himself constantly confesses, and afterwards the evangelist highly praises his constancy when he says v. 20: "And he confessed and did not deny, and he confessed: I am not Christ." Item v. 27: "I am not worthy to undo the laces of his shoes." And yet he is a light that is not set under a bushel, but that burns and shines to everyone; that is, he appears freely in public, shining to those to whom he was sent, who not only sat in darkness, but were all darkness and blindness, as you heard above [§68 ff]: "The light shines in the darkness." He shone, he testified and preached to them, saying [Luc. 3, 4. ff.], "Repent." "Prepare ye the way of your Lord." "Ye viper-bred, who hath shewed you that ye shall escape the wrath to come?" Item Luc. 3, 9.: "The ax is already laid to the root of the trees; whichever tree bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down, and cast into the fire." Item Luc. 3, 17: "He will sweep his threshing floor and gather the wheat into his sheds, but the chaff will be burned with eternal fire."

This was a sharp sermon to all the people of Israel, Luc. 3, 7. 9. Item, the Pharisees and Sadducees, to whom John was especially harsh, Matth. 3, 7. But they did not turn to it, but "despised God's counsel". But he does not leave it at that, but further instructs those who were frightened by this harsh sermon, and it had gone through their hearts, how they should escape the future wrath. He directs them to the true light, which gives the poor sinners their

Forgives sin, enlightens to eternal life, and baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire, points to the same light, Christ, and says, v. 29: "Behold, this is the Lamb of God, who bears not only your sins, but the sins of the whole world. Therefore the Lord calls him a burning and shining light'. For all who have accepted his testimony and believed in Christ (who is not only the life and light of men, but also the Lamb of God who bears and takes away their sin and the sin of all the world) have been enlightened by it and have become children of the eternal light, have received eternal life and blessedness.

So Christ also calls his disciples "the salt of the earth" and "the light of the world. For they have just preached the sermon of St. John: first, they have salted the whole world, that is, they have preached repentance to all people on the whole face of the earth, namely, that everything in the world that is called flesh or man, they have punished and salted as rotten and corrupt before God because of sin. Item, that all the world's wisdom, holiness, worship, without God's word, invented out of their own delusion and devotion, counts for nothing before God, yes, is an abomination and condemned before Him. Therefore they are called "the salt of the earth". After that they are also "the light of the world"; For they not only salted, but also shone, that is, preached grace and forgiveness of sins to the penitent in the name of Christ, and comforted them that through him the devil's head was crushed, God's wrath and judgment against sinners was reconciled and abolished through him, and now the promise is fulfilled that through Christ all nations on earth are blessed, so that from now on all who believe in him are redeemed from sin and death, are righteous before God, and have eternal life; as Christ himself speaks Joh. 3:16: "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." As many as heard her preaching and believed in Christ have been saved.

140) The apostles' disciples, and subsequently all pious, godly bishops and teachers, preached repentance and forgiveness of sins in the following way.

The heretics preached in the name of Christ, pointing people to Christ, until false teachers and heretics gained the upper hand, perverted pure doctrine, and spread arrogance in their hearts. However, God raised up some godly, learned men who resisted the heretics and brought back the doctrine; but one time more and clearer than the other.

Of the pious preachers Daniel speaks in the 12th chapter, v. 3: "The teachers shall shine (after the resurrection) as the brightness of heaven, and they that lead many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. But of those who seek their own glory and not Christ's, Christ says [Matt. 7:23], "Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity." There is no change in their saying, v. 22: "Lord, Lord, we have prophesied in thy name, cast out devils, and done other miraculous works." Follows:

But that he bore witness to the light.

The papists blame me, I teach: One should fear God alone and have Him in mind, but I do not think anything of the saints, I reject their strict life and good works, as if they had never done anything good and useful. Is John the Baptist (they say) nothing? Item, I think nothing of the church, of the pope's power, cancel his obedience etc.

But I will not and cannot put my trust, as far as salvation is concerned, in him, John, nor rely on his holiness, strict life and excellent works; for he is not Christ (as he himself confesses John 3:28: "You are my witnesses that I said: I am not Christ." Item, he says v. 30: "He must increase; but I must decrease"), who alone is the life and light of men.

If this distinction had been kept before this time, our ancestors, and we the ancients ourselves, would not have bought the good works and other merits of the monks, would not have redeemed the pope's indulgences, would not have called upon the saints as helpers in need, would not have founded and established many masses and various saintly services. For John, the greatest man among all the mother children, who is more than a prophet, cannot help me and you to attain eternal life and blessedness by his holiness, strict life, unusual food and clothing, item that he did not drink wine; he is not the light there, his life is even rejected here; much less will a lesser saint do it. And may Franciscus, Dominic and all the popes, with monks, nuns and priests, go into hiding and extinguish their light. For if they do not put Christ but themselves as light, they do not shine in any other way than like dirt in a lantern; it may stink, but it does not shine.

Nevertheless, the saints (I am not speaking of those whom the pope has canonized, but those who bore John's testimony and preached repentance and forgiveness of sins in the name of Christ) are to be exalted for the sake of their ministry, because they taught and preached God's word purely and truthfully. For the apostle to the Hebrews in the 13th chapter, v. 7, says: "Remember your teachers who have told you the word of God, which end look upon, and follow their faith" (not their order, rule, works, strict life). Item, St. Paul 1 Tim. 5, 17: "The elders who are well to lead are held in double honor, especially those who labor in the word and in doctrine." But if they should be held against Christ, the true light, or only be compared to him (as the

If the frenzied barefooters have compared their Franciscum with Christ, yes, have proclaimed Franciscum to Christianity in Christ's place), then their shining and shining is over. As John himself says: "I baptize you with water, but he has come in the midst of you, whom you do not know. He is the one who will come after me, the one who was before me, whom I am not worthy to untie," John 1:26, 27.

I praise the moon and the stars because they shine brightly and clearly at night, even though they have all the brilliance of the sun. But when the night has passed, they are not able to make the day with their light; indeed, they lose their brilliance and light so that it is no longer visible, and even though they are in the sky, they do not shine. So I praise and extol the true saints, who are graced and adorned with the understanding of the Holy Scriptures and many beautiful, glorious gifts of the Holy Spirit, which they also use for the betterment and comfort of Christianity. But that they should thereby redeem people from sins and make them righteous before God, they may be silent; yes, pray with St. David this little verse [Ps. 143:2]: "Do not go into judgment with your servant, for before you no living person is righteous." Item [Ps. 130, 3.], "If thou wilt impute sin, O Lord, who shall stand?" Then their brightness and shine cease, they cannot make that happy, blessed day; but Christ alone, of whom it is written in the 118th Psalm, v. 24: "This is the day which the Lord hath made." He who sees that day lives forever.

147) Now when St. John the Baptist is held against Christ, he is promised, 1) as he himself says, "I am not worthy to undo his shoe laces." But for the sake of his ministry he is praised for preaching about Christ with his mouth, pointing to him with his fingers, and leading people from himself to him, as to him who alone is the light and life of men. Summa, he is not the light, but a servant and Zenge of Christ, he is to preach how and whom I should believe. He is a witness of the

1) promise - to speak disparagingly of someone.

He helps us by his ministry to become children of the light, so he shines and is a fine light. But if one would set him against Christ and hold him, he is a noisy darkness; just as the moon and stars shine at night, but in the daytime they do not shine, and are nothing compared to the sun; for none of their lights can make day. So the holy people shine beautifully and live splendidly, but in themselves they cannot help anyone to salvation. John is not the light, though he brings much to the light; but for his ministry we honor and praise John the Baptist, and there he is also a great man. So we still honor the ministry of preaching, baptism, the Lord's Supper, and absolution, etc., for they are offices ordained by God to point us to the light. Follows:

V. 9. This was the true light that enlightens all men who come into this world.

He cannot stop, St. John, that he may keep the one light, Christ alone, and says in short: Except the Son of God, who was with the Father from the beginning, and through whom all things have life and light, there is no other light: whatever men are enlightened on earth, they are enlightened by this one light, and nowhere else. Now this is a strange and whimsical thing to say, and to him who is not instructed in Christian doctrine and faith, these words are dark and gloomy. For shall all be enlightened by Christ? yet do not all believe in him, but the less part of the world only believe.

St. John the Evangelist presented the doctrine of faith to Christianity with all diligence and faithfulness, and warned them sufficiently against all kinds of sects and cults, if they, contrary to God's word, pretended new spirituality, holiness, revelation and enlightenment, by which people should be freed from sins and become righteous, and exhorted that Christ is the one, true light: where this shines and is recognized, there is life and blessedness. But what did it help? His gospel, yes, the whole holy scripture, has lain under the bench for several hundred years, and in its place, the sorry Pabst

The light of the pope's teachings, the commandments of men, and spiritual rights has divided Christianity into so many sects. That is why there have been so few people in the papacy who have known about this light, although it should be known to all people who are to be enlightened differently by it.

But let us see what is the opinion of the evangelist. He saw, as a highly enlightened apostle, that the devil rules and leads the world in such a way that he causes many sectarian aberrations, and at the same time lights and casts out many new lights, all of which are responsible for showing people the right way to heaven, and each one wants to be the light, or a master and teacher, who draws people to himself, so that they should follow him. When, before Christ's future, he stirred up many false prophets among the people of Israel. After the birth of Christ, he also raised heretics in Graecia, as he raised heretics in the time of John the Evangelist, Cerinthum and others. Therefore he speaks in his I Epistle at the 4th chapter, v. 1. 3.: "Many false 1) prophets have gone out into the world, and you have heard that the Antichrist is coming"; Cap. 2, 18.: "and now many have become antichrists." And adds a warning, saying, "Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God." As if he wanted to say: Beware, the devil will raise up many more such fellows. As it happened. One after the other, Marcion, Ebion, Novatus, Manes, Arius, Pelagius, Mahomet, arose; until finally in the papacy innumerable sects and cults were formed.

151 John the evangelist has seen that every fluttering spirit wants to be a light for the people to follow; one wants to go out there, the other there. As he said above [v. 4]: "In him was life, and the life was the light of men"; so he repeats it here again, saying: "This was the true light. He would like to impress it on the people, so that they should not forget it. He also wants to say: "It is only this one light; but the world is and will be full of lights, that is, teachers, and each one wants to be the best, and gives one of them the best light.

1) Erlanger: false teacher and.

As we old people, unfortunately, have experienced too much in the papacy: one directed the people to Rome, another to St. James, the third to the monastery, and there was no end to the separation and shining of the false wives. Even this does not do, the evangelist wants to say, this is not the right way; if a man, living before or after Christ's future in the world, is to be saved from darkness, sin and death, he must be enlightened by this (no other) light, attain eternal righteousness and life, or he will probably remain unenlightened. For no one brings this light with him when he is born into the world, nor does he find it on earth; but if he is to receive it, he must receive it from Christ, who alone enlightens all men who come into this world.

152 Yes, you say, are not all men enlightened, because many on earth are the enemies of our Lord Christ, as Jews, Turks, Tarians, Papists etc., how then does the evangelist say, this light enlightens all men? He speaks in a common way, as we are wont to speak: In this city all the citizens must hear this priest, all the pupils this schoolmaster (for they have no other), and learn from him; yet all the citizens do not hear the priest, nor do all the pupils learn anything from the schoolmaster; and though they hear the priest and the schoolmaster alike, yet the greatest number are not improved, but only some. Therefore, when I say: All citizens and pupils hear the priest and schoolmaster, I mean to indicate that there is no other priest or preacher, nor schoolmaster in this city, except Mr. Johannes, or Magister Peter. Now, if anyone is to hear God's word, learn it, and accept it with faith, he must listen to John. So, if a pupil is to learn something, to be taught, he must listen to Magister Peter; for the pastor remains their teacher of all. So also here in the world the Lord Christ is the only light of men, there is no other light but this. If anyone is to be enlightened, he must be enlightened by him and by no one else, because without him and apart from him there is no other light by which men can be enlightened.

But the fact that not all, even the lesser part of men, are enlightened is not the fault of the light of our Lord Christ. For he is called and is the light of the world and of all men, shining also for and for; he is also ordained by God to be so, as God speaks through the prophet Isaiah [Cap. 49, 6.]: "It is a small thing that thou art my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob; but I have also made thee a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be my salvation unto the end of the world." This promise was in full swing soon after the time of the apostles, Acts 13:47. 13:47, "For the gospel hath sounded as far as heaven, and hath shined and glowed, not only in the possession of Christ, that is, among the Jews, to whom it was promised, and according to the flesh Christ came forth from their fathers, but in all the world. But because all have not received the blessed light, nor do they now receive it, the light does not lose its name and honor.

154. "The light" (he said above, v. 5) "shines in the darkness," that is, in all the world, which without this light is absolutely stagnant and blind, yes, is pure darkness in God's matters; "but the darkness has not understood it. Therefore, there is no lack of light, but of those who do not want to accept it; indeed, who love darkness more than light (as Christ says John 3:19). What does the dear Sun shine and shine, so that I close my eyes, and do not want to see its light, or hide from it under the earth? Nevertheless, she shines for herself, to all those who want to accept and use her light.

Our dear Gospel, which we preach by the grace of God from the light, is not only well known in German lands, but also in foreign dominions and kingdoms. Yes, the pope at Rome, the cardinals, bishops, and the whole rabble of the papal dregs know more about it than they would like. That our testimony, which agrees with the testimony of John and the apostles (for we preach nothing else than they preached), is strong and powerful (praise God!), and the blessed light shines brightly. But that they thereby

not wanting to be enlightened, but desecrating, persecuting and condemning it as darkness and lies of the devil, it does not follow that Christ is not the light of all men. They feel the brightness and light of our teaching, but they do not want to see it. Now this is not the fault of the light, that not all accept it.

I preach to all of you who are here in Wittenberg, but how many of you are reformed by my preaching and accept the blessed light with faith, so that they are enlightened by it? Truly, the fewest believe my sermon. Nevertheless, I am and remain the teacher and preacher of you all. So, even if not all believe Christ's preaching, that does not take away from his ministry; nevertheless, he is and remains the light that enlightens all people who come into the world. He is the true light from the beginning to the end of the world; that is, as many as have come, and are yet to come into the world, and are enlightened, they have had and will have no other light or Savior but Christ. In sum, the holy evangelist will allow no other means by which men may be enlightened and saved: all the world must have this one light alone, or remain in darkness forever.

157 This light shone before the flood to the forefathers, to whom the seed of the woman was promised to crush the serpent's head, and he was also their life and light, enlightening them to eternal life, and they comforted themselves with the promise and strengthened their faith with it, preached it in the places where they lived, and thus brought it to their descendants. Similarly, after the flood, this light shone to the patriarchs and shone brightly and clearly in all the world through the preaching of the apostles. For the whole world shall not and cannot have any other light by which they can be enlightened, but Christ alone.

This faith and confession is the right foundation on which the Christian church is built. This is also the church's unique characteristic and landmark, by which it is to be recognized as the most certain sign. And it is highly necessary that such teaching, through which people come to this faith and confession, should be taught.

be diligently pursued. For the devil does not celebrate, he does not cease, as we see and experience, until he divides the true church and tears it apart into various factions and sects. Just open your eyes and look into the world, and you will find many lights that St. Francis, Dominic, Mahomet and others have lit. The world is found to be full of idolatry, false faith, monasticism, sects and cults, since none agrees with the other, and yet each wants to be the best.

Therefore, stay with the one light; do not be disturbed by the fact that this or another saint has led a hard order and an austere life, has not eaten meat, has worn a hard shirt. For the world soon came to this place, spreading the orders and accepting them, thinking that they would be saved by them. Listen, do not turn away from it, but say: Even if the same founders of the order have performed miraculous signs, raised the dead, fasted or whipped themselves to death in front of great devotion and spirituality, it still does not move me. Yea, though an angel come down from heaven, and work great miracles, and make bread of stones; yet if he come without this light, Christ, I shall say, I will not hear thee, I will not have thee, for I am Christ's, baptized into Christ, cleansed and washed from sins with his shed blood. Your fasting, praying and whipping do not help me; I believe John the Baptist, who points me, not to strict life nor holiness, but only to Christ, the one light, by which all men are enlightened and saved. One must believe Christ, the true light, and no one else. I accept the testimony of anyone who testifies of Christ and points me to him. But he, the same preacher, shall not be my life and light for his person.

160 These and other such beautiful, comforting texts, of which St. John's Gospel is full, be commanded, take them well, and remember them diligently, for they serve against the beautiful, majestic devil, who disguises himself as an angel of light; indeed, they serve against all ruthlessness. For one

Otherwise, as soon as the life of a Carthusian or a barefoot monk is loved and pleasing to the world, it attracts the peasants and the simple, foolish, common man, so that they rush to monasticism, as the forest birds fall on a flock of birds. But these texts keep us in the right knowledge of Christ and faith - that we may know who Christ is, what we should relate to him, and what we have in him. According to this, we can judge all kinds of teaching and life, whether it is right or wrong, so that we do not allow any appearance of spirituality, humility and holiness, however beautiful they may shine, to be contested. For these texts show us Christ, who he is and what he is coming to. I hold this text under the noses of the pretend angels and saints of works when they want to teach me something else than this light, and I do not believe them when St. John the Baptist himself told me so.

161. Now others of the saints exalt the austere life, that they have lain on the earth, had a sackcloth of hairs around their loins, served God day and night, eaten no flesh, chastened themselves and toiled, then I say: Yes, I let it be something, and praise it; but what more do you say of it? Let us follow their example, that by such a rigorous life we may be saved. Not yet by a long shot, dear brother; lift them as high as you can, but only do not make a way, nor life, nor light out of them; for they are not. Christ alone is the Lamb of God, who bears the sin of the world; he alone is the true light. I will praise St. John the Baptist's strict, holy life, camel skin, drinking water, eating locusts; but I will not say that it is the way to heaven. For he himself does not testify to his holiness, hard life, but points me to the Lord Christ, saying: "Behold, this is God's Lamb, who bears the sin of the world"; this is the one who sacrificed himself for your sin and was sufficient for it. I remain in this.

162 Therefore the holy evangelist concludes, saying: "The word was the true light. As if to say, "If you do not want to err, but take the right and certain path to heaven, follow this single, true light, from which we

all light and splendor, if we 1) want to be enlightened and saved in any other way, or remain in the darkness and shadow of eternal death. For this alone is the true light, whereas all other lights, which draw people to themselves and reject Christ, as the pope and all kinds of orders have done, are false lights and false wives, and lead people into harm and danger. For those who follow them go astray in darkness, are stuck in an evil conscience, and remain unsoled in their sins, and thus must die and perish in them.

The fifth sermon on the Gospel of John.

On August 18 [1537], Saturday after the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. 2)

V. 10. It 3) was in the world, and the world was made by it, and the world did not know it.

The evangelist John says further: the Word (who was from eternity, is of the same power and glory as the Father, through whom all things were made, and is also the life and light of men) took on human nature, was born of Mary, and came into the world, dwelt among men in this temporal life, became like another man in all things, and was found in the bodily parts to be a man like myself and you, and had all human infirmities, as St. Paul says to the Philippians, Cap. 2:7; that is, he ate, drank, slept, watched, was tired, sad, happy, wept, laughed, hungered, thirsted, froze, sweated, talked, worked, prayed. In sum, he has used everything for the need and preservation of this life, has done and suffered like another man, except that he has been without sin; otherwise he has suffered good and evil, like another man, that there was no difference between him and other men; only that he was God with, and no

1) "we" is missing in the Erlanger.

2) In the original margin.

3) Erlanger: He,

He was the man by whom the whole world was created and made, as he also said before, the dear John, and now with great and special diligence repeats the same words.

This is why he says: He was in the world, and (although the world was made through him) the world did not know him. For he lived as another man, and was with his mother Mary for thirty years, as a child usually does. In his youth, he behaved and behaved like another boy, was subject to his parents, and did what they told him. And although he let it be known when he was twelve years old that he was to become a great man, when he listened to the teachers in the temple and asked them questions in such a way that all who listened to him were amazed at his understanding and his answer, it was forgotten afterwards. Mary alone (says Lucas [Cap. 2, 51.]) kept these words in her heart. Further, Lucas says, v. 51, 52, he went down from Jerusalem with his parents, came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, increasing in wisdom, age, and grace with God and men. And, as he says shortly before, v. 40: "The child grew and became strong in spirit, Full of wisdom, and God's grace was with him."

The Creator is in the world, living among the people, but deeply hidden. The world did not know him, nor did it accept him, especially before he was thirty years old and before he began to preach. To heal the sick. Raise the dead. And his mother Mary, the virgin, because she had been taken for a carpenter's wife, was considered like another bad woman. I mean, the world has proven that it did not know him. She does not know that this child (who lies in his mother's womb, washed and bathed like another child) is the light of the world, and that through him the world was created.

166 But we must pay attention to the words of the evangelist. Just now [v. 3] he said, "All things are made by the word. He does not leave it at that, but with diligence and careful counsel repeats the same word again and says:

The light was in the world, and the world was made by it. For with this he wants to firmly establish and make certain the article on which all our faith stands, that Jesus Christ is of nature and kind, both true, natural God and man; as if he wanted to say: "The same infant lying in the manger and feeding in the breasts of Mary's mother, and afterward being her subject, is the life and light of men, yes, God creator of all things; for the world was made through him.

This is our main article (we who have our name from Christ), and this is our right, true, Christian faith, and no other faith, namely, that Christ is true God and man; and faith alone makes one blessed. Whoever then wishes to have a different faith, let him always go and see where he remains. If reason does not believe that God could have become man, let it be. But we Christians believe it, because God's word says so. And nothing is impossible to faith; reason may be upset and annoyed by it as it pleases. It must therefore be that whoever thinks of being redeemed and saved from the devil's power, sins and death, must believe that Christ is true God, through whom the world was made, also true man, born of Mary. This faith alone, and no other, be it what it may, makes one blessed; as Scripture shows in Matthew 1:21: "Mary shall bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins. And Luc. 2, 11: "The Savior is born to you today, who is Christ the Lord" etc. Joh. 3, 18.: "He that believeth on the Son is not judged, but hath everlasting life."

For this reason, the evangelist always indicates that Christ, our Lord, is the true, natural God. No angel is said to have created the sun, moon, stars, heaven and earth. For it is not the work of an angel to create the world, but a divine work, or the work of the true God, who is not a painted or carved God, but a natural, essential God.

Therefore, these texts: "Through the

Word, all things were made," item: "The world was made by the same," strong testimonies and certain proofs against the Arians, who confessed that the Word was indeed a high, great, divine person, in which two natures, divine and human, were united; but denied that the Word was not a natural, essential God, born of the Father in eternity, but a named God. Arius confessed that Christ was a true man, and also confessed that he was God; but he would not allow that he was God with the Father and the Holy Spirit naturally, but he would have created him before all other creatures, even the angels, more glorious, nobler and higher than all the angels, and called him God. So reason is clever in the matters of God. But hear what the evangelist says: "All things," he says, "were made by the Word," item: "The light was in the world, and the world was made by it." Now this title, as I said, is not due to any angel or any creature, that all things were made by them, but only to the one, true God. Since the Scriptures give the same title and divine, omnipotent power to Christ, our Lord, the Virgin Mary's right natural Son, that the world was made through Him, it follows irrefutably that He is the true, essential God and Creator of all things, and thus that two natures, divine and human, are inseparably united in One Person, Christ. For he is nevertheless a child and a true man, as you will hear hereafter.

This is the highest article of the Christian faith, which is found only among Christians, and is their highest honor, comfort, and joy, 1) namely, that the true Son of God took on human nature, became their flesh and blood, sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, in equal majesty and power, and is their Advocate, representing them.

Among the Jews, the Tartars, the Turks, and the Epicureans, of whom the world is now full, it is of no value; indeed, they laugh at us and mock that we Christians are such great fools,

1) "is" sehtt in the Erlanger.

Let us be persuaded that the Creator of heaven and earth is man, murdered, and crucified for us'. These may always continue with their erroneous, false faith, for they teach and believe what is pleasing to reason; their faith is provided and comprehended by the foolish, blind reason, namely, that there is only One God; as also the pagans and Mahomet confess. But when we say that three distinct Persons are inseparable in One Divine Being, and that the middle Person, the Son, became man, crushed the serpent's head, blessed the human race, that is, redeemed it from sin and death, then they become mad and foolish, for reason cannot impute it.

We Christians believe in God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit; we confess that it is a high article that reason cannot grasp, but nothing is too high or impossible for faith. For he clings to God's word, and according to the same, not according to reason, he is guided, and knows for certain that the divine truth remains; for God has said it, and his word testifies to it. This doctrine is not derived from reason, but from the Holy Spirit; therefore, even without the Holy Spirit, it will remain incomprehensible to reason.

The world did not recognize him.

Is it not a miracle that the Creator was in the world, dwelling among the people, and yet his own creature did not know him? Especially before he took up his preaching ministry and performed miracles, there was no one who knew of him. Nevertheless, there were some in the world at that time who knew him not by reason, but from above, by revelation of the Holy Spirit; as, some pious people, Zacharias, Elisabeth, Simeon, Hannah the prophetess, the shepherds, Maris, Joseph, and

others more. For Elizabeth, full of the holy

The Holy Spirit spoke to Mary, the mother of the Lord, when she came to her [Luc 1:42]: "You are blessed among women, and the fruit of your womb is blessed. Item v. 44: "The child John leaped with joy in my womb." And Zacharias,

John's father, full of the Holy Spirit, said v. 68: "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people. Item [Luc. 2, 17.]: "The shepherds, when they had seen all things, spread abroad the word which au told them of this child.

was said." Item [Luc. 2, 28. ff.] Simeon said: "Now you, Lord, let your servant go in peace, as you have said. For mine eyes have seen thy servant Savior etc.

For this is set to a case and

Resurrection of many in Israel." Item v. 38: "Hannah preached the Lord when he was brought into the temple, and spoke of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Israel."

The rulers of the people of Israel and the great crowd, because he did not come as they had thought of him (he came in badly and simple and had no reputation), did not want to recognize him as the Messiah, much less accept him, even though St. John went before him and testified of him, and he himself soon appeared afterwards, preaching mightily and performing miraculous signs, so that he would be recognized by his miraculous works, word and sermon. But this did not help much. For the world nevertheless crucified him, which would not have happened if it had believed him to be what he was.

But we know him and believe in him. And one must also come there, if one wants to be saved through the faith that Jesus Christ is God and man. All will be saved who believe in this person. Whoever does not have faith must be condemned with all other superstitions, spiritualities, righteousnesses and services. For whoever lacks this faith will never be saved.

V. 11. He came into his own, and his own did not receive him.

Now the evangelist speaks of another coming. Before he said: He was in the world, born of Mary, a true man, walking among men; but they knew him not, that the world was made by him. But now he says of the future, when he was thirty years old, and entered upon his ministry, and was baptized of St. John the Baptist, and was baptized by a

He was consecrated by the Heavenly Father to the ministry of preaching, and anointed as teacher and king of all Christendom. He has received the right doctor's jewel and royal crown, the Holy Spirit, and has been appointed a right king and priest with these words, when he cried out from heaven: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, and you shall hear him," for in him alone am I well pleased etc.When the Son of God stood in the water in fine holy humanity, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove, Luc. 3, 22. Joh. 1, 32. So now the Lord, called and confirmed by the Father, comes publicly into His ministry as promised before, Deut. 18, 15. when the Lord says: "I will raise up a prophet (like you) from among their brethren" etc. Begin to preach and do miracles, first among the Jews to whom he was promised, whom the evangelist calls his own, as God Himself through Moses, 2nd book, chap. 19, 5, calls the people of Israel His own, saying: "You shall be My own before all nations. And Deut. 7, 6, item Cap. 26, 18: "God has chosen you, your Lord, to be His own people, out of all the nations that are on the earth." Just as Moses called the Jews the property of God, so the evangelist calls them the property of our Lord Christ, indicating that Christ is truly God, like the Father. What he says and speaks should be judged by it, for he is the prophet of whom Moses proclaimed: He that heareth not this man shall be cast out of my people for ever. As the Jews, alas, have well learned. But he comes to them, and knocks at their door, and finds neither lodging nor place with them.

177) Is it not frightening that this one true shepherd and bishop, the teacher, ordained and put into office by the Father Himself (on whom the Holy Spirit descended from heaven like a dove and remained on him, Jn 1:33), and that the Father commands from heaven that his voice be obeyed and believed, even that St. John the Baptist's testimony was directed so that they all believed through him, and long before that through Moses.

(Deut. 18:15, when Messiah would come, that they should obey him; and now the Lord himself comes into his own possession, of whom he was God, and they his people, begins to perform and fulfill what was promised by him, and enters into his commanded office from the Father, preaches mightily, does miracles), but 1) is not received by his own. The time that the prophets had determined about the future of Messiah was fulfilled; so all the miracles that the Messiah was supposed to do went into full swing; yet they did not move it all.

178 For what reason? Only because he did not come as they said he would. He, the head of the serpent and savior of the world, came to deliver them and all peoples on earth from the eternal curse, that is, from the devil's power, sin and death, to make God's children righteous and blessed, as the promise, Adae and Abraha, Gen. 3, 15. and Cap. 22, 18. Then they did not want such a Messiah and Christ, but who made them temporally rich, great and mighty lords, who ruled over all nations on earth. Oh, a mortal king in the flesh could have done the same as Alexander etc. But of him the prophet Zacharias had said in the 9th Cap. V. 9. said: "Daughter of Zion, rejoice. Behold, thy king cometh unto thee, a righteous man and a 2) helper." According to this and many other prophecies, the dear Lord came and did great signs and wonders, the like of which no prophet before him had ever done. The time had passed, as the Jews themselves knew and were aware, according to the prophecy of the archfather Jacob, Gen. 49, 10, and Daniel, Cap. 9, 25, that Messiah should and must come; therefore they should have looked upon him and perceived him well, especially because he preached so powerfully and such blessed words came out of his mouth that the people marveled at them, and also performed such glorious miraculous signs, as Isaiah had proclaimed long before, Cap. 35, 5. how he, the Lord himself, points out the same prophecy to the disciples of John, Matthäi, chapter 11, v. 5.

1) Erlanger: so doch.

2) "a" is missing in the Erlanger.

179 All this should have moved them to go within themselves and think: This is truly the Messiah, promised to us in the prophets. Praise God forever that we have experienced this blessed time, for which our fathers so long ago had great longing and desire. We should therefore have received it with all reverence and a joyful heart. But the evangelist says (which is a frightening word), "He came into his own, and his own received him not." For this prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled, Cap. 53, 1. ff.: "Who shall believe our preaching, and to whom shall the arm of the Lord be revealed? He had no form nor comeliness; we saw him, but there was no form that pleased us. He was the most despised and unworthy, full of pain and sickness; he was so despised that they hid their faces from him; therefore we esteemed him nothing."

But I see, alas, that it is the same in our time as it was in the time of John the apostle, and after that, when the gospel had its course, namely, that the Lord comes to us, graciously visits us, and yet very few 1) receive him. We are now (praise God) the property of our Lord Christ, accepted in place of the Jews; therefore these words also apply to us. We also bear witness to him now, as did St. John and the apostles, that he is the life and light of men, and God's Lamb who bears the sin of the world. He comes to us so kindly through his Word and dear Gospel, and wants to take us for his own Christians. What happens? We stand by him just like the Jews. They saw that he did miracles that no one had ever done, nor did they want him. Thus our doctrine is still desecrated and condemned as heresy and doctrine of the devil, many are driven into misery because of it, some are miserably murdered as heretics and rebels, only because we teach and confess that people become righteous and blessed before God through faith in Christ. We praise and exalt this faith according to the Gospel, but say: the Pope together with his followers, and all the

1) Erlanger: a little.

others, that they are called and be whoever they want, if they do not testify of Christ, nor point people to him, are deceivers and murderers of souls. It is not Turks or other public enemies of the Christian name, but our brothers, who are called Christians and want to be Christians, who must persecute, banish and kill us, with such a pretense and title, as if they were doing God a service. This is the way it should be, and has always been, that Christ, His word and His church have suffered the greatest harm and plague from those who wanted to be the most holy and best, as He Himself says in Luc. 13:33: "It is not good that a prophet should perish outside Jerusalem"; that is, he must be slain by his own, they must hate the Lord Christ, persecute Him and His preachers.

We are angry and wicked with the Turk, because he is the hereditary enemy of the Christian church, and we call upon the ecclesiastical prelates, the emperor, kings, princes, lords, and all the estates of Christendom for help to fight against the Turk, and we want to protect and defend the church of Christ against him, and we do not see that we are much worse and fiercer enemies of the Lord Christ than the Turks. For we also crucify Christ today, spit in his face, trample his sacraments underfoot, and defile our hands with the blood of Christians; yet we want to go out against the Turk and strike him, and be protectors of the church, since we are worse enemies of Christ than the Turks. For although the Turk wages war, as the Romans also did, yet he has the use that what he has taken, he lets everyone believe what he wants. But ours boast of being good Christians, teach and confess the gospel, and yet blaspheme it, even defile it as heresy, persecute the right Christians, shed their innocent blood, would like to have them all dead, and yet the majority know that our doctrine is right and divine truth; and they consider this persecution to be no sin, indeed, it must still be called right and Christianly done.

182. therefore we are worse than the Jews, the Gentiles, the Turks, which none of them can touch.

They do not hate, persecute, banish, or sacrifice to the flesh bank for the sake of faith, but agree and unanimously defend their faith. But we, who are called Christ's property, do the opposite; so that not only does one unknown persecute another who is neither related to him, but one brother delivers up another, the father delivers up the son to death, Matth. 10, 36, of which the Lord Christ Himself says: "A man's enemies are his household. This hatred and irreconcilable enmity was aroused by the devil soon in the beginning of the world, so that the devil's church is always persecuting and murdering the true saints of God, as Cain murdered Abel, his brother; Ishmael persecuted Isaac; Esau Jacob, and Saul David etc.

