V. 1. Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have come to the same faith with us in the righteousness which our God gives, and the Savior Jesus Christ.
1) But this is 3) the signature and superscription of this epistle, that it may be known who is writing and to whom he is writing, namely, to those who have heard God's word and stand in faith. 4) But what kind of faith is it? "In the righteousness (he says) that God gives." There he gives justification 5) to faith alone, as St. Paul also Rom. 1, 17: "In the gospel is revealed the righteousness that is valid before God, which comes from faith"; 6) as it is written [Hab. 2, 4.]: "The just shall live by his faith." With this St. Peter wants to admonish them to be prepared, and the teaching
3) "but" l-abermalss is missing in the Wittenberger.
4) Wittenberger adds: "be it Jews or Gentiles".
5) Wittenberger: "he gives justice".
6) Wittenberger: which comes from faith in faith.
of faith, which they have now grasped and know well.
(2) And by adding "in the righteousness which God gives," he separates all human righteousness. For by faith alone are we justified before God; wherefore also faith is called the righteousness of God, for it is of no account before the world, yea, it is also condemned. 7)
Grace and peace multiply among you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord.
3 This is the greeting that is written at the beginning of the letters, and it means the following: I wish you, instead of my ministry, to increase in grace and peace, and to become richer and richer; which grace comes from the knowledge of God and of the Lord Christ, which no one can have.
7) Here the German Wittenberger has inserted a whole paragraph, of which nothing is found in the other editions (also in Latin).
who has the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ.
4 The knowledge of God is always referred to by the apostles and the prophets in the Scriptures, as Isaiah, Cap. 11, 9.They shall not hurt nor choke in all my mountain; for the land is filled with the knowledge of God, as the land is covered with water," that is, the knowledge of God will break out as abundantly as when water pours out and breaks away, drowning a whole land; from this will follow such peace that no one will hurt or harm another. Now this is not called knowing God, that you believe, as the Turks, Jews, and devils believe, that God created all things; item, that Christ was born of a virgin, suffered, died, and rose again; but this is the right knowledge, when you believe and know that God and Christ are your God and your Christ; which the devil and false Christians cannot believe. 1) Thus knowledge is nothing else than righteous Christian faith. For if you know God and Christ in this way, you will also rely on Him with all your heart and trust Him in happiness and misfortune, in life and death. The evil consciences cannot have such trust, for they do not recognize God beyond the fact that he is the God of St. Peter and of all the saints in heaven; but they do not recognize him as their God, but consider him to be their master of the rod and their wrathful judge.
5. to have God is to have all grace, all mercy, and everything that can be called good. To have Christ is to have the Savior and Mediator who has brought us to the point that God is ours, and has purchased for us all grace from Him. You must intertwine these things so that Christ may be yours and you yours, and then you will have a righteous knowledge. A woman who lives without marriage may well say that this is a man, but she cannot say that he is her husband: so 1) we all may well say that this is a God, but we do not all say that he is our God. For we cannot all put our trust in him, nor
1) Jenaer and Erlanger: could.
comfort us. To this knowledge also belongs that the Scripture calls faciem et vultum Domini, the face of the Lord, of which the prophets speak much. He who does not see God's face does not know Him, but sees only His back, that is, an angry and ungracious God.
(6) And here you see that St. Peter does not particularly intend to write about faith, since he did so sufficiently in the first epistle, but wants to exhort the faithful to show their faith by good works. For he does not want faith without good works, nor again, works without faith, but faith beforehand, and good works on and from faith. Therefore he speaks thus:
V. 3. after all of His divine power (which is for life and godly living) has been given to us.
(7) This is the first part where Peter begins to write what we have received from God through faith, namely, that (since we have known God through faith) "all divine power" has been given to us. But what kind of power is it? It is such power that serves us for life and godly walk, that is, when we believe, we come upon so much that God gives us all kinds of His power. It is in us and with us: what we speak and do, we do not do, but God does it Himself. He is strong, powerful and omnipotent in us, even though we suffer and die and are weak before the world, so that there is neither strength nor ability in us if we do not have this power of God.
