V. 1. that was there from the beginning.
(1) Behold how plainly the apostle speaks. Something is left out, and must therefore be added: We preach to you the word of life, which was from the beginning, otherwise it is a purely childish speech. The apostle slurs more than he speaks, and yet in this is the most majestic thing, but expressed in the most simple words. We want to hear the sound of the Spirit, who wants to proclaim the word of life; not the one that was born recently, but "the one that was from the beginning". Hereby, then, he strikes down the Cerinthum who denied the divine nature of Christ. I speak, he says, of Christ; not who took his beginning from Mary, but "who was from the beginning"; the word of life, which is eternal, is spoken of. This word has taken flesh.
That we have heard.
He says that he was true man and God. The Godhead could neither be heard nor seen; therefore, he was true man.
That we have seen with our eyes, that we have looked upon.
(3) He heaps up the words, making the matter great and important. We have examined and considered it diligently and carefully; we have not been deceived, but are sure that it was not a deception. He says this because he wants to make his listeners certain of the matter. Peter also speaks in the same way, 2 Ep. I, 16-18: "We did not follow clever fables when we told you about the power and future of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we saw His glory for ourselves, when He received glory and honor from God the Father through a voice that came to Him from the great glory, like this: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice we have heard brought down from heaven, when we were with him in the holy mountain."
And have palpated our hands.
4 Do not doubt our speech. The heretics begin to argue about the communication of the divine attributes, how each nature must be given its own attributes; thus they fall into new errors. Be careful; get used to speak of the Lord Jesus in the way the Scriptures speak of him, refrain from inventing new words. Joh. 14, 9. Christ says: "Philip, whoever sees me, sees also my Father." Philip imagined the Father after the humanity of Christ. These fluttering thoughts could have easily separated him from Christ. But Christ draws him away from these fluttering thoughts when he says, "So long am I with you, and you do not know me? Philip, he that seeth me seeth the Father." We believe JEsus Christ to be One Person, yet consisting of two natures. Now what is said of the fine person is said of the whole person. But that the enthusiasts say that Christ suffered according to humanity, this is false. The Scripture says that these two natures are in One Person; indeed, the Scripture says that the Jews crucified the Son of God, not mankind, Rom. 8, 3. Likewise 1 Cor. 2, 7. 8.: "If the rulers of this world had known the secret, hidden wisdom of God, they would not have crucified (he does not speak of mankind, but) the Lord of glory." So also Luc. 1, 35. "The holy thing that is born of thee shall be called the Son of GOD"; he does not speak, mankind, because of the unity of the person. What is attached to one nature is also attached to the other, yes, it refers to the whole person. Christ Himself, the Son of God Himself, is given for us. If eternal life was to be given, an eternal and inestimable ransom had to be given, as it says in Rom. 8:32: "God did not spare His only begotten Son, but gave Him up for us all; how shall He not with Him give us all things?"
(5) This is true, that as far as the substance or essence in and of itself is concerned, the Godhead is something else, and mankind something else. In and of themselves they are distinct, but because they are presented as an objectum, that is, to be acted with, the whole objectum, the whole Christ, is presented. "Philippe, he who sees me" [John 14:9] does not see my humanity alone. Even the person who was seen there was true GOD and GOD's Son. No one can touch or see these two natures from the outside, just as they are divided from the inside. Whoever believes in the Son of God does not believe in mankind alone. "He who eats my flesh [John 6:54] is he who believes that I am God. No one can drink the blood of the Son of God, but drink the whole of Christ. The natures are different, but it is One Person.
(6) I say this so that the simple saying of John may be understood, when he says that he has seen and heard the word of life. He did not see the Godhead, but what he saw was the Son of God. Everything boils down to the person. Some also imagine that the humanity of Christ is in one place, and the Godhead in all places. But I have learned this by divine grace, that I do not turn away my eyes from the person born of Mary, nor do I seek or recognize another God. One must keep one's eyes fixed on the person born of the Virgin Mary. Where the Son of God is, there is Christ; where Christ is, there is the Father. So I conclude: "In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily", Col. 2, 9. So everything in the Old Testament aims at the fact that they worshipped Him who sat above the cherubim. For whenever they prayed, they had to set their faces toward the mercy seat, which was a model. Christ himself says that he was hidden under this figure when he says John 14:6: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." "For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell," Col. 1, 19.
From the word of life.
7 Namely, this is what we are talking about. We speak of life, but of that life which is no longer hidden from the world, but which has been revealed; as it is said in John 1:4: "The life was the light of men. Here John says that he wants to proclaim the word of life against death to the whole world, because the world does not have life. The devil, as the prince of the world, has all under his power. But this is an even greater misery, that it not only does not have life, but also does not recognize it.
