held at Coburg on Easter Wednesday, April 20, 1530.
In this gospel, dear friends, let us take two pieces before us and say a little about them. The first is about the appearance of Christ and the confirmation of his resurrection, the other about the ministry of Peter. 1) For this is not to be done, that one should preach and preach the things which are established for the service of God, but that one should draw them together, so that they may be of use to each one for his state and life.
The fact that the dear apostle describes in so many words how Peter said to the others that he wanted to go fishing, and the others that they wanted to fish with him, and how they caught nothing all night, seems to be unnecessary and futile talk, as the wise men of the world talk about it, who know all things better than our Lord God. We, however, consider such a writing necessary and learn from it that God does not abolish or break what honesty and commerce are now and then in the world, as the monks taught before and now our rats teach that one cannot be godly.
1) Added by us. What else is written in square brackets in this sermon has been added by us.
one should not use all kinds of clothing, but walk in a gray skirt, look sour, not talk much 2c. Well, if such texts as this one had been practiced and taught correctly, such foolishness would not have arisen. Christ could have said to his disciples: "I have risen from the dead, and now you are going to fish. You have to go around and do something new. But he does not do it, but leaves politiam and oeconomiam, that is, what belongs to government and housekeeping, which he does not tear apart by the gospel. Therefore you must not run away from wife and child, house and farm, field and meadow, for the sake of the gospel; always keep at it, you can still be a Christian.
St. Peter nevertheless remains an apostle in the highest service that there may be, and his craft, which belongs to his house, does him no harm. He seeks his food, as before; why that? Because Christ does not set up his kingdom in such a way as to hinder other worldly orders, as the mobs pretend. He does not punish them for fishing. O, he allows it to happen, and not
*This sermon is found with a wrong date in our edition, vol. XII, 1574, according to the text of Güttel's manuscript. The text given in the Zwickau manuscript is significantly better, therefore we share it here.
He confirms such work and deeds with his blessing, praises and honors them so that he gives him fish to the full. If it had been against him, or otherwise not good, he would have taken a different attitude.
I like to preach about such texts in this way. For though we have heard it well and often, yet when it comes to pass, no one knows it. Let every man therefore draw up such a heart that he may speak: Well then, I have two natures about me. I can be a Christian, and besides that I can also do my trade, nourish my wife and children, and take care of them like another. I do not want to take the holiness of all monks for that. 1) Now that is a fine assurance, that you walk along like another citizen, and yet you are a Christian beside him.
Such an example is written in vitis patrum [from the time], when the monks had already torn down. 2) St. Anthony saw a face at once, and made himself believe that he was very holy. He lived in a forest far from the people, did not eat and drink like other people, lay at prayer all day long and led a very strict and holy life. Then he asked our Lord God in his face to let him know how holy he was, thinking that he wanted to have a chair next to St. Peter in heaven. Then he heard a voice from heaven telling him that he was as pious and good as a tanner or shoemaker in Alexandria. It is a good example that Anthony, who lay in the desert, chastised and tortured himself, and was holier than any man on earth, if he now comes before the court, he is still not as good as a poor cobbler, who does not even look it. Let someone say, "If I don't have more of this hard life, let the devil become a monk," but not me.
Such an example is also inside of Paphnutio. He would also have liked to know how pious he was. He was told by two married women that they were as pious as he was. That may be a disagreeable bargain. What happened? Dear Paphnutius
1) Buchwald: to take.
2) For this story, compare Walch, St. Louis Edition, vol. I, 1436 f.
Asked the same women. When he came to them, he asked them for God's sake to tell him what they were doing and what they were dealing with. Then the wives answered and said: We are married women and must do what we can in the house, wait on the children, work, eat and drink, sleep. So Paphnutius also had his verdict. If it will happen on the last day, as it will certainly happen, that a monk will come rolling along with a plate shaved to his ears, and a poor servant will also come along and say: I am a householder, have been a cobbler, a tailor, have waited on my handiwork, have fed my wife and child, then 3) he will still come forth with his little works, and the monk will be thrown into hell. This will be a strange game. But it does not go into the world.