8 But this power of God that is in us is not meant by St. Peter to mean that we should also create heaven and earth and do such miracles as God does, for what would that help us? But we have God's power with us as far as it is useful and necessary for us. Therefore the apostle adds, "That which is for life and godly living," that is, we have such power from God, by which we are abundantly endowed to do good and to live forever. 2) The apostle says, "We have the power of God with us.
2) "to" stands alone in the Wittenberg.
Through the knowledge of Him who called us.
9 Such God's power and great mercy come from no other source than this knowledge of God. For if you consider him to be a God, he also acts with you as a God. Paul also says in 1 Cor. 1:5-7: "You have been enriched in every way with every word and knowledge, since 1) the preaching of Christ has been strengthened in you, so that now you have no lack. Now this is the greatest, noblest and most necessary thing that God can give us, for which we should not take everything that is in heaven and on earth. For what good would it be if you could "go through fire and water and perform all kinds of miracles" and not have that? Many people who perform such miracles are also condemned. But this is above all miracles, that God gives us such power that all our sins are forgiven and destroyed, death, the devil, and hell are overcome and swallowed up, that we may have a fearless conscience and a merry heart, and not be afraid of any thing.
By his glory and virtue.
(10) How did the calling come about, by which we are called by God? Thus, God sent forth and preached the holy gospel into the world, for which no man labored beforehand, nor did he ask or plead with him; but before any man thought of it, he offered, gave, and abundantly poured out such grace to us, that he alone might have the glory and praise of it, and we alone might ascribe to him the virtue and power, for it is not our work, but his alone. Therefore, since the work is not ours, let us not be ashamed as if we had done it, but let us praise and thank him for giving us the gospel, and through it giving us strength and power against the devil, death and all calamities.
V. 4. by which 2) the most precious and greatest promises are given to us.
(11) St. Peter adds this to explain the nature and manner of faith. If we recognize him as God, then through faith we have eternal life and divine life.
1) Jenaer and Erlanger: "des".
2) Jenaer and Erlanger: which.
We have the power to overcome death and the devil, but we see it and do not grasp it; but it is promised to us; we have it all, but it does not yet appear; but on the last day we shall see it presently. Here it begins in faith, but we do not have it completely; but we have the promise that we will live here in divine power, and after that we will be eternally blessed. He therefore that believeth, hath it; he that believeth not, hath it not, and must be eternally lost. Peter goes on to say what a great and precious thing this is, saying:
Namely, that through the same you may become fellow members of the divine nature, if you flee the perishable lusts of the world.
(12) This we have (he says) by the power of faith, that we are partakers, and have fellowship or communion with the divine nature. This is such a saying, the like of which is not found in the New and Old Testaments, though it is a small thing among unbelievers that we should have fellowship with the divine nature itself. But what is God's nature? It is eternal truth, righteousness, wisdom, eternal life, peace, joy and pleasure, and what can be called good. Whoever is made a partaker of God's nature has all this, that he lives forever and has eternal peace, joy and pleasure, and is pure, clean, righteous and almighty against the devil, sin and death. Therefore Peter wants to say: As little as God can be taken away, that he is not eternal life and eternal truth, so little can it be taken away from you. If anyone does anything to you, it must be done to him; for he who wants to oppress a Christian must oppress God.
(13) All these things are comprehended in the little word "God's nature," and he also used it for this reason, that he might comprehend all these things; and it is truly a great thing when it is believed. But these, as I said above, are all instructions, so that he does not lay a foundation of faith, but emphasizes what great and abundant goods we get through faith; therefore he says, "You will have all these things if you live in such a way that you prove faith by fleeing worldly pleasures. He continues in this way:
V. 5: So put all your diligence into it, and in your faith give virtue.
14 Here now St. Peter takes up the exhortation that they should prove faith with good works, since such great good has been given to you through faith (he means to say) that you truly have all that is God's; therefore do so, be diligent and not slothful: "Abound in your faith in virtue," that is, let your faith break forth before men, that it may be serviceable, busy, strong, and active, and do many works, not remaining slothful and unfruitful. You have a good inheritance and a good field, but see to it that you do not let thistles or weeds grow in it.
