On the Sixteenth Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles.
Held on the 6th or the 7th of June, 1824.
Cap. 16, 1-12.
He came to Derben and Lystram, and behold, there was a disciple there named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman, who was a believer but of a Greek father. He had a good reputation among the brethren, among the Lystrans and in Iconium. Paul wanted to let him go with him, and he took him and circumcised him for the sake of the Jews who were in the same place, because they all knew that his father had been a Greek. And as they passed through the cities, they delivered them to keep the sentence which was decreed by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. Then the common people were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily. As they passed through Phrygia and the land of Galatia, they were multiplied by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. When they came to Mysia, they tried to pass through Bithynia.
travel, and the Spirit did not allow them to do so. And when they were passed over before Mysia, they came down to Troas. And there appeared unto Paul a vision by night, a man of Macedonia, which stood and besought him, saying, Come down into Macedonia, and heal us. When he had seen the vision, we immediately sought to go into Macedonia, knowing that the Lord had called us there to preach the gospel to them. So we departed from Troas, and straightway we came to Samothrace, and the next day to Neapolis. From there we went to Philippi, which is the capital of the country of Macedonia and a free city.
1 This Timothy, as the text says, was a Gentile, from a Gentile father, but from a Jewish mother, whom Paul circumcised. But Titum, who was also his disciple and also a Gentile, he did not want to be circumcised, as he writes Gal. 2, 3. This he does for the weak Jews, that for the stiff-necked and stubborn ones. For if these Jews had been so hardened that one had to keep the law or could not be saved, as some insisted, 1) Apost. 15:2, he would not have circumcised Timothy as he did not want to circumcise Titum, contrary to those who wanted to put the law on their conscience as necessary for salvation. But again, if they had been weak, he would have circumcised Titum also. And because he allows it here, and gives way to the Jews, it is a sure sign that they had not yet heard the gospel enough, and was still too new to them; to them he goes to will, as love demands.
002 As if I were now among the Jews, and should preach the gospel, and saw that they were weak, I would be circumcised, and eat, and abstain as they did. But I would not do this any longer or any other way, except that I might be with them and preach the gospel. For if I did not follow them, I would shut the door on myself and on my gospel. Therefore I would have to put on their ways and say in this way or the like: "It is true that circumcision was instituted by God, and was good and right; but we have a doctrine of Christ that nothing more is necessary for salvation than faith in the Savior, and circumcision does nothing to make it valid before God in the conscience. 2c. Now that they have been so instructed for a while that they could well grasp it, and still want to 2) wait for the circumcision, they are to be saved.
1) The Wittenbergers: drungen. Jenaer: drringen. Erlanger: "waren" instead of: darauf drangen.
2) Wittenberger: also.
If I were to say, "Goodbye," because that would be too close to the gospel and faith, and not to suffer; whoever wanted to believe it, would believe it, whoever would not, would stay away from it; I would have done my part.
(3) So the apostles both confessed Jewish and Gentile, as Paul says in 1 Cor. 9:20: "To the Jews I became a Jew," that is, I sacrificed and circumcised myself, not that I should do it, but that I might win the Jews; (2c.) item v. 22: "To the weak I became as a weak man, that I might win the weak. Our doctors did not see this, but thought that Paul was only fencing with mirrors here, since his only purpose was to bring them to faith and free their consciences. I do not care so much to become a Gentile with the Gentiles, as if the law were nothing, that I should let them eat and be eaten with, 3) which is forbidden and abominable to the Jews, but that I should win them, not that I should earn anything. So, wherever he went, he could continue with the gospel and be pleasant. Behold, this is a master of caring for souls. But we have done nothing else, but with our laws we have driven the people and consciences, and said: So do, and not otherwise, if yet a bishop should both, break loose his law and set it, that it would bring benefit.
Now this Timothy was converted before by the first sermon; for here Lucas describes Paul's return, as it goes and stands 4) His father had been a Gentile and died, therefore he came to faith uncircumcised. Because he is now a disciple and a believer, he must not be circumcised anywhere. For he that believeth and followeth Christ
3) Jenaer: with eat.
