delivered on the 18th Sunday after Trinity, October 16, 1530, at Wittenberg.)
Translated from the Latin.
This is a rich gospel, of which much could be said etc. We want to see 1) what the Lord Christ holds up to us here, 1. from the law, 2. from Christ.
1. what he teaches of the law he divides into three parts, namely, that he answers the scribe who tempts him, and says about the law and the custom of the law [first] [v. 37.], "You shall love God" etc. Second [v. 39.], that the other is like it etc. Thirdly [v. 40.], that in these two commandments etc. Of the commandments you have often heard in the catechism, and know what [that] is said, Thou shalt love God and thy neighbor, therefore I will not say much about it now etc. It is true that if a master does good to someone, the one who receives the good will love him. If he does good to the servant, the servant thanks him. This is a worldly love, but this is the right art, that one should love God with all his heart and his neighbor as himself. No one can do this unless the Holy Spirit
1) Instead of vidernus we have assumed videamus.
Nature and flesh cannot do it etc. As soon as it is preached what God has done, men and the devil run over us, here art and help are lost; then also the temptation arises, from where one will take what belongs to the need and nourishment of the body and life (ibi tentatio victus), because Paul says 1 Cor. 4, 9: "We are a spectacle of the world. And whoever wants to go to God [(and serve Him must be prepared for all kinds of temptation and suffering], 2) for the world cannot stand it, and the devil does not rest, diligently seeing where he can find a loophole that he may shoot his arrows (into it) etc. (Eph. 6, 16.) To live in such adversity etc. and yet to love God, and to endure it, that is the right love and the noblest commandment; and if this is kept, the others will be kept also. So it is also when one comes to love one's neighbor etc. It is no art that
2) This sentence is called in the original: "Lt vult go to GOtt, Leel. 7. ea. 2. huia rnundus" etc. It may perhaps mean Sirach 2, 1. "My child, if you want to be God's servant, send yourself to contest."
*This determination of time and place results with certainty from a letter of the Wittenberg town clerk Urban Balduin to the Zwickau town clerk Stephan Roth, dated October 18, 1530, in which he writes: "Doctor Martin preached again on Sunday morning. This letter is included in Kolde's Analecta Luthe- rana, p. 155, and in Buchwald's present sermon collection, p. 40, note. It contains a detailed report about what Luther said in the last part of our sermon about the Reichstag. Seckendorf, List. ImtU., lid. II, x. 201 (9), and De Wette, vol. IV, p. VI, relocates this sermon to Torgau. Also Köstlin, Martin Luther (3rd ed.), vol. 2, p. 250, has this error in the text, but has corrected it I. e. p. 659.
a young man loves a beautiful girl, and again; the pagans also have this love. This is half a heart, yes, a false one. But if the wisest, holiest, most powerful and best people on earth, 1) who are our friends, plague us, and false brothers, as nowadays, who can love the neighbor? That would be 'a Christian love, but it is not found in flesh and blood. I would like to be so loved that I would be forgiven if I had done something evil, but that I should do so against another etc. [there becomes nothing out of]. I see that he is poisonous to me, and yet I should know nothing about it, but always continue and love. And this is love toward one's neighbor, and the Lord counts it equal to the first commandment. For often have you heard that our art, which we have taught, consists in this, that we need know nothing of Christ but the word alone; not like the monks, who said: If I live this way or that way etc. Then a monk immediately imagines a God in his heart, and as he has imagined him, so he shall be etc. That means climbed up to heaven. Nay, leave off climbing and groping, and hear where he hints us with his word; without his word is vain image. Listen to what he says: "If you love me, you have your neighbor here; do good to him, and you will have fulfilled the first commandment. We have everything from him, even the smallest hair; what then can we do to him? Therefore we should not climb high, but stay down. But what shall we do? Love your neighbor as yourself. And this second is like the first. Everyone knows this teaching, but behind them, as the peasants carry the spears. He who has heard it once knows it immediately. Nothing is lacking in this teaching but that it is so easy. When you hear this teaching, think: Let us rhyme this teaching with our lives. And when you sit in your closet, contemplate it. I hear it, but when do I do it? Where is an example in our life? It would be good if it were painted on all walls etc. Enough has been said, but everyone is satisfied that he has heard it. It
1) Instead of viri avaiei in terris we have adopted viri in tsrris, snnoi.
