Cap. 5, 25. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
(1) Paul has expressly included heresy and hatred among the works of the flesh, and has judged those who stir up hatred and sectarianism that they will not inherit the kingdom of God. Now, as if he had forgotten what he had done just before, he again, in a new speech, singles out those who are indignant and hateful among themselves. Why does he do this? Was it not enough that he did this once? Paul does this on purpose, because he wants to attack the most abominable vice, which is called "vain glory", because it was the cause of the disruption of all the churches in Galatia, and has always been harmful and corrupting to the Christian church. Therefore, as he writes to Titus [Cap. 1, 7.], he does not want a haughty bishop to be appointed. For arrogance, as Augustine rightly says, is the mother of all heresies, indeed, the source of all sins and all ruin (ruinae), as the sacred and secular histories testify.
But vain honor is at all times an extremely widespread corruption in the world, which even the pagan poets and historians have severely rebuked. There is no village in which one or the other does not want to be respected as clever and great above all others.
(3) But it is mainly gifted people who suffer from this vice, who quarrel because of their learning and wisdom. Here no one wants to give way to the other, and it goes according to this word: He who would give way to a wise head would be nothing (Qui volet ingenio cedere, nullus erit). It does people good to point fingers at them and say: That is the man. Nowadays Italy suffers from vain honor in a very special way, as Greece once did. But with private people, yes, even with those who hold a magisterial office, it is not so harmful as with those who preside over the church, although it also becomes in the world regime, especially when it affects the highest-ranking people, not only a cause of disruption and overthrow of the commonwealth (rerum publicarum), but also of disruption and change of kingdoms and empires, which all histories of the holy Scriptures and the pagans testify.
(4) But when this pestilence creeps into the church or the spiritual kingdom, it cannot be said how harmful it is. For there is no dispute about learning, intellect, beauty, treasures, kingdoms, empires, etc., but either about salvation and life, or about damnation and eternal death.
5 Therefore Paul most earnestly exhorts those who are in the ministry of the Word from this vice, saying, "If we live in the Spirit," etc. as if to say: If
it is true that we live in the spirit, let us also remain in order and walk in the spirit. For where the spirit is, it renews people, produces new emotions in them, that is, from people who are stingy for vain honor, angry, spiteful etc., it makes humble, gentle, patient people etc. Such do not seek their own honor, but God's; they do not indignantly hate one another, but yield to one another, and one precedes the other with reverence. On the other hand, those who are avaricious of vain honor, who are indignant and hateful toward one another, may boast that they have the spirit, that they live in the spirit, but they deceive themselves; they follow the flesh and do its works, and have their judgment that they will not inherit the kingdom of God.
(6) As there is nothing more pernicious, so there is nothing more common in the church than this abominable vice. For where God sends laborers into His harvest, Satan soon awakens his servants, who do not want to be considered inferior in any respect to those who are duly called. Here the quarrel soon arises. The wicked do not want to give way to the godly even by a hair's breadth, for they dream that they far surpass them in intellect, in doctrine, in godliness and in spirit (much less must the godly give way to the wicked, lest the doctrine of faith be endangered). In addition, this is the way of Satan's servants, that they do not only know how to pretend love, unity, humility and other fruits of the spirit to their own, but also praise each other, give preference to one over the other and say that others are better than they are. Therefore, they do not want to be regarded as anything less than people who are avaricious of vain honor; indeed, they swear that they seek nothing but the honor of God and the salvation of souls, and yet they are exceedingly eager for vain honor, and do everything to attain high esteem and praise among men before others. In short, they think that godliness is a trade, and that the ministry of the word is given to them so that they can become famous through it, and therefore it cannot be lacking that they cause trouble and mobs.
7 Therefore, because the vain glory of the false apostles had been the cause of the churches
In Galatia, when the people were disturbed and fell away from Paul, he wanted to attack this pernicious vice in a special speech and a chapter of his own. Yes, this vice caused Paul to write this whole epistle, and if he had not written it, all the effort he had put into preaching the gospel to the Galatians would have been in vain. For since he was absent, the false apostles held sway in Galatia, people who, it seemed, held great prestige, who, besides claiming that they sought the glory of Christ and the salvation of the Galatians, also kept company with the apostles, boasting that they followed in their footsteps in teaching. Then, because Paul had not seen Christ in the flesh, nor had he had intercourse with the apostles, they despised him in comparison with themselves, rejected his teaching, and boasted that their teaching was the true and genuine one. And so they misled the Galatians and stirred up divisions among them, so that they were indignant and hated one another, which was a sure sign that neither teachers nor disciples lived and walked in the Spirit, but followed the flesh and performed its works, and consequently that they had lost the right doctrine, faith, Christ, all the gifts of the Spirit, and were now worse than the Gentiles. etc.
(8) Not only does he attack the false apostles who confused the churches in his time, but he foresaw in the spirit that until the end of the world there would be countless such people who, tainted with this extremely harmful vice, would break into the church without a profession, boast of the Spirit and heavenly doctrine, and under this pretext overthrow the right doctrine and faith. In our time, too, we have seen many such people who have forced their way into the realm of the spirit, that is, into the ministry of the word, without a profession, and wanted to be respected for a time for teaching the same as we do, and by this pretense they have made a name for themselves and the reputation that they were teachers of the gospel who lived in the spirit and walked according to the order. But as soon as they had attracted the great multitude to themselves by their flattering speeches, they departed from the
They began to teach something new, so that they would become famous in this way and be praised by the people, that they had been the first to denounce the errors in the church, had stopped and improved the abuses, had overthrown the papacy, and had found a new, glorious doctrine, and therefore they would rightly have the first place 1) among the evangelical teachers. But because their fame was not based on God, but on the talk of men, it could not be firm and lasting, but, as Paul prophesied, it has come to shame, and their end is damnation. For the wicked do not stand in judgment, but like chaff they are carried away and scattered by the wind. The same judgment awaits all who seek their own with the teaching of the gospel, not that which is of Christ.
(9) For the gospel was not given for us to seek our own praise and glory, or for the people to revere and magnify us as ministers of the gospel, but that through it Christ's good deeds and glory might be glorified, that the Father might be glorified in his mercy, which he showed us in Christ his Son, whom he gave up for us all, and with him gave us all things. Therefore, the gospel is such a doctrine in which we must seek nothing less than our glory. It holds out heavenly and eternal things which are not ours, which we have neither made nor earned, but it offers them to us, who are not worthy of them, out of the pure goodness of God. Why, then, should we arrogate honor to ourselves for their sake? Therefore, he who seeks honor in the Gospel speaks of himself. But he who speaks of himself is a liar, and there is unrighteousness in him. On the other hand, "he who seeks the glory of Him who sent Him is true, and there is no unrighteousness in him," John 7:18.
10 Paul therefore very earnestly exhorts all ministers of the Word, saying, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit," that is, let us abide in the right order, that is, in the doctrine of the
1) In Latin: primas; this should be woyl prinaatuin. Menius did not translate this; about half of this paragraph is missing in his translation.
Truth, as it is once preached, in brotherly love and unity of spirit. Let us preach Christ and the glory of God with a simple heart and ascribe everything to him; let us not want to be better than the other, let us not create mobs. For this does not mean to walk rightly, but to leave the right order and to establish something new and wrong.
From this it can be understood that God, by special grace, subjects the teachers of the Gospel to the cross and to all kinds of tribulations for their own good and for the good of the people, for otherwise He could not in any way suppress and destroy this beast, which is called vain glory. For if the doctrine of the Gospel had nothing but praise, admiration and honor among men, and by all means no persecution, cross, disgrace etc. followed, then surely all its confessors would be infected by the plague of vain honor and perish. Jerome says somewhere on this opinion that he had seen many who could endure many accidents to body and goods, but none who had been able to despise his praise. For it is impossible that any should not be puffed up by the praise of him. Paul, who has the Spirit of Christ, says [2 Cor. 12:7] that Satan's angel, who beat him with fists, was given to him for this reason, that he might not exalt himself to high revelation. Therefore Augustine rightly says: If a minister of the word is praised, he is in danger; if a brother despises him and does not praise him, the brother is in danger. He who hears that I teach God's word is guilty of honoring me for the word's sake; if he honors me, he does well; but if I become arrogant thereby, I am in danger; on the other hand, if he despises me, I am without danger, but he is not.
(12) Therefore we are to put this into practice in every possible way, that we honor our treasure, that is, the ministry of preaching, the sacraments, etc. likewise, that we give honor one to another, the hearers to the teachers, and again, according to the saying [Rom. 12:10.], "One come before the other with reverence." But where this happens, the flesh is immediately tickled by these praises and becomes hopeful. For there is no one.
not even among the godly who would not rather desire to be praised than rebuked, unless someone is so well fortified in this respect that he is not moved by either praise or reproach, as that woman said of David, 2 Sam. 14, 17. "My lord the king is like an angel of God, that he may hear good and evil"; likewise Paul [2 Cor. 6, 8.]: "By honor and dishonor, by evil rumors and good rumors" etc. Such people, who are neither proud by praise nor depressed by reproach, but simple-mindedly strive to preach the benefits and glory of Christ and to seek the salvation of souls, walk in the right order. On the other hand, those who become proud by the price of their glory, seeking their own honor rather than Christ's, or those who are moved by reviling and shame, may give up the preaching ministry; both are not walking according to the order etc.
013 Therefore let every one that glorieth in the Spirit take heed that he abide in the right order. When you are praised, know that it is not you who are praised, but Christ, to whom all praise and glory is due. For that you teach godly, live holy, these are not your gifts, but God's gifts, so you are not praised, but God in you. If you recognize this, you will remain in the right order, will not become proud through glory (for "what do you have that you have not received?" [1 Cor. 4, 7.]), but will bring it home to God again, will not be moved to give up your profession even through revilings, disgraces and persecutions etc.
So, God, out of special grace, is today showering our honor with shame, the most bitter hatred, persecutions and blasphemies of the whole world, then with contempt and ingratitude on the part of our own, the peasants, burghers and nobility (whose enmity and persecution against the Gospel is hidden and internal, but more harmful than that of the enemies who persecute it publicly), so that we do not become proud because of our gifts. This ass's burden (molam asinariam) must be hung on our necks, lest we be infected by this plague of vain glory.