4) i.e. Paul's second journey, which he undertook to see "how they were keeping themselves". Apost. 15, 36.
disciple, he has everything he should have. Why should he be circumcised? Yes, he was such a Christian, who also testified to the faith with deeds, full of the Holy Spirit and its fruit. For the brethren bore him witness, with whom he was well reputed; wherefore Paul also took him with him to minister, instead of John, surnamed Marcus, 1) Acts 15:37. 15, 37, who had departed. Now, this faithful and pious and holy Timothy 2) is here circumcised by Paul. Is this not foolishness from such a man? But why does he do it? For the sake of the weak, not for the sake of the stiff-necked Jews; otherwise he would not have looked at them. Therefore the text says: "He took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in the same place, for they all knew that his father had been a Gentile. As if to say, "If it had been done secretly, he would not have done it; but because it was known to everyone and was notorious, he did not want to shake consciences. As if he wanted to say: They do not yet understand, therefore one must have patience with them.
(5) Behold, we have here an example of love, and how to deal with the weak. Which art is most necessary to know, especially for preachers, so that they do not plunge in with unreasonableness and drive by force. At that time they were still deep in the mud, the law was still on their necks, they could not get rid of it and free their consciences; therefore they had to be well instructed beforehand, as we have also done among ourselves, who have been burdened with the Pope's laws for so long. But now it has come to pass that some have heard it preached, and some not. Now those who have heard it, not for half a year, but for two or three, that they might well understand it, and not be weak, but blaspheme it, and oppose it, we must also lift up our heads, and lift up our horns, and for this very reason forbear, and practice the opposition, which they have thought necessary. But they say, "Should we not obey the emperor and the pope who have decreed it? We say again:
1) The words: "with the surname Marcus" are missing in the Wittenberg and in the Erlangen.
2) "Timotheum" is missing in the Erlanger.
We have a greater emperor, whom we must obey more. Whoever wants to wear caps, keep orders 2c., may do so, as far as he does not let his conscience force him; and with the weak, who do not oppose the truth, but would like to know it, you shall bear patience. But if a bishop or prince would force you to wear the caps, you shall throw them over his head in defiance, to save freedom. But to those who do not wilfully oppose it, but are distraught in their cause, and are in doubt, and know not what they do right, but would gladly be instructed, they must be made to suffer it, and abstain from it, until I instruct them enough with right understanding. Then I must not defend freedom, because they do not fight against it, but must save it [i.e. freedom] for a while, to use it externally, although I always keep it in my conscience: precisely for this reason that I bring them up and make room that they also come to freedom and need it. If they then accept the word, I have won the souls without all my harm. For we also live for the sole purpose of helping to make Christ's kingdom greater, as love demands. That is why a Christian must let himself be brought down, and be as he sees that the people are.
(6) But no man goeth right, except he that understandeth the gospel, and both faith and love. In the case of the hard-hearted, who will not listen, there can be neither love nor patience; for there it is faith and the word of God that must be confessed and kept up in word and deed, to which all things must give way. In the case of the others, who do not challenge faith, love and patience must go; there I must do nothing for the sake of God, but only for the sake of my neighbor, as St. Paul says here, not for the sake of necessity or deed, but for the sake of weak consciences. For the law says: One must circumcise oneself. They could not soon refrain from this. If Paul had not circumcised Timothy, they would have thought, "Paul is a holy man, why does he take the Gentile with him? Then their consciences would have been troubled and confused. As with the
Pabst's laws the weak consciences do; if they keep it, they err, that they are still too attached to it. But if they do not keep it, they err. For they are not yet so strong that they refrain from it with a free conscience. Therefore, they must be spared and carefully treated until they understand. In the meantime, I can tell whether they want to follow or not. If I notice that they are disobedient, I leave them.
