V. 1. I exhort the elders who are among you, fellow elders and witnesses of the sufferings that are in Christ, and partakers of the glory that is to be revealed.
In the fourth chapter above, St. Peter has given an instruction on how to keep the
who preside over the people in spiritual government, that no one should teach or preach anything unless he is sure that it is the word of God, so that our conscience may stand on a firm rock. For it is bound up with us Christians that we should be sure of what we preach.
God or not; whoever does not have this certainty is not a Christian. Then he also said that whatever anyone does or creates in the church, he should consider it as if it were God's doing. Here he goes on to say how such persons should be skillful and conduct themselves.
But here you must get used to the language and learn what the words mean. The word presbyter or priest is a Greek word, in German it means an elder, as one also called senatores in Latin, that is, a bunch of old, wise men, who should have experienced a lot. So also here St. Peter calls Christ's ministers and his councilors, who are to lead the spiritual regiment, that is, preach, and care for the Christian community. Therefore, do not be misled if the priests are now called something else, for the Scriptures know nothing about those who are now called priests; therefore, put the essence out of sight, as it is now, and understand that St. Peter and other apostles, when they came to a city where there were believers or Christians, they raised up an aged man or two who were upright, had a wife and child, and were knowledgeable in the Scriptures, and they called them presbyteros.
St. Paul also calls them bishops. Therefore bishop and priest are one thing. We have another fine example in the legend of St. Martin, that one came with some to a place in Asricam, and saw that a man was lying there in a hut, whom they took for a farmer, and did not know who he was. After that, when the people gathered there, he stood up and preached, and they saw that he was their pastor or bishop, because at that time they did not wear special clothes and dress in front of other people.
These elders, says St. Peter, who are to care for and provide for the commonwealth of God, I exhort, who am also one. Therefore you see clearly that those whom he calls elders have been in the ministry and have preached, therefore he also calls himself an elder. And here St. Peter humbles himself; he does not say that he is a ruler, although he would have had power, because he was an apostle of Christ; and he does not call himself only a fellow elder,
but also a witness of the sufferings that are in Christ, as if to say, I not only preach, but I am also among the Christians who must suffer; so that he may indicate where Christians are, that they must suffer and are persecuted. This is a righteous apostle. If there were now such a pope and bishops who carried this title with truth, we would gladly kiss their feet.
This is still greater, that he says, "And partakers of the glory that shall be revealed"; there he makes himself a saint. He was sure that he should be saved, for he had much assurance; as when Christ said, "I have chosen you"; item, "Peter, I have prayed for you, that your faith cease not." But it took a lot of effort before the apostles got there; they had to come down and become poor sinners. Now, even though he knows that he is a fellow member of eternal blessedness, he is not proud, he does not exalt himself, even though he is an apostle of Christ.
He also says this so that he may stir up and move the elders by his example, so that they may faithfully care for Christ's army; and even though they encounter much misfortune in this regard, that they may not therefore despair and give up, but do as he did, preaching Christ continually, and suffering because of it, and comforting themselves that they will certainly share in the glory that is to be revealed. For nothing else will come of it: the sufferings precede, the glory follows after, Cap. 1, 5. 6. Therefore he says: Not only do I preach together with you, but I am also a witness of the sufferings that are in Christ; that is, I find both in myself and in others that all who believe in Christ and confess him are full of suffering; but they are also sure that in his time they will be raised with him to glory. Now follows what the elders will do.
V. 2. Feed the flock of Christ that is commanded to you.
Christ, the arch-shepherd, has many shepherds under him, and he has handed out his flock to them, which is scattered over the face of the whole earth. What shall they do? They shall feed his flock. The pope has taken this text upon himself, and wants to
prove that he is overlord, and may deal with the sheep as he pleases. But it is well known what pasture means, namely, that the shepherds give pasture to the sheep and present fodder, so that they may grow fat, strong and fruitful; above that they also look lest the wolves come and tear the sheep; it is called feeding the sheep, not slaughtering and strangling them. But he speaks of spiritual feeding, which is done by the pure word of God etc.
So St. Peter actually calls it Christ's army; as if he should say: Just do not think that the army is yours, you are only servants of it. So he also said above Cap. 2, 25: "You are now converted to the bishop and shepherd of your souls." And Apost. 20, 28. St. Paul says to the elders: "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and unto all the host, among whom the Holy Ghost hath made you bishops, to feed the congregation of God, which he hath purchased by his own blood" etc. So then the bishops are servants of Christ, to shepherd His flock and to feed it. But to feed is not, as has been said, but to preach the Gospel, so that the sheep may feed on the Gospel and the Word of God, from which they are fed and become fat and fruitful. So also Christ says to St. Peter, "Feed my sheep," that is, the sheep you are to feed are not yours, but mine. Those who do this are elders or bishops, even if they are only poor village priests; but those who do not are not bishops before God. etc.
Whether these sayings are bright and clear enough, and 1) cannot be understood otherwise than from spiritual pasture, nor have they interpreted them 2) to the effect that the pope has external authority over all of Christendom, and yet none of them preaches a word of the Gospel; I fear that in St. Peter's time there were very few popes who preached the Gospel. St. Gregory, the pope, has certainly been a holy man, but his sermons are not worth a penny; so that it seems that the chair at Rome is especially cursed by God. Many popes have been martyred for the sake of the Gospel.