V. 2. And life appeared.
(8) Before that it was not manifested in the flesh. As many as have been in the world as kings, princes, saints, who by their own works have sought to be justified and saved before God, all these have been in death, and have not had life. But Christ is the word of life, and the life itself, who has given us life. Christ in himself is such a powerful life that he is mightier than death and than the prince of death.
And we have seen and witnessed.
This life was revealed when Christ rose from the dead. Christ has been powerfully shown to be the Son of God, Rom. 1, 4. Therefore, because we have seen this life, because it has been revealed to us, we seek and strive to reveal and make it known to you also through the word, so that you may also believe. To this end, the apostles put all their efforts into bringing all men to the same knowledge that they had, and are not content with the fact that only they know and have seen it for themselves. So all Christians speak because they believe. "I believe, therefore I speak," Ps. 116, 10.
And proclaim to you the life that is eternal.
(10) Hereby he declares what kind of life it is, namely, that which dies no more. The devil boasts that he can kill, make the number of sins great, even make sin what is not sin, and put terror and fear in the hearts of men. He
boasts of the power of death; likewise, that this one falls into sin, that one into blasphemy, because he abandons faith, hope 2c. On the other hand, it behooves a Christian to always stand in the fear of the Lord, to always pray that God will protect him and surround those who fear him. The devil encamps around them with his army, as Peter, 1 Ep. 5, 8, says: "The devil goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." When God withdraws His hand, we immediately fall into all misfortune. In short, Christ has more weapons of righteousness than Satan has weapons of unrighteousness; Christ has more life than the devil has death.
Which was with the Father, and appeared to us.
11. which was hidden in the Father in heaven before the world was created. This we preach to you quite boldly, you may only (certainly) believe it. But that we preach it so boldly and with all joy, it is because we are all too certain of it.
V. 3: What we have seen and heard we proclaim to you.
Hereby he repeats what he said above [v. 1]. We have not chosen such idiosyncratic religions, which have been brought forth by human will, and which their originators themselves have neither seen nor heard. Therefore, such religions must be abandoned and trampled underfoot. What will the devil, the author of death, ask about your dirty cap, about your impure virginity? He also had virgins (who served him) under the Roman Empire. For the devil has the wrath of God for himself, against you, for he knows that all sins displease God. He puts fear in our hearts and frightens us. Certainly, one must confront him and argue with other things than with such foolish sects and religions of ours in the papacy. God protects us in Christ against Satan because we are weak instruments. "We do not have to fight with flesh and blood, but with princes and mighty men", Eph. 6, 12.
That you may also have fellowship with us.
(13) I would gladly share this great treasure with you, but I cannot do it in any other way than through the Word. Only the chosen witnesses have seen and known it. Therefore, even if you cannot see and hear it as we do, believe; and with it my treasure will be shown to you.
And let our fellowship be with the Father and with His Son, JEsu Christo.
(14) This is a priceless love; certainly a great fellowship and company. But we are no better than you for this, even though we have seen him; and you are no less for this, even though you have not seen him, if only you believe. Thus Peter says, 2 Ep. 1, 4, "that we may be made partakers of the divine nature," because we have all the goods that God has. What wretched people we are, that we do not respect these so holy things, and seek other sects and mediators. Through the word that is preached to us, we have fellowship with Christ. He calls the Son specifically, because he writes in the epistle that the Father and the Son have life, truth and eternal blessedness. On our side are all sins. We have fellowship with his goods, he has fellowship with our misery. I believe in Christ; therefore my sin is in Christ.
V. 4 And these things we write unto you, that your joy may be full.
In this way, we are doing you a favor. Your joy has begun over this realization. You are rejoicing over a priceless good. Who should not rejoice that God is reconciled? Who should not rejoice over the communion with God?
V. 5 And this is the proclamation which we have heard from him and proclaim to you.
16 Here we see that the holy man repeats and inculcates the same thing very much. But for this reason he insists on these words: "We testify", "we proclaim to you", so that he may make us, who are slippery, certain in the word and thereby be resounding. For the holy man sees our wretched condition, and the devil's cunning, that we are indeed in it.
that he should repeat the words. Therefore this is a new repetition: "And this is the proclamation which we have heard from him, and proclaim unto you." He commanded that we should proclaim it, that no one might doubt the thing itself, because the thing which is proclaimed is great and important.
That GOD is a light.