(7) We have indeed brought it about that the common man comes up; but that some are prevented, happens through so many bishops' larvae, who set themselves against it, and hinder it by force. Because they have been preached to enough, and it is not our fault, we have to go through fresh; and even if there are still those among them who have not yet heard the gospel, we still have to go on for the sake of the believers 1). For if we should give way to either of these, giving way to the weak, or representing the faith, we should resist the stiff-necked before, that we might keep the word against them that would destroy it, rather than give way to the weak, and by such giving way let liberty suffer distress and be oppressed. Therefore, if I am among such a multitude, some having the gospel, and some wishing to suppress it, I am guilty of obeying faith rather than love, for faith is above love, and is most concerned with it. Even if I slacken love, it is a sin against my neighbor; but to slacken faith, and to be blasphemed, is to deny Christ and God. That is more difficult than to do against one's neighbor; there one can come to grace again, but to deny God is too difficult. Where, then, I say, in a community there are weak and strong, I must look more to the strong and command the weak to God. I must defend the faith with head, neck and belly, so that it is not dampened and beaten down. If we have it, we can come to love again. But whoever takes it and lets it go has lost Christ and everything, so that there is no more help. For this reason we must now set our necks to freedom, to preserve it. 2) It is a
1) Erlanger: "around the believing heaps".
2) "to preserve them" is missing from the Erlanger.
2c., but before one lets such right and freedom be snatched away, and acts against it, one should die over it. For we must not deny Christ, who with his precious blood has purchased for us freedom from all laws.
8 This is the first part. What follows now concerns the Jews, since St. Lucas says how St. Paul delivered in the cities the sentence that was decreed at Jerusalem, and how they were strengthened in the faith by it. Behold, he had now circumcised Timothy, and went about proclaiming that the Gentiles should not be circumcised, as had been decreed by the apostles. Then he made it clear that he did not consider circumcision necessary, but only for the sake of the weak Jews, and that no one would follow the example, he preached and showed the contradiction. They were strengthened in their faith, not because of the law of Moses, but because they heard that no burden should be placed on them.
9 Further, he speaks of St. Pauli's journey, as he is drawn. Who does not know here the land kind 4), does not understand what the text says. He has sailed the country road on the shore, from morning to evening, as those know who are land-going. The first trip has not gone far over Cilicia. The other one stretched further; when he found that the disciples had increased, since he had preached, he continued inward toward evening, toward 5) Asiam Minorem. There he was able to preach twice, but he did not have room in all Galatia. Afterwards, in Bithynia, towards midnight, as the sea was rushing into Hungary, the spirit resisted him. How this happened, he does not write, nor does he express whether they were prevented by the wind or by the Holy Spirit. Because in Hebrew and Greek language wind and spirit is one word. That he should be prevented by the wind, I cannot believe; therefore I have Germanized it: "vom Heiligen Geist". After that they came across the sea at last, against
3) Erlanger: poor.
4) Thus the Erlangen. Wittenberg and Jena: the Landart.
5) Erlanger: to.
to our country, in Troada, and since now Turkey is. 1) Then he saw a vision, I think, in a dream, that a man was standing before him, asking him to come into Macedonia. Then they went straight and came to the city of Philippi, and there 2) he preached. This was a capital city in the country, and a free city of the Roman Empire, which was called colonias before times.
There are two pieces in this text: One, that the spirit hinders him from preaching the word; the other, that St. Paul believes the vision in a dream. There you see, although it is the highest work to preach God's word, and no greater service can be done than to take souls and make them blessed; it also says here that Paul is ready for it, and yet is not allowed by the spirit. Is it not a miracle that a man is more willing and more ready to help people than God? since one often reads the contradiction that God is always ready to help people and comes before they ask for it or think of it. Because here, in the holy presumption of helping people, he should have a criminal and carnal thought of preaching the gospel and helping them, who wants to rely always and forever on a good thought? There ever falls all presumption and defiance of our works, as if they should and must please God. Even more miraculous is the fact that he knew for certain 3) that he was called to preach the gospel 4) because his ministry was commanded to him by God; nevertheless, since he wants to carry it out, it does not want to go away. 5) Such is the fact that he says Rom. 1, 13: "I have often intended to come to you, but have been prevented from bearing fruit among you. His will is not lacking, but God's will. I am a preacher to the Gentiles and have been called to do so; 6) but God has not yet wanted me to come to you.
11 Now this is written so that
1) Erlanger: "the Turkey" instead of: and since now is the Turkey.
S) Erlanger: "den' hat" instead of: und hat da.
3) Erlanger: was.
4) "the gospel" is missing in the Erlanger.
5) Erlanger: walk.
