Held in the Church of Our Lady in Halle, Saxony, August 5, 1545.
It is, praise God, without necessity that I preach here in Halle; for you are abundantly and sufficiently supplied with learned, diligent, good preachers, who present and preach to you God's word, the holy gospel, purely and loudly, that I truly know. In addition, you also have the grace of God to accept the gospel and believe in it, and in doing so to give life and limb, goods and honor, and to suffer something for it. These are great graces and gifts from God. Well done, God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who began the work in you, may he 1) complete it, so that you may stand by his word and gospel, which you have heard, accepted and believed, to your end, amen. But that ye may see that we have and preach one doctrine and one preaching all together, I with your preachers and pastors, let us continue in the text of John [Cap. 5, v. 39. ff]. Thus says Christ:
1) Erlanger: wollt.
*At the end of July 1545, Luther left Wittenberg for a while out of frustration with the conditions there. During his absence he preached in Merseburg, Halle and Leipzig. This sermon is by LI. Matthias Wanckel, pastor at the St. Moritzkirche in Halle, and dated by him with a dedication to the mayor and council of the city of Halle: Sonntag Johannis Evangelistä (bei Keellonckork, Üi8t. DutB., Dik. Ill, p. 588l>, erroneously: Dominien xost.loU. Dnpt. i. o. ä. 27. lunii anno seciuonti 1546) 1546 (i.e. 27 December 1545), edited. (Walch's statement, Vol. VII, Preface, p. 23, that Wanckel "brought the sermon to light after Luther's death" is therefore also incorrect). The first edition has the title: "Ein Sermon über den herrlichen Spruch Johannis am 5.: Suchet in der Schrift. D. Mart. Luth. Printed at Wittenberg by Georg Rau (Rhaw) 1546." For this sermon Luther received a golden cup from the council of the city of Halle. In the collections: Wittenberger (1553), vol. IV, p. 573; Jenaer (1562), vol.VIII, p. 258; Altenburger, vol.VIII, p. 474; Leipziger, vol. XII, p. 178, and Erlanger, I. ed. vol. 19, p. 88; 2nd ed. vol. 20 d, p. 375. We give the text according to the Erlanger, which reproduced the first printing. The deviations of the wording in the Wittenberg and Jena editions are very significant, but because they mostly weaken, we believe that they are not in Luther's hand.
V. 39, 40, 43.1 ) Search the Scriptures, for ye think ye have eternal life in them; and they bear witness of me. And ye will not come unto me, that ye might have life. I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not. If another comes in his own name, you will accept him 2c.
2. the Lord Christ here gives the Pharisees and scribes a good testimony, that they meant to have eternal life in the Scriptures, and here speaks especially of those who believed that they had eternal life in the Scriptures. But of the others, as Sadducees, who held that there was no resurrection of the dead 2c.; item, that eternal life was not in the Scriptures, the Lord does not speak at all; neither does he praise them, but punishes them for such their error, that they do not know the Scriptures, as also Matth. 22, 29. Just as the Sadducees believed, so also the Papists believe that there is no resurrection of the dead. They also do not believe that eternal life is in the Scriptures, but in works, plates, caps, prayers, fasting, and almsgiving.
Now this is no small testimony of Christ, that he here gives the Jews the understanding that they seek life in the holy scriptures. But only the Pharisees were of this opinion, the others, as Sadducees, were not. So also the Jews at Rome strove after it, and had much questioning among themselves, whether in the Scriptures, as Paul taught, was eternal life; as is to be seen in the Acts of the Apostles, 28th chapter, v. 20. ff. So it is not yet a small understanding to study in the Scriptures that one has eternal life therein. Now this has been the core and the seed of the people, whom the Lord Christ praises here.
(4) Therefore Christ said to the Pharisees, "Since you have so much light, see and study the Scriptures diligently, remain in the Scriptures, and continue as you began to seek eternal life in them. But I want to give you a strange gloss and interpretation of the holy scriptures.
1) Only the first and last words of this text are printed in the original.
