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Concerning
Faith & Good Works
[The following sermon is taken from volume I:17-58 of The Sermons of Martin Luther, published by Baker Book House (Grand Rapids, MI). It was originally published in 1906 in english by Lutherans in All Lands Press (Minneapolis, MN), as The Precious and Sacred Writings of Martin Luther, vol. 11. The original title of this sermon appears below. The pagination from the Baker edition has been maintained for referencing. This e-text was scanned and edited by Richard Bucher, it is in the public domain and it may be copied and distributed without restriction.]
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1.
In the preface I said that there are two things to be noted and
considered in the Gospel lessons: first, the works of Christ presented
to us as a gift and blessing on which our faith is to cling and
exercise itself; secondly, the same works offered as an example
and model for us to imitate and follow. All Gospel lessons the
us through light first faith and then good works. We will therefore
consider this Gospel under three heads: speaking first of faith;
secondly of good works, and thirdly of the lesson story and it's
hidden meaning.
I.
CONCERNING FAITH
2.
This Gospel encourages and demands faith, or it pre-figures Christ
coming with grace, and none may receive or accept save he who
believes him to be the man, and has the mind, as this Gospel portrays
in Christ. Nothing but the mercy, tenderness and kindness of Christ
are here shown, and he who so receives and believes on him is
saved. He sits not upon a proud steed, an animal of war, nor does
he come in great pomp and power, but sitting upon an ass, an animal
of peace fit only for burdens and labor and a help to man. He
indicates by this that he comes not to frighten man, nor to drive
or crush him, but to help and to carry his burden for him. And
although it was the custom of the country to ride on asses and
to use horses for war, as the Scriptures often tell us, yet
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here
the object is to show that the entrance of this king shall be
meek and lowly.
Again
it also shows the pomp and conduct of the disciples towards Christ
who bring the colt to Christ, set him thereon, and spread their
garments in the way; also that of the multitude who also spread
their garments in the way and cut branches from the trees. They
manifested no fear nor terror, but only blessed confidence in
him as one for whom they dared to do such things and who would
take it kindly and readily consent to it.
3.
Again, he begins his journey and comes to the Mount of Olives
to indicate that he comes out of pure mercy. For olive oil in
the Scriptures signifies the grace of God that soothes and strengthens
the soul as oil soothes and strengthens the body.
4.
Thirdly, there is no armor present, no war-cry, but songs and
praise, rejoicing and thanksgiving to the Lord.
5.
Fourthly, Christ, as Luke 19,41 writes, weeps over Jerusalem because
she does not know nor receive such grace; yet he was so grieved
at her loss that he did not deal harshly with her.
6.
Fifthly, his goodness and mercy are best shown when he quotes
the words of the prophets, Isa. 62, 11; Zach. 9,9, and tenderly
invites men to believe and accept Christ, for the fulfilling of
which prophecies the events of this Gospel took place and the
story was written, as the Evangelist himself testifies. Therefore
we must look upon this verse as the chief part of this Gospel,
for in it Christ is pictured to us and we are told what we are
to believe, and to expect of him, what we are to seek in him,
and how we may be benefitted by him.
7.
First he says: "Tell ye" the daughter of Zion. This
is said to the ministry and a new sermon is given them to preach,
namely, nothing but what the words following indicate, a right
knowledge of Christ. Whoever preaches anything else is a wolf
and deceiver. This is one of the verses in which the Gospel is
promised of which Paul writes in Rom. 1, 2; for the Gospel is
a sermon from Christ, as he is here placed before us, calling
for faith in him.
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8.
I have often said that there are two kinds of faith. First, a
faith in which you indeed believe that Christ is such a man as
he is described and proclaimed here and in all the Gospels, but
do not believe that he is such a man for you, and are in doubt
whether you have any part in him and think: Yes, he is such a
man to others, to Peter, Paul, and the blessed saints; but who
knows that he is such to me and that I may expect the same from
him and may confide in it, as these saints did?
9.
Behold, this faith is nothing, it does not receive Christ nor
enjoy him, neither can it feel any love and affection for him
or from him. It is a faith about Christ and not in or of Christ,
a faith which the devils also have as well as evil men. For who
is it that does not believe that Christ is a gracious king to
the saints? This vain and wicked faith is now taught by the pernicious
synagogues of Satan. The universities (Paris and her sister schools),
together with the monasteries and all Papists, say that this faith
is sufficient to make Christians. In this way they virtually deny
Christian faith, make heathen and Turks out of Christians, as
St. Peter in 2 Pet. 2,1 had foretold: "There shall be false
teachers, who shall privily bring in destructive heresies, denying
even the Master that bought them."
10.
In the second place he particularly mentions, "The daughter
of Zion." In these words he refers to the other, the true
faith. For if he commands that the following words concerning
Christ be proclaimed, there must be some one to hear, to receive,
and to treasure them in firm faith. He does not say: Tell of the
daughter of Zion, as if some one were to believe that she has
Christ; but to her you are to say that she is to believe it of
herself, and not in any wise doubt that it will be fulfilled as
the words declare. That alone can be called Christian faith, which
believes without wavering that Christ is the Saviour not only
to Peter and to the saints but also to you. Your salvation does
not depend on the fact that you believe Christ to be the Saviour
of the godly, but that he is a Saviour to you and has become your
own.
11.
Such a faith will work in you love for Christ and joy
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in
him, and good works will naturally follow. If they do not, faith
is surely not present; for where faith is, there the Holy Ghost
is and must work love and good works.
12.
This faith is condemned by apostate and rebellious Christians,
the pope, bishops, priests, monks, and the universities. They
call it arrogance to desire to be like the saints. Thereby they
fulfill the prophecy of Peter in 2 Pet. 2, 2, where he says of
these false teachers: "By reason of whom the way of the truth
shall be evil spoken of." For this reason, when they hear
faith praised, they think love and good works are prohibited.
In their great blindness they do not know what faith, love and
good works are. If you would be a Christian you must permit these
words to be spoken to you and hold fast to them and believe without
a doubt that you will experience what they say. You must not consider
it arrogance that in this you are like the saints, but rather
a necessary humility and despair not of God's grace but of your
own worthiness. Under penalty of the loss of salvation, does God
ask for boldness toward his proffered grace. If you do not desire
to become holy like the saints, where will you abide? That would
be arrogance if you desired to be saved by your own merit and
works, as the Papists teach. They call that arrogance which is
faith, and that faith which is arrogance; poor, miserable, deluded
people!
13.
If you believe in Christ and in his advent, it is the highest
praise and thanks to God to be holy. If you recognize, love, and
magnify his grace and work in you, and cast aside and condemn
self and the works of self, then are you a Christian. We say:
"I believe in the holy Christian church, the communion of
saints." Do you desire to be a part of the holy Christian
church and communion of saints, you must also be holy as she is,
yet not of yourself but through Christ alone in whom all are holy.
14.
Thirdly be says: "Behold." With this word he rouses
us at once from sleep and unbelief as though be had something
great, strange, or remarkable to offer, something we have long
wished for and now would receive with joy. Such waking up is necessary
for the reason that everything that concerns faith
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is
against reason and nature; for example, how can nature and reason
comprehend that such an one should be king of Jerusalem who enters
in such poverty and humility as to ride upon a borrowed ass? How
does such an advent become a great king? But faith is of the nature
that it does not judge nor reason by what it sees or feels but
by what it hears. It depends upon the Word alone and not on vision
or sight. For this reason Christ was received as a king only by
the followers of the word of the prophet, by the believers in
Christ, by those who judged and received his kingdom not by sight
but by the spirit-these are the true daughters of Zion. For it
is not possible for those not to be offended in Christ who walk
by sight and feeling and do not adhere firmly to the Word.
15.
Let us receive first and hold fast this picture in which the nature
of faith is placed before us. For as the appearance and object
of faith as here presented is contrary to nature and reason, so
the same ineffectual and unreasonable appearance is to be found
in all articles and instances of faith. It would be no faith if
it appeared and acted as faith acts and as the words indicate.
It is faith because it does not appear and deport itself as faith
and as the words declare.
If
Christ had entered in splendor like a king of earth, the appearance
and the words would have been according to nature and reason and
would have seemed to the eye according to the words, but then
there would have been no room for faith. He who believes in Christ
must find riches in poverty, honor in dishonor, joy in sorrow,
life in death, and hold fast to them in that faith which clings
to the Word and expects such things.
16.
Fourthly: "Thy king." Here he distinguishes this king
from all other kings. It is thy king, he says, who was promised
to you, whose own you are, who alone shall direct you, yet in
the spirit and not in the body. It is he for whom you have yearned
from the beginning, whom the fathers have desired to see, who
will deliver you from all that has hitherto burdened, troubled,
and held you captive.
Oh,
this is a comforting word to a believing heart, for
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without
Christ, man is subjected to many raging tyrants who are not kings
but murderers, at whose hands he suffers great misery and fear.