2) Original: fel.
want [to be] drawn into life, not hovering on the tongue. See how often you have loved your neighbor more than yourself. How should you find such a thin register here! You see the opposite: [You] talk as if your neighbor does not concern you. So one day after another goes by, and "you" know much to speak of Christian doctrine etc. It should be so that each one examines his life, then he would realize that where he had done once according to this commandment, he had done contrary ten times etc. The third part [v. 40]: "In these two commandments" etc. It is not very difficult for us to love when we put something on ourselves, as there are those exceedingly heavy works, that some went to St. Jacob in armor etc. There he reaches into the laws, pulls it over this last, that they should send themselves on love. All the commandments he casteth under them, and saith that love shall go before, and love 3) shall abide. When David was hungry and came to the priest Ahimelech 4) (1 Sam. 21, 3. ff.), and there was no other bread than (the holy) etc., David said: Just give it to me etc., and received the bread, of which no one was allowed to eat (except the priests), and ate it, although it was only the priests' duty to eat it. David passed through freely and did not feel conscience about it: How befitting is this? If love is to have a continuance, then the laws troll themselves. For there is love, that David provides for his body and for the body of others. There love has pronounced a judgment: These shall eat. Thus I love myself: if I hunger, I eat; so must I do to another. In all Christendom there has not been one bishop who could have directed these laws, but they have made one law over another. But it is said: A householder shall be faithful and wise, that he may so direct the hearts, that, when love requires it, he may make a breach in all the laws. As, in fasting, it should be 5) so that an old man, children, pregnant women etc. should not have fasted, because love requires this, since they are weak. The (fasting of the weak, that) is harmful to your neighbor at his
3) Instead of älleotlonem h-rben we assumed Msotio. 4) Original:
5) Original: sols.
Body. And his body is more precious than the holy bread, even than all the laws of Moses. So Christ wants all the laws to hang in these two [commandments], even if they should all fall to the ground, although he does not outline the law of Moses. He does not say: all laws are nothing, but casts them under love. If [they] are not [according to love], tear [them] etc., for this is not a law that tears love. Therefore, Hiezu belong to faithful and wise servants who direct the consciences [rightly]. Certainly laws must be, the woman shall? not be man, and again; the maid shall not be mistress, nor the servant master. These distinctions must be kept. Likewise, external order (ritum) must be kept, that the chants (psalmi) be sung, and discipline remain etc., and other orders must be kept. But if a compulsion is made to keep them, whether by the pope or by an assembly (concilio) of princes, they are not to be kept etc. God's commandments are better than these human ones, and yet God subjects them to love.
The second part is that he asks the Jews, who were so learned that they tried him as if he knew nothing at all about their law. On the other hand he asks them a piece of which they think that they know it best. For who should not know it? Do we not read in the Scriptures that Christ came from David? Again he gives them a Latin: "Why then does David in spirit call him a Lord?" For a father does not call his son a Lord. Now he indicates that they do not know what this other [piece] is, neither what worship is, nor what Christ is. So it goes also in the world etc. It is the utmost ingratitude that all want to know this doctrine. 1) There is no book or art in the world that is learned so quickly as theology and the Scriptures. When God has spoken a word, they not only know it, but also become God's masters and interpret His words for themselves etc., and become useless judges, like the rotters. I have often said: I cannot get to the point where I can immediately respond to what Christ says.
1) Instead of votuit we have assumed volnnt.
Be like them. Of course, we can recite the Ten Commandments, the faith, the Lord's Prayer, but after that we should have learned the matter. This question will surely remain until the end of the world: What is Christ? One must (indeed) answer what "the Christian faith" contains, but nevertheless one must always learn from it etc. These people finally become sure spirits and (are) such people that they have learned the Scriptures only for the sake of knowing (something) and wanting to judge others. It is a shameful challenge when 3) someone thinks he knows 4) everything. One must say: These are the words, but I have not yet grasped them 5) as I should. To know Christ (rightly) is something else, 6) which consists in this, that (you believe that) he has borne your sins, and this you shall know in such a way that you will be rid of them. For all gross sins abide in thee. And thou fearest not God, and thinkest [it is enough] that thou mayest speak [of it]? Thou hast grasped nothing of Christ but the husks, but not yet the kernel. You do not yet know how to become hostile to your sins, how to overcome death. Therefore the question remains (in aeternum), what is Christ? He is certainly our Savior, who has delivered us from death, from sin etc. [From whom we have received righteousness, peace, blessedness etc. Now go into thine heart, and ask thyself if thou hast sin, if thou hast peace, then thou shalt see in thee great heaps of sins, (but no peace;) so thou hast not yet rightly known Christ. For if thou findest such sins in thee, and art assured of them, (thou canst not be helped) etc. It is a great mercy if someone is in sins and yet takes them to heart (sentit), but never do [you] take notice of them, never do [you] grieve [over them]. See if you do not fear death and the world, and if you can say with truth: I do not fear the emperor. But if thou findest terror within thee,
2) Original: wil.