I will give you a few words from the Scriptures that you do not yet know, so that you may read the Scriptures correctly and not err, namely this: Only see to it that you purify your eyes, and open them rightly, and so study the Scriptures that you may find me, me, in them. He who reads them so that he finds me in them is the true master of the Scriptures, and the dust is removed from his eyes, and he will surely find life in them. But if you do not find me inside, then you have not really understood and studied them, and you do not have eternal life; even if you read them a thousand times and toss the leaves around, it is still all nothing and in vain. It is said, "Search the Scriptures"; you understand this, but that they should give testimony of me, you do not understand.
005 For though they read the scriptures, yet thought they not that they should seek Christ therein, and if they found him therein, that they should have eternal life by him also. Then they did not think on it, and such understanding of the Scriptures was hidden and ignorant from them, and still is to this day; yea, this book, the Bible or holy Scriptures, is seven times added unto them, that they cannot find Christ therein. Cause, because they thought: What? should Moses, the prophets, write and preach about Joseph, the carpenter's son, that he is the Messiah and the prophet, whom God promised to send in Deut. 18:18? This is not possible nor true. For he is the son of Joseph the carpenter, full of Nazareth, is not rich, takes alms from the people, has neither house nor farm, nor anything of his own; just as Christ confessed the same, Matt. 8:20: "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has not where to lay his head." For this is true that Christ had to live with His apostles and disciples and receive 2) the tax and handout from devout Christians, as St. Lucas testifies Cap. 8, 3. that some women and others gave Him handouts.
006 And when the Pharisees and the Jews saw these things, they recoiled, and went mad; for they would not receive it, though it might be
2) Erlanger: included.
not believe that Moses and the Scriptures should write of the poor Christ, who took alms and was a beggar, that he was the right true Messiah, and promised prophet, and teacher, who should liberate and redeem Israel. 1) This was a strange catechism to them, that if one would read and study the Scriptures rightly, one would find Christ in them, and whoever found him in them would find eternal life in them; it was too high and difficult for them to believe.
(7) Such things the Jews cannot and will not suffer nor believe even to this day, so wretchedly have they fallen. Nor can the Turk believe that Moses should have written of Joseph the carpenter's son, and that he alone should be sought and found in the Scriptures. And especially the Jews and Turks are annoyed when it is said that Jesus, the Son of Mary, by his suffering and death, by his cross and death, reconciled the world to God, bore the sin of the whole world, redeemed it from the wrath of God, the devil and eternal damnation, opened heaven, and brought eternal life to all those who believe in him 2c. No Jew or Turk can be made to believe this; it is in vain.
8 Our popes and cardinals are just like this, they do not believe it either, they think it is fables and fairy tales, yes, just rubbish, what is preached about Christ and eternal life. But we who are Christians see and hear here that Christ is not only a man, but also God who gives life 2c. Which John also primarily does in his Gospel, that he testifies that Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Mary, is true, natural God and man in one person, to whom all Scripture points 2c.
(9) Christ therefore saith unto the scribes, In the scripture is life eternal; and the scripture and the book have ye; but ye have not hitherto sought it within; and until ye have found me within, ye have not yet rightly studied it. But if you will study and understand them aright, learn to seek and find me within. You
1) Original: shall.
You will find many glorious histories of Adam, Noah, Abraham, David, and others, but none of them, though you find them in Scripture, can give you eternal life: I alone, who was made man, born of the Virgin Mary, am now standing among you and talking with you, can give you eternal life. I was also born, suffer and die for this reason, so that you may have life in me, if you believe in me.
(10) And now Christ wants to indicate here why the Scriptures were given by God in the first place, namely, so that one should study, search and learn therein, that he, the Son of Mary, is the one who can give eternal life to all who come to him and believe in him. Therefore, whoever wants to read the Scriptures rightly and usefully, see that he finds Christ in them, and he will surely find eternal life. Again, if I do not study and learn in the Scriptures from Moses and the Prophets that Christ ascended from heaven, became man, suffered, died, was buried, rose again, ascended into heaven, for my salvation, and that through him I have reconciliation with God, forgiveness of all my sins, grace, righteousness, and eternal life, then my reading of the Scriptures is of no use to me. I can become a learned man from reading and studying the Scriptures and preach about them, but all this is of no use to me. For if I do not know or find Christ, I will not find salvation or eternal life; indeed, I will find bitter death. For it is decreed of our dear God, that there is no other name given unto men, whereby they may be saved, but in the name of Jesus, Apost. 4, 12.