Nevertheless, we pretend to be good Christians, we are devout, we call upon God, we always have the name of Jesus on our lips; especially the priest's household, monks, nuns, who have the praise of the world for serving God day and night. Truly, the Jews did likewise, indeed, they were much more pious and holy in their mind than we, sacrificing, giving alms, praying, fasting much. But how pleasant their service was to God, says the prophet Isaiah in chapter 29, v. 13, and Christ Matthew in chapter 15, v. 8: "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips: but their heart is far from me." This they proved by the fact that their heart was far from God. For they crucified Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father, and were still so horribly blinded by the devil that they thought they were doing God a service. We do not make it better now, if not worse. For the pope, the cardinals, kings, princes and lords of our time persecute and blaspheme the divinely recognized truth, consider it lies and heresy, shed the innocent blood of many pious Christians, or even consent to it for the sake of great lords, or for the sake of the shameful belly, nor do they want to be Christians, defend Christ's Church against the Turks, but especially against the Lutheran heretics.

184 Thus it shall be, that other murderers of Christians shall not be invented, for

Those who bear the name of Christ and are his worst enemies under the same title. This they show by the fact that they unanimously rage and rage against the gospel of Christ, and subject themselves to defend with force and cunning and to preserve the wicked Antichrist's lies, devilish doctrine and shameful faith, which leads straight to hell. For the wicked pope in all his books teaches nothing of Christ, of faith, of God's commandments; but so he goes in: he is the head of all Christendom, a lord of the church, also of the whole world; whoever is obedient to him will be saved. He does this in the beginning, middle and end of all his writings and books; whoever does and speaks against this must die.

What then should our Lord God give such protectors (as they boast) of His church for happiness and victory against the Turk, who condemn and curse His divine word as a doctrine of the devil, punish Christ with lies, persecute, torment and strangle His faithful in all ways, and then pretend that they want to march, fight and strike against the Turk in honor of Christ and for the salvation of His church? I mean, they have beaten him so far that he has stayed ahead of them for several hundred years and has lost almost half of Europe, and the Turk is now invading one country after another, and has now come through Hungary and Austria to the land of Bohemia, that he could not be closer to us; for he has come to Vienna, to the lands where we never thought that his name should come from.

186. One reads in histories that the Christian potentates, emperors, kings, princes, lords, spiritual and secular, from all over the German land, with foreign kingdoms and dominions, some hundred years ago, often fought together, raised a great power, that there was no lack of people, all kinds of armor, weapons, and other things that serve for war and seriousness, went against the Turks, fought with him; But what they did and broke off from him, our ancestors, and they themselves in part, together with their lands and people, have experienced all too much with their great suffering, damage and destruction, so that we now have to fight the Turks.

even in front of the door. This makes it clear that God has not given us any happiness or welfare. For it is an abominable blasphemy against God the Father, against Christ and the Holy Spirit, to strike the Turk, and to protect Christendom against him, and to revile and desecrate his holy word in us as lies of the devil; item, to plague his Christians, to drive them into misery and to kill them, moreover, to subordinate himself with all power to completely exterminate them, together with the teachings of the Gospel, to reinstate the pope in his former state and dignities, and to reestablish his diabolical regime anew.

So one must not wage war against the Turk, that one would blaspheme God and strangle his Christians, also call his word heresy. For such a war cannot be waged without harm. That is why the Turk raged and raged, took everything, mocked us, and called us women, but called himself a man. Who does this? Our Lord God, whom we have angered with our blasphemies and persecutions. For thus says God Deut. 28:25: Behold, when thou goest forth to war, that thou load thyself with no evil thing. For, O Israel, if thou wilt not take me for thy God, I will send enemies upon thy neck, and give thee a cowardly and fainthearted heart; and if thou wilt go one way against them, thou shalt go seven ways back again. The Turk does not know where it comes from that he has such great victory and luck; he does not think otherwise than that it happens by chance. But God has thrown him into the world so that he may be God's rod and whip, so that his property, which does not want to accept him, may be awakened and encouraged by him.

Therefore these patrons of the church are as blind and obdurate as the Jews were at that time. If only they would not swear by the name of Christ and pretend to be Christians. But they want to be Christian lords, princes, kings, emperors, yes, they want to be gloriously praised as the patrons of Christianity and God's people. Thus, they lead and misuse the precious rain of God disgracefully, contrary to the other commandment, scolding and calling those who follow God's commandments.

They persecute and murder the children of the devil, who have the word, teach and confess, believe in Christ, and are children of God according to hope. But they want to be the dear children of God, the true Christians, and the true church. What shall our Lord God do to them? He comes to us Germans, graciously visits us with His word of peace, life and salvation; so our spiritual and temporal rulers slap Him on the mouth, saying, like those of Luc. 19:14: "We do not want this one to rule over us."

Thus our Lord God says again: If they want to go out there, so that they do not want to suffer the dear Lord Christ to rule over them for their good and for their eternal blessedness, then they may be found obedient children in the faith of the Antichrist at Rome and of his platitudes, and they may keep quite stiffly to it, which thus reads: They cannot have happiness and victory against the Turk before, unless they have first exterminated the Lutheran heretics together with their doctrine and all those who are attached to it. As our princes and lords are now baked into the pope's ass, and do not want to leave him, clinging to him, since he cannot help them, nor has he ever been able to help them against the Turk. For the Turk asks nothing of the pope's interdict; his sword is sharper than the pope's ban. And because our princes do not hold it against the pope, they have no luck against the Turk, 1) but it shall happen to them as it happened to the Jews, who, since they were rid of the apostles and all Christians (the bad boys, as they thought) from Jerusalem and Judea, and now thought they wanted to re-establish the former regiment of their favor, then the Romans came, made it all over with them, dragged Jerusalem so that not one stone remained on the other, devastated and devastated all Judeaam. So they had to learn with their eternal destruction that Christ, whom they rejected and crucified, would be a ruler, and after their downfall would only begin to reign, also to rule through the gospel in all the world.

190 Although I am mistaken, it is now almost at an end. Christ now sweeps through the

1) Cf. Tischreden, Cap. 62, § 1. Walch, St. Louis Edition, Vol. XXII, 1438.

1628 Erl. 45, 3SS-40I. Luther's Interpretation of John Cap. 1-4. W. VII, ISI6-I5I8. 1629

Gospel his threshing floor, gathers the wheat into his sheds, and will burn up the chaff with everlasting fire. But if the world shall stand longer, and they shall go forth and fight against the Turk, they shall know that they shall have neither fortune nor victory against him: for the Lord fighteth against them, saying Deut. 28:25.I will give thee a cowardly and fainthearted heart before thine enemies, that if thou goest out to them by one way, thou mayest flee from them by seven; so that the Turk may not destroy them and their people by the power of his army (for it is not difficult for the Lord to help by much or little [1 Sam. 14, 6.]), but by the power of God, for the sake of their abominable sin, for which punishment he needs the Turk as his rod. Demi it becomes nothing else, either the son kissed, so that he is not angry, or you will perish on the way [Ps. 2, 12.].

191. If it now comes to pass that God will visit Germany through the Turk or other barbarians, and use it as an iron rod (not only because Germany has not recognized the gracious visitation of the Lord Christ at this last time, since he has come to us Germans through the Word, to accept us as his own, But all this still the several part persecutes, desecrates and condemns as devil's doctrine and lies), then they may call upon the pope, the Antichrist at Rome, their idol, for advice and help, that he may do the Turk, or whoever it will be, in Baun, and by his teaching, faith, prayer, drive out their enemies. But as little as the Turk respects his ban, but goes through with the sword: so little will the Antichrist take care of their lamentation and destruction (as he cannot), yes, he will still laugh at them in his fist and mock. For as God is, so shall the help be.

Therefore let them always go, because they do not want it any other way, but it does not help; they will continue their contempt and persecution of the divine word until the German land is overrun and we have to stand up for them. But we small group of people, who are Christ's property, and live in the world, and in this

If we are in danger, we may love the word of God, accept it, and give thanks for all the benefits we have received through the future of His word. But if we are to endure, perish and be slain with them, we nevertheless have two advantages that comfort us. The first is that we know that we have a gracious God who is not angry with us, even if He makes us suffer a little, and our conscience is clear, we have the blessed hope that we are God's children. The other is that we die in his obedience, and from this evil world, the devil's kingdom, we ascend to heaven from our Lord Christ's mouth to his eternal kingdom, where we will be delivered from all misfortune and filled with eternal joy. What advantages our adversaries, even Christ's persecutors and enemies, do not have. For they are Judas' companions, who see nothing but God's wrath and terror in their suffering, and remain in their misfortune forever, going into the abyss of hell.

Therefore, the end makes a great difference between the suffering of the Christian and the wicked. For even though they are both stabbed and killed at the same time, a Christian goes up from the mouth into eternal joy, but the wicked into the abyss of hell. But it is terrible that the great multitude, and especially the high leaders on earth who bear Christ's name, do not receive him; nevertheless he has among them, as among the Jews, and among the pope, those who accept him. As follows:

V. 12 But as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the children of God, who believe in his name.

194 For when Peter preached the first sermon in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, when they had received the Holy Spirit, they gladly received his word, saith Lucas, Acts 2:41. 2:41, and were baptized about three thousand souls. After this, many more were converted at Jerusalem through the apostles' preaching, not counting those outside Jerusalem, in the countryside, and others in the Roman Empire, Persia and elsewhere, scattered now and then throughout the world, who came here through the preaching of the apostles and their disciples.

In our time some will come to us who will be converted from his own and accept him, believing in him that he died for us and shed his blood for us, redeeming us from the power of death, the devil and hell.

195. They then become the true children of God and his heirs; before they were the children of wrath and the devil's own: but if they receive Christ, they become the children of God; only that they persevere in this faith. This is what the evangelist means when he continues:

The sixth sermon on the Gospel of John.

On August 25 [1537] Saturday after Bartholomew. 1)

V. 12 But as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the children of God etc.

Here you hear what a great, mighty glory and unspeakable, eternal treasure is, which through God's Son with His future is established among those who accept Him, believe in Him and consider Him to be the man sent by God to help the world; namely, that this shall be the new work and being, that He shall give power and right to become children of God to all those who believe in His name. If then we believe that he is the eternal Word of the Father, through whom all things were made; item, the life and light of men, and is God's Lamb, who bears the sin of the world, takes it away, and casts it into the depths of the sea, as the prophet Michaeas says in 7 Cap, V. 19; and also to call upon him in all kinds of trouble, and to thank him for his unspeakable grace and benefits, so we are brought to the great glory, and we are granted the excellent right, the glorious power and freedom, that we have a gracious Father in heaven, yes, we are his dear children, and heirs of all his eternal heavenly goods, and as Paul says to the Romans on 8 Cap.V. 17, we are Christ's brethren and joint heirs, having eternal life and blessedness.

197 How? Has he given all men this power and freedom, when they are all children?

1) In the original margin.

Who are of the wrath? No, says the evangelist, but to all those, as many as there are, none excluded, who believe in his name; that is, as I said, who accept his word with faith, and hold fast to it, calling on him. Here you will hear in a nutshell that by no other way, means or manner (be it strict life, Carthusian order, Franciscan rule, free will, human powers, devotion, holiness, and what you can call on earth, yes, angelic spirituality and humility, not even by God's laws) do we come to this high honor, glorious freedom and power, that we become God's children, but only through knowledge and faith in Christ.

198. This glory is preached and offered to us every year and every day, and it is so great that no man, be he what he may, can sufficiently contemplate it, much less express it in a few words; namely, that we poor sacks of maggots and damned miserable sinners, through the first birth from Adam, shall come to these highest honors and nobility, that God, who is eternal and almighty, shall be our Father, we his children, Christ our brother, we his fellow heirs, and the dear angels, as Michael and Gabriel, shall not be our lords, but our brothers and servants. For they also call God a father, just as we do. It is too great and overpowering, that whoever thinks about it (worldly people do not, of course, but Christians do, but not all of them either), must immediately be horrified by it, so that it occurs to him: "Dear, is it also possible and true?

Therefore, the Holy Spirit must be the master here, writing this knowledge and faith into our hearts, and giving witness to our spirit that it is certain and amen that we have become children of God through faith in Christ, and remain forever. For St. John did not bring forth his gospel out of human will, but was driven by the Holy Spirit, who is a Spirit of truth; therefore he will certainly not deceive us. Otherwise it is a great thing that a poor man should be the son of God and the heir of Christ.

The Lord Christ says rightly [Luc. 16, 8]: "The children of this world are wiser,

for the children of light. For a rich farmer's son lets himself think that he is a great nobleman. The son of a respectable burgher relies on his father's honor and property. So a mighty man of nobility thinks he is a prince in the land, thinks much and great of himself. Now it is a great thing that one can boast with truth that he is the son of a great lord, prince, king or emperor. For the high estates (like everything else) are God's good creatures. For this purpose, God has commanded that one should give what is due to them, fear them, honor them and be subject to them. Therefore it is a great honor and glory, since the world thinks more highly of, than of God's spiritual goods, a prince, king or count etc. To be a son and heir, yet they are vain maggots, and all things stink against this glory.

But hold it against this unspeakable dignity and majesty, of which the evangelist says: "As many as received him," that is, believed in his name, "to them he gave power to become the children of God. If we believed with all our hearts, with certainty and firmness, that the eternal God, Creator and Lord of the world, was our Father, with whom we should remain eternally as children and heirs, not of the perishable evil wager, but of all His eternal, heavenly, unspeakable treasures: verily, we would not much care for that which the wager alone eighteth high and great, much less seek after it; yea, we would set all the world's riches, treasures, glory, splendor, and power etc. against our dignity and honor (which would not be that of a mortal emperor, but of the eternal, almighty God's children and heirs) low, contemptible, nasty, leprous, yes, for a stinking filth and poison. For their glory, however high and great it may be, is at last eaten by worms and serpents in the grave; and if those who have sat in such glory and honor do not depart in the knowledge and faith of Christ, they go to the devil; their worm does not die, and their fire does not go out.

St. Paul knew this art, and held Christ's knowledge higher and greater than all the world's power, wisdom, holiness, yes, than the righteousness that comes from

Therefore he says Gal. 6, v. 14: "Far be it from me to boast, but only of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. Item Phil. 3, 7. 8.: "That which was gain to me I counted loss for Christ's sake. For I reckoned it all as harm against the abundant knowledge of Christ my Lord, for which I reckoned all things as harm, and reckoned them as filth." etc.

203. So then, through Christ, the Son of God, this authority and glorious freedom, that they should be children of God, is offered and given to those who believe in His name, But it is terrible to say and to hear that this high, glorious rule of being God's children is not only despised, mocked and ridiculed by the blind, damned race, but is also desecrated and considered the highest blasphemy, so that they execute those who believe in Christ, confess his name and word, and are therefore God's children, as children of the devil, blasphemers and rebels; as the Jews themselves did to Christ, the only begotten son of God, blaming him for stirring up the people and forbidding the emperor to give him the womb; item, making himself the son of God: if the world should take this rule on its hands and knees, if it were to be found on the other side of Babylon. But you can see how we oppose it.

Moreover, the devil sometimes strikes the devout Christian hearts so hard with his fiery arrows that they not only forget the exuberant glory that they are God's children, but also have perverse thoughts, as if God had forgotten them, abandoned them, cast them out of His sight etc. St. Paul also did not always go in leaps and bounds, rejoicing in the great glory (that he was God's son), defying the devil and the false world. These and similar speeches show this, since he says [1 Cor. 2:3]: "I was with you in weakness, with fear and great trembling. Item [2. Epist. 7, 5.], that he speaks to the Corinthians, that in him there is outward strife, inward fear.

205. that is why our. Faith still very

weak and cold. Thus, if he were certain and strong, as he should be, we would not be able to live with great joy. But, praise God, we know that even the weak believers are God's children. For Christ does not say in vain [Luc. 12, 32.], "Fear not, little host" etc. But we should always sigh and pray with the apostles: "Lord, strengthen our faith, Luke 17, v. 5, and like him, Marci 9, v. 24: "I believe, dear Lord, help my unbelief."

206. This then is our consolation, that whosoever believeth in Christ is set apart to be an heir of God; that he be not a servant or a handmaid, but a son, the heir of all goods. This dominion we should take at the end of the world on our knees, yes, with bare feet. Follows:

V. 13. Who are not born of the womb, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Now this is like a confutatio, so that the evangelist answers all those in whom there is something to boast about; it is so good and so delicious, and as much as it wants, it does not help to become God's child. On the other hand, with these words he clearly indicates who are truly God's children and heirs, who have the authority to call God their Father. Here you must put out of sight all that is high, great and glorious before the world, even forgetting all creatures. For although all these things have their origin and coming from God, they cannot serve to make one God's child. For everything that is of us belongs to hell, and is condemned and damned to death. There is nothing more valid here than to be born of God through faith in the Son of God who became man.

The evangelist divides and summarizes all fatherhood and filiation, and what else is best in the world, on which people can build or defy, into three bundles, or three parts. The first [birth] is from the womb, which God created, as Genesis 1:27, 28 is written: "God created man, he created them male and female.

and maidens, and God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply. Now this is the birth of the flower, that is, those who are born of flesh and blood, and are natural children of men; so that they can boast of their father and mother. And this is a glorious birth.

And with this word "not of the blood" John refers especially to the Jews, although at the same time he includes the whole world with the Jews; he means: What is natural, father, mother, son, daughter, everything that is born of the blood, or what is born naturally, coming from man and woman, all this is not valid, they are not God's children. Even if father and mother were as noble as a hundred thousand emperors and empresses, they could not and could not make anyone God's child or blessed by means of their blood, although fatherhood and motherhood are God's good creatures; indeed, all the emperors and kings on earth could not, with all their power, make and create one little hair, let alone a man or a woman.

210 Therefore it is not enough for the sonship of God that we are called his creatures, father, mother, or husband and wife, although heaven and earth, and all that is therein, were created for the sake of the marriage state (which is the fountain of all ranks), and he was gifted with it, but the evangelist here adds that it is something special, and comes from a special blossoming, which is a divine birth; just as God specially chose the Jews out of all the Gentiles to be his people. Otherwise, going through all the ranks, from the highest to the lowest, you will find that emperors, kings, princes, citizens, peasants, are all called flesh and blood, and are born of the flower.

But this bodily birth is a temporal, perishable creature, corrupted by sin, not assured of its essence for a moment, but ceases and dies; for this reason it is badly cast away before God, as it does not serve eternal life. For we all born of flesh and blood, none excepted, are a rotten apple, stinking carrion before God, which does me and you no good (even if we are of the noblest emperor,

who ever came on earth were children or sons) to the filiation of God, but it remains birth; and there must belong another birth, namely, to be born of God, or of the water and the Spirit.

The Jews are by blood the noblest on earth, and if one wanted to paint a noble birth, one would have to take the Jews for the sake of their calling and election. For they have been set apart and exalted by God on earth, and the promise of Christ has been made to them. For God spoke to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Genesis 12, 3, Cap. 22, 18. Cap. 26, 4. Cap. 28, 14: "Through your seed all nations or generations on earth shall be blessed"; not only spiritually through Christ, but also bodily. From their blossom were born the greatest and highest people on earth, as the holy, highly enlightened patriarchs, prophets, kings, of whom we have the Scriptures of the Old Testament, both of whom were excellent teachers and warriors, through whom God performed great deeds and miracles; because of them the mighty kings of Babylon, as Belshazzar and Sanherib, item, before at Nineveh, and after them many others more punished, as the Bible testifies; not to mention that Christ the Lord, their cousin, was born of their seed, according to the flesh, therefore he says Joh. 4, 22: "Salvation comes from the Jews."

That God has chosen this generation and especially chosen it for the bodily birth of His newborn Son, according to the promise made to their fathers and finally to David: "I will set the fruit of your womb on your throne," Ps. 132:11, therefore, is a noble blood or birth, so it should be right for the Jews. They were well aware of this and insisted on it, and they gloriously know how to boast: We are Abraham's children, Abraham's seed, and therefore God's people. Therefore St. John the Baptist, Matth. 3, 9, punishes them severely because of such pride that they insisted that they were Abraham's seed and says: "Do not think that you want to say among yourselves: We have Abraham as our father. I tell you, God is able to give Abraham from these stones.

to raise up 1) children." As if he wanted to say: You insist very much on your nobility, that Abraham is your father; it is true, you are Abraha and the change fathers children and descendants, from whom (as God promised them) great prophets, kings, princes etc. are born. But do not defy them. For the chosen seed, promised to them, is present, and he now wants to establish a new being, to abolish the old. Look to him and receive him; if not, it will not help you that you are Abraham's seed; yes, you will be rejected, your priesthood and kingdom will have its end. For "the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire" [Matt. 3:10].

Thus both John the Baptist and the Evangelist reject all the blood of men, from which they were born, even the blood of the Jews especially called in Abraham, since they were truly the most noble in the world, above all emperors, kings and princes, and had the greatest advantage and glory. But it shall not help nor serve for the spiritual birth, which alone is God's work and preserves us eternally.

With this, he does not want to make a mess and even reject the natural birth of man, which is a great, glorious thing before the world, yes, everything; as from which all classes, high and low, as [§ 209] said, originate, which God also wants to have feared and honored as his creatures. For God has decreed and laid down a commandment that one should honor one's parents; item, be obedient to spiritual and secular authorities, and keep the differences, that the fatherhood and dominion should be higher and more glorious than the children's and subjects' and servants' status, a woman be inferior to the man etc., that the son to the father, the daughter to the mother, the subjects to their overlord, the servants to their lord, and women shall not say, I am as good as thou, though thou be father, prince, lord, wife, for I am as well God's creature as thou; go not forth thus.

1) "to" added by us according to the Bible.

This bodily contempt is of no use at all. For in this place we speak of spiritual birth, not of the birth of blood, since parents are over children, authorities over subjects, masters over their servants, which God has thus ordered and commanded. And if you are a true Christian and God's child, you will not despise or trample on God's creatures, order and creatures, but will say: "For this very reason, that I have been born anew of God through faith in Christ, and that he is my biological father, I will do what he commands me to do, honor my parents according to creation, be obedient to my overlords, serve my master and wife faithfully. For although God gives birth to believers in Christ anew for eternal life, he nevertheless preserves in the world paternity, maternity, filiality, dominion, servitude, and magdalities, and does not allow either marital status or other statuses to perish. So also in the world the difference of the persons must remain, so that the lower classes do not rise against the upper classes, and the chairs do not rise on the benches, also the children do not grow over the heads of the parents.

217 It is true that you are as good as a father, a mother, an overlord, a householder, etc. when you speak of faith and of spiritual birth and eternal goods; yes, it may well be that you are better when they are godless. As if the father is a Turk or otherwise unbelieving, and contrary to divine teaching, or does not want to hear it or suffer it, and you are a Christian and God's child. Nevertheless, 1) spiritual birth does not cancel the obedience of parents and authorities etc. but confirms it. Both, spiritual and physical birth, should have their own special circle. According to the spiritual birth, you are a child of God and a lord over everything; but according to the temporal birth, your parents, overlords etc. are better and more honest than you, if they are not as pious before God as you are. For it is God's creature and order that we should hold our parents, overlords etc. better and more glorious than ourselves; it is

1) Erlanger:, holds.

shall be masters and wives over menservants and maidservants. And then you say: When I am in the circle of creation, father and mother, lord and wife, king and prince, are much greater and more glorious than I am, and I will be a godly son; for I shall honor father and mother, and know that they are better than I am. Why? Because God's creature and creature is like that; God wants me to be a son, servant or subject.

218 But one should be careful here and not mix these two births together. For as far as the spiritual life is concerned, the physical birth is rejected here. If you are a nobleman, do not pride yourself on your nobility and do not plague your peasants, do not think of them as dogs, do not think that for the sake of your nobility you are better before God than a preacher, a burgher or a peasant; otherwise all other people must now stink before the nobility. Well, God did not give you nobility for court, but only for your benefit and use. But the world cannot let it go, it must misuse these gifts. A nobleman is the peasants' martyr and shackle; a rich citizen sucks the poor one dry; so the peasants also shake and scrape the citizens. This is what is done now in all classes; it has become a loud throbbing and rumbling. But God did not create it this way; that is why God did not give birth to a king, a nobleman and a rich citizen, but created and gave it all for help, benefit and use, so that people might be served with it.

219. Parents are not placed by God in their position to see only their air in the children and to make a fuss over them, much less to provoke them to anger and to provoke them with too harsh punishment, but to raise them in discipline and admonition to the Lord. Thus, the authority of God is not given to the overlords and rulers, so that they may insist on it and defy it, and protect and oppress their subjects in all ways, but so that they may lead a quiet life under its protection and protection in all godliness and respectability, 1 Tim. 2, 2.

To the praise of the pious". For such their service one should give them lap and duty, respect and honor them; yes, the better and in a higher and more honest state one is, the more and more diligently he should think about how he would be helpful, helpful and comforting to others. For what God gives us, whether spiritual or physical gifts, wisdom, understanding, art, power, wealth, money and goods, we should use for the benefit and improvement of our neighbor.

But the world does not; it abuses all creatures, money, wine and grain; it is meager, stingy, etc., and makes a show of it. He who is learned, rich, and noble, boasts and prides himself on it, despising others who are not like him; no one remembers that our Lord God will at the last day demand of each one an account of how he has presided over his office or profession, and say, "I gifted you before others with nobility, high understanding, wisdom and power, riches and other things; did you also use them for the benefit, improvement and comfort of your neighbor, loving him as yourself? Since then your conscience itself will say: No, Lord, I have not taken care of his need, seeking only my own, forsaking him, and taking others for geese, etc. Then God will say, "Go away from me, you cursed one, into the abyss of hell, into eternal purgatory; I did not create you for this purpose and give you my goods superfluously, so that you should become proud and despise others, etc. but use them properly and invest them well. Nor will he have the wife to commit adultery, nor the husband to commit fornication or fornication; but they shall beget children together in wedlock, one comforting and succoring the other. Whoever then abuses his gifts, let him beware.

This is why St. John the Evangelist rejects the birth of blood, however high and noble it may be, so that it does not serve or help us to become children of God, and also rejects the Jews, who were the cousins of the Lord Christ, who insisted on the birth of blood, and made it useful to them that they were Abraham's seed. As they do even to this day, and all the

They say that God has performed great miracles, eradicated kingdoms and monarchies, for the sake of the blood of Abraha; therefore, they want to be better before God than other people. But one does not become God's child because one is born of a peculiar mother and father. If a hundred thousand emperors, where possible, were our fathers, we would not have a hair's breadth of advantage before God to become His children by it; such cannot belong to heaven. However, God does not reject the birth of blood for this reason, but allows it to remain in the world in its dignity, yes, commands that the children should honor their parents, even if they were poor and beggars, that the subjects should be obedient to the authorities, and that they in turn should use their fatherhood and dominion for the benefit and improvement of the children and subjects, that they should preside over their office well; but are not thereby born again to eternal life. The evangelist continues:

Nor of the will of the flesh.

The birth from the flower is in the Scriptures, as you have heard in 2101, the main source of all births and states. After this there is another birth, when children are born of the will of the flesh. Another may interpret and divide it according to his liking, but I will interpret it thus, that they have become children by the will of the flesh, which are not children by birth, but by the will of him who takes one for a child, and makes him heir to his goods. As when one takes in marriage a widow who has a son or daughter begotten with her former husband, who is now deceased, he or she is her other husband's half-son or half-daughter. Or, if a husband and wife, who are without heirs, take a child to be their son or daughter, who is not their child by nature or flesh and blood.

In the Law of Moses, these first children are called half-children, who are not children by blood, and yet they call their stepfather, whose children they are not by nature, father, or they call the stepmother mother. The other children, as physical children, according to the lawyers and rights legal children, so that the right to kin-

Even those who have chosen to be children are called father and mother, although they are not their parents according to the flesh. This is what St. John calls "being born of the will of the flesh," that is, being born of man; for man is flesh.

Now it is true that in the eyes of the world this filiation is a great thing, and it is common for great people who do not have natural children of their own to make poor orphans their children and heirs. For poor people have hardly to feed themselves, therefore they do not care much where they take heirs. Nor shall such childbearing be counted in the sight of God, as high and great as it ever will be, in the sight of the world. "For that which is born of the flesh is flesh." Let it be and remain in the world that people choose to have children who are not born of them, but are set and ordered according to the law, that is, "according to the will of the flesh," that is, of a human being, be it man or woman, or both man and woman at the same time, if they willingly and unnecessarily accept a child for a son or daughter, who is not of course their flesh and blood, but want to take it for their child and make it heir to all their goods. As it was common among the Jews, and is still the custom in the world, for one to say, "I will be your father, and you shall be my son or daughter. But these children by right and by will, whom men have chosen on earth, as I said, are not; they do not become children of God by this will.

225. And, that I say it clearly: Many Greeks and also other Gentiles joined the Jews in David's and Solomon's time (when Judaism was in its highest bloom) and other kings after that, yes, at all times, accepting their faith, worship and religion, being circumcised and keeping all things according to the law of Moses, like the Jews; these, even though they were guests and strangers, were not Jews by nature, born according to the blood of Abraham; nevertheless, they were Abraham's seed, ex adoptione, and were nevertheless fellow Jews,

1) Erlanger: er.

2) Erlanger: other.

all the honor and glory of the Jews, who were of course Abraha's seed. Now if they had boasted and said, "We are better than the Gentiles, for we have come to Judaism by the right and will of the flesh or of men, are members of the people of God, and His children, and thereby want to be blessed: No, says the evangelist, if you are called a child by nature or blood, if you have attained 3) sonship by right or by will, it is not so, unless you come to Christ. For the will of the flesh is that which is established and ordained by men; than that they should make sonship, since there is no birth, but only the will. Neither shall they be. In short, the evangelist does not want to leave anything that is called father, son or will, be it by birth or by granted and established fatherhood, that one is a son; it does not help and is not valid for eternal life, another birth is needed to become children of God.

Nor of the will of the man.

(226) Of the two births, as of the blood and will of the flesh, none serves to make a man a child of God and heir to the kingdom of heaven. So also the third one, which the evangelist calls "of the will of the man," does nothing. What filiation is like when I call a man father for honor's sake; or when a man calls his pastor, preceptor, or schoolmaster father, because he teaches and instructs him; and again, they call their hearers parishioners, and their pupils sons, for the sake of their faith, godliness, and obedience. So the prophets were also called fathers. Just as St. Paul is called Timothy and Titum his sons. Now they are fathers, not because of blood or choice, but because of the honor they receive from their listeners, who consider and honor them as their lords and fathers. And God wills that in this way an old, honest man shall be called a father. So Paul also commands Timothy in 1 Tim. 5, 1. f. to admonish the old men as fathers, the young ones as brothers, the

3) "have" put by us instead of: have.

old women as mothers, the young as sisters. Romans 12:10: "Let each one precede the other with reverence. Phil. 2:3: "By humility one esteemeth another better than himself. This is fine, right, honest and well done, a fine discipline among people, and is done by the will or counsel of a man, the holy apostle Paul, that an old man says to a young fellow, Dear son; and a young fellow to an old man, or who instructs him, Dear father; a young woman to an honest, old matron, Dear mother, she in turn, Dear daughter.

227 This third way of childship is not to be considered that I am God's child, it is not just in the sight of God. And even if I could say and boast: I have heard Abraham and Moses, Samuelem or David, Eliam and Jesaiam, or if I had been a disciple of John the Baptist, yes, of the Lord Christ himself, had heard him preach and seen miraculous signs (as some boasted against St. Paul: "Well, we have heard Christ preach ourselves, that is what you lack, St. Paul"). Yes, if St. Paul had been my schoolmaster and preceptor, it should not make me a child of God. If I had had all the prophets and apostles as fathers, that is, as schoolmasters, I am therefore no better than others who do not have them. St. John casts away as pure as a rotten apple everything that a man could insist on or defy, so that only he may be valid before God and make God's children who are born of him, that is, who accept Christ; they shall have righteousness and authority, so that they can boast that they are God's children, and that God is their Father.

Nevertheless, it is all good and right, whether it be paternity of blood, of choice, or of honor, for they are God's creatures, in which He is pleased and has confirmed them, and He also wants these three kinds of children, [those] 1) who are the originators of their blood, will, or right, and of honor, to be kept in mind, loved, and valued. For he wills that in

1) "those" and "also" inserted by us for the sake of understanding.

It is pleasing to God that we honor our pastors, preachers, preceptors, etc., and consider them our fathers, even though we do not inherit anything corporeal from them. Item, to have our authorities before our eyes, to obey them, to hold pious, godly people in honor and to call them our fathers. As Naaman the Syrian's servants called him lord and father (for the sake of honor). We do this by the will and counsel of a highly enlightened man. It is therefore a good, useful, honest and divine work, done according to God's will and command. But we do not thereby attain the power and the right to become God's children. Therefore, such honor and obedience is a beautiful, glorious, exquisite virtue in the eyes of the world, but not in the eyes of God, if we intend to become blessed by it; there it is all dead, and counts for nothing, because something higher belongs to it.

229 So these three kinds of births are good, useful, honest, divine works, especially the birth of offspring, which God created, established, and blessed, that husbands and wives beget children. God also pleases the other two births, namely, that those who are without heirs accept other people's children as sons and daughters and make them their heirs; and the third, that we honor our parents, pastors, preceptors, authorities, according to His commandment and commandment, on which all laws and rights are and will be based, and all good virtue and good use are included in them. But they are corrupted by original sin, and for this reason they count for nothing before God; indeed, they are rejected in that they should help us to eternal life.