These are the devil, the flesh, the world, sin, also the law and
eternal death, by all of which the troubled conscience is burdened,
is under bondage, and lives in anguish. For where there is sin
there is no clear conscience; where there is no clear conscience,
there is a life of uncertainty and an unquenchable fear of death
and hell in the presence of which no real joy can exist in the
heart, as Lev. 26, 36 says: "The sound of a driven leaf shall
chase them."
17.
Where the heart receives the king with a firm faith, it is secure
and does not fear sin, death, hell, nor any other evil; for he
well knows and in no wise doubts that this king is the Lord of
life and death, of sin and grace, of hell and heaven, and that
all things are in his hand. For this reason he became our king
and came down to us that he might deliver us from these tyrants
and rule over us himself alone. Therefore he who is under this
king cannot be harmed either by sin, death, hell, Satan, man or
any other creature. As his king lives without sin and is blessed,
so must he be kept forever without sin and death in living blessedness.
18.
See, such great things are contained in these seemingly unimportant
words: "Behold, thy king." Such boundless gifts are
brought by this poor and despised king. All this reason does not
understand, nor nature comprehend, but faith alone does. Therefore
he is called thy king; thine, who art vexed and harassed by sin,
Satan, death and hell, the flesh and the world, so that thou mayest
be governed and directed in the grace, in the spirit, in life,
in heaven, in God.
With
this word, therefore, he demands faith in order that you may be
certain that he is such a king to you, has such a kingdom, and
has come and is proclaimed for this purpose. If you do not believe
this of him, you will never acquire such faith by any work of
yours. What you think of him you will have; what you expect of
him you will find; and as you believe so shall it be to you. He
will still remain what he is,
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the
King of life, of grace, and of salvation, whether he is believed
on or not.
19.
Fifthly: He "cometh." Without doubt you do not come
to him and bring him to you; he is too high and too far from you.
With all your effort, work and labor you cannot come to him, lest
you boast as though you had received him by your own merit and
worthiness. No, dear friend, all merit and worthiness is out of
the question, and there is nothing but demerit and unworthiness
on your side, nothing but grace and mercy on his. The poor and
the rich here come together, as Prov. 22, 2 says.
20.
By this are condemned all those infamous doctrines of free will,
which come from the pope, universities and monasteries. For all
their teaching consists in that we are to begin and lay the first
stone. We should by the power of free will first seek God, come
to him, run after him and acquire his grace. Beware, beware of
this poison! It is nothing but the doctrine of devils, by which
all the world is betrayed. Before you can cry to God and seek
him God must come to you and must have found you, as Paul says,
Rom. 10, 14-15: "How then shall they call on him in whom
they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom
they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher,
and how shall they preach except they be sent?" God must
lay the first stone and begin with you, if you are to seek him
and pray to him. He is present when you begin to seek. If he were
not you could not accomplish anything but mere sin, and the greater
the sin, the greater and holier the work you will attempt, and
you will become a hardened hypocrite.
21.
You ask, how shall we begin to be godly and what shall we do that
God may begin his work in us? Answer: Do you not understand, it
is not for you to work or to begin to be godly, as little as it
is to further and complete it. Everything that you begin is in
and remains sin, though it shines ever so brightly; you cannot
do anything but sin, do what you will. Hence, the teaching of
all the schools and monasteries is misleading, when they teach
man to begin to pray and do
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good
works, to found something, to give, to sing, to become spiritual
and thereby to seek God's grace.
22.
You say, however: Then I must sin from necessity, if by my free
will I work and live without God? and I could not avoid sin, no
matter what I would do? Answer: Truly it is so, that you must
remain in sin, do what you will, and that everything is sin you
do alone out of your own free will. For if out of your own free
will you might avoid sin and do that which pleases God, what need
would you have of Christ? He would be a fool to shed his blood
for your sin, if you yourself were so free and able to do aught
that is not sin. From this you learn how the universities and
monasteries with their teachings of free will and good works,
do nothing else but darken the truth of God so that we know not
what Christ is, what we are and what our condition is. They lead
the whole world with them into the abyss of hell, and it is indeed
time that we eradicate from the earth all chapters and monasteries.
23.
Learn then from this Gospel what takes place when God begins to
make us godly, and what the first step is in becoming godly. There
is no other beginning than that your king comes to you and begins
to work in you. It is done in this way: The Gospel must be the
first, this must be preached and heard. In it you bear and learn
how all your works count for nothing before God and that everything
is sinful that you work and do. Your king must first be in you
and rule you. Behold, here is the beginning of your salvation;
you relinquish your works and despair of yourself, because you
hear and see that all you do is sin and amounts to nothing, as
the Gospel tells you, and you receive your king in faith, cling
to him, implore his grace and find consolation in his mercy alone.
But
when you hear and accept this it is not your power, but God's
grace, that renders the Gospel fruitful in you, so that you believe
that you and your works arc nothing. For you see how few there
are who accept it, so that Christ weeps over Jerusalem and, as
now the Papists are doing, not only refuse it, but condemn such
doctrine, for they will not have all their works to be sin, they
desire to lay the first stone and rage and fume against the Gospel.
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24.
Again, it is not by virtue of your power or your merit that the
Gospel is preached and your king comes. God must send him out
of pure grace. Hence, not greater wrath of God exists than where
he does not send the Gospel; there is only sin, error and darkness,
there man may do what he will. Again, there is no greater grace,
than where he sends his Gospel, for there must be grace and mercy
in its train, even if not all. perhaps only a few, receive it.
Thus the pope's government is the most terrible wrath of God,
so that Peter calls them. the children of execration, for they
teach no Gospel, but mere human doctrine of their own works as
we, alas, see in all the chapters, monasteries and schools.
25.
This is what is meant by "Thy king cometh." You do not
seek him, but he seeks you. You do not find him, he finds you.
For the preachers come from him, not from you; their sermons come
from him, not from you; your faith comes from him, not from you;
everything that faith works in you comes from him, not from you;
and where he does not come, you remain outside; and where there
is no Gospel there is no God, but only sin and damnation, free
will may do, suffer, work and live as it may and can. Therefore
you should not ask, where to begin to be godly; there is no beginning,
except where the king enters and is proclaimed.
26.
Sixthly, he cometh "unto thee." Thee, thee, what does
this mean? Is it not enough that he is your king? If he is yours
how can he say, he comes to you? All this is stated by the prophet
to present Christ in an endearing way and invite to faith. It
is not enough that Christ saves us from the rule and tyranny of
sin, death and hell, and becomes our king, but he offers himself
to us for our possession, that whatever he is and has may be ours,
as St. Paul writes, Rom. 8, 32: "He that spared not his own
Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with
him freely give us all things?"
27.
Hence the daughter of Zion has twofold gifts from Christ. The
first is faith and the Holy Spirit in the heart, by which she
becomes pure and free from sin. The other is Christ himself, that
she may glory in the blessings given by Christ, as though everything
Christ is and has were her own,
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and
that she may rely upon Christ as upon her own heritage. Of this
St. Paul speaks, Rom. 8, 34: "Christ maketh intercession
for us." If he maketh intercession for us he will receive
us and we will receive him as our Lord. And I Cor. 1, 30: "Christ
was made unto us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification,
and redemption." Of the twofold gifts Isaiah speaks in 40,
1-2: "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak
ye comfortably to Jerusalem; and cry unto her that her warfare
is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, for she hath received
of Jehovah's hand double for all her sins."
Behold,
this means that he comes to you, for your welfare, as your own;
in that he is your king, you receive grace from him into your
heart, so that he delivers you from sin and death, and thus becomes
your king and you his subject. In coming to you he becomes your
own, so that you partake of his treasures, as a bride, by the
jewelry the bridegroom puts on her, becomes partner of his possessions.
Oh, this is a joyful, comforting form of speech! Who would despair
and be afraid of death and hell, if he believes in these words
and wins Christ as his own?
28.
Seventhly: "Meek." This word is to be especially noticed,
and it comforts the sin- burdened conscience. Sin naturally makes
a timid conscience, which fears God and flees, as Adam did in
Paradise, and cannot endure the coming of God, the knowing and
feeling that God is an enemy of sin and severely punishes it.
Hence it flees and is afraid, when God is only mentioned, and
is concerned lest he go at it tooth and nail. In order that such
delusion and timidity may not pursue us he gives us the comforting
promise that this king comes meekly.
As
if he would say: Do not flee and despair for he does not come
now as he came to Adam, to Cain, at the flood, at Babel, to Sodom
and Gomorrah, nor as he came to the people of Israel at Mount
Sinai; he comes not in wrath, does not wish to reckon with you
and demand his debt. All wrath is laid aside, nothing but tenderness
and kindness remain. He will
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now
deal with you so that your heart will have pleasure, love and
confidence in him, that henceforth you will much more abide with
him and find refuge in him than you feared him and fled from him
before. Behold, he is nothing but meekness to you, he is a different
man, he acts as if he were sorry ever to have made you afraid
and caused you to flee from his punishment and wrath. He desires
to reassure and comfort you and bring you to himself by love and
kindness.