11 From this it is clear that whoever finds Christ in the Scriptures and believes in Him has eternal life through Him, as Christ also says [John 3:15]: "He who believes in Me shall have eternal life. Such a testimony the Scriptures give to Christ and to the Nazarene, and to no other. He who shines in him shall not perish nor be damned. Such a believing man, he may perish as he pleases, his body may be burned to powder and ashes, and the ashes scattered by the wind, or into the
If he be cast into the waters as the ashes of John, or be eaten by the fishes or the birds of the air, yet he shall rise again, and have eternal life, and be and abide with me forever in heaven, as he saith Jn 14:3: "I will come again unto you, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also." Therefore the body of a Christian and believer, the poor maggot's sack, even if it is still buried deep in the earth, should and must come out of the grave and be transformed so that it shines as beautifully as the bright sun and stars; as Christ says Matth. 13, 43: "The righteous shall shine in my Father's kingdom like the sun," and on the last day they will come forth again and rise to an eternal, imperishable life. As we have much more scripture and testimony of this in many sayings.
12 Is this not a great comfort and a rich promise, which Christ promises here? Who would not gladly read the Scriptures and seek Christ in them, that he might find eternal life? All the world should do it. But how it happens, unfortunately, God have mercy, can be seen. He who wants to understand the Scriptures correctly, and to find eternal life, should look for Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Mary, in them; and if he finds him in them, he should believe in him and consider him to be the right and only Redeemer and Beatificator, who can and will give eternal life to all those who believe in him.
Now Moses prophesied of the Lord Christ, and wrote in the fifth book, in the eighteenth chapter, v. 18, thus: "I will raise up unto them a prophet like unto thee from among their brethren, and will put my word in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all things whatsoever I shall command him. This saying, Christ now wants to say, does not go to Moses, does not speak of the prophet Isaiah, nor Jeremiah 2c., but goes straight to me, Christ. And now Moses wants to say this much with this scripture: You dear people of Israel, see, here you have me as a prophet and teacher, who teaches you the law and the ten commandments, from which you learn to know your sin, item, what you should do and what you should not do 2c. This is my
Ministry. But when I shall cease from preaching, and die, God shall give thee another preacher and teacher, born of thy flesh and blood, like unto me. If then God gives you the teacher, you shall hear him, take his word and preaching to heart, and believe. But I am not the same prophet of whom I speak and write; but I testify of him, and give and let you have the book, that ye may study and learn of it, and find him therein, and learn to know him. Now when he comes in his time and begins to preach, to him I will give my mastership. So open your ears and eyes, and read what I write or have written, and listen diligently to him, accept his preaching, and believe in him; for he will give you eternal life.
This is a fine admonition of Moses, that the people should have respect for Christ who would come after him, and when he comes, recognize him as the prophet whom God promised and promised to Adam, Abraham, David, and even to the whole world as Savior. This has also happened. For even though Jesus was a poor beggar, the people considered him to be a prophet, yes, an excellent prophet; as we see in Matth. 21, 11, where they say as they ride into Jerusalem: "It is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth from Galilee.
(15) The miraculous signs are also true, when he straightened the lame, healed the sick, cleansed the lepers, healed the deaf, made the speechless speak, raised the dead, and cast out devils, all of which were otherwise impossible for men to do. In doing so, they should have ever accepted and realized that Christ, who did all these things, was not a bad man, but the true Messiah (for, as Isaiah Cap. 35, 6. says, when the Messiah comes, these shall be his works), yes, the Prophet, whom God promised them to raise from their brethren, from their flesh and blood. Then they should have recognized and accepted him for the right Messiam. But what happens? Yes, even though they saw the miraculous signs that Christ performed, they still remained stubborn and did not accept Christ as the promised prophet and Messiah, yes, they despised him and did not want to hear his word and preaching.
nor accept him, as God had commanded them through Moses. Yes, they finally killed him. Is this not to be pitied, that they have been so blind and hardened?