This means, in short and purely, to cut off all glory and praise of the above-mentioned three births, so that no one would think of becoming a child of God through one of them. Therefore something higher belongs to it, as 207 ff.] that we become children of God, namely, that we accept Christ, the Son of God, our dear Lord, and believe in his name, from whom, and no one else in heaven and earth, we received authority to become children of God, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God.

231. So we distinguish diligently between the creation, which only happened, and the new birth, which brings us back what we lost after the creation. Here we are in a different place when we read this text here, and when one speaks of the creation. That remains: A prince is better than a subject; a father better than the son; a lord better than the servant: this difference God has thus created, and wants to have kept, as a creature and order; but such difference does not make God's children. This difference ceases with this life; our high status or nobility eats away worms and snakes; but we become children of God only because we believe in Christ. Follow on:

But are born of God.

This is even a new birth, which kills and condemns the previous three, with all their praise, honor and dignity, if they are to serve eternal bliss. For so far the evangelist has said: "We are born of the blood of our parents by God's creation and blessing; item, some children, poor, miserable and abandoned, are adopted and raised by godly people [as] children and heirs; and our students here are pupils and disciples under their preceptors, whom they honor as their fathers (one more than the other), as God has ordered and commanded. But by works none, neither the fathers of blood, right and honor, nor we, their children, become righteous and blessed in the sight of God. But to the high honor and glory of becoming children of God we come only by birth from or of God, that is, by believing in the name of the man called Jesus Christ, true, natural son of Mary, born of her in time, but begotten of the Father from eternity, of which enough has been said above [§ 8 ff]. This Jesus Christ, our Lord, alone brings this birth, gives freedom, right and power to those who believe in him, that they are children of God, who alone gives sonship. Therefore, only those who are born of God, that is, those who believe in Jesus, are God's children.

Believe in Christ, the Son of God and the Son of Mary. And these believers are not born of blood, nor will of the flesh, nor will of the man, but of God.

233 Thus the evangelist cuts off all the glory, power and authority of the world, saying, "It does not promote salvation for a man to be emperor, king, prince, pious, wise, learned or rich; for all men, high and low, are flesh, but all flesh is hay, and like a flower of the field; the hay withers, the flower fades, but the word of God endures forever," Isa. 40:6, 7, 8. 40:6, 7, 8. Whoever keeps the word and accepts John's testimony (which Isaiah also strongly advocates in the same 40th chapter of Christ) and believes in his rains, he comes to this unspeakable glory, be it emperor, king, etc., citizen, peasant, servant, shepherd, beggar etc., that he is God's child: so that all, no one excluded, whether man or woman, who hear Christ's word, believe in him, have the power and the right that they can say with truth: I am God's child through Christ and an heir of all His heavenly goods, and God is my Father.

Therefore we should hear this blessed sermon with all our hearts, and on our knees (if we did not have it here) fetch it over a hundred miles, and well imagine in our hearts that we would become certain of the matter. For he who strongly and firmly believed that he was God's child would be a blessed man, safe and unafraid of only misfortune, the devil, sin and death.

Now this is the preaching of the Gospel, which is much different from what is found in all philosophers, worldly wise men, the Pope and his scribes' books, which, since they are the best, cannot advise a hair's breadth in the matter we are dealing with here. Who, unfortunately, have many more disciples than the dear Gospel, which belongs only to Christians, as the Lord says: pauperes evangelisantur [Matth. 11, 5.], God help us that we accept such preaching of the Gospel, and are found among the multitude, of which the Evangelist says: "How many

accepted him, to them he gave power to become children of God."

The seventh sermon on the Gospel of John.

September 1 [1537]. 1)

V. 14. And the Word became flesh.

But here the word gets another name; which he called God above, and a light that came into the world, created the world, and yet was not accepted by the world, now becomes flesh here, lets himself down so deeply that he takes on my flesh and blood, my body and soul, and does not become an angel or any other glorious creature, but becomes a man. It is too great an exuberant treasure and grace that God has exercised with the poor human race; it is not possible for a human heart to grasp nor to comprehend, much less to express.

Therefore, we Christians should do the least and get used to keeping much of these words, which have remained and been preserved in honor even under the papacy. For although the Antichrist at Rome, and the devil as well, disgracefully tore apart and perverted everything that is divine in the church, God nevertheless miraculously preserved the holy Scriptures (although darkened and blinded) under his accursed rule, and brought them down to our time. In the same way, he preserved the text of the Gospel, which was read to the people from the pulpit every Sunday, but without understanding. So also, according to the words, the Ten Commandments, the faith, the Lord's Prayer, the baptism, the one form of the sacrament, remained in the church under his diabolical rule. And yet God resisted him, so that he did not have to trample everything underfoot and destroy it, so that God still preserved His own, as everything was completely darkened, and the right understanding was hidden, nor did it remain. So also this word: Et Verbum caro factum est, has remained in great honor, and has been sung daily in all masses, and with slower and more special notes than the other words; that when one has sung: Ex Maria virgine, et homo factus est, everyone bent his knees and took off his little hat-

1) In the original margin.

drawn. And it would still be fair and right that one kneels down before the word: Et homo factus est, and sings with lukewarm notes (as before) and hears with a happy heart that the divine majesty has lowered itself so low that it has become like us poor maggot sacks, and we thank God for his unspeakable grace and mercy that the Godhead itself has become flesh. For who can sufficiently explain this?

The dear fathers in the church also had a special play of joy over these words, and held them high, and praised (as one reads in their books from time to time) that we have come to the great honor that God did not take the angelic nature, which are much higher, more glorious and nobler than we, but humbled Himself, and took the seed of Abraha to Himself, Hebr. 2, 16, and became our flesh and blood. Who can explain this? The angels are much holier than we poor sinners are; nor does he take our nature unto himself, and was born of the Virgin Mary in the flesh and blood of man.

Especially in his devotion, Saint Bernard has had many good thoughts about it, and is very surprised, and says: he believes that the Archdevil, Lucifer, fell above the play and was pushed out of heaven, that perhaps he saw and noted before his fall that God in eternity decided to become a man in time, and to take on human nature, and not angelic. Thus, he had fallen into a hopelessness against God. For he saw that he was a much more glorious and beautiful creature than a man. He also fell into an envy against the human race and did not grant such high honor to men, whose nature God would accept. He and his companions were displeased by this and were disgusted that God would despise them and accept human nature; therefore he fell with his group and was cast out of heaven. For if an emperor put a beggar at the top, and despised great and mighty lords, kings, princes, scholars, wise counsellors, etc. and let them sit at the bottom, they would also be displeased. We humans on earth cannot do any better.

For the older son Luc. 15, 29, when he heard that his brother, the prodigal son, the glutton and spendthrift, who had become a beggar, had come, it displeased him and made him sickly-eyed that the father had slaughtered a fattened calf for the unhappy son, who had devoured his inheritance with harlots and knaves, and had not given him, who had never transgressed his commandment, a goat.

Thus (St. Bernard thinks) Lucifer and his company were also displeased that God should become a man and not an angel. For if we consider it ourselves, we conclude that it would have been much better and more honest that God would have taken the noblest nature, as the angel, to himself, than that he took the sinful human nature, which the devil, the old serpent, drank poison into himself in paradise. Now that God has taken humanity upon Himself, and humanity has been united with divinity in the person of Christ, is like putting some sow and filth at a table, and pushing holy, pious people away.

And St. Bernard also said that the good angels were pleased with it and said: If it pleases our Lord, God and Creator, then it should also please us. They stayed and recognized him as their God and Lord. As the angel said to Mary Magdalene and other women, Matt. 28, v. 6: "Come and see the place where the Lord has lain.

This, thought Bernhardi is no article of the faith; is, nevertheless, the truth similar. For nature cannot think otherwise. It is also truly very annoying that one should see that God Himself has taken this poor, weak and corrupt human nature to Himself, and let the holy, glorious, angelic nature go. Thus, St. Bernard had his play, wonder and joy with such thoughts, which his heart and mind indicated against these words, and also wanted us to imagine.

243 So, I say, the dear fathers were astonished that the divine majesty accepted the poor maggot sack of human nature, nothing excluded, because the

Sin, and that he was not guilty of death. He ate, drank, slept, and watched etc., only that he was not born in sins as we are. It is, of course, an unspeakable, incomprehensible thing, so that whoever really believes it must marvel at it; indeed, heaven, earth and all creatures should be astonished at the fact that, since a man is a wretched creature compared to an angel, God should nevertheless esteem men nobler and more precious than the angelic nature. This might well make some eyes pale that God prefers the human nature to the angelic one. But it is all for the purpose of showing us what great glory has befallen us. For it pleases the angels in heaven very much; therefore they are always around the Lord Christ, and also serve him; since he rose from the dead, they are around his grave.

Therefore the holy fathers did not have so much thought on the word: Et homo factus est without cause. It would not be surprising that we still wept with joy. Yes, even if I should never become blessed (since the dear God is for me), it should still make me happy that Christ, my flesh, bone and soul, is sitting in heaven at the right hand of God; no bones, flesh and blood have come to glory. St. Bernard continues to speak of this in a very comforting way, saying: "Now I realize that God, my Lord, is not angry with me, for he is my flesh and blood, and sits at the right hand of the heavenly Father, a Lord over all creatures. If he were angry with me, he would not have taken my flesh and blood. So with these words, Et homo factus est, we should also perform miracles, and begin the words with long notes, as is customary in the church; for it is just and right, and herein stands 1) all our comfort and joy, against sin, death, the devil, hell, and despair, and shall nowhere.

245 One reads that it once happened that one stood, a coarse ruler and felt, when one said these words in the church:

et homo factus est sung, and neither the

Baret pulled off, nor his knees bent, nor

1) Erlanger: is.

1652 Erl. 4", s-s. Luther's interpretation of John Cap. 1-4. W. VII, IS48-ISS0. 1653

I did not show any honor against it, but stood there like a stick (otherwise the whole crowd of the people had knelt down when these words were sung in the Patrem 1), and prayed devoutly), then the devil came to him, gave him a muzzle so that his face was gone, cursed him horribly, and said: "That the infernal fire may burn you, you coarse ass! If God had become an angel of my nature, as I was one, and one sang: God has become an angel; I would not only bend my knees, but my whole body to the earth; yes, I would have crawled ten cubits deep into the earth: and you hopeless man stand there, like a stick or a stone, and hear that God has not become an angel, but man, and equal to you, and you stand there, and grumble, like a log of wood. Whether it happened or not, it is similar to faith that the holy fathers wanted to admonish the youth by such examples, how great and unspeakable a thing it is that the true Son of God became man, and that we opened our eyes and considered such words.

246 Item: I have read more such examples, that one, when he could not have rest from the devil, marked himself with the cross, and said, "The word was made flesh," or, which is like saying, "I am a Christian," so the devil was driven out and smitten, and he had peace. And I believe it to be true, if he spoke these words from a believing heart. With long disputation one does not gain much from him, but with short words and statements, as: I am a Christian, of flesh and blood, because the Lord Christ, the Son of God, is here; take a bite, devil, and he will not stay long.

247 For it is certain that one who could speak the word, Et Verbum caro factum est, with right faith and strong confidence, even in the greatest of temptations, would certainly be saved from his troubles and distress. For where there is a believer, the devil must shun this word; and I have often read it, and also seen that many of them in

1) katrsm - the Nicene Creed.

The devil has left them, and they have spoken these words in the greatest distress and terror: Et Verbum caro factum est, and with their hands made a cross before them, so that the devil departed from them. For the faith in these words was so strong that it overcame the world and the devil. As one reads another history or legend, that at a time when this Gospel of John was read from the beginning: In principio erat Verbum, the devil stood there motionless and listened, until the word: "And the Word became flesh", then he disappeared. Whether it is fictitious or happened, it is nevertheless the truth that whoever speaks or contemplates these words from the heart in a right faith, the devil must certainly flee him. Otherwise the devil can very well suffer that God's Son is a light and life of men, and laughs in his heart that people do not accept it, as John said above [v. 11]. But here all his thoughts are cut in two: God's Son became man.

248 But it has also been a terrible abuse and sorcery that one reads this Gospel of John: In principio erat Verbum, written on a small piece of paper, enclosed in a quill or otherwise, hung on the neck or elsewhere; item, against the thunder and weather, as this has been common in the papacy. As then also the magicians of the names: Jesus, Mary, the four evangelists, Matthew, Marcus, Lucas, John, the three holy kings; item, the words: Jesus Nazarenus Rex Judaeorum, are used to abuse, and do it in their evil evil and boasting.

This is because the wicked saw that the apostles, their disciples, and after them many pious bishops and saints, performed miracles and signs when they only spoke some words from the Gospel. Then they also took the words, and immediately wanted to do similar signs according to them, as the Jews also said that they had done miraculous signs by the word Tetragrammaton 2) of Christ. Therefore they thought, if they would do it to them without faith,

2) d. i. rnrv, which consists of four letters.

it would also happen; as Apost. 19, 13. Lucas shows an example.

But by no means, brother, do you make a work of it without faith. The words of a believer and an unbeliever are not at all the same; there is no power in the words unless there is faith. The devil asks nothing of it if a godless pope or sorcerer uses the same words (unless he wants to confirm error by them) that a Christian speaks in faith, since he truly cannot despise them. And if you speak the words out of faith, it will be done to you according to the words; it will not go off without great fruit. Therefore, there is a great difference between the one who speaks such words in faith and the one who performs magic with them. Every magician pretends holiness, saying: You must speak three or five paternosters, the names: Jesus, Mary, Lucas, John; item, Verbum caro factum est etc., lead. Without these words they cannot perform magic. Yes, they say, they are good words, founded in the holy scripture! Thank the devil for that! They are not ordained that thou shouldest abuse them, but that thou shouldest believe in them, and in and by faith obtain what thou wilt or desirest. But if you do not respect faith, and do sorcery and your monkey business with it, that is, shamefully misuse the words and do magic with them.

251 Simon Magus was just such a journeyman, who, when he saw that the Holy Spirit was visibly given when the apostles laid their hands on him, Acts 8. 8, Simon wanted to buy this from the apostles, offered them money, and said, v. 19: "Give me also power, that, when I lay hands on any man, he may receive the Holy Ghost." He asked nothing about faith, but desired only that he might have the power to give the Holy Spirit to others, and wanted to buy it from the apostles, to do such a work without faith, and to make a trade or fair out of it, and to make money out of it. Then St. Peter also spoke harshly to him, saying, v. 20: "The devil lead you away with your money! "That thou mayest be damned! Do you think it is possible that God's gifts through money

be attained?" It is for those who believe it, not for those who speak it without faith. Because the evil men saw that the holy fathers used such words and protected themselves with them, they also began to do magic with these words.

252 One reads of a holy nun, I believe it to be true (for many devout hearts have been miraculously preserved in the right faith in the papacy by God's grace, like Abraham at Ur in Chaldea, and Lot at Sodom), when she was challenged by Satan, she said no more than: Christiana sum. With these words she protected herself against the devil, so that he had to depart from her. And it is true that whoever could sing such words against the real terrors of the devil and against the evil world, the devil would not be able to deceive him. It is a short word, but it has much in it; where it is spoken with faith, there the devil certainly does not remain; otherwise these words do not help an adulterer, whoremonger and miser at all.

253 Therefore let us always have such words and such like in our hearts and mouths, and be accustomed, when the wicked Satan assails us, not to confess to him any disputation; for he is far superior to us in force, cunning, and understanding, even of the Scriptures; but briefly reject him, saying, The Word is made flesh, or, I am a Christian. Or, I believe in Jesus Christ our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of Mary, the Virgin, and became man, etc.

255: Therefore the dear fathers have not written in vain of these words: Verbum caro factum est, et: Homo factus est, so much and often written, all of the opinion that they should be held in great honor; as happened before this time in the Pabstthum, that when they were sung or read, one bared the head, bent the knees, or at some

places has even knelt down. Much more could we now sing and hear it with higher, greater joy, because we now know and understand (praise to God) what an inexpressible treasure is offered to us through these words, yes, given to us as our own. For those who accept and keep it with faith are God's children.

256. summa: No angel, much less a prophet or apostle, can say that the eternal Son of God, who, as Isaiah Cap. 53, 9. and 1 Petr. 2, 22. st. Peter, "did no sin, neither was any deceit found in His mouth," and therefore was not guilty of death, yet for our comfort and salvation He became man, even a curse and sin for us, that He redeemed us from the eternal curse and made us righteous, Gal. 3, 13. Rom. 8, 3. 2 Cor. 5, 21.

257 So John the Evangelist preached about the Word who was in the beginning, who was with and together with the Father, the eternal God, through whom he created all things, who was the life and light of men, and who shone in the darkness, and who came into the world, became man, and dwelt among men, and yet they did not know him. But that he might be revealed 1) and known, God sent John the Baptist before him to testify of him; to which testimony the great hand did not turn. For when he came into his own possession, preaching and performing miracles, his own did not receive him; but those who received him, to them he gave power to become the children of God. We have spoken of all these things in particular.

258 And John does not remember Mary, the mother of the Lord, with a few words; but Lucas in chapter 2 writes at length that she gave birth to him in Bethlehem. John did not care much about the mother, as Paul also says badly: "Born of a woman", Gal. 4, 4. For the higher people are, and the greater the spirit in men, the more and more diligently they looked at the fruit than at the mother, and wanted us to look at the fruit, that is, at the Son of God,

1) Erlanger: apparently.

who created and made all things, and was the light of the world, and became truly man. Otherwise, it is true that she is a holy, pure, chaste virgin, "blessed among women", as the angel Luc. 1, 42. says to her, and she sings in her song: "All the children's children will call me blessed"; but she grieves that the true Son of God has become man. In the 2nd chapter John speaks of the mother, when he writes that Christ said to her at the wedding in Cana (scolds her, v. 4): "Woman, what have I to do with you?" All because he painted the person of Christ correctly etc.

And the Word became flesh.

259 "The Word," says the evangelist, "of which I preached that it was in the beginning, by which all things were made, the life and light of men," etc. "was made flesh. Flesh in Scripture means a whole man, as is said below in the 3rd chapter, v. 6. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh." Now body and soul are born of a woman, not a dead lump of flesh, but a bodily child, having flesh and blood, which together the Scripture calls in one word flesh; item, fleshly wisdom, glory, power, strength; all these we call in German human wisdom, glory, power, and what is high and great in the world.

(260) Therefore, the noblest treasure and the highest comfort that we Christians have is that the Word, the true, natural Son of God, became man, having flesh and blood like another man, and became man for our sake, so that we might come to the great glory, that our flesh and blood, skin and hair, hands and feet, belly and back, might be seated like God in heaven above; that we might boldly defy the devil and whatever else challenges us. For then we are sure that they who belong to heaven are heirs of the kingdom of heaven.

261 But just as Arius, Cerinthus and similar heretics have challenged the article of the Godhead, so there have been heretics who have wanted to take the humanity of Christ and pretend that the true Son of God is the Christ, but that he has not yet taken the humanity of God.

He did not have a soul, because the evangelist says: "The Word became flesh", and does not think of a soul. So the Apollonists said that he took only a human body, not body and soul; for the soul he had his divinity.

Now these were coarse asses. Accordingly, I could say that he also had no body, for flesh and body are not one thing. We follow the scripture, therefore cannot err, which says of Adam and Eve, when they were created, Genesis 2:24: They shall be one flesh; which we speak in our language thus: Adam and Eve shall be one body. Thus the word flesh, according to the scriptural custom, grasps or comprehends both body and soul; for without the soul the body is dead.

The rough asses do not understand the word flesh differently, as dogs and wolves have; but in the Scriptures through and through body and soul, together with all their powers, are called flesh; they have had no understanding of the Scriptures. [We have the text, "The Word became flesh," for us. "The Word," that is, the eternal Son of God, "became flesh," that is, man, born of Mary the Virgin. For in German, Leib is not called a dead man, but a living one, having body and soul. Therefore, this is a gross heresy, and easily remembered, and may we see to it that we gladly hear of this article preached, and with firm faith and cheerful heart accept, praise and thank God for calling us to this blessed preaching.

The evangelist could have said, "The Word became man," but he says, according to scriptural custom, "it became flesh," indicating weakness and mortality. For Christ took on human nature, which is mortal, and subject to the terrible wrath and judgment of God, on account of the sin of the human race; which wrath this weak and mortal flesh felt and suffered in Christ. The evangelist wanted to indicate this high humility, which no tongue can utter, by the little word "flesh". So also Isaiah says in the 53rd chapter, v. 10: "When he has given his soul", that is, life, "for a guilt offering, then he will give seed".

and live for a long time. As St. Paul also says to the Galatians on the 3rd, v. 13: "Christ became a curse for us, that he might redeem us from the curse."

But we should not think that it is a small, bad thing that the evangelist uses the word "flesh". Human reason does not understand the greatness of divine wrath against sin, and therefore does not understand what St. Paul means when he says: "Christ became a sin and a curse for us", 2 Cor. 5, 21. Gal. 3, 13. But he, the dear Lord, understood it well, felt and endured this great, terrible wrath so strongly that the sweat of blood poured out of him, an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him, Luc. 22, 43.

And dwelt among us.

The same Word, who became man, suckled Mary, carried her child in her arms like another mother, came to the people, lived and dwelt among them; therefore he was not a ghost, but a true man, as Paul says Phil. 2, 7-, being found to be a man, seeing, hearing, speaking, eating, drinking, sleeping and waking, so that all who saw and heard him must confess and say that he was a true, natural man; He did not withdraw from the people, hide in a corner, nor run into the wilderness, where no one could have heard, seen, or touched him, but appeared publicly, preached, and performed miracles, so that all the people around whom and with whom he lived and dwelt might have heard and touched him. As John testifies in the beginning of his (first) 1) epistle: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have touched" etc., and yet was the Word of life and Creator of all creatures. This is what the evangelist means when he says, "And dwelt among us." He was not a ghost, but a true man; as St. Paul also says to the Philippians in the 2nd chapter, v. 6. f., "Being in divine form, he did not think it robbery, but

1) "first" is missing in the Erlanger. ,

has taken on the form of a servant, has been found to be like another man."

The heretics of Manichaei, being such wicked boys, were angry that the Son of God should have become man; and to adorn their error, they pretended great prudence and holiness, saying: It would be too close to the divine majesty that she should be born of the poor and by sin corrupted, impure, mortal flesh, and moreover of a female image; indeed impossible that the divine purity (brighter than the sun) should sink into the miserable mud. For this reason, Mary would not have been a true, natural, bodily mother of Christ, but, as a red glass gives a glow on the wall, so that one sees the red color modestly, and yet it is no color; or the sunshine shines through a blue glass, so the glow also sees blue: so also a shadow or shade would have passed through Mary, like a ghost, which had neither a true body nor soul. Christ would have looked like a man, but he was not a true man. So they only made a ghost out of him, and thus a ghost should have been crucified by the Jews.

This was called giving heresy a fine nose and shape; that is why they seduced many fine people. For it is a glorious, glittering heresy. St. Augustine spent nine whole years in this blasphemous heresy and would have remained in it if he had not been saved from it by the diligent prayer of his mother Monica. It is frightening to hear that they claimed that Christ had neither eaten nor drunk, that the Jews had not crucified the true Christ, but a ghost; thus they wanted to show God great honor, and thus they were all angry with Christ.

269. but we believe the holy Scriptures, and confess with holy Christendom, which hath been at all times, and shall remain unto the end of the world, that this article of our holy Christian faith, with all the rest, is firmly and strongly established by certain testimonies of the holy prophets and apostles, whereby

1) modest - assigned, communicated.

the Holy Spirit has spoken that Christ, our Lord and God, has taken on true human nature, not a ghost, and has become a natural man, like another, having flesh and blood; has not fluttered as a ghost; but has lived among people etc., Eyes, ears, mouth, nose, breast, belly, hands and feet, like me and you, has had, sucked milk, the mother has nursed his like another child, he has kept himself like another man, he is truly man born of the Virgin Mary; only that he is not born in sins as we are, he also "has done no sin, and no deceit has been found in his mouth" [1 Pet. 2, 22.].

270 And the evangelist says: "He dwelt among us". As if to say, He did not appear as the angel Gabriel, who came to Mary, and delivered God's command to her, and soon departed from her; for angels do not dwell visibly among men; but he dwelt with us (says the Evangelist) in his human nature (which, after his incarnation, is inseparably united with the divine), ate and drank with us, was angry, prayed, mourned, wept etc., Until the fourth and thirtieth year, he was sent by the Father, suffered persecution, and finally the death of his own people; so that the Jews crucified the true Son of God, the Lord of glory, and we have seen that his blood was shed and poured out on the earth.

This is the article that we Christians believe, which is our highest consolation, through which we become children of God. We should not argue much about whether it is God's shame or glory that God became man; yes, I should gladly accept it with all my heart, for it has been done for my good and comfort; and I should thank God from the bottom of my heart for it. Follows:

And we saw his glory.

What is this? The evangelist wants to say: He has not only shown himself to be a true man with gestures. He lived among the people who saw him, heard him, talked with him, and lived with him until he died.

into the fourth and thirtieth year, and in this weak, miserable form and human nature suffered cold, hunger and thirst, etc. but also let his glory and power be seen, that he was God. His teaching, preaching, miracles and miraculous deeds proved that whoever had not been blinded and hardened by the devil, as the chief priests and scribes were, could see that he was of course God; As he proved by words and deeds, when he healed the sick and raised the dead, and, in sum, performed such great and many miraculous signs, the like of which no prophet had done before him, and which no other man had been able to do, so that, just as God by word (that is, through him) created heaven and earth, so also, what he willed, directed and did, he spoke only one word, as [Marc. 5, 41]: "Little girl, get up." Item [Luc. 7, 14.]: "Young man, get up." [Joh. 11, 43.]: "Lazare, come out"; to the gout-ridden [Matth. 9, 6.]: "Arise, take up thy bed, and go home"; be rid of thy sickness; item, to the 1) leper [Matth. 8, 3. 1: "Be cleansed"; item [Matth. 14, 19. 21.], with five loaves and two fishes fed five thousand men etc., that they which saw such signs said [John 6:14], "This is truly the prophet which is to come into the world." So also when great tempests arose in the sea, and the Lord troubled the sea, and it was still, they that were in the ship marveled, saying [Matt. 8:27], "Who is this to whom the wind and the sea obey?" Item [Matth. 17, 18.]: He commanded the devils, so they had to go out. He was able to do all this with one word.

As the only begotten son of the father.

This is the first time John calls the Word the only begotten Son of the Father. Do you ask what he means when he says: "In the beginning was the Word"; item: "All things were made through the Word"; item: "He was the life and light of men"?

1) "To" put by us instead of "the"; also following: "be" instead of "be", because the passage refers to Matth. 8, 3. not to Luc. 17, 14.

He interprets himself here and says: "The Word is called the only begotten Son of the Father. There you hear clearly and distinctly that the Word, who was with the Father from eternity and is the light of men, is called the Son, yes, the only begotten Son of God. He alone is it, no one else. There it is, what he wanted to understand through the "word" above, v. 1, and now wants to preach clearly about the kingdom of Christ. He now wants to preach clearly about the kingdom of Christ, which he has done so far with hidden and strange words that do not sound good in any language, saying that this is God's only begotten Son.

For God has many other sons and children, but only One is the only begotten Son, of whom it is said that all things were made through Him; the other sons are not the Word, through whom all things were made, but were created through this only begotten Son, who, like the Father, is the Creator of heaven and earth. The others all become sons through this only-begotten Son, who is our Lord and God, and we are called many-born sons, but this alone is the only-begotten Son, whom he has begotten in the Godhead from eternity. So then the Word, by whom all things were created and preserved, became flesh, that is, was made man, born after the flesh of the seed of Abraha and David, dwelt among us, and redeemed us from the curse and the power of the devil. And because he became man, and yet was the Lord of glory from eternity, we poor people who believe in his name become children of God, and God becomes our Father; but he alone is the only begotten Son, as St. Paul says, through whom God creates, governs and makes all things.

We are to hold this text in high esteem, comforting ourselves with it in all our tribulations and temptations; and whoever grasps it with faith has no need, he is a child of eternal blessedness, to which honor he comes through the only begotten Son, who is God from eternity. Now this gospel becomes bright and light; for before that the evangelist needs unusual and strange speech in all languages, as he speaks: "In the beginning was the Word", "by the Word the world was created", and "the Word became flesh". Who ever heard such speech? Now finds

It is clear: "the Word", says the evangelist, of which I have spoken, is "the only begotten Son of God", true God and Creator with the Father, only that he is born of the Father, not the Father of him; as we confess and pray: "And to Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son. Moses, 1st book, Cap. 1, 3rd, needs such speech: "God spoke"; but John puts the interpretation to it, as said.

This is our Christian faith, that Jesus Christ is truly God and man, the only begotten Son of the Father, begotten of Him from eternity, and born of Mary the Virgin in time, and that those who believe in Him are redeemed from sins and all evil. He alone makes them Christians, implanted, and not natural children of God; for Christ our Head alone is the implanted, natural, true Son of God the Father. This gospel we should esteem high and great, as the holy fathers also did. For he who has the Son has no need, but is also God's child. Even though he is not the only begotten son of God, through him he becomes the son of God and a co-heir and brother of Christ.

277 And the evangelist said, "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us," as another man; we have learned that he was a natural man. After that, "we have also seen his glory, as the glory of the only begotten of the Father," which he proves by raising the dead, and himself rising from the dead by divine power, as he says John 10:18: "I have power to lay down my life, and have power to take it again"; thus he showed himself alive forty days, and gave the Holy Spirit, so that the same Word that became man "is full of grace and truth. Makes therefore a distinction between Christ, the patriarchs, Moses, and all the prophets, as he who is much higher and greater than they, yea, who is the Lord over all. As if he wanted to say: In all times (but in one more than in the other) there have been great, holy people, as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, Elijah,

The first two of St. Elias, who proved by words and deeds that they were God's friends and children, through whom God also did many great miracles, preached and taught them much, which is written in the Holy Scriptures and brought down to us and inherited; were therefore excellent, great people, even in the eyes of the world, and believed in Christ, the future Savior, are God's children, born of or from God, just as we are. They have thus shown themselves in word and deed, that divine glory, not fleshly or worldly, was felt in them, as the Scriptures of the Old Testament show; but nowhere to be compared with the Word that became flesh.

The eighth sermon on the Gospel of John.

On the Saturday after Crucis [September 15, 1537]. 1)

Therefore the evangelist distinguishes the only begotten Son of God from all other saints and children of God, and says: "We saw his glory", which was not a piece of grace and truth, as in the other children of God, but was "full", or "full of grace and truth", "as of the only begotten Son of the Father". For he has shown himself much more different and glorious than all other sons and children on earth; for this reason he stands high above all his sons and daughters. He has his own special glory from the Father, since he is set apart from all other children and sons; as the 45th Psalm, v. 8, also sings: "Thou lovest righteousness, thou hatest wickedness; therefore, O God, thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness, more than thy fellows." He also showed himself in such a way that one knew he was not one of the common children.

God the Father also gave him testimony from heaven in his baptism that he was His beloved Son in whom He was well pleased, and the Holy Spirit was seen above him in the form of a dove etc. [Therefore he is not a son of God, like Abraham and David.

1) In the original margin.-Either this or the following time determination is wrong, because the following sermon bears the same date, "the 15th of September".

God's sons, but he is an offspring, the nucleus of all God's children, and the only Son of God, as we confess in the articles of our Christian faith: I believe in JEsum Christum, the Father's united Son. By this word "unite" he is set apart from all other sons. For we who believe in his name are also God's children, as said, born of God through the water bath or baptism in the Word. But he is the head and firstborn among his brethren, the only Son, by whom all the others also received the adoption. So that there is no need to look for many mediators or saviors. For we come to this adoption neither by the holiness of patriarchs or prophets, nor by the innocence of angels, but only by the only begotten Son of the Father. In the papacy we wanted to become children of God through the intercession of St. Christopher, St. Barbara, St. Mary and other saints, but it was in vain.

280 On the other hand, all the miracles of Christ before and after his resurrection, when he sent the Holy Spirit from heaven and preserved his church against all mobs and tyrants, sufficiently testify that he is the supreme and firstborn Son, who gives power and right to all those who believe in his name to become children of God. Abraham, David, Elijah, Peter and Paul are also children of God; but they are not able to give this power, right and freedom of filiation to others, but received it, as all believers, from Him. Therefore he alone is the only natural Son of God, who has such power and right through his eternal birth from the Father. For by him, as the only begotten Son, and by none other, were all things made; but that we should be joint heirs of grace, eternal life, and blessedness, we have by him. Let us therefore joyfully praise and thank God that we, who by nature and character are not children but foundlings, come to such power and glory through Him; that we are adopted as children of grace and born of God (as much as we believe in His name) of water and the Spirit.

281 Therefore he is called with all honor the only begotten son of the Father. For

according to nature, no one is like him. By nature we are not children, but by grace we are heirs. Therefore it is comforting that he says to us [Joh. 12, 26.]: "Where I am, there you shall be also"; item [Joh. 14, 19.]: "I live, and you shall live also"; we may be content with this, and may well thank the dear Lord that we shall live by grace and mercy, not by nature, as he. Many of us are born of God out of grace and mercy, and therefore cannot be the only begotten Son, as he is the only one, born of the divine nature of the Father from eternity.

Full of grace and truth.

This phrasim, language or speech of the Scriptures, even of the Holy Spirit, which is unknown to the heathen, the worldly wise, and all unbelievers, we Christians are to learn to understand. Now the evangelist says: "The Word who became flesh and dwelt among us, whose preaching we have heard and whose miraculous signs we have seen, has shown Himself and kept Himself in such a way that we must say that He is the true, natural Son of God, full of grace and truth.