1) "and" is missing in the Erlanger.
2) "they" is missing in the Wittenberger.
But there is nothing written of them that is special, in which they have taught faith in Christ. etc. Nevertheless they go on, saying and writing that they must feed, and yet do nothing, except that they catch and torture the consciences with their own laws, preach nothing of Christ; all they have to do is that by this and such sayings, which speak of feeding, the tyranny of the pope may be confirmed, that he is the highest lord on earth. But let them always go, there is no hearing.
From St. Peter's words (when he says: "Feed the flock of Christ" etc.) it is well to be understood that he speaks to those who feed the flock of Christ with the Gospel; those who are able to teach others should be chosen for this office, as St. Paul also says to Timothy [2 Tim. 2:2]: "What you have heard from me, command faithful men who are able to teach others also." But a preacher must not only feed, that is, preach the gospel purely to the sheep of Christ and instruct them how to be true Christians, but he must also ward off the wolves so that they do not attack the sheep, introduce error and lead them astray with false teaching, just as the devil does not rest. Now there are many people who may well suffer the gospel to be preached, but that they cry not against the wolves. But though I preach rightly, and feed and teach the sheep well, yet am I not rightly shepherding the sheep, and keeping them, lest the wolves come and lead them away again. For what is it built, if I cast out stones, 3) and watch another throw them in again? The wolf can well suffer that the sheep have good pasture; he has them the better that they are hostile; but he cannot suffer that the dogs bark hostilely. Therefore it is a great thing who takes it to heart that one should feed rightly, as God has commanded. Both must be together; as St. Paul also teaches Titus 1:9: "An elder," he says, "should hold to the word that is sure and able to teach, that he may be mighty to exhort by sound doctrine, and to punish the gainsayers."
3) About the reading: "eject" compare Col. 1101.
The flock (says St. Peter) that is among or with you, or that is commanded to you, not that you should be masters over it, but that you should feed it, that is, instruct, comfort and admonish it with God's word, how to believe, love, live Christianly, and grow and increase in the knowledge of Christ etc.
And look at them.
The Greek word έπχτχοποΰντες, which is,
are bishops, which St. Peter here needs, comes from the little word έπίσχοπος, which means on
German ein Aufseher oder Wächter, der auf der Wache oder auf der Warte liegt, und um sich herumsehen, dass es überall richtig zugehehen; deshalb Bischof und Aeltester Ein Ding ist. It is therefore a lie that they now say that the office of bishop is a dignity or rule, and that he is a bishop who wears a pointed hat on his head etc. It is not a dignity or a rule, but an office, that he should visit those who are commanded to him, that he should look after them, and be their watchman, that he may know what faults, deficiencies, and infirmities are everywhere among them; where one is weak and has an evil conscience, that he may help and comfort; where one falls, that he may straighten him out; where one is wild, that he may punish him, and the like; so that by such his faithfulness and diligence the Christian people may be sufficiently provided for. Therefore he says, "Look at the flock," as if to say, "You are not commanded to feed geese or cows, but the community of God, which he purchased with his own blood," Acts 20:28. 20, 28. Therefore watch carefully, you will have to give an account for them. That is why I have often said that if there were a proper government now, there would have to be three or four bishops in a city, after which it is, who would provide the community with God's word and have respect where it is lacking everywhere.
Not compelled, but voluntary.
Here St. Peter touches two things, which might frighten someone to preside over the people. In the first place, there are some who are devout, and yet they do not like to be used as pastors and preachers, for it is a laborious office to see how the sheep live everywhere, to help them and to guide them.
and night, and prevent wolves from entering; for this purpose one must also stake life and limb on it. Therefore he speaks: You shall not be forced to do it. It is true that no one should enter this office without being called; but if he is called and required, he should go willingly and do what his office requires. For those who are compelled to do it, who have no desire and love for it, will not do it well. Therefore he says, "Not compelled," that is, unwillingly, unenthusiastically, and discontentedly, as those who alone consider the toil and labor and displeasure, even driving, but voluntarily, to the praise of Christ, whose servant and steward they are, and to the benefit and salvation of the people whom they are commanded.
Not for the sake of shameful gain.
The others are worse than the first, who preside over the people, and seek their profit in feeding their bellies. These seek the wool and milk of the sheep, asking nothing of how they are fed, as our bishops are now doing. Now this is almost an injurious and abominable lamentation; for if he who is to feed is thus bent on his own use and greedy for gain, he will soon become a wolf. That is why both apostles, St. Peter and Paul, often reported it, and also the prophets. Ezk. 34, 2. 3. is written like this: "Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? But ye eat the fat, and clothe yourselves with the wool, and slay that which is fattened; but ye will not feed the sheep" etc.
But out of good will.