(15) Though there are some of our own who honor us for the preaching ministry, where is one who honors us? But there are a hundred who hate, despise and persecute us etc. Now these blasphemies and persecutions of the adversaries, and the exceedingly great contempt, ingratitude, and very bitter secret hatred of those among whom we live, is, of course, such a lovely sight (spectra), which so exhilarates us that we easily forget the vain honor. Therefore we are joyful in the Lord and remain in the right order. We surpass others in spiritual gifts, but because we recognize that they are gifts of God, not our own, given to us for the edification of the body of Christ, we are not arrogant because of them, for we know that more is demanded of those who are commanded much than of those who are commanded little; moreover, we know that before God there is no respect for the person. Therefore, a doorkeeper (aedituus) who is faithful in what he is given is no less pleasing to God than a teacher of the Word, because he serves God in the same faith and spirit. Therefore we should honor the least Christians no less than they honor us, and in this way we remain free from the plague of vain honor, and walk in the spirit. 1)
(16) On the other hand, because the enthusiasts seek their own honor, the favor and applause of men, peace with the world and rest of the flesh, not the honor of Christ and the salvation of souls (although they constantly swear that they do so), they cannot refrain from breaking forth and praising their doctrine and work, blaming and perverting that of others, having only this one thing in mind, that they may gain a great name and praise before others. No one, they say, has known this before me, I am the first who has seen and taught this etc. Such people, who are stingy of vain honor, do not boast themselves in glory, but they boast themselves, are courageous and bold, when the great crowd applauds them, which they attract with wonderful art. For they know how to pretend with words, gestures and writings.
1) In this and the preceding paragraph, Menius' translation offers only a few words of the Latin original, but other explanations.
and hide everything. Without the applause of the mob, they are exceedingly fearful, for they hate and flee the cross of Christ and persecution. On the other hand, where they have the great crowd to themselves, who applaud them, there can be nothing more proud and daring: no Hector, no Achilles is as brave and bold as they are.
(17) So deceitful is the flesh, that for no other cause doth it forsake the right order, pervert and corrupt the right doctrine, and divide the concord of the churches, than because of this accursed vain glory. That is why Paul attacks them so sharply here and elsewhere. Above in the fourth chapter [v. 17.] he says: "They do not jealousy for you fine, but they want to make you disparaging of me, that you should jealous for them", that is, they want to obscure me, so that they themselves become famous. They seek not the glory of Christ and your blessedness, but their own glory, my dishonor, and your bondage.
Cap. 5, 26.
Let us not be stingy with vain honor.
That is, let us not become ambitious people, which, as I have said, is done by boasting, not in goodness and in truth, but in lies, by the opinion, speech and applause of the mob. There is not a firm foundation for fame, but a lying one, therefore it is impossible for it to last long. He who praises a man as a man lies, because there is nothing in him worthy of praise, but everything is condemned. Therefore, as far as our person is concerned, our glory is this: All have sinned and are guilty of eternal death before God. But it is something else when our ministry is praised. Therefore, we must not only desire, but also strive with all our might to bring about that men will esteem it highly and hold it in all honor, for this will be their blessedness. Paul exhorts the Romans that they give no one offense, saying, "See to it that your treasure is not blasphemed" [Rom. 14:16], and elsewhere [2 Cor. 6:3], "That our ministry be not blasphemed." So when our ministry is commended, we are not commended for our person
praised, but we are praised, as the Psalm says, in God and His holy name. 1)
To outrage and hate among themselves.
Here he describes the effects of vain honor. The teacher of an error and the founder of a new doctrine cannot help being indignant to others. If they do not approve and accept his teaching, he immediately begins to hate them bitterly.
20 We have seen in our time how irreconcilable hatred was kindled against us by the enthusiasts, because we did not want to give way to them and did not want to approve of their errors. We certainly did not outrage them first, nor did we spread ungodly doctrine in the world, but since we punished the abuses in the church and faithfully taught the article of justification, we remained in the right order. Those left the same and taught in an ungodly way many things that are against God's word, about the sacraments, about original sin, about the oral word etc. Then we stood against them, lest we should lose the truth of the gospel, and condemned their pernicious errors. Since they did not want to suffer this, they not only outraged us at first, through no fault of our own, but are still hostile to us and hate us bitterly, incited to this by nothing other than vain honor. For they would have liked to put us in the shade and have the kingdom alone. For they dreamed that it was a great honor to confess the gospel, when in fact there is no greater shame before the world etc.
Chapter 6, 1.
Dear brethren, if a man be overtaken in any fault, restore him with a gentle spirit, ye that are spiritual.
This is another beautiful commandment concerning life (morale), and very necessary at this time. The Sacramentarians interpret this passage for themselves and draw from it this conclusion, that we have to give to fallen brothers
1) Of this paragraph Menius brings less than half; the following paragraph is brought to double.
The reason for this is that the Christians have to be patient and cover their error with love, which believes everything, hopes everything, bears everything, especially since Paul teaches here in clear words that those who are spiritual help the erring again with a gentle spirit. The matter is not of such great importance that one should tear apart Christian unity because of this one article, which is the most beautiful and useful thing that the Christian church has etc. In this way they admonish us very strongly that we should forgive sins (amplificant nobis remissionem peccatorum), and accuse us of being obstinate, since we do not yield to them even a hair's breadth, nor do we want to bear their error (although they do not want to confess it openly), much less punish and restore them with a gentle spirit. Thus the lovely people adorn themselves and their cause, and make us very hated by many etc.
No matter [Christ is my witness] has tormented me now for a number of years as much as this disagreement in doctrine, which I did not cause, which the Sacramentarians also know very well, if they only want to confess the truth. For the same things that I have believed and taught from the beginning of this matter, concerning justification, the sacraments and all other articles of Christian doctrine, I still believe and confess today, and with even greater certainty (for this has become greater through study, practice and experience, then also through great and frequent temptations), and daily I pray Christ to keep and strengthen me in this faith and confession until the day of his glorious future, amen.
Furthermore, it is well known throughout Germany that the doctrine of the Gospel was first challenged by no one but the papists alone. But among those who accepted it there was the greatest unanimity in all the articles of Christian doctrine, which lasted until the sectarians came forth with their new opinions, not only of the sacraments, but also of other articles. From that time on, as it could not be otherwise, more and more
The result of this is that we have become the subject of a great unrighteousness. Therefore, they do us this great injustice against their conscience, and without our having deserved it, they impose this unbearable disgrace on us before the whole world. It is very painful when an innocent person has to bear the punishment that another deserves, especially in such an important matter.
(24) But we could easily forget this wrong and receive them and help them with a gentle spirit, if they would only return to the right course and walk with us in the right order, that is, if they would godly keep and teach the Lord's Supper and other articles of Christian doctrine, and be of the same mind with us, preaching not their opinions but Christ, so that the Son of God might be glorified through us, and through him the Father. But that they only exalt love and unity, and belittle the matter of the sacrament, as if it were something quite insignificant, as much as we think of the Holy Communion, which our Lord Christ instituted, is not ours to suffer. But as highly as they praise the unity of life, so much must we praise the unity in doctrine and faith. If they leave us these unharmed, let us also at the same time exalt with them the unity of love, which is far from being equal to unity in faith or in spirit. For if you have lost this, you have lost Christ; but if he is lost, love can profit you nothing.
(25) On the other hand, if you keep the unity of the Spirit and of Christ, there is no harm in not being of one mind with those who corrupt the word and thereby separate the unity of the Spirit. Therefore I would rather that they and the whole world should depart from me and be with them, than that I should depart from Christ and have him for an enemy, which would happen if I were to leave his clear and manifest word and adhere to their vain dreams, with which they pervert Christ's words to their opinion. The One Christ is greater to me than innumerable unities in love.
728 Dri. ttai. Ill, 69-71. Explanation of Galatians 6, 1. W. VIII, 2786 ff. 729
(26) Moreover, we beseech ourselves that we will not only keep peace and unity with those who love Christ, and teach and believe his word godly, but also bear their infirmities and sins, and, if they have fallen, restore them with a gentle spirit, according to this commandment of Paul. Thus Paul bore the weakness and fall of the Galatians and others who had perverted the false apostles, because they repented from the heart. Thus he again accepts the incestuous man at Corinth with grace [2 Cor. 2:5 ff]. Likewise Onesimus, the runaway slave, whom he had begotten to Christ in his bonds at Rome [Philem. v. 10.], he reconciled again to his Lord. Therefore he proved by deed what he teaches here and elsewhere, that one should receive the weak and restore the fallen, but only against those who could be helped, that is, those who from the heart recognized their sin, their fall and error and repented. In contrast, he dealt very harshly with the stubborn false apostles who defended their doctrine and said that it was not erroneous but true. He says [Cap. 5, 12]: "Would to God that they also were cut off who disturb you", further [Cap. 5, 10]: "But whoever causes you to err, he shall bear his judgment, whoever he will"; likewise [Cap. 1, 8]: "But if we also, or an angel from heaven" etc., "let him be accursed."
27 And there is no doubt that many have defended the false apostles against Paul, saying that they also had the Spirit, were also servants of Christ, and taught the gospel, as Paul did. Even though they did not agree with Paul in all respects, he did not have to pass such a terrible judgment against them; with such obstinacy he was doing nothing but confusing the congregations and disrupting their beautiful unity. Paul was not moved by such speeches, but confidently cursed and condemned the false apostles, calling them destroyers of the churches and perverters of the gospel of Christ. On the other hand, he exalts his teaching so high that he wants everything to give way to it, the unity of love, the apostles, an angel from heaven etc.
1(28) We also do not allow this thing to be made small, because he to whom this thing belongs is great. Once, of course, he was small when he lay in the manger, and yet at that time he was so great that he was worshipped by the angels and praised as the Lord of all things. Therefore, we will not suffer his word to be violated in any article. In the articles of faith nothing must seem small or slight to us, which we should or could slacken. For the forgiveness of sins belongs to those who are weak in faith or life, who recognize their sins and desire mercy, not to those who pervert the doctrine, who do not recognize their error and sin, but hostilely argue that these are truth and righteousness, and by this they cause us to lose the forgiveness of sins, for they pervert and deny the word that preaches and brings forgiveness of sins. Therefore they must first be in harmony with us in Christ, that is, they must recognize their sins and renounce their error. If we then lack the gentleness of the Spirit, they may justly accuse us.
(29) And he who carefully considers the words of the apostle sees clearly that he is not speaking of heresies or sins against doctrine, but of far lesser sins, into which a man falls not out of deliberate malice or willfulness, but out of weakness. Hence he uses such kind and fatherly words, calling it not an error or a sin, but a fault. Then, in order to make the sin small and, as it were, to excuse it, and to shift all the blame from man, he adds: "If a man were hasty," that is, deceived by the devil or by the flesh; and the word "man" also serves to make the matter small, as if he wanted to say: Surely what is so near to a man as that he should fall, be deceived, and err? Thus Moses says in the third book [Cap. 5, 3. according to the Vulgate], "As men are wont to sin." This, then, is an exceedingly comforting saying, which makes me
1) Here Menius has allowed himself a significant rearrangement, in that he already lets follow here the two paragraphs, which are designated with the numbers 34 and 35 with us.
once in the highest emergency (certamine) from death.