6) Instead of the following, the Erlanger has: "but he did not want".
St. Paul7 ) wants to break down all presumption, that we walk in fear and humility, that no one should boast: I can do this; 8) or: I have done this out of good opinion, but thus say, as St. Paul: I will do this, if it is God's will; but because it is not yet time, although he has commanded it, or perhaps another cause is reserved for him. Paul: I will do this, if it is God's will; but because it is not yet time, although he has commanded it, or perhaps another cause is reserved for him, I must follow him and be obedient, follow his word, not my will, even if I could convert the whole world. So then, if it is forbidden in the highest work not to follow our will but His, much less will God accept our good opinion and self-chosen works. This means a good work, not that I choose and have a good opinion about it: but that is done in honor of God's name, and is done in His will and service. Therefore, we must stand before God with such a heart: I will do this,9 ) if it is your will to honor your name and promote your kingdom;10 ) not that it seems so good to me. In this way Christ says Matth. 10, 5:11 ) "Go not into the way of the Gentiles," 2c., and Cap. 15, 24: "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel." It is a poor thing to preach to the Gentiles, and yet it would have been a deliciously good work. God wants to keep us in his obedience, so that we do not do anything of our own accord, out of our own discretion and devotion, because we have his will. If we do anything beyond that, it is of the devil, however delicious it may be.
12 Therefore, what has been the cause here that St. Paul is prevented, must be put to God; his will is good, but it has not yet been time. For afterwards he has come there, Apost. 18, 23,12 ) and preached to them, after which he wrote the epistle to the Galatians 2c. This is now the summa:
7) Erlanger: "he" instead of: St. Paul.
8) "thun" is missing in the Wittenberg and in the Erlanger.
9) "Das will ich thun" is missing in the Erlanger.
10) Erlanger: I will do it.
11) Also the second edition of the Erlanger has reprinted here from Walch the wrong Bible quotation: "Matth. 10, 52. We have already drawn attention to such occurrences several times in the 7th volume.
12) Erlanger: "Actor. 18 (V. 18)" reprinted from Walch.
However good the work is, even by God's command, God wants to reserve for it space, place, time and manner; for He does not reject the work of preaching here, but hinders and holds it for a time, because it was not yet ripe. Let this be said to us as an example, that we do not go in at our own discretion, as if we wanted to carry out the thing ourselves, and not let God master it.
(13) Secondly, here is a question: Why does Paul believe the vision in the dream? and whether one should believe the dreams? It is partly commanded and partly forbidden in Scripture to believe dreams. Apost. 2, 17. we have from the prophet Joel, who speaks, Cap. 3, 1. ff: "I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your elders shall dream dreams" 2c. Item, 4 Mos. 12, 6. God says: "If anyone among you is a prophet of the LORD, I will make myself known to him in a vision, or I will speak to him in a dream." Thus we read how God appeared to King Solomon in a dream, 1 Kings 3:5. Again, Moses also strictly forbade believing dreamers, as Deut. 13:1 ff.
(14) What shall we say about this and decide when one should or should not follow dreams? I know of no better answer to this than this: that a righteous dream is one that God gives, and so gives that he who has it certainly realizes and understands that it is from God, as he is certain of the faith of the gospel, so that it lies in experience. For one does not have to reject the dreams at all, because the examples lie so strongly there. But they must be in the same form as Paul teaches about prophecy in Romans 12:7, that they are similar to faith. But how one knows whether God has inspired 2) or the devil, cannot be shown by doctrine, but must be given by experience. 3)
15. alfo, Solomon has been sure that his dream was from God, not a ghost [1 Kings 3:5]. Item, the king Abimelech,
1) Erlanger: "his" instead of: GOD's.
2) Erlanger: talked.
3) Erlanger: say.
Genesis 20:3, who was punished by God in a dream because of Abraham's wife. It is written about the pagan king Attila that he once saw in a dream how he had to stand before three men in court and was sentenced to death. The next day the bishop Paulinus was brought before him, who was his prisoner, and a gardener was one of his knights. Then he saw that he was the one whose form he had seen in a dream, and soon after that he was killed. Thus such dreams happen to both saints and unholy ones, and are solely in God's power; no one can judge them, except the one who has them.