This is that a pastor has a desire for it, is inclined to it, and does it gladly from the heart, remains happy to teach, even in poverty and lack, completely free of charge, because he knows that he does God good in it, and shows his neighbor the highest good deeds. He does not seek his own glory in the feeding of God, nor his own profit and benefit from the sheep he is commanded to feed, as Moses, Samuel and all pious shepherds have done and still do. etc. So we have two kinds of evil shepherds: the first, who do not like to do it, shunning the work, ingratitude and the cross; the second, who do not like to do it, shunning the work, ingratitude and the cross.
do it gladly, but for the sake of avarice. Those who walk on the middle road do not do it forcedly, but willingly, not for the sake of shameful gain, but from the heart etc. Further he says:
V. 3. not as those who rule over the 1) people.
These are the ones who like to rule for the sake of honor, so that they can ride high and be mighty lords. Therefore he admonishes them that they do not act as if the people were under them, that they might be lords and do as they please. For we have one Lord, who is Christ, who rules our souls. The bishops shall do nothing but feed.
Then St. Peter overturned with one word and condemned all the rule that the pope now leads, and clearly concludes that he and his bishops have no power to command a word, but that they alone should be servants and say: This is what your Lord Christ says, therefore you should do it. For thus Christ teaches Luc. 22, 25. f.: "The worldly kings reign, and the mighty are called gracious lords; but ye not so, but the greatest among you shall be as the youngest, and the chiefest as a servant." And St. Paul 2 Cor. 4:5: "We preach not ourselves, but JESUS Christ, that he is the Lord; but we your servants for JESUS' sake." The Pope, however, has it the other way around, does not only want to be Lord over God's people, but also blasphemes the Majesties etc.
But become models of the herd.
That is, think that you step in front and lead such a holy way, that you give a good example to the people with your life, which they follow. O! how unequal are our nobles 2) to those elders or bishops of whom St. Peter speaks here: They are tyrants more than pastors, binding, as Christ says, heavy and infallible burdens, and laying them on the poor afflicted consciences; but they do not stir the same with a finger, if they should not preach a word, nor do they preach a word, if they should not preach a word.
1) Wittenberger: "jr".
2) Wittenberger: Junkherrn.
others, if they had not done it to themselves 3) before. But if they were urged to do so, they would soon tire of it.
V. 4. Thus you will receive (when the Arch Shepherd appears) the unfading crown of honors.
To the pious, faithful shepherds who feed Christ's flock, and do it willingly and from the bottom of their hearts, St. Peter does not want to set a temporal reward, as if he were to say: Your goodness is so great that it cannot be rewarded here, but you will receive an eternal crown of honor, which will itself follow, if you faithfully and diligently feed Christ's flock, which you have been commanded to do. This is the admonition that St. Peter gives to those who are to care for souls. From this you can strongly conclude and clearly prove that the pope with his bishops is the end-Christ or Antichrist; since he who does none of what St. Peter demands here, does not feed Christ's flock, not to mention that he should do it willingly and from the bottom of his heart and be an example to it in faith, love, spirit, etc., but rather does exactly the opposite, but he does exactly the opposite, and not only does not want to feed the herd nor let it feed, nor does he want to be master over it himself, doing everything for the sake of shameful gain, but he himself is the wolf that tears it apart, and yet he boasts that he is the Lord Christ's governor. 4) He is the wolf that tears it apart, and yet he boasts that he is the Lord Christ's governor. Now, as he is a steward, so shall he be rewarded.
Therefore it is necessary for the simple to grasp this and similar sayings well, and to hold the pope's rule against them when they are asked and examined, so that they can answer and say, "Thus Christ said and did," and the pope teaches and acts contrary to this. Christ says yes; the pope says no. Because they are against each other, one of them must lie. Now Christ does not lie; therefore I conclude that the pope is a liar and the right end-Christian. So you must be equipped with the Scriptures, so that you can not only call the pope an end-Christian, but also know how to prove it clearly,
3) Wittenberger: "für sich selbs". - The word "itself" appears in both redactions. In Latin: ynoä non anten, ixsi xraestitissent.
4) "the" is missing in the Erlanger.
that you may surely die on it, and stand against the devil in death. Now follow on:
V. 5. In the same way, you young people, be subject to the elders.
These are the last admonitions in this epistle. St. Peter wants to have such an order in Christianity, that the young should be subject to the old, honor them and humble themselves before them; as it is also written: "Before a gray head you shall rise, and honor the old. If this were the case, there would not be much law. He wants to have it straight so that the youth should be governed according to the understanding of the ancients, as they know best, that it may be done to the praise of God. For he speaks here of such old men as are learned, understanding, and enlightened with the Holy Spirit. For if they themselves are fools, and understand nothing, no good government comes of it; but if they are wise and experienced, it is good that they govern the youth. But St. Peter does not yet speak of worldly government, but in general that the elders should govern the young in spirit, be they priests or other old men.
Nevertheless, it is a common doctrine that affects all people, regardless of their status. Now it is a common complaint that the youth is rough, wild and naughty: children do not want to be subject to 1) their parents, pupils to their preceptors, servants to masters and wives; there is no more obedience and discipline among the young people, but only pride and wantonness; everyone wants to do what he desires, to be a squire, 2) to be free and unpunished. God will not allow this to continue. Now whoever wants to be a Christian, and let him be told, know that it is not up to him whether he wants to be a subject or not, but he should do it with goodness and will. God wills it, who speaks here through St. Peter: "Young people, be subject to the elders.
Moreover, Christ is set before you as an example, that you should be like him. Wel-
1) Erlanger: the.
2) The comma after "Junker" (which the Erlangen edition, vol. 52, p. 194 (incorrectly paginated "192"4) has omitted) is found in the Wittenberg edition. Buchwald, Elf ungedruckte Predigten, p. 37, offers: "Jedermann will Junker Frei fein."