30 Because the saints in this life not only live in the flesh, but also sometimes, under the impulse of the devil, perform the lusts of the flesh, that is, fall into impatience, hatred, anger, error, doubt, distrust etc. (For Satan constantly challenges both the purity of doctrine, which he seeks to abolish by mobs and discord, and the blameless walk of life, which he sullies by daily offenses and distractions), Paul teaches how to deal with those who have fallen, namely, that those who stand firm should restore them with a gentle spirit.
It is very useful that those who are in charge of the churches know this, so that they do not forget this fatherly and motherly affection, which Paul demands from those who are responsible for the care of the souls, while they are trying to cut out everything completely purely (ad vivum resecare). And of this commandment of his he has given an example in the second letter to the Corinthians, Cap. 2, 6-8, where he says that it is enough that the banished man has been punished by many, now they must forgive him and comfort him, so that he does not fall into too much sadness, and says: "Therefore I admonish you that you show love to him" etc. Therefore, the pastors are to punish harshly those who have fallen, but when they see that they have fallen into sadness, they are to begin to raise them up and comfort them, and to minimize their sins as much as they are able, but only by the mercy [of God] which they must oppose to the sins, so that the fallen may not be consumed by excessive sadness. As persistent as the Holy Spirit is when it comes to holding on to and defending the faith, as willing and kind is he to bear the sins and to make them small, if only those who have committed them suffer over them.
(32) But here, as in all other things, the synagogue of the pope taught and did something quite different from what Paul commanded and showed by his example. The Roman pope and the bishops have been real tyrants and torturers of consciences, for they have continued to teach the same things.
They have loaded the consciences with new statutes, and for the most trifling causes have cast them into perdition (perdiderunt), and in order that the consciences might the more easily obey their vain and unjust threats, they have cited these sayings of Pope Gregory: Pious hearts should fear guilt, even where there is no guilt; likewise: Our judgments are to be feared, even if they are unjust. By these sayings, which the devil brought into the church, they have strengthened the ban and the majesty of the papacy, which is terrible for the whole world.
Such kindness is not necessary, but it is enough to acknowledge guilt where there is guilt. Who has given you, you Roman Satan, the power to frighten and condemn with unjust judgments the hearts that were frightened before, which should rather have been raised up, freed from false terrors, and led back from the lie to the truth? This you neglect and (as your title says: The man of sin and the child of perdition) invent guilt where there is no guilt. This is actually the cunning and deceit of the Antichrist, with which the pope has most powerfully strengthened the ban and his tyranny. For no one could despise his unjust judgments, unless he had been obdurate and particularly wicked, as some princes despised them, but against the testimony of their conscience, because in the darkness of that time they did not understand that the curses of the pope were void.
(34) Therefore, those who are charged with the care of governing consciences may learn from this commandment of Paul how to treat the fallen. He says: "Dear brothers, if a man is overtaken by a fault," do not grieve or afflict him any more, do not reject or condemn him, but correct him, refresh him, or "restore him" (for this is what the Greek word means), and what is corrupt in him through the deceit of the devil or the weakness of the flesh, heal it by your gentleness. For the kingdom to which you have been called is not a kingdom of fear and sorrow, but of good confidence and joyfulness.
732 Lri. "AI. Ill, 73-76. elabor. Explanation d. Galatians 6, 1. W. VIII, 2787-279S. 733
lity. Therefore, if you see any brother who is frightened because of a sin he has committed, run and reach out to him who has fallen, comfort him with kind words and welcome him with motherly arms. But the hard and hardened, who without fear remain secure in their sins and continue, punish severely. On the other hand, those who are precipitated by error and grieve because of their fall must be raised up and instructed by you who are spiritual, with a gentle spirit, not with a spirit of zeal, justice or severity, as some confessors have done, who, when they should have refreshed thirsty hearts with sweet consolation, watered them with gall and vinegar, as the Jews did with Christ on the cross.
(35) From this we understand sufficiently that the forgiveness of sins should not take place in doctrine, as the Sacramentans claim, but in that which concerns life and our works. Let no one condemn another, let no one rebuke with anger and severity, as Ezekiel says of the shepherds of Israel, that they ruled harshly and severely over the host of God, but let a brother comfort his fallen brother with a gentle spirit, and again, let the fallen one hear the word of the one who is delivering him, and believe him. For God does not want us to reject the brokenhearted, but to raise them up, as the Psalm [Ps. 146:8] says, for he has offered more for them than we have, namely his life and his blood. Therefore, we too should receive such people with the utmost gentleness, heal them and help them. Therefore we do not deny grace to the Sacramentarians or to the founders of other godless sects, but will heartily forgive them their revilings and blasphemies against Christ, and never remember the insults with which they have heaped upon us, if they will only repent, give up the godless doctrine with which they have confused the churches of Christ, and thereafter walk with us in the right order. But if they persist in error and destroy the order, it is in vain that they demand forgiveness of sins from us.
And look to yourself, lest you also be tempted.
(36) This is a very serious admonition, to restrain the severity and hardness of those who do not lift up and help the fallen. St. Augustine says: "There is no sin that one man has committed that another could not commit. We are still walking on a slippery slope, therefore nothing happens more easily than that we fall, if we are arrogant and leave the right order. That is why he, in the biographies of the fathers, when he was told that one of the brethren had fallen into fornication, said correctly: "Yesterday that one, today I".
37. So Paul adds this serious admonition, so that the pastors may not be harsh and rough with the fallen, nor, as the Pharisee does, measure their holiness by the sins of those people, but be moved by motherly affection toward them and think: This one has fallen, it can easily happen that you also do a much more dangerous and shameful fall than he; and if those who are so inclined to judge and condemn others would look at their sins rightly, they would realize that the sins of the fallen are splinters, but their sins are exceedingly great beams.
38 "Therefore he that standeth may take heed that he fall not" [1 Cor. 10:12]. When David, such a holy man, full of faith and of the Spirit of God, and who had such glorious promises, and had led the greatest things for the Lord, falls so shamefully, and, since he was already quite advanced in years, is carried away by the heat of youth, after he had suffered so many and so manifold temptations, through which God exercised him, what would we be presumptuous about our steadfastness? But by such examples God shows us first of all our weakness, so that we do not rise up but stand in fear, secondly His judgment, which nothing can suffer less than hopefulness, whether against Him or against a brother. Paul therefore says not in vain, "And look to thyself, lest thou also be tempted."
39. those who are exercised through temptations know,
how necessary this commandment is. On the other hand, those who are not tested by it do not understand Paul and are therefore not moved by compassion for the fallen, as could be seen in the papacy, where nothing but tyranny and cruelty prevailed.
V. 2: Bear one another's burdens, and you will fulfill the law of Christ.
40. a very kind (humanissimum) commandment, to which he added the highest praise, as it were, as a summa (epiphonema). The law of Christ is the law of love. After Christ redeemed us, renewed us and made us his church, he gave us no law except that we should love one another. John 13:34 says, "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another, as I have loved you." Likewise [v. 35], "By this shall every man know that ye are my disciples. "etc. "To love," however, is not, as the sophists fool, to grant good to another, but to bear another's burden, that is, to bear that which is burdensome to you, and you do not like to bear.
41 A Christian must therefore have strong shoulders and strong bones, which can bear the flesh, that is, the weakness of the brethren, for Paul says that they have burdens and burdensome things. Therefore love is kind, gracious, patient, not in taking but in giving. For it must overlook and bear with many things. In the church, godly teachers see many errors and sins that they must bear. In the worldly regime, the obedience of the subjects never corresponds to the laws of the authorities. If, therefore, a person in authority cannot overlook, he will not be competent to govern a community. In the household, many things happen that are displeasing to the head of the household. But if we can bear our infirmities and sins, of which we commit many daily, and overlook them very easily (egregie), let us also bear those of others, according to the word: "Bear one another's burdens" etc.; likewise: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."
(42) Therefore, since there are infirmities in every state and in all men, Paul holds up to the Christians the law of Christ, by which
He exhorts them to bear one another's burdens. Those who do not do this testify sufficiently that they do not understand even a shred of the law of Christ, which is the law of love, which, as Paul says in 1 Cor. 13:7, believes all things, hopes all things, bears all the burdens of the brethren, but always without prejudice to the first order. 1) Those who sin in this do not transgress the law of Christ, that is, love, do not violate their neighbor, but Christ and his kingdom, which he established by his own blood. This kingdom is not maintained by the law of love, but by the Word, faith and the Spirit.
(43) Therefore, this commandment that we bear their burdens does not apply to those who deny Christ and not only do not recognize their sin, but also deny it; nor does it apply to those who persist in their sins (who also partially deny Christ), but they are to be let go, so that they will not be made partakers of their evil works. On the other hand, those who believe and gladly hear the word, and yet fall into sin against their will, and when they are admonished, not only hear, but abhor their sin, and strive to amend themselves, have been hurried, and have a burden which Paul commands us to bear. Here we are not to be unkind and severe, but after the example of Christ, who tolerates and bears such people, we also are to tolerate and bear them. If he does not punish such people, which he could justly do, much less should we do so etc.
V. 3 But if anyone lets himself think that he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
44 Here he aims again at the authors of the mobs and paints them with their right colors, that they are hard and without any movement of mercy, because they despise the weak, do not bear their burdens, but (like some strange husbands and strict teachers) want to have everything according to the string. Nothing pleases them but what they themselves have done, and you will always make them your most bitter
1) The "first order" is not to depart from the word of God and the faith, not to let up on it, and not to allow a deviation from it.
You will have enemies if you do not approve of everything they say and do, and if you do not submit to their ways (moribus) in all things. So these are very hopeful people who dare to presume everything, that is, what Paul says here, they make themselves believe that they are something, that is, that they have the Spirit, that they understand all the mysteries of Scripture, that they cannot err and fall, that they do not need forgiveness of sins.
45 Therefore Paul rightly adds that they do not celebrate anything, but deceive themselves with their foolish imaginations of their wisdom and holiness. Therefore they understand nothing of Christ nor of the law of Christ. Otherwise they would say: Dear brother, you suffer from this infirmity, I suffer from another. God has forgiven me ten thousand pounds (talentorum), I will also forgive you a hundred pennies etc. But since they demand everything most severely and do not want to suffer and bear the burden of the weak, they annoy many by this harshness of theirs, who begin to despise them, to scorn and flee, not desiring advice and comfort from them, not caring about them, what they teach or how they teach it, whereas, on the contrary, pastors should behave toward the people over whom they preside in such a way as to honor and admire them, not for the sake of their person, but because of their office and their Christian virtues, which should shine forth most in them. Therefore, in this passage, Paul has beautifully painted such stern and unmerciful saints, saying, "They make themselves believe that they are something, that is, puffed up by their foolish delusions and vain dreams, they have a wonderfully high opinion of themselves about their knowledge and holiness, and yet in truth they are nothing, but only deceive themselves. For it is a manifest deception when someone is convinced that he is something, and yet he is nothing. Such people are described in the Revelation of John Cap. 3, 17. with these words: "You say, 'I am rich, and have plenty, and have no need,' and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.