In order that we may understand these words the better, we must hold Adam and Christ against each other. Adam, through his disobedience and fall, brought original sin out of us, so that we fell into sin and death, became guilty of God's wrath, condemnation and eternal punishment, so that from Adam's side there is nothing to be seen, but only God's wrath and disgrace (as our miserable, laborious, short life on earth, all kinds of plagues, sickness, fear, distress, sorrow, heartache, and finally death, well prove), so that all the world cries and laments over this miserable life. We also experience daily that no man is safe of his life, not even for a moment; one dies of pestilence, another drowns, the third is stabbed to death: and there is no more stinking, foul carrion than a man's corpse; therefore one also hastens to the earth, where the worms find their food. But few are concerned about it, although they see such misery daily before their eyes, until the misfortune itself hits them. That is why the world is such a

A misery, a displeasure, a mess, because Adam and all people are seen as full of God's disgrace, disfavor, wrath, curse and malediction. Adam is not full of grace.

234 But in Christ there is nothing to be seen, but grace, love, peace, joy, and favor; with which he is abundant, that he is the dear child of the heavenly Father. Therefore he is a different man from Adam. They are to be held against each other as an angel and the devil. What Christ speaks and does, God is pleased with, and this is only spoken and done in the very best way; as Isaiah says in Isaiah 42, v. 1.God says: "Behold, this is My chosen one, in whom My soul is well pleased"; and the Father Himself at the Jordan in the baptism of Christ, and on Mount Thabor, calls down from heaven and testifies publicly, saying: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, him you shall hear" [Marc. 9, 7.].

Now Christ says [Matth. 9, 2]: "Your sins are forgiven"; item [Joh. 11, 43] to the deceased Lazaro: "Come out"; this is both well said and done. The Father says yes to this, so that everything he says and does is all grace, love and joy; for he is the dear child, and the only begotten Son, he cannot destroy it. Therefore, when we hear the word of Christ our Lord, when we baptize our children according to His command, and when we receive the holy sacrament, we should not doubt that God the Father is well pleased with us for the sake of His beloved, only begotten Son, through whom He made us acceptable and ordained us to filial piety toward Himself before the foundation of the world was laid, according to Ephesians, chapter 1, V. 3. 4. And as he says afterwards [John 1:16], "Of his fulness have we all" (includes also) "grace for grace."

Thus the evangelist presents Christ to us in the most lovely and friendly way, saying of him that he is full of grace and truth. As if he wanted to say: He, and no one else, leads this rhyme, Isaiah, chapter 53, v. 9: "No deceit was found in his mouth.

den." "He is full of grace and truth," that is. Summa Summarum, all things are well pleasing to God in Christ: the Father loves him, and is gracious and favorable to him. The Father has no lack or defect in him. For not only is what the Son says and does pleasing to God by grace, but what he says and does is also righteously good in himself; God has nothing to forgive in it; just as Christ himself says in John, "Whatever the Father wills, that will I do." He loves the Father with all his heart etc.

Thus the saints have not been in this world; they have always done things that were not pleasing to God, and have been sinners. Moses was a holy, great prophet, to whom God Himself spoke, and through him gave the Law to the people of Israel; nor, if he was as holy as he could be, was he nevertheless a sinner, and therefore did not have to come to the Promised Land, Numbers 20:12. Abraham, the great, excellent, holy man, worshipped the idols in Chaldea. Aaron also had his sin. In sum: Old of all saints, from Adam old to this hour, you find a click, 1) that you must say: They have been men. Christ was promised to Abraham, not because of his worthiness or holiness; for before God called him from Chaldea, he served other gods, as Joshua is written in chapter 24, v. 2. And this word Gen. 18, 27: "I am earth and ashes", testifies sufficiently that he did not rely on his glory. The following fathers, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and Aaron, were all sinners, the Spirit of God does not lie when he says: Omnes peccaverunt. I mean, David, who is especially praised, also fell into grave, noticeable sin, and wants to keep silent about the main sin. So the other saints all have great, gross sins: Peter denied Christ, Paul persecuted him. And if they were not under the great, wide heaven of grace and forgiveness of sins, the devil would abuse them and us.

But here is the only Son of God, of whom Isaiah says [Cap. 53, 9.]

1) Click - blob, blemish.

No one was wronged, and, as St. Peter [1 Ep. 2, 22] says, no sin was committed, nor was any deceit found in his mouth; that is, everything he did, said, and thought etc. was good, useful, and beneficial. So then all believers, from the beginning of the world to its end, are sanctified and made children of God, as highly as they are otherwise enlightened and endowed with divine graces, not through their holiness, miracles, and praiseworthy deeds, but through this only begotten Son from the Father, of whom alone John says he is full of grace and truth, as through whom alone they are redeemed and blessed from the curse.

(289) Yea, would one say, how if it were a counterfeit thing, as it is with other men in the world, that for one thing I am gracious to one, and ungracious to another, and that such grace in Christ was not righteous? No, says the evangelist, it was not a fictitious, made-up grace, but without all lies, hypocrisy, falsehood, so that everything that this Son spoke and did was not only pleasing, dear and precious to the Father, but righteous and the truth. It is a righteous grace. He did not have to earn such grace, but he had it by nature. Therefore, this grace and truth was righteous in itself. For the person was pure and righteous, not born in sins, nor having committed any; all his words were sure and firm, without all lies and falsehood; they were not only gracious or in grace, but also righteous. He gave his body for us out of pure love, and laid down his life; this pleased the Father: there was no fault or blameworthiness in such love and obedience, Philippians 2:9, but all righteousness.

Therefore God is well pleased with us who believe in Christ and are made partakers of this grace and truth through him; but if he would be right with us and grace would cease, we would be far lacking. Therefore he must forgive and pardon our sin and foolishness; therefore we have only this to comfort us, that if

we believe in His name, are also children of grace and truth, have received the Holy Spirit, and therefore should not doubt that God loves us, and is well pleased with us, for the sake of His only begotten Son, in whom we believe.

But if he should come to judgment with us, and say, Thou boastest thyself to be a child of grace, and my son; lovest thou me with all thy heart, and thy neighbor as thyself, even as my only begotten Son hath done? Where such thoughts often occur to pious hearts, and they are greatly grieved by them, and are also sorry, and heartily lament over them; as many psalms testify, that they are far lacking in them: there is no other counsel, but that we hold fast to Christ, and take comfort in the saying which the evangelist has adduced, "But as many as received him," etc., and stand firm on it, and in the name of Christ call upon God the Father to make the cross over us, saying, "They are sinners, not pious nor pure, as they ought to be; but because they believe in my only begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth, I will not be angry with them, neither will the rest of their sins harm them; only that they persevere in the faith. So we protect and shelter ourselves under the shadow of the wings of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that the wrath of God will not strike us.

But those who do not believe in him, and therefore are not found under his wings, are and remain under God's wrath; no holiness helps them, neither the law of God, nor the honorable life and wisdom of philosophers and worldly wise men. Yes, if all Jews with their Moses, and all honorable Gentiles with their exquisite virtues and deeds would come before God, all their deeds would be nothing but disgrace, lies and hypocrisy. For since the person is not righteous (who becomes righteous only through faith in Christ), works are of no use (however holy and good they may be) for attaining salvation.

293 Therefore we should hold (as said) Moses and Christ well against each other. If Adam and his descendants already do the best works, have a high intellect, and have the best of all.

and reason, judge virtue and respectability, make good law and order, order house and world government in the best way (which are great glorious gifts in the sight of the world, and have a great reputation, and are also necessary and useful, as the world cannot do without them), but all this is not the right essence; it cannot stand before God; one cannot thereby become children of grace and truth, nor attain eternal life and blessedness. First of all, because of the person on whom Adam inherited both sin and death, and because of this he is in the wrath and disgrace of God. After that, although it does much more good, it is not serious, but false, not righteous nor truthful; yes, it is a mere mirror-image fencing, a carnival and carnival play before God, not the right person or being. Thus the whole human race, with all its doings, is, without Christ's grace and knowledge, a false hypocrisy, a ghost and a spook.

But if we are to become gracious, righteous and true children of God, and partakers of His grace, there is no other means to this end than to believe in the only begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and truth, for whom God the Father loves us and pleases Him with our works. Thus we enjoy our Lord Christ and become partakers of his grace and truth. For of Him alone sings the 45th Psalm, v. 8: "Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore hath thy God anointed thee with the oil of gladness, more than thy fellows." Will say: In the world no man is found that hateth righteousness, and hateth iniquity (except the iniquity of the carnival play, where one pretends to be righteous from without), save thee, O Lord, who alone hast earnestly and thoroughly done such things; Therefore your God has anointed you with the oil of gladness, that is, with the Holy Spirit, more than your companions, so that you may be glad, comfort and make glad all who believe in you and cling to you continually, that they may also enjoy your ointment. He has another righteousness and truth than the world has, namely, that he is anointed and full of grace.

and truth, and others all received such grace from him and through him.

The righteousness of the world (since one often thinks that he is doing right, and yet is wrong) does not count for a hair's breadth in the sight of God; otherwise he can well suffer it in the world for the sake of peace, and he respects and holds it as his carnival play on earth. But in heaven it is of no use anywhere; there belongs another righteousness, through which we have forgiveness of sins, because we believe in the only begotten Son of God.

So then Christ our Lord, true God and man, whom the Father has ordained and set apart for this purpose. For he is to be the main source and fountain, from which all grace and truth and righteousness flow, so that we may receive and enjoy grace and righteousness from him, and receive from him (as follows) grace for grace, truth for truth. We have seen him (says the evangelist), heard him, touched him with our eyes, ears, and hands, and have known by his words and works that he is the Word of life and the inexpressible source of all grace and truth. Whoever then desires to be made partaker of them, whether he be Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, John Baptist, or whosoever he will, let him come hither, and receive them of him, and not of another; or else he must be eternally lost. For we all (none excepted), saith the evangelist, have received of his fulness grace for grace, truth for truth. And to Colossians, in the 2nd chapter, v. 10: "In him we are made perfect." So all Scripture, from beginning to end, points to Christ alone, and is silent about all other saints in this passage, where grace and truth are to be sought and found 1). Now if any man is to obtain them, his fullness must do it: our fragments, parcels, and little drops or pieces will not do it. 2)

1) Erlanger: to find and search.

2) Here follows in the Erlangen edition the sermon on Joh. 1, 1-14. from the year 1542, which is given by Walch immediately after this interpretation of the first four chapters of John. The note of the Erlangen edition: "This sermon is missing in Walch" is erroneous. Cf. Erl, vol. 48, p. 410.

The ninth sermon on the Gospel of John.

On September 15 [1537].1)

So far we have heard how the holy. Evangelist St. John described that the eternal Word became flesh or man, dwelt among us, and that his glory was seen, as the glory of the only begotten Son of the Father, full of grace and truth, in whom is found no sin, no falsehood, not even a pretense or deceit; but with him all things are righteous and well done, and he is full of grace before all the children of men, that is, without all sin, wrath, and unkindness; full of truth, that is, what he does is not a sham, but true, righteous, and essentially good. Hereby the Son of God is set apart from all the children of men.

It is the opposite with all of us humans, as we, after Adam and Eve, our first parents, fell in paradise, from grace to wrath, and from truth to lies, from righteousness to sin, from life to death, became unpleasant before God, that now with us is all sin, all wrath, all unkindness, and there is no truth with us. In addition, all our work, wisdom, everything we write, strive for and do in the affairs of God, is not righteous nor true, but is vain deceit, falsehood and lies, as the 116th Psalm, v. 11, says: "All men are liars." And so (no one excluded, let him be called what he will) all are in disgrace and wrath of God, also all sinners and guilty of eternal death. If we do everything that we are able to do with our bodies, it is only a sham and a lie, hypocrisy and falsehood. For the sin into which we have fallen does not allow us to do or work anything good. The blind, damned world, which is in trouble, does not believe this, much less the hypocrites and false saints; yes, they consider all their teachings, life and deeds to be righteous, holy, Godly and holy.

1) In the original in the margin. - Compare the note to the superscription of the previous sermon, Col. 1665. Because the previous sermon was already preached on September 15 (Saturday after Orucüs), this one is assumed to be September 22.

yet all things are false and untruthful. For the wrath of God, sin, and iniquity, in which they are over their ears, make them do nothing good, righteous, or true. From this we see what the word is and what we are against it. Follows in the text:

V. 15. John testifies about him, calls and says:

The sermons that follow are as strange and as adventurous, and are as unknown to reason as the previous ones you have heard, and are not found in any of the books of the wise men called philosophers, jurists, sophists, or pontiffs, so they are not understood by human reason. Only the Christians learn this art, but they remain ABC students, studying it all their lives, even if they reach a hundred years. To a worldly-wise man this speech (as that John the Baptist speaks: "He has been before me"; item: "From his fullness we have taken grace for grace") seems strange and unusual speech and word, yes, it is unrhymed, clumsy and audible; but no one understands it except the Christians.

V. 15. 16. He who was before me will come after me. For he was before me. And from his fullness we have all received grace for grace.

You have heard above [§ 107 ff] that John the Baptist is described as being sent by God to bear witness to the light, first of all so that the coming of the Messiah would be known to everyone. For when the Messiah appeared and began to preach and to perform miracles, he came in a lowly, contemptible form, so that his deeds had no reputation. Therefore he was to preach that they should not oversleep Christ, as they did while they waited for another Messiah. Secondly, John was also to testify of Christ, so that the Jews would not cling to him and think that he was the Messiah, because he led a strict, holy life. As the Jews sent priests and Levites to him from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" Jn. 1, v. 19. And St. John's severe

His life was only directed so that his testimony of Christ would have more prestige. However, it was not respected by the greatest merchants; they regarded him only as a blacksmith and carpenter, and were more offended by his small person than they were by his teachings and miraculous works.

But St. John kept to his profession, faithfully testified that he had been sent by God, testified of Christ the Lord, and pointed people away from him to him. The Jews should have had a good regard for his testimony, well aware and convinced that he testified of Christ, not of himself. As he then says, "I am not Christ, but I am sent to testify of him"; I call and shout of him, that he is the life and light of men, full of grace and truth. He should point to Christ with his fingers and lead all people in the world to this Christ, so that he would make alive and enlighten all who were dead in sins and sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, so that they would come to him, believe in him, and become partakers of his grace and truth. For to this end he became man, died for the human race, and rose again, that whoever believes in him may be justified and saved. Thus says the holy evangelist:

This was the one I said would come after me, the one who had been before me.

302 This is spoken of a former time, when John the Baptist was sent by God to preach, before Christ began to teach, saying: If I listen, immediately, without means, the right man and preacher will come; pay attention to this. For John does not speak here of the birth of Christ, which followed six months after John's birth, but of the ministry, which means: I preached about Christ as an honest, upright man, my testimony went freely in public, I did not speak in any corner, but went about Jordan and all the surrounding cities, as it is written in Luke chapter 3, v. 3. And this was my testimony or sermon: See

not to me, but to the one who follows at my heels. When I begin to cease from testifying of him, know that he himself is present and present. For no other will come after me but he, the Lord Christ; between me and him there will be no other teacher or preacher, nor any other preaching or teaching, there will be no other prophet.

You see that St. John is a faithful and true witness, who does not draw people to himself, but points them to Christ, saying, "I preach to you that you should prepare the way for the Lord and make his paths straight; I also baptize you with water. But I say beside this: He that cometh after me is stronger than I, to whom I am not sufficient to loose his bootstraps; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. So you see and hear that everything I say and do is directed to him, the Lord Christ. Thus the evangelist praises and extols St. John the Baptist's testimony that he pointed all the world away from him to Christ.

304 No one can deny that this happened. For as soon as Herod had seized John, put him in prison, and stopped his mouth so that he could no longer preach, Christ showed himself, stood up and preached, made John's testimony true and confirmed it with all his might, and performed such miracles and signs as had never been seen or heard before in Jerusalem and Judea. John also preached mightily, so that the city of Jerusalem, all the land of Judaea, and all the countries of Jordan went out to him in the wilderness and heard him; but he did no sign, but with great earnestness he testified of the Lord, saying: Now you see and hear me, but if I cease and go down (for Herod, the arch hypocrite, who has many followers in our day, had him beheaded for the sake of Herodias the harlot), see then that you do not let him pass by, but receive him with joy, who will follow me straightway, and recognize him for the one who was promised to our fathers, that he should crush the head of the serpent, and bless all generations on earth, and not only us Jews.

305. now St. John the Baptist would have

He could not have given them a better or more certain testimony than that he said, "Look at him who is coming soon after me, and who will cause a greater stir and clamor in the world with his preaching and miraculous signs than I have done. And Christ also soon follows John's preaching. For Annas and Caiphas did not preach soon after John the Baptist, but Christ came and preached mightily.

306 Many then, whose eyes God opened and whose hearts He opened, followed John's counsel and testimony, and believed in the Lord Christ, saying, "John did no sign, but all that he said about Jesus was true, and many believed in him," as it is written in John, chapter 10, vv. 41-42, and John, chapter 7, vv. 40-41: "Many of the people who heard his words said: This is a true prophet; others: He is Christ." And Martha, John 11, v. 27, says: "Lord, I believe that thou art Christ, the Son of God, which is come into the world." And John, in the 9th chapter, v. 38, the man born blind, whom the Lord made to see, believed that he was the Son of God, and worshipped him.

But the rulers and the great crowd would not accept it; indeed, it was ridiculous and annoying to them that they should recognize and accept a poor beggar from Nazareth (whose parents and friends were lowly, despised people) for the Messiah promised to their fathers. The dear Lord came from Nazareth on foot, not on horseback, there was neither goods nor power. If he had been the son of Caipheh in Jerusalem, or the son of Ann, it would have had a reputation; but that he came from Nazareth, they take offense at it, and say, Shall Christ come from Galilee? Jn. 7, v. 52. and Jn. 1, v. 45, 46, when Philip says to Nathanael, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets wrote, JEsum the son of Joseph, of Nazareth"; pious Nathanael says, "What good can come to us from Nazareth?" But the others say, "He has the devil, and is senseless; what are you listening to him for?

308 These are nothing improved, that John warned them, saying, He that hath made me swift.

He is the right man, he will do it; there you will hear a preacher and see miracles; he will attack things differently than I do. Take heed to him, do not miss him, but receive him with a glad heart, praise and thanksgiving. If you do, you will meet the right man. But it did not help. They were shocked that he was the son of a poor carpenter and his mother was a poor beggar woman; they were more offended by his little person than by St. John's testimony or by his wonderful teaching and miraculous work. When the servants of the Pharisees and chief priests said, John 7:45, 46, that they had been sent to catch Christ, and were asked why they did not bring him, they answered, "No man ever spake so as this man"; therefore it is not right that he should be persecuted. So the Pharisees also should have done and said. But they rewarded the dear Lord for it, as Herod rewarded John the Baptist, the witness and forerunner of the Lord Christ. But both of them should have remembered the prophecies and turned to John the Baptist's sermon. But it did not help, because the person was not according to it; Caiphas or another high priest should have done it. On the other hand, some pious hearts had to confess that no prophet had ever preached in this way, nor had he ever performed such signs; therefore they also cried out: "O a great prophet has risen among us, by whom God has redeemed His people"; and pointed with their hands to Christ, that in Him the prophecy of Moses about the great prophet, whom God would send to the Jewish people, would be fulfilled [Deut. 18:15].

He who will come after me, who was before me; for he was before, as I am.

309 St. John the Baptist wants to say: "So that you will not be offended by his small and contemptible person and appearance, I will tell you who he is. I preached that he would soon come after me, and let me tell you that he is already among you; but since you do not know him, do not want to know him either, know that he is a much higher and better person than I am. For he is

not for the sake of mankind; for according to them St. John was conceived, created, and born before the Lord, namely, half a year before the Lord, as around St. John's day, or St. Peter's and Paul's days; but he, the Lord, around Christmas, that he is half a year older than the Lord Christ.

(310) St. John therefore says that Christ was the Lord before him, for he became man, and Christ was before him; not because of age, for he was half a year older than the Lord; but that he is the Word who was in the beginning, the true Son of God, who is the life and light of men, through whom all things were created. Just as if I had said of a child that was before its mother, or before it was conceived and born in its mother's womb; truly, this is not found in the nativity, therefore it must be a special child and God. So St. John also wants to say here: This man, Christ, has been before me, has lived before I have been, yes, he has also been before, because his mother has been born. This is said as much as that he is God from eternity. For the angels also were before Mary; but Christ was before all angels, yea, before all creatures.

This your Lord, God and Savior, you shall see coming to you; yes, he is already among you in humanity, and lowly, contemptible form; but he was before he was born bodily from Mary, before his humanity came to the sun, that is, he is true God and man in One Person. The angels, heaven, earth, sun, moon, have been from the beginning of creatures; but he has been before them all, indeed, their Creator. Therefore you will have such a teacher and preacher in him, the like of whom has never come on earth, nor will ever come, who is not only greater and better than I (though Christ prefers him to all the children of the world), item, than all the prophets, patriarchs and old fathers, but is also older than he who has neither beginning nor end according to his divine nature.

312 And that you do not look at him alone and recognize that he is true God and man.

I will tell you further why he has come and dwells among you: truly, he has not come in vain, nor does he seek his own, but your salvation and happiness. I am sent before him to testify of him, and to baptize you with water. Moses had a command from God to lead our fathers out of Egypt; the other prophets' calling was to punish the sin of the people of Israel, especially idolatry, and to comfort the pious with the future of Christ; they also testified gloriously about his person and ministry, as I am doing now, and performed great miracles and praiseworthy deeds. But I and they all cannot hold a candle to him; indeed, we are not worthy to untie the straps of his shoes. For it is he alone who has done no sin, in whom is all righteousness, holiness, righteous life and character, yes, who is full of grace and truth, but we, on the other hand, are full of disgrace, wrath and falsehood. But if we are to obtain these divine gifts, we must enjoy them. This is what St. John the Baptist means when he continues:

V. 16. And from his fullness we have all taken grace for grace.

313 This is also one of the golden texts in St. John's, like the one above.

148 ff] have said: The Son of God is the true light, which enlightens all men who come into this world. Therefore, whoever does not recognize Christ, or does not believe in him, and does not have him as his own, is and remains a child of wrath and condemnation, be he called and be he who he will. But if he is to come to grace, it must be through Christ alone, who alone makes our poverty rich through his abundance, casts out our sin through his righteousness, devours our death through his life, and makes of us children of wrath, full of sins, hypocrisy, lies and falsehood, children of grace and truth. He who does not have the man has nothing.

314. then St. John the Baptist takes in one bite all the people in the whole wide world who have ever been and will be until the last day, concludes a judgment about them that they are by nature merciless and

But say besides, how they may be counselled. O, says he, you will have a blessed, comforting preacher, who will not only proclaim to you, but also bring and give to you by grace, which neither Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Elijah, nor an angel from heaven, nor a prophet, nor a saint, nor I (says he) could proclaim and bring or give to you at the same time. Namely, that all men, from Adam to the end of the world, none excepted, who shall come to the grace and truth, must receive it, and be made partakers of the fulness thereof. For he came into the world, taking on our human nature, to redeem us from wrath and make us children of God, and that we might enjoy his fullness.

The holy evangelist also said above [v. 4] that apart from Christ there is no life, no light, no grace to be obtained; only those who believe in his name have the right and authority to become children of God. That is, to throw into one heap not only all men, but also all saints, as they are called, badly, to make them sinners, merciless and liars, as far as they stand on their own, and do not have Christ. For all the children of Adam are born in sins and iniquity, so that nothing righteous but everything false, full of hypocrisy, lies and deceit is in them; do not help them to pretend to be pious and holy, to pretend to be good, to want to be kept humble and spiritual, for they become children of God through faith in Christ.

316. But we see that the godless, blind world has nature, naughtiness and shameful vice in it, that it neither wants nor can suffer that its good opinion, devotion, delicious works, wisdom, self-chosen spirituality, supposed holiness and idolatry are blamed and punished for being wrong, false, lies, hypocrisy, so that they only heap up God's wrath, and the longer the more they are lacking in truth - yes, it advocates error with all its might, persecutes and murders those who speak against it; as we see today with the papists.

317 "Well," you say, "it is imperial rights, secular regiment, good order, that the pious are protected. Evil punished, discipline and respectability

2c, Are they also evil and wrong? No, but are good, necessary and useful in their use, for which God has ordained them. Therefore St. Peter speaks in his first epistle in the 2nd chapter, v. 13, 14: "Be subject to all human ordinances for the sake of the Lord, whether to the king as the ruler, or to the captains as the messengers from him, for vengeance on the wicked, and for praise to the pious." But in the sight of God, if one remembers and thereby wants to put away sin, attain God's grace, eternal life and blessedness, everything is wrong and ineffective; indeed, Moses with his law cannot help there. "No man (says Paul [Rom. 3, 20.]) is justified before God by the works of the law; for by the law comes only the knowledge of sin." Here He alone can counsel and help, who says [Joh. 15, 5.:] "Without me you can do nothing", [Joh. 14, 6.:] "I am the way, the truth and the life", [Joh. 16, 33.: "I have overcome the world."

Therefore, it is a terrible, horrible blindness and devilish presumption when a man presumes (as all saints of works and hypocrites do) to atone for sin by his work. etc. It is a lousy hope when a lawyer, worldly wise man, monk or nun want to boast of this. It reminds me of this, as if a poor beggar (who would be full of lice, of French, leprosy and full of filth, would stink badly, and would be full of maggots and worms all over his body) would nevertheless want to be proud and hopeful, boast and say: "Well, I am a fine fellow. What are you then? I have a head, five fingers, two feet; item, shall I not be happy and hopeful? I have a beautiful, clean, healthy body. Yes, you are a fine mess, full of ulcers, full of pus, and full of Frenchmen, so that it is a wonder that any man can suffer you, and that there are still people who wait for you. They do not do this because of your beauty, but so that they will be pious, and have patience and compassion with you, and show mercy to you, so that you will not perish in your stink and filth, and so that lice, worms and maggots will not eat you. But if he would

boast, let him say thus: I, a wretched, leprous man, or a man full of Frenchmen, boast that I have been granted grace and charity, that I have been treated in a hospital, that I have been given food, drink and shelter, and that I have been cared for; I thank pious people who do not ruin me in my misery nor let me be eaten by worms; I may well boast of their alms, charity and help, otherwise, for my sake, I have nothing to boast of, except that pious people do everything good for me, an unworthy, wretched man.

Therefore, we must not pretend to boast or brag much if we want to appear before God. For even if we live in the highest and best positions on earth, and want to boast as much as we do, we are nothing else before God but sacks of maggots, filthy sacks, full of lice, maggots, stench and filth. Therefore St. Paul says [Rom. 3, 23]: "They are all sinners", all the world is guilty before God. And Isaiah on the 64th, v. 6: "We are all like the unclean, and all our righteousness is like an insolent garment." But that our dear God (regardless of our infirmities) still shows us mercy, has kept us alive until now, who would have good right and cause to cast us into the abyss of hell every hour, and tolerates us poor sacks of maggots in the world and in this pit of misery (which is the hospital and infirmary of us all, who are all French and lepers before God), we have to thank His grace and mercy, not our good works. If they are good, they are good only because God sees through our fingers and is patient with us. For if He were to impute sin, who could stand before Him? Therefore, we have nothing to boast of but His grace and mercy, which Christ imparts to us out of His fullness, which is inexhaustible.

It is therefore to be wondered at that we are so proud, boast, insist and defy our beauty, wealth, nobility, power, art, wisdom, honorable life, good works, orders, merit etc. For in the sight of God there is wrath, unkindness, falsehood, filthiness and dirt; there is no grace and truth, Phil.

1) "us" is missing in the Erlanger.

If we were not blind with our eyes of sight, we should see that God has humbled us enough to inflict many plagues, diseases, and finally death as the punishment for our sin; so that we are not sure of our life for a moment, and if we do not have Christ as our Lord and Savior, we would be eternally lost and condemned.

But if we want to boast, we may boast that we take from the fullness of the Lord Christ, are enlightened by Him, obtain forgiveness of sins, and become children of God. For this is the sum of it: Whoever wants to be preserved from the power of the devil, to escape sin and death, must draw from this fountain, Christ, from which all salvation and blessedness shall flow. This fountain is inexhaustible, it is full of grace and truth before God, it loses nothing in it, we draw as much as we want; even if we draw from this fountain without ceasing, it cannot be exhausted, but remains an infinite source of all grace and truth, a fountain without reason, and eternal source; the more one draws from it, the more abundantly it gives, such water, as he says afterwards, which springs up to eternal life.

Just as the dear sun is not darkened or eclipsed by the fact that it must shine for many, yes, the whole world enjoys its light, shine and brilliance; it nevertheless retains its light completely, nothing is lost from it, it is an inordinate light, could well illuminate ten worlds. Item, a hundred thousand lights can be lit from one light, and yet nothing is lost from the same light (from which many other lights or candles are lit). So a learned man can make a thousand learned men, and nothing is taken from him in his art; the more he gives to others, the more he has. Thus Christ our Lord (in whom we must have recourse, and ask all things of him) is an infinite fountain and chief source of all grace, truth, righteousness, wisdom, life, which is without measure, end, or reason; so that even if the whole world drew out so much grace and 2) truth that

2) "and" is missing in the Erlanger.

The spring is always overflowing, full of grace. Whoever now wants to enjoy (no excluded) his grace, let him come and get it from him. You will not dry up this fountain of living water; it will not run dry; you will all get abundantly from it, and yet it will remain an unending fountain. Such a preacher, says John the Baptist, you will have; do not deceive him that you are devout, keep the law of Moses, do many good works etc. Your deeds do not keep the sting; and though they glisten deliciously, they are all false and a sorry sham. For you not only walk in darkness, but are darkness itself, subject to sin and death, as well as all men on earth. But if you truly want to become pious, pure, righteous and blessed, then call on him whom God the Father has sealed, who is the rich, infinite source and abundance, from which all the patriarchs, prophets, in sum, all the saints, I John himself, have also drawn, and always draw, have drawn and still draw. We all (no one excepted, let him be as holy as he wants) come alone, and draw our little barrels full from his source and abundance.

Neither should anyone be fainthearted, nor think, "How can we all take from Him? neither am I worthy, I do not belong among the number of the saints, I am a Gentile; therefore they will despair. Thus says St. John: Hear what I, sent by God, say to you: The Gentiles have just as good a right, yet out of pure mercy, to take of His fullness, as the Jews, Abraham's seed, and those who had the Law; which neither promotes nor benefits that they are called God's people; nor does it hinder the Gentiles that they are idolatrous people. All, all, whether Jews or Gentiles, if they want to come to grace in another way, and be truly found before God, should and must draw from this fountain, fill their vial, which always flows and overflows for and for, and drink their fill from this main source of living water, which wells up into eternal life. In sum, its abundance has neither measure nor end; therefore only pour out confidently, and drink with

Pleasure and joys. For here is superfluous enough until eternal life; for this you will have enough to praise and thank God for eternity.

324 What then do we take? "Grace for grace." John says of two kinds of grace: Christ's grace is the unfathomable source and main well of all grace, which he called his fullness; our grace is what we draw from him and he distributes among us, and is given to us for his grace's sake, as that I may be pleasing and acceptable to God.

So John draws us away from confidence and defiance in our work and merit, and leads us out to the grace of Christ and love of God, not only here in this text, but through the whole gospel and epistle. As if to say: What does God look at, what moves Him to be favorable to you, to remit sin? Does he do it for the sake of your sacrifice, circumcision, worship, which you perform for him in the temple? No. Much less does he do it for the sake of my monasticism, in which I spent my life shamefully for fifteen years, crucified Christ, my dear Lord, by my blasphemous mass-keeping, and lost my best time, to my and other people's great detriment. So he does not do it for the sake of a hair shirt that a Carthusian or other friar wears and sleeps in; not even because one goes to St. James in full armor, whether he is blood-sore or not. No, he does not sell his rich, exuberant grace for the sake of your nasty, lousy cap, or stinking oil frescoes, or other works, they shine or glisten as deliciously as they can. For because they lack grace and truth, they do not last at all; indeed, they are false before God, a vain appearance and abomination. Therefore, God looks at something else. He is gracious and merciful, for the sake of this fullness and inexpressible grace of His only begotten Son JEsu Christ, because Christ is in the presence of God in all grace; we enjoy the same of His grace, and are pleasing to God for the sake of the Lord Christ; He is gracious to us for the sake of the beloved Son, Eph. 1, 7.

326 Therefore, all the effort and labor is lost and in vain, so that we can find other ways to get to the

This is the only right way, and none other, taken from its fullness, so that we may obtain grace, that is, forgiveness of sins, become children of God and heirs of eternal life, receive blessedness because of His (our Lord Christ's) grace, in whom God finds no sin, deceit or falsehood, but only grace, truth, righteousness and life. Therefore he loves him dearly and commands us to hear him. Now he says [Joh. 7, 37. 38.]: "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. He that believeth on me, of his body shall rivers flow." I therefore believe in him, and come to him, my dear Lord and Savior, as to him who is full of grace, and ask that he quench my thirst with his living, fresh, rich, and unending fountain. That he will do this I am sure, for he has come to us into the world full of grace, that we may enjoy and be made partakers of his graces.

This is the true, comforting preaching of the blessed Gospel, which the wretched, blasphemous See of Rome has now trampled underfoot for several hundred years, and in its place has swept its lies and doctrine of the devil into all Christendom as a flood of sin, and has instigated worship and innumerable other abominations. This has caused so much that Christianity has miserably lost this main source and fountain, which overflows richly and full of grace, and in Christ's place has called upon his mother Maricun, seeking grace, that only these words: Hail Mary, full of grace, have remained in custom, and this text has even been forgotten. For thus it is said: "We have all taken from his fullness grace for grace."