Although he was in divine form and equal to God, he became the servant of all of us and was obedient to death, even death on the cross, Phil. 2, 6-8. And above Cap. 2, 18. the apostle exhorts the servants not only to be subject and to prove all loyalty even to their whimsical masters, but also to suffer ingratitude and all evil from them, and to follow in the footsteps of their Lord Christ, who has done no sin etc. If then you despise the commandment of God, your Creator, and do not let the example of Christ your Lord and Savior move you, you are not a Christian, you have lost your baptism, Christ's suffering and blood, God's grace and mercy, yes, you are incurring God's severe and unmistakable wrath and disgrace; which, as St. Peter says afterwards, is the hope of the world. He will overthrow and exterminate you poor maggot with his mighty hand, so that he will also cast the disobedient angels into hell with chains of darkness; as one not only reads this in all histories, but also experiences it daily. I fear that the disobedience and courage of the young people will soon be punished more horribly than anyone thinks; God will first take away His own in mercy, so that they may not see such misery.
All of you be subject to one another, and hold fast to humility.
Here he restrains himself and moderates his words, wanting all Christians to be submissive to one another. But how does this rhyme, if the elders are to rule, and yet at the same time also be submissive? Should it be reversed? We want to let the words remain, so that they are said in general to all Christians, that one should be subject to the other; the young, as said, to the elders, and again, the elders (especially when they are in office) to the young, that is, to be ready to serve them with their gifts, spiritually and physically, every hour and moment, if need requires it, as, with comfort, advice, admonition, help, punishment etc.For this reason also, because both old and young have the same spiritual goods, the young just the word of grace, faith, baptism, hope, spirit, Christ, God, life, blessedness, as the old.
have. There is no difference at all, neither old nor young, but all are one in Christ. Therefore, he who is a Christian with all his heart, who is gifted with the highest gifts and is the teacher of others, humbles himself even against the least Christian; for he belongs to Christ as much as he does, and has bought him as dearly as he has bought him; indeed, he not only bears the infirmities and burdens of the weak, but also covers them up; that is, in fact, to serve and to be subject. Also, one often finds young people who are more skillful and more highly gifted by God than old people. That is why St. Peter wants us to be subjects of one another.
St. Paul also teaches Rom. 12, 10: "One should precede the other with reverence, and Phil. 2, 3: "Through humility respect one another more highly than yourselves"; item, Christ Luc. 14, 8-10.If you are invited to a wedding, do not sit on top, lest someone more honest than you be invited by him; and if he who invited you and you who invited him comes, say to you, 'Move away from him,' and you will have to sit with shame on the bottom; but if you are invited, go and sit on the bottom, so that when he who invited you comes, he may say to you, 'Friend, move up. Upon this he introduces the saying, as elsewhere more [v. 11.] "He that exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he that humbles himself shall be exalted."
For this reason the young should be subject to the elders, but nevertheless the elders should be so skilled that each one considers himself the least in his heart. If this were done, we would have good peace and prosperity on earth.
Hold fast to humility. For God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
God distributes His gifts among the people of His pleasure, adorning some with bodily gifts, such as health, strength, beauty, wealth, honor, power etc., some with spiritual gifts, such as wisdom, understanding of the Holy Scriptures etc., and this, as was also said above, so that
1) Erlanger: ebenwohl.
They should recognize that they have received such gifts from him, thank him for them and use them for the benefit of their neighbor. This is what St. Peter teaches here when he says, "Hold fast to humility," and it is a serious and necessary teaching. For it is no different in the world: if someone has something before another, he boasts, becomes hopeful and proud; as if he were rich, noble, powerful, beautiful etc., item, learned, eloquent, pious etc. does not think that he has it from God, let alone that he should thank him for it, much less that he should serve and advise his neighbor with it; but thinks it has grown on him, for this reason thinks much of himself, no one is good enough for him, yes, others stink before him; thus he needs what he has only for the contempt and harm of his neighbor, and on top of that wants to be celebrated and worshipped by him; there is neither love nor humility, but only contempt and arrogance. Therefore such a man sins not only in the other table against his neighbor, but also in the first against God, whose grace and mercy he should preach and praise (for which he has been given the gifts); but he does not do so, but seeks his glory and honor in it. This is called blaspheming and desecrating God's name in the most horrible way. Therefore, the hopefulness that arises and grows from the gifts of the spirit is a devilish vice that is radically against God's name and word.
But this is not how it should be among you Christians, says St. Peter, but you should know that God's will and His serious commandment is that you, as one body in Christ and one member of another, should have a fervent love, and also be one subject to the other, because you have the same faith, hope, baptism, spirit, and in sum the same goods in Christ, in whom you are one without any difference. But if anyone is adorned with beautiful, high gifts before others, let him know that he has received them from God for this reason, that he may serve those who do not have them, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. Therefore, the more highly you are gifted, the more deeply you humble yourselves 2) even toward the least of these; but they let themselves be taught, instructed, corrected, admonished, and punished by you,
2) "also" is missing in the Erlanger.