16 John the Baptist had already entered his ministry and preached to the Jews and the people: "I am not the prophet whom God promised to raise up from among your brethren; I am the last prophet and teacher before Christ, but a forerunner and harbinger of the Messiah and true prophet and teacher; he who comes after me is he. And so pointing to Christ with his finger, he says John 1:26, 29: "Behold, this is the Lamb of God who bears the sin of the world." He is already in your midst, but you do not know him. He will begin to preach in my time and life and preach after my life, hear him. Repent, that is, dear brethren and people, send, hear him, receive him. For he shall make an end of Moses and the law 2c. The Jews heard such a warning from St. John, saw the miraculous signs of Christ many times, but still remained stubborn and did not accept Christ.
(17) For this reason the Jews have no excuse even today. If they did not hear John preach, and did not see Christ perform miraculous signs, their fathers saw and learned that the prophecy of Moses, whom they were to hear, had been fulfilled. They will have to confess all this themselves on the last day, that John showed them the promised prophet and Messiah, that is, Christ, with his finger and preached about him. Item, that Christ himself taught, 1) he is the Messiah, and eternal life 2c. [As he says here in this place, "The Scriptures have declared that I am comfort, salvation and eternal life 2c." (John 17:3). To this end Christ suffered, died, was buried, rose again the third day, ascended into heaven, sent the Holy Spirit, and continues to do so without ceasing. What more should John the Baptist, and Christ himself, do and testify? John points with his finger to Christ, that they may not be absent, and says:
1) Original: gelernet.
He is the one whom God promised to send you. Yes, Christ also points to Himself as if with a finger, when He says, "The Scriptures testify of Me. If the Pharisees and Jews had truly believed and accepted such testimonies, and had considered Christ to be the true Messiah, and had listened to and received his sermon with all seriousness and diligence, they would have had and found eternal life in him and through faith in him. So they remain stubborn and blinded, and neither John nor Christ's testimony of him helps; nor do Christ's mighty, wonderful miracles and wonders help them; everything is too little to move them to believe in Christ. Is it not too pitiful?
18 And if the Jews, Pharisees and scribes, were ever moved to believe in Christ, to accept him, and to consider him the right, true Messiah, that he would walk in the very office, and do the work of which Moses wrote in chapter 18, v. 18, of his 5th book; for thus the same words are: I will give them, says God to Moses, a prophet like you, to him I will put my word in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him 2c. This shall be his office, he shall not be a worldly king and lord, who would come and go about with pikes, spears, armor, guns, horses, and golden cuirass, as they imagined the Messiam to be; but he shall and shall come thus, as a preacher and teacher, as I am now. For as I instruct and teach you, so shall Christ the prophet do when he comes. Then thou shalt give ear, and listen diligently, and learn what he saith unto thee: It is not a matter of getting, but of giving ear. This is what Moses said Christ did. For as soon as he was baptized of John in Jordan, he entered upon his ministry, and began to preach and to do miracles. Then all the world, high and low, great and small, rich and poor, should have come to hear the preacher as the promised Messiah and Christ. Then they turn around, become enemies with him, can neither see him nor want to hear him, are annoyed by his poor, small stature, that he is not a man.
had no house and castle of his own, had to take handouts from others, and rode in on a donkey on Palm Day 2c.