And in the virtue of modesty.
15 "Modesty" or knowledge is, first of all, that one leads the outward life and the virtue of faith with reason. For one should force and tame the body so far that it remains sober, brave and skillful for good, not that one hurts and strangles it, as some mad saints do. For though God is like the sins that remain in the flesh, yet he does not want you to strangle the body for it; you shall resist its mischievousness and wantonness, but you shall not spoil it nor harm it for that reason, but give it its food and need, that it may remain healthy and alive. On the other hand, this also means modesty, that one leads a fine modest life, and drives with reason in external things, as in food, and the like, so that one does nothing with unreasonableness, and gives no annoyance to the neighbor.
V. 6. and in modesty temperance.
16 "Temperance" is not only in eating and drinking, but a measure in all conduct and behavior, words, works and deeds, so that one does not live too lavishly, and avoids the excess of adornment and clothing, so that no one breaks out 1) too gloriously, and ranges too high. But St. Peter does not want to set a rule, measure or goal for this, as the orders have subjected themselves to, who want to have it all with rules.
1) Jenaer: hervor.
and commandments were laid upon them, which were to pass through and through. It is not fitting in Christendom that laws should be laid down, that a common rule should be laid down for temperance; for men are unequal one to another, one being of a strong and another of a weak nature, and none of all things always as skillful as another. Therefore let each man judge for himself how he is able and what he can bear. 2)
And in moderation patience.
17 Thus St. Peter says: If you live a moderate and modest life, do not think that you will live without temptation and persecution. For if ye believe, and walk a good Christian walk, the world will not leave it alone; it must persecute you and be against you; in which ye must have patience, which is the fruit of faith.
And in patience godliness.
18) This is that in all outward life, whatever we do or suffer, we keep ourselves so that we serve God in it, not seeking our own honor and benefit, but that God alone may be glorified by it; and that we place ourselves so that it may be seen 3) that we do everything for God's sake.
V. 7. and in godliness brotherly love.
(19) St. Peter binds us with this, that we should all reach out to one another as brothers, and that one should take care of the other, and that none should be the enemy of the other, nor despise or offend. This is also a proof of faith, that we may testify that we have the godliness of which he said.
And in brotherly love, common love.
20 Common love goes both over friends and enemies, even over those who are not friendly and brotherly toward us. Thus, St. Peter has written here in short words what belongs to a Christian life,
2) Jenaer and Erlanger: could.
3) So the Wittenbergers. Jenaer: "künde". Erlanger: "kunnte". Thus still several times in this interpretation the imperfect instead of the present.
and what are the works and fruits of faith, modesty, temperance, patience, a godly life, brotherly love, and being pleasant to everyone. Therefore, he now continues:
V. 8 For if these things abound among you, they will not make you slothful or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(21) That is, if ye do such works, ye are of the right course, and have a righteous faith, and the knowledge of Christ is active and fruitful in you. Therefore see to it that you do not throw these things to the winds, constrain your bodies, and also do to your neighbors as you know Christ has done to you.
V. 9 But he who is not ready for these things is blind, groping with his hand, forgetting the cleansing of his former sins.
22. He that hath not such a store of the fruits of faith, groping to and fro like a blind man, standing in such a life, that he knoweth not his place, having not righteous faith, and having no more of the knowledge of Christ, than that he can tell how he hath heard it; Therefore he goes and gropes, like a blind man by the way, in an uncertain life, and forgets that he is baptized, and that his sins are forgiven him, and becomes ungrateful, and a lazy, negligent man, who lets nothing go to his heart, and neither feels nor tastes such great grace and goods.
(23) This is the exhortation of St. Peter, to provoke and urge us who believe to works, that we may prove that faith is true in us, always maintaining that faith alone justifies. Where then it is, works must follow. What follows will be part of the strengthening.