We also accept it with all humility, so that you tie your hands together and hold on to it firmly and strongly, so that it remains whole and round and is not torn apart and torn apart by anger, arrogance, disagreement and impatience. But this truly requires great earnestness, for it will not go down easily, nor will it let itself be put on like a skirt. Therefore he speaks further:
V. 6. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in his time.
Because God wants you to submit to one another, do it willingly and gladly, and he will exalt you in due time. But if you will not do it willingly, you will have to do it; he will throw you down.
But it has an appearance, when God lets His own be pushed down, as if He wanted to be outside too long. Therefore he says: Do not err in this, put it out of your sight, and rely on the fact that you have a certain assurance that it is God's hand and His will. Therefore, you should not look at the time, how long you humble yourselves and submit to others. For even if God forgives, He will still exalt you.
But if you do the contrary, do not let this faithful admonition of mine move you, nor let Christ's spirit rule you, but follow the devil, who is a proud, hopeful spirit, and does nothing but sow hope in men's hearts, so that they rely on temporal goods, honor, power, wisdom, holiness etc. and do not take comfort in Christ's suffering, do not ask about God's providence and promise: then you should know that you are incurring the wrath and enmity of God, who created you and has your life in his hands. He resists the hopeful who do not want to humble themselves under his mighty hand, he can overthrow you in an instant and cast you into the abyss of hell, as he has proven from the beginning of the world; as you can read not only in the Bible, but also in all histories, and you can see it every day before your eyes, if you only want to believe it.
Mary, the holy Mother of God, also sings in the manner in her Magnificat, stroking the
He further elaborates on St. Peter's saying and says that God shows His mercy to those who fear Him; item, He raises the lowly, feeds and fills the hungry with goods, and finally delivers them from all misery and makes them blessed. On the other hand, he scatters the proud in their hearts, pushes the mighty from the throne, and leaves the rich empty, so that they finally have to live in want forever, which St. Peter summarizes thus: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. But this is believed on both sides to be better. 1) The proud, the powerful and the rich have it all their own way and desire, whatever their heart desires. Therefore they do not think otherwise, because they have a gracious God, believe nothing less than that he should resist them and overthrow them. Again, because the pious must suffer much, as we have heard throughout the epistle, it is as if God is angry with them and resists them with all his might. Therefore, because it is so absurd, 2) Christians should not allow themselves to be challenged, but 2) should keep God's word and take comfort in His promise, as St. Peter teaches further, saying:
V. 7 Cast all your care upon him, for he cares for you.
This is a beautiful, comforting saying, which every Christian should well imagine and write in his heart, so that he can comfort himself with it against all adversity and temptation. If then St. Peter will say thus: If the world persecutes you, if the devil with his fiery darts frightens and saddens your heart, if false brothers prove wickedness and mischievousness to you, or if anything else, no matter what it may be, looks at you, then do not become angry and impatient, do not grumble and complain, and even if it lasts a long time, and there is no end to it, do not let the time be too long, but let God take the matter home, he will do it well. Yes, in this way we only give them cause to trample us underfoot, to do us all harm and damage, and finally to strangle us. Therefore do not worry about anything, let him take care of it, and remember the rest.
1) Wittenberger: "döcht".
2) Erlanger: they.
not, Where shall I get money, house, food? how shall I feed my wife and child? how shall I get out of this trouble or journey? where shall I stay when I die? but follow my advice: Let every man in his condition do what God has commanded him to do; if he encounters some evil in this, let him suffer it, and herewith prove his patience and humility, and take comfort in the fact that God, to whom he has now been reconciled through Christ, and through faith in him has become his child, is almighty and merciful; let him call upon Him, and cast all his concerns, whether bodily or spiritual, home to Him with all confidence, for He cares for us. We should not doubt this.
The prophet David also speaks Psalm 55:23 (from which St. Peter introduced this saying), where he says: "Cast your concern upon the Lord, and he will provide for you (for he is too long in procrastinating, and in the meantime always leaves me in trouble; ei, hold fast and wait); he will not leave the righteous in trouble forever." There are many more such sayings in the Bible. Therefore, this teaching is nowhere to be found except in the Holy Scriptures; no philosopher or lawgiver teaches that one should cast all worry on God. That is why the world knows nothing about it, turns everything around, not only leaves it to do what it should, but also does not want to suffer anything. If it meets it differently than it had thought, it becomes angry and impatient, and thinks how it can avenge itself; thus, contrary to St. Peter's advice, it takes upon itself the care that it should cast upon God, which is too heavy and infallible for it. Therefore we see that commonly all people, especially people of high rank, carry themselves with worries and fear day and night, can never be satisfied, so they spend their lives miserably with futile, useless worries, and if it does not work out and wants to go on as they intend (as it commonly happens; but if it does, then it only brings them greater ruin), they become mad and foolish, and also die in part from great suffering. What is lacking? That they do not follow St. Peter's advice, do not cast their care on God, but keep it with them, and want to carry it themselves etc.