17 Meanwhile John says: "The light came into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light," John 3:19, and thus opposes the light of the world, because all men, even the saints and the rulers, are decided under the general darkness. Therefore John says: "We proclaim to you the light which we have heard, and if we did not proclaim it to you, you would not have it.
The monks and wise men of this world, who walk in their ways, walk in darkness. Aristotle makes this conclusion: If God should see everything that is going on here, he would never be calm in his mind; consequently, he does not pay attention to our being. But the more subtle people are, the less they think of God. The monks, wanting to follow reason, have chosen their own righteousness, and want to be transformed into a better being by their own works. The wiser, the more foolish. A simple layman, when he wants to die, has the Crucifix brought to him, remembers Christ, and prays, and has better thoughts than those. Everything that people invent themselves in the work of salvation turns out badly.
GOd is a light.
What is not Christ is not light. As often as I hear from Fathers, from Augustino, Hieronymo, from Conciliis, I ask: Is it also a proclamation? And it is not. So I say: Troll yourself.
God a light.
20 If the world and the flesh cannot grasp this, let us not be deceived. We know that the Son of God took on flesh and was crucified for us. The flesh scorns this, and the world regards it as nothing. In sum, the whole world shall
recognize that it is in darkness, and shall be converted to this sermon, and recognize this light.
And there is no darkness in him.
21 We preach this light. Although no one sees the light, it is proclaimed through the word. If we believe it, we will surely come to the same light. The followers of Cerinthi want to tear apart this light.
(22) It must be diligently noted from whence heresies spring, namely, from one's own reason, when the flesh begins to think to itself: This or that pleases me well, and seems good to me, therefore it will also please God. The fathers have said it, therefore it is true. If you want to please God, hear His word and believe in His Son who died for you. This is not my reason, I do not invent this appearance, but God Himself is the light. They want to smear tenebras (darknesses) on our Lord GOtt. They smear God on the cap, and stick the divine truth on the lies. This is putting darkness into the light. But there is no darkness in him, not even the slightest.
V. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him.
(23) He goes swiftly to the enthusiasts of his time. We see that they are far bolder than the true Christians, and boast as if they are assured of their fellowship with God, not realizing their weakness. Christians speak of their faith and holy fellowship with fear and trembling, and desire to increase in it. Christians say: Lord help, Lord help. Paul says: "I do not yet count myself worthy that I have grasped it," Phil. 3, 13. Let us all, says John, remain in this light and say: This is the true light, but we do not yet recognize it. Oh, that we would recognize it more perfectly!
And if we walk in darkness, we lie, and do not do the truth.
(24) If we do not continue in the preaching, the word is not in us, but lies and deceitful thoughts. The heretics walk in darkness, saying there is light.
These are two evils: to err and to defend error. They do many things, but they taste of lies: they lie about faith, and do not do the truth about works. Above all, one must see to it that the heart has this light, and then the works will also follow. But if the light is impure, that is, if faith is mixed with the doctrines of men, we do many works, but in vain, because they are not light. But Christ is our light. The angels see this light, but we hear it.
V. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another. And the blood of JEsu Christ, his Son, makes us clean from all sin.
(25) It is to be wondered at that we preach every year of the blood of Christ and His suffering, and yet see so many sects break out. O great darkness of the former times! But we, if we remain in the preached word, have this treasure, which is Christ's blood. If we are challenged by sins, it does us no harm. Christ's blood was not shed for the devil or for the angels, but for sinners. Now if I feel sin, why should I despair? why should I not believe that it is forgiven? because Christ's blood washes away sins. This is what the whole thing comes down to, that we cling firmly to the word, so there is no need.
(26) The apostles are diligent that we should keep the word diligently and sincerely. If we abide in the light, we know what sin is; if we know, we have the blood of Christ, with which we are washed. The devil challenges nothing so fiercely, and deals with 1) nothing so much, as to snatch this light from us. Therefore we must take care of nothing more than that we may remain in it.
V. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
This is a sweet and comforting word. Augustine noted that there is something an-
1) "with" put by us instead of: on.
The other is "to have sin" and the other is "to sin". And I like this opinion, since Paul ascribes indwelling sin to the justified, as Rom. 7, 17: "Therefore I do not do the same (evil), but the sin that dwells in me," and Hebr. 12, 1: "Sin always clings to us and makes us sluggish. For even though we have become a new creature, the remnants of sin always remain in us. We have sin, and the poison is still in us; and this sin tempts us to the fruits of sin. Just as we see in David, to whom the clinging, adhering and indwelling sin said: Kill Uriam. And since he consented to the same, he sinned. Peter was also provoked in this way, since he, after receiving the spirit of the gospel, forced the Gentiles to live Jewishly, about which sin Paul and Barnabas were indignant, Gal. 2, 11. ff. And we, who are not like the apostles in any way, even though we are Christians and sprinkled with the blood of Christ, often err.