This
means to speak consolingly to a sin-burdened conscience, this
means to preach Christ rightly and to proclaim his Gospel. How
is it possible that such a form of speech should not make a heart
glad and drive away all fear of sin, death and hell, and establish
a free, secure and good conscience that will henceforth gladly
do all and more than is commanded.
29.
The Evangelist, however, altered the words of the prophet slightly.
The prophet says in Zech. 9, 9: "Rejoice greatly, 0 daughter
of Zion; shout, 0 daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy king cometh
unto thee; he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding
upon an ass, even upon a colt, the foal of an ass." The Evangelist
expresses the invitation to joy and exultation briefly in these
words: "Tell the daughter of Zion." Further on he leaves
out the words: "just and having salvation." Again the
prophet says, "he is lowly," the Evangelist, "he
is meek." The prophet says: "upon the colt, the foal
of an ass," he mentions the last word in the plural number;
the Evangelist says: "upon the colt, the foal of an ass that
is used for daily and burden-bearing labor." How shall we
harmonize these accounts?
30.
First, we must keep in mind that the Evangelists do not quote
the prophets word by word, it is enough for them to have the same
meaning and to show the fulfillment, directing us to the Scriptures
so that we ourselves may read, what they omit, and see for ourselves
that nothing was written which is not richly fulfilled. It is
natural, also, that he who has the substance and the fulfillment,
does not care so much for the words. Thus we often find that the
Evangelist, quote the
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prophets
somewhat changed, yet it is done without detriment to the understanding
and intent of the original.
31.
To invite the daughter of Zion and the daughter of Jerusalem to
joy and gladness the prophet abundantly gives us to understand
that the coining of this king is most comforting to every sin-burdened
conscience, since he removes all fear and trembling, so that men
do not flee from him and look upon him as a severe judge, who
will press them with the law, as Moses did, so that they could
not have a joyful confidence in God, as the knowledge and realization
of sin naturally come from the law. But he would arouse them with
this first word to expect from him all grace and goodness. For
what other reason should he invite them to rejoice and command
them even to shout and be exceeding glad! He tells this command
of God to all who are in sorrow and fear of God. He also shows
that it is God's will and full intent, and demands that they entertain
joyful confidence in him against the natural fear and alarm And
this is the natural voice of the Gospel which the prophet here
begins to preach, as Christ speaks likewise in the Gospel and
the apostles always admonish to rejoice in Christ, as we shall
hear further on.
It
is also full of meaning that he comes from the Mount of Olives.
We shall notice that this grace on account of its greatness might
be called a mountain of grace, a grace which is not only a drop
or handful, but grace abundant and heaped up like a mountain.
32.
He mentions the people twice while the Evangelist says only once,
daughter of Zion. For it is one people, daughter of Zion and daughter
of Jerusalem, namely the people of the same city, who believe
in Christ and receive him. As I said before, the Evangelist quotes
the Scriptures only briefly and invites us to read them ourselves
and find out more there for ourselves. That the Evangelist does
not invite to joy like the prophet, but simply says: Tell it to
the daughter of Zion, he does it to show how the joy and exultation
shall be carried on. None should expect bodily but spiritual joy,
a joy that can be gathered alone from the Word by the faith of
the heart. From a worldly aspect there was nothing joyful in Christ's
en-
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trance,
his spiritual advent must be preached and believed; that is, his
meekness; this makes man joyful and glad.
33.
That the prophet gives Christ three titles, lowly, just, and having
salvation, while the Evangelist has only one, meek, is again done
for brevity's sake, he suggests more than he explains. It seems
to me that the Holy Ghost led the apostles and evangelists to
abbreviate passages of the Scriptures for the purpose that we
might be kept close to the holy Scriptures, and not set a bad
example to future exegetes, who make many words outside the Scriptures
and thereby draw us secretly from the Scriptures to human doctrines.
As to say: If I spread the Scriptures verbatim everyone will follow
the example and it will come to pass that we would read more in
other books than in the holy writings of the principal book, and
there would be no end to the writing of books and we would be
carried from one book to another, until, finally, we would get
away from the holy Scriptures altogether, as has happened in fact.
Hence, with such incomplete quotations he directs us to the original
book where they can be found complete, so that there is no need
for everyone to make a separate book and leave the first one.
34.
We notice, therefore, that it is the intention of all the apostles
and evangelists in the New Testament to direct and drive us to
the Old Testament, which they call the Holy Scriptures proper.
For the New Testament was to be only the incarnate living Word
and not scripture. Hence Christ did not write anything himself,
but gave the command to preach and extend the Gospel, which lay
hidden in the Scriptures, as we shall hear on Epiphany Sunday.
35.
In the Hebrew language the two words meek and lowly do not sound
unlike, and mean not a poor man who is wanting in money and property,
but who in his heart is humble and wretched, in whom truly no
anger nor haughtiness is to be found, but meekness and sympathy.
And if we wish to obtain the full meaning of this word, we must
take it as Luke uses it, who describes how Christ at his entrance
wept and wailed over Jerusalem.
We
interpret therefore the words lowly and meek in the
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light
of Christ's conduct. How does he appear? His heart is full of
sorrow and compassion toward Jerusalem. There is no anger or revenge,
but he weeps out of tenderness at their impending doom.. None
was so bad that he did or wished him harm. His sympathy makes
him so kind and full of pity that he thinks not of anger, of haughtiness,
of threatening or revenge, but offers boundless compassion and
good will. This is what the prophet calls lowly and the Evangelist
meek. Blessed he who thus knows Christ in him and believes in
him. He cannot be afraid of him, but has a true and comforting
confidence in him and entrance to him. He does not try to find
fault either, for as he believes, he finds it; these words do
not lie nor deceive.
36.
The word "just" does not mean here the justice with
which God judges, which is called the severe justice of God. For
if Christ came to us with this who could stand before him.? Who
could receive him, since even the saints cannot endure it? The
joy and grace of this entrance would thereby be changed info the
greatest fear and terror. But that grace is meant, by which he
makes us just or righteous. I wish the word justus, justitia,
were not used for the severe judicial justice; for originally
it means godly, godliness. When we say, he is a pious man, the
Scriptures express it, he is justus, justified or just. But the
severe justice of God is called in the Scriptures: Severity, judgment,
tribunal.
The
prophet's meaning, therefore, is this: Thy king cometh to thee
pious or just, i.e., he comes to make you godly through himself
and his grace; he knows well that you are not godly. Your piety
should consist not in your deeds, but in his grace and gift, so
that you are just and godly through him. In this sense St. Paul
speaks, Rom. 3, 26: "That he might himself be just, and the
justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus." That is, Christ
alone is pious before God and he alone makes us pious. Also, Rom.
1, 17: "For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from
faith unto faith," that is the godliness of God, namely his
grace and mercy, by which he makes us godly before him, is preached
in the Gospel. You see in this verse from the prophet that Christ
is preached for us unto righteous-
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ness,
that he comes godly and just, and we become godly and just by
faith.
37.
Note this fact carefully, that when you find in the Scriptures
the word God's justice, it is not to be understood of the self-existing,
imminent justice of God, as the Papists and many of the fathers
held, lest you be frightened; but, according to the usage of Holy
Writ, it means the revealed grace and mercy of God through Jesus
Christ in us by means of which we are considered godly and righteous
before him. Hence it is called God's justice or righteousness
effected not by us, but by God through grace, just as God's work,
God's wisdom, God's strength, God's word, God's mouth, signifies
what he works and speaks in us. All this is demonstrated clearly
by St. Paul, Rom. 1, 16: "1 am not ashamed of the Gospel
of Christ; for it is the power of God (which works in us and strengthens
us) unto salvation to everyone that believeth. For therein is
revealed a righteousness of God," as it is written in Hab.
2, 4: "The righteous shall live by his faith." Here
you see that he speaks of the righteousness of faith and calls
the same the righteousness of God, preached in the Gospel, since
the Gospel teaches nothing else but that he who believes has grace
and is righteous before God and is saved.
In
the same manner you should understand Ps. 31, 1: "Deliver
me in thy righteousness," i.e. by thy grace, which makes
me godly and righteous. The word Saviour or Redeemer compels us
to accept this as the meaning of the little word "just."
For if Christ came with his severe justice he would not save anyone,
but condemn all, as they are all sinners and unjust. But now he
comes to make not only just and righteous, but also blessed, all
who receive him, that he alone as the just one and the Saviour
be offered graciously to all sinners out of unmerited kindness
and righteousness.
38.
When the Evangelist calls his steed a burden-bearing and working
foal of an ass he describes the animal the prophets mean. He wants
to say: The prophecy is fulfilled in this burden-bearing animal.
It was not a special animal trained for this purpose, as according
to the country's custom riding animals are trained, and when the
prophet speaks of the foal
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of
the ass it is his meaning that it was a colt, but not a colt of
a horse.