But let every man examine his own work, and then he shall have glory in himself, and not in another.
He continues to punish the despicable people called ambitious people. For covetousness for vain honor is a hateful and cursed vice, which gives rise to all evil, and at the same time confuses the government of the world and the conscience, and in spiritual matters it is a completely incurable evil. Although this passage could be understood in terms of works in life or walk, the apostle mainly emphasizes the work of preaching and attacks those who are ambitious.
who confuse the rightly informed consciences with their enthusiastic opinions.
(47) It is characteristic of those who suffer from vain honor that they do not care whether the work, that is, the direction of the ministry, is pure or not, but have only one thing in mind, that they may win the applause of the people. This is what the false apostles did. When they saw that Paul had preached the gospel purely to the Galatians, and that they could come up with nothing better, they began to slander what he had taught rightly and godly, preferring their teaching to Paul's, and by this art they put themselves in favor with the Galatians and made Paul hateful to them.
(48) Therefore, those who are avaricious of vain honor have these three vices combined: first, they are extremely eager for vain honor; second, they are wonderfully skilled in slandering what others speak and do rightly in order to gain popular acclaim; third, when they have become famous among the great multitude, but at other people's expense and risk, they become so brave and courageous that there is nothing they should not dare to do. So they are harmful and curse-worthy people, whom I hate in the strongest possible way (cane pejus et angue). For they seek what is theirs, not what is Christ's.
49 Against such people Paul acts here as if he wanted to say: Such ambitious people direct their work for the purpose, that is, to teach the gospel, so that they may gain honor and acclaim among men, that is, that they may be praised by them as excellent and splendid teachers, with whom Paul and others may compare
could not endure. As soon as they have gained this reputation, they begin to slander what others have worked, said and done, and to praise their own gloriously; And by this cunning they beguile the hearts of the mob, who, because their ears itch, not only delight in new doctrines, but also take pleasure in seeing those whom they had before for teachers eclipsed and oppressed by these new delicious (as they dream) teachers, because they are weary of the word and disgusted with it.
50 This, he says, should not be, but let each one be faithful in his office, not seeking his own honor, nor trusting in the great multitude, which carelessly (temere) gives applause, but only let it be his concern that he may carry out his office honestly, that is, teach the gospel purely. If his work is done rightly, he should know that he will not lack honor with God, nor with the godly. The fact that in the meantime he cannot earn praise from the ungrateful world should not move him. For he knows that this is the purpose of his ministry, not that he, but that Christ may be glorified through it. Therefore, armed with weapons of righteousness on the right and on the left, he should speak with a steady mind: I did not begin to teach the gospel in order that the world should show me honor, therefore I will not desist from it because of the shame it does to me. Such a one teaches the word and directs his ministry without any regard for men, without caring in any way for praise, honor, power, wisdom etc. He does not rely on the praise of others, but has it with himself.
51 Therefore, he who administers his ministry rightly and faithfully does not care what the world says about him, he does not care if it praises or blames him, but has his glory in himself, which is the testimony of his conscience and the glory before God, and therefore he can speak with Paul [2 Cor. 1, 12]: "Our glory is this, that is, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly integrity, not in carnal wisdom, but in the grace of God, we are built up in the faith of God.
of this world" etc. This glory is pure and lasting, because it does not depend on the judgment of others, but on our own conscience, which gives us the testimony that we have taught rightly, administered the sacraments rightly, and done everything rightly, therefore it cannot be stained or taken away.
The other honor that the ambitious have is an uncertain and extremely dangerous honor, for they do not have it in themselves, but it depends on the speech and opinions of the great crowd, and therefore they cannot have the testimony of their own conscience that they have done everything out of a simple and pure heart, only to praise the glory of God and to promote the blessedness of souls. For they seek only that they themselves may become famous and praised by men through the work or labor of preaching. Thus they have an honor, a confidence, and a testimony, but with men, not with themselves nor with God. In this way, the godly do not desire to have honor. If Paul had had praise and honor with men and not with himself, he would have despaired when he saw that many cities, countries and all of Asia were falling away from him, when he saw that so many arouses and mobs followed his preaching. Since Christ was alone, that is, since the Jews were not the only ones who sought to put him to death, since he was abandoned by his disciples, he was not alone, but the Father was with him, because he had his glory in himself.
Likewise, if today our confidence and honor depended on the judgment and favor of men, we would soon perish with sadness of heart. For there is so much lacking that the papists, the enthusiasts and the whole world should consider us worthy of any honor and praise, that they even hate and persecute us most bitterly, yes, they would like to blaspheme our ministry and our doctrine to the utmost and exterminate them completely. So we have nothing among men but pure shame. But we are joyful and glory in the Lord. Therefore, with the greatest faithfulness and care, we safely and cheerfully administer the ministry in which God has placed us, which we know is good for Him.
be pleasing. Since we do this, we do not care whether the devil likes or dislikes our work, whether the world is favorable to us or hates us. For since we know that our work is honestly directed, and we have a good conscience before God, we walk in righteousness, through honor and dishonor, through shame and praise etc. This is what Paul calls "having glory in oneself".
(54) And this is a very necessary admonition against this very harmful vice, because the gospel is such a doctrine, which by its nature, and then also by the wickedness of Satan, brings with it the cross. Therefore Paul used to call it a word of the cross and of offense [1 Cor. 1:18, 23]. It has not constant steadfast disciples, but also those 1) who today come and confess it, but tomorrow, vexed by the cross, again fall away and deny it. Therefore, those who teach the gospel in order to gain applause and praise from the people must necessarily perish and their honor be disgraced if the people cease to applaud them.
(55) Therefore let every teacher learn that he should not have his glory in the mouth of others, but in himself. If there are some who praise him, as the truly godly are wont to do ("by honor and dishonor" says Paul [2 Cor. 6:8]), let him accept this honor, but as something incidental to the right honor (accidens). But for the right, essential honor (substantiam gloriae) he should hold the testimony of his conscience. He then examines his own work, that is, he is not concerned about his honor and has only one thing in mind, that he may conduct his ministry honestly, that is, that he may teach the Gospel purely and show the right use of the sacraments to the people etc. Since he thus examines his work, he has glory in himself, which no one can snatch from him, because he has planted it well in his heart, fixed it and kept it, not by the speech of others, which Satan can easily turn away, and make of their mouth and tongue, which shortly before spoke well of him, such a one as reviles him most grievously.
1) "but also such" is inserted by us.
(56) Therefore, says Paul, if you are eager for glory, seek it in a right way and in such a way that it endures, not that it is based on the speech of others, but that it is in your heart. This will happen if you do your work honestly. In this way it will also be found that the honor you have with yourselves will finally be followed by honor with others. But if you have glory only in others and not in yourselves, then the shame and dishonor that you have inwardly in your heart will also be followed by outward dishonor in others. We have seen this in our time in the case of some fanatics who did not check their work, that is, did not take care that they taught the gospel purely, but misused it so that they received the applause of the great crowd, contrary to the second commandment, and therefore their inward disgrace was also followed by outward disgrace, according to the words [2 Mos. 20:7], "The Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain," and likewise [1 Sam. 2:30], "He that despiseth Me shall be despised again."
If we first seek the honor of God through the service of the Word, our honor will surely follow, according to the saying: "Whoever honors me, I will also honor. In short, let every one examine, that is, let it be diligently applied to him that his service may be faithful, for this is required above all things of the ministers of the word, 1 Cor. 4:2, as if to say: Everyone seeks to accomplish this one thing, that he teach the word purely and faithfully, looking to nothing but the glory of God and the salvation of souls, then his work is faithful and well founded, and he has honor in his conscience, namely, that he can confidently say: This teaching and my ministry is pleasing to God, which is truly an excellent and delicious glory etc.
58. But this saying can also be applied appropriately to the works that the godly do in any profession, as if he who is a person in authority, a householder, a servant, a schoolteacher, a pupil, etc., were to remain in his profession and carry out his office in it honestly and faithfully, and not worry about the works that are not in his profession. He who does this has glory in himself. For he can say,
I have carried out the work of the profession that God commanded me to do as faithfully and diligently as I could, so I know that this work, which is done in faith and obedience to God, is pleasing to God. If others slander it, it is of little consequence. For there are always people who despise and slander the teaching and life of the godly. But God has seriously threatened that He will put the slanderers to shame. Therefore, since such people anxiously pursue vain honor for a long time, and seek to put the truly godly in the shade by their slander, what Paul said [Phil. 3, 19.] befalls them:. "Whose honor will be put to shame," and in another place [2 Tun. 3, 9.]: "Their foolishness will be revealed to everyone." By whom? Through God, the righteous judge, who, as He will put the slander of those people in the pillory, so will bring forth the righteousness of the godly as the noonday, Ps. 37, 6.
The word "in itself," in order to mention this in passing, must be taken in such a way that one does not exclude God, namely, that each one should know that his work, in whatever godly state he may be, is a divine work, because it is a work of a divine profession, which has God's command.
V. 5 For every man shall bear his own burden.
(60) This is, as it were, the reason (ratio) for the previous saying, that no one should base himself on the judgment of others about him, as if to say, "It is utter folly that you seek glory in others and not in yourself. For in the battle of death and in the last judgment it will be of no use to you that others have praised you, for others will not bear your burden, but you will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and bear your burden alone. There your praisers will not be able to help you. For when we die, these voices of praise will cease, and on that day when the Lord will judge the hidden things of men, 2) the testimony of the Lord will not be heard.
1) Instead of the following to the end of the paragraph, Menius has introduced other thoughts,
2) Wittenberger: aorüiuM instead of: Noruinum, as it should read according to Rom. 2, 16.
knowledge either for you or against you. Against you, if you have glory in others; for you, if you have glory in yourself, that is, if your conscience gives you testimony that you have administered the ministry of the word honestly and faithfully, looking only to the glory of God and the salvation of souls, or have directed your ministry rightly, as your profession requires.
61 And those words [v. 2], "Bear one another's burdens," are mighty words, so that they should certainly frighten us, lest we be stingy with vain honor.
(62) It should also be noted that we are not dealing here with the article of justification, where nothing is valid but pure grace and forgiveness of sins, which is taken by faith alone, where all works, even those that are the best and done according to the divine calling, need forgiveness of sins because we do not do them fully; but here we are dealing with a different matter. For Paul does not speak here of the forgiveness of sins, but holds up right and hypocritical works against one another. Therefore this is to be understood in such a way that, although the work or ministry of a godly pastor is not so perfect that it should not need the forgiveness of sins, it is nevertheless righteous and perfect in itself, if it is held against the work of those who are stingy with vain honor.