V. 10. Dam, dear brethren, do the more diligently to establish your profession and election.
(24) The election and eternal provision of God is firm enough in itself that it cannot be made firm; the calling is also strong and firm. For whosoever heareth and believeth in the gospel, and is baptized, is called and saved. Because we then
Now that we have also been called to this, we should be so diligent (says St. Peter) that our calling and election may also be firm with us, and not only with God.
(25) Now this is such a way of speaking the Scriptures, as St. Paul says in Eph. 2:12: "Ye were sojourners in the testaments of promise, that ye had no hope, and were without God in the world. For although there is no man, either evil or good, over whom God is not Lord, since all creatures are his, yet Paul says that he has no God who does not know him, love him, and trust in him, even though he himself remains God. So also here, although the calling and election is strong enough in itself, it is not strong and firm with you, because you are not yet sure that it concerns you. Therefore Peter wants us to make such a calling and election firm for ourselves with good works.
26 Thus you see what this apostle gives to the fruits of faith. Although these belong to the neighbor, so that he may be served by them, yet the fruit is not left out, so that faith becomes stronger through it, and does more and more good works. So this is a much different power than the bodily. For the bodily strength decreases and is consumed when one needs and does one thing too much; but this spiritual strength, the more one practices and does it, the stronger it becomes and decreases when one does not do it. That is why God first led, drove and exercised Christianity with the struggle of faith, in disgrace, death and bloodshed, so that it would become quite strong and powerful, and the more it was pressed, the more it went over itself. This is what St. Peter means, that one should not let the faith rest and lie still, because it is so skillful that it becomes more and more strong by being driven and exercised, until it becomes certain of its calling and election, and cannot fail.
(27) And here also a goal is set, how one is to deal with the transgression. There are many careless spirits who have not felt much of faith, who fall in, bump into the top, and first worry about this thing, and want to find out by reason whether they are provided for, so that they may be sure where they stand. Only soon stop this.
it is not the handle to it. But if you want to be sure, you must come to it by the way that St. Peter proposes to you here. If you take any other way, you have already failed; your own experience must teach you. If faith is well exercised and pursued, then you will finally be sure that you are not lacking, as follows:
For if you do this, you will not fall.
That is, you will stand firm, neither stumble nor sin, but go through it properly and freshly, and everything will work itself out. Otherwise, if you want to direct it with your thoughts, the devil will soon plunge you into despair and hatred of God.
V.11. And so the entrance to the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly presented to you.
This is the road by which one enters the kingdom of heaven; therefore let no one take it into his mind to enter by such a dream and thought of faith, which he himself has invented in his heart; it must be a living, well-practiced and driven faith. Help God, how our deceivers have written, taught and said against this text: Whoever has even the least degree and only a spark of faith, if he is to die, he will be blessed. If thou wilt save it, and get such faith so suddenly and swiftly, thou shalt have tarried too long. Do you hear that those who are strong have enough to send? But one should not despair of such weak ones. For it may well happen that they come through, but it will be hard and difficult, and will cost much effort. But he that practiseth well in life, that his faith be urged and strengthened with good works, shall have an abundant entrance, and shall go into that life with good courage and confidence, so that he dieth defiantly, and despiseth life, and goeth straightway with glory, and leapeth into it with joy. But those, where they enter otherwise, will not so go with joy, the door of which will be closed.
will not be so wide open to them, nor will they have such an abundant entrance, but will become narrow and sour to them that they will fidget, and would rather be weak all their lives than die one day.
V. 12. Therefore I will not neglect to remind you of these things at all times, even though you know them and are strengthened in the present truth.
(30) This is what we have often said: Although God has now shed such great light through the revelation of the Gospel that we know what a righteous Christian life and doctrine is, and see how all the Scriptures urge it; nevertheless, one should not cease, but should do the same daily, not for the sake of doctrine, but for the sake of remembrance. For there are two kinds of ministry in Christendom, as St. Paul says Rom. 12:7, 8: "If any man teach, let him wait for doctrine; if any man exhort, let him wait for exhortation." "Teaching" is when one lays the foundation of faith, and proclaims it to those who know not of it. "But to exhort," or, as Peter says here, "to remind," is to preach to those who know and have heard it before, that one had on and awaken them, that they not forsake it, but continue and increase. We are all burdened with the old, rotten sack, with our flesh and blood, which always wants the wrong way, always pulls us down to itself, so that the soul easily falls asleep. Therefore we must always drive and stop, as a householder drives the household, so that they do not become lazy, even though they know what they should do. For since one must do this for the sake of temporal nourishment, much more must one do it here in spiritual matters.