But you have such assurance, so that you may be sure that God will not forsake you, but
will certainly take care of you. Therefore cast all your care upon him, and let him do it. These are sweet words beyond measure; how could he make it sweeter and kinder? But why does he need so much irritation? Because no one likes to let himself down and let his mind go. Therefore he gives such comfort that God not only looks after us, but also cares for us and takes care of us warmly. So let each one do what he is commanded to do by God, and if you have done it well and faithfully, and have earned the world's hatred and wrath with it (for they are not worthy of anything else), then only suffer it cheerfully, always continue, and do not let anything deter you from your profession. But if you are to be exalted, do not worry about it, but let God take care of it. So it is divided quite finely: the small things, that is, the work and the suffering (it cannot be otherwise), remain on you; the greatest things, that is, the worry, God takes upon Himself. Then you can get through finely, which would otherwise be impossible for you, if the worry would also remain on you etc. At the end he still gives a faithful warning and says:
V. 8, 9: Be sober and watchful, for your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him firmly in faith.
There he gives us a warning, and wants to open our eyes, and would be well worth that one writes the saying with golden letters. There you see what this life is, and how it is depicted, that we should probably always wish that we were dead. We are here in the devil's kingdom, no different than if a pilgrim came to a place where he knew that they were all robbers and murderers in the house; if he had to come there, he would still prepare himself, and provide as best he could, and not sleep much: so we are in the world, where the devil is so master that he has the hearts of men in his power, does through them what he wills. It is frightening, if you look at it right. That is why St. Peter wants to warn us to be careful, as a faithful apostle of Christ, who knows how the devil is, who he is and what his mind is.
But it is by nature such a malicious and poisonous spirit that it can suffer nothing good; it is sorry that an apple, cherry etc. grows, it also hurts and upsets it that a few healthy people live on earth, and if God did not prevent it, it would throw everything into a heap. But he is not so bitter toward any thing as he is toward the dear Word; for he can hide himself among all creatures, but the Word exposes him, and shows everyone how black he is. Since you then, as St. Peter says, have God's word and are attached to it by faith, you should be sure that you have him as an enemy, and you should know that he is not only a wise and cunning spirit, but also a wicked, poisonous one, and so powerful that he is mighty over the whole world; therefore Christ also calls him John 14:30, a prince, and St. Paul 2 Corinthians 4:4, Ephesians 6:12, a god and lord of this world.
Now if he, your adversary, the devil, were far from you and left you alone, that would be a bad thing; but he is not. He is not a thousand miles from you, but is around and with you, so near that he could not be nearer to you; nor does he lie on a cushion, sleeping and snoring, but goes about day and night without ceasing; Not that he would jest and play with you, or see what you do, but he is angry and enraged, and hungrier than any wolf or lion, and does not seek how he may feed on yours, or do you any harm, or cut a wound, or give a sting, or burn house and home; but his whole earnestness is, 2) that he may devour you whole. Go around so long, seek and try everything, until he finally brings you to the trap; now set on you, and provoke you to adultery, anger, now to avarice, hope etc. If it does not work that way, he tries it with terror, unbelief etc. that you should leave God's word and despair of his grace. He can also disguise himself into an angel of light outside of the temptation, so that one does not think otherwise, because everything that he gives him and disputes with him from the Scriptures is certainly God's word and the truth,
1) "a" is missing in the Erlanger.
2) Erlanger: is.
He swears and dies by it, and yet it is all falsehood and lies. This is how cunningly and wickedly he deals with you Christians, for he caught the wicked in his snares before, so that they must do, speak and think what he wants, 2 Tim. 2, 26. Peter warns us faithfully and tells us about our enemy, so that we should beware of him; as St. Paul also does, 2 Cor. 2, 11, and says: "We are not unaware of what Satan has in mind; and Eph. 6, 12: "We do not have to fight with flesh and blood" etc.
But especially is it to be noted here that he says, "The devil walks about. He does not go under your eyes when you are armed, but looks behind and in front, inside and outside, where and how he may attack you. If he attacks you here and now, he will soon go there and attack you in another place, breaking from one side to the other, and he will need all kinds of lift and trickery to bring you down; and if you are already well armed in one place, he will invade you in another. If he cannot overthrow you there, he will attack you elsewhere, and so he will never stop, but will go around and around, never leaving you alone. So we are safe, and we do not pay much attention, we do not walk and we do not watch, so he can tear down well. Therefore we are poor people, that we walk so carelessly. If we looked at it right, we should cry murder over our lives, hence Job Cap. 7, 1. calls it an eternal battle. Why then does God leave us in this life and sorrow? So that faith may be exercised and grow, and so that we may hurry out of this life and have a desire after death, and gain a desire to die. But how we are to oppose the devil in this life, and to resist him, is taught by St. Peter. Peter teaches and says: "First of all, you should be sober and courageous, not only in the body, but much more in the soul, and make every effort to ensure that the soul is not drunk and sleepy, but sober and courageous, that is, that it always breathes God's word, considers it and observes it, and diligently adheres to it, thanking God for it and praying that it may understand it better and more firmly adhere to it. Where this happens, the body remains
also fine, sober and brave, likes to go to church, listens to God's word, does not let anything hinder him, keeps himself moderate etc.; but if the body is full, lazy and sluggish, it is a sure sign that the soul is spiritually drunk before, that is, surely, full and tired of the word, sleeps and snores to it. Therefore, the devil is especially concerned to make us spiritually drunk, so that in time we lose our love and desire for God's word and become disgusted with it, to be the preachers of it, when they punish us for our vices and threaten us with God's judgment; or else when he perverts and falsifies it through his preachers, but with such a pretense that those who hear it and are not well informed .do not know otherwise than that it is the true truth; as we have well experienced these years ago with the Sacramentarians, the Anabaptists, and other sects. So both the right doctrine and faith are lost, and there is no more resistance against the devil.