28 Therefore, the true knowledge of Christ causes man to feel and sense that he has sin, and causes us to groan over it.
29 The papists act contrary to this, and they despair. They boast of their many righteousnesses, orders, and want to be without sin, which the school teachers teach as something possible, and Zwinglius teaches that original sin is only a mere defect. Those who despair are those who feel sin and die in their consciences, and are thus tormented on all sides, so that they must necessarily despair. And yet one should not despair for the sake of sin, or even for the sake of the fruits of sin. For though we fall, yet shall we rise again.
(30) Finally, this should be kept very firmly in mind, that no one is or becomes righteous before God except through the blood of Jesus Christ. For God alone is just, true and wise. In everything we do, even by faith, we should say that it is sin, and "we are worthless servants", Luc. 17, 10. But through the righteousness of God alone we attain salvation, and through it we are saved.
If we say we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves.
This is spoken against the imaginary saints. To be able to believe that the blood of Christ makes us free from all sin is a necessary thing, but it is a gift from God. But if we remain with our righteousness and boast of it, we will not be subject to divine righteousness. How difficult it is to leave the statutes of men, we learn from the example of Peter. And see what kind of righteousness he causes the Gentiles to fall into by his example, to their great harm and condemnation. So it is a divine power when one renounces piety, that is, trust in his own perfection. The flesh and blind reason always resist.
The monks have taught that their state is perfection. We Christians do not boast of perfection, but always pray that we may grow in the knowledge of God and Christ, as Peter exhorts, 2 Ep. 3, 18. For all our conduct does not make us righteous. For "we are justified without merit, by His grace," Rom. 3:24. And this must be inculcated, lest we despair when we sin, we sin on whatever occasion. But, how if the monks rely on the fathers? What shall we say of them? I use to answer: If the fathers built on the foundation of Christ stubble, hay, wood, they finally recognized this in death, they said: I will neither be condemned by the evil works I have done, nor by the good works I have done be saved, 1) but by the blood of Christ I will be preserved. As St. Bernard said: The doings of the monks are uncertain, but the doings of our Lord Christ are exceedingly sure.
And the truth is not within us.
(33) Even if they imagine that they have the truth, condemning us and our doctrine as heresy, they do not have the truth, but are against the truth.
1) So put by us instead of, "I shall not be condemned by the good works which I have done, neither shall I be saved by the evil works which I have done.
V. 9 But if we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
34 This is the other piece, that you should not despair. First he speaks: I will deliver you from pride and confidence in your own righteousness; then from despair, just as if you had no sin. In order that you may be freed from Satan's sin, recognize and confess it only before God, and give Him glory with David in the 51st Psalm, v. 5. f.: "I recognize my iniquity, and my sin is always before me. In you alone have I sinned, and done evil in your sight, that you may be right in your words, and pure when you are judged"; that is, that your word may be true, so I confess that I am a sinner. And, v. 6: "In you alone have I sinned," because before you no one is pure. And in the 143rd Psalm, v. 2: "Do not enter into judgment with me." Likewise from the 9th chapter of Daniel, v. 7: "You, Lord, are righteous, but we must be ashamed." Those puffed-up saints bring with them a sack full of prayers and alms, and trust in their own righteousness, boasting and saying: This, that I have done, therefore I have been justified before you. The laymen were clothed in a monk's habit for the sake of trusting in the good works done by the one whose habit it was. But by this very fact they departed from the reason, Christ, by seeking blessedness in the works of the latter. But "cursed is the man who takes flesh for his arm" and puts his trust in it, Jer. 17:5.
But if we confess our sin.
35. only give this honor to GOD: to you, GOD, alone is righteousness due; to you, GOD, alone is this honor due, that you be counted righteous, and make him righteous who is of faith.
He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
36. God is "faithful" in keeping His promises, "just" in giving righteousness to the one who confesses. He [namely, GOD] is just. Immediately as if God said: Because you say that I am righteous, and am
Therefore I will give you my righteousness and make you righteous. Therefore, if you can say: We have no righteousness, you may be sure that God is faithful and keeps his promises steadfastly, that he will forgive your sin for Christ's sake; and that he is just, who gives to each one his due, and gives to him who confesses his sin and believes the righteousness acquired through Christ's death, and so justifies you. David confessed his sin; but Saul excused it before Samuel, and could not say, as David did, "I have sinned." For he only wanted to be honored before the people, 1 Sam. 15, 30. This is what we do when we confess our sins, so that we do not want to be shamed before the people. Saul only wanted the prophet to pray for him before the elders of Israel. For he did not want to be seen at all as having sinned against the Lord; but for this very reason he, along with all the hypocrites, was put to shame before God.