V. 13. For I count it expedient, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to awaken and remind you.
(31) St. Peter calls his body "a tabernacle" in which the soul dwells, and is speaking in the same way as in the first epistle [Cap. 3, 7] he calls a female body a vessel or armor. St. Paul also says in 2 Cor. 5, 1. 2. 4: "We know, if our earthly house of this tabernacle is broken, that we have a building constructed by God, a house not made with hands, which is eternal in heaven. And
above which we also long for our dwelling place, which is from heaven. For while we are in the tabernacle, we long" 2c. Item, v. 6-8: "But we are confident, knowing that, while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: but we rather desire to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord." The apostle Paul also calls the body a house, and makes two homes and two pilgrimages. So Peter calls the body a tabernacle in which the soul rests. And makes it small enough, will not call it a house, but a little house and barn, as the shepherds have. Great is the treasure, but small is the house in which it lies and dwells.
V. 14, 15: For I know that I must soon leave my tabernacle, as the Lord Christ has also told me. But I will be diligent to keep this in remembrance for all of you after my departure.
Here Peter testifies of himself that he was sure of eternal life and that God had revealed to him beforehand when he was to die. This happened for our sake and for the sake of our faith. For there must have been some such people who knew for certain that they had been chosen, who were to establish the faith, so that it would be known that they were not preaching the doctrine of men, but the word of God; but before they came to such assurance, God had well tried and swept them before. So Peter says: "I will not only remind you with a living voice, but I will also put these things into writing and command you through others, so that you will always keep them in mind during my life and after my death, and not let them go. See how much concern the apostle had for the souls; unfortunately, it has not yet helped.
V. 16-18. For we have not followed wise fables, when we made known to you the power and the future of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we have been spectators of His majesty, when He received glory and honor from God the Father by a voice that came to Him from the magnificent glory, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
I have fallen. And this voice we heard from heaven, when we were with him in the holy mountain.
Then St. Peter tells a story, described in the Gospel, Matth. 17, 1. ff, how Jesus took three of his disciples, Peter, Jacob and John, and led them away to a high mountain, and was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light, and Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with him. 5: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; obey him." When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid; but Jesus came to them, touched them, and said, vv. 7-9: "Arise, do not be afraid. Then they lifted up their eyes, and saw no man, save JEsus alone. And when they were come down from the mountain, he commanded them that they should tell this vision to no man, till he should rise from the dead." So now St. Peter wants to say: "That I preach to you about Christ and about his future, the gospel that we preach, we did not make up out of our fingers or think up ourselves, nor did we take it from the clever fables who know how to speak magnificently about all things (as the Greeks were at the same time). For these are vain fables and fairy tales and useless talk, which they pretend to be wise and want to be wise in. We have not heard such things, nor have we followed them; that is, we do not preach man's words, but we are sure that they are from God, and we have seen and heard them with our eyes and ears, namely, when we were with Christ on the mountain, and saw and heard his glory. The glory was that his face shone like the sun, and his raiment was white as snow; and we heard a voice from the highest Majesty, saying, "This is my beloved Son, whom ye shall hear."
(34) Let every preacher be so sure, and not doubt that he has God's word and preaches it, that he may die on it, since it is our life. Now no man is so holy that he should die on the doctrine which he himself has taught. Therefore, it is decided here that the apostles were ordained by God.
have known that their gospel was the word of God. And here it is also proven that the gospel is nothing else but a sermon of Christ. Therefore no other preaching is to be heard, for the Father will have no other. "This is my beloved Son (saith he), whom ye hear," he is your Doctor; as if he should say, If ye hear this, ye have heard me. Therefore Peter says, "We have proclaimed and made known to you Christ, that he is the Lord, and has dominion over all things, and that he has all power; and he who believes in him has all such power. These things we have not devised ourselves, but have seen and heard by the revelation of God, who commanded us to hear Christ.