V. 9: Resist firmly in faith.
You should be sober and watchful, so that both the body and the soul are sent. But with this the devil is not yet defeated. The right sword is that you are strong and firm in faith. If you take hold of God's word in your heart and hold on to it with faith, the devil cannot win, but must flee. So if you can say, "This is what my God has said, then I will get up; then you will see that he will soon go away; for then, unwillingness, evil desire, anger, avarice, melancholy and doubting will all go away. But the devil is cunning and does not like to let you do this; he reaches out and takes the sword out of your hand. If he makes you lazy, so that the body becomes clumsy and the soul careless, does not practice God's word, does not hold fast to it, he soon snatches the sword out of your hand. This is what he did to Eve; she had God's word, and if she had stuck to it, she would not have fallen. But when the devil saw that she did not hold fast to the word, he tore it out of her heart; so soon it happened that she was deceived and brought the transgression upon the whole human race.
So St. Peter's has instructed us sufficiently
set how we shall contend with the devil. It costs not much running to and fro, nor any work that thou canst do, but no more than that thou cleave to the word by faith. When he comes, and wants to drive you into a melancholy because of sin, then only take hold of the word of grace, which promises forgiveness of sins through Christ, and consider it with all your heart, and he will soon desist. St. Peter continues:
And know that your brothers in the world have the same suffering.
Shortly before St. Peter denied Christ, the Lord told him that the devil would see him and bring him to deny him three times. "But I," he continues, "have prayed for thee, that thy faith cease not; and if thou be converted some day, strengthen thy brethren." What the Lord commanded him to do there, he does in this place especially, namely, comfort his brethren, that is, the Christians who are afflicted and challenged by the devil; so now I will say, I have preached to you about the devil, and have painted him with his right color, that he neither sleeps nor feasts, but watches, and goes about without ceasing etc. This you will certainly learn etc.
Now the Christian's trials and sufferings are twofold, spiritual and bodily. The spiritual in the first table is the highest and most severe; the physical in the second is less and more bearable. According as they are strong or weak in faith, so is their suffering. Some are challenged with gross sins, such as fornication, anger, impatience, etc.; this hurts pious, Christian hearts; they would rather be rid of such challenges, but they do not accomplish it, but fight against it, killing business through the spirit of the flesh. But if they persist and continue in it, they are not Christians, even if they boast of it, and will die eternal death, Rom. 8:13. Some are more severely afflicted by the devil, that they are persecuted, chased away for the sake of God's word, deprived of their own, even murdered in part for the sake of confessing the truth; they suffer more severely than the first. But because they suffer this for the sake of a good
They take great comfort in suffering for the sake of Christ and his word. Therefore, though they suffer anguish and distress in their hearts, yet their hearts are content, and they are at ease with God through Christ.
Above this, the devil attacks some Christians in particular (who are usually highly enlightened and experienced people) with severe spiritual temptations, sometimes giving them horrible, blasphemous thoughts in their hearts, so that they do not look at God, recognize or think that He is merciful, true, faithful, patient etc. but think of him as the antitype, hate his judgment because of it, do not like his rule at all, lose both God and his promise, can neither pray nor call on him because of it, and are only angry and grumble against him. This is a high, dangerous and unmistakable temptation in the first tablet, if it should last for a while, which consumes marrow and bone, about which it is often lamented in the Psalter, the same in Job, Jeremiah etc. I think that St. Peter would also have experienced a good part of it, since he denied Christ, and if the Lord had not prayed for him beforehand, and soon after the fall had graciously looked upon him, let peace be proclaimed to him, and even comforted him afterwards, he would have had to despair, would have perished and died in his sin, and would have followed Judah.
Therefore, what he says here, he says from his own experience, for the comfort and strengthening of all Christians who suffer and are challenged; as if he should say: None of you who suffer and are challenged, bodily or spiritually, even in the highest and most terrible way, should think that he suffers something special, new and strange, or as if no one before and beside him had felt and endured such severe and terrible trials; no, you alone are not. Your suffering and affliction cannot be so great, heavy and strange; your brothers who live before and with you have experienced the same and even greater and more difficult things; if you do not want to believe it, learn it from me. I was so presumptuous that I not only thought to stand firm with my Lord and Master, even though the others all departed from him, but also to go with him to prison and death; I was so sure of the matter that I lied to the dear Lord about it.
He told me that I would not only be angry with him that night along with the others, but that I would also do more evil than they, namely, deny him three times. What happened? He remained true, but with me it turned out that I not only became a liar and disgracefully denied him, but also cursed myself and swore horribly that I had never known him. Let this also be a suffering and a challenge, and only a good, strong one.
Therefore Christ the Lord also commanded me that, when I am restored after my fall, I should strengthen and comfort my brethren; Therefore I say, as an apostle of Christ, as one who has a special command, and also as one who has experienced it myself, that no affliction or temptation so great, strange, and wondrous can occur and be encountered by you, in which you have not also been tempted and exercised just as you have, or even more severely, not only the dear children of God, your brothers, who have been before you from the beginning of the world, but also those who are now living in your time, scattered now and then in the world, as far as Christ's name is known and will be known, encounter the same as you encounter; for they also have the devil for an adversary, who goes about them, seeking to devour them as well as you etc.