Yes, it did not stop there; each one chose a special saint and helper: this St. George, that St. Christopher, the third St. Franciscum, the fourth St. Dominicum, the fifth St. Barbara. Barbara; yet the Scripture clearly says, "there is only One God and One Mediator between God and man, namely, the man Jesus Christ", 1 Tim. 2, 5. And no example is to be found in all Scripture that the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, should be called to be

Let alone St. George and St. Barbara, who perhaps never lived, and other saints raised by the pope, such as St. Franciscum, St. Dominicum, of whom no one knows for sure who they are. But I suppose that they are full of grace, so they cannot communicate it to me.

329 If this blessed doctrine had remained in the right, full, pure swing and custom in Christendom, then the pope, who spiritually murders with false doctrine, nor the Turk, who physically murders with the sword, would not have arisen. But so it goes: if one does not want to accept the good word and divine truth, or that one soon gets tired of it, that God sends powerful errors, through which people believe the lie, and are then lost, 1) after which country and people are miserably torn apart, destroyed and devastated. The most beautiful and glorious kingdoms and countries, where the apostles planted the gospel and where it was preached purely for a long time by pious bishops and teachers, are now held by the cruel tyrant, the Turk, where no public preaching of Christ is heard (unless it is done secretly where there are Christians), the devil, Mahomet, is worshipped and honored in Christ's place. Germany will not have it better in its time. For the ingratitude and contempt of the same word among us, who are called evangelicals, and among our enemies, the papists, who persecute, blaspheme and heresy the gospel, is too great and overwhelming that God will not let it go unpunished, be it for long or short.

330 St. Paul, Rom. 5, 12, contrasts Adam and Christ when he says: "Sin entered the world through one man" etc. As with Christ grace goes for grace, so here 2) sin goes for sin. Adam fell into sin through his disobedience and transgression of the divine commandment, thereby his body and soul are corrupted, that he is full of sin, wrath and disgrace. This misery and horrible corruption he has passed on to all his descendants.

1) Erlanger: has been. It seems as if a mediating "thought is missing here, for example: As such has often happened, and thereafter, etc,

2) "here" is missing in the Erlanger.

That is, inherited by the whole human race, that just as he fell into sin and was subject to death, so all of us who come from him must bear sin, all kinds of tribulations, and death, which are the punishment of sin, and yet have done nothing to it, except that we were born of the sinful flesh that he had after the fall. That is, sin for sin. Paul says it like this [Rom. 5, 12], "that sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death has come to all men, because they have all sinned. And David, Ps. 51:7, says, "Behold, I am begotten of sinful seed, and in sins did my mother bear me"; that is, all children are conceived, borne, and born in sins in their mother's womb. For they are begotten of seed poisoned with sins; there comes sin upon sin, which we inherit by birth. We are! begotten of sinful seed and corruptible flesh; not that we have sinned, but that we are born of him who once sinned.

Further, St. Paul says (Rom. 5, 19): "As through one disobedience many sinners have become; so again, through one, Jesus Christ's obedience," who was the only man in grace, "many become righteous. Christ, he wants to say, is alone holy, righteous, full of grace and truth; who did the will of the Father, as it is written in the 40th Psalm, v. 9: "Thy will, my God, do I gladly"; and was obedient to him even unto death on the cross (Phil. 2, 8.). This grace, truth, holiness and righteousness of our Lord we all enjoy; he puts his word into our mouths, and faith into our hearts, that we may cleave to him, knowing that he cleanses us by the bath of water in the word, and communicates to us the grace and righteousness which he has. Just as Adam is the main source of all sins, misery and death, and all these things are inherited by us, so that it is called "sin for sin": so Christ is the main source of all grace, truth and life, from whom we receive the fullness of grace,

1) Erlanger: the.

of life and truth. This means "grace for grace", that we also please the Father for the sake of the Lord Christ, that we also receive the Holy Spirit through Christ and are justified.

The tenth sermon on the Gospel of John.

On Saturday after Francisci [6 October 1337]. 2)

What then are Moses and the other prophets? Have they done nothing? To this St. John says: They have faithfully carried out their ministry, which God commanded them to do. Therefore he says:

V. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Ye have heard that Christ is full of grace and truth, and hath purchased for us by his righteousness, innocency, and obedience, that we also should enjoy his grace and truth, and partake of his fulness. Here the question is: If it is all grace and no merit, as you say, that we must all take of his fullness, then it follows that we are not justified nor saved by our work and merit. What then is Moses to us with his law? Why does God burden and afflict us with the law, and what have we wrought, that with so much toil and labor we have made ourselves sore to keep and fulfill it? What have we fools done, that we have thus martyred ourselves with the law? St. Paul also argues this to the Romans and Galatians. For this thought and unwillingness naturally follows, when reason hears preaching of the grace that we obtain through Christ, and that one does not become blessed by works, but that God considers the grace of Christ, that he was born man for us, suffered, died, and rose from the dead, but the law only causes wrath, and one only comes to the knowledge of sin through it, then one asks further: What does the law serve? Out! To the gallows with Moses and the law; as now the lawbreakers also blaspheme. On it

2) In the original margin.

St. John answers and says, "It is true, the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth through Christ."

334 What "truth" and "grace" are, you have heard above 282 ff]. However, it does not hurt that we have recently touched upon it again, for one may well sing a good little song often. "Grace" is that God is merciful to us, and for the sake of the Lord Christ shows himself gracious, and forgives all sin, not wanting to impute it to our eternal death; that is, grace, as, forgiveness of sins for the sake of the Lord Christ, since all sins are covered. This is one.

335. But "truth" is called that God will not only be gracious and merciful to us, and give us sin and remit it, but that which we live in peace shall be delicious; regardless of whether we still feel on our necks much infirmity and sin, also flesh and blood, and so many evil lusts after baptism, since we have to fight and wrestle with the flesh, which sin God would like to punish and judge justly. For there is still much of the old Adam running among us; there is nothing different about it.

Marriage is also created and instituted by God; that man and woman should dwell together and beget children is God's order; but it is not so pure, we are all conceived and born in sins. The estates are good, but it is not so pure in the estates. It may well be reproached in itself; 1) but still it shall be called righteously well done. So in the worldly government and in housekeeping, not everything is pure that God would want to rebuke. Therefore, where the essence is not thoroughly good, as it is no different in itself, what is done in the worldly government, in the household and in the church out of faith should still be called well done. And the worldly government and housekeeping, and whatever position believing Christians may lead, should be righteous,

1) The thought here is not rendered by the writer in a very clear way. The meaning of this sentence will be: The way in which things are done in the estates for the sake of human sinfulness may well be scolded, but so on.

because it accepts and approves of God. For this is called truth, when a thing is not false, not only in essence, life, but also in deed and words; as it is written in the prophet: "No deceit has been found in his mouth". [Isa. 53, 9.] So the life of a Christian should be counted as forgiven of sins and accepted for righteousness, even though we are not entirely pure. But because we believe in the man alone, God will hide us under his wings and not impute sin to us; not for our sake, but for the sake of the Lord Christ in whom we believe.

This grace and truth was not taught by the law, nor given to Moses, and thus distinguishes Christ from Moses; and the law is not to be rejected, as if it were of no use anywhere. It is given for good, as it is said to Romans Cap. 7, 10. ff. that it is given for life, but I am given for death. Now this is my fault, and not of the law, for the law is holy, good and God's glory. So also St. Stephen says Apost. 7:38: "You received from Moses the word of life, not that it gives life, for we have not been able to keep it, but that it should help us. Therefore the law is holy and good. For God's commandments cannot be evil or false, for God has also given them. John leaves it at that, saying: "The law is given, but it has brought neither grace nor truth; it only points to eternal life, but gives it to no one; and the guilt is not his, but ours, who do not keep the law.

The law says: You shall not have other gods, you shall not take the name of God in vain, you shall keep the holiday holy, you shall honor your father and mother. etc. These are indeed delicious, holy, right and good things; the ten commandments are a good sermon. What does the law do more? It is a word that indicates life to me, but it does not give it. To indicate and to give are two different things; they are far apart. The law says, "He who glories in God shall call on him, and keep the Sabbath, and honor his parents.

The first, second, and third commandments of the first tablet are commanded; and he that doeth the other works also in the other tablet shall live. These are words which instruct what a man ought to do, that he may live; but they do not give life. For where are they that do it?

Now two kinds of disciples fall into this. On the one hand, when they hear the preaching of the law, they think that they can keep it by themselves, they become presumptuous and proud, fall into pure hypocrisy, become false saints, bow their knees, beat their breasts, tithe as the Pharisee did in the temple, look sour, humble themselves. This is only an outward noise and pretense; for they otherwise strive against the truth in deed/ Nevertheless they go along in presumption and delusion, as if they had kept all the commandments of God by their own powers and might, and want to find life in the law; yes, they want to seek life in their own powers, and do not think otherwise: Whoever hears the law alone can do it immediately. But it is not the same to hear the law and to do the law; for non auditores legis, sed factores justificabuntur.

So the Sophists and the Pope also taught that men can love God above all things by their natural powers. This is to say: I can give myself life; whoever preaches to me, I can soon do it. Yes, if only I could hear what I should do, and how I should love God with all my heart, with all my soul, and with all my strength! The young man in the Gospel [Matth. 19, 20] also says: "I have kept all these things from my youth." In the same way, the Pope also teaches that if our Lord God only wanted to tell us, we would keep it well, it should have no deficiency, we would have thought it was only preached well. These are double-minded sinners, drowned in sins and even dead, and yet let them dream that they are righteous and can fulfill the law. In such wickedness are still the Papists, Turks, Jews, and all the ungodly; this is the Turkish, Papist, and Jewish belief, that if they only

O they have already arranged everything. And I have been one of those same fellows.

341 Then there are other disciples of the law who attack it, work, live in hard discipline, and torture themselves, and yet feel in their heart that they cannot keep the law by works. And I too have been such a one. Those who want to try with their works, and always work, wear hard shirts, mortify themselves, fast and whip themselves, and want to bring it about that they may do what the law commands. But this I have also experienced, when one is filled with temptation, and death terrifies one, or otherwise comes into danger, 1) then they want to despair, flee from God, as from the devil; for there is no heart in them that could say: I believe in God, and trust Him that He will be gracious and merciful to me. Yes, soon the saints called: O holy Virgin Mary, O St. Jacob, O St. Barbara, help me! and then cannot stand against some terror, if it is against the text, 2 Mos. 20, 2: "I am the Lord, your God" etc. This text is clear; nevertheless such disciples of the law could not say so, but say: You are not my God, but are the wretched devil, and I would that there were no God at all. These are the other disciples of the law, who labor in the law until they see their inability and infirmity, and must despair of keeping the law, and come to think that it is impossible for them to do the law; indeed, we all still do that which is contrary to the law.

342. Item, I must also say about the gross sins, which happened in the other table. As that we should honor our parents and love our enemies, we learn how a son is often hostile to his father, even cursing him when he punishes him, since he should honor his father; but he wanted his father to be on the gallows. So also see how enemies are used to be hanged, that one would like them to be nine fathoms under the earth. Item, I shall not be angry with my brother, but-

1) Erlanger: gerieth.

For if he grieves me, I shall forget it and love him. So the heart is not right. Even if we in the priesthood wanted to be chaste, and tortured ourselves with fasting, the more we resisted the shameful lust, the worse it became for us. They have experienced that it is impossible for man to fulfill the law by our works. So the first disciples are righteous hypocrites, like the Pharisee in the temple, double-minded boys; the others feel the law, but if they cannot do it, they despair.

343 Therefore I say that the law is a doctrine and a word of life, but to the man who does and keeps all that is written therein. For the law showeth thee in detail what thou shalt do: qui fecerit ea (it is said), vivet in eis. Now where are those who can do it? The hypocrites are not doers of the law. There is still something lacking in the fact that God, at the loss of eternal blessedness, wants you to have your heart trust in Him and to rely on Him completely. Again, pray earnestly that you should not flee from Him, nor despair and mistrust Him, but carry a heartfelt confidence to Him as to our Father. But I cannot do this; when a temptation comes, or that I should die, I consider him to be the devil, yes, an angry God who is angry with me.

344 It should be so: the law and commandment of God show me rightly, they show me life, righteousness and eternal life, they preach and tell me many things about it; the law is a sermon that shows me life, and one should and must keep this teaching, but it does not give it to me. As a hand that leadeth me the way, it is a useful member of the body; but if I have not feet, nor a chariot to ride upon, nor horses to ride upon, I shall leave the way alone. The hand shall not lead me the way; and yet the hand showeth the way aright. So the law serves to indicate God's will, and that we may believe that we cannot keep the law. For it also tells us what man is, and what he can and cannot do. And it is the

The law was also given to us for the purpose of revealing sin, but it cannot help us out of sin, nor can it save us. It shows us a mirror, which we should look at and realize that we do not have righteousness and life. So then the cry goes forth: O come, Lord Jesus Christ, and help us, and give us grace, that we may do what the law requires of us.

345 This then is what the evangelist says here: "The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth through Christ. As if to say, "The law is indeed a law of life, righteousness, and all good things, given through Moses; but through Christ something more has come to pass; who comes and fills the empty bag and empty hand, and brings what the law teaches and requires of us. He brings grace and truth, and through Christ it is brought to us that I now fulfill the law, and keep the first, second and third commandments, and so attain a trust and faith in God that He is my Father, and begin to praise His name with a glad heart, and sanctify His name. But from what do I get this? It is not because I could have done it, nor because I obtained it by the works and merits of the law; but because we have been enlightened by the Holy Spirit, and have been born again through the word of God, and have believed in Christ. Then we have a different courage, that we like his word and law, and it is good in my heart that I should trust in God above all things, and I feel that I can do it, and I have begun and know the ABC; so the first commandment is good in my heart, through the grace that Christ has brought me, because I believe in him.

346 But one increases in this more than the other. Before I did not find it in myself; but now the law is delicious and good, and given to me for life, and pleases me. Before it instructed me what I should do; now I lift up and do according to it, so that I now praise, extol and serve God. This I have through Christ, because I believe in Him. Then comes the Holy Spirit, who causes such delight in my heart that I take pleasure in his words and works, even though he chastises me,

that I must lie under the cross and temptation. For as a pious child does when it loves its father with all its heart, and is obedient to him, and knows that the father loves it again, even though it is chastised by him, it nevertheless kisses the little rue, prefers the shilling to all apples, and says: Dearest Ruth, you do me a lot of good, how finely you have been able to behead it; and then it can well suffer the punishment, and becomes all the more loyal to its father (for the love and trust of the child in its father makes all punishment sweet); so it is with us too; when we recognize the good deeds in Christ, my heart laughs; then I look at him when he sends me a misfortune, tribulation and danger, and thank him, saying: Praise be to God forever that he chastises me in this way; before I would have thought that I had been abandoned by God; but now illness is as dear to me as health, and a tower and prison seem to me to be a royal hall. For because God is a gracious Father, all this is lovely and delicious.

347 Therefore he calls it, "Grace and truth are established through Christ"; that I have come to grace, I have all this from Christ, through his grace, and truly through his truth. The law cannot do this, nor give it; it alone knows it. If we had kept the law, and could have obtained it by our own efforts, there would have been no need of grace for us to receive grace for grace, and John would have had to say: The law gives God, and the truth comes from our own strength, so that we would have done it. But so it is not said, but: Moses gave the law, and I have not done it, I have left it.

How then are we helped? Yes, what happens to us happens because of the man Christ, who has the true grace that is communicated to me through him. This is the high article of our Christian faith, of which we preach daily, and it is to be learned diligently. For all power is attached to this article. For those who fall outside this article into the teaching of the law, and seek righteousness in it, become Turks, Tarians, Papists,

and utterly ungodly; since they teach among the papists and Jews: If you want to be saved, hear the commandments of God; if you can do them, God will be gracious and merciful to you. For natural reason and human wisdom cannot come any higher; this is their method, that 1) we should rely on our powers until we learn that we must despair of what we do.

349 Therefore we should learn this glorious distinction between law and grace, that we may rightly distinguish the ministry of Christ and Moses, Moses and Christ, and that we may each of us may know what is his right ministry and work, so that we do not mix them together; as we have all done up to now, and still do much. I have not known this confusion any other way for over thirty years, and have not been able to believe that Christ would be merciful to me, but have wanted to attain righteousness before God through the merit of the saints; hence the intercession and invocation of the saints. And St. Bernard was also painted in such a way that he worships the Virgin Mary, who shows her son Christ the breasts he sucked. Ah! what kisses we have given to Mary. But I do not like Mary's breasts nor her milk, for she has not redeemed me nor made me blessed. So also the other saints have been called, since all the Scriptures speak that we should hear God the Son, love Him, and trust Him with all our heart in all temptations, as the first commandment requires.

(350) And no greater worship can be taught than preaching the works of the law. The first commandment says: God wants you to have a hearty confidence that you will fear him above all things; just as a child who is being beheaded still carries a kind heart to the father, that he loves it. This work of the first commandment is greater, yea, much greater, than all monastic caps, fasting, praying, and all their works. And so the works of the first commandment are holy works of the law, but who can do them? Truly no man; for they are all sinners, except Christ. When he cometh, and saith, I

. 1) Erlanger: because that.

have shed my blood for you, my blood that cries out for you; who brings forgiveness of our sins by grace alone and freely, and gives us the Holy Spirit, who is our Comforter and Advocate, saying, "The law teaches you this and that which you ought to do, but you have not done it. Now the same sin wherein thou wast born, and which thou hast committed, it shall be forgiven thee: so God giveth help, that through Christ, in whom thou believest, thou mayest begin to do the law. And these things are called all things by the grace and truth of Christ.

351 But let not the law be cast away: for if we forsake the law, we shall not long keep Christ. As we see in the spirits who think they have done all things, and become mere Turks, or despair.

But those who teach and understand the law of God rightly, so that with the law they bring people to the knowledge of sins and frighten them, and those who are saddened and frightened are comforted and rejoiced with the gospel, these teach the law rightly, for the law is a holy doctrine. But the others, who rely on their works when they are to die, must despair.

The monks used to comfort the thieves and malefactors who were to be killed: "Do not despair, I will put you to torture and shameful death, which you must suffer, for all your sins. Fie on you with the doctrine that in extreme distress, when one may have counsel and help, one should point one to one's own work. Yes, so-one should have said: You are a poor sinner and transgressor, and deserve death; do enough to the world, and suffer the punishments of worldly rights, as you have deserved. But against God there is no other satisfaction than the death of Jesus Christ, who alone has brought us grace and truth, who died and shed his blood, so that all who believe in him and call upon him may have forgiveness of sins.

1) Erlanger: Intercession. That "Fürsprech" i.e. Advocat, Advocate, is to be read, results from Luther's marginal gloss to Joh. 14, 16: "Paracletus is called an Advocat, Advocate or Advocate in court, who comforts, strengthens and helps the guilty.

and be accepted as righteous children of God. And then a thief and murderer could say: Come here, dear executioner, do what you are commanded, I have restored my soul to Christ. And to such a one the rope and the sword would not become sour nor heavy, would patiently suffer the well-deserved punishment. Thus many have been preserved in the Christian faith on their deathbeds, who were given a crucifix so that they might die confidently on Christ crucified.

Therefore, you young men who have not yet been in this pool of sweat, and who were born in a blessed time, should learn and know the difference between Moses and Christ. Moses is a fine, useful and delicious preacher, who diligently teaches the three commandments of the first table, so that one learns to love, fear and trust God. Moses' ministry, then, is a precious ministry and a blessed preaching; but not further than that it teaches what I should do and how I should come to another man, that is, to Christ. For after Moses, and beside Moses, Christ, the Son of God, is given to us as a preacher, to teach us what he has done; namely, that he has brought us grace and truth, and helps me to do what the law would have me do; that is, he has brought forgiveness of sins, and made us a gracious God: who has obtained grace, that is, forgiveness of sins, so that whoever believes in him, his sins are forgiven.

Truth" means that everything will be righteous from now on. This is Christ's office. Therefore see to it, and do not mix them together; do not make Christ out of Moses, as the pope and the Turk have done, who have made a Moses out of Christ, and, still standing in the thought, as if they could keep the law, and pretend: If only you hear the commandments of God, you can do them. No, not so; it is said, "From his fullness we have all taken grace for grace." In sum, Moses is not to teach anything, nor to give me authority and power to do the law, but he is only to teach me that I may rightly understand the law and know what it requires of me; but Christ alone is to give it. Thus the "can do" and "perfect" remain with

1702 Erl. <6, 81-8Z. Interpretations on the evangelist John. W. vn, rice-egg. 1703

Christ, and not with Moses, or with us and in our strength. And so the law is good and precious to me, but I do not keep it, I do not do it. Who then? Jesus Christ, who has brought grace and truth; for it is the only begotten Son, who has revealed it to us from the Father.

The eleventh sermon on the Gospel of John.

On the Saturday after St. Lucas' day [20 Oct. 1537].1)

356 Next we heard how the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth through Christ. What this means, we have done. Follow on:

V. 18. No one has seen God; the only begotten Son, who sits in the bosom of the Father, he has revealed it to us.

357 We must become accustomed to the Scriptures, which have their peculiar language and manner of speaking, and learn what it is to "sit in the bosom of the father. For fathers and men do not have wombs, they take children in their arms and breasts; but women and virgins are spoken of in this way, that they take children in their wombs, and that mothers have a womb. 2) But a womb is called a womb, which is between two children. But it is called a Schooß, which is between both arms. We Germans call it "heart" and "taken in the arms"; and this language of John cannot well be pronounced in German. But he wants to say this much: From the only begotten Son of God we have received it, who hangs on the neck of the Father and is in his arms. This is John's way of making us understand and assuring our hearts that there is no doubt about the word revealed through the Son. For the Son is in the bosom and arms of the Father, and is so near to him that he certainly knows what the Father has decided in his heart.

Until now he has said what truth came through Christ, but the law through Moses. Now it soon follows that he says: "God has never seen anyone.

1) In the original margin.

2) "one" is missing in the Erlanger.

3) Erlanger: an.

except the only begotten son, who lies in his father's arms. In the high schools, however, this text was discussed without much ado, and it was asked: "Since no one has seen God, can man know God by his natural powers, and do we know for ourselves that there is a God? And everyone has said yes to this; and have brought here the text of Paul to Romans 1, v. 19. 20. that it is evident to the Gentiles that there is a God, and they know God from the works of creation, so that they have no excuse. For the law of nature is known to all. The Gentiles all know that murder, adultery, stealing, cursing, lying, cheating and blasphemy are wrong, and they have not been so foolish as to understand that there is a God who punishes such vices. Item, they have been able to find out so much from their reason that certain things in heaven could not have their existence and nature without a ruler. Thus Paul says [Rom. 1, 20. 21.]: "The invisible nature of God, that is, his eternal power and divinity, is seen when it is perceived in the works, namely, in the creation of the world etc. But even though they knew that there is a God, they did not praise him as a God, nor did they give thanks to him, but became vain in their thoughts, and their incomprehensible hearts were "darkened," became blind, worshipped oxen, calves, swine, storks and serpents. Now one asks: Because St. Paul confesses that one has known God, and St. John says outright that no one has seen God, that he is so wise, so sensible and prudent, without the only begotten Son, who has revealed him to us; so Christ also says to the Jews: "You say that you know God, and do not know him", calling him your Father, and you do not know who he is. (Such things Christ puts up, not to the 5) Epicureans, mastiffs, nor secure despisers, or godless people, who asked nothing of God, but to the holy Pharisees, who were concerned about it and sought God. Nor does he speak to them: If the son does not

4) Erlanger: kennet.

5) "den" is missing in the Erlanger.

had come, whom the Father in the Godhead has in his arm, and had told us, no one would have known; and yet they want to know that there is a God). Who wants to rhyme this together? For the little word "no one" excludes all those who ask for God according to reason and want to find Him.

This question will cause misfortune one day. You must therefore answer: There are two kinds of knowledge of God. One is called the knowledge of the law; the other, the knowledge of the gospel. For God gave the two teachings, the Law and the Gospel, so that He might be known from them. The knowledge from the law is known to reason, and reason has almost grasped and smelled God. For it has seen from the law what is right and what is wrong; and the law is written in our hearts, as St. Paul also testifies to the Romans. Although it was given more clearly by Moses, it is nevertheless true that by nature all rational people come to the point that they know it is wrong to disobey father and mother, or the authorities, as well as to murder, commit adultery, steal, curse and blaspheme; therefore they have punished the transgressors of the law, as fornicators, murderers, thieves, with more serious punishment than the Romans and other pagans. They have also written many books about it, and these same murderers, thieves, peelers and such bad boys (when they have been taken by the neck and done to them as they have done to others) have had to confess before the court that their abuse 1) was unjust. For their own conscience says: it is not right for one to strangle another. For they have this account of the law of God and ten commandments written in their hearts by nature, and they see it both in themselves and in others, without punishing it in other people, as St. Paul says, Rom. 2:20 ff, and they do not punish it in themselves, but if they can do it secretly, they do it as well as others.

(360) So also the Sadducees recognized God, because they believed in such a God who gave his law for this reason.

1) Abuse - what they have done wrong.

that human nature on earth would be preserved in good peace; and those who served him with this outward righteousness of the Ten Commandments and kept the Law would have their life and bliss here; God would give them riches, but to the wicked he would also give evil. So far have they come that God alone, according to their thoughts and knowledge, should help us and do good here on earth. And it is nevertheless a knowledge that they confessed that one must do good and avoid evil. But they misused this knowledge, and did evil, and left the good, thus recognizing the law of Moses, which was also written in their hearts, and punished the sins against it; but nevertheless they themselves did it, because of which they punished others. For the great thieves hanged the petty thieves, punished others, and did it themselves. A thief who has stolen five guilders must go to the gallows; a rich citizen, peasant or nobleman who steals 100 or 300 guilders a year at the market, and they know it is not right; but they are not punished because they do it secretly. A nobleman can steal 1, 2 or 3000 guilders in a year, and still go out with his marten hood and golden chains. But because they know in their conscience and by nature that they do wrong, they are not excused, and their own heart must testify to them that they are worthy of punishment.

Reason comes so far in God's knowledge that it has cognitionem legalem, that it knows God's commandment and what is right or wrong. And the philosophers have also had this knowledge of God; but it is not the right knowledge of God that comes through the law, whether it be of Moses, or that is planted in our nature. For people do not follow him, especially when they see in the world and realize that the worse the evil, the better the happiness, so they think that there is no God to punish sin, and so they follow the crowd that lives in sin. Or those who want to be the most pious think: I will honor my father and mother, not offend anyone, not kill anyone, not deceive anyone, not deprive anyone of his wife, child, goods and honor; if I do this, I will be blessed.

After that, from this knowledge of the law, others come who want to do better, and they are not as good as these, indeed, they do not hold a candle to them. As, a monk paints such a god before him, who sits above and cuts caps and plates, makes ropes and hard shirts and wooden shoes, so that whoever puts them on and wears them not only has heaven for himself, but can also help others into it. This is called blindness above all blindness, which every man must take hold of, and nothing better than the heathen, who worshipped oxen and calves, and are not at all to be compared with those who would keep the law of Moses, or what nature has taught us. For what is a monk's lousy, shabby fool's cap and rope and all their jugglery to respect, compared to that one should honor father, mother, authority etc.? The pagans are much better, they have come closer to our Lord God, because they have come so far that they have received God's commandment and know what God requires of them. This is called smelling, where it is not tasted that there is a God. This is how far the pagans and all wise people and philosophers have come, that they have known God through the law. But what this knowledge accomplishes, you have heard.

The other knowledge of God comes from the Gospel. As how all the world is by nature an abomination before God, and eternally condemned under God's wrath and the devil's power, from which it could not be saved, because God's Son, who is in the Father's arms, became man, died, and rose again from the dead, eradicating sin, death and the devil.

This is the right and thorough knowledge, wisdom and thoughts of God, which is called the knowledge of grace and truth, the evangelical knowledge of God. But it does not grow in our garden; reason does not know a drop of it. On the left hand it can know God according to the law of nature and according to Moses; for the law is written in our hearts. But that it should otherwise know the abyss of divine wisdom and will, and the depth of his graces and mercies, as it is in the eternal

The reason does not know a drop of it, and it is even hidden from it, it talks about it as the blind talk about the color. John rightly says: "No one has seen God, only His only begotten Son, who is in His arms, has proclaimed it to the world.

And this is the right way to know God, to hold oneself to the right hand, and to know what God thinks and wills; otherwise no man knows. But it is so with the human race that we must have grace through the Son. But reason remains with the first knowledge of God, which comes from the law, and speaks of it in a very dark way. All Turks, Jews, Papists, Tarthers and pagans also say that there is one God, Creator of heaven and earth, who wills to do this and to leave that, so that we may live. Above this, the Pope also speaks of Christ, but in a straightforward and merely historical way. But the piece and knowledge that all men are born in sins and are condemned, and that no one can come to grace except through the Son of God, Christ, and only through JESUS Christ, who is grace and truth, can we be saved, that is, our Lord God is not known in the Mosaic way or according to the law, but according to the Lord Christ and in the Gospel way.

The Christian knowledge of God is this, when I hear that the whole human race has fallen so deeply into sin that no one can keep the commandments of God, nor does anyone want to keep them; that we must condemn ourselves from God's righteous judgment, unless the Son of God comes and takes on human nature, and takes us upon his neck, and drowns our sin in his blood, so that whoever believes in him may be saved. No human reason knows anything about this; not a word is found about it in all lawyers' and wise men's books, not even in the Law of Moses.

Therefore, the school teachers should not dispute whether a man knows from himself that there is a God? As they have considered it, and want to know God according to the law that is in the hearts of all men.

is written.' But one should ask how one would know God according to truth and grace, and not according to the law? For the same knowledge is found all too much when one is in terror or otherwise in mortal distress. But to know God in His grace has been revealed from heaven, and otherwise has been hidden from men. The first way to know God is natural and common, also negated by the Law of Moses; but the Law must not be there alone, but also grace and truth. And this way of knowing God in grace is the art and wisdom that the Son alone has revealed to us, and all the saints have had to know this from the beginning of the world, or else they have been lost. For when Adam and Eve fell, immediately the knowledge of grace was revealed to them, and Christ promised, namely, that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head, that is, that by this grace Adam should be saved, which the promised seed would bring to the world.

That is, the spiritual and Christian knowledge of God. This knowledge is carnal and earthly, and grows out of reason, for it is written in us. But this knowledge must be proclaimed from above and formed in the heart, which means that one learns that God gives grace and truth through His beloved Son. Therefore, see how blind the world is in the other way of knowing God.

Therefore, we should take good note of this bright, clear text (namely, that God has seen no one). For according to the evangelical way, it is true, and no one can recognize God from Himself. The barefoot monks were much more blind than the pagans. For they thought that if I put on a gray cap and girded myself with a rope, and vowed poverty, chastity and obedience to the pope, then I would please God, and not only would I be blessed, but I could also communicate my good works to others. Where is this written? You will find this neither in Moses, nor in reason, nor in the Gospel. For God is not thought of in any other way than that he sits in heaven and cuts barefoot caps, ropes and plates. It is the very knowledge

God, which the pagans also had; yes, Cato was much better, who said: Si Deus est animus nobis, ut carmina dicunt etc.. God is a different thing than man, therefore honor and worship are due to Him, that He may be feared. But the monks come here and put on a fool's cap for our Lord God, vow chastity and obedience, and to be in the monastery under the Guardian. Do you recognize God? How do you know that? Then they say, "It seems good to me. But it is not enough. Why do you not look at the Law of Moses, which teaches many and better works than to fear God, to praise and serve, to be obedient to parents, not to kill anyone, to live chastely? These are better works than all men's discretion.

Moses is better and older with his commandments than that one should wear a monk's cap; nor has it been thus proclaimed to the people, and it must have been called a holy order. But it was not a knowledge of God, but a blindness. Nevertheless, they pretended: O, this is a right way to live. But listen, dear monk, where did you get your works from, what devil did it make you? Yes, they say, it is my devotion. So Moses and our reason know much better, saying: one should not steal; item, one should be obedient to parents and authorities. This is a teacher who speaks full of things that serve this temporal life. And since the law of Moses is nothing compared to the knowledge of God in the Gospel, what can the fictitious works of human righteousness accomplish? Nor may the papists prefer the human statutes to the law of Moses, putting caps, plates, and cords over the obedience of parents; so mad and foolish are they; and is this blindness above all blindness. But so it goes when our reason deviates from the Law and the Gospel.

In sum, we are so grievously corrupted by sin that we not only know nothing of our first and natural knowledge of God, but have also fallen away from the righteousness of the law, and have fallen into lies; nor have we wished to propitiate God with our imaginary works.

Therefore, reason knows God by your Laws of Moses, as it is written in Romans 1:19, but according to your Gospel, reason knows nothing of God. For there is a new revelation which came down from heaven, not only instructing us and teaching us the ten commandments, but that we men are all conceived in sins and are lost, and that no man keepeth the law; but they which would be saved must be saved by grace and truth alone through Jesus Christ. This is the abyss of his nature and divine will, according to which each one must judge himself. If each one has Moses for himself, or is drowned in his own righteousness, there is no salvation or knowledge of God outside of Christ; no one counts for anything with him, unless he comes under the grace and truth of the Son. This knowledge is hidden from reason, as even today the papists and all other people know nothing about it.