(37) Furthermore, this saying cannot be understood from the confession of the ears (although I do not reject this either), but from the confession and confession before God, where we confess both our sins and our faith. God then forgives the sin, gives grace and a quiet conscience, taking away the scruples and bites of the conscience.
V. 10. If we say, We have not sinned.
(38) Not only do we have sin, but we also sin because of the weakness of our sinful flesh, or because we are in the sinful flesh, and there is a perpetual conflict between the flesh and the spirit, as Paul says to Romans chap. 7:18: "I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing. I may want to, but I cannot do what is good." And not only is the carnal lust of a man against a woman, and again the carnal lust of a woman against a man, sin, but there are many more vicious things, which, in the legends of the saints, are claimed to be good morals, which
have taken only the form and appearance of holiness. The fathers only looked at the outward sins, but not at the inward lust of the flesh, such as envy, jealousy, the hostile heart, the fall from faith and hope. Likewise, we still have sin, which still bites and tempts to sin, but does not reign. But we and our sin are like a bound man who is being led to death, who has been stripped of all the weapons that could harm him, but he is not yet dead. For this reason sin is in our flesh, surging, raging, and raging, and it does not cease. For we always love our own, rely on our own strength, and do not put our trust in the Word, and do not believe God. This, and nothing else, is what our flesh wants. But the fathers, and we too, do not see such things, but look to the outward works, as to the many fasts.
(39) Fasting does not cure the lust of the flesh, but rather weakens the health of the body, as we see happened with Bernard. But the best remedy against sin is to study diligently in the word of the Lord. Fasting does indeed contribute something to the subduing or suppression of the lusts, but it does not do or make the matter alone; another remedy, which is better and more necessary, is required.
So we say we have not sinned.
40 Others explain this from the past sin, but I would rather explain it (indicatively) from the present. For the Hebrew language expresses the verbum praeteriti temporis by the verbum praesentis temporis; indeed, I perceive that even John often speaks according to the dialect of the Hebrews. He means to say this much: we have sin, and sin. "For we all lack manifold," saith Jacobus Cap. 3, 2. And Paul: "I am carnal, and sold under sin. I do not do what I want to do, but what I do not want to do, I do," Rom. 7:14 ff. And so the flesh does not do what the Spirit wills. Sin is not so dead that it should not stir, since we have the lust of the flesh in us; but it does not have the
Dominion. And in this alone is a Christian distinguished from other men, that sin does not reign in him.
(41) And even spiritual pride is also sin, if you esteem a good work that you have done today; likewise, if you only grieve, if you only despair that you have committed incest. 1) For this reason one must accuse sin and fight against it all one's life. For this reason a Christian should not snore and sleep, as the monks do when they have said their masses.
Accordingly, a Christian is righteous, holy, pious, and a blessed man and child of God, that is, in the spirit; but in the flesh he still has sin. However, because he is born again through the Spirit and believes, sin is not imputed to him.
Thus we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
43 These are those who consider themselves holy and righteous because of their works. For "God has decreed all things under sin," Gal. 3:22, "that all the world might be guilty of God," Rom. 3:19. And again, Cap. 11:32: "God has decreed all things under unbelief, that He might have mercy on all." God offers His mercy to both the pious and the wicked. Therefore, they are all under sin. For mercy belongs to
1) Here the text seems to us to be incomplete.
for the unjust and not for the righteous. For in the sight of God no one is justified, therefore mercy is necessarily offered to all.
44 From the time of John the Apostle, heresy sprang up, which argues against the grace of God and wants to be without sin, and even prescribes a rule of life, according to which it imagines itself to be holy. There is no doubt that they were preachers of circumcision from Judaism, as Paul generally calls them "those of the circumcision". The holy apostles, and especially John, oppose them.
(45) A Christian always cries out, Forgive us our sins; he must always contend with them. For this reason, even though they still cling to him, they are not imputed to him. For blasphemy is a great sin; but those who put their trust in their own righteousness blaspheme God. Such were our monks, who sinned with their imagined holiness, thinking that they would not commit any gross sins, since they otherwise lived in the greatest security. On the other hand, those who have fallen into sin through despair also belong to this category.
Therefore, it is a great gift from God to have His word, to recognize sin from the Law, and to believe the Gospel. Where either is lacking, God is made a liar and blasphemed.