II.
CONCERNING GOOD WORKS.
39.
We have said enough of faith. We now come to consider good works.
We receive Christ not only as a gift by faith, but also as an
example of love toward our neighbor, whom we are to serve as Christ
serves us. Faith brings and gives Christ to you with all his possessions.
Love gives you to your neighbor with all your possessions. These
two things constitute a true and complete Christian life; then
follow suffering and persecution for such faith and love, and
out of these grows hope in patience.
40.
You ask, perhaps, what are the good works you are to do to your
neighbor? Answer: They have no name. As the good works Christ
does to you have no name, so your good works are to have no name.
41.
Whereby do you know them? Answer: They have no name, so that there
may be no distinction made and they be not divided, that you might
do some and leave others undone. You shall give yourself up to
him altogether, with all you have, the same as Christ did not
simply pray or fast for you. Prayer and fasting are not the works
he did for you, but he gave himself up wholly to you, with praying,
fasting, all works and suffering, so that there is nothing in
him that is not yours and was not done for you. Thus it is not
your good work that you give alms or that you pray, but that you
offer yourself to your neighbor and serve him, wherever he needs
you and every way you can, be it with alms, prayer, work, fasting,
counsel, comfort, instruction, admonition, punishment, apologizing,
clothing, food, and lastly with suffering and dying for him. Pray,
where are now such works to be found in Christendom?
42.
I wish to God I had a voice like a thunderbolt, that I might preach
to all the world, and tear the word "good works" out
of people's hearts, mouths, ears, books, or at least then the
right understanding of it. All the world sings, speaks, writes
and thinks of good works, everyone wishes to exercise themselves
in good works, and yet, good works are
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done
nowhere, no one has the right understanding of good works. Oh,
that all such pulpits in all the world were cast into the fire
and burned to ashes! How they mislead people with their good works!
They call good works what God has not commanded, as pilgrimages,
fasting, building and decorating their churches in honor of the
saints, saying mass, paying for vigils, praying with rosaries,
much prattling and bawling in churches, turning nun, monk, priest,
using special food, raiment or dwelling,-who can enumerate all
the horrible abominations and deceptions? This is the pope's government
and holiness.
43.
If you have ears to hear and a mind to observe, pray, listen and
learn for God's sake what good works are and mean. A good work
is good for the reason that it is useful and benefits and helps
the one for whom it is done; why else should it be called good!
For there is a difference between good works and great, long,
numerous, beautiful works. When you throw a big stone a great
distance it is a great work, but whom does it benefit? If you
can jump, run, fence well, it is a fine work, but whom does it
benefit? Whom does it help, if you wear a costly coat or build
a fine house?
44.
And to come to our Papists' work, what does it avail if they put
silver or gold on the walls, wood and stone in the churches? Who
would be made better, if each village had ten bells, as big as
those at Erfurt? Whom would it help if all the houses were convents
and monasteries as splendid as the temple of Solomon? Who is benefitted
if you fast for St. Catherine, St. Martin or any other saint?
Whom does it benefit, if you are shaved half or wholly, if you
wear a gray or a black cap? Of what use were it if all people
field mass every hour? What benefit is it if in one church, as
at Meissen, they sing day and night Without interruption? Who
is better for it, if every church had more silver, pictures and
jewelry than the churches of Halle and Wittenberg? It is folly
and deception, men's lies invented these things and called them
good works; they all pretend they serve God thus and pray for
the people and their sins, just as if they helped God with their
property or as if his saints were in need of our work. Sticks
and stones
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are
not as rude and mad as we are. A tree bears fruit, not for itself,
but for the good of man and beast, and these fruits are its good
works.
45.
Hear then how Christ explains good works, Math. 7, 12: "Whatsoever
ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye unto them;
for this is the law and the prophets." Do you hear now what
are the contents of the whole law and of all the prophets? You
are not to do good to God and to his dead saints, they are not
in need of it; still less to wood and stone, to which it is of
no use, nor is it needed, but to men, to men, to men. Do you not
hear? To men you should do everything that you would they should
do to you.
46.
I would not have you build me a church or tower or cast bells
for me. I would not have you construct for me an organ with fourteen
stops and ten rows of flute work. Of this I can neither eat nor
drink, support neither wife nor child, keep neither house nor
land. You may feast my eyes on these and tickle my ears, but what
shall I give to my children? Where are the necessaries of life?
0 madness, madness! The bishops and lords, who should check it,
are the first in such folly, and one blind leader leads the other.
Such people remind me of young girls playing with dolls and of
boys riding on sticks. Indeed, they are nothing but children and
players with dolls, and riders of hobbyhorses.
47.
Keep in mind, that you need not do any work for God nor for the
departed saints, but you ask and receive good from him in faith.
Christ has done and accomplished everything for you, atoned for
your sins, secured grace and life and salvation. Be content with
this, only think how he can become more and more your own and
strengthen your faith. Hence direct all the good you can do and
your whole life to the end that it be good; but it is good only
when it is useful to other people and not to yourself. You need
it not, since Christ has done and given for you all that you might
seek and desire for yourself, here and hereafter, be it forgiveness
of sins, merit of salvation or whatever it may be called. If you
find a work in you by which you benefit God or his saints or yourself
and not your neighbor, know that such a work is not good.
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48.
A man is to live, speak, act, hear, suffer and die for the good
of his wife and child, the wife for the husband, the children
for the parents, the servants for their masters, the masters for
their servants, the government for its subjects, the subjects
for the government, each one for his fellow man, even for his
enemies, so that one is the other's hand, mouth, eye, foot, even
heart and mind. This is a truly Christian and good work, which
can and shall be done at all times, in all places, toward all
people. You notice the Papists' works in organs, pilgrimages,
fasting, etc., are really beautiful, great, numerous, long, wide
and heavy works, but there is no good, useful and helpful work
among them and the proverb may be applied to them: It is already
bad.
49.
But beware of their acute subtleties, when they say: If these
works are not good to our neighbor in his body, they do spiritual
good to his soul, since they serve God and propitiate him and
secure his grace. Here it is time to say: You lie as wide as your
mouth. God is to be worshiped not with works, but by faith, faith
must do everything that is to be done between God and us. There
may be more faith in a millerboy than in all the Papists, and
it may gain more than all priests and monks do with their organs
and jugglery, even if they had more organs than these now have
pipes. He who has faith can pray for his fellow man, he who has
no faith can pray for nothing.
It
is a satanic lie to call such outward pomp spiritually good and
useful works. A miller's maid, if she believes, does more good,
accomplishes more, and I would trust her more, if she takes the
sack from the horse, than all the priests and monks, if they kill
themselves singing day and night and torment themselves to the
quick. You great, coarse fools, would you expect to help the people
with your faithless life and distribute spiritual goods, when
there is on earth no more miserable, needy, godless people than
you are? You should be called, not spiritual, but spiritless.
50.
Behold, such good works Christ teaches here by his example. Tell
me what does he do to serve himself and to do good to himself?
The prophet directs all to the daughter of
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Zion
and says: "He cometh to thee," and that he comes as
a Saviour, just and meek, is all for you, to make you just and
blessed. None had asked nor bidden him to come; but he came, he
comes of his own free will, out of pure love, to do good and to
be useful and helpful.
Now
his work is manifold, it embraces all that is necessary to make
us just and blessed. But justification and salvation imply that
he delivers us from sin, death, hell, and does it not only for
his friends, but also for his enemies, yea, for none but his enemies,
yet he does it so tenderly, that he weeps over those who oppose
such work and will not receive him. Hence he leaves nothing undone
to blot out their sin, conquer death and hell and make them just
and blessed. He retains nothing for himself, and is content that
he already has God and is blessed, -thus he serves only us according
to the will of his father who wishes him to do so.
51.
See then how he keeps the law: "Whatsoever ye would that
men should do unto you, even so do ye unto them." Is it not
true, everyone heartily wishes that another might step between
man and his sin, take it upon himself and blot it out, so that
it would no more sting his conscience, and deliver him from death
and hell? What does everyone desire more deeply than to be free
from death and hell? Who would not be free from sin and have a
good, joyful conscience before God? Do we not see how all men
have striven for this, with prayer, fastings, pilgrimages, donations,
monasteries and priestdom? Who urges them? It is sin, death, hell,
from which they would be saved. And if there were a physician
at the end of the world, who could help here, all lands would
become deserted and every one would hasten to this physician and
risk property, body and life to make the journey.
And
if Christ himself, like we, were surrounded by death, sin and
hell, he would wish that some one would help him out of it, take
his sin away and give him a good conscience. Since he would have
others do this for him, he proceeds and does it for others, as
the law says, he takes upon himself our sins, goes into death
and overcomes for us sin, death and hell so that henceforth all
who believe in him, and call upon his name,
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shall
be justified and saved, be above sin and death, have a good, joyful,
secure and intrepid conscience forever, as he says in John 8,
51: "If a man keep my word, he shall never see death,"
and John 11,25-26: "I am the resurrection, and the life;
he that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live I and
whosoever liveth and believeth on me, shall never die."