Thus, our preaching ministry is righteous and endures because we seek the glory of God and the salvation of souls. On the other hand, that of the spirits is not such, because they seek their own glory. Therefore, although no work can satisfy the conscience before God, it is necessary that we can be certain that we have done our work in purity, truth and in a godly profession, that is, that we have not corrupted God's word, but have taught it purely. etc. This testimony of conscience, that we have administered our preaching ministry correctly and have led a Christian life, is necessary for us. So far we may boast of our works, as far as we know that they are approved by God and pleasing to Him. For each one will bear his burden in the last judgment, therefore others who praise us will be of no use to us there.
Up to this point he has attacked the extremely harmful vice of vain honor; no one is so capable of rejecting it that he does not need constant prayer to do so. For what man, even if he is godly, does not delight in the praise that is bestowed upon him? Only the Holy Spirit can protect us from being infected by this plague.
V. 6 But he that is instructed in the word divideth all good things to him that instructeth him.
Here he preaches to the disciples or hearers of the word that they should give all kinds of good things to their teachers. In the past, I often wondered why the apostle so diligently commanded the churches to feed their teachers. For I saw in the papacy that all gave everything with wonderful generosity to build magnificent churches, to make the salaries large and to increase the income of those who were in the spiritual state (qui sacra tractabant). Therefore the dignity and the wealth of the bishops and other clergymen grew in such a way that they possessed everywhere the most beautiful (cultissimas) and best lands. I therefore thought that Paul had commanded this in vain, since all kinds of good things were not only given to the clergy superfluously, but also flowed abundantly, and therefore I thought that people should rather be admonished so that they do not give more, than admonished so that they should give. For I saw that through this excessive generosity of the people the stinginess of the clergy grew etc. But now we see the reason why they used to have an abundance of all goods, but now the pastors and ministers of the word are starving etc.
In the past, when false and ungodly things were taught, everything flowed so superfluously that from the patrimony (patrimonio) of Peter (who says that he has neither silver nor gold) and from the so-called spiritual goods the pope became an emperor, cardinals and bishops etc. Kings and princes of the world have become. But now that they have begun to teach the Gospel, its preachers (professores) are as rich as once Christ and the apostles were. So we learn how well this commandment has been fulfilled.
that one should feed the teachers of the Word, which Paul so diligently urges and inculcates in the hearers here and elsewhere.
67. Now there is no city, at least as far as we know, which feeds its teachers itself, but all have their sustenance from the goods, not which Christ, for to him no one gives anything (for at his birth he uses the manger instead of a bed, since he has no room in the inn; When he walks on earth, he has no place to lay his head; finally, he is stripped of his clothes and dies in the most miserable way, hanging naked on the cross between two murderers), but which were given to the pope for fine abominations, because, after the gospel was suppressed, he taught human statutes and established ungodly services.
68 And as often as I read Paul's exhortations, in which he preaches to the churches both that they should feed their teachers and that they should contribute something to the lack of the saints in Judea, I tend to be very surprised and filled with shame that such a great apostle had to use so many words to obtain this benefit from the churches. In the second letter to the Corinthians he deals with this matter in two whole chapters [Cap. 8 and I would not like to bring Wittenberg, which is nothing at all against Corinth, into such a bad reputation as he did to the Corinthians by such urgent (anxia) and distressed begging for the livelihood of the poor. But this is the fate of the Gospel when it is taught, not only does no one want to give anything to feed the servants of it and to maintain schools, but all begin to rob, steal, cheat each other with various artifices, in short, people suddenly seem to degenerate into abominable beasts. On the other hand, when the doctrines of the devils are preached, people become very extravagant and willingly offer everything to their seducers. The prophets also accuse the Jews of the same sin, that they hardly gave the godly priests and Levites a living, but gave everything in abundance to the godless ones.
69 Therefore, only now do we understand how necessary Paul's commandment is that the servants of the churches should be fed. For Satan can suffer nothing less than the light of the gospel. Therefore, when it shines, he flares up and tries to extinguish it with all his might, and tries to do so in two ways: first, by lies of the heretics and force of arms of the tyrants, then by lack and hunger. But since, by the grace of God, he has not been able to suppress the gospel in our lands through heretics and tyrants, he seeks to do so in another way, namely, by depriving the ministers of the word of food, so that they, forced by lack and hunger, may leave the ministry of preaching, and thus, in time, the wretched people, deprived of the word, will become completely cattle. And in order that this most terrible evil may come all the more swiftly, Satan hastens (urget) it greatly through godless authorities in the cities and the nobles in the countryside, who steal the church goods, on which the ministers of the Gospel should live, and use them for an evil custom. The prophet Micah says [Cap. 1, 7.], "Of whoredoms they are gathered, and shall become whoredoms again."
Then Satan leads men away from the gospel, even the good ones, individually (privately) through excessive satiety. For the diligent and daily practice of the Word produces in many a disgust and contempt for it, who then gradually become negligent in the practice of all the duties of godliness. Likewise, no one now gives his children to the study of good sciences, much less the Scriptures, but only to profitable arts. All this the devil does for the purpose of suppressing the gospel in our lands, even without the violence of tyrants and the wiles of heretics.
So it is not for nothing that Paul exhorts the hearers of the Word to share all kinds of good things with their teachers. In the first letter to the Corinthians [Cap. 9, 11] he says: "If we sow spiritual things to you, is it a great thing if we reap your bodily things?" So the hearers must serve those with their bodily goods from whom they have received the spiritual. But farmers, citizens
and noblemen today abuse our teachings only to accumulate wealth.
Before, when the pope reigned, there was no one who did not pay the priests annually for the so-called anniversariis, likewise for masses, vigils etc. The mendicant monks also received their share. Thus the Roman fair [with the indulgence] and the daily sacrifices also took away something considerable etc. From these and other innumerable extortions our people are freed by the gospel. But so much is lacking in them that they should be thankful for this freedom, that they have become outright thieves and robbers from profligate people, who give neither to the Gospel, nor to its servants, nor to the poor saints even a farthing. This is a sure sign that they have already lost the Word and the faith, and in short, have nothing of spiritual goods, because it is impossible for truly godly people to admit that their ministers are lacking. But because nowadays they rejoice and laugh when their ministers suffer adversities, and deny them their sustenance, or do not give as faithfully as they should, it is certain that they are worse than heathens.
But what misfortune will follow this ingratitude, they will experience in a short time. For they will lose both the physical and the spiritual. For this sin must necessarily be followed by the most severe punishments, and I truly believe that the churches in Galatia, Corinth etc. have been so destroyed by the false apostles for no other reason than because they neglected their true teachers. It is quite right that he who denies a penny to God, who offers him all good things and eternal life, should give a gold florin to the devil, from whom all evil and death come. He who does not want to serve God in a small matter 1) to his greatest benefit, let him serve the devil in the greatest matter to his greatest harm. Now that the word shines, we see what the devil and the world are.
1) Wittenberger: inanioäieo instead of: inrnoäloo.
But that he says: "All kinds of good things" (in omnibus bonis), this is not to be understood in such a way that everyone should share all his goods with his teachers, but that they should feed them abundantly (liberaliter), as much as is enough to maintain life in a sufficient way (commode). The word κατηχούμενος is used to those
known, who understand the Greek.
V. 7. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked.
The apostle is so serious about this doctrine of feeding the teachers that he adds a threat to his rebuke (increpationi) and admonition, saying: "God is not mocked. But he has exactly met the manner of ours, who certainly despise our preaching ministry. For they think it is a joke or a game, and therefore they (especially the nobles) deal with it by subjugating their parish lords as if they were lowly slaves, and if we did not have such a godly prince who loves the truth, they would have driven us out of these lands long ago. They cry out (when the parish priests demand their pay or complain that they are in want): The priests are stingy; they want to have an abundance of all goods; no one can satisfy their insatiable avarice. If they were truly evangelical, they should have nothing of their own, but as poor follow the poor Christ and suffer every hardship etc.
To such tyrants and mockers of God, who with the greatest certainty ridicule the poor pastors, and yet want to be considered evangelical, and that they do not mock God, but serve Him with the greatest reverence, Paul threatens here in a frightening manner. He says: "Do not be mistaken, God does not allow Himself to be mocked", that is, He does not suffer Him to be mocked in His servants. Christ says [Luc. 10, 16.]: "Whoever despises you despises me", and to Samuel [1 Sam. 8, 7.] God says: "They have not rejected you, but me" etc. Therefore, even though He may postpone vengeance for a time, in His time He will find you and punish the contempt of His word and your exceedingly bitter hatred of His servants. Therefore, you are not deceiving God, but
yourselves. You will not laugh at God, but God will laugh at you [Ps. 2:4]. And the verse: Non me doctorem, sed te deluseris ipsum [If you deceive the teacher, you have deceived yourself] is well known.
But the defiant nobility, burghers and peasants are not moved at all by this terrifying threat, but they will realize, when the need for death is present, whether they have mocked us (yes, not us, but as Paul says here, God Himself) or themselves. Meanwhile we say this, because they arrogantly despise our admonitions, for our comfort, that we should know it is better to suffer wrong than to do wrong. For he who suffers (patientia) is always innocent. Furthermore, God will not let us, his servants, die of hunger, but when the rich are starving and hungry, he will feed us, and in the days of famine he will satisfy us.
For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
78 All this belongs to the doctrine (locum) of the maintenance of preachers. I do not like to interpret such sayings. For they seem to boast us, as indeed they boast us. Then it has an appearance of avarice when one tries to impress this on the listeners with great diligence. But people must be taught about this too, so that they know that they owe reverence and sustenance to their teachers. Christ teaches the same, Luc. 10, 7. by saying, "Eat and drink what they have, for a laborer is worth his wages." And Paul in another place [1 Cor. 9:13, 14], "Know ye not that they which sacrifice eat of the sacrifice? And they that minister of the altar, enjoy of the altar? So also the Lord commanded that they which preach the gospel should feed of the gospel."
It is also useful for us, who are in the ministry of preaching, to know this, so that we do not take the wages for our work, which are paid to us from the goods of the pope, with an evil conscience. Although these are gathered together by pure fraud, God, by depriving the Egyptians, that is, the papists, of their goods, nevertheless sets them up in our countries for my godly and good use, not when the nobles steal and abuse them, but when they are used by the pope.
if those who proclaim God's glory and teach the youth godly are fed by it. For it is impossible for a person to have time for domestic work day and night in order to earn a living, and at the same time to study the Holy Scriptures diligently, as the office of a teacher requires. Therefore we should know that we can enjoy with a good conscience the goods (for God has commanded and ordained this) which are presented to us from the church goods in order to maintain our life sufficiently (commode), so that we have time for our ministry. Therefore, no one should make a conscience about it, as if he were not allowed to use these goods.