I must come and crawl to Christ, and let myself be found under the Son, and also obtain all things by His grace and truth; and this is His divine will and mind; that is, to know God rightly. Thus Adam, after the fall, and all the patriarchs and prophets knew God through the Son, and hoped for the future and promised Messiah, and through him came to God's favor; they did not remain under the law, but looked to Christ through faith. For when they realized that they did not want to fully obey the law, Christ came to such sorrowful and hesitant hearts, proclaiming to them God the Father's grace and will, how he, the Son, became man for them from a virgin and died. Then it is said that no one can see God, neither by the law nor by reason, no one has seen it, no one has been able to conceive it or to climb it, it is too high for us; it is said, not of those who are born of the flower, but of those who are born of God.

Where does the knowledge of God of grace and truth come from? The only begotten Son of the Father, who brings it; the Son of God, whom God has inwardly, and himself

1) Erlanger: by.

God is, he belongs to it. For he knows what is true, and he comes from the Father; otherwise there is no doctor, master, nor preacher, but the one doctor, Christ, who is inwardly in the Godhead, in his arms; the Father has him, in a human way, seated in his arms, and he hearts him, and he is in the divine essence, and descends to us from heaven and becomes man, who else would have revealed it to us? Otherwise, all lawyers, philosophers and pagans will not get further than the knowledge of the Law of Moses, that one should not steal, nor swear falsely that one loves the authorities and parents. This is a knowledge of God on the left side, since one knows from your laws that there is a God, but who turns his back on them. Therefore, turn around and see what the right face of God is, or what his will is. For in Christ alone is he seen, namely, that all who desire to be saved must confess that they are sinners and condemned, and must hold fast to him who is full of grace and truth, so that through him we also may obtain grace and truth. Thus God is minded; we must trust in Christ; this is called the right knowledge of God.

See the holy Scriptures. Since the time of Adam, Christ has always revealed the knowledge of God to men, and has not ceased to preach this knowledge of God, that through him comes grace and truth, that is, eternal life; this he has wanted to preach, not to cows and pigs, but to poor fallen men. Therefore, let no one boast that he knows God, whether he is a Carthusian or a Barefoot, a Jew, a Turk or a Tartar. Yes, Moses himself could not see God. For when he asked to see him in Exodus 33:18, 19, 20, he said, "Show me your face. Yea, said God, if thou shouldest see me, thou must die: but I will shew thee my back and my mantle: for he that seeth my face is dead. So Moses saw the mercy of God backwards, as, in the divine word. Otherwise, Moses knew what he should do, but what God would do, and what God would do, he could not see.

Therefore, through the only begotten Son, and through the Gospel, one learns to look God straight in the face, and when this happens, all that is in man dies; for a man must confess that he is a sinner, and blind, and knows nothing of Christ, and straightway appeal to Christ. And when a monk in his heart rightly realizes that he must be preserved by an alien righteousness that comes to us by grace for Christ's sake, he says, "What am I doing with my cap, order and rule? There lies cap and rule down; and all that he thought was holy, he considers filth, yes, 1) a dead thing, and dies away all his righteousness and holiness, and what else comes from human powers. Everything must be buried, man does not want to know anything about it.

This knowledge of the gospel is the face of God, that we have grace and truth through the death of Christ. Whoever does not have Jesus Christ will not be saved; be it Moses, Pope, Cardinal, Mass, Purgatory, Vigils, or Mass of the soul, everything is death, death, yes, the devil himself. For God has placed His grace only in the only Son; apart from Him we will fast to death, confess, watch, and no conscience can ever be happy. For this reason St. John entices us here, so that we do not lose sight of the mercy of God and of Christ. For everything rests on him alone. Let the Carthusians boast, but it is all in vain if the grace and truth of Christ do not come. Life is only in the grace and truth of the dear Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, and he who abides in him alone knows God.

The twelfth sermon on the Gospel of John.

On the Saturday after All Saints' Day [November 3, 1537]. 2)

378 Next we have heard how St. John describes John the Baptist.

1) This "yes" is in the Erlanger only after the word "justice".

2) In the original margin.

fer that he is a witness, and has testified of the light, that is, of the Son of God. Item, that we take of his fullness all things, grace for grace. And that the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Christ. And that no one has ever seen God, but the only begotten Son of God, who sits in the bosom of the Father, he has revealed it to us. We have so far listened to such testimony and preaching of St. John the Baptist, as much as God has given grace, and have learned from it the sum of the whole Christian doctrine and faith, namely, that Christ is true God and man, and has come into the world for this purpose, so that we may also obtain grace through His grace and receive everything from His fullness. Thus everything looks to the Son, so that no one knows anything about God, but the Son, who knows the Father's heart, reveals it to him, so that the whole world may be drawn under the Lord Christ and be subject to him, for without him no one can be saved. This is an excellent testimony and sermon, which we cannot sufficiently investigate in this life, but which we will grasp with faith until we fully understand and see it in the life to come. These are short words, but they contain the whole content of Christian teaching and life. For this reason, continue:

4) V. 29. The next day John saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, this is the Lamb of God.

It is clear from Matthew and Luke that John did not know the Lord Christ before he baptized him. But this he knew well (for it was proclaimed by the angel before he was conceived in his mother's womb), that he should precede the Lord, that he should be his harbinger and forerunner, that he should prepare the way for the Lord, and that he should give the people knowledge of the salvation that is written in the forgiveness of their sins etc. Also Jo-

3) Erlanger: "short" twice.

4) Marginal gloss: The text, as the Jews send to John, is not interpreted here, but postponed until the 4th Sunday of Advent, when it is customary to preach it. - The sermons on Joh. 1, 19-28. can be found in the St. Louis edition, Vol. XI, 96 and Vol. XIII, 32.

John knew that the Lord would soon come after him. Therefore, when he was in the wilderness and had not yet entered the preaching ministry, he was commanded to preach to the Jewish people in every place from time to time that the Lord was present, and also to baptize with water, so that, since he would not be easily recognized because of his small person, the Jews would have no excuse for failing to see him, since no one had said that he was.

380. For this reason, since John knows that he was born for the ministry and that he was sanctified and ordained from his mother's womb to prepare the way for the Lord, he has been working since the day the word of the Lord came to him and he was commanded to proclaim the presence of Messiah to the people, He went up and down the Jordan River, driving it faithfully from one place to another, preaching to the people that they should pay attention and see that the Savior was present, of whom the Scriptures and the prophets had prophesied that the time had come for them to open their eyes and ears. This is what he preached to the people, that they should be ready to accept him. But he did not know the person of Christ until he was told by the one who had appointed him to preach, "On whom you will see the Holy Spirit descend and remain, this is the one. When the Lord came to Jordan and was baptized by John, and the heavens were opened, the Father said, "This is my beloved Son," and the Holy Spirit hovered over him in the form of a dove, John thought that he must be the man. Therefore he opens his mouth, preaches that Christ, the Messiah, is born and exists, they should accept him and not let him pass by. So that the Jews would not accuse God of having sent the Messiah secretly, and not reveal anything to them, since he appeared in such a poor and small form, God sends John to baptize, goes up and down the Jordan, and exhorts that the Messiah is present. When Christ came to him to be baptized, John did not know him yet.

But in and under the conversation he becomes aware of it; as we will hear later, in the first chapter, when he was baptized by John (for what is said about John in this text, as we now intend, happened afterwards, after the baptism of the Lord Christ). But at that time he let himself think that he must be a special man (he had certain suspicions that Christ would come to his baptism one day). For when he saw heaven open above the baptism of Christ, and heard the voice of the Father, saw the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, saw the glorious splendor, John was certain that he was the Messiah. And John fell into a hearty humility and fear or reverence: Have I baptized him on whom the heavens open? Therefore saith he, Oh that I should be baptized of thee, thou wouldest be baptized of me. And the Lord answered, Let it be done; and he came up out of the water, and went on to his work.

381 And although it is written in Matthew that these words were spoken between John and the Lord before the baptism, I will not argue about it, I will let it pass; although it may well be that it happened after the baptism. For the evangelists sometimes reverse the order, and put afterwards that which was before, and again. But I believe that when he baptized him, and saw what took place, and is certain by the beautiful revelation, not only that Christ exists, but also who he is, then John preached the right noticeable sermon, that he is the man of whom it is prophesied in the law and all the prophets, who should redeem his people, and from whose fullness we should all receive grace for grace. God had given his law through Moses, but it had not become better, only worse; grace and truth had not come into the world through the law of Moses or through anything else, but only through Christ. Therefore, whoever wanted to help him, they should go to him here; it would no longer apply, because the man had come, for whose sake everything had been done that was kept in the law; he himself also, John, had come to him.

1716 Erl. 4s, S7-SS. Luther's interpretation of Jn. cap. 1-4. w. vii, iM-iM. 1717

He wanted his ministry to be directed, because he would be present who would not only baptize with water, but with the Holy Spirit. This testimony will have taken place after Christ's baptism, when he saw him and baptized him.

382 This beautiful sermon, which is described here in the Summa, also belongs here. For the evangelist speaks: "The next day," understand, since the Lord was baptized, let it be what day it was; for it may not have happened immediately the day after, since from the baptism the Lord went into the wilderness, and was there forty days; But some other day, when the Lord was ascending and descending the Jordan, and had entered upon his ministry, and was seeking disciples, John saw Jesus coming to him, and knowing him well from his baptism, fell into a hearty, friendly fear and humility (that I may call it so), and not esteeming himself worthy to come near to him, began from afar to honor and praise him, pointing to him with his fingers from afar, and saying:

Behold, this is the Lamb of God.

. 383 This is a beautiful, glorious testimony of John about the new reign and kingdom of Christ, how it should all go, and are clear, bright words, in which John clearly expresses what one should think of Christ, and is a powerful saying. When he said earlier [v. 17], "The law was given through Moses," he did not almost praise Moses; but here he attacks him much more harshly and violently, as if to say, "You Jews slaughter a paschal lamb every year, as Moses commanded you, and slaughter two lambs daily, which are sacrificed and burned in the morning and in the evening. It is a lamb, that is true; but you Jews make such a show of it, praising and extolling these sacrifices so much that our Lord God is nothing before their holiness, obscured and honored. Therefore they should keep the right lamb against one another, and Moses' lamb, which was commanded in the Law of Moses to be slain and eaten, which is a lamb that men take from the shepherd. But this is "God's lamb," much another lamb;

For it shall be appointed to bear on its back all the sins of the world: but all your lambs, which ye roast and eat every year, and slay in the temple, shall be counted for nothing.

The paschal lamb was a fine game for the children in the law, and a discipline, and it was also arranged that it should remind you of this righteous lamb of God; so you drag it along as if such slaughter and sacrifice should take away your sin. You must not remember this; your lambs will not do it, but only this Lamb of God. Those little lambs in the law were only supposed to be the people's game birds, so that they would remember the real paschal lamb that was to be sacrificed. But they despised all this and thought that they would have enough if they slaughtered a little lamb at Easter [Ex. 12]. That is why John sets Moses' little lamb and Christ, the true lamb, against each other. For the law did not go any further than Christ, saying, "Your lamb was taken from man, as Moses commanded in the law of God; but this is the lamb of God, and the paschal lamb is the lamb of our Lord God, not a human lamb taken from sheep, as that was the shepherd's or man's lamb. As if to say: This is the true lamb that takes away the sin of the people. You looked for the taking away of sins in the other lambs at the Easter feasts, but you did not find it. With this lamb you find it, and it is born of a virgin. It is not a natural lamb or lamb like those in the law; nevertheless it is a lamb. For God ordained that he should be a lamb, slain and roasted on the cross for our sins. Otherwise he was a man, like another man; but God made him a lamb to bear the sin of the whole world.

It is preached by Christ our Savior in an exceedingly fine and comforting way; we can never attain it with words, even with our thoughts. In that life we shall have our joy and delight in eternity, that the Son of God

and takes my sin on his back; yes, not only my sin, but also the sin of the whole world, which has been done from Adam to the very last man, which he wants to have done, and also suffer and die for it, so that I may be without sin and attain eternal life and blessedness. Who can speak or think that the whole world, with all its holiness, righteousness, power and glory, is closed in on sin, and is of no account before God, and that anyone who wants to be saved and rid of his sin knows that his sins have all been laid on the back of the Lamb? Therefore John points out this lamb to his disciples and says: "Do you want to know where the sins of the world have been laid, so that they can be forgiven? Do not look at the Law of Moses, nor otherwise run to the devil; for there you will find sin, from which you will be shocked and condemned. But if you want to know and find a place where the sins of the world have been killed and taken away, look at the cross, and on the back of this Lamb the Lord has laid all our sins; as the prophet Isaiah says in chapter 53, v. 6.We have all gone astray, like lost and wandering sheep, each going his own way," one to this place, the other to that, one seeking God in this way, the other in another way, and there were countless ways and means of finding God.

As it must be, if one lacks the right road and path, and comes to crossroads or wood paths, then one wrong way makes another hundred wrong ways; there St. Francisci Rule should help one, the other St. Benedicti Order. And the pope and the Turk, each according to his own discretion, make his own way to atone for sin. to atone for sin. But it is said, "they all go astray in the 1) way." What then is the right way, so that one may not go astray? For the farther you go from the right road, the more you go astray. Then Isaiah answered, "This is he, that the Lord hath cast all our sins upon him, and hath smitten him for the sins of his people; because we all go astray.

1) "the" is missing in the Erlanger.

God placed all our sins on the back of His Lamb, and on no one else. He appointed the lamb to bear the sin of the whole world.

387 Therefore a Christian should remain simple in this saying and not let it be taken away from him. For there is no other comfort either in heaven or on earth, that we may be able to stand against all temptations, and especially in the time of death. And whoever believes that the sins of the whole world have been laid on this Lamb, the Pope and the Turk must be the Antichrist. For the pope has thus taught that a Christian must henceforth remember how he bears his sin, and blot out sin by almsgiving and the like; as they still brazenly lie today. But if this is true, then the sins are on my neck, and not on Christ, your lamb; and then I should be damned and lost. But this one bears the sin, not mine, or thine, or any man's, or kingdom's, or country's, but the whole world's; and thou also art a part of the world.

388 But for a good year, in the papacy of St. John, they painted on all the walls, and carved his image and the little lamb in wood and stone, in silver and gold, and made pictures of it, celebrated it once a year, painted his fingers pointing to the lamb; but it did not come to the heart. No one has understood what this painting and figure means; and the papists are still so blind, mad and foolish, they have the image painted, carved and cast, and hold it in great honor; but their doctrine and life goes straight against it. For they have called upon St. Franciscum, Benedictum, St. Catharina and Barbara, and other saints to do it. Is this not blindness, since we have been mad and foolish? Not only have we been taught that this is the Lamb who bears the sin of the world, but we have also seen the image of John pointing to Christ with his fingers, even carrying Christ on his left arm, and have celebrated great feasts from it; and yet we have not looked at it with right eyes, nor understood what it is, or why John points out the Lamb to us.

389 This is the foundation of all Christian doctrine; he who believes it is a Christian; he who does not believe it is not a Christian, he will also find his part. It is said clearly enough: This is the little lamb of God, which bears the sin of the world, and the text is God's word, and not our word, nor devised by us, that God has slain this lamb for this purpose, and the little lamb has taken upon itself the sin of the whole world out of obedience to your Father. But the world does not want to go there, it does not want to grant the dear little lamb the honor that we alone would be blessed because it bears our sin. It also wants to be something, and the more it wants to do and atone for sin, the worse it makes it. For apart from this little lamb, there is no sin-bearer; God does not want to know about anyone else. Now would it not be right and just to put these words into our hearts, that we might know how to discern our sin?

(390) Now learn here that the Law of Moses shows you your sin and teaches you how to be obedient to God and man; it also says that I am an enemy of God, blaspheming Him, and that I do not live according to it, as the Ten Commandments otherwise properly direct. In sum, the law shows what I am, reveals sin, and puts it on my neck, and does right by it. Then I am afraid, and would gladly be rid of sin. But the law says, "I cannot help you. Then one runs to the saints, and calls on the Virgin Mary, saying: Ask your son for me, show him your breasts. Another calls on St. Christopher, even though he has never been on earth. Another runs to St. Barbara, and wants to have intercession full of her; others become monks, want to be holy themselves and be their own beatific. We each see our sin, and promise to amend ourselves from day to day, saying, "O Christ, save me my life, and I will become pious and atone for my sin. But is not this a cruel and terrible blindness? It is the sin on your neck that presses and presses, and reason can give no other advice or teaching. For when it sees that it has sinned, it says: I will amend myself and become pious. But there comes

St. John says that the whole world is full of sin, and by the law sin is on our backs; but do not leave it there where the law has put it, that is, where it is in your bosom. For if they remain there, you are condemned and lost, for you are too weak to overcome sin.

391 Therefore St. John and his testimony or sermon point us to another, since God the Father has laid our sins on, namely, the Lord Christ. The law lays them on me, but God takes them from me and lays them on this Lamb; there they lie well and better than on me. And God will say: I see that sin presses you, and you should fall to the ground under the heavy burden, but I will deliver you from the burden, and I will take the sin from your neck (since the law reproves you, you have committed the same sins, and condemn you also for that), and out of pure grace I will lay them on the neck of this lamb, which shall bear them.

Let this image be dear to you, that Christ is made a servant of sins, yes, a sin-bearer and the very least and most despised of men, who swallows up all sin by Himself, and says Matth. 20, 28: "I have come to serve others, not to be served. There is no greater bondage nor servitude than for the Son of God to become the servant of every man, however poor and miserable or despised he may be, and to bear his sin. It would be a great thing and astonishment, since all the world would open their ears and eyes, mouth and noses, and could not think enough, if some great king's son came into a beggar's house, and nursed his sickness, wiped off his filth, and did everything that the beggar would otherwise have to do. Wouldn't that be great humility? Yes, whoever would see it, or whoever would receive this honor, would have to confess that he had seen something strange and wonderful, yes, something great had happened to him. But what is a king or emperor against the Son of God? And furthermore, what is a beggar's filth or stink?

against the sinful filth that we have in us by nature, which stinks a hundred thousand times more, and looks more hideous in God's eyes, than all the filth that might be in a wicked house? Nor is the love of the Son of God so great toward us; the more stink and filth there is in us, the more he takes to us, purifies us, and takes all sin and misery from our necks, and puts them on his back. For this, the holiness of all monks stinks against these benefits of Christ, that the dear little lamb, the great man, yes, the son of the high majesty comes down from the high heaven, and wants to serve me.

Therefore, it would be worthwhile to sing, preach and speak about it all the time, and also to love and praise God for such good deeds, so that we would gladly die and rejoice in all kinds of suffering. For what is it that the Son of God becomes my servant, and lowers himself so much that he should also take and bear on his neck my sorrow and sin, yes, the whole world's sin and death, and say to me: You are no longer a sinner, but I am; I take your place; you have not sinned, but I have; the whole world is in sins; but you are not in sins, but I am: on me shall all your sins be, and not on you. No one can understand it, we will see ourselves eternally blessed by the love of God there in that life. And who would not gladly die for the sake of Christ? Thus the Son of Man does the most disgraceful and unrighteous work. He does not put on some beggar's torn garment, or old pants, or wipe us as a mother wipes a child; but he bears our sin, death, hell, our misery in body and soul. When the devil says, You are a sinner, Christ says, I will repent, I will be a sinner, you shall go forth free. Who can be sufficiently grateful to our Lord God for this grace?

394 Whoever then could believe this, or whoever only thought it certain that the sin of the world and his own sin were laid on Christ's shoulders, would not easily be deceived nor seduced by the rotten spirits, which some

1) Erlanger: from.

The first verse reproaches us with good works and alms, which have the reputation of eradicating sin, and that one must be saved by works. Since a Christian could conclude against this that the mobs may have sayings about good works as they wish, the main saying always remains, which is thus: that I cannot bear my sin or pay for it, but God has ordered a sacrifice to be slaughtered, roasted on the cross and eaten; on this lamb all our sins are laid. He does not let himself be carried away by this, nor does he let himself be brought fully to the right understanding of the Gospel. If one teaches or preaches whatever one wants in the world, he remains on the simple, right faith and clear words, namely: If I could have acquired something, then God's Son should not have died for me. It is only the little lamb, says St. John, that bears the sin of the whole world, otherwise it will remain unborne; to him I will also have my refuge, and let you do what you will.

The law may well command that one should do this and that, also how one should live; says: Do not lust after one's neighbor's wife, goods, honor, do not kill, do not break marriage etc., give alms. And these things are good to do, that we may beware of outward sins in the world, but to blot out sin before God by the law is nothing; but this is what is said here: Ecce Agnus Dei, qui tollit peccata mundi. And as it is written in the 53rd chapter of Isaiah, v. 6: "The Lord hath laid all our sin upon him." Item, v. 8: "Because of the sin of his people, the Lord wanted to smite him"; it is all on Christ.

For this reason a Christian should remain simple in this saying, and not let it be taken away from him, so that he knows that all pagans, papists and godless people (who want to do enough with their pilgrimages and good works and boast much about them, comforting themselves with the fire of fire) are blind. For the Holy Scripture says that the sins of the world are not upon the world, nor St. John's sin upon St. John, nor St. Peter's sin upon St. Peter, for they cannot bear them,

but on Christ, the Lamb of God, who comes and becomes a common sinner, even a sin [2 Cor. 5:21], as if he had sinned against the whole world (from the beginning of the world to the end).

If then there are sayings in the Scriptures which seem that one should do enough by works, let the sayings come down in the Hanseatic League, or in the worldly government, command the fathers and mothers, and do not draw them to be a payment for your sin before God. Here it is unbearable and unpaid, the lamb bears it all.

Therefore consider for yourself whether God has not been justly angry with us and punished us for falling into the clutches of the pope and the Turk. For the Lamb himself preaches to us, saying, "See how I bear your sin, but no one will accept it; and if we believed and accepted it, no one would be condemned. What more shall the Lamb do? He says, "You are all condemned, but I will take your sin upon me; I have become the whole world, I have taken on the person of all men from Adam, so that if one has received sin from Adam, he will give us righteousness for it. Then I should say: I will believe that my dear Lord, the Lamb of God, has taken all sin upon himself. The world will not yet believe or accept it; and if it did, no one would be lost.

So we hear that we have all fallen into sin through the devil, and that the Lamb alone leads us out. But the fact that one does not believe is not for lack of the Lord Christ, but the guilt is mine. If I do not believe, then I lie in my condemnation. In short, I must say that God's little lamb has borne the sin of the world, and I am earnestly commanded to believe and confess it, even to die on it.

Yes, you may say, who knows if he also bears my sin? I believe that he bore the sins of St. Peter, St. Paul and other saints, who were pious people; if I were also St. Peter or St. Paul. Do you not hear what

here St. John says: "This is the Lamb of God, who bears the sin of the world"? Now you cannot deny that you are also a part of the world, because you were born of man and woman, you are not a cow or a pig: so your sins must also be there, as well as St. Peter's or St. Paul's. And as little as thou canst atone for thy sins, so little may they atone for theirs; here no man is exempt. Therefore, do not follow your thoughts, and keep the word that promises you forgiveness of sins through this little lamb, which bears the sins of all the world, whoever believes it. Do you hear, your little lamb is not lacking, it carries all sin from the beginning of the world; therefore it must also carry your sin and offer you mercy.

But if someone does not receive such grace and mercy, nor enjoy it, what else is the fault but that he neither believes nor accepts it, but thinks, O it is none of your business, St. Paul or St. Peter will help; I must become a monk, call upon the saints, and go on pilgrimages. Yes, go to the devil, if you do not want to believe these words. For if you are in the world, and your sins are a piece of the world's sin, here is the text: All that is called sin, the world and the sin of the world, from the beginning of the world to the end, rests on the Lamb of God alone; and because you are also a piece of the world, and remain in the world, you will also enjoy the things of which the text says in this place.

402 Therefore this is our main reason, that we know where our sins are laid. For the law puts them on our conscience, thrusts them into our bosom, but God takes them from us and puts them on the shoulder of the lamb. For if they were laid upon me and upon the world, we are lost; for sin is too strong and mighty. And God says: I know that your sins are too heavy for you to bear, so behold, I will put them on my little lamb and take them away from you. Believe this, for if you do it, you will be free from sin. Otherwise, sin has only two alternatives where it is: either it is with you, so that it is on your back, or it is with you, so that it is on your back.

If it lies on your back, you are lost; but if it lies on Christ, the Lamb of God. If then it lies on your back, you are lost; but if it rests on Christ, you are set free and will be saved; now take hold of whichever one you like. That sins should remain on thee, that ought to be according to law and right; but by grace they are cast upon Christ the Lamb; otherwise, if God would be right with us, it would be done for us.

These are bright, clear texts and strong words, and have been confirmed by the beautiful, magnificent painting that St. John has been painted with the little lamb, pointing with his fingers to the lamb. And I liked to see such paintings. It has been confirmed that the paschal lamb was painted with an ensign, as well as the picture of Christ being crucified. But we in the papacy did not understand what was meant by it. For this is what was meant: "Behold, man, your sins should have been laid upon you according to law and justice; but the Lamb, whom I show to you, by grace bears your sins; they are laid upon the Lamb, that you may be blessed, holy, righteous, and free from sin, because of the Lamb. Therefore know that you do not bear your sins, for then you would be lost, the law would kill you; but see that God has taken away your sins and placed them on the Lamb, so that you may be blessed not for your own sake but for His.

The thirteenth sermon on the Gospel of John.

On the Saturday after Elizabeth [November 24, 1537]. 1)

V. 30. 31. This is he of whom I said to you: After me comes a man who was before me, for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he might be made manifest in Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

404. next you heard how the dear St. John preached the glorious sermon, pointing to Christ the Lord: "Behold, this is the Lamb of God, which bears

1) In the original margin.

the sin of the world." For from this also stands the foundation of our faith, and the main articles of our Christian doctrine. And this Lamb must be well known, who he is, what he is to do, and what his office is; namely, that he bears the sin, not only of us, but of the whole world. These are short words, but they comprehend and include much and almost everything that is written about Christ, which he did for us, namely, that he was born, suffered, died, and rose from the dead. For this he says, God's Lamb, sent by God and not chosen by men.

405 Now follows another testimony that the Lord Christ is the true God; for John says that he was before him and that he did not know him, but that he knew that he existed. And so the command was given him in the wilderness to proclaim these things to the people, but he did not know who he was until God Himself revealed it to him with a beautiful and special sign, when heaven was opened, the Father's voice was heard, and the Holy Spirit hovered over him. Now you have heard from the beginning of this Gospel of John that the evangelist wants to describe John the Baptist in this way, that he is a witness of the Lamb, that he is truly God and the Son of God, also a natural man, because God became man. Which Lamb afterwards allowed Himself to be slain, and sacrificed for us, and bore the sin of the whole world. And this preaching and testimony of John shall be and remain unto the end of the world, that this is the Lamb which bare on Himself the sin of the world.

V. 32. And John said: I saw the Spirit descending like a dove from heaven, and remaining on him, and I did not know him etc.

406 The evangelist always rests on the word that John was a witness, and calls all his preaching a testimony, which testimony goes only to Christ, the Son of God, that he is truly God and man, and given for us. But concerning that John had begotten and preached (that one would come after him who was before him, who would be God, and that he would call him the Son of God), he says

(John has not yet seen and known him, as he himself says: "I did not know him"; item, that it was said to him: "Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining upon him, the same is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit" etc. and thus John bears poor and simple witness of Christ, before he knows him), then God comes and also gives an outward sign, so that the preaching of John the Baptist would be confirmed. John also remembers here that over the verbal testimony that John had said: "Prepare the way for the Lord", he will come, God nevertheless also gives a sign, so that John's preaching ministry is confirmed with a public appearance and revelation that he has seen the Spirit, as a dove, over Christ.

407 But these things are more properly described by Matthew and Luke, and with more words. For John speaks only of the testimony of the Baptist, what he said, what he saw, and what took place at that time. Lucas and Matthew say that when Christ came up out of the Jordan, out of the new bath, heaven opened upon him, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in a bodily form, and John heard the voice from heaven: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I 1) am well pleased; him shall ye hear." This is also what St. John the Evangelist means when he says, "I have seen heaven open, and the Holy Spirit descending and abiding over him," which is understood after baptism. But the other words that John heard, namely, "Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending," etc., were said to him in the wilderness; as Lucas [Cap. 3, 2.] reports that the word of the Lord was spoken concerning John the son of Zachariah, etc.

408 But what those words were, Lucas does not tell; but John the Evangelist says, that he should go and preach baptism for repentance and remission of sins. By this sign thou shalt see the future of the Holy Ghost concerning Christ, that on whomsoever thou shalt baptize the

1) Erlanger: one.

When you see the Holy Spirit descending from heaven, it is he. When you see the sign, be sure that it is the one whose forerunner and forerunner you were to be. This was the command of John, which he had, to baptize with water, for repentance of the remission of sins, which should come to all men through Christ. He also had the promise that he would see the sign by which Christ would be recognized. This command was received by St. John the Baptist in the wilderness, and Lucas the Evangelist sums it up in only one word, saying: "The word of the Lord was spoken to John. In this text John the Baptist says: "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and blowing on him", did not flutter on, but rested over him, remained hovering over him.

409 All these things were done, and for this cause also they were described, that John the Baptist's testimony and preaching might be confirmed thereby, not only for his own sake, but also for the sake of others who heard his preaching, and afterward might see the great miracles and wondrous works which Christ did when he preached. And with this testimony of John all men should be satisfied. We do not want to go further into this text this time, because we have preached about it many times in Matthew, and it would be a nuisance to repeat it here.

Now behold what a great glory baptism is, and what a great thing it is, that when Christ is baptized, heaven is opened, the Father is heard in a voice, and the Holy Spirit descends, not as a ghost, but in the form and likeness of a natural dove. Just as the Father's voice was not a ghost when he spoke these words from heaven: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." They were true, natural and human words. So this dove (in which form the Holy Spirit was seen) was also a real natural dove, and yet the Holy Spirit. All this was done in honor and praise of the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. For it is not a human

work, but a great and holy thing. Even too great persons come to it. The father who gives and speaks here. The Son, who receives, is baptized. The Holy Spirit, who hovers over it, lets himself be seen in the form of a dove. And there is the heavenly choir of all the angels, leaping, jumping, and rejoicing over the work. Also the whole heaven is wide open. Now if baptism were a human work and deed, such high things would not take place here.

411 And beware of the Anabaptists and the riffraff, who speak mockingly of baptism and cry out that it is only bad water if no one helps; they look at the holy work as a cow looks at a new gate. For they see a poor preacher standing there, or some woman in distress baptizing; at this they are angry, saying, "Well, what is baptism? They also pretend that he who does not believe has not been baptized, and so they desecrate and blaspheme the holy sacrament, because they see no further than a horse or cow sees, that is, only the water. Item, that a man, the preacher, the midwives are little people, who draw water with their fist and pour it over the child. A sow and a cow also see this; therefore they go mad about it and blaspheme baptism.

But here it is written that when Christ is baptized, all three persons are present in the Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, with all the elect angels, although the same have not been seen; also heaven has been open. Yes, God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are still standing daily around and at our baptism. Otherwise, few persons were present as Christ was baptized, and had no outwardly great appearance. There is John the Baptist's hand baptizing, but nevertheless the heavenly hosts of angels are also present.

Because it is a divine work, since God Himself performs it, and the three high Persons of the Godhead are present, baptism should be held in high esteem, honored, and said: "Baptism was not conceived by any man, but was instituted by God, and is not an act of God.

bad water, but which has God's word on and with it, which makes such water the bath of the soul and the bath of disciples.

414. item, that the tariff is nevertheless a true, right baptism, whether the one who is baptized is equally godless and unbelieving. Dem<, should God also be unrighteous for the sake of my unbelief? [The unrighteous boys themselves truly do not know whether those they use to baptize again also believe. But we know that our little children believe, for we have from them a sure word of Christ [Marc. 10, 14.]: "Suffer the little children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven." They do not have such a word from those who baptize them again; so they are not, as we are, the proclaimers of hearts, so that they can see into the heart of someone.

(415) We have also said many times that the ten commandments remain and are true, even though you do not live by them or keep them. For the Ten Commandments do not fall if you disobey or disobey your parents, or if you are a liar, a murderer and a fornicator; nevertheless they remain God's commandment. In the other commandment it is said: You shall not swear, but because of your swearing 1) the other commandment does not become false; for the abuse does not abrogate the law of God.

416 If a Jew were to come today and be baptized for the sake of the patronage money, or for some other reason, or otherwise for his own benefit, which he alone would be aware of, nevertheless baptism is right and true baptism is administered to him. Therefore, it need not be said that baptism is unjust, that he abuses it. So God's command remains when I say: Honor your father and mother, and you go and do the contrary. So baptism is also right and remains true, even if it is proven that a child or an old person who is baptized does not believe. For baptism is not our work: I believe or do not believe, so baptism in itself is and remains right and good. But this is also true: if I believe, baptism is of use to me; again, if I do not believe, baptism is of no use to me for eternity. For thus says Chri-

1) Erlanger: so will.

stus: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." For this is God's word, and so it shall stand.

417. After this, we must know that God works and is powerful in baptism, and does not look at my work or yours. For the Persons are present in baptism, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Son has done enough with his body, the Holy Spirit with his appearance, that he lets himself be seen in the form of a dove. But the Holy Spirit can be seen in the form of a dove, not that he has united himself with the natural dove, just as the Son has united himself with our humanity. But the Father lets himself be heard in the voice. He therefore that is baptized, and believeth, is saved: but if he believe not, then is not baptism false.