19. the Jews did not want to have such a man and Messiah, who walked and rode along in such a bad and simple way and had nothing of his own; but they wanted to have such a man, who would come with great splendor, horsemen and cuirassiers, that everything would clatter and crash before him and behind him, and who would exterminate the Gentiles 2c. But God did not promise them such a man and prophet; neither did Moses paint and describe him in such a way that Messiah should be a worldly king and lord, but a preacher and teacher like him. Such a worldly Messiah the Jews would gladly have at this hour, who would come with many thousands of men: yes, they have waited for such a one, who would subdue, drive out and exterminate the Gentiles [and] Turks, now to the fifteen hundred years; but in vain, and will wait and hope in vain, nothing will come of it 1). The promised Messiah has long since come, and has fulfilled his ministry, for which the Father sent him into this world. Blessed is he that believeth on him, and shall live for ever: but cursed and damned for ever is he that believeth not on him, as Jews, as Turks 2c.
Thus Moses describes the prophet and Messiah. This is also the case that 2) Christ here speaks of his divinity, and yet is a true man. For the giving and giving of eternal life does not belong to any creature, but to God alone. For even if all the angels in heaven were to work together to give me and preserve this transitory life for a few hours, they could not and would not be able to do so; much less would they be able to give and bestow eternal life. But Christ says [John 6:40]: I can give eternal life to all those who believe in me.
(21) Since Christ does this, it is certain and follows that he is true God and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary. For the Scriptures attribute to Christ true divinity and humanity.
1) Original: not.
2) Erlanger: the.
Christ says John 14:6: "I am the way, the truth and the life." Item soon before the text [v. 1.], "If ye believe in God, believe also in me," that is, if ye believe that my Father can give you eternal life, believe that I also can give you eternal life; for I and the Father are One God. What therefore the Father does, that can I also do; and as the Father raiseth up the dead, and maketh them alive; so also I, being the Son of God, maketh alive whom I will 2c. [Joh. 5, 21.] So John has depicted Christ in all lines, that he is true man and God 2c. And whoever finds this in the Scriptures, the Scriptures are rightly opened to him.
22 Christ says to the Pharisees and Jews, "I am the same prophet and teacher Moses wrote about and preached about, who is to preach to the people after him. Now I do not preach alone like Moses, Samuel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel and other prophets and teachers; as you see and hear. I also do miraculous works, which Messiah should do when he comes, of which Isaiah proclaimed long ago Cap. 35, 6. I make the blind see, the lame walk, the deaf hear 2c. Yes, I have power and authority over all these things, as the true God, so that I can give eternal life and blessedness to all those who hear me, accept my words and preaching and believe. How do you like that? No prophet anywhere has not been able to do this 3). They alone have diligently and faithfully performed their ministry, but with preaching. And even though much of their preaching and words were believed, they were not able to give them eternal life by themselves or by their own power, because they were not God, like Christ. Now when I want to read David, that is, the Psalter, as one that testifies of Christ, and look at it rightly, I find Christ in it.
23. but all the prophets, Moses, David, 2c. taught thus, I am evil a preacher of Christ, to testify of him, and to teach that he shall come 2c. But I cannot give eternal life to anyone; but Christ can,
3) Original: assets.
When he comes, he will do it. Therefore I will (they have all said and taught) give glory to Christ, and ascribe these things to his divine omnipotence and majesty, and fall under him, and take off the biretta, and give way to him; for he is the Master, we are the disciples; I will say and confess that he alone is the Savior and Beatifier of the whole world, who can and will give eternal life to all those who believe in him 2c. This has been the testimony and confession of Christ by all the prophets, Moses, David, and Jesus 2c.
(24) The Mahomet or Turk testifies and believes differently about Christ, saying, "The Christians believe in Christ crucified, and hold that he is the one who gives eternal life to those who believe in him; but I do not believe and hold this. And yet the Turk comes so far and so far away that he confesses that Christ is a prophet, has a virgin for a mother; item, he has done many miraculous works, and preached 2c. But this he cannot and will not believe, nor accept, that Christ, the Son of Mary, who performed many miracles and wonders, made the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers clean, and raised the dead, and preached, is a true, natural God, and can give eternal life to all those who believe in him. Why does the Turk not believe all this about Christ? Because he has read in the New Testament how Christ was such a poor man before the world, who had not so much as to lay down his head. He was so poor that he could not lay down his head. He had to feed and receive himself from the help of devout Christians because he was in the preaching ministry. Item, who was so poor that he was not able to give half a florin 1) for the interest penny 2c., Matth. 17, 27. And because Christ was such a poor beggar, he does not want to believe that the poor beggar, Christ, is true God and can give eternal life, because he is too poor and powerless for that 2c.