52.
Behold, this is the great joy, to which the prophet invites, when
he says: "Rejoice greatly, 0 daughter of Zion; shout, 0 daughter
of Jerusalem!" This is the righteousness and the salvation
for which the Saviour and King comes. These are the good works
done for us by which he fulfills the law. Hence the death of the
believer in Christ is not death but a sleep, for he neither sees
nor tastes death, as is said in Ps. 4, 8: "In peace will
I both lay me down and sleep, for thou, Jehovah, alone makest
me dwell in safety." Therefore death is also called a sleep
in the Scriptures.
53.
But the Papists and their disciples, who would get rid of death,
sin and hell by their own works and satisfaction, must remain
in them eternally for they undertake to do for themselves what
Christ alone did and could do, of whom they should expect it by
faith. Therefore they are foolish, deluded people who do works
for Christ and his saints, which they should do for their neighbor.
Again, what they should expect of Christ by faith they would find
in themselves and have gone so far as to spend on stone and wood,
on bells and incense what they should spend on their neighbors.
They go on and do good to God and his saints, fast for them and
dedicate to them prayers, and at the same time leave their neighbor
as he is, thinking only, let us first help ourselves! Then comes
the pope and sells them his letter of indulgence and leads them
into heaven, not into God's heaven, but into the pope's heaven,
which is the abyss of hell. Behold, this is the fruit of unbelief
and ignorance of Christ, this is our reward for having left the
Gospel in obscurity and setting up human doctrine in its place.
I repeat it, I wish all pulpits in the world lay in ashes, and
the monasteries, convents, churches, hermitages and chapels, and
everything were ashes and powder, because of this shameful misleading
of souls.
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54.
Now you know what good works are. Think of it and act accordingly.
As to sin, death and hell, take care that you augment them not,
for you cannot do anything here, your good works will avail nothing,
you must have some one else to work for you. To Christ himself
such works properly belong, you must consent to it that he who
comes is the king of Zion, that he alone is the just Saviour.
In him and through him you will blot out sin and death through
faith. Therefore, if anyone teaches you to blot out your own sin
by works, beware of him.
55.
When in opposition to this they quote verses of the Bible like
Dan. 4, 27: "Break off thine iniquities by showing mercy
to the poor," and I Pet. 4, 8: "Love covereth a multitude
of sins," and the like, be not deceived, such passages do
not mean that the works could blot out or remove sin, for this
would rob Christ of his word and advent, and do away with his
whole work; but these works are a sure work of faith, which in
Christ receives remission of sins and the victory over death.
For it is impossible for him who believes in Christ, as a just
Saviour, not to love and to do good. If, however, he does not
do good nor love, it is sure that faith is not present. Therefore
man knows by the fruits what kind of a tree it is, and it is proved
by love and deed whether Christ is in him and he believes in Christ.
As St. Peter says in 2 Pet. 1, 10: "Wherefore, brethren,
give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure;
for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble," that
is, if you bravely practice good works you will be sure and cannot
doubt that God has called and chosen you.
56.
Thus faith blots out sin in a different manner than love. Faith
blots it out of itself, while love or good works prove and demonstrate
that faith has done so and is present, as St. Paul says, 1 Cor.
13, 2: "And if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains,
but have not love, I am nothing." Why? Without doubt, because
faith is not present where there is no love, they are not separate
the one from the other. See to it then that you do not err, and
be misled from faith to works.
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57.
Good works should be done, but we should not confide in them,
instead of in Christ's work. We should not touch sin, death and
hell with our works, but direct them from us to the Saviour, to
the king of Zion, who rides upon an ass. He who knows how to treat
sin, death and hell, will blot out sin, overcome death, and subdue
hell. Do you permit him to perform these works while you serve
your neighbor,-you will then have a sure testimony of faith in
the Saviour who overcame death. So love and good works will blot
out your sin for you that you may realize it; as faith blots it
out before God where you do not realize it. But more of this later.
THE
LESSON STORY AND THE FALSE NOTIONS THE JEWS HELD CONCERNING THE
MESSIAH.
58.
In the story of this Gospel we will first direct our attention
to the reason why the Evangelist quotes the words of the prophet,
in which was described long ago and in clear, beautiful and wonderful
words, the bodily, public entrance and advent of our Lord Jesus
Christ to the people of Zion or Jerusalem, as the text says. In
this the prophet wanted to show and explain to his people and
to all the world, who the Messiah is and how and in what manner
he would come and manifest himself, and offers a plain and visible
sign in this that he says: "Behold, thy king cometh unto
thee, meek, and riding upon an ass," etc., so that we would
be certain of it, and not dispute about the promised Messiah or
Christ, nor wait for another.
He
therewith anticipates the mistaken idea of the Jews, who thought,
because there were such glorious things said and written of Christ
and his kingdom, he would manifest himself in great worldly pomp
and glory, as a king against their enemies, especially the Roman
empire, to the power of which they were subject, and would overthrow
its power and might, and in their place set up the Jews as lords
and princes. They thus expected nothing in the promised Christ
but a worldly kingdom and deliverance from bodily captivity. Even
today they cling to such dreams and therefore they do not believe
in Christ, because they have not seen such bodily
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relief
and worldly power. They were led to this notion, and strengthened
in it, by their false priests, preachers and doctors, who perverted
the Scriptures concerning Christ and interpreted them according
to their own worldly understanding as referring to bodily, worldly
things, because they would fain be great earthly lords.
59.
But the dear prophets plainly foretold and faithfully gave warning
that we should not think of such an earthly kingdom nor of bodily
salvation, but look back and pay attention to the promises of
a spiritual kingdom and of a redemption from the pernicious fall
of mankind in paradise; of which it is said in Gen. 2, 17: "In
the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."
The first prophecy of Christ is also against it, Gen. 3, 15: "The
seed of woman shall bruise the serpent's head." Which means,
he shall deliver all mankind from the power of the devil and the
captivity of sin and eternal death and, instead bring justification
before God and eternal life. Hence this prophet calls him "just
and having salvation." This truly is a different salvation
than that of bodily freedom, bodily power and glory, the end of
which is death, and under which everything must abide eternally.
They
ought to have considered this and rejoiced in it, since the prophets
had heartily yearned and prayed for it, and this prophet admonishes
to such great joy and gladness. But they and their shameless preachers
made a temporal affair out of this misery and unhappiness, as
if it were a joke about sin and death or the power of the devil,
and considered it the greatest misfortune that they lost their
temporal freedom and were made subject to the emperor and required
to pay taxes to him.
60.
The Evangelist therefore quotes this saying of the prophet, to
punish the blindness and false notions of those who seek bodily
and temporal blessings in Christ and his Gospel, and to convince
them by the testimony of the prophet, who shows clearly what kind
of a king Christ was and what they should seek in him, in that
lie calls him just and having salvation and yet adds this sign
of his coming by which they are to know him: "He cometh to
thee meek and riding upon a colt,
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the
foal of an ass." As if to say: A poor, miserable, almost
beggarly horseman upon a borrowed ass who is kept by the side
of its mother not for ostentation but for service. With this he
desires to lead them away from gazing and waiting for a glorious
entrance of a worldly king. And he offers such signs that they
might not doubt the Christ, nor take offense at his beggarly appearance.
All pomp and splendor are to be left out of sight, and the heart
and the eyes directed to the poor rider, who became poor and miserable
and made himself of no kingly reputation that they might not seek
the things of this world in him but the eternal, as is indicated
by the words, "just and having salvation."
61.
This verse first clearly and effectively does away with the Jewish
dream and delusion of a worldly reign of the Messiah and of their
temporal freedom. It takes away all cause and support for excuse,
if they do not receive Christ, and cuts off all hope and expectation
for another, because it clearly and distinctly announces and admonishes
that he would come on this wise and that he has fulfilled everything.
We Christians thus have against the Jews a firm ground and certain
title and conviction from their own Scripture that this Messiah,
who thus came to them, is the Christ predicted by tile prophets
and that no other shall come, and that in the vain hope of another's
coming they forfeit their temporal and eternal salvation.
III.
THE SPIRITUAL INTERPRETATION OF THIS GOSPEL
62.
This has been said about the history of this Gospel. Let us now
treat of its hidden or spiritual meaning. Here we are to remember
that Christ's earthly walk and conversation signify his spiritual
walk; his bodily walk therefore signifies the Gospel and the faith.
As with his bodily feet he walked from one town to another, so
by preaching he came into the world. Hence this lesson shows distinctly
what the Gospel is and how it is to be preached, what it does
and effects in the world, and its history is a fine, pleasing
picture and image of
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how
the kingdom of Christ is carried on by the office of preaching.
We will consider this point by point.
"And
when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and came unto Bethphage, unto
the Mount of Olives."
