Delivered on the Sunday of Judica, April 3, 1530, at Wittenberg.
Translated from the Latin.
There are many and glorious fine pieces in this gospel. Therefore let us speak of this [v. 51.], "If any man hear my word, he shall not see death for ever." Let us grasp this, for [there] is power in it, [that you] get your hearts accustomed, that [they] cleave to the word, and that outwardly, and not take in thoughts, 2) as if they came from heaven; so that you will know nothing else in these things pertaining to salvation, but the word, even another God. Here he says [v. 52.], "He shall not taste [death]," 2c.; he who does otherwise shall not see life. For if anyone lets the word go and does not persevere, Satan is there, bringing such subtle thoughts that the heart (conscientia) falls away [from GOtte]. We can see this in the enthusiasts and the mobs, who bring in more and more misfortune every day. They lack nothing but to be wise and to act in such a way the cause of faith according to their thoughts, and yet they cannot suffer the Word. It is frightening that one has to hear such things from wise people. One says: Baptism is water. He goes along with such thoughts: How can water baptize the soul? One can baptize the hands [with it].
2) Original: einlas.
wash and drink [it] 3). These are beautiful thoughts. Immediately reason agrees with them; then one falls down with heaps. [The defect is that they do not remain in the word, but are drowned 4) in their thoughts. So it is with the sacrament for the enthusiasts. It will be the same for others. Even if it is preached to them, said to them, and put before their eyes, they do not hear. That is also stated here. Does not the whole world agree with the Jews, [who say:] You say: He who keeps my word [will not see death forever?] Fie on you! 5) Reason says: Abraham died a thousand [years] ago, and the prophets, and you say: who [will keep my word] 2c. Who should not here approve the word of the Jews sand judge that it would be better than this [word of Christ]? For if one should choose a word [from these two, one would certainly choose] that which the Jews v. 53. 1 [speak] of Abraham and the prophets. 6) So [it goes also] in other pieces.
3) Gap in the manuscript.
4) Instead of: H6 kudErki in the text we have assumed 86<1 8udinsrsl suiit.
5) Buchwald wrong: "wolan". Cf. Walch, St. Louis Edition, vol. XX, 2397 8. v. "mal an".
The Jews cannot grasp this word of Christ, "He shall not taste [death] forever." Christ says in many words: I seek not mine honor, I speak not for mine own sake. But [reason justifies the Jews, saying,] I know that Abraham died, and the prophets; and thou sayest [:If any man keep my word, he shall not see death for ever]. This is written to us for a frightening example, especially to the enthusiasts who allow themselves to be closed by beautiful thoughts and do not trust God's words more than [their] thoughts. But this is said as a blasphemy: You hold the devil and are a Samaritan, and we are right. Would to God that this could be inculcated in the frivolous, foolish people who cause misfortune all over the world. Surely the Jews hold [beautiful thoughts. [This is written so that] we might say: Those have erred with such pretty thoughts. Christ saith, Abraham and the prophets are not dead, because they had my word, and [Abraham] rejoiced that he had seen [my day]. [Christ] wants to confirm his word that he who has [his word] does not die, and introduces Abraham as an example. Their thoughts admittedly belong to dropping the word and basing themselves on their wisdom. Those must not be fools who sow error in the church, but by their wisdom all hearts must be convicted. Reason must say: Abraham is dead. He speaks as a fool. He is a man of thirty years and says that he saw Abraham. Take hold of the word, then, and do not look at it to see how masterfully it can be set against it, and how true it appears to reason. One must not believe reason, but the word of God. And this is what you must do, not only when the devotees come, but also in the temptations that you have for your own person alone, that you feel no peace, no righteousness, no desire for God's word. You feel this in your flesh and blood, and no one can convince you that you do not feel it. If you judge by how you feel, then it is done for you. It is surely a great thing that I accept (sentire) something contrary to my
Feeling. The Jews were firmly convinced and quite sure that it was a lie that Christ said: "Before Abraham came I am. Now therefore, when thou art in danger, whether it be spiritual or bodily, hear what Christ saith:. He that believeth on me 2c., that [thou] judge not [according to] how thou feelest. Your heart is evil, your thoughts are lying, but this word is true: "If any man keep my word," 2c. This is the main thing in this gospel, that you learn to hold the word in honor and insist on it; it wants much temptation and experience. The devil can bring one into despair from a sin that is the size of a poppy seed; this is because man wants to judge by what he feels. If we could see all our sins, they would not be a poppy seed, but big rocks, mountains. Therefore, it is impossible that we should take [any] comfort if we fix our eyes on our sins. Therefore we must close our eyes, and cleave to the word, "If any man keep my word." [One must] ground oneself against feelings and thoughts, and hold fast to the word; and do not let the fanatics, who follow their own wisdom. This way, as Christ teaches, is the way to life, [all] others to death.
Now the time of the Reichstag has come. I have asked you [already] and I ask again that you take the matter with great seriousness. We must pray, as you know, because on the other side there are few who pray, or if they pray, [nothing else comes of it] but greater harm. But we must pray for two things. First, that this Reichstag may go away, knowing that they are trying to hinder it. Satan is up to a lot of evil, which cannot be controlled if the Diet does not continue. Therefore, we must thank and praise God [that the Diet has been proclaimed, and ask] that it proceed. Whether God wills it or not, they will not accomplish it with defiance. The beginning is good, therefore I fear that it will be prevented. Therefore, one must thank God that He has put it into the Emperor's mind, [and ask God that] [the Emperor] also act in such a way as
he promises, and that the plots of the godless princes will be foiled. [This will happen,] if we pray: Thy will be done, and grant that the plots of the ungodly in the Diet [do not succeed] 2c. Secondly, we must pray, when he departs, that the princes may decide that which is for spiritual and physical peace. We see the ungodliness of men. Great is the persecution of men, blasphemy, bloodshed. We are ungrateful. GOD has given us the spiritual goods and the delicious (optimum) gift, peace, as abundantly as He hardly gave it so superfluously in the time of the apostles. But how much it is abused! Therefore our exceedingly grievous sins would have well deserved that the Diet should be prevented, or yet that nothing good should be decided, even if it assembled. Therefore we must pray that God will not look upon the blasphemies of the adversaries, nor upon our sins, but upon His mercy. For if they lift it up with defiance, they will not bring it out. Recognize that though you would have deserved punishment, yet God will not look upon our sins, but upon His mercy. For if we succumb, His name will be blasphemed by the zealots, then [calamity will also come upon us] by wars. Let this be my exhortation: In the meantime, go gladly to church, and help
who sing litanies. Don't throw it to the wind; the Reichstag concerns us all. When war comes, and the warriors, we will be well aware of it. And [we] owe it to ourselves to take care of our neighbor's need, since we see that there will be great obstacles, so that the devils will surely run from one prince's court to another. While we are present here in the flesh, let us send our prayers there. If anything good comes from it, and we have been involved in it, the benefit will come back to us. Therefore, let each one of us believe that the Diet has been proclaimed for his sake.
On the same day, Sunday, April 3, 1530, Luther, Melanchthon and Jonas left Wittenberg to join the Elector from Torgau. On the onward journey to Coburg, a longer stop was made in Weimar, during which Luther, as Seckendorf, Hist. Luth., lib. II, p. 152, reports, he preached several times during Charwoche. He then preached on Maundy Thursday, April 14, at Gräfenthal Castle in the Thuringian Forest. On April 15, the Elector's train arrived in Coburg, and on the following day, the evening before Easter, Luther preached his first sermon in Coburg.