V. 8 He who sows to the flesh will reap corruption from the flesh. But he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
80 He adds a simile and a figurative speech. But he applies this general saying about sowing to the particular matter of feeding the preachers, saying, "He who sows to the Spirit," that is, who gives the teachers of the Word their sustenance, is doing a spiritual work, and "will reap eternal life." Here one would like to ask whether we earn eternal life by good works, for it seems that Paul is asserting this here. Of the sayings that speak of works and reward, we have dealt diligently and abundantly enough above in the fifth 1) chapter. But it is highly necessary that, following Paul's example, believers be exhorted to do good, that is, to exercise their faith in good works. For if these do not follow faith, it is a sure sign that faith is not true faith.
The apostle says: "Whoever sows to the flesh" (some read: "to his flesh"), that is, whoever does not share anything with the servants of the Word, but only feeds and provides for himself (to which the flesh drives), "will reap destruction from the flesh", not only in the life to come, but also in the present. For the goods of the wicked perish, and at last they themselves come to a shameful end.
1) Jenaer and Erlanger: "third".
Wise at etc. The apostle wanted to admonish his listeners to be generous and charitable to their teachers. But it is a very unfortunate thing that the "wickedness and ingratitude" of men is so great that it is necessary to do this in the churches.
The Encratites have misused this saying to confirm their enthusiastic opinion against marriage and have interpreted it in this way: He who sows to the flesh shall reap corruption, that is, he who takes a wife shall be damned. So a woman is something damnable and marriage is evil because in it sowing to the flesh takes place. Those shameful beasts had so little judgment that they did not see what the apostle was talking about. I mention this for this reason, so that you may see that the devil can very easily turn simple hearts away from the truth through his servants. Germany will have innumerable such people in a short time, yes, it already has many, because in some places it persecutes and kills the godly, in other places it neglects them and lets them live in the greatest lack. Against these and similar errors we want to fortify ourselves and learn to grasp the right understanding of the Scriptures. But Paul, as every man of sound mind can see, speaks not of marriage, but of the entertainment of the ministers of the church, and though this entertainment is a bodily thing, yet he calls it "sowing to the spirit. On the other hand, he calls gathering together and seeking one's own: "sowing to the flesh". Of those he proclaims that they will be blessed in this life and in the life to come, of these, on the other hand, that they will be cursed in this life and in the life to come.
V. 9 But let us do good and not grow weary, for in his time we will also reap without ceasing.
When he concludes the letter, he moves from the specific to the general, exhorting to all good works in general, as if to say: Not only toward the ministers of the word, but also toward all men, let us be generous and charitable, and that without weariness.
For it is easy to do good once or twice, but to persevere and not be overcome by the ingratitude or malice of those to whom one has done good, that is trouble, that is need. Therefore he not only exhorts us to do good, but also not to grow weary in doing good, and in order to persuade us all the more easily, he adds: "For in his time we will also reap without growing weary" (non defatigati), as if he wanted to say: "Look on and expect a harvest without ceasing, which will come, then no ingratitude or malice of men will be able to keep you from doing good, for in the time of harvest you will obtain abundant fruit from your sowing. Thus he exhorts the faithful with the sweetest words to do good.
V. 10: Now that we have time, let us do good to everyone, but most of all to our fellow believers.
- This is the end of the exhortation to give generously to the church servants for their sustenance, and to give abundantly to all who are in need, as if to say: Let us do good while it is day, for when night comes we can work no more. When the light of truth is gone, people do many things, but in vain, because they walk in darkness and do not know where they are going. Therefore, their whole life, works, suffering and death is in vain. But covertly he aims these words at the Galatians, as if to say: If ye abide not in the wholesome doctrine which ye have received of me, it profiteth you nothing that ye do many good works, suffer many things etc. Thus he says above Cap. 3, 4: "Have ye then suffered so much in vain?"
But "comrades in the faith" he calls with a new expression (phrasi) those who are in our faith community, among whom are first the ministers of the Word, then also all other believers.
V. 11. Behold, with how many words have I written to you with my own hand!
86 He closes the epistle with an exhortation to his own and with a severe rebuke.
Or an attack on the false apostles. "Behold," he says, "with how many words have I written unto you with mine own hand!" This he says to move them, and to show them his motherly affection which he has toward them, as if to say: Never have I written to another church with my own hand a letter containing so many words as I have written to you. For he dictated the others and only signed the greeting and his name with his own hand, as can be seen at the end of his epistles. In these words, however, he has the length of this epistle in mind, as I believe; but others interpret it differently.
V. 12. Those who want to make themselves pleasing according to the flesh force you to circumcise, only that they may not be persecuted with the cross of Christ.
Above he had cursed the false apostles and declared them to be banished people (anathema fecerat). Now, repeating the same thing, as it were, but in different words, he again accuses them severely in order to deter and draw the Galatians away from their teaching, however much they had the reputation of being people of great importance. He says, "You have such teachers who, first, do not care for the glory of Christ and the blessedness of your souls, but seek only their glory; second, flee the cross; third, do not understand, much less do, what they teach.
If someone, especially an apostle, praised a teacher for these three virtues, he should be shunned by all; but not all Galatians obeyed Paul's admonition. Also, Paul does not disgrace the false apostles by attacking them so harshly, but he pronounces their sentence by apostolic authority. Thus, when we call the pope the antichrist and say that the bishops and the spirits are cursed people (anathema), we do not revile them, but judge by divine authority that they are cursed, according to this word [Gal. 1:8]: "So are we, or an angel from heaven," etc. because they follow the teaching of Christ, but these overthrow it.
89. but he uses the significant word εκπροσώπησα^ which we find in German again-.
give by "well-doers, to put themselves in fine taste". Their first virtue, he says, is that they flatter the nobles (magnatibus) and the high priests. In order that they may make themselves agreeable to them, and that they themselves may preserve their honor unharmed, they compel you to be circumcised. For the nobles among the Jews stubbornly resist the gospel and defend Moses. They strive to submit to the will of these people and to live outwardly in such a way and to arrange the behavior (gestus) in such a way that they please them. Therefore, in order to remain in grace with them and not to suffer the persecution of the cross, they teach that circumcision is necessary for salvation.
90 There are also some such sycophants today, who cry out against us to please the pope, the bishops, and the princes, and maliciously slander our writings, not for the love of the truth, to protect it, which they dispute and blaspheme against their conscience, but to please their idols, the pope, the bishops, the kings and princes of the world, and also not to suffer the persecution of the cross of Christ. But if they would have those carnal benefits from the gospel that they have from their idols, likewise, if the confession of the gospel would bring wealth, pleasure, peace, and carnal rest, they would immediately come to us.
(91) Paul says that your teachers are utterly worthless (vanissimi) people who care nothing for the glory of Christ and your salvation, but seek only their own glory. Then, because they fear the cross, they preach circumcision and the righteousness of the flesh, lest they incur the hatred and persecution of the Jews. Therefore, even though you hear them with great zeal for a long time, you still hear only such people who serve the belly, seek their honor and flee the cross.
(92) But there is an emphasis on the word "compel. For circumcision is nothing, but if circumcision is compelled and righteousness and satisfaction [for sin] are made from receiving it, on the other hand, if it is neglected, sin is made, that is, dishonor to Christ. Enough has been said about this above.
V.13. For even they themselves, who are circumcised, do not keep the law; but they desire that ye should be circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.
Here Paul is a heretic because he says that the false apostles and all the people of the Jews, who were circumcised, do not keep the law, even that the circumcised, when they fulfill the law, do not fulfill it. This is contrary to Moses, who says: if one is circumcised, he keeps the law; if one is not circumcised, he forsakes the covenant of God, Gen. 17:10, 14, and the Jews were circumcised for no other reason than to keep the law, which commanded that everything male should be circumcised on the eighth day etc. This has been abundantly covered above, so there is no need to repeat it here.
94 This is why he condemns the false apostles, so that he may deter the Galatians and they may not hear them, as if to say, "Behold, I paint before your eyes and show you what kind of teachers you have, first, people who are greedy for vain honor, who seek only their own and provide for their bellies; second, who flee from the cross; finally, who teach nothing that is true or certain, but all their speaking and doing is hypocritical. Therefore, even if they outwardly keep the law with gestures and ceremonies, they do not keep it by keeping it. For the law cannot be fulfilled without the Holy Spirit. Without Christ, however, one cannot receive the Holy Spirit; where this is not received, there remains an unclean spirit, that is, one who despises God and seeks his own glory. Therefore, everything he does from the law is hypocritical and a twofold sin. For an unclean heart does not fulfill the law, but only pretends outwardly that it fulfills the law, and is thus strengthened even more in its ungodliness and hypocrisy.
95 This saying is well to be remembered, "They that are circumcised keep not the law," that is, the circumcised are not circumcised etc. and it may be applied to other works also. Whoever does works apart from Christ, prays, suffers, does works in vain, prays and suffers in vain etc., for "whatsoever is not of faith is sin".
[It is therefore of no use that someone is circumcised by heart, fasts, prays etc., if he nevertheless inwardly remains a despiser of grace, of the forgiveness of sins, of faith, of Christ etc., and is proud in trusting in himself, and is presumptuous because of his own righteousness, which are terrible sins against the first table. In addition to this, sins against the second table also arise, such as disobedience, lust, anger, wrath, hatred etc. So he says rightly: The circumcised do not keep the law, but only pretend and give themselves the appearance of keeping it. But hypocrisy is a twofold sin before God.
(96) What do the false apostles mean by wanting you to be circumcised? They want you to be circumcised, not so that you will be righteous, although they pretend to be, but "so that they may boast of your flesh. But who should not utterly abhor that exceedingly injurious vice, ambition, or the seeking of glory, which is sought after with so great danger of souls? They are, he says, quite worthless people who serve the belly and hate the cross. Then, what is most serious, they force you to be circumcised according to the law, so that they can abuse your flesh for their glory, to the eternal harm of your souls. For the benefit that you receive from this is your condemnation before God, before the world, so that the false apostles can boast that they are your teachers, but you are their disciples; but they teach you what they themselves do not do. In this way he makes the false apostles odious and hateful enough [to the Galatians].
97 These words, "That they may boast of your flesh," are to be read emphatically, as if to say, "They have not the word of the Spirit, therefore it is impossible for you to receive the Spirit from their preaching. They only exercise your flesh, making carnal works saints of you, who outwardly, without the Spirit, had days, times, sacrifices etc. according to the law. These are purely carnal things, from which you have nothing but useless toil and condemnation. They, on the other hand, have this, that they can boast that they are teachers of the Galatians, whom they have removed from the doctrine of the heretic
They would have brought St. Paul back to the mother, the synagogue. Thus the flatterers of the papists boast today that they bring back into the fold of the church those whom they traffic in. We, on the other hand, do not boast of your flesh, but of your spirit, because you have received the spirit from our preaching, as was said above Cap. 3, 2.