63.
All the apostles declare that Christ would become man at the end
of the world, and that the Gospel would be the last preaching,
as is written in 1 John 2, 18: "Little children, it is the
last hour, and as ye have heard that Antichrist cometh, even now
hath there arisen many Antichrists; whereby we know that it is
the last hour," etc. He mentions here the Antichrist. Antichrist
in Greek means he who teaches and acts against the true Christ.
Again, 1 Cor. 10, 11: "All these things were written for
our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come."
As the prophets came to man before the first advent of Christ,
so the apostles are the last messengers of God, sent before the
last advent of Christ at the last day to preach it faithfully.
Christ indicates this by not sending out his apostles to fetch
the ass, until he drew nigh unto Jerusalem, where he was now to
enter. Thus the Gospel is brought into this world by the apostles
shortly before the last day, when Christ will enter with his flock
into the eternal Jerusalem.
64.
This agrees with the word "Bethphage," which means,
as some say, mouth-house, for St. Paul says in Rom. 1, 2, that
the Gospel was promised afore in the Holy Scriptures, but it was
not preached orally and publicly until Christ came and sent out
his apostles. Therefore the church is a mouth-house, not a pen-house,
for since Christ's advent that Gospel is preached orally which
before was hidden in written books.
It
is the way of the Gospel and of the New Testament that it is to
be preached and discussed orally with a living voice. Christ himself
wrote nothing, nor did he give command to write, but to preach
orally. Thus the apostles were not sent out until Christ came
to his mouth-house, that is, until the time had come to preach
orally and to bring the Gospel from dead writing and pen-work
to the living voice and mouth. From this time the church is rightly
called Bethphage, since she has and bears the living voice of
the Gospel.
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65.
The sending shows that the kingdom of Christ is contained in the
public oral office of preaching, which shall not stand still nor
remain in one place, as before it was hidden with the Jewish nation
alone in the Scriptures and foretold by the prophets for the future,
but should go openly, free and untrammeled into all the world.
66.
The Mount of Olives signifies the great mercy and grace of God,
that sent forth the apostles and brought the Gospel to us. Olive
oil in Holy Writ signifies the grace and mercy of God, by which
the soul and the conscience are comforted and healed, as the oil
soothes and softens and heals the wounds and defects of the body.
And from what was said above, we learn what unspeakable grace
it is that we know and have Christ, the justified Saviour and
king. Therefore he does not send into the level plain, nor upon
a deserted, rocky mountain, but unto the Mount of Olives, to show
to all the world the mercy which prompted him to such grace. There
is not simply a drop or handful of it, as formerly, but because
of its great abundance it might be called a mountain. The prophet
also calls in Ps. 36, 6, such grace God's mountain and says: "Thy
righteousness is like the mountains of God," that is, great
and abundant, rich and overflowing. This he can understand who
considers what it means that Christ bears our sin, and conquers
death and hell and does everything for us, that is necessary to
our salvation. He does not expect us to do anything for it, but
to exercise it towards our neighbor, to know thereby whether we
have such faith in Christ or not. Hence the Mount of Olives signifies
that the Gospel was not preached nor sent until the time of grace
came; from this time on the great grace goes out into the world
through the apostles.
"Then
Jesus sent two disciples, saying unto them, Go into the village
that is over against you."
67.
These two disciples represent all the apostles and preachers,
sent into the world. The evangelical sermon is to consist of two
witnesses, as St. Paul says in Rom. 3,21: "A righteousness
of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the
prophets." Thus we see how the apostles
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introduce
the law and the prophets, who prophesied of Christ, so that it
might be fulfilled that Moses spoke in Deut. 17, 6 and Christ
in Math. 18,16: "At the mouth of two witnesses or three,
every word may be established."
68.
When he says: "Go into the village over against you",
not mentioning the name, it signifies that the apostles are not
sent to one nation alone, as the Jews were separated from the
Gentiles and alone bore the name "People of God" and
God's word and promise of the future Messiah were with them alone.
But now when Christ comes he sends his preachers into all the
world and commands them to go straight forward and preach everywhere
to all the heathen, and to teach, reprove, without distinction,
whomsoever they meet, however great, and wise and learned and
holy, they may be.
When
he calls the great city of Jerusalem a village and does not give
her name, he does it for the reason that the name Jerusalem has
a holy significance. The kingdom of heaven and salvation are the
spiritual Jerusalem, that Christ enters. But the apostles were
sent into the world amongst their enemies who have no name.
69.
The Lord here comforts and strengthens the apostles and all ministers,
when he calls the great city a village, and adds, she is over
against you. As if he would say, like Math. 10, 16: "Behold,
I send you forth as sheep in the midst of the wolves", I
send you into the world, which is against you, and seems to be
something great, for there are kings, princes, the learned, the
rich and everything that is great in the world and amounts to
anything, this is against you. And as he says in Math. 10, 22:
"Ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake." But
never fear, go on, it is hardly a village, do not be moved by
great appearances, preach bravely against it and fear no one.
For it is not possible that he should preach the gospel truth,
who fears the multitude and does not despise all that the world
esteems highly. It is here decreed that this village is against
the apostles, therefore they should not be surprised if the great,
high, rich, wise and holy orders do not accept their word. It
must be so, the village must be against them; again, the apostles
must despise them and appear before
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them,
for the Lord will have no flatterer as a preacher. He does not
say: Go around the village, or to the one side of it: Go in bravely
and tell them what they do not like to hear.
70.
How very few there are now who enter the village that is against
them. We gladly go into the towns that are on our side. The Lord
might have said: Go ye into the village before you. That would
have been a pleasing and customary form of speech. But he would
indicate this mystery of the ministry, hence he speaks in an unusual
way: Go into the village that is over against you. That is: Preach
to them that are disposed to prosecute and kill you. You shall
merit such thanks and not try to please them, for such is the
way of hypocrites and not that of the evangelists.
"And
straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her; loose
them and bring them unto me."
71.
This is also offered as consolation to ministers that they should
not worry as to who would believe or receive them. For it is decreed,
Is. 55,11: "My word shall not return unto me void."
And St. Paul says, Col. 1, 6: "The Gospel is in all the world
bearing fruit." It cannot be otherwise than that where the
Gospel is preached there will be some, who accept it and believe.
This is the meaning of the mystery that the apostles shall find
the ass forthwith and the colt, if they only go. As if he would
say: Only go and preach, care not who they are that hear you.
I will care for that. The world will be against you, but be not
afraid, you will find such as will hear and follow you. You do
not know them yet, but I know them; you preach, and leave the
rest to me.
72.
Behold, In this way he consoles them that they should not cease
to preach against the world, though it withstands and contradicts
them ever so hard, it shall not be in vain. You find people now
who believe we should be silent and cause no stir, because it
is impossible to convert the world. It is all in vain, they say;
pope, priests, bishops and monks reject it and they will not change
their lives, what is the use to preach and storm against them?
This is the same as if the apostles had said to Christ: Thou tellest
us to go into the village that
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is
over against us; it it is against us, what use is it that we enter
there, let us rather stay outside.
But
the Lord refutes this and says: Go ye there and preach, what does
it matter if it is against you? You will find there what I say.
We should now do likewise. Although the masses storm against the
Gospel and there is no hope that they will be better, yet we must
preach, there will yet be found those who listen and become converted.
73.
Why does he have them bring two asses or not both young or old
ones, since one was enough for him to ride upon? Answer: As the
two disciples represent the preachers, so the colt and its mother
represent their disciples and hearers. The preachers shall be
Christ's disciples and be sent by him, that is, they should preach
nothing but Christ's doctrine. Nor should they go to preach except
they be called, as was the case with the apostles. But the hearers
are old and young.
74.
Here we should remember that man in Holy Writ is divided into
two parts, in an inner and an outer man. The outer man is called
according to his outward, visible, bodily life and conversation;
the inner man, according to his heart and conscience. The outer
man can be forced to do the good and quit the bad, by law, pain,
punishment and shame, or attracted by favor, money, honor and
reward. But the inner man cannot be forced to do out of his own
free will, what he should do, except the grace of God change the
heart and make it willing.
Hence
the Scriptures say all men are liars, no man does good of his
own free will, but everyone seeks his own and does nothing out
of love for virtue. For if there were no heaven nor hell, no disgrace
nor honor, none would do good. If it were as great an honor and
prize to commit adultery, as to honor matrimony, you would see
adultery committed with much greater pleasure than matrimony is
now held sacred. In like manner all other sins would be done with
greater zeal than virtues are now practiced. Hence all good conduct
without grace is mere glitter and semblance, it touches only the
exterior man, without the mind and free will of the inner man
being reached.
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75.
These are the two asses: The old one is the exterior man; he is
bound like this one, with laws and fear of death, of hell, of
shame, or with allurements of heaven, of life, of honor. He goes
forward with the external appearance of good works and is a pious
rogue, but he does it unwillingly and with a heavy heart and a
heavy conscience.