Therefore, whoever is a Christian and intends to remain so in earnest, do not be secure, lazy or slothful, but be courageous, teach and practice the word diligently, persevere in prayer, and send himself to trial and suffering, knowing that he has been called to it, as the apostle said above Cap. 2, 21. For so says Christ Himself, Matth. 16, 24: "If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me"; and Joh. 16, 33: "In the world you are afraid" etc.; and St. Paul, Apost. 14, 22: "We must go through much tribulation into the kingdom of God"; and 2 Tim. 3, 12: "All who would live godly in Christ JEsu must suffer persecution." Therefore, if it comes to pass that you are persecuted and suffer as a Christian, accept it as a sign of grace, for whom the Lord loves he chastens, and chastises every son whom he receives. And know that you do not suffer alone, but the whole Christian community.
You can't find it so strange and weird, others experience the same, yes, probably something higher and more difficult.
What the great saints, as prophets, apostles and especially the patriarchs, who have lived so long, have endured for anguish and sorrow, that is undescribed, but in part briefly indicated, will also remain unthought and unspoken, until it will be seen in that day. Adam and Eve had the hardest time; they had no example before them to comfort them. We have the whole Scripture before us; there we see how it was with all the saints and with the head and Lord of them. This, then, in short, is the opinion: that we should give ourselves up to suffer here for a short time, and follow our Lord Christ, yet await eternal life and glory; not because of our suffering, but because it is promised by God and acquired through Christ etc. 1)
This is now the epistle; in it you have heard enough about what the right Christian doctrine is, how masterfully St. Peter has described faith, love and the holy cross, and how he instructs and warns us how we should fight with the devil. Whoever now grasps the epistle has without a doubt enough that he does not need more without God abundantly teaching just that in other books as well. The apostle has not forgotten anything that is necessary for a Christian to know.
In the end, he does what a good preacher should do; he not only thinks how to feed the sheep, but also cares for them and pleads for them, and concludes with a prayer that God will give them grace and strength to grasp and keep the word.
V. 10. But the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, the same will prepare, strengthen, fortify and establish you who suffer a little while.
This is the desire, so that he may command them to God. God, who alone gives grace, and not one piece of grace, but abundantly all grace in one heap, who has called you through Christ, that you may have eternal glor-
1) This paragraph is the last one in which Luther's sermons from 1539 are used. Luther preached on 1 Petr. 5, 9 on July 13, 1539.
not by your own merit, but through Christ. If you have him, you have eternal glory and blessedness through faith without your merit; he who began it with you will also bring it on, and make it perfect for you, so that you may grow strong, increase, and stand firm, and so that you may accomplish many good things. For this purpose he will strengthen you 2) and establish you, that you may bear and suffer all things.
V. 11: To Him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.
This is the sacrifice of praise that we Christians should offer to God; for since he does it all, initiates and leads out our salvation, gives us his dear Son without our merit, sends him to die for our sin, sends us the Holy Spirit, who strengthens and comforts us throughout our lives, keeps us in pure doctrine etc., then the glory and praise of him who is the deed and the power is just. Therefore be he praised for ever and ever. Amen. Now he adds something to the conclusion:
V. 12. Through your faithful brother Sylvanum (as I eighth) I have written you a little to exhort and testify that this is the right grace of God in which you stand.
Although I know, he says, that you also heard it before, and already know well that you must not let me teach it to you, yet I have written this to you, that I also exhort you (as the right apostles should do) to continue in it, that you may practice and exercise it, and not think that I preach anything else than you have heard before.
V. 13. Greetings to you who have been chosen together in Babylonia.
So they used to write on the letters: Good night. The congregation of Babylonia greets you (he says). I respect, but I do not know for sure that he means Rome, because it is believed that he wrote the epistle from Rome. Otherwise there are two Babylonia, one in Chaldea, the other in Egypt, where Alcayr is now. But Rome is not called Babylonia because spiritually, on the opinion, as he said above Cap. 4, 4. said, the mixture of the disorderly being; because Babel Hebrew means a mixture. So perhaps that is why he called Rome
2) strengthen" in the first treatment; in the second: affirm.
A mixture, that there was such a disorderly being and a mixture of all kinds of shameful life and unrighteousness, and what was in all the world for shame, everything has flowed there. In the same (he says) are believers, who are chosen together with you, and are partakers of God's grace in Christ, who send you their greetings. But I will give you liberty here, that each one may hold and understand Babylon as he pleases, for there is no power in it.
And my son Marcus.
Hear: greet you also. It is said here that he means Marcum, the evangelist, and does not call him his son in the flesh but in the spirit, as St. Paul calls Timothy and Titus his sons, and tells the Corinthians that he has born them in Christ.
V. 14. Greet one another with the kiss of love.
This custom has passed away. In the Gospel it is clearly read that Christ received his disciples with the kiss, and such has been a way in the same countries. St. Paul also often speaks of the kiss.
Peace be with all who are in Christ JEsu. Amen.
That is, those who believe in Christ. This is the parting, that he may command them to God. So we have the first epistle; God grant us grace to grasp it and keep it, and so that we may increase in faith, hope, love, patience, and finally come to where St. Peter directs us in this epistle. Amen.