V. 14. But let it be far from me to boast, but only of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The apostle is now quite indignant and breaks out of an agitated mind into these words: "But let it be far from me to boast," etc. as if he wanted to say: "The carnal boasting of the false apostles is such a harmful pestilence that I would like it to be buried in hell, because it brings ruin to many. But let him of the flesh boast who will, and perish with his accursed glory. But let this be my only glory, which is to glory in the cross of Christ. In the same way he also speaks Rom. 5, 3: "We boast of tribulations" etc.; likewise 2 Cor. 12, 9: "I will most gladly boast of my weakness" etc. So Paul shows here which is the right glory of Christians, namely that they boast, rejoice and are proud in tribulations, shame, weakness etc.
The betting world judges that Christians are not only the most despicable people, but also hates them bitterly, as it should, out of a just zeal; it persecutes, condemns, and kills them as if they were the most harmful ruin for the spiritual and temporal kingdoms, that is, as heretics and rebels. But because they suffer these things, not for murder, theft and other such crimes, but for the sake of Christ, whose glory and honor they proclaim, they boast in the tribulation and cross of Christ and rejoice with the apostles that they are counted worthy to suffer reproach 1) for the name of Christ [Acts 5:41].
100 So too, today, when the pope and the whole race are persecuting us, we should be gray.
1) In the Jena and Erlangen "Christi" is repeated here.
We should boast and rejoice because we suffer these things, not for our own iniquities, as thieves, murderers, etc., but for the sake of Christ, our Savior and Lord, whose gospel we teach purely. But by these two things our boasting is especially great and firm: first, that we are sure that we have the pure and divine doctrine; secondly, that our cross or suffering is Christ's suffering. Therefore we have no cause to lament and weep when the world persecutes and kills us, but to rejoice and be glad in the highest. The world judges us to be wretched and accursed people, but Christ, who is greater than the world, for whose sake we suffer, declares us blessed and calls us to rejoice etc. He says [Matt. 5:11, 12], "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you, because they lie against you. Be glad and of good cheer" etc. Therefore our boasting is quite different from that of the world, which does not boast in tribulation, shame, persecution, death etc., but of its power, riches, peace, honor, wisdom and righteousness. But the end of their glory and joy is mourning and shame.
101 Furthermore, the cross of Christ does not mean the wood that Christ carried on his shoulders and on which he was nailed afterwards, but it generally means all the tribulations of all the blessed, whose sufferings are Christ's sufferings. 2 Cor. 1, 5: "We have much of the suffering of Christ," and Col. 1, 24: "I rejoice in my suffering for you, and in my flesh I make up for the lack of afflictions in Christ for his body, which is the church" etc. Thus the cross of Christ is called in general all the tribulations of the church, which it suffers for Christ's sake, to which Christ himself testifies, in the Acts of the Apostles, Cap. 9, 4, where he says, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" Saul did not do violence to Christ, but to his church. But he that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye [Zech. 2:8]. There is a more tender and sensitive (velocior) feeling in the head than in the other members of the body; this we see in experience. For when a toe of the foot is wounded, or another even so
If a small part of the body is affected, the head immediately shows in the face that it feels this. For the nose is wrinkled, the eyes are used etc. Thus Christ, our head, makes our afflictions his own, and suffers when we, his body, suffer.
It is useful to know this, so that we do not grieve too much or despair completely when we see our adversaries persecuting us, condemning us, and killing us, and also that the heretics hate us with such a hostile spirit, but remember after the example of Paul that we must then, in the cross, boast most of all that we have taken upon ourselves not because of our sins but for the sake of Christ. If we consider the sufferings we endure only in themselves, they are not only burdensome to us, but also unbearable. But when the pronoun of the second person "thine" is added, that we may say: 1) Thy sufferings, O Christ, are many upon us; likewise, as it is said in the 44th Psalm [v. 23.], "For thy sake we are daily strangled," then the sufferings become not only light, but also sweet, as [Matt. 11:30.) it is written, "My yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
It is obvious that today we suffer the hatred and persecution of the adversaries for no other reason than because we preach Christ purely. If we denied this 2) and approved of their harmful errors and unchristian (impios) worship, they would not only cease to hate and persecute us, but also offer us positions of honor, riches etc. Because we suffer these things for the sake of Christ, we can boast with full truth with Paul of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, that is, not of power, favor, riches etc., but of tribulations, weakness, sorrow, afflictions (pugnis) of the body, terrors of the spirit, persecutions, and all kinds of evils. Therefore we hope that it will also happen in a short time that Christ will say to us (what David said to the priest Abiathar, 1 Sam. 22, 22.): "I am guilty of all of your
1) Instead of possumus in the Erlanger is possimus to. read.
2) Jena and Erlangen: nnne instead: Unna.
Souls"; likewise Zech. 2, 8: "Whoever touches you touches the apple of my eye", as if he wanted to say: Whoever wounds you wounds me, for if you did not preach my word and confess me, you would not have to endure this etc. So it [is] said John 15:19, "If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: because I have chosen you of the world, therefore the world hateth you." This is also discussed above.
Through whom the world is crossed to me, and I to the world.
This is a Pauline way of speaking: "The world is crucified to me," that is, I pronounce the judgment that the world is damned, and "I am crucified to the world," that is, the world again judges that I am damned. Thus we crucify and condemn each other. I curse all the doctrine, righteousness and works of the world as the poison of the devil. Again the world curses my teaching and my deeds, judges that I am a harmful man, a heretic, a rebel etc.
Today the world is crucified to us, and we to the world. We curse and condemn the human statutes of masses, orders, vows, services, works and all the abominations of the pope and heretics as the devil's filth. They, on the other hand, persecute and kill us as religion's trafficers and disturbers of the public peace.
The monks dreamed that the world would be crucified to them when they entered the monastery. But in this way not the world, but Christ is crucified; indeed, the world is freed from crucifixion and made more alive by the delusion of its own holiness and the confidence in its own righteousness, which those have had who have entered a spiritual order (religionem), and therefore this saying of the apostle has been drawn in quite an inconsistent way to the entering of an order. But he speaks of a far higher matter, namely that Paul and every saint or Christian considers as divine wisdom, righteousness and power what the world considers as the greatest tyority, godlessness and weakness and condemns, and again what the world considers as the highest religion and godliness, of which
Christians know with certainty that it is the highest blasphemy.
Thus the godly judge the world, and again, the world judges the godly. But with the godly is the right judgment, because a spiritual man judges everything etc. [Therefore, the world's judgment of religion or righteousness before God disputes with the judgment of the godly, as the devil and God dispute with each other.
108. but as God is crucified to the devil, and again, the devil is crucified, that is, as God condemns the doctrine and works of the devil ("for the Son of God," says John [1 Ep. 3, 8.], "has appeared to destroy the works of the devil"), and again, as the devil condemns and reverses the word and works of God (for he is a murderer and a father of lies [Joh. 8, 44]), so the world condemns the doctrine and life of the godly, calling them the most harmful heretics and disturbers of the public peace, whereas the godly call the world a child of the devil, who follows the footsteps of his father most faithfully (egregie), that is, who is as much a murderer and a liar as his father. This is what Paul means when he says, "By whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world." But "world" in the holy scripture means not only the publicly ungodly and wicked people, but also the best, wisest, holiest etc.
1'09. But at the same time he aims covertly at the false apostles, as if he wanted to say: I utterly hate and abhor all glory that is apart from the cross of Christ, as an utterly accursed thing, and not only hold it to be dead, but hold that it died most ignominiously, as he dies most ignominiously who is nailed to the cross. For the world with all its glory is crucified to me, and I to the world. Therefore let all those be accursed who boast of your flesh and not of the cross of Christ. So Paul testifies with these words that he hates the world with the whole (perfecto) hatred of the Holy Spirit, and again, the world hates him with the whole hatred of the evil spirit, as if he wanted to say: It is impossible that any unity can come about between me and the world. What shall I do now? Should
I give way, and teach what pleases the world? No, but unbowed spirit I will only appear bolder against them and despise and crucify them as thoroughly (egregie) as they despise and crucify me etc.
110. Finally, St. Paul also teaches here how to fight against Satan, who plagues us continually with ever different bodily evils, and inwardly strikes our hearts with his fiery darts without ceasing, so that by this stopping, if he cannot do it in any other way, he may overthrow our faith and turn us away from the truth and Christ: That in the same way as we see that St. Paul proudly despised the world, we also despise the devil, its prince, with all his violence, cunning and infernal raging, and in this way, trusting in the assistance of Christ, offer him defiance: The more you harm and desire to harm, Satan, the more proud I am and ridicule you. The more you terrify and seek to throw me into despair, the greater my confidence becomes, and I boast in the midst of your raging and wickedness, not by my power, but by Christ my Lord, whose power is mighty in my weakness [2 Cor. 12:9.]. Therefore, when I am weak, I am strong etc. On the other hand, when he sees that his threats and terrors are magnified, he rejoices and terrifies more and more those who have already become fearful etc.
V. 15. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor foreskin counts for anything, but a new creature.
Paul speaks strangely when he says that in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor foreskin counts for anything etc. He should rather have said: Either circumcision or foreskin counts for something, since these two things are opposed to each other. Now he says that neither counts for anything, as if to say: We must come higher, for circumcision and foreskin are far too minor things to serve to attain righteousness before God. They are indeed opposed to each other, but this has nothing to do with Christian righteousness, which is not earthly but heavenly. Therefore it does not exist
in bodily things. Therefore, whether you are circumcised or have foreskin, it is all the same, for both are of no value in Christ.
The Jews were very angry when they heard that circumcision was not valid. They easily admitted that the foreskin was not valid, but when the same was said of the Law and of circumcision, it was unbearable for them to hear it. For, in order to defend the law and circumcision, they fought to the death. The papists today also fight fiercely to maintain their human statutes of meat-eating, celibacy, holidays, etc., and they banish and curse us, who teach that these are not valid in Christ Jesus. Likewise, some of ours are no less tasteless than the papists, for they consider freedom from the statutes of the pope to be something so necessary that they fear to sin if they do not immediately violate and abolish them all with one another. But Paul says that we must have something far greater and more delicious to attain righteousness before God than law or circumcision, than keeping or transgressing the papal statutes. In Christ JEsu he says- neither circumcision nor foreskin, neither celibacy nor marriage, neither food nor fasting applies etc. "Food does not promote us before God. If we eat, we shall not be better because of it; if we do not eat, we shall be nothing less because of it" [1 Cor. 8:8]. These things are far too subordinate; indeed, the whole world with all its laws and righteousnesses is far too small to be included in the doctrine of justification.
Reason and carnal wisdom does not understand this, because it does not hear anything from the Spirit of God [1 Cor. 2:14]. Therefore it claims that righteousness is in external things. But we are so informed by God's Word that we can declare as certain that in the whole world there is absolutely nothing that can serve for righteousness before God, but the one and only Christ, or, as he says here: "a new creature". But worldly laws, human statutes, church ceremonies, even the law of Moses are things that are apart from Christ. They do not serve for righteousness before
God. They may well be used as good and necessary things, but in their place and time. But if they are used in the business of justification, they are of no value at all, but do much harm, because in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor foreskin is of any value, but a new creature.