Therefore
the apostle calls her "subjugalem," the yoked animal,
who works under a burden and labors hard. It is a miserable, pitiable
life that is under compulsion by fear of hell, of death and of
shame. Hell, death and shame are his yoke and burden, heavy beyond
measure, from which he has a burdened conscience and is secretly
an enemy to law and to God. Such people were the Jews, who waited
for Christ, and such are all who rely upon their own power to
fulfil God's commands, and merit heaven. They are tied by their
consciences to the law, they must, but would rather not, do it.
They are carriers of sacks, lazy beasts of burden and yoked rogues.
713.
The colt, the young ass, of which Mark and Luke write, on which
never man rode, is the inner man, the heart, the mind, the will,
which can never be subject to law, even if he be tied by conscience
and feels the law. But he has no desire nor love for it until
Christ comes and rides on him. As this colt was never ridden by
anyone, so man's heart has never been subject to the good; but,
as Moses says, Gen. 6, 5 and 8, 21, is evil continually from his
youth.
77.
Christ tells them to loose them, that is, he tells them to preach
the Gospel in his name, in which is proclaimed grace and remission
of sins, and how he fulfilled the law for us. The heart is here
freed from the fetters of conscience and things. Thus man is loose
not from the law, that he should and joyful, willing and anxious
to do and to leave undone all things. Thus man is loose not from
the Law, that he should do nothing, but from a joyless, heavy
conscience he has from the law, and with which he was the enemy
of the law, that threatens him with death and hell. Now he has
a clear conscience under Christ, is a friend of the law, neither
fears death nor hell, does freely and willingly, what before he
did
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reluctantly.
See, in this way the Gospel delivers the heart from all evil,
from sin and death, from hell and a bad conscience through faith
in Christ.
78.
When he commands them to bring them to him, he speaks against
the pope and all sects and deceivers, who lead the souls from
Christ to themselves; but the apostles bring them to Christ; they
preach and teach nothing but Christ, and not their own doctrine
nor human laws. The Gospel alone teaches us to come to Christ
and to know Christ rightly. In this the stupid prelates receive
a heavy rebuke at their system of bringing souls to themselves,
as Paul says in Acts 20, 29-30: "1 know that after my departing
grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock;
and from among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse
things, to draw away the disciples after them." But the Gospel
converts men to Christ and to none else. Therefore he sends out
the Gospel and ordains preachers, that he may draw us all to himself,
that we may know him as he says, John 12, 32: "And I, if
I be lifted tip from the earth, will draw all men unto myself."
"And
if any man say aught unto you, ye shall say., The Lord hath need
of them; and straightway he will send them."
79.
St. Paul, in Gal. 4, 2, compares the law to guardians and stewards,
under whom the young heir is educated in fear and discipline.
The law forces with threats that we externally abstain from evil
works, from fear of death and hell, although the heart does not
become good thereby. Here are, as Luke writes, the masters of
the ass and its colt, speaking to the apostles: What, do ye loose
the colt? Where the Gospel begins to loose the conscience of its
own works, it seems to forbid good works and the keeping of the
law. It is the common speech of all the teachers of the law, and
of the scribes and doctors, to say: If all our works amount to
nothing and if the works done under the law are evil, we will
never (to good. You forbid good works and throw away God's law;
you heretic, you loose the colt and wish to make bad people free.
Then they go to work and forbid to loose the colt and
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the
conscience and to bring it to Christ and say, You must do good
works, and keep people tied in bondage to the law.
80.
Our text shows how the apostles should act toward such persons.
They should say: "The Lord hath need of them," they
should instruct them in the works of the law and the works of
grace and should say: We forbid not good works, but we loose the
conscience from false good works, not to make them free to do
evil deeds, but to come under Christi their true Master, and under
him do truly good works; to this end he needs them and will have
them. Of this Paul treats so well in Rom. 6, where he teaches
that through grace we are free from the law and its works; not
so as to do evil, but to do truly good works.
81.
It all amounts to this, that the scribes and masters of the law
do not know what good works are; they therefore will not loose
the colt, but drive it with unmerciful human works. However, where
wholesome instruction is given concerning good works, they let
it pass, if they are at all sensible and honest teachers of the
law, as they are here represented. The mad tyrants, who are frantic
with human laws, are not mentioned in this Gospel. It treats only
of the law of God and of the very best teachers of the law. For
without grace, even God's law is a chain and makes burdened consciences
and hypocrites whom none can help, until other works are taught,
which are not ours, but Christ's and are worked in us by grace.
Then all constraint and coercion of the law is ended and the colt
is loose.
"Now
this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken
through the prophet,* saying, Tell ye the daughter of Zion."
82.
This verse has already been sufficiently explained. The Evangelist
introduces it that we may see how Christ has come not for the
sake of our merits, but for the sake of God's truth. For he was
prophesied long a- before we, to whom go he comes, bad a being.
God out of pure grace has fulfilled the promises of the Gospel
to demonstrate the truth that he keeps his promises in order to
stir us confidently to trust in his promise, for he will fulfil
it.
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And
this is one of the passages, where the Gospel is promised, of
which Paul speaks in Rom. 1, 2: "Which he promised afore
through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning his Son
Jesus Christ," etc. We have heard how in this verse the Gospel,
Christ and faith are preached most distinctly and consolingly.
'And
the disciples went, and did even as Jesus appointed them, and
brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their garments,
and he sat thereon, (and they set him thereon.)"
83.
These are the ministers who by the Gospel have freed the consciences
from the law and its works and led them to the works of grace,
who made real saints out of* hypocrites, so that Christ henceforth
rides upon them.
84.
The question arises here, whether Christ rode upon both animals.
Matthew- speaks as if the disciples put him on both, while Mark,
Luke and John mention only the colt. Some think be sat first on
the colt and, because it was too wanton and untamed, lie then
sat on its mother. These are fables and dreams. ',Ale take it
that he rode only on the colt. He had them both brought to him
on account of the spiritual significance above mentioned. When
Matthew says he sat on them as though he rode on both, it is said
after the manner of the Scriptures and the common way of speaking
by synecdoche, where a thing is ascribed to the community, the
whole people, which applies only to a few of them; for example,
Matthew writes: the thieves on the cross reviled him, while only
one did it, as Luke tells us, Christ says in Mat. 23, 37, that
the city of Jerusalem stoned the prophets, while only a few of
the city did it. You say, the Turks killed the Christians, although
they killed only a few. Thus Christ rode on the asses, though
he rode only on the colt, because the two are compared to a community.
What happened to one is expressed as if it happened to all.
85.
Now consider the spiritual riding. Christ rides on the colt, its
mother follows, that is, when Christ lives through faith in the
inner man we are tinder him and are ruled by him But the outer
man, the ass, goes free, Christ does not ride on her, though she
follows in the rear. The outer man, as
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Paul
says, is not willing, he strives against the inner man, nor does
he carry Christ, as Gal. 5, 17 says: "The flesh lusteth against
the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary,
the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would."
Because the colt carries Christ, that is, the Spirit is willing
by grace, the ass, that is, the flesh, must be led by the halter,
for the Spirit -,chastises and crucifies the flesh, so that it
becomes subject.
86.
This is the reason Christ rides upon the colt and not upon its
mother, and yet uses both for his entrance into Jerusalem, for
both body and soul must be saved. If, here upon earth, the body
is unwilling, not capable of grace and Christ's leading, it must
bear the Spirit, upon which Christ rides, who trains it and leads
it along by the power of grace, received through Christ. The colt,
ridden by Christ, upon which no one ever rode, is the willing
spirit, whom no one before could make willing, tame or ready,
save Christ by his grace. However, the sack-carrier, the burden-bearer,
the old Adam, is the flesh, which goes riderless without Christ;
it must for this reason bear the cross and remain a beast of burden.
87.
What does it signify that the apostles, without command, put their
garments on the colt? No doubt again not all the disciples laid
on their garments, nor were all their garments put on, perhaps
only a coat of one disciple. But it is written for the spiritual
meaning, as if all the garments of all the disciples were used.
It was a poor saddle and ornaments, but rich in meaning. I think
it was the good example of the apostles, by which the Christian
church is covered, and adorned, and Christ is praised and honored,
namely, their preaching and confession, suffering and death for
Christ's sake, as Christ says of Peter, that he would glorify
God by a like death, John 21, 19. Paul says in one of his epistles,
we shall put on, Christ, by which he doubtless wishes to show
that good works are the garments of the Christians, by which Christ
is honored and glorified before all people. In the epistle Paul
says, Rom. 13, 12: "Let us put on the armor of light."
By this he means to show that good works are garments in which
we walk before the people, honorably and well
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adorned.
The examples of the apostles are the best and noblest above all
the saints, they instruct us best, and teach Christ most clearly;
therefore they should not, like the rest, lie on the road, but
on the colt, so that Christ may ride on them and the colt go under
them. We should follow these examples, praise Christ with our
confession and our life and adorn and honor the doctrine of the
Gospel as Tit. 2, 10 says.