(25) Just as the Turk believes, so does the pope with all his multitude. The pope, bishops, cardinals, papal kings, princes and lords 2c., know very well that
1) In the original: Floren.
our doctrine, which we preach by the grace of God, is right, the truth and the gospel. But because it has not been preached by high people, such as the pope, cardinals or other high men, they do not want to accept and believe it. And so the pope, like the Turk, does not want to let Christ be true God and eternal life; but the works, as pilgrimages, praying rosaries; item, letting oneself be buried in a gray cap, and other imaginary works more, shall be the reconciliation against God and eternal life 2c. Leads us into purgatory; not that we shall be saved, but that he only buys much money out of it. Against the faith of the Turk, the Pabst, and all the Papists, Christ our Lord says in the text straight thus: Search the Scriptures, and study them diligently, and therein ye shall find that I, I am eternal life; and not the works of the law, nor the chosen works of the Pabst, the rat-king and duck-Christ of Rome. Faith in me alone gives eternal life. But works shall follow those who have obtained eternal life by faith, and so shall adorn and decorate the life with good works.
For we Christians already have eternal life, because we have the Lord, who is and gives eternal life. For as soon as I am baptized, eternal life is promised and given to me in baptism; for Christ says in Marci 16:16, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and shall have eternal life; lacking only that eternal life should yet be manifested, which shall be at the last day. This is a great thing.
27 Therefore, saith Christ, in the scripture is life eternal. You Pharisees and scribes will not go there; you will not come to me that you might have eternal life. If you would come to me, you would have eternal life. But because you do not come to me, you also have to do without eternal life; that is terrible. So we learn and hear from the words of Christ that whoever comes to Christ, that is, believes in him, shall have eternal life. Whoever then would like to be blessed, let him come to Christ, and
believe in him, and he shall obtain and have these things. So then we have heard that Christ is not only true man, who suffered, died, rose again and ascended into heaven, but that he is also true God; and for this reason he died, suffered and went to hell, so that all who believe in him may have eternal life, and those who do not believe in him may be condemned.
28) The text that is written here [v. 43]: "I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; if another comes in his own name, you will accept him", 1) the Turk also has it in his book, and has thus falsified it and interpreted it as follows: Christ says that another will come after him; then you hear that Christ himself confesses that he is not the prophet and teacher of whom Moses [5. Book, Cap. 18, 18.], but the same will come after him first. The same, says Mahomet, I am: therefore you shall hear me, accept me for the Messiah and true prophet. This is and is called the right forgery of the Scriptures, and with such forgery and wrong interpretation of the Scriptures he has made the country and the people dependent on him, so that they have believed him, and thus have been deceived; Christ says that he has come in his Father's name; nor do they take him for a prophet.
1) In the original: "so another will come in his name"; the following words are missing.
they nevertheless do not accept him; but there will 2) come another, as the Mahomet and Pabst 2c., in their own name, without command and mission of the heavenly Father, you will accept him; as then happened. I mean, they accepted the Mahomet; but he came in the devil's name, that's why he did such murderous damage by his seductive devilish teaching, and still does, God have mercy!
29. So also the pope did not come in God's name, but in the name of the wicked devil, who sent him; who wanted to be accepted and considered as a god, as happened; who also did great harm by his devilish, antichristian teachings and commandments, and led many countless souls into the abyss of hell, for which God will certainly reward both, 3) Mahomet and the pope, with eternal hellish fire: Yes, their God, the devil who sent them, in whose name they came, will roast them in the eternal hellish fire. More about this at a later time, is now too long. But God grant us His grace, that we may study the Holy Scriptures well and diligently, and find Christ in them, and through Him have eternal life. May God help us with grace, amen.
2) Erlanger: will.
3) Original: both.