16 But to fall upon it, and, as some fools have done, to make books of it, is nothing but deceit. No one can make an art of it, nor is it worth anything. See how Joseph [Gen. 40, 12. ff.] interprets and interprets their dreams 5) to the chief tavern-keeper and baker 4) of Pharaoh, who lay captive with him. To the one he interpreted his dream, that he should be released after three days, and come to his office. The other thought he should interpret his dream in the same way 6) because it was the same dream, but he interpreted it much differently, namely, that after three days he would be put on the gallows. This is how he interprets the king's dreams, of the seven full and thick, and other seven thin and scorched ears, 7) which no one else could interpret [Gen. 41, 25. ff]. Therefore, such certain interpretation is not from nature, but from God.
(17) Therefore, dreams should not be believed, nor should they be interpreted according to our reason, but God should be told, and He should be interpreted; as Joseph also says [Gen. 40:8]: "Interpretation belongs to God. Though they are common, both Christians and Gentiles, yet no one knows what they mean, let the Spirit interpret them. As Peter 2 Ep. 1, 20 declares, one should not believe any interpretation in spiritual matters, unless it is from God. "For no prophecy (says
4) Erlanger: "den Knechten" instead of: dem obersten Schenken und Bäcker.
5) ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ "ÊÊÊÊYour dreams" is missing from the Erlanger.
6) Erlanger: something good.
7) "von - Aehren" is missing in the Erlanger.
He, v. 21.) in the Scriptures is done by their own interpretation. For no prophecy has ever been produced by human will, but the holy people of GOD have spoken, driven by the Holy Spirit." Therefore, dreams to, dreams to, just don't interpret it, let God make it certain, don't be certain of yourself.
18) So St. Paul interprets here the vision 1) by the Holy Spirit, which appeared to him by night; namely, a man from Macedonia standing and asking him to come into Macedonia and help them. 2) For it is also true and rhymes with the matter, Apost. 16, 9. and is similar to faith. For he was a preacher, and the vision 3) meets the preaching ministry, and has lacked it until now, that the time was not yet there. But now, when a Macedonian man appears and asks for help from St. Paul, it rhymes with his ministry; for Paul's help was in the preaching ministry. Although all this was not enough for certainty; the Holy Spirit had to make it certain in the heart; nevertheless, the vision was the means and witness for such certainty. Just as the word, without spirit and faith, is not enough to make anyone certain, so it is the means by which the spirit and certain faith come. For reason could not have interpreted or understood it from itself, it is too blind; and it should have been well with it, according to the saying of Christ, Matt. 13:13, "With seeing eyes they see not." We have many examples of this in the
1) Erlanger: the dream.
2) Instead of: "so ihm -helfen" in the Erlanger: "und fehlet nicht".
3) Erlanger: "of dreams".
Romans stories, because they have held much on dreams and signs, and have missed with their interpretation. And even if a face, dream, or sign was quite apparent, so that one could almost grasp it, and they also interpreted it correctly, nevertheless they were never sure of it, but had a delusion about it, and so they dared to put it in, as is nature's way: if it was true, it was true; if it was missing, it was missing. This means that the seeing eye cannot see that there is a vain conceit that either misses or hits by accident. Such a dream was the emperor Julii, because he dreamt that he slept with his mother. They thought that it meant that he was going to destroy his fatherland and desecrate it, but no one was sure of that; nevertheless, he dared to do it, and he managed to hit it on the head.
19 But here the text says: St. Paul was sure of his face; this was the spirit, not reason. Therefore it is with dreams that many of them are true, and they are true. But to be sure of it before it happens, that nature cannot give; afterwards, when it has happened, it thinks behind itself and says, "Behold, this is what I dreamed. And it is a very different thing to believe a dream before it happens, 4) and another thing to experience and notice afterwards, when it has happened. Before history, no one can be sure of it without God's inspiration alone; after history, it teaches itself; and even if it were true by nature, no one can be sure of it. That is enough of it.
4) i.e., before it becomes a factum. Wittenberger: "it" instead of: he.
1026 Eri. si, sExpositions on the 1st epistle to the Corinthians. W. vm, rust f. 1027