So I say again that such a man should lift up his hands, so that he would be in such a state that pleases God. Then it would also be found that our dear Lord God would give his grace and blessing to it. So also a servant, how could he be more blessed? If he is faithful and obedient, he is a living saint, yet so far from believing in Christ. The little works, such as keeping the horses, knowing the stable, wiping the shoes, sweeping the parlors, and heating the fire, are pearls and precious things, better than the life of any Carthusian, so that one should thank God his Lord from the heart and with joy, that he should only do the works. So also a maid. How could she be more blessed? She could walk along in leaps and bounds if she could only think that: I want to serve diligently, so I have lived in a delicious state.
The consolation should make us 5) our life and state finely lovely. For, as I have said, it is all true. But we are the ones who do not believe it. A servant cannot believe that he is in such a fine life. That is why it is all reversed. The servant is master, the master is servant, the maidservant is wife, the wife
3) "so" set by us instead of: us.
4) "the" omitted by us.
5) "in" omitted by us.
Maid. That is what the treacherous unbelief does, otherwise they would reconcile themselves (with their status) and say: Is it true that my status pleases God and all his angels, why then would I desperate wicked man not be diligent in it and wait faithfully for it? If I should misuse it, I would before that the ravens devour me. So it would also come 1) that also our Lord God would give you happiness and blessing, if you once became your own master and sat down at home. That means then here in the Evangelio "fish" (piscari).
What I say now of servants and maids, masters and wives, I say also of you noblemen at court. Every man shall think how he may do his duty. You are a councillor and a faithful servant, 2) so only take care that it does not turn into unrighteousness and disloyalty. One can also serve a prince well, so that it pleases our Lord God. But we are such fellows, and think that we serve the prince because we wash the wine cellar 3) and clear the grain floor. That may well be called faithful. And indeed you also keep such a house that thunder might almost strike once. Everyone thinks: Into my sack, into my sack. Well, then, the devil help thee, that thou too mayest be full one day. Rather, if we acted right, we would still become rich. God would give you more than you thought. But it does not help. No one sees it nor believes it. Thinking badly, when the Lord is sucked dry, I can come to another and suck him dry too. Shall not the lowest go to the highest? We have so many rich promises that it is a shame not to believe them. In addition, we see here in the example of St. Peter that God takes pleasure in a faithful servant and counselor, but it does not help. How should one do to him? If a man does not look upon his good estate and wants to wait out his wickedness, he will always go to the devil; who can keep him?
1) Lier we have omitted "his".
2) The title of a council. - This passage shows that the Elector and his retinue were still present in Coburg. Only on April 23rd he left from Coburg to Augsburg. (Köstlin, Mart. Luther, Vol. II, 198.)
3) i.e. plunder.
This is now a piece that worldly positions and offices are pleasing to God, if one only acts with faithfulness and love. The secular trade is also confirmed and permitted here. Of course, St. Peter will have sold some of the fish. Thus one can buy and sell with a good conscience, this and another office, in which you are set, if one would only be so pious that one would look at the text.
On the other hand, we must also see the blessing. They fish all night and catch nothing. But as soon as the word of the Lord is heard, there is a multitude. Then we see from where we shall get rich. By unfaithfulness and wickedness one does not become rich, and yet everyone wants to become rich by it. Therefore the 4) greater the master, the greater the thief at court. But it does not help you. It shall be the blessing of our Lord God that we thus learn, when you do what you are commanded to do, that it may please God. Nevertheless, he does not want to make you rich through such work, as we see every day in experience. I have seen many who were very rich, and yet in the end became beggars. So you can find many of them who work day and night, and yet can bring nothing before them. Another one takes it well of the time, to whom it flows frequently immediately in the sleep. Our Lord God does all this to teach us where we get what we have. He wants us to work and yet shows us that our work cannot be done. A farmer would have to plow long and hoe in the vineyard, so that the earth would yield grain and wine. It cannot be otherwise, God must say: I will give the grain the blessing; only go home when you have done your work and sleep. The farmer goes home and lies down behind the stove and does nothing about it, and our Lord God takes care of it and says: "Well, you dear farmer, you have done your work, so I must now do mine as well. Only then will grain and wine grow.