35 But why does Peter separate the power and the future of Christ? The power is, as we have heard above, that he is mighty over all things, that all things must be at his feet; it will last forever, as long as the world stands; because we are flesh and blood, and live on earth, Christ's kingdom will continue until the last day; after that another time will come, when he will hand over the kingdom to God the Father, of which St. Paul says, "The firstfruits are Christ; after that those who belong to Christ will be his future. Paul 1 Cor. 15, 23. 24. says: "The first fruits are Christ; then those who belong to Christ, who will be at his future time; then the end, when he will hand over the kingdom to God and the Father" 2c. Item, v. 28: "But when all things shall be subject unto him, then shall the Son himself also be subject unto him that put all things under him."
How, then, is not now the kingdom of God the Father? Is not everything subject to Him? Answer: St. Paul lays himself out in the same place, and says: "That God may be all in all"; that is, what each one will need and have, that will be God's; as St. Peter said above [v. 4] that we are to become "comrades" in the divine nature. Therefore, we shall have all that God has, and all that we need we shall have in Him, wisdom, righteousness, strength and life, which we now believe and have in our ears alone, and in the word of God; but then the word shall cease, and our soul shall be turned away.
and see and feel everything presently.
37 This is what St. Paul and Peter mean, that the power of Christ's kingdom is going on now, now he leads the word, and with it he reigns through his humanity over devils, sin, death and all things; but on the last day it will be revealed. Therefore, even though God reigns forever, it is not revealed to us; He sees us, but we do not see Him. Therefore Christ must hand over the kingdom to him, so that we may also see it; then we will be Christ's brothers and God's children. Thus Christ received glory and honor from God (says St. Peter), when the Father subjected all things to Him and made Him Lord, and glorified Him with this voice, saying: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. With this, St. Peter wants to confirm his teaching and preaching, so that one knows where it comes from. But nothing more happened to him than that he heard these things and was able to preach them; but the Holy Spirit also had to come and strengthen him so that he believed them and preached and confessed them joyfully. This belongs to the preaching ministry alone, not to the soul; but this belongs to the spirit.
V.19. We have a firm prophetic word, and you do well to heed it as a light shining in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
(38) Then St. Peter rightly takes up the matter, and will say this much: "Therefore all that I preach is to be done, that your conscience may be sure, and your heart may stand firm upon it, and not be moved away from it, that both I and you may be sure that we have the word of God; for it is an earnest dealing with the gospel, that it may be taken and kept pure and true, without addition or false doctrine. Therefore Peter began to write against the doctrine of men.
039 But why saith he, We have a firm prophetic word? Answer: I think we will not have such prophets from now on.
1) "dem" and immediately following "der" are used by us instead of: "das" and "die". - Belonging is often construed by Luther with the accusative.
as the Jews had in the Old Testament. But a prophet is supposed to be the one who preaches about Jesus Christ. Therefore, although many prophets in the Old Testament prophesied of things to come, they actually came and were sent by God to proclaim Christ. Now those who believe in Christ are all prophets, for they have the right headship that prophets should have, even though they do not all have the gift of prophecy. For as we are brethren, kings, and priests by the faith of the Lord Christ, so also by Christ are we all prophets. For we can all tell what belongs to salvation and the glory of God and Christian life, and also of things to come, as much as we need to know; as that the last day will come, and we will rise from the dead; for this we understand all Scripture. Of this also Paul says 1 Cor. 14:31, "Ye can all prophesy one by one."
040 Peter therefore saith, We have this prophetic word, which is fast unto him: only see that it be fast unto you: and ye do well to take heed. As if to say, "It will be necessary for you to hold fast to it," for the gospel is just as if one were imprisoned in a house in the middle of the night, when it was pitch dark, and it would be necessary to light a lamp until daylight came, so that he could see. So the gospel is actually in the middle of the night and darkness. For all men's reason is vain error and blindness; so the world is nothing else but a kingdom of darkness. In this darkness God has lit a light, namely the gospel, in which we can see and walk as long as we are on earth, until the dawn comes and the day dawns.