418 St. John therefore says, "I have seen this, and I preach it to you concerning Christ, that at the baptism of Christ the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit were witnesses. If you now believe in him, he is the Messiah. After this you also heard my testimony before I saw Christ; translated I testify again, 1) that in this heavenly revelation I saw the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But this testimony was given so that you may know that another baptism will come after mine, which I, John, have administered, that of the Holy Spirit. I have baptized with water until now, but he will come who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

419 There has been much debate from this text about the difference between the baptism of John and that of Christ. But you know that in the law of Moses there was much baptism, and the Jews bathed themselves, washed themselves, baptized themselves, and purified themselves exceedingly often. A woman, if she gave birth to a son, had to be unclean for several weeks, and had to cleanse herself with water for six whole weeks. But if it was a maiden, she was unclean as many weeks as twelve weeks. As often as they touched a dead person, they had to bathe and baptize themselves again, so that they would be clean.

1) Erlanger: afterward.

they would become pure. But we have another bath and cleansing, which washes away not primarily the body but the soul. Therefore, St. Paul calls baptism "a water bath in the word" to the Ephesians in chapter 5, v. 26, 27, by which we are cleansed so that neither wrinkles nor stains remain on us. And to Tito in chapter 3, v. 5, he calls it "a bath of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit"; calls it a washing and cleansing. Therefore John also used the word, begat and preached, that they might be bathed and baptized, that they might amend themselves and be sent to the right baptism, namely, to receive forgiveness of sins from Christ. For I, he said, give no one forgiveness of sins.

(420) Now this is the difference between the baptism of Christ and that of John, that John says, "I baptize with water"; I do not give the Holy Spirit, so I do not forgive sin, but my preaching is for man to repent and send himself, for the Lord would be present to forgive sin; point to Christ, he will not give it, but says, "After me he will come," which baptism will not only serve for repentance, but also for the forgiveness of sins. Thus John begat of Christ, and was the forerunner of the Lord Christ, and his baptism points to the Holy Spirit, whom Christ would bring and give. Therefore, John's baptism points to the future forgiveness of sin, which was at the door. It was not yet present; John could not give it either, therefore he baptized for repentance and for the forgiveness of sins. As if to say, "Upon this preaching and testimony I baptize you with water, that you may send yourselves to Christ and amend, who is coming soon. It is also said of this in the Acts of the Apostles in chapter 19, v. 4: "John baptized you for him who was to come, that is, he preaches to you that you should be baptized and repent, so that you may have the forgiveness of sins that Christ brings with him; he, John, does not give it. So the Lord Christ also takes these very words of John the Baptist out of his mouth and uses them to give it to you: "Repent,

For the kingdom of heaven is at hand," if he is the one who gives forgiveness of sins. As if to say, "As John prophesied about me, so shall it be: Ye shall have forgiveness of sins in me: all ye that believe on me shall not be put to shame, but shall assuredly be saved: as John said, so shall it be. For he was a preacher of the forgiveness of sins, which came immediately through the Lord Christ. All the people in the world were to be pointed to this sermon of John.

421 Therefore, this is the difference between the baptism of Christ and John. John does not give nor bring forgiveness of sins, but only points them to the one who gives them. In John's baptism the forgiveness of sins is promised; in Christ's baptism it is forgiven, therefore John's baptism is no longer valid. If one said, I baptize thee with John the Baptist's baptism for the remission of sins, that would not be right baptism; for his baptism alone was a prelude and forerunner to the remission of sins; John goes before, Christ follows after; but badly therefore shall we say: All thy sins are forgiven thee in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ: I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: that is, I take away all thy sins, and wash thee from them presently; I send thee no further, as John did. But John had to say, Send ye, receive him that in baptism shall give you the Holy Ghost, and bring forgiveness of sins.

422 John's baptism differed from Christ's in two ways. First, that he exhorted everyone to repent, and that they should prepare themselves for the coming Christ. Secondly, that they should wait for the forgiveness of sins, which was to be brought by the one who was to come; it has the promise of the future forgiveness of sins through Christ. The repentance precedes, since 1) he says: "You viper-bred, repent"; you are peelers and evil-doers, and neither skin nor 2) hair is good on you,

1) Erlanger: that.

2) Erlanger: or.

Therefore learn that you are not under God's grace and mercy, but that sin exists, otherwise it could not be forgiven you. Therefore John must say: You are sinners, even if you were the most holy Pharisees.

423 This must also be preached today to all wicked and stiff-necked people, so that they recognize their sin and learn that they need forgiveness of sins. For though we have obtained forgiveness of sins, yet, while we still carry the old Adam by the neck, we sin daily, and sin is not yet swept away, neither is the devil dead, who provokes our flesh and blood to all evil. Therefore, repentance must still be taught and practiced on earth until the old Adam dies and man ceases to sin.

424 But here we must speak differently of sins that are forgiven and of sins that are not forgiven. For there is a wide and great difference. Unforgivable sins are those that are not only present, but also those that lead to condemnation. Forgivable sins are sins that are forgiven and not imputed to one; even if they are not immediately taken away, they shall not harm, but the guilt is taken away, God will not punish with eternal death. The serpent's head has been crushed, although the serpent's body still remains, surges and rages, and one still has to deal with it and send it to be resisted daily. For this reason one should repent, torture and mortify oneself, improve oneself, so that sin may be subdued and we may one day be redeemed from all sins. These sins are not condemnable, because for Christ's sake they are not reckoned to eternal death for believers.

425 Therefore in this life sin is not wholly taken away, but there it shall not only be forgiven, but wholly swept out, and wholly put away. Therefore St. Paul says in 1 Cor. 5:7 that in this life it is said, "Sweep out the old leaven, that ye may be a new dough." How does that rhyme? If I am a new sweet dough, then I have no old leaven; why then does he say that the

old leaven should sweep out? Is St. Panlus great and foolish? Does he not know what he is talking about? Well, we are a new dough through the forgiveness of sin, God accepts us for His children, and because we have also become a new dough by God's unspeakable great grace, for the forgiveness of sin, nevertheless there is still leaven in us according to the truth and nature; for there is flesh and blood, against which fight and sweep out without ceasing. In Galatians chapter 5, v. 17, it is also said: "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the 1) Spirit against the flesh: they are contrary one to another, that ye do not the things that ye would." Dear, what is this saying? If we are spirit, we are not flesh; and again etc. It seems as if Paul does not know what he is talking about. In Romans, chapter 7, v. 5, 6, he also says that "when we were in the flesh, sinful lusts were strong in our members, to bring forth fruit unto death: but now are we loosed from the law, and are dead to it that held us captive; that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit" etc.

But it cannot be otherwise in this life, we will not be entirely spirit, as we should be. But there, in that life, on the last day, body and soul will do nothing else, but what the spirit wants, that is, I will love God above all things, with all my heart, with all my soul, and with all my strength. For there I will be pure spirit, and will want what God wants, will also have my will in His word, and will be like the dear angels, merciful, kind, friendly etc. Here on earth I would like to love God with all my heart, but the sack I wear around my neck, flesh and blood, pulls me down and hinders me; for the flesh is opposed to the spirit in this life, it upsets me when someone is too close to me. Therefore one must sweep out the leaven, kill the flesh, resist the sin that still stirs in us. There is not one flesh, nor one spirit. The world is all flesh, but the angels are all spirit. The

1) "the" put by us instead of "the", "ah the Bible.

Christians have something of both, as is said to the Galatians. The spirit has forgiveness of sin, and lives for the sake of righteousness, which Christ imputes to us freely, but the flesh is delivered to death for the sake of sin. For it is always grumbling against Christ, and we cannot get rid of sin from our nature; we have enough to sweep out of it all our lives.

In German, we call it a sin taken away, when we have forgiveness of sins through Christ, even though the sin is not yet completely gone; but we must fight against the sin in our body for and for. Therefore we must learn to sweep out, that we resist the flesh and blood, even sin; and nevertheless we are new dough, and contend with sin, because we are spirit, and have the hope of remission of sins, and are under the heaven of mercies. And it is certain that I have the forgiveness of sins; the forgiveness I have obtained, and yet I cleanse and purge sin from me. So it rhymes that before God our sins are forgiven if we believe in Christ; but with us the dirt still remains because we live here; this must be swept out.

So then the Lord Christ accepts from John the baptism of water, but he adds fire to it, that is, he gives us the Holy Spirit, who sets us on fire with his virtues. And so baptism still remains for and for, that we are baptized in Christ, and he forgives our sins, baptizes us with the Holy Spirit and forgiveness of sins, that we may have forgiveness of sins for the sake of the lamb who bears the sin of the world. But still we are baptized to repentance for the sake of the old Adam; then we must always repent, always die to the body, that is, always be corrected and cleansed, and still always hope for the forgiveness of sins, which we have at present. If we have been baptized and believe in Christ, we are even with one another. For our baptism is not as John's baptism was, which pointed to him that should bring remission of sins; but

Our baptism is Christ's, which has already brought forgiveness. And Christ also says: I baptize and call you to repentance, but at the same time I also give the spiritual fire, that is, the Holy Spirit, that you may live under the forgiveness of sins, and daily feast, repent, and amend yourselves against the afflicted flesh, which fights against the Spirit.

This is the difference between Christ's baptism and John's baptism, that John there points to Christ, that is, baptizes with the Holy Spirit. Even if someone is a prankster and does not believe this, it is still true, and baptism is right. And even if you did not believe that Christ died for you, what of it? The words I hear are nevertheless true, and are not false or fabricated because of my unbelief. So also, if thou art baptized, thou art truly and righteously baptized; thou believest or believest not. Likewise, if you receive absolution from a preacher or Christian brother, be sure that your sins are forgiven; if Judas or another absolved you, absolution is still God's word and a divine office. Such teachings must always be repeated for the sake of the scoundrels and the spirits of the mob, who pretend that baptism and the gospel are valid only when people accept and believe them. And the devil is always plagued by the fact that he does not allow a distinction to be made between God's work and man's work. The Anabaptists pretend that if a person believes and is baptized in this way, then baptism is righteous. But know this, that if no man believed baptism and the gospel, yet the gospel and baptism would be righteous; for both are not mine, but God's word and works. The pope and his disciples, even the Anabaptists, did not know this.

430 So we have seen from this text what a glorious thing it is about baptism, and that we should hold baptism high. For John hears the Father in a voice preaching about the Son; the Son stands in the Jordan as a man; the Holy Spirit descends in the form of a dove, and is even glorious.

1) Erlanger: am.

The baptism is not the work of man, but of God, the heavenly Father, who speaks over it, saying, "Behold, this is my beloved Son. Item, the work of God the Holy Spirit, who hovers over it in the form of a dove. Also the work of God the Son, who takes the baptism of Johanne. Our baptism has such a glorious adornment that it is not the work of any man, but only the work of God, the high Majesty, the three Persons in the Godhead, who are of one divine nature, power and majesty. This is to know the glory of our baptism, for which it is to be held, and that Christ may be recognized as the Savior of the world; therefore, not only did St. John testify to it with his sermon, but it is also confirmed here by the Holy Trinity.

The fourteenth sermon on the Gospel of John.

On Saturday after St. Andrew's Day [December 1, 1537]. 2)

The next day John stood with two of his disciples. And when he saw Jesus walking, he said, Behold, this is the Lamb of God: and two of his disciples heard him speak, and followed Jesus.

431 We have heard before how John the Baptist testified that he saw the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, abiding on the Lord Christ, and how it was said to him, "To whom thou shalt see the Holy Spirit descending, he it is that hath seen and begotten these things. But we have spoken enough about it, and also about the glory of baptism, that it should not be regarded as bad water, which some cow or horse feeds on, but that the Holy Trinity is present with all its dear angels, and that it is a divine and heavenly water, in which God Himself works, washes us from sins, saves us from eternal death, and gives us eternal life. This is what true and God-fearing Christians think of baptism and do not let it be taken away from them.

2) In the original margin.

432 Now follows the profession of the apostles. It might have been a wonder why John the Evangelist described this little history in so many words and so abundantly; but we cannot speak enough of it in one sermon. In the 4th chapter of Matthew, v. 18 ff., we read that Christ went about by the Sea of Galilee, and saw the two brothers, Simon and Andream, and said to them, "Follow me, for you shall be fishers of men"; so they left everything and followed him. When he had gone further, he saw Jacob and John, to whom he also said, "Follow me." So they also leave their father and follow him. So Matthew tells the profession of the apostles, and according to Matthew's account, St. Peter and Andrew were the first to be called to the apostleship, and then John and James.

But here it is different and almost contradictory, namely, that Andrew was the first apostle and that he was John the Baptist's disciple and then followed Christ; otherwise one does not read of any disciple of John the Baptist who came to Christ. But after Andrew comes Peter, after Peter Philip, after Philip Nathanael, 1) who is the fourth; but he was not an apostle. And it can be seen that Matthew and John are against each other. For Matthew describes four apostles' professions, and John also describes four professions. St. Peter was called by his right name Simon, which was his baptismal name; that he was called Simon son of Jonah is his name, which he received in circumcision; for the Jews commonly called children by the name of their fathers. But Christ afterwards gives him another name, as Cephas in Chaldee, which in Greek is called Petra, in German a rock, hard as a rock, where one can build something on that stands firm. And if the word Peter is not Latin nor German, but Greek, it means that he should be a hard rock; therefore Christ says: You are now called Simon, but you shall be called a hard rock or Peter.

But how do we rhyme these two texts?

1) In the Erlanger: Nathaniel.

Matthew and John, together? Do thus. When Christ was baptized by John, he did not yet have disciples, but began to preach, and did not take a new way before him, but a common way, and was friendly to the people, joined friendly to everyone. For this reason, one after the other gradually joined him again; now one, soon another came to him. As John the Evangelist testifies here, that after the baptism of Christ, Andrew came to him, then others, and so one after another gradually found their way to him, and wanted to have his fellowship and listen to his conversation, which he also accepted in a friendly way, as you see here, because he was able to send himself to the people, so that they loved him and followed him.

435 For this reason John the Evangelist does not speak of the apostles' profession, but that they alone joined Christ in a social way and walked with him, while he was friendly with the people. The disciples of John also took a liking to him because of their master, John the Baptist's testimony and preaching of Christ, that they heard and saw Christ and came to know him. They go away again and return home when they have made friendship and acquaintance with him, and have not yet become Christ's disciples or been called to do so. But afterwards Christ comes to the Sea of Galilee, walks around there and calls them to be his apostles; they had seen him before at the Jordan, but did not think at that time that they would become his disciples.

436 And the evangelist indicates with these words that the Lord Christ had a special way of drawing people to himself and taking them in. And when he comes to the Sea of Galilee, and performs miracles, such as turning water into wine, and is known by all men, he finds these four, and begins the calling. John does not speak of the profession this time, but only of the clientele, how Christ was an affable man, who made friends with everyone, so that people were glad to deal with him. But Matthew speaks

Only of the apostles' profession, leaving their clientele in line, as John says. And here Philip also brings Nathanael, and Christ speaks to him in a very friendly way, draws closer to him than to the apostles, calls him by his name, since he has never seen him before; item, he praises him very much. So Christ was very friendly to the people until he called the four of them.

437 The "other day," not in the morning, but on another day, when John's disciples were not all at home, and only two of his disciples were with him; for John had more than two disciples. Before this they saw Christ when he was baptized, and John preached of him, saying, "This is the Lamb of God"; as if to say, "I said before that this was the Lamb of God; behold, here he is now. For above, v. 29, he said, "which beareth the sin of the world." With this, St. John (as is his office) directs his disciples to Christ, and hands over the mastery, not keeping it to himself, but saying, "He is the Master, baptizing with the Holy Spirit and fire. When the disciples hear this, as simple, pious people, they believe it, and are moved by his speech to follow him, since he says, "This man is the Lamb, and the right Master. Therefore these two disciples follow him to the place where he was lodging.

438 Then Christ turned back, and said (v. 38), Whom seek ye? Then they say: We would like to know where you live, and we stayed with him all day. This is a fine announcement and kindness to me, that they want to hear from him the testimony John gave about him, because they wanted to be around him, to see him, to hear him, to talk with him and to do business with him; but he does not call them. Nor did they spend the whole day, but at the tenth hour, at four o'clock in the evening, that is how long they stayed with him. What they did or said here is not written, but the evangelist only wants to show that Christ was very friendly to them and attracted the people to himself until he accepted twelve apostles and seventy-two disciples [Luc.

10, 17.]. He did not begin his kingdom with violence, nor with rumbling and storms, as the Jews made them dream that he would come like a mighty emperor, but he is friendly to the people, is affable, does not come with worldly splendor, nor with horses, armor, spear and rifle, but he is kind and willing, he welcomes all who come to him, chats with them, excludes no one from his company. As the prophet Isaiah described him in the 42nd chapter, v. 3. 4. that he would not be quarrelsome and quarrel, that he would not extinguish the smoldering wick, and that he would not crush the broken reed etc.

439 So Andrew, one of John's disciples, is the first to come to Christ and make an appointment with him. Then he goes away and talks with his brother Simon, as if saying, "Shall I not tell you some strange news? John, our Master, preached to us about this man, that he was the Lamb of God and the Messiah. Which no doubt John preached many times in many words, because Andrew believes this, and comes to his brother and says, "We have found the Messiah," to whom John pointed, and said that he is the Messiah. And so Andrew is the first preacher and witness that Christ is the Messiah. He immediately proclaimed this to his brother Petro when he met him, saying that he had found the one about whom the Law of Moses and the Prophets were written. This happened in Bethsaida, when Peter met with Andrew, and they came to Christ, and this is the new news that they have the Messiah of whom the prophets prophesied.

440 When Andrew came to him with Petro and said, "This is Christ," the Lord was very friendly and confirmed Andrew's words, proving that he was a Lord who knew everything. Christ had never seen him before, nor known his parents or friends; nor did he say to him [v. 42], "Behold, thou art Simon son of Jonah, thou shalt be called Cephas. These are very friendly and sociable speeches and words, just as good friends would like to talk to each other over tables. And here nothing is said about St. Peter's profession or ordination to the apostleship, but there

When Peter was first called Simon, he was given another name, that he should be called Cephas. As if he should say: I know you very well, your name is not only Simon, but you should be called Peter over the whole world. This is the proclamation of Christ made to St. Peter, when Christ reveals his divinity, that he is indeed human, but that he is also truly God. Which also moved Peter, since Christ addressed him so kindly, knew his name, and also gave him a special name, that he would have said: These are prophetic words and divine thoughts, and for this reason he held Christ in high esteem.

441 Now we must say a little what the little word "Cephas" is and means. For in the papacy we were such incompetent, coarse asses that we did not understand this text, nor did we know what the word "Cephas" was. But it is a Hebrew word, and in Greek it is called Petra, but in Latin it is called Rupes, a rock, where one may build a castle on it, a mountain stone. But the asses in Pabstism and in spiritual law have pretended that the word "Cephas" comes from the Greek word Kephali which means a head, that St. Peter should be the head and overlord of the other apostles. And from this text they have made the pope the head of the church, as being the successor and descendant of St. Peter; also the foolish, wretched people have written such things about themselves in their decrees, that Christ should say here to Peter: You are the head; therefore the pope is also the head of the church; and they are not ashamed that they write it into their rights, and spread it throughout the whole world for 1) articles of the Christian faith.

442 But the text does not say Cephali, but Cephas; therefore Christ gives him a new name, calls him a rock. Why is he called Peter? This can be seen in Matth. 16, 18: "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church." But with these words Petro is not commanded, nor is a certain office imposed on him, but only another name is given, that he should be called a rock. In the circumcision he is called Simon;

1) Erlanger: as for.

but he should be called Cephas. When he says, "On the rock I will build my church," Christ means himself. Therefore, this text does not allow the Pope to be the head of the whole Christianity (as they so glumly boast throughout the world), but the papists shamefully lie about it, because it does not command St. Peter, but only gives him another name.

443 Now also the third disciple, Philip, comes to this; but where he will have found Christ, I do not know, but it will not have happened far from Bethsaida, because these three were citizens of Bethsaida. There, in the middle of the country, the Jordan makes a very large lake, from which the Jordan flows out again to the Dead Sea, where Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. For in this place, where the Jordan goes out again and flows to the dead sea, 2) John baptized. Therefore it is credible that these three disciples came to Christ not far from Bethsaida (because they were children of the city there), because Christ preached much around Bethsaida and performed miracles. As in the Gospel, Matth. 11, 21. ff., he cries out against Bethsaida, Chorazim, saying: "Woe to you, Capernaum", where my city, my bishopric is, where I have my parish church, you will perish and be thrown into the abyss of hell. And these cities are all situated around the sea; also Andrew, Simon Peter and Philip are countrymen. Therefore John the Evangelist says that first Andrew came, then Simon Peter, and thirdly Philip, who made an announcement.

The fourth is Nathanael, who is more highly praised and exalted than the other three apostles, yet he does not become an apostle. But God wanted to indicate that Christ had made great apostles, but they should not be proud for the sake of glory; for he did not ask about the status of the apostles or prophets, and did not ask about any of them.

2) In Walch's old edition and in the Erlangen: "Rothen".

Persons. He is not an observer of the person, but those who believe, do and live as Christians, they have a great name or a small name, they are great Hans or small Hans. Although God wills the classes in the world, and that there is also a difference of classes. But he who is not pious is of no use at all for salvation, even if he is in the honest offices of the ranks. A cobbler is as blessed as a king or a great emperor, if he believes otherwise. Judas is an apostle, and the highest or noblest, who rules all the others; and yet he went to the devil. Balaam was an outlier and abbot among the prophets, Numbers 24:1 ff, yet he was lost. Because of this, the statuses do not make one blessed. To be a father and a mother are honest and good people, but if they do not believe in Christ, God does not ask anything about them.

445 Thus Christ spoke very kindly to Nathaniel, whom he did not call to be an apostle; and we do not read that he spoke such things to Peter or the other apostles, or even to John the Baptist himself, since Nathaniel alone became his good friend and companion. It is spoken in a friendly way, v. 47: "Behold, a true Israelite, in whom is no falsehood." Item, v. 51: "From now on you will see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." He is not a prophet, nor an apostle; nor does he come into the announcement of Christ as great as any of the other three who knew Christ before him.

V. 45. Philip finds Nathanael.

446 As Andrew said to his brother Simon, "We have found the Messiah," so Philip says to Nathaniel, "We have received one from Nazareth, called Jesus, who is the Messiah of whom Moses wrote in the Law and the Prophets. They are good silly people, and it is a miracle that they can grasp the thoughts and

1) Maybe: or Stande?

2) that this Jesus should be Messiah, since there is no outward appearance. We must also consider what it meant among the Jews when one was taken for the Messiah. For it was as 3) a great name, as if one were now called an emperor, a king, or otherwise a great man. For the Jews thought that he would be ruler of the world; but the Messiah was to be the Savior of the world.

447 Therefore it is a great wonder that they called this beggar and single man their Messiah; but they did not do it out of mischievousness, but must have been informed from the holy Scriptures that God's way and custom has always been to lift up the poor and the lowly, and to make kings out of shepherds. Just as David was a shepherd and shepherd of sheep, tending his father's sheep. Saul was a donkey driver, a garbage collector (that I speak thus), and other kings have often risen high from the dust and mud. Also in the Roman empire sow-shepherds 4) became emperors, who kept themselves manly and bravely, that one elected them to colonels. So these also thought: "God can make a king out of a beggar, just as he can make a beggar out of a king. This is what the good people heard preached, and it was the thought of the poor people that they hoped for the Messiah and Savior, so that they would receive the King and be freed from the power of the Romans. Therefore they gladly heard about their king, and thought, "Well, who knows? our Lord God has played it more like this, that one has been made a king out of a shepherd servant and a poor beggar; how if this one were also the king, Messiah and Lord?

448 Especially because John the Baptist testified so gloriously of him, which they did not understand of his divinity, but only thought that this son of Joseph would one day rush forth, and be

2) In the issues: "to look after." We would expect: "and hold on to it."

3) Erlanger: so.

4) Erlanger: is a sow herder.

to exalt himself above kings and Roman emperors, just as David and Solomon did. For Messiah was held as high among them as an emperor might be now. In German, "Messiam" means an anointed one; for the kings were anointed with balsam and delicious water on their heads; as now the three spiritual princes anoint and smear the emperor on his back. So the good fellows also wanted Christ to be the Anointed One, the most noble King in heaven and on earth, and to redeem them from the Romans; therefore they say, O we have found the Messiah. As if they should say: Until now we have been under the servitude of the Romans; but praise God, our horn has come, who will show himself to be a right judge. But Nathanael is also a good silly sheep, saying, "What good can come from Nazareth?" If it came from Jerusalem or any other great city of Judah, one would believe it.

The fifteenth sermon on the Gospel of John.

Saturday after Nicolai [8 December 1537]. 1)

449. Our previous sermon was about how the Lord Christ, after his baptism, so kindly attracts his disciples to himself, and makes himself known to them, and is completely friendly to them, before he calls them to be his apostles, and we have heard how he was introduced to the four persons, as Andreae, Petro, Philippo and Nathanael. And he went about Jordan through the wretched cities and villages, and gathered unto him out of all the people of Israel such as he considered the best, and were pleasing in his sight, that they should serve him in his kingdom. Take great care that he does not go up to the royal city of Jerusalem, where the mightiest, the richest and the cleverest were seated, where the royal throne was, and where he appointed the chief priests and regents, but leaves the head of all the people and goes about in the wilderness through the towns and villages, gathering together the poorest and most miserable beggars, whom he has chosen to serve him.

1) In the original margin.

He can find no more than poor fishermen and good, coarse dolts; he does not call to himself the mighty. It is as if he could not order his kingdom differently if he did not have such lowly people; he lets the great nobles sit in Jerusalem and in other famous cities, since everyone thought that when the Messiah came, he would be found in Jerusalem with the great men, the wise men and the scholars [Matth. 2, 2]. But he even turns it around and does it according to his head, sews his regiment so foolishly and lowly that all wise men are justly offended by it.

450. And he does all this so that those who are high, strong, wise and mighty in the world will not think that they alone belong to the kingdom of Christ and run roughshod over the others, but he wanted to found and establish a kingdom and government that would be based solely on God's grace and mercy and would be called a kingdom of grace, since nothing else would be valid, it would be as good and delicious as it always wanted to be; and that such a kingdom also would not stand on reason and human wisdom. So the kingdom is built and preserved until then. He 2) does not ask much about great kings or mighty lords, or about worldly kingdoms, about royal lineage and great being, which otherwise applies on earth. And if he had chosen only mighty, learned and holy men to be apostles, the world could not have persuaded that even the poor should belong to the kingdom of God, but only the saints and the rich. And now also, when he takes the least of these, and picks up what the world rejects as useless and unfit, as St. Paul also says to the Corinthians [1 Epistle 1:27]: Elegit Deus infirma, since he has established his kingdom here through beggars, rude idiots and vain people, the apostles, we can hardly maintain that Christ's kingdom should also belong to the poor. For he wants to be praised as the one who deals with us by grace, not because of our yellow hair, or what else might be good in us, which we insist on and defy.

451 It does not yet help the world, which nevertheless has the heartache that always those

2) Erlanger: It.

want to be called and be the church, so great, mighty, noble and holy are. This misfortune cannot be avoided, they insist on their money and goods, honor and power; what would have happened if the Lord had hung himself with great houses? But let it not be understood that the kingdom of Christ rejects the powerful and the rich, and that they do not also belong to this kingdom, or that those who live piously, honorably and virtuously should not have a place with him, but that he cannot suffer me to think that the kingdom of Christ is neatly built on our wisdom and wealth, just as if the kingdom of Christ could not stand firm nor remain firm unless kings, princes and lords protected and handled it with their counsel, help and service; He can well do without them; so that this may be certain and certain, that whoever wants to come to the kingdom must come to it out of true grace, he does not look at one because of his amount of gold florins, beauty, wisdom or yellow hair, or that he has a piece of gold or silver, or a gray coat, but it should be said: out of pure grace; item, a kingdom of grace and mercy, which shall belong to them that are wretched and poor, whether they be man or woman, rich or poor.

452 This is the reason why Christ goes through the small towns and villages, picks up the beggars, takes no one to Jerusalem, and leaves the rulers and scholars. For if he had done so, and had accepted such, no one would have been called a Christian, except those noble and great men who otherwise want to seize the kingdom of Christ by force, so that it belongs to them alone, although they see here that God accepts the lowly first.

453 And you have often heard that the Jews still today are stuck in the opinion that their Messiah will only deal with vain rich lords and princes, that he will put on them vain pieces of gold and put on crowns, and that he will not let a poor man or a beggar be in his kingdom, saying: Whoever is poor and despised, God is also hostile to him.

The Turk does the same. Because all his undertakings are proceeding happily, he quickly concludes that he is God's people,

and God be his friend, be merciful to him; for he has happiness, salvation and victory against his enemies, and overcomes all whom he only attacks, even those who boast of the Christian name. The shameful delusion cannot be resisted, he does not consider God to be a right judge, insists and defies that God is with him; therefore he also confidently strangles, all under the pretense that God is his friend.

The pope and his cardinals and bishops do the same; they say they are the right people of God. Why? They sit at the top of the regiment, and have what they want, therefore let God be their Lord and God. How can he leave it, why should he not look at us? We are the wisest, the most learned and the holiest. Yes, we are not lacking by a hair's breadth, otherwise we would have to be as broad as the world is. But still far from it, journeyman. Yes, what do I say about the great and the mighty? No one from the village has a hundred thalers, he doesn't know how proud he should be, he also thinks that he has a more gracious God than someone else who has nothing. But God can give you a whole mountain full of silver and gold and then throw you into the hellish fire, as we see commonly happens.

For this reason, Christ here presents his kingdom in a contemptible and pitiful manner, so that poor beggars and fishermen, the apostles, are as highly esteemed before him as those who are highly esteemed before the world. He himself rides poorly into Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey, has not one hand on earth that would be his property when he laid down his head; he is so much a guest on earth that he must die on the cross even in the air. Therefore Christ chooses as apostles the poorest and most miserable people he could have met, as: Andream, Petrum, Philippum, Johannem and others, whom nobody would have liked to trust, that he would have let them get fire in his house. And this is not because he despised the estates, or because he rejected and condemned his gifts, or because he was hostile to the people for the sake of the gifts; but this is what God means, that you should not think: God gives me this, I give you that.

have these or those gifts, therefore God is also gracious to me, and such goods make me a child of God, that I may be eternally blessed.

This opinion does not have it at all. He does not give these gifts for the purpose of seeking salvation in them, but so that they may be used in the fear of God for the service and benefit of us and other people in this life; our power, wealth and wisdom are to serve this purpose. But to be called the child of God requires something better than gold and silver, wisdom and power, namely, the Lamb of God, who bears the sin of the world, since only the world abuses these goods and gifts, and is proud by nature, and makes of the gifts also a spiritual hope that God will be gracious to one because 1) he has money and goods; item, that he be wise and prudent, and lead an austere life, that he may become a child of God; as the monks have prescribed. So Christ came here, indicating that he only wants to choose beggars, bumblers and fools as his disciples, even if it is the poor whore Mary Magdalene, or the murderer and prankster Paul, and the thief on the cross; so that it may be known and revealed to everyone that no one receives his grace because of the gifts of riches, wisdom and power. And why should we insist on these things, that God should celebrate us for them? For does he not throw it all into the rapture, giving it to the wicked as well as to the pious, yes, even more to the ungodly than to his Christians? Just as he lets his sun shine on the evil and the good at the same time, and lets his rain fall on the field of the wicked as well as on the pious. But whoever 2) now thinks to become blessed with this, will deceive himself.

For this reason Christ leaves the great multitude at Jerusalem and leaves the great men in the great cities, where wise, learned and holy people dwell around the temple, and want to serve God day and night, and does not call them to the beginning of his life.

1) Here we have deleted "therefore" because it is too much.

2) Erlanger: who there.

He also asks them to come here, but he goes to the beggars and picks out the poorest and least beggars in Bethsaida. He goes to the beggars and picks out the "poorest and least" beggars in Bethsaida; whom other people would not have looked upon, he accepts kindly, so that no one may boast, "I have these or those gifts, therefore I am God's child and belong to Christ. For this is how it usually happens, that one is proud of the gifts of God; as it is said in Proverbs, "When a louse is bruised, it becomes hopeful. The 144th Psalm, v. 12, 13, sings that the wicked desire "that their sons grow up like plants, and their daughters like hewn-out oriels, like palaces, and that their chambers be full"; so they think they are in paradise, interpret it, and draw it there, when they are well for a while, that God is certainly their best friend; but not by a long shot, fellow. The 17th Psalm, v. 13, 14, also testifies to this, where David prays: "Deliver me, O Lord, from the people of your hand, from the people of this world, who have their portion in their life, whom you fill in their belly with your treasure, who have children in abundance, and leave their leftovers to their young. And in the 49th Psalm, v. 12. 14.: "Their houses endure forever, their dwellings remain forever, and have great honor on earth. This their doing is vain foolishness; yet their descendants praise it with their mouths." When one has what his heart desires, people praise him blessedly. As in the 144th Psalm, v. 15, it is also said: "Blessed are thy people, whose fate is like this; but blessed is the people, whose God is the Lord.

Now it is true that one must have these gifts of God, that is, be strong and healthy; so one must also have rich and learned people, and there must also be a difference of persons and classes in the world, since one is a ruler and the other a subject; so there must also be wise and prudent people; but to be proud of this against our Lord God, that he cannot stand, that is, in short, what he has decided. This is what the Jews, Turks, popes and bishops, all citizens and peasants, even the nobility, do, that they want to have their own heaven for the sake of their wealth and gifts, so that God may be gracious to them.

He will leave it alone. Even if you have the whole world and are adorned with all kinds of gifts of the flesh, it will not help you to be happy, for his kingdom is built on grace alone.