So here, too, he lets them fish, but nothing comes of it. But as soon as he gives his word
4) Buchwald asked "ihe" to be read into "ibr" and offers: "their great lord, their great thief" 2c. We have changed according to Walch, St. Louis Edition, Vol. XII, 1578, § " - The spelling: "Ihe" occurs several times in this sermon.
They saw so many fish that they had to confess that they had not succeeded with their work. So it is still happening today. It is only because we do not see it. The fish are made in the net, so that one thinks the water has become fish, as it is also written in Genesis. And when he said, Ye waters yield fishes, they soon began to swarm and to grumble with 1) fishes. So still bread and wine grow out of the earth and out of the stones, as if a cock were stuck 2) in the pillar there and wine ran out. Cause: If I throw the earth around a hundred times and a hundred times, I would not find a drop of wine, and yet wine comes out. It is the same with the grain; the stalk grows out of the sand as if someone poured it out of the wall.
But all this is so that we may learn that we should work, and yet know that our work does not do it. Let us only not deal with it wrongly. If it goes sour, well, it does no harm. He wants to give us pleasure, as a Psalm says, and he is the one who is called Nisi Dominus, who says: "It is in vain for you to get up early, and to avoid sitting down, and to eat the hard bread, for to whom he gives it, he gives it sleeping." They are not allowed to provide for it, but they sleep and still get it. He does not forbid work, it must be included. He forbids the delusion that we should not think: The more I work, the more I will have. Then work would be a hope and unbelief, as if I wanted to work for it. Awe yes, the honor should be given to us! You will not be able to make fish from your water, nor wine, nor grain from the earth; you are not commanded to do such work. It is commanded thee to plow, and to hoe in the vineyard. He will give it to those who are faithful in their work, and to them he will give it in sleep.
But the work cannot be the same. Every man has his humble work.
1) Original: for,
2) From this one sees that Vol. XII, 1578, § 7, Z. 8 v. o. should be read: for out of the stone pillar, if you put a spigot to it."
3) Original: wils.
A woman eats her bread in the sweat 2c., if she nurses the child, cooks, rules the house, even if she does not hew in the vineyard; whom" it is only a work. So at court there is work enough. Therefore remember, you councilor, that you are not too pants to drink wine 2c. If you are a chancellor, a scribe, a magistrate, do what is due to you willingly and faithfully, and you will enjoy it. I know well that they do not like to hear such things; but who wants it or can leave it undisclosed? But if one tells them the truth in this way, they may well say: The priests want to take hold of their regiment again. Dear, I do not want your regiment at all, yet I may well tell a boy what he is doing, and I am not afraid of you at all. I have neither to punish you nor to command you. I say it badly; if no one wants to accept it, let it be.
That is enough about the first piece, namely about St. Peter's fish. 5) But my friends, this is why I wanted you to learn from this that each one should wait faithfully and with joy in his position. For it is no small comfort that one can say: Well then, I know that I am in such a state that pleases God. Nor do I know any other consolation for myself, except that I am sure that I should pray, write and preach, and I am sure and know that it is pleasing to God. Therefore he also gives me grace and happiness for it. So every man in his position could be of good courage, and he would go out of it quickly. But if you do not want to do it, then always go. You will probably find it in the sweepings, and that is all I will say about it this time.
Now let us turn to the other part about the resurrection and appearance of Christ. It was very necessary that Christ appeared often, and St. John wanted to describe such appearances, not for his sake alone, but rather for our sake, so that the article would become firm and certain. For
4) Original: "one" instead of "eim" i.e. one.
5) i.e., fish train. We consider it necessary to make this trivial remark because this sermon in Buchwald bears the superscription: "Von den fischen" instead of: Von dem Fischen.
