A. D. Martin Luther's interpretation of the seventh chapter of the first epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. *)
August 1523.
To the strict and firm Hans Loser zu Pretisch, hereditary marshal of Saxony, my favorable lord and friend, grace and peace in Christ.
Strict and firm, dear lord and friend! I keep what I have said with full hope that you will, according to your noble mind, again keep what you have said and no longer delay.
In order that you may be the more Christian about it, I have taken the 7th chapter of the first epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians and interpreted it to you for your service and for the benefit of those who desire to use it, for the reason that this chapter, before all the writings of the entire Bible, has gone back and forth against the marriage state, and at the same time has gained a tremendous appearance for the dangerous and strange state of marriage.
Chastity. And if I am to tell the truth, no one has so nearly puffed himself up with this chapter as the very people who have been least chaste. I also meant that chastity was so mean as they pretend. But I have, praise God, become aware these three years of what in the world, apart from marriage, chastity is, even in both men's and women's monasteries.
Since God has instructed me to preach about the state of marriage and to remove the cover from the devil's chastity, so that fornication will be less prevalent and the poor youth will not be so miserably seduced by the falsely famous appearance of chastity, I must take care that this chapter, its main part, will no longer remain its cover of shame, but will be understood according to the right opinion of St. Paul. And I have brought the same to you for your
*Luther wrote this in 1523 in honor of the state of marriage and so that the seventh chapter of the first letter to the Corinthians would no longer remain the cover of shame of the papist celibacy. (Compare the note to § 4 of this writing.) He dedicated the same to the hereditary marshal of Saxony, Hans Loser, as a bridal song for his upcoming wedding. In the Weimar edition, eight individual editions are listed, all of which belong to the year 1523. Two of them are attributed to the Officin von Cranach und Döring in Wittenberg, a third to Melchior Lotther. Only in one of them is the printer named: Gedruckt fin Straßburg] zum Steinburck. By Wolfs Köpffel." Ju the collections: Wittenberger <1556), vol. I, p. 334; Jenaer <1585), vol. II, p. 272; Altenburger, vol. II, p. 383; Leipziger, vol. X, p. 312; Erlanger, vol. 51, p. 3, and Weimarsche, vol. XII, p. 88. Because the first volume of the Wittenberg edition was published under Luther's eyes in 1539 (by Cruciger and Rörer), we, like the Erlanger, use the text of the Wittenberg edition as a basis, but compare it with the Latin translation by Johannes Lonicer, which he had published in Strasbourg in 1525 under the title: Martini Lutheri I In septimum primae ad Corinthios caput, Exe- gesis, II De matrimonio sermo, III Duorum de matrimonio thematum Analytica, nuper latina facta per Joan. Lonicerum. Argentorati 1525. This translation is included in the Latin Wittenberg edition, Dom. V, lol. 102. The text alone is found in De Wette, Vol. II, p. 364. - It was only later that we were able to compare the Weimar edition as well, but apart from the deviations of the biblical text, which is given in the Wittenberg edition according to our Bible, we find only very insignificant variants, which are of no importance for our edition, e.g.: to the Corinthians, to the Corinthians, to the Corinthians, to the Corinthians, to the Corinthians, to the Corinthians, to the Corinthians, to the Corinthians. For example: an die Corinther- zu den Choriuthern; Ehestand - ehlichen stand; Anno 1523- hm 1523 iar; D. Martinus Luther - Martinus Luther; Daniel 12 (correct) - Daniel 8 <wrong); Wiederum - Wiederum aber; aufm Dorfe - auff dorffen; hohe, weise - hoch weyße; etc. These are the variants on the first three pages (pp. 92-94) of the Weimar edition. Of course, we refrain from noting them. By the way, compare our note on the biblical text before § 119.
Wedding 1) want to give, so that I also once a Christian epithalamion, that is, a bridal song to sing, as one before times to do
1) Only in December 1824 Loser married Ursula von Portzig. Luther performed the wedding ceremony in the presence of Amsdorf, Melanchthon and D. Jonas in Pretsch Castle. (De Wette, vol. VI, p. 544.)
so that your undertaking may be to the honor of God and for the advancement of your blessedness, and may be accomplished. Command you and your dear bride in God's grace, Amen. At Wittenberg, Anno 1523.
D. Martinus Luther.
Preface.*)
1 It is a fool that taketh a wife, saith the world; and it is certainly true. Many of the learned have also decided that a wise man should not take a wife, even if she were wisdom herself. This is also right and well said. For those who believe that after this life there is no other life (as such people do), do almost wisely that they make do with free fornication, and do not join in the toil of married life, so that they may have a little less evil days here in this life. Of course, our clergy have also seen this, and have turned to chastity, that is, to free fornication, in the very finest way, as Daniel Cap. 12 [11, 37] said of them, saying: "They will not respect wives," nor desire them.