(460) Now what Philip said to the Lord when he came to him is not written; but it is evident from the words which he said to Nathanael, that he came of whom Moses and all the prophets prophesied, whose name was Jesus, and who was the son of Joseph of Nazareth. The pious people had still kept this, since they had heard that one should come who should redeem them. Then Nathanael answered:

V. 46. What good was to come from Nazareth?

461 Nathanael spoke these words out of no evil heart, as the words of Christ afterwards indicate, when he gives him the great praise that he is a right and true Israelite, in whom there is no falsehood. Since this is the case, his words should not be interpreted as evil, as if a proud Pharisee or Annas or Caiphas had spoken them to the Lord. For then they would have been vile, poisonous words, and these would have said, "What are you talking about Jesus of Nazareth? are you mad and foolish? do you not see that we are lords, and 1) have authority to interpret the Scriptures? There it would have been poison. For such men despised Christ, and spoke such things out of high pride and contempt of Christ; as if they spoke: What do you mean? Who is the Christ? For according to that the person is, according to that also are their words, and according to that also are their speeches understood. Just as every bell has its own sound and tone, so here Nathanael speaks these words as a pious and simple good man who believes the words of Moses and the prophets, and speaks without deceit and malice in a good, simple heart, and out of astonishment: "Well, shall so much good come to us from Nazareth? Who would have thought of that? These are words for a man to be astonished, and to speak such words in great joy and wonder: Is it true, my dear, that he should be from Nazareth?

1) Erlanger: and us.

A father often calls his son, and says: You knave, you rogue. These words, because they are spoken by the father, are only delicious and flush words. But if another spoke them, the son would say, "No, fellow, you are not my father, I will not suffer it from you everywhere; and quarreling and strife would follow, and such words would be vile poison. So the mother also says to her little daughter, "You little hurdle, you little sack, you little cow, this is all delicious sugar and sweet honey. If anyone else spoke these words, they would be poison, death and murder. Otherwise a good friend would speak an unkind and harsh word against me, but he could not spoil it; otherwise, if it were said to me by my enemy, it would be very unpleasant to me. So Nathanael also speaks out of a good heart, Shall Christ come from Nazareth? do it not out of contempt, but out of wonder; for he had hoped that the Messiah should come from Bethlehem, and that he would dwell at Jerusalem, as all the prophets and all the Scriptures had prophesied of it.' Zechariah am. 9. chapter, v. 9, it is written: 'Say to the daughter of Zion, Behold, your King comes to you meekly' etc. And in the prophet Isaiah it is said that Jerusalem will be Messiah's royal court, his own house and castle, and that there the father of the house will have his hearth and kitchen, even his household. Then he will say, "I will not speak against this or dispute it, but I am very surprised that much good will come out of Nazareth.

463 Philip also understands these things, that Nathanael speaketh them plainly: therefore saith he, Why wonderest thou much? "Come and see." When he hears this, he soon follows Philip. And when the Lord gets him in the face, he says:

V. 47. This is a right Israelite in whom there is no falsehood.

464 That is, a simple believing Israelite. Divide the people of Israel, to whom Christ was promised, into two multitudes, that the Israelites are two kinds; that is, My people are divided into two kinds. First, the whole multitude, who are all Israelites, but

Some of them are false, boasting that they are of the tribe and bloodline of the patriarch Israel or Jacob's descent, Abraham's children, flesh and blood, and that they are based on Abraham; but some of them have departed from Abraham and his promises made to him, and have fallen for the works of the law and false, fabricated worship. The other and true Israelites are called those who were of the faith of Abraham. Now Jerusalem and all the cities of Judah were full of Israelites, but I find few true Israelites whom I would bring into my kingdom; I find few true Israelites. John the Baptist testified and preached much about me, but Annas and Caiphas, also the other Pharisees, despised his baptism and preaching, and they considered me a fool and possessed by the devil.

465 And the words of the Lord Christ are like those of a half-wrathful and impatient man; as he also says to the centurion in the eighth chapter of Matthew, v. 10: "Verily, I have not found such faith in Israel. As if he wanted to say: Israel has the glory of being a chosen people of God, I find them to be the most wicked boys under the sun. O what a hopeless, cursed and accursed people is Israel compared to the holy and pious people, Abraham and Israel. As St. Paul tells the Romans in the 9th chapter, v. 4. ff, also speaks of this: They have great liberty, glory, and dominion, "that the adoption, the covenant, the law, the worship, and the promise, which also the fathers had, belong unto them"; but all is corrupt in reason; they all boast that they are Israelites, and of the seed of Abraham; but there is but the name; they are not true Israelites, they are only of the tribe and flower of Abraha, which they insist on, and think that they are therefore God's people; they do not consider that they should follow the faith of Abraha on the promise of Christ, which faith Abraham and other God-fearing people otherwise had; so they want that only this alone should be considered, that they come from Abraham.

Now Abraham had two wives and also two kinds of children, Isaac and Ishmael; Isaac had Jacob and Esau; all these children did not remain in the faith of Abraham. Though they were of the tribe of the patriarchs, yet Ishmael and Esau clung to idols, practiced idolatry, went after pagan idols, and did not abide by the promises made to their fathers. Therefore it did not help them at all, even if they boasted that they were of the flower of the patriarchs, because they did not believe in the promise. For this reason, in the 8th chapter of John, the Lord Christ also quarreled with the Jews, who were very proud that they were Abraham's children, and said, v. 39: "If you were Abraham's children, you would do Abraham's works. etc. Then they answered, v. 41: "We were not born out of wedlock. But Christ says, v. 44: It is true, you are not children of whores, but "you are of the father the devil, and according to your father's desire you will do, and murder me" etc.

For this reason Christ also says here, "There are righteous Israelites and false Israelites; the Israelites are of two kinds, who both came from the patriarch Israel, but did not all keep the promise and faith of Abraha. Just as now there are two kinds of Christians. We are all called Christians when we are baptized and born again through baptism, but we do not all stay with baptism; many fall away from Christ and become false Christians, but the righteous Christians are thinly sown. Is therefore also a false and true Christian church. And yet the false Christians boast that they are the true church and Christians, just as the Jews said they were the true Israelites; they boast only of the title and name: "We have been baptized and have the name of Christians. We must grant them the same; but they are not so. So there are two kinds of Christians: First, those who have only the name and are Christians in the flesh, as the Israelites boasted of the fleshly seed of Abraham, but do not abide in baptism, the forgiveness of sins, and in the promise of Christ, but turn away by false doctrines, falling away from faith and the Lord.

Christ. Therefore they are also called Christians, as the Jews were called Israelites and Abraham's seed, but they are Christians only by name. Nothing is said that one pretends: I am born of Abraham, baptized, and live among the number of Christians.

There are two kinds of Israelites and Christians. This is a true Israelite who has the promise and faith of Abraham, and believes in the prophets' teachings without falsehood and simple-mindedness, and keeps the promise of Abraham, as Nathaniel does here, and as all Christians do: when they are baptized, they hear the gospel, read the Scriptures, go to the sacrament, and love their neighbor. These use the Christian name rightly, and are true Christians. But after them are false Christians, who need baptism and the Lord's Supper, and can speak of the Scriptures as much as true Christians, and both we and they have the divine word before us; but they are Christians only in outward appearance and name. For they believe not, and are inwardly full of unbelief, envy, and hatred, full of vice, lying in adultery, avarice, and wickedness, and in all the sins and iniquities wherein the world is now utterly drowned, and living like Turks and Tarthers.

469 Therefore the Lord Christ wills that no man should boast that he is an Israelite or a Christian; item: I am baptized, I am a bishop, a canon, or a preacher. It is not enough; you must see that you believe and hold yourself out as a Christian, that you are righteous in heart and outwardly in life, and that you can boast of the Lord Christ and of faith. But if you do not do this, you are a false Christian, as many Israelites were. For the heart believes not, therefore all is false delusion and darkness; neither is the life righteous, and thou art a Christian only by outward appearance, and the deed follows not at all; for thou art envious, hateful, lewd etc.

If then Christians were to be divided and separated from one another, how many Christians do you think should be found now? For the world is mad and foolish, wild.

and desolate, and laden with all manner of vices, as fornication, drunkenness, revenge, and' other sins. It is no longer a disgrace nor a sin, even if one now deceives the other; and yet all still want to be good Christians. But believe me, you deceive no one but yourself. God cannot be deceived or fooled; he soon recognizes you in a moment, as he knows this Nathanael, that he is a true Israelite, or a devout Christian who believes the prophets. So he will also say to you, "This is a true Christian. To the other false Christians he gives an angry look, as happened to those at Jerusalem whom he leaves sitting, and judges them here in this text that they are false Israelites who are to be cast out of the kingdom of Christ. But of Nathanael he says: "This is a true Israelite, in whom there is no falsehood," no falsehood in his heart, nor falsehood in his life; he keeps the promise of Abraha, and is neither stingy nor hopeful in his life. And he is pleased that he has seen and found a righteous Israelite, who waited for the promised Messiah with all earnestness. For he also wants to have such people in his kingdom, who believed the promise made to Abraham and lived according to it.

V. 48 Nathanael saith unto him, How knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

This is spoken in the manner of the Hebrew language. For the Jews had this promise, that they should dwell safely and peaceably, and that every man should sit under his vine and under his fig tree; therefore they had throughout the land before their houses (as it was a fertile land) vines, and fig trees, for tabernacles; as we see in the villages before the peasants' houses apple trees and pear trees, or great lime trees. So the promised land was full of good trees, such as fig trees, oil trees, and grapevines, sitting under them or dwelling not far from the trees. So Nathanael was also in some village, a pious farmer, not rich.

For being pious and rich do not rhyme together, especially at that time.

472 Therefore the Lord Christ saith, Before Philip came unto thee into thine house, and called unto thee, when thou wast sitting at thy door, in thy court, under thy fig tree, in the shadow, I saw thee. And here is not described what Philip said; but doubtless he must have heard something from Christ that moved him to run to Nathanael, and say unto him, "Come and see."

473 And are these not evil words of a man, that Christ saith here, While thou wast sitting in the court, or in the garden, working a little, even before Philip came unto thee, I stood here, and saw thee there. When Nathanael hears this (says the evangelist), he marvels that Christ has seen all that he has done in his house, as he sits under the fig tree with his wife and children, and perhaps speaks of the Messiah to come, which he had learned from the dear prophets. Then he must confess and say, This is a strange man; and lifting up au, agrees with Philippo, who had said to him, "We have found the Messiah." Then Nathanael, as a bad and right Israelite, says that the man who saw him in his house under the fig tree must not be a man alone, and Philip will have said to him: O Nathanael, now thou seest who the Nazarene is. And saith Nathanael:

V. 49. Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel.

474 That is, you must truly be a prophet; why do you not go to Jerusalem? or you must be something more, that is, the Son of God; because you have seen me sitting under the fig tree, you will be able to do more. Whether Nathanael meant that he was the natural son of God cannot be taken from this. For Christ was not yet transfigured as the Son of God, preached by the apostles in the world, but I take it that he calls him simply a Son of God, as we 1) call a pious one,

1) Erlanger: we him.

holy man is called a man of God, so that Nathanael also speaks of him as of a prophet. As if he said: "Here is God, here is God; if you can do that, you can do more: Now I see that something good can also come out of Nazareth, and I believe what Philip said.

475. "You are the King of Israel", that is, you are the Messiah. Messiah was called a priest and a king. One person always held these two offices, especially before Moses came. After that Moses arranged it differently and gave the kingdom to the tribe of Judah and the priesthood to the tribe of Levi. From that time on this custom was not kept, especially in Christianity, but in the time of Christ it became a thing again. Demi Christ was both priest and king, but not a secular but a spiritual king. And the word Messiah also means a King and Saviour, who would be anointed, not with balm, but with precious water and balm, more precious than water of roses or spikenard. 2) As kings are anointed this day, that they may smell well. So Nathanael speaks out of a good simple heart, saying: Now I see you that you are the Son of God and Messiah. These are simple, bad words, as a child would speak; but he uses the right names and titles that are due to Christ, so that he makes a beautiful confession that Christ is truly God and man: Son of God, according to the divine nature, and King in Israel, according to the human nature. And so much is said: You are the Son of God, the true Christ of the children of Israel, of whom all the prophets said that when Christ would come, he would be called the Son of God and King of the whole world. The pious man has heard this from some pious preacher or prophet, so he baptizes him with the very names the prophets called him. Then the Lord Christ said:

V. 50. You believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree; you will see greater things than that.

2) d. i. Lavender water. Spike - lavender.

476. Christ, seeing that he does not yet thoroughly understand that he is God, says: "You believe in me because of some work and miracle, that I am standing here, and you are far from me, and hear that I have seen you, and believe that I am the person of whom the prophets prophesied. But thou shalt see more and greater works (that thy faith may grow and become stronger) than that I saw thee under the fig tree.

V. 51, And says to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, from now on you will see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.

This is also a strange speech. But we read in the first book of Moses at the 28th chapter, v. 10. ff, Jacob went from his father Isaac to Mesopotamia, and there he wanted to take a wife, and when he came to the place where Jerusalem was built, especially where the temple of Solomon stood, where Christ preached, he lay down to sleep, and having no pillow, he took a stone, and the holy man fell asleep on it; for he was afraid and grieved for the sake of his brother Esau, who was pursuing him. Then God comforted him by this vision, that He would be his gracious God and protector, and that the angels should be present with him and protect him. For he saw that the heavens were open, and a ladder was set on the earth, reaching up to heaven; and up on the ladder was our Lord God, and the angels were ascending and descending. And Jacob heard these words [v. 13 ff.], I will be thy God, and will guide thee, and bring thee home again; fear not in thy affliction, for the angels shall be with thee.

478. This history of the dear arch-father the Lord Christ points out to Himself, that the angels shall ascend and descend on Him as on a ladder. And wants to say: As Jacob saw this face, so shall you all see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. This means that Nathanael will see greater things.

Now the question is here: When did this happen, that Nathanael had reached heaven?

Nowhere in the New Testament is it said that heaven was opened, except at the baptism of Christ: when Christ was baptized by John and came up out of the Jordan, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove, and the Father made Himself heard in a voice (2c), Luc. 3, 21. 22. Item, Matth. 17, 1. ff., on Mount Thabor, when Moses and Elijah appeared to Christ, and He had the three disciples with Him, the heavens were almost opened, for a white cloud came, and their faces and clothes were as bright and shining as the sun. But there the three apostles see only the sky open, and Nathanael is not there, nor other people. Therefore this text must have another interpretation, namely, as Christ himself interprets it, and we must see how Christ draws this history to himself. (For the evangelist is silent of the leader, and says only that the angels will ascend and descend upon the Son of man). Therefore, this history must be understood in a spiritual way. This vision, which met the patriarch in the place and place where Jerusalem was built afterwards, goes to Christ. For when Christ was made man, and entered upon the ministry of preaching, and began to preach, then heaven was opened, and remaineth open; and from the time of Christ's baptism at Jordan, when he was opened, it was never shut up, neither shall it be shut up, though we see it not with our bodily eyes. When heaven is open and God the Father speaks to us, we see it only with our spiritual eyes.

Before the future of Christ, heaven was firmly closed, and the devil ruled powerfully; but through Christ and in Christ, heaven has been opened again, and Christians now see heaven open, and hear God, the heavenly Father, always speaking with them, and the dear angels continually going up and down to us. For the word "this is my beloved Son" the heavenly Father still speaks to us, does not cease to speak such things until the last day, and heaven is not shut. If you come to baptism, or take communion, or get absolution, or if one preaches, heaven is open,

and we hear the voice of the heavenly Father, and these works all come from heaven, and heaven is open above us. For God speaks with us, and governs us, and cares for us, and Christ hovers over us, but invisibly. And even if iron and steel clouds were above us and covered the sky, it would not hinder us; we still hear God speaking to us from heaven, and we cry out and call to him, and he hears and answers us, and we hear him again when he speaks to us in baptism, in the Lord's Supper, in confession, and in his words through their mouths, who proclaim the word to the people, and the sky is open above us; just as St. Stephen also sees the sky open above us. Stephen sees heaven open in the stories of the apostles, Cap. 7, 56.

The sixteenth sermon on the Gospel of John.

On Saturday after Antonii [January 19] Anno 1538. 1)

481 Next we have begun to treat the last part of the first chapter of the Gospel of John, where Christ says to Nathanael: "Thou believest, because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, but henceforth ye shall see heaven open. And we have heard that this is the opinion that the righteous Christian church is one body with Christ in faith, and that she is Christ's bride, and he her bridegroom and head, but she his own; and the bridegroom wants the bride to share all his goods, as eternal righteousness, holiness and blessedness, through faith in him; for this reason he has also adorned and decorated her with heavenly wisdom and strength, so that she is glorious and great in the sight of God. Wherever the Christian church is, and the divine word is preached purely, and the sacraments are administered with faithful diligence, from the word of God, heard and accepted with a believing heart, and the articles of our Christian faith are practiced unadulterated, there heaven is wide open, and there is not a single thing in it.

1) In the original in the margin; on the other hand, in the text the superscription: "Annus Christi MDXXXVIII".

more closed. Before Christ became man, heaven was closed, but now it is open again, because the child Jesus is born, and the angels preach to the shepherds at night before the city of Bethlehem about the child, saying: "Behold, we proclaim great joy to you, Christ the Savior is born to you"; and then they sing: "Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, and goodwill toward men" etc. And from that time on heaven is open, and we also belong, as St. Paul says to Ephesians 2, 19, among the citizenship of the angels. And to Philippians in chapter 3, v. 20, St. Paul says: "We are citizens and members of the household of the saints", and "our citizenship" is not worldly nor earthly, but above "in heaven, from where we expect the Savior Jesus Christ" etc. There is the right city and the right Jerusalem, where we are fellow citizens of the angels and householders, and countrymen of those who dwell in heaven, and act and walk in it. The angels look down on us, and we go up to them again. This is what Christas wants to say: You are now heavenly citizens, and now have your citizenship up in the heavenly Jerusalem, and are in the fellowship of the dear angels, who ascend and descend to you without ceasing. Now heaven and earth have become one thing, and it is just as much as if you were sitting up there, and the dear angels were serving you; for you are one body with your Lord; they wait for you, they talk with you, and you with them, and thus carry on one word and one speech. They sing Gloria in excelsis Deo to our Lord God; you also sing that you have come to the great graces, that you have become God's children and heirs, and joint heirs with His dear Son, of the Holy Spirit and of all goods. This truly does not mean that heaven has been closed, but that the door and the lock have been removed and have been open without interruption.

482 Even though I do not see it with my bodily eyes, as a cow looks at a gate, that does no harm; yet I see it with my spiritual eyes of faith, which is better for me than if I saw it with my bodily eyes. Just as Christ said to the Natha-

nael says, "I saw you under the fig tree," which was a spiritual seeing, which is more certain than the bodily seeing. For I cannot see Christ face to face with my bodily eyes; and even if I could see him in this way, as St. Stephen saw him, I would not be so sure as if I saw him in faith. For then I may open my mouth, and pray with hearty confidence, saying, "Our Father which art in heaven." Item, say: Dear God, be merciful to me and hear me for the sake of your dear Son Jesus Christ; and then we can pray as surely as if God were present before our eyes. Yes, when one sees God in faith, the spiritual vision is more certain than the bodily vision. And I would not wish for another face. The reason is this, that the devil can easily make a noise and a ghost before my bodily eyes, so that I think I see something for sure, which I do not see; item, that I think it is a beautiful angel, and yet it is a coal-black devil; as there are many examples. He made himself God in the Gospel, when he tempted Christ in the wilderness and pretended to fall down before Him and worship Him [Matth. 4, 1. 9.]. But so he cannot deceive the spiritual eyes of faith. For there one relies and hangs on the divine word, and by the word one sees it, and does not let it make a noise before his eyes. For the word is sure. Otherwise our physical eyes are much too dark to see such beautiful spirits, the angels; but faith sees so sharply that it sees through clouds and through the sky, yes, even our Lord God in his heart. This is what we want to see.

So we still see heaven open; indeed, we ourselves dwell in heaven. For even though we live in the world in some ways, we are spiritually inscribed in heaven among the heavenly citizens, and have our walk there before God with our prayer, in faith and in the divine word, also in the sacraments, walking in love toward our neighbor, growing in the word and in salvation.

We know Christ and increase in all that we need for eternal life. This is our heavenly walk, which faith begins here, and heaven is open to us, and our dwelling and walk is in heaven, and we live there like citizens, even though our bodies are still on earth, which must be armored here in this life by the cross and temporal death.

Now this is that heaven is open, and angels ascend and descend, and in the kingdom of Christ minister to the faithful, protecting us, being messengers between God and us, faithful servants, as the epistle to the Hebrews, Cap. 1:14, calls them, "ministering spirits, sent out to minister to those who are to be saved. For otherwise Christianity in the world, as it happened to its head, Christ, suffers much and is given much to eat. The devil torments them inwardly with heavy thoughts; item, their own flesh, which they still carry around their necks; the same, evil neighbors, as now 1) the Turk takes us away with heaps, murders and tortures us, the pope also chases us away, hangs us, burns us, beheads us and drowns us, and what is more of heartache. There is truly no entertainment in it; wherever one looks around, there is no help, but only mourning and all kinds of persecution; emperors and kings, princes and lords, and everything else that is powerful on earth, have only to do with the fact that we Christians have no peace.

485) Now our dear Lord wants us to lift up our eyes and think that we are not humbled here; 2) we are in a foreign hostel, and that we have our citizenship somewhere else than in heaven, if we ever do not want to have a place in the world; therefore we should consider suffering. However, we should know that we are not abandoned. For God sometimes also helps His Christians physically, and that the Christians are protected; just as we have protection under our sovereign as long as God wills. Where he no longer wants to protect, we will continue to tolerate and suffer what he will impose on us. But we are sure that

1) Cf. Luther's speech on January 5, 1538, Tischreden, cap. 62, 81. Walch, St. Louis ed. vol. XXII, 1438.

2) i.e. not dependent on the earthly.

the dear angels are all around us, and see that no harm befalls us, indeed that not a hair is bent, unless it pleases him who sits above, and sends up and down the dear angels, who lead our prayer up to heaven, and bring us the message again that our prayer has been heard. And if the angels did not protect us in this way, and descend and approach the body of Christ, that is, and remain with us for such a long time, our adversaries would have devoured us alive for a long time. So many attempts, practices and violent deeds of the bishops he has probably put to shame so far. For God is still postponing that others may also come to His kingdom, and that the Word of God may still be spread in many lands. Then the angels are there, and ward off the bloodhounds, who have been strangely clever in the courts of the cardinals and bishops, who have not lacked counsel, wisdom, suggestions, power, cunning, and all kinds of practices to exterminate us at this time. But it is said: the angels are there, therefore we still live by the grace of God against the wrath and will of those who are our mortal enemy and spidergram. For we have with us the dear angels who descend from heaven and ascend again, and care for us and watch over us.

486 This is shown in this place, so that we may know how to comfort ourselves with it. For if the devil and his scales attack us (as the devil is not far from the children of God, indeed, he himself often stands before God and would gladly harm us [Job 1:6]), we are such a body and members of the body that the angels must look upon us and ascend and descend to heaven. Therefore we have a protection, so that no harm or evil can befall us; or if a misfortune befalls us, that it does not happen without the foreknowledge and will of the angels. Yes, they also have the power to disturb the cardinals, bishops, kings, princes, and rulers of their plots, and the angels know it beforehand when the wicked are about to harm the Christians, or when an adversity is about to befall the Christians, the angels know it beforehand. And if our Lord God wills the world

If we are punished, and we also have to suffer damage (as one neighbor has to suffer fire damage with the other), we cannot prevent it; but even if we are killed, nothing bad can happen to us. For we are brought the sooner from the uncertain citizenship to the certain, where our name is written in heaven, in the citizenship and city book of the angels.

487 Although we should pray that God will preserve the devout Christians in the world, so that the descendants of God's word may also be pure and have a righteous faith, as we have had. For it is a great wrath of God when God takes away pious people and lets the teaching of His Word wander, so that the descendants find nothing but error and corruption of doctrine; this is a great sorrow and heartache of the consciences. Now, we should faithfully pray to God, as we owe it, that the youth, and those who are yet to be born, and those who are weak in faith, and are not yet well instructed, even the old people, may have and keep a right understanding of doctrine, that they may also become fellow citizens of the angels, as we are who believe in Christ; for this is why it is necessary that the angels should ascend and descend over them.

Therefore, we Christians learn that the angels ascend and descend (to our comfort), and we are not abandoned by God, but believe that we are fellow citizens of the dear angels in heaven and stand in their company. For we preach Christ and praise Him as our Savior, sing to Him Gloria in excelsis Deo, and see the wonderful help of God toward us, also the presence of the dear angels, who help us out of many troubles. We have to thank the angels for these benefits, for they are our guardians, as the 34th Psalm, v. 8, says: "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and helps them out." And the 91st Psalm, v. 11: "He hath commanded the angels concerning thee, to keep thee, and to bear thee up in their hands, that thou strike not thy foot against any stone." We also often experience the same, how the Christians

that before the hour God has set for a Christian comes, no devil or tyrant so powerful and mighty may have harmed the Christians.

In our time, the pope did not have to do what he would have liked to do. We have now preached here in Wittenberg for many years (praise be to God), and many a cunning and poisonous counsel has gone against us, and those who wanted us dead have never lacked either wisdom or force. But they lack that one little angel, which is around us, is so powerful and skillful that it can ruin and destroy all the plots of our enemies, until once the hour comes that they are left room to execute us. Then it is up to the maggot bag alone, we will have no harm; but they will still have to let Christianity remain until the end.

490 In the same way the Jews had to leave Christ unsworn. For when they wanted to stone him in the temple, he hid himself and went away in the midst of them; item, when they wanted to throw him down from the mountain; until his hour came (the hour of darkness), that they crucified him and dealt with him in the most shameful way. But no evil happened to Christ, and while it lasted, he became much more glorious than before, because he was raised from the dead and ascended into heaven. etc. And the Jews were punished again, and their land and people destroyed, because Christ was dead. So it will also happen to our adversaries, who are hostile to the gospel and to us, that when they have driven out the teaching of the divine word, such a lamentation, tribulation and plague will come over Germany that it will be said: Here Germany has stood. Therefore, we may well ask for our descendants and children's children that we bequeath the teaching to them, and that the name of God be sanctified, that the kingdom of God remain with us, and that we live according to the will of God.

491 Thus is fulfilled the ladder of Jacob, of which Gen. 28, 10. ff. is written, as the Historia is to be read there, when Jacob went into Mesopotamia, and was to fetch Rachel according to his father's command, and he was to go to the

When he came to the same place where Jerusalem stood afterwards, he saw this vision, namely, the ladder that touched [the] sky and stood on the earth, and God was on top of the ladder, and the angels were ascending and descending to Jacob. And when he awoke from the vision, he said, "Here dwelleth the Lord, there is the house of God," here is paradise; for there is heaven open, and here is the gate of the kingdom of heaven.

This is a beautiful image and figure, and it happened for the sake of one man, that Jacob was comforted in his danger, when his brother wanted to kill him, that God strengthened him through the dream and the vision of the angels; although he went into misery, and had to flee his brother Esau's wrath, God did not want to leave him, but to be with him, and that he should also have the dear angels around him. As he saw them, indeed, he saw God Himself above the ladder, not with open eyes, but in a dream. How much more does he now do it to the whole of Christendom, that he lets his dear angels be around them without ceasing, who preserve them, for it is the little company in which he has his delight and pleasure, and for whose sake he also preserved Jacob and all the dear fathers in the Old Testament, so that they might keep the promise until Christ, who was to shed his blood and die for that same little company.

Now Jacob boasts that he saw heaven open, and that he touched the ladder to heaven, and that he saw God on the ladder, though he did not see it in bodily form, for his eyes were asleep, but saw it in sight. So now we also see God. It is not only for one patriarch, but it is a picture of the whole church. And Christ says: "It is true that what Jacob saw before in his great misery and distress, you now see in me. Ye see these things indeed, not with sleeping eyes, nor in the sight, as Jacob; but much more surely and openly by faith, that is, by the divine word, we see heaven open. For, as St. Paul says, God dwells in us, and we see the gates of heaven open, as far as Christians are in the world. For where there are Christians, there is God, there is also the

Heaven is open, and there is no door in front of it, but is wide open; there are the dear angels who protect us against the devil in our misery and suffering.

For this reason, Christ wants to hold up the figure and image of the church with the patriarch Jacob to us with this text, and also comfort and strengthen us Christians, just as God comforted the patriarch Jacob at that time. For if we believe all that he says, and let the word be our comfort, then faith says: "Heaven is open to us, it is no longer closed. For if we hold the word of God in high esteem, we will feel the presence of Christ and the dear angels in our hearts, and faith will certainly believe that God's house is there. And even if the Christians were in the field or in a desolate forest, faith still makes them the church of Christ. For where such people are, who have their hearts enlightened by the divine Word and have the Holy Spirit, God must also be there, and that as our gracious, dear Father; and through Christ we also have joyful access to God, so that we say, Abba, dear Father, which otherwise would not happen without Christ. For before, God was to us as a terrifying master of the rod and judge, hostile to sin. But where the light of the divine word rises, we consider God to be our Father, and Christ to be our mediator, bishop and teacher, who teaches and baptizes us, and faith knows for certain that Christ has ascended to heaven and is sitting there at the right hand of God, his Father, so that he may certainly see us and also inquire after us, and we in turn may also see him. After that we are also in the company and citizenship of the angels in heaven, and deal with the angels. If we are in trouble in the worldly society, and the devil is hostile to us and does not want to suffer us in his kingdom in the world, how shall we do to him? It does not matter much; we must suffer him to strangle us by the pope, the Turk, or by some pestilence; God will not leave us, but we want to have an eternal shelter and dwelling in heaven. God will preserve His church, even if it is small and narrow.

If it becomes small, as it already is, some Christians will remain.

The patriarchs and all the prophets have such a glorious report of the protection and guard of the dear angels. In the 4th book of Moses, chapter 24, v. 1 ff, Abraham only sends his servant to find a wife for his son Isaac, and when the servant asks: Where shall I find the bride? he answers [v. 7]: The angel of the Lord will lead you etc. So surely they could speak of the angels. The servant did not know the place, nor the name of the bride's father, but he heard, "Go to the place; do not know the name of the citizen or the bride.

496 Thus we read [2 Kings 6:13 ff] of Elisha the prophet, who was besieged by the Syrians in the city of Dothan, he and his son; when they went out of the city, and there was no one about Elisha but his 1) son (for he was a poor beggar; as all prophets, and even the pious preachers of this day, are poor), the son saw all the corners of the city full of deputies and people of war. When the boy was very afraid, he said to his master, "Where are we going? What are we going to do to him?" The prophet said, "Be quiet, for there are more of them with us than with them. The man speaks this in such a fine and simple way, as if he wanted to go to a dance or to a good life, and as if the enemies were painted men, and then falls down on his knees and prays to God that he would open the eyes of the boy. And Elisaeus saw with his bodily eyes the people of war; still he is so sure, only prays to God and says [v. 17.], "Open the eyes of the boy" etc. Then he sees the whole mountain full of rods and fiery chariots around them. These were the dear angels, the heavenly princes of war, the mountains were full of angels, because one angel alone could have killed the whole army of the Syrians.

497 The prophets knew that the heavens were open and that the angels ascended and descended, and they made it clear that the heavens were open and that the angels ascended and descended.

1) Erlanger: one.

2) "and" is missing in the Erlanger.

Elisaeus went fearlessly among the enemies and asked God to blind their eyes, so that they would be struck with blindness; which happened, that the enemies became blind, because they did not know Elisaeus. Then he went to the warriors and said to them that he would show them the way. Then he led them into the midst of the city of Samaria and again asked God to open their eyes. Then they saw that they were in the midst of the city among their enemies, and he led them by the word alone. After that, when the king of Israel asks if he should strike them dead? No, says the prophet, for you did not win them with the sword, but give them food and drink, and send them home again. So the man played with the enemies, knowing that he would be well guarded with the dear angels, who are strong and powerful enough for the enemies.

498 An angel, 2 Kings 19:35, slew an hundred and five and eighty thousand men in one night, when Sennacherib lay before Jerusalem. If this happened in the Old Testament, when the heavens were still closed; how much more does it happen in the New Testament, when the heavens are open without ceasing, and the angels ascend and descend, and take heed lest harm come to us!

499 Therefore it is a great comfort to all Christians that they know from this and other places of the Holy Scriptures that they shall not be abandoned in their cross (which they encounter in many ways throughout their lives). For they have the dear angels as guardians and watchmen with them, about which also God Himself is always with them by His gifts, since One is strong enough for all His enemies. So the Syrians had to leave Elishaeum alone and did not return to Israel.

They thought, "Should we fight with such warriors? If we now also had such people against the Turk, we would do much. But this is why it is written, so that we may be sure that God and His dear angels are with us. And where there is faith, and the divine word is greatly respected, there is such a radiance in the heart that I see for certain that God is my Father, and that heaven is open, and the dear angels are with us, and we shall obtain help. The divine word and the Christian faith are such a delightful thing.

But the world, according to its kind, does not ask anything about the word, laughs at it and despises it, because it does not know its power and effect, namely, that it opens heaven for Christians, and sets us among the angels, makes us fellow citizens of the angels, since God the Father is the master of the city, the supreme Father, and we are already in heaven, with faith, love, thoughts and prayer, where there will be eternal praise to God and alleluia. For such works shall be done in heaven; as we now begin on earth, and sing praises and alleluias to God forever.

The pope and the Turk do not ask anything about it, nor should they; for he does not consider God to be his father, therefore heaven is not open to him, but he runs to a monastery for it, and has his purgatory, there he will have his joy, and there he is heir. Even though he scorns us, let us in the meantime sing joyfully with the angels: "Glory to God in the highest", and Alleluia. That is enough said about the first chapter of John.

1) "the" is missing in the Erlanger.