It is a secret and high article, which is to accomplish and do much. For this reason it must be kept safe, as Lucas also writes that it was with the disciples for forty days. Therefore he is not easy to believe. For if you cannot believe that you are a servant, master, maidservant, wife, how much less will you be able to grasp and believe this article, for it is the very article that was supposed to do it, that was supposed to overthrow and uproot the Jewish kingdom, which stood so firm that they thought it was not possible that it should crumble, and had 1) God's promises for it, which strengthened them 2) in it. Until at last, when he who was God himself came and said, "It shall stand no more," it fell away as it still lies.
Since he had done this in Judaism, he also had to rumble around in the world until he threw the other kingdoms among themselves, so that Christ alone would remain King and Lord.
Item, also the whole scripture was to be fulfilled and opened by this article. After this, he also had to execute the right pieces, so that he would condemn sin and justify the sinners who are now and then in all the world. These are vain works, which cannot be comprehended by reason, but must be believed alone.
Finally, for the sake of the article, the world, heaven and earth, must be melted into one heap, so that the resurrection may be such a work, which throws everything around, so that it is all gathered into one piece, as St. Paul also speaks of it: He who has Christ has all things. Therefore also a Christian can see and judge all things, all states and things; there is no wisdom so great that must not be judged by him. Sin, righteousness, death, life, and in sum, all things that are everywhere, are subject to Christ. Cause: He has the one to whom all things are subject, [all] that is in heaven and on earth. All things are included in the man Christ, as David also says in the 2nd Psalm: "Cry out to me," he says, "and I will give you the nations for an inheritance.
1) Original: hetten.
2) Original: varan.
give and the world end to the Eigenthum." Quickly he reaches in and does not speak differently of the world, as I would like to speak of a mourning, 3) so that the children are quick on the gaff. After that he also reaches in among the kings and says, "Be wise therefore, ye kings, and be chastened, ye judges of the earth." This must be a mighty Lord who may say: Ye kings of the earth, none excepted, ye are fools. He speaks to them in a moment, as I would speak to the disciples in the choir, and yet he is not satisfied with this, but he also urges them and says: "Kiss the Son, so that he will not be angry, and you will perish on the way. Pay homage to him" 2c. So he gives it to the man Christo even home; what he says to you, he says, that 5) halle yourselves and do it. But if you will not, then his wrath will soon burn. That is to say, he is defiant and forbearing; 6) if we will not hear him, he will hurl the kingdoms to and fro, as we see that he is now doing through the Turk.
That it depends on the man; and (we) are sure that if we remain attached to him, we must not worry about anything. God grant that the Turk, the Pope, the Emperor, sin, death, the devil and hell, and all misfortune be angry with him. For it is written in the 2nd Psalm: "O kings, hear"; if you do not hear, then you have your judgment, that you shall perish shamefully. What do I care if the pope is angry for a long time, or anyone else to whom I speak the truth? If they do not want to be merciful to me, they are still angry; I do not give much to a small lord. So a Christian can defy and comfort himself in the 7) body and life; and (if) the pope banishes me immediately because of this, that they should give me neither food nor drink, then my Christ says: Well, then I must order him (the) kitchen 8); he shall not give me therefore hun-
3) Keulichen - small balls. Cf. 1 Kings 7, 41. According to this, in the other review of this sermon, 1. 6. Col. 1579, § 9 must be read: "just as the little children handle the balls."
4) Original: let.
5) Original: the.
6) Original: getrawet.
7) Buchwald read wrong: "year".
8) Original: "cake". In the other redaction this is correctly resolved with "kitchen".
And if the whole world will not give him anything, he shall die. So now, dear friends, we have heard that we should not destroy the commonwealth, but wait for each one to do his thing, but first remember to learn Christ well.
that he is a Savior and also a Lord over all that floats and lives. That is enough for this time.
1) Instead of "floats" according to Apost. 17, 28, we would like to read "weaves".