3) Original: Piod.
4) Original: sire.
5) Original: "Habs," which can be resolved by both "have it" and "have them."
Hin should probably be read alind.
learn what Christ is. He is the Savior. Where is he? Yes, over a hundred thousand miles. I find that I am a despondent rogue who fears all this. Therefore this is such an art, which is soon preached and enters into the ear etc., but cannot be learned. But from where shall you obtain this, that you may be rid of sins, and obtain righteousness, and be of good cheer, whether the world laugh at you, or Satan rage against you? 1)) It is necessary that you know who and what Christ is. He is not in the corner, not in Rome, but must be closer to you than your own body and soul. If sin is there and bites you, see to it that you do not despair, that afterward you also gain a more secure heart etc.; then you have the kernel, not the husk. 2) That is enough said about this until I get stronger.
I also want to say [something] about the imperial day, for the sake of the drivel. Likewise, that you should also pray more diligently and fervently (vehementius) and give thanks for it [GOtte]. Nothing definite has yet been decided in this Diet, and we cannot yet know what will happen (futurum) etc. Well, there is a finite threat, but they will not attain what they strive for. One sees that they have anxiously labored all summer etc. [and they would have asserted their cause with defiance] if they had been able to drive high. 3) From our side they immediately answered, they [did] not [answer]. This is a sign that their doctrine is uncertain. Therefore, firstly, a final answer has not yet been given, [secondly, we must still wait for the farewell]. 4) It is well argued that all things would be restored to their former state. But whether they can attain it, I do not know etc. However, we have enough that the Lord has fortified us, that we are in the greatest place 5).
1) Original: sivs seontra Katlian.
2) Here we have assumed vov xalearn instead of nupalsava.
3) Original: "si xotuisssvt hoch furen."
4) This addition is set by us after the above-mentioned letter of Balduin.
5) Thus Balduin reproduces the words in suprsrno loeo in the above-mentioned letter.
have confessed our faith. And therefore the best and the worst among them must say that our doctrine is not contrary to any article of faith. For this 6) we give thanks to God; what should we have done if our doctrine had been found evil? etc. I have heard this confession [of the papists] as gladly as if someone had given me a hundred thousand florins. About these are articles concerning canon law, they still hang like this. And yet they admit that many of them are right, but it is not up to us to change them; but if they did, it would be right. Therefore one should wait until they accept it. But we began with all fear and humility. We asked all the clergy to begin the matter themselves. But how they have taken a stand on it, they know etc. They should have said something about it, but furiously [they have opposed it] etc. And still today they fight against it, and still say: One should advise. Who, because, thank God, it has come so far that we have owed obedience to God and the emperor etc. If we have missed it in the outer part [the ceremonies] against the clergy', we want to stand without worry. And as we have commanded the matter to GOtte so far, so also further. He started it, he will also lead it out. They could not blame our doctrine (verbum), only 7) church pomp; that will probably close, and in heaven the ceremonies scold nothing] etc. Thanks be to God, therefore, that he has answered our prayers so powerfully. We must also continue to pray, 8) for the devil wrestles and pushes and seeks many a gap; and I like to see it. He has no right path. With cunning he starts this and that, [and stays with us on the way] just as the angel stays with Balaam on the way. Therefore help 9) the cause with [your] prayers, as you have done.
6) Instead of veo doe, we assumed vs koe.
7) Buchwald: alone.
8) Instead of oranäurn ut we have adopted oranäum [st.
9) Original: helff.
End of the seventh part.