41 Therefore this text is also strong against all doctrines of men. For since the Word of God is the light in a dark and gloomy place, it is decided that everything else is gloom. For if there were any other light without the word, St. Peter would not say so.
1) "den" is missing in the Jenaer and in the Erlanger.
Therefore, do not look at how reasonable people are who teach something different, how great they pretend to be; where you do not feel God's word, do not doubt that it is darkness, and do not let anything challenge you that they say they have the Holy Spirit. How can they have God's Spirit if they do not have God's Word? Therefore they do nothing but call the darkness light, and make the light darkness, as Isaiah chap. 5:20 says.
This is the word of God, the gospel, that through Christ we are redeemed from death, sin and hell; whoever hears this has the light and lamp kindled in his heart, whereby we can see, which enlightens us and teaches us what we should know. But where this is not, there we go, and want to find the way to heaven by our own imaginations and works; of this you can judge by your light, and see that it is darkness. Therefore, because they do not want to have or accept the light, they must remain in darkness and blindness, for the light teaches us everything we should know and what is necessary for salvation, which the world does not recognize through its wisdom and reason. And we must have the light and cling to it until the last day. After that, we will no longer be allowed to hear the word, just as the natural light is extinguished when the day dawns.
V. 20. 21. And this you should know for the first, that no prophecy in the Scripture is done by its own interpretation. For no prophecy has ever been produced by human will, but the holy people of God have spoken, driven by the Holy Spirit.
Here Peter attacks the false teachers 2). Since you know (he says) that we have the word of God, stay on it and do not be deceived by other false teachers, even if they come and pretend that they also have the Holy Spirit. For "this you shall know first (for the other he will say afterwards), that no prophecy in the Scriptures is done by their own interpretation"; so judge yourselves, and think not,
2) Jenaer and Erlanger: "Lehre".
that you will interpret the Scriptures by your own reason and wisdom.
(44) All the fathers' own interpretations of Scripture are hereby laid down and struck down, and it is forbidden to build upon such interpretations. If Jerome or Augustine or any of the fathers have interpreted it themselves, we will not. Peter has forbidden, thou shalt not interpret thyself; let the Holy Spirit interpret it himself, or let it remain uninterpreted. If then one of the holy fathers can prove that he has his interpretation from Scripture, which proves that it should be interpreted in this way, then it is right; if not, then I should not believe him.
45 Thus Peter attacks even the bravest and best teachers; therefore we must be sure that no one is to be believed, though he himself interprets and expounds the Scriptures. For no right understanding can be made by one's own interpretation. Now here all teachers and fathers, as many as there are, 1) who have interpreted the Scriptures, have stumbled. As when they interpret the saying of Christ Matth. 16, 18: "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church," to the pope, this is a human, self-invented interpretation; therefore one should not believe them. For they cannot prove from the Scriptures that Peter is any of the
1) Walch and the Erlanger: are.
Pabst's name. But this we can prove that the rock is Christ and the faith, as Paul says. This interpretation is right. For of this we are sure that it was not devised by men, but drawn from the Word of God. Now the things which are written and preached in the prophets (says Peter) were not invented or devised by men, but were spoken by holy and righteous men out of the Holy Spirit.
46 This is the first chapter, in which St. Peter first taught what righteous good works are, so that we may prove our faith. Secondly, that nothing should be preached in Christendom but the Word of God alone. The reason why this should be so is no other, as we have said, but that one must preach such a word as endures forever, so that souls may be preserved and live forever. Now follows a faithful admonition, which Christ, Paul, and all the apostles also gave, to beware and beware of false preachers. This is especially important for us to understand, so that we do not allow ourselves to be carried away by the right and authority that all Christians have, to judge and pass judgment on all doctrine, and do not let it come to this, that we should first wait until the Concilia conclude what we should believe, and follow it. Let us now see.