88.
Hear how Paul lays his garments on the colt, I Cor. 11, 1: "Be
ye imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ," and Heb.
13, 7: "Remember them that had the rule over you, men that
spake unto you the Word of God; and considering the issue of their
life, imitate their faith." No saint's example is as pure
in faith as that of the apostles. All the other saints after the
apostles have an addition of human doctrine and works. Hence Christ
sits upon their garments to show that they are true Christian
and more faithful examples than others.
89.
That they set him thereon must also signify something. Could he
not mount for himself? Why does he act so formal? As I said above,
the apostles would not preach themselves, nor ride on the colt
themselves. Paul says, 2 Cor. 1, 24: "Not that we have lordship
over your faith." And 2 Cor. 4, 5: "We preach not ourselves,
'hut Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for
Jesus' sake." Again, 1 Pet. 5, 3: "Neither as lording
it over the charge allotted to you." They preached to us
the pure faith and offered their examples, that Christ might rule
in us, and our faith remain undefiled, that we might not receive
their word and work as if it were their own, but that we might
learn Christ in their words and works. But how is it today? One
follows St. Francis, another St Dominic, the third this, and the
fourth that saint; and in none is Christ alone and pure faith
sought; for they belong only to the apostles.
"And
the most part of the multitude spread their garments in the way;
and others cut branches front the trees, and spread them in the
way."
90.
The garments are the examples of the patriarchs and prophets,
and the histories of the Old Testament. For, as we ,;hall learn,
the multitude that went before, signifies the saints
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before
tile birth of Christ, by whom the sermon in the New Testament
and the way of faith are beautifully adorned and honored. Paul
does likewise when he cites Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Peter cites
Sarah, and, in Heb. It, many patriarchs are named as examples,
and by these are confirmed faith and the works of faith in a masterly
way. The branches mean the sayings of the prophets, one of which
is mentioned in this Gospel, which are not stories nor examples
but the prophecy of God. The trees are the books of the prophets.
Those who preach from these cut down branches and spread them
in the way of Christian faith.
91.
All this teaches the character of an Evangelical sermon, a sermon
on the pure faith and the way of life. It must first have the
word Christ commands the apostles, saying: Go, loose and bring
hither. Then the story and example of the apostles must be added
which agree with Christ's word and work, these are the garments
of the apostles. Then must be cited passages from the Old Testament,
these are the garments and branches of the multitude. In this
way the passages and examples of both Testaments are brought home
to the people. Of this Christ speaks in Math. 13, 52: "Every
scribe who hath been made a disciple to tile kingdom of heaven,
is like unto a man that is a householder, who bringeth forth out
of his treasure things new and old." This signifies the two
lips of the mouth, the two points of a bishop's hat, the two ribbons
on it and some other like figures. But now none of these is kept
before the eyes, the devil through the Papists throws sulphur
and pitch in the way, himself rides on the colt and banishes Christ.
92.
To spread garments in the way, means that, following the example
of the apostles, we should with our confession and our whole life,
honor, adorn and grace Christ, by giving up all glory, wisdom
and holiness of our own and bowing to Christ in simple faith;
also that we turn everything we have, honor, goods, life, power
and body to the glory and advancement of the Gospel and relinquish
everything for the one thing needful. Kings and lords and the
great, powerful and rich should serve Christ with their goods,
honor and power;
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further
the Gospel and for its sake abandon everything. The holy patriarchs,
prophets and pious kings in the Old Testament did so by their
examples. But now everything is turned around, especially among
the papal multitudes, who usurp all honor and power against Christ
and thus suppress the Gospel.
93.
To cut branches from the trees and spread them in the way means
also the office of preaching and the testimony of the Scriptures
and the prophets concerning Christ. With this the sermon of Christ
is to be confirmed and all the preaching directed to the end that
Christ may be known and confessed by it. John writes in 12,13
that they took branches of palmtrees and went forth to meet him.
Some add, there must have been olive branches also, because it
happened on the Mount of Olives. This is not incredible, although
the Gospels do not report it.
94.
There is reason why palm-branches and olive-branches are mentioned.
They signify what is to be confessed, preached and believed concerning
Christ. It is the nature of the palm-tree that when used as a
beam, it yields to no weight but rises against the weight. These
branches are the words of divine wisdom; the more they are suppressed,
the higher they rise. This is true if you firmly believe in those
words. There is an invincible power in them, so that they may
well be called palm-branches, as St. Paul says in Rom. 1, 16:
"The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone
that, believeth;" and as Christ says, "The gates of
hell shall not prevail against it." Math. 16,18. Death, sin,
hell and all evil must bend before the divine Word, or only rise,
when it sets itself against them.
95.
Olive branches are named, because they are words of grace, in
which God has promised us mercy. They make the soul meek, gentle,
joyful, as the oil does the body. The gracious Word and sweet
Gospel is typified in Gen. 8, 11, where the dove in the evening
brought in her mouth an olive branch with green leaves into the
ark, which means, that the Holy Spirit brings the Gospel into
the Church at the end of the world by the mouth of the apostles.
"And
the multitudes that went before him, and that fol-
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lowed,
cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of Daivd: Blessed is he that
cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest."
96.
For this reason they carried palm-trees before kings and lords,
when they had gained a victor), and celebrated their triumph.
Again, the carrying of palm-branches was a sign of submission,
especially of such as asked for mercy and peace, as was commonly
done among ancient people.
By
their pomp before Christ they indicated that they would receive
him as their Lord and King, sent by God as a victorious and invincible
Saviour, showing themselves submissive to him and seeking grace
from him. Christ should be preached and made known in all the
world, as the victorious and invincible King against sin, death
and the power of the devil and all the world for those who are
oppressed and tormented, and as a Lord with whom they shall find
abundant grace and mercy, as their faithful Priest and Mediator
before God.
The
word of the Gospel concerning this King is a word of mercy and
grace, which brings us peace and redemption from God, besides
invincible power and strength, as St. Paul in Rom. 1, 16 calls
the Gospel "a power of God unto salvation" and "the
gates of hell shall not prevail against it," as Christ says
in Math. 16, 18.
97.
Paul says, Heb. 13,8: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday
and today, yea, forever." All who will be saved from the
beginning to the end of the world, are and must be Christians
and must be saved by faith. Therefore Paul says, 1 Cor. 10, 3-4:
"Our fathers did all eat the same spiritual food; and did
all drink the same spiritual drink." And Christ says in John
8, 56: "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he
saw it and was glad."
98.
Hence the multitudes going before signify all Christians and saints
before Christ's birth; those who follow signify all the saints
after the birth of Christ. They all believed in and adhered to
the one Christ. The former expected him in the future, the latter
received him as the one who had come. Hence they all sing the
same song and praise and thank God
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in
Christ. or may we give anything else but praise and thanks to
God, since we receive all from him, be it grace, word, work, Gospel,
faith and everything else. The only true Christian service is
to praise and give thanks, as Ps. 50, 15 says: "Call upon
me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt
glorify me."
99.
What does "Hosanna to the son of David' signify? Hosanna
in Ps. 118, 25-26, means: "Save now, we beseech thee, 0 Jehovah;
0 Jehovah, we beseech thee, send now prosperity. Blessed be he
that cometh in the name of Jehovah." This verse was applied
to Christ and is a well-wishing as we wish happiness and safety
to a new ruler. Thus the people thought Christ should be their
worldly king, and they wish him joy and happiness to that end.
For Hosanna means: "0, give prosperity;" or: "Beloved,
help;" or: "Beloved, save;" or whatever else you
might desire to express in such a wish. They add: "To the
son of David," and say: God give prosperity to the son of
David! 0 God, give prosperity, blessed be," etc. We would
say: 0, dear Lord, give happiness and prosperity to this son of
David, for his new kingdom! Let him enter in God's name that he
may be blessed and his kingdom prosper.
100.
Mark proves clearly that they meant his kingdom when he writes
expressly in Mark 11, 10, that they said: "Blessed is the
kingdom that cometh, the kingdom of our father David: Hosanna
in the highest." When some in the churches, read it "Osanna",
it is not correct, it should be "Hosanna." They made
a woman's name out of it, and her whom they should call Susanna
they call Osanna. Susanna is a woman's name and means a rose.
Finally, after making a farce out of baptism, the bishops baptize
bells and altars, which is a great nonsense, and call the bells
Osanna. But away with the blind leaders! We should learn here
also to sing Hosanna and Hazelihana to the son of David together
with those multitudes, that is, joyfully wish happiness and prosperity
to the kingdom of Christ, to holy Christendom, that God may put
away all human doctrine and let Christ alone be our king, who
governs by his Gospel, and permits us to be his colts! God grant
it, Amen.
This article was made available on the
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Refer any correspondence to Shane Rosenthal: ReformationInk at mac.com (connect and write as @mac.com -- when I connect them I get a lot of junk mail).