114 And Paul excludes by these two parts, circumcision and foreskin, everything that exists in the whole world, and says that it is not valid in Christ Jesus, that is, in matters of faith and salvation. For by the figurative speech of the synecdoche he takes the part for the whole, that is, by "foreskin" he understands all Gentiles, by "circumcision" all Jews, with all their powers and all their glory, as if he wanted to say: All that the Gentiles can accomplish with all their wisdom, righteousness, laws, power, kingdoms, empires, counts for nothing in Christ JEsu. Likewise, everything that the Jews are and can do with all their Moses, law, circumcision, worship, temple, kingdom, priesthood, counts for nothing. Therefore, in Christ Jesus or in the matter of justification, one should not argue about the laws of the Gentiles or the Jews, whether the ceremonial law or the moral law makes righteous, but one must simply make the negative statement: "In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor foreskin counts for anything.
So the laws are evil? No, rather they are good and useful, but in their order and in the right place, that is, in physical and civil matters, which cannot be administered without laws. Then also in the churches we observe certain ceremonies and laws, not because their observance is for righteousness, but for good order, example, tranquility, and unity, according to the saying [1 Cor. 14:40.], "Let all things be done honestly and orderly." But if the laws are so laid down, and their keeping so required, that the keeping of them shall make righteous, and the not keeping of them shall condemn, then they must be utterly done away with and abolished, because then Christ loses his office and glory, who alone makes righteous, who alone gives the Spirit etc. Paul therefore says with these words most clearly
that neither circumcision nor foreskin is valid, but a new creation etc. But since in Christ neither the laws of the Gentiles nor of the Jews are valid for anything, the pope has acted exceedingly ungodly by forcing us to keep his laws as if we would thereby become righteous etc.
But "a new creature", by which the image of God is restored, does not come into being through the appearance or hypocrisy of any outward works ("for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor foreskin counts for anything"), but through Christ it is created in the image of God in righteousness and holiness. When works are done, they produce a new appearance by which the world and the flesh can be bribed (capiuntur), but not a new creature. For the heart remains godless as before, full of contempt for God, unbelief etc. Therefore a new creature is the work of the Holy Spirit, who purifies the heart through faith, and works godliness, love, chastity etc. and gives the power to keep the flesh in check and to flee the righteousness and wisdom of the world etc. Here is not an appearance or only a new outward form, but the thing itself is carried out. In fact, there arises another sense and another judgment, namely, a spiritual one, which thereafter abhors what it formerly held in high esteem. Formerly our hearts were so taken up with the monastic life that we considered it the only way to blessedness; now we judge it far differently. What we worshipped as extremely holy things before we became this new creature, we are ashamed of now when we think of it.
Therefore, a change in clothing and other outward things is not a new creature, as the monks dream, but the renewal of the mind by the Holy Spirit, which is followed by a change in the members and senses of the body. For where the heart receives new light, a new judgment, and new impulses through the gospel, it happens that the outward senses are also renewed. For the ears delight in hearing God's word, no longer human statutes and dreams. The mouth
and the tongue does not praise their works, righteousness and rule, but with joy only praises the mercy of God, which has been shown to us in Christ etc. These are changes, which, I say, are not in words (verbales), but in deeds (reales), which bring with them a new mind, will, sensations, and actions, even of the flesh; so that the eyes, ears, mouth, and tongue not only see, hear, and speak differently than before, but also that the mind itself approves and follows another.
For formerly, when our heart was blinded by papist error and darkness, it dreamed that God was a merchant who sold His grace to us for our works and merits. But now that the light of the Gospel has dawned, it certainly believes that we are counted righteous by faith in Christ alone, and therefore now casts away all works of its own choosing, and does the works of its calling and love that God has commanded, praising and extolling God, and boasting and being joyful in trusting in the mercy of God in Christ alone. If there is any misfortune or danger to suffer, it suffers it gladly and with joy (even though the flesh grumbles against it). This is what Paul calls a new creature.
V.16. And as many as walk according to this rule, upon them be peace and mercy.
This he added as a summa (epiphonema). This is the only and right rule according to which we must walk, namely the new creature. The Franciscans interpret this saying in the most godless way to their rule. That is why these blasphemous and robber people have boasted that their rule is much more holy than others, because it is founded and confirmed by the apostolic testimony and reputation. Surely Paul is not talking here about the caps, plates on the head, rope, wooden shoes, whistling in the church, and similar quite trivial antics, which are included in their rule, but about the new creature, which is neither circumcision nor foreskin, but a new man, created in the image of God in righteousness and holiness.
Righteousness and holiness, who is inwardly righteous in spirit, and outwardly holy and pure according to the flesh. The Franciscans and all monks have a righteousness and holiness, but a hypocritical and godless one, because they do not hope to become righteous by faith in Christ alone, but by keeping their rule. Then, although they pretend to holiness outwardly, keeping their eyes, hands, tongue and other limbs in check, they nevertheless have an unrighteous heart, which is full of evil air, hatred, anger, unchastity, idolatry, contempt and hatred of God, blasphemy against Christ etc. For they are exceedingly bitter enemies of the truth.
Cursed be the rule of Franciscus, Dominic and other monks, because by it, first of all, Christ's good deeds and glory have been obscured and buried, and the gospel of grace and life has been completely suppressed, and secondly, the world has been filled by it with innumerable idolatries, false worship of God, godless false spirituality (religionibus), self-chosen works etc. But this rule, of which Paul speaks here, is the only one given, since by it we live in faith in Christ and become a new creature, that is, truly righteous and holy through the Holy Spirit, not through an empty pretense or hypocrisy. To those who walk according to this rule belongs peace, that is, God's pleasure, forgiveness of sins and a quiet conscience, and mercy, that is, help in tribulations and forgiveness of the sin that is still left in the flesh. Yes, even if those who walk according to this rule are overtaken by a fault or a fall, mercy comes to their aid because they are children of grace and peace, so that their sin and fall is not imputed to them etc.
And about the Israel of God.
121 Here he aims at the false apostles and the Jews, who boasted of the fathers, of being the chosen people, of the law etc., Rom. 9, 3-5. as if he wanted to say: "The Israel of God" are not those who are begotten according to the flesh of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, but those who, with the believing Abraham, follow the promises.
God, who are now fulfilled in Christ, whether they be Jews or Gentiles. This subject is abundantly dealt with above in the third chapter.
V. 17. From now on, no one will give me any more trouble.
With displeasure (stomacho) and indignation he closes the epistle, as if to say: I have faithfully taught the gospel as I received it from Christ by revelation. Whoever does not want to follow, may follow whom he likes, but may he not trouble me any more. In short, this is my opinion in a few words: that Christ, whom I have preached, is the only High Priest and Savior of the world. Let the world therefore walk according to this rule, of which I have spoken here in the whole epistle, or be eternally lost.
V.18. For I bear the marks of the Lord JEsu on my body.
(123) As the Minorites [Franciscans] interpret the above saying, "As many walk according to this rule," to mean that it is said of their rule, so they invent that it is to be understood of the marks of their Franciscus. I consider it a mere fiction and mockery what they said about this. But it may be that Franciscus had the marks on his body, as he is painted, but they were not given to him for the sake of Christ, but he had them himself out of foolish devotion, or rather out of vain honor, with which he could tickle himself that he loved Christ so much that he also marked his wounds on his body.
The correct understanding of this passage is this: The scars (notae) that I bear on my body show sufficiently whose servant I am. If I sought to please men and insisted that circumcision and the keeping of the law were necessary for salvation, and boasted of your flesh, as the false apostles do, it would not have been necessary for me to bear these marks on my body. But because I am the servant of Jesus Christ and walk according to the right rule, that is, publicly.
I teach and confess that no one can obtain grace, righteousness and salvation apart from Christ, therefore I must also bear Christ's marks (insignia), which are not marks that I have acquired of my own free will, but which are inflicted on me against my will by the world and by Satan for no other reason than because I preach that Jesus is the Christ.
So he calls the marks of the wounds that are marked on his body and his suffering, then also the fiery darts of the devil, the sorrow and terror of the heart. These sufferings he commemorates everywhere in his epistles, and Lucas in the Acts of the Apostles. In the first letter to the Corinthians, cap. 4, 9, 11-13, he says: "But I think that God has presented us apostles as the very least, as given over to death. For we have become a spectacle to the world, and to angels, and to men"; likewise: "Until this hour we suffer hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are beaten, and have no certain place, and work and labor with our own hands. We are scolded, we are persecuted, we are blasphemed. We are always as a curse of the world, and a sweep offering of all men." Likewise 2 Cor. 6, 4. 5.: "In great patience, in tribulations, in distresses, in beatings, in prisons, in riots, in labor, in watchings, in fastings" etc., and Cap. 11, 23-26. and Cap. 12, 10. 11.: "I have suffered more beatings, I have been imprisoned more often, often in mortal distresses. From the Jews I have received five times forty strokes less one. I have been beaten three times, stoned once, shipwrecked three times, spent day and night in the depths of the sea. I have traveled often; I have been in peril on the sea, in peril among murderers, in peril among the Jews, in peril among the Gentiles, in peril in cities, in peril in deserts, in peril on the sea, in peril among false brethren" etc.
(126) These are the right marks, that is, the notae impressae, of which the apostle speaks here, which we also have today by the grace of God on our bodies.
We must bear them in our bodies for the sake of Christ. For the world persecutes and kills us, false brethren hate us bitterly, Satan terrifies us inwardly in our hearts with his fiery darts for no other reason than because we teach that Christ is our righteousness and our life. These marks we do not choose for ourselves out of sweet devotion, nor do we suffer them gladly; but because the world and Satan bring them upon us for Christ's sake, we must suffer them, and boast with Paulo in spirit (who is always willing, boasting, and rejoicing) that we bear them in our bodies. For they are the seal and most certain testimony of right doctrine and true faith. Paul said this, as I reminded you above, with a certain indignation.
The grace of our Lord JEsu Christ: be with your spirit, dear brothers, Amen.
This is the last farewell. Concludes the letter with the same words with which he
started him, as if he wanted to say: I have taught you Christ purely, I have pleaded with you, I have scolded you, etc. and I have omitted nothing which, in my opinion, would be useful to you. There is nothing more that I could add, except that I pray from the bottom of my heart that our Lord Jesus Christ may bless and prosper my work, and govern you with his Spirit forever.
Now I am finished (hactenus) with the interpretation of the epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians. The Lord Jesus Christ, our Justifier and Savior, who has given me grace and ability to interpret this epistle, and you to hear it, sustain and strengthen me and you (this I implore from the bottom of my heart), so that we may grow more and more every day in the knowledge of his grace, and be found blameless and blameless in an unfeigned faith on the day of our redemption. To Him be glory forever with the Father and the Holy Spirit, Amen.