2 Again the spirit says, it is a wise man who takes a wife. This is certainly true. And the truth also impels, that a wise man should take a wife, though she were folly itself. This is also right and well said. For if a Christian man waits for another life after this one, it is almost wise for him to have the fewer good days here, so that in that life he will have eternally good days. This is what God saw fit to do when he created man and woman and gave them together.
(3) Thus the state of marriage is spoken of in two ways; first, by the clever and worldly, that is, the blind and chief fools before God; they look upon the state of marriage as if it were a remaining, rash, human possession, which might be used and dispensed with, as I can dispense with a remaining garment or mantle. They then make the world full of their foolish and blasphemous writing and crying out against the marriage state, and counsel
But they themselves feel well, and prove sufficiently by deed that they cannot do without women, as they are not created for marriage, but only for driving, bluing and dragging themselves with whores day and night.
4 The arch-fool Johannes Schmid von Costnitz, 2) the highly famous whoremonger, who has written a great book, recently printed in Leipzig, against the marriage state, is also of this kind now, and yet says nothing more, except how much effort and work is in it. Just as if the whole world did not know that before, and the donkey's head would have to teach it to us first of all, which even no farmer in the village is unaware of. If I were chastity, I would know of no greater, more insulting disgrace and shame than that such boys and whoremongers and enemies of chastity should praise me. They reproach us that we are enemies of chastity, that we should not make marriage a thing of the past.
2) Cf. Tischreden, Cap. 28, § 4. Walch, St. Louis Edition, Vol. XXII, 937. - Johann Faber (actually Johann Heigerlin from Leutkirch, son of a blacksmith) had published a book in Rome in August 1522 under the title: llolrannis-Idabri Gonstantisnsis in spiritualidus vicarii Opus attvsrsus nova guasttarn st a sirristiana rsli^ions prorsus aliena tto^rnata Martini Imtttsri. (Roinas in 6ampo kiors per Maroslluin 8ilbsr alias I'ranclc.) Luther himself made no reply to this, but caused V.Justus Jonas to write a rebuttal. This is entitled: Vttvsrsus .lottannsm Vadruin Gonstantisn. Vicarium, scnrtationis Patroninn, pro eonsuZio saosrttotali, llusti llonas ttsksnsio, WittendsrMS. 1523. To this writing Luther added an accompanying letter , (Letter to Justus Jonas, Walch, old edition, vol. XXI, 833). The reason that Luther refers to Faber's book as "recently printed in Leipzig" is that Duke George of Saxony had it printed in Leipzig by Melchior Lotther. It was completed on April 25. - Indirectly, Luther himself also responded to this book through the present writing.
*) This superscription is only in Latin.
and like to see [people] married, 1) and we are to consider them high, wise 2) people who can do nothing but fornicate without ceasing, and praise chastity only with the pen, and blaspheme the marriage state. They are boys, not only in their skin, but also in the bottom of their heart, who are not worthy to be answered.
(5) And what is it that all the world complains about the marriage state? We ever see before our eyes that God daily creates and sustains in life, not only men, but also women. So it is certain that He does not create a woman for the service of fornication. Since God's work and word are there before our eyes, that women must be used either for marriage or for fornication, such pagan larvae should keep their blasphemous mouths shut, and let God's word and work go unpunished and unhindered, unless they, after their highly praised
1) In the German editions: "und gern ehelich sehen werden". It seems to us that the last two words are transposed by a printing error, so we have changed according to the Latin: quodque juvet nos videre, coadunari conjuges.
2) So the Jenaer; Latin: sapisntss st prasotaros. Wittenbergers: hochweise. Weimarsche: hoch wehße.
wisdom would teach us, contrary to God, to strangle or expel all women. So God must be our fool; what He does is not good, what we do is well done.
Now then, God has created woman in such a way that she should and must be around her husband; it should be enough for us that God is with us, and hold the marriage state in honor as a divine, noble business, 3) and, if the smart ones do not want to get involved, let them fornicate and screw in their pagan blindness, as long as God allows them to. We have God's word for us, which will remain, and will not be frightened by such rude blacksmiths, even if there are more of them than the sand of the sea. Although it is a great sin and shame that we Christians become such great fools, and first of all want to advise and judge whether women are to be married or not; as if someone still wanted to ask whether he also had to eat and drink in this life. Now enough of that; 4) we want to hear the words of St. Paul.
3) Business -- creature.
4) "davon jetzt genug" is missing in the Weimarschen. This variant of the Wittenberg is not noted in the Weimar edition.